Abstract Background & Objective: Chronic excessive alcohol consumption causes white matter degeneration with myelin loss and impaired neuronal conduc tivity. Subsequent rarefaction of myelin accounts for the sustained deficits in cognition, learning, and memory. Correspondingly, chronic heavy or repeated binge alcohol exposures in humans and experimental models alter myelin li pid composition leading to build-up of ceramides which can be neurotoxic and broadly inhibitory to brain functions. Methods: This study examined the effects of chronic + binge alcohol exposures (8 weeks) and intervention with myriocin, a ceramide inhibitor, on neurobehavioral functions (Open Field, Novel Object Recognition, and Morris Water Maze tests) and frontal lobe white matter myelin lipid biochemical pathology in an adult Long-Evans rat model. Results: The ethanol-exposed group had significant deficits in execu tive functions with increased indices of anxiety and impairments in spatial learning acquisition. Myriocin partially remediated these effects of ethanol while not impacting behavior in the control group. Ethanol-fed rats had sig nificantly smaller brains with broadly reduced expression of sulfatides and reduced expression of two of the three sphingomyelins detected in frontal white matter. Myriocin partially resolved these effects corresponding with improvements in neurobehavioral function. Conclusion: Therapeutic strate gies that support cerebral white matter myelin expression of sulfatide and sphingomyelin may help remediate cognitive-behavioral dysfunction follow ing chronic heavy alcohol consumption in humans.

Abstract We investigated the effects of handedness on developing latent cognitive re sponse strategies according to situation variables. We used the findings of the block-wise Proportion Congruency (PC) effect in which the proportion of con gruent trials in a given block modulates the compatibility effect in its block. The block-wise PC effect cannot be intentionally controlled. A Simon task with three different types of Proportion Congruency (PC) in a given block was used to measure the block-wise PC effects. This task was administered to 24 left-hand ed and 24 right-handed participants. The reaction time and error rates, consis tent with previous studies, demonstrated that the block-wise PC effect was ob served in left- and right-handers. Crucially, the block-wise PC effect was more pronounced in left- than right-handers, suggesting that left- and right-handers unintentionally apply different cognitive strategies in response to conflict res olution experiences.

Abstract Childhood is an important period for personality formation, cognition and social development. Childhood physical and mental trauma is the key reason for the development of many serious diseases. Severe traumatic events can cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Children’s psychological ad justment and tolerance are generally lower than adults, and it is difficult for children to seek reasonable help after suffering traumatic events. Children who experience a traumatic event have an even higher rate of PTSD than adults, con sidering problems with their symptom presentation. Post-Traumatic Stress Dis order can hinder children’s development of healthy psychology such as indepen dence and autonomy in the future, and can lead to a series of psychological dis orders in adulthood. This article introduces the epidemiology, symptoms, physi ological changes and influencing factors of PTSD in children, and puts forward the direction of treatment in the future.

Abstract The molecular and cellular mechanisms by which alcohol produces its deleterious effects on neuronal networks are only now beginning to be understood.This review focused on alcohol-induced neurobiological alterations on neuronal network components underlying information processing, for further understanding of intellectual disability related to FASD. Abnormal neurodevelopmental events related to alcohol-damaged fetal brain included neurogenesis inhibition, aberrant migration, impaired differentiation, exacerbated apoptosis, impaired axon outgrowth and branching altering synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity, abnormal GABAergic interneurons triggering synaptic inhibitory/excitatory imbalance, reduced myelinogenesis causing injured white matter in prefrontal lobe and atrophied corpus callosum compromising interhemispheric information transfer, the whole compromising neuronal network scaffolding which may lead to biased information processing with deficits in executive function. What added to these abnormalities are smaller gray matter and reduced hippocampus, resulting in cognition and memory failures. As a whole, these developmental disorders may underlie intellectual disability related to FASD. In rodents, these neuronal network components matured mainly during the second and third trimesters equivalents of human gestation. Transferability of results from animal to human was also discussed. It was hoped that the understanding of alcohol-induced neuronal networks failure mechanisms during the developing brain may lay a foundation for prospective new treatments and interventions.

Abstract Fidget spinners have been marketed as repetitive motion devices that improve attention and motor performance, and as such, they have become quite appealing to individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). To date, no studies have explored changes in brain activity that may occur due to fidgeting in ADHD. Our aim was to use functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the performance of a standardized fine motor skills test after using a fidget spinner.Eight right-handed adults with ADHD and eight age and gender matched adults without ADHD (4F/4M, 4 control/4 fidget) performed the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) while their brain oxygenation was monitored using fNIRS.Relative neural efficiency (RNE) and involvement (RNI) were calculated and analyzed for all subtasks of PPT including the less cognitively demanding fine motor subtasks and more complex assembly tasks. The fidget spinner improved both task performance and RNE in the ADHD group but not the non-ADHD group for the less cognitively demanding subtasks. Our results indicate Fidget spinners may improve both relative neural efficiency and fine motor performance in adults with ADHD for less cognitively demanding tasks.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of eating disorders and self-disorders (self-esteem, selflessness, self-efficacy, self-concept clarity, and self-compassion) on women’s behavior in Kuwait. This study used a quantitative approach based on a survey questionnaire by the online survey has been used as the main technique for data collection. The survey was sent to a group of 500 women in Kuwait. The survey was administrated through an online survey tool. 212 women completed the full questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 42.2 percent. The results indicated that eating disorders have a direct effect on women’s behavior in Kuwait. Moreover, self-disorders (self-esteem, selflessness, self-efficacy, self-concept clarity, and self-compassion) have a direct effect on women’s behavior in Kuwait.

Abstract Jungian Advanced Motor Processing (JAMP) is a mode of treatment developed in May of 2020 by Dr. Lahab Al-Samarrai during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Al-Samarrai had many students who reported increased anxiety, negative thoughts, fearful thoughts, and self-defeating thoughts. These students needed symptom relief more quickly than conventional talk therapy typically provides. Dr. Al-Samarrai developed a treatment modality incorporating light, bilateral audible beats, and positive affirmations. So far, more than 100 subjects have undergone JAMP, and this paper is a case study of one such subject. The research currently being compiled on JAMP, the subject of a future paper, to date shows positive improvement after receiving 5 - 6 sessions, and demonstrated decreases in both somatic symptoms and post-traumatic symptoms ranging from 45 - 55 percent. This paper will share the following:1) Description of the underlying theoretical components supporting the treatment; 2) Description of the treatment; 3) Discussion of the case of Grace and her experience with JAMP.

Abstract A mathematical model has been developed to numerically model the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) as a person ages. The model was programmed in Excel to provide a working prototype computer simulation model. The model provides estimates of the cumulative risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and CTE as age increases. A one-year step size was used. The model has two major parts: one predicts changes in slow-wave sleep as a person ages and the second component adjusts the flushing efficiency of waste products from the brain.The two components work together and interact to lower the flushing of waste components as age increases. The development of the model provides an overview of how the various factors work together that lead to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and the associated CTE. Calibration of the coefficients in the model is based on published data sets presented in the literature. Further research and refinement of calibration coefficients should be explored.

Abstract Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, especially for seniors. WASO (time awake after sleep onset), a component of insomnia, tends to increase with age. There are also many variations in WASO for seniors. To better understand the nature of insomnia, an equation was developed to predict WASO using maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) as a measure of fitness associated with aerobic exercise. Predictions from the equation matched measured values with an R2 = 0.98. The results were highly significant (p < 0.001). A second equation was used to predict VO2max as a function of age and relative fitness (a measure of aerobic fitness independent of age). The two equations were combined to predict WASO as a function of age, gender, and relative fitness. Based on these results, it appears that aerobic exercise to improve relative fitness can be used to reduce WASO. The WASO model explains the numerous reports of reduced WASO associated with long-term exercise programs. The model also explains why WASO increases with age and why high WASO values associate with early death.

Abstract Vibratory stimulation but also motor imagery and action observation can induce corticomotor modulation, as a bottom-up stimulus and top-down stimuli, respectively. However, it remains unknown whether the combination of motor imagery, action observation, and vibratory stimulation can effectively increase corticomotor excitability. This study aimed to investigate the effect of motor imagery and/or action observation, in the presence or absence of vibratory stimulation, on the corticomotor excitability of healthy young adults. Vibratory stimulation was provided to the palm of the right hand. Action observation consisted in viewing a movie of someone else’s finger flexion and extension movements. The imagery condition required the participants to imagine they were moving their fingers while viewing the movie and attempting to move their fingers in accordance with the movie. Eleven right-handed healthy young adults were asked to perform six conditions randomly: 1) vibratory stimulation, imagery, and action observation, 2) vibratory stimulation and action observation, 3) vibratory stimulation and viewing of a blank screen, 4) imagery and action observation, 5) action observation, and 6) viewing of a blank screen. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was conducted to assess corticomotor excitability and the peak-to-peak amplitude of the motor evoked potentials. The results showed that vibratory stimulation increases corticospinal excitability. The findings further revealed that performing motor imagery while viewing finger movement is more effective at inducing an augmentation of corticomotor excitability compared to action observation alone. Thus, the combination of motor imagery, action observation, and vibratory stimulation can effectively augment corticomotor excitability

Abstract The article considers the biological nature and origins of emotional stress. Emotional stress is primarily formed in the mental activity of the brain in the form of pronounced long-term negative emotions and is secondarily manifested in neurophysiological mechanisms and somatovegetative processes. However, all studies of the development of emotional stress are focused on the study of central neurophysiological mechanisms, excluding the possibility of analysis for the “sources” of emotional stress, which is primarily formed in the subjective sphere of brain activity, i.e., in the mechanisms of emotions. In our studies, we propose a fundamentally new methodology for studying the mental activity of the human brain and, in particular, the mechanisms of emotions. Thereby, modern methods of psychophysiology make it possible to come closer to understanding the nature of emotional stress.

Abstract The val66met polymorphism of the bdnf gene, which is associated with compromised brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling, impaired synaptic plasticity, and impaired learning, may increase one’s susceptibility to stress- and anxiety-related disorders. Indeed, previous work has reported greater anxiety-related behaviors and impairments of fear conditioning and extinction in individuals who carry the met allele that results from this polymorphism. Nevertheless, findings in this area of research have been equivocal. Thus, we examined the influence of the val66met polymorphism on fear conditioning, extinction, and extinction memory testing. One hundred and twenty healthy participants completed differential fear conditioning in a fear-potentiated startle paradigm, followed by extinction and extinction memory testing 24 and 48 hr later, respectively. Participants were genotyped for the val66met polymorphism and divided into met allele carriers and non-carriers. Results revealed that, although both met-carriers and non-carriers developed conditioned fear, met-carriers exhibited significantly weaker fear acquisition than non-carriers. This difference persisted throughout extinction and extinction memory testing and, during these last two days of testing, was primarily evident in females. These results are consistent with previous work demonstrating that this polymorphism is associated with impaired amygdala-dependent fear learning and extend such findings by demonstrating that females may be more sensitive to such effects.

Abstract Objective: Dysphagia is a frequent symptom caused by cerebral infarction. This study investigated the effect evaluation and safety of electroacupuncture combined with balloon dilatation on dysphagia after cerebral infarction. Methods: Totally 100 patients with dysphagia after cerebral infarction were enrolled as study subjects and assigned into the control group (treated with balloon dilatation) and the observation group (treated with electroacupuncture and balloon dilatation), with 50 cases in each group. The general data of participants were recorded. Before or after treatment, swallowing function was assessed by water swallow test, standardized swallowing function assessment (SSA), videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), and functional oral intake scale (FOIS). The cerebral hemodynamics, serological indicators, neurological impairment, quality of life (QOL) score were analyzed. Additionally, the occurrence of complications and adverse reactions after treatment was assessed. Results: There was no significant difference in gender, age, BMI, course of disease, and grade of dysphagia between the two groups. Balloon dilatation alone and electroacupuncture combined with balloon dilatation decreased the water swallow test, SSA, and VFSS scores, increased FOIS score, and improved the swallowing function, cerebral hemodynamic parameters, serological indicators, neurological function and QOL, with the better efficacy in the combined therapy. Moreover, combined therapy had lower incidences of complications and adverse reactions than balloon dilatation therapy alone. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture intervention combined with balloon dilatation therapy ameliorates swallowing function, cerebral hemonamics, serological indicators, neurological function and QOL, and reduces complications and adverse reactions in dysphagia after cerebral infarction.

Abstract Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a stressful associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenal (HPA) axis and behavioral problems. Children and adolescents with history of CSA could have higher cortisol levels, as these have been associated with deleterious changes in brain regions involved in controlling social behavior and self-control. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship among basal cortisol levels, social skills and behavioral problems in adolescents with CSA by evaluating two groups: one consisting of 12 - 15-year-old girls with CSA (n = 23), the other healthy comparison adolescents with no history of child abuse (n = 23). Social skills and behavioral problems were assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System. Three saliva samples were collected from each participant. The girls with CSA had lower social skills and more behavioral problems, as well as, higher cortisol concentrations. Besides, these participants showed significant negative correlations among cortisol levels and social skills, as well as, positive correlations with behavioral problems scales. It is feasible to suggest that the social deficiencies observed in these participants with CSA are related to alterations of the HPA.