Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism, or plasma catecholamine metabolites, and response to mirtazapine in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder (MDD)

Object We investigated an association between the polymorphism of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene Val66Met and the response to mirtazapine in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). We also examined mirtazapine's effects on the serum BDNF and plasma levels of catecholamine metabolites in these patients. METHODS: Eighty-four patients who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for MDD were treated with only mirtazapine for 4 weeks. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was detected by direct sequencing in the region, and serum BDNF levels and plasma levels of catecholamine metabolites were measured by ELISA and HPLC-ECD, respectively. RESULTS: Mirtazapine treatment for 4 weeks significantly increased serum BDNF levels in the responders, whereas nonresponders showed significant decreases. No association was found between either of the two genotypes (Val/Val vs. Met-carriers) and the response to mirtazapine at T4 or the serum BDNF levels at T0. Mirtazapine did not alter the plasma levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) or 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG). Discussion The dynamics of serum BDNF levels, but not plasma levels of HVA and MHPG, reflect the response to mirtazapine treatment; the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in patients with depression is, however, associated with neither a particular response to mirtazapine treatment nor baseline serum BDNF levels. Conclusion Serum BDNF levels, but not plasma levels of HVA or MHPG, and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism are related to the mirtazapine response in MDD.     

Dynamic modulation of an orientation preference map by GABA responsible for age-related cognitive performance

Accumulating evidence suggests that cognitive declines in old (healthy) animals could arise from depression of intracortical inhibition, for which a decreased ability to produce GABA during senescence might be responsible. By simulating a neural network model of a primary visual cortical (V1) area, we investigated whether and how a lack of GABA affects cognitive performance of the network: detection of the orientation of a visual bar-stimulus. The network was composed of pyramidal (P) cells and GABAergic interneurons such as small (S) and large (L) basket cells. Intrasynaptic GABA-release from presynaptic S or L cells contributed to reducing ongoing-spontaneous (background) neuronal activity in a different manner. Namely, the former exerted feedback (S-to-P) inhibition and reduced the frequency (firing rate) of action potentials evoked in P cells. The latter reduced the number of saliently firing P cells through lateral (L-to-P) inhibition. Non-vesicular GABA-release, presumably from glia and/or neurons, into the extracellular space reduced the both, activating extrasynaptic GABAa receptors and providing P cells with tonic inhibitory currents. By this combinatorial, spatiotemporal inhibitory mechanism, the background activity as noise was significantly reduced, compared to the stimulus-evoked activity as signal, thereby improving signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Interestingly, GABA-spillover from the intrasynaptic cleft into the extracellular space was effective for improving orientation selectivity (orientation bias), especially when distractors interfered with detecting the bar-stimulus. These simulation results may provide some insight into how the depression of intracortical inhibition due to a reduction in GABA content in the brain leads to age-related cognitive decline.     

情绪和框架效应对个体捐赠决策影响的实验研究

本研究采用双因素被试间实验具体考察了特定即时情绪和框架效应对于捐赠决策的影响,结果发现存在显著的主效应和交互作用。悲伤情绪能够增加捐赠者的捐赠意愿,快乐情绪会降低捐赠者的捐赠意愿;损失框架能够增加捐赠者的捐赠意愿,幸存框架会降低捐赠者的捐赠意愿;快乐情绪的捐赠者的捐赠决策受框架效应的影响要弱于中性情绪和悲伤情绪的捐赠者,捐赠者在幸存框架下的捐赠决策受情绪的影响比在损失框架下受情绪的影响更小。     

The effects of acute stress and perceptual load on distractor interference

Selective attention can be improved under conditions in which a high perceptual load is assumed to exhaust cognitive resources, leaving scarce resources for distractor processing. The present study examined whether perceptual load and acute stress share common attentional resources by manipulating perceptual and stress loads. Participants identified a target within an array of nontargets that were flanked by compatible or incompatible distractors. Attentional selectivity was measured by longer reaction times in response to the incompatible than to the compatible distractors. Participants in the stress group participated in a speech test that increased anxiety and threatened self-esteem. The effect of perceptual load interacted with the stress manipulation in that participants in the control group demonstrated an interference effect under the low perceptual load condition, whereas such interference disappeared under the high perceptual load condition. Importantly, the stress group showed virtually no interference under the low perceptual load condition, whereas substantial interference occurred under the high perceptual load condition. These results suggest that perceptual and stress related demands consume the same attentional resources.     

完善艾滋病人医疗保险政策的对策探讨

我国基本医疗保险并不拒绝艾滋病人,但由于艾滋病的特殊性,参保艾滋病人在享受基本医疗保险待遇的同时遇到了一些问题,对艾滋病参保人群和医疗保险制度本身都产生了一些影响。在对这些问题进行分析的基础上,有针对性地提出了一些对策,希望能对艾滋病人更好地享受基本医疗保险待遇有所帮助。     

年龄和知识学习对国家分类的影响

通过两个自由分类实验探讨年龄和知识学习对国家分类的影响。实验1探讨年龄对国家分类的影响。结果表明,不同年龄的人对国家分类基本一致,但有一定差异。实验2探讨分类前的知识学习对国家分类的影响。结果表明,知识学习能有效地影响分类。阅读文章的主题影响被试的分类标准。整个研究表明,社会概念的分类是事物特征、知识经验和分类情境相互作用的产物。分类既受事物特征的影响,也受人的知识经验影响,还受分类情境影响,从而支持一种权变的观点。     

新一代测验理论-认知诊断理论的源起与特征

认知诊断理论被视为新一代测验理论的核心,是认知心理学与现代测量学相结合的产物。对认知诊断的研究已成为当前国外心理学研究的一个重要热点,并引起国内学者的广泛关注。本文从认知诊断的源起、概念、特征,及研究的基础、框架、意义和难点等七个方面对认知诊断的理论与技术作了一个简要述评,以期推进我国心理学界认知诊断的研究工作。     

Relationship between masculinity-femininity and concession in an experimental collaborative eyewitness testimony

The present study examined the relationships of masculinity and femininity with concession in an experimental collaborative eyewitness testimony task, using the MORI technique. Participants formed same sex or mixed sex pairs and watched a videotaped event. Their eyewitness memories were assessed three times: immediately after watching, after discussing the event together, and individually 1 week later . The participants' self-confidence in their recalled memories and percentages of concessions were also examined. The Masculinity-Humanity-Femininity Scale was administered to the participants at the end of the experiment. The results showed that masculinity negatively correlated with concession, and that both masculinity and femininity were associated with inaccuracy in collaborative memory recall.     

流行病防控的伦理分析

目前学界对流行病防控的伦理探讨尚十分欠缺,而现有的生命医学伦理学理论不能较好地解决流行病防控中的伦理问题,应用伦理学亟需对流行病防控做出伦理回应。流行病防控中主要涉及隐私、自由和正义三个方面的伦理问题,亦即个人权利或自由与公共健康的冲突问题。流行病防控对个人行为的家长主义干预,特别是对个人自愿自涉行为的强家长主义干预必须得到伦理证明。流行病防控与社会正义和人权也有十分密切的关系,促进正义与保护人权是流行病防控的应有之意。     

确定婴儿面部表情模式的初步尝试

本实验拍摄了一岁婴儿六种具体基本情绪的表情照片。它们是愉快、惊奇、悲伤、愤怒、厌恶和惧怕。并进行了辨认实验和标定工作。本实验結果支持了婴儿具有基本面部表情模式的立场。所得表情模式与C.E.Izard在Max中所描述的基本一致。由此证明基本情绪的面部模式具有跨文化的性质。