Somatic States Research Articles

Resilience, psychosomatic health, and support needs of Ukrainian healthcare professionals in wartime: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundAs Ukraine enters its third year of war, healthcare professionals (HPs) continue to face ongoing challenges to their adaptability and resilience. This study aimed to assess the emotional and physical well-being of HPs, evaluate their resilience levels, and identify the most anticipated types of psychological support that would benefit them. MethodsEmotional and somatic states were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). Resilience was measured by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Open-ended questions were used to identify anticipated measures of psychological support. ResultsA total of 1442 HPs participated in the study. The majority exhibited high levels of anxiety and depression. Resilience scores showed negative correlations with anxiety (r = −0.34), depression (r = −0.53), and somatic symptom severity (r = −0.36). The most desired types of psychological support included psychological counselling, spiritual support, and opportunities for rest. ConclusionIt is essential to address the primary needs of HPs in Ukraine to support their professional and personal resilience during wartime. Psychological support should not only focus on treating symptoms and distress but also respond to deeper needs that foster hope and faith in a better future.

Enrichment of somatic mosaic states involving DNA damage response and repair genes in patients treated with 177Lutetium.

3020 Background: Radioligand therapy (RLT) use has been increasing with the approval of 177Lu-Dotatate for metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) & 177Lu-PSMA-617 for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms [tMN, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) & acute myeloid leukemia, (AML)] have been reported after 177Lutetium (177Lu) for NET with rates of 2-20% & median time from first 177Lu to tMN of 2.8yrs [4-12]. Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is a risk factor for tMN, with the spectrum of CH depending on selection pressures. To describe the prevalence of therapy selected CH & tMN, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients (pts) who had a bone marrow biopsy (BMB) post-177Lu. Methods: After IRB approval, we queried the electronic health record for pts with BMB post-177Lu. Pt demographics, treatment history, labs & BMB results were collected. Results: Fifty-seven pts met criteria, 41 (72%) with NET & 16 (28%) with mCRPC. . Median age at BMB was 68yrs (range, 28-85). Of the 57pts, prior treatments included: radiation (RT) in 21 (37%), temozolomide in 14 (25%), taxane in 15 (26%), & platinum agents in 10 (18%). The median number of 177Lu cycles was 4 (range, 1-11).Cytogenetics were available in 84% (n = 48) & were normal in 60% (n = 29). Of those with abnormal cytogenetics (n = 18, 38%), the most common abnormalities involved chromosome (chr) 7 (n = 12, 26%), chr 5 (n = 7, 15%), chr 20 (n = 5, 11%) and complex karyotypes in 7 (15%), with 3 (17%) of these patients having no mutations. Diagnoses were assessable in 49 (86%) pts: 15 (31%) with undefined cytopeniasand 16 (33%) with tMDS. Metastatic carcinoma was identified in 17 Fifty-one percent (n = 29), at a median of 0.5yrs (range, 0.04-2.6) after hematologic diagnosis. Conclusions: The enrichment of CH involving the DDR pathway in recipients of 177Lu underscores the impact of RLT on bone marrow progenitors.

Bittersweet memories and somatic marker hypothesis: adaptive control in emotional recall facilitates long-term decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task.

The somatic marker hypothesis states that emotional recall and its somatic influence guide long-term decision-making. However, the mechanism through which decision-making benefits from emotional recall is unclear; whether emotional recall and the induced affect increase the regulatory demand or amplify the affect state that requires inhibition. It is unclear if controlling the automatic flow of emotion in recall improves adaptive decision-making. Two studies examine the hypothesis that affect control in emotional recall facilitates inhibitory control and benefits long-term decision-making. In Experiment 1 (n = 137), affect control was assessed in emotional recall to examine if switching of affect in recall of positive and negative valence (order: positive-negative memory recall vs. negative-positive memory recall) is linked with long-term decision-making. Results for long-term decision-making showed that negative-positive recall sequence was associated with higher long-term decision-making, whereas automatic frequency-based decision-making remained unaffected by the recall sequence. In experiment 2 (n = 71, all male), emotional recall (positive vs. negative), recall specificity (i.e., specific vs. overgeneralized recall), and post-recall mood regulation (post-recall positive mood regulation vs. no regulation) was expected to facilitate long-term decision-making. Results showed that emotional recall and post-recall mood regulation (i.e., negative recall - positive mood and positive recall - negative mood) were associated with higher long-term decision-making (decks C' and D'). Results of frequency decision-making showed that positive emotional recall, and poor recall specificity led to infrequent punishment deck choices (decks B' and D'). Hierarchical regression indicated that emotional recall increased infrequent deck choices and accounted for 10% of choices made, recall specificity increased the explanatory power to 19%, and higher recall specificity was associated with fewer infrequent punishment deck choices. Affect control engaged via negative emotional recall, post-recall mood regulation, and recall specificity might be a potential mechanism through which affect control in emotional recall might facilitate long-term decision-making.

תיאור מקרה: מודעות לוויסות חושי ככלי לטיפול בהפרעה דיספורית קדם וִסתית

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), affecting women's emotional, mental, and somatic states, severely interrupts functioning and occupational engagement. Interventions customarily include psychological, hormonal, and psychiatric treatments; we found no information regarding sensory intervention or sensory-system characterization of women coping with PMDD. This case study concerns a woman hospitalized for worsening PMDD symptoms, functional deterioration, and sensory-system changes. The woman received client-centered occupational therapy intervention addressing sensory modulation and coping strategies in order to extend the duration of time she could participate in daily occupations. Results show awareness of sensory aspects as meaningful to the woman. The sensory-modulation intervention promoted her feeling of control and ability to adjust reactions to the environment. She reported an increase in awareness of the difficulties and in her ability to manage and participate in daily activities. It is recommended to address sensory aspects in interventions with women with PMDD as well as further studies, to establish knowledge about the sensory components in this disorder.

Clinical and Molecular Spectrum of Somatic Mosaic States in DDX41 mutant Germline Predisposition Syndromes

Introduction: Germline DEAD-box RNA helicase-1 mutant (DDX41) predisposition syndrome ( DDX41-MT-GPS) is one of the most frequent hereditary predisposition syndromes in adults with myeloid neoplasms (MN-2-5%). Somatic mosaicism involving the unmutated DDX41 allele (e.g., R525H) as a potential mechanism for myeloid evolution has been reported in 39-50% of patients (pts). In addition, given the later age of onset, somatic mosaic states composed of age-related clonal hematopoiesis (ARCH) (e.g., DNMT3A, ASXL1, TET2, and TP53), with reported frequencies less than expected in MDS and AML, have been documented. We conducted this study to define the somatic mosaic landscape in DDX41-MT-GPS . Methods: After approval from the Mayo Clinic IRB the prospective GPS database was queried for pts with DDX41-MT GPS. Germline confirmation was conducted on skin fibroblast-, or hair follicle-derived DNA. Somatic CH testing was conducted using a targeted NGS panel as previously described. Given the high frequency of variants of undetermined significance (VUS), comparisons were made between pathogenic ( DDX41path) and DDX41VUS. Results: We identified 106 pts with DDX41-MT-GPS, of which 83 (78%) met criteria for MN, 16 (15%) for CH/CCUS (clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance), while 7 (6%) were unaffected carriers. Somatic mosaicism in DDX41-GPS patients without MN Sixteen DDX41-MT pts without MN met criteria for CH/CCUS ( DDX41path [n=4] and DDX41VUS [n=12]; median age 69 years (yrs) (range [R], 19-78) ( DDX41path [69 yrs] and DDX41VUS [67 yrs], p=0.85), with a male predilection (75%). Four (25%) pts had somatic DDX41 MT (R525H [n=3] and A376T [n=1]) with median variant allele frequency (VAF) 10.5% (R, 5-27); 2 (50%) pts with germline DDX41path had R525H (VAF; 5% and 13%) and 1 (8%) pt each with germline DDX41VUS had R525H (VAF 5%) and A376T (VAF 27%) somatic variants, respectively. Abnormal cytogenetics (CG) were observed in 2/13 evaluable (15%) pts ([+8 and del20q]) in the germline DDX41path group only (p= 0.05). ARCH co-mutations were observed in 11 (69%) pts, not significantly (NS) different between DDX41path (75%) and DDX41VUS (75%), p= 0.66. Individual co-mutations: DNMT3A (25% vs 16%, p= > 0.99), ASXL1 (25% vs 8%, p=0.71), TET2 (25% vs 8%, p= >0.99), and JAK2 (0% vs 8%, p= >0.99) were NS different between the two groups. Somatic mosaicism in DDX41-GPS patients with MN Eight-three pts met criteria for MN ( DDX41path [n=43] and DDX41VUS [n=40]; median age 67 yrs (range [R], 27-92), with a male predilection (58%). Fifty-four (65%) pts had MDS ( DDX41path [55%] and DDX41VUS [45%], p=0.55) and 29 (35%) had AML ( DDX41path [41%] and DDX41VUS [59%], p=0.65). Overall, 15 (18%) pts had somatic DDX41 MT; 12 (80%) pts with DDX41path and 3 (20%) pts with DDX41VUS (p= 0.003). The median VAF of somatic DDX41 MT was 12% (R, 5-37), NS different between DDX41path (10.5%) and DDX41VUS (12%) (p=0.08). The most common somatic DDX41 MT was R525H (66% [n=10]), significantly associated with DDX41path (9/10 [90%]), p=0.01. ARCH was observed in 17 (20%) pts, significantly higher in DDX41path (76%) compared to DDX41VUS (24%), p= 0.03. Abnormal CG were observed in 10/73 evaluable (14%) pts (-Y [n=2], del 20 [n=3], del 5q [n=2], del 7q [n=1], t (3;8) [n=1] and complex CG [n=1]), higher in DDX41path (70%) compared to DDX41VUS (30%) with p value >0.99. We compared the spectrum of CH between DDX41 MT CH/CCUS and MN pts ( Table 1) and found no difference in the proportion of pts with somatic DDX41 MT (p= 0.52) and ARCH/myeloid MT (p= 0.56). The individual occurrences of DNMT3A (p= 0.49), ASXL1 (p= 0.71), TET2 (p=0.59), JAK2 (p>0.99) and TP53 (p= 0.56) mutations were NS different between the two groups ( Figure 1). Conclusion: We define the somatic mosaic landscape in DDX41-MT GPS and demonstrate that somatic mutations involving the other allele, especially R525H, are seen in ~20% of pts (>80% of R525H present in MN). The frequency and composition of ARCH and myeloid driver mutations was lower than expected for the age of presentation, in comparison to de novo and secondary MDS/AML and occurred more frequently in DDX41path compared to DDX41VUS. Forty-two % (n=41), including 37% with MN, did not have somatic mosaicism, underscoring the fact that mechanisms of leukemia progression remain to be defined in subsets of affected pts.

Classic Hodgkin Lymphomas Display Neuronal-Glial Lineage Transdifferentiation

The molecular drivers of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) underlying its pathologic and clinical distinctions from non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have been challenging to uncover. The study of HL has been impeded by the rarity of the Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells within a dense tumor microenvironment (TME). Previously, we developed a FACS approach to isolate the HRS cells and profiled their whole exomes and genomes (Reichel et al 2015; Maura et al 2023). These studies did not reveal an HRS-specific mutational signature, but rather mutations that overlap with those of NHL, such as those in SOCS1 and HIST1H1E. These data suggested that non-genetic factors such as the underlying cell state may cooperate with somatic mutations to induce HL. However, we previously lacked the ability to co-map somatic mutations and cell states within the same cancer cells. We thus developed Genotyping of Transcriptomes (GoT; Nam et al 2019) that links single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) and somatic mutations within the same thousands of individual cells. We applied GoT to primary HL samples (n = 10 HL; 68291 cells, Fig. 1A) after FACS-isolation of HRS cells. We analytically integrated the cells across the samples based on gene expression and identified the expected cell types including B-cells, T-cells, monocytes and HRS cells (Fig. 1B). As expected, the HRS cells displayed low expression of B-cell antigens ( CD19, CD79A) and high levels of TNFRSF8 (CD30), CCL17, CCR7 and PD-L1 (Fig. 1C). GoT data revealed that mutations were restricted to the HRS cells (Fig. 1D). Copy number variation (CNV) analysis further confirmed that CNVs were specific to the HRS cells (Fig. 1E). As scRNA-seq has unveiled marked intratumoral cell state heterogeneity across cancers, we posited that the HRS cells may display heterogeneous cell states. Indeed, we identified distinct cell states (Fig. 1F), including cycling HRS and metabolically-active HRS cells upregulating the translation machinery ( NACA, RACK1). We also observed a cell state with elevated inflammatory signals ( TNF, JUN, FOS, CCL22). One group demonstrated a partially preserved B cell program with high CD19 and CD79A. Unexpectedly, we also identified an HRS state with features of neuronal-glial (NG) transdifferentiation, including genes involved in synapse formation ( NRG2, NRXN3). Consistently, genes upregulated in the NG state were enriched in nervous system and neuronal development pathways (Fig. 1G). We further assessed NG gene expressions across normal cell types and confirmed their specificity to NG lineage cells (Fig. 1H). These findings were consistent with dendritic processes of HRS cells highlighted by CD15 and CD30 (Fig. 1I, red arrows). Areas of CD15/CD30 staining devoid of nucleus (Fig. 1I, blue arrows) corroborated the presence of dendritic processes. These results suggested that the NG differentiation may be a key defining feature of HRS cells, whereby dendritic processes facilitate a tight control of the TME. Consistently, we identified strong HRS-immune complexes that persisted through tissue processing and sorting (Fig. 1F). To determine the degree of plasticity or heritability of the HRS cell states, we integrated VDJ sequencing with GoT (GoT-VDJ), whereby somatic hypermutations in the VDJ served as endogenous barcodes. Phylogenetic reconstructions revealed that HRS cell states were distributed across clades (Fig. 1J), unveiling a plastic interchange of HRS cell states. Consistently, GoT showed that mutant cells were present across the cell states (Fig. 1K), indicating that the cell states were decoupled from the genetic identities. We therefore postulated that the NG program may be encoded epigenetically. We performed single nuclei ATAC-seq on HRS-enriched HL samples (n = 5 samples; Fig. 1L). Compared to admixed B cells, the HRS cells displayed enhanced accessibility for binding motifs of the NG lineage transcription factors (TF), e.g. OLIG1/2 and SOX family (Fig. 1M), revealing the TF networks that govern the lineage infidelity program. We further identified that the NG program is cell intrinsic and at least partially stable through in vitro passaging, as 4 of 5 HL cell lines exhibited the highest NG gene expression compared to NHL cell lines (Fig. 1N). Altogether, these single-cell multi-omics studies indicated that an epigenetically encoded NG program may cooperate with lymphoma driving mutations to drive the development of HL, paving novel avenues of therapy.

Testing the somatic marker hypothesis in decisions-from-experience with non-stationary outcome probabilities.

The Somatic Marker Hypothesis (SMH) posits that in experience-based choice, people develop physiological reactions that mark options as either positive or negative. These somatic markers aid decision making because they differentiate between "good" and "bad" options during pre-choice deliberation. We examined this proposed role for somatic states in two decision-from-experience tasks (each N = 36) in which participants selected repeatedly with full feedback (i.e., for obtained and forgone outcomes) between two unlabeled options that returned wins or losses, with half receiving an additional summary of past outcomes. The probabilities of good and bad outcomes changed at an unannounced point. Participants completed a 100-trial game with a switch in the optimal option after trial 40 (Study 1) or a 200-trial game with switch points after trial 40 and trial 120 (Study 2). Skin conductance (SC) was measured continuously as an index of emotional intensity, from which we extracted measures of anticipatory SC (pre-choice) and outcome SC (post-choice). Participants reliably selected the optimal option prior to any switches. They also altered their choices appropriately when the payoffs changed, though optimal play following payoff switches was reduced. Losses resulted in a greater outcome SC than wins, but only in Study 1, as did the finding that the outcome SC was greater when the forgone outcome was positive. Anticipatory SC did not reliably predict optimal play in either study. These results provide little support for the SMH. Our studies point to the importance of using diverse tasks and measures and very large sample sizes when testing the role of somatic states in decision making.

The Analyst's Self-Care: Further Reflections after the Pandemic on Cultivating Resilience and the Essential Role of the Body-Mind Relationship in Clinical Practice.

Sparse attention is paid in the psychoanalytic literature to the management of self-care needs of the analyst. I suggest that pandemic fatigue experienced by psychotherapists during the Covid-19 global crisis has thrown into bold relief the requirement for clinicians to attune to the body, particularly the requirement for rest and creative space. Physical and emotional exhaustion is multidetermined and not unique to this time period; the global crisis appears to have unmasked particular difficulties in sensing and tending to requirements of the body-mind. Changes observed in sleep, dreams, exercise, eating, and somatic states during the pandemic raise additional questions about modifiable risk factors of burnout. Drawing upon contemporary evidence emerging from the fields of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and psychodynamic practice and theory, suggestions are made to assist the analyst in rendering essential self-care.

Rippling Outwardly: Archives With Augmented And Mixed Reality

In this article I propose that augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have the potential to expand the notion of a Screendance archive. This takes the form of a hybrid installation, where visitors are invited to download an AR app onto their mobile phones, or tablets, to access a Screendance archive tagged to images in an installation space. This type of archive, is conceived as a piece of artistic work for hybrid installations, and is intrinsically related to collaborative artistic, philosophical and technological research. It has the ability to highlight temporal shifts between past and present and demonstrates how archived somatic states may ripple outwardly across technologies, bodies, and space, to audiences who embody these states within the wider somatic feld. For these MR interactions to work, methods in relation to flming, editing, and archiving are re-examined. Documentation and archiving methods are reviewed through a phenomenological lens and once distributed within the AR/MR archive installation, a postphenomenological perspective reveals how new relations with technology, materials and media are discovered. Furthermore, the use of AI is perceived as enhancing the rippling out of afective somatic states that becomes an embodied materiality1 (orig. emphasis), a relational feminist posthumanist perspective, that, permanently changes ways of seeing and experiencing dance on screens and the notion of a Screendance archive.

Single-cell roadmap of human gonadal development

Gonadal development is a complex process that involves sex determination followed by divergent maturation into either testes or ovaries1. Historically, limited tissue accessibility, a lack of reliable in vitro models and critical differences between humans and mice have hampered our knowledge of human gonadogenesis, despite its importance in gonadal conditions and infertility. Here, we generated a comprehensive map of first- and second-trimester human gonads using a combination of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility assays and fluorescent microscopy. We extracted human-specific regulatory programmes that control the development of germline and somatic cell lineages by profiling equivalent developmental stages in mice. In both species, we define the somatic cell states present at the time of sex specification, including the bipotent early supporting population that, in males, upregulates the testis-determining factor SRY and sPAX8s, a gonadal lineage located at the gonadal–mesonephric interface. In females, we resolve the cellular and molecular events that give rise to the first and second waves of granulosa cells that compartmentalize the developing ovary to modulate germ cell differentiation. In males, we identify human SIGLEC15+ and TREM2+ fetal testicular macrophages, which signal to somatic cells outside and inside the developing testis cords, respectively. This study provides a comprehensive spatiotemporal map of human and mouse gonadal differentiation, which can guide in vitro gonadogenesis.

Le rôle des états somatiques dans l’inscription de l’expérience : une rencontre entre psychanalyse et neurosciences

ObjectivesBeyond their radically heterogeneous epistemologies, the aim of this article is to describe a meeting point for an interdisciplinary dialogue between psychoanalysis and neuroscience, starting from the importance they both give to the role of perception of somatic states in the inscription of experience. Kandel's research on the molecular mechanisms of memory and brain plasticity has demonstrated that experience leaves synaptic traces in the nervous system. At the same time, we have to consider that interoceptive perception, and mainly somatic states, play a key role for the inscription of perceptions coming from the environment. This article thus examines the possibility of a meeting between Freudian theory and recent discoveries by neurobiologists, especially Damasio's theories of “somatic markers.” MethodMy methodology consists in a comparative study of the importance of the role of somatic states for memory and learning, as considered in neuroscientific research, and the influence of the pleasure principle during the inscription of the first memory traces, in Freudian theory. First, I review the significance of interoceptive perceptions in the research protocols for molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. Next, I study the role of the pleasure principle in the inscription of memory traces, according to the Freudian theory of the psychic apparatus. I then emphasize Damasio's theory of “somatic markers” as a crucial meeting point between neuroscience and Freudian psychoanalysis. Finally, I propose a dialogue between neuroscience and psychoanalysis about the significance of simultaneity, a time factor, in the link between representations and somatic states during the inscription of experience. ResultsThe role of the body states, in Freudian theory, appears to be fundamental for psychic regulation, especially in the qualitative senses of pleasure and displeasure; considering that the pleasure principle is the main principle for the psychic apparatus. Taking the somatic states into account in the inscription of experience is at the heart of the Freudian theory of the psychic trace. Recent neurobiological research on molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to the inscription of experience also demonstrate the significance of somatic states in the learning and memorizing processes. Specifically, according to Damasio's theory of “somatic markers”, the processes of thinking and decision-making are based on the memory of past events and have appeared to be at the service of homeostasis and of the survival of the organism throughout evolution. Understanding our cognitive activity would require taking the brain processes involved in the representation of our body states into account. DiscussionThe latest neurobiological research on the role of the interoceptive perception in cognitive activity, especially Damasio's theory of “somatic markers”, has stunning resonances with some Freudian formulations. Furthermore, simultaneity, a time factor, appears to be decisive in memory processes. The simultaneous perception of a body state and of its representation conditions the possibility of an inscription of traces from experience: we can either consider these to be synaptic traces, from a neuroscientific point of view, or as memory traces, in the Freudian framework. Psychoanalysis and neuroscience both emphasize the role of simultaneity for the inscription of experience. Thus, we can underscore the significance of contingency in “subjective becoming” and in the unique characteristic of the inscription of memory traces. ConclusionPsychoanalysis and neuroscience, beyond their heterogeneous epistemologies, can find a meeting point around the importance they both give to the role of the perception of body states in the mechanisms of inscription of experience, through a link called R-S, between an exteroceptive perception and a somatic state. Indeed, the perception of a somatic state S, occurring simultaneously with an exteroceptive perception, conditions the possibility of the inscription of traces, synaptic as well as psychic. Psychoanalysis and neuroscience agree upon the significance of somatic states in the inscription of traces. They both emphasize the influence of simultaneity in the association of perceptive traces. The R-S link is, from both outlooks, a peculiar association, specific to one's experience. Therefore, universal and genetically determined mechanisms such as synaptic plasticity lead to the advent of subjectivity, in the story of each individual.

The Key Role of “Somatic States” in the Inscription of Experience: For a Dialogue Between Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience

ObjectivesBeyond their radically heterogeneous epistemologies, the aim of this article is to describe a meeting point for an interdisciplinary dialogue between psychoanalysis and neuroscience, starting from the importance they both give to the role of perception of somatic states in the inscription of experience. Kandel's research on the molecular mechanisms of memory and brain plasticity has demonstrated that experience leaves synaptic traces in the nervous system. At the same time, we have to consider that interoceptive perception, and mainly somatic states, play a key role for the inscription of perceptions coming from the environment. This article thus examines the possibility of a meeting between Freudian theory and recent discoveries by neurobiologists, especially Damasio's theories of “somatic markers.” MethodMy methodology consists in a comparative study of the importance of the role of somatic states for memory and learning, as considered in neuroscientific research, and the influence of the pleasure principle during the inscription of the first memory traces, in Freudian theory. First, I review the significance of interoceptive perceptions in the research protocols for molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. Next, I study the role of the pleasure principle in the inscription of memory traces, according to the Freudian theory of the psychic apparatus. I then emphasize Damasio's theory of “somatic markers” as a crucial meeting point between neuroscience and Freudian psychoanalysis. Finally, I propose a dialogue between neuroscience and psychoanalysis about the significance of simultaneity, a time factor, in the link between representations and somatic states during the inscription of experience. ResultsThe role of the body states, in Freudian theory, appears to be fundamental for psychic regulation, especially in the qualitative senses of pleasure and displeasure; considering that the pleasure principle is the main principle for the psychic apparatus. Taking the somatic states into account in the inscription of experience is at the heart of the Freudian theory of the psychic trace. Recent neurobiological research on molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to the inscription of experience also demonstrate the significance of somatic states in learning and memorizing processes. Specifically, according to Damasio's theory of “somatic markers,” the processes of thinking and decision-making are based on the memory of past events and have appeared to be at the service of homeostasis and of the survival of the organism throughout evolution. Understanding our cognitive activity would require taking the brain processes involved in the representation of our body states into account. DiscussionThe latest neurobiological research on the role of the interoceptive perception in cognitive activity, especially Damasio's theory of “somatic markers,” has stunning resonances with some Freudian formulations. Furthermore, simultaneity, a time factor, appears to be decisive in memory processes. The simultaneous perception of a body state and of its representation conditions the possibility of an inscription of traces from experience: we can either consider these to be synaptic traces, from a neuroscientific point of view, or as memory traces, in the Freudian framework. Psychoanalysis and neuroscience both emphasize the role of simultaneity for the inscription of experience. Thus, we can underscore the significance of contingency in “subjective becoming” and in the unique characteristic of the inscription of memory traces. ConclusionPsychoanalysis and neuroscience, beyond their heterogeneous epistemologies, can find a meeting point around the importance they both give to the role of the perception of body states in the mechanisms of inscription of experience, through a link called R-S, between an exteroceptive perception and a somatic state. Indeed, the perception of a somatic state S, occurring simultaneously with an exteroceptive perception, conditions the possibility of the inscription of traces, synaptic as well as psychic. Psychoanalysis and neuroscience agree upon the significance of somatic states in the inscription of traces. They both emphasize the influence of simultaneity in the association of perceptive traces. The R-S link is, from both outlooks, a peculiar association, specific to one's experience. Therefore, universal and genetically determined mechanisms such as synaptic plasticity lead to the advent of subjectivity, in the story of each individual.

Sleep deficiency in spaceflight is associated with degraded neurobehavioral functions and elevated stress in astronauts on six-month missions aboard the International Space Station.

Astronauts are required to maintain optimal neurobehavioral functioning despite chronic exposure to the stressors and challenges of spaceflight. Sleep of adequate quality and duration is fundamental to neurobehavioral functioning, however astronauts commonly experience short sleep durations in spaceflight (<6 h). As humans embark on long-duration space exploration missions, there is an outstanding need to identify the consequences of sleep deficiency in spaceflight on neurobehavioral functions. Therefore, we conducted a longitudinal study that examined the sleep-wake behaviors, neurobehavioral functions, and ratings of stress and workload of N = 24 astronauts before, during, and after 6-month missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The computerized, Reaction SelfTest (RST), gathered astronaut report of sleep-wake behaviors, stress, workload, and somatic behavioral states; the RST also objectively assessed vigilant attention (i.e. Psychomotor Vigilance Test-Brief). Data collection began 180 days before launch, continued every 4 days in-flight aboard the ISS, and up to 90 days post-landing, which produced N = 2,856 RSTs. Consistent with previous ISS studies, astronauts reported sleeping ~6.5 h in-flight. The adverse consequences of short sleep were observed across neurobehavioral functions, where sleep durations <6 h were associated with significant reductions in psychomotor response speed, elevated stress, and higher workload. Sleep durations <5 h were associated with elevated negative somatic behavioral states. Furthermore, longer sleep durations had beneficial effects on astronaut neurobehavioral functions. Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of sleep for the maintenance of neurobehavioral functioning and as with humans on Earth, astronauts would likely benefit from interventions that promote sleep duration and quality.

The Use of Bioacoustic Stimulation of the Respiratory System in Complex Medical Rehabilitation at a Health Resort Facility for Patients who have had COVID-associated Pneumonia

BACKGROUND: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the relevance of rehabilitation measures for patients with COVID-associated pneumonia has increased. AIM: The study aimed to review the effect of bioacoustic stimulation of the respiratory system (BSRS) with high-intensity low-frequency sounds on the dynamics of functional indicators of the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system, as well as indicators of psychoemotional and somatic states, the severity of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and cognitive capabilities in patients who have had COVID-associated pneumonia in the process of their medical rehabilitation at a health resort immediately after treatment of the disease in a hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The randomized controlled open parallel prospective clinical study involved 28 patients undergoing medical rehabilitation after suffering moderate to severe COVID-19 complicated by community-acquired bilateral polysegmental pneumonia (COVID-associated pneumonia) of moderate to severe severity. Spirometry, pulse oximetry, compression oscillometry, bioelectrography, Mississippi Scale (civil version), and cognitive speed test were used to assess the functional parameters of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as indicators of psychoemotional and somatic states, the intensity of PTSD and cognitive abilities of patients before and after the course of rehabilitation measures. RESULTS: According to significant differences in changes in the indexes of external respiration, cardiac activity, psychological status, and the intensity of PTSD in patients of the main and control groups before and after a course of rehabilitation measures, it has been reliably established that the use of BSRS as a part of a complex of rehabilitation measures significantly increases the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation at a health resort for patients after COVID-associated pneumonia. CONCLUSION: The possibility and feasibility of using medical technology of BSRS with high-intensity low-frequency sound in complex medical rehabilitation of patients after COVID-associated pneumonia at the health resort stage have been scientifically substantiated.

“Food Doesn’t Have Power Over Me Anymore!” Self-Efficacy as a Driver for Dietary Adherence Among African American Adults Participating in Plant-Based and Meat-Reduced Dietary Interventions: A Qualitative Study

BackgroundAfrican American (AA) adults are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease risk factors. Many nutrition interventions aim to promote healthier eating to reduce cardiovascular disease incidences among participants. However, little is known about what influences individuals’ nutrition self-efficacy while participating in these interventions. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to explore the drivers and barriers of nutrition self-efficacy among Nutritious Eating With Soul (NEW Soul) participants. The NEW Soul study was funded from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. DesignA purposive-current study sampling was used to conduct 4 audio-recorded focus groups for this qualitative study. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory of behavior change guided the framework. This theory asserts that individual self-efficacy is influenced by 4 factors: (1) mastery experiences, (2) vicarious experiences, (3) social persuasion, and (4) somatic and emotional states. Participants/settingInclusion criteria for the NEW Soul program included being an AA, being between 18 and 65 years old, and having a body mass index between 25 and 49.9. Participants in cohort 2 (n = 84) of the NEW Soul program were asked to participate in focus groups. In total, 28 individuals (16 vegan, 12 omnivorous participants) took part in 4 in-person focus groups, which contained 3 to 13 participants. Focus groups took place in the southeastern United States. Main outcome measurePerception of drivers and barriers of following the diet. Statistical analysisResponses were analyzed qualitatively using principles of content analysis. ResultsNine themes influenced participants’ confidence in their ability to follow their diet: food preference, planning and preparation, identity and tradition, mindfulness, representation, social support, social influence, accountability, and state of mind. ConclusionIn this study, self-efficacy played a prominent role in participants’ motivations toward following the diet. Mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and positive psychological arousal were all common themes in participant-reported sources of motivation. Nutrition interventions are likely to elicit positive behavioral outcomes if these 4 factors that enhance self-efficacy are incorporated into program development.

Brain Training Game Improved Cognitive Health

The certainty that one feels following a decision increases decision-making efficiency, but can also result in decreased decision accuracy. In the current study, a neuropsychological approach was used to examine the impact of damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) on core psychological processes promoting decision certainty: selective exposure, overconfidence, and decisiveness. Given previous research demonstrating that vmPFC damage disrupts the generation of negative emotional (somatic) states that have been associated with selective exposure and overconfidence, it was hypothesized that damage to the vmPFC would disrupt engagement in selective exposure, decrease overconfidence, and increase indecision. Individuals with vmPFC damage exhibited increased indecision, but contrary to our hypothesis, engaged in similar levels of selective exposure and overconfidence as the comparison groups. These results indicate that indecision may be an important psychological mechanism involved in decision-making impairments associated with vmPFC injury. The results also suggest that the vmPFC may not be critical for selective exposure or overconfidence, which provides support for a recent “desirability” account of selective exposure.

The self-efficacy among non-English lecturers in using English as an academic language

The implementation of an English atmosphere will bring abundant impact for all university entities to create a supportive environment in increasing their English competencies. The study aims at investigating the level of self-efficacy among non-English lecturers to use English in any academic setting. The study applied a mixed-method study which formulated a descriptive quantitative analysis and phenomenological approach as a qualitative analysis. The respondents were 19 non-English lecturers of the Physiotherapy program in Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta taken by total sampling; questionnaires were used to collect data quantitatively, and a structured interview was also applied to take qualitative data. The study shows that 50% of lecturers have a moderate rate of self-efficacy in describing their mastery experience although they have a high rate in determining their somatic and emotional states in judging their capability. In addition, vicarious experience does not become a strong predictor in increasing self-efficacy among lecturers. However, rigid policy from the university is the most significant factor in supporting lecturers to use English in academic settings.DOI: 10.26905/enjourme.v6i1.5940

Multidisciplinary and differentiated approach in the treatment of psychotic disorders with comorbid somatic states

The article presents the results of a comprehensive clinical and psychopathological study of the features of clinical manifestations of psychotic patients with schizophrenia with somatic disorders. It has been proven that disorders in schizophrenia are associated with a negative clinical-psychopathological and socio-personal prognosis, leading to increase of severity of psychopathological symptoms and a decrease in the level of socio-psychological functioning. The identified features of the clinical course have become the leading target features, a system of multidisciplinary and differentiated approach in the complex therapy of patients taking into account somatic comorbidity has been developed and implemented in practice. The proposed system is a set of activities, including a combination of pharmacotherapeutic, psychoeducational, psychotherapeutic and psychosocial activities, selected taking into account the specifics of the psychopathological process modified by somatic pathology. According to the results of testing, its effectiveness has been proven, and it has been established that its use can significantly improve the condition of patients and their level of socio-psychological functioning, increase the stability of remission and reduce the number of hospitalizations.

SS18 regulates pluripotent-somatic transition through phase separation

The transition from pluripotent to somatic states marks a critical event in mammalian development, but remains largely unresolved. Here we report the identification of SS18 as a regulator for pluripotent to somatic transition or PST by CRISPR-based whole genome screens. Mechanistically, SS18 forms microscopic condensates in nuclei through a C-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR) rich in tyrosine, which, once mutated, no longer form condensates nor rescue SS18−/− defect in PST. Yet, the IDR alone is not sufficient to rescue the defect even though it can form condensates indistinguishable from the wild type protein. We further show that its N-terminal 70aa is required for PST by interacting with the Brg/Brahma-associated factor (BAF) complex, and remains functional even swapped onto unrelated IDRs or even an artificial 24 tyrosine polypeptide. Finally, we show that SS18 mediates BAF assembly through phase separation to regulate PST. These studies suggest that SS18 plays a role in the pluripotent to somatic interface and undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation through a unique tyrosine-based mechanism.

Interoception Disorder and Insular Cortex Abnormalities in Schizophrenia: A New Perspective Between Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience.

The existence of disturbances in the perception of somatic states and in the representation of the body with the presence of cœnesthetic hallucinations, of delusional hypochondriac ideas or of dysmorphophobias is a recognized fact in the psychopathology of schizophrenia. Freudian psychoanalytic theory had accorded a privileged place to the alteration of the perception of the body in schizophrenia. Freud had attributed to these phenomena a primary and prodromal role in the psychopathology of psychosis. We propose to look at this theory in a new way, starting from the perspective of recent studies about the role of the insula in the perception and representation of somatic states, since this structure has been identified as underpinning the sense of interoception. The data in the neurobiological literature about abnormalities in the insular cortex in schizophrenia has shown that insula dysfunction could constitute one of the biological substrates of disorders of body perception in schizophrenia, and could be a source of the alteration of the sense of self that is characteristic of this psychiatric pathology. Moreover, this alteration could thus be involved in the positive symptomatology of schizophrenia.