Prenatal influenza vaccination rescues impairments of social behavior and lamination in a mouse model of autism.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal infection is a substantial risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism in offspring. We have previously reported that influenza vaccination (VAC) during early pregnancy contributes to neurogenesis and behavioral function in offspring. RESULTS: Here, we probe the efficacy of VAC pretreatment on autism-like behaviors in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model. We show that VAC improves abnormal fetal brain cytoarchitecture and lamination, an effect associated with promotion of intermediate progenitor cell differentiation in MIA fetal brain. These beneficial effects are sufficient to prevent social deficits in adult MIA offspring. Furthermore, whole-genome analysis suggests a strong interaction between Ikzf1 (IKAROS family zinc-finger 1) and neuronal differentiation. Intriguingly, VAC rescues excessive microglial Ikzf1 expression and attenuates microglial inflammatory responses in the MIA fetal brain. CONCLUSIONS: Our study implies that a preprocessed influenza vaccination prevents maternal bacterial infection from causing neocortical lamination impairments and autism-related behaviors in offspring.

Religion, spirituality, positive youth development, and thriving.

Issues of spirituality and thriving are pertinent to the period of adolescence given the marked changes in body, mind, and relationships. In order to provide an overview of the relationship between religion, spirituality, and positive youth development, this chapter offers a developmental systems perspective and proposes a relational spirituality as a framework for understanding adolescent religious and spiritual development. In addition, the chapter examines various psychological mechanisms through which religion and spirituality may promote positive youth development. Existing empirical research on the relationships between adolescent religion, spirituality, thriving, and specific indicators of positive youth development is reviewed. Finally, future directions for continuing to build the field of study are discussed.

Factors affecting criminal recidivism among participants in the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program in New South Wales, Australia.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: The Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program is a diversionary program for people with substance use (primarily illicit drug) problems, based in New South Wales, Australia. The aim of this study was to assess factors relevant to recidivism among MERIT participants. DESIGN AND METHODS: A longitudinal study utilising administrative data was conducted. MERIT participants entering the program after 1 August 2004 and with a finalisation date of prior to 31 December 2005 were included in the study. Recidivism records for this cohort were obtained for the period 1 August 2004 and 31 December 2007 and linked to MERIT administrative data. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to identify predictors of recidivism. RESULTS: A total of 1160 MERIT participants were included in the analysis. Compared to non-completers, completion of the MERIT program was associated with a 30% reduction in risk of recidivism. Factors associated with increased risk of recidivism following MERIT included principal drug other than cannabis and higher number of prior convictions. Discussion and Conclusions. Although the design of this study does not permit causal conclusions, these results suggest the MERIT program may be associated with reduced criminal offending. The identification of factors associated with increased risk of recidivism may be helpful in identifying participants in need of higher intensity interventions.[Larney S, Martire KA. Factors affecting criminal recidivism among participants in the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program in New South Wales, Australia.

Outcomes of anti-bullying intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Although existing research is scarce, evidence suggests that children and adults with intellectual disabilities may be at increased risk of being bullied (as they are for maltreatment generally) and possibly more likely than those without disabilities to also engage in bullying behavior. Despite significant clinical interest in bullying, we could find no published research on the outcomes of bullying intervention for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Adults with intellectual disabilities in three work center settings participated in one of two interventions for perpetrators and/or victims of bullying: (a) psychoeducational intervention with a cognitive behavioral orientation (n=20), or (b) the same intervention but with additional involvement of community stakeholders such as parents, the police, and local schools (n=22). A third work center (n=18) acted as a waiting list control comparison. Pre-intervention, 43% of participants reported that they had been bullied within the preceding three months and 28% identified themselves as having bullied others. Reports of being bullied decreased significantly within the two intervention groups over time but not in the control group. There were no differences between the two intervention groups, and no statistically significant reduction in self-reported bullying behavior. Initial data on this intervention suggest that its effects might be clinically meaningful with an associated Numbers Needed to Treat for reduction in exposure to bullying of 5.55.

Minocycline attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, sickness behavior, and anhedonia.

BACKGROUND: Activation of the peripheral innate immune system stimulates the secretion of CNS cytokines that modulate the behavioral symptoms of sickness. Excessive production of cytokines by microglia, however, may cause long-lasting behavioral and cognitive complications. The purpose of this study was to determine if minocycline, an anti-inflammatory agent and purported microglial inhibitor, attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, sickness behavior, and anhedonia. METHODS: In the first set of experiments the effect of minocycline pretreatment on LPS-induced microglia activation was assessed in BV-2 microglia cell cultures. In the second study, adult (3-6 m) BALB/c mice received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of vehicle or minocycline (50 mg/kg) for three consecutive days. On the third day, mice were also injected (i.p.) with saline or Escherichia coli LPS (0.33 mg/kg) and behavior (i.e., sickness and anhedonia) and markers of neuroinflammation (i.e., microglia activation and inflammatory cytokines) were determined. In the final study, adult and aged BALB/c mice were treated with the same minocycline and LPS injection regimen and markers of neuroinflammation were determined. All data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis Systems General Linear Model procedures and were subjected to one-, two-, or three-way ANOVA to determine significant main effects and interactions. RESULTS: Minocycline blocked LPS-stimulated inflammatory cytokine secretion in the BV-2 microglia-derived cell line and reduced LPS-induced Toll-like-receptor-2 (TLR2) surface expression on brain microglia. Moreover, minocycline facilitated the recovery from sickness behavior (i.e., anorexia, weight loss, and social withdrawal) and prevented anhedonia in adult mice challenged with LPS. Furthermore, the minocycline associated recovery from LPS-induced sickness behavior was paralleled by reduced mRNA levels of Interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and indoleamine 2, 3 dioxygenase (IDO) in the cortex and hippocampus. Finally, in aged mice, where exaggerated neuroinflammation was elicited by LPS, minocycline pretreatment was still effective in markedly reducing mRNA levels of IL-1beta, TLR2 and IDO in the hippocampus. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that minocycline mitigates neuroinflammation in the adult and aged brain and modulates the cytokine-associated changes in motivation and behavior.

Baridi: a culture-bound syndrome among the Bena peoples in Tanzania.

The aim of this ethnographic study is to describe baridi, a culture-bound syndrome of the Bena peoples in the village of Ilembula, Tanzania. The data were collected through open-ended interviews (n = 49), observation and personal field diary, and analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The findings showed that baridi, emotional coldness, was a slowly progressing condition. It started with mild symptoms, such as feeling cold, tired and sick. Later, it influenced the sufferer's physical, mental, social, sexual, and economical well being. Treatment of baridi was based on identification of the cause, asking for forgiveness and sharing a ritual confirming family unity. Prevention of baridi required respect of the elderly and familial norms. The findings may advance professional understanding of cultural knowledge by demonstrating how sociocultural conditions produce variations in health.

A possible selves intervention to enhance school involvement.

We developed a 9-week after-school, small group, activities-based intervention focused on enhancing youth's abilities to imagine themselves as successful adults and connecting these future imagines to current school involvement. We describe and evaluate this programme comparing three cohorts of urban African American middle school students (n=62 experimental, n=146 control), controlling for sex and previous school involvement. By the end of the school year, intervention youth reported more bonding to school, concern about doing well in school, "balanced" possible selves, plausible strategies to attain these possible selves, better school attendance, and for boys, less trouble at school.

Reducing inappropriate behaviors of developmentally disabled adults using antecedent aerobic dance exercises.

The effects of aerobic dance exercise on inappropriate behaviors of two developmentally disabled adults were observed in a day activities center. The experimental phase, in which the subjects engaged in exercise with seven other individuals on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week, was preceded and followed by baseline phases in which subjects did not exercise and in which there were no contingencies in effect for the dependent variables. Exercises consisted of those commonly used in exercise dance classes. Observations occurred during 15 minute periods immediately before and following exercise while subjects engaged in regular classroom activities. Observations also occurred in the same time periods on no-exercise days during all phases. Behaviors observed included inappropriate vocalizations, repetitive movements, and off-task. Results indicate for both subjects a decrease in each of the inappropriate behaviors as a result of exercise.