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Perspectives on Psychological Science :... May 2017This review provides a broad overview of my research group's work on social buffering in human development in the context of the field. Much of the focus is on social... (Review)
Review
This review provides a broad overview of my research group's work on social buffering in human development in the context of the field. Much of the focus is on social buffering of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system, one of the two major arms of the mammalian stress system. This focus reflects the centrality of the HPA system in research on social buffering in the fields of developmental psychobiology and developmental science. However, buffering of the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system is also discussed. The central developmental question in this area derives from attachment theory, which argues that the infant's experience of stress and arousal regulation in the context of her early attachment relationships is not an immature form of social buffering experienced in adulthood but rather the foundation out of which individual differences in the capacity to gain stress relief from social partners emerges. The emergence of social buffering in infancy, changes in social buffering throughout childhood and adolescence, the influence of early experience on later individual differences in social buffering, and critical gaps in our knowledge are described.
Topics: Animals; Arousal; Female; Human Development; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Interpersonal Relations; Pituitary-Adrenal System; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 28544861
DOI: 10.1177/1745691616680612 -
Nutrients Feb 2022A large number of scientists and health professionals recognize that balanced nutrition is fundamental for a good state of physical health [...].
A large number of scientists and health professionals recognize that balanced nutrition is fundamental for a good state of physical health [...].
Topics: Diet; Health Personnel; Health Status; Humans; Nutritional Status
PubMed: 35215400
DOI: 10.3390/nu14040750 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Sep 2023The Rorschach inkblot test allows access to psychological processes that usually do not emerge in self-report measures and it has been widely used in clinical... (Review)
Review
The Rorschach inkblot test allows access to psychological processes that usually do not emerge in self-report measures and it has been widely used in clinical psychological and psychiatric settings. Recordings of brain activity during the administration of the Rorschach inkblots test could provide information on neural correlates of the underlying perceptual-cognitive processing and potentially identify neuroimaging markers of psychopathology risk. The present paper offers a systematization of the available literature on the Rorschach inkblot test and neuroimaging research. The 13 selected studies had been conducted with healthy participants and using fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS to investigate the neural underpinnings of Rorschach inkblot test responses. The neural processes underlying the visual, social, and emotional processes described by the included papers are systematically summarized. Research on the neural correlates of the Rorschach inkblot test is promising and would further benefit from studies on clinical populations, broader samples, and younger age groups.
Topics: Humans; Rorschach Test; Emotions
PubMed: 37311472
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105281 -
Developmental Psychobiology Apr 2019Incorporating information regarding the gut microbiota into psychobiological research promises to shed new light on how individual differences in brain and cognitive... (Review)
Review
Incorporating information regarding the gut microbiota into psychobiological research promises to shed new light on how individual differences in brain and cognitive development emerge. However, the investigation of the gut-brain axis in development is still in its infancy and poses several challenges, including data analysis. Considering that the gut microbiome is an eco-system containing millions of bacteria, one needs to utilize a breadth of methodologies and data analytic techniques. The present review serves two purposes. First, this review will inform developmental psychobiology researchers about the emerging study of the gut-brain axis in development and second, this review will propose methodologies and data analytic strategies for integrating microbiome data in developmental research.
Topics: Animals; Biomedical Research; Brain; Child Development; Developmental Biology; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Infant; Psychology, Developmental
PubMed: 30315569
DOI: 10.1002/dev.21778 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2018
PubMed: 30319498
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01795 -
Steroids Oct 2021Our aim was to evaluate the independent and associated effects of nandrolone decanoate (DECA) and resistance exercise (REx) on central and peripheral hormones and...
Our aim was to evaluate the independent and associated effects of nandrolone decanoate (DECA) and resistance exercise (REx) on central and peripheral hormones and neuropeptides related to energy balance in male rats. The experimental protocol was performed for eight weeks and comprised four groups: control (C) - exposed to vehicle 3x/wk; trained (T) - REx 5x/wk and vehicle 3x/wk; decanoate (D) - exposed to DECA (5 mg/kg) 3x/wk, and REx with DECA (TD) - submitted to REx 5x/wk and DECA (5 mg/kg) 3x/wk. Cross-sectional area analysis of the gastrocnemius muscle was higher in the T and TD groups compared to the C group. Biometrical analyses showed a decrease in body weight only in the TD compared to the C group, however, a reduction in total fat mass was observed in both the T and TD when compared to the C group. In respect of hypothalamic mRNA expression, there was an increase in prepro-orexin in the T compared to the C group. In mesenteric fat there was a decrease in leptin expression in the T and TD compared to the C group. Plasma evaluations showed reduced leptin concentrations in D, T and TD compared to C, and an increase in orexin-A in the D group compared to the C and T groups. Our data showed that REx was related to central and peripheral changes in energy metabolism, while DECA changed only peripheral components. REx associated with DECA promoted peripheral changes in energy metabolism and decreased body and fat weights.
Topics: Nandrolone Decanoate
PubMed: 34358557
DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2021.108899 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2017The pattern of alcohol consumption in the form of binge drinking (BD) or heavy episodic drinking has increased notably worldwide in recent years, especially among... (Review)
Review
The pattern of alcohol consumption in the form of binge drinking (BD) or heavy episodic drinking has increased notably worldwide in recent years, especially among adolescent and young people, being currently recognized as a global health problem. Although only a minority of binge drinkers will develop a substance use disorder, BD may have negative personal and social consequences in the short and medium term. The objective of this article is to review the findings on personality traits related to binge drinkers and to emphasize the aspects that should be examined in order to make progress in this area. The main characteristics of personality related to the practice of BD, regardless of the theoretical model used, are high Impulsivity and high Sensation seeking, as well as Anxiety sensitivity, Neuroticism (Hopelessness), Extraversion and low Conscientiousness. The data obtained may have theoretical implications to elucidate the endophenotype of BD, but they are especially useful for their preventive applications. Integration into prevention programs of emotional self-control skills, decision-making, social skills, and strategies to manage negative emotions will minimize the risk factors or consequences of BD associated with personality and will improve their effectiveness. In the future, it is necessary to harmonize a common measurement instrument for the assessment of personality, develop longitudinal studies with large samples that also integrate biological and neurocognitive measurements, and determine the reciprocal relationship between personality and BD together with its modulating variables, as well as the possible cultural differences.
PubMed: 28804465
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00134 -
Developmental Psychobiology Apr 2019Psychobiological techniques to assess emotional responding have revolutionized the field of emotional development in recent decades by equipping researchers with the... (Review)
Review
Psychobiological techniques to assess emotional responding have revolutionized the field of emotional development in recent decades by equipping researchers with the tools to quantify children's emotional reactivity and regulation more directly than behavioral approaches allow. Knowledge gained from the incorporation of methods spanning levels of analysis has been substantial, yet many open questions remain. In this prospective review, we (a) describe the major conceptual and empirical advances that have resulted from this methodological innovation, and (b) lay out a case for what we view as the most pressing challenge for the next decades of research into the psychobiology of emotional development: focusing empirical efforts toward understanding the implications of the broader sociocultural contexts in which children develop that shape the psychobiology of emotion. Thus, this review integrates previous knowledge about the psychobiology of emotion with a forward-looking set of recommendations for incorporating sociocultural processes into future investigations.
Topics: Autonomic Nervous System; Brain; Child; Child Development; Culture; Emotions; Evoked Potentials; Humans; Neuroimaging; Self-Control; Social Environment
PubMed: 30592032
DOI: 10.1002/dev.21795 -
Current Neuropharmacology 2018
Topics: Brain; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Humans; Precision Medicine
PubMed: 30173642
DOI: 10.2174/1570159X1608180821144325 -
BMJ Health & Care Informatics Aug 2021
Topics: COVID-19; Environmental Exposure; Exposome; Humans; Informatics
PubMed: 34413119
DOI: 10.1136/bmjhci-2021-100371