Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “CONSCIOUSNESS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,747 records · Page 97Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Difference between consciousness of intervention for improving lifestyle by public health nurses and recipients of a company health check.

Improving an unhealthy lifestyle decreases risk of incidence and death of lifestyle-related diseases. Consultation about a healthy lifestyle to recipients of health checkups conducted by public health nurses is one method for such improvement. The objective in the present study was to investigate the difference between consciousness of intervention by (1) the public health nurses who conducted consultations with recipients of health checkups and (2) the recipients who were consulted by the public health nurses. Data on 1,370 male white collar workers who underwent health checks were analyzed. When public health nurses determined that recipients required health consultation regarding lifestyle from the health checkup, they consulted with the recipients regarding improvement of lifestyle. The consultation regarding lifestyle included abstinence from smoking, drinking in moderation, exercise, and eating. The results of the analysis regarding difference in consciousness of the intervention by the public health nurses and the recipients show that (1) most drinkers did not think they were being discouraged to drink despite intervention by the public health nurses and (2) the smokers and the subjects with no habitual physical exercise tend to think that they were being consulted even though the public health nurses did not intervene regarding smoking and exercise.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Academics beyond midlife: some observations on changing consciousness in the fifty to sixty year decade.

This article draws on in-depth interview data collected from forty-seven professors between the ages of fifty and sixty. The central focus is on the twenty-three interviews done with the men. A review of the literature suggests that professionals in the fifty to sixty year decade are actively assessing how to divide their energies at work and between work and other life spheres. After describing how aging is experienced in the fifties by both men and women, the article describes a set of related patterns of consciousness change among the male professors interviewed. As male professors approach sixty, they express a number of interconnected feelings and concerns that distinguishes them from younger colleagues. First, they stress the need to exercise greater selectivity in the allocation of their time. They recognize that a limited amount of time lies ahead in their careers and that they must make qualitatively good decisions about the work they do. Second, the men in our sample evidence a decreased intensity toward research work. Third, many men express a growing humanism; a concern with getting beyond the objective boundaries of their respective disciplines. Last, professors begin to develop an exiting consciousness as they approach sixty.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

Calcitonin gene-related peptide and induction of hyperglycemia in conscious rats in vivo.

The effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on glucose metabolism was investigated in conscious and unrestrained rats in vivo. Intravenous injection of rat CGRP (5.67 and 0.567 nmol/kg) caused a significant, dose-dependent increase in plasma glucose concentration and a simultaneous dose-dependent increase in plasma insulin level. In contrast, plasma glucagon level was not changed. On the other hand, intravenous infusion of CGRP (46.6 pmol.kg-1.min-1) decreased tolerance to intragastric administration of glucose (IGGTT). Plasma insulin response to IGGTT, however, was not affected by CGRP infusion. Moreover, although intravenous injection of CGRP (5.67 nmol/kg) elicited a significant increase in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations, concomitant administration of epinephrine and norepinephrine, inducing a more prominent rise in plasma catecholamines than those induced by CGRP, affected neither plasma glucose nor insulin levels. Finally, plasma insulin levels obtained by simulating CGRP-induced changes in plasma glucose or glucose plus catecholamine levels by infusion of glucose or glucose plus catecholamines were not different from those induced by CGRP injection. These results suggest that CGRP has a hyperglycemic action that is not mediated by sympathetic outflow in conscious rats, and inhibition of insulin secretion, if any, does not play a major role in this hyperglycemic action of CGRP. We have demonstrated specific CGRP receptors linked to adenylate cyclase activation in rat liver plasma membranes; this hyperglycemic effect of CGRP in vivo may be partly due to its direct action on the liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Arteriolar reactivity in conscious diabetic rats: influence of aminoguanidine treatment.

The effect of 6 weeks' streptozotocin (STZ)-induced (70 mg/kg) diabetes and aminoguanidine (AG) treatment (50 mg/kg s.c. or 250-750 mg/l given in drinking water) on arteriolar reactivity to vasoactive substances was investigated in conscious rats. Studies were performed in untreated control rats (n = 13), STZ-induced diabetic rats (n = 11), AG-treated control rats (n = 12), and AG-treated diabetic rats (n = 12). Rats were provided with a dorsal microcirculatory chamber that allowed intravital microscopy of striated muscle arterioles of varying diameter (A1, large; A2, intermediate; and A3, small arterioles) in conscious animals. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) and arteriolar diameter responses to intravenous infusion of the following drugs were examined: the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (ACh; 3, 10, and 30 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)), the potassium-channel opener levcromakalim (LC; 30 microg/kg), and the vasoconstrictor agents ANG II (0.1 and 0.3 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) and norepinephrine (NE; 0.2, 0.6, and 2.0 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)). Baseline MAP was lower in both diabetic groups versus the nondiabetic groups (P < 0.05). AG treatment had no influence on baseline MAP. The absolute change in MAP after drug infusion tended to be lower in the diabetic rats than in their nondiabetic littermates. Arteriolar vasodilatory responses to ACh and LC were attenuated in the diabetic animals (1 +/- 7 vs. 19 +/- 7% [P < 0.05] and 7 +/- 3 vs. 34 +/- 8% [P < 0.01] in A2, respectively). AG treatment of diabetic animals did not prevent the development of this disturbance. Vasoconstrictor responses were not influenced by the diabetic state. In the intermediate arterioles of AG-treated control rats, a hyperresponse was observed after ANG II infusion (-10 +/- 2 vs. -2 +/- 2%; P < 0.05) and a hyporesponse was observed after ACh and LC infusion (2 +/- 3 and 15 +/- 6%, respectively; P < 0.05 vs. untreated control rats). These data indicate that 6 weeks of experimental diabetes is associated with a decreased endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation. AG treatment had no beneficial effect on this disturbance.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2003

Cortisol acts through central mechanisms to blunt counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia in conscious rats.

Physiological levels of cortisol have been found to blunt neuroendocrine and metabolic responses to subsequent hypoglycemia in humans. The aim of this study was to determine whether cortisol acts directly on the brain to elicit this effect. A total of 41 conscious unrestrained Sprague-Dawley rats were studied during 2-day experiments. Day 1 consisted of two episodes of clamped 2-h hyperinsulinemic (30 pmol. kg(-1) x min(-1)) hypoglycemia (2.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/l; n = 12; ANTE HYPO), euglycemia (6.2 +/- 0.1 mmol/l; n = 12; ANTE EUG), or euglycemia (6.2 +/- 0.1 mmol/l) plus simultaneous intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of cortisol (25 microg/h; n = 9; ANTE EUG+Cort) or saline (24 microl/h; n = 8; ANTE EUG+Sal). For all groups, day 2 consisted of a 2-h hyperinsulinemic (30 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) hypoglycemic (2.9 +/- 0.2 mmol/l) clamp. Plasma epinephrine and glucagon incremental area under the curve (Delta AUC) responses were significantly less in ANTE EUG+Cort and ANTE HYPO versus both ANTE EUG and ANTE EUG+Sal (P < 0.05). The Delta AUC responses of plasma norepinephrine were significantly lower in ANTE EUG+Cort versus both ANTE EUG and ANTE EUG+Sal (P < 0.05). Endogenous glucose production was significantly less in ANTE HYPO and ANTE EUG+Cort versus the other groups (P < 0.05). Lastly, the glucose infusion rate to maintain the desired hypoglycemia was significantly greater in ANTE EUG+Cort and ANTE HYPO versus the other two groups (P < 0.05). In summary, ICV infusion of cortisol significantly blunted norepinephrine, epinephrine, glucagon, and endogenous glucose production responses to next-day hypoglycemia. We conclude that cortisol can act directly on the central nervous system to blunt counterregulatory responses to subsequent hypoglycemia in the conscious rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Consciousness and abilities of dream characters observed during lucid dreaming.

A description of several phenomenological experiments is given. These were done to investigate of which cognitive accomplishments dream characters are capable in lucid dreams. Nine male experienced lucid dreamers participated as subjects. They were directed to set different tasks to dream characters they met while lucid dreaming. Dream characters were asked to draw or write, to name unknown words, to find rhyme words, to make verses, and to solve arithmetic problems. Part of the dream characters actually agreed to perform the tasks and were successful, although the arithmetic accomplishments were poor. From the phenomenological findings, nothing contradicts the assumption that dream characters have consciousness in a specific sense. Herefrom the conclusion was drawn, that in lucid dream therapy communication with dream characters should be handled as if they were rational beings. Finally, several possibilities of assessing the question, whether dream characters possess consciousness, can be examined with the aid of psychophysiological experiments.

Brain↗
PubMed1994

Man's triune conscious mind: Part II.

The perceptual model described in a 1989 paper and regarded as Part I to the present paper is further specified, illustrated, and discussed especially where understanding will benefit from the conscious submind approach to information processing. Emotion is treated as "emotional perception," a concept useful for its structuring. An important restriction in the use of awareness in relation to consciousness is pointed out. A mechanism for attention is suggested.

Attention↗
PubMed2003

New psychophysical method for visual consciousness during binocular rivalry: conventional method for binocular rivalry has a fatal flaw.

The alternation of dominance and suppression in a binocular-rivalry situation is involved closely in visual consciousness and unconsciousness. Therefore, binocular rivalry has recently been highlighted as a useful psychophysical phenomenon for the study of consciousness. However, we point out that the conventional method since Breese (1899) that rivalrous stimuli to the two eyes are presented simultaneously and for a long time has a fatal flaw for approaching the fundamental mechanisms underlying rivalry and, at the same time, our new method called "the suppression method" is, however, useful.

Consciousness↗
PubMed2003

The function of phenomenal states: is there progress for the "softer problem" of consciousness?

The function of phenomenal states remains a mystery, primarily because of the prevalent, a priori view that these states serve no functional role. This note is a call to arms against this uncorroborated and counterproductive view, which continues to stifle research on the topic. It is proposed that, given what we know and can accomplish with the tools at hand, discovering the function of phenomenal states has become a tractable problem, easier than that of discovering the neural basis of these states--the "hard problem" of consciousness. A simple method that may unveil the function of phenomenal states is presented. It involves contrasting the task demands of conscious and unconscious processes.

Cognition↗
PubMed1981

EEG phase coherence, pure consciousness, creativity, and TM--Sidhi experiences.

Males (n = 12, M age 25.6 yrs) with clear experiences (CE) of both "pure consciousness" (unbounded inner awareness without thoughts) and the TM--Sidhi techniques (mental procedures derived from Vedic Science to enhance cognitive, perceptual and other abilities) were compared with unclear experience (UE) males (n = 10, M age 25.5 yrs) on creativity (ideational fluency, Torrance, Novel Uses, Verbal) and EEG coherence, a measure of phase stability derived from Fourier series analysis. Multivariate analysis of variance of coherence between four pairs of EEG derivations (F3F4, F3C3, F4C4, C3C4) and a t-test on the creativity variable showed that CE subjects had higher alpha (8--12 Hz) coherence (p = 0.052) and higher creativity (p = 0.011) than UE subjects. Several of the alpha coherence variables were positively correlated with creativity: Bilateral Frontal (F3F4), r = 0.65, p = 0.001; Homolateral Right, r = 0.50, p = 0 .011; mean of the four alpha variables, r = 0.66, p = 0.001; Dominant Alpha (area of highest alpha coherence for each subject) r = 0.64, p = 0.001. It is concluded that: (1) information processing, at least to the extent measured by ideational fluency, is enhanced in those with clear experiences of pure consciousness and the TM--Sidhi techniques, (2) that EEG coherence is a psychophysiological correlate of this subject variable and (3) that the results may be generalizable to the field of information processing and "peak experiences" described in Humanistic psychology.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Electroencephalographic cartography of conscious states.

We analyzed monopolar recordings obtained from a brain area implicated in the implementation of conscious intention--the Supplementary Motor Area. Other monopolar recordings were taken at F3, F4, C3, C4, P3, P4, O1, O2, F7, F8, T3, T4, T5, T6, and Cz using the standard international (10/20) pattern with linked ears as reference. Using on line fast-fourier transforms of brainwave signals and computer displays with one-second updates of 1Hz wide brainwave bands of 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20 and 28 Hz, specific brainwave signatures were identified for attentional, cognitive, imaginal, and somatosensory states. This first, and thus limited, cartography of consciousness is discussed in light of the cognitive descriptions clinically ascribed to the commonly used brainwave frequency bands designated as Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Effects of B-HT 920 in the eye and on regional blood flows in anaesthetized and conscious rabbits.

The influence of unilateral ocular instillation of B-HT 920 (50 micrograms) on regional ocular, cerebral and peripheral blood flows was investigated with the labelled microsphere method in conscious and anaesthetized albino rabbits. In urethane-anaesthetized rabbits the intraocular pressure (IOP) fell during 1 hr following topical B-HT 920 whereas no changes in regional blood flows were observed. Only in conscious rabbits was a decrease in regional blood flows found. B-HT 920 caused a short-term reduction in choroidal blood flow by about 20%. Transient vasoconstrictor effects, due to systemic absorption, were also seen in some extraocular tissues. Concomitantly, B-HT 920 reduced the total cerebral blood flow (CBF) by 23%. In the grey matter and hypothalamic region the decrease in flow was about 20%, while in the hippocampal region, thalamic region, collicles and pons-mesencephalon it was about 10%. In experiments with direct blood flow determination from an opened vortex vein, there was no consistent change of uveal vascular resistance, while IOP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) fell dose-dependently following cumulative intravenously administered bolus doses (10 and 50 micrograms/kg) of B-HT 920. Unilateral loss of the mediated sympathetic tone seemed to increase the ocular responses to B-HT 920, unmasking a vasoconstrictor effect. Additional systemic pretreatment with the selective blocking agents rauwolscine and sulpiride suggests that B-HT 920 produces its ocular hypotensive effect, predominantly by acting on dopamine (DA2) receptors in the eye rather than on alpha 2-adrenoceptors, and its ocular vasoconstrictor effects via both receptor types.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1998

Blood flow rate in normal and tumor-bearing rats in conscious state, under urethane anesthesia, and during systemic hypothermia.

The blood flow rates of 14 tissues in the body were determined by microsphere method using normal and tumor-bearing rats kept conscious or under urethane anesthesia. The effects on the blood flow rate in the tissues were assessed for multimodal therapy, systemic hypothermia for ischemic brain injury, and local hyperthermia and angiotensin II-induced hypertensive chemotherapy for cancer. Urethane anesthesia showed no effect on cardiac output, while there was a tendency of decrease of blood flow rate and % of cardiac output in each tissue other than muscle tissue, in which they increased as a counterbalance, in normal and tumor-bearing rats. Systemic hypothermia gave results similar to those of urethane anesthesia in normal rats, but for tumor-bearing rats, it decreased cardiac output, and consequently the blood flow rate in most tissues. Brain blood flow rate was about half of that in the conscious rats. Local hyperthermia also decreased the cardiac output and blood flow rate in each tissue, including the tumor tissue. Angiotensin II-induced hypertension showed no effect on cardiac output, had various effects on blood flow rate in each tissue, and led to no increase in the tumor blood flow rate. Simulations based on the physiological pharmacokinetic modeling suggested that intramuscular injection of a lung-specific derivative of ceftazidime would provide the ideal biodistribution to ensure its optimal therapeutic efficacy during systemic hypothermia. This methodology, namely the pharmacokinetic simulation based on the physiological values of the body, will provide a useful piece of information on drug delivery systems under various conditions.

Anesthesia, Intravenous↗
PubMed1984

Changes of plasma renin activity by intracerebroventricular administration of biological active peptides in conscious rats.

We studied the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of angiotensin II (ANG II), bradykinin (BK), leucine-enkephalin (Leu-ENK) and neurotensin (NT) on plasma renin activity (PRA), blood pressure and heart rate in conscious and unrestrained rats. Five microliters of each peptide solution was injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle. These four peptides all produced pressor effects after intracerebroventricular injection. ANG II and NT significantly suppressed PRA, BK did not affect PRA, and Leu-ENK significantly increased PRA. The central peptidergic stimulation caused by these four peptides increased blood pressures in conscious rats but showed different effects on PRA.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1984

Metabolic and blood pressure effects of 6 alpha-methylprednisolone in the conscious sheep.

Methylprednisolone has been reported to be produce hypertension in the rat but to have no effect on blood pressure in the dog. In this study, methylprednisolone infused to conscious sheep for up to 10 days at either 20 micrograms/kg/hr or 100 micrograms/kg/hr, failed to induce a hypertensive response. Metabolic effects characteristic of glucocorticoid activity, such as increased water intake and urine volume, were observed in all animals. No consistent decrease in plasma potassium concentration was observed with either rate of infusion, indicating a lack of in-vivo mineralocorticoid activity. In the conscious sheep, like the dog, methylprednisolone exhibits only glucocorticoid activity and does not increase blood pressure.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Renal vascular responses to saralasin in conscious chemically denervated rabbits and patients with tetraplegia.

To determine the relative contributions of direct angiotensin-II-like myotropism and sympathetic nerve stimulation to the partial agonist effect of saralasin, the renal vascular responses to i.v. saralasin (5, 10, 20 micrograms/kg/min) were assessed in normal conscious rabbits before and after sympatholytic treatment with guanethidine (24 mg/kg/day for 9 days) and in 6 chronic tetraplegic patients (0.5, 1, 5 micrograms/kg/min) before and after alpha-adrenoreceptor blockade with i.v. thymoxamine (1 mg/kg/h). In rabbits saralasin reduced effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and increased renal vascular resistance (RVR) without affecting mean arterial blood pressure (BP). Responses were similar in both groups, but recovery following saralasin was more prolonged after treatment with guanethidine. When 0.1 microgram/kg/min (one fiftieth of the smallest i.v. dose) was infused just proximal to the renal arteries in 4 conscious rabbits (chronically cannulated), renal perfusion fell and RVR increased. In tetraplegics saralasin produced a transient rise in BP and variable increase in RVR; neither response being altered by thymoxamine. These results suggest that saralasin-induced renal vasoconstriction is independent of central and peripheral sympathetic activation, and is probably due to an intrinsic angiotensin-II-like myotropic action.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Sympathetic modulation of the pressure-dependent renin release in conscious dogs.

The relationship between mean renal artery pressure and renal venous-arterial plasma renin activity-difference (renin stimulus-response curve; RSRC) was studied in 15 conscious dogs by a stepwise reduction of renal artery pressure down to the lower limit of renal blood flow (RBF)-autoregulation. The RSRC has a flat section above threshold and a steep slope - indicating a 100% increase of renin release per 2.5 mmHg - below a well defined threshold pressure (Pth). Pth may remain unchanged for 4 weeks. A reflex activation of the renal sympathetic nerves by common carotid occlusion increased Pth by 16.5 +/- 3.2 mmHg (P less than 0.01); this effect was abolished by intrarenal alpha-blockade (prazosin). A low dose intrarenal infusion of methoxamine, which did not change RBF, increased Pth by 8.5 +/- 0.7 mmHg (P less than 0.001). We conclude that in the resting conscious dog renal perfusion pressure is a powerful factor in the control of renin release. The renal sympathetic nerves modulate the pressure-dependent mechanism within the autoregulatory range of renal blood flow by an alpha-adrenergic adjustment of threshold pressure.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effects of enkephalins and the analogue FK-33824 on mean arterial pressure and heart rate in conscious sheep.

Experiments were designed to evaluate the central and systemic effects by enkephalins and the enkephalin analogue FK-33824 on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in conscious sheep. Intracerebroventricular infusion of FK-33824 increased both MAP and HR in a dose-dependent manner in normal sheep. The increases in MAP and HR were attenuated by naloxone administered centrally, but not systemically. Intracerebroventricular infusion of met-enkephalin, leu-enkephalin and naloxone failed to change both MAP and HR significantly. However, intravenous infusion of met-enkephalin, leu-enkephalin and FK-33824 resulted in bradycardia. Haemorrhage alone decreased both MAP and HR. Intracerebroventricular infusion of FK-33824 blunted the reduction in MAP in response to haemorrhage. The increases in MAP and HR following FK-33824 were also accompanied by elevated levels of plasma renin concentration. It is suggested that the tachycardia and pressor effect produced by the intracerebroventricular administration of FK-33824 in normal conscious sheep may result from a combined action of both neural and chemical pathways which are involved in cardiovascular control, and are mediated via the mu-opioid receptors. Opioids may have opposite effects on cardiovascular control depending on the route of administration.

Animals↗