Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging
December 2024
Background: Contour integration, the process of joining spatially separated elements into a single unified line, has consistently been found to be impaired in schizophrenia. Recent work suggests that this deficit could be associated with psychotic symptomatology, rather than a specific diagnosis such as schizophrenia.
Methods: Examining a transdiagnostic sample of participants with psychotic psychopathology, we obtained quantitative indices of contour perception in a psychophysical behavioral task.
Contour integration, the process of joining spatially separated elements into a single unified line, has consistently been found to be impaired in schizophrenia. Recent work suggests that this deficit could be associated with psychotic symptomatology, rather than a specific diagnosis such as schizophrenia. Examining a transdiagnostic sample of participants with psychotic psychopathology, we obtained quantitative indices of contour perception in a psychophysical behavioral task.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBi-stable stimuli evoke two distinct perceptual interpretations that alternate and compete for dominance. Bi-stable perception is thought to be driven at least in part by mutual suppression between distinct neural populations that represent each percept. Abnormal visual perception has been observed among people with psychotic psychopathology (PwPP), and there is evidence to suggest that these visual deficits may depend on impaired neural suppression in the visual cortex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVisual perception is abnormal in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. In addition to hallucinations, laboratory tests show differences in fundamental visual processes including contrast sensitivity, center-surround interactions, and perceptual organization. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain visual dysfunction in psychotic disorders, including an imbalance between excitation and inhibition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBi-stable stimuli evoke two distinct perceptual interpretations that alternate and compete for dominance. Bi-stable perception is thought to be driven at least in part by mutual suppression between distinct neural populations that represent each percept. Abnormal visual perception is observed among people with psychotic psychopathology (PwPP), and there is evidence to suggest that these visual deficits may depend on impaired neural suppression in visual cortex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study investigates current attitudes and opinions toward pharmacies' advertising. The purposes of this study were to determine (a) consumers' attitudes toward advertising by pharmacies and (b) whether age, race, income, marital status, occupation, education, sex, and number of children in household of the consumer accounted for any significant difference in attitudes toward pharmacies that advertise. The intent was to discover information that would be useful to pharmacies in planning marketing strategies and improving the quality of their advertising.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study is to investigate current attitudes and opinions of physicians' advertising and to compare them to the attitudes expressed 10 years previously. This study was designed to determine (a) consumers' attitudes toward advertising by physicians, and (b) whether age, occupation, income, education, or sex of consumer accounted for any significant difference in attitudes toward physicians who advertise. The study seems to confirm the belief of many marketing professionals that advertising and marketing do not have a place in the management and operation of professional services.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe used the cheek model of itch and pain in rats to determine the dose-response relationships for intradermal injection of serotonin and α methylserotonin on scratching behavior. We also determined the dose-related effects of intracisternally injected morphine on scratching, effects that were greatly reduced by administration of the opiate antagonist naloxone. We then examined the interactions of intradermal injection of serotonin and intracisternal injection of morphine on scratching and found that the two procedures act synergistically to increase itch.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study investigates current opinions about hospital advertising and compares them to the attitudes expressed 25 years ago. It replicates a survey done in 1985, using the same questionnaire and population to compare responses longitudinally. The study indicates some changes in the public's opinions of hospital advertising.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRodent models of facial itch and pain provide a valuable tool for distinguishing between behaviors related to each sensation. In rats, pruritogens applied to the face elicit scratching using the hindlimb while algogens elicit wiping using the forelimb. We wished to determine the role of trigeminothalamic tract (VTT) neurons in carrying information regarding facial itch and pain to the forebrain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntrathecal application of morphine is among the most powerful methods used to treat severe chronic pain. However, this approach commonly produces itch sufficiently severe that patients are forced to choose between relief of pain or itch. The neuronal populations responsible for processing and transmitting information underlying itch caused by intrathecal application of morphine have not been identified and characterized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFItch of peripheral origin requires information transfer from the spinal cord to the brain for perception. Here, primate spinothalamic tract (STT) neurons from lumbar spinal cord were functionally characterized by in vivo electrophysiology to determine the role of these cells in the transmission of pruriceptive information. One hundred eleven STT neurons were identified by antidromic stimulation and then recorded while histamine and cowhage (a nonhistaminergic pruritogen) were sequentially applied to the cutaneous receptive field of each cell.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious research has shown that corticostriatal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation is necessary for operant learning. NMDAR activation induces plasticity-related intracellular signaling processes leading to gene expression, which are hypothesized to be important steps in codifying the content of learning. Operant learning induces immediate early gene (IEG) expression in key corticostriatal structures, namely the dorsomedial striatum (DMS), the orbitofrontal (OFC), and anterior cingulate cortices (ACC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hosp Mark Public Relations
May 2008
The purpose of this study is to investigate current attitudes and opinions toward physicians' advertising and to compare them to the attitudes expressed 20 years ago. It replicates a survey done in 1986 and uses the same questionnaire and the same population to compare responses longitudinally. Both the 1986 and 2006 respondents agreed that the public would be provided useful information through advertising by physicians, and both groups also believed that it is proper for physicians to advertise.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: At present there is no consensus regarding the efficacy of the immunosuppressive therapy in serpiginous choroiditis.
Patient And Methods: We describe the case of a patient with a macular serpiginous choroiditis. Despite corticosteroid therapy the choroiditis was progressive and threatened the central vision.
Health Mark Q
August 1998
The purposes of this study were to determine: (a) consumers' attitudes toward advertising by optometrists and (b) whether city of residence, occupation, age, sex, race, marital status, number of children in household, total family household income and education accounted for any significant differences in consumer attitudes toward optometrists that advertise. Information obtained from this study could be used by optometrists to plan and improve the quality of their advertising.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChiropractic, as a medical profession, is finally receiving acceptance from the American Medical Association (AMA) and other medical groups. However, what do consumers think about chiropractors and how do they respond to the advertising efforts of chiropractors? This paper presents the findings of a survey concerning consumers' opinions of advertising by chiropractors. Although the opinions of the respondents were mixed, an analysis of the results of the survey suggests important implications for chiropractors and other medical practitioners who wish to use advertising media in marketing their services.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhys Rev B Condens Matter
January 1993
In this study, it was found that consumers generally favor advertising by physicians. They felt that newspaper and professional magazines were more appropriate media for such advertising than television, radio, billboards, telephones, direct mail, and popular magazines. Finally, most consumers have not seen physicians advertise, but of those who have, most have noticed such advertising in a newspaper.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purposes of this study were to determine: (a) consumers' attitudes toward advertising by hospitals; (b) which media consumers feel are appropriate for hospital advertising; and (c) whether consumers are seeing hospital advertisements, and if so, through which media. It was found that consumers indeed have a favorable attitude toward hospitals that advertise. It was also found that consumers feel that most media are appropriate for hospital advertising.
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