Autoradiography of hypothalamic regions after acute hyperosmolarity in mice

Many regions around the third ventricle of the brain are thought to participate in the regulation of water intake. In this study we have visualized in acutely hyperosmolar mice the hypothalamic regions by using autoradiography and [14C]deoxyglucose as marker. By applying a recently published, inexpensive, calibrated photographic method for the analysis of the autoradiographs, we can show that the medial parts of the hypothalamus near the third ventricle increased their uptake of deoxyglucose in comparison with the lateral parts. Densitometric measurements confirmed the results. The results also indicate that parts of the medial hypothalamus, even those that are more caudal than the paraventricular nuclei, react to hyperosmolarity.     

Interaction between catecholaminergic and opioid systems in an active avoidance task

Male NMRI mice were given intravenous injections of the noradrenergic neurotoxin DSP4 or the vehicle 24 to 72 h prior behavioral testing. Animals were given 2 days of training on a one-way active avoidance task. Naloxone was given in one of three doses prior to training on Day 1 and Day 2 or prior to training on Day 1 only (saline was given prior to training on Day 2). There was a dose-dependent impairment of acquisition by naloxone in the vehicle-pretreated groups; 10 mg/kg naloxone produced a significant impairment of acquisition. Naloxone also modulated retention (Day 2) performance of the active avoidance task. For vehicle-pretreated mice, 1 mg/kg naloxone facilitated and 10 mg/kg naloxone-impaired performance on Day 2. DSP4 alone produced an impairment of acquisition of this task but had no effect on retention; Day 2 scores were slightly higher in the DSP4-pretreated group than in the vehicle-pretreated group. Naloxone produced somewhat different effects in DSP4-pretreated animals than in vehicle-pretreated animals. Naloxone (1 mg/kg) ameliorated the DSP4-induced impairment of acquisition; 10 mg/kg naloxone did not significantly alter the acquisition performance of this group. For the DSP4-pretreated mice that received naloxone before training on both days, the dose-response characteristics for retention scores were similar to those of vehicle-pretreated mice; 1 mg/kg naloxone was the facilitatory dose. However, for DSP4-treated mice that received naloxone before training on Day 1 only, there was a shift to the right in the effective facilitatory dose of naloxone. For these animals, 10 mg/kg naloxone but not 1 mg/kg naloxone significantly enhanced retention performance. We discuss these results in the context of a possible state-dependent modulation by naloxone in the DSP4-treated animals.     

The perception of preschool social dominance

Children's and teachers' perception of social dominance was examined using a behavioral criterion for determining accuracy of verbal judgments. Video records of agonistic interactions were obtained during approximately 60 hours of free-play at two preschool centers. Analyses of social conflict episodes ending in submission revealed linear dominance structures for both groups. Dominance perception was assessed in two ways. Both teachers and children were asked to rank-order a subgroup of children according to dominance. They were also asked to select the more dominant children in a number of predetermined pairs. Results indicated that teachers could accurately judge dyadic dominance relations, and that accuracy among children varied as a function of their status within the group hierarchy. Findings have implications for social dominance assessment methodology, and for the issue of consensual versus ecological validity in developmental studies of social perception.     

Aggressive Behavior and Peer Social Status of Elementary School Children

The relation between aggression and peer social status was investigated in a group of 238 third-through fifth-grade children. Peer social status refers to the degree to which a child is accepted by his or her peer group. By asking children to nominate peers they “like most” and “like least,” one can identify children who are popular, rejected, neglected, or viewed as average within their peer group. Results indicated low to moderate correlations between peer-nominated aggression and global indices of social acceptance. More specifically, it was found that aggressive children largely comprised the rejected and average social status groups, but not the popular or neglected groups. Furthermore, analyses indicated that according to both peers and teachers, aggressive/rejected children showed academic and social-skill deficits, whereas aggressive children of average peer status exhibited adequate adjustment similar to that of nonaggressive/average-status children. These results suggest the importance of considering peer social status when identifying aggressive children in need of intervention and in determining which skill deficits to address. In addition, knowledge of an aggressive child's peer status might be useful in enhancing the predictability of adult adjustment.     

Early interventions with disturbed mother-infant relationships

The aim of this paper is to validate the hypothesis that successful psychodynamic intervention in the case of disturbed mother-infant relationships may be possible. Based on 120 referred cases, three types of intervention emerged: Intervention Group A: These mothers feel numbed when their babies are in an acute state of distress and show active signs of refusing to live. Intervention Group B: These mothers feel concern about an on-going difficulty with their baby and are prepared to explore the problem with the therapist. Intervention Group C: These mothers feel angry when their children show signs of distress and react in a persecuted way toward the baby. Due to the difficulty in helping mothers in this situation, a different approach was explored. Clinical case studies are presented to illustrate each of these types of intervention.     

Impairment in the control of coupled cyclic movements of ipsilateral hand and foot after total callosotomy

Integrity of both cerebral hemispheres is required to control in-phase or anti-phase coupling of ipsilateral hand and foot oscillations, as shown by the impairment of these tasks when performed on the healthy side of hemiplegic patients. On this basis, coupling of hand–foot movements was analysed in a right-handed subject (ME) who underwent a total resection of the corpus callosum. Oscillations of the prone hand and foot, paced by a metronome at different frequencies, as well as EMG activity in extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were analysed by measuring the average phase difference between the hand and foot movements and EMG cycles.

ME performed in-phase movements (right-hand extension coupled to right-foot dorsal flexion) at frequencies up to 3 Hz, though the hand cycle progressively lagged the foot cycle as the frequency increased. At 3 Hz the hand lag reached −142° (as compared to about 25° in healthy subjects). The lag increased even further after application of an inertial load to the hand, reaching 180° at 1.8 Hz (about 50° in healthy subjects). ME's hand lag is caused by the lack of any anticipatory reaction in hand movers. In contrast to healthy subjects, which activate the ECR earlier than the TA when the frequency increases, ME activated the ECR later than TA at all frequencies higher than 0.9 Hz.

Anti-phase movements (hand extension coupled to foot plantar flexion) were performed only upto 1 Hz in unloaded conditions. At 0.6 Hz, movements were in tight phase-opposition (3°), but at 1 Hz, the hand lag reached −34° because of a delayed ECR activation. After hand loading ME was unable to couple movements in anti-phase. In contrast, normal subjects maintain a tight anti-phase coupling up to 2.0 Hz, both with an unloaded or loaded hand. Similar deficits were observed by ME when performing in-phase and anti-phase coupling on the left side, as well as when he was blindfolded.

In normal subjects, an anticipated muscular activation of hand movers compensates for hand loading. Since this compensation must depend on monitoring the hand delay induced by loading, the absence in ME of such compensatory reaction suggests that callosal division had apparently compromised the mechanisms sustaining feedback compensation for differences in the biomechanical limb properties. They also confirm and reinforce the idea that elaboration of the afferent message, aiming at controlling the phase of the movement association, needs the co-operation of both cerebral hemispheres.     

The relationship between STD locus of control and STD acquisition among adolescent girls

This longitudinal study examined adolescent girls' perception of control over sexually transmitted disease (STD) acquisition. Participants were asked questions regarding their perception of their STD locus of control (internal control; control by parents, partners, peers, and health care providers; and chance) at two waves of data collection. Of the 116 participants (mean age = 17 years), 82% were African-American and 18% were Caucasian. Responses to the measure of locus of control were significantly correlated across a 6-month interval. The responses regarding internal control, control by partner, and chance were not related to the acquisition of an STD in the next 6 months. Further, they were not influenced by an STD in the preceding 6 months. These results indicate that responses to a locus of control measure were stable over a 6-month period, and internal, partner, and chance locus of control perceptions seem to be neither determined by STD experience nor directly related to future STD acquisition. However, understanding an individual's locus of control may be helpful in providing appropriate counseling. Future research could examine how adolescent girls form their perceptions of control over STD acquisition.     

The relationship between personality,anger expression,and perceived family control among incarcerated male juveniles

The literature suggests that a multitude of psychological and social factors can interact to place adolescents at risk for aggression and violence. This study examined three of these factors: personality, affect, and family. Using a heterogeneous sample of male adolescents at risk for violence, a hierarchical, agglomerative cluster analysis was conducted to categorize these adolescents in terms of personality characteristics. Results of the analysis suggested three clusters of at-risk adolescents. Examination of the three cluster types found distinctions between groups on anger expression, trait anger, and trait anxiety, but not family control. It was concluded that, among male delinquents, elevated psychopathology is associated with higher anger and anxiety, but not higher family control.