W. David Crews

CEREBRAL ASYMMETRY IN FACIAL AFFECT PERCEPTION BY WOMEN : NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DEPRESSED MOOD

40 right-handed women, half of whom had been classified with depressed mood and the other half as nondepressed, participated in a tachistoscopic study of the influence of depressed mood on the cerebral hemispheric processing of Ekman and Friesens 1976 happy, sad, and neutral emotional faces using a forced-choice reaction-time paradigm with only happy and sad alternatives as response manipulanda. The women with depressed mood were also characterized by elevated scores on both state and trait anxiety, suggestive of an anxious-depressive state with heightened arousal. Primary findings for the tachistoscopic data indicated that women with depressed mood as compared to nondepressed women displayed significantly faster reaction times to sad faces presented in the right visual field and happy faces presented in the left visual field. These results are suggestive of differential arousal of both the left and right cerebral hemispheres in this sample of anxious-depressed women and are discussed in light of arousal theory.

Sex differences and cerebral asymmetry in facial affect perception as a function of depressed mood

Twenty-four right-handed subjects (12 men and 12 women), half within each sex classified as with depressed mood and the other half as nondepressed, participated in a tachistoscopic study of the influence of depressive symptomatology on the hemispheric processing of emotional faces (happy, angry, and neutral). Slower emotional processing was found in women with depressed mood than was found in nondepressed women, whereas diametrically opposite effects were seen in men. Cerebral asymmetry was also found as a function of affective valence, with a right-hemisphere advantage for the identification of angry faces. Symmetry was found in the identification of happy faces. Additionally, women with depressed mood more often identified neutral faces as angry, whereas depressive symptomatology reduced the strong negative response bias in men, with increased ambivalence or uncertainty in neutral affect perception. These results are discussed in light of hypothesized differences in cerebral asymmetry with depression and according to sex.

Cessation of long-term naltrexone therapy and self-injury: a case study.

The cessation of long-term Naltrexone administration was investigated through a double-blind, placebo-controlled, withdrawal design in a 28-year-old, profoundly mentally retarded woman with a history of severe self-injurious behavior (SIB). The subject had previously exhibited a dramatic decrease in SIB subsequent to Naltrexone administration. At the end of 1 year of continuous drug treatment, the subject displayed a near-zero rate of SIB episodes. This near-zero rate continued through placebo and no-drug phases of the study and at 6-month (no-drug) follow-up. This trend suggests not only that Naltrexone may be effective in reducing SIB, but that long-term administration may produce durable results after treatment cessation. Findings are discussed in relation to the endogenous opioid system theories of SIB.

Cessation of long-term naltrexone administration: longitudinal follow-ups

Longitudinal follow-ups of the cessation of long-term Naltrexone administration (1 year of drug therapy) were conducted with a young woman (in her early 30s) with profound mental retardation who had previously displayed dramatic decreases in her self-injurious behaviors (SIB) both during, and for a period of at least 6 months following termination of drug treatment. After 2 and 4 years, post-Naltrexone therapy, the subject continued to exhibit near-zero rates of SIB episodes despite significant turnovers in her direct care staff by the 2-year follow-up, and changes in her physical/living environment and fellow residents by 4-year follow-up. These findings provide further support to the idea that long-term Naltrexone administration may result in highly durable reductions in SIB long after treatment ends and argue against certain aspects of the subjects environment affecting her rates of SIB significantly. These results are discussed in light of the endogenous opiate system theories of SIB. A functional analysis and discussion of the effectiveness of behavioral treatments for her few remaining SIB episodes are also provided.

Functional Asymmetry in the Motor Performances of Women: Neuropsychological Effects of Depression

The influence of depression on the cerebral hemispheric motor functioning of 40 right-handed women, half of whom had been classified as depressed, the other half as nondepressed, was examined. The depressed women were also characterized by elevated state and trait anxiety, suggestive of an anxious-depressive state with heightened arousal. A hand dynamometer was used as a standardized measure of hemispheric motor functioning such as hand-grip strength, perseveration, and fatigue. Primary findings indicated that depressed women displayed significantly less perseveration at the left hand than did nondepressed women, but a nonsignificant trend only was noted for less perseveration at the right hand. These results suggest possible differential arousal of the left and right cerebral hemispheres in this sample of anxious-depressed women and are discussed in terms of arousal theory.

Spinal cord injury and anxiety: a comprehensive review

Although there have been past literature reviews which have addressed the psychological adjustment, consequences, and impact/reaction to spinal cord injury, as well as reviews of depression after spinal cord injury, there appears to be an absence of reviews which have focused primarily on the relationship between spinal cord injury and anxiety. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of the relatively recent (the past 23-31 years depending on the database utilized) scientific literature as it pertains to anxiety reactions in spinal cord injured individuals. Specifically, this paper provides reviews of the prevalence/presence of anxiety reactions, as well as the correlates of anxiety, in the spinal cord injured population. Furthermore, this paper reviews the relatively few articles which have addressed the treatment of such symptomatology in spinal cord injured individuals. Methodological concerns and limitations of the existing literature and directions for future research are also provided.

The Effects of Cocoa- and Chocolate-Related Products on Neurocognitive Functioning

To date, there appear to be only nine published studies in the scientific literature that have examined the effects of cocoa- and chocolate-related products on neurocognitive functioning. The majority (i.e., seven of nine) of the published studies that have examined the effects of cocoa- and chocolate-related products on neurocognitive processes have found that the compounds are associated with significantly improved and/or preserved aspects of cognitive functioning. Increasing evidence suggests that dietary flavonoids and methylxanthines, such as those commonly found in cocoa and chocolate products, may possess neuroprotective, neuroenhancing, and neurostimulating effects.

Utilization of a comprehensive sensory stimulation program with a comatose tetraplegic patient.

To date, there has been a relative absence of studies which have examined the utility and effectiveness of sensory stimulation procedures in comatose, spinal-cord-injured patients. This report describes the interdisciplinary utilization (within an acute care setting) of a comprehensive sensory stimulation programme with a 21-year-old, comatose, tetraplegic male patient. To promote behavioural arousal, multiple sensory stimulation sessions were conducted with the patient daily. Within each session (and across sensory modalities), the effectiveness of sensory stimulation procedures was evaluated via use of A-B-A within-subject designs. Results indicated that the patient exhibited significantly greater behavioural arousal during sensory stimulation (B1), as compared to pre-(A1) and post-(A2) treatment baselines. There was also a non-significant trend of increased behavioural arousal during the post- as compared to the pre-treatment baselines (i.e. carry-over effect). By termination of this programme, the patient exhibited an overall increased level of arousal/behavioural responsiveness (i.e. decreased coma) as compared to his level at the initiation of this programme. These findings are discussed in light of factors that may affect the effectiveness and implementation of such sensory stimulation programmes with comatose, tetraplegic patients in acute care settings.

Neuropsychological impairments of executive functions and memory in a case of bilateral paramedian thalamic infarction

Abstract There is a relative absence of studies which longitudinally examine the neuropsychological correlates of bilateral thalamic infarctions across a range of tests purported to be sensitive to the executive functions and memory. A case is reported of a patient with bilateral paramedian thalamic infarctions who, upon repeated neuropsychological examinations, exhibited performances indicative of impaired executive functions and memory. The neuropsychological findings corresponded with the patients computerized tomograph (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results which confirmed the presence of paramedian thalamic hypodensities that were greater on the left than on the right side. The longitudinal findings indicated that the patients neurocognitive impairments were relatively chronic and long-standing. Possible anatomical mechanisms that may be responsible for these results are discussed.

John N. Buck (1906–1983): Did he practically establish clinical psychology in virginia?

A posthumous biographical profile is presented of John N. Buck, an early clinical psychologist who gained national recognition for his diverse contributions to the field. In addition to developing the House-Tree-Person (H-T-P) Projective Technique and an array of other psychological inventories, he was instrumental in establishing clinical psychology in Virginia. Buck served on the first Examining Board for Certification of Clinical Psychologists in Virginia (and the nation) and was later its chairman. He published his research in peer-reviewed journals and presented guest lectures at respected universities. These professional achievements were quite remarkable in light of the fact that Buck was paraplegic and had no college degree and only scattered formal training in psychology.