Explaining the behaviour of random ecological networks: the stability of the microbiome as a case of integrative pluralism

Synthese - Explaining the behaviour of ecosystems is one of the key challenges for the biological sciences. Since 2000, new-mechanism has been the main model to account for the nature of scientific...     

The curious case of spillover: Does it tell us much about saccade timing in reading?

In completing daily activities, the eyes make a series of saccades by gazing at stimuli in succession. The duration of gaze on each stimulus has been used to infer how the initiation of a saccade is timed relative to the underlying mental processing. In reading, gaze dwells longer on a word that occurs infrequently in English text (low frequency) than on a more frequent word (high frequency), but also on the following word, which is referred to as spillover. Accounts of spillover attribute it to mechanisms of lexical access. A low-frequency word n is assumed to delay the onset of cognitive processing of word n+1 more than it delays the saccade to n+1, leaving more processing to be done on n+1 once it is fixated. We tested this assumption by having participants perform a series of speeded lexical decisions on a linear array of letter strings spaced 5° apart, using low- and high-frequency words to vary the lexical difficulty. Lexical decision adds a response selection stage that is absent in reading, which should eliminate differential effects on saccades and cognitive processing. Nonetheless, we found the typical pattern of lengthened gaze duration and spillover for low-frequency words, with effects that were consistent in magnitude with those seen in studies of reading. These data challenge existing accounts of spillover and argue against the idea that reading has a unique interaction with oculomotor control. Instead, the similarity of our gaze patterns to those of reading suggests a common pattern of saccade initiation across tasks.     

"THE DUNGEON OF THYSELF": The Claustrum as Pathological Container

The author discusses the claustrum as an aspect of pathological containment within inner space and its relation to Bion's (1962a, b) container—contained concept. Having outlined the early psychoanalytic conceptual foundations of claustrophobia and the claustrum, the author charts the term from its introduction by Erikson in 1937 through its divergent developmental trajectories within the conceptual vocabulary of the classical, Independent and Kleinian schools up to Meltzer's (1992) contemporary reworking. The vicissitudes of the transmission of ideas within and between these groups is stressed, Esther Bick's work being particularly highlighted as an example of a nodal intellectual influence. The claustral space within the physical or internal object body, its internal structuralisation, and the impairments in quality of psychic life of the selves that seek to inhabit such spaces, entered through intrusive projective identification, are highlighted. Developmental and psychopathological claustrum manifestations are discussed, particularly fear, separation, problems mourning and claustrophobia. A reciprocal and hierarchical avatar relation between the claustrum and the container is proposed.     

Antidepressants,Psychotherapy or their Combination: Weighing Options for Depression Treatments

Psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are the two preeminent treatment choices for depression. This article puts each of these treatments into perspective by presenting an overview of what is currently known about their effectiveness either singly or in combination. Discussion of placebos, common factors among therapies, relapse rates, depression severity, patient treatment preferences and exaggerations in pharmaceutical advertising provide guidance for clinicians in deciding on the best course of treatment. Overall, research reveals the importance of psychosocial factors, no matter what the mode of treatment, and the need for fostering a collaborative bond between clinicians and their patients. We argue that empirical evidence points to making psychotherapy the initial treatment choice for most cases of depression.     

Establishing family inclusive acute inpatient mental health services: a staff training programme in Somerset

In spite of policies advocating the involvement of families in the care of mental health service users in the UK there are few examples of training initiatives to bring this about. This article describes the delivery of a whole-team training initiative to promote family inclusive working in all acute inpatient units in Somerset. The three-day staff-training programme is described and training outcomes are reported. Staff reported a significant increase in confidence in their skills for working with families, and a pre- and post-training case note audit showed an increased consideration of the needs of families. This was accompanied by a modest increase in the average number of family meetings. Obstacles to family inclusive ways of working on inpatient units are described, and strategies to overcome these are discussed.     

Students who self-harm: Coping style,Rumination and Alexithymia

Counsellors working with students or other young adults may encounter individuals who have self-harmed, either with suicidal or non-suicidal intent. Recent US studies reported rates of self-injury of up to 37% of the student population, but studies in the UK have focussed primarily on younger adolescents. This study examined reported self-harm incidents (scratching, cutting, poisoning, overdose etc) from a sample of 617 university students. A total of 27% reported at least one incident of self-harm, with almost 10% having harmed themselves while at university. Gender differences were not significant but psychology students reported significantly more self-harm than other students. Participants reporting self-harm scored significantly higher on maladaptive coping styles, rumination, and alexithymia (specifically difficulty in identifying emotions) and these differences were most marked for students reporting repetitive and recent self-harm. Rumination and Alexithymia factor 1 (difficulty identifying feelings) emerged as the most robust factors predicting self-harm status. Comments from students who self-harmed at university highlighted the importance of accessible services and academic staff support. The implications of these findings for counselling interventions are discussed, including challenging negative rumination tendencies and developing mindfulness skills.     

Posterior parietal cortex as part of a neural network for directed attention in rats

A rodent model of directed attention has been developed based upon behavioral analysis of contralateral neglect, pharmacological manipulations, and anatomical analysis of neural circuitry. In each of these three domains the rodent model exhibits striking similarities to humans. We hypothesize that there is a specific thalamo-cortical-basal ganglia network that subserves spatial attentional functions. Key components of this network are medial agranular and posterior parietal cortex, dorsocentral striatum, and the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus. Several issues need to be addressed before we can hope to realistically understand or model the functions of this network. Among these are the roles of medial versus lateral posterior parietal cortex; cholinergic mechanisms in attention; interhemispheric interactions; the role of synchronous firing at the cortical, striatal, and thalamic levels; interactions between cortical and thalamic projections to the striatum; interactions between cortical and nigral inputs to the thalamus; the role of collicular inputs to the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus; the role of cerebral cortex versus superior colliculus in driving the motor output expressed as orienting behavior during directed attention; the extent to which the circuitry we describe for directed attention also plays a role in other forms of attention.     

Directives anticipées et autonomie de la personne en fin de vie

Advance directives are an instrument used to maintain patients autonomy in case they can no longer decide themselves, according to French law « patients rights and end of life ». However, analysis of the legal procedure does not lead to such a conclusion.