Multidimensional Analysis of Major Depression: Association Between BDNF Methylation, Psychosocial and Cognitive Domains

Major Depression is a complex disorder with a growing incidence worldwide and multiple variables have been associated with its etiology. Nonetheless, its diagnosis is continually changing and the need to understand it from a multidimensional perspective is clear. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for depression in a case-control study with 100 depressive inpatients and 87 healthy controls. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed including psychosocial factors, cognitive maladaptive schema domains, and specific epigenetic marks (BDNF methylation levels at five CpG sites in promoter IV). A family history of depression, the cognitive schemas of impaired autonomy/performance, impaired limits, other-directedness, and the methylation level of a specific CpG site were identified as predictors. Interestingly, we found a mediating effect of those cognitive schemas in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depression. Also, we found that depressive patients exhibited hypomethylation in a CpG site of BDNF promoter IV, which adds to the current discussion about the role of methylation in depression. We highlight that determining the methylation of a specific region of a single gene offers the possibility of accessing a highly informative an easily measurable variable, which represents benefits for diagnosis. Following complete replication and validation on larger samples, models like ours could be applicable as additional diagnostic tools in the clinical context.

UNUTRAŠNJI RADNI MODELI AFEKTIVNE VEZANOSTI KAO PREDIKTORI MRAČNE TRIJADE

The basic goal of this research was to examine whether internal working models of self and significant others are significant predictors of dark triad personality traits. The concept of an internal working model is the key link in attachment theory which connects past experiences with current patterns of behavior, maintained by dysfunctional cognitive schemas developed by generalizing aversive experiences. The dark triad consists of narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellism. The instruments used were the Family Attachment Questionnaire by Brenan et al. (1998), and Short Dark Triad (SDT3) by Jones & Paulhus (2014). The sample of the research consisted of N = 123 participants, age 20 to 63, with an average age of M = 30.41, SD = 9.06. Males formed 43% of sample. Regression analyses show that model which consists of anxiety and avoidance dimensions is significant predictor of Machiavellism, F (2,120) = 6.26, p = .003, R2 = .09, and they predict 9% of variance, as well as psychopathy, F(2,120) = 8.98, p <.000, R2 = .13, where they predict 13% of variance, but not narcissism, F(2,120) = 0.24, p = .79, R2= .01, in which model predicted only 1% of variance. Avoidance is statistically significant and positive predictor of psychopathy (β = .29, p = .003), and anxiety is statistically significant and positive predictor of Machiavellism (β = .26, p = .004), as well as psyhopathy (β = .22, p = .025). The results of study suggest that these traits are founded on an image of self as an inadequate person and the world as a hostile place, in which other persons will try to harm us if we dare to be open towards them. Manipulation and emotional insensitivity of psychopaths and Machiavelists should be interpreted as a way to reach compromise with these key beliefs and attitudes. On the other hand, narcissism did not correlate with working modes, possibly because of low levels of insight in these persons who are strongly invested in maintaining grandiose self. Key words: affective attachment, internal working models, dark triad

Here at the Bottom of the Sky…: Negotiating Time through Phrase, Form, and Tradition within a New York Performance Network

While improvisational interaction is often understood as the momentary give-and-take between musicians in performance, this chapter considers ways in which relationships between improvisers function at a range of different timescales. Organized around extensive conversation with drummer Tom Rainey, bassist Drew Gress, and other members of their performance network, the chapter reveals ways in which this group of musicians employs shared cognitive schemas, collaborative approaches to composition, and common musical histories to shape small- and large-scale musical time at the levels of gesture, form, and tradition. Through analysis of musical examples from several of Rainey’s working ensembles, the chapter demonstrates specific ways in which those shared conceptions of time are realized in sound.

SILENCING OF SELF AND DEPRESSION: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Background:Jack's self silencing theory is consequential in postulating how females form concepts about self, based on their relationships with valued others and if an attempt at it fails, then an extreme set of cognitive schemas ensues. These schemas are named as silencing of self. Jack has conjectured that silencing of self has purpose in manifestation and maintenance of depression. The manner in which it plays a role is different for both males and females, where initial theory and a plethora of research have found it to be higher in the later than in the former, while some have had contrary ndings. The existing pool of research does not give explorations of these variables in an Indian context. Therefore this study is a humble effort to make these inquisitions. Method: The study was conducted on the patients undergoing treatment for depression in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital. The study was undertaken involving 100 cases of depression and 100 healthy volunteers as controls after obtaining ethical clearance and informed consent of all the study subjects. Information was collected via predesigned questionnaires. All statistical calculations were done using SPSS 21 version statistical program for Microsoft Windows. Conclusion: Results showed that depressed subjects showed higher silencing of self as compared to their non-depressed counter parts. Overall, males showed higher silencing of self as compared to females.

Computational annealing as mechanism in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

The computational annealing model offers a plausible neurophysiological mechanism to account for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing’s (EMDR) psychotherapeutic effectiveness. The model is informed by analogy to the physical annealing of metals and the related computational method of simulated annealing. It proposes that observed instances of chaotic activity and criticality within the nervous system serve to loosen constraints within memory networks, allowing them to reorganize in a direction of optimal internal coherence and harmony. The role of eye movements is to generate corollary discharge within relevant brain areas, inducing transient increases in criticality within working memory; effectively raising the computational temperature and facilitating informational and energetic flow towards optimal resolution of trauma related memories. Raising the computational temperature overcomes constraints maintaining fragmented and discordant cognitive schemas, enabling fuller integration with the broader sense of self. Computational annealing provides an outline of a conceptual bridge between observations made at the microscopic neurophysiological level, and those made at the macroscopic, behavioral level of description.

I Need a Doctor, Call Me a Doctor: Attachment and the Evaluation of General Practitioners before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Attachment is a system of threat regulation, and insecure (anxious and avoidant) attachment orientations are important individual difference antecedents to the cognitive and affective attributions of trait inferences. However, little is known about how threat-related contexts, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, influence attachment-related socio-cognitive schemas. Using an experimental research design across two independent samples of 330 (pre-onset of COVID-19) and 233 (post-onset of COVID-19) participants, we tested whether attachment orientations influenced general practitioner (GP) ratings and selection differently pre- and post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, when presented with only negative information signals, avoidant individuals attributed positive ratings to GPs, with differing ratings as the number of positive signals increased. Differences between pre- and post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were less pronounced with regards to positive signals. We discuss these results in line with signal detection theory (SDT) and provide practical implications in response to our findings.

Exploration and Exploitation

While traditionally processes of exploration and exploitation have been understood with respect to the novelty of the associated behavior and the a priori beliefs of the promise of these behaviors, the perspective developed here highlights the possible contestation regarding the merit and promise of a given action or initiative. An action may be viewed as exploratory from an observer’s perspective, while that same action may be considered exploitive from the perspective of the focal actor. The argument highlights the alternative beliefs and cognitive schemas by which promising behaviors and initiatives are evaluated. Validating actions to others, either ex ante or ex post, requires either the validation of particular dimensions of performance or the casting of “shadows” on the dimension of performance valued by others.

The role of cognitive schemas in the relationship between attachment style and emotional intelligence

The current study focuses on the idea that the relationship between attachment styles and emotional intelligence can be influenced by cognitive schemas. It is well known that the first interaction between the child and his mother lays the foundations of attachment. The extent to which it develops guides the individual throughout his life making him responsible for his own actions and decisions. In this way studying the three variables becomes the main objective of the study. The data were collected on an online form, using the snowball method by which subjects were able to share the questionnaire to acquaintances to gather a larger number of people. The study was attended by 281 people aged between 18 to 40 years, M = 21.98, SD = 4.10, of which, 52 were males (18.50%) and 229 females (81.50%), 134 were single (47.69%) and 147 were in a relationship (52.31%), 48 people come from single-parent families (17.08%) and 233 come from two-parent families (82.92%). The results were as expected, secure attachment constitutes a significant positive predictor of emotional intelligence while the anxious attachment was a significant negative predictor of emotional intelligence. The results also showed that avoidant attachment would be a significant positive predictor of emotional intelligence. Following the results it was observed that there is a mediation between cognitive schema and the relationship between attachment styles and emotional intelligence. The secure attachment style was significantly negatively associated with all three types of schemas as expected.