Gregory Tooley

Acute increases in night-time plasma melatonin levels following a period of meditation

To determine whether a period of meditation could influence melatonin levels, two groups of meditators were tested in a repeated measures design for changes in plasma melatonin levels at midnight. Experienced meditators practising either TM-Sidhi or another internationally well known form of yoga showed significantly higher plasma melatonin levels in the period immediately following meditation compared with the same period at the same time on a control night. It is concluded that meditation, at least in the two forms studied here, can affect plasma melatonin levels. It remains to be determined whether this is achieved through decreased hepatic metabolism of the hormone or via a direct effect on pineal physiology. Either way, facilitation of higher physiological melatonin levels at appropriate times of day might be one avenue through which the claimed health promoting effects of meditation occur.

Different Current Intensities of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Do Not Differentially Modulate Motor Cortex Plasticity

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique that modulates the excitability of neurons within the motor cortex (M1). Although the aftereffects of anodal tDCS on modulating cortical excitability have been described, there is limited data describing the outcomes of different tDCS intensities on intracortical circuits. To further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the aftereffects of M1 excitability following anodal tDCS, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to examine the effect of different intensities on cortical excitability and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). Using a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design, with a one-week wash-out period, 14 participants (6 females and 8 males, 22–45 years) were exposed to 10 minutes of anodal tDCS at 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 mA. TMS was used to measure M1 excitability and SICI of the contralateral wrist extensor muscle at baseline, immediately after and 15 and 30 minutes following cessation of anodal tDCS. Cortical excitability increased, whilst SICI was reduced at all time points following anodal tDCS. Interestingly, there were no differences between the three intensities of anodal tDCS on modulating cortical excitability or SICI. These results suggest that the aftereffect of anodal tDCS on facilitating cortical excitability is due to the modulation of synaptic mechanisms associated with long-term potentiation and is not influenced by different tDCS intensities.

Associations between alcohol outlet densities and adolescent alcohol consumption: a study in Australian students.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether the density of alcohol sales outlets in specific geographic communities is associated with adolescent alcohol consumption. METHOD A cross-sectional representative sample of secondary school students from Victoria, Australia (N=10,143), aged between 12 and 17 years, self-reported on alcohol use in the last 30 days in 2009. The density of alcohol outlets per local community area was merged with this information. RESULTS After controlling for risk factors, multilevel modelling (MLM) revealed a statistical interaction between age and density on alcohol consumption. While older adolescents had higher alcohol consumption, increases in the density of alcohol outlets were only significantly associated with increased risk of alcohol consumption for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 14. CONCLUSION Increased alcohol availability was associated with an increased risk of alcohol consumption specifically for early adolescents (12 and 14 years). Potential mechanisms as to how density is associated with direct and indirect alcohol availability, such as through parents or older siblings, need to be explored in future research.

Facilitators' experience of delivering asynchronous and synchronous online interprofessional education.

Abstract Introduction: Online delivery of interprofessional education (IPE) is an emerging area with very little research to date focusing on the experience of the facilitator in this process. The purpose of this article was to explore the facilitator experience of online asynchronous and synchronous IPE facilitation of pre-licensure students. Methods: Nineteen online facilitators participated in semi-structured telephone interviews to explore this experience. Results: Findings from Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis indicated that the facilitators found positives of the experience including perceiving that the students were learning, their own development as a facilitator, the flexibility of the role and feeling supported as a facilitator. Challenges of the experience were also noted including technological problems in the synchronous environment and engaging some students or teams in both the synchronous and asynchronous environments. Discussion: While this study identified positive aspects of the facilitation experience it also highlighted some key topics which need to be addressed in training for online IPE facilitators to further enhance their experience, and subsequently the experience and interprofessional learning of their students.

Improving child and family outcomes following complicated births requiring admission to neonatal intensive care units

Abstract This paper reviews current research regarding the impact of birth complications, such as preterm labour, on parents and the nuclear family system. Specifically, how parents cope with the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience and the associated decision-making tasks required during complicated births will be investigated. Consequences of poor adaptation to prematurity for the parent, family and infant relationships will also be discussed. The importance of informed decision-making, perceived control, self-esteem and the benefits of certain strategies, such as kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact), in the facilitation of greater levels of attachment and improved relationships, will be highlighted. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research areas to focus on finding better ways to prepare and support parents in these situations, thus improving the quality of relationships between parents and with their child.

Corticospinal activity during dual tasking: a systematic review and meta-analysis of TMS literature from 1995 to 2013.

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted across studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation to investigate corticospinal excitability and inhibition in response to a dual task (DT). Quantitative analysis was performed on eleven controlled studies that had included healthy participants over the age of 18 years. Results showed a small effect size for increased corticospinal excitability for DT conditions (SMD=0.207; p=.217, and a small effect size (SMD=-0.253) demonstrating a significant decrease in corticospinal inhibition for DT conditions (p=.019). Meta-regression demonstrated that neither age, task type, or task prioritisation accounted for the high variability in effect sizes between studies. A number of possible sources of within study bias are identified, which reduced the level of evidence for study findings. The results show overall changes in corticospinal responses between ST and DT conditions; however further research is necessary to investigate variables that could account for differences in corticospinal responses between studies.

Disorganized attachment and reproductive strategies

Del Giudice provides an extension of the life history theory of attachment that incorporates emerging data suggestive of sex differences in avoidant male and preoccupied female attachment patterns emerging in middle childhood. This commentary considers the place of disorganized attachment within this theory and why male children may be more prone to disorganized attachment by drawing on Triverss parental investment theory...

Attitudes of intensive care and emergency physicians in Australia with regard to the organ donation process: A qualitative analysis:

Specialized hospital physicians have direct capacity to impact Australia’s sub-optimal organ donation rates because of their responsibility to identify and facilitate donation opportunities. Australian physicians’ attitudes toward this responsibility are examined. A total of 12 intensive care unit and three emergency department physicians were interviewed using a constructionist grounded theory and situational analysis approach. A major theme emerged, related to physicians’ conflicts of interest in maintaining patients’/next-of-kin’s best interests and a sense of duty-of-care in this context. Two sub-themes related to this main theme were identified as follows: (1) discussions about organ donation and who is best to carry these out and (2) determining whether organ donation is part of end-of-life care; including the avoidance of non-therapeutic ventilation; and some reluctance to follow clinical triggers in the emergency department. Overall, participants indicated strong support for organ donation but would not consider it part of end-of-life care, representing a major obstacle to the support of potential donation opportunities. Findings have implications for physician education and training. Continued efforts are needed to integrate the potential for organ donation into end-of-life care within intensive care units and emergency departments.