Short report: Experiences of Caregivers Participating in a Telehealth Evaluation of Development for Infants (TEDI)

A growing literature supports the feasibility and validity of telehealth-based assessments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Better understanding families' experiences is crucial for sustained use beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This study qualitatively examines caregiver experiences with the Telehealth Evaluation of Development for Infants (TEDI) protocol to better understand benefits and challenges of telehealth-based evaluations. Caregivers (N = 32) completed an online survey following a telehealth-based evaluation with their 6-12 month-old infants. Open-ended text responses to queries about perceived benefits, challenges, and suggestions for future adaptations were coded. Most caregivers reported positive experiences with minor feedback relating to tailoring of individual needs. Responses suggest the TEDI is a feasible approach and provide guidance for components of successful telehealth evaluations more broadly.

Analytic hierarchy process: An innovative technique for culturally tailoring evidence-based interventions to reduce health disparities

Latinos in the United States represent a disproportionate burden of illness and disease and face barriers to accessing health care and related resources. Culturally tailored, evidence-based interventions hold promise in addressing many of these challenges. Yet, ensuring patient voice is vital in the successful development and implementation of such interventions. Thus, this paper examines the application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to inform the augmentation and implementation of an evidence-based chronic disease self-management programme for underserved Latinos living with both minor depression and chronic illness. The process of AHP allows for direct input from the individuals that would utilize such a programme, including afflicted individuals, their family members and the health educators/promotores that would be responsible for implementation. Specifically, 45 participants, including 15 individuals with chronic disease, 15 family members/caregivers and 15 promotores, partook in the Stakeholder Values Questionnaire, which elicited preferences and values regarding major goals, processes and content for the intervention. AHP was employed to analyse pairwise comparison ratings and to determine differences and similarities across stakeholder groups. This analytical technique allowed for the adaptation of the EBI to stakeholders' specific priorities and preferences and facilitated complex decision-making. Findings not only shed light on similarities and differences between stakeholder groups, but also the magnitude of these priorities and preferences and allowed the intervention to be driven by the participants, themselves. Applying AHP was a unique opportunity to optimize the decision-making process to inform cultural adaptation of an EBI while considering multiple viewpoints systematically.

Mentoring the mentors of students from diverse backgrounds for research

This article defines and discusses 6 beliefs, attitudes, and practices that can erode or undermine self-esteem and self confidence in student-scholars from underrepresented and marginalized groups in academic settings. Specifically, the beliefs and practices are reactions to implicit bias, color blindness, imposter syndrome, internalized racism, stereotype threat, and code-switching. Mentors need to know how to discuss these reactions because they can also influence the mentoring process and academic performance. To minimize incidents or interactions that might result in scholars not being able to find their place in these settings, recommendations for basic mentoring strategies and individual- and systemic-level approaches to address institutional racism are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Pilot Study for the Fidelity, Acceptability and Effectiveness of a PBIS Program plus Mental Health Supports in Under-resourced Urban Schools

This paper describes implementation (fidelity, perceived acceptability) and tier 1 and tier 2 outcomes of a school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports approach (PBIS) including mental health supports at tier 2 in two K-8 urban schools. Interventions for tier 2 consisted of three manualized group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT) protocols for externalizing behavior problems, depression and anxiety. tier 1 and tier 2 interventions were implemented with fidelity but program feasibility for tier 2 was in question because school personnel needed a great deal of external support in order to implement the interventions. tier 1 interventions were associated with a decrease in office discipline referrals. Students participating in GCBT showed a significant decrease in mental health diagnostic severity at post-treatment. A discussion of perceived and actual implementation barriers and how they were addressed is provided. Implications for practice in low-income urban schools are discussed.

Application of mixed-methods design in community-engaged research: Lessons learned from an evidence-based intervention for Latinos with chronic illness and minor depression

The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learned from a collaborative, community-informed mixed-methods approach to adapting an evidence-based intervention to meet the needs of Latinos with chronic disease and minor depression and their family members. Mixed-methods informed by community-based participatory research (CBPR) were employed to triangulate multiple stakeholders' perceptions of facilitators and barriers of implementing the adapted intervention in community settings. Community partners provided an insider perspective to overcome methodological challenges. The study's community informed mixed-methods: research approach offered advantages to a single research methodology by expanding or confirming research findings and engaging multiple stakeholders in data collection. This approach also allowed community partners to collaborate with academic partners in key research decisions.

Religious Coping and Types and Sources of Information Used in Making Prostate Cancer Treatment Decisions

Treatment experiences for prostate cancer survivors can be challenging and dependent on many clinical and psychosocial factors. One area that is less understood is the information needs and sources men utilize. Among these is the influence of religion as a valid typology and the value it may have on treatment decisions. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between race, religion, and cancer treatment decisions in African American men compared with White men. Data were from the Diagnosis and Decisions in Prostate Cancer Treatment Outcomes Study that consisted of 877 African American and White men. The main dependent variables sought respondents' use of resources or advisors when making treatment decisions. Questions also assessed men perceptions of prostate cancer from the perspective of religious coping. After adjusting for age, marital status, education, and insurance status, race differences in the number of sources utilized were partially mediated by cancer was a punishment from God (β = -0.46, SE = 0.012, p < .001), cancer was a test of faith (β = -0.49, SE = 0.013, p < .001), and cancer can be cured with enough prayer (β = -0.47, SE = 0.013, p < .001). Similarly, race differences in the number of advisors utilized in making the treatment decision were partially mediated by cancer was a punishment from God (β = -0.39, SE = 0.014, p = .006), and cancer was a test of faith (β = -0.39, SE = 0.014, p = .006). Religious views on prostate cancer may play an important role in explaining race differences in information used and the number of advisors utilized for treatment decision making for prostate cancer.

Young African American Male-Male Relationships: Experiences, Expectations, and Condom Use

HIV disproportionately impacts young African American men who have sex with men (MSM). In this study, we sought to understand how previous relationship experiences and expectations for romantic relationships influence condom use among young African American MSM. Twenty African American MSM age 16 to 24 years completed a semi-structured interview and questionnaire on sexual experiences, romantic relationships, and sexual behavior. We identified three major themes characterizing romantic male-male relationships: (1) partner selection, (2) relationship ideals and expectations, and (3) relationship rules for condom use. Our findings indicate that young African American MSM rely on previous relationship experiences and desires for romantic relationships to determine condom use in subsequent relationships. Participants revealed that their previous relationship experiences and desires are often in conflict with their descriptions of their ideal romantic relationships, and subsequently influences their condom use. Our findings fill a gap in the literature describing male-male romantic relationships and condom use among young African American MSM.

CNS myelination requires cytoplasmic dynein function

BACKGROUND

Cytoplasmic dynein provides the main motor force for minus-end-directed transport of cargo on microtubules. Within the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS), proliferation, neuronal migration, and retrograde axon transport are among the cellular functions known to require dynein. Accordingly, mutations of DYNC1H1, which encodes the heavy chain subunit of cytoplasmic dynein, have been linked to developmental brain malformations and axonal pathologies. Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating glial cell type of the CNS, migrate from their origins to their target axons and subsequently extend multiple long processes that ensheath axons with specialized insulating membrane. These processes are filled with microtubules, which facilitate molecular transport of myelin components. However, whether oligodendrocytes require cytoplasmic dynein to ensheath axons with myelin is not known.

RESULTS

We identified a mutation of zebrafish dync1h1 in a forward genetic screen that caused a deficit of oligodendrocytes. Using in vivo imaging and gene expression analyses, we additionally found evidence that dync1h1 promotes axon ensheathment and myelin gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to its well known roles in axon transport and neuronal migration, cytoplasmic dynein contributes to neural development by promoting myelination.

Longitudinal patterns of repetitive behavior in toddlers with autism

BACKGROUND

Recent evidence suggests that restricted and repetitive behaviors may differentiate children who develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by late infancy. How these core symptoms manifest early in life, particularly among infants at high risk for the disorder, is not well characterized.

METHODS

Prospective, longitudinal parent-report data (Repetitive Behavior Scales-Revised) were collected for 190 high-risk toddlers and 60 low-risk controls from 12 to 24 months of age. Forty-one high-risk children were classified with ASD at age 2. Profiles of repetitive behavior were compared between groups using generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

Longitudinal profiles for children diagnosed with ASD differed significantly from high- and low-risk children without the disorder on all measures of repetitive behavior. High-risk toddlers without ASD were intermediate to low risk and ASD positive counterparts. Toddlers with ASD showed significantly higher rates of repetitive behavior across subtypes at the 12-month time point. Repetitive behaviors were significantly correlated with adaptive behavior and socialization scores among children with ASD at 24 months of age, but were largely unrelated to measures of general cognitive ability.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that as early as 12 months of age, a broad range of repetitive behaviors are highly elevated in children who go on to develop ASD. While some degree of repetitive behavior is elemental to typical early development, the extent of these behaviors among children who develop ASD appears highly atypical.

Differential functional connectivity within an emotion regulation neural network among individuals resilient and susceptible to the depressogenic effects of early life stress

BACKGROUND

Early life stress (ELS) is a significant risk factor for depression. The effects of ELS exposure on neural network organization have not been differentiated from the effect of depression. Furthermore, many individuals exposed to ELS do not develop depression, yet the network organization patterns differentiating resiliency versus susceptibility to the depressogenic effects of ELS are not clear.

METHOD

Women aged 18-44 years with either a history of ELS and no history of depression (n = 7), a history of ELS and current or past depression (n = 19), or a history of neither ELS nor depression (n = 12) underwent a resting-state 3-T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. An emotion regulation brain network consisting of 21 nodes was described using graph analyses and compared between groups.

RESULTS

Group differences in network topology involved decreased global connectivity and hub-like properties for the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) and decreased local network connectivity for the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) among resilient individuals. Decreased local connectivity and increased hub-like properties of the left amygdala, decreased hub-like properties of the dACC and decreased local connectivity of the left vlPFC were observed among susceptible individuals. Regression analyses suggested that the severity of ELS (measured by self-report) correlated negatively with global connectivity and hub-like qualities for the left dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC).

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary results suggest functional neural connectivity patterns specific to ELS exposure and resiliency versus susceptibility to the depressogenic effects of ELS exposure.

Reduction of synaptojanin 1 ameliorates synaptic and behavioral impairments in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Decades of research have correlated increased levels of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) with neuropathological progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and transgenic models. Aβ precipitates synaptic and neuronal anomalies by perturbing intracellular signaling, which, in turn, may underlie cognitive impairment. Aβ also alters lipid metabolism, notably causing a deficiency of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P(2)], a phospholipid that regulates critical neuronal functions. Haploinsufficiency of the gene encoding synaptojanin 1 (Synj1), a major PI(4,5)P(2) phosphatase in the brain, provided protection against PI(4,5)P(2) breakdown and electrophysiological deficits attributable to Aβ. Based on these data, we tested whether reduction of Synj1 could rescue cognitive deficits and Aβ-induced morphological alterations of synapses. We found that hemizygous deletion of Synj1 in the context of a mouse model expressing the Swedish mutant of amyloid precursor protein rescues deficits in learning and memory without affecting amyloid load. Synj1 heterozygosity also rescued PI(4,5)P(2) deficiency in a synaptosome-enriched fraction from the brain of Tg2576 mice. Genetic disruption of Synj1 attenuated Aβ oligomer-induced changes in dendritic spines of cultured hippocampal neurons, sparing mature spine classes, which corroborates the protective role for Synj1 reduction against Aβ insult at the synapse. These results indicate that Synj1 reduction ameliorates AD-associated behavioral and synaptic deficits, providing evidence that Synj1 and, more generally, phosphoinositide metabolism may be promising therapeutic targets. Our work expands on recent studies identifying lipid metabolism and lipid-modifying enzymes as targets of AD-associated synaptic and behavioral impairment.

Reduced exposure to secondhand smoke at casinos in Puerto Rico after the implementation of a workplace smoking ban in 2007: a pre-post design

OBJECTIVE

Tobacco use and the involuntary exposition to secondhand smoke (SHS) is one of the leading causes of cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the smoke free workplace ban implemented in March of 2007 in Puerto Rico on the exposure of casino workers to secondhand smoke measured in terms of fine particulate matter and cotinine level.

METHODS

This study used a pre-post comparison design to measure exposure to secondhand smoke before (February, 2007) and after (December, 2007 to February, 2008) the workplace smoking ban was implemented. The samples included level of cotinine in saliva from 20 randomly sampled casino union workers and indoor concentrations of fine particulate matter (2.5 microm diameter, PM2.5) in 10 casinos located in the San Juan metropolitan area. Paired t-tests were used to test any statistically significant change in particulate matter and cotinine levels before and after the ban went into effect.

RESULTS

The average PM2.5 level in San Juan metropolitan area casinos decreased by 88.5% (95% CI: 63.9%, 96.3%) and the average cotinine level for the sample of nonsmoking casino workers decreased by 52.1% (95% CI: 40.6%, 61.4%). Both reductions were statistically significant (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The implementation of the smoke free workplace ban in 2007 resulted in a significant reduction of the exposure to secondhand smoke to casino workers in the San Juan metropolitan area of Puerto Rico.

Network structure implied by initial axon outgrowth in rodent cortex: empirical measurement and models

The developmental mechanisms by which the network organization of the adult cortex is established are incompletely understood. Here we report on empirical data on the development of connections in hamster isocortex and use these data to parameterize a network model of early cortical connectivity. Using anterograde tracers at a series of postnatal ages, we investigate the growth of connections in the early cortical sheet and systematically map initial axon extension from sites in anterior (motor), middle (somatosensory) and posterior (visual) cortex. As a general rule, developing axons extend from all sites to cover relatively large portions of the cortical field that include multiple cortical areas. From all sites, outgrowth is anisotropic, covering a greater distance along the medial/lateral axis than along the anterior/posterior axis. These observations are summarized as 2-dimensional probability distributions of axon terminal sites over the cortical sheet. Our network model consists of nodes, representing parcels of cortex, embedded in 2-dimensional space. Network nodes are connected via directed edges, representing axons, drawn according to the empirically derived anisotropic probability distribution. The networks generated are described by a number of graph theoretic measurements including graph efficiency, node betweenness centrality and average shortest path length. To determine if connectional anisotropy helps reduce the total volume occupied by axons, we define and measure a simple metric for the extra volume required by axons crossing. We investigate the impact of different levels of anisotropy on network structure and volume. The empirically observed level of anisotropy suggests a good trade-off between volume reduction and maintenance of both network efficiency and robustness. Future work will test the model's predictions for connectivity in larger cortices to gain insight into how the regulation of axonal outgrowth may have evolved to achieve efficient and economical connectivity in larger brains.

A parallel process growth mixture model of conduct problems and substance use with risky sexual behavior

Conduct problems, substance use, and risky sexual behavior have been shown to coexist among adolescents, which may lead to significant health problems. The current study was designed to examine relations among these problem behaviors in a community sample of children at high risk for conduct disorder. A latent growth model of childhood conduct problems showed a decreasing trend from grades K to 5. During adolescence, four concurrent conduct problem and substance use trajectory classes were identified (high conduct problems and high substance use, increasing conduct problems and increasing substance use, minimal conduct problems and increasing substance use, and minimal conduct problems and minimal substance use) using a parallel process growth mixture model. Across all substances (tobacco, binge drinking, and marijuana use), higher levels of childhood conduct problems during kindergarten predicted a greater probability of classification into more problematic adolescent trajectory classes relative to less problematic classes. For tobacco and binge drinking models, increases in childhood conduct problems over time also predicted a greater probability of classification into more problematic classes. For all models, individuals classified into more problematic classes showed higher proportions of early sexual intercourse, infrequent condom use, receiving money for sexual services, and ever contracting an STD. Specifically, tobacco use and binge drinking during early adolescence predicted higher levels of sexual risk taking into late adolescence. Results highlight the importance of studying the conjoint relations among conduct problems, substance use, and risky sexual behavior in a unified model.

Depressive symptoms and birth outcomes among pregnant teenagers

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Few studies have examined the effects of maternal depressive symptoms among adolescent women. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depressive symptoms on birth outcomes of infants born to adolescent mothers.

DESIGN

The medical records of pregnant adolescent patients were examined. Information about maternal depressive symptoms and birth outcomes was collected.

SETTING

Data were collected at Washington Hospital Center, a nonprofit, community-based hospital that serves residents throughout the Washington, DC area.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 294 African-American and Latina adolescent mothers. Mean age was 16.2 years (standard deviation [SD] 1.4). Based on self-reports of depressive symptoms, adolescents were categorized by the following: no reported symptoms, depressive symptoms without SI/SA (suicidal ideation or attempt), and depressive symptoms with SI/SA.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Infant birth weight and gestational age at delivery.

RESULTS

Over one-quarter of pregnant adolescents in this study reported symptoms of depression. Adolescents reporting depressive symptoms with SI/SA delivered babies that weighed 239.5 grams (98.3% confidence interval [CI] 3.9 to 475.1) less than babies born to mothers reporting depressive symptoms without SI/SA. There was no association between reported symptoms and gestational age.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that compared to nonpregnant teens and adults, pregnant teens may have an increased risk for depression. Additionally, pregnant adolescents with suicidal ideation are at greater risk for delivering infants of lower birth weight compared with teens reporting depressive symptoms without SI/SA and teens reporting no symptoms. This study supports the need for early screening and treatment of depression for young pregnant women.

Convergence and divergence among multiple methods for assessing adolescent romantic relationships

The problem solving conversations of 92 adolescent romantic couples were analyzed using two innovative techniques for capturing the meaning-making processes in couples' interactions. Couples were coded using the narrative coding system developed by the Family Narrative Consortium [Fiese, B. H. & Sameroff, A. J. (Eds.), (1999). The stories that families tell: Narrative coherence, narrative interaction, and relationship beliefs. With commentary from Philip A. Cowan. Monographs of the Society for Research on Child Development, 64(2, serial no. 257)], yielding measures of narrative coherence for each couple member and an assessment of couples' capacity to engage in the interaction in a coordinated and mutually respectful manner. In addition, a video-recall procedure captured couple members' own subjective understanding of their own and their partners' behaviors during the interaction. Moderate associations were observed between trained coders', boyfriends', and girlfriends' perspectives, with more consistent links in some domains between girlfriends' ratings and observers' codes. In addition, indices of the quality of the interaction were linked to couple member global self reports of both positive and negative relationship quality, with many associations between observed interaction and global self reports of relationship quality achieving moderate effect sizes.

Generalizing the dynamic field theory of spatial cognition across real and developmental time scales

Within cognitive neuroscience, computational models are designed to provide insights into the organization of behavior while adhering to neural principles. These models should provide sufficient specificity to generate novel predictions while maintaining the generality needed to capture behavior across tasks and/or time scales. This paper presents one such model, the dynamic field theory (DFT) of spatial cognition, showing new simulations that provide a demonstration proof that the theory generalizes across developmental changes in performance in four tasks-the Piagetian A-not-B task, a sandbox version of the A-not-B task, a canonical spatial recall task, and a position discrimination task. Model simulations demonstrate that the DFT can accomplish both specificity-generating novel, testable predictions-and generality-spanning multiple tasks across development with a relatively simple developmental hypothesis. Critically, the DFT achieves generality across tasks and time scales with no modification to its basic structure and with a strong commitment to neural principles. The only change necessary to capture development in the model was an increase in the precision of the tuning of receptive fields as well as an increase in the precision of local excitatory interactions among neurons in the model. These small quantitative changes were sufficient to move the model through a set of quantitative and qualitative behavioral changes that span the age range from 8 months to 6 years and into adulthood. We conclude by considering how the DFT is positioned in the literature, the challenges on the horizon for our framework, and how a dynamic field approach can yield new insights into development from a computational cognitive neuroscience perspective.

Differential item functioning between ethnic groups in the epidemiological assessment of depression

A potential explanation for the finding that disadvantaged minority status is associated with a lower lifetime risk for depression is that individuals from minority ethnic groups may be less likely to endorse survey questions about depression even when they have the same level of depression. We examine this possibility using a nonparametric item response theory approach to assess differential item functioning (DIF) in a national survey of psychiatric disorders, the National Comorbidity Survey. Of 20 questions used to assess depression symptoms, we found evidence of DIF in 3 questions when comparing non-Hispanic blacks with non-Hispanic whites and in 3 questions when comparing Hispanics with non-Hispanic whites. However, removal of the questions with DIF did not alter the relative prevalence of depression between ethnic groups. Ethnic differences do exist in response to questions concerning depression, but these differences do not account for the finding of relatively low prevalence of depression among minority groups.

Association between microdeletion and microduplication at 16p11.2 and autism

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorder is a heritable developmental disorder in which chromosomal abnormalities are thought to play a role.

METHODS

As a first component of a genomewide association study of families from the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), we used two novel algorithms to search for recurrent copy-number variations in genotype data from 751 multiplex families with autism. Specific recurrent de novo events were further evaluated in clinical-testing data from Children's Hospital Boston and in a large population study in Iceland.

RESULTS

Among the AGRE families, we observed five instances of a de novo deletion of 593 kb on chromosome 16p11.2. Using comparative genomic hybridization, we observed the identical deletion in 5 of 512 children referred to Children's Hospital Boston for developmental delay, mental retardation, or suspected autism spectrum disorder, as well as in 3 of 299 persons with autism in an Icelandic population; the deletion was also carried by 2 of 18,834 unscreened Icelandic control subjects. The reciprocal duplication of this region occurred in 7 affected persons in AGRE families and 4 of the 512 children from Children's Hospital Boston. The duplication also appeared to be a high-penetrance risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

We have identified a novel, recurrent microdeletion and a reciprocal microduplication that carry substantial susceptibility to autism and appear to account for approximately 1% of cases. We did not identify other regions with similar aggregations of large de novo mutations.

Multivariate strategies in functional magnetic resonance imaging

We discuss aspects of multivariate fMRI modeling, including the statistical evaluation of multivariate models and means for dimensional reduction. In a case study we analyze linear and non-linear dimensional reduction tools in the context of a 'mind reading' predictive multivariate fMRI model.

DJ-1 and UCH-L1 gene activity patterns in the brains of controls, Parkinson and schizophrenia patients and in rodents

DJ-1 (PARK7) has been implicated in early onset and familial cases of Parkinson's disease (PD). We therefore mapped cellular activity patterns of the DJ-1 gene in human and rodent brain tissue with radioactive in-situ hybridization. In all three mammals mRNA expression was restricted mainly to neurons in all regions analyzed. White matter, such as crus cerebri and capsula interna appeared negative, suggesting that glial cells express DJ-1 at levels below the detection limit of our method. We compared DJ-1 mRNA expression to the neuronal marker UCH-L1, which has also been implicated in PD, and found lower levels for DJ-1 but very similar patterns of expression. Measurement of the signal intensity revealed that human frontal cortex of control cases expressed DJ-1 mRNA more abundantly than other regions such as substantia nigra in the midbrain. Comparing DJ-1 expression in dopamine neurons on hemi-sections from controls and patients we could not detect any difference between 14 controls, 8 idiopathic Parkinson and 5 schizophrenia cases. Of note, DJ-1 is expressed in several other tissues such as the liver, gastrointestinal tract, adrenal and pituitary gland and during embryonic development, while UCH-L1 has a strictly neuronal expression also outside the CNS. We conclude that DJ-1 and UCH-L1, like other genes linked to PD, are not expressed specifically in DA neurons, but instead generally in neurons. The abundant expression of DJ-1 in certain peripheral tissues and of UCH-L1 in peripheral neurons may also be of relevance for the spectrum of symptoms in different forms of PD.

Sexual assault, sexual risks and gender attitudes in a community sample of South African men

Sexual assault against women and HIV infection are both prevalent and related social problems in South Africa. The current study examined hostile attitudes toward women, acceptance of violence against women and masculine ideological beliefs in relation to sexual assault history among men in a Cape Town township in South African. Men (n=435) completed anonymous surveys of sexual assault history, HIV risk history and gender-based attitudes. More than one in five men in this community sample reported that they had either threatened to use force or used force to gain sexual access to a woman in their lifetime. Men with a history of sexual assault were at significantly higher risk for HIV transmission than their non-sexually assaultive counterparts. Men with a history of sexual assault were also more likely to endorse hostile attitudes toward women and were more likely to accept violence against women, although these attitudes and beliefs were prevalent and pervasive across men with and without histories of sexual assault. These findings extend previous research to show that men who have a history of sexual assault also exhibit elevated risks for HIV infection and transmission. Interventions are needed to address hostile attitudes toward women, sexual assault and sexual risks for HIV among South African men.

A preliminary study of screening for risk of autism in children with fragile X syndrome: testing two risk cut-offs for the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers

OBJECTIVE

Risk criteria for the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) and modified risk criteria (i.e. the Denver Criteria) were compared in a group of children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism.

METHOD

Participants were 17 children aged 2-4 years with DNA confirmation of FXS. Four children had autism and 13 children did not.

RESULTS

Preliminary findings regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the CHAT for detecting risk for autism in children with FXS are as follows: using the original CHAT risk criteria, sensitivity and specificity were 50% and 100%, respectively; and using the Denver Criteria, sensitivity and specificity were 75% and 92%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The CHAT and the Denver Criteria resulted in preliminary findings suggesting high levels of sensitivity to autism in children with FXS.

Pathogenesis of simian immunodeficiency virus-induced alterations in macaque trigeminal ganglia

Peripheral neuropathy is the most frequent neurologic complication associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, yet its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. To study the mechanisms causing HIV-induced peripheral nervous system disease, we examined trigeminal ganglia obtained from simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-inoculated macaques. SIV-infected macaques developed multifocal trigeminal ganglionitis of varying severity characterized by multifocal mononuclear infiltrates, neuronophagia, and neuronal loss resembling reports of HIV-associated changes present in dorsal root ganglia. Neuronal density, measured by calculating the fractional area of trigeminal ganglia occupied by neurons, was significantly lower in SIV-infected macaques versus uninfected macaques (p = 0.001). To characterize the inflammatory cell population and measure productive viral infection in ganglia, trigeminal ganglia from SIV-infected macaques were immunostained for macrophage or cytotoxic lymphocyte markers and for SIV gp41. The extent of macrophage infiltration in trigeminal ganglia was inversely correlated with neuronal loss (p = 0.001), whereas cytotoxic lymphocyte infiltration was not associated with neuronal loss. These studies demonstrate that alterations in the somatosensory ganglia of SIV-infected macaques closely parallel those observed in HIV-infected individuals and show that study of SIV-infected macaques may help elucidate the pathophysiology of HIV-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Proteolytic processing of SDF-1alpha reveals a change in receptor specificity mediating HIV-associated neurodegeneration

Proteolytic cleavage of constitutively expressed proteins can generate peptides with novel bioactive properties. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 cleaves the 4 amino-terminal residues of the chemokine, stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1alpha, yielding a highly neurotoxic molecule, SDF(5-67), which fails to bind to its cognate receptor, CXCR4. Herein, we detected SDF(5-67) in brain monocytoid cells of HIV-infected persons, particularly in those with HIV-associated dementia. SDF(5-67) activated cell type-specific expression of proinflammatory genes including IL-1beta, TNFalpha, indoleamine 2',3'-dioxygenase (IDO), and IL-10 in both astrocytic and monocytoid cells (P < 0.05). Unlike SDF-1alpha, SDF(5-67) caused neuronal membrane perturbations with ensuing neurotoxicity and apoptosis (P < 0.05) through engagement of an inducible receptor. CXCR3 antagonists and siRNA-mediated knockdown of CXCR3 inhibited SDF(5-67)-stimulated neurophysiological changes, neuronal death, and neuroimmune activation (P < 0.05). Moreover SDF(5-67) bound directly to CXCR3 in a competitive manner, mediated by its amino terminus. In vivo neuroinflammation, neuronal loss, and neurobehavioral abnormalities caused by SDF(5-67) (P < 0.05) were prevented by a CXCR3 antagonist. These studies reveal additive neuropathogenic properties exerted by a proteolytically cleaved chemokine as consequences of a change in receptor specificity, culminating in neurodegeneration.

Effect of word and syllable frequency on activation during lexical decision and reading aloud

This functional MRI (fMRI) study investigated the effect of lexical and syllable frequency on visual word processing during lexical decision and reading aloud. Previous research has shown a dissociation of syllable and word frequency effects in Spanish using behavioral and electrophysiological measures, suggesting that sublexical (syllabic) representations are computed and mediate the firing of lexical candidates. Here, we characterize the neuroanatomical basis of these lexical and sublexical manipulations and their dependence on task. During lexical decision, words with low vs. high lexical frequency increased activation in left frontal, anterior cingulate, supplemental motor area (SMA), and pre-SMA regions; while words with high vs. low syllable frequency increased activation in a left anterior inferior temporal region. In contrast, when the words were read aloud those with low vs. high syllable frequency increased activation in the left anterior insula, with no other significant effects. On the basis of the neuroanatomy, we propose that the contrasting effects of syllable frequency during lexical decision and reading aloud reflect two different cognitive processes in visual word processing. Specifically, words with high-frequency syllables may increase lexical competition in the inferior temporal lobe while facilitating articulatory planning in the left anterior insula.

The impact of foster care on development

Foster care is a protective intervention designed to provide out of home placement to children living in at-risk home environments. This study employs prospective longitudinal data (N = 189) to investigate the effects of foster care on the development of child behavior and psychological functioning taking into account baseline adaptation prior to placement and socioeconomic status at the time of placement. Comparisons were made among three groups: children who experienced foster care, those who were maltreated but remained in the home, and children who had not experienced foster care or maltreatment despite their similarly at-risk demographic characteristics. In the current sample, children placed in out of home care exhibited significant behavior problems in comparison to children who received adequate care, and using the same pre- and postplacement measure of adaptation, foster care children showed elevated levels of behavior problems following release from care. Similarly, children placed into unfamiliar foster care showed higher levels of internalizing problems compared with children reared by maltreating caregivers, children in familiar care, and children who received adequate caregiving. Findings suggest that outcomes related to foster care may vary with type of care and beyond the effects associated with maltreatment history, baseline adaptation, and socioeconomic status.

Religion, spirituality and the well-being of informal caregivers: a review, critique, and research prospectus

The purpose of this article is to review and critique the published literature examining the relationships between religion/spirituality and caregiver well-being and to provide directions for future research. A systematic search was conducted using bibliographic databases, reference sections of articles, and by contacting experts in the field. Articles were reviewed for measurement, theoretical, and design limitations. Eighty-three studies were retrieved. Research on religion/spirituality and caregiver well-being is a burgeoning area of investigation; 37% of the articles were published in the last five years. Evidence for the effects of religion/spirituality were unclear; the preponderance (n = 71, 86%) of studies found no or a mixed association (i.e., a combination of positive, negative, or non-significant results) between religion/spirituality and well-being. These ambiguous results are a reflection of the multidimensionality of religion/spirituality and the diversity of well-being outcomes examined. They also partially reflect the frequent use of unrefined measures of religion/spirituality and of atheoretical approaches to studying this topic. Investigators have a fairly large number of studies on religion/spirituality and caregiver well-being on which to build. Future studies should be theory driven and utilize psychometrically sound measures of religion/spirituality. Suggestions are provided to help guide future work.

Acceptance of pneumococcal vaccine under standing orders by race and ethnicity

PURPOSE

To assess whether and how pneumococcal vaccine acceptance occurs after nurse recommendation varies by race/ethnicity.

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated nurses' standing orders to assess and vaccinate high-risk patients in a general medicine practice.

RESULTS

Of 370 adult patients surveyed (60% nonwhite), 78 (21%) declined vaccination following nurse recommendation, and 43 (12%) persisted in declining after physician consultation. Three-hundred-twenty-seven (88%) patients accepted vaccination: 292 (79%) accepted following nurse recommendation and 35 (9%) following physician consultation. African Americans (19%) were significantly more likely to decline compared with whites (8%) and Asians (5%) (P= 0.01). Reasons for refusal included believing vaccination was unnecessary (32%), fearing shots in general (21%), fearing vaccine-induced illness (26%) and wanting more informotion regarding the vaccine (9%).

CONCLUSION

Standing orders, physicians' firm recommendations and addressing patients' vaccine-related concerns may reduce racial/ethnic disparities in vaccination.

A randomized trial of the efficacy of group therapy in changing viral load and CD4 counts in individuals living with HIV infection

OBJECTIVE

This randomized pilot study evaluates whether seropositive patients who are randomly assigned to receive a supportive-expressive group therapy plus education intervention show greater improvements in increased immune function and decreased viral load compared to those randomly assigned to an education-only intervention.

METHOD

Fifty-nine individuals who had been HIV-seropositive for at least 6 months prior to inclusion in the study and had been receiving standard pharmacologic treatment were entered in a prospective randomized trial of the effects of weekly supportive-expressive group therapy on changes in immune status. Participants were matched for AIDS status and sex and randomized to receive weekly sessions of group psychotherapy plus educational materials on HIV/AIDS, or to receive the educational materials alone. Participants were assessed before treatment and then 12 weeks later.

RESULTS

Individuals who were randomized to group therapy showed a statistically significant increase in CD4 count and decrease in HIV viral load. Among individuals randomized to the education only condition, no significant change occurred in CD4 count or viral load.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide preliminary data suggesting that HIV-seropositive individuals who receive supportive-expressive group psychotherapy may experience concomitant improvements in CD4 cell count and viral load. Further research with a larger sample should examine the possible underlying mechanisms of such benefits.

Reducing alcohol-exposed pregnancy risk in college women: initial outcomes of a clinical trial of a motivational intervention

A significant number of college women are at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) owing to binge drinking paired with using contraception ineffectively. This article describes a randomized controlled trial of a one-session motivational interviewing-based intervention to reduce AEP risk among college women and presents 1-month outcomes demonstrating the early impact of this intervention. There were 228 female students from a mid-Atlantic urban university enrolled in the trial. Eligibility criteria were being in the age range of 18-24 years and being at risk for AEP. Risk for AEP was defined as having sexual intercourse with a man in the past 90 days while using contraception ineffectively (no use, incorrect use of an effective method, or use of an ineffective method only); drinking at risky levels was defined as engaging in at least one binge in the past 90 days or consuming an average of eight standard drinks per week. One-month outcome data were available for 212 of the 228 enrolled women (a follow-up rate of 93%), with complete data available for 105 women assigned to the control condition and 94 assigned to the intervention condition. At 1-month follow-up, 15% of the control subjects and 25% of the intervention women reported no risk drinking, a significant difference favoring the intervention group. Significantly fewer control subjects (48%) used effective contraception at 1-month follow-up as compared with intervention women (64%), chi(2)(1) = 5.1, p < .03. Significantly more intervention women (74%) were no longer at risk for AEP at 1 month as compared with control subjects (54%), chi(2)(1) = 8.15, p < .005. Factors that were associated with continued AEP risk at 1-month follow-up were a higher number of standard drinks per day consumed in the month prior to baseline (odds ratio, 1.1) and assignment to the control condition (odds ratio, 2.9). The risks of unintended pregnancy and AEP among drinking women in college merit greater prevention efforts. The results of this study show the promise of one preventive intervention that warrants additional study.

Preparedness for the Death of a Loved One and Mental Health in Bereaved Caregivers of Patients with Dementia: Findings from the REACH Study

BACKGROUND

Although it has been suggested that family and friends who are prepared for the death of a loved one have less distress, the relationship between preparedness and bereavement mental health is inconclusive.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between preparedness for the death and mental health in bereaved caregivers of dementia patients and explore predictors of preparedness.

DESIGN

A prospective study of family caregivers of persons with dementia. Standardized assessment instruments and structured questions were used to collect data at study entry and at 6, 12, and 18 months. Multiple caregiving-related variables were collected. Bereaved caregivers reported whether they were "not at all" prepared or prepared for the death of their loved one.

SUBJECTS

Two hundred twenty-two bereaved caregivers

RESULTS

Twenty-three percent of caregivers were not prepared for the death. These caregivers had more depression, anxiety, and complicated grief symptoms. Black caregivers, caregivers with less education, those with less income, and those with more depressive symptoms prior to the death were more likely to perceive themselves as "not at all" prepared. In contrast, the amount of pain the care recipient was in prior to death was positively associated with preparedness.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite providing high-intensity care, often for years, many bereaved caregivers perceived themselves as unprepared for the death. These caregivers had more depression, anxiety, and complicated grief symptoms. Future work should be directed to confirming these findings and determining how best to intervene with high-risk caregivers.

LONI visualization environment

Over the past decade, the use of informatics to solve complex neuroscientific problems has increased dramatically. Many of these research endeavors involve examining large amounts of imaging, behavioral, genetic, neurobiological, and neuropsychiatric data. Superimposing, processing, visualizing, or interpreting such a complex cohort of datasets frequently becomes a challenge. We developed a new software environment that allows investigators to integrate multimodal imaging data, hierarchical brain ontology systems, on-line genetic and phylogenic databases, and 3D virtual data reconstruction models. The Laboratory of Neuro Imaging visualization environment (LONI Viz) consists of the following components: a sectional viewer for imaging data, an interactive 3D display for surface and volume rendering of imaging data, a brain ontology viewer, and an external database query system. The synchronization of all components according to stereotaxic coordinates, region name, hierarchical ontology, and genetic labels is achieved via a comprehensive BrainMapper functionality, which directly maps between position, structure name, database, and functional connectivity information. This environment is freely available, portable, and extensible, and may prove very useful for neurobiologists, neurogenetisists, brain mappers, and for other clinical, pedagogical, and research endeavors.

Sources of situational variation in ethnic identity and psychological well-being: a Palm Pilot study of Chinese American students

Experience sampling reports collected randomly six times a day for 1 week examined the association between context, ethnic salience, psychological well-being, and stable ethnic centrality and ethnic private regard among Chinese American university students (N = 62). At the level of the situation, ethnic composition, family, and language were associated with higher ethnic salience. Stable ethnic centrality moderated the association between ethnic salience and family where higher centrality was related to stronger ethnic salience when students were with family. At the situation level, ethnic salience was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and increased positive mood. Stable ethnic private regard moderated this association where higher private regard was related to fewer depressive symptoms and higher levels of positive mood when ethnicity was salient.

mGluR2 acts through inhibitory Galpha subunits to regulate transmission and long-term plasticity at hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses

Presynaptic inhibitory G protein-coupled receptors play a critical role in regulating transmission at a number of synapses in the central and peripheral nervous system. We generated transgenic mice that express a constitutively active form of an inhibitory Galpha subunit to examine the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of one such receptor, metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 2, at mossy fiber-CA3 synapses in the hippocampus. mGluR2 participates in at least three types of mossy fiber synaptic plasticity, (i) transient suppression of synaptic transmission, (ii) long-term depression (LTD), and (iii) inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP), and we find that inhibitory Galpha signaling is sufficient to account for the actions of mGluR2 in each. The fact that constitutively active Galphai2 occludes the transient suppression of synaptic transmission by mGluR2, while enhancing LTD, suggests further that these two forms of plasticity are expressed via different mechanisms. In addition, the LTP deficit observed in constitutively active Galphai2-expressing mice suggests that mGluR2 activation may serve as a metaplastic switch to permit the induction of LTD by inhibiting LTP.

LRRK2 expression linked to dopamine-innervated areas

OBJECTIVE

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) has been linked to Parkinson's disease. Our study explores the expression of LRRK2 in human and rodent brain tissue.

METHODS

We analyzed LRRK2 gene activity at the cellular level using in situ hybridization.

RESULTS

We found a high and strikingly specific expression of LRRK2 mRNA in rodent striatum and parts of cortex and no signals in dopamine neurons. In human tissue, LRRK2 mRNA was found in the corresponding brain areas caudatus and putamen at lower levels and dopamine neurons were also devoid of LRRK2 mRNA. Expression levels in striatal tissue did not differ between Parkinson's disease patients and control subjects.

INTERPRETATION

Unlike all other genes so far linked to Parkinson's disease, our results demonstrate that LRRK2 expression is particularly high in brain dopaminoceptive areas.

A wavelet-based statistical analysis of FMRI data: I. motivation and data distribution modeling

We propose a new method for statistical analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The discrete wavelet transformation is employed as a tool for efficient and robust signal representation. We use structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fMRI to empirically estimate the distribution of the wavelet coefficients of the data both across individuals and spatial locations. An anatomical subvolume probabilistic atlas is used to tessellate the structural and functional signals into smaller regions each of which is processed separately. A frequency-adaptive wavelet shrinkage scheme is employed to obtain essentially optimal estimations of the signals in the wavelet space. The empirical distributions of the signals on all the regions are computed in a compressed wavelet space. These are modeled by heavy-tail distributions because their histograms exhibit slower tail decay than the Gaussian. We discovered that the Cauchy, Bessel K Forms, and Pareto distributions provide the most accurate asymptotic models for the distribution of the wavelet coefficients of the data. Finally, we propose a new model for statistical analysis of functional MRI data using this atlas-based wavelet space representation. In the second part of our investigation, we will apply this technique to analyze a large fMRI dataset involving repeated presentation of sensory-motor response stimuli in young, elderly, and demented subjects.

Premotor neuronal plasticity in monkeys adapting to a new dynamic environment

Recent evidence indicates that premotor cortex (PM) in addition to their well-established motor functions, also play a role in nonmotor processes such as spatial attention and working memory. In the present study, neuronal activities in dorsal PM (PMd) and ventral PM (PMv) were recorded in a force field adaptation task. This study found that PM neurons show learning-related plasticity and that a neuron demonstrates either one type or multiple types of properties (i.e. kinematic, dynamic, and memory). The current study reveals that memory properties could be displayed by one or a combination of the cell activity parameters [i.e. average firing rate (AFR), dynamic range (DR), and preferred direction (PD)]. A predominant percentage of cells displayed memory properties with AFR or AFR plus other parameters. This study investigated the memory properties vs. the time sequence of the task trial [i.e. delay time (DT), movement time (MT), and target holding time (THT)] and found that: (i) most neurons display memory properties only in one time window; (ii) few neurons display memory properties in three time windows, and (iii) there are significantly more cells showing memory properties during MT than during any other time windows. There are cells that show memory I (changing their tuning curves in the force field and retaining those changes after the force field was removed), memory II (changing their tuning curves after the force field was removed), or both properties. Significantly more cells display one type of memory property (memory I or memory II) rather than both types of memory properties (memory I and memory II).

Coping strategies of HIV patients with peripheral neuropathy

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between coping strategies and reports of with pain and distress in patients with HIV-related peripheral neuropathy. Seventy-eight HIV seropositive subjects completed the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ), a self-report measure that assesses seven factors, the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Bivariate correlations revealed that younger patients used more Praying-Hoping (r=-.23, p<.04) and Catastrophizing (r=-.30, p<.007). t-tests demonstrated that women used more Praying-Hoping (t(76) = 3.42, p<.01), while Hispanic and African American patients used more Praying-Hoping more than Caucasians (F (1,77) = 22.11, p=.0005). Catastrophizing significantly predicted higher scores on the BDI (t=2.968, p=.004), the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory BSI (t=2.400, p=.02); and pain interference on the Brief Pain Inventory BPI (t=2.996, p=.004) controlling for age, gender, and ethnic background. These results demonstrate that coping strategies may differ according to age, gender, and ethnic background in an HIV population, and that Catastrophizing predicts distress and interference with functioning in this sample.

Neuronal correlates of movement dynamics in the dorsal and ventral premotor area in the monkey

We investigated how neurons in the different motor areas of the frontal lobe reflect the movement dynamics, and how their neuronal activity undergoes plastic changes when monkeys adapt to perturbing forces (they learn new dynamics). Here we describe the results obtained in the dorsal premotor area (PMd) and ventral premotor area (PMv). Monkeys performed visually instructed, delayed reaching movements before, during and after exposure and adaptation to a viscous, curl force field. During movement planning (i.e., during an instructed delay that followed the cue and preceded the go signal), we found dynamics-related activity in PMd but not in PMv. A closer analysis revealed that the population of PMd reflected the dynamics of the upcoming movement increasingly over the course of the delay, starting from a kinematics-related signal. During movement execution, dynamics-related activity was present in both PMd and PMv. In this respect, the results for PMd were similar to that previously found for the supplementary motor area (SMA) whereas the results for PMv were more similar to that previously found for the primary motor cortex (M1). Plastic changes associated with the acquisition of new dynamics found in PMd and PMv were qualitatively similar to those previously observed in M1 and SMA. The ensemble of our experiments suggest a broader picture of the cortical control of movements, whereby multiple areas all contribute to the various sensorimotor processes, including "low" computations such as the movement dynamics, but also express a degree of specialization.

fMRI Hippocampal Activity During a VirtualRadial Arm Maze

Numerous studies have shown that the hippocampus is critical for spatial memory. Within nonhuman research, a task often used to assess spatial memory is the radial arm maze. Because of the spatial nature of this task, this maze is often used to assess the function of the hippocampus. Our goal was to extrapolate this task to humans and examine whether healthy undergraduates utilize their hippocampus while performing a virtual reality version of the radial arm maze task. Thirteen undergraduates performed a virtual radial arm maze during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The brain maps of activity reveal bilateral hippocampal BOLD signal changes during the performance of this task. However, paradoxically, this BOLD signal change decreases during the spatial memory component of the task. Additionally, we note frontal cortex activity reflective of working memory circuits. These data reveal that, as predicted by the rodent literature, the hippocampus is involved in performing the virtual radial arm maze in humans. Hence, this virtual reality version may be used to assess the integrity of hippocampus so as to predict risk or severity in a variety of psychiatric disorders.

14-3-3 protein in CSF: an early predictor of SIV CNS disease

In neurons, 14-3-3 proteins regulate diverse processes, including signal transduction, neurotransmitter production, and apoptosis by binding to target proteins, but the role 14-3-3 proteins play in the pathogenesis of central nervous system (CNS) disease remains unclear. To examine the relationship between presence of 14-3-3 protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and encephalitis in the SIV/macaque model of HIV CNS disease, CSF levels of 14-3-3 protein were measured by quantitative immunoblotting throughout infection in 6 SIV-infected pigtailed macaques. Beginning during asymptomatic infection and continuing until death, CSF levels of 14-3-3 were elevated in 4 of 6 SIV-infected animals. Animals with 14-3-3 protein in CSF had the highest viral loads in the CSF after acute infection and the highest levels of both viral RNA and protein in brain (p < 0.001). In contrast, the presence of 14-3-3 protein in CSF was not associated with CNS microglial/macrophage activation measured by quantitative immunohistochemical staining for CD68 (p = 0.13). CSF levels of 14-3-3 protein may be a valuable marker of early neuronal damage, CNS viral replication, and CNS disease progression in HIV-infected individuals.

Violence Perpetration Among Urban American Indian Youth

OBJECTIVE

To predict the likelihood of violence perpetration given various combinations of the most statistically salient risk and protective factors related to violence perpetration.

DESIGN

Urban Indian Youth Health Survey, conducted from October 9, 1995, to March 30, 1998, consisting of 200 forced-choice items exploring values, cultural identity, relationships, decision-making skills, and health and well-being.

SETTING

Urban schools and an after-school youth development program at an urban American Indian center.

PARTICIPANTS

Five hundred sixty-nine urban American Indian youth enrolled in grades 3 through 12.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Violence perpetration dichotomized in 2 ways: (1) level of violence perpetration (ie, hitting someone 1-2 times in the past year vs picking fights, hitting repeatedly, participating in group fights, or shooting or stabbing someone in the past year) and (2) having shot and/or stabbed someone during the past year.

RESULTS

In the final multivariate models with age as a covariate, most protective against violence perpetration were connections to school (odds ratio [OR], 0.17), positive affect (OR, 0.29), and peer prosocial behavior norms against violence (OR, 0.35). School connectedness (OR, 0.01) and positive affect (OR, 0.46) were also protective against shooting and/or stabbing someone, as was parental prosocial behavior norms against violence (OR, 0.23). The strongest risk factors for violence perpetration were substance use (OR, 2.60) and suicidal thoughts/behaviors (OR, 2.71); for shooting and/or stabbing, it was substance use (OR, 5.26). The likelihood of violence perpetration increased markedly (from 10% to 85%) as the exposure to risk factors increased and protective factors decreased. For shooting or stabbing someone, the probabilities ranged from 3% (0 risks and 3 protective factors) to 64% (1 risk and 0 protective factors).

CONCLUSION

The dramatic reduction in the likelihood of violence involvement when risk was offset with protective factors in the probability profiles suggests the utility of a dual strategy of reducing risk while boosting protection.

Intergenerational transmission of role reversal between parent and child: Dyadic and family systems internal working models

The current study examined the intergenerational transmission of role reversal within a developmental psychopathology framework. Role reversal is a relationship disturbance in which a parent looks to a child to meet the parent's need for comfort, parenting, intimacy, or play, and the child attempts to meet these needs. In a normative sample, n=138, fathers and mothers reported on childhood role reversal with their mothers as part of the Adult Attachment Interview, AAI (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1984). Mother-child role reversal was then assessed in an observational paradigm when children were 2 years of age. Based on theories of dyadic and family systems internal working models we hypothesized gender specific replications of role reversal in the next generation. Indeed, mothers who reported role reversal with their mothers during the AAI tended to engage in higher levels of role reversal with their toddler-aged daughters. Furthermore, when fathers reported role reversal with their mothers during the AAI, mothers tended to engage in higher levels of role reversal with their toddler-aged sons. The importance of the inclusion of fathers in family research, the relationship between role reversal and attachment, and implications for preventive interventions are discussed.

Optimizing the fMRI data-processing pipeline using prediction and reproducibility performance metrics: I. A preliminary group analysis

We argue that published results demonstrate that new insights into human brain function may be obscured by poor and/or limited choices in the data-processing pipeline, and review the work on performance metrics for optimizing pipelines: prediction, reproducibility, and related empirical Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve metrics. Using the NPAIRS split-half resampling framework for estimating prediction/reproducibility metrics (Strother et al., 2002), we illustrate its use by testing the relative importance of selected pipeline components (interpolation, in-plane spatial smoothing, temporal detrending, and between-subject alignment) in a group analysis of BOLD-fMRI scans from 16 subjects performing a block-design, parametric-static-force task. Large-scale brain networks were detected using a multivariate linear discriminant analysis (canonical variates analysis, CVA) that was tuned to fit the data. We found that tuning the CVA model and spatial smoothing were the most important processing parameters. Temporal detrending was essential to remove low-frequency, reproducing time trends; the number of cosine basis functions for detrending was optimized by assuming that separate epochs of baseline scans have constant, equal means, and this assumption was assessed with prediction metrics. Higher-order polynomial warps compared to affine alignment had only a minor impact on the performance metrics. We found that both prediction and reproducibility metrics were required for optimizing the pipeline and give somewhat different results. Moreover, the parameter settings of components in the pipeline interact so that the current practice of reporting the optimization of components tested in relative isolation is unlikely to lead to fully optimized processing pipelines.

Pulsatile luteinizing hormone disruption in depression

Two independent groups recently published data comparing pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) release between depressed and control women. Despite similar populations and LH sampling frequency, they reached different conclusions: Meller et al. [Am. J. Psych. 154 (1997) 1454] found disruption of normal LH pulsatility in depressed women, whereas Young et al. [Arch. Gen. Psych. 57 (2000) 1157] did not. To resolve this discrepancy, the current study applies a single, well-established statistical method, spectral analysis, to the two data sets and concludes that both depressed populations display significantly altered LH pulsatile release.

Hippocampal volume, memory, and cortisol status in major depressive disorder: effects of treatment

BACKGROUND

Depression has been linked to stress, memory deficits, and hypercortisolemia. However, the relationships between depression, hippocampal structure and function, and cortisol levels are unclear and the effects of antidepressant treatment on the measures are not well studied.

METHODS

Whole hippocampal volume, performance on verbal and visual declarative memory function and cortisol status was evaluated in 38 subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 33 healthy subjects. All measures were repeated in a subgroup (n = 22) of depressed patients after successful selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment.

RESULTS

Hippocampal volume was not significantly different between patients with untreated MMD and healthy subjects, after controlling for whole brain volume, age and gender. However, depressed subjects had significantly greater deficits in delayed memory and percent retention on the verbal portion of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) compared with healthy subjects, without significant differences in visual memory, attention, vigilance, or distractibility. Baseline plasma or urinary free cortisol (UFC) was not related to either hippocampal volume or memory deficits. Successful treatment with antidepressants did not change hippocampal volume but did result in a significant improvement in memory function and a reduction in UFC excretion.

CONCLUSIONS

Medication-free nonelderly depressed outpatients without alcohol dependence or adverse experiences in childhood had normal hippocampal volume. Focal declarative memory deficits in depression supported localized hippocampal dysfunction in depressed patients. Treatment with antidepressants significantly improved memory and depression but did not alter hippocampal volume, suggesting that antidepressants may improve hippocampal function in the absence of detectable structural changes.

Sex differences and correlations in a virtual Morris water task, a virtual radial arm maze, and mental rotation☆

Different tasks are often used to assess spatial memory in humans compared to nonhumans. In order to bridge this paradigmatic gap, we used a within-subject design to test 61 undergraduates on three spatial memory tasks. One of these tasks, the Vanderberg 3D mental rotation task, is classically used to assess spatial memory in humans. The other two tests are virtual analogues of two tasks used classically to assess spatial memory in rodents: the Morris water task and an eight-arm radial maze. We find that males perform significantly better than females on the mental rotation task and in finding a hidden platform in the virtual Morris water task. Moreover, during a probe trial, males spend significantly more distance of their swim in the training quadrant, but males and females do not differ in navigating to a visible platform. However, for the virtual eight-arm radial maze, there is no sex difference in working memory errors, reference memory errors, or distance to find the rewards. Surprisingly, an examination of the correlations among the three tasks indicates that only mental rotation ability and Morris water task probe trial performance correlate significantly among the three tasks (i.e. there are no significant correlations with traditional measures the tasks, e.g. time or distance to completion). Hence, the Morris water task and the eight-arm radial maze do not assess spatial memory in the same manner, and even after equating factors such as motivation, stress, and motor demands, there still are procedural demands of the tasks that reinforce differential strategy selection during spatial memory. This suggests that caution should be taken when utilizing these two tasks interchangeable as tests of spatial memory.

A test of the generality of perceptually based categories found in infants: attentional differences toward natural kinds by New World monkeys

A preference to novelty paradigm used to study human infants (Quinn, 2002) examined attention to novel animal pictures at subordinate, basic and superordinate levels in tamarins. First, pairs of pictures were presented in phases, starting with a monkey species (subordinate level) and ending with mammal and dinosaur sets (superordinate levels). After each phase, tests paired novel pictures from the familiarized set with a novel broader category. Look rates toward each picture were coded. Tamarins looked significantly longer at a novel species after being familiarized with a monkey species, a species-specific effect. Subjects attended equivalently to novel primate species after habituation to four monkey species, but looked significantly longer at pictures of mammals, marking a more global-level inclusion and exclusion. Superordinate testing revealed that more novel and diverse sets were differentiated attentionally. The evidence implies that natural categorical representation occurs at an attentional level in primates in ways similar to human infants, and is affected by recent exposure and category variability.

Linkage and association of the mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier SLC25A12 gene with autism

OBJECTIVE

Autism/autistic disorder (MIM number 209850) is a complex, largely genetic psychiatric disorder. The authors recently mapped a susceptibility locus for autism to chromosome region 2q24-q33 (MIM number 606053). In the present study, genes across the 2q24-q33 interval were analyzed to identify an autism susceptibility gene in this region.

METHOD

Mutation screening of positional candidate genes was performed in two stages. The first stage involved identifying, in unrelated subjects showing linkage to 2q24-q33, genetic variants in exons and flanking sequence within candidate genes and comparing the frequency of the variants between autistic and unrelated nonautistic subjects. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that showed evidence for divergent distribution between autistic and nonautistic subjects were identified, both within SLC25A12, a gene encoding the mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier (AGC1). In the second stage, the two SNPs in SLC25A12 were further genotyped in 411 autistic families, and linkage and association tests were carried out in the 197 informative families.

RESULTS

Linkage and association were observed between autistic disorder and the two SNPs, rs2056202 and rs2292813, found in SLC25A12. Using either a single affected subject per family or all affected subjects, evidence for excess transmission was found by the Transmission Disequilibrium Test for rs2056202, rs2292813, and a two-locus G*G haplotype. Similar results were observed using TRANSMIT for the analyses. Evidence for linkage was supported by linkage analysis with the two SNPs, with a maximal multipoint nonparametric linkage score of 1.57 and a maximal multipoint heterogeneity lod score of 2.11. Genotype relative risk could be estimated to be between 2.4 and 4.8 for persons homozygous at these loci.

CONCLUSIONS

A strong association of autism with SNPs within the SLC25A12 gene was demonstrated. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and to decipher any potential etiological role of AGC1 in autism.