Timing of adoption is associated with electrophysiological brain activity and externalizing problems among children adopted internationally.

This study investigated middle childhood resting electroencephalography (EEG) and behavioral adjustment in 35 internationally adopted children removed from early caregiving adversity between 6 and 29 months of age. Older age of adoption was associated with more immature or atypical profiles of middle childhood cortical function, based on higher relative theta power (4-6 Hz), lower relative alpha power (7-12 Hz), lower peak alpha frequency, and lower absolute beta (13-20 Hz) and gamma (21-50 Hz) power. More immature or atypical EEG spectral power indirectly linked older age of adoption with increased risk for externalizing problems in middle childhood. The findings add to existing evidence linking duration of early adverse exposures with lasting effects on brain function and behavioral regulation even years after living in a stable adoptive family setting. Findings underscore the need to minimize and prevent children's exposures to early caregiving adversity, especially in the first years of life. They call for innovative interventions to support neurotypical development in internationally adopted children at elevated risk.

Early exposure to parent-perpetrated intimate partner violence predicts hypervigilant error monitoring.

Early exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) places children at risk for ongoing emotional difficulties, including problems with self-regulation and high levels of internalizing symptoms. However, the impact of IPV exposure on children's error monitoring remains unknown. The present study utilized electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the impact of exposure to IPV in infancy on error monitoring in middle childhood. Results indicated that parents' perpetration of IPV against their romantic partners when children were under 24 months of age predicted hypervigilant error monitoring in children at age 8 (N = 30, 16 female), as indexed by error-related neural activity (ERN and Pe difference amplitudes), above and beyond the effects of general adversity exposure and parental responsiveness. There was no association between partner perpetration of IPV and children's error monitoring. Results illustrate the harmful effects of early exposure to parent-perpetrated IPV on error monitoring and highlight the importance of targeting children's and parents' cognitive and emotional responses to error commission in psychotherapy.

Unsupportive romantic partner behaviors increase neural reactivity to mistakes.

Romantic relationships involve a range of positive and negative experiences, from supportive and security-enhancing behaviors to unsupportive interactions involving criticism and dismissiveness. The present study aimed to examine the functional impact of these experiences on reactivity to mistakes, as error salience has key implications for adaptive functioning in areas such as goal-striving and appropriate risk-taking. To this end, a study was conducted in which participants completed the Eriksen Flanker Task (EFT) alone and under romantic partner observation while electrophysiological brain activity related to error salience (the error-related negativity (ERN)) was recorded. Findings indicated that unsupportive, but not supportive, partner behaviors were associated with changes in error salience, furthering the notion that negative relationship experiences have a stronger effect on functioning than do positive ones and highlighting the impact of relationship context on reactivity to mistakes.

Early parenting intervention accelerates inhibitory control development among CPS-involved children in middle childhood: A randomized clinical trial.

Children at risk for neglect or abuse are vulnerable to delays in inhibitory control development. Prior findings suggest that early parenting interventions that target parental sensitivity and responsiveness during infancy can improve executive function outcomes of high-risk children during preschool years; however, little is known about how persistent these gains are through middle childhood. Participants included 76 CPS-involved children who were randomly assigned to either the ABC intervention (N = 32) or the Developmental Education for Families (DEF) control intervention (N = 44), and 53 low-risk children. Children completed the Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) paradigm at ages 8 and 10. Intervention group predicted performance on the SSRT at age 8 such that children who received the ABC intervention and children in the low-risk group performed significantly better than children who received the DEF intervention (ABC vs. DEF: Cohen's d = 0.92; low-risk group vs. DEF: d = 0.56). The performances of the ABC and the low-risk groups were not statistically different. There were no significant group differences in SSRT performance at age 10. These findings demonstrate that the ABC intervention has long-term beneficial effects on inhibitory control development in children with a history of early caregiving adversity. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/P9oLyfo7pYA.

Psychodermatology of vitiligo: Psychological impact and consequences.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune dermatologic disorder that causes chronic skin depigmentation, which affects an estimated 1% of the world's population. This disfiguring condition can have devastating psychological consequences on its sufferers. The field of psychodermatology examines psychiatric manifestations of dermatologic conditions. Although previous research in this area has been done on other skin disorders, no large-scale review exists on the dermatologic-psychiatric connection in vitiligo specifically. The current article will discuss the psychodermatology of vitiligo with an emphasis on depression, stress, and low self-esteem. The social and cultural considerations will also be explored. Finally, the implications of these psychiatric manifestations on treatment will be discussed, with the goal of implementing early psychiatric intervention for those with vitiligo.

Early Parenting Intervention and Adverse Family Environments Affect Neural Function in Middle Childhood.

BACKGROUND: Growing work points to the negative impact of early adverse experiences on the developing brain. An outstanding question concerns the extent to which early intervention can normalize trajectories of brain development in at-risk children. We tested this within the context of a randomized clinical trial of an early parenting program, the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), delivered to parents and infants monitored for maltreatment by Child Protective Services. METHODS: Families participated in the randomized clinical trial when children were 2.5 years of age or younger. Parenting and home adversity was measured at baseline. Children were followed longitudinally, and resting brain activity was measured electrophysiologically (n = 106) when children reached 8 years of age. Spectral power was quantified and compared across children assigned to the experimental intervention (ABC), a control intervention, and a low-risk comparison group (n = 76) recruited at the follow-up assessment. RESULTS: Higher early home adversity was associated with electrophysiological profiles indicative of cortical delays/immaturity in middle childhood, based on relatively greater power in lower frequency bands (theta, 4-6 Hz, and low alpha, 6-9 Hz) and lower power in a higher frequency band (high alpha, 9-12 Hz). Children assigned to ABC showed relatively greater high-frequency power (beta, 12-20 Hz) than children assigned to the control intervention. Beta power in the ABC did not differ from that of the low-risk comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Maltreatment risk and home adversity can affect indicators of middle childhood brain maturation. Early parenting programs can support more normative patterns of neural function during middle childhood.

Depressive symptoms and error-related brain activity in CPS-referred children.

Early adversity such as maltreatment is associated with increased risk for psychopathology and atypical neurological development in children. The present study examined associations between depressive symptoms and error-related brain activity (the error-related negativity, or ERN) among children involved with Child Protective Services (CPS) and among comparison children. Results indicate that the relation between depressive symptoms and ERN amplitude depends on CPS involvement, such that depressive symptoms were associated with blunted ERNs only for CPS-referred children. The present study can inform future research investigating the mechanisms by which experiences of adversity affect the association between symptoms and error-related brain activity.

CPS-referred mothers' psychophysiological responses to own versus other child predict sensitivity to child distress.

Maltreating mothers often struggle to respond sensitively to their children's distress. Examining psychophysiological processing of own child cues may offer insight into neurobiological mechanisms that promote sensitive parenting among high-risk mothers. The current study used event-related potential (ERP) methodology to examine associations between mothers' neural responses to their own child versus other children and observed sensitivity to distress. Participants included 73 mothers: 42 with histories of child protective services (CPS) involvement and 31 low-risk comparison mothers. Maternal sensitivity to child distress was coded from observations of children's blood sample collection. Late positive potential (LPP) ERP responses, which reflect sustained attention to emotionally salient stimuli, were measured when mothers viewed photos of their own child and other children. An own-other LPP difference score (own-other LPP) was computed by regressing the mean amplitude of mothers' LPP to their own child on the mean amplitude of mothers' LPP to other children. CPS-referred mothers and low-risk mothers did not differ in their LPP responses to own child, other children, or the own-other LPP. However, there was a significant interaction between group (CPS-referred vs. low-risk) and own-other LPP in predicting maternal sensitivity. Among the CPS-referred mothers, own-other LPP was significantly correlated with maternal sensitivity, with greater LPP amplitude to own versus other child associated with higher maternal sensitivity. In contrast, among the low-risk group, own-other LPP was not significantly correlated with maternal sensitivity. Findings add to our understanding of the neurobiology of sensitive parenting among high-risk mothers. (PsycINFO Database Record

The power of frontal midline theta and post-error slowing to predict performance recovery: Evidence for compensatory mechanisms.

Past studies utilizing cognitive control tasks have noted that trials following errors are characterized by slowed reaction time. Despite the assumption long held by researchers that this slowing is compensatory (in the service of post-error performance recovery), studies consistently show that post-error trials are no more accurate than post-correct trials. As a result, it has recently been proposed that post-error slowing (PES) is merely part of an orienting response that serves no task-relevant cognitive control purpose. Frontal midline theta (FMθ) oscillations represent another potential compensatory mechanism serving cognitive control processes, yet past studies relying on ERPs have failed to find an association between FMθ and post-error accuracy. The present study investigated the potentially adaptive role of PES and FMθ oscillations during a flanker task using trial-by-trial comparisons. Results indicated that error-related FMθ oscillations signal the need for enhanced top-down cognitive control and that PES supports cognitive control by providing the added time needed to achieve greater confidence in judgment. Overall, findings provide convergent evidence that both error-related FMθ and PES predict performance recovery following errors.

Electrophysiological indicators of inhibitory control deficits in depression.

Ample evidence from behavioral and brain imaging studies suggests that inhibitory control is impaired in depression, though the precise nature of this impairment is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to examine potential deficits in three aspects of inhibitory control - conflict monitoring, conflict resolution, and overt behavioral inhibition - in the context of depressive symptoms. Depressed (n=15) and non-depressed (n=15) participants completed a stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) task while electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded. EEG results indicate that depression impacts only the conflict resolution phase of inhibitory control, with higher levels of depressive and reflective pondering symptoms associated with poorer conflict resolution. Findings have clear implications for treatments of depression, many of which do not currently target the inhibitory control deficits present in this disorder.

Social value orientation modulates the FRN and P300 in the chicken game.

Social dilemmas pervade daily life, business, and politics. The manners in which these dilemmas are resolved depend in part on the personal characteristics of those involved. One such characteristic is Social Value Orientation (SVO), a trait-like predisposition to maximize cooperative (Pro-Social) or non-cooperative (Pro-Self) outcomes in social relationships. The present study investigated the role of SVO in modulating neural responses to outcomes in a type of social dilemma known as the Chicken Game. The Chicken Game models real-world situations involving two parties independently making a decision between cooperation and aggression. The EEG of Pro-Socials and Pro-Selfs was recorded while playing Chicken with a computer Opponent. Two ERP components were extracted: Feedback-Related Negativity (FRN) and the P300. Despite no behavioral differences in decision (i.e., cooperation, aggression), FRN results indicate that Pro-Socials experienced unreciprocated cooperation as the least desired outcome. Further, P300 results show a main effect for the Opponent's choice, such that the Opponent's cooperation was more salient than aggression. Additionally, an interaction between the Participant's and Opponent's choice showed that the effect for the Opponent's choice only occurred when the Participant chose cooperation. None of the results for P300 were moderated by SVO. For both ERP components, Pro-Selfs showed no differential responding to Chicken outcomes. In addition, FRN magnitude on trial n predicted choice on trial n+1 for Pro-Socials, but not for Pro-Selfs. P300 magnitude on trial n showed no relationship to choice on trial n+1. Results indicate that individual differences in SVO modulate FRN responses to Chicken outcomes, and that these neural reactions may have utility in predicting subsequent behaviors. For P300, there is no evidence of SVO modulation. Our general pattern of FRN responsiveness in Pro-Socials, but not in Pro-Selfs, is related to similar findings in fMRI and EEG research.

An exploratory study of healthcare professionals' perceptions of interprofessional communication and collaboration.

Interprofessional communication and collaboration during hospitalisation is critically important to provide safe and effective care. Clinical rounds are an essential interprofessional process in which the clinical problems of patients are discussed on a daily basis. The objective of this exploratory study was to identify healthcare professionals' perspectives on the "ideal" interprofessional round for patients in a university teaching hospital. Three focus groups with medical residents, registered nurses, medical specialists, and quality improvement officers were held. We used a descriptive method of content analysis. The findings indicate that it is important for professionals to consider how team members and patients are involved in the decision-making process during the clinical round and how current social and spatial structures can affect communication and collaboration between the healthcare team and the patient. Specific aspects of communication and collaboration are identified for improving effective interprofessional communication and collaboration during rounds.

Anatomic and functional imaging in the diagnosis of spine metastases and response assessment after spine radiosurgery.

Spine stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS) has recently emerged as an increasingly effective treatment for spinal metastases. Studies performed over the past decade have examined the role of imaging in the diagnosis of metastases, as well as treatment response following SSRS. In this paper, the authors describe and review the utility of several imaging modalities in the diagnosis of spinal metastases and monitoring of their response to SSRS. Specifically, we review the role of CT, MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET) in their ability to differentiate between osteoblastic and osteolytic lesions, delineation of initial bony pathology, detection of treatment-related changes in bone density and vertebral compression fracture after SSRS, and tumor response to therapy. Validated consensus guidelines defining the imaging approach to SSRS are needed to standardize the diagnosis and treatment response assessment after SSRS. Future directions of spinal imaging, including advances in targeted tumor-specific molecular imaging markers demonstrate early promise for advancing the role of imaging in SSRS.

How do we trust strangers? The neural correlates of decision making and outcome evaluation of generalized trust.

This study investigates the brain correlates of decision making and outcome evaluation of generalized trust (i.e. trust in unfamiliar social agents)-a core component of social capital which facilitates civic cooperation and economic exchange. We measured 18 (9 male) Chinese participants' event-related potentials while they played the role of the trustor in a one-shot trust game with unspecified social agents (trustees) allegedly selected from a large representative sample. At the decision-making phase, greater N2 amplitudes were found for trustors' distrusting decisions compared to trusting decisions, which may reflect greater cognitive control exerted to distrust. Source localization identified the precentral gyrus as one possible neuronal generator of this N2 component. At the outcome evaluation phase, principal components analysis revealed that the so called feedback-related negativity was in fact driven by a reward positivity, which was greater in response to gain feedback compared to loss feedback. This reduced reward positivity following loss feedback may indicate that the absence of reward for trusting decisions was unexpected by the trustor. In addition, we found preliminary evidence suggesting that the decision-making processes may differ between high trustors and low trustors.

Pay attention to me! Late ERPs reveal gender differences in attention allocated to romantic partners.

The present study employed late ERPs to examine differences in the association between neural responses to romantic partners and relationship quality factors across men and women. Participants passively viewed photos of their romantic partners, celebrities, and strangers during a computerized facial processing task. All participants demonstrated enhanced positivity to partner faces at late ERP components (P3 and LPP), furthering the notion that significant others elicit more motivated and sustained attention than do other familiar or unfamiliar individuals. Neural responses to romantic partner faces were influenced by factors including overall relationship quality, investment, and communication quality, with associations varying by gender. Results highlight the key role that relationship quality factors play in the immediate processing of romantic partners-a finding with implications for couples counseling and research.

Effects of an Attachment-Based Intervention on Child Protective Services--Referred Mothers' Event-Related Potentials to Children's Emotions.

This study examined the neurobiology of maternal sensitivity to children's emotions among mothers involved with Child Protective Services (CPS) and low-risk comparison mothers (M(age) = 31.6 years). CPS-referred mothers participated in the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention or a control intervention. Mothers' event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured while they categorized images of children with crying, laughing, and neutral expressions. CPS-referred ABC mothers (n = 19) and low-risk comparison mothers (n = 30) showed a larger enhancement of ERP responses for emotional faces relative to neutral faces than CPS-referred control mothers (n = 21). Additionally, the magnitude of ERP responses to emotional faces was associated with observed maternal sensitivity. Findings add to the understanding of the neurobiology of deficits in parenting and suggest that these deficits are changeable through a parenting intervention.

Ribonuclease PH interacts with an acidic ribonuclease E site through a basic 80-amino acid domain.

In this work, we characterize the domains for the in vivo interaction between ribonuclease E (RNase E) and ribonuclease PH (RNase PH). We initially explored the interaction using pull-down assays with full wild-type proteins expressed from a chromosomal monocopy gene. Once the interaction was confirmed, we narrowed down the sites of interaction in each enzyme to an acidic 16-amino acid region in the carboxy-terminal domain of RNase E and a basic 80-amino acid region in RNase PH including an α3 helix. Our results suggest two novel functional domains of interaction between ribonucleases.

Decreased response monitoring in individuals with symptoms of trichotillomania.

Trichotillomania (TTM) was long classified as an impulse-control disorder; however, the many characteristics it shares with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) led to its recategorization in the DSM-V. The present study aimed to assess and inform the taxonomic placement of TTM through an examination of its neural correlates. While research has consistently associated OCD with enhanced response monitoring, the present study investigated whether a similar neural process is associated with TTM. Undergraduates reporting TTM symptoms and controls performed a modified version of the flanker task, and their event-related potentials were examined for between-group differences in error-related negativity (ERN). Results confirm that individuals who have symptoms of hair pulling have significantly smaller ERNs than the control group. Smaller ERNs reflect decreased levels of response monitoring and support the idea that TTM is distinct from OCD.

The N400 as an index of racial stereotype accessibility.

The current research examined the viability of the N400, an event-related potential (ERP) related to the detection of semantic incongruity, as an index of both stereotype accessibility and interracial prejudice. Participants' EEG was recorded while they completed a sequential priming task, in which negative or positive, stereotypically black (African American) or white (Caucasian American) traits followed the presentation of either a black or white face acting as a prime. ERP examination focused on the N400, but additionally examined N100 and P200 reactivity. Replicating and extending previous N400 stereotype research, results indicated that the N400 can indeed function as an index of stereotype accessibility in an interracial domain, as greater N400 reactivity was elicited by trials in which the face prime was incongruent with the target trait than when primes and traits matched. Furthermore, N400 activity was moderated by participants' self-reported explicit bias. More explicitly biased participants demonstrated greater N400 reactivity to stereotypically white traits following black faces than black traits following black faces. P200 activity was additionally associated with participants' implicit biases, as more implicitly biased participants similarly demonstrated greater P200 reactivity to stereotypically white traits following black faces than black traits following black faces.

How friendly is a little friendly competition? Evidence of self-interest and empathy during outcome evaluation.

Although previous studies have shown that brain potentials recorded from passive observers differ when gambling-task outcomes are delivered to a friend or a stranger, it is unclear how these outcome evaluations are reflected in brain potentials during active competition. The present study recorded event-related potentials (ERP) from 16 normal adults playing an interactive gambling task against both a friend and a stranger. In this task, the P300 was modulated by the feedback valence (gain or loss) and the nature of the interpersonal relationship, such that it was larger when competing against strangers. Regression analyses indicated that empathy to another's personal distress was negatively related to P300 amplitudes when competing against friends. The dFRN, defined as the difference between losses and gains, varied with Perspective-Taking when competing against friends, such that smaller dFRN amplitudes were correlated with increased Perspective-Taking. The modulation of ERP components indicates that interpersonal relationships may influence outcome evaluations in competitive situations. Correlations between ERP components and empathy measures also provide preliminary support of a relationship between one's empathy and the processing of outcomes during competition against a friend.