Proactive sensitizing effects of acute stress on acoustic startle responses and experimentally induced colitis in rats: relationship to corticosterone

In humans, some individuals develop a syndrome after trauma (post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) characterized by increased startle responses and lower than normal cortisol secretion. We explored a rat model using the acoustic startle response (ASR) as a behavioral indicator of the effect of a short series of shocks. Because gastrointestinal disorders have been associated with prior stress, we also studied the rats' vulnerability to a chemically-induced colitis. After initial blood sampling, 12 rats were exposed to ten 1 mA 5 s foot-shocks while 12 rats served as controls. Nineteen days later the rats were tested for ASR. Thirty trials (10 trials at each of 95, 105, and 115 dB, pseudo-randomized) were given. After exposure for 6 days to dextran sulphate sodium in their drinking water, the rats were killed and the colons examined for erosions. Shocked rats showed greater startle responses and more colonic erosion than unshocked rats, but the shock effects were significant only for animals with low initial plasma corticosterone levels. Shocked rats also showed higher levels of granulocyte marker protein (GMP) in their faeces. These results suggest that low corticosterone secretion may represent a marker for vulnerability to long term effects of shocks as indicated by increased startle responses and colonic pathology.     

Visual processing of coherent rotation in the central visual field: an fMRI study

Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the brain areas that process coherent motion. To reduce the activity related to eye-movement planning and self-motion perception, rotation was used as coherent motion and the stimulus was restricted to the central visual field. Coherent rotation relative to incoherent random-dot motion resulted in consistent activation in the superior parietal lobule (SPL), in the lateral occipital gyrus (presumptive kinetic occipital region, KO), and in the fusiform gyrus (FG). The main novel finding in present study is the bilateral SPL activation, which has not been found in any previous study contrasting coherent and incoherent motion. It is suggested that the SPL activation is related to form-from-motion processing. The stimulus modification that prevented abrupt appearances of dots at the borders of the stimulus field increased the strength of rolling disk-like percept of the coherent stimulus. This perception of form may also be at least partly responsible for the activation in KO and FG. With this explanation, our three consistent activation areas are in line with previous findings. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that even delicate changes in some stimulus aspects can lead to significant changes in the activation of the brain.     

Relationships Between Men’s and Women’s Body Image and Their Psychological, Social, and Sexual Functioning

This study was designed to examine the relationships between different aspects of body image and psychological, social, and sexual functioning throughout adulthood. The respondents were 211 men and 226 women (age range 18–86 years; mean = 42.26). Respondents completed measures of self-rated attractiveness, body satisfaction, body image importance, body image behaviors, appearance comparison, social physique anxiety, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and social and sexual functioning. Body image was associated with self-esteem for all groups, but was unrelated to other aspects of psychological, social, and sexual functioning. There were some exceptions; a disturbance in body image was related to problematic social and sexual functioning among middle-aged men and to depression and anxiety symptoms in late adulthood among men and women. Middle-aged men who presented with the type of body image disturbance typical of women were more likely to have impaired interpersonal functioning. These results demonstrate that social aspects of body image appear to be important in understanding psychological functioning in later life.     

An acute stressor enhances sensitivity to a chemical irritant and increases51CrEDTA permeability of the colon in adult rats

We investigated the effect of prior acute stress on colonic permeability induced by a chemical irritant known to induce symptoms similar to inflammatory bowel disease in rodents. Adult male rats (n=12) were stressed by a single session of ten unpredictable, uncontrollable foot shocks, and half were home cage controls (n=12). Twenty-nine days later, half of each treatment group was exposed to 4% DSS (dextran sulphate sodium) solution in their drinking water for 48 hours while half received pure water over two periods separated by 17 days. After food deprivation overnight and light isoflurane anaesthesia the following morning, the animals were given a colonic infusion of 2000 nCi (nanocurie)⁵¹CrEDTA (⁵¹Cr-labelled ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and then placed individually in metabolic cages for a six hours continuous urine collection. Radioactivity in urine was measured by a gamma counter and percentage recovery of⁵¹CrEDTA calculated as an indicator of colonic mucosal permeability. Results concluded that pre-shocked animals exposed to DSS showed significantly higher mucosal permeability than the pre-shocked animals given water, and the non-shocked animals given either DSS or water. Pre-shock in combination with two exposures to a chemical irritant separated by 17 days had a pronounced effect on colonic permeability, indicating that stress should be considered a possible initiating or contributory factor to increased intestinal permeability related to a mucosal challenge.     

The importance of feeling sexually attractive: Can it predict an individual's experience of their sexuality and sexual relationships across gender and sexual orientation?

Limited research exists on the implications of feeling sexually attractive for various aspects of sexuality and sexual relationships. This article examined associations between self‐perceived sexual attractiveness and sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction and amount of sexual experience, among both men and women who identified as heterosexual (n = 1017), gay or lesbian (n = 1225) or bisexual (n = 651). Results of the study demonstrated that positive self‐perceptions of sexual attractiveness predicted greater sexual esteem, greater sexual satisfaction, a higher frequency of sexual activity with others and a larger number of sexual partners among both men and women who identified as heterosexual, gay, lesbian or bisexual. The findings suggest that feeling sexually attractive may have implications for how an individual experiences their sexuality and sexual relationships regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. The importance of considering an individual's self‐perceptions of sexual attractiveness when they present with concerns related to their sexual experiences or relationships, and the potential benefits of educational and therapeutic interventions designed to enhance self‐perceptions of sexual attractiveness are discussed.     

A qualitative study of primary health care access, barriers and satisfaction among people with mental illness

Research has found that a substantial proportion of individuals with mental illness have high morbidity and mortality rates, and high under-diagnosis of major physical illnesses. Furthermore, people with a mental illness tend not to seek out or utilise health care services. The reasons for the negative attitudes and behaviour towards health care services among this population have not been investigated. This paper presents findings from a study that investigated the health care service needs of people with mental illness (n = 20), and views from health care providers (n = 16) regarding access to these services by people with a mental illness. Results indicated that psychiatric patients identified a range of barriers to their health care usage and low levels of health care satisfaction. These views were shared with health care professionals. Reasons for these findings and strategies to address these problems so that there is better access to health care services for people with mental illness are discussed.     

Body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors in Chile: the role of sociocultural factors

With interest in body image and body change behaviors growing around the world, there has been surprisingly little research conducted in Latin America on these issues. In order to gain some understanding of them in this context, this study investigated body image and body change behaviors, and the sociocultural factors that may influence them, among 337 Chilean adolescents aged 12–18 years. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed BMI, body dissatisfaction, strategies to lose weight and strategies to increase muscle bulk. In addition, perceived pressure from family, peers, and the media to change body shape was evaluated. Results were partially consistent with those reported in Western nations. Girls were found to report greater body dissatisfaction than boys, but no difference was found between males and females in perceived pressure from adults in the family or from older siblings/cousins to lose weight. However, girls experienced higher levels of perceived pressure to lose weight from the media than boys, and boys reported greater perceived pressure from peers to lose weight than girls, and more pressure than girls from all sources to increase muscle bulk. These findings are discussed in relation to research conducted in other contexts, and it is concluded that findings from other locations may not be applied universally.     

Sociocultural influences on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors among Malaysian adolescents

Little research on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors, and the sociocultural influences on them, has been undertaken in non-Western contexts. The current study investigated these variables and the relationships between them among a sample of 529 Malaysian high school students (103 Malays, 344 Chinese and 82 Indians), who completed a set of measures in classroom settings. Chinese girls were more dissatisfied with their bodies than Chinese boys, but no gender difference was found for Malay and Indian participants. Girls were more likely to engage in behaviors to lose weight, and boys were more likely to engage in behaviors to increase muscle. The influence of sociocultural factors on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors was limited and varied across both sex and ethnicity. Findings are discussed in relation to Western research, and it is concluded that cultural nuances need to be considered when investigating these phenomena.     

Adaptation and implementation of the German social–emotional learning programme Papilio in Finland: A pilot study

This study investigated the cross-national adaptation and implementation of Papilio, a German social–emotional learning programme, in Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. Papilio is a developmentally focused, scientifically based intervention programme focused on preventing behavioural problems and fostering social–emotional competence in children aged 3–7. The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the cross-national adaptation and cross-cultural adaptation and implementation of Papilio in the Finnish ECEC context. Results from qualitative interviews with one Finnish Papilio trainer, 11 early childhood education (ECE) teachers, two ECE special education teachers and two nursery nurses are supplemented with teachers' and nursery nurses' (N = 75) questionnaire data. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that cultural adaptations were necessary on four levels: accommodation of materials, adaptation of the contents of the materials, structure and delivery. The materials and training contents were culturally adapted, whereas the delivery of the intervention was adapted according to Finnish ECEC practices. The structural adaptation included discarding timeout, due to opposition by some educators. The educators were committed to implementing the programme as instructed and resolving the practical difficulties they encountered. Their motivation to implement Papilio increased as they observed improvements in the children's social–emotional competence during intervention.