Insulin and dextrose effects on fixed-interval behavioral thermoregulation in albino rats

This study is a systematic replication of the effects of insulin doses on operant behavior reinforced (in an earlier study) by fixed-ratio schedules of microwave (MW) reinforcement. In this study, insulin and dextrose doses were administered (ip) prior to fixed-interval 2-min. schedules of MW reinforcement in rats tested in a cold environment. Six Sprague-Dawley rats were conditioned to regulate their thermal environment with 5-sec. exposures of MW radiation (SAR = 0.34 Watts/kg/(mW/cm2) under the FI-2' schedules. Humulin-regular insulin and 50% solutions of dextrose were administered (ip) alternately with saline control sessions for 8-hr. durations. A within-subjects, repeated-measures 4 x 8 x 3 factorial analysis of variance design showed that insulin doses suppressed operant responding for heat, which confirmed the results of the earlier study under a different schedule. In addition, high doses of dextrose had similar suppressing effects on operant responding for heat. The data are interpreted in terms of the discriminative properties of increased thermogenesis produced by the insulin and dextrose doses. The suppressing effects were more pronounced for the first two hours, yet they persisted for approximately six hours of the 8-hr. sessions.     

AN EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECTS OF USING BEHAVIOR CHECKLISTS ON THE CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF ASSESSMENT CENTER DIMENSIONS

Although research has established the criterion-related validity of assessment centers for selection purposes, the construct validity of dimension ratings has not been demonstrated. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the influence of retranslated behavior checklists on the construct validity of dimension ratings for two assessment center exercises. Assessor use of behavior checklists increased the average convergent (i.e., same dimension across exercise) validity from .24 to .43 while decreasing the average discriminant (i.e., different dimension within exercise) validity (.47 to .41). Behavior checklist sums were moderately correlated with corresponding dimension ratings and demonstrated a comparable level of construct validity. It is suggested that using behavior checklists may improve dimension construct validity by reducing the cognitive demands placed on raters.     

Failure to acquire an inhibitory task following seizure-induced brain damage

Male rats that had displayed limbic seizures following a single pair of systemic injections of lithium and pilocarpine were trained 2 months later on an operant schedule that required differential low rates of responding (DRL). The seizured rats never acquired schedules that required either 6-sec. or 12-sec. inhibition of responses following a reward; these rats displayed more perseverative responding and shorter interresponse times than controls. Histomorphology indicated severe brain damage primarily within the entorhinal cortices (and adjacent amygdala) and dorsal thalamus.     

EEG performance spectral mapping during drug therapy in a patient with schizophrenic psychosis

In a paranoid-hallucinatoric patient with chronic course and acute exacerbation a EEG mapping study during neuroleptic treatment was carried out. The typical changes of the alpha power spectra in schizophrenic psychoses as well the normalization after neuroleptic treatment could be found in the alpha map. The changes were in correlation to the clinical state.     

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome--3 case reports

An account is given of three patients who exhibited a malignant neuroleptic syndrome after the administration of neuroplegics. Like other authors, we identified typical elicitation factors and clinical characteristics. In one case a catatonic dilemma with lethal issue was observed. In the final case dealt with in this paper, the renewed application of neuroplegics following the termination of the malignant neuroleptic syndrome was tolerated without complications, whereas in the case of an epileptic patient with damage to the brain, the malignant neuroleptic syndrome returned upon dosage increase.     

Psychoses in epilepsy

The heterogenous psychoses in epilepsies, caused by well known conditions, are not rare but associated with regularly a few of seizure-types not with the nature and development of attacks. Polar transitional ranks and converging courses of schizophrenic (accentuated) syndromes in epilepsies and idiopathic schizophrenias are rather frequent. Also (sub-)acute schizophrenic psychoses are corresponding to the complete palette of first and second rank symptoms (K. Schneider) of idiopathic schizophrenias. After manifestations of epilepsy these syndromes can appear at any time. It is given a profile of risks. Progressive avoidance of a. phenylaceturea, b. mixtures of antiepileptics did not put an end to psychotic syndromes: Long-term therapies with 1. Polytherapy, 2. Primidone and Phenytoin (dosedependant) as well as 3. Ethosuximide (-monotherapy) cause a disorder of feed back mechanisms, especially a disturbed regulation of vigilance and sleeping-waking-cycle and their psychological correlates. Carbamazepine and Sodium Valproate are, plasma-level-controlled of preventive antipsychotic effect. Selected neuroleptics of rather slight epileptogenic potency are of going down importance. Benzodiazepines are required mostly in prepsychotic syndromes, Lithium compounds in selected cases. There is no more alternative seizures or psychosis.     

Comments on the clinical analysis of anxiety and depressive affect

In listening to clinical material, the analyst frequently has to decide among several apparently valid avenues of investigation. The author examines an aspect of the way he chooses among technical alternatives. His perceptions of an analysand's motivations are influenced by two complementary affect-defense configurations: inhibition in response to anxiety and enactment of wishful fantasy in response to depressive affect. These conceptualizations act as deep structures at the base of his clinical thinking and give direction to his analytic activity. A connection is suggested between the choice to analyze one or another specific affect-defense configuration and the sequential unfolding of tolerable frustrations and gratifications for the analysand.     

Information search following damage to the frontal lobes

Five adult patients with focal brain damage in different areas of the frontal lobes and five matched controls were administered a 20 Questions test. Other tests of planning, problem-solving, and decision-making were also administered to frontal lobe patients. The results indicate that damage to the frontal lobe impairs the ability to impose and utilize hierarchical organization in mental representation.     

Psychotherapists' religious beliefs and their perception of the psychotherapy process

In a comparison of religious and nonreligious psychotherapists' perceptions of a portion of a psychotherapeutic session no significant differences were found on the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Process Scale for four groups of therapists designated according to their scores on three religious questionnaires. While the results suggest attitudes toward religion are not reflected in therapists' practice of psychotherapy, limitations of the study indicate the need for more rigorous testing of this possibility.