The neuroscience of social feelings: mechanisms of adaptive social functioning

Graph analysis of guilt processing network highlights links with subclinical anxiety and self-blame

Maladaptive forms of guilt, such as excessive self-blame, are common characteristics of anxiety and depressive disorders. The underlying network consists of multiple associative areas, including the superior anterior temporal lobe (sATL), underlying the conceptual representations of social meaning, and fronto-subcortical areas involved in the affective dimension of guilt. Nevertheless, despite understanding the circuitry's anatomy, network-level changes related to subclinical anxiety and self-blaming behaviour have not been depicted. To fill this gap, we used graph theory analyses on a resting-state functional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging dataset of 78 healthy adults (20 females, 20-35 years old). Within the guilt network, we found increased functional contributions of the left sATL for individuals with higher self-blaming, while functional isolation of the left pars opercularis and insula was related to higher trait anxiety. Trait anxiety was also linked to the structural network's mean clustering coefficient, with the circuitry's architecture favouring increased local information processing in individuals with increased anxiety levels, however, only when a highly specific subset of connections was considered. Previous research suggests that aberrant interactions between conceptual (sATL) and affective (fronto-limbic) regions underlie maladaptive guilt, and the current results align and expand on this theory by detailing network changes associated with self-blame and trait anxiety.

The clinical manifestation and treatment of Meniere's Disease from the viewpoint of the water homeostasis of the inner ear

Endolymphatic hydrops, a pathological feature of Ménière's disease, has been experimentally and clinically confirmed to be influenced by the blood circulation of vasopressin (VP). VP is a well-known hormonal regulator of water homeostasis. In addition, VP is influenced by various environmental changes, dehydration, fluctuation of atmospheric pressure, pregnancy, and other factors. Furthermore, VP is a key regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is a major neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to emotional and physical stresses, as well as the sleep/wake cycle (circadian rhythm). Therefore, VP is susceptible to change via the HPA axis. This review considers possible mechanisms of the formation of endolymphatic hydrops from the perspective of the vasopressin-aquaporin 2 system.

Association between bullying victimization and mental health problems among Chinese left-behind children: a cross-sectional study from the adolescence mental health promotion cohort

Background

Left-behind children (LBC) refer to those who have been separated from at least one parent for six months or more due to parental migration for work. This phenomenon poses a significant threat to the mental health of over 61 million LBC in China. This study aims to compare the prevalence of mental health symptoms between LBC and non-left-behind children (non-LBC) and to explore the predictive effect of bullying victimization on adolescent mental health problems.

Methods

In 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis involving 28,036 children and adolescents in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, China, with ages ranging from 8 to 19 years. Mental health symptoms were assessed using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The Delaware Bullying Victimization Scale-Student (DBVS-S) was employed to gather data on experiences of bullying victimization. Information on self-injury was collected by inquiring whether participants had engaged in self-injurious behavior and the reasons for such behavior. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to analyze the risk and protective factors associated with mental health symptoms, with a particular focus on different types of bullying victimization.

Results

Compared to non-left-behind children (non-LBC), left-behind children (LBC) exhibited a higher prevalence of mental health issues: anxiety symptoms (24.0% vs. 18.0%, p<0.001), depressive symptoms (27.9% vs. 19.4%, p<0.001), and self-injurious behavior (17.7% vs. 12.2%, p<0.001). Among LBC, physical bullying was identified as the most significant predictor of anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.62). Additionally, LBC who experienced verbal bullying had a higher risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 2.23) and self-injurious behaviors (OR = 1.54). Enhanced family functioning, positive teacher-student relationships, and strong peer relationships were found to offer protective effects against mental health problems.

Conclusion

Our results suggested that LBC experienced a higher incidence of mental health symptoms, particularly among those who had been victims of bullying. This underscores the urgent need for supportive strategies focused on the school environment and interpersonal relationships to mitigate negative mental health outcomes for LBC.

Dissecting neural correlates of theory of mind and executive functions in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia

Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by profound and early deficits in social cognition (SC) and executive functions (EF). To date it remains unclear whether deficits of the respective cognitive domains are based on the degeneration of distinct brain regions. In 103 patients with a diagnosis of bvFTD (possible/probable/definite: N = 40/58/5) from the frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) consortium Germany cohort (age 62.5±9.4 years, gender 38 female/65 male) we applied multimodal structural imaging, i.e. voxel-based morphometry, cortical thickness (CTH) and networks of structural covariance via source based morphometry. We cross-sectionally investigated associations with performance in a modified Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET; reflective of theory of mind - ToM) and five different tests reflective of EF (i.e. Hamasch-Five-Point Test, semantic and phonemic Fluency, Trail Making Test, Stroop interference). Finally, we investigated the conjunction of RMET correlates with functional networks commonly associated with SC respectively ToM and EF as extracted meta-analytically within the Neurosynth database. RMET performance was mainly associated with gray matter volume (GMV) and CTH within temporal and insular cortical regions and less within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), whereas EF performance was mainly associated with prefrontal regions (GMV and CTH). Overlap of RMET and EF associations was primarily located within the insula, adjacent subcortical structures (i.e. putamen) and the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC). These patterns were more pronounced after adjustment for the respective other cognitive domain. Corroborative results were obtained in analyses of structural covariance networks. Overlap of RMET with meta-analytically extracted functional networks commonly associated with SC, ToM and EF was again primarily located within the temporal and insular region and the dlPFC. In addition, on a meta-analytical level, strong associations were found for temporal cortical RMET correlates with SC and ToM in particular. These data indicate a temporo-frontal dissociation of bvFTD related disturbances of ToM and EF, with atrophy of the anterior temporal lobe being critically involved in ToM deficits. The consistent overlap within the insular cortex may be attributable to the multimodal and integrative role of this region in socioemotional and cognitive processing.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of depression: a bibliometrics and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to reveal the current knowledge map, research hotspots of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies on depression, as well as identify the brain regions associated with depression.

METHODS

CiteSpace was conducted to analyze the publication outputs, country, institution, cited journals, author and cited author, references, keyword cocurrence and burst keywords of fMRI studies in depression from 2010 to 2024. And a meta-analysis of fMRI was used to identify brain regions associated with depression using Neurosynth.

RESULTS

A total of 4,049 publications were included, and Gong Qiyong was the most prolific authors. Neuroimage, Biological Psychiatry, and Human Brain Mapping were prominent journals. Default mode network (DMN), prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex were the popular keywords. The fMRI studies on depression have mainly focused on major depression, especially the DMN. Functional connectivity and regional homogeneity of brain regions were research hotspots. The meta-analysis revealed significant differences in brain regions between patients with depression and healthy controls, including the Amygdala_L, Insula_R, Frontal_Inf_Oper_R, Cingulum_Post_L, Putamen_L, Thalamus_R, Angular_L, Precuneus_R, Frontal_Sup_R, Occipital_Inf_L.

CONCLUSIONS

This study sheds light on key issues and future directions in fMRI research on depression, elucidating the brain regions related to depression.

Sex and Dominance Differences in the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Prosocial Behavior: The Roles of Meaning in Life and Resilience

The impact of childhood trauma on adolescents' development is a key topic in social science. Much of the existing literature focuses on its negative consequences, with limited study on its effects on positive social functions, particularly prosocial behavior. This study aims to uncover the link between childhood trauma and prosocial behavior among Chinese adolescents, focusing on how meaning in life and resilience mediate this relationship and how sex and social dominance goals moderate these effects. This study utilized random cluster sampling to survey 659 adolescents (mean age = 15.05, SD = 1.576, 53.6% female) in Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province, China. Data on childhood trauma, meaning in life, resilience, and prosocial behavior were collected through self-reported measures. The data were analyzed through Process Macro Model 4 for mediation effects and Model 8 for moderated mediation in SPSS 26.0. Findings indicated that meaning in life (β = -.042, P < .001, SE = 0.015) and resilience (β = -.071, P < .001, SE = 0.018) partially mediate the impact of the main effect. Social dominance goals reduced the negative effects of trauma on prosocial behavior; higher levels lead to reduced impacts (β = -.173, P < .001, SE = 0.039, t = -4.448). Sex differences also moderated the effect of trauma on meaning in life, with females experiencing a greater decrease in the meaning of life after adversity (β = -.825, P < .001, SE = 0.112, t = -7.372). This research offers new insights into the mechanisms by which childhood trauma affects prosocial behavior and emphasizes the need to consider sex and social dominance goals in trauma interventions.

Physical activity moderated the mediating effect of self-control between bullying victimization and mobile phone addiction among college students

This study aims to investigate the relationship between bullying victimization and mobile phone addiction (MPA) among college students, taking into consideration the mediating role of self-control and the moderating role of physical activity. A self-report survey was administered to college students from 4 universities in Guangxi, Liaoning, and Hunan provinces in China. Participants were asked to report their experiences of bullying victimization, level of MPA, self-control, and physical activity. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were conducted to analyze the data. Mediation and moderation models were subsequently established to examine the relationships between variables. The results indicated a positive correlation between bullying victimization and MPA among college students. Additionally, bullying victimization was negatively correlated with self-control. Bullying victimization significantly predicted MPA, and self-control partially mediated this relationship. Furthermore, physical activity moderated the association between bullying victimization and self-control among college students. The findings suggest that self-control plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between bullying victimization and MPA among college students. Moreover, physical activity weakens the association between bullying victimization and self-control. Therefore, promoting physical activity to reduce MPA among college students who have experienced bullying victimization is highly recommended.

Social Drivers and Algorithmic Mechanisms on Digital Media

On digital media, algorithms that process data and recommend content have become ubiquitous. Their fast and barely regulated adoption has raised concerns about their role in well-being both at the individual and collective levels. Algorithmic mechanisms on digital media are powered by social drivers, creating a feedback loop that complicates research to disentangle the role of algorithms and already existing social phenomena. Our brief overview of the current evidence on how algorithms affect well-being, misinformation, and polarization suggests that the role of algorithms in these phenomena is far from straightforward and that substantial further empirical research is needed. Existing evidence suggests that algorithms mostly reinforce existing social drivers, a finding that stresses the importance of reflecting on algorithms in the larger societal context that encompasses individualism, populist politics, and climate change. We present concrete ideas and research questions to improve algorithms on digital platforms and to investigate their role in current problems and potential solutions. Finally, we discuss how the current shift from social media to more algorithmically curated media brings both risks and opportunities if algorithms are designed for individual and societal flourishing rather than short-term profit.

Bridging minds and machines in Industry 5.0: neurobiological approach

Introduction

In transitioning from Industry 4.0 to the forthcoming Industry 5.0, this research explores the fusion of the humanistic view and technological developments to redefine Continuing Engineering Education (CEE). Industry 5.0 introduces concepts like biomanufacturing and human-centricity, embodying the integration of sustainability and resiliency principles in CEE, thereby shaping the upskilling and reskilling initiatives for the future workforce. The interaction of sophisticated concepts such as Human-Machine Interface and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) forms a conceptual bridge toward the approaching Fifth Industrial Revolution, allowing one to understand human beings and the impact of their biological development across diverse and changing workplace settings.

Methods

Our research is based on recent studies into Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities taxonomies, linking these elements with dynamic labor market profiles. This work intends to integrate a biometric perspective to conceptualize and describe how cognitive abilities could be represented by linking a Neuropsychological test and a biometric assessment. We administered the brief Neuropsychological Battery in Spanish (Neuropsi Breve). At the same time, 15 engineering students used the Emotiv insight device that allowed the EEG recollection to measure performance metrics such as attention, stress, engagement, and excitement.

Results

The findings of this research illustrate a methodology that allowed the first approach to the cognitive abilities of engineering students to be from neurobiological and behavioral perspectives. Additionally, two profiles were extracted from the results. The first illustrates the Neuropsi test areas, its most common mistakes, and its performance ratings regarding the students' sample. The second profile shows the interaction between the EEG and Neuropsi test, showing engineering students' cognitive and emotional states based on biometric levels.

Discussions

The study demonstrates the potential of integrating neurobiological assessment into engineering education, highlighting a significant advancement in addressing the skills requirements of Industry 5.0. The results suggest that obtaining a comprehensive understanding of students' cognitive abilities is possible, and educational interventions can be adapted by combining neuropsychological approaches with EEG data collection. In the future, it is essential to refine these evaluation methods further and explore their applicability in different engineering disciplines. Additionally, it is necessary to investigate the long-term impact of these methods on workforce preparation and performance.

DiADEM-Dance against Dementia-Effect of a Six-Month Dance Intervention on Physical Fitness in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Background: Preserving health and physical fitness is critical to ensure independent living across the lifespan. Lower levels of physical fitness are associated with age-related cognitive decline and a higher prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Thus, this study investigates the influence of a six-month dance intervention on selected measures of physical fitness in older adults with MCI. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 55 patients with MCI were randomized into a sportive dance training (IG; n = 26; age: 70.7 ± 5.6 years; 62% female) or an inactive control group (CG; n = 24; age: 69.1 ± 6.8 years; 46% female). The dance group received two 90 min dance training sessions per week over a duration of six-months, which focused on learning dance movement patterns. During the training sessions, heart rate was measured to control exercise intensity. Physical fitness was assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), lower limb functional fitness via sit-to-stand test, handgrip strength, and heart rate variability (HRV). Results: We observed that the dance intervention preserved the cardiorespiratory fitness as measured by maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) during CPET, which decreased in the CG. Furthermore, participants in the IG demonstrated increases in leg and handgrip strength, although these were not statistically significant. HRV displayed a non-significant decrease following the intervention. Conclusions: The results of this randomized controlled trial suggest that sportive dance training can preserve elements of physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness) in older adults with MCI. Although improvements in the other parameters (i.e., leg and handgrip strength) were statistically non-significant, likely due to the small sample size, stabilizing muscular fitness and preventing age-related decline in older adults with MCI is important for maintaining functional independence. For future studies, we recommend a longer training duration paired with precise control of regular physical activity levels, an important confounding factor.

A Hypothalamic Perspective of Human Socioemotional Behavior

Historical evidence from stimulation and lesion studies in animals and humans demonstrated a close association between the hypothalamus and typical and atypical socioemotional behavior. A central hypothalamic contribution to regulation of socioemotional responses was also provided indirectly by studies on oxytocin and arginine vasopressin. However, a limited number of studies have so far directly investigated the contribution of the hypothalamus in human socioemotional behavior. To reconsider the functional role of the evolutionarily conserved hypothalamic region in regulating human social behavior, here I provide a synthesis of neuroimaging investigations showing that the hypothalamus is involved in multiple and diverse facets of human socioemotional behavior through widespread functional interactions with other cortical and subcortical regions. These neuroimaging findings are then integrated with recent optogenetics studies in animals demonstrating that the hypothalamus plays a more active role in eliciting socioemotional responses and is not simply a downstream effector of higher-level brain systems. Building on the aforementioned evidence, the hypothalamus is argued to substantially contribute to a continuum of human socioemotional behaviors promoting survival and preservation of the species that extends from exploratory and approaching responses facilitating social bonding to aggressive and avoidance responses aimed to protect and defend formed relationships.

Adverse childhood experiences and cognitive function in later life: the sequential mediating roles of education level and adult loneliness

Background

This study assesses the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the cognitive function of older adults. Furthermore, it examines the potential underlying mechanism involving education level and the subjective "feeling of loneliness" (FOL).

Methods

Analyzing a population-based cohort sample from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study database, 8,365 subjects aged 45 or older were interviewed in 2018. Ten ACEs indicators were measured using life history questionnaires assessed at 2014. FOL was assessed using a single item from 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Cognitive function was assessed using a structured questionnaire comprising four dimensions: memory, orientation, computation, and visuospatial abilities.

Results

In the fully adjusted model, which accounted for age, gender, marital status, smoke, drink, rural residence, and education levels of both mothers and fathers, the linear regression analysis indicated that ACEs were inversely associated the lower education level (B = -0.058, 95% CI = -0.090, -0.026, p < 0.001), and ACEs were found to be linked to an elevated risk of FOL (B = 0.072, 95% CI = 0.056, 0.089, p < 0.001). In addition, ACEs was not significantly associated with cognitive function (B = -0.047, 95% CI = -0.108, 0.015, p = 0.136), but FOL was significantly associated with cognitive function (B = -0.483, 95% CI = -0.561, -0.404, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that education level and FOL sequentially and partially mediated the association between ACEs and the total cognitive score, with a proportion mediated of 52.58%.

Limitations

The evaluation of ACEs exposure was based on binary response options. This method limited our ability to explore various dimensions of adversity, such as ages of occurrence, severity, frequency, duration, and the extent of psychological effects at the time. Furthermore, the assessment of loneliness relied on a single item from the CESD-10, introducing a potential source of measurement error.

Conclusion

Our study unveils a substantial association between ACEs and education level, as well as with FOL and cognitive function in the older adults. Moreover, education level and FOL serve as sequential mediating factors in the relationship between ACEs and cognitive function.

Reimagining neuroscientific and andragogical principles for dementia care education

This article aims to explore the integration of Louis Cozolino's (2013) andragogical strategies with the tenets of person-centered dementia care practices to enhance dementia care education. The article examines the multiple dimensions of learning in adulthood, highlighting the role of neural plasticity and lifelong brain adaptation in shaping learning and experiential strategies. This in-depth evaluation underscores the significance of tailoring andragogical approaches to the needs of adult learners, who, in this context, are care providers for persons with dementia. This is done through proper understanding of the neurobiological realities and the unique learning needs of adults. Such tailored approaches can be aligned with the brain's adaptive nature by recognizing the intricate interplay of cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. Highlighting the need for including lessons on the person-centered approach in dementia care education, the paper argues that adult learners - who are essentially part of the dementia care workforce - first need to learn, appreciate, and embrace the approach before applying it in their caregiving practices. This article presents an overarching argument that integration of Cozolino's principles of adult learning with tenets of person-centered dementia care could provide a robust framework for dementia care education.

Advances in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience: Ten Highly Cited Articles Published in Brain Sciences in 2022-2023

In the realm of Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, researchers employ a variety of methods to address theoretical and practical questions that focus on the intricate interplay between social perception, cognition, and emotion across diverse populations and contexts [...].

The regulation of social factors on anxiety and microglial activity in nucleus accumbens of adolescent male mice: Influence of social interaction strategy

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a period characterized by a high vulnerability to emotional disorders, which are modulated by biological, psychological, and social factors. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

METHODS

Combining physical or emotional social defeat stress (PS and ES) and pair or isolation rearing conditions, we investigated the effects of stress type and social support on emotional behavior and central immune molecules in adolescent mice, including anxiety, social fear, and social interaction strategies, as well as changes in microglia-specific molecules (ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) and a cluster of differentiation molecule 11b (CD11b)) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus (HIP), amygdala (AMY), and nucleus accumbens (NAc).

RESULTS

Mice exposed to both physical stress and isolated rearing condition exhibited the highest levels of anxiety, social fear, and microglial CD11b expression in the NAc. In terms of social support, pair-housing with siblings ameliorated social fear and NAc molecular changes in ES mice, but not in PS mice. The reason for the differential benefit from social support was attributed to the fact that ES mice exhibited more active and less passive social strategies in social environment compared to PS mice. Further, the levels of stress-induced social fear were positively associated with the expression of microglial CD11b in the NAc.

CONCLUSION

These findings offer extensive evidence regarding the intricate effects of multiple social factors on social anxiety and immune alteration in the NAc of adolescent mice. Additionally, they suggest potential behavioral and immune intervention strategies for anxiety-related disorders in adolescents.

Exploring the influence of stress on aggressive behavior and sexual function: Role of neuromodulator pathways and epigenetics

Stress is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that can significantly influence both aggressive behavior and sexual function. This review explores the intricate relationship between stress, neuromodulator pathways, and epigenetics, shedding light on the various mechanisms that underlie these connections. While the role of stress in both aggression and sexual behavior is well-documented, the mechanisms through which it exerts its effects are multifarious and not yet fully understood. The review begins by delving into the potential influence of stress on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, glucocorticoids, and the neuromodulators involved in the stress response. The intricate interplay between these systems, which encompasses the regulation of stress hormones, is central to understanding how stress may contribute to aggressive behavior and sexual function. Several neuromodulator pathways are implicated in both stress and behavior regulation. We explore the roles of norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin, and androgens in mediating the effects of stress on aggression and sexual function. It is important to distinguish between general sexual behavior, sexual motivation, and the distinct category of "sexual aggression" as separate constructs, each necessitating specific examination. Additionally, epigenetic mechanisms emerge as crucial factors that link stress to changes in gene expression patterns and, subsequently, to behavior. We then discuss how epigenetic modifications can occur in response to stress exposure, altering the regulation of genes associated with stress, aggression, and sexual function. While numerous studies support the association between epigenetic changes and stress-induced behavior, more research is necessary to establish definitive links. Throughout this exploration, it becomes increasingly clear that the relationship between stress, neuromodulator pathways, and epigenetics is intricate and multifaceted. The review emphasizes the need for further research, particularly in the context of human studies, to provide clinical significance and to validate the existing findings from animal models. By better understanding how stress influences aggressive behavior and sexual function through neuromodulator pathways and epigenetic modifications, this research aims to contribute to the development of innovative protocols of precision medicine and more effective strategies for managing the consequences of stress on human behavior. This may also pave way for further research into risk factors and underlying mechanisms that may associate stress with sexual aggression which finds application not only in neuroscience, but also law, ethics, and the humanities in general.

The Human Affectome

Over the last decades, theoretical perspectives in the interdisciplinary field of the affective sciences have proliferated rather than converged due to differing assumptions about what human affective phenomena are and how they work. These metaphysical and mechanistic assumptions, shaped by academic context and values, have dictated affective constructs and operationalizations. However, an assumption about the purpose of affective phenomena can guide us to a common set of metaphysical and mechanistic assumptions. In this capstone paper, we home in on a nested teleological principle for human affective phenomena in order to synthesize metaphysical and mechanistic assumptions. Under this framework, human affective phenomena can collectively be considered algorithms that either adjust based on the human comfort zone (affective concerns) or monitor those adaptive processes (affective features). This teleologically-grounded framework offers a principled agenda and launchpad for both organizing existing perspectives and generating new ones. Ultimately, we hope the Human Affectome brings us a step closer to not only an integrated understanding of human affective phenomena, but an integrated field for affective research.

Developing a conceptual model for understanding caregiving experience and their impacts on quality of life for Chinese breast cancer family caregivers: A qualitative study

AIM

The purpose of this study was to understand the caregiving experiences of breast cancer family caregivers and explore the profound impacts of those experiences on their quality of life.

DESIGN

A qualitative research method was used.

METHODS

We extended invitations to 23 family caregivers of outpatients and inpatients receiving breast surgery and oncology treatments in Taiyuan, China, to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the interview data.

RESULTS

Four themes and associated categories were identified: (1) changes in family dynamics, (2) the socio-medical context, (3) interactions between family and society, (4) self-efficacy and nine subthemes and their related categories, where virtually all participants expressed future uncertainty, emotional contagion, and personal challenges, and self-efficacy had a moderating influence on the first three themes.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study did not involve direct participation of patients or the public. However, their experiences and perspectives on caregiving were indirectly reflected through the insights provided by the family caregivers who participated in the interviews. Their valuable input contributed to a deeper understanding of the caregiving experience and its impact on the quality of life for Chinese breast cancer family caregivers.

Effect of 12-Week-Zumba Training on Postural Balance, Lower Limb Strength, Mood and Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women

We aimed to investigate 12-week-Zumba training effects on physical and psychological parameters, and quality of life (QoL) in postmenopausal women. Forty-two postmenopausal women were randomly allocated to a control group or a Zumba group (ZG). Postural balance, lower limb strength, mood level, and QoL were assessed before and after the 12-week-Zumba training. The ZG showed significantly better balance performances under all conditions such as on firm and foam surfaces with opened and closed eyes as well as improvements in limb strength, mood and QoL compared to their baselines. Thereby, 12-week-Zumba training was effective in improving postural balance, limb strength, mood and, QoL in postmenopausal women.

Validation of the Edited Tromsø Infant Faces Database (E-TIF): A study on differences in the processing of children's emotional expressions

Images of emotional facial expressions are often used in emotion research, which has promoted the development of different databases. However, most of these standardized sets of images do not include images from infants under 2 years of age, which is relevant for psychology research, especially for perinatal psychology. The present study aims to validate the edited version of the Tromsø Infant Faces Database (E-TIF) in a large sample of participants. The original set of 119 pictures was edited. The pictures were cropped to remove nonrelevant information, fitted in an oval window, and converted to grayscale. Four hundred and eighty participants (72.9% women) took part in the study, rating the images on five dimensions: depicted emotion, clarity, intensity, valence, and genuineness. Valence scores were useful for discriminating between positive, negative, and neutral facial expressions. Results revealed that women were more accurate at recognizing emotions in children. Regarding parental status, parents, in comparison with nonparents, rated neutral expressions as more intense and genuine. They also rated sad, angry, disgusted, and fearful faces as less negative, and happy expressions as less positive. The editing and validation of the E-TIF database offers a useful tool for basic and experimental research in psychology.

Neural Correlates of Social Decision-Making

Objective: Recent studies have utilized innovative techniques to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying social and individual decision-making, aiming to understand how individuals respond to the world. Method : In this review, we summarized current scientific evidence concerning the neural underpinnings of social decision-making and their impact on social behavior. Results: Critical brain regions involved in social cognition and decision-making are integral to the process of social decision-making. Notably, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ) contribute to the comprehension of others' mental states. Similarly, the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) shows heightened activity when individuals observe faces and movements. On the lateral surface of the brain, the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and inferior parietal sulcus (IPS) play a role in social cognition. Furthermore, the medial surface of the brain, including the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and anterior insula (AI), also participates in social cognition processes. Regarding decision-making, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have illuminated the involvement of a network of brain regions, encompassing the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), ventral striatum (VS), and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Conclusion: Dysfunction in specific subregions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been linked to various psychiatric conditions. These subregions play pivotal roles in cognitive, emotional, and social processing, and their impairment can contribute to the development and manifestation of psychiatric symptoms. A comprehensive understanding of the unique contributions of these PFC subregions to psychiatric disorders has the potential to inform the development of targeted interventions and treatments for affected individuals.

Influence of childhood trauma on adolescent internet addiction: The mediating roles of loneliness and negative coping styles

BACKGROUND

In the information age, the use of the internet and multimedia tools has large effects on the life of middle school students. Improper use of the internet may result in internet addiction (IA). Thus, actively exploring the factors influencing adolescent and the mechanism of addiction as well as promoting adolescent physical and mental health and academic development are priorities that families, schools, and society urgently need to address.

AIM

To explore the effect of childhood trauma on adolescent IA and to consider the roles of loneliness and negative coping styles.

METHODS

A total of 11310 students from six junior high schools in Henan, China, completed the child trauma questionnaire, IA test, loneliness scale, and simple coping style questionnaire. In addition, data were collected from 1044 adolescents with childhood trauma for analysis with IBM SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 28.0; we examined the relationships among childhood trauma, IA, loneliness, and negative coping styles.

RESULTS

We found that childhood trauma not only directly affected adolescents' IA but also affected IA through loneliness and negative coping styles.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, this study has theoretical implications regarding adolescent mental health and may inform interventions for IA.

Neuropsychological Consequences of Massive Trauma: Implications and Clinical Interventions

Traumatic events, especially massive trauma resulting from catastrophic incidents, wars, or severe abuse can elicit significant neuropsychological alterations, with profound implications for cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. This mini-review delineates the primary neural changes post-trauma and underscores the importance of timely neuropsychological and clinical interventions. Specific brain regions, including the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, undergo physiological changes that can lead to memory impairments, attention deficits, and emotional disturbances. PTSD, a commonly diagnosed condition post-trauma, exemplifies the intricate relationship between trauma and memory processing. Furthermore, the concept of neuroplasticity, the brain's inherent ability to adapt and rewire, offers hope for recovery. Current clinical interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and biofeedback, leverage this neuroplastic potential to foster healing. The review underscores the vital importance of early intervention to mitigate long-term neuropsychological impacts, emphasizing the role of timely and targeted clinical interventions. The synthesis of this knowledge is crucial for clinicians, allowing for informed therapeutic approaches that holistically address both the physiological and psychological dimensions of trauma.

Melatonin in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Critical Literature Review

The article presents a review of the relationships between melatonin and neurodevelopmental disorders. First, the antioxidant properties of melatonin and its physiological effects are considered to understand better the role of melatonin in typical and atypical neurodevelopment. Then, several neurodevelopmental disorders occurring during infancy, such as autism spectrum disorder or neurogenetic disorders associated with autism (including Smith-Magenis syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Rett's syndrome, Tuberous sclerosis, or Williams-Beuren syndrome) and neurodevelopmental disorders occurring later in adulthood like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are discussed with regard to impaired melatonin production and circadian rhythms, in particular, sleep-wake rhythms. This article addresses the issue of overlapping symptoms that are commonly observed within these different mental conditions and debates the role of abnormal melatonin production and altered circadian rhythms in the pathophysiology and behavioral expression of these neurodevelopmental disorders.

The connection still matters: Therapeutic alliance with digital treatment for alcohol use disorder

BACKGROUND

A strong cooperative bond between the patient and provider ("therapeutic alliance") is robustly associated with better alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment outcomes. Although digital treatments for AUD have significant potential, the function of the alliance during digital programs is unclear. We compared the validity of patient-reported measures of the alliance with a digital treatment ("digital alliance") for AUD and the alliance with their clinician ("clinician alliance").

METHODS

We used data from an 8-week, randomized clinical trial of a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy program (CBT4CBT) during outpatient AUD treatment. Treatment conditions included CBT4CBT with minimal clinical monitoring (CBT4CBT + monitor) or with treatment as usual (CBT4CBT + TAU). The digital alliance and clinician alliance were measured with similar versions of the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI). The WAI ratings were completed at the 2nd and 6th treatment sessions. A timeline followback calendar assessed daily alcohol use. Bayesian multilevel models compared the strength of the alliances and tested their associations with future alcohol use.

RESULTS

Data from 43 participants were included (age M = 44; 65% male; 51% Black, 40% White, 9% other; 14% Hispanic). The digital alliance ratings had similar internal reliability as the clinician alliance ratings (ω's > 0.90). Differences between digital alliance and clinician alliance ratings were negligible in both treatment conditions (BF01  = 9 and 31). During treatment, within-person increases in the digital alliance and the clinician alliance predicted modest decreases in future drinking to a similar degree (BF01  = 15). Alliance ratings were not associated with future drinking when posttreatment follow-up drinking data were included (BF10  < 3).

CONCLUSIONS

The digital alliance with CBT4CBT was comparable to the clinician alliance. The digital alliance and clinician alliance had similar, albeit very small, associations with abstinence during treatment. Future research can explore how the digital alliance develops to improve AUD treatment efficacy.

Can you smell my stress? Influence of stress chemosignals on empathy and emotion recognition in depressed individuals and healthy controls

Human body odors contain chemical signals that play a key role in our non-verbal communication regarding health, genetic identity, immune system, fitness, and emotional state. Studies on human chemosignaling in individuals with psychiatric diseases are scarce but indicate altered smell perception and emotion recognition in depressed individuals. In the present project, we aimed to investigate the influence of chemosensory substances in social stress sweat on emotion recognition, perspective taking, affective responsiveness as well as stress level in healthy and depressed individuals. Therefore, chemosensory stimuli (sweat samples from Trier social stress test (TSST) and friendly-TSST (fTSST)) were obtained from 39 healthy participants (19 females). In a next step, chemosensory stimuli and an odor-free blank (cotton pad) were used to stimulate another group of 40 healthy participants (20 females) and 37 individuals with depression (24 females). Those stimuli were examined regarding their influence on subjective feelings of stress, emotion perception and empathic reactions using an empathy test. Furthermore, physiological data (breathing, heart rate, skin conductance response, stress hormones) of the participants were collected during chemosensory stimulation. Depressed individuals improved their ability of perspective taking and affective responsiveness for the emotion grief when presented with stress chemosignals compared to no chemosignals. Healthy individuals remained unaffected regarding perspective taking and affective responsiveness. Both depressed and healthy individuals showed no increased stress hormone cortisol and α-amylase values during the social stress chemosignals condition, but reduced values for fTSST condition compared to no chemosignals respectively. The results imply that stress chemosignals do not trigger a stress reaction, but for depressed individuals they lead to a better emotion assessment for grief. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the effects of social stress chemosignals on healthy and depressed individuals. Knowing the impact of human chemosignals on emotional processing is crucial for a better understanding of non-verbal human interaction.

The Implications of Moral Neuroscience for Brain Disease: Review and Update

The last 2 decades have seen an explosion of neuroscience research on morality, with significant implications for brain disease. Many studies have proposed a neuromorality based on intuitive sentiments or emotions aimed at maintaining collaborative social groups. These moral emotions are normative, deontological, and action based, with a rapid evaluation of intentionality. The neuromoral circuitry interacts with the basic mechanisms of socioemotional cognition, including social perception, behavioral control, theory of mind, and social emotions such as empathy. Moral transgressions may result from primary disorders of moral intuitions, or they may be secondary moral impairments from disturbances in these other socioemotional cognitive mechanisms. The proposed neuromoral system for moral intuitions has its major hub in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and engages other frontal regions as well as the anterior insulae, anterior temporal lobe structures, and right temporoparietal junction and adjacent posterior superior temporal sulcus. Brain diseases that affect these regions, such as behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, may result in primary disturbances of moral behavior, including criminal behavior. Individuals with focal brain tumors and other lesions in the right temporal and medial frontal regions have committed moral violations. These transgressions can have social and legal consequences for the individuals and require increased awareness of neuromoral disturbances among such individuals with brain diseases.

A Semantic Cognition Contribution to Mood and Anxiety Disorder Pathophysiology

Over the last two decades, the functional role of the bilateral anterior temporal lobes (bATLs) has been receiving more attention. They have been associated with semantics and social concept processing, and are regarded as a core region for depression. In the past, the role of the ATL has often been overlooked in semantic models based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) due to geometric distortions in the BOLD signal. However, previous work has unequivocally associated the bATLs with these higher-order cognitive functions following advances in neuroimaging techniques to overcome the geometric distortions. At the same time, the importance of the neural basis of conceptual knowledge in understanding mood disorders became apparent. Theoretical models of the neural basis of mood and anxiety disorders have been classically studied from the emotion perspective, without concentrating on conceptual processing. However, recent work suggests that the ATL, a brain region underlying conceptual knowledge, plays an essential role in mood and anxiety disorders. Patients with anxiety and depression often cope with self-blaming biases and guilt. The theory is that in order to experience guilt, the brain needs to access the related conceptual information via the ATL. This narrative review describes how aberrant interactions of the ATL with the fronto–limbic emotional system could underlie mood and anxiety disorders.

Path of intuitive compassion to transform conflicts into enduring peace and prosperity: Symmetry across domains of reiterated prisoner's dilemma, dyadic active inference, and Mahayana Buddhism

Conflicts are increasingly intensified among the members of the community, making it almost impossible to extend compassion-defined as a wish to relieve others from suffering-from one side to the other, especially when both sides believe that "life is a battle of us the good vs. them the evil." Is compassion even relevant to conflicts? The answer depends on how a conflict is framed in one's perception. If a conflict is perceived in a frame of zero-sum competition, then compassion is meaningless in such a "tug-of-war" mindset. Conversely, if perceived in a non-zero-sum frame-as demonstrated in reiterated prisoner's dilemma (rPD) in which two players may interdependently render win-win, lose-lose, win-lose, or lose-win scenarios by their actions-then compassion can help achieve the most preferable outcomes for all in a "dyadic dance" mindset. In this article, we present a path of intuitive compassion by pointing to symmetry across three distinct domains of rPD, dyadic active inference, and Mahayana Buddhism. In each of these domains, conflicts serve as points of bifurcation on a bidirectional path, and compassion as a conflict-proof commitment to carrying out the best strategies-even if assessed for one's own sake only-that consistently produce optimal payoffs in rPD, minimal stress in dyadic active inference, and limitless joy of ultimate enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism. Conversely, a lack of compassion is caused by invalid beliefs that obscure the nature of reality in these domains, causing conflicts to produce even more conflicts. These invalid beliefs are produced by mistakes of over-reduction, over-separation, and over-compression in the mind, and therefore, a person's mindset is overly compressed from a multidimensional frame to a one-dimensional frame. Taken together, intuitive compassion is not about how to balance one's self-serving goals with altruistic ones. Rather, it is a conflict-proof commitment to transforming conflicts into enduring peace and prosperity according to the ultimate nature of reality. The work presented here may serve as a preliminary science-informed introduction to a genre of time-tested compassion meditations, i.e., lojong mind training, for the world laden with conflicts, starting from the conflicts in close relationships to those in geopolitics.

Pre-Test Manipulation by Intraperitoneal Saline Injection with or without Isoflurane Pre-Treatment Does Not Influence the Outcome of Social Test in Male Mice

Preclinical studies on rodents should follow the 3R principle minimising the suffering of the animals. To do so, some researchers use inhalation anaesthetic induction even before intraperitoneal injection. However, several studies suggested that both interventions might influence the behaviour of the animals. We aimed to test whether intraperitoneal injection alone or in combination with isoflurane anaesthesia is a preferable treatment method 30 min before a social test. Male C57BL/6 mice were studied using a behavioural test battery comparing three groups (one control group and intraperitoneal saline-treated groups with or without short isoflurane inhalation). Our results confirmed that both interventions had no profound influence on the conventionally measured parameters of social tests (interest in sociability, social discrimination memory, social interaction as well as resident–intruder test) and were not acutely stressful (measured by similar ACTH levels between the groups) not even after repeated administration (similar body weight gain during the one-week observation period). Taking into consideration the possible long-term harmful effect of isoflurane inhalation, we recommend using intraperitoneal injection without it as saline injection did not violate the 3R principle inducing only mild stress.

Beyond shallow feelings of complex affect: Non-motor correlates of subjective emotional experience in Parkinson's disease

Affective disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) concern several components of emotion. However, research on subjective feeling in PD is scarce and has produced overall varying results. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the subjective emotional experience and its relationship with autonomic symptoms and other non-motor features in PD patients. We used a battery of film excerpts to elicit Amusement, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness, Tenderness, and Neutral State, in 28 PD patients and 17 healthy controls. Self-report scores of emotion category, intensity, and valence were analyzed. In the PD group, we explored the association between emotional self-reported scores and clinical scales assessing autonomic dysregulation, depression, REM sleep behavior disorder, and cognitive impairment. Patient clustering was assessed by considering relevant associations. Tenderness occurrence and intensity of Tenderness and Amusement were reduced in the PD patients. Tenderness occurrence was mainly associated with the overall cognitive status and the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms. In contrast, the intensity and valence reported for the experience of Amusement correlated with the prevalence of urinary symptoms. We identified five patient clusters, which differed significantly in their profile of non-motor symptoms and subjective feeling. Our findings further suggest the possible existence of a PD phenotype with more significant changes in subjective emotional experience. We concluded that the subjective experience of complex emotions is impaired in PD. Non-motor feature grouping suggests the existence of disease phenotypes profiled according to specific deficits in subjective emotional experience, with potential clinical implications for the adoption of precision medicine in PD. Further research on larger sample sizes, combining subjective and physiological measures of emotion with additional clinical features, is needed to extend our findings.

Overactivation of posterior insular, postcentral and temporal regions during preserved experience of envy in autism

Social emotions are critical to successfully navigate in a complex social world because they promote self-regulation of behaviour. Difficulties in social behaviour are at the core of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, social emotions and their neural correlates have been scarcely investigated in this population. In particular, the experience of envy has not been addressed in ASD despite involving neurocognitive processes crucially compromised in this condition. Here, we used an fMRI adapted version of a well-validated task to investigate the subjective experience of envy and its neural correlates in adults with ASD (n = 30) in comparison with neurotypical controls (n = 28). Results revealed that both groups reported similarly intense experience of envy in association with canonical activation in the anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insula, among other regions. However, in participants with ASD, the experience of envy was accompanied by overactivation of the posterior insula, the postcentral gyrus and the posterior superior temporal gyrus, regions subserving the processing of painful experiences and mentalizing. This pattern of results suggests that individuals with ASD may use compensatory strategies based on the embodied amplification of pain and additional mentalizing efforts to shape their subjective experience of envy. Results have relevant implications to better understand the heterogeneity of this condition and to develop new intervention targets.

Sentiment Analysis on Twitter: Role of Healthcare Professionals in the Global Conversation during the AstraZeneca Vaccine Suspension

The vaccines against COVID-19 arrived in Spain at the end of 2020 along with vaccination campaigns which were not free of controversy. The debate was fueled by the adverse effects following the administration of the AstraZeneca-Oxford (AZ) vaccine in some European countries, eventually leading to its temporary suspension as a precautionary measure. In the present study, we analyze the healthcare professionals' conversations, sentiment, polarity, and intensity on social media during two periods in 2021: the one closest to the suspension of the AZ vaccine and the same time frame 30 days later. We also analyzed whether there were differences between Spain and the rest of the world. Results: The negative sentiment ratio was higher (U = 87; p = 0.048) in Spain in March (Med = 0.396), as well as the daily intensity (U = 86; p = 0.044; Med = 0.440). The opposite happened with polarity (U = 86; p = 0.044), which was higher in the rest of the world (Med = -0.264). Conclusions: There was a general increase in messages and interactions between March and April. In Spain, there was a higher incidence of negative messages and intensity compared to the rest of the world during the March period that disappeared in April. Finally, it was found that the dissemination of messages linked to negative emotions towards vaccines against COVID-19 from healthcare professionals contributed to a negative approach to primary prevention campaigns in the middle of the pandemic.

Heart failure decouples the precuneus in interaction with social cognition and executive functions

Aging increases the risk to develop Alzheimer's disease. Cardiovascular diseases might accelerate this process. Our study aimed at investigating the impact of heart failure on brain connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging at resting state. Here we show brain connectivity alterations related to heart failure and cognitive performance. Heart failure decreases brain connectivity in the precuneus. Precuneus dysconnectivity was associated with biomarkers of heart failure-left ventricular ejection fraction and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide-and cognitive performance, predominantly executive function. Meta-analytical data-mining approaches-conducted in the BrainMap and Neurosynth databases-revealed that social and executive cognitive functions are mainly associated with those neural networks. Remarkably, the precuneus, as identified in our study in a mid-life cohort, represents one central functional hub affected by Alzheimer's disease. A long-term follow-up investigation in our cohort after approximately nine years revealed more severe cognitive impairment in the group with heart failure than controls, where social cognition was the cognitive domain mainly affected, and not memory such as in Alzheimer's disease. In sum, our results indicate consistently an association between heart failure and decoupling of the precuneus from other brain regions being associated with social and executive functions. Further longitudinal studies are warranted elucidating etiopathological mechanisms.

An orchestrating role of mitochondria in the origin and development of post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most discussed and actively researched areas in medicine, psychiatry, neurophysiology, biochemistry and rehabilitation over the last decades. Multiple causes can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder. Humans subjected to violence, participants in hostilities, victims of terrorist attacks, physical or psychological persecution, witnessing scenes of cruelty, survival of natural disasters, and more, can strongly affect both children and adults. Pathological features of post-traumatic stress disorder that are manifested at molecular, cellular and whole-organism levels must be clearly understood for successful diagnosis, management, and minimizing of long-term outcomes associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. This article summarizes existing data on different post-traumatic stress disorder causes and symptoms, as well as effects on homeostasis, genetic instability, behavior, neurohumoral balance, and personal psychic stability. In particular, we highlight a key role of mitochondria and oxidative stress development in the severity and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Excessive or prolonged exposure to traumatic factors can cause irreversible mitochondrial damage, leading to cell death. This review underlines the exceptional importance of data integration about the mechanisms and functions of the mitochondrial stress response to develop a three-dimensional picture of post-traumatic stress disorder pathophysiology and develop a comprehensive, universal, multifaceted, and effective strategy of managing or treatment post-traumatic stress disorder.

Developmental effects of constitutive mTORC1 hyperactivity and environmental enrichment on structural synaptic plasticity and behaviour in a rat model of autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition causing a range of social and communication impairments. Although the role of multiple genes and environmental factors has been reported, the effects of the interplay between genes and environment on the onset and progression of the disease remains elusive. We housed wild-type (Tsc2+/+) and tuberous sclerosis 2 deficient (Tsc2+/-) Eker rats (ASD model) in individually ventilated cages or enriched conditions and conducted a series of behavioural tests followed by the histochemical analysis of dendritic spines and plasticity in three age groups (days 45, 90 and 365). The elevated plus-maze test revealed a reduction of anxiety by enrichment, whereas the mobility of young and adult Eker rats in the open field was lower compared to the wild type. In the social interaction test, an enriched environment reduced social contact in the youngest group and increased anogenital exploration in 90- and 365-day-old rats. Self-grooming was increased by environmental enrichment in young and adult rats and decreased in aged Eker rats. Dendritic spine counts revealed an increased spine density in the cingulate gyrus in adult Ekers irrespective of housing conditions, whereas spine density in hippocampal pyramidal neurons was comparable across all genotypes and groups. Morphometric analysis of dendritic spines revealed age-related changes in spine morphology and density, which were responsive to animal genotype and environment. Taken together, our findings suggest that under TSC2 haploinsufficiency and mTORC1 hyperactivity, the expression of behavioural signs and neuroplasticity in Eker rats can be differentially influenced by the developmental stage and environment.

Medical morbidity and risk of general hospital admission associated with concurrent anorexia nervosa and COVID-19: An observational study

OBJECTIVE

Investigate medical morbidity and risk of general hospital admission for patients with concurrent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and anorexia nervosa (AN) who have not received severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccination.

METHODS

United Kingdom eating disorders clinicians contributed to a database of patients with an eating disorder and COVID-19. We used this to investigate demography, symptoms, hospitalization, treatment, and outcomes for those with AN.

RESULTS

We describe data for 49 patients (median age 21.5 years [interquartile range 17.0-33.5], 46 female) including 36 adults and 13 under-18-year-olds. Three (6.1% [95% confidence interval 1.3%-17.9]) were admitted to a general hospital. For this sample, the expected age-standardized hospital admission rate per COVID-19 case (based on the general population of England) was 2.6% and therefore not significantly different to the hospitalization rate we observed. Three (including two of those admitted to hospital) contracted pneumonia. One had severe pneumonia and was admitted to an intensive care unit. No deaths or use of mechanical ventilation were recorded.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, this represents the first study investigating medical morbidity or frequency of hospitalization for patients with COVID-19 and AN. We did not find evidence that patients with AN are at increased risk of severe COVID-19.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Medical morbidity and risk of hospitalization associated with concurrent COVID-19 and anorexia nervosa (AN) had not, to our knowledge, been studied before. We used a database of patients with eating disorders and COVID-19 (to which United Kingdom clinicians had contributed) to investigate presentation, treatment, outcomes, and COVID-19 severity for those with AN and COVID-19. We did not find evidence that patients with AN are at increased risk of severe COVID-19.

Understanding the neural mechanisms of empathy toward robots to shape future applications

This article provides an overview on how modern neuroscience evaluations link to robot empathy. It evaluates the brain correlates of empathy and caregiving, and how they may be related to the higher functions with an emphasis on women. We discuss that the understanding of the brain correlates can inform the development of social robots with enhanced empathy and caregiving abilities. We propose that the availability of these robots will benefit many aspects of the society including transition to parenthood and parenting, in which women are deeply involved in real life and scientific research. We conclude with some of the barriers for women in the field and how robotics and robot empathy research benefits from a broad representation of researchers.

Factors Associated with Mental Health among Malaysian University Music Students: Roles of Fear of COVID-19, Nomophobia, Loneliness, Sleep Quality, and Socioeconomic Status

Previous mental health studies have shown higher levels of anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms among university music students. In general, some similar findings have been observed for Malaysian music university students. In diagnosing the complications of mental health, there is consensus that it is essential to develop and evaluate a model oriented toward mental health illness prevention and treatment. To date, a suitable pattern for estimating mental health in terms of anxiety, stress, and depression among music university students is lacking. To fill this gap, we collected the necessary data from 691 music and 871 general students who were students for one year. The introduced pattern includes socioeconomic status, fear of COVID-19, nomophobia, sleep quality, loneliness, and mental health. Our data analysis proved that the levels of anxiety, depression, and stress of music students were lower than those of general students. Unlike some previous studies, in this study, the fear of COVID-19 and nomophobia didn't have the most significant impact on mental health. The most significant impacts were related to sleep quality and loneliness. These findings have the potential to inform health promotion and services in the music education system.

Sex and age interact in reading the mind in the eyes

Social cognition includes understanding the mental states (thoughts, feelings, intentions, desires, and beliefs) of others - so-called 'theory of mind' or 'mindreading'. Recent studies have shown an impact of age and sex. Here, we applied the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes' Test (RMET) that measures the ability to identify mental states from the eye region of the face. RMET accuracy was measured and analyzed in a large population-based sample (N = 1603) across the whole adult age-range from 19 to 79 years with effect size analyses (Hedges' g). Overall test performance was lower in older than younger women and men, whereas differences between women and men were almost negligible across the whole cohort. In a further analysis focusing on age-specific sex differences, RMET accuracy was higher for women below 45 years compared to men. This sex effect nearly vanished in older people above 45 years of age. Results were verified in a sub-cohort after excluding participants with neurological and psychiatric conditions, and with another cut-off, i.e. 50 years of age. In conclusion, results suggest that mindreading declines with age. Overall sex effects were small and results suggest that age-related hormonal and social factors may impact mental state perception. Future mega-analyses and longitudinal studies including hormonal and social measures are needed to validate the interaction between RMET performance, aging and sex.

Social contacts and loneliness affect the own age bias for emotional faces

Individuals are better at recognizing faces of their own age group (Own Age Bias) but it is unclear whether this bias occurs also for emotional faces and to what extent is affected by loneliness. Young individuals (N = 235) completed an age categorization task on faces of young and old individuals showing neutral, happy, and angry expressions. After a filler task, they categorized as seen or novel the original set of faces intermixed with a new set. Findings showed an Own Age Bias for novel young faces but no evidence that emotion eliminates it. Recognition accuracy was better for emotional faces, but the two factors did not interact. Importantly, low loneliness was linked to an Own Age Bias for novel happy faces. These findings are discussed in the context of current theoretical accounts of the Own Age Bias and of the effects of loneliness on attention and memory.

Compassion within conflict: Toward a computational theory of social groups informed by maternal brain physiology

Benevolent intersubjectivity developed in parent-infant interactions and compassion toward friend and foe alike are non-violent interventions to group behavior in conflict. Based on a dyadic active inference framework rooted in specific parental brain mechanisms, we suggest that interventions promoting compassion and intersubjectivity can reduce stress, and that compassionate mediation may resolve conflicts.

Mapping the brain basis of feelings, emotions and much more: A special issue focused on 'The Human Affectome'

The Human Affectome Project was launched by the non-profit organization Neuroqualia (www.neuroqualia.org) in 2015 with the seemingly impossible goal: To map a psychological process and form possible definitions and working models for affective states and related emotions. Twelve reviews based on emotions, feelings and motivation were written dedicated to mapping the brain basis of affect. A capstone piece 'The Human Affectome' provides a foundation for the special issue by giving detailed up-to-date definitions for key terms including feeling, affect, emotion and mood. Critically, the piece offers an overall model synthesizing three main features of affect: valence, motivation, and arousal. Affect itself is explored as the main umbrella function capturing all feeling states and related processes. Overall, the project and the special issue has been a highly successful interdisciplinary effort producing a novel approach that can be used to understand, guide and revise contemporary research on the brain basis of feeling and how diverse feeling states interact with each other in typical and atypical fashions.

The Role of Contextual Information in a Virtual Trolly Problem: A Psychophysiological Investigation

Trolley problems have persisted as a popular method to examine moral decision-making in the face of many criticisms. One such criticism is that thought experiments provide unrealistically abundant contextual information, leading to mental simulation. Recent work utilizing virtual reality technology has reduced contextual information with mixed results. However, this work has not departed entirely from the thought experiment tradition, often providing written or verbal descriptions of the trolley problem before or during the simulation. This approach may still allow for mental simulation prior to decision-making. The goal of the current study is to examine whether or not this criticism is relevant for the classic version of the trolley problem. One hundred and nineteen participants were randomly assigned to either receive prior contextual information about the trolley problem or receive no information. All participants then entered a virtual reality simulation of the classic trolley problem. We examined decision-making from an affective and autonomic nervous system perspective. We found no effect on any measure in response to the reduction of contextual information. There were, however, surprising gender differences in decision-making and autonomic response. Further, we discuss how these findings relate to competing dual-process models of moral decision-making.

The Impact of Nomophobia, Stress, and Loneliness on Smartphone Addiction among Young Adults during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Israeli Case Analysis

Technological development in recent times has dramatically changed the way people live, interact with, and consume information. Since the emergence of the first iPhone in January 2007 until today, mobile phones are used daily for a range of purposes. Using mobile phones for various purposes intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to isolation or government lockdown regulations. However, along with the advantages of smartphone usage there are many disadvantages such as smartphone addiction and continuous exposure to digital screens, behaviors known as PSU—problematic smartphone use. This study explores the impact of several variables on PSU: loneliness, the need for social interaction, sleep hours, fear of losing phone access (nomophobia), and stress among young adults in Israel. The variables are examined with respect to two time periods: 1. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns (defined as “T1”) and 2. Following the end of the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns (defined as “T2”). The results indicated that nomophobia, social affiliation, and sleep hours affect PSU. In addition, the indirect effect of the number of sleep hours on stress and PSU was found to be significant in T2 and in T1. The findings and their implications are discussed.

The Psychopathology of Worthlessness in Depression

BACKGROUND

Despite common dissatisfaction with the syndromic heterogeneity of major depression, investigations into its symptom structure are scarce. Self-worthlessness/inadequacy is a distinctive and consistent symptom of major depression across cultures.

AIMS

We investigated whether self-worthlessness is associated with self-blaming attribution-related symptoms or is instead an expression of reduced positive feelings overall, as would be implied by reduced positive affect accounts of depression.

METHODS

44,161 undergraduate students in Study 1, and 215 patients with current Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and 237 age-matched healthy control participants in Study 2 completed the well-validated Symptom Check List-90. Depression-relevant items were used to construct regularized partial correlation networks with bootstrap estimates of network parameter variability.

RESULTS

Worthlessness co-occurred more strongly with other symptoms linked to self-blaming attributions (hopelessness, and self-blame), displaying a combined edge weight with these symptoms which was significantly stronger than the edge weight representing its connection with reduced positive emotion symptoms (such as reduced pleasure/interest/motivation, difference in edge weight sum in Study 1 = 2.95, in Study 2 = 1.64; 95% confidence intervals: Study 1: 2.6-3.4; Study 2: 0.02-3.5; Bonferroni-corrected p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This confirms the prediction of the revised learned helplessness model that worthlessness is most strongly linked to hopelessness and self-blame. In contrast, we did not find a strong and direct link between anhedonia items and a reduction in self-worth in either study. This supports worthlessness as a primary symptom rather than resulting from reduced positive affect.

Development and validation of police mental health ability scale

OBJECTIVES

Police officers are generally under long-term occupational stress. Good mental health ability enables them to better deal with emergencies and enhance their combat effectiveness. We aimed to develop the Police Mental Health Ability Scale (PMHAS) to provide a reference for police selection and ability training.

METHODS

Through literature analysis, individual interviews, half-open and half-closed questionnaire surveys, and expert consultations, the components of police mental health ability (PMHA) were theoretically constructed. Then, we enrolled 824 in-service police officers who participated in the training in Chongqing City and Sichuan Province from November 2018 to January 2019 and recovered 767 valid questionnaires (recovery rate, 93.08%).

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis generated five factors for PMHAS, including cognitive intelligence, emotional catharsis, swift decisiveness, behavioral drive, and reward pursuit, accounting for 58.904% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the model fit well (χ2/df = 1.117, RMSEA = 0.020, GFI = 0.948, CFI = 0.990, IFI = 0.990, TLI = 0.987). The correlation coefficients of factors (r = -0.023 ~ 0.580) were lower than that of each factor and total score (r = 0.477 ~ 0.819). The Cronbach's α coefficients of PMHAS and its factors were 0.606-0.863, and the test-retest reliabilities were 0.602-0.732.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that PMHAS is reliable and valid enough for measuring PMHA, which shows that it is a potentially valuable tool for assessing the mental health ability of police officers.

Neural Representation of the Parent-Child Attachment from Infancy to Adulthood

Attachment theory is built on the assumption of consistency; the mother–infant bond is thought to underpin the life-long representations individuals construct of attachment relationships. Still, consistency in the individual’s neural response to attachment-related stimuli representing his or her entire relational history has not been investigated. Mothers and children were followed across two decades and videotaped in infancy (3–6 months), childhood (9–12 years) and young adulthood (18–24 years). In adulthood, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while exposed to videos of own mother–child interactions (Self) vs unfamiliar interactions (Other). Self-stimuli elicited greater activations across preregistered nodes of the human attachment network, including thalamus-to-brainstem, amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula and temporal cortex. Critically, self-stimuli were age-invariant in most regions of interest despite large variability in social behavior, and Bayesian analysis showed strong evidence for lack of age-related differences. Psycho–physiological interaction analysis indicated that self-stimuli elicited tighter connectivity between ACC and anterior insula, consolidating an interface associating information from exteroceptive and interceptive sources to sustain attachment representations. Child social engagement behavior was individually stable from infancy to adulthood and linked with greater ACC and insula response to self-stimuli. Findings demonstrate overlap in circuits sustaining parental and child attachment and accord with perspectives on the continuity of attachment across human development.