Treating Spider Phobics with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: A Controlled Study

1997 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Muris ◽  
Harald Merckelbach
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Specific Phobia ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Exposure Group ◽  
Imaginal Exposure ◽  
Avoidance Test ◽  
Behavioural Avoidance

The present study examined the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of a specific phobia. Twenty-four spider phobic subjects were randomly assigned to either (1) an EMDR group (n=8), (2) an imaginal exposure group (n=8), or (3) a control group (n=8). Both the EMDR and the imaginal exposure group underwent a one-hour treatment. The control group initially received no treatment, and waited for one hour. Next, all groups received exposure in vivo. Treatment outcome was evaluated with a standardized Behavioural Avoidance Test (BAT). No evidence was found for EMDR being more effective than imaginal exposure or waiting list control. In fact, only exposure in vivo therapy resulted in significant improvement on the BAT.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing versus exposure in vivo

1997 ◽  
Vol 171 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Muris ◽  
Harald Merckelbach ◽  
Hans Van Haaften ◽  
Birgit Mayer
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movement ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Level ◽  
Specific Phobia ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Additional Value ◽  
Conductance Level

BackgroundEye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is a relatively new therapeutic technique that has been proposed as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety complaints.MethodWe compared the efficacy of EMDR with that of exposure in viv. in the treatment of a specific phobia. Twenty-two spider-phobic children who met the DSM – III – R criteria for specific phobia participated in the study. Children were treated with one session of exposure in viv. and one session of EMDR in a crossover design. Treatment outcome was evaluated by self-report measures, a behavioural avoidance test and a physiological index (skin conductance level).ResultsResults showed positive effects of EMDR, but also suggest that it is especially self-report measures that are sensitive to EMDR. Improvement on a behavioural measure was less pronounced, and exposure in viv. was found to be superior in reducing avoidance behaviour. With regard to skin conductance level, EMDR and exposure in viv. did not differ.ConclusionsEMDR has no additional value in treatment of this type of animal phobia, for which exposure in viv. is the treatment of choice.

scholarly journals Effect of Acute Increases in Intraocular Pressure on Corneal Pachymetry in Rabbit Eyes Treated with Timolol Maleate

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 314-321
Author(s):  
Cristina Sánchez-Barahona ◽  
Gema Bolívar ◽  
Dimitrios G. Mikropoulos ◽  
Anastasios G. Konstas ◽  
Miguel A. Teus
Keyword(s):  
Intraocular Pressure ◽  
Anterior Chamber ◽  
Central Corneal Thickness ◽  
Corneal Thickness ◽  
Rabbit Model ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Timolol Maleate

Objective: To evaluate in an in vivo rabbit model, the effect of topical timolol maleate therapy on the central corneal thickness response to acute intraocular pressure increases. Method: In this prospective and interventional controlled study, the central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure were measured in vivo in 12 rabbit eyes treated with topical timolol maleate for 1 month and in 12 controls at baseline, and after the intraocular pressure (measured by direct cannulation of the anterior chamber) was increased to 15 and 30 mmHg using a forced saline infusion into the anterior chamber. Results: There were no significant differences in the basal central corneal thickness values (control group, 373.2±12.9 µm; study group, 377.5±19.2 µm, p=0.5) or the central corneal thickness values when the intraocular pressure was increased to 15 mmHg (control group, 335.2±14.3 µm; study group, 330.0±32.1 µm, p=0.6) and to 30 mmHg (study group, 318.8±25.3 µm; control group, 329.8±21.0 µm, p=0.3). Conclusion: Rabbit corneas treated with topical timolol maleate for 1 month did not show a strain response to acute intraocular pressure increases that differed from control eyes. This is in contrast to a previous finding in which rabbit eyes treated with prostaglandin analogues had a greater decrease in central corneal thickness in response to a sudden intraocular pressure increase compared with untreated corneas.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as an Adjunctive Treatment of Unipolar Depression: A Controlled Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Hofmann ◽  
Angelika Hilgers ◽  
Maria Lehnung ◽  
Peter Liebermann ◽  
Luca Ostacoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movement ◽  
Unipolar Depression ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Adjunctive Treatment ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Depressive Episodes

Depression is a severe mental disorder that challenges mental health systems worldwide. About 30% of treated patients do not experience a full remission after treatment, and more than 75% of patients suffer from recurrent depressive episodes. Although psychotherapy and medication can improve remission rates, the success rates of current treatments are limited. In this nonrandomized controlled exploratory study, 21 patients with unipolar primary depression were treated with a mean of 44.5 sessions of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) including an average 6.9 adjunctive sessions of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). A control group (n = 21) was treated with an average of 47.1 sessions of CBT sessions alone. The main outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). The treatment groups did not differ in their BDI-II scores before treatment, and both treatments resulted in significant improvement. There was an additional benefit for patients treated with adjunctive EMDR (p = .029). Also the number of remissions at posttreatment, as measured by a symptom level below a BDI-II score of 12, was significantly better in the adjunctive EMDR group, the group showing more remissions (n = 18) than the control group (n = 8; p < .001). This potential effect of EMDR in patients with primary depression should be examined further in larger randomized controlled studies.

scholarly journals The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roshni LNU ◽  
Mamta Kaushik ◽  
Pallavi Reddy ◽  
Pooja Udameshi ◽  
Neha Mehra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Mutans ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Preventive Therapy ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Distilled Water ◽  
Group A ◽  
Group B

ABSTRACT Objectives Oil pulling is an age-old practice that has gained modern popularity in promoting oral and systemic health. The scientific verification for this practice is insufficient. Thus, this study evaluated the effect of coconut oil pulling on the count of Streptococcus mutans in saliva and to compare its efficacy with that of Chlorhexidine mouthwash: in vivo. The null hypothesis was that coconut oil pulling has no effect on the bacterial count in saliva. Materials and methods A randomized controlled study was planned and 60 subjects were selected. The subjects were divided into three groups, Group A: Study Group: Oil pulling, Group B: Study Group: Chlorhexidine, and Group C: Control Group: Distilled water. Group A subjects rinsed mouth with 10 ml of coconut oil for 10 minutes. Group B subjects rinsed mouth with 5 ml Chlorhexidine mouthwash for 1 minute and Group C with 5 ml distilled water for 1 minute in the morning before brushing. Saliva samples were collected and cultured on 1st day and after 2 weeks from all subjects. Colonies were counted to compare the efficacy of coconut oil and Chlorhexidine with distilled water. Results Statistically significant reduction in S. mutans count was seen in both the coconut oil pulling and Chlorhexidine group. Conclusion Oil pulling can be explored as a safe and effective alternative to Chlorhexidine. Clinical significance Edible oil-pulling therapy is natural, safe and has no side effects. Hence, it can be considered as a preventive therapy at home to maintain oral hygiene. How to cite this article Kaushik M, Reddy P, Roshni, Udameshi P, Mehra N, Marwaha A. The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash. J Contemp Dent Pract 2016;17(1):38-41.

Danger Expectancies, Self-efficacy and Subjective Anxiety as Mediators of Avoidance Behaviour in Spider Phobia

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-137
Author(s):  
Lisa J. Gilroy ◽  
Kenneth C. Kirkby ◽  
Brett A. Daniels ◽  
Ross G. Menzies ◽  
Iain M. Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Specific Phobia ◽  
Avoidance Behaviour ◽  
Spider Phobia ◽  
Avoidance Test ◽  
Cognitive Symptom ◽  
Behavioural Avoidance ◽  
Before And After

AbstractForty-five participants diagnosed with specific phobia (spiders) gave ratings of subjective anxiety, self-efficacy and the probability of being bitten or injured by a spider while completing a behavioural avoidance test involving exposure to a live spider. Testing was performed before and after treatment and at a 3-month follow-up. Results indicated that subjective anxiety was a more useful predictor of avoidance behaviour than self-efficacy. Danger expectancies in relation to being bitten and/or injured by a spider were not found to be a significant cognitive symptom in the majority of spider phobia sufferers during the behavioural avoidance test with a live spider. Methodological factors that may account for the low reporting of danger-related cognitions in the present study are discussed.

Facilitated migration of cells from a transected peripheral nerve over collagen fibers: in vivo observations

1989 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 888-889
Author(s):  
Arthur J. Wasserman ◽  
Azam Rizvi ◽  
George Zazanis ◽  
Frederick H. Silver
Keyword(s):  
Sciatic Nerve ◽  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Collagen Gel ◽  
Collagen Fibers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Silicone Tube ◽  
Thin Sections

In cases of peripheral nerve damage the gap between proximal and distal stumps can be closed by suturing the ends together, using a nerve graft, or by nerve tubulization. Suturing allows regeneration but does not prevent formation of painful neuromas which adhere to adjacent tissues. Autografts are not reported to be as good as tubulization and require a second surgical site with additional risks and complications. Tubulization involves implanting a nerve guide tube that will provide a stable environment for axon proliferation while simultaneously preventing formation of fibrous scar tissue. Supplementing tubes with a collagen gel or collagen plus extracellular matrix factors is reported to increase axon proliferation when compared to controls. But there is no information regarding the use of collagen fibers to guide nerve cell migration through a tube. This communication reports ultrastructural observations on rat sciatic nerve regeneration through a silicone nerve stent containing crosslinked collagen fibers.Collagen fibers were prepared as described previously. The fibers were threaded through a silicone tube to form a central plug. One cm segments of sciatic nerve were excised from Sprague Dawley rats. A control group of rats received a silicone tube implant without collagen while an experimental group received the silicone tube containing a collagen fiber plug. At 4 and 6 weeks postoperatively, the implants were removed and fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde buffered by 0.1 M cacodylate containing 1.5 mM CaCl2 and balanced by 0.1 M sucrose. The explants were post-fixed in 1% OSO4, block stained in 1% uranyl acetate, dehydrated and embedded in Epon. Axons were counted on montages prepared at a total magnification of 1700x. Montages were viewed through a dissecting microscope. Thin sections were sampled from the proximal, middle and distal regions of regenerating sciatic plugs.

Morphometric analysis of peroxisomes in hepatocytes of alcohol-fed rats

1989 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 1100-1101
Author(s):  
D.C. Dominguez ◽  
J.T. Ellzey
Keyword(s):  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Volume Density ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Numerical Density ◽  
Cacodylate Buffer ◽  
Paired Control ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Liver Peroxisomes ◽  
Single Lesion

Peroxisomes which participate in 1ipid metabolism have been shown to be altered in several metabolic disorders and toxic conditions. In alcoholic liver disease, the single lesion most frequently found is lipid accumu1ation in hepatocytes. However, the mechanisms for this 1ipid accumu1ation are not clear. The occurrence of modifications of liver peroxisomes due to excess alcohol consumption has not been subjected to a controlled study. We utilized a combination of cytochemica1 and morphometrictechniques to study the size and number of liver peroxisomes in rats fed an alcohol-supplemented diet compared to those of matched-paired control animals.Male Sprague-Daw1ey rats (400-500 g) received a liquid diet. The experimental group (N = 5/group) was fed a diet containing 30% ethanol-derived calories (EDC) and the control group was fed an isocaloric diet to 30% EDC. A pair feeding procedure was employed to control for caloric intake. Small pieces of liver randomly selected, were fixed in 2.3% -glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, pH 7.2, incubated in a DAB medium and postfixed with. 2% aqueous osmium tetroxide. EM photographs were taken from sections of 3 tissue blocks from each sample (7,200X) with a Zeiss EM10-A (60 kV). With the use of a point counting method and a digital planimeter the volume density (Vv) and numerical density (Nv) were determined.

In-vitro- und In-vivo-Wirkung von Schilddrüsenhormon auf das Wachstum von Neuroblastomzellen

1990 ◽  
Vol 29 (03) ◽  
pp. 120-124
Author(s):  
R. P. Baum ◽  
E. Rohrbach ◽  
G. Hör ◽  
B. Kornhuber ◽  
E. Busse
Keyword(s):  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cells ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Initial Value ◽  
Initial Rise ◽  
Biphasic Effect ◽  
Contrast Microscopy ◽  
Morphological Sign

The effect of triiodothyronine (T3) on the differentiation of cultured neuroblastoma (NB) cells was studied after 9 days of treatment with a dose of 10-4 M/106 cells per day. Using phase contrast microscopy, 30-50% of NB cells showed formation of neurites as a morphological sign of cellular differentiation. The initial rise of the mitosis rate was followed by a plateau. Changes in cyclic nucleotide content, in the triphosphates and in the activity of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) were assessed in 2 human and 2 murine cell lines to serve as biochemical parameters of the cell differentiation induced by T3. Whereas the cAMP level increased significantly (3 to 7 fold compared with its initial value), the cGMP value dropped to 30 to 50% of that of the control group. ATP and GTP increased about 200%, the ODC showed a decrease of about 50%. The present studies show a biphasic effect of T3 on neuroblastoma cells: the initial rise of mitotic activity is followed by increased cell differentiation starting from day 4 of the treatment.

Deep Vein Thrombosis and Fibrinolysis

1991 ◽  
Vol 66 (04) ◽  
pp. 426-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Levi ◽  
Anthonie W A Lensing ◽  
Harry R Büller ◽  
Paolo Prandoni ◽  
Gerard Dooijewaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Vein Thrombosis ◽  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vein Thrombosis ◽  
Type Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Deep Vein

SummaryIn the present study 57 consecutive patients with a first episode of venographically proven deep vein thrombosis were investigated to evaluate the release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) in response to DDAVP stimulation as well as the resting plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) concentration, comparing this to the results obtained in 66 similar patients with a clinical suspicion of thrombosis but with a normal venogram. All assays were performed without knowledge of the patient's status.Four patients in the deep vein thrombosis-group (7%) had an absent u-PA antigen response upon DDAVP infusion, while a normal response was observed in all control subjects. Patients and controls showed similar increases in t-PA antigen level upon DDAVP. High resting PAI antigen levels were encountered in 5 patients in the deep vein thrombosis-group (9%) and in 6 subjects in the control group (9%).The results from this controlled study indicate that a defective release of u-PA may occur in patients with deep vein thrombosis and may have pathogenetic significance. Furthermore it is concluded that elevation of PAI levels cannot be considered as a specific risk factor for venous thrombosis.

Platelet Aggregation in Diabetes Mellitus and the Effect of Insulin in Vivo on Aggregation

1972 ◽  
Vol 27 (01) ◽  
pp. 114-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A Hassanein ◽  
Th. A El-Garf ◽  
Z El-Baz
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Rapid Onset ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Fasting State ◽  
Clotting Time ◽  
Cholesterol Levels ◽  
Platelet Disaggregation ◽  
Aggregation And Disaggregation

SummaryADP-induced platelet aggregation and calcium-induced platelet aggregation tests were studied in 14 diabetic patients in the fasting state and half an hour after an intravenous injection of 0.1 unit insulin/kg body weight. Platelet disaggregation was significantly diminished as compared to a normal control group, and their results were negatively correlated with the corresponding serum cholesterol levels. Insulin caused significant diminution in the ADP-induced platelet aggregation as a result of rapid onset of aggregation and disaggregation. There was also a significant increase in platelet disaggregation. In the calcium-induced platelet aggregation test, there was a significant shortening of the aggregation time, its duration, and the clotting time. The optical density fall due to platelet aggregation showed a significant increase. Insulin may have a role in correcting platelet disaggregation possibly through improvement in the intracellular enzymatic activity.

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