Protective and therapeutic effects of glyprolines in psychoemotional stress induced by cholecystokinin-4 injection

Experiments on outbred albino male rats showed that psychoemotional stress induced by intraperitoneal injection of cholecystokinin-4 (100 μg/kg) increased anxiety, impaired orientation and exploration activities in the elevated plus-maze and hole-board tests, and increased the level of depression of Porsolt test. Preliminary intranasal administration of glyprolines (15 min before cholecystokinin) in a dose of 3.7 μmol/kg prevented the development of stress-induced behavioral disturbances. Administration of peptides 30 min after cholecystokinin-4, i.e. to rats with developed behavioral disturbances, almost completely abolished these disturbances. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 3, pp. 270–274, March, 2008     

强迫症疾病行为的精神病理机制研究

目的对研究获得的强迫症疾病行为特征探索其精神病理学机制。方法以符合CCMD-Ⅱ的门诊强迫症患者50例为对象，选取非精神科病人50例组成对照，应用“强迫症疾病行为特征量表（OBPS）”，确定其有无强迫症疾病行为。同时调查研究组与对照组的人格特质、偶发事件、应对策略等方面，研究这些因素在疾病发生、发展中的作用。结果①研究组全部符合李一高量表的疾病行为特征，积分明显高于对照组（t=26．480，P〈0．01）；②强迫症患者人格当中的强迫质偏高，积分明显高于对照组（t=15．93，P〈0．01）；③研究组中绝大多数患者存在偶发事件，而对照组中偶发事件的发生率低于研究组（X^2=21．374，P〈0．01）；④应对策略特征方面研究组不成熟应对方式的应用明显多于对照组。结论强迫神经症形成中人格特质作为基础，偶发事件起到启动对“不完全的恐怖”，错误的应对策略不断强化病感，促进疾病形成。李一高强迫症疾病行为理论的3项内容，特征性的反映了强迫症的疾病行为。     

初中生亲社会行为的干预实验

目的: 探讨初中生亲社会行为的干预内容及方法.方法: 用自编量表对实验班和控制班的亲社会价值取向和亲社会行为进行前测,以班级管理为途径,通过心理活动课、主题班会等干预形式,借助榜样示范、移情训练、价值澄清、行为训练等具体方法,对实验班学生的亲社会行为进行干预训练,对控制班学生不施加任何专门的干预.三个月后用自编量表对两班进行实验后测.结果: 干预前实验班学生的价值取向在三种类别上的人数分布与控制班学生存在显著差异(P=0.005),表现为利他取向者少于控制班,而难以判断者多于控制班,但干预后两班差异不显著(P>O.05);干预后实验班组内价值取向人数分布亦发生显著变化(P=O.027),表现为利他取向者人数增加,难以判断者人数减少,而控制班前后测差异不显著(P>0.05);干预前实验班学生的亲社会行为总分及调节、利他、习俗、公正和控制维度得分均低于控制班学生(如,总分:28.8±6.5/34.5±6.3,P0.05).结论: 以班级为单位对初中生的亲社会行为进行综合性的教育干预是可行的和有效的.     

Searching for a marker of REM sleep behavior disorder: submentalis muscle EMG amplitude analysis during sleep in patients with narcolepsy/cataplexy

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the amplitude of submentalis muscle EMG activity during sleep in patients with narcolepsy/cataplexy with or without REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). DESIGN: Observational study with consecutive recruitment. SETTINGS: Sleep laboratory. PATIENTS: Thirty-four patients with narcolepsy/cataplexy and 35 age-matched normal controls. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Half the patients (17 subjects) had a clinical and video polysomnographic diagnosis of RBD. The average amplitude of the rectified submentalis muscle EMG signal was used to assess muscle atonia, and the new REM sleep Atonia Index was computed. Chin muscle activations were detected and their duration and interval analyzed. REM sleep Atonia Index was lower in both patient groups (with narcolepsy patients with RBD showing the lowest values) with respect to controls, and it did not correlate with age as it did in controls. The total number of chin EMG activations was significantly higher in both patient groups than controls. No significant differences were found between the two groups of patients, although more chin EMG activations were noted in narcolepsy patients with RBD than those without. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated muscle activity during REM sleep is the only polysomnographic marker of RBD. This study shows that polysomnographically evident RBD is present in many patients with narcolepsy/ cataplexy. This condition might be specific to narcolepsy/cataplexy, reflecting a peculiar form of REM sleep related motor dyscontrol (i.e., status dissociatus), paving the way to enacting dream behaviors, and correlated with the specific neurochemical and neuropathological substrate of narcolepsy/cataplexy.     

Lack of effects of pramipexole on REM sleep behavior disorder in Parkinson disease

STUDY OBJECTIVES: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a common manifestation of Parkinson disease (PD) which is characterized by dream-enacting behaviors, unpleasant dreams, and loss of muscle atonia during REM sleep. Dopaminergic mechanisms are thought to play a role in RBD pathogenesis. To further asses such a role, we have evaluated the effect of pramipexole, a dopamine receptor agonist, on RBD features in PD patients. SETTING: University hospital sleep disorder center. PARTICIPANTS: Eleven PD patients with untreated RBD. interventions: Not applicable. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: In a prospective study, 11 consecutive PD patients with untreated RBD on levodopa monotherapy were placed on pramipexole to further ameliorate their parkinsonism. The effects on RBD were evaluated before and 3 months after stable pramipexole therapy through patient and bed partner interviews and blind assessment of video-polysomnographic measures. Pramipexole improved parkinsonism in all patients. Patients and bed partners reported no significant changes in frequency and severity of the abnormal RBD related motor and vocal sleep behaviors or the frequency of unpleasant dreams. Video-polysomnography analyses showed no differences in RBD related sleep measures including tonic submental electromyographic activity, phasic submental electromyographic activity, percentage of REM sleep time spent with abnormal behaviors, and severity of the abnormal behaviors detected on the videotapes. CONCLUSION: In PD, pramipexole improved parkinsonism but did not modify RBD related symptoms and objective video-polysomnographic abnormalities. This observation suggests that in PD, dopamine mechanisms do not play a central role in the pathogenesis of RBD.     

A quantitative statistical analysis of the submentalis muscle EMG amplitude during sleep in normal controls and patients with REM sleep behavior disorder

The aim of this study was to evaluate quantitatively the amplitude of the submentalis muscle EMG activity during sleep in controls and in patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) or with RBD and multiple system atrophy (MSA). We recruited 21 patients with idiopathic RBD, 10 with MSA, 10 age-matched and 24 young normal controls. The average amplitude of the rectified submentalis muscle EMG signal was used for the assessment of atonia and a Sleep Atonia Index was developed; moreover, also chin muscle activations were detected and their duration and interval analyzed. The Sleep Atonia Index was able to distinguish clearly REM from NREM sleep in normal controls with values very close to 1 in young normal subjects and only slightly (but significantly) lower in old controls. Idiopathic RBD patients showed a further significant decrease of this index; MSA patients showed the lowest values of REM Sleep Atonia Index, which were very well distinguishable from those of normal controls and of idiopathic RBD patients. The distribution of the duration of chin activations was monomodal in all groups, with idiopathic RBD patients showing the highest levels. This study is a really quantitative attempt to provide practical indices for the objective evaluation of EMG atonia during REM sleep and of EMG activations. Our proposed Sleep Atonia Index can have a practical application in the clinical evaluations of patients and represents an additional useful parameters to be used in conjunction with the other criteria for the diagnosis of this sleep motor disorder.     

Characterization of copulatory behavior in female mice: evidence for paced mating

In this study we characterized female mouse sexual behavior using a pacing paradigm similar to that used to evaluate sexual behavior in female rats. A pacing chamber was designed for use with mice and we compared the sexual behavior of female mice that were tested in both pacing and nonpacing paradigms and under different hormone conditions. We found that, like rats, female mice do pace their copulatory behavior by altering the temporal sequence of copulatory events. Female mice take longer to return to the male after an ejaculation, compared to either a mount or intromission. However, it is still unclear if female-paced mating serves the same functions as it does in female rats. More work is needed to confirm that paced mating induces hormonal changes needed for pregnancy as is the case in rats.     

Enhanced neural activation in brain regions mediating sexual responses following exposure to a conditioned stimulus that predicts copulation

Stimuli associated with sexual behavior increase reproductive success if presented prior to copulation. In Japanese quail, inseminations that take place in a context that predicts the arrival of a female are more likely to result in fertilized eggs. We demonstrate here that in male Japanese quail a sexual conditioned stimulus (CS) also enhances activity in two brain regions that mediate sexual behavior, the medial preoptic area and the medial part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. C-fos expression, a marker of neural activation, was higher in these areas in subjects exposed sequentially to a sexual CS and copulation than in subjects exposed to copulation or the CS alone or in subjects exposed to no sexual stimulus, either an identical, untrained CS or an empty arena. These results suggest a link between a proximate result of sexual CS presentation, male brain activation, and a known ultimate outcome, increased fertilizations.     

Short sleep duration in middle childhood: risk factors and consequences

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To measure sleep duration in 7-year-old children; identify the determinants of sleep duration; and assess the association between short sleep duration and obesity, cognitive functioning, and behaviour. DESIGN: Longitudinal study with disproportionate sampling of the participants. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: 591 seven-year-old children, of whom 519 had complete sleep data. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MEASUREMENTS: Sleep duration was assessed by actigraphy. Other measurements included height, weight, BMI, percentage body fat as assessed by bioimpedance assay, intelligence (WISC-III) and behaviour (Strengths & Difficulties questionnaire, parent and teachers Conners Rating Scales). RESULTS: Mean time in bed according to parental report was 10.9 hours (SD 0.8). Mean sleep duration by actigraphy was 10.1 (SD 0.8) hours. In multivariable analysis, sleep duration was longer on weekdays vs. weekend nights (31.5 min, P = 0.002), in winter (40.5 min), autumn (31.1 min), and spring (14.8 min) compared with summer (P <0.0001), and in those with younger siblings (11.7 min, P = 0.03). Sleep duration was shorter when bedtime was after 21:00 (-41.1 min, P <0.0001). In multivariable analysis, sleep duration <9 hours was associated with being overweight/ obese (BMI: OR = 3.32; 95% CI = 1.40, 7.87) with an increase of 3.34% body fat (P = 0.03), and this was not explained by physical activity or television watching. Short sleep duration was also associated with higher emotional lability scores (Conners Rating Scale Parent Form; P = 0.03). IQ (WISC-III) and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder scores (both parent and teachers Conners Rating Scales) did not differ with sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep duration in 7-year-old children varies considerably among individuals. The duration is affected by weekday, season, and having younger siblings. Importantly, short sleep duration was shown to be an independent risk factor for obesity/overweight.     

Testosterone, androstenedione, and 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone on male sexual behavior and penile spines in the hamster

The expression of masculine sexual behavior (MSB) in male hamsters is optimally stimulated by aromatizable androgens like androstenedione (AD) and testosterone (T), while the non-aromatizable androgen, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), exerting potent androgenic peripheral effects, only in high doses maintains MSB after castration. No data exist on the ability of these androgens to restore long intromissions after castration. In this study, AD, T, and DHT were administered to four-week gonadectomized, sexually experienced male hamsters, for three weeks, in doses of 25 microg/day or up to 1000 microg/day to compare their potency in restoring MSB, penile size, and penile spines growth. Plasma levels of these steroids and the metabolites estrone and estradiol, were determined at the end of the treatment period. Gonadectomy completely suppressed MSB and induced a regression of penile spines. AD was more potent than T in restoring MSB, ejaculatory behavior being displayed by most castrated subjects with a lower dose of AD (50 microg/day) than of T (300 microg/day), and long intromissions being shown by all AD-treated castrated hamsters but only by 20% of T-treated ones, when doses of 1000 microg/day were given. DHT did not stimulate any copulatory response. The three androgens, even at the lowest dose, partially stimulated penis and penile epithelium growth, DHT showing the highest potency. Treatment of castrated hamsters with AD (50 microg/day), restored steroid levels to similar values as those of intact animals. These results show that AD and T restored MSB even with a partial stimulation of penile spines growth, AD being more potent than T. In contrast, DHT did not restore MSB in the hamster in spite of its peripheral androgenic potency.