Neural correlates of sex-related differences in attachment dimensions

The purpose of this study was to investigate sex-related differences in the electrophysiological response to socioemotional stimuli (positive, negative, and ambiguous) depicting couple interactions. The associations between anxiety and avoidance attachment dimensions (measured with the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised questionnaire) and the strength of cortico-limbic circuit intensity was explored, recorded using a 256-Hydrocel Geodesic Sensor-Net. Event-related potentials (ERPs) and standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) data were analyzed for a total sample of 74 participants. Regression analyses showed that the women presented increased brain intensity compared with that in men, and the avoidance score was positively associated with brain intensity, particularly in response to negative socioemotional stimuli. The interaction sex per avoidance was a significant predictor of intensity in many brain areas, with women displaying significantly more pronounced positive associations between avoidance and brain intensity than men. In conclusion, the findings of the present study showed that women appeared to be more emotionally involved during the socioemotional task. Avoidance was positively associated with intensity of the cingulate and prefrontal regions, and these associations were more pronounced in women than in men. These findings suggested that avoidance seems to represent two different socioemotional strategies, in which women appear to activate an avoidant strategy to modulate increased emotional involvement in relationships, whereas men appear to adopt avoidance with a more intense emotional suppression.

Temperament and Character Profiles ofSasangTypology in an Adult Clinical Sample

The purpose of this study was to examine the biopsychological personality profiles of traditional KoreanSasangtypology based on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a Korean adult clinical sample. A total of 97 adults completed the Korean version of the TCI. The participants were classified as one of three traditional KoreanSasangtypes (31 So-Yang, 41 Tae-Eum, 25 So-Eum) by three specialists inSasangtypology. The seven dimensions of TCI were compared between the differentSasangtypes using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and profile analysis. There were no significant differences in age, gender and education across theSasangtypes. The TCI profile for each of theSasangtypes was significantly different (profile analysis, df = 5.038,F= 3.546,P= .004). There were significant differences in the temperament dimensions of Novelty Seeking (F= 3.43,P= .036) and Harm Avoidance (F= 5.43,P= .006) among theSasangtypes. The Novelty Seeking score of the So-Yang type (31.90 ± 9.87) was higher than that of the So-Eum type (25.24 ± 9.21;P= .019) while the So-Eum type (44.64 ± 8.47) scored higher on the Harm Avoidance score compared to the So-Yang type (35.16 ± 11.50;P= .003). There were no significant differences in the temperament dimension of Reward Dependence and Persistence, and the three character dimensions of Self-Directedness, Cooperativeness and Self-Transcendence. Results demonstrated distinct temperament traits associated with traditional KoreanSasangtypes using an objective biopsychological personality inventory. With further study, theSasangtypology may lead to enhanced clinical safety and efficacy as part of personalized medicine with traditional medicine.

Predictive Factors in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders with Fluvoxamine and/or Behaviour Therapy

Fisher's stepwise discriminant analysis was carried out on 10 baseline variables searching for posterior prediction of success in a sample of sixty DSM-III obsessive-compulsive patients. The patients' median score on Hamilton rating scale of depression was 19. In a controlled study they were randomized into three groups: fluvoxamine with antiexposure, fluvoxamine with exposure, or placebo with exposure. In the whole sample, five variables accounted for 76% of the correctly classified patients: avoidance score of the behavioural avoidance test, behaviour therapy expectations, fluvoxamine expectations, Beck depression inventory and rituals repetition. High avoidance score predicted 68% of the correctly classified patients in the whole sample. The discriminant function classified correctly 70% of the patients in the antiexposure with fluvoxamine group, versus 75% in the exposure with fluvoxamine group, and 85% of the patients receiving exposure with placebo (χ2, d.f.2, NS).