-
Frontiers in Psychology 2017This psychophysiological study is the first to examine the relationship between emotional tears and emotional piloerection (i.e., goosebumps). Although both phenomena...
This psychophysiological study is the first to examine the relationship between emotional tears and emotional piloerection (i.e., goosebumps). Although both phenomena have been related to peak states of being moved, details about their temporal occurrence and the associated levels of physiological arousal have remained unknown. In our study, we used emotionally powerful film scenes that were self-selected by participants. Our findings show that even within peak moments of emotional arousal, a gradation of intensity is possible. The overlap of tears and goosebumps signifies a maximal climax within peak moments. On the side of the stimulus, we found that displays of prosocial behavior play a crucial role in the elicitation of tears and goosebumps. Finally, based on the results of a formal film analysis of the tears-eliciting clips provided by our participants, as compared to randomly extracted, equally long control clips from the same films, we show how the technical and artistic making of the clips was optimized for the display of social interaction and emotional expressions.
PubMed: 28223946
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00041 -
Experimental Neurology Aug 2016The mechanisms by which sepsis triggers intensive care unit acquired weakness (ICUAW) remain unclear. We previously identified difficulty with motor unit recruitment in...
The mechanisms by which sepsis triggers intensive care unit acquired weakness (ICUAW) remain unclear. We previously identified difficulty with motor unit recruitment in patients as a novel contributor to ICUAW. To study the mechanism underlying poor recruitment of motor units we used the rat cecal ligation and puncture model of sepsis. We identified striking dysfunction of alpha motor neurons during repetitive firing. Firing was more erratic, and often intermittent. Our data raised the possibility that reduced excitability of motor neurons was a significant contributor to weakness induced by sepsis. In this study we quantified the contribution of reduced motor neuron excitability and compared its magnitude to the contributions of myopathy, neuropathy and failure of neuromuscular transmission. We injected constant depolarizing current pulses (5s) into the soma of alpha motor neurons in the lumbosacral spinal cord of anesthetized rats to trigger repetitive firing. In response to constant depolarization, motor neurons in untreated control rats fired at steady and continuous firing rates and generated smooth and sustained tetanic motor unit force as expected. In contrast, following induction of sepsis, motor neurons were often unable to sustain firing throughout the 5s current injection such that force production was reduced. Even when firing, motor neurons from septic rats fired erratically and discontinuously, leading to irregular production of motor unit force. Both fast and slow type motor neurons had similar disruption of excitability. We followed rats after recovery from sepsis to determine the time course of resolution of the defect in motor neuron excitability. By one week, rats appeared to have recovered from sepsis as they had no piloerection and appeared to be in no distress. The defects in motor neuron repetitive firing were still striking at 2weeks and, although improved, were present at one month. We infer that rats suffered from weakness due to reduced motor neuron excitability for weeks after resolution of sepsis. To assess whether additional contributions from myopathy, neuropathy and defects in neuromuscular transmission contributed to the reduction in force generation, we measured whole-muscle force production in response to electrical stimulation of the muscle nerve. We found no abnormality in force generation that would suggest the presence of myopathy, neuropathy or defective neuromuscular transmission. These data suggest disruption of repetitive firing of motor neurons is an important contributor to weakness induced by sepsis in rats and raise the possibility that reduced motor neuron excitability contributes to disability that persists after resolution of sepsis.
Topics: Action Potentials; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Electric Stimulation; Electromyography; Motor Neurons; Muscle Weakness; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Rats; Sepsis; Spinal Cord; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 27118372
DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.04.020 -
European Heart Journal Nov 2015Music can powerfully evoke and modulate emotions and moods, along with changes in heart activity, blood pressure (BP), and breathing. Although there is great... (Review)
Review
Music can powerfully evoke and modulate emotions and moods, along with changes in heart activity, blood pressure (BP), and breathing. Although there is great heterogeneity in methods and quality among previous studies on effects of music on the heart, the following findings emerge from the literature: Heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) are higher in response to exciting music compared with tranquilizing music. During musical frissons (involving shivers and piloerection), both HR and RR increase. Moreover, HR and RR tend to increase in response to music compared with silence, and HR appears to decrease in response to unpleasant music compared with pleasant music. We found no studies that would provide evidence for entrainment of HR to musical beats. Corresponding to the increase in HR, listening to exciting music (compared with tranquilizing music) is associated with a reduction of heart rate variability (HRV), including reductions of both low-frequency and high-frequency power of the HRV. Recent findings also suggest effects of music-evoked emotions on regional activity of the heart, as reflected in electrocardiogram amplitude patterns. In patients with heart disease (similar to other patient groups), music can reduce pain and anxiety, associated with lower HR and lower BP. In general, effects of music on the heart are small, and there is great inhomogeneity among studies with regard to methods, findings, and quality. Therefore, there is urgent need for systematic high-quality research on the effects of music on the heart, and on the beneficial effects of music in clinical settings.
Topics: Anxiety; Depression; Emotions; Heart; Heart Diseases; Heart Rate; Humans; Music; Music Therapy; Pain; Respiratory Rate
PubMed: 26354957
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehv430 -
Advances in Physiology Education Sep 2015Thermoregulation is the maintenance of a relatively constant core body temperature. Humans normally maintain a body temperature at 37°C, and maintenance of this... (Review)
Review
Thermoregulation is the maintenance of a relatively constant core body temperature. Humans normally maintain a body temperature at 37°C, and maintenance of this relatively high temperature is critical to human survival. This concept is so important that control of thermoregulation is often the principal example cited when teaching physiological homeostasis. A basic understanding of the processes underpinning temperature regulation is necessary for all undergraduate students studying biology and biology-related disciplines, and a thorough understanding is necessary for those students in clinical training. Our aim in this review is to broadly present the thermoregulatory process taking into account current advances in this area. First, we summarize the basic concepts of thermoregulation and subsequently assess the physiological responses to heat and cold stress, including vasodilation and vasoconstriction, sweating, nonshivering thermogenesis, piloerection, shivering, and altered behavior. Current research is presented concerning the body's detection of thermal challenge, peripheral and central thermoregulatory control mechanisms, including brown adipose tissue in adult humans and temperature transduction by the relatively recently discovered transient receptor potential channels. Finally, we present an updated understanding of the neuroanatomic circuitry supporting thermoregulation.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Adult; Body Temperature; Body Temperature Regulation; Female; Fever; Humans; Hypothermia; Male; Sensitivity and Specificity; Shivering; Skin Temperature; Sweating; Thermoreceptors; Thermosensing
PubMed: 26330029
DOI: 10.1152/advan.00126.2014 -
PloS One 2015Previous studies have shown that a cardiac signature of emotionality (referred to as EK, which can be computed from the standard 12 lead electrocardiogram, ECG),...
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have shown that a cardiac signature of emotionality (referred to as EK, which can be computed from the standard 12 lead electrocardiogram, ECG), predicts inter-individual differences in the tendency to experience and express positive emotion. Here, we investigated whether EK values can be transiently modulated during stimulation with participant-selected music pieces and film scenes that elicit strongly positive emotion.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
The phenomenon of aesthetic chills, as indicated by measurable piloerection on the forearm, was used to accurately locate moments of peak emotional responses during stimulation. From 58 healthy participants, continuous EK values, heart rate, and respiratory frequency were recorded during stimulation with film scenes and music pieces, and were related to the aesthetic chills. EK values, as well as heart rate, increased significantly during moments of peak positive emotion accompanied by piloerection.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
These results are the first to provide evidence for an influence of momentary psychological state on a cardiac signature of emotional personality (as reflected in EK values). The possibility to modulate ECG amplitude signatures via stimulation with emotionally significant music pieces and film scenes opens up new perspectives for the use of emotional peak experiences in the therapy of disorders characterized by flattened emotionality, such as depression or schizoid personality disorder.
Topics: Adult; Electrocardiography; Esthetics; Female; Heart; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Motion Pictures; Music; Piloerection; Pleasure; Respiration; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 26083383
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130117 -
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis Jun 2015The present study was undertaken to investigate the food-drug interaction of carbamazepine (CBZ). Common fruit juices [grapefruit juice (GFJ), lime juice (LJ)], known to...
The present study was undertaken to investigate the food-drug interaction of carbamazepine (CBZ). Common fruit juices [grapefruit juice (GFJ), lime juice (LJ)], known to inhibit the enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), and some widely consumed beverages [milk (M), black tea (BT)] were involved in this study in the presence of CBZ, as might happen during clinical therapy. The effects of the beverages on the pharmacokinetics and drug-induced toxicity of CBZ was observed after concomitant administration for a period of 28 days. Accordingly, the influence of altered bioavailability of CBZ on its antiepileptic activity was investigated. A significant shift in the C as well as T of CBZ was observed in the presence of LJ and GFJ. This increase in bioavailability significantly enhanced hepatotoxicity and delayed the onset of tremor and piloerection against pentylene tetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure in experimental animals. However, increased toxicity of CBZ was found to be absent with BT. Thus, from our observation, LJ or GFJ in the presence of CBZ significantly increased the bioavailability of CBZ, which might lead to increased toxicity and antiepileptic activity of the drug.
PubMed: 28911389
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfda.2014.07.012 -
Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014Glutamate has a key role in pain perception and also development of tolerance and dependence to morphine. It has been reported that clavulanic acid affects glutamatergic...
Glutamate has a key role in pain perception and also development of tolerance and dependence to morphine. It has been reported that clavulanic acid affects glutamatergic transmission via activation of glutamate transporter. Therefore the present study was aimed to evaluate the possible antinociceptive effect of clavulanic acid and its preventive activity against development of morphine tolerance and dependence in animal models. Male Swiss mice (25-30 g) were used in this study. Acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin test and hot plate method were used to assess the antinociceptive effect of clavulanic acid. Morphine (30 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered to the mice two times a day (8 AM and 4 PM) for 3 days in order to produce tolerance. To develop morphine dependence, morphine sulfate (50, 50 and 75 mg/kg) was injected at 8 and 12 AM and 16 PM respectively and for 3 consecutive days. Naloxone (5 mg/kg, i.p) was used to induce morphine withdrawal syndrome and the number of jumps and presence of ptosis, piloerection, tremor, sniffing and diarrhea were recorded and compared with control group. Clavulanic acid at doses of 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg inhibited abdominal constriction and licking behavior of acetic acid and formalin-induced pain respectively. Clavulanic acid was not able to show any antinociception in hot plate model and could not prevent development of tolerance and dependence to morphine. Clavulanic acid has considerable antinociceptive activity and further studies are needed to clarify its exact mechanism.
PubMed: 25657803
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinical & Translational Immunology Dec 2014Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been a spectacular clinical and commercial success in the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Many of these mAbs (for example,...
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been a spectacular clinical and commercial success in the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Many of these mAbs (for example, OKT3, Campath-1H, rituximab and infliximab) are against surface or secreted products of lymphocytes. However, mAbs can have a variety of adverse effects including fever, chills and nausea. This is probably a result of cytokine release, which is most seriously manifested as a 'cytokine storm' as highlighted by the TGN1412 (anti-CD28) trial. Prediction of adverse effects of mAbs would be clinically advantageous and numerous in vitro assays attempting to predict adverse effects have been reported. Here, we report an in vivo humanized mouse model to detect adverse effects in response to OKT3, Campath-1H or the polyclonal Ab preparation anti-thymocyte globulin. We found that the administration of each of these Abs to humanized mice led to acute clinical symptoms such as piloerection, hypomotility and hypothermia, particularly when delivered via the intravenous route. A cytokine storm occurred in the humanized mice receiving OKT3. This model system is a potentially useful tool to predict adverse effects and select initial doses for first-in-human trials. We would advocate this in vivo model, in addition to current in vitro preclinical testing, as a more representative and robust means of assessing potential adverse effects of mAb before their human use.
PubMed: 25587392
DOI: 10.1038/cti.2014.28 -
Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy Sep 2014In general, organic solvents are inhibiting many physiological enzymes and alter the behavioural functions, but the available scientific knowledge on laboratory solvent...
BACKGROUND
In general, organic solvents are inhibiting many physiological enzymes and alter the behavioural functions, but the available scientific knowledge on laboratory solvent induced organ specific toxins are very limited. Hence, the present study was planned to determine the sub-chronic toxic effects of petroleum ether (boiling point 40-60°C), a laboratory solvent in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The SD rats were divided into three different groups viz., control, low exposure petroleum ether (250 mg/kg; i.p.) and high exposure petroleum ether (500 mg/kg; i.p.) administered group. The animals were exposed with petroleum ether once daily for 2 weeks. Prior to the experiment and end of the experiment animals behaviour, locomotor and memory levels were monitored. Before initiating the study animals were trained for 2 weeks for its learning process and its memory levels were evaluated. Body weight (BW) analysis, locomotor activity, anxiogenic effect (elevated plus maze) and learning and memory (Morris water navigation task) were monitored at regular intervals. On 14(th) day of the experiment, few ml of blood sample was collected from all the experimental animals for estimation of biochemical parameters. At the end of the experiment, all the animals were sacrificed, and brain, liver, heart, and kidney were collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis.
RESULTS
In rats, petroleum ether significantly altered the behavioural functions; reduced the locomotor activity, grip strength, learning and memory process; inhibited the regular body weight growth and caused anxiogenic effects. Dose-dependent organ specific toxicity with petroleum ether treated group was observed in brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney. Extrapyramidal effects that include piloerection and cannibalism were also observed with petroleum ether administered group. These results suggested that the petroleum ether showed a significant decrease in central nervous system (CNS) activity, and it has dose-dependent toxicity on all vital organs.
CONCLUSION
The dose-dependent CNS and organ specific toxicity was observed with sub-chronic administration of petroleum ether in SD rats.
PubMed: 25316988
DOI: 10.4103/0976-0105.141943 -
Journal of Pharmacological and... 2014The serotonin (5-HT) syndrome (SS) in man covers side effects of drugs in over dose that increase synaptic 5-HT concentration or directly activate 5-HT receptors. The SS...
INTRODUCTION
The serotonin (5-HT) syndrome (SS) in man covers side effects of drugs in over dose that increase synaptic 5-HT concentration or directly activate 5-HT receptors. The SS is characterized by mental state alterations, neuromuscular excitation, and autonomic dysregulation. In mice, a set of behavioral and autonomic responses can be induced by the same serotonergic drugs as in man. The role of the 5-HT1A receptor for the murine SS has been extensively studied and several responses have been attributed to 5-HT1A receptor activation. So far, 5-HT2A receptor activation is thought to induce head twitches and hypothermia. The aim of this study is to define the impact of the 5-HT2A and the 5-HT1A receptor for different SS-like responses.
METHODS
The effects of the full 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT, the partial 5-HT1A agonist buspirone, and the 5-HT2A receptor agonist TCB-2 were investigated in male NMRI mice. The responses were compared with the effects induced by the 5-HT precursor 5-HTP.
RESULTS
Flat body posture, hindlimb abduction, Straub tail, tremor, piloerection and decreased rearing were observed after 8-OH-DPAT treatment. A similar set of responses was seen after administration of buspirone. However, the Straub tail response did not occur, probably due to the lower efficacy of buspirone at postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors. As expected, TCB-2 induced head twitches, but also evoked flat body posture, hindlimb abduction, and piloerection, and decreased the numbers of rearings and defecation boli.
DISCUSSION
The Straub tail response seems to be a specific sign for postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptor activation. In addition, the 5-HT2A receptor has more impact on the 5-HT syndrome than previously suggested. By inducing the broadest spectrum of signs, 5-HTP seems to be suitable as a positive control when investigating the 5-HT syndrome in mice. In summary, the murine model of the SS is a valid tool for preclinical studies to screen drugs and drug combinations for the risk to cause an SS in man.
Topics: 8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; Animals; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; Buspirone; Disease Models, Animal; Male; Methylamines; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; Serotonin Syndrome; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 25087754
DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2014.07.003