101,944 research outputs found
ELEVATED RESPONSE OF HUMAN AMYGDALA TO NEUTRAL STIMULI IN MILD POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: NEURAL CORRELATES OF GENERALIZED EMOTIONAL RESPONSE
No full textBrunetti M, Sepede G, Mingoia G, et al. ELEVATED RESPONSE OF HUMAN AMYGDALA TO NEUTRAL STIMULI IN MILD POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: NEURAL CORRELATES OF GENERALIZED EMOTIONAL RESPONSE. NEUROSCIENCE. 2010;168(3):670-679.Previous evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies has shown that amygdala responses to emotionally neutral pictures are exaggerated at a group level in patients with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [Hendler T, Rotshtein P, Yeshurun Y, Weizmann T, Kahn I, Ben-Bashat D, Malach R, Bleich A (2003) Neuroimage 19(3):587-600]. The present fMRI study tested the hypothesis that amygdala responses are elevated not only in response to negative pictures but also to neutral pictures as a function of disease severity in patients with mild symptoms and in subjects who did not develop symptoms. To this end, fMRI scans were performed in 10 patients with mild PTSD and 10 healthy controls (both victims of a bank robbery), during the execution of a visuo-attentional task in which they were asked to observe emotionally negative or neutral pictures. Control subjects showed enhanced amygdala responses to emotionally negative stimuli compared to neutral stimuli. On the contrary, PTSD patients were characterized by high amygdala responses to both neutral and emotional pictures, with no statistically significant difference between the two classes of stimuli. In the entire group, we found correlations among the severity of the PTSD symptoms, task performance, and amygdala activation during the processing of neutral stimuli. Results of this study suggest that amygdala responses and the selectivity of the emotional response to neutral stimuli are elevated as a function of disease severity in PTSD patients with mild symptoms. (C) 2010 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Insular dysfunction in people at risk for psychotic disorders
No full textIn response to the review article written by Pavuluri and May [1] and to the original article by Tomasino et al [2] we will comment the recent neuroimaging findings of insular dysfunctions in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorders, focusing on people at genetic risk for developing psychotic symptoms. A disrupted insular functioning was reported in several studies, even though the results were not univocal with respect to the direction of the effect (some studies reported a reduced activation, other an augmented activation) and the lateralization of the observed alterations (left, right or bilateral). We will conclude that an altered function of the insula during both cognitive and emotional task may be a candidate vulnerability marker for psychotic disorders
The role of left superior parietal lobe in male sexual behavior: dynamics of distinct components revealed by FMRI
No full textIntroduction. Despite the interest for the brain correlates of male sexual arousal, few studies investigated neural mechanisms underlying psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). Although these studies showed several brain regions active in ED patients during visual erotic stimulation, the dynamics of inhibition of sexual response is still unclear. Aim. This study investigated the dynamics of brain regions involved in the psychogenic ED. Methods. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and simultaneous penile tumescence (PT) were used to study brain activity evoked in 17 outpatients with psychogenic ED and 19 healthy controls during visual erotic stimulation. Patterns of brain activation related to different phases of sexual response in the two groups were compared. Main Outcome Measures. Simultaneous recording of blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI responses and PT during visual erotic stimulation. Results. During visual erotic stimuli, a larger activation was observed for the patient group in the left superior parietal lobe, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex, whereas the control group showed larger activation in the right middle insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus. Moreover, the left superior parietal lobe showed a larger activation in patients than controls especially during the later stage of sexual response. Conclusion. Our results suggest that, among regions more active in patient group, the left superior parietal lobe plays a crucial role in inhibition of sexual response. Previous studies showed that left superior parietal lobe is involved in monitoring of internal body representation. The larger activation of this region in patients during later stages of sexual response suggests a high monitoring of the internal body representation, possibly affecting the behavioral response. These findings provide insight on brain mechanisms involved in psychogenic ED. Cera N, Di Pierro ED, Sepede G, Gambi F, Perrucci MG, Merla A, Tartaro A, Del Gratta C, Galatioto Paradiso G, Vicentini C, Romani GL, and Ferretti A. The role of left superior parietal lobe in male sexual behavior: Dynamics of distinct components revealed by fMRI
Effects of second language learning on the plastic aging brain: Functional connectivity, cognitive decline, and reorganization
No full textLearning a new language requires the use of extensive neural networks and can represent a powerful tool to reorganize brain neuroplasticity. In this study, we analyze how a 4 months long second language learning program (16, 2 h sessions) can lead to functional changes in the brain of healthy elderly individuals. A large number of studies point out a decline of brain-skills with age; here it is analyzed how cognition together with functional brain organization can be improved later in life. Twenty-six older adults (59-79 years old) were enrolled in the present study. A complete neuropsychological examination was administered before and after the intervention to measure global cognition levels, short- and long-term memory, attention, language access and executive functions. At the end of the program, in the intervention group, the results showed a significant improvement in global cognition together with an increased functional connectivity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), right superior frontal gyrus (rSFG) and left superior parietal lobule (lSPL). These findings can be added to the current neurobiological breakthroughs of reshaping brain networks with a short language learning practice in healthy elderly subjects. Therefore, learning a foreign-language may represent a potentially helpful cognitive intervention for promoting healthy aging
Bipolar disorder with and without a history of psychotic features: fMRI correlates of sustained attention
No full text
The Role of Left Superior Parietal Lobe in Male Sexual Behavior: Dynamics of Distinct Components Revealed by fMRI
No full text"Introduction. Despite the interest for the brain correlates of male sexual arousal, few studies investigated neural mechanisms underlying psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). Although these studies showed several brain regions active in ED patients during visual erotic stimulation, the dynamics of inhibition of sexual response is still unclear. Aim. This study investigated the dynamics of brain regions involved in the psychogenic ED. Methods. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and simultaneous penile tumescence (PT) were used to study brain activity evoked in 17 outpatients with psychogenic ED and 19 healthy controls during visual erotic stimulation. Patterns of brain activation related to different phases of sexual response in the two groups were compared. Main Outcome Measures. Simultaneous recording of blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI responses and PT during visual erotic stimulation. Results. During visual erotic stimuli, a larger activation was observed for the patient group in the left superior parietal lobe, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex, whereas the control group showed larger activation in the right middle insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus. Moreover, the left superior parietal lobe showed a larger activation in patients than controls especially during the later stage of sexual response. Conclusion. Our results suggest that, among regions more active in patient group, the left superior parietal lobe plays a crucial role in inhibition of sexual response. Previous studies showed that left superior parietal lobe is involved in monitoring of internal body representation. The larger activation of this region in patients during later stages of sexual response suggests a high monitoring of the internal body representation, possibly affecting the behavioral response. These findings provide insight on brain mechanisms involved in psychogenic ED. Cera N, Di Pierro ED, Sepede G, Gambi F, Perrucci MG, Merla A, Tartaro A, Del Gratta C, Galatioto Paradiso G, Vicentini C, Romani GL, and Ferretti A. The role of left superior parietal lobe in male sexual behavior: Dynamics of distinct components revealed by fMRI. J Sex Med 2012;9:16021612.
Pathological Gambling among Italian Nursing Students
No full textAbstract
Purpose
To investigate the role of psychiatric dimensions, behavioral or substance addictions and demographical variables as determinants of pathological gambling among nursing students.
Design
Multicenter cross-sectional study.
Methods
From June to October 2015 a survey was carried out among Italian Nursing students. Data were collected using a six-section tool.
Findings
Nursing students who completed the survey numbered 1083, 902 (83.3%) had some problems with gambling and 29 (2.7%) showed pathological gambling. Percentage of pathological gambling was significantly associate with illicit drug/alcohol use (65.5%; p = 0.001) and with male gender (58.6%) comparing to student nurse with non-pathological gambling (20%) and those with some problem (24.2%). Significant main effect was observed for IAT score (Beta = 0.119, t = 3.28, p = 0.001): higher IAT scores were associated with higher SOGS scores.
Conclusions
Italian nursing students have some problems with gambling and pathological gambling problem, and males are those who have more problems. Results might be useful for faculties of health professionals to identify students at risk in an early stage, to direct prevention tailored interventions.
Clinical relevance
Nursing faculties should be aware of the prevalence of Gambling among students.
Prevention interventions should be planned to minimize the risk of gambling behavior in the future nurses' health care workers
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