Nutrition and behavior.

This article focuses on three nutritional problems that are associated with developmental problems in infancy and childhood. Major points are that (a) nutritional problems are often linked to environmental disadvantage, (b) the possibility exists for long-term developmental effects, (c) treatment for undernutrition does not appear to reverse all negative effects, and (d) prevention of nutritional disorders rather than treatment holds the greatest promise for eradicating behavioral and developmental problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parasites, immunology of hosts, and host sexual selection

Parasite-mediated sexual selection is reviewed with special emphasis on the bird literature. Choosy females may benefit from choosing parasite-free mates if such males provide better parental care, do not transmit contagious parasites, or provide resistance genes to offspring. There is evidence in support of each of these mechanisms. The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis posits that secondary sexual characters reliably reveal the ability of males to resist parasites due to the immunosuppressive effects of testosterone and other biochemicals. Several aspects of these negative feedback mechanisms are supported by laboratory studies, but evidence from free-living animals is almost completely absent. Corticosterone rather than testosterone may potentially mediate the immunocompetence handicap mechanism. A simple version of the immunocompetence handicap is developed suggesting that body condition of male hosts is a sufficient mediator of the handicap mechanism of reliable sexual signaling. Sexual selection appears to be more intense in sexually dichromatic bird species, and comparative studies using pairwise comparisons of closely related taxa reveal that sexually dichromatic bird species have larger spleens, larger bursa of Fabricius, and higher concentrations of leukocytes than monochromatic species. Parasite-mediated sexual selection is proposed to affect parasite biology by increasing (1) the variance-to-mean ratio in parasite abundance, (2) variance in the intensity of natural selection affecting hosts, and (3) speciation rates among parasites exploiting hosts subject to intense sexual selection as compared to those subject to less intense selection.     

Behaviorism and neuroscience.

The influence of the methods and theories of behaviorism on theory and research in the neurosciences is examined, partly in light of J. B. Watson's (1913; see also PA, Vol 81:27851) original call-to-arms. Behaviorist approaches to animal behavior, particularly in the study of processes of learning and memory, have had a profound and continual influence in the area of neuroscience concerned with animal studies of brain substrates of behavior. Similarly, contemporary behaviorists have not been opposed to the study of neurobiological substrates of behavior. On the other hand, classical behaviorist views of thinking (i.e., as reflex chains) have been largely discounted by developments in neuroscience. Classical behaviorism is viewed by many as being most at odds with the modern fields of cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, particularly regarding "mind" and "consciousness." A modest attempt at reconciliation is offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tumor immunology

Malignant tumors express antigens that may stimulate and serve as targets for antitumor immunity. Virally induced tumors usually contain integrated proviral genomes in theircellulargenomes and often express viral genome-encoded proteins that may stimulate specific host immune responses. Antigens unique to individual tumors that stimulate specific rejection of transplanted tumors have been demonstrated only in experimental animals. Other tumor antigens that potentially can stimulate immune responses are shared by different tumors. These include products of mutated or rearranged oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes. Tumors may also overexpress tissue differentiation antigens or embryonic antigens, which also have the potential to be recognized by the immune system. The recent identification of tumor antigens recognized by cytotoxic T cells opens up new possibilities for constructing chemically defined antigens for specific immunotherapy. Treatment of malignant tumors in humans by immunologic approaches, although theoretically attractive, has not yet succeeded on a large scale. Important progress in immunotherapy of cancer is emerging with several different treatment modalities.     

Emotion, plasticity, context, and regulation: Perspectives from affective neuroscience.

The authors present an overview of the neural bases of emotion. They underscore the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala in 2 broad approach- and withdrawal-related emotion systems. Components and measures of affective style are identified. Emphasis is given to affective chronometry and a role for the PFC in this process is proposed. Plasticity in the central circuitry of emotion is considered, and implications of data showing experience-induced changes in the hippocampus for understanding psychopathology and stress-related symptoms are discussed. Two key forms of affective plasticity are described—context and regulation. A role for the hippocampus in context-dependent normal and dysfunctional emotional responding is proposed. Finally, implications of these data for understanding the impact on neural circuitry of interventions to promote positive affect and on mechanisms that govern health and disease are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multilevel integrative analyses of human behavior: Social neuroscience and the complementing nature of social and biological approaches.

Social and biological explanations traditionally have been cast as incompatible, but advances in recent years have revealed a new view synthesized from these 2 very different levels of analysis. The authors review evidence underscoring the complementing nature of social and biological levels of analysis and how the 2 together can foster understanding of the mechanisms underlying complex behavior and the mind. Specifically, they review the utility of considering social influences on biological processes that are often viewed as outside the social domain including genetic constitution, gene expression, disease, and autonomic, neuroendocrine, and immune activity. This research underscores the unity of psychology and the importance of retaining multilevel integrative research that spans molar and molecular levels of analysis. Especially needed in the coming years is more research on the mechanism linking social and biological events and processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Update in allergy and immunology

Internal medicine has witnessed astounding developments in our understanding of the immune system's role in the pathophysiology of many diseases. The present challenge is to harness this knowledge to develop more effective therapies for immune-related illness. Guidelines for the care of common illnesses such as asthma may encourage appropriate clinical application of advances in our armamentarium against immune disease.     

There's more neuroscience.

Comments on the article by R. W. Robins et al (see record 1999-00297-003) which examines trends in the prominence of 4 major schools of psychology by examining citation index trends and the content of articles in mainstream journals and dissertations. The author argues that the journals that Robins et el selected for their assessment are not representative of 2 areas of neurosceince that have witnessed growth in the past 10 yrs: neuropsychology and neuroimaging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nutrition, aging, old age

In humans there is evidence that the restriction of total caloric intake appears to be more important than the restriction of any particular macronutrient. Today the mechanism of the effect of caloric restriction is unknown. With advancing age and the occurrence of concomitant illness there is an increased risk of developing nutritional deficiencies. Altered nutritional status is associated with the pathogenesis of a number of common diseases of the elderly, thus it would appear that nutritional modulation and manipulation represents one possible approach to successful aging and a healthy longevity. The conceptual framework of the paper suggests the need of a newer light of the aging processes namely by a holistic human-gero-ecological model and a personality oriented geriatry. There are accentuated the role of the nutrients and vitamins, the food intake and drug-nutrients interactions and the meanings of the differences between the normal and pathological aging.     

Platelet antigens: immunology and immuno-allergology

Platelet immunology allows the understanding of clinical findings in a genetic and serologic basis. Blood platelets bear common antigens and same specific antigens, classified in five groups (HPA 1 to 5), that are localized on membrane glycoproteins Ia, Ib alpha, IIb and IIIa. Antiplatelet autoimmunization is generally due to IgG antibodies against membrane complexes IIb/IIIa or Ib/lX. Antiplatelet alloimmunization, clinically resulting in Posttransfusion Purpura and Neonatal Thrombocytopenia is more frequently associated with anti-IIb/IIIa antibodies, either anti-HPA-1a or HPA-1b. Finally, platelet participation in immunoallergic reactions is discussed, focusing both platelet activation by allergen itself and platelet recruitment by other inflammatory cells.