Effects of SSRI Antidepressants on Attentional Bias toward Emotional Scenes in First-Episode Depressive Patients: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Study

Objective Attentional biases toward emotional scenes may represent vulnerability and maintenance factors in depression. Antidepressant therapy may improve cognitive function and reduce depression, and is considered as the mechanism of action of antidepressants. Therefore, we conducted an eye-tracking test to examine whether selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants can reduce negative attentional biases and elicit clinical responses in depression.Methods Twenty first-episode depressive patients freely viewed three types of pictures that depicted different emotional scenes (i.e., positive-control, neutral-control, and negative-control) for 4,000 ms while their eye movements were monitored. The attentional bias to different emotional scenes was assessed before and after eight weeks of SSRI treatment using the eye-tracking method. The control group included a group of healthy individuals.Results The results revealed that first-episode depressive patients oriented their gaze more frequently to negative images and less to happy images, compared to controls. Importantly, the attentional bias in depressive patients was regulated after eight weeks of SSRI treatment. Patients showed an increased tendency to fixate on positive images and a decreased tendency to focus on negative images.Conclusion This suggests that SSRI antidepressants decrease vulnerability to negative images, while having an effect on attention in respect to positive images.

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Attentional bias scores in patients with depression and effects of age: a controlled, eye-tracking study

Journal of International Medical Research ◽

10.1177/0300060517708920 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 1518-1527 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Shengfu Lu ◽

Jiying Xu ◽

Mi Li ◽

Jia Xue ◽

Xiaofeng Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eye Tracking ◽

Attentional Bias ◽

Age Groups ◽

Young Patients ◽

Attentional Biases ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Aged Patients ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Control Subjects ◽

Two Age Groups

Objective To compare the attentional bias of depressed patients and non-depressed control subjects and examine the effects of age using eye-tracking technology in a free-viewing set of tasks. Methods Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and non-depressed control subjects completed an eye-tracking task to assess attention of processing negative, positive and neutral facial expressions. In this cross-sectional study, the tasks were separated in two types (neutral versus happy faces and neutral versus sad faces) and assessed in two age groups (‘young’ [18–30 years] and ‘middle-aged’ [31–55 years]). Results Compared with non-depressed control subjects ( n = 75), patients with MDD ( n = 90) had a significant reduced positive attentional bias and enhanced negative attentional bias irrespective of age. The positive attentional bias in ‘middle-aged’ patients with MDD was significantly lower than in ‘young’ patients, although there was no difference between the two age groups in negative attentional bias. Conclusions These results confirm that there are emotional attentional biases in patients with MDD and that positive attentional biases are influenced by age.

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Attentional Bias in Humans Toward Human and Bonobo Expressions of Emotion

Evolutionary Psychology ◽

10.1177/14747049211032816 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 147470492110328

Author(s):

Mariska E. Kret ◽

Evy van Berlo

Keyword(s):

Attentional Bias ◽

Attentional Biases ◽

Emotional Expressions ◽

Current Experiment ◽

Contextual Cues ◽

Positive Signal ◽

Social Species ◽

Probe Task ◽

Contagious Nature ◽

Emotional Scenes

Correctly recognizing and efficiently attending to emotional situations are highly valuable skills for social species such as humans and bonobos, humans' closest living relatives. In the current study, we investigated whether humans perceive a range of emotional situations differently when these involved other humans compared to bonobos. A large group of children and adults participated in an emotion perception task and rated scenes showing either bonobos or humans in situations depicting distressed or aggressive behavior, yawning, scratching, grooming, playing, sex scenes or neutral situations. A new group of people performed a dot-probe task to assess attentional biases toward these materials. The main finding is that humans perceive emotional scenes showing people similarly as emotional scenes of bonobos, a result reflecting a shared evolutionary origin of emotional expressions. Other results show that children interpreted bonobos’ bared teeth displays as a positive signal. This signal is related to the human smile, but is frequently seen in distressed situations, as was the case in the current experiment. Children may still need to learn to use contextual cues when judging an ambiguous expression as positive or negative. Further, the sex scenes were rated very positively, especially by male participants. Even though they rated these more positively than women, their attention was captured similarly, surpassing all other emotion categories. Finally, humans’ attention was captured more by human yawns than by bonobo yawns, which may be related to the highly contagious nature of yawns, especially when shown by close others. The current research adds to earlier work showing morphological, behavioral and genetic parallels between humans and bonobos by showing that their emotional expressions have a common origin too.

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Attentional biases towards emotional scenes in autism spectrum condition: An eye-tracking study

Research in Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104124 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 120 ◽

pp. 104124

Author(s):

Rosa Sahuquillo-Leal ◽

Pablo Navalón ◽

Alba Moreno-Giménez ◽

Belén Almansa ◽

Máximo Vento ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eye Tracking ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Attentional Biases ◽

Autism Spectrum Condition ◽

Spectrum Condition ◽

Emotional Scenes

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Attentional biases to emotional scenes in schizophrenia: An eye-tracking study

Biological Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108045 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 160 ◽

pp. 108045

Author(s):

Pablo Navalón ◽

Elena Serrano ◽

Belén Almansa ◽

Manuel Perea ◽

Pilar Benavent ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eye Tracking ◽

Attentional Biases ◽

Emotional Scenes

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Deep Vein Thrombosis and Fibrinolysis

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1646432 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 66 (04) ◽

pp. 426-429 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Marcel Levi ◽

Anthonie W A Lensing ◽

Harry R Büller ◽

Paolo Prandoni ◽

Gerard Dooijewaard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Vein Thrombosis ◽

Plasminogen Activator ◽

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor ◽

Tissue Type ◽

Controlled Study ◽

First Episode ◽

Control Group ◽

Vein Thrombosis ◽

Type Plasminogen Activator ◽

Deep Vein

SummaryIn the present study 57 consecutive patients with a first episode of venographically proven deep vein thrombosis were investigated to evaluate the release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) in response to DDAVP stimulation as well as the resting plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) concentration, comparing this to the results obtained in 66 similar patients with a clinical suspicion of thrombosis but with a normal venogram. All assays were performed without knowledge of the patient's status.Four patients in the deep vein thrombosis-group (7%) had an absent u-PA antigen response upon DDAVP infusion, while a normal response was observed in all control subjects. Patients and controls showed similar increases in t-PA antigen level upon DDAVP. High resting PAI antigen levels were encountered in 5 patients in the deep vein thrombosis-group (9%) and in 6 subjects in the control group (9%).The results from this controlled study indicate that a defective release of u-PA may occur in patients with deep vein thrombosis and may have pathogenetic significance. Furthermore it is concluded that elevation of PAI levels cannot be considered as a specific risk factor for venous thrombosis.

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Brief psycho-education for caregivers of persons with first episode psychosis

Indian Journal of Positive Psychology ◽

10.15614/ijpp.v9i01.11741 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (01) ◽

Author(s):

Praful Prabhuappa Kapse ◽

Manisha Kiran

Keyword(s):

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Control Group ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Study Results ◽

Before And After ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Expressed Emotions ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Group Family

Caring for the persons with first episode psychosis is challenging and demanding. It may lead to the increased burden, expressed emotions among the caregivers. The numerous studies have shown that high burden and negative expressed emotions among caregivers can lead to early relapse in the patients with first episode psychosis. To evaluate the effects of the brief psychoeducation on the caregivers burden and expressed emotions. A quasi experimental - before and after with control group research design was adopted for the study. A total of 60 caregivers have participated in the study, of which 30 caregivers in experimental group and 30 caregivers in the control group. Family Burden Interview Schedule (Pai and Kapoor, 1981) and Attitude Questionnaire (Sethi et al., 1981) was used to assess caregiver's burden and expressed emotions. At end of the psychoeducation intervention, burden among caregivers and negative expressed emotions of the caregivers have significantly reduced. The positive expressed emotions have been increased. Study results demonstrates the importance of psychoeducation intervention in reducing the burden and negative expressed emotions.

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Visual disgust-elicitors produce an attentional blink independent of contextual and trait-level pathogen avoidance

10.31234/osf.io/qa8r4 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Paola Perone ◽

David Vaughn Becker ◽

Joshua M. Tybur

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Visual Attention ◽

Attentional Blink ◽

Attentional Bias ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Attentional Biases ◽

Attentional Processing ◽

Trait Level ◽

Task Irrelevant ◽

Pathogen Avoidance

Multiple studies report that disgust-eliciting stimuli are perceived as salient and subsequently capture selective attention. In the current study, we aimed to better understand the nature of temporal attentional biases toward disgust-eliciting stimuli and to investigate the extent to which these biases are sensitive to contextual and trait-level pathogen avoidance motives. Participants (N=116) performed in an Emotional Attentional Blink (EAB) task in which task-irrelevant disgust-eliciting, fear-eliciting, or neutral images preceded a target by 200, 500, or 800 milliseconds (i.e., lag two, five and eight respectively). They did so twice - once while not exposed to an odor, and once while exposed to either an odor that elicited disgust or an odor that did not - and completed a measure of disgust sensitivity. Results indicate that disgust-eliciting visual stimuli produced a greater attentional blink than neutral visual stimuli at lag two and a greater attentional blink than fear-eliciting visual stimuli at both lag two and at lag five. Neither the odor manipulations nor individual differences measures moderated this effect. We propose that visual attention is engaged for a longer period of time following disgust-eliciting stimuli because covert processes automatically initiate the evaluation of pathogen threats. The fact that state and trait pathogen avoidance do not influence this temporal attentional bias suggests that early attentional processing of pathogen cues is initiated independent from the context in which such cues are perceived.

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Attentional Bias to Untrustworthy Faces: Evidence From Eye Tracking Data

Advances in Psychological Science ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1042.2015.01508 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (9) ◽

pp. 1508

Author(s):

Qiandong WANG ◽

Qinggong LI ◽

Kaikai CHEN ◽

Genyue FU

Keyword(s):

Eye Tracking ◽

Attentional Bias ◽

Tracking Data

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Implementation of NAVIGATE Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis: the Michigan Experience

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852920002928 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 177-178

Author(s):

Eric D. Achtyes ◽

Kari Kempema ◽

Zhehui Luo ◽

Katharine N. Thakkar ◽

Catherine Adams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

The United States ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Specialty Care ◽

First Episode ◽

Control Group ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Block Grant ◽

Episode Psychosis

AbstractStudy ObjectivesCoordinated specialty care (CSC) is widely accepted as an evidence-based treatment for first episode psychosis (FEP). The NAVIGATE intervention from the Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode Early Treatment Program (RAISE-ETP) study is a CSC intervention which offers a suite of evidence-based treatments shown to improve engagement and clinical outcomes, especially in those with shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). Coincident with the publication of this study, legislation was passed by the United States Congress in 2014–15 to fund CSC for FEP via a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) block grant set-aside for each state. In Michigan (MI) the management of this grant was delegated to Network180, the community mental health authority in Kent County, with the goal of making CSC more widely available to the 10 million people in MI. Limited research describes the outcomes of implementation of CSC into community practices with no published accounts evaluating the use of the NAVIGATE intervention in a naturalistic setting. We describe the outcomes of NAVIGATE implementation in the state of MI.MethodsIn 2014, 3 centers in MI were selected and trained to provide NAVIGATE CSC for FEP. In 2016 a 4th center was added, and 2 existing centers were expanded to provide additional access to NAVIGATE. Inclusion: age 18–31, served in 1 of 4 FEP centers in MI. Data collection began in 2015 for basic demographics, global illness (CGI q3 mo), hospital/ED use and work/school (SURF q3 mo) and was expanded in 2016 to include further demographics, diagnosis, DUP, vital signs; and in 2018 for clinical symptoms with the modified Colorado Symptom Inventory (mCSI q6 mo), reported via an online portal. This analysis used data until 12/31/19. Mixed effects models adjusted by age, sex and race were used to account for correlated data within patients.ResultsN=283 had useable demographic information and were included in the analysis. Age at enrollment was 21.6 ± 3.0 yrs; 74.2% male; 53.4% Caucasian, 34.6% African American; 12.9 ± 1.7 yrs of education (N=195). 18 mo retention was 67% with no difference by sex or race. CGI scores decreased 20% from baseline (BL) to 18 mo (BL=3.5, N=134; 15–18 mo=2.8, N=60). Service utilization via the SURF was measured at BL (N=172) and 18 mo (N=72): psychiatric hospitalizations occurred in 37% at BL and 6% at 18 mo (p<0.01); ER visits occurred in 40% at BL and 13% at 18 mo (p<0.01). 44% were working or in school at BL and 68% at 18 mo (p<0.01). 21% were on antipsychotics (AP) at BL (N=178) and 85% at 18 mo (N=13) with 8% and 54% on long acting injectable-AP at BL and 18 mo, respectively. Limitations include missing data and lack of a control group.ConclusionThe implementation of the NAVIGATE CSC program for FEP in MI resulted in meaningful clinical improvement for enrollees. Further support could make this evidence-based intervention available to more people with FEP.FundingSupported by funds from the SAMHSA Medicaid State Block Grant set-aside awarded to Network180 (Achtyes, Kempema). The funders had no role in the design of the study, the analysis or the decision to publish the results.

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Newborns’ sensitivity to speed changes as a building block for animacy perception

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-79451-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Elisa Di Giorgio ◽

Marco Lunghi ◽

Giorgio Vallortigara ◽

Francesca Simion

Keyword(s):

Attentional Bias ◽

Building Block ◽

Visual Cues ◽

Constant Speed ◽

Attentional Biases ◽

Visual Preference ◽

Reverse Sequence ◽

Motion Speed ◽

Speed Change ◽

First Time

AbstractThe human visual system can discriminate between animate beings vs. inanimate objects on the basis of some kinematic cues, such as starting from rest and speed changes by self-propulsion. The ontogenetic origin of such capability is still under debate. Here we investigate for the first time whether newborns manifest an attentional bias toward objects that abruptly change their speed along a trajectory as contrasted with objects that move at a constant speed. To this end, we systematically manipulated the motion speed of two objects. An object that moves with a constant speed was contrasted with an object that suddenly increases (Experiment 1) or with one that suddenly decreases its speed (Experiment 2). When presented with a single speed change, newborns did not show any visual preference. However, newborns preferred an object that abruptly increases and then decreases its speed (Experiment 3), but they did not show any visual preference for the reverse sequence pattern (Experiment 4). Overall, results are discussed in line with the hypothesis of the existence of attentional biases in newborns that trigger their attention towards some visual cues of motion that characterized animate perception in adults.

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