Brain Sciences

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9 pages, 282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hypnotizability and Disordered Personality Styles in Cluster A Personality Disorders

by Bingren Zhang, Bing Pan, Jueying Chen, Junjie Wang, Zhenyu Zhu, Timo Juhani Lajunen and Wei Wang

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020182 - 22 Jan 2023

Viewed by 2072

Abstract

Aim: Interpersonal sensitivity and mistrust are the main characteristics of cluster A personality disorders (CAPD) which might be due to the high accessibility to negative suggestions from environments. Yet the exact associations between hypnotic suggestibility and their personality disorder functioning styles remain unclear. [...] Read more.

Aim: Interpersonal sensitivity and mistrust are the main characteristics of cluster A personality disorders (CAPD) which might be due to the high accessibility to negative suggestions from environments. Yet the exact associations between hypnotic suggestibility and their personality disorder functioning styles remain unclear. Methods: We invited 36 patients with CAPD and 115 healthy volunteers to undergo the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale: Form C (SHSS:C) and Parker Personality Measure (PERM). Results: Compared to controls; patients scored higher on PERM paranoid; schizoid; schizotypal; borderline; avoidant; and dependent styles; on the SHSS:C total and “challenge suggestions”, and the passing rates of “hand lowering”, “arm rigidity”, “dream”, and “arm immobilization”. In patients, “dream” negatively predicted the schizoid; “hallucinated voice” negatively the schizotypal; “mosquito hallucination” positively the histrionic and dependent; and “arm immobilization” negatively the avoidant style. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the insusceptibility to perceptual suggestions from others and the high control over body contribute to the paranoid attitude and interpersonal avoidance in CAPD. These findings help to understand the cause of interpersonal problems in these patients and suggest the trial of hypnotherapy for them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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26 pages, 1392 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Interoception in Old Age

by Gili Ulus and Daniela Aisenberg-Shafran

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(10), 1398; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12101398 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2654

Abstract

Emotion regulation in old age was found to be more efficient; seniors seem to focus less on the negative aspects of experiences. Here, we ask, do older individuals regulate their emotions more efficiently or are they numb to the physiological changes that modulate [...] Read more.

Emotion regulation in old age was found to be more efficient; seniors seem to focus less on the negative aspects of experiences. Here, we ask, do older individuals regulate their emotions more efficiently or are they numb to the physiological changes that modulate these emotions? Interoception, the perception of physical feelings, influences a person’s mood, emotions, and sense of well-being, and was hardly tested among older adults. We examined the awareness of physiological changes (physiological arousal—blood pressure and heart rate) of 47 older adults, compared to 18 young adults, and their subjective reports of emotional experiences while viewing emotional stimuli. Interoception was decreased in old age. Blood pressure medications had a partial role in this reduction. Moreover, interoception mediated emotional experience, such that low interoception led to lower experiences of changes in physiological arousal. These findings may account for the emotional changes in old age, suggesting a decline in sensitivity with age, which leads to a positive interpretation of information. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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12 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Psychopathy on Incarcerated Inmates’ Cognitive Empathy

by Gerardo Flórez, Ventura Ferrer, Luis García, María Crespo, Manuel Pérez and Pilar Saiz

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(8), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12081003 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2153

Abstract

(1) Background: there is an ongoing debate about whether psychopathic traits increase or decrease cognitive empathy/Theory of Mind. (2) Methods: using a representative sample of 204 Spanish convicted inmates incarcerated at the Pereiro de Aguiar Penitentiary in Ourense, Spain, we investigated the relationship [...] Read more.

(1) Background: there is an ongoing debate about whether psychopathic traits increase or decrease cognitive empathy/Theory of Mind. (2) Methods: using a representative sample of 204 Spanish convicted inmates incarcerated at the Pereiro de Aguiar Penitentiary in Ourense, Spain, we investigated the relationship between two tools for the assessment of psychopathy, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP), and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), a well-known measure of cognitive empathy. (3) Results: The results showed no clear connection between the scores on the psychopathy assessment tools and RMET performance. This lack of association was stronger when the age variable was included in the multivariate analysis. (4) Conclusions: the results of this study failed to detect any clear link between psychopathy and cognitive empathy performance. Accordingly, our results indicate that psychopathy neither improves nor worsens cognitive empathy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

15 pages, 2493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Chu Wang, Lars M. Rimol and Wei Wang

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(4), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040441 - 25 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2833

Abstract

Hypersexuality is related to functions of personality and emotion and is a salient symptom of bipolar I disorder especially during manic episode. However, it is uncertain whether bipolar I disorder with (BW) and without (BO) hypersexuality exhibits different cerebral activations under external emotion [...] Read more.

Hypersexuality is related to functions of personality and emotion and is a salient symptom of bipolar I disorder especially during manic episode. However, it is uncertain whether bipolar I disorder with (BW) and without (BO) hypersexuality exhibits different cerebral activations under external emotion stimuli. In 54 healthy volunteers, 27 BW and 26 BO patients, we administered the visual oddball event-related potentials (ERPs) under external emotions of Disgust, Erotica, Fear, Happiness, Neutral, and Sadness. Participants’ concurrent states of mania, hypomania, and depression were also evaluated. The N1 latencies under Erotica and Happiness were prolonged, and the P3b amplitudes under Fear and Sadness were decreased in BW; the P3b amplitudes under Fear were increased in BO. The parietal, frontal, and occipital activations were found in BW, and the frontal and temporal activations in BO under different external emotional stimuli, respectively. Some ERP components were correlated with the concurrent affective states in three groups of participants. The primary perception under Erotica and Happiness, and voluntary attention under Fear and Sadness, were impaired in BW, while the voluntary attention under Fear was impaired in BO. Our study indicates different patterns of visual attentional deficits under different external emotions in BW and BO. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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Review

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16 pages, 755 KiB

Open AccessReview

Anxious Personality Traits: Perspectives from Basic Emotions and Neurotransmitters

by Jie Dong, Tingwei Xiao, Qiuyue Xu, Fei Liang, Simeng Gu, Fushun Wang and Jason H. Huang

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(9), 1141; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12091141 - 27 Aug 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 11486

Abstract

Objective: Recently, many emotional diseases, such as anxiety and depression, have prevailed, and it is expected that emotional disease will be the leading cause of social and economic burden in 2030. These emotional diseases may be due to certain personality traits, which could [...] Read more.

Objective: Recently, many emotional diseases, such as anxiety and depression, have prevailed, and it is expected that emotional disease will be the leading cause of social and economic burden in 2030. These emotional diseases may be due to certain personality traits, which could be the reasons for the development of mental illness. Personality theories have been constantly developed over the past hundreds of years, and different dimensions of personality traits corresponding to different physiological bases and emotional feelings have been proposed. However, personality may be the least studied area in psychology. Methods: In this paper, we will give a short review on the development of personality theories as well as dimensional emotional theory. Then, we will compare the similarities between the emotional dimension and personality dimension. Furthermore, we will also investigate the neural mechanisms of personality and emotions, focusing on neuromodulators for anxiety-related personality traits, in order to provide a clear relationship between different neurotransmitters and anxiety-related personality traits. Results: The results of our study suggest that the emotional dimension and personality dimension may be somewhat related, for example, the extrovert/introvert dimension of personality might be related to the hedonic dimension, which includes happiness/sadness, and the neurotic dimensions might be related to emotional arousal. In addition, our study found that personality traits are also related to basic emotions, for instance, people who are too self-centered are prone to feeling a mood of disgust or depression, while anger and fear correspond to unstable personality traits. The analysis suggested that the neural substrates of both personality and emotions might be described as follows: extroverted–joy–dopamine (DA); introverted–disgust–5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT); unstable (neuroticism)–anger/fear–noradrenaline (NE); stable–calmness. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that there is a correlation between personality traits and emotions, and both depend on monoamine neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin). In addition, personality disorders can be interfered via the regulation of emotions and neurotransmitters. This paper opens up a whole new perspective for future research on personality traits and emotional diseases and has great clinical value and practical significance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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6 pages, 396 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Reading: From the Simple to the Complex

by Hermundur Sigmundsson, Helga S. Thórsdóttir, Herdís R. Njálsdóttir and Svava Th. Hjaltalín

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(12), 1670; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121670 - 5 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 6110

Abstract

The aim of this article was to present an important perspective on reading skill development. The perspective ‘READ’ builds on the phonics approach which has been found to be most important in relation to reading achievement i.e., to teach children to break the [...] Read more.

The aim of this article was to present an important perspective on reading skill development. The perspective ‘READ’ builds on the phonics approach which has been found to be most important in relation to reading achievement i.e., to teach children to break the reading code. In addition, READ builds on theories within learning and skill development. The Ericsson concept of ‘deliberate practice’ refer to baseline measurements that provide a basis for follow-up and deliberate practice. The concept of ‘flow’ is also of great importance where challenges are always in relation to the skills. It means that each child will be able to experience ‘flow’ where mastery is the key word, feeling I CAN! When mastery is experienced, the dopamine hormone gives the feeling of reward. Stimuli, experience, and repetition is also a key word in the ‘training hour’ where children get the possibility to strengthen the neural network that is used for specific skills which are trained. In this respect, the letter-sound knowledge is trained until the child has broken the reading code. The results from the first year in the school in Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland indicates that all the children were able to break the reading code or read simple words. In addition, 96% of the children were able to read sentences, and 88% where able to read text. These promising results are discussed in relation to Ericsson’s and Csikszentmihalyi’s important theories. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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9 pages, 420 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Motion, Relation, and Passion in Brain Physiological and Cognitive Aging

by Hermundur Sigmundsson, Benjamin H. Dybendal and Simone Grassini

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(9), 1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12091122 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 14865

Abstract

The aim of the current paper was to present important factors for keeping the basic structures of a person’s brain function, i.e., the grey and white matter, intact. Several lines of evidence have shown that motion, relation, and passion are central factors for [...] Read more.

The aim of the current paper was to present important factors for keeping the basic structures of a person’s brain function, i.e., the grey and white matter, intact. Several lines of evidence have shown that motion, relation, and passion are central factors for preserving the neural system in the grey and white matter during ageing. An active lifestyle has shown to contribute to the development of the central nervous system and to contrast brain ageing. Interpersonal relationships, and interactions, have shown to contribute to complex biological factors that benefit the cognitive resilience to decline. Furthermore, the current scientific literature suggests that passion, strong interest, could be the driving factor motivating individuals to learn new things, thus influencing the development and maintenance of the neural functional network over time. The present theoretical perspective paper aims to convey several key messages: (1) brain development is critically affected by lifestyle; (2) physical training allows one to develop and maintain brain structures during ageing, and may be one of the keys for good quality of life as an older person; (3) diverse stimuli are a key factor in maintaining brain structures; (4) motion, relation, and passion are key elements for contrasting the loss of the grey and white matter of the brain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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10 pages, 793 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Disentangling the Association between ADHD and Alcohol Use Disorder in Individuals Suffering from Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Francesco Bartoli, Tommaso Callovini, Angela Calabrese, Riccardo M. Cioni, Ilaria Riboldi, Cristina Crocamo and Giuseppe Carrà

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12010038 - 28 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3041

Abstract

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may influence rates of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) among individuals suffering from Bipolar Disorder (BD). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the strength and consistency of the potential association between ADHD and AUD in [...] Read more.

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may influence rates of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) among individuals suffering from Bipolar Disorder (BD). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the strength and consistency of the potential association between ADHD and AUD in BD. We searched main electronic databases for studies indexed up to November 2020. We included observational studies investigating the association between ADHD and AUD among individuals with BD. The association between ADHD and AUD was estimated using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs). Eleven studies, involving 2734 individuals with BD (516 with ADHD), were included in the meta-analysis. Individuals with both BD and ADHD had higher rates of AUD as compared with subjects with BD only (34.0% vs. 18.3%). The estimated OR of AUD for ADHD was 2.50 (95% CI: 1.91 to 3.27; I² = 13.0%). Study-level characteristics did not influence the effect size. No risk of publication bias was estimated. Despite some limitations, this meta-analysis estimated an association between ADHD and AUD among individuals suffering from BD. At least a portion of the high rates of AUD in BD may, thereby, be related to comorbid ADHD. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the nature of this relationship. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Neural Base of Personality and Adulthood Behavioral Disorders)

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