Anticipation Period Research Articles

Neural mechanisms of reward processing in preadolescent irritability: Insights from the ABCD study

Elevated youth irritability is characterized by increased proneness to frustration relative to peers when rewards are blocked, and is a transdiagnostic symptom that predicts multiple forms of psychopathology and poorer socioeconomic outcomes in adulthood. Although mechanistic models propose that irritability is the result of aberrant reward-related brain function, youth irritability as it relates to multiple components of reward processes, including reward anticipation, gain, and loss, has yet to be examined in large, population-based samples. Data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) baseline sample (N = 5923) was used to examine associations between youth irritability (measured by parent-report) and reward-related brain activation and connectivity in a large, preadolescent sample. Preadolescents (M age = 9.96 years, SD = 0.63) performed the Monetary Incentive Delay task during functional MRI acquisition. In the task, during the anticipation period, participants were informed of the upcoming trial type (win money, lose money, no money at stake) and waited to hit a target; during the feedback period, participants were informed of their success. Whole brain and region of interest (ROI) analyses evaluated task conditions in relation to irritability level. Preadolescents with higher compared to lower levels of irritability demonstrated blunted prefrontal cortex activation in the anticipation period and exaggerated striatum-prefrontal connectivity differences among reward conditions during the feedback period. These effects persisted after adjusting for co-occurring anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. These findings provide evidence for the role of reward salience in pathophysiological models of youth irritability, suggesting a mechanism that may contribute to exaggerated behavioral responses.

When waiting makes sense: How consumer anticipation affects later evaluations

This paper addresses a gap in knowledge about consumer anticipation. We build on the negative discount model (Loewenstein, 1987) which notes that utility may be gained through deferred consumption; the utility of looking forward to, and savoring forthcoming pleasant consumption adds to the total utility of the consumption episode. However, little is known about (1) the mental mechanisms involved in consumer anticipation, and their intensity, that underlie this effect, and (2) how evaluation of the object of anticipated consumption evolves over time, from the beginning of the anticipation period to post-consumption. Specifically, we ground our research in theories of attitude formation and change to investigate the circumstances in which evoking intense anticipation produces long-lasting and robust positive attitude.From the literature, we develop hypotheses relating information provision and anticipation intensity to subsequent attitude change between pre- and post-consumption stages. We test hypotheses in five studies, in two cultural contexts involving pleasant anticipated consumption. We use an experimental approach manipulating real consumption experiences, recording attitudes pre- and post-consumption. We find that an “anticipation effect” on subsequent evaluations is explained by intensity of anticipation, which is driven by provision of information. We also note that a long-term desirable effect of anticipation is observed, irrespective of whether the core consumption experience was positive or negative.

Anticipating noxious stimulation rather than afferent nociceptive input may evoke pupil asymmetry

Unilateral nociceptive stimulation is associated with subtle signs of pupil asymmetry that may reflect lateralized activity in the locus coeruleus. To explore drivers of this pupil asymmetry, electrical stimuli, delivered alone or 200 ms before or after an acoustic startle stimulus, were administered to one ankle under four experimental conditions: with or without a 1.6 s anticipatory period, or while the forearm ipsilateral or contralateral to the electrical stimulus was heated tonically to induce moderate pain (15 healthy participants in each condition). Pupil diameter was measured at the start of each trial, at stimulus delivery, and each second for 5 s after stimulus delivery. At the start of the first trial, the pupil ipsilateral to the side on which electric shocks were later delivered was larger than the contralateral pupil. Both pupils dilated robustly during the anticipatory period and dilated further during single- and dual-stimulus trials. However, pupil asymmetry persisted throughout the experiment. Tonically-applied forearm heat-pain modulated the pupillary response to phasic electrical stimuli, with a slight trend for dilatation to be greater contralateral to the forearm being heated. Together, these findings suggest that focusing anxiously on the expected site of noxious stimulation was associated with dilatation of the ipsilateral pupil whereas phasic nociceptive stimuli and psychological arousal triggered bilateral pupillary dilatation. It was concluded that preparatory cognitive activity rather than phasic afferent nociceptive input is associated with pupillary signs of lateralized activity in the locus coeruleus.

Feeding under fire: Relations between parental stress hormones and controlling feeding behaviors

Under stress, parents tend to use more controlling feeding behaviors toward their children (Berge et al., 2017; Doan et al., 2022; Loth et al., 2016). However, the majority of prior work focuses on subjective reports of stress, and there is a dearth of research examining parental physiological stress and its impact on feeding behaviors. In the current study, we examined how parental physiological stress reactivity would influence their feeding behaviors under mild stress in a lab-based setting. Parents (n = 83, 50 % females) and their children (59% female, Mage = 42 months, SD = 4.48) participated. Stress was induced using the Trier Social Stress Test in the laboratory (Kirshbaum et al., 1993). Salivary samples were collected at 4 time points during the visit to index stress reactivity and later assayed for cortisol and DHEA. Parent-child interactions during the anticipatory period of the stress test were observationally coded for parent use of controlling feeding behaviors. To examine whether parent stress physiology predicts their feeding behaviors, we ran a Poisson regression using income, parent ethnicity, parent sex (mom/dad), time of day, and DHEA/cortisol ratio as predictors of controlling feeding behavior. Latinx parents used less controlling feeding behaviors, b = −0.323, p = 0.041 than non-Latinx parents. Parents with a higher DHEA/Cortisol ratio were less likely to use controlling feeding behaviors, b = −0.231, p = 0.008. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that for both mothers and fathers, DHEA relative to cortisol has a protective role in controlling feeding practices, and lends support to the role of acute stress reactivity in predicting behavioral outcomes.

Opportunities and threats to shaping energy security in the conditions of development and use of new technologies

Abstract This article aims to show the areas in which technological changes will take place to bring about energy security, and the prerequisites and costs. It has been assumed that technological progress will contribute to the development of energy markets and increase the level of energy security. Changes in energy markets are a necessity. Energy is a source of economic competitiveness. The ability to produce cheap energy and in quantities adequate to needs is a social and economic development factor. The opportunities for change will be the need for new energy sources, instability in the energy markets, as well as technological progress. New technological solutions allow for better energy demand and supply management and preparing forecasts for increases/decreases in the energy demand. The threats are high costs of introducing new technologies and the necessity of implementing many investments at the same time, which require changes in entire systems. Investments require a long period of time and anticipation of trends.

Activation of neurons in the insular cortex and lateral hypothalamus during food anticipatory period caused by food restriction in mice

Mice fed a single meal daily at a fixed time display food anticipatory activity (FAA). It has been reported that the insular cortex (IC) plays an essential role in food anticipation, and lateral hypothalamus (LH) regulates the expression of FAA. However, how these areas contribute to FAA production is still unclear. Thus, we examined the temporal and spatial activation pattern of neurons in the IC and LH during the food anticipation period to determine their role in FAA establishment. We observed an increase of c-Fos-positive neurons in the IC and LH, including orexin neurons of male adult C57BL/6 mice. These neurons were gradually activated from the 1st day to 15th day of restricted feeding. The activation of these brain regions, however, peaked at a distinct point in the food restriction procedure. These results suggest that the IC and LH are differently involved in the neural network for FAA production.

Introducing technological disruption: how breaking media attention on corporate events impacts online sentiment

ABSTRACT One modern strategy to anticipate consumer reaction to new products and services involves looking towards social media sites to explore consumer opinions. A rich body of literature on social media marketing suggests that an effective way to leverage social media platforms is the empirical analysis of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), particularly through sentiment analysis (SA). We propose a novel method for innovators to leverage social media by exploring how breaking media attention on notable corporate events impacts the general public sentiment surrounding a pre-introduced, potentially disruptive innovation (PPDI). Twitter conversations surrounding Facebook’s pre-introduced payment system called Libra, a permissioned blockchain-based cryptocurrency, were analysed as a case study. The analysis suggests that breaking media attention leads to a significant change in sentiment polarity. An event with a preannouncement leads to an emotional momentum effect whereby sentiment polarity accumulates across an anticipation period. Implications for how managers may leverage these insights are discussed.

Прогнозирование цен на рынке жилья в условиях изменения основной тенденции

The development of digital technologies contributes to the growth of the use of nonparametric methods. The presented study proposes a methodology for the forecast assessment of prices in the residential real estate market, taking into account the possible determination of the direction of dynamics in the anticipation period based on the application of nonparametric Nadaraya – Watson estimation. The forecast model construction in the work is considered on the basis of the historically established tendency of determination of the price level of the primary or secondary housing market of Krasnodar Krai and does not take into account other factors. Par-ticular attention is paid to the application of the Chow test to identify the point in time at which there was a struc-tural shift, which allows to determine the period devoid of structural breaks for modeling the trend in order to determine the confidence interval of the forecast. The existing housing problem reflects the relevance of the development of methods for forecasting price dynamics in the housing market, and the absence of additional factors reduces the error and increases the forecast quality.

Anticipatory cardiac deceleration estimates cognitive performance in virtual reality beyond tonic heart period and heart period variability

Anticipatory cardiac deceleration is the lengthening of heart period before an expected event. It appears to reflect preparation that supports rapid action. The current study sought to bolster anticipatory deceleration as a practical and unique estimator of performance efficiency. To this end, we examined relationships between deceleration and virtual reality performance under low and high time pressure. Importantly, we investigated whether deceleration separately estimates performance beyond basal heart period and basal high-frequency heart rate variability (other vagally influenced metrics related to cognition). Thirty participants completed an immersive virtual reality (VR) cognitive performance task across six longitudinal sessions. Anticipatory deceleration and basal heart period/heart period variability were quantified from electrocardiography collected during pre-task anticipatory countdowns and baseline periods, respectively. At the between-person level, we found that greater anticipatory declaration was related to superior accuracy and faster response times (RT). The relation between deceleration and accuracy was stronger under high relative to low time pressure, when good performance requires greater efficiency. Findings for heart period and heart period variability largely converge with the prior literature, but importantly, were statistically separate from deceleration effects on performance. Lastly, deceleration effects were detected using anticipatory periods that are more practical (shorter and more intermittent) than those typically employed. Taken together, findings suggest that anticipatory deceleration is a unique and practical correlate of cognitive-motor efficiency apart from heart period and heart period variability in virtual reality.

Chronic food restriction in mice and increased systemic ghrelin induce preference for running wheel activity

ObjectivesIn eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa (AN), patients exhibit intense physical activity which is inappropriate regarding food restriction and chronic undernutrition, and exacerbates weight loss and energy deprivation. Rodent models of food restriction exhibit increased running wheel activity in the food anticipation period, also known as Food Anticipatory Activity (FAA). FAA probably has various physiological and/or neurobiological origins. Plasma concentrations of the orexigenic hormone ghrelin are, for example, increased during FAA. We hypothesize that the drive for physical activity in chronic food restriction is triggered by metabolic factors but also relies on motivational aspects that we aim to decipher in this study. MethodsYoung female C57Bl6/J mice were exposed to a paradigm based on a progressive 50% quantitative food restriction alone (FR) or associated with running wheel activity (Food Restriction Wheel: FRW) in their home-cage during 15 days. We measured preference for running wheel in a three-chamber apparatus in which animals could choose to explore either a known running wheel or a novel object. Testing took place either during resting or during FAA. We calculated the time spent in each compartment and the activity in running wheels. After progressive refeeding over 10 days, mice were tested again when refed. Plasma levels of both ghrelin isoforms were measured with selective immunoassays. ResultsWhen tested during FAA period, food restricted mice displayed increased preference for the running wheel compared to ad libitum fed controls. Both FR and FRW mice exhibited increased running time and distance in the wheel and running distance was correlated with ghrelin levels. Similar preference and behavior were found when testing took place during the resting period. Animals housed without an active wheel also exhibited active running. Progressive refeeding resulted in body weight restoration, a decrease in FAA and completely abolished preference for the running wheel. Refed animals displayed similar behavior as ad libitum fed controls. ConclusionsThese data provide evidence that food restriction-induced physical activity is closely correlated with metabolic adaptations to nutritional status implicating ghrelin in the quantity of physical activity.

LBA03-11 CLINICAL UTILITY OF SERIAL CELL-FREE DNA ANALYSIS FOR MONITORING MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER PATIENTS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023LBA03-11 CLINICAL UTILITY OF SERIAL CELL-FREE DNA ANALYSIS FOR MONITORING MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER PATIENTS Lourdes Mengual, Raquel Carrasco, Mercedes Ingelmo-Torres, Ascensión Gómez, Ramón Trullas, Fiorella L. Roldán, Tarek Ajami, Joan Sureda, Sandra Herranz, Antonio Alcaraz, and Laura Izquierdo Lourdes MengualLourdes Mengual More articles by this author , Raquel CarrascoRaquel Carrasco More articles by this author , Mercedes Ingelmo-TorresMercedes Ingelmo-Torres More articles by this author , Ascensión GómezAscensión Gómez More articles by this author , Ramón TrullasRamón Trullas More articles by this author , Fiorella L. RoldánFiorella L. Roldán More articles by this author , Tarek AjamiTarek Ajami More articles by this author , Joan SuredaJoan Sureda More articles by this author , Sandra HerranzSandra Herranz More articles by this author , Antonio AlcarazAntonio Alcaraz More articles by this author , and Laura IzquierdoLaura Izquierdo More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003426.11AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has recently emerged as a real-time biomarker for diagnosis, monitoring and predicting therapy response of tumoral disease. Our aim was to evaluate cfDNA as a prognostic biomarker for monitoring muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients after radical cystectomy (RC) at different follow-up time points. METHODS: Blood samples from 37 MIBC patients who underwent RC and extended lymphadenectomy in our center were collected at cystectomy and one, four, 12 and 24 months later. cfDNA from plasma samples was quantified and fragmentation patterns were analyzed. Four mutations previously identified in BC tissue from these patients were studied in cfDNA samples by droplet digital PCR to identify presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) during patients’ follow-up. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 36 months, 17 (46%) patients progressed and 14 (38%) died due to the BC. The median time to progression and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were 10 and 16 months, respectively. cfDNA level was significantly higher in progressive than non-progressive MIBC patients 12 months after RC (p=0.045). Of note, cfDNA level and ctDNA status four months after RC were identified as independent prognostic biomarkers of tumor progression (HR 5.290; p=0.033) and CSS (HR 4.199; p=0.038), respectively. By contrast, no correlation was found between cfDNA fragmentation and tumor progression nor CSS. ctDNA status detected tumor progression with a median anticipation period of 6 months compared with imaging techniques (p=0.024). Furthermore, ctDNA clearance four months after RC was significantly associated with patients’ clinical outcomes (p=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: cfDNA levels and ctDNA status four months after RC are prognostic biomarkers of tumor progression and CSS in MIBC patients. In addition, cfDNA monitoring is useful to predict patient outcomes after RC. The implementation of cfDNA analysis in the clinical setting could have an impact on disease management since patients could benefit from early treatment. Source of Funding: This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), project reference number PI17/01343 © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e1196 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Lourdes Mengual More articles by this author Raquel Carrasco More articles by this author Mercedes Ingelmo-Torres More articles by this author Ascensión Gómez More articles by this author Ramón Trullas More articles by this author Fiorella L. Roldán More articles by this author Tarek Ajami More articles by this author Joan Sureda More articles by this author Sandra Herranz More articles by this author Antonio Alcaraz More articles by this author Laura Izquierdo More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Oral Cannabidiol does not alter Alcohol Seeking and Self‐Administration in Baboons

BackgroundThe cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) is currently under investigation as a pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder. The aim of the present study was to examine whether acute and chronic treatment with pure CBD would decrease alcohol seeking and consumption behaviors or alter drinking patterns in male baboons with extensive histories of daily alcohol intake (1 g/kg/day). MethodsSeven male baboons self-administered oral alcohol (4% w/v) in a validated chained schedule of reinforcement (CSR) procedure that modeled periods of anticipation, seeking, and consumption. In Experiment 1, CBD (5–40 mg/kg) or vehicle (peanut oil, USP) was administered orally 15- or 90-minutes prior to the start of the session. In Experiment 2, oral doses of CBD (10–40 mg/kg) or vehicle were administered for 5 consecutive days during ongoing alcohol access under the CSR. In addition, behavioral observations were conducted to assess potential drug side effects (e.g., sedation, motor incoordination) following chronic CBD treatment immediately after the session and 24-hours after drug administration. ResultsAcross both experiments, baboons self-administered an average of 1 g/kg/day of alcohol under baseline conditions. Administration of acute or chronic CBD (150–1200 mg total CBD dose/day) that encompassed the purported therapeutic dose range did not significantly reduce alcohol seeking, self-administration or intake (g/kg). Drinking patterns (i.e., number of drinks/bouts, bout duration, nor interdrink interval) also were not altered. There were no observable behavioral disruptions following CBD treatment. ConclusionsIn sum, the current data do not support use of pure CBD as an effective pharmacotherapy to reduce ongoing excessive drinking.

The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Islamic Health Insurance Market Returns: Empirical Evidence from Saudi Arabia

This study aims to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the Cooperative Health Insurance (CHI) Market in Saudi Arabia by applying Event Study Methodology. The health event identified in this study is the announcement of the first positive case of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, which the Ministry of Health announced on March 2, 2020. For this study, the daily price of 24 cooperative health insurance companies listed on the Saudi Stock Market (Tadawul) and the market index (TASI) for the same period (June 05, 2018 - March 30, 2020) were collected. The abnormal returns are calculated using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). The study found a negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health insurance companies in Saudi Arabia during the first week of the anticipation period that continued until the event day. Negative abnormal returns persisted until the end of the total study period but were not statistically significant except on only three days during the post-event window (March 05, 08, and 09, 2020). This means the Saudi cooperative insurance market experienced a period of anticipation and anxiety before the announcement of the first case of Covid-19; however, the information was insufficient and unconfirmed. During the adjustment window, the market tried to adjust itself and react to the event efficiently, but it could not do so. The results of this study are useful to takaful investors, operators, and regulators in the Islamic insurance markets and to researchers and academicians.

Stressor anticipation and subsequent affective well-being: A link potentially explained by perseverative cognitions.

Anticipatory stress can prospectively and negatively influence diverse outcomes, including cognitive performance and emotional well-being. It has been suggested that perseverative cognitions (e.g., worry, rumination) during the anticipation period constitute a key mechanism driving these effects. The present study investigated the temporal dynamics among stressor anticipation, perseverative cognitions, and affective well-being. To accurately test the suggested mechanism, we focused on how these dynamics unfold within individuals over time. To that end, we analyzed data from an ecological momentary assessment study in an ethnically diverse sample (N = 243, 25-65 year olds, 68.7% Hispanic or non-Hispanic Black; 14 days, 5 measurement occasions per day) using dynamic structural equation modeling. Anticipating an upcoming stressor was linked to higher levels of perseverative cognitions approximately 3 hours later. At times when individuals reported higher levels of recent perseverative cognitions than typical for them, they also reported higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect. Mediational modeling indicated that perseverative cognitions accounted for the persistent effects of previous stressor anticipation on negative as well as positive affect several hours later. These findings suggest that perseverative cognitions may play an important role in explaining the detrimental effects of anticipatory stress on subsequent emotional well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Methods of Forecasting Electric Energy Consumption: A Literature Review

Balancing the production and consumption of electricity is an urgent task. Its implementation largely depends on the means and methods of planning electricity production. Forecasting is one of the planning tools since the availability of an accurate forecast is a mechanism for increasing the validity of management decisions. This study provides an overview of the methods used to predict electricity supply requirements to different objects. The methods have been reviewed analytically, taking into account the forecast classification according to the anticipation period. In this way, the methods used in operative, short-term, medium-term, and long-term forecasting have been considered. Both classical and modern forecasting methods have been identified when forecasting electric energy consumption. Classical forecasting methods are based on the theory of regression and statistical analysis (regression, autoregressive models); probabilistic forecasting methods and modern forecasting methods use classical and deep-machine-learning algorithms, rank analysis methodology, fuzzy set theory, singular spectral analysis, wavelet transformations, Gray models, etc. Due to the need to take into account the specifics of each subject area characterizing an energy facility to obtain reliable forecast results, power consumption modeling remains an urgent task despite a wide variety of other methods. The review was conducted with an assessment of the methods according to the following criteria: labor intensity, requirements for the initial data set, scope of application, accuracy of the forecasting method, the possibility of application for other forecasting horizons. The above classification of methods according to the anticipation period allows highlights the fact that when predicting power consumption for different time intervals, the same methods are often used. Therefore, it is worth emphasizing the importance of classifying the forecast over the forecasting horizon not to differentiate the methods used to predict electricity consumption for each period but to consider the specifics of each type of forecasting (operative, short-term, medium-term, long-term).

Action experience in infancy predicts visual-motor functional connectivity during action anticipation.

Despite substantial evidence indicating a close link between action production and perception in early child development, less is known about how action experience shapes the processes of perceiving and anticipating others' actions. Here, we developed a novel approach to capture functional connectivity specific to certain brain areas to investigate how action experience changes the networks involved in action perception and anticipation. Nine- and-12-month-old infants observed familiar (grasping) and novel (tool-use) actions while their brain activity was measured using EEG. Infants' motor competence of both actions was assessed. A link between action experience and connectivity patterns was found, particularly during the anticipation period. During action anticipation, greater motor competence in grasping predicted greater functional connectivity between visual (occipital alpha) and motor (central alpha) regions relative to global levels of whole-brain EEG connectivity. Furthermore, visual and motor regions tended to be more coordinated in response to familiar versus novel actions and for older than younger participants. Critically, these effects were not found in the control networks (frontal-central; frontal-occipital; parietal-central; parietal-occipital), suggesting a unique role of visual-motor networks on the link between motor skills and action encoding. HIGHLIGHTS: Infants' motor development predicted functional connectivity patterns during action anticipation. Faster graspers, and older infants, showed a stronger ratio of visual-motor neural coherence. Overall whole-brain connectivity was modulated by age and familiarity with the actions. Measuring inter-site relative to whole-brain connectivity can capture specific brain-behavior links. Measures of phase-based connectivity over time are sensitive to anticipatory action.

Анализ документов прогнозирования социально-экономического развития российской Арктики

The tasks of forecasting the development of Russian territories, in particular the territory of the Arctic, are the most problematic due to the urgent need of the economy and management for a reliable forecast, the uncertainty of the near future caused by the turbulence of geopolitics, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on socio-economic processes, which are also not fully measurable. The purpose of the article is to present the initial grounds and forecast of the socio-economic development of the regions of the Russian Arctic with a lead time up to 2023. The methodological peculiarity of the research is to take into account geopolitical, national, regional, industrial factors and development trends on the basis of using: 1) the analysis results of real and perspective global trends recorded in statistical indicators, forecast documents of the IMF, WTO, Central Bank, Ministry of Economic Development of Russia; 2) generalizations, comparisons of official forecasts and development plans of the AZRF adopted at the federal, regional levels, as well as forecasts, plans of corporations operating in the AZRF; 3) analysis of real statistical data using the author's econometric models. Given the considerable amount of analytical information received, the aspects and factors that have a key influence on the prospects of socio-economic development of the Arctic are outlined and classified according to the following levels: global, national, regional. Forecasts are made for the regions entirely located in the Arctic zone — Yamalo-Nenets, Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous okrugs, the Murmansk Oblast with an anticipation period up to 20212023. The importance of scientific forecasting in modern conditions is emphasized, encouraging reflection, new hypotheses, discussions.

A novel procedure to investigate social anxiety using videoconferencing software: A proof-of-concept study

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is very common and can be significantly disabling. New treatments are needed as the remission rate for SAD is the lowest of all the anxiety disorders. Experimental medicine models, in which features resembling a clinical disorder are experimentally induced, are a cost-effective and timely approach to explore potential novel treatments for psychiatric disorders. Following the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, there is a need to develop experimental medicine models that can be carried out remotely. We developed a novel procedure to investigate SAD (the InterneT-based Stress test for Social Anxiety Disorder; ITSSAD) that can be carried out entirely online by a single investigator, potentially reducing costs and maximising internal reliability. The procedure involves an anticipatory period followed by a naturalistic social interaction task. In a sample of 20 non-treatment-seeking volunteers with symptoms of SAD, the ITSSAD induced significant subjective anxiety and reduced positive affect. Further, increased social anxiety symptoms at baseline predicted increased anxiety during the social interaction task. This protocol needs further validation with physiological measures. The ITSSAD is a new tool for researchers to investigate mechanisms underlying social anxiety disorder.

The role of cognitive reappraisal and expectations in dealing with social feedback.

Whereas emotion regulation (ER) in response to distressing events is widely studied, the mechanisms underlying adaptive ER while anticipating these events are still unknown. In this study, we investigated how ER strategies and expectation influence (a) individuals' anticipatory and online processing of self-relevant events, and (b) their affective response to them. Sixty-one healthy female participants were exposed to bogus positive and negative social feedback under reappraisal (regulation) and watch (no regulation) instructions. During the anticipatory period, participants were either expecting negative feedback or they had no expectation regarding the valence of the upcoming self-relevant feedback. Hence, negative feedback was, respectively, expected or unexpected. Participants' affective responses were collected via self-report and electromyographic (EMG) activity over the corrugator muscle. Results showed that participants' negative affect (based on both self-reports and EMG) was reduced by the instructions to reappraise as compared to the watch condition. Yet, such beneficial effect of reappraisal was: (a) not observed during the anticipation phase, and (b) less effective when social feedback was expected (as compared to not expected) prior to its presentation. Possibly, cognitive reappraisal might be less able to overcome the influence of negative forecasting of self-relevant negative emotional stimuli. Research findings are discussed in light of potential mechanisms underlying impaired adaptive ER in patients vulnerable for mood disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Sympathetic neural reactivity to the Trier social stress test.

Sympathetic responsiveness to laboratory mental stress is highly variable, making interpretations of its role in stress reactivity challenging. The present study assessed muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA, microneurography) responsiveness to the Trier social stress test (TSST), which employs an anticipatory stress phase, followed by a public speaking and mental arithmetic task. We hypothesized that sympathetic reactivity to the anticipatory phase would offer a more uniform response between individuals due to elimination of confounds (i.e. respiratory changes, muscle movement, etc.) observed during more common stress tasks. Participants included 26healthy adults (11men, 15 women, age: 25±6years, body mass index: 24±3kg/m2 ). Continuous heart rate (electrocardiogram) and beat-to-beat blood pressure (finger plethysmography) were recorded from all participants, while MSNA recordings were obtained in 20 participants. MSNA burst frequency was significantly reduced during anticipatory stress. During the speech, although burst frequency was unchanged, total MSNA was significantly increased. Changes in diastolic arterial pressure were predictive of changes in MSNA during anticipatory (β=-0.680, P=0.001), but not the speech (P=0.318) or mental maths (P=0.051) phases. Lastly, sympathetic reactivity to anticipatory stress was predictive of subsequent reactivity to both speech (β=0.740, P=0.0002) and maths (β=0.663, P=0.001). In conclusion, anticipatory social stress may offer a more versatile means of assessing sympathetic reactivity to mental stress in the absence of confounds and appears to predict reactivity to subsequent mental stress paradigms. KEY POINTS: Cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory mental stress is predictive of future health outcomes. However, reactivity of the sympathetic nervous system to mental stress is highly variable. The current study assessed peripheral muscle sympathetic nerve activity in response to the Trier social stress test, a psychosocial stressor that includes anticipatory stress, public speaking and mental arithmetic. Our findings demonstrate that sympathetic neural activity is consistently reduced during anticipatory stress. Conversely, the classically observed inter-individual variability of sympathetic responsiveness was observed during speech and maths tasks. Additionally, sympathetic reactivity to the anticipatory period accurately predicted how an individual would respond to both speech and maths tasks, outlining the utility of anticipatory stress in future research surrounding stress reactivity. Utilization of the Trier social stress test in autonomic physiology may offer an alternative assessment of sympathetic responsiveness to stress with more consistent inter-individual responsiveness and may be a useful tool for further investigation of stress reactivity.