How many forms of perseveration? Evidence from cancellation tasks in right hemisphere patients

Neglect patients' performance during cancellation tasks is characterized by left sided omissions and, in many cases, by the production of inappropriate material of various kinds in the ipsilesional space, e.g. additional marks over already cancelled targets, marks drawn away from targets, scribbles, irrelevant drawings. It is unclear whether these behaviours, which have collectively been called perseverative, are functionally and anatomically connected and whether they correlate with the severity of neglect. Here we report a retrospective study on 33 right brain damaged patients with neglect after right hemisphere lesions in whom we measured the intensity of perseveration of the three following kinds: (1) ‘additional marks' (AM) perseveration where patients cancelled a target with two or more well separated marks; (2) ‘scribble’ perseveration, where patients, instead of cancelling the target with a single pen stroke as required by the task, performed multiple pen strokes without breaking the pen-to-paper contact, with the final product being a scribble; (3) ‘flying marks’ (FM) perseveration where patients produced cancellation marks well away from the targets. We found that AM and FM perseveration correlated with neglect severity, while ‘scribble’ perseveration did not. The lesion-symptom mapping showed three separate anatomical areas in the right hemisphere: ‘scribble’ perseveration was associated with lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus; AM perseveration was associated with damage to the rolandic operculum, superior temporal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus; FM perseveration was associated with damage to the dorsal premotor cortex and the temporal pole. Neglect severity followed damage to a region which grossly corresponds to the sum of the regions associated with AM and FM perseveration respectively. This complex behavioural and anatomical pattern is interpreted in terms of a three-factor model, in which AM perseveration is caused by a deficit of disengagement of attention from the right side (also causing omissions), FM perseveration is caused by directional hypokinesia (also causing left-side omissions), and ‘scribble’ perseveration is the consequence of a failure to inhibit an initiated motor act, which is completely separate (both anatomically and functionally) from the disorder inducing omissions.     

TRANCEFORMATIONS: HYPNOSIS IN BRAIN AND BODY

In this review, the role of hypnosis and related psychotherapeutic techniques are discussed in relation to the anxiety disorders. In particular, anxiety is addressed as a special form of mind/body problem involving reverberating interaction between mental and physical distress. The history of hypnosis as a therapeutic discipline is reviewed, after which neurobiological evidence of the effect of hypnosis on modulation of perception in the brain. Specific brain regions involved in hypnosis are reviewed, notably the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The importance of hypnotizability as a trait, stable variability in hypnotic responsiveness, is discussed. Analogies between the hypnotic state and dissociative reactions to trauma are presented, and the uses of hypnosis in treating posttraumatic stress disorder, stressful situations, and phobias as well as outcome data are reviewed. Effects of hypnosis on control of somatic processes are discussed, and then effects of psychosocial support involving Supportive–Expressive Group Therapy and hypnosis on survival time for cancer patients are evaluated. The evidence indicates an important role for hypnosis in managing anxiety disorders and anxiety related to medical illness.     

紫外分光光度法测定芒果苷苷元的解离常数

目的：采用紫外分光光度法测定芒果苷苷元的解离常数。方法将芒果苷苷元溶于一系列的pH值磷酸缓冲盐溶液中,并在芒果苷苷元合适的波长处分别测定吸光值并计算其pKa值。结果以253nm和315nm作为分析波长,利用作图软件拟合曲线求出拐点即是芒果苷苷元的解离常数,计算得到平均值为6.72。结论通过紫外分光光度法测定了芒果苷元的解离常数,对进一步研究芒果苷苷元的吸收、分布、代谢和排泄等具有重要的参考意义。该方法简单快速,准确可靠。     

Treatment of Trauma- and Abuse-Related Dissociative Symptom Disorders in Children and Adolescents

TOPIC:  Dissociation is believed to be one of the most common underlying psychological processes among children and adolescents receiving mental health treatment, but most of the dissemination of information about dissociation has occurred among psychiatrists and psychologists.
PURPOSE:  Modes of treatment for dissociation as it affects children and adolescents are described.
SOURCES USED:  Current research and practice scholarly articles on treatment of children and adolescents for dissociation and dissociative symptom disorders were accessed and critically reviewed.
CONCLUSIONS:  Prognosis in children and adolescents can vary widely among patients and between the specific types of dissociation disorder; however, expert clinicians and researchers agree that early, intense treatment offers the greatest possibility of full recovery.     

Nightmare disorder, dream anxiety, and subjective sleep quality in patients with borderline personality disorder

Aims:  The aims of the present study were to examine the rate of nightmare disorder (ND) and to determine the levels of dream anxiety and subjective sleep quality in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Another aim was to determine whether dream anxiety was associated with childhood trauma, dissociative experiences, and subjective sleep disturbance in BPD patients. Finally, the hypothesis as to whether BPD patients with ND exhibited a more severe clinical profile than those without ND, was also tested.
Methods:  A total of 88 borderline patients and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, Van Dream Anxiety Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Dissociative Experiences Scale, and Traumatic Experiences Checklist. Subjects with codiagnoses that could affect sleep were not included.
Results:  BPD patients suffered a significantly greater rate of nightmares, elevated levels of dream anxiety, and disturbed sleep quality than did controls. In the borderline group, heightened dream anxiety was correlated with higher rates of early traumatic experiences and dissociative symptoms, and impaired sleep quality. Furthermore, borderline patients with ND exhibited greater psychopathology as compared to those without ND in terms of several clinical characteristics.
Conclusions:  The present study provides support for a strong association between BPD, distressing nightmares, and subjective sleep quality. Recognition and management of dream and sleep disturbances in BPD patients might lead to improvements in their global clinical picture.     

Aware and unaware perception in hemispatial neglect: evidence from a stem completion priming task

The current study used the process dissociation procedure in conjunction with a stem-completion priming task to disentangle the influences of aware and unaware perception in patients with hemispatial neglect. One lateralized picture prime was presented simultaneously with a filler picture followed by a centrally presented word stem. In the inclusion condition participants were asked to complete the word stem with the previously presented picture name; in the exclusion task they were asked to complete the stem with the name of a picture other than the one previously presented. Findings indicated that neglect patients had reduced unaware perception of pictures presented in the left visual field and an absence of awareness for those same pictures. In addition, patients had reduced awareness for right visual field pictures, but unaware perception remained intact. These findings suggest that observations of preserved information processing in neglect are due to residual unaware perception and not due to residual awareness of information in the neglected hemispace.     

Apoptosis: Decrease of hepatocyte population in mice after hyperthermia

hyperthermia caused hemodynamic disorders in the liver and degenerative and necrobiotic changes in hepatocytes of CBA mice. Total hepatocyte count decreased during restitution, this decrease being most pronounced 30 min after exposure. The number of binucleated cells also markedly decreased. The absence of necrotic changes in hepatocytes during the entire restitution period indicated their apoptotic death and elimination by macrophagal resorption. Under these conditions liver regeneration at the cellular level occured mainly via division of binucleated hepatocytes. On the other hand, proliferation of oval cells in the portal zones and their differentiation into hepatocytes were observed at certain stages of reparative regeneration of the liver.     

Dissociative responses in the immediate aftermath of the Oakland/Berkeley firestorm

This study examined relationships between dissociative symptoms experienced in the immediate aftermath of the Oakland/Berkeley firestorm and contact with the fire, life events, demographic variables, and actions taken after learning about the fire. One hundred eighty-seven participants completed self-report measures about their experiences during and immediately following the fire. Dissociative symptoms were significantly related to contact with the fire, sex, and stressful life events. Also, dissociative symptoms were significantly related to engaging in certain activities, such as trying to get closer to the fire and going into blocked-off areas and crossing police barricades. These results suggest that dissociative symptoms may merit special attention in intervention focusing on the immediate aftermath of disaster.