Enhanced proliferation of progenitor cells following long-term potentiation induction in the rat dentate gyrus

The dentate gyrus (DG) is among the few areas in the mammalian brain where production of new neurons continues in the adulthood. Although its functional significance is not completely understood, several lines of evidence suggest the role of DG neurogenesis in learning and memory. Considering that long-term potentiation (LTP) is a prime candidate for the process underlying hippocampal learning and memory, these results raise the possibility that LTP and neurogenesis are closely related. Here, we investigated whether or not LTP induction in the afferent pathway triggers enhanced proliferation of progenitor cells in the DG. LTP was induced by tetanic stimulation in perforant path-DG synapses in one hemisphere, and the number of newly generated progenitor (BrdU-labeled) cells in the DG was quantified. Compared with the control hemisphere (stimulated with low-frequency pulses), the LTP-induced hemisphere contained a significantly higher number of newly generated progenitor cells in the dorsal as well as ventral DG. When CPP, an NMDA receptor antagonist, was administered, tetanic stimulation neither induced LTP nor enhanced progenitor cell proliferation, indicating that NMDA receptor activation, rather than tetanic stimulation per se, is responsible for enhanced progenitor proliferation in the control animal. Our results show that tetanic stimulation of perforant path sufficient to induce LTP increases progenitor proliferation in adult DG in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner.     

Rethinking procrastination: positive effects of "active" procrastination behavior on attitudes and performance

Researchers and practitioners have long regarded procrastination as a self-handicapping and dysfunctional behavior. In the present study, the authors proposed that not all procrastination behaviors either are harmful or lead to negative consequences. Specifically, the authors differentiated two types of procrastinators: passive procrastinators versus active procrastinators. Passive procrastinators are procrastinators in the traditional sense. They are paralyzed by their indecision to act and fail to complete tasks on time. In contrast, active procrastinators are a "positive" type of procrastinator. They prefer to work under pressure, and they make deliberate decisions to procrastinate. The present results showed that although active procrastinators procrastinate to the same degree as passive procrastinators, they are more similar to nonprocrastinators than to passive procrastinators in terms of purposive use of time, control of time, self-efficacy belief, coping styles, and outcomes including academic performance. The present findings offer a more sophisticated understanding of procrastination behavior and indicate a need to reevaluate its implications for outcomes of individuals.     

Drug-induced amnesia impairs implicit relational memory

Amnesic patients have difficulty consciously recollecting past events, but they perform normally on implicit memory measures that do not require conscious access. Now, an innovative study offers compelling evidence that even implicit memory can be impaired during amnesia, temporarily induced in healthy subjects using a neuropharmacological manipulation (midazolam). Importantly, midazolam impaired implicit, relational memory, whereas non-relational memory was preserved, supporting the characterization of conscious memory in terms of relational encoding.     

理解信仰问题的主要视角

信仰的问题十分复杂,基于不同的立场和视角完全可能对其给予不同的理解。本文即是对这些不同的视角做一个概略地考察,并在此基础上扼要分析考察信仰问题的若干维度。这些视角主要包括:基于宗教哲学的对信仰与理性的区别;基于人类学或社会学的广义的信仰概念;基于高端信仰的狭义信仰概念;基于亚伯拉罕宗教系统的一神信仰概念;基于宗教多元论的多元信仰概念;基于发展角度的考察:信仰可能由高端向低端的回归趋势。     

保安处分视角下精神病人强制医疗范式探析

精神病人刑事强制医疗的刑法实体法依据只有总则第十八条,实践中关于精神病人的刑事强制医疗程序并无统一标准而适用各异.保安处分是西方大陆法系国家广泛接受和适用的一种方法,从保安处分理论之本意出发,应该完善我国精神病人刑事强制医疗,重塑保安处分视角中的精神病人强制医疗.     

Glutamatergic activation of anterior cingulate cortex mediates the affective component of visceral pain memory in rats

Studies of both humans and animals suggest that anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is important for processing pain perception. We identified that perigenul ACC (pACC) sensitization and enhanced visceral pain in a visceral hypersensitive rat in previous studies. Pain contains both sensory and affective dimensions. Teasing apart the mechanisms that control the neural pathways mediating pain affect and sensation in nociceptive behavioral response is a challenge. In this study, using a rodent visceral pain assay that combines the colorectal distension (CRD)-induced visceromotor response (VMR) with the conditioning place avoidance (CPA), we measured a learned behavior that directly reflects the affective component of visceral pain. When CRD was paired with a distinct environment context, the rats spent significantly less time in this compartment on the post-conditioning test days as compared with the pre-conditioning day. Effects were lasted for 14 days. Bilateral pACC lesion significantly reduced CPA scores without reducing acute visceral pain behaviors (CRD-induced VMR). Bilateral administration of non-NMDA receptor antagonist CNQX or NMDA receptor antagonist AP5 into the pACC decreased the CPA scores. AP5 or CNQX at dose of 400 mM produced about 70% inhibition of CRD-CPA in the day 1, 4 and 7, and completely abolished the CPA in the day 14 after conditioning. We concluded that neurons in the pACC are necessary for the "aversiveness" of visceral nociceptor stimulation. pACC activation is critical for the memory processing involved in long-term negative affective state and prediction of aversive stimuli by contextual cue.     

The Role of Emotion in Parent-Child Relationships: Children’s Emotionality,Maternal Meta-Emotion,and Children’s Attachment Security

This study was intended to examine the relationship among children’s emotionality, parental meta-emotion, and parent–child attachment. The sample consisted of 546 5th and 6th grade children and their mothers. The test instruments used in this study were the Emotionality subscale of the EAS Temperament Survey (mothers’ ratings only), the Parental Meta-Emotion Survey (mothers’ ratings only) and the Attachment Security Scale (children’s ratings only). Our results showed that maternal meta-emotion (emotion coaching plus emotion dismissing) was associated with children’s attachment security vis-à-vis their mothers. Mothers who tended to adopt an emotion-coaching philosophy were more likely to achieve secure parent–child attachments, as reported by their children. Children whose mothers tended to adopt an emotion-dismissing philosophy reported lower levels of attachment security. There were no direct or indirect effects of children’s emotionality on their attachment security. Parental meta-emotion, but not children’s emotionality, was significantly associated with children’s attachment security. The results indicate the importance of parenting factors in determining the parent–child relationship. Parental education programs that focus on parental attitudes and practices related to emotion should be advocated.     

The attentional requirements of consciousness

It has been widely claimed that attention and awareness are doubly dissociable and that there is no causal relation between them. In support of this view are numerous claims of attention without awareness, and awareness without attention. Although there is evidence that attention can operate on or be drawn to unconscious stimuli, various recent findings demonstrate that there is no empirical support for awareness without attention. To properly test for awareness without attention, we propose that a stimulus be studied using a battery of tests based on diverse, mainstream paradigms from the current attention literature. When this type of analysis is performed, the evidence is fully consistent with a model in which attention is necessary, but not sufficient, for awareness.