Co-Planar Stereotaxic Atlas of the Human Brain—3-Dimensional Proportional System: An Approach to Cerebral Imaging, J. Talairach, P. Tournoux. Georg Thieme Verlag, New York (1988), 122 pp., 130 figs. DM 268

http://gruberpeplab.com/3131/Kreibig_2010.pdf

Autonomic nervous system activity in emotion: A review

The problem of which cues, internal or external, permit a person to label and identify his own emotional state has been with us since the days that James (1890) first tendered his doctrine that \"the bodily changes follow directly the perception of the exciting fact, and that our feeling of the same changes as they occur is the emotion\" (p. 449). Since we are aware of a variety of feeling and emotion states, it should follow from James' proposition that the various emotions will be accompanied by a variety of differentiable bodily states. Following James' pronouncement, a formidable number of studies were undertaken in search of the physiological differentiators of the emotions. The results, in these early days, were almost uniformly negative. All of the emotional states experi-

"Cognitive, social, and physiological determinants of emotional state": Erratum

Is there a biology of intelligence which is characteristic of the normal human nervous system?" Here we review 37 modern neuroimaging studies in an attempt to address this question posed by Halstead (1947) as he and other icons of the last century endeavored to understand how brain and behavior are linked through the expression of intelligence and reason. Reviewing studies from functional (i.e., functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography) and structural (i.e., magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, voxel-based morphometry) neuroimaging paradigms, we report a striking consensus suggesting that variations in a distributed network predict individual differences found on intelligence and reasoning tasks. We describe this network as the Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (P-FIT). The P-FIT model includes, by Brodmann areas (BAs): the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BAs 6, 9, 10, 45, 46, 47), the inferior (BAs 39, 40) and superior (BA 7) parietal lobule, the anterior cingulate (BA 32), and regions within the temporal (BAs 21, 37) and occipital (BAs 18, 19) lobes. White matter regions (i.e., arcuate fasciculus) are also implicated. The P-FIT is examined in light of findings from human lesion studies, including missile wounds, frontal lobotomy/leukotomy, temporal lobectomy, and lesions resulting in damage to the language network (e.g., aphasia), as well as findings from imaging research identifying brain regions under significant genetic control. Overall, we conclude that modern neuroimaging techniques are beginning to articulate a biology of intelligence. We propose that the P-FIT provides a parsimonious account for many of the empirical observations, to date, which relate individual differences in intelligence test scores to variations in brain structure and function. Moreover, the model provides a framework for testing new hypotheses in future experimental designs.

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The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (P-FIT) of intelligence: converging neuroimaging evidence.

A MUCH debated question is whether sex differences exist in the functional organization of the brain for language1–4. A long-held hypothesis posits that language functions are more likely to be highly lateralized in males and to be represented in both cerebral hemispheres in females5,6, but attempts to demonstrate this have been inconclusive7–17. Here we use echo-planar functional magnetic resonance imaging18–21 to study 38 right-handed subjects (19 males and 19 females) during orthographic (letter recognition), phonological (rhyme) and semantic (semantic category) tasks. During phonological tasks, brain activation in males is lateralized to the left inferior frontal gyrus regions; in females the pattern of activation is very different, engaging more diffuse neural systems that involve both the left and right inferior frontal gyrus. Our data provide clear evidence for a sex difference in the functional organization of the brain for language and indicate that these variations exist at the level of phonological processing.

Sex differences in the functional organization of the brain for language

ZusammenfassungIm Zentrum der generalisierten Angststörung (GAS) stehen als unkontrollierbar empfundene übermäßige Sorgen über verschiedene Themen, die an der Mehrzahl der Tage über mindestens 6 Monate auftreten. Sie werden von einer Reihe von Symptomen (z. B. Muskelspannungen, Reizbarkeit) begleitet. Modellübergreifend wird die Vermeidung von internalen Prozessen (kognitiv, emotional, körperlich) durch das „Sichsorgen“ als ätiologisch zentral angesehen. Empirisch gut belegte kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutische Interventionen sind Befürchtungskonfrontation, angewandte Entspannung sowie die Bearbeitung von Metakognitionen, Unsicherheitsintoleranz und negativer Problemorientierung. Erste Studien weisen auch auf die Wirksamkeit von Achtsamkeit- und akzeptanzbezogenen Ansätzen sowie von tiefenpsychologischen Therapieansätzen hin. Der vorliegende Beitrag berichtet über zentrale diagnostische Verfahren, wichtige Differenzialdiagnosen und zeigt aktuelle (psycho-)therapeutische Behandlungsmöglichkeiten auf.AbstractThe core features of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are excessive worry about various topics which are perceived as uncontrollable and mostly last for at least 6 months. Worrying is accompanied by a number of symptoms (e.g. muscle tension and irritability). Various etiological models suggest that avoidance of internal processes (e.g. cognitive, emotional, and physical) by worrying is central to the development and maintenance of GAD. Empirically well supported cognitive-behavioral interventions are worry exposure, applied relaxation, treating metacognitions, intolerance of uncertainty and negative problem orientation. Initial studies indicate the efficacy of mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches as well as psychodynamic approaches to treat GAD. The present article reports central diagnostic procedures, important differential diagnoses and illustrates actual (psycho) therapeutic treatment options.

Generalisierte Angststörung: Diagnostik und Behandlung

Abstract. Background: Individuals with social phobia are characterized by a heightened sensitivity for physical symptom such as blushing. Objectives: We exploratorily examined whether blushing-fearful individuals with / without social phobia were more sensitive to perceiving facial temperature increases compared to healthy controls. Methods: 50 participants were tested using an adaptive two-alternative forced-choice task. A Peltier element was attached to the cheek and repeatedly warmed up in one of two phases. The participants’ task was to indicate in which of the two phases the temperature had increased. Results: Contrary to our hypothesis, blushing-fearful individuals with social phobia ( n = 11) were less sensitive to facial temperature increases, i. e., exhibited higher temperature perception threshold, than the subclinical group ( n = 14) and healthy controls ( n = 23). Limitations: The preliminary nature of our study should be noted, and replication in a larger sample is warranted. Conclusions: The findings may be best understood within a predictive coding framework: Individuals with social phobia may rely on priors when assessing their physical symptoms to form an impression of their public self in social situations.

Temperature Perception in the Blushing Region

Worry, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and their Importance

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Dermatillomanie (Skin-Picking-Störung): Diagnostik, Erklärung und Behandlung

Bei den beiden Angststorungen Panikstorung und Agoraphobie handelt es sich um klinisch hoch pravalente Storungsbilder, die trotz nachgewiesenermasen effektiver Behandlungsmoglichkeiten nach wie vor haufig nicht angemessen therapiert werden, obwohl zu deren psychotherapeutischer Behandlung inzwischen zahlreiche gute empirische Studien vorliegen. Die Qualitat der vorliegenden Studien erlaubte die Erstellung der in diesem Beitrag vorgestellten Leitlinie [Heinrichs et al. (2009) Evidenzbasierte Leitlinie zur Psychotherapie der Panikstorung mit und ohne Agoraphobie. Hogrefe, Gottingen]. Diese Leitlinie verfolgt verschiedene Ziele auf unterschiedlichen Ebenen: Auf der Ebene der betroffenen Patienten sollen Verbesserungen des Erkrankungsverlaufs, des Funktionsniveaus und der Lebenszufriedenheit erreicht werden. Der behandelnde Therapeut soll Unterstutzung in der Auswahl diagnostischer Instrumente und spezifisch wirksamer Masnahmen erfahren, und auf der strukturellen Ebene des Versorgungsnetzes soll eine Optimierung von Versorgungsablaufen erzielt werden. Empfehlungen zur Therapie der Panikstorung mit und ohne Agoraphobie sowie der Agoraphobie ohne Panikstorung konnen uberwiegend fur die kognitive Verhaltenstherapie ausgesprochen werden.

/pdf/evidenzbasierte-psychotherapie-der-panikstorung-mit-und-ohne-1tcigtvutn.pdf

Alexander L. Gerlach

Papers

Generalisierte Angststörung: Diagnostik und Behandlung

Temperature Perception in the Blushing Region

Worry, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and their Importance

Dermatillomanie (Skin-Picking-Störung): Diagnostik, Erklärung und Behandlung

Evidenzbasierte Psychotherapie der Panikstörung mit und ohne Agoraphobie