Metals on the brain

Current research suggests that imbalances in metal-ion homeostasis play a critical role in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, and in cancer. It is thus important to elucidate the mechanisms by which homeostasis is maintained and how metals function in cellular processes, including cell signaling, neurotransmission, and protein transport and storage. This summary of a meeting recently held in Barcelona, Spain, highlights some of the latest findings on intra- and extracellular zinc signaling, the consequences of zinc imbalances on cells and on the brain, the mechanisms of metal-ion influx and efflux, how metal ions are sequestered by metallothioneins, and the development of candidate drugs to treat brain injury due to metal-ion imbalances.     

Some specifics on the brain drain from the Andean region

An analysis of the brain drain from the Andean countries of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to the United States is presented. The data are from a survey of 62 persons from those countries who are currently residing in the United States and are listed in the current edition of "American Men and Women of Science". The reasons why they left their country of origin and are staying in the United States are considered. (summary in FRE, SPA)     

Testosterone and the brain

Gender differences in spatial recognition, and age-related declines in cognition and mood, point towards testosterone as an important modulator of cerebral functions. Testosterone appears to activate a distributed cortical network, the ventral processing stream, during spatial cognition tasks, and addition of testosterone improves spatial cognition in younger and older hypogonadal men. In addition, reduced testosterone is associated with depressive disorders. The relationship between depression and testosterone appears to partly depend upon the androgen receptor genotype of the patient, and in appropriate patients with low testosterone levels, testosterone substitution can increase positive mood and decrease negative mood. The much publicized link between testosterone and aggression is probably only of importance in athletes who supplement their testosterone levels to excessively high levels, whereas in hypogonadal men, testosterone supplementation only enhances the positive aspects of aggression such as vigour and energy. Current data suggest that testosterone supplementation in hypogonadal men of all ages will enhance many aspects of mood and cognition.     

An examination of the mechanisms underlying the effects of physical activity on brain and cognition

Physical activity positively influences brain health and cognitive functioning in older adults. Several physiological and psychological mechanisms have been identified to underlie such a relationship. Cardiovascular fitness is accompanied with changes in mechanisms such as cerebral blood flow, neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitter systems and neural architecture that have themselves been associated with cognitive performance. Factors associated with exercise such as arousal, mood and self-perception of competence seem also to influence cognitive performance. Other explanation for the benefits of exercise in cognition, results from the fact that the performance of motor skills involve an important cognitive component (e.g., executive functions and information processing speed). Evidence of brain plasticity and behavior has been provided from studies where animals are exposed to enriched or complex environments. Exposure to such paradigms in which physical activity plays an important role has been found to influence various aspects of brain function and structure. Studies using neuroimaging techniques have established a link between the acquisition of different motor skills and the occurrence of neuroplasticity in human adults. This literature review indicates that the type of exercise and its specific perceptual and cognitive characteristics may influence cognitive performance. However, most of the research has been focused on self-paced movements or automatized skills and few intervention studies have examined the results of merging exercise and cognitive training in a single program. An important scientific challenge for the coming years is to design exercise programs capable of mobilizing several type of mechanisms underlying the effects of physical activity on brain and cognition.     

明星文化与大学生成长

在信息快速传播和价值观多元化的今天,明星文化早已成为校园文化生活中的一种新文化,耀眼的明星所传递出的时尚娱乐元素深深吸引着大学生群体。他们在接受明星、消费明星的同时,思想意识也潜移默化地受到影响。研究发现,明星文化对大学生成长过程中的行为、价值观和消费观产生深刻影响,强调有效的引导必不可少。     

Triadic balance in the brain: Seeking brain evidence for Heider’s structural balance theory

Structural balance theory is a foundational theory of social network research. Despite enduring interest in seeking network evidence for the theory, the fundamental question of why people care about structural (im)balance has received relatively little attention. The original answer to the question, dating back to Heider’s work six decades ago, is that structural imbalance causes a person to experience cognitive dissonance and sentimental disturbance. In this paper, we used a state-of-the-art neuroimaging technique to test the argument. Our study shows that individuals’ psychological states, evidenced by the activation of brain areas, are different when they are situated in unbalanced rather than balanced triads. More specifically, the differences in the brain activation between triadic imbalance and balance were found in brain regions known for processing cognitive dissonance, as discovered by previous research. Our study provides novel brain evidence in support of Heider’s original account for the psychological and biological foundations of structural balance theory in the formation of social networks.     

Walking in the valley of death: The impact of brain tumors on children

Cancer is the largest cause of death by disease in children under 15, and tumors of the brain and central nervous system are the second most common type. Such tumors sometimes present initially with psychiatric features, and further diagnostic confusions can ensue with hospitalization and treatment. This monograph addresses the devastating impact of an intracranial neoplasm on the emotional life and adaptations of the child, with particular attention to interventions and possible diagnostic problems.The assistance of Dr. Edna F. Roth in the preparation of this article is gratefully acknowledged.     

Ubiquitin,proteasomes, and the aging brain

Ubiquitinated proteinaceous inclusions are the hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. Inefficient proteolysis might lead to the accumulation and ultimate deposition of potentially toxic entities as inclusions within neurons or glial cells. This hypothesis is supported by genetic evidence both from patient populations and from engineered mutations in genes that encode ubiquitin/proteasome components in mice. The appearance of similar inclusions in the brains of elderly individuals of normal and subclinical conditions begs the question of whether there is a general age-related decline in the ability of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway (UPP) to recognize and eliminate abnormal proteins, and whether such a decline would be reflected by changes in the abundance or activity of some or all components of the UPP. Here we describe alterations in the aging mammalian brain that correlate with a decline in the function of the UPP and review the evidence for age-related changes in specific UPP components. These alterations are discussed within the context of prevalent theories of aging.     

新自由主义思潮对大学生的影响

政治化、范式化了的西方新自由主义已不再是一种纯理论和纯学术问题,从本质上看它是资本主义的意识形态和主流价值观。随着我国改革开放的深入发展,新自由主义思潮对大学生社会主义理想信念的确立、社会主义核心价值观的践行等诸多方面产生了消极影响。对此,我们必须运用马克思主义理论来揭示新自由主义的实质及其现实危害,帮助大学生有效抵制新自由主义思潮的侵蚀。     

关于小学生道德生活状况的调查报告

小学生道德教育实效性不高的一个重要原因在于道德远离生活、脱离学生的实际.本研究从小学生的日常生活入手,了解小学生日常道德生活现状,进而为德育新课程的实施和学校道德教育走向生活提供必要的理论和事实依据.     

Commentary on the Status of Sex Research

No abstract available for this article.     

Research on the treatment of couple distress

This article reviews the research on couple therapy over the last decade. The research shows that couple therapy positively impacts 70% of couples receiving treatment. The effectiveness rates of couple therapy are comparable to the effectiveness rates of individual therapies and vastly superior to control groups not receiving treatment. The relationship between couple distress and individual disorders such as depression and anxiety has become well established over the past decade. Research also indicates that couple therapy clearly has an important role in the treatment of many disorders. Findings over the decade have been especially promising for integrative behavioral couples therapy and emotion-focused therapy, which are two evidence-based treatments for couples. Research has also begun to identify moderators and mediators of change in couple therapy. Finally, a new and exciting line of research has focused on delineating the principles of change in couple therapy that transcends approach.