情绪对认知加工的影响：事件相关脑电位系列研究

为探讨情绪与认知的相互作用关系及其脑机制,建立了情境图片、面孔、汉字和声音四个系列组成的中国情感刺激材料库,并通过ERP实验对情绪与注意、工作记忆的关系以及特质焦虑者的认知特点进行了研究。结果发现：⑴ 负性情绪刺激在信息加工过程中至少在注意、评价及反应准备这几个阶段具有某种优先权,注意偏向也可在内隐任务下发生,负性刺激对注意资源不足具有某种补偿作用;⑵ 威胁性视觉提示对其后的视觉加工具有调节作用,高焦虑个体对这类性刺激投入了更多的视觉加工资源,而且威胁性刺激对注意的影响可以跨通道进行,威胁性的视觉刺激可以影响触觉注意;⑶ 在情绪对工作记忆的影响方面,负性情绪下空间工作记忆任务引起的P300波幅减小,这种效应可能是基于情绪对顶叶注意系统的调节作用,而在词语工作记忆任务中这种效应消失     

Medicine as a career: Choices and consequences

Medicine has traditionally been regarded as a rewarding career both financially and socially. How true, however, is that tradition in today's world of rising costs and decreasing revenues? The educational debt of the physician-in-training is steadily increasing, and currently does not affect specialty choice. As the cost of medical education continues to rise, the applicant pool begins to shrink, thereby possibly affecting the quality of future physicians. Once the physician has completed training however, the majority enjoy a positive return on investment. Their incomes generally fail to remain ahead of inflation, and therefore, have remained within a narrow band of $40,000 in 1970 dollars. Finally, the demand for physician services cannot be attributed solely to either the consumer (patient) or to the supplier (physician). Rather, the demand for medical services appears to be a unique combination of the two. In conclusion, medicine still is an attractive career path, but the choices and consequences are becoming much more demanding.     

反社会行为的遗传基础:基因多态性和DNA甲基化

反社会行为是受遗传与环境共同影响的不良行为。分子遗传学和神经生物学的研究发现,基因以基因多态性和DNA甲基化的方式影响脑结构、功能及脑内神经递质的产生和释放,进而影响反社会行为的发生发展。本文从基因多态性和DNA甲基化两方面整理了5-HTT、MAOA、OXTR等8个候选基因与反社会行为的关联。并提出未来研究需进一步探讨基因、脑和神经递质对反社会行为的联合作用。同时,扩展多基因位点、基因多态性与DNA甲基化、积极环境与基因交互作用对反社会行为影响的研究,以全面探索反社会行为发生的遗传基础,进而更加有效的预防反社会行为。     

SELF-ADMINISTERED WRITTEN PROMPTS TO TEACH HOME ACCIDENT PREVENTION SKILLS TO ADULTS WITH BRAIN INJURIES

This study evaluated the use of written checklists and task analyses as self-administered prompts to teach home accident prevention skills to 4 adults with brain injuries. Subsequent to baseline, participants used written checklists that identified potential in-home hazards but did not prompt behaviors necessary for hazard remediation. Written individualized task analyses, incorporating specific behavioral steps for correcting hazards that participants had failed to remediate during the checklist phase, were used to prompt appropriate responding when necessary. These were subsequently faded to transfer stimulus control to the natural conditions. A multiple probe technique across participants and settings was used. Results indicated that the checklist alone was sufficient to increase appropriate responses to many of the potential hazards. Individualized task analyses, when needed, resulted in appropriate remediation of all potential hazards. Generalization to untrained potential hazards occurred to some degree for all participants. Follow-up results showed that most skills trained were maintained over a 1-month period.     

THE EFFECTS OF CONTINGENT AND NONCONTINGENT REWARDS ON THE I.Q. SCORES OF CHILDREN OF ABOVE-AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE1

This study investigated the effects of candy reinforcement on I.Q. test scores in first and second graders of above-average intelligence. Thirty-six subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups and either given candy contingent on correct responses, noncontingently, or not given candy. After measuring all subjects on Form L of the revised Stanford Binet, each subject in the contingent group was given an M & M immediately following each correct answer on Form M, while a yoked-comparison subject received the same number of M & M's before responding to a question and therefore without regard to correctness of answers. It was expected that both types of candy administration would produce higher I.Q. change scores than the no-candy control group, but there were no statistically significant differences among the three treatments. The differences between the first and second test scores were 4.17 (contingent), 4.67 (noncontingent), and 1.00 (no reinforcement). Reasons for this failure to replicate previous findings were discussed.     

HOMO RELIGIOSUS AND ITS BRAIN: REALITY, IMAGINATION, AND THE FUTURE OF NATURE

Abstract. “Daddy, is God real or is he a part of people's imagination?” The brain constructs reality by bottom-up, genetically programmed mechanisms. Nature selected the human holistic, symbolically thinking, aesthetic brain using a mechanism of brain-language coevolution. Our religious nature and moral capabilities are rooted in this brain, and in the real images it constructs.     

ZYGON'S 1996 EXPEDITION INTO NEUROSCIENCE AND RELIGION

Abstract. Neuroscience is in a period of explosive growth. To address the implications of the new findings for religion and science, Zyvon in 1996 published fifteen articles in this field. Although the authors'explorations of neuroscience and religion are various, three issues in particular are addressed repeatedly: (1) the nature of human identity, or hallmarks of humanness; (2) the nature and origin of religious consciousness; and (3) our means of discovering or constructing order and integration in the brain/mind, in the environment, and holistically. With these categories as templates, this article correlates the findings of the Zygon neuroscience contributors of 1996.     

CRISIS OF BRAIN AND SELF

Abstract. Neuroscientific evidence requires a monistic understanding of brain/mind. Truly appropriating what this means confronts us with the vulnerability of the human condition. Ca-muss absurd and Tillich's despair are extreme expressions of a similar confrontation. This crisis demands a type of courage that is consistent with scientific truth and does not undermine the spiritual dimension of life. That dimension is not a separate substance but the process by which brain/mind meaningfully wrestles with its crisis through aesthetic symbols, religious faith, and ethical affirmation. The validity of these activities does not depend upon human autonomy but instead upon the fact that they exist. Furthermore, they constitute the self, which Dennett calls a "center of narrative gravity."     

An attempt towards differentiating attentional deficits in traumatic brain injury

Attentional deficits in patients suffering traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur with minor to severe impact to the brain. Based on reviews of both the cognitive and neurobehavioral literature, the following three concepts of attention are addressed: (a) arousal/alertness, (b) selective attention, and (c) energetic aspects of attention, which include such components as effort, resource allocation, and speed of processing. Within each concept, definitions are proposed, the underlying brain mechanisms are identified, and the specific deficits associated with TBI are explored. This review combines theoretical perspectives and clinical findings with the objective of leading toward a diagnostic differentiation that in turn will benefit treatment planning.     

Psychological stress,work satisfaction,and brain injury nursing

The psychological stress and work satisfaction of two groups of nurses working with clients having brain injuries were assessed and compared with norm groups of people working with other types of injuries and disabilities. Contrary to previously published reports, there was no evidence that the groups in this study were higher on measures of burnout than the selected norm groups. However, work satisfaction was found to be significantly lower for one of the groups when compared not only with the other group but also with the selected norm groups. This lower work satisfaction was associated with significantly lower scores on certain aspects of the work environment when compared with the other group. Results from semi-structured interviews in the study confirmed the importance of the work environment and provided additional information concerning causes of the lower work satisfaction and possible solutions.