Patterns of Memory Performance in Children with Controlled Epilepsy on the CVLT-C

Decreased memory skills have been reported in children with epilepsy. However, standardized instruments to evaluate learning and memory in children have been unavailable until recently. The present study was designed to assess memory patterns in children with epilepsy based on the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C). The test was administered to 44 children with complex partial seizures and 21 children with generalized seizures between 8 and 13 years of age. Children in the study had been treated for epilepsy for at least 6 months, had well-controlled seizures on monotherapy, and had no evidence of anticonvulsant toxicity. Children with head injuries, learning disabilities, or hyperactivity were excluded. Test results did not reflect differences in memory performance based on seizure type. Scores for the entire sample indicated intact new learning, decreased intrusions and perseverative responses, and better short-term than long-term delayed recall. Recognition skills were stronger than long-term delayed recall skills and suggested that memory performance may be improved for these children when a multiple-choice format is available in academic settings.     

Retaliatory motivation enhances attributions of hostility when people process ambiguous social stimuli

We hypothesized that provocation and readiness to aggress (Retaliatory Motivation) would increase the tendency to construe the ambiguous actions of others as reflecting hostile intent. Male undergraduates were either verbally provoked or not provoked by a male experimenter and half were led to believe that they would be allowed to retaliate anonymously against the provoker in the form of a potentially damaging written evaluation. Participants then rated the hostility and aggressive intent of the characters in brief ambiguous scenarios of interpersonal conflict. According to prediction, men who were provoked and anticipated retaliation against their provoker rated the scenarios as containing hostility and aggression to a significantly greater extent than did non‐provoked or merely provoked participants. Results are discussed within a motivation‐based affective relevance model of perception. Aggr. Behav. 29:155–172, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Assessment of vocational maturity

A comparison is made between the Vocational Development Inventory and the Readiness for Career Planning scale when both were administered to the same sample. An analysis of covariance, with intelligence controlled for, indicated that both instruments show an over-all progression in vocational maturity at different grade levels, as well as differences between socioeconomic groups. A correlational matrix found vocational maturity scores from the two instruments to be significantly related.     

Interhemisphärischer Transfer visueller Zweifachwahlen bei kommissurotomierten Tauben

Zusammenfassung Die funktionelle Bedeutung kommissuraler Systeme für den visuellen interhemisphärischen Informationsaustausch wurde bei 71 Tauben an monokular gelernten Zweifachwahlen geprüft (instrumentale Konditionierung nach Skinner). 1 Farb- und 4 Form-Diskriminationen (2 oben-unten- und 2 links-rechts-symmetrische Spiegelbildpaare) wurden verwendet. Bei 21 Tauben war die Decussatio supraoptica (DSO) stereotaktisch durchtrennt worden, bei 20 waren die Commissura tectalis (CT) und die Commissura posterior (CP) durchschnitten. Bei 11 Tauben waren alle 3 Verbindungen unterbrochen. Das Ausmaß der Läsionen wurde durch histologische Kontrolle verifiziert. Der interhemisphärische Transfer war nach DSO-Durchtrennung bei der Farb- und den oben-unten-symmetrischen Formzweifachwahlen stark vermindert. Der Transfer sämtlicher Zweifachwahlen war nach CT+CP-Durchtrennung nicht signifikant verschieden von dem der Kontrolltiere. Es wurde erstmals gezeigt, daß mindestens ein Teil der DSO-Fasern bei Vögeln visuelle Information von einer Hirnhälfte zur andern übermittelt.

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Interhemispheric transfer of two-choice discrimination in commissurotomized pigeons

Summary The role of avian commissural systems in interhemispheric transfer of monocularly learned visual discriminations was investigated in an instrumental conditioning situation (Skinner). Color and pattern (up-down and left-right mirror-images) were used as stimuli. Stereotaxic lesions were placed in the supraoptic decussation of 21 pigeons, in the tectal and posterior commissures of 20 pigeons. In 11 animals all three connections were interrupted. All lesions were histologically verified. After section of the supraoptic decussation interhemispheric transfer was severely impaired for one color and two up-down mirror-image discriminations. No significant impairment in transfer for color, up-down and left-right mirror-image discriminations followed section of the tectal and posterior commissures. These data demonstrate that at least part of the supraoptic decussation is involved in interhemispheric transfer of visual information.

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Mit Unterstützung des Schweizerischen Nationalfonds für wissenschaftliche Forschung, Kredit Nr. 4806 und 3.133.69. Ein Teil dieser Arbeit wurde im Oktober 1969 der European Brain and Behaviour Society in Marseille vorgetragen.

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Hern Prof. Dr. K. Akert danke ich für die Überlassung des Themas und für die wertvolle Unterstützung während meiner Untersuchungen recht herzlich.Herrn Prof. Dr. E. Hadorn danke ich als meinem verehrten Lehrer.Großer Dank gebührt aber vor allem Herrn Dr. M. Cuénod, der mir stets mit Rat und Tat zur Seite stand.Für ihre technische Mithilfe sei Frau M. Müller, Frl. L. Decoppet, Frl. R. Emch, Frl. I. Kost, Herrn A. Fäh, Herrn A. Fidéler und Herrn M. Plattner, sowie Frl. M. Zwicky, die die Reinschrift besorgte, bestens gedankt.     

The matching problem

Tables of the exact distributions of number of matches are given for small decks having the same number of cards in each suit. Several approximate distributions are considered for use with larger decks, and some indication of the goodness of the approximations is given.The calculations for this paper were done while the writer was working on a project sponsored by funds from the Ford Foundation. The writer wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Frederick Mosteller for his constant help and encouragement during the writing of this paper.     

Acute ethanol ingestion impairs appetitive olfactory learning and odor discrimination in the honey bee

Invertebrates are valuable models for increasing our understanding of the effects of ethanol on the nervous system, but most studies on invertebrates and ethanol have focused on the effects of ethanol on locomotor behavior. In this work we investigate the influence of an acute dose of ethanol on appetitive olfactory learning in the honey bee (Apis mellifera), a model system for learning and memory. Adult worker honey bees were fed a range of doses (2.5%, 5%, 10%, or 25%) of ethanol and then conditioned to associate an odor with a sucrose reward using either a simple or differential conditioning paradigm. Consumption of ethanol before conditioning significantly reduced both the rate of acquisition and the asymptotic strength of the association. Honey bees also exhibited a dose dependent reduction in arousal/attention during conditioning. Consumption of ethanol after conditioning did not affect recall 24h later. The observed deficits in acquisition were not due to the affect of ethanol on gustatory sensitivity or motor function. However, honey bees given higher doses of ethanol had difficulty discriminating amongst different odors suggesting that ethanol consumption influences olfactory processing. Taken together, these results demonstrate that an acute dose of ethanol affects appetitive learning and olfactory perception in the honey bee.