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Lancet (London, England) Sep 1979Birth trauma to the spinal cord is a serious potential complication of delivery. Determining the presence, severity, and extent of injury poses a difficult problem...
Birth trauma to the spinal cord is a serious potential complication of delivery. Determining the presence, severity, and extent of injury poses a difficult problem because of the often confusing clinical setting. Myelography has been recommended for assessing spinal cord birth trauma but is invasive and may not be helpful. The role of sonography in evaluating spinal cord birth trauma has not been previously described. We assessed the value of sonography in four patients, three of whom also had CT metrizamide myelography. Autopsy correlation was available in three patients. Sonography was able to easily demonstrate the cord configuration, allowing for multiple assessments over time. Internal cord echogenicity was helpful in a case of hematomyelia and in demonstrating the changes of myelomalacia. Sonography is useful in evaluating neonates with severe spinal cord injury; it obviates the need for myelography and also may allow less severely injured patients to be assessed more frequently.
Topics: Agoraphobia; Desensitization, Psychologic; Habituation, Psychophysiologic; Humans; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 90765
DOI: No ID Found -
Neuropsychopharmacology : Official... Jan 2015Behavioral inhibition (BI) is an early-appearing temperament characterized by strong reactions to novelty. BI shows a good deal of stability over childhood and... (Review)
Review
Behavioral inhibition (BI) is an early-appearing temperament characterized by strong reactions to novelty. BI shows a good deal of stability over childhood and significantly increases the risk for later diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Despite these general patterns, many children with high BI do not go on to develop clinical, or even subclinical, anxiety problems. Therefore, understanding the cognitive and neural bases of individual differences in developmental risk and resilience is of great importance. The present review is focused on the relation of BI to two types of information processing: automatic (novelty detection, attention biases to threat, and incentive processing) and controlled (attention shifting and inhibitory control). We propose three hypothetical models (Top-Down Model of Control; Risk Potentiation Model of Control; and Overgeneralized Control Model) linking these processes to variability in developmental outcomes for BI children. We argue that early BI is associated with an early bias to quickly and preferentially process information associated with motivationally salient cues. When this bias is strong and stable across development, the risk for SAD is increased. Later in development, children with a history of BI tend to display normative levels of performance on controlled attention tasks, but they demonstrate exaggerated neural responses in order to do so, which may further potentiate risk for anxiety-related problems. We conclude by discussing the reviewed studies with reference to the hypothetical models and make suggestions regarding future research and implications for treatment.
Topics: Anxiety; Child; Child Development; Developmental Disabilities; Humans; Inhibition, Psychological; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 25065499
DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.189 -
PloS One 2021Trypophobia is characterised by an aversion to or even revulsion for patterns of holes or visual stimuli featuring such patterns. Past research has shown that...
BACKGROUND
Trypophobia is characterised by an aversion to or even revulsion for patterns of holes or visual stimuli featuring such patterns. Past research has shown that trypophobic stimuli trigger emotional and physiological reactions, but relatively little is known about the antecedents, prodromes, or simply covariates of trypophobia.
AIM
The goals of this study were (a) to draw the contours of the nomological network of trypophobia by assessing the associations of symptoms of trypophobia with several constructs that were deemed relevant from past research on anxiety disorders and specific phobias, (b) to compare such associations with those found for symptoms of spider phobia and blood and injection phobia (alternative dependent variables), and (c) to investigate the main effect of gender on symptoms of trypophobia and replicate the association of gender with symptoms of spider phobia and blood and injection phobia (higher scores for women).
METHODS
Participants (N = 1,134, 53% men) in this cross-sectional study completed an online questionnaire assessing the constructs of interest.
RESULTS
Most assessed constructs typically associated with anxiety disorders (neuroticism, conscientiousness, anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety, disgust sensitivity, and disgust propensity) were also associated with trypophobia in the predicted direction. All of these constructs were also associated with spider phobia and blood and injection phobia. Behavioral inhibition was negatively associated with trypophobia and spider phobia-contrary to what was expected, but positively with blood and injection phobia. We found no gender difference in trypophobia, whereas women scored higher on spider phobia and blood and injection phobia.
DISCUSSION
Although some differences were observed, the nomological network of trypophobia was largely similar to that of spider phobia and blood and injection phobia. Further studies are needed to clarify similarities and dissimilarities between trypophobia and specific phobia.
Topics: Adult; Affect; Animals; Anxiety; Behavior; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disgust; Emotions; Fear; Female; Form Perception; Humans; Male; Phobic Disorders; Sex Factors; Spiders; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34520484
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257409 -
Appetite Jun 2017Food choices are influenced by an individual's attitude towards foods. Food neophobia may be associated with less variety of diets, inadequate nutrient intake and high... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Food choices are influenced by an individual's attitude towards foods. Food neophobia may be associated with less variety of diets, inadequate nutrient intake and high product failure rate for new food products entering the market. To quantify the extent of these challenges, instruments to measure the food neophobia in different target groups are needed. Several such instruments with significantly different measurement outcomes and procedures have been developed. This review provides an overview and discusses strengths and weaknesses of these instruments.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluate strengths and weaknesses of previously developed instruments to measure neophobia and willingness to try unfamiliar foods.
DESIGN
Literature was searched through the databases Web of Science and Google Scholar. We identified 255 studies concerning neophobia and willingness to try unfamiliar foods. Of these, 13 studies encompassing 13 instruments to measure neophobia and willingness to try unfamiliar foods were included in the review. Results are summarized and evaluated with a narrative approach.
RESULTS
In the 13 instruments to assess neophobia and willingness to try unfamiliar foods, 113 to 16.644 subjects aged 2-65 years were involved, scales with 3-7 response categories were used and behavioral validation tests were included in 6 studies.
CONCLUSIONS
Several instruments to measure neophobia and willingness to try unfamiliar foods exist. We recommend selecting one or more among the 13 instruments reviewed in this paper to assess relevant aspects of neophobia.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Diet; Female; Food Preferences; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Phobic Disorders; Recognition, Psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 28268200
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.02.032 -
Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki 2016During the last decade a number of studies have been conducted in order to examine if virtual reality exposure therapy can be an alternative form of therapy for the... (Review)
Review
During the last decade a number of studies have been conducted in order to examine if virtual reality exposure therapy can be an alternative form of therapy for the treatment of mental disorders and particularly for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Imaginal exposure therapy, which is one of the components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, cannot be easily applied to all patients and in cases like those virtual reality can be used as an alternative or a supportive psychotherapeutic technique. Most studies using virtual reality have focused on anxiety disorders, mainly in specific phobias, but some extend to other disorders such as eating disorders, drug dependence, pain control and palliative care and rehabilitation. Main characteristics of virtual reality therapy are: "interaction", "immersion", and "presence". High levels of "immersion" and "presence" are associated with increased response to exposure therapy in virtual environments, as well as better therapeutic outcomes and sustained therapeutic gains. Typical devices that are used in order patient's immersion to be achieved are the Head-Mounted Displays (HMD), which are only for individual use, and the computer automatic virtual environment (CAVE), which is a multiuser. Virtual reality therapy's disadvantages lie in the difficulties that arise due to the demanded specialized technology skills, devices' cost and side effects. Therapists' training is necessary in order for them to be able to manipulate the software and the hardware and to adjust it to each case's needs. Devices' cost is high but as technology continuously improves it constantly decreases. Immersion during virtual reality therapy can induce mild and temporary side effects such as nausea, dizziness or headache. Until today, however, experience shows that virtual reality offers several advantages. Patient's avoidance to be exposed in phobic stimuli is reduced via the use of virtual reality since the patient is exposed to them as many times as he wishes and under the supervision of the therapist. The technique takes place in the therapist's office which ensures confidentiality and privacy. The therapist is able to control unpredicted events that can occur during patient's exposure in real environments. Mainly the therapist can control the intensity of exposure and adapt it to the patient's needs. Virtual reality can be proven particularly useful in some specific psychological states. For instance, patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who prone to avoid the reminders of the traumatic events. Exposure in virtual reality can solve this problem providing to the patient a large number of stimuli that activate the senses causing the necessary physiological and psychological anxiety reactions, regardless of his willingness or ability to recall in his imagination the traumatic event.
Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Humans; Implosive Therapy; Phobic Disorders; Software; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Treatment Outcome; Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
PubMed: 28114091
DOI: 10.22365/jpsych.2016.274.276 -
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry Jul 2010
Topics: Adolescent; Anxiety Disorders; Child; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Imipramine; Implosive Therapy; Obesity; Overweight; Personality Inventory; Phobic Disorders; Risk Factors; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Therapy, Computer-Assisted; User-Computer Interface
PubMed: 20667293
DOI: 10.4088/JCP.10f06238pin -
The British Journal of General Practice... Nov 2012Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) in health care has captured the interest of doctors, healthcare professionals, and managers. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) in health care has captured the interest of doctors, healthcare professionals, and managers.
AIM
To evaluate the effects of NLP on health-related outcomes.
DESIGN AND SETTING
Systematic review of experimental studies.
METHOD
The following data sources were searched: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, AMED, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge, CENTRAL, NLP specialist databases, reference lists, review articles, and NLP professional associations, training providers, and research groups.
RESULTS
Searches revealed 1459 titles from which 10 experimental studies were included. Five studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and five were pre-post studies. Targeted health conditions were anxiety disorders, weight maintenance, morning sickness, substance misuse, and claustrophobia during MRI scanning. NLP interventions were mainly delivered across 4-20 sessions although three were single session. Eighteen outcomes were reported and the RCT sample sizes ranged from 22 to 106. Four RCTs reported no significant between group differences with the fifth finding in favour of the NLP arm (F = 8.114, P<0.001). Three RCTs and five pre-post studies reported within group improvements. Risk of bias across all studies was high or uncertain.
CONCLUSION
There is little evidence that NLP interventions improve health-related outcomes. This conclusion reflects the limited quantity and quality of NLP research, rather than robust evidence of no effect. There is currently insufficient evidence to support the allocation of NHS resources to NLP activities outside of research purposes.
Topics: Body Weight; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Directive Counseling; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Morning Sickness; Neurolinguistic Programming; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Phobic Disorders; Pregnancy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Smoking Cessation; Substance-Related Disorders; Weight Reduction Programs
PubMed: 23211179
DOI: 10.3399/bjgp12X658287 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Jul 2014
Topics: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; Needles; Phobic Disorders; Syncope, Vasovagal
PubMed: 24574504
DOI: 10.1093/bja/aeu013 -
Neurotherapeutics : the Journal of the... Jul 2017Virtual reality (VR) refers to an advanced technological communication interface in which the user is actively participating in a computer-generated 3-dimensional... (Review)
Review
Virtual reality (VR) refers to an advanced technological communication interface in which the user is actively participating in a computer-generated 3-dimensional virtual world that includes computer sensory input devices used to simulate real-world interactive experiences. VR has been used within psychiatric treatment for anxiety disorders, particularly specific phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder, given several advantages that VR provides for use within treatment for these disorders. Exposure therapy for anxiety disorder is grounded in fear-conditioning models, in which extinction learning involves the process through which conditioned fear responses decrease or are inhibited. The present review will provide an overview of extinction training and anxiety disorder treatment, advantages for using VR within extinction training, a review of the literature regarding the effectiveness of VR within exposure therapy for specific phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder, and limitations and future directions of the extant empirical literature.
Topics: Humans; Phobic Disorders; Psychotherapy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Virtual Reality
PubMed: 28512692
DOI: 10.1007/s13311-017-0534-y -
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 1992
Topics: Anxiety; Awareness; Body Image; Female; Humans; Male; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 1488495
DOI: 10.1159/000288619