Maladaptive Behaviors Research Articles

Adaptive and Maladaptive Behaviour in Adults with Fragile X Syndrome and Down Syndrome

Adaptive and Maladaptive Behaviour in Adults with Fragile X Syndrome and Down Syndrome

Ketogenic Food Ameliorates Activity-Based Anorexia of Adult Female Mice.

Genome-wide association studies implicate metabo-psychiatric origins for anorexia nervosa (AN). There are two case reports totaling six adult females who experienced complete remission of AN following a treatment comprised of ketogenic diet (targeting metabolism) with ketamine infusions (targeting psychiatric origins), but no study has determined the efficacy of ketogenic diet, alone. We addressed this gap in knowledge, with exploration of potential molecular mechanisms, using an animal model. Adult C57BL6 female mice underwent 2 or 3 cycles of activity-based anorexia (ABA1, ABA2, ABA3), an animal model of AN relapse, in which AN-like maladaptive behaviors of hyperactivity and voluntary food restriction are elicited when wheel access is combined with food restriction. ABA was categorized as severe, based on weight loss ≥ 20%, food restriction-evoked increase in wheel counts > 10,000/6 h, and crouching/grimace, and compared across two groups: (1) KG, fed ketogenic food continuously (N = 25); and (2) CON, fed standard diet (N = 28). 86% of CON versus none of the KG were crouching with grimace during ABA1. 93% of CON versus 11% of KG lost weight severely during ABA2 (p < 0.001, 8% difference of group mean weights). Severe hyperactivity was prevalent among CON (86%) and rare for KG (4%) during ABA2 (p < 0.001 on all food-restricted days). ABA up-regulated BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the hippocampus of both groups but ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate, in urine was increased only among KG. Ketogenic diet may reduce severity of AN relapse through reduction of compulsive exercise, via mechanisms that are in addition to BDNF up-regulation and involve β-hydroxybutyrate.

The Concept of Innate Sexual Priors in the Brain: A Theory on Why We Are Attracted to What We Are Attracted to

AbstractSexuality is an integral part of human nature, yet we know little about its origins and underlying mechanisms. Understanding how the brain processes sexual stimuli is crucial for advancing our knowledge of the origins of sexuality and its variations. Only if a stimulus was internally evaluated as ‘attractive’ the information can progress to evoke sexual desire or arousal. Importantly, such evaluation processes require an internal reference against which external information is compared. These processes, however, remain largely unexplored, and hence we still do not understand why we are attracted to what we are attracted to. By synthesizing the existing literature and integrating existing models, this narrative review proposes a novel neuroscientific framework on sexuality, addressing key theoretical gaps. As a result, the concept of sexual priors in the brain is introduced. Within this framework, sexual priors refer to mental ‘images’ representing a collection of internally stored information of what we regard as sexually attractive. Such mental representations act as reference in early internal evaluation processes of sexual stimuli. It is suggested that sexual priors are (partly) innate and sex-specific, contributing to heterosexuality. Evolutionary aspects that could explain the development of these priors are discussed. Furthermore, the framework provides possible explanations for variations in sexual orientation through potential cross-sex shifts in sexual prior content. The refinement of sexual prior content over time may explain the diversity of sexual interests and attraction patterns among humans. Moreover, the concept can be applied to a variety of psychiatric conditions related to atypical and maladaptive sexual behaviors. A proposition is put forward regarding brain areas and networks that may be involved in the formation of sexual priors, serving as potential targets for future research. In summary, by integrating sexual priors into models of sexual stimuli processing, this article fills theoretical gaps while inspiring further research. This work aims to enhance understanding of sexuality, which ultimately could increase social awareness, foster tolerance, and promote psychological well-being.

Epigenetics Embedding of Oral Feeding Skill Development in Preterm Infants

Background: Preterm infants face challenges to feed orally, which may lead to failure to thrive. Oral feeding skill development requires intact neurobehaviors. Early life stress results in DNA methylation of NR3C1 and HSD11B2, which may disrupt neurobehaviors. Yet, the extent to which early life stress impairs oral feeding skill development and the biomechanism whereby this occurs remains unknown. Our team is conducting an NIH funded study (K23NR019847, 2022-2024) to address this knowledge gap. Purpose: To describe an ongoing study protocol to determine the extent to which early life stress, reflected by DNA methylation of NR3C1 and HSD11B2 promoter regions, compromises oral feeding skill development. Methods: This protocol employs a longitudinal prospective cohort study. Preterm infants born between 26 and 34 weeks gestational age have been enrolled. We evaluate early life stress, DNA methylation, cortisol reactivity, neurobehaviors, and oral feeding skill development during neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization and at 2-week post-discharge. Results: To date, we have enrolled 70 infants. We have completed the data collection. Currently, we are in the data analysis phase of the study, and expect to disseminate the findings in 2025. Implications for Practice and Research: The findings from this study will serve as a foundation for future clinical and scientific inquiries that support oral feeding and nutrition, reduce post-discharge feeding difficulties and lifelong risk of maladaptive feeding behaviors and poor health outcomes. Findings from this study will also provide further support for the implementation of interventions to minimize stress in the vulnerable preterm infant population.

Maladaptive Restrictive Food Choice Behavior in Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa persistently restrict their food intake while often severely underweight. This maladaptive food choice behavior and related decision-making processes have mainly been investigated in adults. It is unknown whether the same decision-making processes drive food choices in adolescents, given their more favorable treatment outcomes. This study investigated maladaptive food choice behavior in adolescents with AN and examined whether they display the same decision-making processes as adults. Adolescents with AN (n = 42) and age-matched controls (n = 42) completed a computer-based food choice task, rating food images for healthiness and tastiness before choosing between two food items. Adolescents with AN chose high-fat foods less frequently than controls, with food choices more influenced by their perceived "healthiness" and less by their "tastiness" than they did among controls. Relative to controls, adolescents with AN also reported lower overall tastiness ratings and greater habit strength of restrictive eating, which was, however, not related to food choices. Adolescents with AN display the same maladaptive food choice behavior as adults, namely the persistent restriction of high-fat food choices. Their choices were more strongly influenced by the perceived healthiness of a food item, compared to the choices of controls.

Umbrella review of meta-analyses on the risk factors, protective factors, consequences and interventions of cyberbullying victimization.

The increasing prevalence of cyberbullying victimization has become a commonplace issue globally. Although research has explored various predictors and consequences of cyberbullying victimization, most focus on a narrow range of variables or contexts, highlighting the need to comprehensively review and synthesize the wealth of empirical findings. We conducted a systematic review of meta-analyses on cyberbullying victimization, incorporating 56 meta-analyses and 296 effect sizes (sample size range 421-1,136,080, sample size median 53,183; searched via EBSCOhost ERIC, EBSCOhost PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, 13 cyberbullying-related journals, Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses) to address the following critical questions: (1) What are the crucial sociodemographic and psychological profiles of cyberbullying victims? (2) What critical contextual and environmental factors are associated with cyberbullying victimization? (3) What are the key psychological and behavioural consequences of cyberbullying victimization? (4) How effective are existing interventions in mitigating impacts of cyberbullying? Included meta-analyses had to focus on cyberbullying victimization and report at least one predictor or consequence. A quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Instrument for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses. Findings suggest that females, school-aged populations, traditional bullying victims and frequent internet users were more likely to be cyberbullied. Unregulated school environments and unsupportive parental relationships were also associated with increased cyberbullying victimization. Cyberbullying victimization was consistently associated with negative psychological outcomes, lower school performance and maladaptive coping behaviours. More importantly, the current review found that cyberbullying intervention programmes show promising results. The current review underscores the importance of devoting adequate resources to mitigating cyberbullying victimization.

Delay discounting validity and e-cigarette use: A comparison in e-cigarette users, combustible cigarette users, dual users, and nonusers.

Delay discounting refers to the devaluation of an outcome as temporal delay increases. Steep discounting is characterized by preferring a smaller, immediate outcome over a larger, delayed outcome and is associated with maladaptive behaviors such as tobacco use. Previous studies have compared delay discounting outcomes between combustible cigarette (CC) smokers and nonusers using various discounting tasks. With the growing use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes [EC]) and various delay discounting tasks available to researchers, we extended previous work in delay discounting and EC use in two ways. The present study assessed delay discounting in a web-based sample of 259 participants to (a) establish convergent validity across four different delay discounting tasks and (b) compare the outcomes between four subgroups: dual users, exclusive EC users, exclusive CC users, and nonusers. The four delay discounting tasks (Monetary Choice Questionnaire, 5-Trial Adjusting Delay Discounting Task [ADT-5], Temporal Discounting Questionnaire, and Brief Intertemporal Choice Task [BRIC Task]) showed moderate to strong convergent validity (p < .001). Further, findings indicated significant differences between all four subgroups across the four different delay discounting tasks (p < .048) with small effect sizes. Pairwise comparisons showed that exclusive EC users exhibited significantly steeper discounting than nonusers in ADT-5 (p = .043) and BRIC Task (p = .029) and dual users exhibited significantly steeper discounting than nonusers on ADT-5 (p = .043) and BRIC Task (p = .030). Our findings replicate previous findings and suggest the potential role of delay discounting in explaining the behavioral mechanism underlying e-cigarette use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Behavior Problem Inventory-Short Form: Psychometric Properties in a Spanish Sample of Intellectual Disabilities.

Behavioural problems in individuals with intellectual disabilities have a negative impact on them. Limited assessment measures exist in Spain. This study aimed to validate the Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) in the Spanish population by examining its psychometric properties and factorial structures. This study included 458 individuals with intellectual disabilities evaluated by 137 professionals. The validity and reliability of the scale were examined. The validity of the measurement tool confirmed a three-factor model. Significant correlations were observed between problem behaviours and maladaptive behaviour indicators, with negative associations found between problem behaviours and adaptive behaviour scores. The Spanish version of the BPI-S demonstrated good internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validities. The most common behaviours were identified, and the scale was refined to 28 items. The three-factor model showed an acceptable fit. Further research is required to establish clinical norms and explore the factorial structures.

Understanding the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Study on Offenders.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is well known for its effectiveness in addressing psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and borderline personality disorder, often used alongside medication. CBT is used more often in the criminal justice system to help rehabilitate offenders by targeting cognitive distortions affecting their social and decision-making abilities. These maladaptive behaviours and sense of entitlement can result from distortions, which CBT works to address by restructuring thought patterns and encouraging adaptive behaviours. In general, CBT is a crucial method for decreasing repeat offences and dealing with mental health problems within the legal system. CBT has demonstrated encouraging outcomes in decreasing reoffending rates in both youths and adults, aiding criminals in acquiring abilities to successfully re-enter society. Although it has replaced traditional rehabilitative services such as education and occupational therapy, its success highlights its importance in offender rehabilitation programmes. Nevertheless, inmates are frequently required to participate, causing doubts about their willingness to engage voluntarily.

Intrusive Thoughts and Images in Health Anxiety: Rates, Characteristics, and Responses.

Intrusive thoughts and images in Health Anxiety are poorly understood. The current study aims to explore the rates and nature of health-related intrusive thoughts and images in people with and without Health Anxiety. We used a cross-sectional interview and survey design recruiting 82 participants (Health Anxiety: n = 37; control: n = 45). Participants completed a diagnostic and clinical interview, and questionnaires to assess experiences and appraisals of intrusive thoughts and images about health. Experiencing an intrusive thought or image was common in both groups (Health Anxiety: 89.2%, control: 55.6%). However, the Health Anxiety group reported their intrusive thoughts as more frequent, more distressing, and associated them with more negative emotions than controls. Further, the Health Anxiety group had increased negative appraisals and specific maladaptive behaviours for both intrusive thoughts and intrusive images compared to controls. We conclude that, relative to controls, individuals with Health Anxiety experience intrusive thoughts and images more intensely and negatively, have more dysfunctional appraisals of them, and are more likely to respond to them with specific maladaptive behaviours. As such, addressing intrusive thoughts and images as part of cognitive behavioural interventions for Health Anxiety is warranted.

LEGO®-Based Therapy in School Settings for Social Behavior Stimulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Comparing Peer-Mediated and Expert Intervention

Background: LEGO®-based therapy is a social development protocol that uses LEGO® activities to support the development of a wide range of interaction skills, enhancing prosocial behaviors and mitigating the challenges associated with mental health difficulties and behavioral issues commonly observed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of LEGO®-based therapy on the social behavior and mental health of children with ASD, comparing stimulation mediated by expert and stimulation mediated by non-autistic peers. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, ensuring adherence to ethical standards throughout the research process. Methods: This study involved 18 children with ASD, levels 1 or 2, with an intelligence quotient (IQ) above 70, and three typically developing peers, intelligence quotient (IQ) above 80, aged between 5 and 8 years old, of both sexes. Participants were randomized into three groups for stimulation (stimulation mediated by expert, by a non-autistic peer and control group). The measures were the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (parent and teacher versions), the Inventory of Difficulties in Executive Functions, Regulation, and Aversion to Delay—Child Version, the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, the Autism Behavior Checklist, and the Autistic Behavior Inventory. Results: After 14 sessions of 45 min in school settings, the participants of both groups (mediated by experts and non-autistic children) showed significant gains on social behavior. A statistically significant difference was observed between baseline sessions and probes (χ2 (5) = 25.905, p &lt; 0.001). These gains were maintained in both follow-up points, 30 and 90 days after the completion of the stimulation sessions. Additionally, maladaptive behavior showed a significant decline when compared pre- and post-intervention. These improvements were sustained during follow-up assessments at 30 and 90 days. Conclusions: The results suggest that a structured intervention combined with peer-mediated stimulation may be an effective method for promoting adaptive and prosocial behaviors in children with ASD.

A Preliminary Investigation of a Conceptual Model Describing the Associations Between Childhood Maltreatment and Alcohol Use Problems

Background/Objectives: Childhood maltreatment has been linked to numerous adverse outcomes in adulthood, including problem substance use. However, not all individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment develop substance use problems, indicating the role of other factors in influencing this outcome. Past work suggests that adverse early life experiences, including childhood maltreatment, lead to neurobiological changes in frontolimbic functions that, in turn, result in altered stress and reward responses, heightened impulsivity, affect dysregulation, and, ultimately, increased risk for maladaptive behaviors such as substance use. The aim of this preliminary investigation using cross-sectional data was to test associations between these factors in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and alcohol use problems in a sample of emerging adults. Methods: Emerging adults (18–30 years old) who identified as regular drinkers (i.e., drinking at least 2–4 times in the past month) were recruited from a crowd-sourcing platform (Prolific) as well as community samples. Participants completed online standardized questionnaires assessing reward sensitivity and responsiveness, impulsivity, emotion regulation, and alcohol consequences. Results: Path analyses demonstrated good fit for the data (SRMR = 0.057, RMSEA = 0.096, 90% CI [0.055, 0.142], CFI = 0.957). Childhood maltreatment was associated with reward responsiveness (β = −0.026, Z = −4.222, p &lt; 0.001) and emotion dysregulation (β = 0.669, Z = 9.633, p &lt; 0.001), which in turn was associated with urgency and, subsequently, alcohol consequences (β = 0.758, Z = 7.870, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: Although these findings are preliminary, the current study is one of the first to test a comprehensive model addressing the relationship between childhood maltreatment and alcohol use problems. The findings have the potential to inform treatment strategies that target motivation and goal-directed action for reducing and managing consequences associated with childhood maltreatment. Future research should test the model using longitudinal data to address the limitations of a cross-sectional study and assess temporal associations between constructs.

Pavlovian impatience: The anticipation of immediate rewards increases approach behaviour.

People often exhibit intertemporal impatience by choosing immediate small over delayed larger rewards, which has been implicated across maladaptive behaviours and mental health symptoms. In this preregistered study, we tested the role of an intertemporal Pavlovian bias as possible psychological mechanism driving the temptation posed by immediate rewards. Concretely, we hypothesized that the anticipation of immediate rewards (compared with preference-matched delayed rewards) enhances goal-directed approach behaviour but interferes with goal-directed inhibition. Such a mechanism could contribute to the difficulty to inhibit ourselves in the face of immediate rewards (e.g., a drug), at the cost of long-term (e.g., health) goals. A sample of 184 participants completed a newly developed reinforcement learning go/no-go task with four trial types: Go to win immediate reward; Go to win delayed reward; No-go to win immediate reward; and No-go to win delayed reward trials. Go responding was increased in trials in which an immediate reward was available compared with trials in which a preference-matched delayed reward was available. Computational models showed that on average, this behavioural pattern was best captured by a cue-response bias reflecting a stronger elicitation of go responses upon presentation of an immediate (versus delayed) reward cue. The results of this study support the role of an intertemporal Pavlovian bias as a psychological mechanism contributing to impatient intertemporal choice.

Digital Device Usage and Childhood Cognitive Development: Exploring Effects on Cognitive Abilities

The increasing ubiquity of digital devices in childhood had outpaced the understanding of their effects on cognitive development, creating a significant research gap regarding their long-term impact. Objective: The present narrative overview explored the complex relationship between digital device usage and cognitive development in childhood. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature search across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, to critically assess cognitive domains such as attention, memory, executive functions, problem-solving skills, and social cognition. Incorporating over 157 peer-reviewed studies published between 2001 and 2024, we used strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure scientific rigor. Results: The review integrated empirical findings with established theoretical frameworks, particularly from cognitive development and media psychology, to highlight both the advantages and risks of early, frequent exposure to technology. The potential for digital devices to enhance cognitive skills, such as multitasking and information processing, was weighed against risks such as cognitive overload, diminished attention spans, and impaired social skills. We also examined psychological and behavioral outcomes, including identity formation, emotional regulation, and maladaptive behaviors associated with excessive screen time. Additionally, we identified strategies to mitigate negative effects, emphasizing structured digital engagement and parental involvement to support healthy cognitive and psychological growth. Our findings provided actionable recommendations for parents, educators, and policymakers, promoting optimal digital practices that enhanced cognitive development while safeguarding against potential harms. Conclusions: The review offered essential insights for stakeholders in child development, education, and policy-making, highlighting the need for balanced integration of digital tools in childhood learning environments.

Linear infrastructure and associated wildlife accidents create an ecological trap for an apex predator and scavenger

Animals may fall into an ‘ecological trap’ when they select seemingly attractive habitats at the expense of their fitness. This maladaptive behavior is often the result of rapid, human-induced changes in their natal environment, such as the construction of energy and transportation infrastructure. We tested the ecological trap hypothesis regarding human-created linear infrastructure on a widely distributed apex predator and scavenger—the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), whose range spans the entire Northern Hemisphere. Roads and railways offer novel and attractive feeding opportunities through traffic-induced mortality of other species, while powerline areas provide perching or nesting sites and scavenging opportunities from electrocuted or collision-killed birds. These conditions may have negative demographic consequences for eagles if these apparent opportunities turn into traps. Using step selection functions, we analyzed habitat selection of 74 GPS-tracked Golden Eagles (37 adults and 37 immatures) during eleven years in Fennoscandia. To assess habitat attractiveness, we used wildlife traffic accident statistics for dominant wild species, and to evaluate demographic consequences, we used mortality data from the GPS-tagged eagles. Our analysis revealed that eagles selected linear features such as roads, railways and powerlines at both the population and individual levels. Both adult and immature eagles consistently selected these features, and the strength of selection for linear features increased with age in immature eagles. The linear features however had 5.5 times higher mortality risk for eagles than other selected habitats indicating the presence of an ecological trap. We discuss the implications of these findings for the conservation and population ecology of apex predators and scavengers, as well as their potential demographic consequences. To mitigate this issue, we urgently recommend the removal of carcasses from roads and tracks to prevent ecological traps for raptors and scavenger species worldwide. Additionally, we advocate for the development of methods and strategies to reduce wildlife traffic accidents.

28 Vaccination experiences for children with special needs - An examination of the impact of behaviours on vaccine uptake

Abstract Background While vaccines have been one of the most effective medical interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of many communicable illnesses, many factors have led to suboptimal immunization rates amongst paediatric patients. One of which that has not been explored widely in research literature is the impact of maladaptive behaviours on annual immunization rates. Behaviours such as aggression, agitation and flight are common amongst children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis such as autism spectrum disorder, global developmental delay, and intellectual delay. When children are young, physical restraints by parents are often the method used to aid in the administration of the vaccine. However, as they age physical restraints is often regarded as inappropriate. Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine the extent in which disruptive behaviours (aggression, agitation and flight) affect annual vaccination rates for children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis above the age of 6 years where physical restraining for vaccinations is no longer deemed appropriate or safe. Design/Methods Families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disorder (ID), and/or Global Developmental Delay (GDD) aged 6-17 years, seen through outpatient clinics at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre of McMaster Children’s hospital in Hamilton between November 2022 – April 2023 were invited to participate in this cross sectional survey. The study aimed to capture both quantitative data on vaccine uptake and qualitative data on how vaccination experiences could be improved for children with neurodiversity. Results A total of 109 participants completed the survey. Among them, forty-three (39%) participants had a diagnosis of ASD and sixty-six (51.2%) had a diagnosis of global developmental delay or intellectual disability. Forty-six (45.6%) and 82 (76%) did not receive the Covid-19 and the influenza vaccination respectively. Of the children that did not receive the CoVid-19 vaccine, fourteen (30%) of the families had brought their child to be vaccinated, but the health care team could not administer the vaccine due to their child’s behaviours and twenty-one (37%) of the families anticipated that the vaccination would be a difficult experience because of their child’s behaviours and did not bring their child to get vaccinated. Of the children that did not receive the influenza vaccine, fifteen (18%) families had brought their child to be vaccinated, but the health care team could not administer the vaccine due to the child’s behaviours and 42 (50%) families anticipated that the vaccination would be a difficult experience because of their child’s behaviours and did not bring their child to get vaccinated. The main themes that emerged from the studies on ways to improve the vaccination experience for families include administering the vaccine in a low sensory environment, decreasing wait time, and ensuring clinic staff have experience in caring for children with special needs. Conclusion Children with special needs are a vulnerable population warranting concerted effort to ensure equitable access to immunizations. Interventions such as clinics specifically designed for children with neurodiversity should be implemented with the hope to further improve immunization rates within this population.

Psilocybin reduces heroin seeking behavior and modulates inflammatory gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex of male rats.

Preclinical and human studies indicate psilocybin may reduce perseverant maladaptive behaviors, including nicotine and alcohol seeking. Such studies in the opioid field are lacking, though opioids are involved in >50% of overdose deaths. Psilocybin is an agonist at the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR), a well-documented target for modulation of drug seeking, and evidence suggests 5-HT2AR agonists may dampen motivation for opioids. We sought to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of psilocybin in mediating cessation of opioid use and maintenance of long-lasting abstinence from opioid seeking behavior in a rat model of heroin self-administration (SA). Psilocybin or 5-HT2AR antagonists ketanserin and volinanserin were administered systemically to rats prior to SA of 0.075 mg/kg/infusion of heroin, or relapse following forced abstinence. Psilocybin did not alter heroin taking, but a single exposure to 3.0 mg/kg psilocybin 4-24 h prior to a relapse test blunted cue-induced heroin seeking. Conversely, 5-HT2AR antagonists exacerbated heroin relapse. To begin to elucidate mechanisms of psilocybin, drug-naïve rats received psilocybin and/or ketanserin, and tissue was collected from the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region critical for drug seeking and responsive to psilocybin, 24 h later for RNA-sequencing. 3.0 mg/kg psilocybin regulated ~2-fold more genes in the PFC than 1.0 mg/kg, including genes involved in the cytoskeleton and cytokine signaling. Ketanserin blocked >90% of psilocybin-regulated genes, including the IL-17a cytokine receptor, Il17ra. Psychedelic compounds have reported anti-inflammatory properties, and therefore we performed a gene expression array to measure chemokine/cytokine molecules in the PFC of animals that displayed psilocybin-mediated inhibition of heroin seeking. Psilocybin regulated 4 genes, including Il17a, and a subset of genes correlated with relapse behavior. Selective inhibition of PFC IL-17a was sufficient to reduce heroin relapse. We conclude that psilocybin reduces heroin relapse and highlight IL-17a signaling as a potential downstream pathway of psilocybin that also reduces heroin seeking.

Addiction to analgesics in patients with chronic migraine and medication-overuse headache

Patients with medication-overuse headache (MOH) and chronic migraine (CM) have varying degrees of addiction to painkillers (PK), which complicates treatment and leads to relapses. Development of addiction to PK is associated with various clinical and psychological characteristics and disorders in patients with MOH.Objective: to investigate the relationship between PK addiction and individual clinical and psychological characteristics in patients with CM and MOH.Material and methods. The study included 156 patients with CM and MOH (61 men and 95 women, mean age 34.1±8.9 years). Clinical and psychological characteristics were assessed in all patients using a clinical interview, tests and headache diaries. The relationship between PK addiction (according to the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire – LDQ) and clinical and psychological characteristics (duration of migraine and CM, frequency and intensity of headaches, duration of MOH, frequency of PK use, number of PK doses, personal and situational anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, beliefs about the body and health, coping strategies for stressful situations, daily activities during headache, insomnia) was investigated using regression analysis.Results. All patients had misconceptions and wrong behavior regarding PK. The majority (59%) of patients had moderate degree of PK addiction according to the LDQ. Twenty six percent of patients had other forms of addictive behavior (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, excessive use of sleeping pills), and 52.6% of patients had relatives with addictive behavior. There was a statistically significantly positive correlation (R≥0.45; p&lt;0.05) between PK addiction and smoking, alcohol consumption, use of sleeping pills, body mass index (BMI), frequency of PK use, attitudes towards pain, body and health (pain catastrophizing, hopelessness about pain, intolerance of body sensations, overestimation of symptom severity, catastrophizing in the interpretation of body symptoms), depression, personal anxiety and avoidance (maladaptive coping behavior). Adequate treatment of CM and MOH was provided in only 7.7% of patients.Conclusion: A positive association was found between PK addiction and smoking, alcohol consumption, use of sleeping pills, BMI, frequency of PK usage, attitudes towards pain, body and health, depression, personal anxiety and avoidance behavior.

Sub-Optimal Compliance to Long-Term Inhalation Strategies and Poorer Health Care Outcomes Associated with Extended Tattoos in Adolescents with Mild-to-Moderate Bronchial Asthma.

Patients' compliance to inhalation therapy is usually sub-optimal in young asthmatics. Adolescents poorly compliant to regular anti-asthma treatments and those with tattoos (and the associated attitude) can share some personality traits and maladaptive behaviors. This relationship has not been investigated. To assess if "extended" tattoos can predict long-term compliance to regular therapy of adolescents with mild-to-moderate asthma. A 12-month retrospective observational investigation was conducted on non-smoker asthmatic adolescents of both genders. Patients assuming <70% of prescribed vilanterol/fluticasone furoate o.d. were defined as "non-compliant". Tattoo surfaces were defined as "mild" or "extended" if they were < or ≥400 cm2, respectively. The relationship between tattoos and compliance on the evolution of resources consumption at 6 and 12 months was assessed by generalized estimating equation (GEE) models at the first and second semester of the treatment period. It was found that 13.2% of compliant adolescents had mild tattoos, while 47.2% of non-compliant adolescents had mild-to-extended tattoos (odds ratio (OR) 6.91, 95% CI 2.49 to 19.17, p < 0.001). The mean annual adherence to treatment was 57.8% ± 10.1 SD expected doses in non-compliant subjects with "mild tattoos" (54.8 cm2 ± 36.9 SD), but 38.6% ± 11.4 SD expected doses in those with "extended tattoos" (568.4 cm2 ± 111.6 SD, p < 0.001). Total cost proved to be a linear trend from the lowest values of compliant patients with no/mild tattoos (EUR 65.22 at 6 months and EUR 33.63 at 12 months) to the highest values of non-compliant adolescents with extended tattoos (EUR 330.75 at 6 months and EUR 297.34 at 12 months). Tattoo extension might be used as a reliable predictor of poor compliance and higher health care costs in adolescents with mild-to-moderate asthma. Patients characterized by poor compliance to a long-term therapeutic strategy and tattooing attitude likely share some aspects of their personality profile.

Adventure Therapy to Mitigate the Harmful Effects of ACEs with Lower-SES Adolescents

ABSTRACT Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have gained prominence in recent literature for their effects on the well-being of children. Children with ACEs often exhibit maladaptive behaviors, such as anxiety, depression, maladaptive relationships, drug usage, and school issues. Adventure therapy (AT) improves youth’s ability to form relationships, develop self-confidence, improve decision-making, and utilize effective coping strategies. This paper explores the use of AT as a primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention strategy to offset and/or prevent deleterious effects experienced by adolescents with ACEs and provides a case example to conceptualize the use of AT as an intervention for adolescents with ACEs. Considerations, limitations, and resources for conducting AT with lower-SES youths are discussed.