Capsaicin-sensitive afferent vagal fibers are involved in concurrent taste aversion learning

Taste aversion learning (TAL) is a type of learning characterized by rejection of a gustatory/flavor stimulus as a consequence of its pairing with visceral discomfort and malaise. TAL can be established in the laboratory by two different behavioral procedures, concurrent or sequential. Neural mechanisms of these learning modalities remain to be elucidated, but several studies have discussed the implication of various anatomical structures, including the vagus nerve. The aim of this study was to examine the role of capsaicin-sensitive vagal afferent fibers in concurrent (Experiment 1) and sequential (Experiment 2) TAL in Wistar rats. Results showed that perivagal administration of capsaicin (1mg of capsaicin dissolved in 1ml of vehicle (10% Tween 80 in oil)) blocked acquisition of concurrent but not sequential TAL. These data support the hypothesis of two different modalities of TAL mediated by distinct neurobiological systems, with vagal nerve participation only being essential in concurrent TAL.     

The phenomenon of the tip of the tongue in aging

This paper presents new data on the tip of the tongue (TOT) phenomenon and its resolution in aging. 140 volunteers ranging from 19 to 82 years participated in an experiment using definitions about common names, proper names, adjectives and verbs to elicit TOTs. We studied the resolution of the TOTs introducing a free word-recall task and a priming task. Older adults experienced more TOTs than younger adults regardless of the level of vocabulary. Phonological priming, and not free recall of words, improved resolution for the older adults. The results are discussed in relation to the theory of the transmission deficit.     

Pretend play: an application of an intervention program in autism

Methodologically and theoretically based on metarrepresentational deficit hypothesis, we design an intervention to teach the mental state of pretense to an autistic boy. The production and comprehension of symbolic play by means of the use of two specific strategies founded on pictorial analogy of the mental representation and process, was the focus of the learning. The efficiency and efectiveness of the program is reflected in the results that indicated the subject's competence to generate and comprehend the pretense as well as to generalize the acquired knowledge into other areas of mentalistic functioning. We discuss the possibility to develop a metarrepresentational knowledge based on the internalizing of the strategies of conceptual support.     

Processing Speed Deficits in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Reading Disability

The goal of the current study was to test whether deficits in processing speed (PS) may be a shared cognitive risk factor in reading disability (RD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which are known to be comorbid. Literature on ADHD and RD suggests that deficits on tasks with a speeded component are seen in both of these disorders individually. The current study examined a wide range of speeded tasks in RD, ADHD, comorbid RD+ADHD, and a control group to test whether RD and ADHD have similar profiles of PS deficits, and whether these deficits are shared by the two disorders. The results suggest that a general PS deficit exists in both clinical groups compared to controls, although children with RD demonstrate greater PS deficits than children with ADHD. Two tests (underadditivity and partial correlations) were conducted to test whether these PS deficits are shared. Since we found that PS deficits were underadditive in the comorbid group and that partialling PS reduced the correlation between RD and ADHD, it appears that PS is a shared cognitive risk factor that may help explain the comorbidity of these two disorders.     

Psychometric Properties and Clinical Cut-Off Scores of the Spanish Version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents

Psychotic (P) and Non-Psychotic (N-P) retardates were compared on 13 Rorschach “indicators” of psychosis using a matched pairs technique. Two of the 13 signs were found to significantly differentiate between groups with the P group demonstrating a lower F% and higher C' responding than the N-P group.     

Vulnerabilidad,alto riesgo y prevención de la esquizofrenia: una perspectiva cognitiva

Resumen

Ante el hecho sobradamente constatado de que el episodio esquizofrénico es profundamente desorganizador y su recuperación difícil e impredectible, se está prestando, en años recientes, una especial atención y esfuerzo al desarollo y puesta en práctica de programas preventivos. El modelo de vulnerabilidad a la esquizofrenia parece configurarse como el marco teórico y de trabajo más adecuado para tales programas. Tras revisar los postulados básicos de dicho modelo se presenta una revisión de los más relevantes estudios experimentales que están permitiendo la identificación de marcadores cognitivos de vulnerabilidad a la esquizofrenia en poblaciones de «alto riesgo». Se apunta, a continuación, la posibilidad de elaborar una batería que permita la identificación precoz de los sujetos que podrían convertirse en esquizofrénicos. Se analiza someramente algunos de los más importantes programas preventivos de esquizofrenia y se concluye que aún es pronto para emitir un juicio acerca de la eficacia de los mismos. Se deja patente, finalmente, que si bien todavía no estamos preparados para prevenir la esquizofrenia nos encontramos en el camino adecuado para conseguirlo.     

Análisis bibliométrico de las técnicas de evaluación del potencial de aprendizaje

Resumen

En este trabajo se hace una revisión bibliométrica entre los años 1964–1986 de las técnicas de potencial de aprendizaje. Se considera 1964 como punto de partida del desarrollo y de la investigación sobre estas técnicas y, en el peréodo señalado, se revisan contenidos temáticos, equipos de investigación y revistas que representan la mayor cantidad de trabajos producidos sobre esta metodología de evaluación de habilidades cognitivas.