Providentia

Can Motor Training Slow Brain Aging?

A lab-review recently published in GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry presents and discusses previous and current research into motor training-induced neuroplasticity by classifying recent work on the basis of two broad aspects: (1) the applied study design (i.e., cross-sectional vs. longitudinal) and (2) the complexity of the motor task subjected to training (i.e., elementary finger movements vs. highly complex physical activity). In the review, the authors demonstrate that training-induced anatomic and functional changes are evident for a wide range of motor tasks and for several age cohorts. Finally, they discuss findings from a lifespan perspective and embed them in the context of research investigating the beneficial effect of motor training-induced neuroplasticity on brain aging.

For the abstract

Dealing with Rape in the Military

Since its release last year to triumphant acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival,  The Invisible War has gone on to be nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards.   Dired by Kirby Dick, the documentary highlights the grossly underreported problem of rape in the U.S. military.   The film presents interviews with victims from multiple branches of the United States Armed Services.   The Invisible War also features interviews with advocates, health care workers dealing with military rape victims, retired generals and admirals, and representatives from the Department of Defense

Though military statistics report 3,191 cases of sexual trauma in 2011 alone, those figures severely underestimate the true incidence of rape.  Since many victims choose not to report their assaults and commanding officers often refuse to acknowledge that an assault occurred,  getting justice can seem impossible at times. In all too many cases, reporting the crime often leads to reprisals against the victim rather than any punishment of the rapist.  Obtaining treatment for rape trauma and health benefits for mental health issues arising from the rape can lead to a new type of trauma as victims deal with the military bureaucracy. 

Despite high-profile incidents such as the 1991 Navy Tailhook scandal, the 1996 Army Aberdeen scandal, and the 2003 Air Force Academy scandal, complaints of sexual assault are still often ignored by commanding officers and the military justice system.  Despite numerous promises by senior officials in the Department of Defense to help military rape victims, actual reform has been slow to happen.    Part of the problem lies with unit commanders who have the primary responsibility of dealing with rape complaints.   Since commanders are often friends with the assailant, or can even be participants in the assault, rape complaints can be stonewalled or ignored.  

But military rape victims are now fighting back.    Along with The Invisible War, a new viral campaign titled "I am One" is showing the human face of military rape victims and providing them with a way of telling their stories.     As highlighted in The Invisible War, some rape victims have filed a civil lawsuit against the Department of Defence over poorly handled rape complaints and the rocky road many victims face in getting juustice.   One of the lead complainants in the suit is veteran Coast Guard Seaman Kori Cioca who was discharged from the Coast Guard with injuries that went untreated following her sexual assault.    In the gripping narrative provided in the documentary, Cioca describes her life since her discharge and the difficulties she faced in getting reimbursed for the numerous medical issues resulting from her assault.    Since The Invisible War came out, she described how the increased visibility has helped her personal situation with complete strangers coming forward to help pay her medical bills. 

As Cioca noted recently in the Huffington Post,  her injuries and the numerous surgeries that she required as a result serve as a reminder of what she experienced.    Still, the support that she has received since going public with her story has helped her as well.    "It is healing for me to know that sharing my story has given others their voice and the knowledge that they are not alone. The outpouring of support following the film has filled me with the strength to keep going and has once again given my life purpose,"  she says.    "I am grateful for that. And because of that, for the first time in my life I no longer have to feel the blame, embarrassment and shame of being raped. The military made me believe that if I would have protected my body better, he wouldn't have entered it. I am sad to have been a victim, but fortunate to consider myself a survivor of our military's invisible war."

Some progress is being made however, including a recent report from the Department of Defence calling sexual violence in the military “an affront to the basic American values we defend and may degrade military readiness, subvert strategic goodwill and forever change the lives of victims and their families.”    Lawmakers have also introduced the Ruth Moore Act this year, one day following President Obama's State of the Union Address.   Named for a female veteran who was raped repeatedly in the military and subsequently sank into homelessness and depression, the Act is intended to streamline the military justice process and make it easier for victims to receive benefits for mental health issues.  

For more information.

Can Happiness Be Genetic?

Though the pursuit of happiness is listed as an inalienable right in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, achieving happiness has never been that easy.   In recent years, happiness research has become a hotly debated topic in social science, especially over what people need to be satisfied in their lives.  Although things such as a good income, steady employment, a strong family life, a good education, and good health have all been linked to life satisfaction, research has not shown all that strong a relationship.   Part of the problem seems to be that happiness has a way of returning to what psychologists call a “set point” or “baseline” of happiness.   Also known as the "hedonic treadmill", happiness seems to be as much about personality and genetic factors as it is about good things happening in your life.

But is it possible for things like life satisfaction and well-being to be shaped by genetics?

To read more, check out my new Psychology Today blog post. 

How Did REM Sleep Originate?

An article recently published in Dreaming  presents a new theory about the origin of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. REM is an integral part of the human sleep cycle and the neurological substrate most consistently associated with dreams and dream recall. According to this thesis, REM sleep evolved out of a primordial defensive reflex: tonic immobility. This reflex, sometimes also called death-feigning or animal hypnosis, is usually the last line of defense against an attacking predator. Tonic immobility, common in both vertebrates and invertebrates, has a number of neuroanatomical and behavioral attributes that overlap with those of REM sleep. This overlap is suggestive of an evolutionary kinship. The article presents conceptual arguments and empirical facts in support of this relationship.

For the abstract

Stories I've Been Following

Here are some recent news stories that I have been following lately. 

Chechen Leader Urges Crusade against "Quacks"

The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, has called for a public campaign against "charlatans" and faith healers exploiting belief in magic and superstition to swindle credulous people desperate for miracle cures.   "[Charlatans] convince people that they can cure illnesses, while having no any knowledge or skills. Unfortunately, people who seek relief take the bait," he said in a meeting with religious leaders and political figures.  

In warning about the health dangers posed by unscrupulous faith healers, Kadyrov also warned that they discredited Islam, a major concern in the predominantly Islamic country.   Some of the charlatans offer services claiming to be able to cure diseases such as cerebral palsy by claiming to be sheikhs or other religious healers that use prayer or magic and often discourage clients from going to regular doctors.  This could leading to delays in getting treatment with often fatal results.  Many of these "false healers" also claim to be psychics who can foresee the future and change the fate of clients in return for money.    Despite their religious claims however, Chechen goverment news sources report that some of them are unable to quote a single Koran passage.

At the meeting, Kadyrov warned that "turning to wizards and false healers won't bring them any relief and is banned by Islam."    Belief in folk remedies is still strong in Chechyna following the recent civil war in that country and the deaths of thousands of Chechnyans.   

Ironically,  Kadyrov has been a supporter of Islamic mysticism in his country since becoming President in 2005.   That includes his support for the Center for Islamic Medicine in Grozny where healers exorcise djinns by reading verses from the Koran.   Over 130,000 people have been treated there since its opening in 2008.

For more information.."

"Defenders of Christ" Slavery Ring Broken Up In Mexico

A bizarre sex slavery ring operated by a cult located near the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo has been broken up following a raid by Federal police in January.   According to police and immigration sources, the cult is known as "Defensore de Cristo" or "Defenders of Christ" which recruited women who were then forced into sexual slavery and prostitution.  A statement made by a victim advocacy group which has dealt with cult survivors alleges that recruited women were forced to have sex with a Spanish man who claimed to be the reincarnation of Christ.    Cult followers were then made to do forced labour as well as prostitution and to pay "tithes" to support the cult financially.

The raid on the cult's house occured following a formal complaint a year ago by the National Institute of Migration.    Police found cult members, including children, living in filthy conditions and fourteen non-Mexicans who are now facing charges.    Of the mostly female Mexicans found in the house, police are still trying to identify them and determine whether they took part in the abuse. 

According to the Defenders of Christ website, the leader of the movement is Ignacio Gonzalez de Arriba who arrived in Mexico from Spain three years ago. Along with offering courses in "bio-programming" to train people in "re-programming" their brain to eliminate pain and suffering, he and Venuzuelan Losanger Segovia ran the cult's daily operations.   It is not immediately known if Arriba and Segovia were among the ones arrested.   

The Defenders of Christ apparently operated in the area controlled by the Zetas drug cartel with no apparent problems.   They also repeatedly failed to register as a religious group despite Mexican law.   Though all members of the cult in Mexico are believed to be in custody,  authorities report that other branches may till be operating in Peru and Venezuela.

For more information

Disbled Girl Found Lock in Wooden Cage

Responding to a complaint, New Mexico police called to a trailer home in Las Cruce found an eight-year old girl with developmental disabilities locked in a homemade wooden cage.   She had been left unattended while her foster family were attending a movie at a nearby elementary school.  

According to police,  33-year old Cindy Patriarchas and 37-year old Edmond Gonzales had taken their three children to the movie while leaving the girl alone in the locked cage.    Though police had been expecting to see a family pet in the cage, they were startled to see a child instead.     The girl suffers from microcephaly which has left her with an unusually small head and the mental capacity of a two-year old.   There were no signs of physical abuse but she was already too large for the cage which was only 2.5 feet wide and 48 inches tall.  

Patriarchas is not the child's biological mother but has been trying to get permission to adopt.   She and her partner are currently charged with neglect and are both being held under a $25,000 bond.   The girl is now in the custody of New Mexico's child protection agency.

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Kicking the Caffeine Habit

How dangerous is caffeine addiction?     Easily the most widely used recreational drug in the world, caffeine is regularly consumed by 85% of all adults and children in the United States according to one recent study and that figure is likely the same in most other countries.   Average daily caffeine intake is estimated to be about 280 milligrams a day,  the equivalent of two cups of coffee or seven 12-ounce cans of caffeinated soft drinks.   

Usually considered harmless in low doses, caffeine can lead to serious health problems as well as complications in pregnancy.   Caffeine intake greater than 400 milligrams can lead to symptoms such as “jitters”, increased heartbeat, nausea, anxiety,  dizziness and even heart failure in cardiac cases.    The symptoms can be even more severe in people with a caffeine allergy.   While cases of caffeine overdose are relatively rare, there have been documented cases in countries around the world.    Like any other drug, regular caffeine use can also lead to physical dependence which makes it hard to quit, even for health reasons.

To read more, check out my new Psychology Today blog post here.

Can Different Types of Questions affect Children's Memory of Events?

Previous research has suggested that, when interviewing young children, responses to yes/no questions are less reliable than responses to multiple-choice questions (Peterson & Grant, 2001). However, according to fuzzy trace theory, some forms of multiple-choice questions should elicit higher error rates than yes/no questions. Fuzzy trace theory is a theory of cognitive development that suggests there are two types of memory traces: verbatim traces which include exact details of an experience, whereas gist traces represent the patterns and meanings extracted from that experience. Based on the assumptions of this theory,the authors of a recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science explored the effect of question format (yes/no vs. multiple-choice), temporal delay (short delay vs. long delay) and age (4- to 6-year-olds, 7- to 9-year-olds, and 10- to 12-year-olds) on children's suggestibility for a naturalistic, potentially stressful event; namely, a dental procedure. Following the dental procedure, and again after a 6- to 8-week delay, children (N = 68) were given 24 forced-choice questions regarding the dental event. Consistent with fuzzy trace theory, the findings suggest that (a) multiple-choice questions can be more problematic than yes/no questions, especially after a delay, and (b) younger children are more suggestible than older children, particularly when asked “no” and “absent feature” questions. The findings are discussed with respect to implications for interviewing children.

For the abstract

Is Telepsychology In Your Future?

We’re

all watching as advances in telecommunications and information technology makes the world more connected than ever.   But what will this mean in terms of providing mental health care to people in need?  According to Marlene Maheu of the Telemental Health Institute in Cheyenne, Wyoming,  that change is already underway.    In an article published recently in a special issue of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice devoted to future visions of psychology,  Maheu and her co-authors state that mental health professionals need to prepare as new technology  transform the kind of services that will be available in the near future.  They will also have to recognize the dangers and ethical problems that many of these new products will bring.

To read more, check out my new Psychology Today blog post here.

The Kinsey Revolution (Part 3 of 3)

Continued from Part 2

Though Alfred Kinsey's findings were well accepted by the general public with both of his books being best-sellers, the backlash against his research was even more vicious than he had anticipated.   Along with legitimate criticisms about his sampling and statistical methods, he was also vilified by religious and moral authorities condemning him as a serious threat to public decency.    

Considering the far-reaching implications of his research and his own tendency to provide editorials about the harm that conventional morality could have, it seems surprising that Alfred Kinsey was so upset by the criticism he received.    While his funding was never jeopardized by the criticism (the Committee continued to support Kinsey's research despite political pressure),  Kinsey was never comfortable over the new notoriety his research brought him.

He was also uncomfortable with the media interest that his first book generated.    By the time his book on female sexuality was ready to come out in 1953, more than 150 magazines and newspapers asked for advance copies.  Of these, Kinsey and his colleagues picked thirty to receive advance galleys on the understanding that nothing would be published before the release date of August 20. 

If anything, the second book was met with even more outrage than the first book (women were seen as being held to a higher moral standard than men did).   Even some of Kinsey's earlier supporters, such as Karl Menninger, abruptly switched sides and denounced the second book. 

At the same time that the book was released, other changes were happening as well.  Although the Rockefeller Foundation and the Committee had been supporting Kinsey and his researchers prior to the release of his second book, both organizations became new targets for Kinsey's opponents.   The Rockefeller Foundation had previously discouraged Kinsey from naming them as a financial supporter of his work but he insisted on mentioning them in his acknowledgements for the new book.  

Since the Rockefeller Foundation was a tax-exempt organization, this was enough for a cabal of Republican politicians to call for a formal Congressional investigation of the Foundation and its decision to fund Alfred Kinsey's research.   The House Committe to Investigate Tax-Exempt Foundations was chaired by Congressman B. Carroll Reece and carefully avoided any attempt at attacking the moral implications of Kinsey's research (which exceeded their formal mandate).  Instead, the Committe focused on the appropriateness of funding such research using a tax-exempt foundation.   

The outcome of the Committee was largely predetermined and the report that was eventually released did little more than repeat the original charges against Kinsey and the Rockefeller Foundation with little actual supporting evidence.   Two members of the committee opposing the report even went so far as to release a minority report saying that the  hearings were carefully staged and the witnesses who appeared had all been preselected by Congressman Reece to support his claims. 

In the end, the Committee hearings cost Alfred Kinsey his Rockefeller Foundation support.   Though he continued to receive funding through Indiana University and royalties from the two books,  his ambitious research project had to be whittled down to fit the reduced budget.  But the research continued despite the opposition.  

And Alfred Kinsey faced new challenges as well.   To expand his library and the range of his research materials, Kinsey collected materials from all over the world.  Or, at least he attempted to collect them.   Since anything that arrived overseas by mail needed to be inspected by the U.S. Postal Service, Kinsey learned firsthand how rigid postal inspectors could be.     In 1950, Indianopolis customs collector Alden H. Baker, seized some of the incoming materials which he declared to be "Damned dirty stuff" and refused to release them.  

While Kinsey protested the decision under a law that granted exemptions to scientists and medical researchers requesting potentially obscene materials for research purposes, the U.S. Postal Service supported  Baker's decision.   As far as they were concerned, the material was obscene and thus had no possible scientific value.    Ordinarily, the material would have been destroyed but Kinsey and his researchers took the U.S. government to court over the issue.   The case would drag on for years before finally being settled in Kinsey's favour.

Sadly, Alfred Kinsey never lived to see the outcome of this court decision.   Exhausted by years of fighting his opponents, his health declined but he managed to stay active with interviewing reserch subjects and media interviews.   He died on August 25, 1956 at the age of 62 of heart problems and medical complications related to pneumonia.     

Despite Kinsey's death, his Institute remained active and Dr. Paul Gebhart, one of his main researchers, took over as executive director.   Though the Institute continued to carry out sex research as it did during Alfred Kinsey's lifetime,  his dream of the Institute becoming a world centre for research into human sexuality largely ended with his death.  Sex research gradually became more decentralized with sex researchers at other universities carrying out their own studies although the Institute of Sex Research continued to be based at Indiana University.

In 1981,  the Institute of Sex Research was renamed the Kinsey Institute at a conference marking the 25th anniversary of Alfred Kinsey's death.   The name was later expanded to the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction.  Along with regular publication of research titles, the Institute also maintains an online public access catalogue and, in 1991, established medical clinics for sexual health problems.

While the controversy over Alfred Kinsey's research methods failed to end with his death, later research has tended to confirm many of his original findings and also extended the range of research questions studied by the Institute.   That includes many of the same issues that Alfred Kinsey shied away from during his lifetime, including STD, birth control, and abortion.

Alfred Kinsey's death also failed to end his being targeted by conservative groups maintaining that he corrupted the morals of an entire generation.   One prominent conservative critic, Judith Reisman, who is considered the "founder of the modern anti-Kinsey movement" has openly accused Alfred Kinsey of being a fraud and a child abuser who used pedophiles to collect sexual information from children in his research.   Along with a broader campaign against homosexuality and pornography, Reisman also attempted to sue the Kinsey Institute in 1991 over claims that they censored her work and "inflicted emotional distress".  Though the case was dismissed, that hardly ended her anti-Kinsey campaign.

While there have been later sex researchers including Albert Ellis and the redoubtable team of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, no single researcher has ever matched Alfred Kinsey for the impact that he had on the free and open discussion of sexuality.   Although critics are likely overstating Alfred Kinsey's role in launching the sexual revolution, Kinsey's books, as well as the later reports released by his Institute have captured the public attention more than any other sexologist.  

Alfred Kinsey also gave sexology new respectability and fostered the growth in sex research around the world.   Unfortunately, this also led to the rise of "pop" sexologists whose books on sex show little of the scientific rigour that Alfred Kinsey advocated.    Their popularity means that these "experts" will not be fading away any time soon and the more reputable sexologists tend to be overlooked as  result.     Still, despite  being the target of anti-Kinsey campaigners such as Reisman, the past two decades have seen a resurgence of interenst in Alfred Kinsey's controversial life.   Along with the publication of several new books,  there has also been a the film Kinsey was released in 2004 and starred Liam Neeson in the title role. 

Despite active opposition by conservatives and moral pundits, sexology continues to ask the same questions that Alfred Kinsey posed so long ago.   That might be the legacy that he wanted most. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cognitive Training Across Adulthood

A review recently published in GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry covers the contributions of cognitive trainings to stability in cognitive, everyday, and brain functioning across adulthood. For these functional domains, relevant types of empirical evidence were defined for training-induced enhancement in absolute, differential, and dimensional stability in the light of developmental decline. The state of research regarding these types of evidence is presented. Little data were generally available on the effects of cognitive trainings on the stability of everyday and brain functioning and across all covered domains for their contributions to differential stability. There was sound empirical support for training-induced enhancements of absolute and dimensional cognitive stability across adulthood. The theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

For the abstract