Newborns’ attention is driven by the translational movement

The present study investigated whether 2-day-old newborns are able to discriminate two translating meaningless Point-Light Displays (PLD) videos, in which the shape of one of them changes compared to that of the other along the trajectory, independently from movement kinematics, and if this ability is present both when stimuli differed at the end or at the beginning of the movement. To manipulate the instant in which along the movement the difference between stimuli was evident, and to maintain every unspecific dissimilarity possibly determining the preference, videos were played in a loop either forward or backwards. In Experiment 1, PLD stimuli moved with natural accelerated-decelerated kinematics; in Experiment 2 they moved at constant velocity. Four groups of newborns were submitted to the preferential looking technique experiments. Results showed that newborns looked longer at natural kinematics and that, irrespective of the type of kinematics, they discriminated the two stimuli only when videos were played forward, that is, only when stimuli differed at the end of the movement. These data suggest that, independently from kinematics, movement translational components induce newborns to allocate attention at the end of the observed movement. Given the strict link between attention and eye movements, we suggest that this effect may bootstrap the system and give rise to proactive gaze, the typical gaze behaviour present during executed and observed goal-directed actions.     

Correlates of premarital relationships among unmarried youth in Pune district, Maharashtra, India

CONTEXT: Although premarital partnerships-whether or not they involve sex-are widely discouraged in India, some youth do form such partnerships. It is important to know more about the nature of and the factors associated with these relationships. METHODS: Data are drawn from a community-based study of 15-24-year-olds in urban slum and rural settings in Pune District, Maharashtra. Multivariate analyses were conducted to identify associations between youths' individual, peer and family factors and their experience of romantic relationships and physical intimacy, including intercourse. RESULTS: Among young men, 17-24% had had a romantic relationship, 20-26% had engaged in some form of physical intimacy and 16-18% had had sex; the proportions among young women were 5-8%, 4-6% and 1-2%, respectively. Exposure to alcohol, drugs or pornographic films and having more frequent interaction with peers were positively associated with romantic and sexual relationships for both young women and young men. Educational attainment was negatively associated with both types of relationships for young women, but only with sexual relationships for young men. Closeness to parents was negatively associated with relationships only for young women. Young women whose father beat their mother were more likely than other young women to form romantic partnerships, and those beaten by their family had an elevated risk of entering romantic and sexual partnerships. Youth who reported strict parental supervision were no less likely than others to enter relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Program interventions should ensure that youth are fully informed and equipped to make safe choices and negotiate wanted outcomes, while positively influencing their peer networks; encourage closer interaction between parents and children; and be tailored to the different circumstances and experiences of young women and men.     

Rorschach Comprehensive System data for a sample of 343 adults from Finland

This article combines Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 1990, 1993) data from four projects conducted in Finland between 1990 and 1995. The projects studied a stratified random sample of Finnish nonpatients, a cohort of twins, a group of elderly men, and a random sample collected to investigate sleep difficulties. The 343 records from these four studies provide a representative survey of Rorschach responding throughout the Finnish population.     

Serum beta-amyloid correlates with neuropsychological impairment

AIMS: Evidence suggests a relationship between peripheral Abeta and AD. We hypothesized that higher levels of serum Abeta(1-42) would be associated with memory impairment, thought to occur early in the disease, and rises in serum Abeta(1-40), which occur later, would be associated with impairment in non-memory measures. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, we examined the relationship of serum Abeta(1-40), Abeta(1-42), and the ratio of Abeta(1-42/1-40) to neuropsychological measures in 40 cognitively normal controls, 13 MCI subjects, and 25 AD patients. RESULTS: Serum Abeta(1-42) and the ratio of Abeta(1-42/1-40) were significantly higher in the MCI group compared to the controls. A significant relationship in the hypothesized direction (poorer scores associated with higher Abeta(1-40) serum levels) was found between Abeta(1-40) and measures of executive functions across the entire cohort of individuals tested and with measures of language and processing speed in the AD group. Regression analysis found that neuropsychological measures accounted for 26% of the variance in serum Abeta(1-40,) in the MCI/AD but not the controls. Furthermore that language and executive measures were significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide preliminary data to partially support our hypotheses and suggest that changes in serum Abeta levels may be attributed to pathological changes within the brain.     

Does response interference depend on the subjective visibility of flanker distractors?

Response interference (or response conflict) refers to the phenomenon whereby response times to a target stimulus are longer in the presence of distractor stimuli that indicate contrary motor responses. Response interference has been observed even when the distractor stimuli cannot be discriminated above chance levels. These results raise the question of whether response interference might be driven automatically by the physical distractor stimuli, independently of one??s subjective perception of the distractors. Using a modified version of the Eriksen flanker task, we applied metacontrast masks to the flanker stimuli and measured their subjective visibility after each trial. We found converging lines of evidence that the subjective perception of flankers contributed to response interference, over and above the contribution of automatic processing of the stimulus itself. A factorial analysis revealed that the objective, physical congruency of target and flankers and the subjective, perceptual congruency of target and flankers make additive, noninteracting contributions to target response interference, suggesting that the two interference effects originate from independent levels or stages of cognitive processing.     

Hand–foot motor priming in the presence of temporary inability to use hands

To verify if the link between observed hand actions and executed foot actions found in aplasics is essentially induced by the constant use of foot substituting the hand, we investigated if the vision of a grasping hand is able to prime a foot response in normals. Participants were required to detect the time-to-contact of a hand grasping an object either with a suitable or a less suitable movement, an experimental paradigm known to induce a priming effect. Participants responded either with the hand or the foot, while having free or bound hands. Results showed that for hand responses motor priming effect was stronger when the hands were free, whereas for foot responses it was stronger when the hands were bound. These data are interpreted as a further evidence that a difficulty to move affects specific cognitive functions and that the vision of a grasping hand may prime a foot response.     

Serum β-Amyloid Correlates with Neuropsychological Impairment

ABSTRACT

Aims: Evidence suggests a relationship between peripheral Aβ and AD. We hypothesized that higher levels of serum Aβ_1–42 would be associated with memory impairment, thought to occur early in the disease, and rises in serum Aβ_1–40, which occur later, would be associated with impairment in non-memory measures. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, we examined the relationship of serum Aβ_1–40, Aβ_1–42, and the ratio of Aβ_{1–42/1–40} to neuropsychological measures in 40 cognitively normal controls, 13 MCI subjects, and 25 AD patients. Results: Serum Aβ_1–42 and the ratio of Aβ_{1–42/1–40} were significantly higher in the MCI group compared to the controls. A significant relationship in the hypothesized direction (poorer scores associated with higher Aβ_1–40 serum levels) was found between Aβ_1–40 and measures of executive functions across the entire cohort of individuals tested and with measures of language and processing speed in the AD group. Regression analysis found that neuropsychological measures accounted for 26% of the variance in serum Aβ_1–40, in the MCI/AD but not the controls. Furthermore that language and executive measures were significant predictors. Conclusions: Results provide preliminary data to partially support our hypotheses and suggest that changes in serum Aβ levels may be attributed to pathological changes within the brain.     

Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation predicts post-transplantation outcomes

Psychosocial factors greatly impact the course of patients throughout the liver transplantation process. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who underwent liver transplantation at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012. A composite psychosocial score was computed based on the patient’s pre-transplant evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups based on compliance, support and insight: Optimal psychosocial score and Non-optimal psychosocial score. Post-liver transplantation survival and complication rates were evaluated. Out of 100 patients who underwent liver transplantation at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012, 93% had a complete pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation in the medical record performed by professional psychologists and social workers. Post-liver transplantation survival was significantly higher in the Optimal group (85%) as compared to the Non-optimal group (56%, p = .002). Post-liver transplantation rate of renal failure was significantly lower in the Optimal group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in other post-transplant complications. A patient’s psychosocial status may impact outcomes following transplantation as inferior psychosocial grades were associated with lower overall survival and increased rates of complications. Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluations are an important tool to help predict survival following transplantation.     

Authoritarianism and arranged marriage in Bangladesh and Korea

The relationships between authoritarianism and attitudes about arranged marriage were studied in Bangladesh and Korea. According to regression analyses (N = 417), authoritarianism was positively related to support for arranged marriages in closed-ended and open-ended responses. Authoritarianism was also negatively related to open-ended discussions about the importance of love in selecting a partner and in the importance of emotional connection in establishing a relationship. Replicating prior results from the US on women, authoritarianism was related to desires to marry individuals who were gender-typed, traditional, and with narrow interests. Despite some differences in patterns of relationships due to gender and country of origin, the findings support the general hypothesis that authoritarians are invested in maintaining the traditions of their culture.