Frequency Of Facial Expressions Research Articles

Twin fetal facial expressions at 30-33+6 weeks of gestation.

Objective To assess the characteristics of twin fetal facial expressions at 30-33 + 6 weeks of gestation using four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound to clarify twin fetal brain development and maturation. Methods Frequencies of seven fetal facial expressions were studied using 4D ultrasound for 15 minutes in 30 singleton pregnancies and 18 twin pregnancies [four monochorionic diamniotic (MD) and 14 dichorionic diamniotic (DD) twins] at 30-33 + 6 weeks of gestation. Comparison of the frequency in each facial expression was performed between singleton and twin fetuses. Results Mouthing was the most frequent facial expression at 30-33 + 6 weeks of gestation, followed by blinking in twin and singleton fetuses. Both facial expressions were significantly more frequent than other expressions (P < 0.05). The frequencies of mouthing and scowling in twin fetuses were significantly lower than those in singleton fetuses, but there were no significant differences in the frequencies of the five other facial expressions between the fetal groups. Conclusion Our results suggest that restricted twin fetal behavior before 20 weeks of gestation may still affect the frequencies of twin facial expressions early in the third trimester of pregnancy. Moreover, the frequencies of facial expressions in twins are different from those of singleton fetuses.

Fetal facial expressions in small-for-gestational-age and growth-restricted fetuses

Objective: To evaluate the frequencies of fetal facial expressions among appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA), small-for-gestational-age (SGA), and growth-restricted (FGR) fetuses.Methods: Four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound was used to examine the facial expressions of 50 AGA, 25 SGA, and six FGR fetuses between 28 and 35 weeks of gestation. The frequencies of seven facial expressions during 15-minute recordings were assessed. Comparison of facial expressions among the three groups was performed.Results: Mouthing was the commonest facial expression at 28–35 weeks, and the frequency of mouthing was significantly higher than those of the other six facial expressions in AGA fetuses. Mouthing was the most frequent facial expression, but there was no significant difference in the frequency among mouthing, smiling and blinking in SGA fetuses. Moreover, mouthing displayed a significantly higher frequency than the other facial expressions, except for yawning, smiling, and blinking in FGR fetuses. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of each facial expression among the three groups.Conclusions: Our results suggest that the frequencies of fetal facial expressions are not decreased in either SGA or FGR pregnancies. The absence of a decrease in the frequency of each fetal expression in FGR fetuses may be due to increased brain blood flow because of the brain-sparing effect. Moreover, accelerated maturation and development of the brain function, especially the central dopamine system, might be suspected in SGA and FGR fetuses.

Música e glicose 25% em prematuros no pré-procedimento da punção arterial: ênfase na mímica facial

Objetivou-se descrever e quantificar os movimentos de mímica facial de prematuros sob as intervenções música e glicose 25% no momento pré-procedimento da punção arterial. Ensaio clínico randomizado, envolvendo 48 filmagens de prematuros assistidos em uma unidade neonatal pública, em Fortaleza-Ceará. A coleta ocorreu por meio da análise das filmagens no momento pré-procedimento. Uma música de ninar foi ouvida durante 10 minutos no grupo experimental música; a glicose 25% foi administrada no grupo controle, ao final do oitavo minuto, equivalendo a um total de 10 minutos de observação. Avaliou-se a frequência das expressões faciais: choro, espirro, bocejo, franzir de testa, olhar focalizado, olhar vago, dormindo e movimento da cabeça. Variável estatisticamente significante no grupo controle: olhar vago (p=0,001) nos dois minutos finais de observação. Concluiu-se que não houve associação entre a maioria dos movimentos faciais e as intervenções estudadas, exceto para o olhar vago no grupo controle.

Confinement vs. isolation as analogue environments for Mars missions from a human ethology viewpoint.

This study compares observational data from two situations designed as planetary exploration missions: the Tara expedition and the Mars-500 experiment. We examined the issue of distinct environmental factors, isolation vs. confinement, which may have different or similar impacts on crews' behavioral manifestations for long-term adaptation, such as on a Mars mission. The Tara expedition was a 507-d polar drift of the Tara schooner embedded in the Arctic ice with two successive periods of summer and winter-over in an isolated environment. The Mars-500 experiment took place in Moscow and was a 520-d simulation of a trip to Mars, the Mars landing, and the return trip to Earth in a confined environment. We used the ethological method based on observation, description, and quantification of individual and interindividual behaviors. These events were scored from video recordings made during daily life activities and aggregated according to the summer period and to the outgoing trip for the whole crew (N = 6) for each situation, respectively. We did not observe differences in the frequency of facial expressions and in the duration of body interactions. Conversely, there were differences in the frequency of collateral acts and in the duration of personal actions with the highest levels during the Mars-500 experiment (0.52 /min and 41,799 s); the highest level of visual interactions was observed during the Tara expedition (33,167 s). We found that confinement generates stress manifestations vs. isolation, that isolation enhances social relashionships vs. confinement, and that the crew adapted positively to both environments.

Diminished emotion expressivity but not experience in men and women with schizophrenia.

Prior studies indicate that men with schizophrenia are less outwardly expressive but report similar emotion experience as healthy people. However, it is unclear whether women with schizophrenia show this same disconnect between expressivity and experience. Men (n = 24) and women (n = 25) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and women without schizophrenia (n = 25) viewed emotionally evocative film clips and were video recorded to assess facial expressivity. Participants also reported their emotion experience after each clip. Men and women with schizophrenia did not significantly differ from one another in the frequency of facial expressions, but both groups exhibited fewer expressions than women without schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia also reported lower levels of trait expressivity compared with women without schizophrenia. Overall, people with schizophrenia did not differ from controls on self-reported emotion experience with one exception: Women with schizophrenia reported more unpleasant emotion than controls. These results indicate that both women and men with schizophrenia exhibit fewer outward expressions but experience comparable emotion experience as people without schizophrenia.

Dynamic evoked facial expressions of emotions in schizophrenia

Objective Impaired facial expressions of emotions have been described as characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia. Previous investigations of dynamic facial expressions have reported on global assessment of positive and negative emotion expressions. In this study, we examined facial expression differences based on duration and frequencies of emotion expressions. Methods 12 persons with stable schizophrenia and matched healthy controls underwent a standardized procedure for evoked facial expressions of five universal emotions, including happy, sad, anger, fear, and disgust expressions. Subjects completed self-ratings of their emotion experience. Reliable raters coded evoked facial expressions according to the Facial Expression Coding System. For each emotion, facial expressions were coded as target, non-target or neutral expressions. Logistic regression analyses examined group differences in duration and frequencies of facial expressions. Results Comparing overall duration of and frequencies of emotion expressions revealed affective flattening and inappropriate affect in patients, as evidenced by neutral and non-target expressions. Separated by emotion, impaired emotion expression was found in happy, sad and anger expression, but not for fear and disgust in which expressions were not well recognized. Conclusion In matched groups of participants, we found evidence for altered expressions in schizophrenia but equal subjective experience. Both affective flattening and inappropriate affect comprise abnormal facial expressions but may differ with respect to interpersonal communication and engagement. Future directions may include automated measurement, remediation of expressions and early detection of schizophrenia.