Learning capacities during sleep: A preliminary study in a group of schizophrenic inpatients

The relationship between sleep and learning processes is analysed in a sample of schizophrenic patients, starting from more recent hypotheses about the function of REM sleep in learning and memory processes. This is done by means of two experiments: in the first AA. evaluate the possibility to elicit a simple motor conditional reflex acquired during daytime in different sleep stages. With the second experiment daytime learning performances are evaluated with and without a reinforcement administered during REM sleep. Results for the first experiment underline a qualitative difference between REM and nREM sleep in a reflexological perspective. In nREM sleep the conditional response is better maintained than in REM sleep. The second experiment confirms the possibility to improve daytime learning performances after an additional presentation of learning material in REM. The joint study of sleep abnormalities and learning and cognitive impairment in schizophrenic patients is finally suggested.     

Perceptual learning following a long-lasting tactile reversal.

Crossing 2 adjacent fingers produces a distorted perception when 2 tactile stimuli are touched to the crossed fingertips. This is because a given pair of fingers has a functional range of action within which spatial perception is correct (uncrossed fingers) and beyond which perceived location of tactile stimuli is wrong (crossed fingers). The present study tested the possibility that this range of action could be modified following a long-lasting crossing. Therefore, the functional range of action of the 2nd and 3rd fingers was tested every month in 6 volunteers who maintained the finger crossing for as long as 6 months. The results show that after a variable period of time the range of action was enlarged such that spatial perception was correct with crossed fingers as well. The perceptual organization of the human hand therefore depends on experience and is not rigidly determined on a genetic basis.     

The role of anionic, imidic and amidic forms in structure-activity relationships. Conjugation and bacteriostatic activity in sulphonamides.

The electronic structures of anionic, imidic and amidic forms of sulphonamides were investigated and compared by means of I.R., Raman and U.V. spectroscopy. Indices reflecting the electronic situation of the common moiety p-H2N-C6H4-SO2 was a whole, although not necessarily related, physically, to any event taking place in the biological processes, were found to correlate with the in vitro bacteriostatic activity of the specific individual forms. The influence of N1-substituents both on the SO2 electronic features and on the coupling between the para amino group and the phenyl ring was discussed. It resulted that the most active chemical species, in this class of compounds, are characterized, electronically, by the most electron-rich common moiety and, in particular, by the most negative oxygens in the SO2 group and the most available (less engaged) lone-pair in the rho-amino group. These conclusions give a new settlement both to the problem of resonance and to the relation between resonance effects and bacteriostatic activity in this class of compounds.     

The effect of disgust on preference for structure: Evidence for a double‐sided response

The literature on emotions converges on the idea that people cope with the undesired effects of disgust through an immediate response of avoidance aimed to the physical and psychological rejection of any contamination threat. However, previous research does not consider what happens after this immediate response. We investigate the dual response to disgust and propose that disgust generates an immediate preference for structure, but also an opposite, subsequent tendency to prefer unstructured stimuli. Our reasoning is based on the mobilization‐minimization theory, which suggests opposed reactions to negative emotions. We demonstrate that, while immediate reactions to disgust imply preference for structured logos, after the disgust‐eliciting stimulus is eliminated from the environment, people show higher preference for visually unstructured logos. The study of the dual response to disgust offers novel insights to consumer behavior, decision‐making, and emotion literature, showing that a typically avoidance‐triggering emotion, that is, disgust, can then lead to opposite effects in terms of preference for structure.     

Building therapeutic relationship in schizophrenic and alcohol-related disorder cases

Current literature on the dual diagnosis in cases of schizophrenia and alcohol dependence has reported how pharmacological treatment has positive effects on the reduction of both disorders. Nevertheless, patients have considerable difficulties in following the prescribed medication. This work aims to build an engagement stage and therapeutic relationship in seven patients with schizophrenic and alcohol-related disorder cases. This result was achieved through the use of the vignette technique and narrative psychodynamic approach during group counselling sessions. Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) and Munich Alcoholism Test (MALT) were applied before and after treatment. A follow-up session was organized. The PANSS and MALT scores indicated there was no reduction of the psychiatric symptoms after treatment. The follow-up session showed positive outcomes in terms of increasing the level of socialisation as well as awareness of their own condition; at the same, an adherence to pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy for all the subjects.     

The effects of school anxiety on self-esteem and self-handicapping in pupils attending primary school

School anxiety appears to be related to self-esteem and self-handicapping strategies. This study aims at identifying children with atypical levels of anxiety and examining the relationship between their self-esteem at school and their use of self-handicapping strategies. The sample included 120 pupils (M = 8.6 years) attending third grade of primary school and was divided into three groups: pupils with low anxiety, average anxiety and high anxiety. Children were administered the Scale for Evaluation of Anxiety (SAFA A), the TMA - Multidimensional test of Self-esteem- and the Self-Handicapping Scale for Children. On the whole, results demonstrate a nearly normative distribution of school anxiety in a nonclinical sample. Pupils with an average level of school anxiety showed a higher level of Self-esteem and engaged more in self-handicapping strategies. The developmental perspective suggests the importance of preventive research in order to identify any risk factors of subsequent anxiety disorders at an early age.     

Tactile diplopia (diplesthesia) on the human fingers

The third and fourth fingertips of five subjects were pressed against each other so as to produce a skin displacement. A single spherical stimulus was then applied simultaneously to the two fingertips in order to test perceptual experiences with different amounts of skin displacement. The results show that the probability of detecting one stimulus when a single stimulus was applied to the skin in the resting position was 0.90. This probability decreased with increments in skin displacement. At the maximum skin displacement tested the probability of detecting one stimulus when a single stimulus was applied to the two displaced fingertip surfaces was only 0.04: this means that the single stimulus was perceived to be double with a probability of 0.96. The occurrence of this doubling, similar to Aristotle's crossed-finger illusion, shows that a diplopia-like phenomenon is present in the somesthetic system. How this 'tactile diplopia' could represent an interesting approach to the study of tactile perception is discussed.     

Crucial problems in psychotherapy of schizophrenia

This paper is an attempt to summarize some of the most important problems I have encountered in a 20-year-old psychotherapeutic experience with schizophrenic patients.