 
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on July 6, 2010
A new study discovers individuals with eating disorders have similar emotional responses when presented with virtual food as they do with real food.
In the investigation, scientists compared the responses of people with anorexia and bulimia, and a control group, to virtual and real-life snacks.
The finding that virtually presented food causes an emotional response may open new avenues for evaluation and therapy of eating disorders.
Alessandra Gorini from the Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy, worked with an international team of researchers to compare the effects of the exposure to real food, virtual food and photographs of food in a sample of patients affected by eating disorders.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/07/06/virtual-food-triggers-eating-disorder-stress/15336.html
 
Article Date: 06 Jul 2010 – 0:00 PDT
“From an early age on we are accustomed to the faces of other humans: a long nose, the swing of the lips or the bushy eyebrows. We learn to recognize the small differences which contribute to an individual appearance”, explains Christoph Dahl, researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics”. It is similar in monkeys. They learn to recognize the features of their fellow monkeys (so called conspecifics) and can grasp the identity of every group member quickly. “However in humans, as well as in macaque monkeys, this principle only works with individuals of the same kind”, says Dahl. Even though the recognition of conspecific faces is achieved by means of holistic processing, the separate parts such as mouth, nose and eyes as well as the facial proportions are still important. “Although we look at the eyes first our neural functions still grasp the whole picture”, Christoph Dahl describes the processing mechanisms behind the facial recognition.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193820.php
 
Prosopagnosia
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Article Date: 06 Jul 2010 – 0:00 PDT
“From an early age on we are accustomed to the faces of other humans: a long nose, the swing of the lips or the bushy eyebrows. We learn to recognize the small differences which contribute to an individual appearance”, explains Christoph Dahl, researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics”. It is similar in monkeys. They learn to recognize the features of their fellow monkeys (so called conspecifics) and can grasp the identity of every group member quickly. “However in humans, as well as in macaque monkeys, this principle only works with individuals of the same kind”, says Dahl. Even though the recognition of conspecific faces is achieved by means of holistic processing, the separate parts such as mouth, nose and eyes as well as the facial proportions are still important. “Although we look at the eyes first our neural functions still grasp the whole picture”, Christoph Dahl describes the processing mechanisms behind the facial recognition.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193820.php
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Prosopagnosia
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ScienceDaily (July 5, 2010) — Abuse and neglect during childhood appear to be associated with increased rates of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders among young adults, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Most studies of child maltreatment and later mental health outcomes have relied on reports of past abuse, according to background information in the article. Doubts have been raised about the reliability and validity of these reports, given that past maltreatment is often unreported, memories can be reconstructed and the reports can be unstable over time.
Kate M. Scott, Ph.D., M.A. Appl. (Clin Psych), and colleagues at University of Otago-Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, linked national child protection agency records with data from a nationally representative community survey of mental disorders among young adults age 16 to 27. The survey included 2,144 young adults, 221 of whom had a history of child maltreatment as indicated by child protection agency records.
After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, a history of abuse or neglect was associated with having any mental disorder and with five individual mental disorders — including anxiety, mood and substance abuse conditions — both over a lifetime and in the previous year. The strongest associations were with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
When asked in young adulthood, 15 percent of the participants in the group without a child protection agency record reported maltreatment. “After excluding these individuals from the comparison group, the magnitude of associations increased, with child protection agency history conferring a 10-fold higher odds of 12-month PTSD, together with elevated odds of other anxiety disorders, mood disorders and drug use disorders,” the authors write.
The findings suggest that maltreatment, not just the memory of maltreatment, is associated with mental health disorders in young adulthood. “This implies, first, that targeted mental health interventions with present or past clients of child welfare agencies are indicated in addition to the interventions currently provided to stop or reduce the maltreatment; and second, that concerted population-level strategies are required to address the needs of the many other children who also experience maltreatment.”
 
Journal Reference:
- Kate M. Scott; Don R. Smith; Pete M. Ellis. Prospectively Ascertained Child Maltreatment and Its Association With DSM-IV Mental Disorders in Young Adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010; 67 (7): 712-719 [link]
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100705190540.htm
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ScienceDaily (July 5, 2010) — Abuse and neglect during childhood appear to be associated with increased rates of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders among young adults, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Most studies of child maltreatment and later mental health outcomes have relied on reports of past abuse, according to background information in the article. Doubts have been raised about the reliability and validity of these reports, given that past maltreatment is often unreported, memories can be reconstructed and the reports can be unstable over time.
Kate M. Scott, Ph.D., M.A. Appl. (Clin Psych), and colleagues at University of Otago-Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, linked national child protection agency records with data from a nationally representative community survey of mental disorders among young adults age 16 to 27. The survey included 2,144 young adults, 221 of whom had a history of child maltreatment as indicated by child protection agency records.
After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, a history of abuse or neglect was associated with having any mental disorder and with five individual mental disorders — including anxiety, mood and substance abuse conditions — both over a lifetime and in the previous year. The strongest associations were with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
When asked in young adulthood, 15 percent of the participants in the group without a child protection agency record reported maltreatment. “After excluding these individuals from the comparison group, the magnitude of associations increased, with child protection agency history conferring a 10-fold higher odds of 12-month PTSD, together with elevated odds of other anxiety disorders, mood disorders and drug use disorders,” the authors write.
The findings suggest that maltreatment, not just the memory of maltreatment, is associated with mental health disorders in young adulthood. “This implies, first, that targeted mental health interventions with present or past clients of child welfare agencies are indicated in addition to the interventions currently provided to stop or reduce the maltreatment; and second, that concerted population-level strategies are required to address the needs of the many other children who also experience maltreatment.”
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Journal Reference:
- Kate M. Scott; Don R. Smith; Pete M. Ellis. Prospectively Ascertained Child Maltreatment and Its Association With DSM-IV Mental Disorders in Young Adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010; 67 (7): 712-719 [link]
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100705190540.htm
 
ScienceDaily (July 5, 2010) — Among patients with heart disease, anxiety disorders appear to be associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
As many as 24 percent to 31 percent of patients with heart disease also have symptoms of anxiety, according to background information in the article. “Compared with the extensive literature on depression in patients with coronary heart disease, relatively few studies have examined the role of anxiety,” the authors write. “Several studies have found that anxiety symptoms are predictive of disability, increased physical symptoms and worse functional status and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease. However, studies examining anxiety as a risk factor for future coronary heart disease have yielded conflicting results.”
Elisabeth J. Martens, Ph.D., of Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands, and colleagues assessed 1,015 outpatients with stable coronary heart disease. The baseline examination consisted of interviews, blood and urine sample testing, exercise testing and electrocardiography. The presence of generalized anxiety disorder and of depressive disorder was determined using the computerized version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule.
After an average follow-up time of 5.6 years, a total of 371 cardiovascular events occurred. After adjusting for age, the yearly rate of cardiovascular events was 9.6 percent in the 106 participants with general anxiety disorder and 6.6 percent in the 909 participants without. After further adjustments for potentially confounding variables — including sex, co-occurring conditions, heart disease severity and medication use — generalized anxiety disorder was associated with a 74 percent increased risk of cardiovascular events.
“This leaves the question of why generalized anxiety disorder is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease,” the authors write. Anxiety may be associated with surges in catecholamines, “fight or flight” hormones that may be related to heart risks, they suggest. Alternatively, patients with anxiety may be more likely to seek care when they have symptoms and therefore be more likely to receive a diagnosis of stroke or heart attack, although this would not explain the increased risk of death. It is also possible that a common underlying factor predisposes individuals to both anxiety and heart events.
“These findings have implications for clinical practice and research,” they conclude. “Generalized anxiety disorder may be considered a prognostic factor in patients with coronary heart disease and could be used in risk stratification. Evaluation and treatment of anxiety may also be considered as part of the comprehensive management of patients with coronary heart disease. Research programs designed to advance our understanding of the impact of generalized anxiety disorders on medical prognosis and biobehavioral mechanisms that link anxiety to mortality in the context of coronary heart disease are needed to develop evidence-based approaches to improving patient care.”
Journal Reference:
- Elisabeth J. Martens; Peter de Jonge; Beeya Na; Beth E. Cohen; Heather Lett; Mary A. Whooley. Scared to Death? Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Stable Coronary Heart Disease: The Heart and Soul Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010; 67 (7): 750-758 [link]
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100705190538.htm
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ScienceDaily (July 5, 2010) — Among patients with heart disease, anxiety disorders appear to be associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
As many as 24 percent to 31 percent of patients with heart disease also have symptoms of anxiety, according to background information in the article. “Compared with the extensive literature on depression in patients with coronary heart disease, relatively few studies have examined the role of anxiety,” the authors write. “Several studies have found that anxiety symptoms are predictive of disability, increased physical symptoms and worse functional status and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease. However, studies examining anxiety as a risk factor for future coronary heart disease have yielded conflicting results.”
Elisabeth J. Martens, Ph.D., of Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands, and colleagues assessed 1,015 outpatients with stable coronary heart disease. The baseline examination consisted of interviews, blood and urine sample testing, exercise testing and electrocardiography. The presence of generalized anxiety disorder and of depressive disorder was determined using the computerized version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule.
After an average follow-up time of 5.6 years, a total of 371 cardiovascular events occurred. After adjusting for age, the yearly rate of cardiovascular events was 9.6 percent in the 106 participants with general anxiety disorder and 6.6 percent in the 909 participants without. After further adjustments for potentially confounding variables — including sex, co-occurring conditions, heart disease severity and medication use — generalized anxiety disorder was associated with a 74 percent increased risk of cardiovascular events.
“This leaves the question of why generalized anxiety disorder is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease,” the authors write. Anxiety may be associated with surges in catecholamines, “fight or flight” hormones that may be related to heart risks, they suggest. Alternatively, patients with anxiety may be more likely to seek care when they have symptoms and therefore be more likely to receive a diagnosis of stroke or heart attack, although this would not explain the increased risk of death. It is also possible that a common underlying factor predisposes individuals to both anxiety and heart events.
“These findings have implications for clinical practice and research,” they conclude. “Generalized anxiety disorder may be considered a prognostic factor in patients with coronary heart disease and could be used in risk stratification. Evaluation and treatment of anxiety may also be considered as part of the comprehensive management of patients with coronary heart disease. Research programs designed to advance our understanding of the impact of generalized anxiety disorders on medical prognosis and biobehavioral mechanisms that link anxiety to mortality in the context of coronary heart disease are needed to develop evidence-based approaches to improving patient care.”
Journal Reference:
- Elisabeth J. Martens; Peter de Jonge; Beeya Na; Beth E. Cohen; Heather Lett; Mary A. Whooley. Scared to Death? Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Stable Coronary Heart Disease: The Heart and Soul Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010; 67 (7): 750-758 [link]
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100705190538.htm
 
Saturday, 3 July 2010 01:11 UK
US Scientists and the National Federation of the Blind are developing a car for the blind and will present a prototype next year.
The vehicle will be fitted with technology that allows a blind person to drive independently, the NFB and Virginia Tech University said.
Non-visual aids include sensors indicating turns in the road via vibrating gloves.
Puffs of compressed air on the face will alert the driver to obstacles.
Other aids to be fitted include a vibrating vest to give feedback on speed and a steering wheel with audio cues and spoken commands indicating the car’s direction.
Exploration
Last year Virginia Tech turned a beach buggy into an experimental vehicle for blind drivers.
They used sensor lasers and cameras to act as the eyes of the buggy.
Read More …Â http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10497032.stm
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Saturday, 3 July 2010 01:11 UK
US Scientists and the National Federation of the Blind are developing a car for the blind and will present a prototype next year.
The vehicle will be fitted with technology that allows a blind person to drive independently, the NFB and Virginia Tech University said.
Non-visual aids include sensors indicating turns in the road via vibrating gloves.
Puffs of compressed air on the face will alert the driver to obstacles.
Other aids to be fitted include a vibrating vest to give feedback on speed and a steering wheel with audio cues and spoken commands indicating the car’s direction.
Exploration
Last year Virginia Tech turned a beach buggy into an experimental vehicle for blind drivers.
They used sensor lasers and cameras to act as the eyes of the buggy.
Read More …Â http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10497032.stm
 
NATALIE CRAIG
July 4, 2010
A SEVERELY autistic boy is suing the state government over claims he was abused and ”chemically restrained” with medication by his ex-school.
The claim comes as disability advocates say autistic children are increasingly sedated with drugs in place of effective behavioural treatments.
Ellen Modra is suing in the Federal Court on behalf of her son Luke, now 21, under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Ms Modra says staff at a school for autism in Melbourne conspired with a medical practitioner to prescribe her son, then about 12, with three times the recommended dose of antipsychotic drug risperidone. As a result Luke developed a neurological condition characterised by jerky, involuntary movements, she alleges.
She says he was also physically restrained and abused while in respite care and at school, including being locked for long periods in a courtyard.
”The school was supposed to be there for people with autism, but we wound up in a situation where nobody loved him, nobody wanted him and he deteriorated,” Mrs Modra told The Sunday Age. ”They told us he was incapable of learning … the best they could do was try to contain him with drugs.”
In May, Victoria’s Senior Practitioner, Jeffrey Chan, called for a review of the increasing number of young Victorians in state care being ”chemically restrained” with mood stabilisers and sedatives.
Disability advocate Julie Phillips said she was helping several parents of autistic children whose schools had recommended medication.
”Schools are increasingly making requests that parents consider medication, which is often linked with an inability to support the child in the class,” Ms Phillips said. ”They simply lack the resources to cope.”
The Sunday Age last month reported that an autistic boy who had been taking Prozac suffered a violent breakdown at his Geelong school. His mother said he had been taking the drug on advice from the school, and it distorted his moods.
The school said it had suggested the student required an acute management plan that included medication, which had been suggested by a doctor.
Another parent, who is considering suing the state over her son’s treatment at a special school, said the school invited parents to a presentation on behavioural medications. ”I was gobsmacked,” she said. ”They were essentially promoting drugs for our children.”
Ms Modra said her son’s school insisted he be medicated in order to attend, and that staff liaised directly with his doctor, who eventually increased his risperidone dose to three times the maximum recommended for autism.
”We were so emotional and distressed at what was happening, we agreed. But we now know it was chemical restraint,” Ms Modra said.
Professor Alasdair Vance, head of child psychiatry at the Royal Children’s Hospital, said risperidone, in conjunction with social treatments, was appropriate as a last resort.
He said schools had to ensure all children were safe and able to learn, and parents needed to work with schools to develop appropriate programs.
Early intervention programs for children with autism were making significant inroads in treating the disorder, and many schools had provided effective autism programs, he said.
An Education Department spokesman declined to comment on the Modra case but said: ”From time to time, families ask and give their permission to schools to provide information to medical specialists about the well-being or behaviour of their child during school hours … medical specialists may use the information to help make an assessment … ”
Source:Â http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-sued-for-school-abuse-of-autistic-boy-20100703-zv2u.html