Publications by authors named "Noriko Numata"
Background: In recent years, new forms of media-social networking services (SNS)-such as Facebook and Sina Weibo have spread rapidly. Greater SNS use has been associated with greater body dissatisfaction, which in turn, is related to greater eating disorder (ED) symptom severity. In this study, we (1) investigated the relationships between ED tendencies, SNS use intensity, and body esteem and (2) examined the mediating role of body esteem in the relationship between SNS use intensity and ED tendencies among Japanese and Chinese students.
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- The study investigated resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) using functional MRI data from 114 patients and 135 healthy controls, addressing limitations from previous research due to small sample sizes.
- Results indicated that AN patients exhibited 12 areas of stronger connectivity primarily in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and 33 areas of weaker connectivity, particularly in regions associated with the cerebellum, temporal lobe, and visual network.
- The findings suggest that the patterns of rsFC could serve as potential diagnostic markers to differentiate AN patients from healthy individuals, with notable distinctions observed between AN subtypes.
Background: Feeding and eating disorders are severe mental disorders that gravely affect patients' lives. In particular, patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) appear to have poor social cognition. Many studies have shown the relationship between poor social cognition and brain responses in AN.
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- - A multicenter study aimed to identify brain abnormalities in women with anorexia nervosa (AN) using structural MRI, addressing limitations of previous research related to small sample sizes.
- - The study included 103 AN patients and 102 healthy controls, analyzing gray matter volume (GMV) and the relationship between brain structure and severity of eating disorder symptoms.
- - Key findings indicated significant reductions in GMV in various brain regions of AN patients, with some areas showing positive correlations with symptom severity, enhancing the understanding of AN's pathogenesis and potential imaging biomarkers.
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- The study focused on assessing the psychological damage from work-related stress and the severity of depression among workers.
- It involved two online surveys: the first with 500 workers diagnosed with depression and the second with 767 workers experiencing work-related stress, using specific scales to measure psychological injury and depression severity.
- Findings indicated that a high percentage of workers with depression experienced significant work-related stress, with notable differences in stress and depression levels among those who quit versus those who stayed in their jobs.
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- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in managing chronic pain, but its specific components are still under investigation.
- This study evaluated a new integrated CBT program delivered via videoconferencing, comparing its effects to standard treatment among 30 patients with chronic pain.
- While no significant difference was found in overall pain intensity between the CBT and control groups after 16 weeks, improvements were noted in pain evaluation and interference according to the Brief Pain Inventory.
Background: We aimed to examine the feasibility of our newly-developed, integrated, and high-intensity individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol for treatment-resistant chronic pain.
Methods: We conducted an open-labeled prospective single-arm trial for patients aged 18 years and above, suffering from chronic pain, and diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain. We provided 16 weekly sessions of CBT, each lasting for 50 minutes, which included 4 new strategies: attention shift, memory work, mental practice, and video feedback.
Background: Although approximately 23% of anorexia nervosa (AN) patients have concomitant autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is clinically difficult to determine ASD coexistence in patients with eating disorders. Restrictive AN is more common in younger patients and self-induced vomiting usually appears during adolescence/young adulthood, in order to prevent gaining weight caused by overeating. However, some patients are tolerant of weight gain even if they start overeating.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A major problem in providing mental health services is the lack of access to treatment, especially in remote areas. Thus far, no clinical studies have demonstrated the feasibility of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) with real-time therapist support via videoconference for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder in Japan.
Objective: The goal of the research was to evaluate the feasibility of ICBT via videoconference for patients with bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder.
Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (PD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). Patients in rural areas can access CBT via the internet. The effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been consistently shown, but no clinical studies have demonstrated the feasibility of ICBT with real-time therapist support via videoconference for OCD, PD, and SAD at the same time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: This study sought to identify the prefrontal cortex hemodynamic response that is dependent on cognitive performance in patients with bulimic disorders (BD), and investigate its association with personality characteristics.
Methods: Nineteen female patients with BD and 23 healthy women were recruited. Their personality characteristics related to eating disorders were examined using a self-reporting questionnaire, namely the eating disorder inventory-2 (EDI-2).
Article Synopsis
- - This study investigated how brain activity differs in response to monosodium glutamate (MSG) between women with bulimia nervosa (BN) and healthy controls, using fMRI technology on 36 participants total (18 from each group).
- - Participants rated the MSG solution lower in pleasantness and enjoyment in the BN group compared to healthy women, although they didn't find a difference in how intense the taste was.
- - The fMRI results showed increased activation in the right insula of the BN group, suggesting that their different experience of umami flavor could relate to unusual eating behaviors and preferences.
Background: Set-shifting (SS) difficulties and weak central coherence (CC) are commonly associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) aims to improve such cognitive processing; however, there are no reports on CRT for patients with ASD. This pilot study aimed to provide preliminary evidence to support the use of CRT for individuals with ASD and provide data to inform future studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious studies showed that food craving in eating disorders can be weakened with high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The aims of this study were to assess cerebral oxygenation change induced with rTMS and to assess the short-term impact of rTMS on food craving and other bulimic symptoms in patients with bulimia nervosa (BN). Eight women diagnosed with BN according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria participated in this study.
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- The study examines how decision-making abilities differ among individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and healthy controls (HC), particularly in relation to mood, eating behaviors, and weight concerns.
- Using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and various self-reported questionnaires, researchers found that BN patients performed worse than HC, and there were significant correlations between decision-making and eating/weight concerns in both AN and BN.
- The results indicate that anxiety and depression negatively impact decision-making abilities, suggesting the need for targeted interventions based on these relationships.
Active oxygen species (AOS) are responsible for triggering defense responses in plants. Respiratory burst oxidase homologs (rboh genes) have been implicated in AOS generation. We have isolated two rboh cDNAs, NbrbohA and NbrbohB, from Nicotiana benthamiana leaves.
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