Biomedical subjects

Craig H Kennedy

Publications and source records attributed to Craig H Kennedy.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A paradoxical effect of presession attention on stereotypy: antecedent attention as an establishing, not an abolishing, operation.

Previous studies have shown that presession attention for problem behavior can serve as an abolishing operation when attention functions as a positive reinforcer. In the current study, we show that the stereotypy of a child with severe disabilities was undifferentiated during standard analogue functional analysis conditions. However, when noncontingent presession attention was provided, stereotypy occurred for social attention as a positive reinforcer, suggesting that the antecedent manipulation functioned as an establishing operation.

Attention↗

PubMed2005

Medical and behavioral symptoms as potential medication side effects in adults with developmental disabilities.

The incidence of medical and behavioral symptoms that could occur as side effects of psychotropic medication was assessed in a sample of 30 adults with developmental disabilities. Using a retrospective chart review method, we measured symptoms in six a priori classes of potential side effects over a 2-year period. The majority of side effects involved apparent effects of the psychotropic medications on behavior, mood, or sleep. Different patterns of changes in medication prescription, in relation to recorded side effects, were observed. Overall, there was a significant positive relation between the number of potential side effects recorded and the number of psychotropic medication changes made. Our findings suggest several patterns of side effects associated with psychotropic medication use.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Descriptive analysis of epileptic seizures and problem behavior in adults with developmental disabilities.

We studied possible relations between seizures and problem behavior in 3 adults with developmental disabilities. Each person was observed for between 56 and 92 days to record occurrences of seizures and problem behavior. Results of our descriptive analysis indicated an association between seizures and problem behavior for each participant. For Stan, most problem behavior occurred following absence seizures. For Tom, problem behaviors only occurred before tonic-clonic seizures but showed no relation to absence seizures. For Mick, problem behaviors began before absence seizures, but no consistent relation was established between problem behavior and tonic-clonic seizures. Findings suggest that seizures and problem behaviors can be associated, but these patterns appear to be highly idiosyncratic across individuals.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Functional analysis of tardive dyskinesia: implications for assessment and treatment.

We conducted an analogue functional analysis contrasting motor tasks with varying types of social consequences for movements associated with tardive dyskinesia (TD) in 2 men who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and TD. Our findings suggest that TD-related movements were not a function of social reinforcement contingencies. However, motor-activation tasks decreased TD-related movements, suggesting a possible novel intervention.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

PubMed2004

Nociceptor and age specific effects of REM sleep deprivation induced hyperalgesia.

REM sleep deprivation (REMSD) has been shown to increase rates of negatively reinforced operant behavior, but not operant responding maintained by positive reinforcement. The reason for this differential effect is currently unknown. We hypothesize that REMSD can increase sensitivity to noxious stimuli. In the present study, we sought to determine if REMSD was associated with a change in response to noxious heat (i.e., altered nociceptive sensitivity). Two groups of rats, aged 6 and 22 months, were subjected to hotplate algesia testing at two different temperatures (44 and 52 degrees C). Initially, baseline numbers of responses and total response time were obtained at 44 degrees C. Animals then were exposed to 48 h of REMSD or control conditions. The frequency and duration of hindpaw responses (licking and guarding) increased for young animals only after REMSD and none of the control conditions. Old rats showed increased duration of nocifensive responding after REMSD and tank control conditions without a change in the number of responses at 44 degrees C. Latency to first nocifensive response was significantly longer in the 44 degrees C hotplate tests, but decreased to levels observed throughout the 52 degrees C hotplate tests following REMSD and TC conditions. These findings suggest that REMSD increases nociceptive sensitivity under conditions of sustained, selective C nociceptor activation (42 degrees C), but not under conditions of phasic A-delta activation (52 degrees C). The findings also indicate that age can be a significant variable in REMSD studies.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Possible role for the 5-HT1A receptor in the behavioral effects of REM sleep deprivation on free-operant avoidance responding in rat.

RATIONALE: REM sleep deprivation (REMSD) has been shown to increase rates of free-operant avoidance responding. Depletion of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) levels produces similar effects on responding. OBJECTIVE: We studied whether the pharmacological activation of the 5-HT1A receptor would produce effects on avoidance responding similar to REMSD and depleted 5-HT levels. METHODS: Rats were trained to lever press on a free-operant avoidance task. Dose-effect functions were established for 8-OH-DPAT (a 5-HT1A receptor agonist) (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) and WAY 100635 (a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist) (0.1-1.0 mg/kg). Rats were then exposed to REMSD (48 h) or equivalent control conditions, and then administered 8-OH-DPAT (0.6 mg/kg) and/or WAY 100635 (0.025-0.1 mg/kg). RESULTS: Injections of 8-OH-DPAT increased rates of avoidance responding in a dose-dependent manner, while WAY 100635 did not alter responding. The effect of 8-OH-DPAT was antagonized by pre-injection of WAY 100635. REMSD and injections of 8-OH-DPAT increased rates of avoidance responding and the effects of both manipulations were reversed by pre-injection of WAY 100635. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of the 5-HT1A receptor may be a mechanism by which REMSD increases rates of free-operant avoidance responding.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗

PubMed2004

Analogue functional analysis of movements associated with tardive dyskinesia.

We studied whether movements associated with tardive dyskinesia (TD) served operant functions in 2 men with developmental disabilities. We found that TD-related movements occurred more frequently in the alone and attention conditions and less frequently in control and demand conditions. Our findings suggest that TD-related movements may not be maintained by social reinforcers and that decreases in TD movements are possibly a result of engagement in activities that are incompatible with TD movements.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

PubMed2004

Effects of a reviewer-prompting strategy on timely manuscript reviews.

We studied a reviewer-prompting system designed to improve the timeliness of journal reviews. The prompting system consisted of an e-mail message sent individually to reviewers noting the manuscript number, review due date, and associated social amenities for the timely completion of the task. Our results indicated that the prompting system increased timely reviews.

Guidelines as Topic↗

PubMed2004

Facts, interpretations, and explanations: a review of Evelyn Fox Keller's Making sense of life.

The job of a researcher is to explain the phenomenon that he or she is seeking to understand. To do this requires the accumulation of facts. These facts are then interpreted to arrive at explanations. However, individual researchers often interpret facts in different ways and arrive at disparate explanations. In her book, Making Sense of Life, Evelyn Fox Keller (2002) outlines various approaches used by developmental biologists to understand the animate systems we call life. In this review, I note several parallels between biology and behavior analysis in how facts are discovered, what is an acceptable interpretation of data, and how explanations are arrived at.

Biology↗

PubMed2003

Increases in avoidance responding produced by REM sleep deprivation or serotonin depletion are reversed by administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan.

Our objective was to directly compare the effects of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation (REMSD) and serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) depletion on free-operant avoidance behavior in rats. These experiments were designed to determine if declining 5-HT levels observed during REMSD might mediate the increases in avoidance responding observed in REM sleep deprived rats. Rats were trained on a free-operant avoidance task. Following training, the animals were assigned to one of three sleep conditions (REMSD, tank control, or cage control). Animals in each sleep condition were exposed to four 5-HT manipulations: (a) saline plus saline; (b) p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) plus saline; (c) saline plus 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and (d) PCPA plus 5-HTP. Both REMSD and 5-HT depletion via PCPA resulted in an increase in avoidance responding that was reversed by administration of 5-HTP. REMSD and 5-HT depletion via PCPA resulted in increased avoidance efficiency and were reversed by 5-HTP administration, but only changes following PCPA injection were statistically significant. Decreases in 5-HT levels that occur during REMSD likely mediate increases in avoidance responding.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

PubMed2003

Variable-interval reinforcement schedule value influences responding following REM sleep deprivation.

The effects of rapid-eye movement sleep deprivation (REMSD) in rats were studied in relation to variable-interval (VI) reinforcement schedule value. Initially, lever pressing was maintained on a VI 30-s schedule of food pellet delivery. After a baseline was established, rats were repeatedly exposed to 96 hr of REMSD and control conditions of an equivalent duration. Responding decreased following REMSD but not after exposure to control conditions. Lever pressing was then maintained on a VI 15-s schedule of food pellet delivery and exposure to the REMSD and control conditions was repeated. Under this condition following repeated REMSD exposures, rates of lever pressing became similar to baseline responding. A VI 30-s schedule of food pellet delivery was then reinstated and REMSD and control conditions were repeated. Lever pressing following exposure to the REMSD condition decreased for 3 of 4 rats. Results suggest that VI schedule value influences the effects of REMSD on responding.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Effects of REM sleep deprivation on a multiple schedule of appetitive reinforcement.

The effects of rapid eye movement sleep deprivation (REMSD) on appetitively reinforced responding by rats was studied in two experiments. In Experiment 1, a lever press was maintained on a baseline multiple FR 30 FI 60-s schedule of reinforcement that was reestablished after each experimental manipulation. Animals were then repeatedly exposed to 24, 48, or 96 h of REMSD and equivalent periods of tank control and cage control conditions. For all animals responding was reduced only after 96 h of REMSD, but tolerance to REMSD developed following repeated exposures. Experiment 2, replicated the procedures of Experiment 1 except that the apparatus was modified to prevent ad libitum access to REMSD during operant sessions. Animals were repeatedly exposed to 96 h of REMSD and equivalent periods of tank control and cage control conditions. No reduction in responding was observed in Experiment 2. The current findings, in conjunction with previous research, suggest that REMSD may have qualitatively different effects on responding maintained by positive versus negative reinforcement.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Differential effects of carbamazepine on negatively versus positively reinforced responding.

To assess its effects on negatively versus positively reinforced operant behavior, carbamazepine (CBZ) or vehicle was acutely administered to rats. Negative reinforcement baselines consisted of a free-operant avoidance task with 5-s shock-shock and 20-s response-shock intervals. Positive reinforcement baselines consisted of responding for food pellets on a variable interval 30-s schedule. Ascending dose-effect functions were established using CBZ for negatively reinforced responding (vehicle, 25, 50, 100 mg/kg ip) and positively reinforced responding (vehicle, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 mg/kg ip). Negatively reinforced responses and avoided shocks were significantly reduced by CBZ injections at 100 mg/kg. Positively reinforced responses and food pellet deliveries were significantly reduced by CBZ injections at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. The results show that CBZ has differential, dose-dependent effects on negatively versus positively reinforced responding.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

The maintenance of behavior change as an indicator of social validity.

This article reviews research pertaining to use of social validity and presents a rationale for expanding the conceptualization and use of this construct. It is proposed that the degree to which obtained treatment gains maintain across time within natural contexts be considered as a primary indicator of social validity. Traditional forms of social validation--subjective evaluation and normative comparison--are presented as measures that, when used within the framework of maintaining behavior change, form an iterative and heuristic process in which behavior change goals, procedures, and outcomes are altered to increase and/or sustain their social value. Procedural guidelines for research using maintenance as the benchmark of social validity are discussed.

Behavior Therapy↗

PubMed2002

Functional analysis of stereotypical ear covering in a child with autism.

We studied stereotypical ear covering in a child with autism. Results of a descriptive analysis were inconclusive but revealed a correlation between ear covering and another child's screaming. An analogue functional analysis showed that ear covering was emitted only when the screaming was present.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Identifying specific sensory modalities maintaining the stereotypy of students with multiple profound disabilities.

In Experiment 1, analogue functional analyses were conducted to identify the functions of stereotypy for six students with multiple profound disabilities. Results indicated that stereotypy (a) occurred across conditions, (b) occurred primarily when alone, or (c) occurred during all sessions except in the Control condition. Experiment 2 analyzed stereotypy while masking visual, auditory, or tactile sensory consequences. Results showed that stereotypy was maintained by visual stimulation, tactile stimulation, or was undifferentiated across conditions. In Experiment 3, we showed that stereotypy could be reduced by providing competing sensory stimulation. In Experiment 4, stereotypy that was undifferentiated in Experiment 1 was analyzed using a concurrent operants procedure. Results showed that stereotypy was not multiply determined, but occurred to produce visual sensory stimulation. Our findings are discussed in terms of the sensory and social reinforcers that maintain stereotypy, assessment procedures used to identify those reinforcers, and the interpretation of assessment results.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Polysomnographic phenotypes in developmental disabilities.

People with developmental disabilities express a number of unique behavioral patterns that have both phylogenetic and ontogenetic origins. Researchers have identified distinct behavioral phenotypes among developmental disabilities expressed as language development, cognitive profiles, adaptive behavior, and self-injury/aggression. In this article, we discuss evidence for the presence of polysomnographic phenotypes in developmental disabilities. Researchers using behavioral and/or electrophysiological measures have identified differences in sleep architecture among people with autism, Down syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. In general, the greater the level of mental retardation, the less time spent in rapid eye movement sleep. The presence of autism or Down syndrome is associated with fewer and briefer bouts of rapid eye movement sleep, and total sleep time. Autism is also associated with greater levels of undifferentiated sleep. These findings for autism and Down syndrome contrast with fragile X syndrome whose sleep architecture anomalies appear to be a function of mental retardation level.

Autistic Disorder↗