Impulsive behavior in humans partly relates to inappropriate overvaluation of reward-associated stimuli. Hence, it is desirable to develop methods of behavioral modification that can reduce stimulus value. Here, we tested whether one kind of behavioral modification--the rapid stopping of actions in the face of reward-associated stimuli--could lead to subsequent devaluation of those stimuli. We ...

Uncertainty is an omnipresent force in peoples' lives that has been shown to amplify the negative impact of aversive events. This amplified aversiveness, together with the negative attitudes that individuals can have toward uncertainty, suggests that a cue indicating uncertainty about future events might be associated with biased expectancies of negative outcomes or biased contingency estimates...

Certain behavioral expressions of sensory modulation disorder (SMD) such as distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are often similar to those of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in pediatric and adult populations. There is also a high comorbidity rate between these two diagnoses and absence of research regarding the objective neuropsychological differentiation between th...

There are two essential components of pain: discriminative and affective. The discriminative component includes the ability to identify the stimulus as originating from somatic or visceral tissue, determine some of the physical properties of the stimulus, and localize it in space, time, and along a continuum of intensities. The affective component is the experience of aversiveness which motivat...

WILSON, M. C. AND C. R. SCHUSTER. 67rolhlergic influence on intravenous cocaine self-administration by rhesus monkeys. PHARMAC. BIOCHEM. BEIIAV. 1(6) 643-649, 1973.-The effects of intramuscular administration of atropine, methylatropine and physostigmine on intravenous cocaine self-administration in the rhesus monkey were ascertained. Atropine (0.5-2.0 mg/kg) increased cocaine intake, whereas m...

BACKGROUND Contemporary theories of motor control propose that motor planning involves the prediction of the consequences of actions. These predictions include the associated costs as well as the rewarding nature of movements' outcomes. Within the estimation of these costs and rewards would lie the valence, that is, the pleasantness or unpleasantness of a given stimulus with which one is about ...

BACKGROUND Patients suffering chronic pain are at high risk of suffering long-lasting emotional disturbances characterized by persistent low mood and anxiety. We propose that this might be the result of a functional impairment in noradrenergic circuits associated with locus coeruleus (LC) and prefrontal cortex, where emotional and sensorial pain processes overlap. METHODS We used a chronic co...

Quantitative analysis of empirical data from online social networks reveals group dynamics in which emotions are involved [1]. Full understanding of the underlying mechanisms, however, remains a challenging task. Using agent-based computer simulations, in this paper we study dynamics of emotional communications in online social networks. The rules that guide how the agents interact are motivate...

This study assessed the effects of hearing aids on the perception of tinnitus using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). THI benefit scores (unaided-aided) were examined in relation to hearing aid benefit as measured with the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) inventory. The THI benefit was also related to the users' ratings of overall satisfaction with their hearing aids. Thi...