Subtle Behavioral Changes Research Articles

Naloxone reversal of mild neurobehavioral depression in normal newborn infants after routine obstetric analgesia

To investigate the presence of subtle narcotic depression following maternal narcotic analgesia, we have evaluated the effects of naloxone versus placebo in a double-blind parallel group study in 43 normal term newborn infants whose mothers had received routine narcotic analgesia within six hours prior to delivery. Infants were given either an intramuscular injection of 20 microgram/kg naloxone or 0.20 ml/kg placebo after determination of the one-minute Apgar score, and the following measurements were compared: Apgar scores at one and five minutes, capillary blood gas values at one, 60, 120, and 240 minutes, and neurobehavioral assessments at one, 4, and 24 hours. No adverse effects from naloxone were observed. Neither Apgar scores nor capillary blood gas determinations differed significantly between the two groups. Response to sound was significantly higher in the naloxone group at 24 hours. The alertness score was significantly higher for the naloxone group at one and four hours; the general assessment score for the naloxone group was significantly higher at four and 24 hours. Average scores of naloxone and placebo groups were also different at four and 24 hours of age. These data demonstrate that maternal narcotic analgesia may produce subtle changes in alertness and general behavior not reflected by Apgar scores or respiratory status, potentially reversible by administration of naloxone shortly following delivery.

NALOXONE REVERSAL OF MILD NEUROBEHAVIORAL DEPRESSION IN NORMAL NEWBORNS AFTER ROUTINE OBSTETRICAL ANALGESIA

Narcotic antagonists are generally administered to newborns only if they exhibit evidence of cardiorespiratory depression in the delivery room following maternal narcotic analgesia. To investigate the presence of subtle narcotic depression, we have evaluated the effects of naloxone vs placebo in a double blind parallel group study in 43 normal term newborns whose mothers had received routine narcotic analgesia within 6 hrs prior to delivery. The infants were given an IM injection of 20 μg/kg naloxone after the 1 min Apgar, and the following parameters were compared: Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min., capillary blood gases at 1, 30, 60, 120, and 240 min., and Scanlon neurobehavioral assessments at 1, 4, and 24 hrs. No adverse effects were observed. Neither the Apgar scores nor the blood gases differed significantly between the two groups. The alertness score was significantly higher for the naloxone group at 1 and 4 hrs (p < .05, .05). The general score for the Narcan group was higher at 4 hr (p < .05) and 24 hrs (p < .055). Response to sound was significantly higher in the naloxone group at 24 hrs (p < .05). These data suggeat that maternal narcotic analgesia may produce subtle changes in alertness and general behavior not reflected by Apgar scores or respiratory status. It may be advisable, therefore, to administer naloxone to most infants on a routine basis if birth is within 6 hrs of maternal narcotic administration.

Psychophysiologic effects of early lead exposure

In several separate experiments neonatal rats were intubated daily with 9, 27 or 81 mg lead acetate/kg of body weight throughout their 3-week postnatal period of development. Based on average body weights, the total daily lead intake was 0.156, 0.454 or 1.384 mg lead per animal, respectively (in addition to normal lead intake from the environment). Subtle and specific behavioral changes, involving an inability to attenuate inappropriate behavior in a two-way shuttle or a habit-reversal operant task, occurred in offspring following exposure to a minimum of 0.454 mg lead per day. The specificity of this central dysfunction was such that motor activity was normal, stress responsiveness remained unaffected and simple learning ability was comparable to that of controls. The only indication of a central neurochemical modification accompanying this behavioral defect was a tendency for telencephalic acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities to be depressed, suggesting a possible involvement of the cholinergic system. Steady-state levels of brain monoamines were unaltered. The experimental weanlings displayed an inhibition of blood delta-amino levulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity, a parallel reduction in regional brain ALAD activity, a moderate reduction in hematocr and hemoglobin and an increase in kidney weight. This latter effect occurred even at the lowest level of lead intake, 0.156 mg lead per day.

Pupil size, eye contact, and instrumental aggression.

The study of visual behavior in social interaction has received increasing attention (Ellsworth & Ludwig, 1972). Specifically, eye contact has been demonstrated to affect significantly the amount of aggression delivered to an insulting victim (Ellsworth & Carlsmith, 1973). While the scatus of pupillary activity has been primarily that of a dependent variable (Goldwater, 1972), the present smdy manipulated both the pupil size and the gaze pattern of a victim and measured their influence in an aggressive encounter. Sixteen male college s~udents were given the opportunity to shock two victims (accomplices). There were four experimental treatments. The two victims had either ( a ) dilated pupils or ( b ) constricted pupils. One victim ( a ) stared at the subject; the other victim ( b ) visually avoided him. Subject and victim were seated 3 % ft. from each other, and only the upper half of the victim's face could be seen. The order of presentation of the two victims was counterbalanced. F~oally, the victim's pupils were changed by chemicals, neosynephrine for dilation and isopto carpine for constriction. Resulcs showed that victims with enlarged pupils received fewer shocks ( M = 5.9) than victims with constricted pupils ( M = 9.3, F1.14 = 11.2, p < ,005). Subjeca also tended ro look less into the line of regard of victims with dilated pupils (M = 39% vs 56%, K.1, = 4.2, p < .O6). The visual patterns of the victims had no significant influence on subjects' aggression; however, further analysis of the data obtained from the subjecrs' reactions to the first victim showed a tendency for staring victims to elicit less aggression than visually avoiding victims ( p < . 2 5 ) . This finding was consistent w i ~ h prevlous research. These data suggest that very subtle changes in the nonverbal behavior of a victim may have pronounced influence on the actions of a nonangered aggressor.

Creative Writers on the Effects of Reading

Considering the importance attributed by educators to literature, it is surprising how little is actually known about the effects of reading in general, and of the reading of literature in particular. Research dealing with this topic mostly describes the more simple, direct and short-range influences. One investigator asked directly for palpable instances of the influence of reading. High-school students responded by giving examples like stopping smoking after reading an article about the link between smoking and cancer (Kimmel, 1970, pp. 210-211); others tried to establish the effect of reading stories about ethnic minorities to schoolchildren, by testing the children before and sometime after the reading (Schneyer, 1969). But the effects we are really interested in, the more subtle and persisting changes in attitude and behavior, are not readily detected by the accepted methods of psychological and sociological research. It might therefore be illuminating to take a look at the views expressed on this subject by creative artists, who may be expected to have given some thought to something so closely connected with their work. At the outset I should note the nature of my source material. The authors and the passages quoted were not selected by systematic investigation, nor were they chosen according to any predetermined criteria. They do not constitute a representative sample. I came upon them in the course of my casual, spare-time reading, not directly connected with my professional interests. Most of them are from novels and from writers' notebooks or journals. From among the passages collected over the last few years I have selected those I consider cast most light on the effects of reading on the reader's mental life, attitudes, feeling and behavior.

Biological effects of heavy metal pollutants in water.

I beg your indulgence if I begin my presentation with a brief review of toxicological principles. Toxicology covers the entire range of harmful interactions of chemical substances with the biota. This therefore expands the range from studying very acute effects down to the study of exceedingly subtle changes in behavior and function after long-term exposure for the determination of safety. The studies of functional deficits, carcinogenicity and teratogenicity are well established in toxicological investigations, at least for the safety evaluation of drugs, pesticides, and food additives for man. Studies on subtle behavioral changes and mutagenicity are gaining increasing acceptance. The types of measurements which have been noted most frequently for the study of heavy metals in water are lethality, growth, and reproduction. Behavioral changes and alterations in community structure are not normally investigated, even though they might have sizeable repercussions on the sustained survival of any species.KeywordsHeavy MetalAquatic OrganismMethyl MercuryFathead MinnowSoft WaterThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Time in test cage and behavior after amygdalectomy in infant rhesus monkeys

Adolescent monkeys that had sustained bilateral amygdalectomy during infancy were observed immediately after transfer to a test cage, and again 24 hr after the move. Operated monkeys changed from one behavior to another more often than controls immediately after transfer to the test cage, but not after 24 hr. After 24 hr operated monkeys spent more time in oral and manual exploration of the cage than did the controls, but there were no significant group differences immediately after transfer. Operated monkeys thus were abnormalboth in frequency of behavioral change and in amount of time spent exploring, but both deficiencies would not have been detected had only one of the above test procedures been used. It is suggested that amount of time spent in the test cage prior to testing may be an important variable in detecting subtle changes in behavior after brain damage.

Cyloserine as an antidepressant agent.

Cycloserine appears to be a psychopharmacological agent in that 1. It reverses depressions to normal or hyperactive mood and at the same time causes subtle changes in behavior; 2. It may aggravate mental disorders; and 3. It seems to potentiate Marsilid. Cycloserine may become a valuable tool in psychopharmacological research and may also find therapeutic use in depressions, provided the initial dose does not exceed 500 mg. a day and potentially psychotic patients receive more than average supervision.