[The role of brain n-3 fatty acids-GPR40/FFAR1 signaling in pain]

Toward personalized circuit-based closed-loop brain-interventions in psychiatry: using symptom provocation to extract EEG-markers of brain circuit activity

Symptom provocation is a well-established component of psychiatric research and therapy. It is hypothesized that specific activation of those brain circuits involved in the symptomatic expression of a brain pathology makes the relevant neural substrate accessible as a target for therapeutic interventions. For example, in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), symptom provocation is an important part of psychotherapy and is also performed prior to therapeutic brain stimulation with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Here, we discuss the potential of symptom provocation to isolate neurophysiological biomarkers reflecting the fluctuating activity of relevant brain networks with the goal of subsequently using these markers as targets to guide therapy. We put forward a general experimental framework based on the rapid switching between psychiatric symptom states. This enable neurophysiological measures to be derived from EEG and/or TMS-evoked EEG measures of brain activity during both states. By subtracting the data recorded during the baseline state from that recorded during the provoked state, the resulting contrast would ideally isolate the specific neural circuits differentially activated during the expression of symptoms. A similar approach enables the design of effective classifiers of brain activity from EEG data in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). To obtain reliable contrast data, psychiatric state switching needs to be achieved multiple times during a continuous recording so that slow changes of brain activity affect both conditions equally. This is achieved easily for conditions that can be controlled intentionally, such as motor imagery, attention, or memory retention. With regard to psychiatric symptoms, an increase can often be provoked effectively relatively easily, however, it can be difficult to reliably and rapidly return to a baseline state. Here, we review different approaches to return from a provoked state to a baseline state and how these may be applied to different symptoms occurring in different psychiatric disorders.

Examining indicators of psychosocial risk and resilience in parents of autistic children

Background

Parents of autistic children experience increased levels of caregiver strain and adverse mental health outcomes, even in comparison to parents of children with other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Previous studies have largely attributed these increased levels of mental health concerns to their child behavioral concerns and autism symptomatology, but less attention has been given to other potential child factors, such as child adaptive functioning. Additionally, little is known about potential protective factors, such as parents' emotion regulation (ER) abilities, that may ameliorate the experience of caregiver strain, anxiety, and depression.

Objective

The current study examined the impact of child characteristics (restricted and repetitive behaviors, adaptive functioning and behavioral concerns) on parent mental health outcomes (caregiver strain, anxiety, depression and wellbeing). Additionally, we explore parents' ER abilities as a moderator of the impact of child characteristic on parents' mental health outcomes.

Results

Results of linear mixed effect models indicated a significant relationship between parents' ER abilities and all four parent outcomes. Additionally, children's adaptive functioning abilities and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) were significant predictors of caregiving strain. Parents' ER abilities were a significant moderator of the effect of children's repetitive behaviors and adaptive functioning challenges on caregiver strain, such that better ER abilities mitigated the impact of child clinical factors on caregiver strain. Finally, a significant difference was detected for mothers' and fathers' mental health, with mothers reporting higher caregiver strain, and more symptoms of anxiety and depression than did fathers.

Conclusion

This study leveraged a large sample of autistic children and their biological parents to examine the relationship between children's clinical characteristics and parents' psychological wellbeing. Results indicate that, although parents of autistic children do experience high rates of internalizing mental health concerns that relate to child adaptive functioning and RRBs, parent ER abilities act as a protective factor against parents' adverse mental health outcomes. Further, mothers in our sample reported significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and caregiver strain, as compared with fathers.

Psychotic experiences, emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation among Chilean adolescents in the general population

Psychotic experiences are associated with increased risk for suicide. Despite this well-established finding, very little is known about factors that contribute to this relationship. The current study investigated the relationship between psychotic experiences, emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation among 1,590 Chilean adolescents in the general population. Participants completed self-report measures of psychotic experiences (Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences), emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and suicidal ideation (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale). Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U tests, point-biserial correlations, logistic regression, and moderation analyses. Results suggest that paranoid ideation, bizarre experiences, and perceptual abnormalities were moderately associated with suicidal ideation. Additionally, greater expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal were associated with suicidal ideation. Results from the logistic regression indicate that paranoid ideation, perceptual abnormalities, and expressive suppression have the strongest relationship with suicidal ideation, even when controlling for depression and relevant demographic variables. Additionally, paranoid ideation interacted with expressive suppression to predict suicidal ideation, with expressive suppression having the strongest relationship with suicidal ideation when paranoid ideation was low to moderate. Taken together, these findings support the broader literature suggesting that emotion regulation might be a transdiagnostic risk factor for suicidal ideation. Additional longitudinal research is needed to examine whether expressive suppression and other maladaptive emotion regulation strategies serve as a mechanism for suicidal ideation both in the general population and among individuals with psychotic experiences.

Lessons Learned and Future Directions of MetaTutor: Leveraging Multichannel Data to Scaffold Self-Regulated Learning With an Intelligent Tutoring System

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is critical for learning across tasks, domains, and contexts. Despite its importance, research shows that not all learners are equally skilled at accurately and dynamically monitoring and regulating their self-regulatory processes. Therefore, learning technologies, such as intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs), have been designed to measure and foster SRL. This paper presents an overview of over 10 years of research on SRL with MetaTutor, a hypermedia-based ITS designed to scaffold college students' SRL while they learn about the human circulatory system. MetaTutor's architecture and instructional features are designed based on models of SRL, empirical evidence on human and computerized tutoring principles of multimedia learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational systems for metacognition and SRL, and research on SRL from our team and that of other researchers. We present MetaTutor followed by a synthesis of key research findings on the effectiveness of various versions of the system (e.g., adaptive scaffolding vs. no scaffolding of self-regulatory behavior) on learning outcomes. First, we focus on findings from self-reports, learning outcomes, and multimodal data (e.g., log files, eye tracking, facial expressions of emotion, screen recordings) and their contributions to our understanding of SRL with an ITS. Second, we elaborate on the role of embedded pedagogical agents (PAs) as external regulators designed to scaffold learners' cognitive and metacognitive SRL strategy use. Third, we highlight and elaborate on the contributions of multimodal data in measuring and understanding the role of cognitive, affective, metacognitive, and motivational (CAMM) processes. Additionally, we unpack some of the challenges these data pose for designing real-time instructional interventions that scaffold SRL. Fourth, we present existing theoretical, methodological, and analytical challenges and briefly discuss lessons learned and open challenges.

Interpersonal Emotion Regulation: Consequences for Brands in Customer Service Interactions

This research demonstrates that interpersonal emotion regulation-attempts to manage others' feelings-influences consumer perceptions during sales and service interactions impacting brand trust and loyalty. Building on previous research linking interpersonal emotion regulation to improved outcomes between people, across five experiments, we demonstrate that antecedent-focused interpersonal emotion regulation strategies result in enhanced brand loyalty and brand trust compared to response-focused interpersonal emotion regulation strategies. Analysis of mediation models reveals this effect is explained by changes in the consumer's emotions, which in turn influence evaluations of the service interaction and subsequently impacts brand outcomes. We identify reactance as a moderator of this effect, such that customers with low (high) reactance to interpersonal regulation attempts exhibit more (less) favorable brand trust and loyalty evaluations. Further, we demonstrate that the visibility of interpersonal emotion regulation represents an important boundary condition. These findings support the process model of interpersonal emotion regulation and generate important insights for both theory and practice.

Research on Digital Business Model Innovation Based on Emotion Regulation Lens

Digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces technology and big data, enable many firms to innovate their business model. It is clearly an emotional process due to its complex and uncertain nature, and involves individuals' emotion regulation, yet the current research lacks an effective conversion path from emotion to digital business model innovation (BMI). Drawing on theories and research on emotion regulation and business model innovation, we investigate how emotion regulation of entrepreneurs (i.e., cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) influence digital BMI. Data from 126 new ventures show that entrepreneurs' reappraisal positively affects digital BMI, while entrepreneurs' suppression exerts opposite effects on digital BMI. Moreover, we find that environmental dynamism moderates this relationship. The findings explain the emotional complexity in digital technology empowerment, which has implications for the development and design of brain computer interface applications and the literature on emotions and business model innovation.

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

To date, no definitive results have been reported on the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on PMS.

METHODS

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the databases were searched. In this regard, randomized clinical trials investigating the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on PMS were included. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool. Meta-analysis was done based on random effects model and calculation of standardized mean difference (SMDs).

RESULTS

The results of meta-analysis showed that omega-3 fatty acids were efficient in reducing the severity of PMS in women (SMD = -0.968, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.471 to -0.464). In addition, the results showed that the studies were heterogeneous (I²  = 89.11%, p <0.001). Based on meta-regression analysis, aging (β = -0.150, 95% CI -0.202 to -0.098, p <0.001) and increasing the duration of intervention (β = -0.579, 95% CI -0.781 to -0.378, p <0.001) had a significant effect on the severity of PMS. We also found that omega-3 fatty acids could significantly reduce the somatic (SMD = -0.800, 95% CI: -1.126 to -0.474) and psychological (SMD = -0.373, 95% CI: -0.686 to -0.061) symptoms of PMS.

CONCLUSION

Omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the severity of PMS. However, we should caution in the conclusion in affirming the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs on PMS, since the heterogeneity is evident in the analysis. The efficacy of the treatment was enhanced by increase of the treatment duration.

Psychological Distancing Usage Uniquely Predicts Reduced Perceived Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has presented millions of people with extraordinary challenges that are associated with significant amounts of stress. Emotion regulation is crucial during this crisis as people seek to mitigate the stress and uncertainty of the present moment. In this study, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 297 adults from the United States on their levels of perceived stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as their level of engagement of different emotion regulation strategies during the pandemic. We performed multiple linear regression analyses to assess which regulation strategies were associated with individual differences in perceived stress. Among all emotion regulation strategies, psychological distancing, which involves thinking about stressful circumstances in an objective, impartial way, was uniquely associated with reductions in perceived stress due to COVID-19 across individuals. This effect was not moderated by age, gender, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, or trait-related difficulty in regulating emotion. Conversely, situation modification was associated with significantly greater perceived stress overall. These results suggest the broad applicability and utility of psychological distancing during pandemic-related social distancing as part of an adaptive emotion regulation toolkit and motivate the investigation of interventions involving psychological distancing in this context.

Efficacy of a Group Psychoeducation Treatment in Binge Eating Disorder: An Open-Label Study

AIMS

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary group psychoeducation treatment (GPT) in patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED).

METHODS

We designed an open-label efficacy study that included a population of 45 patients diagnosed with BED. A measure of eating attitudes and associated psychological constructs was obtained through the use of the self-report instruments Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-3), Binge Eating Scale (BES) and Body Uneasiness Test (BUT). The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) was also administered to assess general psychopathology. All participants participated in 12 weekly group psychoeducational treatment meetings, 8 of which were conducted by mental health professionals, and a second module of 4 meetings, oriented on health and nutrition education topics, conducted by a dietician.

RESULTS

At the end of treatment, patients showed significant improvements in body mass index (BMI) and binge eating. Paired t-tests showed significant differences at p-value < 0.05 in all eating disorder risk scales and for most of the general psychological scales related to eating disorders. In addition, patients experienced an improvement in their perception of overall body image, a decrease in concerns about physical appearance and less body image avoidance. Finally, results showed that psychoeducation treatment was associated with significant improvements in interpersonal sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study may indicate that significant short-term improvements can be achieved through a psychoeducation group for BED patients. Although limited by the lack of a control condition, this study adds to a growing body of evidence with promising results, setting the stage for further case-control studies of BED treatment.

Vocabulary Abilities and Parents' Emotional Regulation Predict Emotional Regulation in School-Age Children but Not Adolescents With and Without Developmental Language Disorder

A comprehensive approach, including social and emotional affectations, has been recently proposed as an important framework to understand Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). There is an increasing considerable interest in knowing how language and emotion are related, and as far as we know, the role of the emotional regulation (ER) of parents of children with and without DLD, and their impact on their children's ER is still unknown. The main aims of this study are to advance our knowledge of ER in school-age children and adolescents with and without DLD, to analyze the predictive value of expressive and receptive vocabulary on ER in school-age children and adolescents, and to explore parental ER and their effect on their children's and adolescents' ER. To cover all objectives, we carried out three studies. In the first and second study, expressive and receptive vocabulary were assessed in wave 1, and ER (Emotional Regulation Checklist -ERC- for children and Emotion Regulation Scale -DERS- for adolescents) was assessed in wave 2, 4 years later. Participants in the first study consisted of two groups of school-aged children (13 had DLD and 20 were typically developing children -TD). Participants in the second study consisted of two groups of adolescents (16 had DLD and 16 were TD adolescents). In the third study, the ER of 65 of the parents of the children and adolescents from study 1 were assessed during wave 2 via self-reporting the DERS questionnaire. Results showed no significant differences in ER between DLD and TD groups neither in middle childhood nor in adolescence. Concerning vocabulary and ER, expressive language predicted ER in school-age children but not in adolescents. Finally, parental ER explained their school-age children's ER, but this was not the case in adolescents. In conclusion, the present data indicated that expressive vocabulary has a fundamental role in ER, at least during primary school years, and adds new evidence of the impact of parents' ER upon their children's ER, encouraging educators and speech language pathologists to include parents' assessments in holistic evaluations and interventions for children with language and ER difficulties.

Rethinking the Relationships Between Time Perspectives and Well-Being: Four Hypothetical Models Conceptualizing the Dynamic Interplay Between Temporal Framing and Mechanisms Boosting Mental Well-Being

Time perspective (TP) is a central aspect of human daily psychological functioning, with a pronounced impact on human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The particular TP dimensions are strongly associated with a range of various mental well-being indicators and were shown to predict as much as 40% of their variance. However, the relationship between TPs and specific mechanisms that enhance mental well-being still requires further exploration. In the present article, we conceptually analyze a potential interplay of TPs and three well-confirmed well-being "boosters" (WBBs)-gratitude, savoring the moment, and prioritizing positivity-which may prove responsible for the vital effects of TP on mental well-being. Each of the "boosters" has a clear temporal anchoring: gratitude stems from the appreciation of the past, savoring the moment refers mainly to the experience of the present, and prioritizing positivity engages planning behaviors that require future focus. We propose four theoretical models to be verified in further experimental research. The first model, the trait-behavior model, proposes that trait TPs increase the tendency to use particular WBBs in order to increase mental well-being. The second model, referred to as the accumulation model, offers that TPs mediate between WBBs and mental well-being; and finally, a regular practice of a specific WBB develops a specific TP (e.g., exercising a gratitude intervention enhances past-positive TP). The third model, the feedback loop, suggests that WBBs and TPs strengthen one another and contribute to higher mental well-being. The last model, which can be called the match-mismatch model, presents the influence of WBBs on mental well-being, where a particular TP plays a role of a moderator (e.g., present-hedonistic TP moderates the relationship between savoring and well-being). Implications of potential confirmation of each of the models for theory and practice are also discussed.

No Need to Worry? Anxiety and Coping in the Entrepreneurship Process

Understanding experiences of and responses to anxiety is foundational to developing robust theories of entrepreneurial behavior. Using open-ended, vignette and graphical elicitation interviews with 77 entrepreneurs, we inductively investigate the experience of and coping responses to anxiety during the entrepreneurship process. We develop a comprehensive and dynamic goal-striving model to explain experiencing and coping with entrepreneurial anxiety by integrating empirical findings with appraisal and control theories. In doing so, we theorize that entrepreneurial anxiety is endogenous to a cyclical conception of goal-striving, such that various sources of anxiety make sense only in consideration of the goals, standards or values to which they pertain. In this regard, entrepreneurs' coping responses influence four different points of an iterative goal-striving cycle-an insight that moves beyond problematic static and binary coping classifications.

Lay Theories About Whether Emotion Helps or Hinders: Assessment and Effects on Emotional Acceptance and Recovery From Distress

This investigation examined how people's beliefs about the functionality of emotion shape their emotional response and regulatory strategies when encountering distressing events. In Study 1, we present data supporting the reliability and validity of an 8-item instrument, the Help and Hinder Theories about Emotion Measure (HHTEM), designed to assess an individual's beliefs about the functionality of emotion. Participants who more strongly endorsed a Help Theory reported greater wellbeing, emotional acceptance, and use of reappraisal to regulate emotion. Participants who more strongly endorsed a Hinder Theory reported less wellbeing and more expressive suppression and substance use. In Study 2, we demonstrate that encouraging participants to view emotion as helpful affected their physiological and regulatory response to a distressing event. Participants in the Help Theory condition showed greater physiological reactivity (SCL) during a distressing film than control participants but were more accepting of their emotional response. Shortly after the film, SCL decreased for participants in the Help Theory condition. Compared to control participants, they engaged in less suppression and reported less lingering effect of the film on their mood. Together, these studies suggest that people's theories about the functionality of emotion influence their reactivity, the strategies they adopt to regulate emotion, and their ability to rebound after distressing events.