Autonomic Nervous System Recovery and Psychopathology

Abstract

A theory of avoidance learning with regard to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) for psychopathology is suggested. In schizophrenia, avoidance learning is facilitated, with an ANS which responds 1/ quickly and to a great extent, and 2/ an abnormally quick rate of recovery. The avoidance learning deficit in asocial behaviour is characterized by a hyporeactive ANS and a slow recovery rate. The reinforcement value in relation to recovery rate is discussed, and also that recovery rate of ANS may be inherited.     

Perceptions of Psychopathology in Relation to Socio-cultural Changes Among Ladakhi Youth

It seems likely that an increasing number of young people in the isolated region of Ladakh are experiencing mental problems in relation to the process of acculturation. Ladakh, a Himalayan region situated in the northeast of India, has undergone rapid development. It has been influenced by the opening of the area for tourists in 1974 and from the massive presence of the Indian military. This work explores the discourses among intellectuals, practitioners and young people about psychopathology among the Ladakhi youth in relation to socio-cultural changes. Based on the discourse analysis and a review of relevant theoretical perspectives, it is argued that development is causing a greater diversity in the youth, and that the combination of greater pressure and less cultural support may be causing an increase in psychopathology.     

The Impact of Exercise on Hormones Is Related to Autonomic Reactivity to a Mental Task

This study examined the effects of an acute physical stressor on salivary testosterone (Tsal) and cortisol (Csal) and their relationship with the autonomic responsiveness to a mental task in fit young men (n = 30). Salivary testosterone (Tsal) and cortisol (Csal) levels were determined before and after a maximal bicycle exercise. Heart rate (HR) and skin conductance levels (SCL) were continuously recorded before, during, and after a Stroop task. Tsal and Csal levels diminished while HR and SCL increased in response to stressors in all the sample. When subjects were distributed in function of their endocrine response to the physical stressor, high Tsal responders showed higher HR reactivity than low responders, and high Csal responders showed higher SCL reactivity and lower reaction time in the Stroop task. These results show that the influence of an acute physical stressor on hormones is associated with the autonomic responses to a mental task.     

Screening for Psychopathology in Groups of Black and White Prison Inmates by Means of the MMPI

Of 225 male offenders who were administered both the MMPI and a structured diagnostic interview, the Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview (PDI), 51 (25 blacks, 26 whites) earned highly elevated MMPI profiles (at least one clinical scale<T score of 90) and 46 (26 blacks, 20 whites) achieved profiles that were essentially within normal limits (all clinical scales < T score of 70). It was noted that the concordance between the MMPI and the total number of PDI syndromes reported by inmates was significantly greater in the white group (classification accuracy = 96%) relative to the black group (classification accuracy = 71%). However, both the black and white hit rates were found to significantly improved upon chance.     

Heterogeneity in the Strength of the Relation Between Social Support and Post-Trauma Psychopathology

Potentially traumatic events (PTEs) increase risk for psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Social support (SS) is associated with reduced symptoms for each disorder. Each disorder, however, is highly heterogeneous such that they are comprised of clusters of different symptoms. It is unclear if SS is associated with all clusters equally. The current study examined the relation between SS and the symptom clusters of each disorder. Participants completed a battery of self-report assessments for PTSD, MDD, GAD, and SS. All participants experienced a Criterion A traumatic event. Although SS was significantly associated with all symptom clusters, the strength of relations varied. The relation between SS and MDD-affective was significantly stronger than its association with all other factors. The relations between SS and GAD, MDD-somatic, PTSD-AAR, and PTSD-NACM did not significantly differ. These relations were stronger than the relations between SS and the remaining PTSD factors. There was no significant difference in the relations between SS and PTSD-intrusions or PTSD-avoidance. These results suggest that SS is more closely aligned to specific aspects of post-trauma psychopathology.     

MMPI and Rorschach Indices of Schizophrenic and Depressive Diagnoses Among Adolescent Inpatients

Although adolescent norms have been developed for the MMPI (e.g., Marks, Seeman, & Haller, 1974) and Rorschach (e.g., Exner, 1986a), little is known regarding the discriminate diagnostic validity of these measures with adolescents. This study investigated the usefulness of these measures in the detection of depression and schizophrenia among adolescent inpatients. Subjects (mean age = 15.3) consisted of 134 adolescents who received Rorschach and MMPI administrations at hospital admission. Clinical diagnoses resulted in the following groupings for this sample: schizophrenia = 15, dysthymic disorder = 41, major depression = 26, conduct disorder = 28, personality disorder = 18. MMPI scale Sc elevation was found to be the most effective single predictor of schizophrenic diagnoses, with a hit rate of .76, sensitivity of .62, and specificity of .78. Neither MMPI scale D scores nor Rorschach DEPI scores were found to be significantly related to patients' diagnoses. Results were interpreted in terms of prior findings in adult psychiatric populations and in relation to implications for the clinical assessment of adolescents.     

Evaluating the Etiology of Anxiety Sensitivity: Relation to Cardiovascular Perception and Reactivity

A large body of research has suggested that anxiety sensitivity (AS) acts as a specific vulnerability factor in the development of anxiety pathology. More recently, attention has turned to the etiology of AS per se. The present study tested several related etiological hypotheses derived from Expectancy theory. S. Reiss and R. J. McNally (1985) originally proposed that greater physiological reactivity would increase risk for developing heightened AS. Reactive individuals are believed to have greater opportunity to perceive unpleasant bodily perturbations, thereby increasing the likelihood that concerns and fears could be attached to the sensations. Nonclinical participants (N = 86) completed physical (e.g., orthostatic) and biological (e.g., 35% CO₂) challenges and a heart beat perception task. AS was not related to heart beat perception but was related to greater tonic heart rate and greater diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity to both the challenges. Higher DBP and higher heart beat accuracy interacted to predict higher AS.     

Internalizing Symptoms and Affective Reactivity in Relation to the Severity of Aggression in Clinically Referred,Behavior-Disordered Children

We examined the affective correlates of aggression in children referred to a partial hospitalization program for the treatment of behavior disorders who did not have a mood or anxiety disorder. Parent and teacher ratings of the children’s impulsivity, internalizing symptoms, affective reactivity, and aggression were examined for their interrelationships and then entered into regression analyses to predict the child’s level of aggression in the home, at school, and in the treatment program. Intercorrelations among three affective reactivity factors were modest. Both internalizing symptoms and affective reactivity contributed to aggression severity beyond impulsivity and demographics. Only child irritability predicted treatment program aggression. Because of their potential role in understanding children’s behavioral disturbances, internalizing symptoms and negative emotionality merit careful assessment and treatment in treatment programs serving hard-to-manage children with behavior disorders.     

Scientific Geniuses' Psychopathology as a Moderator in the Relation Between Creative Contribution Types and Eminence

The present study investigated whether scientific geniuses' psychopathology might exert significant influences on their scientific eminence by its interaction with their creative contribution types (paradigm-preserving contributions or paradigm-rejecting contributions). A systematic review of literature on psychopathology of geniuses was conducted using PsycINFO (1967–2005). Seventy-six scientific geniuses were chosen and divided into 4 groups: No Psychopathology Group (n = 22), Personality Disorders Group (n = 27), Mood Disorders Group (n = 13), and Schizophrenia Group (n = 14). The results suggested that psychopathology of geniuses might play the role of a moderator in the relation between creative contribution types and scientific eminence. Implications regarding the mad-genius debate were discussed.     

The Relation Between Co-rumination, Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Child Psychopathology

Little is known about which processes explain the well-established link between maternal and child symptomatology. Interpersonal coping processes may be worth exploring, as depressed mothers have characteristic coping styles that may influence interactions with their children. We examined two interpersonal coping processes as potential factors explaining how depressive symptomatology in mothers impacts child psychopathology: parent-child co-rumination (dwelling on negative affect, over-analyzing problems) and impaired problem-solving. We analyzed 198 aggressive children (most of whom also had elevated internalizing symptoms) who engaged in structured discussions with their mothers. Coders rated the extent to which dyads problem-solved and co-ruminated during discussions, and mothers filled out questionnaires assessing maternal and child symptoms. Path analysis tested whether higher levels of co-rumination and poor problem-solving statistically mediated the relation between depressive symptoms in mothers and child internalizing and externalizing behaviour. Maternal depressive symptomatology was correlated with greater child symptoms, higher rates of co-rumination and poorer problem-solving. Statistical mediation was non-significant. Results support the established link between maternal depression and child psychopathology, and suggest that dysphoric mothers and their children engage in maladaptive coping interactions.     

Psychopathology and the Ability to Do Otherwise

When philosophers want an example of a person who lacks the ability to do otherwise, they turn to psychopathology. Addicts, agoraphobics, kleptomaniacs, neurotics, obsessives, and even psychopathic serial murderers, are all purportedly subject to irresistible desires that compel the person to act: no alternative possibility is supposed to exist. I argue that this conception of psychopathology is false and offer an empirically and clinically informed understanding of disorders of agency which preserves the ability to do otherwise. First, I appeal to standard clinical treatment for disorders of agency and argue that it undermines this conception of psychopathology. Second, I offer a detailed discussion of addiction, where our knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning the disorder is relatively advanced. I argue that neurobiology notwithstanding, addiction is not a form of compulsion and I explain how addiction can impair behavioural control without extinguishing it. Third, I step back from addiction, and briefly sketch what the philosophical landscape more generally looks like without psychopathological compulsion: we lose our standard purported real‐world example of psychologically determined action. I conclude by reflecting on the centrality of choice and free will to our concept of action, and their potency within clinical treatment for disorders of agency.     

Subjective, Autonomic, and Endocrine Reactivity during Social Stress in Children with Social Phobia

Reports of exaggerated anxiety and physiological hyperreactivity to social-evaluative situations are characteristic of childhood social phobia (SP). However, laboratory research on subjective, autonomic and endocrine functioning in childhood SP is scarce, inconsistent and limited by small sample sizes, limited breadth of measurements, and the use of non-standardized stressor tasks. We exposed 8–12-year-old children with DSM-IV SP (n = 41) and matched healthy control children (HC; n = 40) to the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C) while measuring subjective anxiety, heart rate (HR) and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) as well as salivary cortisol. The SP children showed heightened reactivity to the TSST-C on subjective anxiety compared to the HC children but not a heightened reactivity in HR, sAA or cortisol. However, the SP children showed chronically elevated HR levels throughout the whole laboratory session. Whereas subjective anxiety seems to respond specifically to social-evaluative stress in childhood SP, HR levels may be chronically elevated suggesting a more generalized autonomic hyperreactivity.     

积极情绪加速心血管反应恢复的自主神经活动机制

通过对不同情绪唤醒状态下的心率变异性（HRV）和呼吸性窦性心率不齐（RSA）分析,探讨了积极情绪加速高唤醒消极情绪引起的心血管反应向基线恢复的自主神经活动机制。实验表明：与在观看高唤醒恐惧影片结束后观看悲伤影片和中性视频比较,观看高唤醒恐惧影片结束后观看快乐影片加速了高唤醒恐惧影片引起的心率、指脉等心血管反应向基线的恢复;与在观看高唤醒恐惧影片结束后观看悲伤视频和中性视频材料比较,观看高唤醒恐惧影片结束观看快乐影片后的恢复期,被试的迷走神经激活水平迅速增强,迷走神经激活水平甚至超过基线期。因此,积极情绪加速高唤醒消极情绪刺激引起的心血管反应向基线恢复,其自主神经活动机制是在积极情绪状态下个体有更强的迷走神经激活。     

Dyadic Affective Flexibility and Emotional Inertia in Relation to Youth Psychopathology: An Integrated Model at Two Timescales

The current review examines characteristics of temporal affective functioning at both the individual and dyadic level. Specifically, the review examines the following three research questions: (1) How are dyadic affective flexibility and emotional inertia operationalized, and are they related to youth psychopathology? (2) How are dyadic affective flexibility and emotional inertia related, and does this relation occur at micro- and meso-timescales? and (3) How do these constructs combine to predict clinical outcomes? Using the Flex3 model of socioemotional flexibility as a frame, the current study proposes that dyadic affective flexibility and emotional inertia are bidirectionally related at micro- and meso-timescales, which yields psychopathological symptoms for youth. Specific future directions for examining individual, dyadic, and cultural characteristics that may influence relations between these constructs and psychopathology are also discussed.     

The Quiet Ego: Motives for Self-Other Balance and Growth in Relation to Well-Being

The quiet ego is a way of construing the self that transcends egotism, not by neglecting the self but rather by facilitating a balance of concerns for the self and others as well as by facilitating the growth of the self and others. This study examines whether the Quiet Ego Scale (QES—Wayment et al. in J Happiness Stud 16:999–1033, 2015) correlates significantly with measures that specifically reflect balance and growth in terms of value orientations and motivation, and whether these values and motives can help explain the relation between QES and well-being. We randomly split our sample of 1117 college students into five groups (Ns ranged from 213 to 231) and examined the correlations between QES and measures of values and motives (Ego and Ecosystem Goals—Crocker and Canevello in J Personal Soc Psychol 98:1009–1024, 2008; Growth Motivation Index (GMI)—Bauer et al. in J Happiness Stud 16:185–210, 2015; Universal Values—Schwartz et al. in J Personal Soc Psychol 103:663–668, 2012). As predicted, QES was strongly related to compassionate goal motives, experiential and reflection GMI subscales, and weakly and negatively related to self-image goals. QES was most strongly and consistently correlated with values of universalism, benevolence, and self-direction that reflecting a balance of self- and other-concern. QES was positively (but somewhat inconsistently) correlated with stimulation, achievement, power, security, and tradition, and with hedonism, albeit weakly. QES was unrelated to conformity. A regression analysis found growth and balance motives significantly accounted for much of the shared variance between QES and well-being. Our results underscore the centrality of growth and balance values to the quiet ego construct.     

The Relation of the Galvanic Skin Reflex Recovery Curve to Reactivity,Resistance Level,and Perspiration

The effect of stimulus compounding in classical conditioning was investigated by conditioning one group of rats to a compound CS consisting of a buzzer and light and then conditioning separate groups of rats to the individual elements of the compound CS. On hurdle-jump test trials, the group of Ss conditioned to the compound CS performed better than Ss conditioned to the elements of the compound. Strength of conditioning to each of the elements of the compound CS was about equal. There was some evidence of a summation effect resulting from conditioning to the compound CS. Strength of conditioning to the compound CS was somewhat greater than the sum of the response strengths conditioned to the elements of the compound CS.     

Mediating and Moderating Processes in the Relation between Maltreatment and Psychopathology: Mother-Child Relationship Quality and Emotion Regulation

The present study investigated underlying processes of the effect of maltreatment on psychopathology (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems) in a group of 111 maltreated and 110 nonmaltreated 7–10 year-old children (60% boys). We tested the moderating and/or mediating roles of emotion regulation and the mother-child relationship quality (pattern of relatedness) using Structural Equation Modeling. Emotion regulation, but not the pattern of relatedness, mediated the relation between maltreatment and psychopathology. This mediation was moderated by the pattern of relatedness: For the group of children with an insecure pattern of relatedness, maltreatment was related to lower levels of emotion regulation, which was predictive of higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. In contrast, for the secure relatedness group, there was no mediation by emotion regulation since the impact of maltreatment on emotion regulation was not significant. Implications of the mediating role of emotion regulation and the buffering role of the mother-child relationship quality were discussed.