Adrenalectomy Causes Oxidative Damage and Monoamine Increase in the Brain of Rats and Enhances Immobilization Stress-Induced Oxidative Damage and Neurotransmitter Changes

The paradox that increased levels of glucocorticoids can either enhance or suppress the organism's defense against stress, has been an obstacle to formulating a unified picture of glucocorticoid function. To clarify the glucocorticoid paradox, we examined male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to immobilization stress and/or bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX), and measured oxidative damage to lipid, protein, and DNA, as well as monoamine neurotransmitter turnover. ADX, which is similar to stress, induces an increase in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, accompanied by increased monoamine neurotransmitter turnover in several regions of the brain of rats. The effect of ADX is greater than that induced by short-term immobilization stress. In addition, ADX enhances stress-induced oxidative damage and increase of monoamine neurotransmitter turnover. These results, together with our previous finding that long-term stress causes oxidative damage to the brain, suggest that stress levels of glucocorticoids, or levels lower than basal, cause oxidative damage. However, basal levels of glucocorticoids appear to buffer against oxidative damage. These findings provide possible mechanisms to understand the glucocorticoid paradox, and support the stress-oxidative hypothesis of aging acceleration.     

Association of alexithymic characteristics and posttraumatic stress responses following medical treatment for children with refractory hematological diseases

Recent research has examined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following medical treatment for children with refractory hematological diseases such as leukemia. However, much remains unknown. This study examined the association of alexithymic characteristics on the manifestation of posttraumatic stress responses in 33 children with refractory hematological diseases. Of 33 children, 27 (81.8%) exhibited posttraumatic stress responses following medical treatment for refractory hematological diseases. The frequency of posttraumatic stress responses was significantly higher than with children who experienced severe flood disaster. Also, the severity of posttraumatic stress responses was significantly stronger than for children who experienced severe flood disaster. Moreover, children with refractory hematological diseases were more likely to exhibit alexithymic characteristics. The alexithymic characteristics were significantly and positively correlated with avoidance and emotional numbing among posttraumatic stress responses. The results suggest the possibility that alexithymic characteristics may be predictive of the manifestation of avoidance and emotional numbing among posttraumatic stress responses following medical treatment for refractory hematological diseases.     

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Emotional Intelligence Scale among college students and psychiatric outpatients

We examined the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Emotional Intelligence Scale in two samples of 267 college students and 398 psychiatric outpatients. Suitable validity and reliability of this scale were suggested by high correlations with scores on the NEO Personality Inventory, adequate internal consistency, and relatively high test-retest correlations. The Emotional Intelligence Scale seems suitable for both clinically distressed populations as well as comparative groups such as college students.     

Feedlot veterinarians' moral and instrumental beliefs regarding antimicrobial use in feedlot cattle

This cross‐sectional survey research study examined the role moral beliefs play in predicting behavioural beliefs and attitudes and the role that subjective norms play in predicting moral beliefs. Using a self‐administered questionnaire, one hundred and three feedlot veterinarians completed measures of behavioural beliefs, referent others, perceived constraints and moral beliefs regarding recommendations to use antimicrobials in four situations (i.e. acutely sick cattle, chronically sick cattle, at‐risk cattle and high‐risk cattle). Regression analysis and F‐tests indicate moral beliefs as contributing significant increases in R² to models predicting behavioural beliefs regarding antimicrobial use in each situation. In addition, subjective norms contribute a significant increase in R² in models predicting moral beliefs in each of the four situations. The results indicate the effects of moral beliefs on behavioural beliefs are somewhat contingent on the condition; that is the level of risk associated with treating cattle with antimicrobials, the level of risk of not doing so, and the effectiveness of the antimicrobial in situations such as acute illness or being at‐risk of illness. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A revised Emotional Intelligence Scale: factor re-evaluation and item reduction

The original Emotional Intelligence Scale of Fukunishi utilized 65 items measuring 3 basic dimensions: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and situational. 170 psychiatric outpatients (84 men and 86 women) completed the inventory. The mean age of the sample was 41.1 yr. (SD= 12.4). Compared with the 65-item scale, factor re-analysis yielded a new 34-item solution with significant correlations for the Intrapsychic (.97) and Interpersonal dimensions (.96) of the larger scale, but not with the Situational dimension (.43). The correlation between the total inventory scores was also significant (.94).     

Intergenerational association of alexithymic characteristics for college students and their mothers.

The intergenerational association of alexithymic characteristics of mothers and their children were examined in a sample of 232 pairs of college students and their mothers. Scores on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Parental Bonding Inventory, and the Family Environmental Scale of college students were significantly correlated with their mothers' memories of when they were also 20 years old. College students' scores were significantly correlated with their mothers' scores on each questionnaire. The student-mother pairs were further divided into two family types, nuclear and extended families. Correlations were higher for scores of the nuclear family than for those of the extended family. Such results suggest there may be intergenerational transmission of alexithymia and related factors from mothers to children.     

Alexithymia and sociocultural factors in a Japanese sample: a study with the Rorschach

We reexamined the Japanese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, a self-report sc ale for measuring alexithymic characteristics, by comparing the scores on three factors and the total scores with variables of the Rorschach in a sample of 40 (originally 48) Japanese college students. Based on prior studies, our aims were to further validate the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale by comparing its scores with those on a projective technique. We also investigated whether sociocultural factors, such as repression of hostility. are associated with scores on the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (especially Factor 3). None of the seven Rorschach Alexithymia Variables were significantly related to the factors and total scores of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. However, scores for Factor 1 (difficulty identifying feelings) of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale correlated positively with scores on Sum C' (reserved responses to emotional stimuli) and Adj es (stimulus demand), suggesting that individuals who score high for Factor 1 experience gloomy, depressive feelings but in constricted ways. Scores for Factor 3 (externally oriented thinking) correlated positively with the D scores (stress tolerance) and negatively with m (situational stress) responses, suggesting that Factor 3 may reflect a psychological defense that enhances stress tolerance. There was a nonsignificant negative correlation between Factor 1 and Factor 3 scores, but, unlike our hypothesis. Factor 3 was neither related to AG (aggression) nor S (space responses reflecting oppositional tendency), indices of aggression or hostility in the Rorschach Comprehensive System. It may be that the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Rorschach measure quite different aspects of personality, but further research is necessary.     

Association of emotional intelligence with alexithymic characteristics

We examined the association of emotional intelligence and alexithymic characteristics as the personality trait in cohorts of 267 college students and 398 psychiatric outpatients. Score on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale were significantly correlated with those on the Emotional Intelligence Scale, suggesting that alexithymic characteristics are related to lower emotional intelligence. In conclusion, these data suggest that emotional intelligence overlaps with alexithymia.     

Alexithymic traits as predictors of difficulties with adjustment in an outpatient cohort of expatriates in Tokyo

The purpose of this study was to examine whether alexithymic characteristics, which are thought to be related to poor coping with stress, would be associated with variables thought to reflect adjustment to life abroad. The subjects were 56 expatriates living in Tokyo, Japan. The Expatriate Adaptation Inventory, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Social Support Questionnaire of the Stress and Coping Inventory were given to the subjects. Scores on alexithymia were significantly associated with dissatisfaction with life abroad, higher satisfaction with life in one's home country prior to departure, and higher ratings on the perception of poor social support. An alexithymia variable, difficulty identifying feelings, was a significant predictor of dissatisfaction with life abroad and satisfaction with life in the home country. The results suggest that, because alexithymia was associated with lower satisfaction with life abroad and higher satisfaction in the home country prior to departure, it may be a predictor of adjustment difficulties when individuals live abroad. Empirical confirmation is needed.