Pub Date : 2024-07-16DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1430950
Stephen A. Pilato, Flynn P. O’Connell, Jonathan D. Victor, Patricia M. Di Lorenzo
IntroductionAs the intermediate nucleus in the brainstem receiving information from the tongue and transmitting information upstream, the rostral portion of the nucleus tractus solitarius (rNTS) is most often described as a “taste relay”. Although recent evidence implicates the caudal NTS in a broad neural circuit involved in regulating ingestion, there is little information about how cells in the rNTS respond when an animal is eating solid food.MethodsSingle cells in the rNTS were recorded in awake, unrestrained rats as they explored and ate solid foods (Eating paradigm) chosen to correspond to the basic taste qualities: milk chocolate for sweet, salted peanuts for salty, Granny Smith apples for sour and broccoli for bitter. A subset of cells was also recorded as the animal licked exemplars of the five basic taste qualities: sucrose, NaCl, citric acid, quinine and MSG (Lick paradigm).ResultsMost cells were excited by exploration of a food-filled well, sometimes responding prior to contact with the food. In contrast, cells that were excited by food well exploration became significantly less active while the animal was eating the food. Most cells were broadly tuned across foods, and those cells that were recorded in both the Lick and Eating paradigms showed little correspondence in their tuning across paradigms.DiscussionThe preponderance of robust responses to the appetitive versus the consummatory phase of ingestion suggests that multimodal convergence onto cells in the rNTS may be used in decision making about ingestion.
{"title":"Electrophysiological responses to appetitive and consummatory behavior in the rostral nucleus tractus solitarius in awake, unrestrained rats","authors":"Stephen A. Pilato, Flynn P. O’Connell, Jonathan D. Victor, Patricia M. Di Lorenzo","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1430950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1430950","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionAs the intermediate nucleus in the brainstem receiving information from the tongue and transmitting information upstream, the rostral portion of the nucleus tractus solitarius (rNTS) is most often described as a “taste relay”. Although recent evidence implicates the caudal NTS in a broad neural circuit involved in regulating ingestion, there is little information about how cells in the rNTS respond when an animal is eating solid food.MethodsSingle cells in the rNTS were recorded in awake, unrestrained rats as they explored and ate solid foods (Eating paradigm) chosen to correspond to the basic taste qualities: milk chocolate for sweet, salted peanuts for salty, Granny Smith apples for sour and broccoli for bitter. A subset of cells was also recorded as the animal licked exemplars of the five basic taste qualities: sucrose, NaCl, citric acid, quinine and MSG (Lick paradigm).ResultsMost cells were excited by exploration of a food-filled well, sometimes responding prior to contact with the food. In contrast, cells that were excited by food well exploration became significantly less active while the animal was eating the food. Most cells were broadly tuned across foods, and those cells that were recorded in both the Lick and Eating paradigms showed little correspondence in their tuning across paradigms.DiscussionThe preponderance of robust responses to the appetitive versus the consummatory phase of ingestion suggests that multimodal convergence onto cells in the rNTS may be used in decision making about ingestion.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141717781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-12DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1417856
Carlos Bustamante, Laura Bibiana Pinilla Bonilla, Juan Carlos Restrepo
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has affected 771 million people and caused 6.9 million confirmed deaths as of November 2023. Beyond the adversity, a crucial and less-explored chapter unfolds: adaptive sequelae. These have altered social, mental, and emotional conditions, leaving an imprint on biological systems. While some cases fully resolve the pathological process post-acute infection, others persist with symptoms, posing a challenge that underscores the need to comprehend pathophysiology from innovative perspectives. The article delves into “Long COVID” or Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS), where symptoms persist for ≥4 weeks irrespective of initial severity. Risk factors include a history of severe illness, in-hospital management, and intensive care. This article also explores theories, derived from various experimental models, that have demonstrated the involvement of the nervous system in coordination with the psychoneuroimmunoendocrine axes in the expression of inflammation. It is posited that PACS involves processes of peripheral and central sensitization (corticalization), facilitating dishomeostasis and the chronicity of the inflammatory process. In this context, various therapeutic strategies grounded in modulating the inflammatory reflex are reviewed, primarily through the infiltration of local anesthetics via linear and non-linear approaches. Neural therapeutic use is considered to stimulate the regulatory inflammatory circuits coordinated by the neuroimmune-endocrine system.
{"title":"Neurological symphony: post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, an innovative pathophysiological exploration from neuraltherapeutic medicine","authors":"Carlos Bustamante, Laura Bibiana Pinilla Bonilla, Juan Carlos Restrepo","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1417856","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1417856","url":null,"abstract":"The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has affected 771 million people and caused 6.9 million confirmed deaths as of November 2023. Beyond the adversity, a crucial and less-explored chapter unfolds: adaptive sequelae. These have altered social, mental, and emotional conditions, leaving an imprint on biological systems. While some cases fully resolve the pathological process post-acute infection, others persist with symptoms, posing a challenge that underscores the need to comprehend pathophysiology from innovative perspectives. The article delves into “Long COVID” or Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS), where symptoms persist for ≥4 weeks irrespective of initial severity. Risk factors include a history of severe illness, in-hospital management, and intensive care. This article also explores theories, derived from various experimental models, that have demonstrated the involvement of the nervous system in coordination with the psychoneuroimmunoendocrine axes in the expression of inflammation. It is posited that PACS involves processes of peripheral and central sensitization (corticalization), facilitating dishomeostasis and the chronicity of the inflammatory process. In this context, various therapeutic strategies grounded in modulating the inflammatory reflex are reviewed, primarily through the infiltration of local anesthetics via linear and non-linear approaches. Neural therapeutic use is considered to stimulate the regulatory inflammatory circuits coordinated by the neuroimmune-endocrine system.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141614500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-08DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1356564
Theodore B. Siciliano, Maruti R. Gudavalli, Ralph Kruse
IntroductionAccurately measuring the forces applied during spinal manipulation and its biomechanical effects on the spine are critically important in current research. This single case report discusses the potential benefit of accurately monitoring manipulative forces in treating low back pain with sciatica. The type of force-based spinal manipulation used to manage this case was Cox Technic flexion distraction decompression (CTFDD) spinal manipulation care, along with other ancillary modalities.MethodsThe treatment plan, in this case, was primarily force-based CTFDD, equal-force bi-directional traction (EqFT), pre-modulated electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), infrared light therapy (ILT), and a home stretching and strengthening program.Clinical findingsInitially, the case study patient presented with complaints of left lumbar spine pain, which radiated into the left buttock, down the left leg, accompanied by an inability to dorsiflex the left foot. The patient was concerned with this condition as the left leg pain and left lower extremity motor deficit were having a profound effect on the patient’s ability to perform activities of daily living and work. The patient was recommended to undergo spinal decompression surgery, which the patient did not want, and elected to exhaust all alternative, non-surgical treatments first.Diagnosis, intervention, and outcomesA diagnosis of sciatica with a sequestered disk fragment and left lower extremity motor deficit was rendered through objective physical examination results and a review of a lumbar MRI study. Past interventions included prescription medications, physical rehabilitation, chiropractic, pain management, and neurosurgical consultation. All past interventions prior to initiating CTFDD care provided minimal subjective and/or objective clinical improvement. This patient had a positive clinical outcome from a force-based CTFDD treatment plan along with other modalities consisting of pre-modulated EMS, ILT, and a home stretching and strengthening program.ConclusionForce-based CTFDD spinal manipulation, along with other modalities consisting of pre-modulated EMS, ILT, and a home stretching and strengthening program, has been found to be an alternative, non-surgical treatment for discogenic sciatica. Continued research is needed on force-based CTFDD spinal manipulation to further evaluate the neurological and biomechanical effects of the forces and motion applied to the spine and determine health benefits for the treatment of low back pain.
{"title":"Spinal manipulation and mobilization forces delivered treating sciatica: a case report","authors":"Theodore B. Siciliano, Maruti R. Gudavalli, Ralph Kruse","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1356564","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1356564","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionAccurately measuring the forces applied during spinal manipulation and its biomechanical effects on the spine are critically important in current research. This single case report discusses the potential benefit of accurately monitoring manipulative forces in treating low back pain with sciatica. The type of force-based spinal manipulation used to manage this case was Cox Technic flexion distraction decompression (CTFDD) spinal manipulation care, along with other ancillary modalities.MethodsThe treatment plan, in this case, was primarily force-based CTFDD, equal-force bi-directional traction (EqFT), pre-modulated electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), infrared light therapy (ILT), and a home stretching and strengthening program.Clinical findingsInitially, the case study patient presented with complaints of left lumbar spine pain, which radiated into the left buttock, down the left leg, accompanied by an inability to dorsiflex the left foot. The patient was concerned with this condition as the left leg pain and left lower extremity motor deficit were having a profound effect on the patient’s ability to perform activities of daily living and work. The patient was recommended to undergo spinal decompression surgery, which the patient did not want, and elected to exhaust all alternative, non-surgical treatments first.Diagnosis, intervention, and outcomesA diagnosis of sciatica with a sequestered disk fragment and left lower extremity motor deficit was rendered through objective physical examination results and a review of a lumbar MRI study. Past interventions included prescription medications, physical rehabilitation, chiropractic, pain management, and neurosurgical consultation. All past interventions prior to initiating CTFDD care provided minimal subjective and/or objective clinical improvement. This patient had a positive clinical outcome from a force-based CTFDD treatment plan along with other modalities consisting of pre-modulated EMS, ILT, and a home stretching and strengthening program.ConclusionForce-based CTFDD spinal manipulation, along with other modalities consisting of pre-modulated EMS, ILT, and a home stretching and strengthening program, has been found to be an alternative, non-surgical treatment for discogenic sciatica. Continued research is needed on force-based CTFDD spinal manipulation to further evaluate the neurological and biomechanical effects of the forces and motion applied to the spine and determine health benefits for the treatment of low back pain.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141566759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-08DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1403876
Blythe LaGasse, Ga Eul Yoo, Michelle Welde Hardy
Emerging research suggests that music and rhythm-based interventions offer promising avenues for facilitating functional outcomes for autistic individuals. Evidence suggests that many individuals with ASD have music processing and production abilities similar to those of neurotypical peers. These individual strengths in music processing and production may be used within music therapy with a competence-based treatment approach. We provide an updated perspective of how music and rhythm-based interventions promote sensory and motor regulation, and how rhythm and music may then impact motor, social, and communicative skills. We discuss how music can engage and motivate individuals, and can be used intentionally to promote skill acquisition through both structured and flexible therapeutic applications. Overall, we illustrate the potential of music and rhythm as valuable tools in addressing skill development in individuals on the autism spectrum.
{"title":"Rhythm and music for promoting sensorimotor organization in autism: broader implications for outcomes","authors":"Blythe LaGasse, Ga Eul Yoo, Michelle Welde Hardy","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1403876","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1403876","url":null,"abstract":"Emerging research suggests that music and rhythm-based interventions offer promising avenues for facilitating functional outcomes for autistic individuals. Evidence suggests that many individuals with ASD have music processing and production abilities similar to those of neurotypical peers. These individual strengths in music processing and production may be used within music therapy with a competence-based treatment approach. We provide an updated perspective of how music and rhythm-based interventions promote sensory and motor regulation, and how rhythm and music may then impact motor, social, and communicative skills. We discuss how music can engage and motivate individuals, and can be used intentionally to promote skill acquisition through both structured and flexible therapeutic applications. Overall, we illustrate the potential of music and rhythm as valuable tools in addressing skill development in individuals on the autism spectrum.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141566752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-25DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1353966
Devyn Glass, Nicola Yuill
IntroductionSome research indicates that neurodivergent people are less likely than “neurotypical” people to adapt their movements to a partner’s movements to facilitate interpersonal motor synchrony. Researchers therefore suggest synchrony deficits underlie the social differences associated with autism and other neurodivergences. Intensive Interaction (II) is a client-led approach, where Learning Support Workers (LSW) follow the lead of learners to create balanced and reciprocal interactions.MethodsWe aimed to examine the balance of synchrony in learners with autism and Severe Learning Disabilities and their LSWs in a special education college where learners had prior experience with II. Using Motion Energy Analysis, we assessed the degree to which each partner acted as a leader, and hence which partner acted as a follower, during moments of close synchrony.ResultsOverall, learners and LSWs showed higher than chance synchrony. There were no differences in the degree to which each partner led the moments of synchrony, or the amount pairs synchronized with zero-lag, where there was no delay between each partners’ movements.DiscussionThe equal balance of leading and following in the learner and LSW pairs demonstrates that both partners consistently adapted their movements to their partner’s movements to facilitate synchrony. The findings tentatively challenge the notion of a synchrony deficit in autism and suggest synchrony can be present in cross-neurotype pairs in comfortable and engaging conditions. We discuss the potential for client-led, movement-based approaches to support smooth interactions across neurotypes.
导言一些研究表明,与 "神经畸形 "的人相比,神经变异者更不可能使自己的动作适应伙伴的动作,从而促进人际间的运动同步。因此,研究人员认为,同步性缺陷是自闭症和其他神经多态性相关社交差异的根源。强化互动(II)是一种以客户为主导的方法,学习支持工作者(LSW)根据学习者的引导来创造平衡和互惠的互动。方法我们旨在研究自闭症和严重学习障碍学习者及其学习支持工作者在特殊教育学院中的同步平衡情况,在该学院中,学习者曾有过 II 的经验。利用运动能量分析法,我们评估了在密切同步的时刻,每个伙伴作为领导者的程度,以及哪个伙伴作为追随者的程度。讨论 在学习者和长期工作妇女配对中,领导和追随的比例相当,这表明双方都在不断调整自己的动作,以适应对方的动作,从而促进同步。研究结果初步质疑了自闭症患者同步性缺失的概念,并表明在舒适和吸引人的条件下,跨神经类型的配对中也可以出现同步性。我们讨论了以客户为主导、以动作为基础的方法在支持跨神经类型顺利互动方面的潜力。
{"title":"Frontiers | Evidence of mutual non-verbal synchrony in learners with severe learning disability and autism, and their support workers: a motion energy analysis study","authors":"Devyn Glass, Nicola Yuill","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1353966","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1353966","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionSome research indicates that neurodivergent people are less likely than “neurotypical” people to adapt their movements to a partner’s movements to facilitate interpersonal motor synchrony. Researchers therefore suggest synchrony deficits underlie the social differences associated with autism and other neurodivergences. Intensive Interaction (II) is a client-led approach, where Learning Support Workers (LSW) follow the lead of learners to create balanced and reciprocal interactions.MethodsWe aimed to examine the balance of synchrony in learners with autism and Severe Learning Disabilities and their LSWs in a special education college where learners had prior experience with II. Using Motion Energy Analysis, we assessed the degree to which each partner acted as a leader, and hence which partner acted as a follower, during moments of close synchrony.ResultsOverall, learners and LSWs showed higher than chance synchrony. There were no differences in the degree to which each partner led the moments of synchrony, or the amount pairs synchronized with zero-lag, where there was no delay between each partners’ movements.DiscussionThe equal balance of leading and following in the learner and LSW pairs demonstrates that both partners consistently adapted their movements to their partner’s movements to facilitate synchrony. The findings tentatively challenge the notion of a synchrony deficit in autism and suggest synchrony can be present in cross-neurotype pairs in comfortable and engaging conditions. We discuss the potential for client-led, movement-based approaches to support smooth interactions across neurotypes.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141584748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-21DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1422312
Luciano Maia Alves Ferreira, Ricardo Brites, Gonçalo Fraião, Gonçalo Pereira, Henrique Fernandes, José Américo Almeida de Brito, Laura Pereira Generoso, Maria Gabriela Maziero Capello, Gabrielly Santos Pereira, Robson Dias Scoz, Josie Resende Torres Silva, Marcelo Lourenço Silva
IntroductionChronic anxiety is a statemarked by sustained activation of the masseter muscle, manifesting in both mental and physical strain. This prolonged tension can significantly impact mental wellbeing and cognitive abilities, posing a risk for a range of health complications. This double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial investigated the impact of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (TAVNS) on masseter muscle activity, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and anxiety levels in university students with elevated anxiety.MethodsForty-two participants meeting inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either active TAVNS or sham TAVNS groups. Various parameters, including masseter muscle electromyographic (EMG) signals, PPT, and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores, were assessed before pretreatment, immediately after the intervention week, and 2 weeks follow-up.ResultsActive TAVNS significantly reduced both left and right masseter activation during resting mandibular position, persisting for 2 weeks post-intervention. Additionally, TAVNS induced a lasting decrease in both left and right masseter PPT, indicative of altered pain perception. Notably, BAI scores showed a substantial reduction, emphasizing TAVNS as a potential intervention for anxiety, with effects maintained at the 2-week follow-up.DiscussionThis study provides comprehensive insights into the multifaceted effects of TAVNS on physiological and psychological aspects associated with anxiety in university students. The promising results underscore TAVNS as a potential neuromodulatory intervention for anxiety-related conditions, warranting further research and clinical exploration.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4s4kt2r.
{"title":"Frontiers | Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation modulates masseter muscle activity, pain perception, and anxiety levels in university students: a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial","authors":"Luciano Maia Alves Ferreira, Ricardo Brites, Gonçalo Fraião, Gonçalo Pereira, Henrique Fernandes, José Américo Almeida de Brito, Laura Pereira Generoso, Maria Gabriela Maziero Capello, Gabrielly Santos Pereira, Robson Dias Scoz, Josie Resende Torres Silva, Marcelo Lourenço Silva","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1422312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1422312","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionChronic anxiety is a statemarked by sustained activation of the masseter muscle, manifesting in both mental and physical strain. This prolonged tension can significantly impact mental wellbeing and cognitive abilities, posing a risk for a range of health complications. This double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial investigated the impact of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (TAVNS) on masseter muscle activity, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and anxiety levels in university students with elevated anxiety.MethodsForty-two participants meeting inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either active TAVNS or sham TAVNS groups. Various parameters, including masseter muscle electromyographic (EMG) signals, PPT, and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores, were assessed before pretreatment, immediately after the intervention week, and 2 weeks follow-up.ResultsActive TAVNS significantly reduced both left and right masseter activation during resting mandibular position, persisting for 2 weeks post-intervention. Additionally, TAVNS induced a lasting decrease in both left and right masseter PPT, indicative of altered pain perception. Notably, BAI scores showed a substantial reduction, emphasizing TAVNS as a potential intervention for anxiety, with effects maintained at the 2-week follow-up.DiscussionThis study provides comprehensive insights into the multifaceted effects of TAVNS on physiological and psychological aspects associated with anxiety in university students. The promising results underscore TAVNS as a potential neuromodulatory intervention for anxiety-related conditions, warranting further research and clinical exploration.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4s4kt2r.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141566753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-17eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1365672
Michelle Fauver, Eva M Clark, Carolyn E Schwartz
This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from developmental psychology. Previous models describe the behavioral and physical effects of stress events, but have not explained the translation of experiences into stress itself. The Developmental Model of Stress shows how psychosocial developmental challenges in childhood create persistent negative beliefs and behaviors that increase threat perception and maladaptive stress responses. These developmental challenges produce early psychological and physiological predispositions for increased stress responses over time. Ongoing stress leads to dysregulation of physical stress-response systems (allostatic load), which is associated with multiple diseases. High allostatic load provides the necessary preconditions for the diathesis-stress model, which says the addition of an acute stressor to a weakened or predisposed system can lead to disease development. The paper also documents the evolving measurement of stress to better understand the stress-disease relationship, helping to resolve conflicting results between studies. The Developmental Model of Stress was combined with clinician insight and patient reports to build an integrative framework for understanding the role of stress in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). It includes the first mapping of maladaptive beliefs and behaviors arising from developmental challenges that are common to people with MS. An initial comparison shows these may be distinct from those of people with other chronic diseases. These beliefs and behaviors form the predisposing factors and contribute to the triggering factors, which are the acute stressors triggering disease onset. These often took two forms, a prolonged incident experienced as feeling trapped or stuck, and threat of a breach in a relationship. The reinforcing factors add the stress of a chronic disease with a poor prognosis and seemingly random symptom fluctuation, still managed with the same beliefs and behaviors developed in childhood, increasing physiological dysregulation and symptom severity. A pilot study is described in which these three categories of stress factors in MS were explicitly addressed. This study noted clinically important improvements in physical and mental well-being, providing preliminary support for the Developmental Model. Future research might expand on the pilot using a more robust sample and design.
{"title":"A new framework for understanding stress and disease: the developmental model of stress as applied to multiple sclerosis.","authors":"Michelle Fauver, Eva M Clark, Carolyn E Schwartz","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1365672","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1365672","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from developmental psychology. Previous models describe the behavioral and physical effects of stress events, but have not explained the translation of experiences into stress itself. The Developmental Model of Stress shows how psychosocial developmental challenges in childhood create persistent negative beliefs and behaviors that increase threat perception and maladaptive stress responses. These developmental challenges produce early psychological and physiological predispositions for increased stress responses over time. Ongoing stress leads to dysregulation of physical stress-response systems (allostatic load), which is associated with multiple diseases. High allostatic load provides the necessary preconditions for the diathesis-stress model, which says the addition of an acute stressor to a weakened or predisposed system can lead to disease development. The paper also documents the evolving measurement of stress to better understand the stress-disease relationship, helping to resolve conflicting results between studies. The Developmental Model of Stress was combined with clinician insight and patient reports to build an integrative framework for understanding the role of stress in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). It includes the first mapping of maladaptive beliefs and behaviors arising from developmental challenges that are common to people with MS. An initial comparison shows these may be distinct from those of people with other chronic diseases. These beliefs and behaviors form the predisposing factors and contribute to the triggering factors, which are the acute stressors triggering disease onset. These often took two forms, a prolonged incident experienced as feeling trapped or stuck, and threat of a breach in a relationship. The reinforcing factors add the stress of a chronic disease with a poor prognosis and seemingly random symptom fluctuation, still managed with the same beliefs and behaviors developed in childhood, increasing physiological dysregulation and symptom severity. A pilot study is described in which these three categories of stress factors in MS were explicitly addressed. This study noted clinically important improvements in physical and mental well-being, providing preliminary support for the Developmental Model. Future research might expand on the pilot using a more robust sample and design.</p>","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11218666/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141494412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-22DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1374882
Rachel S. Y. Chen
Non-speaking autistic individuals grapple with the profound impact of the ‘double empathy problem’ in their daily interactions with speaking others. This study rethinks the communication challenges faced by non-speaking autistic individuals, challenging traditional approaches that predominantly focus on speech and complex communication devices (AAC). By spotlighting the natural phenomenon of “interactive stimming,” a powerful mode of communication among autistic individuals, this study advocates for a shift from a conventional emphasis on speech towards the foundational role of the body in autistic communication. Central to this exploration is the introduction of the Magical Musical Mat (MMM), an innovative interactive environment mapping interpersonal touch to musical sounds. Through a robust mixed-methods approach integrating video-based fieldwork and design-based research, this paper engages three non-speaking autistic children and their mothers in a 5-day empirical intervention. Results reveal significant transformations in parent–child interactions as both parents and children are acquainted with touch in a new environment. Children assert their autonomy, exploring at their own pace, and discovering sensory features of the environment. Notably, the introduction of sound prompts heightened awareness of the stims, leading to diversified and expressive stim movements. Foregrounding interpersonal touch eventually guides parents into their children’s sensory activities where parents attune to the stims of their children by joining in and facilitating their expressiveness, co-creating extended, evolving patterns of repetitive cycles. The collaborative stim cycles can be likened to free improvisation, where dynamical coherence between individuals occurs through a blend of stability and active flexibility. By shifting the focus from speech to co-created sensory experiences, this paper sheds light on the value of transformative multisensory environments, envisioning a world where varied modes of communication are valued and embraced.
{"title":"Bridging the gap: fostering interactive stimming between non-speaking autistic children and their parents","authors":"Rachel S. Y. Chen","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1374882","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1374882","url":null,"abstract":"Non-speaking autistic individuals grapple with the profound impact of the ‘double empathy problem’ in their daily interactions with speaking others. This study rethinks the communication challenges faced by non-speaking autistic individuals, challenging traditional approaches that predominantly focus on speech and complex communication devices (AAC). By spotlighting the natural phenomenon of “interactive stimming,” a powerful mode of communication among autistic individuals, this study advocates for a shift from a conventional emphasis on speech towards the foundational role of the body in autistic communication. Central to this exploration is the introduction of the Magical Musical Mat (MMM), an innovative interactive environment mapping interpersonal touch to musical sounds. Through a robust mixed-methods approach integrating video-based fieldwork and design-based research, this paper engages three non-speaking autistic children and their mothers in a 5-day empirical intervention. Results reveal significant transformations in parent–child interactions as both parents and children are acquainted with touch in a new environment. Children assert their autonomy, exploring at their own pace, and discovering sensory features of the environment. Notably, the introduction of sound prompts heightened awareness of the stims, leading to diversified and expressive stim movements. Foregrounding interpersonal touch eventually guides parents into their children’s sensory activities where parents attune to the stims of their children by joining in and facilitating their expressiveness, co-creating extended, evolving patterns of repetitive cycles. The collaborative stim cycles can be likened to free improvisation, where dynamical coherence between individuals occurs through a blend of stability and active flexibility. By shifting the focus from speech to co-created sensory experiences, this paper sheds light on the value of transformative multisensory environments, envisioning a world where varied modes of communication are valued and embraced.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141151669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-22DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1334241
Emily C. Skaletski, Sailery Cortes Cardona, Brittany G. Travers
Motor skill difficulties are common in autistic children and are related to daily living skills (DLS). However, it remains unclear which specific motor tasks are most likely to impact overall DLS. This study sought to fill this gap.In 90 autistic children and adolescents (ages 6–17 years), we found that fine/manual motor tasks, like drawing or folding, demonstrated significant medium-sized relations with DLS, even after accounting for IQ and sensory features, whereas tasks in the areas of bilateral coordination, upper-limb coordination, and balance only related to DLS (small effect sizes) prior to accounting for IQ and sensory features. When looking at an overall balance score, we found that IQ significantly interacted on the relation between overall balance and DLS.These results further demonstrate the particular importance of fine/manual motor skills for DLS in autistic youth, even when accounting for IQ and sensory features. Indeed, accounting for sensory features strengthened the relations between fine/manual motor skills and DLS. Our findings provide evidence of the impact of cognitive factors on the relation between balance and DLS, indicating that it may be that autistic individuals with lower IQs experience relations between balance and DLS that are different than their peers with higher IQs. Our findings support the benefit of considering individual motor skills rather than domain-level information when assessing ways to promote DLS in autistic youth. The results further shed light on the importance of fine motor skills, as well as the unique relationship of balance and DLS in autistic individuals with lower IQs.
{"title":"The relation between specific motor skills and daily living skills in autistic children and adolescents","authors":"Emily C. Skaletski, Sailery Cortes Cardona, Brittany G. Travers","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1334241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1334241","url":null,"abstract":"Motor skill difficulties are common in autistic children and are related to daily living skills (DLS). However, it remains unclear which specific motor tasks are most likely to impact overall DLS. This study sought to fill this gap.In 90 autistic children and adolescents (ages 6–17 years), we found that fine/manual motor tasks, like drawing or folding, demonstrated significant medium-sized relations with DLS, even after accounting for IQ and sensory features, whereas tasks in the areas of bilateral coordination, upper-limb coordination, and balance only related to DLS (small effect sizes) prior to accounting for IQ and sensory features. When looking at an overall balance score, we found that IQ significantly interacted on the relation between overall balance and DLS.These results further demonstrate the particular importance of fine/manual motor skills for DLS in autistic youth, even when accounting for IQ and sensory features. Indeed, accounting for sensory features strengthened the relations between fine/manual motor skills and DLS. Our findings provide evidence of the impact of cognitive factors on the relation between balance and DLS, indicating that it may be that autistic individuals with lower IQs experience relations between balance and DLS that are different than their peers with higher IQs. Our findings support the benefit of considering individual motor skills rather than domain-level information when assessing ways to promote DLS in autistic youth. The results further shed light on the importance of fine motor skills, as well as the unique relationship of balance and DLS in autistic individuals with lower IQs.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141107963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-15DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1393690
R. Breveglieri, Riccardo Brandolani, S. Diomedi, Markus Lappe, C. Galletti, P. Fattori
Attention is needed to perform goal-directed vision-guided movements. We investigated whether the direction of covert attention modulates movement outcomes and dynamics. Right-handed and left-handed volunteers attended to a spatial location while planning a reach toward the same hemifield, the opposite one, or planned a reach without constraining attention. We measured behavioral variables as outcomes of ipsilateral and contralateral reaching and the tangling of behavioral trajectories obtained through principal component analysis as a measure of the dynamics of motor control. We found that the direction of covert attention had significant effects on the dynamics of motor control, specifically during contralateral reaching. Data suggest that motor control was more feedback-driven when attention was directed leftward than when attention was directed rightward or when it was not constrained, irrespectively of handedness. These results may help to better understand the neural bases of asymmetrical neurological diseases like hemispatial neglect.
{"title":"Modulation of reaching by spatial attention","authors":"R. Breveglieri, Riccardo Brandolani, S. Diomedi, Markus Lappe, C. Galletti, P. Fattori","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1393690","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1393690","url":null,"abstract":"Attention is needed to perform goal-directed vision-guided movements. We investigated whether the direction of covert attention modulates movement outcomes and dynamics. Right-handed and left-handed volunteers attended to a spatial location while planning a reach toward the same hemifield, the opposite one, or planned a reach without constraining attention. We measured behavioral variables as outcomes of ipsilateral and contralateral reaching and the tangling of behavioral trajectories obtained through principal component analysis as a measure of the dynamics of motor control. We found that the direction of covert attention had significant effects on the dynamics of motor control, specifically during contralateral reaching. Data suggest that motor control was more feedback-driven when attention was directed leftward than when attention was directed rightward or when it was not constrained, irrespectively of handedness. These results may help to better understand the neural bases of asymmetrical neurological diseases like hemispatial neglect.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140972224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}