Emotional states predict cellular immune system activity under conditions of life as it is lived: A multivariate time-series analysis approach.

The relationship between emotional states and immune system activity is characterized by bidirectional influences; however, limited information is available regarding the temporal dynamics of these effects. The goal of this investigation was to examine how these psychoimmunological interdependencies unfold over time under conditions of "life as it is lived". For this purpose, three healthy women collected their entire urine over a period of approximately two months at 12-h intervals (8 am-8 pm, 8 pm-8 am), resulting in a total of 112 to 126 consecutive measurements per subject. In addition, among other regular psychological assessments, the subjects completed the EWL-60-S, an emotional state questionnaire, each morning and evening. To assess the extent of T-helper type 1 immune activation, the neopterin per creatinine concentration was measured in the urine samples using high-pressure liquid chromatography. The dynamic relationships between the time series of the six emotional states (performance-related activity, general inactivity, extraversion/introversion, general feeling of comfort, emotional irritation, anxiety/depressiveness) and urinary neopterin levels were estimated in vector-autoregressive models and evaluated using Granger-causality tests, impulse-response functions and forecast error variance decompositions. The findings showed that emotional states explained up to 20% of the variance of urinary neopterin per creatinine levels, whereby most of the effects occurred within a period of approximately three days. Across all subjects, increases in anxiety/depressiveness and extraversion led to increases in neopterin levels, while a general feeling of comfort led to decreases in neopterin. These results emphasize the importance of the interdependencies between emotional states and immune system activity and showcase the potential that intensive longitudinal study designs offer for psychoneuroimmunology.

A Qualitative Literature Search and Pilot Study of Online Support Groups for Patients With Dementia and Their Carers.

The ever-growing group of people living with dementia (PLWD) and their relatives face great challenges. The Covid 19 pandemic has once again placed a particular challenge on this vulnerable group. What started a decade earlier with telephone-based support groups experienced a real push during the pandemic in the form of video-based self-help services. The aim of this qualitative literature search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO with keywords related to online, support group, caregiver, and dementia was to collect the reported experiences by the end of 2022. Peer reviewed journal papers were included when published and written in English. After the joint decision of two reviewers, it was decided to only include studies that were published in Medline. The results of the literature search are compared with experiences of the participants in a presentation group that was transformed into an online group at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic via Zoom. In search yielded a total of 129 articles. 113 articles described different types of interventions, 30 of which had a randomized design. The qualitative literature search showed on the one hand a high interest in online support groups but on the other hand that the effectiveness and efficacy in randomized trials is much less clear. In addition, we investigated the assessments and experiences of the participants in a presentation group that was transformed into an online group at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic via Zoom. This study demonstrates that PLWD and carers on virtual group meetings can express significant emotive capacity and enhanced connectivity with one another despite a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia. Further research on entry criteria, concerns about online support services in general and necessary support for use is essential to develop the time- and location-independent possibility of video-based online self-help into an important form of support for both PLWD and their caregivers as an additional support option independent of exceptional pandemic situations.

About-Weekly Pattern in the Dynamic Complexity of a Healthy Subject's Cellular Immune Activity: A Biopsychosocial Analysis.

In a previous integrative single-case study, we collected biological, psychological and social time-series data on a 25-year-old healthy woman over the course of 126 12-h intervals (63 days) and used urinary neopterin as an indicator of cellular immune activity [Schubert et al. 2012 (1)]. The present re-evaluation introduced Dynamic Complexity (DC) as an additional non-linear and non-stationary measure to further investigate the subject's biopsychosocial dynamics during the study. The new time series dealing with urinary neopterin complexity revealed a cyclic, circaseptan (about-weekly) repeating pattern (6.59 days). The only weekly reoccurring events over the course of the study that were associated with this immunological pattern were the in-depth interviews with the subject (mean distance between interviews: 6.5 days). Superposed epoch analysis (SEA) revealed a U-shaped relation between neopterin complexity and interviews, with a decrease in neopterin complexity before and during interviews and an increase after interviews. Furthermore, the complexity scores for irritation, anxiousness/depressiveness and mental activity were positively correlated with neopterin complexity. The results suggest that the interviews, which had been found to be related to the subject's need for educational and/or social accomplishment, were marked by stress (decrease in psycho-immunological flexibility and adaptability), which was then relieved after the interviews (increase in psycho-immunological flexibility and adaptability). It appears that the subject's cellular immune activity, as indicated by neopterin complexity, functionally mirrored the emotional meaning she ascribed to the in-depth interviews. This re-evaluation is in line with the view that biopsychosocial research requires multimodal analysis of single cases based on qualitative (e.g., in-depth interviews) and quantitative (e.g., time series analysis) data under conditions of "life as it is lived".

Case Report: Dynamic Interdependencies Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Practice, Urinary Interleukin-6 Levels, and Fatigue in a Breast Cancer Survivor.

Background: This study investigated the influence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques (i.e., Jin Shin Jyutsu, music, physiotherapy, Tai Chi, and energy healing) on urinary interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and fatigue in a 49-year-old breast cancer survivor suffering from cancer-related fatigue and depression. Data were sampled under conditions of "life as it is lived." Methods: For 28 days, a female breast cancer survivor collected her full urine output in 12-h intervals from about 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from about 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. These urine samples were used to determine urinary IL-6 levels through ELISA and creatinine concentrations via HPLC. In 12-h intervals (every morning and evening), the patient completed the DIARI, which included fatigue measurement and notes on incidents and activities such as CAM practice. In addition, the patient was interviewed weekly to identify meaningful everyday incidents. In this context, CAM practice was also discussed. Time series analysis consisted of ARIMA modeling and cross-correlational analyses (p < 0.05). Results: When each CAM technique was considered separately in time series analysis, CAM was consistently associated with increases in urinary IL-6 release and decreases in fatigue. Furthermore, when all CAM techniques experienced as positive were included in one time series, a biphasic urinary IL-6 response pattern was found in which CAM practice was first preceded by decreases in IL-6 by 12-0 h and then followed by increases in IL-6 after 108-120 h. Finally, cross-correlations between IL-6 and fatigue showed that increases in IL-6 were followed by decreases in fatigue intensity after 48-60 h and, conversely, that decreases in fatigue intensity were followed by decreases in IL-6 after 24-36 h and 48-60 h. Conclusion: IL-6 increases and fatigue decreases highlight potential health-promoting effects of CAM practice. Moreover, a cyclic IL-6 pattern in response to all CAM activities experienced as positive underscores that CAM was meaningful to the patient. Additionally, a negative feedback circuit between IL-6 and fatigue intensity was detected. Taken together, this study confirms the necessity of integrating subjective meaning and dynamic complexity into biopsychosocial research in order to understand human functioning under real-life conditions.

Investigating Object Files in Spatial Cueing.

In spatial cueing, cues presented at target position (valid condition) can capture visual attention and facilitate responses to the target relative to cues presented away from target position (invalid condition). If cues and targets carry different features, the necessary updating of the object representation from the cue to the target display sometimes counteracts and even reverses facilitation in valid conditions, resulting in an inverted validity effect. Previous studies reached partly divergent conclusions regarding the conditions under which object-file updating occurs, and little is known about the exact nature of the processes involved. Object-file updating has so far been investigated by manipulating cue-target similarities in task-relevant target features, but other features that change between the cue and target displays might also contribute to object-file updating. This study examined the conditions under which object-file updating could counteract validity effects by systematically varying task-relevant (color), response-relevant (identity), and response-irrelevant (orientation) features between cue and target displays. The results illustrate that object-file updating is largely restricted to task-relevant features. In addition, the difficulty of the search task affects the degree to which object-file updating costs interact with spatial cueing.

Neural Processing of Cognitive Control in an Emotionally Neutral Context in Anxiety Patients.

Impaired cognitive control plays a crucial role in anxiety disorders and is associated with deficient neural mechanisms in the fronto-parietal network. Usually, these deficits were found in tasks with an emotional context. The present study aimed at investigating electrophysiological and vascular signatures from event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in anxiety patients versus healthy controls during an inhibition task integrated in an emotionally neutral context. Neural markers were acquired during the completion of a classical Eriksen flanker task. The focus of data analysis has been the ERPs N200 and P300 and fNIRS activations in addition to task performance. No behavioral or neural group differences were identified. ERP findings showed a larger N2pc and a delayed and reduced P300 for incongruent stimuli. The N2pc modulation suggests the reorienting of attention to salient stimuli, while the P300 indicates longer lasting stimulus evaluation processes due to increased task difficulty. FNIRS did not result in any significant activation potentially suggesting a contribution from deeper brain areas not measurable with fNIRS. The missing group difference in our non-emotional task indicates that no generalized cognitive control deficit but rather a more emotionally driven deficit is present in anxiety patients.

Dynamic Effects of CAM Techniques on Inflammation and Emotional States: An Integrative Single-Case Study on a Breast Cancer Survivor.

BACKGROUND: This study on a breast cancer survivor investigated how episodic practice of various complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques affected the dynamics of emotional states and urinary neopterin-an inflammation marker. METHODS: The 49-year-old female patient (diagnosis: ductal breast carcinoma 5 years before study start, suffering from chronic fatigue and depression) collected her entire urine in 12-hour intervals (from about 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from about 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.) for 28 days. The resulting 55 consecutive urine samples were analyzed for neopterin and creatinine levels using HPLC. Also in 12-hour intervals, the patient filled out questionnaires on emotional states and everyday routine, including CAM practice. Weekly, she was interviewed to identify emotionally meaningful everyday incidents, including use of CAM techniques. Time series analysis consisted of ARIMA modeling and cross-correlational analyses. RESULTS: Qualitative evaluation revealed that, with the exception of Tai Chi, all CAM techniques, that is, Jin Shin Jyutsu, music, physiotherapy and energy healing, were experienced as positive. Cross-correlational analyses showed that practice of such CAM techniques was followed first by significant (P < .05) increases in positive mood and mental activity on the same day (lag 0) and then by decreases in positive mood after a total of 72 to 84 hours (+lag 6) and in mental activity after a total of 84 to 96 hours (+lag 7). Negative mood, by contrast, first decreased on the day of CAM practice (lag 0) and then increased after a total of 84 to 96 hours (+lag 7) following CAM. Moreover, urinary neopterin levels first increased on the day of CAM practice (lag 0) and then decreased after a total of 36 to 48 hours (+lag 3). Similar biphasic effects were also detected for irritation in response to CAM, although only partly significant. CONCLUSION: Cyclic psychophysiological response patterns following CAM practice were attributable to biopsychosocial feedback mechanisms involving personally meaningful experiences. As lower neopterin levels following CAM point to a health-promoting effect, the patient of this study may have actively contributed to her healing process through episodic CAM practice.

Fear acquisition and extinction in elderly patients with depression.

BACKGROUND: Depression in elderly patients is common and characterized by anxiety symptoms and cognitive impairment. To our knowledge, no studies have yet investigated the process of fear extinction in these patients. We investigated fear extinction with a paradigm consisting of habituation, acquisition and extinction. METHODS: We included three age matched (mean age: 75.7 years) groups: Late Life Depression (LLD, n = 33), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI, n = 39), healthy controls (HC, n = 39). All participants were diagnosed with a standardized procedure including clinical examination, CERAD cognitive test battery, as well as magnetic resonance imaging. Participants underwent a fear conditioning paradigm consisting of habituation, acquisition, and extinction. During acquisition, a neutral face (conditioned stimulus, CS+) was paired with an electrical unconditioned stimulus, whereas another face (safety stimulus, CS-) was unpaired. Conditioned responses were measured by US-expectancy and valence ratings. RESULTS: Compared to HC, both patient groups showed a significantly lower, differential (CS+ vs. CS-) fear acquisition across all measurements. Patients with cognitive impairment showed a significantly slower extinction, which is characterized by higher US-expectancy and reduced positive valence for CS+. Fear extinction was significantly less differential (CS+ vs. CS-) in patients with LLD. LIMITATIONS: Due to the cross-sectional design we cannot distinguish whether the observed differences in fear extinction are state or trait markers in the LLD patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrate that fear extinction is impaired in elderly patients with depression. These results can have influence on treatment strategies.

[Validation of a German-Language Version of the Multidimensional Offline and Online Peer Victimization Scale (MOOPV) in Adolescent Students]. / Validierung der deutschsprachigen Version der Multidimensional Offline and Online Peer Victimization Scale (MOOPV) für Jugendliche an einer Schülerstichprobe.

Peer victimisation (PV) in childhood and adolescence can come along with psychological stress through the life span. Even though there exist a large number of questionnaires that measure PV, evidence of the use is often missing. Particularly instruments for capturing cyberbullying lack psychometric calculations such as factor analysis for investigating scales and data on validity and reliability. An exception constitutes the Multidimensional Offline and Online Peer Victimization Scale (MOOPV) of Sumter et al., which is only available in Dutch. This questionnaire is not medium-specifically designed, has been psychometrically properly explored, and differentiates between direct and indirect as well as online and offline PV. The present study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the German version of the Multidimensional Offline and Online Peer Victimization Scale (MOOPV). The factor structure, validity and reliability was examined in a sample of 777 pupils aged 10-20. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original four-factor model. The scales direct offline, indirect offline, direct online, and indirect online demonstrated high internal reliability and construct validity. The MOOPV can be used as a validated instrument in research and practice to capture PV in childhood and adolescence.

Cochlear implantation in adults with single-sided deafness: generic and disease-specific long-term quality of life.

PURPOSE: To determine the 2-year outcome of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults who received a cochlear implant (CI) for single-sided deafness (SSD). METHODS: Twenty adults (mean age at implantation: 47 ± 11 years) with SSD (PTA worse ear: 113 dB HL, PTA better ear: 14 dB HL) were administered the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ), and the Health Utility Index 3 (HUI 3). Questionnaire administration occurred before cochlear implantation and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after implant activation. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients, 2 discontinued CI use within the observation period due to poor benefit. The NCIQ total score of the sample increased significantly over time (p = 0.003). The largest increase occurred within the first 3 months of CI use. Also, the HUI 3 multi-attribute utility score increased significantly (p = 0.03). The post-treatment increase of this score (+ 0.11 points) indicated that the gain in HRQoL was clinically relevant. Patients with a duration of deafness > 10 years had in all measures an equal HRQoL improvement than had patients with a duration of deafness < 10 years. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation led to significant improvement of hearing-specific and generic HRQoL in our patients. The improvement was seen after 3 or 6 months but did not increase further at later intervals. Patients with long-lasting SSD may be at higher risk of discontinuing CI use. However, if they adapt to the CI, they can experience an equal increase of HRQoL as patients with a short duration of SSD.

How Therapeutic Tapping Can Alter Neural Correlates of Emotional Prosody Processing in Anxiety.

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychological disorders worldwide resulting in a great demand of adequate and cost-effective treatment. New short-term interventions can be used as an effective adjunct or alternative to pharmaco- and psychotherapy. One of these approaches is therapeutic tapping. It combines somatic stimulation of acupressure points with elements from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Tapping reduces anxiety symptoms after only one session. Anxiety is associated with a deficient emotion regulation for threatening stimuli. These deficits are compensated e.g., by CBT. Whether Tapping can also elicit similar modulations and which dynamic neural correlates are affected was subject to this study. Anxiety patients were assessed listening to pseudowords with a different emotional prosody (happy, angry, fearful, and neutral) prior and after one Tapping session. The emotion-related component Late Positive Potential (LPP) was investigated via electroencephalography. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) served as control intervention. Results showed LPP reductions for negative stimuli after the interventions. Interestingly, PMR influenced fearful and Tapping altered angry prosody. While PMR generally reduced arousal for fearful prosody, Tapping specifically affected fear-eliciting, angry stimuli, and might thus be able to reduce anxiety symptoms. Findings highlight the efficacy of Tapping and its impact on neural correlates of emotion regulation.

Do Personality Factors Assessed Before Cochlear Implantation Predict Hearing-Related Quality Of Life After Cochlear Implantation in Postlingually Deafened Adults?

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that cochlear implants improve deaf patients' hearing-related quality of life (hrQoL), but the degree of improvement varies considerably between patients. This study investigated whether personality factors contribute to hrQoL outcome after cochlear implantation. METHOD: Fifty adult patients with postlingual hearing loss who received a unilateral cochlear implant were administered the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; a personality inventory) and the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ; a hrQoL questionnaire). The NEO-FFI was administered only before implantation; the NCIQ was administered before implantation and 12 months after implant activation. A linear regression analysis was computed to detect whether NCIQ scores at 12 months were predicted by the NEO-FFI personality factors (i.e., Extraversion, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) assessed before implantation. RESULTS: HrQoL scores had significantly improved 12 months after cochlear implantation in all subdomains of the NCIQ. Of the five personality factors, solely Neuroticism was negatively associated to the NCIQ subdomain self-esteem (ß = -0.34; p = 0.013) at 12 months after cochlear implantation. CONCLUSIONS: While significant improvement of hrQoL was seen 12 months after implant activation, this improvement was barely predicted by the Big-Five personality traits measured before implantation. Only Neuroticism was found to moderately influence postimplantation hrQoL in our patients, in the way that higher degrees of Neuroticism tend to go along with lower degrees of self-esteem (as conceptualized by the NCIQ). The failure to detect personality effects on hrQoL could partly be due to the low levels of Extraversion and Openness to Experience observed in our sample of patients with hearing loss.

[Prevalence and characteristics of peer victimisation in adolescent psychiatric inpatients]. / Prävalenz und Charakteristika von Mobbingerfahrungen in einer klinischen Stichprobe von Jugendlichen.

Prevalence and characteristics of peer victimisation in adolescent psychiatric inpatients Abstract. Objective: Repeated and long-lasting victimisation, as defined by bullying, represents a wide spread health hazard. The aim of the present study was to present the prevalence of bullying in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. We analysed relations between bullying and sociodemographic and psychopathological variables. Furthermore, we investigated the number and nature of bullies, feasible resources, and parental perception on bullying in adolescence. Method: In total, 128 adolescent inpatients were surveyed with a bullying questionnaire and youth self-report. In addition, their clinical symptomatology was investigated. Results: Bullying affected one third of our sample. Male and female victims showed significantly more internal problems. Girls in addition revealed more external behaviour problems. Unlike non-suicidal, self-harming behaviour, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour occurred significantly more in patients with bullying experience. Conclusion: A significant number of adolescent in our sample experienced bullying and associated psychological strains. This should especially be considered in child and adolescent anamnesis.

Validation of the Internal Structure of a German-Language Version of the Gender Role Conflict Scale - Short Form.

The Gender Role Conflict Scale - Short Form (GRCS-SF) assesses a person's masculine gender role conflict. Masculine gender role conflict results when a person experiences discomfort showing a certain behavior because it is in conflict with masculine norms. The aim of the study was to test the questionnaire's psychometric properties in an Austrian sample of older men. Three alternative structural models of the GRCS-SF were tested with confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). The maximum-likelihood method and the Bollen-Stine Bootstrap Method were used to estimate the fit indices of the CFA. Convergent validity was tested by correlating the GRCS-SF with the Sexual Performance Belief Scale (SPBS). Participating in the study were 127 male in-patients of a university hospital. Men's average age was 59.5 (SD = 14.6) years. The one-factor model did not fit the empirical data well. In contrast, both the four-factor structure model and the bifactor structure model were supported. Good internal consistencies indicated acceptable reliabilities of the questionnaire's scales. As expected, moderate to large correlations with the SPBS were detected. These findings support the claim that the GRCS-SF is a reliable and valid tool for assessing men's gender role conflict also in a sample of older men in Austria.

Auditory and cognitive development in a partially deaf child with bilateral electro-acoustic stimulation: a case study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term evolution of speech and intelligence in a child with partial deafness and normal hearing in the low frequencies after sequentially receiving cochlear implants in both ears. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. STUDY SAMPLE: Male child aged 6 years was followed over a time period of four years. RESULTS: The paediatric patient had normal hearing up to 1 kHz and profound hearing loss at all higher frequencies symmetrical in both ears. Deprivation of high-frequency sounds resulted in retarded development of speech, language and cognitive skills. The choice for rehabilitation was cochlear implantation with the aim of preserving a considerable amount of low-frequency hearing. With natural hearing at low frequencies and electrical stimulation at high frequencies, the child was able to compensate most of his developmental deficits. Moreover, spatial hearing was almost normal. CONCLUSIONS: Electro-natural stimulation without amplification of the low frequencies (electro-natural hearing) provides access to the whole audible frequency range for children, who suffer from partial deafness in the high frequencies and are normal hearing at low frequencies. Such provision allows for regular speech development and favours the development of spatial hearing. The case report also demonstrates a strong impact on intellectual performance.

Psychophysiological Effects of a Single, Short, and Moderately Bright Room Light Exposure on Mildly Depressed Geriatric Inpatients: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Light interventions typically exert their mood-related effects during morning bright light exposures over several weeks. Evidence about immediate ambient room light effects on depressed individuals is still sparse. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at examining the acute effects of a single moderately bright room light exposure on mood, and behavioural and cardiac stress reactions of mildly depressed geriatric inpatients during a short cognitive stimulation and while resting. METHODS: Twenty-one inpatients were tested in a balanced cross-over design on 2 consecutive days under either conventional room light (standard light) or artificial sunlight conditions for 30 min. Room illumination was implemented with an artificial skylight, which perfectly imitated solar indoor illumination (e.g., cloudless sky and bright artificial sun). Light-induced changes of mood, heart rate, and heart rate variability were recorded while performing a perseveration test (acted as cognitive stimulation) twice. Additionally, light-related behaviour was observed during a resting period between the cognitive tests and various subjective ratings were obtained. RESULTS: Compared to standard light, exposure to artificial sunlight had a subjective calming effect over time (p = 0.029) as well as decreased heart rate and increased vagal tone (root mean squared of successive inter-beat intervals), both under cognitive workload and in resting conditions. Effect sizes of reported cardiac reactions were large. Cognitive variables were not influenced by light. Additionally, under the higher corneal illuminance of the artificial sunlight, patients perceived stronger glare (p = 0.030) and kept their eyes closed for longer times (p = 0.033) during the resting period. However, patients did not avoid bright light exposure while resting but voluntarily stayed within the area directly lit by the artificial sun nearly all the time (97%). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study for the first time demonstrated immediate psychophysiological effects of a single, short room light exposure in mildly depressed geriatric inpatients during a short cognitive stimulation and while resting. The findings complement reported evidence on immediate alerting and mood-related effects of bright light exposures.

Subjective Positive and Negative Sleep Variables Differentially Affect Cellular Immune Activity in a Breast Cancer Survivor: A Time-series Analysis Approach.

This study on a breast cancer survivor suffering from cancer-related fatigue (CaRF) and depression investigated the bidirectional relationship between cellular immune activity and subjective sleep. The 49-year-old patient (breast cancer diagnosis 5 years before the study, currently in remission) collected her full urine output for 28 days in 12-h intervals (8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.). These urine samples were used to determine urinary neopterin (cellular immune activation marker) and creatinine concentrations via high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Each morning, the patient answered questions on five sleep variables: sleep quality (SQ), sleep recreational value (SRV), total sleep time (TST), total wake time (TWT), and awakenings during sleep period (ADS). For the purpose of this study, the time series of the nighttime urinary neopterin levels and the five sleep variables were determined. Using centered moving average (CMA) smoothing and cross-correlational analysis, this study showed that increases in the positive sleep variables SQ and SRV were followed by urinary neopterin concentration decreases after 96-120 h (SQ, lag 4: r = -0.411; p = 0.044; SRV: lag 4: r = -0.472; p = 0.021) and 120-144 h (SRV, lag 5: r = -0.464; p = 0.026). Increases in the negative sleep variable TWT, by contrast, were followed by increases in urinary neopterin concentrations 72-96 h later (lag 3: r = 0.522; p = 0.009). No systematic effects in the other direction, i.e., from urinary neopterin levels to sleep, were observed in this study. Although preliminary, the findings of this study highlight the benefit of carefully investigating temporal delays and directions of effects when studying the dynamic relationship between sleep and immune variables in the natural context of everyday life.

Acute effects of different light spectra on simulated night-shift work without circadian alignment.

Short-wavelength and short-wavelength-enhanced light have a strong impact on night-time working performance, subjective feelings of alertness and circadian physiology. In the present study, we investigated acute effects of white light sources with varied reduced portions of short wavelengths on cognitive and visual performance, mood and cardiac output.Thirty-one healthy subjects were investigated in a balanced cross-over design under three light spectra in a simulated night-shift paradigm without circadian adaptation.Exposure to the light spectrum with the largest attenuation of short wavelengths reduced heart rate and increased vagal cardiac parameters during the night compared to the other two light spectra without deleterious effects on sustained attention, working memory and subjective alertness. In addition, colour discrimination capability was significantly decreased under this light source.To our knowledge, the present study for the first time demonstrates that polychromatic white light with reduced short wavelengths, fulfilling current lighting standards for indoor illumination, may have a positive impact on cardiac physiology of night-shift workers without detrimental consequences for cognitive performance and alertness.

Cholinergic neurodegeneration in an Alzheimer mouse model overexpressing amyloid-precursor protein with the Swedish-Dutch-Iowa mutations.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that is mainly characterized by beta-amyloid (Aß) plaque deposition, Tau pathology and dysfunction of the cholinergic system causing memory impairment. The aim of the present study was to examine (1) anxiety and cognition, (2) Aß plaque deposition and (3) degeneration of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) and cortical cholinergic innervation in an Alzheimer mouse model (APP_SweDI; overexpressing amyloid precursor protein (APP) with the Swedish K670N/M671L, Dutch E693Q, and Iowa D694N mutations). Our results show that 12-month-old APP_SweDI mice were more anxious and had more memory impairment. A large number of Aß plaques were already visible at the age of 6 months and increased with age. A significant decrease in cholinergic neurons was seen in the transgenic mouse model in comparison to the wild-type mice, identified by immunohistochemistry against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and p75 neurotrophin receptor as well as by in situ hybridization. Moreover, a significant decrease in cortical cholinergic fiber density was found in the transgenic mice as compared to the wild-type. In the cerebral cortex of APP_SweDI mice, swollen cholinergic varicosities were seen in the vicinity of Aß plaques. In conclusion, the present study shows that in an AD mouse model (APP_SweDI mice) a high Aß plaque load in the cortex causes damage to cholinergic axons in the cortex, followed by subsequent retrograde-induced cell death of cholinergic neurons and some forms of compensatory processes. This degeneration was accompanied by enhanced anxiety and impaired cognition.

The influence of tinnitus acceptance on the quality of life and psychological distress in patients with chronic tinnitus.

Recent findings show the importance of acceptance in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. So far, very limited research investigating the different levels of tinnitus acceptance has been conducted. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress in patients with chronic tinnitus who reported different levels of tinnitus acceptance. The sample consisted of outpatients taking part in a tinnitus coping group (n = 97). Correlations between tinnitus acceptance, psychological distress, and QoL were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate a cutoff score for the German "Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire" (CTAQ-G) and to evaluate the screening abilities of the CTAQ-G. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare QoL and psychological distress in patients with low tinnitus acceptance and high tinnitus acceptance. A cutoff point for CTAQ-G of 62.5 was defined, differentiating between patients with "low-to-mild tinnitus acceptance" and "moderate-to-high tinnitus acceptance." Patients with higher levels of tinnitus acceptance reported a significantly higher QoL and lower psychological distress. Tinnitus acceptance plays an important role for patients with chronic tinnitus. Increased levels of acceptance are related to better QoL and less psychological distress.