Kraepelin Test Research Articles

Tactile phantom sensation for coaching respiration timing.

Respiration coaching is one of the key factors for radiation therapies. However, there are relatively few studies relating to respiration coaching, and most of them use audio or visual cues. In this paper, we show that a tactile phantom sensation moving continuously on the back can be used to adequately coach respiration timing. By using the tactile modality, the device rarely interferes with other communication channels used by therapists. The phantom sensation simplifies the mechanical structure. Several parameters were studied to obtain optimal performance when utilizing the phantom sensation. In a series of experiments, we determined the proper position and duty ratio for the actuators. To evaluate the device performance, we conducted an interference test (Kraepelin test), and the results suggest that the developed device interferes little with cognitive tasks. The experiments suggest that participants can easily understand stimulation on the back in terms of respiration guidance and properly follow changes in the cycle period with changes in respiration activity.

Psychological and physiological effects of green light on humans

Physiological and psychological effects of illumination with different colored lights on humans were investigated in order to improve lighting conditions in medical treatment environments. Women (n=12) participated in an experiment in which they were exposed to illumination using 900 lx and 200 lx white fluorescent lamps, and a 200 lx lamp covered with a green cellophane transparent film. Physiological variables such as heart rate, HF values, LF/HF ratio, and Chromogranin A in saliva, as well as psychological variables such as subjective feelings of relaxation were measured using the Visual Analogue Scale test and the short version of the Japanese Profile of Mood. Participants subjected to stress conditions created by using the Uchida–Kraepelin test under white fluorescent lighting and then tested after 15 min of rest following stress in all three lighting conditions. Results indicated that there was a suppression of sympathetic activity, an increase in parasympathetic activity, as well as an improvement in physiological responses when using the 200 lx green light. There was also an improvement in psychological reactions and the feeling of relaxation, as well as a reduction in anxiety-tension, fatigue and confusion.

Changes in reaction time, coefficient of variance of reaction time, and autonomic nerve function in the mental fatigue state caused by long-term computerized Kraepelin test workload in healthy volunteers

Fatigue is a common sense caused by crushing labor, stressful social events and various illnesses. It is usually judged by their subjective symptoms, but it should be evaluated in an objective perspective. Here we show that the decrease of working efficiency and sympathetic hyperactivity are associated with mental fatigue state caused by prolonged mental workload. Recently we made a new mental fatigue model of healthy volunteers caused by long-term computerized Kraepelin test (CKT) workload. CKT is our new software for automatically checking the calculation capability, with which it is easy to determine the reaction time (RT), coefficient of variance of reaction time (CV), and accuracy of the answers (AC) during tasks. We put 24 healthy volunteers into the fatigue state by subjecting them to 120 minutes’ CKT workload, and then studied the changes in fatigue sensation, RT, CV, and AC before and after the CKT workload. The fatigue sensation, RT, and CV were clearly increased by the fatigue-inducing task and recovered during the resting period. We also studied the changes in autonomic nerve activity by using heart rate variability analysis. The low/high frequency component ratio (LF/HF) was signifi-cantly increased by the fatigue-inducing task and decreased by resting, suggesting that mental stress causes a relatively sympathetic nerve activity-dominant state. Therefore, our new fatigue model involving a long-term CKT workload is a good mental fatigue model to provide much information about the fatigue state simultane-ously, and the increase of RT, CV, and proportion of sympathetic activity (LF/HF) are associated with mental fatigue state. These might be useful objective biomarkers or evaluating a mental fatigue state.

女子大学生におけるストレスの緩和における化学感覚刺激の効果

In our everyday lives, we are exposed to many stressors that induce mental stress, and consequently people may suffer mental illness, such as depression, bipolar mood disorders, and so on. Although there are many empirical studies showing that smelling an aroma or eating/drinking something is useful for easing mental stress, those studies did not use standardized methods for evaluating stress and/ or for easing stress. Preceding studies also used simple and boring tasks, such as the Kraepelin test requiring mental subtraction of a number sequence. In this study, a convenient task using SUDOKU puzzles for evoking mental stresses was introduced. Then, effective methods for easing stresses were investigated. This study revealed that the aromas of coffee and orange had a suppressive effect on stress, but the aromas of grapefruit and hinoki did not suppress mental stress. Also drinking canned coffee, bottled water, cola drink, or eating chocolate did not have a suppressive effect on mental stress. This study suggests that using coffee or orange aroma as an ambient odor suppresses mental stress.

COMPARISON OF PEROXIDASE RESPONSE TO MENTAL ARITHMETIC STRESS IN SALIVA OF SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS

Saliva is the first body fluid to encounter exogenous materials or gases such as cigarette smoke (CS). The aim of this study was to examine whether smoking affects oral peroxidase (OPO) reactivity to mental stress. The subjects were 39 non-smokers and 10 smokers. In the experiment, the Kraepelin psychodiagnostic test as a psychological stressor and saliva was sampled 30 min before, just before, immediately after, and 30 min after the beginning of the test. OPO reactivity to the test between smokers and non-smokers was measured in addition to uric acid concentration, flow rate, IgA, thiocyanate (SCN-) concentration, amylase activity as a salivary stress marker, and ultra-weak chemiluminescence (UCL) level, which is indicative of salivary antioxidative and antibacterial abilities. Moreover, we studied the effect of smoking on the response of salivary peroxidase (SPO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity to mental stress, respectively. The results showed that the IgA concentration, amylase activity, SCN(- concentration, and UCL level are higher in the non-smoking group than smoking group and the IgA concentration and UCL level increased in the non-smokers significantly just after the Kraepelin test. The levels of SCN-) were higher in smokers than in non-smokers and OPO activity was greater in the non-smoking group in all sessions. Furthermore, only the non-smokers had significantly increased MPO activity just after the test. MPO may play a crucial role in the response to acute psychological stress besides inflammation, and CS suppresses this response significantly.

Effect of Psychologic Stress on Peroxidase and Thiocyanate Levels in Human Saliva Detected by Ultraweak Chemiluminescence

Saliva sampling has the advantage of being noninvasive and stress free. Based on a recent study, salivary ultraweak chemiluminescence (UCL) is a new biomarker of psychologic stress. However, it is not clear what causes changes in the UCL level and whether the change is biologically significant. We investigated the candidates for salivary UCL induced by psychological stressors and discuss the physiologic function of these candidates. Vol unteers completed a questionnaire and then performed the Kraepelin test. Saliva was sampled just before, immediately after, and 30 min after the stress exposure. The UCL of saliva significantly increased just after stress exposure (1.56-fold) and returned to prestress levels after 30 min. The concentration of secretory immunoglobulin Aa lso increased significantly and the change in both biomarkers was rapid. Similar significant changes were observed in salivary peroxidase activity an dt he concentration of thiocyanate (SCN − ). On the other hand, the levels of amylase activity did not significantly increase and the concentration of cortisol increased slowly. Moreover, in the reconstitution experiment, UCL was generated at the same level by a mixture of peroxidase and SCN − at physiologic concentrations. In conclusion, we determined that the Kraepelin test as a mental arithmetic task elicited a significant response in the body and this response can be calculated using salivary UCL. Furthermore, SCN − and peroxidase in the saliva play a key role in salivary UCL.

Effects of Sericin Processed Sportswear on Physiological Response and Fatigue.

Wear experiments were conducted to examine clothing temperature(Tcl), clothing humidity (Hcl), oral temperature(Tco), sweat rate (SW), heart rate (HR), subjective feelings, and body reaction time. A Kraepelin test was performed using a sericin processed sportswear and a regular one as a control.1. The sericin processed garment had lower values of Tco, HR and SW than the regular one. From these results, it was considered that subjects that were wearing the sericin processed garment would have a lower physiological load than subjects of the regular garment.2. From the correlation analysis, it was found that Hcl is a very important factor in the results mentioned above. That is, it was considered that sericin processed on wear makes the moisture and water performance of the wear increase, and then the wear can make sweat evaporate smoothly. Further, the smooth evaporation can reduce the Hcl, consequently, the lower Hcl can restrain the Tco, HR and SW. Because this tendency was remarkable during and just after exercise, it was suggested that the sericin processed wear is useful when sweating.3. Subjects who wore the sericin processed wear felt lower fatigue. However, the results of the reaction time and Kraepelin test were not significant statistically.

The Effects of Carbohydrate Consumption on Stress Levels in Humans

A significant increase in calculation ability was observed in the glucose, fructose and sucrose administration groups during both the first and second half of the Uchida Kraepelin test. There was no significant difference in alpha waves between carbohydrate groups (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and control groups at baseline. After a stress situation, there was a significant increase in alpha waves at 11-20 min (p<0.05) in glucose, 11-20 min (p<0.01) and 21-30 min (p<0.01) in fructose, and 0-10 min (p<0.05) in sucrose compared, with each control group. There was no significant difference in beta waves in any of the paired groups.

On the Technology of Acoustic Utility. Acoustic Information and Energy. Relation between Masked Indoor Noise and Work Efficiency.

In the room where noise exists, we try to employ the masking effect in the sense of hearing to change the sound environment and reduce the stress due to indoor noise in work. Considering 1/f characteristics, we prepare four kinds of maskers and efficiency tests are carried out based on Kraepelin test. The exsitence of the masker increases the work amounts and may reduce the mistakes in work. The results show that the use of the appropriate masker yields the improvement of the work efficiency.

呼吸法によるタイプA的状態の改善

The relationship between type A behavior pattern (TABP) and coronary heart disease (CHD) is well established although it is not clear how TABP causes CHD. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that TABP causes CHD by decreasing parasympathetic function. Subjects were taught to increase the length of their expiration in order to improve parasympathetic function. The Kraepelin test indicated significant improvements in parasympathetic function, as well as a decrease in type-A behavior and attitudes in twelve type-A-prone subjects who were treated, in comparison to 11 subjects who were not treated. No differences were found in the achievement on the Kraepelin test. The breathing exercises that were used in this study have a number of advantages over cognitive behavior therapy, kinetic therapy and drug therapy. These include lower cost and lower risk. It is expected that practicing this breathing technique regularly will lead to health promotion in daily life. In the long term, it is expected to result in the modification of TABP, prevention of CHD, as well as reducing relapses of CHD.

光環境の変化と精神作業効率

Lighting can be expected not only as an illumination but also as an effective environment that shows mental and physical influences to human. Our aim is quantification of the influences in order to utilize the effect of lighting positively. Our goal is realization of comfortable environment with use of light. In this experiment, we quantitated the relation between lighting environment and working efficiency by using the Kraepelin test. We found that human could keep concentration longer period under the environment with varying light than with constant light.

Differential Effects of Mental Stress on Plasma Homovanillic Acid in Schizophrenia and Normal Controls

We previously reported that mental stress by Kraepelin’s arithmetic test decreases plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) levels in psychiatrically normal healthy human subjects. The present study was undertaken to determine whether this pattern of changes in pHVA concentrations resulting from mental stress is altered in patients with schizophrenia. Fourteen male patients with schizophrenia including those under ongoing neuroleptic treatment and 14 normal male volunteers participated in the study. Following overnight fast and restricted physical activity, the subjects performed Kraepelin’s arithmetic test for 30 minutes. Plasma samples were collected immediately before and after the test for measurement of pHVA levels. A significant diagnosis by Kraepelin’s test effect was observed due to a decrease in pHVA levels by the Kraepelin test in control subjects but not in patients with schizophrenia. Changes in pHVA levels during the Kraepelin test positively correlated with pre-test pHVA levels in control subjects, while this correlation was not observed in patients with schizophrenia. These results may be further support for the presence of a dopamine-dependent restitutive system in the brain. The absence of response of pHVA levels to mental stress in patients with schizophrenia may indicate that the dopamine restitutive system in these patients is disrupted or already down-regulated, as previously predicted.

Idioventricular low frequency oscillation in QT interval responds univocally to RR confusing kinds of mental stress.

Seventeen male subjects, aged nineteen to twenty, went through a protocol including, while supine, relaxation at rest (10 min) and mental stress (MS) by a Kraepelin (arithmetic) test (5 min), as part of a larger study. With a polygraphic analog recording set-up we also collected a 1 ms - digital facsimile of a lead II-like thoracic ECG with maximum T-wave (Codas, Dataq Instr). Twenty-three stress responses were assigned to three classes according to known cardiotacho-, plethysmo-, and pneumo-graphic marks of "concentrated attention mainly," "emotion," or still "high emotion." During each setting the most stationary 3 min RR epoch in cardiotachogram was selected for joint RR & QT beat-by-beat variability study. RR and QT intervals were detected using a published algorithm. Conventional RR and QT Fourier autospectra were computed, while using RR*QT mean square coherence spectrum we detached the RR-independent, idioventricular (IV) fraction of QT low frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz) power of variability (IV QT-LF). IV QT-LF responded consistently to varieties of mental stress that confuse RR-LF or let QT-LF unchanged, best witnessing the cortically-issued ventricular adrenergic strain. Indeed, while emotion propels the same way all spectral variables above, concentrated attention increased (Wilcoxon) significantly IV QT-LF only (0.54-0.80 ms2) and decreased RR-LF (715-463 ms2). Findings hold promise of a non-invasive, high resolution Holter based monitoring of sympathetic status of myocardium, robust vis-à-vis of confusion caused by the autonomic interplay at sino-atrial node.

Effect of mental stress on plasma homovanillic acid in healthy human subjects.

Plasma levels of homovanillic acid (pHVA) have been suggested to provide a measure of dopaminergic activity in the central nervous system. The present study investigated the effect of mental stress by the Kraepelin test, a test of continuous arithmetic addition of single-digit figures for 30 min, on pHVA levels in 13 male psychiatrically normal healthy volunteers. Following an overnight fast and restricted physical activity, plasma samples were collected immediately before and after the administration of the Kraepelin test. Plasma HVA levels following the administration of the Kraepelin test were significantly lower than the pretest pHVA levels. The percent change in pHVA levels by the Kraepelin test positively correlated with pretest pHVA levels. The observed reduction in pHVA levels by mental stress in normal subjects may reflect some aspects of a dopamine-dependent restitutive system in the brain.

仮想現実使用時の生理的および心理的疲労の定量的測定と，これにおよぼす諸要因の検討 ハイパーホスピタル（超病院）のための基礎的検討 （４）

We are studying the virtual reality which is used as mean of human interface between the patients and the Hyper Hospital-a network based virtual reality mediated medical care system. For making the Hyper Hospital come true, it is important to investigate the effect of the virtual reality system (V. R. system) on the human body. In the present study, twenty healthy young subjects underwent the physiological measurements while using our own head mounted display (HMD). We measured the auditory response time which is regarded as a measure of a net activity of the central nervous system and is known to be affected by many physiological conditions such as fatigue. We also measured the critical flicker frequency (CFF) values before, during, and after the application of the V. R. system. The psychological fatigue was measured quantitatively by standard questionnaires and the Kraepelin test. The Yatabe-Guilford (YG) test was also carried out to investigate the influence of the individual character on the psychological fatigue. Some discomforts were complained after 30 minutes use of our HMD by almost all of the subjects. Examination of the CFF values did not show any significant changes due to the application of the V. R. system. No statistically significant difference was found by the usage of the V. R. system. The subjective fatigue measured using a standard questionnaires suggested that psychological fatigue was more significant than physical fatigue. No significant correlations were found between the result of the Kraepelin test and the individual character measured by YG test. No statistically significant fatigue was found by the usage of the V. R. system, and it was therefore suggested that the short time application of the V. R. system does not affect the human neurological and psychological response.

Phase 1 study of a new antipsychotic drug, OPC-4392

1. 1. A phase I study of OPC-4392 (OPC), a quinolinone derivative recently developed in Japan and recognized to have an agonistic effect on dopamine autoreceptors, was performed in 7 male healthy volunteers in comparison with chlorpromazine (CPZ). 2. 2. Clinical pharmacology The main clinical symptoms of OPC were sleepiness, weakness, fatigability, heavy headedness, disturbance of concentration, nausea, etc. The severity of these symptoms increased dose-dependently, and the upper limit dosage of OPC was considered to be 5 mg for the healthy volunteers. 3. 3. Endocrinological research The serum prolactin level decreased dose-dependently in the OPC group, whereas it rose in the CPZ group. A significant negative correlation was recognized between the OPC-plasma level and serum prolactin level as well. 4. 4. Psychological tests In the Kraepelin test, a decrease in the average work quantity was observed in both groups, but it was less in the OPC group. 5. 5. Pharmacokinetic study From the pharmacokinetic parameters measured, two features were recognized: one was the slowness of Tmax (4–6 hours) and the other was the length of its biological half-life (56–88 hours). It was estimated that the plasma level of OPC-4392 would take 2 weeks to reach a steady state.

The influence of sleep deprivation on the contingent negative variation.

The physiological functions (contingent negative variation (CNV), critical nicker fusion frcyueney (CFF), oral temperature. blood pressure and heart rate) of five subjects were measured every three hours in 36-hour sleep deprivation and twice after the recovery night. The subjects 'Nere given tasks (Uchida­ Kraepelin test. etc.) and were made to fill out a self-rating yuestionnaire of suhjective symptoms and thc Stanford sleepiness scale (SSS) hefore every mcasurement. The CI\V area decreased sharply at and after 3:00 of the second day. and dropped to its minimum at 9:00 of the same day and still did not increase aiter the recovery night. The numher of suhjective symptoms reached its maximum at 6:00 and 9:00 of the second day. A close correlation was found hetween the numher of suhjectivc symptoms and the eNV area during sleep deprivation. The SSS was at its maximum at 6:00 of the second day and a good correlation was found hetween the SSS and the CNV area. The correlation hetween the C~V area and Crr and hetween the CNV area and oral temperature was slight. The CNV is meaningful as an index which objectively indicates the drop in arousal level caused hy sleep deprivation.

Changes in the FDP (fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products) value under mental and physical stress. II. Simultaneous observations of FDP and other indices of fatigue in persons under experimentally loaded stress.

We assumed the possibility of adopting FDP as an index of fatigue and carried out examinations upon various load conditions causing stress. For our observations other indices which are thought effective for fatigue evaluation, such as urine CA, flicker values, response time, Uchida's Kraepelin test, and examination of subjective symptoms recommended by the Japan Association of Industrial Health, were adopted at the same time. 1) Both mental and physical loads increased FDP values both in serum and in urine. 2) These changes in FDP values agreed comparatively well with the changes in CA by load. 3) The FDP value showed changes by load which was so light that it did not induce functional deterioration detectable by the response time or the flicker value which was considered to be one of effective physiological indices. 4) The extent or degree of subjective symptoms found by the survey agreed well with the changes in FDP values. Through above examinations, FDP values of serum and urine seem to be useful as an index of transient fatigue; especially they can well reflect mental fatigue which cannot be indicated well by other biochemical indices. Also FDP can well show individual characteristics, namely FDP indicates comparatively satisfactorily both individual sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, this method does not require special techniques and examinations can be done simply.

Psycho-physiological relationship in the modification of reflexive motion (author's transl)

The aim of this study was to examine how normal knee-jerk reflexes were modified during adding tasks of three levels of complexity, easy, intermediate (Kraepelin test) and difficult. 8 Ss were assigned for each task groups, all were female college students. Facilitation effects in knee-jerks were observed when amounts of work done diminished (in the difficult task group), inhibition effects were observed when amounts of work done increased (in the easy task group). Amounts of work done in the control groups (no reflex-examination) increased by simple repitition. Knee-jerks of another group of 8 Ss, whose knee-jerks had been measured during the first trial of the intermediate task, were more facilitated than knee-jerks measured during the second trial.

中断作業の再行を規定する条件について

Purpose: Recent studies on the resumption of an interrupted task (8)(9)(10) conclude that the important factors which determine the resumption are subject's expectation as to whether he can succeed in that task or not, and the substitute value of the interpolated task.The purpose of this study is to test how these factors, success-expectation and substitute value work under different situational conditions.Subjects: Middle school girlsProcedures: Materials are several formboards constituting some simple geometrical figures (cf. figure. 1)Following two different situations are set up by instructions and the instructor's atmosphere.The two different situations are:A...free play situationB...test situationIn each situation, subject's free choice of task is examined after the following conditions:a. after successful experienceb. after failure experiencec. after interruption with expectation of suecessd. after interruption with expectatien of failuree. after being given similar and difficult interpolated taskf. after being given the different and uninteresting task (Kraepelin Test) as the interpolated taskg. After being given interesting puzzles as the interpolatad task.Results: Under the condition a, in the free play situation most subjects select the task which is different from the original task while in the test situation subjects tend to select the same or the similar task as the original successful one. Under condition b, in both situations A and B, subjects select the task which they failed at first.Condition c and d, in free play situation subjects tend to resume the original interuppted task, but in the test situation there is little tendency to resume.Under condition e, subjects resume the interrupted taskUnder condition f, subjects resume the interrupted task.Under condition g, there is scarcely any tendency to resume the interrupted task.Conclusion from these results, we see the factor of success and failure is effective only in the test situation. In the free play situation, subject's selection of task is not significantly influenced by the factor of success-failure. And from the results of e, f, g, we see there are some instances in which subject's resuming behavior seems to be independent of the substitute value of the interpolated task. For example, subjects often resume interrupted task after finishing interpolated task which i s supposed to have high substitute value while they do not resume even after be ng given the task which is supposed to have low substitute value but having different new kind of attractiveness in itself.The author conclude that the quality? and amount of the situational stress is the most importunt factor determining subject's selection of the task. We must first examine the dynamic character of the experimental situation. Without such examination, any formalization on the resumption of an interrupted task may be onesided.