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PubMed2003

Early social deprivation alters monoaminergic afferents in the orbital prefrontal cortex of Octodon degus.

The influence of early parental deprivation on the development of tyrosine hydroxylase- and 5-hydroxytryptamine-immunoreactive fiber innervation of subregions of the orbital prefrontal cortex (ventrolateral orbital, lateral orbital and agranular insular cortex) was quantitatively investigated in the precocious lagomorph Octodon degus. Forty-five-day-old degus from two groups were compared: 1) degus which were repeatedly separated from their parents during the first three postnatal weeks, and after weaning they were reared in social isolation; and 2) degus which were reared undisturbed in their families. Compared with the normal control animals the ventrolateral orbital prefrontal cortex and agranular insular cortex of the deprived animals displayed significantly increased density of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive fibers (up to 172% in the ventrolateral orbital prefrontal cortex and up to 143% in the agranular insular cortex). The lateral orbital prefrontal cortex showed increased 5-hydroxytryptamine-positive fiber densities (up to 118%). This altered balance between the serotonergic and dopaminergic cortical innervation in the orbital prefrontal cortex may reflect an anatomical and functional adaptation, which may be triggered by an altered activity of these transmitter systems during the phases of parental separation and social isolation.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed2003

Validity of the Nottingham Health Profile in a Finnish out-patient population with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life of 122 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), which is a generic quality-of-life instrument, and to compare the results with those of 99 healthy local control subjects. METHODS: Our patient group represented consecutive out-patients from a central hospital. The NHP contains 38 items, each with a weighted score, that assess subjective distress on six dimensions: mobility, pain, energy, sleep, emotional reactions and social isolation. RESULTS: The median (age-adjusted) NHP scores for mobility, pain and energy showed statistically highly significant differences (P < 0.001) between the RA patients and the control group, indicating a poorer quality of life among the RA patients on all these dimensions. These NHP dimensions were also closely related to patients' experience of their overall health status. The NHP scores for sleep, emotional reaction and social isolation did not differ between the patients and the controls. CONCLUSION: The NHP, an instrument for assessing health-related quality of life, differentiated RA patients from local healthy individuals on the dimensions of mobility, energy and pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Postweaning housing conditions and partner preference and sexual behavior of neonatally ATD-treated male rats.

Male rats were neonatally treated with cholesterol or a substance that blocks the aromatization of testosterone to estradiol (1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione: ATD). At weaning (21 days) they were either housed alone or in small groups (2-3 animals) and tested for partner preference behavior (PPB) in adulthood. Choice was between an estrous female and an active male (Part I) and between an estrous female and an ATD-male (Part II). Tests were carried out in a 3-compartment box. Social isolation did not have major effects on PPB except when sexual interaction with the stimulus animals was prevented (Part I). In this case, isolates (ATD and control) showed higher preference scores (PS) for the estrous female and spent less time in the empty middle compartment. When the choice was between an estrous female and an ATD-male, partner PS decreased in all males, most clearly in ATD-males. The latter animals spent more time with the stimulus ATD-male than they had done in previous PPB tests with the normal stimulus male. In contrast to partner preference behaviors, sexual behavior was clearly affected by social isolation. Isolates (ATD and control) displayed lower frequencies of mounts and intromissions. These effects persisted over consecutive tests. Ejaculation was not affected. In conclusion, the present results confirm earlier findings about the significance of neonatal endocrine conditions for the organization of adult PPB in male rats. The presence or absence of social conspecifics after weaning appears to have little influence on adult PPB.

Androstatrienes↗
PubMed2000

Negative correlates of computer game play in adolescents.

There is some concern that playing computer games may be associated with social isolation, lowered self-esteem, and aggression among adolescents. Measures of these variables were included in a questionnaire completed by 204 year eight students at a North London comprehensive school. Principal components analysis of a scale to assess needs fulfilled by game play provided some support for the notion of 'electronic friendship' among boys, but there was no evidence that game play leads to social isolation. Play was not linked to self-esteem in girls, but a negative relationship was obtained between self-esteem and frequency of play in boys. However, self-esteem was not associated with total exposure to game play. Aggression scores were not related to the number of games with aggressive content named among three favourite games, but they were positively correlated with total exposure to game play. A multiple regression analysis revealed that sex and total game play exposure each accounted for a significant but small amount of the variance in aggression scores. The positive correlation between playing computer games and aggression provides some justification for further investigation of the causal hypothesis, and possible methodologies are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Environmentally induced differences in susceptibility of rats to CNS stimulants and CNS depressants: evidence against a unitary explanation.

It has been suggested that socially isolated rats are more aroused then rats raised in social groups. This hypothesis was tested by examining amphetamine-induced activity and stereotypy in social and isolated rats of both sexes in both the active and inactive phases of their diurnal activity cycle. In socially raised rats it was possible to produce behavioural profiles similar to those of isolated rats by increasing the arousal level of the social rat. However, the complex interaction of housing conditions, diurnal variation and gender with drug dose suggests that one intervening variable such as arousal is too simplistic an explanation. In subsequent experiments, stereotypy was enhanced by a familiar environment, and there was a clear dissociation between the effects of CNS stimulants and CNS depressants. The increased susceptibility of isolates to CNS stimulants depends on social isolation for a short period before 45 days of age; the decreased susceptibility of isolates to CNS depressants may be produced by isolation at any age. We conclude that there is no evidence that isolated rats are hyperaroused.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Loneliness and neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and inflammatory stress responses in middle-aged men and women.

Loneliness is a psychological experience related to social isolation and perceived lack of companionship, and may be relevant to health risk. The revised UCLA loneliness scale was completed by 240 working men and women aged 47-59 years, and related to affective state and neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and inflammatory responses. Loneliness scores were not associated with gender, age or socioeconomic position, but were lower in married than single or divorced participants, and were positively related to social isolation, low emotional support, ratings of depression, hopelessness and low self-esteem, and to reported sleep problems. Diastolic blood pressure reactions to acute mental stress were positively correlated with loneliness in women but not men, independently of age, socioeconomic status, smoking, body mass and marital status (p = 0.014). Lonely individuals also displayed significantly greater fibrinogen (p = 0.038) and natural killer cell responses (p = 0.042) to stress, independently of covariates. The cortisol response over the first 30 min following waking was positively associated with loneliness after adjusting for waking cortisol value, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking, time of waking, and body mass (p = 0.046). We conclude that loneliness is a psychological experience with potentially adverse effects on biological stress processes that may be relevant to health.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prevention of late life suicide: when, where, why and how.

Suicide in late life is discussed from the perspective of four guidelines derived from preventive medicine; preventive efforts (1) are beneficial in proportion both to the prevalence and severity of a disease, (2) must consider how the outcome might affect individuals and society as a whole, (3) should take into account biological, psychological and social dimensions, (4) can only be effective if important and 'alterable' risk factors are identified. Possible risk factors for late life suicide which may be altered include social isolation, stressful circumstances, and affective disorder. Primary prevention may involve outreach programs to decrease social isolation, secondary prevention may include education of primary care physicians, and tertiary prevention may, in patients with severe affective disorder, include hospitalization and aggressive somatic therapies.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

The lived experiences of homeless men.

To investigate the phenomenon of social disaffiliation in homeless men, a qualitative study was conducted that used a framework of Bahr's (1973) social disaffiliation theory. Ten homeless men were interviewed to determine their reasons for becoming homeless, their feelings about being homeless, and the specific resources they used for maintaining life on the streets. Using a semistructured interview, audiotapes were made of the responses of the 10 men, 20 to 61 years old, who were using a shelter for the homeless in a U.S. southern city. For data analysis, Giorgi's phenomenological approach (cited in Omery, 1983) was used. Activities and resources that the men used to meet their social, economic, and other needs were described. The following three major themes were identified: rejection, uncertainty, and social isolation. Recommendations include changing nursing curricula and conducting staff development programs, testing interventions to alleviate social isolation, and assisting the homeless to return to the societal mainstream.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

Conceptions of life situation among next-of-kin of haemodialysis patients.

The presence of renal disease in a family is a strain on both the patient and the next-of-kin, affecting their life situations. Surprisingly, few studies dealing with the ways that the next-of-kin experience their situation are available. The aim of this study was to describe how the next-of-kin of haemodialysis patients conceive their life situation. Data were collected by interviewing 12 people who live with someone with dialysis-treated renal disease and analysed according to a qualitative method inspired by the phenomenographic approach. Six description categories of how the subjects construed their life situation emerged: a feeling of confinement; a feeling of social isolation; a feeling that the way of life has changed; a feeling of security in life; a feeling of a threatening future; and promoting health. The next-of-kin generally expressed a large degree of commitment to and concern for the sick person. In spite of their life situation having been dramatically changed, the next-of-kin described an ability to adapt. With the help of society the feelings of confinement and social isolation can be dispersed, enabling the next-of-kin to promote the health of the sick person. A suggestion for further research is to study what adaptation strategies next-of-kin use in their life situation.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

Role of neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone in antipsychotic-like action of olanzapine in rodents.

Olanzapine increases brain allopregnanolone (ALLO) levels sufficiently to modulate neuronal activity by allosterically regulating GABAA receptors. Recently, we reported the antipsychotic-like profile of ALLO in rodents. The present study examined the hypothesis that olanzapine-induced elevation of endogenous neurosteroid ALLO is vital for its neuroleptic-like action. The conditioned avoidance response (CAR) and apomorphine-induced climbing behavioral paradigms were used in rodents. Administration of ALLO (1 microg, intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.)) or neurosteroidogenic agents such as the mitochondrial diazepam binding inhibitor receptor agonist, FGIN 1-27 (0.5 microg, i.c.v.) or the ALLO precursor, progesterone (10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly potentiated olanzapine-induced blockade of CAR and apomorphine-induced climbing. In contrast, these agents failed to alter the antipsychotic-like effect of risperidone and haloperidol. On the other hand, inhibition of the endogenous biosynthesis of neurosteroids by the 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor, trilostane (30 mg/kg, i.p.), the 3alpha-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase inhibitor, indomethacin (5 mg/kg, i.p.), or the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) (1 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the effect of olanzapine, but not of risperidone and haloperidol. Socially isolated animals, known to exhibit decreased brain ALLO and GABAA receptor functions, displayed a shortening in the muscimol-induced loss of righting reflex and an increased susceptibility to apomorphine-induced climbing. Administration of olanzapine, but not of haloperidol and risperidone, normalized the duration of muscimol-elicited loss of righting reflex. Although all three antipsychotics proved capable of antagonizing the apomorphine-induced climbing, a dose almost five times higher of olanzapine was required in socially isolated animals. The data obtained suggest that enhancement of the GABAergic tone plays a key role in the antipsychotic-like effect exerted by olanzapine in rodents, likely as a consequence of augmented levels of neuroactive steroids, in particular ALLO, in the brain. The present findings provide the first specific behavioral evidence in support of the hypothesis that neuroactive steroid ALLO- mediated GABAergic modulation is essential for the antipsychotic-like action of olanzapine.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Alcohol Control Policies, Alcohol Consumption, and Alcoholism.

This study evaluates the implications of two alcoholism prevention models. The single distribution (log-normal) model posits that the average level of consumption in a society is sufficient to account for the rate of alcoholism; the sociocultural model suggests that variables other than consumption account for alcoholism. Factor analysis and multiple regression were used to assess interstate differences in average alcohol consumption and alcoholism rates. Consumption, controlling for alcoholism rate, was found not wholly to be an economic phenomenon but rather was predicted by urban conditions (a factor measuring unintegrated foreign-born and minority groups and external social control) and two alcohol availability factors. Alcoholism rate was predicted by urban conditions and a social isolation factor, isolated females. Consumption was not a significant predictor of alcoholism in this multivariable analysis. It was concluded that it is an oversimplification to view alcoholism merely as an extension of heavy drinking. Availability is not a unitary dimension and appears, furthermore, to have little potential utility in controlling consumption of alcoholism. Neither of the two availability factors was related to alcoholism; bootlegging appears to be a compensatory mechanism for offsetting low legal availability. The results imply that alcohol control policies and alcoholism prevention need to be directed toward alleviating anomie and social isolation. A variety of efforts toward these ends are suggested: senior citizens programs, minority employment programs, English enhancement training for the foreign-born, etc.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Does a relationship exist between the quality of stress and the motivation to ingest alcohol?

Previous experimental findings on the relationship between emotional stress and motivation to ingest alcohol are contradictory. To obtain information about this relationship we tested the effects on alcohol consumption in rats subjected to two types of chronic unavoidable stressors, intermittent immobilization and social isolation, which differ in their influence on the functional state of the endogenous opioid system. To characterize the nature and magnitude of the stress induced by these stressors, we measured their effects on functional parameters which have a close relationship to the regulatory influence of endogenous opioid peptides (endogenous opioid dependence, pain sensitivity, blood pressure). Our investigations have shown that chronic intermittent immobilization, which induced development of endogenous opioid dependence, presumably due to activation of endogenous opioid systems, did not produce increased alcohol consumption. On the contrary, chronic social isolation, which did not induce development of endogenous opioid dependence, was followed by a significant increase in alcohol consumption. It is concluded that not all types of stress produce increased alcohol consumption, but that the effect on the endogenous opioid system may be a decisive factor in determining whether a stressor produces increased alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acute confusional states in patients undergoing hip surgery. a prospective observation study.

BACKGROUND: There is general agreement that acute confusional state (ACS) is common among elderly patients admitted to hospital, although exact figures are difficult to obtain. The objective of the current study was to investigate the onset of ACS during hospital stay and to isolate possible predisposing, facilitating and precipitating factors associated with the onset of ACS. METHODS: Non-confused patients, greater than or = 65 years of age, undergoing orthopedic hip surgery, were consecutively included in the study (n = 225). Of these, 149 patients were operated on because of acute hip fracture and 76 underwent elective hip-replacement surgery. ACS was diagnosed by the DSM-IV criteria for delirium. Structured observations of ACS onset were performed every 2nd to every 4th hour during the patients' entire hospital stay. A protocol was used to document the observations on sleep, activities, well being and behavior. The Mini-Mental State Examination was used to measure cognitive functioning. RESULTS: Of 225 patients 20% were diagnosed with ACS. The incidence of ACS was 24.3% in the group of hip-fractured patients and 11.7% in the hip-replacement surgery patients. The onset of ACS was postoperative (mean 24 +/- 21 h after surgery) in all but 8 patients. The duration of ACS among recovered patients was generally less than 48 h (mean 42 +/- 43 h). Predisposing factors were older age, cognitive impairment and pre-existing cerebrovascular or other brain diseases. Facilitating factors related to ACS were associated with communication and social isolation, e.g. impaired hearing and sight, reticence and passivity. One precipitating factor, besides surgery, may be the use of psychopharmacological drugs. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ACS was 20% among hip surgery patients. Older age and social isolation were factors associated with ACS. Increased attention and interaction with older patients could be of value in avoiding ACS during hospitalization.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Changes in life-style in men under sixty years of age before and after acute myocardial infarction: a case-control study.

A case-control study was conducted to examine the presence of psychosocial factors before, during, and after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Dutch men under sixty years of age. The study included 42 AMI patients and 48 individuals in an age-adjusted sampled control group. The psychological factors included high level of psychological stress, of social isolation, type A1 and A2 behavior, and mental depression. They were assessed by means of the Health Insurance Questionnaire of Greater New York. Univariate analysis indicated that the presence of psychological factors was common at the onset of the myocardial infarction (MI). It clearly diminished, however, after the MI had taken place. In a stepwise logistic regression analysis after adjustment for the independent variables hypertension, cholesterol, and smoking, the following three characteristics were independently related to the risk of MI: no talking (item of social isolation, P = 0.008), need to excel (item of type A1 behavior, P = 0.04), and blue feeling (item of mental depression, P = 0.09). The authors conclude that in men under 60 with AMI, the presence of psychosocial characteristics is common and that this group is going to change its life-style soon after the MI, even without any psychosocial rehabilitation therapy. Follow-up studies investigating the influence of psychological factors on survival and reinfarction should be adjusted for these changes in life-style.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Ontogeny of behavioral inhibition induced by unfamiliar adult male conspecifics in preweanling rats.

Previous studies showed that when socially isolated at 22 degrees C, postnatal day 14 rats, but not younger day 7 rats, reduce their emission of ultrasonic vocalizations when exposed to an unfamiliar adult male rat, a naturalistic threat. Because ultrasound production is associated with factors such as age and body temperature, this study examined in age-appropriate thermoneutral temperature ranges whether preweanling rats of different ages are equally capable of inhibiting their emission of ultrasounds when threatened. In Experiment 1, 7- and 14-day-old rats were socially isolated and exposed to unfamiliar anesthetized adult male rats in a thermoneutral environment. Only 14-day-old rats significantly reduced their emission of ultrasounds. This reduction in ultrasound production was accompanied by freezing. In Experiment 2, additional ages were examined under identical test conditions. At 3, 6, and 9 days of age, pups frequently emitted ultrasounds when exposed to the anesthetized male rat. However, at 12 days of age, rat pups responded to the anesthetized male rat by freezing and significantly reducing their emission of ultrasounds. Results indicate clearly that under the present testing conditions the ability of rat pups to inhibit ultrasounds and freeze when threatened is not present at birth but emerges by the end of the second postnatal week.

Aggression↗
PubMed1990

Staff interaction with vocally disruptive demented patients compared with demented controls.

This study addressed the effect of social isolation on vocally disruptive demented patients (V); the results center on the amount of time patients spent in interactions, and the differences in type and time of staff-patient interaction (IA), compared to controls (C). Semi-structured observations were collected (1100 hours) for 37 vocally disruptive patients and 37 controls, all residents of psychogeriatric wards. Quantitative analysis revealed a low frequency of interactions, elicited mainly for procedural matters and short duration of most interaction episodes. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant difference in the type of interaction: there was more correction of undesired behaviour for vocally disruptive patients than for controls. The results show that social isolation is part of the institutionalized demented patients' life. The dominance of short interaction episodes could contribute to overstimulation. The only significant difference found was the frequency of corrective interactions in the group of vocally disruptive patients. We conclude that this is not the cause of their behaviour, but it may reinforce it. Other factors that might cause and maintain this behaviour require investigation.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Early maternal deprivation and prepulse inhibition: the role of the postdeprivation environment.

Early postnatal maternal deprivation leads to a variety of biochemical and behavioural alterations in the offspring, some of which do not develop until adulthood, like deficits in prepulse inhibition. Since a number of these deficits are similar to abnormalities observed in schizophrenic patients, maternal deprivation has been proposed as an interesting model for schizophrenia. However, little is still known about the processes that determine these long-term consequences. Previous experiments showed that the strain of rats and the deprivation procedure are important factors. In the present set of experiments, we focussed on the postdeprivation period. We showed that rearing normal Wistar rats in social isolation from weaning disrupts prepulse inhibition. However, if maternally deprived Wistar rats were reared in social isolation, the prepulse inhibition was normal. We further showed that if only half of the litters were maternally deprived at postnatal day 9, the animals had only a small disruption in prepulse inhibition compared to animals that came from litters where all the animals were deprived. In a final experiment, we crossfostered maternally deprived mothers to nondeprived pups and vice versa. This experiment showed that both the nondeprived pups raised by a deprived mother and the deprived pups raised by a nondeprived mother had small deficits in prepulse inhibition. Taken together, these data clearly show that the postdeprivation period is of crucial importance for the development of prepulse inhibition deficits in maternally deprived rats. We present a working model in order to explain the long-term behavioural consequences of maternal deprivation.

Animals↗