A 12-session relapse prevention program vs psychoeducation in the treatment of Japanese alcoholic patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Alcoholism is the most prevalent substance use disorder in Japan; the estimated number of patients and high-risk drinkers is in the millions. Although studies in the West have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatment strategies for alcoholic patients, there is a dearth of efficacy studies of CBT-based intervention for those patients in the non-Western setting. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of a 12-session CBT-based relapse prevention program for Japanese alcoholic patients.

Distinctiveness of prolonged grief disorder symptoms among survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) has been proposed for diagnostic classification as an independent psychiatric disorder. Previous research has investigated it in relation to other axis I disorders in order to determine whether it could be considered an independent nosological entity. The distinctiveness of this condition was apparent in cases of ordinary bereavement and in those following human-made disasters.

[Development of antibodies for immunotherapy of Alzheimer's disease].

Based on the amyloid cascade hypothesis, immunotherapy targeting amyloid β (Aβ) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been developed. It was reported that active immunization using Aβ peptide attenuates amyloid deposits and memory impairment in AD model mice. However, active immunization of patients with AD (AN-1792) was halted due to adverse effects in which a subset of patients developed meningoencephalitis.

Functional analysis of two isoforms of leaf-type ferredoxin-NADP(+)-oxidoreductase in rice using the heterologous expression system of Arabidopsis.

Ferredoxin-NADP(+)-oxidoreductase (FNR) mediates electron transfer between ferredoxin (Fd) and NADP(+); therefore, it is a key enzyme that provides the reducing power used in the Calvin cycle. Other than FNR, nitrite reductase, sulfite reductase, glutamate synthase, and Fd-thioredoxin reductase also accept electrons from Fd, an electron carrier protein in the stroma. Therefore, the regulation of electron partitioning in the chloroplast is important for photosynthesis and other metabolic pathways.

Inhibition in superior colliculus neurons in a brightness discrimination task?

Simultaneous recordings were collected from between two and four buildup neurons from the left and right superior colliculi in rhesus monkeys in a simple two-choice brightness discrimination task. The monkeys were required to move their eyes to one of two response targets to indicate their decision. Neurons were identified whose receptive fields were centered on the response targets.

Neural mind reading of multi-dimensional decisions by monkey mid-brain activity.

Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) have the potential to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. We engaged in the development of neural mind-reading techniques for cognitive BMIs to provide a readout of decision processes. We trained 2 monkeys on go/no-go tasks, and monitored the activity of groups of neurons in their mid-brain superior colliculus (SC).

Dual diffusion model for single-cell recording data from the superior colliculus in a brightness-discrimination task.

Monkeys made saccades to one of two peripheral targets based on the brightness of a central stimulus. Task difficulty was manipulated by varying the ratio of stimulus black-and-white pixels. Correct response probability for two monkeys varied directly with difficulty.

Single trial-based prediction of a go/no-go decision in monkey superior colliculus.

While some decision-making processes often result in the generation of an observable action, for example eye or limb movements, others may prevent actions and occur without an overt behavioral response. To understand how these decisions are made, one must look directly at their neuronal substrates. We trained two monkeys on a go/no-go task which requires a saccade to a peripheral cue stimulus (go) or maintenance of fixation (no-go).