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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Positron emission tomography (PET) with the radioligand [(11)C]-D-deprenyl has shown increased signal at location of pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic whiplash injury. The binding site of [(11)C]-D-deprenyl in peripheral tissues is suggested to be mitochondrial monoamine oxidase in cells engaged in post-traumatic inflammation and tissue repair processes. The association between [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake and the transition from acute to chronic pain remain unknown. Further imaging studies of musculoskeletal pain at the molecular level would benefit from establishing a clinical model in a common and well-defined injury in otherwise healthy and drug-naïve subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate if [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake would be acutely elevated in unilateral ankle sprain and if tracer uptake would be reduced as a function of healing, and correlated with pain localizations and pain experience.

METHODS: Eight otherwise healthy patients with unilateral ankle sprain were recruited at the emergency department. All underwent [(11)C]-D-deprenyl PET/CT in the acute phase, at one month and 6-14 months after injury.

RESULTS: Acute [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake at the injury site was a factor of 10.7 (range 2.9-37.3) higher than the intact ankle. During healing, [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake decreased, but did not normalize until after 11 months. Patients experiencing persistent pain had prolonged [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake in painful locations.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The data provide further support that [(11)C]-D-deprenyl PET can visualize, quantify and follow processes in peripheral tissue that may relate to soft tissue injuries, inflammation and associated nociceptive signaling. Such an objective correlate would represent a progress in pain research, as well as in clinical pain diagnostics and management.

Knowledge of etiological mechanisms underlying whiplash-associated disorders is incomplete. Localisation and quantification of peripheral musculoskeletal injury and inflammation in whiplash-associated disorders would facilitate diagnosis, strengthen patients' subjective pain reports, and aid clinical decisions, all of which could lead to improved treatment. In this longitudinal observational study, we evaluated combined [11C]-D-deprenyl positron emission tomography and computed tomography after acute whiplash injury and at 6-month follow-up. Sixteen adult patients (mean age 33 years) with whiplash injury grade II were recruited at the emergency department. [11C]-D-deprenyl positron emission tomography and computed tomography, subjective pain levels, self-rated neck disability, and active cervical range of motion were recorded within 7 days after injury and again at 6-month follow-up. Imaging results showed possible tissue injuries after acute whiplash with an altered [11C]-D-deprenyl uptake in the cervical bone structures and facet joints, associated with subjective pain locale and levels, as well as self-rated disability. At follow-up, some patients had recovered and some showed persistent symptoms and reductions in [11C]-D-deprenyl uptake correlated to reductions in pain levels. These findings help identify affected peripheral structures in whiplash injury and strengthen the idea that positron emission tomography and computed tomography detectable organic lesions in peripheral tissue are relevant for the development of persistent pain and disability in whiplash injury.

The understanding of etiological mechanisms of whiplash associated disorder is still inadequate. Objective visualization and quantification of peripheral musculoskeletal injury and possible painful inflammation in whiplash associated disorder would facilitate diagnosis, strengthen patients’ subjective pain reports and aid clinical decisions eventually leading to better treatments. In the current study, we further evaluated the potential to use [¹¹C]D-deprenyl PET/CT to visualize inflammation after whiplash injury. Sixteen patients with whiplash injury grade II were recruited at the emergency department and underwent [¹¹C]D-deprenyl PET/CT in the acute phase and at 6 months after injury. Subjective pain levels, self rated neck disability and active cervical range of motion were recorded at each imaging session. Results showed that the molecular aspects of inflammation and possible tissue injuries after acute whiplash injury could be visualized, objectively quantified and followed over time with [¹¹C]-D-deprenyl PET/CT. An altered [¹¹C]D-deprenyl uptake in the cervical bone structures and facet joints was associated with subjective pain levels and self rated disability during both imaging occasions. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of affected peripheral structures in whiplash injury and strengthens the idea that PET/CT detectable organic lesions in peripheral tissue may be relevant for the development of persistent pain and disability in whiplash injury.

Perspective: This article presents a novel way of objectively visualizing possible structural damage and inflammation that cause pain and disability in whiplash injury. This PET method can bring an advance in pain research and eventually would facilitate the clinical management of patients in pain.

Tiden för högskolestudier är en avgörande period i många unga människors liv då den utgör en övergång från tonåren till vuxenlivet, och det är under dessa år som många typer av psykisk ohälsa har sin debut. Syftet med denna studie var att utvärdera en pilotenkät som var grunden för en ny forskningsinfrastruktur med syfte att kartlägga och förebygga psykisk ohälsa hos studenter med befintlig ohälsa eller som är i riskgrupp att utveckla psykisk ohälsa, samt behandla psykisk ohälsa via digitala insatser på universitet och högskolor. För att kunna ge behandling där behov identifierats kommer framtida enkäter behöva vara av konfidentiell art. Därför syftade denna studie att undersöka hur olika grader av integritetsintrång påverkar benägenheten hos studenter med stigmatiserande erfarenheter att svara på en enkät om psykisk ohälsa. Studien ämnade också undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan stigmatiserande erfarenheter och psykisk ohälsa i form at substansbruk, våld, suicidalitet och sexuell lägging. Resultaten visar att integritetsintrång inte har någon effekt på studenters benägenhet att svara på frågor av känslig natur. Vidare visar resultaten att det finns ett samband mellan stigmatiserande erfarenheter i form av substansbruk, suicidalitet, våld samt sexuell läggning och psykisk ohälsa i form av överlag upplevd psykisk ohälsa och/eller depression eller ångest under livstiden och de senaste 12 månaderna. 

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective for treating eating disorders but it may be difficult to reach patients living far from urban centers. Mobile video-based psychotherapy may potentially improve service reach but has not yet been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mobile video-based CBT for eating disorder and to explore the feasibility to use this technology in clinical care.

METHODS:

A controlled single case multiple baseline design was used which allowed for statistical analyses with randomization tests and non-overlap of all pairs (NAP). Five patients in the first stage of eating disorder treatment were included and the main outcome variable was daily meal frequency. Secondary outcome variables included eating disorder symptoms, psychological distress and treatment satisfaction.

RESULTS:

The treatment resulted in a significant (p < .01) increase in daily meal frequency with medium to large effect sizes (combined NAP = .89). Four participants reported reliable improvements in eating disorder symptoms and three reported improvements in mood. The participants reported high satisfaction with the treatment and with the mobile video-application despite some technical problems.

LIMITATIONS:

Self-reported data on eating behavior is prone to be biased and the results of single case studies may have limited generalizability.

CONCLUSION:

CBT can be delivered effectively via a mobile video application and, despite some technological issues, can be well received by patients. All participants in this study had previous low access to mental health services and reported high satisfaction with the treatment format.

Musik väcker olika emotioner inom oss som bidrar till arousal. Tidigare studier har fått blandade resultat när de försökt visa att arousal från musik leder till att vi finner varandra mer attraktiva. Denna studie ämnar visa att musiken påverkar vid bedömningen av andras attraktion. Ett kvasi-experiment genomfördes med oberoende variablerna musik och kön med vardera två lägen samt den beroende variabeln attraktion. Deltagarna i experimentgruppen fick svara på en enkät och skatta 15 bilder på motsatt kön samtidigt som de lyssnade på en låt från topplistan. Låten valdes utifrån arousal och valence enligt Circumplex-modellen som systematiserar emotioner (Russel, 1980). Kontrollgruppen svarade på samma enkät men utan musik. Resultatet visar på en icke signifikant huvudeffekt av musik, en icke signifikant interaktionseffekt av kön och musik. Studien visade ingen signifikant effekt av musikalisk erfarenhet på skattad attraktivitet.

The main purpose of the present study is to explore infants' ability to comprehend task manipulation, and whether they can feed themselves with a spoon when food has to be retrieved through a slit in a lid placed over a plate. To access the food, the infant has to align the bowl of the spoon with the slit. The orientation of the slit is manipulated, and certain orientations require more elaborate modifications of the feeding action than others. The infants are observed at monthly intervals, from 12 to 17 months of age. The presence of the lid affects the behaviour of the infants at all ages. Some behaviours become more immature. The infants grasp the spoon with more primitive grasp configurations, they grasp the spoon less consistently at the top of the handle, and they orient the spoon less consistently, with its bowl facing upwards. These differences decrease with age. The infants also make attempts to adjust to the constraints of the task, mainly by inclining the spoon more vertically, and rotating the hand in such a way as to align the spoon with the orientation of the slit. These adjustments improve with age.

The main purpose of the present study is to explore infants’ability to comprehend task manipulation, and whether they canfeed themselves with a spoon when food has to be retrievedthrough a slit in a lid placed over a plate. To access the food, theinfant has to align the bowl of the spoon with the slit. Theorientation of the slit is manipulated, and certain orientationsrequire more elaborate modifications of the feeding action thanothers. The infants are observed at monthly intervals, from 12 to17 months of age. The presence of the lid affects the behaviourof the infants at all ages. Some behaviours become more immature.The infants grasp the spoon with more primitive graspconfigurations, they grasp the spoon less consistently at the topof the handle, and they orient the spoon less consistently, withits bowl facing upwards. These differences decrease with age.The infants also make attempts to adjust to the constraints of thetask, mainly by inclining the spoon more vertically, and rotatingthe hand in such a way as to align the spoon with the orientationof the slit. These adjustments improve with age.

Forming predictions about what is going to happen next is a crucial ability that develops early in life. Theory and some empirical evidence suggest that predictive abilities may be impaired in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The overarching aim of this thesis is to investigate early measures of prediction in relation to concurrent and later outcomes in typical and atypical development, with a particular focus on ASD and related behavioral problems.

In Study I, we used motion capture technology to examine prospective motor control and its relationship to executive functions in typically developing 18-month-olds. Our findings showed that motor control is associated with executive functioning in infancy.

Study II investigated motor control in infants at low and elevated likelihood for ASD and examined how these measures relate to later development. We found group differences as well as similarities in motor control in 10-months-olds with and without a familial history of ASD. Early motor measures were related to general developmental level, but not ASD symptomatology in toddlerhood.

Using eye tracking, Study III examined how infants with later ASD and neurotypical infants form predictions about visual object motion. Our findings indicated that infants with later ASD were able to form predictions about object motion and adapt to simple changes in motion patterns, and that their performance did not differ from the performance of neurotypical infants.

In Study IV, we surveyed parents about their experiences during participation in an infant sibling study of ASD as a first step to understanding the benefits and risks associated with this type of research. Parents were generally positive about their experiences both from their own perspective as well as, the child’s perspective.

This thesis illustrates the potential of using advanced technology, such as motion tracking and eye tracking, to study and compare prediction in typical and atypical development. It points to the important role of prediction and motor control for child development, but fails to find a specific link to ASD.