The neural basis of optimism and pessimism

Optimism and pessimism: a concept for behavioural ecology

Originating from human psychology, the concepts of "optimism" and "pessimism" were transferred to animal welfare science about 20 years ago to study emotional states in non-human animals. Over time, "optimism" and "pessimism" have developed into valuable welfare indicators, but little focus has been put on the ecological implications of this concept. Here, we aim to bridge this gap and underline the great potential for transferring it to behavioural ecology. We start by outlining why "optimism" and "pessimism" can be considered as aspects of animal personalities. Furthermore, we argue that considering "optimism"/"pessimism" in a behavioural ecology context can facilitate our understanding of individual adjustment to the environment. Specifically, we show how variation in "optimism"/"pessimism" can play a crucial role in adaptation processes to environmental heterogeneity, for example, niche choice and niche conformance. Building on these considerations, we hypothesise that "optimists" might be less plastic than "pessimists" in their behaviour, which could considerably affect the way they adjust to environmental change.

Lateral asymmetry of emotional arousal as a biomarker of attributional style during darts competitions

According to the Multiple Arousal Theory, electrodermal activity (EDA) is not uniform across the body. However, the psychological meaning of a left or right-sided EDA dominance is still not clear. We explored EDA lateral asymmetry as a psychophysiological marker of optimistic and pessimistic attributional style regarding success and failure in a darts competition. Bilateral EDA pattern of 230 throws of a competing pair was measured by Obimon EDA including accelerometer measurements of movements. First, we confirmed that lateral asymmetry can be measured reliably based on EDA data from both wrists. Second, we assessed attributional styles related to lateral asymmetry based on 80 individual throws. We recorded participants' expectations regarding their upcoming performance, and their attribution of success and failure based on Seligman's definition as optimist (internal cause attributed to success, or external cause ascribed to failure) or pessimist. The ratio of optimist and pessimist attributions was significantly different for throws with right or left-sided EDA dominance (p = 0.001). Optimistic attribution characterized 84% of right dominant, while pessimist 63% of left-dominant EDA during throws. We replicated these findings on 50 throws from 10 more individuals (p = 0.034). All individuals were right-handed. We conclude that wrist EDA can be reliably measured during physical movements, such as in a darts game. Lateral EDA asymmetry is a consistent psychophysiological marker of the attitude toward success and failure in a competitive setting, suggesting that lateral asymmetry of emotional arousal may serve as a novel psychophysiological biomarker for attribution style. Results underlie the psychophysiological relevance of bilateral arousal assessment and provide evidence-based verification for the Multiple Arousal Theory.

Exam anxiety in connection with life orientation in upper secondary education students

Background: Exam anxiety is beginning to affect an increasing number of students.Aim: We sought to examine whether there is an association between exam anxiety and life orientation in secondary school learners.Methods: We used the Suinn's Test Anxiety Behavior Scale questionnaire to assess exam anxiety and the Life Orientation Test-Revised questionnaire to determine students' life orientation.Findings: Results revealed that the participants experienced a level of exam stress that could motivate them and prepare them for the evaluation situation. Female and secondary grammar school students had more exam anxiety than males and business school students. There was a moderate relationship between exam anxiety and life orientation, which was slightly pessimistic.Conclusion: A pessimistic or optimistic life orientation is one of the factors that may influence exam anxiety levels of secondary school learners.

The bidirectional relationships of optimism and pessimism with depressive symptoms in adulthood - A 15-year follow-up study from Northern Finland Birth Cohorts

BACKGROUND

Low optimism and high pessimism have predicted depressive symptoms in several studies, but the associations in the other direction, from depressive symptoms to future optimism and pessimism, have been unexplored. We examined bidirectional associations of optimism and pessimism with depressive symptoms in adulthood.

METHODS

A population-based sample of 4011 Finnish adults (55 % women) was analyzed with a 15-year prospective follow-up period from age 31 to age 46. Optimism and pessimism were measured with the Life Orientation Test-Revised, and depressive symptoms were measured with the Symptom Checklist-25. Temporal associations were investigated with cross-lagged panel models.

RESULTS

According to the model fit indices (RMSEA < 0.04, CFI ≥ 0.97) optimism and pessimism had bidirectional relationships with depressive symptoms: optimism predicted lower depressive symptoms (β = -0.09, p < .001), and depressive symptoms predicted lower optimism (β = -0.10, p < .001) in the follow-up. Also, pessimism predicted higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.08, p < .001), and depressive symptoms predicted higher pessimism (β = 0.09, p < .001) in the follow-up. In the participants with clinically high depressive symptoms at age 31, the predictive associations from optimism and pessimism to depressive symptoms remained, but associations in the other direction were attenuated.

LIMITATIONS

The follow-up study included only two time points with a 15-year time gap, which does not consider the possible fluctuation in the study variables between the measured times.

CONCLUSION

Dispositional optimism and pessimism may have bidirectional relationships with depressive symptoms in adulthood when the baseline depressive symptoms are below the clinical level.

A Bio-Psycho-Social Approach to Understanding Optimism and Pessimism in Response to Stress

Stress is widely known to have debilitating effects on physical health and mental wellbeing, particularly on one's coping styles, personality traits, and outlook on life. Cumulative and chronic stress, which can serve as a triggering or aggravating factor for many pathological disorders if left unaddressed, has been linked to many life-threatening diseases. While many studies have looked at how optimism and pessimism are used as a form of coping mechanism, few have examined how different bio-psycho-social reactions to stress shape the level of optimism and pessimism. Using a sample of adult individuals aged 18 and older in the United States (n = 3361), this study addressed the following research questions: (1) What types of stress are predictive of optimism and pessimism? (2) Which responses to stress and coping mechanisms are most predictive of optimism and pessimism? (3) Do optimism and pessimism share the same stress-related risk and protective factors? Overall, this study found that while optimism and pessimism share conceptual similarities, they are not necessarily influenced by the same stress mechanisms. Stress, whether personal or financial, was associated with a negative outlook on life. This study showed that having good sleep quality and a lower number of psychological stress symptoms was linked to increasing optimism and reducing pessimism, while overeating or eating unhealthily was connected to both optimism and pessimism. Additionally, this study found that exercise/walking and emotional support mediated the effects of the responses to stress on the respondents' level of optimism and pessimism.

Personality functioning, positive outlook for the future, and simple and complex post-traumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and its complex form (C-PTSD) are psychopathological conditions that are related to several personality traits. In particular, the current study aims to investigate the associations of impairment of personality functioning (IPF) and positive outlook for the future (POF) with PTSD and C-PTSD. A sample of 304 Brazilian adults responded to an online survey. IPF was measured according to the alternative model for personality disorders, POF was operationalized using optimism and hope scales, and PTSD and C-PTSD were measured using the ICD-11 model. Data analysis included correlation, structural equation models, multivariate analysis of variance, and multinomial logistic regression. The results showed that IPF and POF were moderately correlated with PTSD and C-PTSD in positive and negative directions, respectively. IPF and POF were more strongly associated with C-PTSD than PTSD. From the categorical approach to psychopathology, IPF and POF were shown to be associated only with C-PTSD. This is the first study that provides empirical data on the association of IPF and POF with both forms of PTSD. Understanding the associations between pathological and resilient personality domains and PTSD and C-PTSD symptoms can support the development of effective interventions.

The Aversive Lens: Stress effects on the prefrontal-cingulate cortical pathways that regulate emotion

ARNSTEN, A.F.T., M.K.P. Joyce and A.C. Roberts. The Aversive Lens: Stress effects on the prefrontal-cingulate cortical pathways that regulate emotion. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XXX-XXX, 2022. The symptoms of major-depressive-disorder include psychic pain and anhedonia, i.e. seeing the world through an "aversive lens". The neurobiology underlying this shift in worldview is emerging. Here these data are reviewed, focusing on how activation of subgenual cingulate (BA25) induces an "aversive lens", and how higher prefrontal cortical (PFC) areas (BA46/10/32) provide top-down regulation of BA25 but are weakened by excessive dopamine and norepinephrine release during stress exposure, and dendritic spine loss with chronic stress exposure. These changes may generate an attractor state, which maintains the brain under the control of BA25, requiring medication or neuromodulatory treatments to return connectivity to a more flexible state. In line with this hypothesis, effective anti-depressant treatments reduce the activity of BA25 and restore top-down regulation by higher circuits, e.g. as seen with SSRI medications, ketamine, deep brain stimulation of BA25, or rTMS to strengthen dorsolateral PFC. This research has special relevance in an era of chronic stress caused by the COVID19 pandemic, political unrest and threat of climate change.

Association of pessimism with cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality

Poor psychological health is associated with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, cardiac syndrome X, coronary microcirculatory dysfunction, peripheral artery disease, or spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Data regarding pessimism, cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality and all-cause mortality remained inconclusive. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to provide an overview of the association between pessimism, CVD outcomes and mortality. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted from inception through July 2022 for studies evaluating pessimism and adverse outcomes. A total of 17 studies published between 1966 and July 2022 met our inclusion criteria, for a total of 232,533 individuals. Pooled hazard ratios were calculated in random-effects meta-analyses. Based on pooled analysis of adjusted HRs, pessimism was associated with adjusted HR of 1.13 (95% CI 1.07-1.19) for all-cause mortality with minimal heterogeneity (I² = 28.5%). Based on pooled analysis of adjusted HRs, pessimism was associated with adjusted HR of 1.30 (95% CI 0.43-3.95) for CHD mortality, adjusted HR of 1.41 (95% CI 1.05-1.91) for CVD mortality, and adjusted HR of 1.43 (95% CI 0.64-3.16) for stroke. In conclusion, pessimism seems to be significantly associated with a higher risk for and poorer outcomes from CVD events than optimistic styles. There are genetic and other bases for these life approaches, but behavioral, cognitive and meditative interventions can modify patients' level of pessimism, hopefully leading to better medical outcomes. Testing this theory would yield highly useful and practical data for clinical care.

The influence of pessimism on adverse network behavior during COVID-19: the mediating effect of negative affect and risk perception

There had been an information epidemic during the COVID-19, which led to a lot of adverse network behavior among Internet users. From the perspective of cognition and emotion, this study focused on exploring the influence mechanism of pessimism on undergraduates' adverse network behavior, and introduced the mediating variable of negative affect and risk perception. In this study, a cross-sectional questionnaire was used to evaluate pessimism, negative affect, risk perception and adverse network behavior of undergraduates to explore the characteristics of network behaviors of undergraduates during the COVID-19. 600 undergraduates from three universities in a city in China were selected as participants, among whom 312 students are female and 288 students are male. The results are as follows: (1) Pessimism is positively correlated with adverse network behavior, and pessimism has a significant positive effect on adverse network behavior. (2) Pessimism is positively correlated with negative affect, and negative affect is positively correlated with adverse network behavior. The mediating effect analysis shows that the mediating effect of negative affect on the relationship between pessimistic personality and adverse network behavior has statistical significance. (3) Pessimism is positively correlated with risk perception and risk perception is positively correlated with adverse network behavior. The mediating effect analysis shows that the mediating effect of risk perception on the relationship between pessimistic personality and adverse network behavior has statistical significance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03584-z.

Differential Effects of Optimism and Pessimism on Adolescents' Subjective Well-Being: Mediating Roles of Reappraisal and Acceptance

Prior research has found the differential strength of optimism and pessimism in predicting physical health. However, whether similar findings would be obtained in predicting subjective well-being and the possible underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This study examined the relative strength of optimism and pessimism in predicting adolescent life satisfaction and depression, and further explored the possible mediating mechanisms from the perspective of emotion regulation. A sample of 2672 adolescents (M_age = 13.54 years, SD = 1.04; 55.60% boys) completed a survey assessing optimism and pessimism, the habitual use of reappraisal and acceptance strategies, life satisfaction, and depression. The results from dominance analysis revealed that the presence of optimism was more powerful than the absence of pessimism in predicting adolescent life satisfaction, while the absence of pessimism was more powerful than the presence of optimism in predicting adolescent depression. Moreover, mediation models showed that reappraisal and acceptance mediated both the link between optimism and life satisfaction and the link between pessimism and depression. These findings suggest possible avenues for intervening in different aspects of adolescent subjective well-being.

Independent and Joint Associations of Pessimism, Total Calorie Intake and Acid-Producing Diets with Insomnia Symptoms among Breast Cancer Survivors

Insomnia is prevalent in up to 40% of breast cancer survivors. Few studies have examined pessimism and dietary factors as risk factors for insomnia among breast cancer survivors. We leveraged a cohort of 2944 breast cancer survivors who enrolled in the Women’s Healthy Eating and Living study; these survivors provided dietary, insomnia, mental health, demographic, and lifestyle information at baseline and at 1- and 4-year follow-up assessments. Insomnia symptoms were assessed using the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)-Insomnia Rating Scale, and pessimism was assessed using the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R). Total calorie intake and acid-producing diets were assessed using 24 h dietary recalls. Multivariable-adjusted generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to test the independent and joint effects of psychological and dietary factors on insomnia. In the multivariable model, women in the third tertile of pessimism had greater odds (OR = 1.57 95% CI [1.37−1.79]) of insomnia when compared to women in the lowest tertile. Total calorie intake and acid-producing diets were each independently and significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. Further, pessimism and calorie intake/acid-producing diets were jointly associated with insomnia. For instance, women with pessimism scores in tertile 3 and total calorie intakes < median reported 2 times the odds (OR = 2.09; 95% CI [1.51−3.47]) of insomnia compared to women with pessimism score in tertile 1 and calorie intakes < median. Our results highlight the need for patient care regarding mental health, and recommendations of healthy dietary intakes for breast cancer survivors.

Optimism and pessimism analysis using deep learning on COVID-19 related twitter conversations

This paper proposes a new deep learning approach to better understand how optimistic and pessimistic feelings are conveyed in Twitter conversations about COVID-19. A pre-trained transformer embedding is used to extract the semantic features and several network architectures are compared. Model performance is evaluated on two new, publicly available Twitter corpora of crisis-related posts. The best performing pessimism and optimism detection models are based on bidirectional long- and short-term memory networks. Experimental results on four periods of the COVID-19 pandemic show how the proposed approach can model optimism and pessimism in the context of a health crisis. There is a total of 150,503 tweets and 51,319 unique users. Conversations are characterised in terms of emotional signals and shifts to unravel empathy and support mechanisms. Conversations with stronger pessimistic signals denoted little emotional shift (i.e. 62.21% of these conversations experienced almost no change in emotion). In turn, only 10.42% of the conversations laying more on the optimistic side maintained the mood. User emotional volatility is further linked with social influence.

Well-Being in Highly Hypnotizable Persons

Both hypnotizability and well-being are relevant to health. This study aimed to investigate whether high hypnotizability was positively associated with well-being and whether the latter was related to the activity of the behavioral inhibition/approach system (BIS/BAS). ANOVA revealed significantly higher scores on the General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) in highly hypnotizable (highs, n = 31) compared with low hypnotizable participants (lows, n = 53), with medium hypnotizable participants (mediums, n = 41) exhibiting intermediate values. This finding was discussed in relation to other hypnotizability-related traits, such as morpho-functional brain characteristics, equivalence between imagery and perception, and interoceptive sensitivity. A secondary finding was a nonsignificant gender difference in scores on the PGWBI. The highs' higher well-being could be considered a favorable prognostic factor for physical and mental health.

Do Post-Corona European Economic Policies Lift Growth Prospects? Exploring an ML-Methodology

This article explores the determinants of people’s growth prospects in survey data as well as the impact of the European recovery fund to future growth. The focus is on the aftermath of the Corona pandemic, which is a natural limit to the sample size. We use Eurobarometer survey data and macroeconomic variables, such as GDP, unemployment, public deficit, inflation, bond yields, and fiscal spending data. We estimate a variety of panel regression models and develop a new simulation-regression methodology due to limitation of the sample size. We find the major determinant of people’s growth prospect is domestic GDP per capita, while European fiscal aid does not significantly matter. In addition, we exhibit with the simulation-regression method novel scientific insights, significant outcomes, and a policy conclusion alike.

Electroencephalographic Signature of Negative Self Perceptions in Medical Students

Frontal alpha asymmetry (fAA) is purported to be a neurophysiological marker for anxiety and depression. Higher left frontal alpha EEG voltage is associated with lower left and higher right frontal cerebral cortical activation, indicative of right-sided fAA. This pilot study tests the hypothesis that greater left-sided frontal alpha voltage is associated with negative thoughts about oneself. A group of eight healthy 28-41-year-old right-handed male medical students were subjected to an extensive interactive self-report inventory (ISI) evaluating perceptions of their psychosocial interactions. Quantitative EEG (qEEG) was performed with eyes closed. Computations of fAA and related parameters were based on measurements in the alpha bandwidth (8-13 Hz) at the left frontal F7 and right frontal F8 scalp electrodes. fAA was the percent difference between mean voltages at F8 minus that at F7. Significance of associations between fAA and the ISI scores was determined by Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient, at P≤0.05. “Depressed” scores were positively correlated with right-sided fAA (P=0.01). “Relaxed” (P=0.05), “regulated” (P=0.02), “cooperative” (P=0.05) and “dependent scores” (P=0.004) were negatively correlated with right-sided fAA. These findings imply that right-sided fAA may be associated with more perceptions of “depressed” psychosocial interactions involving negative thoughts about oneself, as well as, more reliance on others (“dependence” score), less sharing (“cooperative” ISI score), less trust (“regulated” ISI score) and less initiative (“relaxed” ISI score). These results support the hypothesis that right-sided fAA may identify individuals with a predilection for negative thoughts about themselves and other negatively-valenced perceptions of their psychosocial interactions.

The effect of personality characteristics combined with behavioral activation system (BAS) / behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and sport emotional induction on working memory

Study aim: To investigate the interactive effects of behavioral activation or behavioral inhibition and induced pleasant or unpleasant emotions on working memory performance among young adults.

Material and methods: Eighty participants (age 18–32 years) were randomly classified into 2 groups behavioral activation or inhibition and then sub-divided further via whether they received inductions in either pleasant emotions or unpleasant emotions. A pre-test measure of the working memory test was recorded and repeated after emotional induction.

Results: The ANOVA analysis indicated significant effect of PERSONALITY factor (F1,76 = 4.760, p = 0.0322, ηp 2 = 0.059) on results of the working memory test. The memory performance of the behavioral activation group that received positive emotion was better than the other groups, and the working memory performance of the behavioral inhibition group that received positive emotion was poorer than the other groups. Furthermore, the working memory performance of the behavioral activation group (positive emotion) was better than the other groups. Also, the working memory performance of the behavioral inhibition group (positive emotion) was poorer than the other groups.

Conclusions: Finally, the findings support the different effects of the brain behavioral systems and sport emotional induction on working memory.

Healthy Behavior as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Optimism and Life Satisfaction in Health Sciences Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

This study examines the indirect relationship between optimism and life satisfaction via healthy behavior among health sciences students.

Participants and Methods

The cross-sectional study involved 349 health sciences students, including 58% of women, ranging in age between 19 and 30 years (M = 22.15, SD = 1.83). Self-report questionnaires were used to measure dispositional optimism (the Life Orientation Test-Revised, LOT-R), life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS), and health behaviors (Health Behavior Inventory, HBI), with four subscales: healthy diet (HD), preventive behavior (PB), positive mental attitudes (PMA), and healthy practices (HP). In addition, a single mediation model (with the total HBI as mediator) was compared with a parallel mediation model (with four subscales of the HBI). Gender was controlled as a confounding variable.

Results

Women scored higher in the total HBI (p < 0.01), HD (p < 0.001) and PB (p < 0.01) than men, while men scored slightly higher in dispositional optimism (p < 0.01). General health behavior (total HBI) completely mediates the relationship between dispositional optimism and life satisfaction, R² = 0.32. In the parallel model, only PMA was determined as a mediator of the association between dispositional optimism and satisfaction with life, R² = 0.36. The single mediation model showed perfect fit (X²/df = 0.00, RMSEA = 0.00, SRMR = 0.00, CFI = 1.00, IFI = 1.00, NFI = 1.00), better than the parallel mediation model (X²/df = 2.353, p = 0.095, RMSEA = 0.062, SRMR = 0.020, CFI = 0.995, IFI = 995, NFI = 991).

Conclusion

The interplay mechanism between personal resources and behavioral health-related habits may explain 32% of life satisfaction variance. The intervention focused on increasing optimistic expectancies and health behaviors should be implemented in universities to increase students’ well-being and prevent depression.

Understanding the impact of exposure to adverse socioeconomic conditions on chronic stress from a complexity science perspective

BACKGROUND

Chronic stress increases chronic disease risk and may underlie the association between exposure to adverse socioeconomic conditions and adverse health outcomes. The relationship between exposure to such conditions and chronic stress is complex due to feedback loops between stressor exposure and psychological processes, encompassing different temporal (acute stress response to repeated exposure over the life course) and spatial (biological/psychological/social) scales. We examined the mechanisms underlying the relationship between exposure to adverse socioeconomic conditions and chronic stress from a complexity science perspective, focusing on amplifying feedback loops across different scales.

METHODS

We developed a causal loop diagram (CLD) to interpret available evidence from this perspective. The CLD was drafted by an interdisciplinary group of researchers. Evidence from literature was used to confirm/contest the variables and causal links included in the conceptual framework and refine their conceptualisation. Our findings were evaluated by eight independent researchers.

RESULTS

Adverse socioeconomic conditions imply an accumulation of stressors and increase the likelihood of exposure to uncontrollable childhood and life course stressors. Repetition of such stressors may activate mechanisms that can affect coping resources and coping strategies and stimulate appraisal of subsequent stressors as uncontrollable. We identified five feedback loops describing these mechanisms: (1) progressive deterioration of access to coping resources because of repeated insolvability of stressors; (2) perception of stressors as uncontrollable due to learned helplessness; (3) tax on cognitive bandwidth caused by stress; (4) stimulation of problem avoidance to provide relief from the stress response and free up cognitive bandwidth; and (5) susceptibility to appraising stimuli as stressors against a background of stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Taking a complexity science perspective reveals that exposure to adverse socioeconomic conditions implies recurrent stressor exposure which impacts chronic stress via amplifying feedback loops that together could be conceptualised as one vicious cycle. This means that in order for individual-level psychological interventions to be effective, the context of exposure to adverse socioeconomic conditions also needs to be addressed.

Negative expectations and vulnerability to stressors in animals

Humans express stable differences in pessimism that render some individuals more vulnerable to stressors and mood disorders. We explored whether non-human animals express stable individual differences in expectations (assessed via judgment bias tests) and whether these differences relate to susceptibility to stressors. Judgment bias tests do not distinguish pessimism from sensitivity to reinforcers; negative expectations are likely driven by a combination of these two elements. The available evidence suggests that animals express stable individual differences in expectations such that some persistently perceive ambiguous situations in a more negative way. A lack of research prevents drawing firm conclusions on how negative expectations affect responses to stressors, but current evidence suggests a link between negative expectations and the adoption of avoidance coping strategies, stronger responses to uncontrollable stressors and risk of mood-related disorders. We explore implications for animals living in captivity and for research using animals as models for human disorders.

Unveiling the neural underpinnings of optimism: a systematic review

Optimism is a personality trait strongly associated with physical and psychological well-being, with correlates in nonhuman species. Optimistic individuals hold positive expectancies for their future, have better physical and psychological health, recover faster after heart disease and other ailments, and cope more effectively with stress and anxiety. We performed a systematic review of neuroimaging studies focusing on neural correlates of optimism. A search identified 14 papers eligible for inclusion. Two key brain areas were linked to optimism: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), involved in imagining the future and processing of self-referential information; and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), involved in response inhibition and processing relevant cues. ACC activity was positively correlated with trait optimism and with the probability estimations of future positive events. Behavioral measures of optimistic tendencies investigated through the belief update task correlated positively with IFG activity. Elucidating the neural underpinnings of optimism may inform both the development of prevention and treatment strategies for several mental disorders negatively associated with optimism, such as depression, as well as help to foster new resilience promotion interventions targeting healthy, vulnerable, and mentally ill individuals.

Enhancing Business Schools’ Pedagogy on Sustainable Business Practices and Ethical Decision-Making

Business school curriculums are designed to improve business skills and a student’s eventual workplace performance. In addition to these business skill sets the emerging business environment demands softer skills associated with ethical decision-making and sustainable business practices. The objective of the study is to identify the key influencers of ethical orientation and attitudes towards the environment as a first critical step for curriculum planning designed to develop both ethical decision-making and environmental sensibilities of students in business schools. Using a bivariate regression analysis (OLS) that compared the established New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale and the newly introduced Ethical Orientation Scale (EOS), this study assesses environmental eco-consciousness and ethical orientation over time and across varying socio-demographic variables. The study shows first, that in addition to socio-cultural variables, situational factors influence ethical decision-making. Secondly, it illuminates that ethical orientations as measured by the EOS predicts beliefs about the environment as measured by the NEP scale. It further provides evidence of the ethical underpinnings of the New Ecological Paradigm as well as provides initial validation for the new EOS. These outcomes provide additional levers to assist business educators in the creation of high impact teaching strategies to measure and encourage ethical decision-making and sustainable business practices that protect the environment.

Basic Geometric Dispersion Theory of Decision Making Under Risk: Asymmetric Risk Relativity, New Predictions of Empirical Behaviors, and Risk Triad

Many studies have spotlighted significant applications of expected utility theory (EUT), cumulative prospect theory (CPT), and mean-variance in assessing risks. We illustrate that these models and their extensions are unable to predict risk behaviors accurately in out-of-sample empirical studies. EUT uses a nonlinear value (utility) function of consequences but is linear in probabilities, which has been criticized as its primary weakness. Although mean-variance is nonlinear in probabilities, it is symmetric, contradicts first-order stochastic dominance, and uses the same standard deviation for both risk aversion and risk proneness. In this paper, we explore a special case of geometric dispersion theory (GDT) that is simultaneously nonlinear in both consequences and probabilities. It complies with first-order stochastic dominance and is asymmetric to represent the mixed risk-averse and risk-prone behaviors of the decision makers. GDT is a triad model that uses expected value, risk-averse dispersion, and risk-prone dispersion. GDT uses only two parameters, z and zX; these constants remain the same regardless of the scale of risk problem. We compare GDT to several other risk dispersion models that are based on EUT and/or mean-variance, and identify verified risk paradoxes that contradict EUT, CPT, and mean-variance but are easily explainable by GDT. We demonstrate that GDT predicts out-of-sample empirical risk behaviors far more accurately than EUT, CPT, mean-variance, and other risk dispersion models. We also discuss the underlying assumptions, meanings, and perspectives of GDT and how it reflects risk relativity and risk triad. This paper covers basic GDT, which is a special case of general GDT of Malakooti [Malakooti (2020) Geometric dispersion theory of decision making under risk: Generalizing EUT, RDEU, & CPT with out-of-sample empirical studies. Working paper, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland.].

Limb preference and personality in donkeys (Equus asinus)

Interhemispheric laterality has often been linked to different behavioural styles. This study investigates the link between limb preference and personality in donkeys. The sample consisted of 47 donkeys (Equus asinus), 30 males and 17 females. Limb preference was determined using observation of the leading limb in a motionless posture and personality was measured using the Donkey Temperament Questionnaire (French, J. M. (1993). Assessment of donkey temperament and the influence of home environment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 36(2), 249-257. doi:10.1016/0168-1591(93)90014-G) completed by the donkeys' keepers. A Principal Component Analysis obtained two components: Agreeableness and Extraversion. Age showed a positive relationship with Agreeableness, echoing trends in humans Donkeys did not show a population-level preference towards either side. Limb preference significantly predicted the trait difficult to handle: donkeys with a preference to keep the right foot forward when motionless were harder to handle. This study presents the first investigation into limb preference and personality in donkeys, although more research is needed to clarify whether there is a population-level limb preference bias in donkeys, and the relationship between limb preference and Agreeableness.

Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Longitudinal Findings From the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

OBJECTIVE

Favorable cardiovascular health is associated with greater longevity free of cardiovascular disease. Although the prevalence of cardiovascular health decreases with age, less is known about protective factors that promote and preserve it over time. We investigated whether optimism was associated with better cardiovascular health over a 10-year period.

METHODS

Participants included 3188 Black and White men and women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. Self-reported optimism was assessed in 2000 (this study's baseline) with the revised Life Orientation Test. Favorable cardiovascular health was defined by healthy status on five components of cardiovascular functioning that were repeatedly assessed through 2010 either clinically or via self-report (blood pressure, lipids, body mass index, diabetes, and smoking status). Linear mixed-effects models examined whether optimism predicted cardiovascular health over time, adjusting for covariates such as sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, health status, and depression diagnosis.

RESULTS

In models adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, optimism was associated with better cardiovascular health across all time points (β = 0.08, 95% confidence interval = 0.04-0.11, p ≤ .001) but not with rate of change in cardiovascular health. Findings were similar when adjusting for additional covariates. Optimism did not interact significantly with race (p = .85) but did with sex, such that associations seemed stronger for women than for men (p = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Optimism may contribute to establishing future patterns of cardiovascular health in adulthood, but other factors may be more strongly related to how slowly or quickly cardiovascular health deteriorates over time.

Longitudinal association between adolescent negative emotions and adulthood cardiovascular disease risk: an opportunity for healthcare quality improvement

Purpose

While cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, over 80% of the cases could be prevented through early lifestyle changes. From the perspective of quality management in healthcare, this may offer an effective prevention window if modifiable CVD risk factors are identified and treated in adolescence. The purpose of this research is to examine the negative emotions in adolescents and determine if it independently increases CVD risk later in life.

Design/methodology/approach

Longitudinal data from 12,350 participants of the Add Health study, which conducted a multi-wave survey for 14 years from adolescence (Wave 1) through adulthood (Wave 4), were used to test the research hypothesis. Four items (perception of life, self-reported depression, perceived loneliness and fearfulness) reflective of adolescent negative emotion were identified from the Wave 1 questionnaire, and factor analysis was conducted to confirm the hypothesized structure. The outcome variable, 30-year adulthood CVD risk category (high or low risk), was estimated using biomarkers, biological data and other factors collected during the 14-year follow-up in Wave 4. A logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the impact of adolescent negative emotions on adulthood CVD risk after adjusting for common risk factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, socioeconomic status and medical conditions in adolescence.

Findings

The results indicated adolescent negative emotion to be significantly associated with CVD risk category (p-value < 0.0001), even after controlling for common risk factors. A unit increase in the level of adolescent negative emotion increased the chance of being in the high CVD risk group in adulthood by 8% (odds ratio = 1.08 ± 0.03).

Practical implications

Healthcare providers and organizations could capitalize on the research findings by screening for negative emotions early in life through individual and societal interventions. The findings also provide an opportunity for implementing quality improvement initiatives to deliver robust preventive care, which, in turn, could improve the overall population health, reduce healthcare costs and improve care quality.

Originality/value

Although previous studies showed a strong link between adolescent physiological factors (e.g. obesity) and adulthood cardiovascular disease (CVD), the association between adolescent outlook/attitude (negative emotion) and CVD risk has not been examined.

Distinct Routes to Understand the Relationship Between Dispositional Optimism and Life Satisfaction: Self-Control and Grit, Positive Affect, Gratitude, and Meaning in Life

Over the last years, understanding the implications of prospective thinking toward the future has become of increasing interest. This study aims to delve into the relation between dispositional optimism, one of the most relevant prospective constructs, and life satisfaction. Additionally, we also seek to prove the mediating effect of different cognitive and affective variables associated with both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being on this relationship. A first study is conducted with 275 secondary students to assess the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction through self-control and grit (14.82, SD = 1.07), which indicates a mediating effect of grit but not of self-control. A second study is carried out with 1,356 university students (21.5, SD = 2.35) to demonstrate the mediating effect of positive affect on dispositional optimism and life satisfaction. Results show a strong relationship between optimism and positive affect, but no mediating effect on life satisfaction. Finally, a third study comprising 371 secondary students (14.12, SD = 1.78) demonstrates the existence of a serial multiple mediation from gratitude and meaning in life over the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction. Implications are discussed in terms of how prospective variables like dispositional optimism may lead to an increase in subjective well-being (SWB) through different affective and cognitive mechanisms.

The effect of induced optimism on the optimistic update bias

Background

Individuals tend to have an optimism bias, processing desirable information more frequently than undesirable information. However, people who have been diagnosed with depression often have a more pessimistic view of the future. A recent study suggests that future expectations in individuals with dysphoria become more optimistic when asked to make optimistic future predictions about the future. In the present study, we investigated the differential effects of induced optimism training which making optimistic future prediction to change future beliefs in normal participants with various levels of dysphoria (low, mild, high).

Methods

We recruited normal participants (n = 69) from a local university students and divided participants into three groups (low, mild, high dysphoria) by measuring dysphoric mood. These three groups were assigned to the induced optimism training or control condition. After the training, participants performed the two-stage belief updating task. In the first stage, participants estimated their personal probability of experiencing adverse events while being presented with the average probability of the event occurring to a living person. This information could be desirable for participants(when presented with a probability that was below their estimation) or undesirable (when presented with a probability that was above their estimation). To assess how desirable versus undesirable information influenced beliefs, participants estimated their personal probability of experiencing the events again in the second stage. The amount of update error was calculated as the difference between the estimates in the first stage and the second stage. The difference between the errors was classified as the update bias.

Results

After the induced optimism training, individuals with the mild dysphoria demonstrated a higher update bias than low (p < .001) and the high dysphoria (p < .05) group in induced optimism condition. Significant differences were not found in control group. Results indicates that individuals in the mild dysphoria group showed an increased update bias after being exposed to the induced optimism training Dysphoric mood and trait optimism remained unchanged in both the experimental and control groups.

Conclusions

Results suggest that induced optimism training has potential to change individuals with mild dysphoria perceptions’ about the future.

White matter microstructure in youth with and at risk for bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Bipolar disorder (BD) and familial risk for BD have been associated with aberrant white matter (WM) microstructure in the corpus callosum and fronto-limbic pathways. These abnormalities might constitute trait or state marker and have been suggested to result from aberrant maturation and to relate to difficulties in emotion regulation.

METHODS

To determine whether WM alterations represent a trait, disease or resilience marker, we compared youth at risk for BD (n = 36 first-degree relatives, REL) to youth with BD (n = 36) and healthy volunteers (n = 36, HV) using diffusion tensor imaging.

RESULTS

Individuals with BD and REL did not differ from each other in WM microstructure and, compared to HV, showed similar aberrations in the superior corona radiata (SCR)/corticospinal tract (CST) and the body of the corpus callosum. WM microstructure of the anterior CC showed reduced age-related in-creases in BD compared to REL and HV. Further, individuals with BD and REL showed in-creased difficulties in emotion regulation, which were associated with the microstructure of the anterior thalamic radiation.

DISCUSSION

Alterations in the SCR/CST and the body of the corpus callosum appear to represent a trait marker of BD, whereas changes in other WM tracts seem to be a disease state marker. Our findings also support the role of aberrant developmental trajectories of WM microstructure in the risk architecture of BD, although longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this association. Finally, our findings show the relevance of WM microstructure for difficulties in emotion regulation-a core characteristic of BD.

Social Science–guided Feature Engineering

Many real-world relations can be represented by signed networks with positive links (e.g., friendships and trust) and negative links (e.g., foes and distrust). Link prediction helps advance tasks in social network analysis such as recommendation systems. Most existing work on link analysis focuses on unsigned social networks. The existence of negative links piques research interests in investigating whether properties and principles of signed networks differ from those of unsigned networks and mandates dedicated efforts on link analysis for signed social networks. Recent findings suggest that properties of signed networks substantially differ from those of unsigned networks and negative links can be of significant help in signed link analysis in complementary ways. In this article, we center our discussion on a challenging problem of signed link analysis . Signed link analysis faces the problem of data sparsity, i.e., only a small percentage of signed links are given. This problem can even get worse when negative links are much sparser than positive ones as users are inclined more toward positive disposition rather than negative. We investigate how we can take advantage of other sources of information for signed link analysis. This research is mainly guided by three social science theories, Emotional Information , Diffusion of Innovations , and Individual Personality . Guided by these, we extract three categories of related features and leverage them for signed link analysis. Experiments show the significance of the features gleaned from social theories for signed link prediction and addressing the data sparsity challenge.

Anticipatory feelings: Neural correlates and linguistic markers

This review introduces anticipatory feelings (AF) as a new construct related to the process of anticipation and prediction of future events. AF, defined as the state of awareness of physiological and neurocognitive changes that occur within an oganism in the form of a process of adapting to future events, are an important component of anticipation and expectancy. They encompass bodily-related interoceptive and affective components and are influenced by intrapersonal and dispositional factors, such as optimism, hope, pessimism, or worry. In the present review, we consider evidence from animal and human research, including neuroimaging studies, to characterize the brain structures and brain networks involved in AF. The majority of studies reviewed revealed three brain regions involved in future oriented feelings: 1) the insula; 2) the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC); and 3) the amygdala. Moreover, these brain regions were confirmed by a meta-analysis, using a platform for large-scale, automated synthesis of fMRI data. Finally, by adopting a neurolinguistic and a big data approach, we illustrate how AF are expressed in language.

Personality traits, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, and mortality in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: 6 years follow-up of the WEBCARE cohort

OBJECTIVE

Risk stratification within the ICD population warrants the examining of the role of protective- and risk factors. Current study examines the association between Type D personality, pessimism, and optimism and risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTa's) and mortality in patients with a first-time ICD 6 years post implantation.

METHODS

A total of 221 first-implant ICD patients completed questionnaires on optimism and pessimism (Life Orientation Test) and Type D personality (Type D scale DS14) 10 to 14 days after implantation. VTa's and all-cause mortality 6 years post implant comprised the study endpoints.

RESULTS

Ninety (40.7%) patients had experienced VTa's and 37 (16.7%) patients died, 12 (5.4%) due to a cardiac cause. Adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that pessimism was significantly associated with increased risk of VTa's (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.00-1.19; p = .05). Type D personality (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.47-2.32; p = .91) and optimism (OR = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.90-1.12; p = .98) were not associated with VTa's. None of the personality types were associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION

Pessimism was associated with VTa's but not with mortality. No significant association with either of the endpoints was observed for Type D personality and optimism. Future research should focus on the coexistent psychosocial factors that possibly lead to adverse cardiac prognosis in this patient population.

DIR®-informed approach to anxiety and trauma in school age children

As dwellers of our planet receive an overwhelming amount of information and live coverages of scary, traumatizing and horrifying events around the globe, anxiety takes the front seat in the clinical discourse. At the same time, children are even more susceptible to anxiety than adults, mainly because of lack of control over their lives, actual helplessness, operating largely on clues and adult whisper rather than on confirmed (and comprehended by them) facts; most of the time, they have no impact on own future. Excessive worry and uncertainty can manifest itself as aggression, “striking out”, low frustration tolerance and impulsivity. Another, not less important, predictor of anxiety is the ability to self-regulate and the speed with which a child can recover from stress or perceived danger and, shutting down the initial response of hypervigilance, go back to the state of homeostasis. Naturally, all the above greatly depends on individual history and patterns of resilience. Prior history of trauma is the most important marker of emerging symptoms of anxiety and anticipatory anxiety. Mechanisms of trauma processing, as well as family and individual history of trauma and vicarious traumatization should be closely examined in the process of assessment and addressed in psychotherapeutic treatment regardless of the nature and scope of presenting problems. This paper examines presenting problems of latency age children, stemming from anxiety and/or psychological trauma. The author shares her experience of addressing the above issues in psychotherapeutic work using Developmental, Individual differences and Relationship based approach (DIR®). This diagnostic and treatment model defines and describes the hierarchy of developmental capacities humans are to achieve throughout their early, formative years, individual profile (unique ways of information processing) and employing affect based therapeutic interaction to promote the development of the above. Individual profile includes motor control, praxis, visual spatial capacities and integration of sensory information supplied by five organs of sense and vestibular, visceral and proprioceptive systems, language capacities, and affective relationships. DIR® can be utilized for the purpose of differential diagnosis, as well as an invaluable philosophical base. This diagnostic and treatment paradigm allows for comprehensive scrutiny of co-occurring problems, developmental capacities and a multitude of variations in sensory, medical, familial and environmental characteristics that serve as prequel to symptoms. Additionally, DIR® lends us a treatment philosophy that leaves room for the individuality of the child. Case examples illustrate application of DIR® and utilizing elements of the DIR Floortime.

The resilient brain: psychological resilience mediates the effect of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in orbitofrontal cortex on subjective well-being in young healthy adults

Psychological resilience reflects the capacity to bounce back from stress, which plays an important role in health and well-being. However, less is known about the neural substrate for psychological resilience and the underlying mechanism for how psychological resilience enhances subjective well-being in the healthy brain. To investigate these issues, we employed fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) measured with resting-state fMRI in 100 young healthy adults. The correlation analysis found that higher psychological resilience was related to lower fALFF in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), which is involved in reward-related processing and emotion regulation. Furthermore, the mediation analysis indicated that psychological resilience acted as a full mediator of the association between the fALFF in left OFC and subjective well-being indicators (i.e. life satisfaction and hedonic balance). Importantly, these results remained significant after controlling for the effect of gray matter volume and regional homogeneity in the region. Overall, the present study provides the further evidence for functional neural substrates of psychological resilience and reveals a potential mechanism that psychological resilience mediates the effect of spontaneous brain activity on subjective well-being.

Neuroticism and Somatic Complaints: Concomitant Effects of Rumination and Worry

Background: Neuroticism is associated with inflated somatic symptom reporting. Worry and rumination are a cognitive concomitant of neuroticism and potentially mediate the neuroticism–somatic complaint relationship. Aims: The present study examined the degree to which worry and rumination mediated the relationship between neuroticism and somatic complaints. Method: A sample of 170 volunteers, recruited via convenience sampling, took part. Participants completed a series of self-report measures: the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the Ruminative Response Scale and the Somatic Symptom Scale-8. Results: Analysis revealed significant positive correlations between neuroticism, rumination and worry. Neuroticism, rumination and worry also correlated positively with somatic complaints. Using structural equation modelling, a mediational model indicated that rumination fully mediated the relationship between neuroticism and somatic complaints. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with the symptom perception hypothesis and have implications for healthcare in terms of managing individuals who present with multiple somatic complaints. Future research would benefit from adopting a longitudinal approach to test how rumination interacts with neuroticism and somatic complaints over time.

More Realistic Forecasting of Future Life Events After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Background: Evidence suggests that classical psychedelics can promote enduring changes in personality, attitudes and optimism, as well as improvements in mental health outcomes. Aim: To investigate the effects of a composite intervention, involving psilocybin, on pessimism biases in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Methods: Patients with TRD (n = 15) and matched, untreated non-depressed controls (n = 15) performed the Prediction Of Future Life Events (POFLE) task. The POFLE task requires participants to predict the likelihood of certain life events occurring within a 30-day period, after which the actual rate of event occurrence is reported; this gives an index of potential pessimism versus optimism bias. Psilocybin was administered in two oral dosing sessions (10 and 25 mg) one week apart. Main outcome measures were collected at baseline and one week after the second dosing session. Results: Patients showed a significant pessimism bias at baseline [t(14) = -3.260, p = 0.006; 95% CI (-0.16, -0.03), g = 1.1] which was related to the severity of their depressive symptoms (r_s = -0.55, p = 0.017). One week after psilocybin treatment, this bias was significantly decreased [t(14) = -2.714, p = 0.017; 95% CI (-0.21, -0.02), g = 0.7] and depressive symptoms were greatly improved [t(14) = 7.900, p < 0.001; 95% CI (16.17, 28.23), g = 1.9]; moreover, the magnitude of change in both variables was significantly correlated (r = -0.57, p = 0.014). Importantly, post treatment, patients became significantly more accurate at predicting the occurrence of future life events [t(14) = 1.857, p = 0.042; 95% CI (-0.01, 0.12), g = 0.6] whereas no such change was observed in the control subjects. Conclusion: These findings suggest that psilocybin with psychological support might correct pessimism biases in TRD, enabling a more positive and accurate outlook.

Rhythmicity of Mood Symptoms in Individuals at Risk for Psychiatric Disorders

Despite emerging evidence that disruption in circadian rhythms may contribute to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, there is a significant knowledge gap on the rhythmicity of psychological symptoms. Here, we aimed at investigating the rhythmicity of mood symptoms in individuals at risk for psychiatric disorders. 391 Brazilian and 317 Spanish participants completed the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 for non-psychotic mental disorders; the Mood Rhythm Instrument was used to assess rhythmicity of mood symptoms and the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire to assess sleep patterns. We found that the rhythmicity of specific mood-related symptoms and behaviors, particularly pessimism and motivation to exercise, were associated with being at risk for psychiatric disorders, even after controlling for sleep timing, sleep deficit, and season of data collection. We also found that the peak of some mood symptoms and behaviors were different between individuals at high vs. low risk for psychiatric disorders, with specific differences between countries. These results are consistent with previous research showing that circadian misalignment is associated with higher risk for mental health conditions. These findings also suggest that lifestyle changes preventing circadian misalignment might be useful to reduce the risk of psychiatric disorders, where cultural differences must be taken into account.

The optimistic brain: Trait optimism mediates the influence of resting-state brain activity and connectivity on anxiety in late adolescence

As a hot research topic in the field of psychology and psychiatry, trait optimism reflects the tendency to expect positive outcomes in the future. Consistent evidence has demonstrated the role of trait optimism in reducing anxiety among different populations. However, less is known about the neural bases of trait optimism and the underlying mechanisms for how trait optimism protects against anxiety in the healthy brain. In this investigation, we examined these issues in 231 healthy adolescent students by assessing resting-state brain activity (i.e., fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, fALFF) and connectivity (i.e., resting-state functional connectivity, RSFC). Whole-brain correlation analyses revealed that higher levels of trait optimism were linked with decreased fALFF in the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and increased RSFC between the right OFC and left supplementary motor cortex (SMC). Mediation analyses further showed that trait optimism mediated the influence of the right OFC activity and the OFC-SMC connectivity on anxiety. Our results remained significant even after excluding the impact of head motion, positive and negative affect and depression. Taken together, this study reveals that fALFF and RSFC are functional neural markers of trait optimism and provides a brain-personality-symptom pathway for protection against anxiety in which fALFF and RSFC affect anxiety through trait optimism.

Associations between subjective well-being and subcortical brain volumes

To study the underpinnings of individual differences in subjective well-being (SWB), we tested for associations of SWB with subcortical brain volumes in a dataset of 724 twins and siblings. For significant SWB-brain associations we probed for causal pathways using Mendelian Randomization (MR) and estimated genetic and environmental contributions from twin modeling. Another independent measure of genetic correlation was obtained from linkage disequilibrium (LD) score regression on published genome-wide association summary statistics. Our results indicated associations of SWB with hippocampal volumes but not with volumes of the basal ganglia, thalamus, amygdala, or nucleus accumbens. The SWB-hippocampus relations were nonlinear and characterized by lower SWB in subjects with relatively smaller hippocampal volumes compared to subjects with medium and higher hippocampal volumes. MR provided no evidence for an SWB to hippocampal volume or hippocampal volume to SWB pathway. This was in line with twin modeling and LD-score regression results which indicated non-significant genetic correlations. We conclude that low SWB is associated with smaller hippocampal volume, but that genes are not very important in this relationship. Instead other etiological factors, such as exposure to stress and stress hormones, may exert detrimental effects on SWB and the hippocampus to bring about the observed association.

Double dissociation between the neural correlates of the general and specific factors of the Life Orientation Test-Revised

In this article, we explore the neural correlates of the general and specific factors assessed by the Life Orientation Test-Revised. These factors have been shown to assess general optimism (GO) and a form of self-enhancement akin to unrealistic optimism (SP). Toward our aim, we used a standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA), which provides electroencephalographic (EEG) localization measures that are independent of recording reference. Resting-EEG and self-report measures of GO and SP were collected from 51 female undergraduates. EEGs were recorded across 29 scalp sites. Anterior and posterior source alpha asymmetries of cortical activation were obtained by using the sLORETA method. On the basis of previous research findings, ten frontal and six parietal regions of interest (ROIs) were derived. Alpha asymmetry in the posterior cingulate (i.e., BA31) was uniquely associated with GO. In contrast, SP was associated with areas of the inferior frontal gyrus (BA44, BA45) and with the left subcentralis area (BA43). Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are provided and discussed.

Purposefulness as a critical factor in functioning, disability and health

Guided by theoretical frameworks of health and illness such as the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), we seek to describe the importance of purposefulness in the context of rehabilitation. We argue that ascribing meaning to life events, particularly changes in health, and acting in a manner that is driven by purpose is a universal characteristic of human beings. The ability to contextualize purposefulness within the broader biopsychosocial model of illness may provide a greater understanding of the relationship of purpose in the process of rehabilitation.

We support the notion that purposefulness is an ever-present component throughout our lives and it exists as a convergence of personal factors, past experiences, and our personal narrative. Having a sense of purposefulness and being able to understand the meaning of different aspects of our lives is what allows us to find purpose while experiencing a health condition. More importantly, and in the context of rehabilitation efforts, we believe that if purposefulness can be identified or collectively defined by the individual, then rehabilitation outcomes may be enhanced.

In a variety of contexts ranging from disease, aging, severe trauma, and even war, purposefulness and its component elements consistently distinguish themselves as being essential for regaining a sense of direction and facilitating one’s response to any health condition.

Women with Premenstrual Dysphoria Lack the Seemingly Normal Premenstrual Right-Sided Relative Dominance of 5-HTP-Derived Serotonergic Activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortices - A Possible Cause of Disabling Mood Symptoms

Study Objective

To investigate potential quantitative and qualitative differences in brain serotonergic activity between women with Premenstrual Dysphoria (PMD) and asymptomatic controls.

Background

Serotonin-augmenting drugs alleviate premenstrual mood symptoms in the majority of women with PMD while serotonin-depleting diets worsen PMD symptoms, both indicating intrinsic differences in brain serotonergic activity in women with PMD compared to asymptomatic women.

Methods

Positron-emission tomography with the immediate precursor of serotonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), radiolabelled by ¹¹C in the beta-3 position, was performed in the follicular and luteal phases for 12 women with PMD and 8 control women. Brain radioactivity–a proxy for serotonin precursor uptake and synthesis–was measured in 9 regions of interest (ROIs): the right and left sides of the medial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, putamen and caudate nucleus, and the single “whole brain”.

Results

There were no significant quantitative differences in brain 5-HTP-derived activity between the groups in either of the menstrual phases for any of the 9 ROIs. However, multivariate analysis revealed a significant quantitative and qualitative difference between the groups. Asymptomatic control women showed a premenstrual right sided relative increase in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex 5-HTP derived activity, whereas PMD women displayed the opposite (p = 0.0001). Menstrual phase changes in this asymmetry (premenstrual—follicular) correlated with changes in self ratings of ‘irritability’ for the entire group (r_s = -0.595, p = 0.006). The PMD group showed a strong inverse correlation between phase changes (premenstrual—follicular) in plasma levels of estradiol and phase changes in the laterality (dx/sin) of radiotracer activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal ROI (r_s = -0.635; 0.027). The control group showed no such correlation.

Conclusion

Absence of increased premenstrual right-sided relative 5-HTP-derived activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices was found to strongly correlate to premenstrual irritability. A causal relationship here seems plausible, and the findings give further support to an underlying frontal brain disturbance in hormonally influenced serotonergic activity in women with PMD. Because of the small number of subjects in the study, these results should be considered preliminary, requiring verification in larger studies.

Effects of High Frequency Repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation on Gambling Reinforcement, Delay Discounting, and Stroop Interference in Men with Pathological Gambling

BACKGROUND

Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can reduce cravings and improve cognitive function in substance dependent individuals. Whether these benefits extend to individuals with pathological gambling (PG) is unclear. High-frequency rTMS of the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) of the right dorsolateral PFC can reduce impulsive choice in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the effects of these two protocols on gambling reinforcement and related responses in otherwise healthy men with PG.

METHODS

Participants (n = 9) underwent active or sham treatments at weekly intervals in a repeated-measures, Latin square design. Subjective and physiological responses were assessed before and after a 15-min slot machine game on each session. Delay discounting and Stroop tasks measured post-game impulsive choice and attentional control.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for winnings on the slot machine under each treatment, found that rTMS reduced the post-game increase in Desire to Gamble; cTBS reduced amphetamine-like effects, and decreased diastolic blood pressure. Treatment had no significant univariate effects on bet size or speed of play in the game; however, a multivariate effect for the two indices suggested that treatment decreased behavioral activation. Neither treatment reduced impulsive choice, while both treatments increased Stroop interference.

CONCLUSIONS

rTMS and cTBS can reduce gambling reinforcement in non-comorbid men with PG. Separate processes appear to mediate gambling reinforcement and betting behavior as against delay discounting and Stroop interference. Interventions that modify risky as opposed to temporal aspects of decision making may better predict therapeutic response in PG.