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Behavioural
Terms modified by Behavioural Selected AbstractsThe effect of spatial cues on infants' responses in the AB task, with and without a hidden objectDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2001Andrew Bremner The errors made by infants in the AB task were taken by Piaget as an indication of an inability to update their representations of the spatial location of a hidden object. This paper presents an experiment designed to further investigate the role of spatial representations in the production of the error. The introduction of strong visual cues to spatial location was found to reduce the traditional A-not-B search error. However, it also increased perseveration when a ,lids-only' analogue of the AB task was used, in which infants are simply cued to pick up lids rather than encouraged to search for a hidden object. These results present a challenge to the dynamic systems account of the error given by Smith, Thelen, Titzer and McLin (Psychological Review, 106 (1999), 235,260), and indicate that the traditional A-not-B search error arises from a difficulty in updating representations of the spatial location of hidden objects. The relation of these results to Munakata's PDP model (Developmental Science, 1 (1998), 161,211) and Thelen, Schöner, Scheier and Smith's (Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 24 (2001), 1--86) most recent dynamic systems model of the A-not-B error is also discussed. [source] Subjective mental time: the functional architecture of projecting the self to past and futureEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 10 2009Shahar Arzy Abstract Human experience takes place in the line of mental time (MT) created through ,self-projection' of oneself to different time-points in the past or future. Here we manipulated self-projection in MT not only with respect to one's life events but also with respect to one's faces from different past and future time-points. Behavioural and event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging activity showed three independent effects characterized by (i) similarity between past recollection and future imagination, (ii) facilitation of judgements related to the future as compared with the past, and (iii) facilitation of judgements related to time-points distant from the present. These effects were found with respect to faces and events, and also suggest that brain mechanisms of MT are independent of whether actual life episodes have to be re-experienced or pre-experienced, recruiting a common cerebral network including the anteromedial temporal, posterior parietal, inferior frontal, temporo-parietal and insular cortices. These behavioural and neural data suggest that self-projection in time is a fundamental aspect of MT, relying on neural structures encoding memory, mental imagery and self. [source] Behavioural and neurobiological effects of colostrum ingestion in the newborn lamb associated with filial bondingEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 4 2009David Val-Laillet Abstract In sheep, the onset of filial bonding relies on early intake of colostrum. The aim of our work was to describe in the newborn lamb housed with its mother the immediate post-ingestive effects of colostrum intake, in terms of behaviour and brain activity. In Experiment 1, lambs received five nasogastric infusions of colostrum, or saline, or sham intubations during the first 6 h after birth. Mother,young interactions were recorded before and after the first, third and fifth infusions. The activity of the dam and of the young, which diminished over time in all groups, was temporarily increased in both partners just after each intubation procedure. The number of high-pitched bleats was significantly lower in lambs that received colostrum than in the sham group, suggesting soothing or satiating properties of colostrum. In Experiment 2, newborn lambs received a single nasogastric infusion of colostrum or saline 4.5 h after birth, or were sham intubated. Neuronal activation was investigated 1.5 h later for maximum c-Fos activity. Infusion of colostrum and saline induced different patterns of c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus as compared with the sham group. A specific oxytocinergic/vasopressinergic (OT/VSP) cell population in the paraventricular nucleus was activated following colostrum and saline infusion, but not sham intubation. Only colostrum induced the activation of the cortical amygdala and insular cortex, two structures involved in learning, associative processes, reward and emotion. We hypothesize that filial bonding may be triggered through colostrum-rewarded learning/calming processes and that the OT/VSP system may play a role. [source] Behavioural sensitization and enhanced dopamine response in the nucleus accumbens after intravenous cocaine self-administration in miceEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2003Agustin Zapata Abstract The behavioural effects of cocaine are enhanced in animals with a prior history of repeated cocaine administration. This phenomenon, referred to as sensitization, is also associated with an increase in cocaine-evoked extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. Behavioural and neurochemical sensitization has been demonstrated in rats with a prior history of cocaine self-administration and in those that had received experimenter-administered cocaine. Although it is clear that the repeated non-contingent administration also results in behavioural sensitization in the mouse, the issue of whether behavioural and neurochemical sensitization also occur in this species following intravenous cocaine self-administration has not been assessed. The present study used the technique of in vivo microdialysis in conjunction with operant self-administration to characterize cocaine-evoked locomotor activity and dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens in mice with a prior history of intravenous cocaine self-administration or those that had received yoked infusions of cocaine. Mice that had received contingent or non-contingent infusions of cocaine exhibited an enhanced behavioural response to cocaine and increased cocaine-evoked dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. There was no difference between groups in the magnitude of this effect. Prior exposure to cocaine did not modify baseline dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. These data demonstrate that mice with previous cocaine self-administration experience show an enhanced behavioural and dopamine response to cocaine in the nucleus accumbens. Furthermore, control over cocaine infusion does not significantly alter the magnitude of the sensitized behavioural and presynaptic dopamine responses observed in response to a challenge dose of cocaine. [source] Personality variable differences between disease clustersEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 2 2003G. Matthews Previous studies of personality and health have focused mainly on the influence of psychological factors on single diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD), thereby neglecting the problem of comorbidity (i.e. the combination of different diseases). The main focus of the present study was the discrimination between single- and multiple-disease conditions on the basis of personality traits. An extensive battery of personality scales implicated in health was administered to a sample of n=5133 individuals of both genders between the ages of 40 and 65. Subjects also reported their health or illness status. A factor analysis of the personality scales yielded five dimensions clearly interpretable as "Emotional Lability", "Type A Behaviour", "Behavioural Control", "Locus of Control over Diseases", and "Psychoticism". Hierarchical cluster analyses of the subsample of participants who reported suffering from more than one disease led to eight clusters representing individuals with different combinations of diseases. Generally, there were very few significant differences between healthy and single-disease participants with regard to personality. However, mean factor scores calculated for "Emotional Lability" were higher across the multiple-disease groups than in the healthy and single-disease groups. No other personality factor showed this trend. In general the results reported here show the important role negative affectivity (e.g. Emotional Lability, Neuroticism, Depression) plays in differentiating between single and multiple diseases. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Behavioural and physiological characterization of inbred mouse strains: prospects for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of mammalian learning and memoryGENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2002P. V. Nguyen With the advent of recombinant DNA methodology, it has become possible to dissect the molecular mechanisms of complex traits, including brain function and behaviour. The increasing amount of available information on the genomes of mammalian organisms, including our own, has facilitated this research. The present review focuses on a somewhat neglected area of genetics, one that involves the study of inbred mouse strains. It is argued that the use of inbred mice is complementary to transgenic approaches in the analysis of molecular mechanisms of complex traits. Whereas transgenic technology allows one to manipulate a single gene and investigate the in vivo effects of highly specific, artificially induced mutations, the study of inbred mouse strains should shed light on the roles of naturally occurring allelic variants in brain function and behaviour. Systematic characterization of the behavioural, electrophysiological, neurochemical, and neuroanatomical properties of a large number of inbred strains is required to elucidate mechanisms of mammalian brain function and behaviour. In essence, a ,mouse phenome' project is needed, entailing the construction of databases to investigate possible causal relationships amongst the phenotypical characteristics. This review focuses on electrophysiological and behavioural characterization of mouse strains. Nevertheless, it is emphasized that the full potential of the analysis of inbred mouse strains may be attained if techniques of numerous disciplines, including gene expression profiling, biochemical analysis, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, to name but a few, are also included. [source] Behavioural and psychological syndromes in Alzheimer's diseaseINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 11 2004A. Mirakhur Abstract Objectives The origins of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia are still poorly understood. By focusing on piecemeal behaviours as opposed to more robust syndrome change valid biological correlates may be overlooked. Our understanding of BPSD via the identification of neuropsychiatric syndromes. Methods We recruited 435 subjects from old age psychiatry and elderly care memory outpatient clinics fulfilling the criteria for diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease. Behavioural and psychological symptoms were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Principal components factor analysis was carried out on the composite scores of the 12 symptom domains to identify behavioural syndromes (factors). Results were confirmed by performing three different rotations: Varimax, Equamax and Quartimax. Results Four factors were identified (which accounted for 57% of the variance): ,affect' factor,depression/dysphoria, anxiety, irritability/lability and agitation/aggression; ,physical behaviour' factor,apathy, aberrant motor behaviour, sleep disturbance and appetite/eating disturbance; ,psychosis' factor,delusions and hallucinations; ,hypomania' factor,disinhibition and elation/euphoria. These groups were unchanged when different methods of rotation were used. Conclusions We report novel observations that agitation/aggression/irritability cluster within a depressive symptom factor and apathy is found within a physical behaviour factor. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia,clinical features in an Indian populationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 5 2001Nilamadhab Kar No abstract is available for this article. [source] Behavioural and emotional problems of children by type of out-of-home care in CroatiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE, Issue 3 2005Marina Ajdukovi The aim of this article is to compare the kinds of behavioural and emotional problems of youth in relation to type of out-of-home placement in Croatia. Children living in children's homes manifest significantly more behavioural and emotional problems than other groups of children in out-of-home care or children living in their primary families. Children living in foster families or in family-type homes integrated in the community do not differ from a comparative group of children living in primary families. Regardless of differences among sub-samples regarding behavioural and emotional problems, the current problems of individual children in all groups of children in out-of-home placement were connected more to currently experienced stressors than to unfavourable circumstances before their removal. This indicates that there are benefits to be gained by improving services in the children's present care environment. [source] Male and female Silene latifolia plants differ in per-contact risk of infection by a sexually transmitted diseaseJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Oliver Kaltz Summary 1,Behavioural, physiological or immunological constraints often render one sex more susceptible to parasites, thereby potentially generating sex-specific trade-offs between traits associated with infection risk and other life-history characters. 2,The fungal pathogen Microbotryum violaceum systemically infects the dioecious plant Silene latifolia when pollinators deposit fungal spores on the flowers of healthy plants. Male plants produce many short-lived flowers, whereas females produce few flowers that remain connected with the plant after fertilization. We investigated how variation in flower production and flower longevity affects the infection risk for males and females. 3,In glasshouse experiments, we varied the number of flowers inoculated (4 vs. 16 per plant) with spores and the time until these flowers were removed (1 or 2 days for both sexes, 14 days for females only). We also measured the longevity of male flowers receiving simulated visits, with or without spores, to test for an abscission response to visitation and/or contamination. In a field survey, we measured male and female disease prevalence in 17 natural populations. 4,Varying the number of inoculated flowers did not affect infection probability, but females retaining inoculated flowers for 14 days became diseased more often (20.0%) than did plants with flowers removed within 2 days (7.3%). 5,Males that had dropped more inoculated flowers prematurely were more likely to remain uninfected. Spore-bearing visits shortened male flower longevity (38.4 ± 2.8 h) relative to non-spore visits (47.9 ± 5.2 h). 6,Female field disease prevalence (19.7 ± 3.5%) was higher than that of males (14.3 ± 2.6%), especially in populations with a high disease incidence. 7,Continuing physical connection during fruit ripening appears to increase invasion time and thus the per-contact infection risk in females. This is consistent with higher female field prevalences, although other explanations, unrelated to disease transmission, are possible. These results illustrate how interactions between plant reproductive behaviour and pollinator activity may affect disease spread. Female mating behaviour may evolve towards lower attractiveness to pollinators to minimize infectious contacts, while males can afford to be more promiscuous with an attractive, but disposable, floral display. [source] Behavioural and gene transcription alterations induced by spontaneous cannabinoid withdrawal in miceJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2003José M. Oliva Abstract This study examined behavioural signs that occur during tolerance development to cannabinoid treatment and hormonal and gene expression alterations induced by spontaneous cannabinoid withdrawal in mice. Tolerance to CP-55,940 treatment developed for hypothermia, ambulatory and exploratory locomotor activity. Cessation of cannabinoid treatment resulted in a behavioural withdrawal syndrome characterized by a pronounced increase in ambulatory activity and rearings. Corticosterone plasma concentrations dramatically increased 24 and 72 h after cessation of cannabinoid treatment. Similarly, an increase (40%) in cannabinoid [35S]GTP,S binding autoradiography was detected on days 1 and 3 of abstinence. Spontaneous cannabinoid withdrawal produced time-related significant alterations in gene transcription: (i) decreased (20%) tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA levels in the ventral tegmental area and increased (50%) in substantia nigra; (ii) increased proenkephalin (PENK) gene expression more than 100% in caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle and piriform cortex; (iii) increased (20,40%) pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene expression in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. These results suggest that spontaneous cannabinoid withdrawal occur after cessation of CP-55,940 treatment. This ,syndrome' includes behavioural, hormonal and gene transcription alterations that seems to be part of the regulation of neuronal plasticity induced by spontaneous cannabinoid withdrawal. [source] Behavioural Assays to Model Cognitive and Affective Dimensions of Depression and Anxiety in RatsJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 10 2008M. D. S. Lapiz-Bluhm Animal models have been used extensively to investigate neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, and their treatment. However, the aetiology and pathophysiology of many such disorders are largely unknown, which makes validation of animal models particularly challenging. Furthermore, many diagnostic symptoms are difficult to define, operationalise and quantify, especially in experimental animals such as rats. Thus, rather than attempting to model complex human syndromes such as depression in their entirety, it can be more productive to define and model components of the illness that may account for clusters of co-varying symptoms, and that may share common underlying neurobiological mechanisms. In preclinical investigations of the neural regulatory mechanisms linking stress to depression and anxiety disorders, as well as the mechanisms by which chronic treatment with antidepressant drugs may exert their beneficial effects in these conditions, we have employed a number of behavioural tests in rats to model specific cognitive and anxiety-like components of depression and anxiety disorders. In the present study, we review the procedures for conducting four such behavioural assays: the attentional set-shifting test, the elevated-plus maze, the social interaction test and the shock-probe defensive burying test. The purpose is to serve as a guide to the utility and limitations of these tools, and as an aid in optimising their use and productivity. [source] Reproduction-Induced Neuroplasticity: Natural Behavioural and Neuronal Alterations Associated with the Production and Care of OffspringJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Craig H. Kinsley As a female transitions into motherhood, many neurobiological adaptations are required to meet the demands presented by her offspring. In addition to the traditional maternal responses (e.g. crouching, nursing, retrieving, grooming), our laboratories have observed several behavioural modifications accompanying parity, especially in the areas of foraging and emotional resilience. Additionally, brain modifications have been observed in the hippocampus and amygdala, providing support for neural plasticity extending beyond the expected hypothalamic alterations. Interestingly, we have observed parenting-induced neuroplasticity to persist into late adulthood, even providing protection against age-related brain and memory deficits. Although the majority of work on the parental brain has been conducted on females, preliminary research suggests similar changes in the biparental male California deer mouse. Taken together, research suggests that the parental brain is dynamic and changeable as it undergoes diverse and, in some cases, long-lasting, modifications to facilitate the production and care of offspring. [source] Host plant adaptations in myrtaceous-feeding Pergid sawflies: essential oils and the morphology and behaviour of Pergagrapta larvae (Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Pergidae)BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2000S. SCHMIDT Australian pergine sawflies typically feed on eucalypts and other closely-related Myrtaceae, which are known for their high content of essential oils. We describe a novel morphological adaptation of the inner mandibular surface of larval stage Pergagrapta species, which feed on leaves of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae). This ,scopa mandibularis' forms an extensive mesh of setaceous papillae on what is usually the grinding surface of the mandible. Behavioural, chemical and morphological investigations of the sawfly- Melaleuca system suggest that the scopa may function in the physical separation of toxic leaf oils from the diet. The oils are stored in a pharyngeal diverticulum from where they are ejected under two circumstances. Oil from the diverticulum is voided prior to feeding and/or during feeding at night, which indicates a mechanism to eliminate host-associated oils. Larvae rest in close aggregations during the day, when they retain a full diverticulum, but the oils may be emitted for defensive purposes when larvae are disturbed. Chemical evidence suggests that 1,8-cineole, the major component in the M. quinquenervia leaves, is selectively metabolized to a more soluble hydroxycineole. We postulate that the separation and regurgitation of oils is not only a defence mechanism against predators, as usually stated, but also a mechanism by which pergid larvae eliminate oils from their diet, to reduce the toxicity of their food plants. [source] A novel diketopiperazine improves functional recovery given after the onset of 6-OHDA-induced motor deficit in ratsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 4 2009RVM Krishnamurthi Background and purpose:, Cyclo-L-glycyl-L-2-allylproline (NNZ-2591), a modified diketopiperazine, is neuroprotective and improves long-term function after hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury in rats. The present studies were designed to examine both the neuroprotective and neurotrophic actions of NNZ-2591 on neurochemical and behavioural changes in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Experimental approach:, To examine its protective effect, either NNZ-2591 (20 ng·day,1) or saline was given intracerebroventricularly for 3 days starting 2 h after 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced unilateral striatal lesion. In a subsequent experiment either NNZ-2591 (0.2, 1 and 5 mg·day,1, s.c.) or saline was administered daily for 14 days starting 2 weeks after the lesion. Behavioural and neurochemical outcomes were examined using the adjusting step test and immunohistochemical staining. Key results:, Cyclo-L-glycyl-L-2-allylproline given 2 h after the lesion reduced the degree of motor deficit compared with the saline-treated group. Delayed treatment with NNZ-2591, initiated after the onset of motor deficit, significantly improved motor function from week 7 onwards compared with the saline-treated group. Neither treatment regime altered nigrostriatal dopamine depletion. NNZ-2591 significantly enhanced the expression of doublecortin-positive neuroblasts in the sub-ventricular zone. Conclusions and implications:, These studies reveal that early treatment with NNZ-2591 protects against the motor deficit induced by 6-OHDA and that treatment initiated after the establishment of motor impairment significantly improves long-term motor function. These effects of NNZ-2591 on functional recovery were independent of dopamine depletion and also appeared not to be symptomatic as the improved motor function was long-lasting. NNZ-2591 has potential as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders. Mandarin translation of abstract [source] Behavioural and biochemical evidence for interactions between ,9-tetrahydrocannabinol and nicotineBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Emmanuel Valjent Behavioural and pharmacological effects of ,9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and nicotine are well known. However, the possible interactions between these two drugs of abuse remain unclear in spite of the current association of cannabis and tobacco in humans. The present study was designed to analyse the consequences of nicotine administration on THC-induced acute behavioural and biochemical responses, tolerance and physical dependence. Nicotine strongly facilitated hypothermia, antinociception and hypolocomotion induced by the acute administration of THC. Furthermore, the co-administration of sub-threshold doses of THC and nicotine produced an anxiolytic-like response in the light,dark box and in the open-field test as well as a significant conditioned place preference. Animals co-treated with nicotine and THC displayed an attenuation in THC tolerance and an enhancement in the somatic expression of cannabinoid antagonist-precipitated THC withdrawal. THC and nicotine administration induced c-Fos expression in several brain structures. Co-administration of both compounds enhanced c-Fos expression in the shell of the nucleus accumbens, central and basolateral nucleus of the amygdala, dorso-lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, cingular and piriform cortex, and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. These results clearly demonstrate the existence of a functional interaction between THC and nicotine. The facilitation of THC-induced acute pharmacological and biochemical responses, tolerance and physical dependence by nicotine could play an important role in the development of addictive processes. British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 135, 564,578; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704479 [source] Behavioural, developmental and child protection outcomes following exposure to Class A drugs in pregnancyCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2008J. Topley Abstract Background The long-term consequences of intrauterine exposure to Class A drugs are still relatively undocumented, and much of the literature relates to the North American experience, where cocaine use predominates. In Britain, heroin and amphetamine use is more common and, within Britain, patterns of drug use vary. Clearly the long-term educational and welfare needs of these children will be enhanced if the behavioural, developmental and child-care outcomes are known. This study attempts to explore some of these issues. Methods The developmental, behavioural and child protection outcomes in a group of 62 children exposed to Class A drugs in utero were investigated when the children were in full-time schooling. Results Seventy-four per cent (46/62) of the children at the time of the study had no educational or behavioural problems, and 11 (17.7%) were receiving extra support in school. No child had a statement of special educational need. Twelve (19.3%) were reported to have behaviour and concentration problems, and in four cases, this was attributed to poor-quality parenting at the time of the study. Three of the 12 children had fetal alcohol syndrome. Twenty-six (42%) children were placed on the Child Protection Register, and care orders or residence orders were granted for 22 (35.5%) of those who were placed on the register. All of the 22 children went into substitute care at some stage. Of these children, nine were adopted and 10 were placed permanently with other family members. Ten of the 62 (16.1%) children at the time of the study were of concern to professionals for child protection reasons, and four of them were on the Child Protection Register. Conclusions This study suggests we can be reasonably optimistic about the developmental and behavioural outcomes for children exposed to Class A drugs in utero. Over 50% required an intervention by social services, and 31% were in substitute care at the time of the study. There were continuing child protection concerns in 16% at school entry. [source] Review: A systematic review of prospective studies on attention problems and academic achievementACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 4 2010T. J. C. Polderman Polderman TJC, Boomsma DI, Bartels M, Verhulst FC, Huizink AC. A systematic review of prospective studies on attention problems and academic achievement. Objective:, Our aim was to provide an overview of prospective studies that have addressed the association between attention problems (AP, i.e. symptoms of hyperactivity and inattentiveness) and academic achievement (AA). Method:, We conducted a systematic search in the literature. Normal population studies and clinical studies were included. The methodological quality of each study was evaluated by objective criteria. A best evidence synthesis was used to determine the strengths of the association. Results:, Sixteen studies were included. We found convincing evidence for a negative association between AP and AA. After controlling for intelligence, comorbidity, and socioeconomic status (SES), the association between the hyperactive symptoms of AP and AA was non-significant in two studies. Conclusion:, Children with AP are at risk for lower AA and subsequent adverse outcomes later in life. Interventions in affected children should focus on their behavioural and educational development. [source] Eating problems at age 6 years in a whole population sample of extremely preterm childrenDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2010MUTHANNA SAMARA Aim, The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of eating problems and their association with neurological and behavioural disabilities and growth among children born extremely preterm (EPC) at age 6 years. Method, A standard questionnaire about eating was completed by parents of 223 children (125 males [56.1%], 98 females [43.9%]) aged 6 years who were born at 25 weeks' gestation or earlier (mean 24.5wks, SD 0.7wks; mean birthweight 749.1g, SD 116.8g), and parents of 148 classmates born at term (66 males [44.6%], 82 females [55.4%]). All children underwent neurological, cognitive, and anthropometric assessment, and parents and teachers completed a behaviour scale. Results, Eating problems were more common among the EPC than the comparison group (odds ratio [OR] 3.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1,6.3), including oral motor (OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.8,9.9), hypersensitivity (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.6,5.6), and behavioural (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.9,7.6) problems. Group differences were reduced after adjustment for cognitive impairment, neuromotor disability, and other behaviour problems. EPC with eating problems were shorter, lighter, and had lower mid-arm circumference and lower body mass index (BMI) even after adjusting for disabilities, gestational age, birthweight, and feeding problems at 30 months. Interpretation, Eating problems are still frequent in EPC at school age. They are only partly related to other disabilities but make an additional contribution to continued growth failure and may require early recognition and intervention. [source] Recognizing behavioural and psychiatric manifestations of neuroimmunological disordersDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 12 2009HILARY M HART EditorArticle first published online: 2 NOV 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] How does the brain learn language?DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2000Insights from the study of children with, without language impairment Neurobiological studies have generated new ways of thinking about development of brain structure and function. Development involves more than just growth from simple to complex structures. The initial over-abundance of neurons and synaptic connections is subsequently pruned of those that are non-functional. In addition, as behavioural and cognitive functions emerge and become automatized, the underlying brain representations are reorganized. In this paper, I shall argue that these different modes of neurodevelopmental change provide a useful metaphor for examining language acquisition. It will be argued that language acquisition can involve learning to ignore and inhibit irrelevant information, as well as forming new ways of representing complex information economically. Modular organization is not present from the outset, but develops gradually. This analysis suggests a new way of assessing specific language impairment (SLI). There has been much debate as to whether children with SLI lack specific modular components of a language processing system. I propose instead that these children persist in using inefficient ways of representing language. Finally, I consider what we know about the neurobiological basis of such a deficit. There is mounting evidence that children with SLI have subtle structural anomalies affecting the language areas of the brain, which are largely genetically determined. We should not, however, conclude that the language difficulties are immutable. [source] Maturation of action monitoring from adolescence to adulthood: an ERP studyDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 6 2005Alexandra M. Hogan This study investigated the development of the frontal lobe action-monitoring system from late childhood and adolescence to early adulthood using ERP markers of error processing. Error negativity (ERN) and correct response negativity (CRN) potentials were recorded while adolescents and adults (aged 12,22 years, n = 23) performed two forced-choice visual reaction time tasks of differing complexity. Significant age differences were seen for behavioural and ERP responses to complex (infrequent, incompatible) trials: adolescents elicited an error negativity of reduced magnitude compared with adults. Furthermore, in contrast to adults, adolescents showed a non-significant differentiation between response-locked ERP components elicited by correct (CRN) and error responses (ERN). Behaviourally, adolescents corrected fewer errors in incompatible trials, and with increasing age there was greater post-error slowing. In conclusion, the neural systems underlying action-monitoring continue to mature throughout the second decade of life, and are associated with increased efficiency for fast error detection and correction during complex tasks. [source] Integrating educational and technological interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes in women with diabetesDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 2 2010Helen R. MurphyArticle first published online: 5 NOV 200 A gap currently exists between our expectations of tight blood glucose control and the reality of safely achieving it before and during pregnancy. Technological and pharmaceutical advances will not in isolation prevent poor pregnancy outcomes without recognising the social, cultural and behavioural context of the women living with diabetes. Neither will behavioural and/or educational programmes completely overcome the fundamentally disordered metabolic pathways and physiological challenges of pregnancy. Improved integration of the technological, behavioural and educational aspects of diabetes care will pave the way for truly personalized, interdisciplinary diabetes management and ultimately improved pregnancy outcomes for women with diabetes and their infants. [source] Schizophrenia and weight management: a systematic review of interventions to control weightACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2003G. Faulkner Objective: Weight gain is a frequent side effect of antipsychotic medication which has serious implications for a patient's health and well being. This study systematically reviews the literature on the effectiveness of interventions designed to control weight gain in schizophrenia. Method: A systematic search strategy was conducted of major databases in addition to citation searches. Study quality was rated. Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Five of eight pharmacological intervention studies reported small reductions in weight (<5% baseline body weight). All behavioural (including diet and/or exercise) interventions reported small reductions in, or maintenance of, weight. Conclusion: Weight loss may be difficult but it is not impossible. Given the inconsistent results, the widespread use of pharmacological interventions cannot be recommended. Both dietary and exercise counselling set within a behavioural modification programme is necessary for sustained weight control. [source] Short Report: Psychological adjustment of well siblings of children with Type 1 diabetesDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010F. Sleeman Diabet. Med. 27, 1084,1087 (2010) Abstract Aims, Studies of siblings of children with Type 1 diabetes (Type 1 DM) have shown either increased levels of maladjustment or, alternatively, increased levels of pro-social behaviour according to whether the sibling or parent was interviewed. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological adjustment of Type 1 DM siblings using both parent and sibling report and to assess the concordance between child and parent reports. Methods, Ninety-nine siblings aged 11,17 years and parents of children with Type 1 DM treated at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne were recruited sequentially. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess well siblings' emotional and behavioural functioning using data collected within a semi-structured interview. SDQ data between the sibling cohort and normative data sample were compared using independent-samples t -tests. Sibling reports and parent reports were compared using a series of paired-sample t -tests and correlation analyses. Results, Type 1 DM siblings did not report greater emotional or behavioural maladjustment or more pro-social behaviour than norms. Parents rated siblings' pro-social behaviour as being comparable with that of youth from the general community; however, parents rated healthy siblings as having lower levels of maladjustment; specifically, significantly fewer conduct problems, hyperactive behaviour and peer-related problems (all P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between parent ratings and sibling ratings on peer-related problems or pro-social behaviour. Conclusions, Type 1 DM siblings did not report increased behavioural or emotional dysfunction relative to children in the general population and, according to their parents, were even better adjusted than their peers. [source] Autism and Asperger syndrome: coexistence with other clinical disordersACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2000C. Gillberg and Objective: To provide a clinically useful analysis of the extent to which autism and Asperger syndrome coexist with other disorders. Method: Selective review of the literature detailing data pertaining to symptoms and disorders sometimes encountered in connection with autism or Asperger syndrome. Results: A large number of medical conditions, psychiatric disorders and behavioural and motor dyscontrol symptoms are associated with autism and Asperger syndrome. Conclusion: Comorbidity is to be expected in autism spectrum disorders , directly or indirectly. Comorbid conditions may be markers for underlying pathophysiology and suggest a more varied treatment approach. There is a great need for in-depth research into this area, meaning that the exclusion criteria of current diagnostic manuals, i.e. those that rule out a diagnosis of autism in some disorders, and a diagnosis of certain other disorders in autism may have to be revised. [source] Low-level defective processing of non-verbal sounds in dyslexic childrenDYSLEXIA, Issue 2 2009Paulino Uclés Abstract We compared processing of non-verbal auditory stimuli by dyslexic and non-dyslexic children using electrophysiological methods. The study included 39 children (17 with dyslexia plus 22 controls) assessed via frontal, central, parietal, and temporal electrodes. As an extension of previous P300 event-related potential studies, we analysed variations in the power values of 40-Hz oscillations (gamma-band oscillations involved in cognitive processing) during a specific time window in response to the auditory ,oddball' paradigm that entail target (random 2,kHz) and standard (frequent 1,kHz) stimuli. Dyslexic children differed significantly from controls (P<0.001) in the mean power of the wavelet-transformed 40-Hz oscillation in a time interval starting at 25 ms after stimulus onset up to 50 ms. This means defective processing of sounds. Within groups, standard and target tones elicited significantly different power values (P<0.001). Correlations of values between standard and target responses at each electrode position were not significant within either group, although dyslexics showed a lower correlation than controls. Significant differences in the mean power of these oscillations detected at very early stages of auditory processing in dyslexic children and the wide range of mean values reveal impairment in processing non-verbal sounds in dyslexia. Our results also support recent findings using behavioural and electrophysiological methods suggesting that dyslexia is a general auditory deficit instead of a speech-specific deficit. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Auditory and speech processing and reading development in Chinese school children: behavioural and ERP evidenceDYSLEXIA, Issue 4 2005Xiangzhi Meng Abstract By measuring behavioural performance and event-related potentials (ERPs) this study investigated the extent to which Chinese school children's reading development is influenced by their skills in auditory, speech, and temporal processing. In Experiment 1, 102 normal school children's performance in pure tone temporal order judgment, tone frequency discrimination, temporal interval discrimination and composite tone pattern discrimination was measured. Results showed that children's auditory processing skills correlated significantly with their reading fluency, phonological awareness, word naming latency, and the number of Chinese characters learned. Regression analyses found that tone temporal order judgment, temporal interval discrimination and composite tone pattern discrimination could account for 32% of variance in phonological awareness. Controlling for the effect of phonological awareness, auditory processing measures still contributed significantly to variance in reading fluency and character naming. In Experiment 2, mismatch negativities (MMN) in event-related brain potentials were recorded from dyslexic children and the matched normal children, while these children listened passively to Chinese syllables and auditory stimuli composed of pure tones. The two groups of children did not differ in MMN to stimuli deviated in pure tone frequency and Chinese lexical tones. But dyslexic children showed smaller MMN to stimuli deviated in initial consonants or vowels of Chinese syllables and to stimuli deviated in temporal information of composite tone patterns. These results suggested that Chinese dyslexic children have deficits in auditory temporal processing as well as in linguistic processing and that auditory and temporal processing is possibly as important to reading development of children in a logographic writing system as in an alphabetic system. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Do premorbid impairments predict emergent ,prodromal' symptoms in young relatives at risk for schizophrenia?EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2009Matcheri S. Keshavan Abstract Aims: Individuals at risk for developing schizophrenia (SZ) in the future frequently exhibit subtle behavioural and neurobiological abnormalities in their childhood. A better understanding of the role of these abnormalities in predicting later onset of ,prodromal' symptoms or psychosis may help in early identification of SZ. Methods: In an ongoing prospective follow-up study of young genetically at-risk relatives of patients with SZ, we studied the prevalence of problems in premorbid social adjustment and childhood psychopathology and examined their relationship with the presence and progression of ,prodromal' symptoms of SZ. Results: Growth curve analyses showed that ,prodromal' symptoms, as measured by the Scale of ,Prodromal' Symptoms, increased during follow-up. Premorbid maladjustment and childhood behavioural disturbances were cross-sectionally correlated broadly with ,prodromal' symptomatology scores. Longitudinal analyses revealed that behavioural disturbances, but not childhood maladjustment at baseline, significantly predicted increases in ,prodromal' symptomatology during the 2-year study period. Conclusion: Premorbid behavioural disturbance and maladjustment may predict the later emergence of ,prodromal' symptoms. ,Prodromal' symptoms in young at-risk relatives may define a subgroup worthy of follow-up into the age of risk for psychosis in order to cost-effectively characterize the predictors of psychotic symptoms and SZ. [source] A systematic review of the effectiveness of smoking relapse prevention interventions for abstinent smokersADDICTION, Issue 8 2010Shade Agboola ABSTRACT Aims To carry out a systematic review of the effectiveness of relapse prevention interventions (RPIs) among abstinent smokers who had completed an initial course of treatment or who had abstained unassisted, pooling only outcome data from similar follow-up time points. Methods We used the same search strategy as was used in Cochrane reviews of RPIs to identify randomized trials of behavioural and pharmacological studies of smoking RPIs published up to July 2008. Abstinence from smoking was defined as either continuous abstinence or point prevalence abstinence, measured at three follow-up time points: short term (1,3 months post randomization), medium term (6,9 months) and long term (12,18 months). Abstinence among pregnant/postpartum women was also measured at delivery or the last follow-up prior to delivery. Random effect meta-analysis was used to estimate pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Thirty-six studies randomizing abstainers were included. Self-help materials appeared to be effective in preventing relapse at long-term follow up in initially unaided quitters (pooled OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.01, I2 = 0%, NNT = 11, 3 studies). Other behavioural interventions for relapse prevention appeared effective in the short term only. There were positive results for the use of pharmacotherapies for relapse prevention. Bupropion was effective at long-term follow-up (pooled OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.01; I2 = 0%; NNT = 11; 4 studies). Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was effective at medium-term (pooled OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.11; I2 = 37%; NNT = 14; 4 trials) and long-term follow-ups (pooled OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.63; I2 = 0%; NNT = 20; 4 trials). Single trials of extended treatment of Varenicline and rimonabant were also found to be effective at short-term and medium-term follow-ups. Conclusions Self-help materials appear to prevent relapse in initially unaided quitters. Use of NRT, bupropion and varenicline appears to be effective in preventing relapse following an initial period of abstinence or an acute treatment episode. There is currently no good evidence that behavioural support prevents relapse after initial unaided abstinence or following an acute treatment period. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||