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PubMed1999

The validity of the pretreated, unilaterally MPTP-treated monkeys as a model of Parkinson's disease: a detailed behavioural analysis of the therapeutic and undesired effects of the D2 agonist quinpirole and the D1 agonist SKF 81297.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the validity of the pretreated, unilaterally MPTP-treated monkey as an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD). For that purpose, a detailed ethogram was developed and assessed in four male rhesus monkeys that had received MPTP (2.5 mg) in the carotid artery contralateral to the dominant limb. Subsequently, the behavioural effects of the dopamine D2 agonist quinpirole and the dopamine D1 agonist SKF 81297 were studied. The ethogram was found to allow a clear-cut and objective separation of drug-induced behaviours into therapeutic and undesired effects in the MPTP-treated monkeys. Saline-treated monkeys predominantly displayed ipsilateral goal-directed fore-limb movements, and distinct types of ipsilaterally directed rotations. Although quinpirole and SKF 81297 increased motor behaviours, such as body displacement, contralateral fore-limb movements and contralateral rotational behaviours, assessment of the new detailed ethogram revealed that this increase was completely due to the activation of abnormal, non-goal-directed behaviours, such as dyskinetic fore-limb movements, pivoting and shuffling. Moreover, the new ethogram made clear that the drug treatments induced not only dyskinesia and dystonia, but also epileptoid behaviour, which was confirmed by EEG analysis. In summary, the detailed behavioural analysis showed that this model does not adequately predict the clinical effects of the D2 agonist. It is concluded that the pretreated, unilaterally MPTP-treated monkey is not a valid model to predict the therapeutic and undesired effects of dopaminergic drugs in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Effects of fluoxetine on social behaviour and plasma corticosteroid levels in female Mongolian gerbils.

Gerbils are a highly social species and extremely sensitive to social manipulations. In this laboratory, separating male/female pairs has been found to produce significant effects on these animal's subsequent social behaviour. The present studies were conducted in order to examine the effects of a short period of individual housing in females of this species, as this may also be predicted to produce alterations in social responding. It was found that 21 days' individual housing induced a marked reduction in social behaviour directed towards an untreated male placed in the same arena. This was indicated by a highly significant increase in immobile-in-contact, a behaviour that involves females freezing while, and only while, they are being socially investigated. This represents the declining of an invitation to socially interact and so high levels of immobile-in-contact indicate low levels of social motivation. There was also an increase in evading, upon another animal's approach, and a decrease in social investigation of other animals. The effects of 15 days of fluoxetine were found to be highly dependent on housing condition. In individually housed females, 10 mg/kg increased their social investigation of other animals and markedly reduced the duration of immobile-in-contact. Twenty mg/kg also reduced levels of immobile-in-contact and increased the frequency of active approaches towards other animals. Fluoxetine therefore acts to increase social motivation in individually housed animals. By direct contrast, in group-housed female gerbils, fluoxetine had no effects on social behaviour and produced clear indications of sedation. While housing condition had no influence on levels of corticosterone, fluoxetine produced dose-related increases in corticosteroid levels in both group- and individually housed animals. These findings show that: (1) a short period of individual housing induces a significant reduction in these animals' motivation towards social behaviour; (2) the effects of fluoxetine on behaviour are greatly influenced by housing condition--prosocial effects are seen in individually housed animals but only sedative effects are seen in animals maintained in groups; and (3) while housing condition has no effects on levels of corticosterone, fluoxetine dose-dependently stimulates corticosteroid release. It can be concluded that the effects of fluoxetine on gerbil behaviour are independent of its stimulatory influence on HPA axis functioning, and that the prosocial effects of this selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) can only be seen in animals with a pre-existing social deficit.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Perpetration of partner violence and HIV risk behaviour among young men in the rural Eastern Cape, South Africa.

OBJECTIVES: To examine associations between the perpetration of intimate partner violence and HIV risk behaviour among young men in rural South Africa. DESIGN: An analysis of baseline data from men enrolling in a randomized controlled trial of the behavioural intervention, Stepping Stones. METHODS: Structured interviews with 1275 sexually experienced men aged 15-26 years from 70 villages in the rural Eastern Cape. Participants were asked about the type, frequency, and timing of violence against female partners, as well as a range of questions about HIV risk behaviours. RESULTS: A total of 31.8% of men reported the perpetration of physical or sexual violence against female main partners. Perpetration was correlated with higher numbers of past year and lifetime sexual partners, more recent intercourse, and a greater likelihood of reporting casual sex partners, problematic substance use, sexual assault of non-partners, and transactional sex. Men who reported both physical and sexual violence against a partner, perpetration both before and within the past 12 months, or more than one episode of perpetration reported significantly higher levels of HIV risk behaviour than men who reported less severe or less frequent perpetration of violence. CONCLUSION: Young men who perpetrate partner violence engage in significantly higher levels of HIV risk behaviour than non-perpetrators, and more severe violence is associated with higher levels of risky behaviour. HIV prevention interventions must explicitly address the links between the perpetration of intimate partner violence and HIV risk behaviour among men, as well as the underlying gender and power dynamics that contribute to both.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Changing patterns of sexual behaviour in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To describe changing patterns of sexual behaviour in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy among gay/bisexual men in Europe, Canada, USA and Australia. RECENT FINDINGS: While there has been a substantial increase in high-risk sexual behaviour among gay men since 1996, this now appears to be levelling off in some cities. Overall the empirical evidence does not support the suggestion that taking highly active antiretroviral therapy or having an undetectable viral load leads to risky sexual behaviour among people with HIV. Nor can HIV treatment optimism alone explain the recent increase in high-risk sexual behaviour. Since 1996, an increasing number of gay men have begun to use the Internet to look for sexual partners. By serosorting on the Internet, HIV-positive men are more likely to meet online, rather than off-line, other HIV-positive men for unprotected sex. While serosorting does not present a risk of HIV transmission to an uninfected person, it does present a risk of other sexually transmitted infections and co-infection with resistant virus for HIV-positive men themselves. This review also explores emerging behaviours such as barebacking and strategic positioning as well as the role of crystal meth and Viagra. SUMMARY: The review reminds us of the complexity of human and sexual behaviour. Among gay men, sexual behaviour in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy has been characterized by risk reduction and stabilization as well as increasing risk. These changing patterns provide a new challenge as well as new opportunities for HIV prevention.

Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active↗
PubMed2005

Self-injurious behaviour in individuals with intellectual disabilities.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this paper we review literature published in 2004 on self-injurious behaviour in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Reviewed studies examine phenomenology and comorbidity, pharmacological and other interventions, genetic syndromes, and behavioural assessment and treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Key findings include the possible association between self-injury and impulse control and stereotyped behaviours. Reports on the use of pharmacological interventions provide little evidence for the use such interventions, although the findings of studies on naltrexone seem stronger. In the behavioural phenotype literature the predictors of self-injury in Prader-Willi syndrome are becoming more refined. The behaviour analysis literature reports further development of assessment methodology to cater for idiosyncratic functions and low-rate behaviours. SUMMARY: Developments in the fields of applied behaviour analysis and genetic syndromes highlight the importance of tailored assessments and interventions. Evidence from the pharmacological literature suggests that although significant numbers of individuals are prescribed such interventions, the research evidence for their efficacy is, at best, weak.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Behavioural sex change in the absence of gonads in a coral reef fish.

It is an axiom of vertebrate behavioural endocrinology that full expression of a male behavioural phenotype depends on testicular influences during development, in adulthood, or both. Sex change in fishes challenges this necessity: behavioural changes are often rapid and greatly precede gonadal changes. However, steroid hormones can have fast actions on the nervous system, so gonadal influences on behavioural sex change cannot be excluded based solely on the speed of these changes. We report that surgical gonad removal does not prevent or discernibly alter female-to-male behavioural sex change in a protogynous coral reef fish. Male behaviour assumption is instead purely dependent on attaining social dominance. This is the first example of a vertebrate fully expressing a male behavioural phenotype without current or previous exposure to a functioning testis or testicular products.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Behaviour of leatherback sea turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, during the migratory cycle.

Leatherback sea turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, undertake broad oceanic movements. While satellite telemetry has been used to investigate the post-nesting behaviour of female turtles tagged on tropical nesting beaches, long-term behavioural patterns of turtles of different sexes and sizes have not been described. Here we investigate behaviour for 25 subadult and adult male and female turtles satellite-tagged in temperate waters off Nova Scotia, Canada. Although sex and reproductive condition contributed to variation in migratory patterns, the migratory cycle of all turtles included movement between temperate and tropical waters. Marked changes in rates of travel, and diving and surfacing behaviour, accompanied southward movement away from northern foraging areas. As turtles approached higher latitudes the following spring and summer, they assumed behaviours consistent with regular foraging activity and eventually settled in coastal areas off Canada and the northeastern USA. Behavioural patterns corresponding to various phases of the migratory cycle were consistent across multiple animals and were repeated within individuals that completed return movements to northern waters. We consider the potential biological significance of these patterns, including how turtle behaviour relates to predator avoidance, thermoregulation and prey distribution.

Animal Migration↗
PubMed2006

Outcome expectations drive learned behaviour in larval Drosophila.

Why does Pavlov's dog salivate? In response to the tone, or in expectation of food? While in vertebrates behaviour can be driven by expected outcomes, it is unknown whether this is true for non-vertebrates as well. We find that, in the Drosophila larva, odour memories are expressed behaviourally only if animals can expect a positive outcome from doing so. The expected outcome of tracking down an odour is determined by comparing the value of the current situation with the value of the memory for that odour. Memory is expressed behaviourally only if the expected outcome is positive. This uncovers a hitherto unrecognized evaluative processing step between an activated memory trace and behaviour control, and argues that learned behaviour reflects the pursuit of its expected outcome. Shown in a system with a simple brain, an apparently cognitive process like representing the expected outcome of behaviour seems to be a basic feature of behaviour control.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Exploratory data analysis of three sexual behaviour surveys: implications for HIV-1 transmission in the U.K.

Recently, the number of European and North American heterosexually transmitted AIDS cases has begun to increase. It appears that injecting drug users may be acting as an important infection source for heterosexual transmission, and that the HIV-1 epidemic may be slowly diffusing out into the general population. Therefore, the question arises, as to whether there will be an extensive heterosexually transmitted epidemic in Europe or North America. The possibility of such an epidemic occurring depends upon three factors: sexual mixing patterns, the prevalence and the distribution of specific risk factors, and changes in risk behaviours. To assess the potential for an extensive sustained heterosexually transmitted epidemic it is necessary to estimate these three factors by conducting large-scale linked behavioural and seroprevalence surveys. Unfortunately, such surveys have yet to be conducted in any country. However, a limited amount of sexual behaviour data are available from three small studies that have been conducted in the U.K. Although each of the studies suffers from methodological imperfections, together they may be used as the basis for a preliminary assessment of the potential effects of heterosexual transmission in the U.K. In this paper I discuss the results from an exploratory analysis of these data; the results are organized into five sections: (i) assessment of the prevalence and distribution of specific risk behaviours; (ii) determination of covariates of risk behaviours (and hence characterization of the subgroups that may be at risk); (iii) assessment of age-dependent sexual mixing patterns; (iv) assessment of sexual behaviour changes; and (v) calculation of epidemiological parameters. The validity and the reliability of the data from the three studies are assessed. The analysis suggests that it is possible that a heterosexually transmitted HIV-1 epidemic could occur in the U.K. Hence, it is essential to conduct longitudinal surveys that collect linked seroprevalence and behavioural data.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Imitation as behaviour parsing.

Non-human great apes appear to be able to acquire elaborate skills partly by imitation, raising the possibility of the transfer of skill by imitation in animals that have only rudimentary mentalizing capacities: in contrast to the frequent assumption that imitation depends on prior understanding of others' intentions. Attempts to understand the apes' behaviour have led to the development of a purely mechanistic model of imitation, the 'behaviour parsing' model, in which the statistical regularities that are inevitable in planned behaviour are used to decipher the organization of another agent's behaviour, and thence to imitate parts of it. Behaviour can thereby be understood statistically in terms of its correlations (circumstances of use, effects on the environment) without understanding of intentions or the everyday physics of cause-and-effect. Thus, imitation of complex, novel behaviour may not require mentalizing, but conversely behaviour parsing may be a necessary preliminary to attributing intention and cause.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

The principles of collective animal behaviour.

In recent years, the concept of self-organization has been used to understand collective behaviour of animals. The central tenet of self-organization is that simple repeated interactions between individuals can produce complex adaptive patterns at the level of the group. Inspiration comes from patterns seen in physical systems, such as spiralling chemical waves, which arise without complexity at the level of the individual units of which the system is composed. The suggestion is that biological structures such as termite mounds, ant trail networks and even human crowds can be explained in terms of repeated interactions between the animals and their environment, without invoking individual complexity. Here, I review cases in which the self-organization approach has been successful in explaining collective behaviour of animal groups and societies. Ant pheromone trail networks, aggregation of cockroaches, the applause of opera audiences and the migration of fish schools have all been accurately described in terms of individuals following simple sets of rules. Unlike the simple units composing physical systems, however, animals are themselves complex entities, and other examples of collective behaviour, such as honey bee foraging with its myriad of dance signals and behavioural cues, cannot be fully understood in terms of simple individuals alone. I argue that the key to understanding collective behaviour lies in identifying the principles of the behavioural algorithms followed by individual animals and of how information flows between the animals. These principles, such as positive feedback, response thresholds and individual integrity, are repeatedly observed in very different animal societies. The future of collective behaviour research lies in classifying these principles, establishing the properties they produce at a group level and asking why they have evolved in so many different and distinct natural systems. Ultimately, this research could inform not only our understanding of animal societies, but also the principles by which we organize our own society.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Cannabis and suicidal behaviour among adolescents: a pilot study from Trinidad.

Cannabis use and suicidal behaviour are causes of adolescent morbidity and mortality worldwide. Changing trends in these behaviours in younger age groups, higher incidence, gender differences and sociocultural variations present an enormous challenge. There is no consensus whether these complex relationships are either a direct or an indirect effect due to other mental disorders, or a social response of disclosure of drug taking habits to family members and school authorities. This paper reviews the epidemiology of suicidal behaviour and cannabis use among adolescents and looks at the relationship of these behaviours regionally and internationally. The Caribbean islands have an established use of cannabis with higher suicidal rates, which provides an ideal setting to investigate the interrelationship of these disorders. Preliminary research findings in Trinidad indicate high rates of cannabis use among school students with higher rates in vocational schools compared to grammar schools. Utilising the CAPE questionnaire, depressive and psychotic experiences were common findings in adolescent cannabis users with a significant preponderance of depressive experiences (p<0.01). Our findings suggest that there is a convincing relationship between suicidal behaviour and cannabis use, the latter awakening depressive experiences. Suicidal behaviour and cannabis use are major public health problems and require a multidimensional approach with culturally competent preventive interactions. School based prevention programmes are necessary at the levels of parent-teacher partnership and classroom intervention. The treatment of adolescent disorders remains a major challenge of the future. Double disorders such as cannabis use and suicidal behaviour are uncharted areas and need novel approaches.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

'I'm gonna beat you!' SNap!: an observational paradigm for assessing young children's disruptive behaviour in competitive play.

BACKGROUND: This study focuses on a novel observational paradigm (SNAP) involving a rigged competitive card game (Murray, Woolgar, Cooper, & Hipwell, 2001) designed to expose children to the threat of losing. Recent work suggests that this paradigm is useful for assessing disruptive behaviour in young children (Hughes, Cutting, & Dunn, 2001). METHOD: We report on a large study (involving 800 five-year-olds) that compares observational ratings of disruptive behaviour on the SNAP game with mother and teacher reports of externalising behaviour on the CBCL and TRF (Achenbach, 1991a, 1991b). To ensure independence of data, playmates were randomly assigned to two different sub-samples. The validity of this rigged game for examining individual differences in disruptive behaviour was supported (in both sub-samples) by modest but significant correlations with both mother and teacher ratings of externalising problems, and by significantly elevated SNAP ratings among children rated by mothers and teachers as showing extreme (> or = 95th%) levels of externalising problems, compared with the remaining majority of children. RESULTS: Significant gender differences in disruptive behaviour were found on all three measures: observational SNAP ratings and mother/teacher questionnaire ratings. Factors that may contribute to this gender difference are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasise the importance of multi-method, multi-informant measures of disruptive behaviour, and suggest that the rigged card game used in this study is a valuable adjunct to more standard methods of rating disruptive behaviour.

Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorder↗
PubMed2002

Do parent and child behaviours differentiate families whose children have obsessive-compulsive disorder from other clinic and non-clinic families?

BACKGROUND: Limited research has been conducted investigating parent and child behaviour during family interactions in families who have a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While a number of authors in the field of childhood OCD have suggested possible parent and child behaviours that are characteristic of these families, few studies have attempted to explore these in a methodologically sound approach. METHOD: This study compared the observed behaviours of parents and children in families whose children were diagnosed with OCD, to families whose children were diagnosed with other anxiety disorders, externalising disorders and no clinical problems. During family discussions, parent and child behaviours and affect were coded using a Likert-scale system. Family members were rated on behavioural dimensions of control, warmth, doubt, avoidance, confidence, positive problem solving, and rewarding independence. RESULTS: Results indicated that parents and children in the OCD group could be clearly differentiated from families in the other groups based on parent and child behaviour. Mothers and fathers of OCD children were less confident in their child's ability, less rewarding of independence, and less likely to use positive problem solving. Children in the OCD group showed less positive problem solving, less confidence in their ability to solve the problem, and they displayed less warmth during their interactions with their parents. CONCLUSIONS: Parents and children in families where there is a child with OCD behave in a different manner during family interactions to other families. These findings offer interesting and important exploratory information relating to observed parent and child behaviour across different clinical and non-clinical groups. Limitations of this study are addressed and directions for further research are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Can women provide reliable information about their children's fathers? cross-informant agreement about men's lifetime antisocial behaviour.

It is difficult to study the contribution of fathers' antisocial behaviour to children's development because fathers with behavioural problems are often absent or reluctant to participate in research. This study examines whether mothers' reports about their children's fathers' antisocial behaviour can be substituted for interviews with fathers. Both members of 67 couples (N = 134) were interviewed separately and independently about the men's lifetime antisocial behaviour. There was strong relative agreement: the women's reports about men's antisocial behaviour and the men's self-reports about the same behaviour were highly correlated. However, there was poor agreement about absolute level: compared to men's self-reports, women reported fewer of the men's antisocial behaviours. Women's reports provide a reliable index of men's relative standing in a distribution and can be used in research about their children's fathers, but should not be used to make diagnostic decisions about men's antisocial disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Congruence of childhood sex-role identity and behaviour disturbances.

Thirty-eight children who were aged between 4 and 12 1/2 years were referred for potential gender disturbances and received independent assessments of sex-role behaviour and identity. Ratings of sex-role behaviour were based on psychodynamic, behavioural and psychometric procedures, with the behavioural and psychodynamic ratings most highly correlated. Two ratings of sex-role identity disturbance, derived from psychodynamic and behavioural orientations, yielded a strong interrelated agreement. The mean ratings of sex-role identity and behaviour disturbance were moderately correlated and provided a high degree of internal consistency. An overall diagnosis was derived for each subject by combining the behaviour and identity mean ratings. The findings are discussed in terms of the limitations of present knowledge on normal and deviant sex-role developmental processes.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The behaviour of 3-year-old children who were born preterm.

The behaviour of 3-year-old children born preterm was compared with that of full-term children of the same age. The preterm group were born between 32 and 37 weeks gestation, and weighed between 1500 g and 2500 g at birth, and thus (in comparison to even earlier, lower birthweight babies) comprised a 'low risk' group. The children and their mothers were interviewed at home and information obtained about the following: behaviour, the number of accidents requiring medical attention, language development, maternal mental health and demographic data. The preterm group did not show an excess of behaviour problems overall but they did show significantly more problems when certain individual behaviours were considered, namely sleep related problems, tempers and dependence. The preterm group had also had significantly more accidents. The nature of the behavioural differences suggested they represented styles of parental management rather than neurological impairment in the preterm group. There was no evidence of language delay in either group and no significant association between child behaviour and maternal mental health. This study showed that consideration of socioeconomic factors is important. Children from manual socioeconomic groups showed significantly more behaviour problems than children from non-manual groups, and mothers from manual groups had significantly poorer mental health.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2005

Preventing emotional and behavioural problems: the effectiveness of parenting programmes with children less than 3 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Emotional and behavioural problems in children under 3 years of age have a high prevalence, and parenting practices have been shown to be strongly associated with their development. A number of recent systematic reviews have shown that group-based parenting programmes can be effective in improving the emotional and behavioural adjustment of older children (aged 3-10 years). The aim of this review was to establish whether there is evidence from controlled trials that group-based parenting programmes are effective in improving the emotional and behavioural adjustment of children less than 3 years of age, and their role in the primary prevention of emotional and behavioural problems. METHODS: English and non-English language articles published between January 1970 and July 2001 were retrieved using a keyword search of a number of electronic databases. RESULTS: Five studies were included and two meta-analyses were conducted, the first combining data from parent reports and the second combining data from independent observations of children's behaviour. The combined parent reports showed a non-significant difference favouring the intervention group, while the combined independent observations showed a significant difference favouring the intervention group. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that this review points to the potential of parenting programmes to improve the emotional and behavioural adjustment of children less than 3 years of age, but that there is insufficient evidence from controlled trials to assess whether the short-term benefit is maintained over time, or the role that such programmes might play in the primary prevention of emotional and behavioural problems. This review points to the need for further primary preventive research on this important public health issue.

Adaptation, Psychological↗