False memories of emotional and neutral words

This study used the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm to investigate the direction and the extent to which emotional valence in semantic word lists influences the formation of false memories (FM). The experimental paradigm consisted of 1) a study phase (learning of neutral and negative lists of words semantically associated to a non-presented critical lure (CL), 2) a free recall phase, and 3) a recognition phase. Participants had to indicate whether the displayed item was "new" (new item or non-studied CL) or "old" (studied list item). CL associated with negative word lists elicited significantly more FM than CL associated with neutral word lists. This finding is in contrast to previous work showing that emotional words elicit fewer FM than neutral words. The results of our study also suggest that valence is capable of influencing emotional memory in terms of encoding and retrieval processes.     

Cognitive processing impairments in a supra-second temporal discrimination task in rats with cerebellar lesion

The role of interpositus nuclei (IN) in timing in the sub-second range is well supported in eyeblink conditioning studies. Timing impairments shown in the seconds range in patients with intermediate cerebellar lesion, and known intermediate cerebellar cortex projection to IN raise the question of a possible involvement of IN in timing in the supra-second range as well. To address this question, we tested rats (Sprague-Dawley) given bilateral lesions of IN with Colchicine in a 2- vs. 8-s temporal discrimination task, followed by three daily sessions of a temporal bisection tests with five added intermediate non-reinforced durations. IN lesioned rats showed normal acquisition of the temporal discrimination, but a transient impairment of temporal sensitivity during the bisection tests. In addition, their response latencies suggested a different behavioral strategy from that of control animals. Our results indicate that the IN of the cerebellum may not be critically involved in temporal processing in the 2–8 s range, but may play a role in the cognitive processes that access temporal information in the mediation of choice behavior.     

Polish Research Ethics Committees in the European Union System of Assessing Medical Experiments

The Polish equivalents of Research Ethics Committees are Bioethics Committees (BCs). A questionnaire study has been undertaken to determine their situation. The BC is usually comprised of 13 members. Nine of these are doctors and four are non-doctors. In 2006 BCs assessed an average of 27.3 ± 31.7 (range: 0–131) projects of clinical trials and 71.1 ± 139.8 (range: 0–638) projects of other types of medical research. During one BC meeting an average of 10.3 ± 14.7 (range: 0–71) projects of medical research were assessed (2006). The amendment of Polish laws according with Directive 2001/20/EC caused a percentage increase in BCs which assessed less than 20 projects per year (16% vs. 33% or 42% in 2003 vs. 2005 or 2006 respectively, p < 0,05). The results confirm the usefulness of the current practice of creating BCs by medical universities, medical institutes and regional chambers of physicians and dentists but rationalization of the workload for individual BCs is necessary.

PTSD psychiatric patients exhibit a deficit in remembering

This study investigated the effects of PTSD on levels of awareness in a recognition memory task. A group of PTSD psychiatric patients and a control group without any traumatic experience were compared in remembering (R) versus knowing (K) recognition using non-trauma-related words. Results showed that overall recognition did not differ between the two groups, but in the PTSD group a significantly different pattern of Remember and Know responses was produced, indicating a shift from remembering to knowing. However, this shift from remembering to knowing in individuals with PTSD is associated with modifications in the trait anxiety level. These results are interpreted within theoretical frameworks in which R responses could be associated with distinctiveness (Rajaram, 1996) and conceptual processing (Ehlers & Clark, 2000). These collective findings would suggest the possibility that a poor general ability in the formation of source memory may eventually be a common characteristic across different types of PTSD.     

Possible primitive notions for geometry of spine spaces

New systems of notions specific to the geometry of spine spaces, are introduced. In particular parallelism turns out to be a sufficient primitive notion to express the geometry of a spine space, and we show that structures related to projective closure are definitionally equivalent to spine spaces.     

The Relations Between Traumatic Experiences,Activity, and Cognitive and Emotional Responses Among Palestinian Children

The relations between the level of traumatic experiences, degree of active participation in the Intifada, and cognitive and emotional responses were studied among 108 Palestinian children of 11–12 years of age in the Gaza Strip. The results showed that the more traumatic experiences the children had and the more they participated in the Intifada, the more concentration, attention, and memory problems they had. Traumatic experiences also increased neuroticism and risk-taking, and Intifada participation decreased self-esteem. Children's active participation in the Intifada could not protect children from developing emotional problems, as was originally assumed. The highest level of neuroticism was found among active boys who were exposed to many traumatic experiences.     

Particularity of Content and Illusions of Identity

This paper argues that the accuracy of perceptual experiences cannot be properly characterized by using the particular notion of content without breaking one of the three plausible assumptions. On the other hand, the general notion of content is not threatened by this problem. The first assumption is that all elements of content determine the accuracy conditions of an experience. The second states that objects needed for the accuracy of experiences are physical entities that stand in a perceptual relation to a subject. According to the third assumption, common experiences do not have accuracy conditions that are impossible to satisfy. The above point is demonstrated by analysing illusions of identity in which the number of objects is represented incorrectly. In the concluding parts of the paper, I investigate how an alternative account of particular content can be developed by rejecting the first assumption.