Recently in Science of Mind Category

Your immune system is a tremendously sustainable system! But we can exercise it with a dose of... laughter.

John Cleese takes us on a tour of a laughter therapy practice in India.

Laughter promotes stress reduction, community bonding, stronger immune system... and joy. What a simple solution!

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and death among older people

People who experience memory loss or a decline in their thinking abilities may be at higher risk of stroke, regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with dementia...

This study, was published in the February 2, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Stroke is a leading cause of disability and death among older people, making early identification of people at high risk of stroke extremely important, so preventative measures can be taken," said study author Bernice Wiberg, MD, with Uppsala University in Sweden.

For the study, 930 men in Sweden around the age of 70 without a history of stroke participated in three mental tests.

Trail Making Test B

The first test, called the Trail Making Test A, measures attention and visual-motor abilities.

The second, the Trail Making Test B, measures the ability to execute and modify a plan.

The third, the Mini Mental State Examination, is commonly used by doctors to measure cognitive decline.

During a 13-year period, 166 men developed a stroke or transient ischemic attack, or TIA.

Brain infarction is the most common cause of stroke. Hemorrhage is another kind of stroke.

Brain infarction happened to 105 patients.

It causes tissue damage when the proper amount of blood does not reach the brain.

INDICATOR: Low Performers on Trail Making Test B

The study found that people who were among the bottom 25 percent of performers on the Trail Making Test B were three times more likely to have a stroke or a brain infarction compared to those who scored among the top 25 percent of performers on the test. The other two mental tests did not predict brain infarction or stroke.

Cognitive Decline May Predict Risk of Stroke

"Our results support the idea that cognitive decline regardless of whether a person has dementia may predict risk of stroke," said Wiberg. "The Trial Making Test B is a simple and cost-effective test that, with more research, could be used to identify those persons for whom stroke prevention measures should be considered."

The study was supported by the Medical Faculty at Uppsala University, the Swedish Stroke Association, Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation, the Geriatric Fund and the Uppsala County Association Against Heart and Lung Diseases.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, narcolepsy and stroke.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/AANChannel

Research of hearing loss has been difficult over the years.  New research is tracking how premature infants lose hearing, and how it can be prevented.  This knowledge could have broader application to adults.

Both humans and mice are particularly vulnerable to noise- and drug-induced hearing loss at young ages.

Sound levels measured by Clark and Weathers showed that premature infants being airlifted tested were exposed to almost 100 decibels for a period of 12 minutes before takeoff, similar to a lawn mower or chain saw. These levels could be especially damaging to premature babies.

"The laboratory mouse is a well-established model for human hearing," says coauthor Kevin K. Ohlemiller, Ph.D., research associate professor of otolaryngology. "They possess similar inner ear anatomy and physiology and similar patterns of age-related, noise-induced and drug-related hearing loss."

Ohlemiller worked with Elizabeth A. Fernandez, then a doctoral student in the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences, to see if loud noise and a low dose of kanamycin would exacerbate each other's effects. Because the first month of life is when mice are most vulnerable to noise and drugs that damage hearing, 20- to 30-day old mice were injected with either kanamycin or saline solution twice a day for 11 days. They were then exposed to 110 decibels of noise for 30 seconds.

Two surprising findings arose.

First, this particular strain of mice was very sensitive to noise-induced hearing loss. Significant loss of some sensory cells in the ear resulted in permanent hearing damage, even over the short time span.

Second, a regular, low dose of kanamycin completely protected the mice against this sensory cell damage and hearing loss. The protective effect of repeated doses persists for at least two days after the last injection, the scientists noted.

Researchers plan to use these hearing research findings in a number of ways.

They can map the genes in this strain of mice to determine what makes them so noise-sensitive and possibly figure out how kanamycin protects sensory cells in the ear.

In addition, the findings open up new possibilities for clinical research.

Learning how kanamycin protects the ear's sensory cells could help scientists develop drugs with similar effects. Medications that protect the ears from damaging noise levels could benefit a wide range of groups, from soldiers to airline workers to premature babies.

Basic Science Research PLUS Clinical Problem & Practice

"This very dramatically points out the benefits of having basic scientists who can take a clinical problem and find a result opposite of what we expected," Clark says. "These results not only energize laboratory scientists and begin new lines of research, but they also have implications for clinical practice. This has been an amazing sequence of events, to start a project in a helicopter and end up under a microscope."

Fernandez EA, Ohlemiller KK, Gagnon PM, Clark WW. Protection against noise-induced hearing loss in young CBA/J mice by low-dose kanamycin. Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. Jan. 22, 2010 (advance online publication).

Funding from National Institutes of Health and the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Department of Otolaryngology supported this research.

Lead-based Paint Dangerous for Children

Young children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning since they are more likely to ingest lead paint chips, flakes, or dust and are more sensitive to the adverse health effects of lead. Elevated lead levels in young children can trigger

• learning disabilities
• decreased growth
• hyperactivity
• impaired hearing
• brain damage

Lead can be found in a number of places inside and outside the home. For example, lead can be found in household dust from deteriorating lead-based paint or from soil tracked into the house. It can also be found in drinking water coming from old lead pipes, fixtures and solder.

"Childhood lead poisoning is easily preventable with the right information and awareness. This grant will help Arizona tribal communities raise awareness about preventing lead's adverse health effects," said Administrator Jackson. "This project is an important example of the efforts happening across the country to protect our children from a major health threat."

Lead-based Paint Outreach to Native American Tribes

The Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona is developing culturally specific outreach materials to educate tribal families, especially parents of young children, and tribal staff on the health risks to children from exposure to lead-based paint.

Lead Awareness for Facility Maintenance Personnel

The program specifically reaches out to facility maintenance personnel to stress the importance of using lead-safe work practices when renovating buildings.

The use of lead-based paint in U.S. residential housing was banned in 1978.

Approximately 75% of the U.S. housing stock built before 1978, or 64 million homes, contain some lead-based paint.

For information on EPA's lead paint program, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/lead

For information on lead in paint, dust and soil, visit: http://www.epa.gov/lead

For information on protecting your family from lead hazards, visit: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm#where

The aroma of foods could become a new weapon in the battle of the bulge by quenching the sensation of hunger. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Jon Sullivan

A real possibility exists for developing a new generation of foods that make people feel full by releasing anti-hunger aromas during chewing.

Scientists in the Netherlands are reporting  that foods could fight the global epidemic of obesity with aromas that quench hunger and prevent people from overeating. Their article appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: "Retronasal Aroma Release and Satiation: A Review".

Rianne Ruijschop and colleagues note that scientists long have tried to develop tasty foods that trigger or boost the feeling of fullness. Until recently, that research focused on food's effects in stomach after people swallow it.

Efforts now have expanded to include foods that release hunger-quenching aromas during chewing. Molecules that make up a food's aroma apparently do so by activating areas of the brain that signal fullness.

Their analysis found that aroma release during chewing does contribute to the feeling of fullness and possibly to consumers' decisions to stop eating. The report cites several possible applications, including developing foods that release more aroma during chewing or developing aromas that have a more powerful effect in triggering feelings of fullness.

SOURCE:

"Retronasal Aroma Release and Satiation: A Review"
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of severe depression that occurs annually in the fall and winter seasons.

Behavior Therapy reports research results by University of Vermont psychologist Kelly Rohan of a study of the long-term effects of different treatments for SAD.

The first year Rohan randomized 69 people with SAD into one of four groups: light therapy treatment, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a combination of the two or a wait-list control.

Depression Results One Year Later

She then surveyed participants on how they were doing the next winter - one year later.

Of those treated with cognitive behavior therapy, only 7% had a recurrence compared to 36.7% of people treated with light therapy.

The recurrence rate for the combination group was 5.5 percent.

When Rohan looked at the severity of the depression that did occur, however, CBT was associated with less severe depression than those treated with either light therapy or a combination of both.

A Brigham Young University professor's research found a dramatic improvement in ethical behavior with just a few spritzes of citrus-scented Windex.

The researchers see implications for workplaces, retail stores and other organizations that have relied on traditional surveillance and security measures to enforce rules.

"Companies often employ heavy-handed interventions to regulate conduct, but they can be costly or oppressive," said Liljenquist, whose office smells quite average. "This is a very simple, unobtrusive way to promote ethical behavior."

Perhaps the findings could be applied at home, too, Liljenquist said with a smile. "Could be that getting our kids to clean up their rooms might help them clean up their acts, too."

The study titled "The Smell of Virtue" was unusually simple and conclusive.

Participants engaged in several tasks, the only difference being that some worked in unscented rooms, while others worked in rooms freshly spritzed with Windex.

The first experiment evaluated fairness. As a test of whether clean scents would enhance reciprocity, participants played a classic "trust game." Subjects received $12 of real money (allegedly sent by an anonymous partner in another room). They had to decide how much of it to either keep or return to their partners who had trusted them to divide it fairly. Subjects in clean-scented rooms were less likely to exploit the trust of their partners, returning a significantly higher share of the money.

· The average amount of cash given back by the people in the "normal" room was $2.81. But the people in the clean-scented room gave back an average of $5.33.

The second experiment evaluated whether clean scents would encourage charitable behavior. Subjects indicated their interest in volunteering with a campus organization for a Habitat for Humanity service project and their interest in donating funds to the cause.

· Participants surveyed in a Windex-ed room were significantly more interested in volunteering (4.21 on a 7-point scale) than those in a normal room (3.29).

· 22 percent of Windex-ed room participants said they'd like to donate money, compared to only 6 percent of those in a normal room.

Follow-up questions confirmed that participants didn't notice the scent in the room and that their mood at the time of the experiment didn't affect the outcomes.

Cleanliness is next to godliness?  Was Granny right?

"Basically, our study shows that morality and cleanliness can go hand-in-hand," said Galinsky of the Kellogg School. "Researchers have known for years that scents play an active role in reviving positive or negative experiences. Now, our research can offer more insight into the links between people's charitable actions and their surroundings."

While this study examined the influence of the physical environment on morality, Zhong and Liljenquist previously published work that demonstrated an intimate link between morality and physical cleanliness. Their 2006 paper in Science reported that transgressions activated a desire to be physically cleansed.

Liljenquist is now researching how perceptions of cleanliness shape our impressions of people and organizations. "The data tell a compelling story about how much we rely upon cleanliness cues to make a wide range of judgments about others," she said.

Katie Liljenquist is assistant professor of organizational leadership at BYU's Marriott School of Management, and the lead author on the piece in a forthcoming issue of Psychological Science. Co-authors are Chen-Bo Zhong of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and Adam Galinsky of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Source: Newswise

Obesity and its cardiovascular complications affect many African Americans, according to background information in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Standard behavioral treatments for obesity appear to be less successful in African Americans than in whites. Cultural modifications to these standard programs--such as the inclusion of family members and support networks--may enhance their effectiveness.

Enrolling in a weight loss program with a family member or friend appears to enhance weight loss among African Americans, but only if the involved partner attends sessions frequently or also loses weight, according to the report.

The goal of a University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine  study was to achieve and maintain a 5 percent to 10 percent weight loss.

Components of the program included counseling that encouraged self-monitoring of food intake and physical activity, distribution of pedometers, group sessions involving weight and activity checks and skill building, and community-based field workshops such as cooking demonstrations and gym visits.

Weight Loss Results

After 24 months, main participants had lost an average of 5.3 pounds. Participants in the two family groups initially had better attendance and greater weight loss than those in the individual group, but these changes were not statistically significant and decreased over time.

TIP: Personally tailored counseling sessions

However, participants whose partners attended more personally tailored counseling sessions had lost more weight at six months in the high-support group and at six, 12 and 24 months in the low-support group. 

TIP: Choose your partner carefully

In addition, those in both family groups whose partner lost at least 5 percent of their body weight had greater weight loss at six months than those whose partner lost less than 5 percent.

This study was funded by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Laboratory analyses were provided through a General Clinical Research Center Grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources.

Source: Newswise, Inc

The prevalence of mental health disorders in this country has nearly doubled in the past 20 years.

Q: Who is treating all of these patients?

A: Clinical psychologists and therapists are charged with the task, but many are falling short by using methods that are out of date and lack scientific rigor.

This is in part because many of the training programs -- especially some Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) programs and for-profit training centers -- are not grounded in science.

A new report in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, by a panel of distinguished clinical scientists -- Timothy Baker (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Richard McFall (Indiana University), and Varda Shoham (University of Arizona) - calls for the reform of clinical psychology training programs and appeals for a new accreditation system to ensure that mental health clinicians are trained to use the most effective and current research to treat their patients.

There are multiple practices in clinical psychology that are grounded in science and proven to work, but in the absence of standardized science-based training, those treatments go unused.

Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT)

For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be the most effective treatment for PTSD and has the fewest side-effects, yet many psychologists do not use this method.

Baker and colleagues cite one study in which only 30 percent of psychologists were trained to perform CBT for PTSD and only half of those psychologists elected to use it.

That means that six of every seven sufferers were not getting the best care available from their clinicians.

Furthermore, CBT shows both long-term and immediate benefits as a treatment for PTSD; whereas medications such as Paxil have shown 25 to 50 percent relapse rates.

Escalating cost of mental health care treatment

The report suggests that the escalating cost of mental health care treatment has reduced the use of psychological treatments and shifted care to general health care facilities.

The authors also stress the importance of coupling psychosocial interventions with medicine because many behavioral therapies have been shown to reduce costs and provide longer term benefits for the client.

Baker and colleagues conclude that a new accreditation system is the key to reforming training in clinical psychology. This new system is already under development: the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS www.pcsas.org).

For more information, a copy of this report or to arrange an interview with the authors please contact Kevin Lyn Sisson at 202.293.9300 or ksisson@psychologicalscience.org.

Timothy Baker is Professor of Medicine in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Richard McFall is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington. Varda Shoham is Professor of Psychology at the University of Arizona..

Psychological Science in the Public Interest provides definitive assessments of topics where psychological science has the potential to inform and improve the well-being of society.

Mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) disorders--which include depression, conduct disorder, and substance abuse--affect large numbers of young people.

Studies indicate that MEB disorders are a major health threat and are as commonplace today among young people as a fractured limb---not inevitable but not at all unusual.

Almost 1 in 5 young people have one or more MEB disorders at any given time.

• Among adults, half of all MEB disorders were first diagnosed by age 14 and three-fourths by age 24.
• Many disorders have life-long effects that include high psychosocial and economic costs, not only for the young people, but also for their families, schools, and communities. The financial costs in terms of treatment services and lost productivity are estimated at $247 billion annually.
• Beyond the financial costs, MEB disorders also interfere with young people's ability to accomplish developmental tasks, such as establishing healthy interpersonal relationships, succeeding in school, and making their way in the workforce.

Clear windows of opportunity are available to prevent MEB disorders and related problems before they occur.

Risk factors are well established, preventive interventions are available, and the first symptoms typically precede a disorder by 2 to 4 years.

And because mental health and physical health problems are interwoven, improvements in mental health will undoubtedly also improve physical health. Yet the nation's approach to MEB disorders has largely been to wait to act until a disorder is well-established and has already done considerable harm. All too often, opportunities are missed to use evidence-based approaches to prevent the occurrence of disorders, establish building blocks for healthy development in all young people, and limit the environmental exposures that increase risk--approaches likely to be far more cost-effective in addressing MEB disorders in the long run.

Interventions before a disorder manifests itself offer the best opportunity to protect young people. Such interventions can be integrated with routine health care and wellness promotion, as well as in schools, families, and communities.

A range of policies and practices that target young people with specific risk factors; promote positive emotional development; and build on family, school, and community resources have proven to be effective at reducing and preventing MEB disorders.

Making use of the evidence-based interventions already at hand could potentially save billions of dollars by preventing or mitigating disorders that would otherwise require expensive treatment.

A recent study by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine recommended multiple strategies for enhancing the psychological and emotional well-being of young people.

• Strengthening families by targeting problems such as substance use or aggressive behavior; teaching effective parenting skills; improving communication; and helping families deal with disruptions (such as divorce) or adversities (such as parental mental illness or poverty).
• Strengthening individuals by building resilience and skills and improving cognitive processes and behaviors.
• Preventing specific disorders, such as anxiety or depression, by screening individuals at risk and offering cognitive training or other preventive interventions.
• Promoting mental health in schools by offering support to children encountering serious stresses; modifying the school environment to promote prosocial behavior; developing students' skills at decision making, self-awareness, and conducting relationships; and targeting violence, aggressive behavior, and substance use.
• Promoting mental health through health care and community programs by promoting and supporting pro-social behavior, teaching coping skills, and targeting modifiable life-style factors that can affect behavior and emotional health, such as sleep, diet, activity and physical fitness, sunshine and light, and television viewing.

RESOURCE: Download the executive summary or complete research report at the National Academies Press: Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities This study is a project of the Board on Children, Youth, and Families (BCYF) within the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education of the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine.
www.bocyf.org
202-334-1935