Priming prepositional-phrase attachment during comprehension

Strong evidence suggests that prior syntactic context affects language production (e.g., J. K. Bock, 1986). The authors report 4 experiments that used an expression-picture matching task to investigate whether it also affects ambiguity resolution in comprehension. All experiments examined the interpretation of prepositional phrases that were ambiguous between high and low attachment. After reading a prime expression with a high-attached interpretation, participants tended to interpret an ambiguous prepositional phrase in a target expression as highly attached if it contained the same verb as the prime (Experiment 1), but not if it contained a different verb (Experiment 2). They also tended to adopt the high-attached interpretation after producing a prime with the high-attached interpretation that included the same verb (Experiment 3). Finally, they were faster to adopt a high-attached interpretation after reading an expression containing the same verb that was disambiguated to the high-attached versus the low-attached interpretation (Experiment 4).     

Studying individual aging in an interindividual context: typical paths of age-related, dementia-related, and mortality-related cognitive development in old age

This study has 2 objectives: (a) to explore typical paths of cognitive development associated with aging, terminal decline, and dementia and (b) to promote and illustrate an individual-oriented approach to the study of cognitive aging based on longitudinal panel data from a population-based sample (N = 500; age range-sub(T1)= 60-80, where T refers to time) tested at 3 occasions 5 years apart. Results document interindividual differences in multivariate patterns of change. Although cognitive changes generally covary, the present study indicates that subgroups of individuals develop along different paths characterized by selective changes in subsets of cognitive functions. Typical progression of dementia followed a developmental cascade from low declarative memory, via low functioning across all observed cognitive measures, to dementia diagnosis, and finally, death.     

Speeded retrieval abolishes the false-memory suppression effect: Evidence for the distinctiveness heuristic

We examined two different accounts of why studying distinctive information reduces false memories within the DRM paradigm. The impoverished relational encoding account predicts that less memorial information, such as overall familiarity, is elicited by the critical lure after distinctive encoding than after nondistinctive encoding. By contrast, the distinctiveness heuristic predicts that participants use a deliberate retrieval strategy to withhold responding to the critical lures. This retrieval strategy refers to a decision rule whereby the absence of memory for expected distinctive information is taken as evidence for an event’s nonoccurrence. We show that the typical false-recognition suppression effect only occurs when the recognition test is self paced. This suppression effect is abolished when participants make recognition decisions under time pressure, such as within 1 second of seeing the test item. These results are consistent with the distinctiveness heuristic that a time-consuming retrieval strategy is used to reduce false-recognition responses.     

Empirical and conceptual problems with longitudinal trait-state models: introducing a trait-state-occasion model

The latent trait-state-error model (TSE) and the latent state-trait model with autoregression (LST-AR) represent creative structural equation methods for examining the longitudinal structure of psychological constructs. Application of these models has been somewhat limited by empirical or conceptual problems. In the present study, Monte Carlo analysis revealed that TSE models tend to generate improper solutions when N is too small, when waves are too few, and when occasion factor stability is either too large or too small. Mathematical analysis of the LST-AR model revealed its limitation to constructs that become more highly auto-correlated over time. The trait-state-occasion model has fewer empirical problems than does the TSE model and is more broadly applicable than is the LST-AR model.     

Current trends in neuropathic pain treatments with special reference to fibromyalgia

Neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia are prevalent diseases which have major consequences on healthcare resources and the individual. From the clinical point of view neuropathic pains represent a heterogeneous group of aetiologically different diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes. Patients with fibromyalgia also display clinical features common in neuropathic pain suggesting that there might be some overlap. The mechanisms responsible for symptoms and signs in both diseases are still unknown. Recently, there have been numerous reports of various pharmacological treatments of neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia with often disappointing results. Most of the studies were of short duration, had high attrition rates, and displayed other methodological problems. Some compounds had high rates of adverse effects which makes it often difficult for the patients to tolerate the treatment, especially in the long-term. At present, the best options for medication treatment are tricyclic antidepressants in lower dosage than usual in psychiatric disorders and a wide range of anticonvulsants. Opioids are sometimes recommended but have been found to have minor efficacy. Recently, there have been more controlled trials, which are reported here if they had been published between 2002 and 2004. Various compounds have been tested in different studies. Treatment of fibromyalgia, which has many features in common with depressive symptoms, became the focus of interest. New promising studies with dual serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (duloxetine and milnacipram) and a newer antiepileptic drug (pregabalin) are in progress. Future research will have to apply new approaches (e.g., using a mechanism-based classification of neuropathic pain and carrying out studies in populations with the same symptom but not necessarily the same disease) in order to find effective treatments for these common and often debilitating diseases.     

The paradox of quetiapine in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have historical, clinical, and epidemiological links. The clinical use of atypical neuroleptics (ie, dual serotonin-dopamine antagonists) to treat both conditions sheds a new light on them. We report the first two cases of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) induced by quetiapine in schizophrenia patients. A case of successful augmentation by quetiapine in refractory OCD is also presented. A review of the literature on OCS induced by atypical neuroleptics follows. This paradoxically induced OCD symptomology in schizophrenia patients administered atypical neuroleptics is discussed from new pathophysiological and clinical perspectives. The discussion emphasizes the prognostic implications of OCS in schizophrenia and available therapies for this comorbidity.     

Structure and stimulus familiarity: a study of memory in chess-players with functional magnetic resonance imaging

A grandmaster and an international chess master were compared with a group of novices in a memory task with chess and non-chess stimuli, varying the structure and familiarity of the stimuli, while functional magnetic resonance images were acquired. The pattern of brain activity in the masters was different from that of the novices. Masters showed no differences in brain activity when different degrees of structure and familiarity where compared; however, novices did show differences in brain activity in such contrasts. The most important differences were found in the contrast of stimulus familiarity with chess positions. In this contrast, there was an extended brain activity in bilateral frontal areas such as the anterior cingulate and the superior, middle, and inferior frontal gyri; furthermore, posterior areas, such as posterior cingulate and cerebellum, showed great bilateral activation. These results strengthen the hypothesis that when performing a domain-specific task, experts activate different brain systems from that of novices. The use of the experts-versus-novices paradigm in brain imaging contributes towards the search for brain systems involved in cognitive processes.     

Pediatric do-not-attempt-resuscitation orders and public schools: a national assessment of policies and laws

Some children living with life-shortening medical conditions may wish to attend school without the threat of having resuscitation attempted in the event of cardiopulmonary arrest on the school premises. Despite recent attention to in-school do-not-attempt-resuscitation (DNAR) orders, no assessment of state laws or school policies has yet been made. We therefore sought to survey a national sample of prominent school districts and situate their policies in the context of relevant state laws. Most (80%) school districts sampled did not have policies, regulations, or protocols for dealing with student DNARs. A similar majority (76%) either would not honor student DNARs or were uncertain about whether they could. Frequent contradictions between school policies and state laws also exist. Consequently, children living with life-shortening conditions who have DNARs may not have these orders honored if cardiopulmonary arrest were to occur on school premises. Coordinated efforts are needed to harmonize school district, state, and federal approaches in order to support children and families' right to have important medical decisions honored.     

Communication strategies to promote spiritual well-being among people with dementia

Declining communication skills in dementia threaten a person's sense of self. Building on enduring capabilities, pastoral visitors can significantly enhance spiritual well-being through the use of individualized, person-centered strategies. This article outlines the primary spiritual needs of older adults with dementia and some general strategies to improve communication based on enduring abilities. Detailed examples illustrate how these personhood-centered strategies can meet spiritual needs by connecting with individuals with dementia through life stories and through helping them to participate in religious life.