Changes in physiological reactivity in response to the trauma memory during prolonged exposure and virtual reality exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Objective: A key symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is hyperreactivity to trauma-relevant stimuli. Though physiological arousal is reliably elevated in PTSD, the question remains whether this arousal responds to treatment. Virtual reality (VR) has been posited to increase emotional engagement during prolonged exposure therapy (PE) for PTSD by augmenting imaginal exposures with trauma-relevant sensory information.

Randomized controlled trial of prolonged exposure using imaginal exposure vs. virtual reality exposure in active duty soldiers with deployment-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Objective: Prolonged exposure (PE) is an evidence-based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but there is limited research with active-duty military populations. Virtual reality exposure (VRE) has shown promise but randomized trials are needed to evaluate efficacy relative to existing standards of care. This study evaluated the efficacy of VRE and PE for active duty soldiers with PTSD from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mad dogs, vampires, and zombie ants: a multidisciplinary approach to teaching neuroscience, behavior, and microbiology.

Viruses, parasites, and some bacteria use host organisms to complete their lifecycle. These infectious agents are able to hijack host processes to replicate and transmit to the next host. While we tend to think of infections as just making us sick, they are also capable of changing host behavior.

The "PE coach" smartphone application: an innovative approach to improving implementation, fidelity, and homework adherence during prolonged exposure.

Prolonged exposure (PE) is an empirically supported treatment that is being disseminated broadly to providers in the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Innovative methods are needed to support the implementation, dissemination, and patient and provider adherence to PE. The PE Coach is a smartphone application (app) designed to mitigate barriers to PE implementation.

Importance of Patient Culture and Exergaming Design for Clinical Populations: A Case Series on Exercise Adherence in Soldiers with Depression.

Objective: Exercise is an effective intervention for depressed individuals, but adherence is often poor. Exergaming may be useful for stimulating motivation and adherence with physical activity. This study piloted the use of the Nintendo(®) "Wii™ Fit" (Nintendo of America, Inc.

Therapy in virtual environments--clinical and ethical issues.

Background: As virtual reality and computer-assisted therapy strategies are increasingly implemented for the treatment of psychological disorders, ethical standards and guidelines must be considered. This study determined a set of ethical and legal guidelines for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a virtual environment incorporating the rights of an individual who is represented by an avatar.

Materials And Methods: A comprehensive literature review was undertaken.

Opioid mediation of learned sexual behavior.

Identifying the role of opioids in the mediation of learned sexual behaviors has been complicated by the use of differing methodologies in the investigations. In this review addressing multiple species, techniques, and pharmaceutical manipulations, several features of opioid mediation become apparent. Opioids are differentially involved in conditioned and unconditioned sexual behaviors.

Effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy for active duty soldiers in a military mental health clinic.

Exposure therapy is an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but research evaluating its effectiveness with active duty service members is limited. This report examines the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for active duty soldiers (N = 24) seeking treatment following a deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Relative to their pretreatment self-reported symptoms on the PTSD Checklist, Military Version (M = 60.

Behavioral effects of brain-derived estrogens in birds.

In birds as in other vertebrates, estrogens produced in the brain by aromatization of testosterone have widespread effects on behavior. Research conducted with male Japanese quail demonstrates that effects of brain estrogens on all aspects of sexual behavior, including appetitive and consummatory components as well as learned aspects, can be divided into two main classes based on their time course. First, estrogens via binding to estrogen receptors regulate the transcription of a variety of genes involved primarily in neurotransmission.

Androgen mediation of conditioned rhythmic cloacal sphincter movements in Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica).

Demonstrations of increased reproductive success due to sexual conditioning in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) have been reported, although the mechanisms that underlie these effects have remained elusive. One possible mechanism is conditioned rhythmic cloacal sphincter movements (RCSM). Two experiments were conducted with male quail to determine whether associations between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and a hen would result in the ability of the CS to elicit RCSM, and to explore the androgen mediation of conditioned RCSM.

The effects of aromatase inhibition on testosterone-dependent conditioned rhythmic cloacal sphincter movements in male Japanese quail.

Male Japanese quail produce a foam that, along with semen, is transferred to the quail hen during copulation. This foam has been reported to increase fertility, prolong sperm motility, and enhance sperm competition. Action of the cloacal sphincter muscles in response to visual exposure to a female produces the foam.

Play deprivation without social isolation: housing controls.

Three experiments were conducted to control for the effects of housing conditions during play deprivation on subsequent play rebound in periadolescent rats. To address play deprivation without the confound of social isolation, in Experiment 1, pairs of subjects were housed either in cages divided by wire mesh that allowed for olfactory, visual, auditory, and tactile interactions with a same-sex age-mate but prevented rough and tumble play or in standard cages. Running wheels were provided to similarly housed subjects in Experiment 2 to control for the ability to engage in physical activity.