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Milivojevic V, Sinha R, Morgan PT, Sofuoglu M, Fox HC. Effects of endogenous and exogenous progesterone on emotional intelligence in cocaine-dependent men and women who also abuse alcohol. Hum Psychopharmacol 2014; 29:589-98. [PMID: 25363303 PMCID: PMC4498951 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE As sex differences in substance dependence may impinge upon the perception and regulation of emotion, we assess emotional intelligence (EI) as a function of gender, menstrual cycle (MC) phase and hormonal changes in early abstinent cocaine-dependent individuals who abuse alcohol (CDA). METHODS Study 1: The Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) was administered to 98 CDA (55 M/43 F) and 56 healthy (28 M/28 F) individuals. Performance in women was also assessed by MC phase. Study 2: The MSCEIT was administered to 28 CDA (19 M/9 F) who received exogenous progesterone (400 mg/day) versus placebo for 7 days (study 2). RESULTS Study 1: Healthy females were better than healthy males at facilitating thought and managing emotions. This gender discrepancy was not observed in the CDA group. Additionally, all women in the high compared with the low progesterone phase of their MC were better at managing their emotions. Study 2: Exogenous progesterone improved ability to facilitate thought in both males and females. CONCLUSIONS CDA women may be vulnerable to difficulties managing and regulating emotions. Gonadal hormones may contribute to this gender effect, as increases in both endogenous and exogenous progesterone improved selective aspects of EI.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Milivojevic
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - R Sinha
- The Yale Stress Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry 2 Church Street South, Suite 209, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - PT Morgan
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - M Sofuoglu
- VA Medical Center, 950 Campbell Ave, # 36, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - HC Fox
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519
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McNeill G, Jia X, Whalley LJ, Fox HC, Corley J, Gow AJ, Brett CE, Starr JM, Deary IJ. Antioxidant and B vitamin intake in relation to cognitive function in later life in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011; 65:619-26. [PMID: 21346712 DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2011.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2010] [Revised: 10/07/2010] [Accepted: 11/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies provide some evidence for an association between intake of antioxidants and B vitamins, and cognitive function in later life, but intervention studies have not provided clear evidence of beneficial effects. The possibility that those with higher cognitive ability during earlier adult life consume more nutrient-rich diets in later life could provide an alternative explanation for the associations seen in observational studies. METHODS Survey of 1091 men and women born in 1936 living in Edinburgh, Scotland, in whom previous cognitive ability was available from intelligence quotient (IQ) measurements at age 11 years. At age 70 years, participants carried out a range of cognitive tests and completed a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). RESULTS A total of 882 participants returned completed FFQs from which intake of β-carotene, vitamin C, B12, folate and riboflavin was estimated. IQ at age 11 years was positively associated with dietary intake of vitamin C (P=0.048) and inversely associated with dietary intake of riboflavin (P<0.001) at age 70 years, and was higher in those taking folate supplements at age 70 years (P<0.005). Weak associations between intake of vitamins B12, C, riboflavin and folate and cognitive performance at age 70 years were attenuated by adjustment for confounding variables, including IQ at age 11 years. In the fully adjusted models, the proportion of total variance in cognitive function at age 70 years accounted for by intake of these nutrients was less than 1%. CONCLUSION These results provide no evidence for a clinically significant beneficial association between intake of these antioxidants and B vitamins, and cognitive function at age 70 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- G McNeill
- Public Health Nutrition Research Group, Population Health Section, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
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Fox HC, Hong KA, Sinha R. Difficulties in emotion regulation and impulse control in recently abstinent alcoholics compared with social drinkers. Addict Behav 2008; 33:388-94. [PMID: 18023295 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2007] [Revised: 10/06/2007] [Accepted: 10/10/2007] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early abstinence from chronic alcohol dependence is associated with increased emotional sensitivity to stress-related craving as well as changes in brain systems associated with stress and emotional processing. The aim of the current study was to examine potential difficulties in emotion regulation during early alcohol abstinence using the recently validated Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). METHOD Recently abstinent treatment-seeking alcohol abusers (n=50) completed the DERS during their first week of inpatient treatment and at discharge (5 weeks later). These responses were compared to a group of social drinkers (n=62). RESULTS Compared with social drinkers, alcohol-dependent patients reported significant differences in emotional awareness and impulse control during week 1 of treatment. Significant improvements in awareness and clarity of emotion were observed following 5 weeks of protracted abstinence. However, significant difficulties with impulse control persisted until discharge. CONCLUSION Findings from the DERS indicate protracted stress-related impulse control problems in abstinent alcoholics, which may contribute to increased relapse vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Fox
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine,New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
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Fox HC, Axelrod SR, Paliwal P, Sleeper J, Sinha R. Difficulties in emotion regulation and impulse control during cocaine abstinence. Drug Alcohol Depend 2007; 89:298-301. [PMID: 17276626 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2006] [Revised: 11/13/2006] [Accepted: 12/11/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Prior research has shown that cocaine dependence is associated with dysfunction of brain systems involved in emotions and motivational states. OBJECTIVES To examine whether difficulties in emotion regulation are associated with early cocaine abstinence using the recently validated Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). METHOD Recently abstinent treatment-seeking cocaine patients (n=60) completed the DERS during their first week of inpatient treatment and at discharge (3-4 weeks later), and scores were compared with community controls (n=50). RESULTS Compared with controls, cocaine-dependent individuals reported difficulties relating to understanding emotions, managing emotions and impulse control in the first week of abstinence. With continued abstinence, cocaine-dependent individuals showed continued difficulties only in impulse control. CONCLUSION Cocaine-dependent individuals report emotion regulation difficulties, particularly during early abstinence. Additionally, protracted distress-related impulse control problems suggest potential relapse vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Fox
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Substance Abuse Center, Connecticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of salivary cortisol as a measure of hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in cocaine dependent individuals. Saliva and total plasma samples were collected from 49 abusers on 3 testing days in the morning, across eight time points per day. Significant associations between saliva and plasma cortisol were observed across all time points collapsed across 3 days in both men and women. These moderately significant correlations suggest that salivary measurements represent a stable, non-invasive and broad indicator of HPA axis functioning in cocaine dependent individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Fox
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
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Abstract
This case study concerns a 26-yr.-old male who had consumed large amounts of Ecstasy seven years previously. He stated that his increasingly intensive use of ecstasy over a 4-yr. period had led to the emergence of multiple psychiatric and psychological problems. Given these problems, he stopped using Ecstasy, but the problems had not resolved despite seven years of abstinence. The neurocognitive profile was very similar to that shown by current heavy Ecstasy users, with deficits in immediate and delayed verbal recall, moderately impaired memory function, but normal expressive language ability and perceptual functioning. Extremely high pathology was evident, including depression and phobic anxiety. Severe problems with sleep and sex were also reported. Further studies involving larger groups of abstinent former users are needed; adverse sequelae associated with intensive Ecstasy use may sometimes be enduring.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Soar
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychology, University of East London, UK.
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Whalley LJ, Fox HC, Lemmon HA, Duthie SJ, Collins AR, Peace H, Starr JM, Deary IJ. Dietary supplement use in old age: associations with childhood IQ, current cognition and health. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003; 18:769-76. [PMID: 12949843 DOI: 10.1002/gps.915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Dietary supplement (DS) use is actively promoted among old people but there is little evidence in favour of DS use or information about the demographic, health and cognitive characteristics of DS users. METHOD We examined 176 healthy, old people without dementia all born in 1921 and living independently in the community. IQ scores aged about 11 years were available for all subjects. DS users were more often female, had a lower BMI and were taking fewer prescribed medications than non-users. RESULTS Usual dietary intake, as measured by food frequency questionnaire, did not differ between DS users and DS non-users. DS users were seen to have higher Vitamin C (p<0.05), alpha-carotene (p<0.05) and lower gamma-tocopherol (p<0.001) and homocysteine (p<0.01). DS users did not differ from DS non-users in years of education, indices of occupational code, current socio-economic category or parameters of cardiovascular or respiratory functions. DS users had higher (p<0.05) childhood IQ scores but did not differ in current Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score or performance on Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM) either before or after adjustment for childhood IQ. CONCLUSIONS DS users may enjoy somewhat better general health than non-users but the source of this difference is unknown. Possible health benefits of DS use merit further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Whalley
- University of Aberdeen, Clinical Research Centre, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen, UK.
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Fox HC, Parrott AC. Selective neurocognitive deficits associated with multiple doses of ecstasy/MDMA: a reply to Cole. J Psychopharmacol 2003; 17:242-4. [PMID: 12870575 DOI: 10.1177/0269881103017002016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Fox HC, McLean A, Turner JJD, Parrott AC, Rogers R, Sahakian BJ. Neuropsychological evidence of a relatively selective profile of temporal dysfunction in drug-free MDMA ("ecstasy") polydrug users. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2002; 162:203-14. [PMID: 12110998 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-002-1071-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2001] [Accepted: 02/14/2002] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Experimental evidence has shown that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") can act as a serotonergic neurotoxin in laboratory animals. The serotonin system predominantly innervates frontal and limbic regions of the brain and has been associated with consolidatory learning and mnemonic processes in humans. OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to investigate the cognitive neuropsychological profile of drug-free ecstasy users by employing a selection of tasks previously associated with lesion or neurodegenerative damage to the temporal lobe or fronto-striatal regions. METHODS The study comprised 40 participants: 20 ecstasy polydrug users and 20 polydrug users who had never taken ecstasy. RESULTS Ecstasy users were significantly impaired on a recognition task for complex visual patterns and spatial working memory, as a function of task difficulty rather than systematic search strategy. They also showed a trend towards impairment on several learning paradigms. Ecstasy users remained relatively unimpaired on most measures associated with prefrontal functioning, with the exception of verbal fluency "letter" generation. CONCLUSIONS Initial cognitive deficits in ecstasy polydrug users may be more apparent in tasks known to be sensitive to temporal functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, Romford Road, London E15 4LZ, UK.
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Abstract
Previous research has shown drug-free Ecstasy users to demonstrate selective cognitive impairment. However, there seems to be a degree of individual variation in the occurrence of such deficits. The present study aimed to assess whether these cognitive deficits are related to an awareness of problematic Ecstasy use, or to past drug dosage. Twenty regular Ecstasy users who reported experiencing Ecstasy-related problems were compared with 20 Ecstasy users who had not reported any previous problems. The two groups displayed similar past histories in relation to a range of illicit drugs, and were divided into low, medium and high users. The controls comprised 20 illicit recreational drug users who had never taken Ecstasy. Executive task measures comprised the Tower of London (TOL), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) and spatial working memory. Immediate and delayed word recall, matched verbal recognition and recall and simple reaction time were also included. Both Ecstasy groups performed significantly worse than controls on two executive measures: TOL planning time and spatial working memory score. There were no differences in cognitive impairment between the Ecstasy users who complained of problems and those who did not. In both groups, decrement on executive tasks was demonstrated as a function of previous drug dose. The study confirms that heavy Ecstasy polydrug use may culminate in selective executive deficits. It also demonstrates that two differently self-perceived Ecstasy groups showed similar cognitive impairment, despite only one group complaining of problems. Because all Ecstasy participants also consumed a range of other illicit drugs, the results are reflective of Ecstasy polydrug use in individuals who use Ecstasy as a drug of preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, UK.
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Abstract
Drug-free Ecstasy polydrug users have shown impairment on tasks of verbal working memory and memory span. Current research aims to investigate how these deficits may affect the learning of verbal material by administration of the Auditory Verbal Learning Task (AVLT) (Rey, 1964). The task provides a learning curve by assessing immediate memory span over multiple trials. Learning strategies are further analysed by tendencies to confabulate as well as demonstrate either proactive or retroactive interference elicited by a novel 'distractor' list. Three groups completed the task: two groups of 14 Ecstasy users (short- and long-term) and one group of 14 polydrug controls. Compared with controls both Ecstasy groups recalled significantly fewer words and made more confabulation errors on the initial three recall trials as well as a delayed recall trial. Long-term users demonstrated increased confabulation on the initial trials and the novel 'distractor7' trial, compared with short-term users. Only following repeated presentations were both short- and long-term users shown to perform at control levels. As such, deficits in verbal learning may be more related to storage and/or retrieval problems than problems associated with capacity per se. No interference errors were demonstrated by either of the Ecstasy groups. However, a high level of intrusion errors may indicate selective working memory problems associated with longer-term use of the drug. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. C. Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of East London
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Fox HC. Examining children. Aust Fam Physician 1990; 19:1877-8. [PMID: 2275672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Fox EC, Fox HC. A modification to the Blake gingivectomy knife. Br Dent J 1979; 146:159. [PMID: 283811 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4804215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Fox HC. New Growth of Tonsil and Faucial Pillars, with Microscopic Specimen. Proc R Soc Med 1915; 8:50. [PMID: 19978745 PMCID: PMC2004097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
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Fox HC. PERFORATION OF THE TYMPANUM AFTER SYRINGING. West J Med 1912. [DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.2701.908-b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Fox HC. Paralysis of the Right Vocal Cord in a Case of Myotonia Atrophica. Proc R Soc Med 1910; 3:20-21. [PMID: 19974401 PMCID: PMC1961404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
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Fox HC. Laryngeal Paralysis. Proc R Soc Med 1908; 1:107-108. [PMID: 19972929 PMCID: PMC2046105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
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Fox HC. THE BEST WAY TO REMOVE TONSILS. West J Med 1907. [DOI: 10.1136/bmj.1.2404.231-a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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