%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Quintana, Daniel S
%A McGregor, Iain S
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Malhi, Gin S
%A Kemp, Andrew H
%T A Meta-Analysis on the Impact of Alcohol Dependence on Short-Term Resting-State Heart Rate Variability: Implications for Cardiovascular Risk.
%B Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
%D 2013
%C United States
%I Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
%V 37
%N S1
%P E23-E29
%@ 1530-0277
%X BACKGROUND: Alcohol dependence is associated with an increased likelihood of cardiac events. Reductions in heart rate variability (HRV) may be one mechanism linking dependence with these events. HRV may also be related to poor social functioning and the lack of impulse control commonly observed in alcohol-dependent individuals. However, prior studies on the impact of alcohol dependence on HRV have reported contradictory findings highlighting the need for a meta-analysis. METHODS: Studies comparing short-term HRV in alcohol-dependent populations and healthy controls who were nondependent were considered for meta-analysis. Only studies reporting findings from participants without cardiovascular disease were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Meta-analyses were based on 6 articles that fulfilled inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 177 alcohol-dependent participants and 216 nondependent participants. Alcohol-dependent participants displayed reduced HRV (Hedges'' g??=??-0.6, p??>??0.001) in comparison with nondependent participants. No differences were observed between the summary effect sizes obtained from different HRV domains (Q??=??1.19, p??=??0.55). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol dependence is associated with reduced HRV, an effect associated with a medium effect size. Findings highlight the importance of monitoring alcohol-dependent patients for cardiac disease and emphasize the need for cardiovascular risk reduction strategies in these patients.
%Z FOR Codes: 111714 111699


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Hickie, Ian B
%A Scott, Elizabeth M
%A Hermens, Daniel F
%A Naismith, Sharon L
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Kaur, Manreena
%A Sidis, Anna
%A Whitwell, Bradley
%A Glozier, Nicholas
%A Davenport, Tracey
%A Pantelis, Christos
%A Wood, Stephen J
%A McGorry, Patrick D
%T Applying clinical staging to young people who present for mental health care.
%B Early Intervention in Psychiatry
%D 2013
%C Australia
%I Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia
%V 7
%N 1
%P 31-43
%@ 1751-7893
%X Aim: The study aims to apply clinical staging to young people who present for mental health care; to describe the demographic features, patterns of psychological symptoms, disability correlates and clinical stages of those young people; and to report longitudinal estimates of progression from less to more severe stages. Methods: The study uses cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments of young people managed in specialized youth clinics. On the basis of clinical records, subjects were assigned to a specific clinical ''stage'' (i.e. ''help-seeking'', ''attenuated syndrome'', ''discrete disorder'' or ''persistent or recurrent illness''). Results: Young people (n???=???209, mean age???=???19.9???years (range???=???12-30???years), 48% female) were selected from a broader cohort of n???=???1483 subjects. Ten percent were assigned to the earliest ''help-seeking'' stage, 54% to the ''attenuated syndrome'' stage, 25% to the ''discrete disorder'' stage and 11% to the later ''persistent or recurrent illness'' stage. The interrater reliability of independent ratings at baseline was acceptable (?????=???0.71). Subjects assigned to the ''attenuated syndrome'' stage reported symptom and disability scores that were similar to those assigned to later stages. Longitudinally (median???=???48???weeks), transition to later clinical stages were 11% of the ''help-seeking'', 19% of the ''attenuated syndrome'' and 33% of the ''discrete disorder'' groups. Conclusion: Among young people presenting for mental health care, most are clinically staged as having ''attenuated syndromes''. Despite access to specialized treatment, a significant number progress to more severe or persistent disorders.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Scott, Elizabeth M
%A Hermens, Daniel F
%A Naismith, Sharon L
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A De Regt, Tamara
%A White, Django
%A Lagopoulos, Jim
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Distinguishing young people with emerging bipolar disorders from those with unipolar depression.
%B Journal of Affective Disorders
%D 2013
%C Netherlands
%I Elsevier BV
%V 144
%N 3
%P 208-215
%@ 0165-0327
%X BACKGROUND: To facilitate early intervention, there is a need to distinguish unipolar versus bipolar illness trajectories in adolescents and young adults with adult-type mood disorders. METHODS: Detailed clinical and neuropsychological evaluation of 308 young persons (aged 12 to 30 years) with moderately severe unipolar and bipolar affective disorders. RESULTS: Almost 30% (90/308) of young people (mean age=19.4??4.4yr) presenting for care with affective disorders met criteria for a bipolar-type syndrome (26% with bipolar I). Subjects with bipolar- and unipolar-type syndromes were of similar age (19.8 vs. 19.2yr) and reported comparable ages of onset (14.5 vs. 14.3yr). Clinically, those subjects with unipolar and bipolar-type disorders reported similar levels of psychological distress, depressive symptoms, current role impairment, neuropsychological dysfunction and alcohol or other substance misuse. Subjects with unipolar disorders reported more social anxiety (p<0.01). Subjects with bipolar disorders were more likely to report a family history of bipolar (21% vs. 11%; [??(2)=4.0, p<.05]) or psychotic (19% vs. 9%; [??(2)=5.5, p<.05]), or substance misuse (35% vs. 23%; [??(2)=3.9, p<.05]), but not depressive (48% vs. 53%; ??(2)=0.3, p=.582]) disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Young subjects with bipolar disorders were best discriminated by a family history of bipolar, psychotic or substance use disorders. Early in the course of illness, clinical features of depression, or neuropsychological function, do not readily differentiate the two illness trajectories.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Liu, Jean C J
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Dadds, Mark R
%T Exploring the role of intra-nasal oxytocin on the partner preference effect in humans.
%B Psychoneuroendocrinology
%D 2013
%C United Kingdom
%I Pergamon
%V 38
%N 4
%P 587-591
%@ 1873-3360
%X Previous studies with prairie voles suggest that the hormone oxytocin is crucial for bond formation - indicated when a partner preference is formed towards the target vole. In this study, we conduct the first empirical test of whether oxytocin likewise promotes partner preferences in humans. Seventy-six undergraduate students received either oxytocin or placebo before being introduced to a male and female persona (via pre-recorded videoclips). One day later, participants were assessed for a partner preference towards the personae: across three situations, participants were asked to choose as company one of the personae they had been introduced to, or an opposite- or same-gendered person they had not been introduced to before; participants were additionally offered a choice to have no company. We found evidence suggesting oxytocin increases preference for persons introduced under the influence of oxytocin; however, this was not targeted at persons of the opposite-gender, and was found in only one aspect of social interaction (finding out more information about the person, but not in choice of company to work with or for a date). Taken together, our findings suggest that oxytocin might not promote human bond formation in ways analogous to prairie voles - that is, by inducing a partner preference effect.
%Z FOR Codes: 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Lowe, Robyn
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Chen, Nigel T M
%A Menzies, Ross G
%A Packman, Ann
%A O'Brian, Sue
%A Onslow, Mark
%T Avoidance of eye gaze by adults who stutter.
%B Journal of Fluency Disorders
%D 2012
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc.
%V 37
%N 4
%P 263-274
%@ 1873-801X
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 170106


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Chen, Nigel T M
%A Clarke, Patrick J F
%A Macleod, Colin
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Biased attentional processing of positive stimuli in social anxiety disorder: an eye movement study.
%B Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
%D 2012
%C United Kingdom
%I Routledge
%V 41
%N 2
%P 96-107
%@ 1651-2316
%X Despite the established relationship between social anxiety and attentional bias towards threat, a growing base of evidence suggests that social anxiety is additionally maintained by a deficit in the attentional processing of positive information. However, it remains unclear which component of attention is implicated in this deficit. Using eye movement-based measures and a novel attentional cuing methodology, the present study sought to investigate the presence of anxiety-linked bias in attentional engagement with, attentional disengagement from, and total fixation time to, socially relevant emotional stimuli in individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, relative to non-socially anxious controls. Socially anxious individuals were found to exhibit faster attentional disengagement from positive stimuli, and reduced total fixation time to all emotional stimuli, relative to controls. Additionally for socially anxious individuals, lower total fixation times to positive stimuli were associated with higher levels of state anxiety. No differential pattern of engagement was evident between groups. We conclude that social anxiety is maintained in part by the aberrant processing of positive social stimuli.
%Z FOR Codes: 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Clarke, Patrick J F
%A Hickie, Ian B
%A Scott, Elizabeth
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Clinical staging model applied to young people presenting with social anxiety.
%B Early Intervention in Psychiatry
%D 2012
%C Australia
%I Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia
%V 6
%N 3
%P 256-264
%@ 1751-7893
%X Aim: Although the use of illness-staging models in clinical medicine has proved particularly useful, the concept has not been widely applied in mental health. Here, we apply a clinical staging framework to a population of help-seeking young people presenting with social anxiety. The goal was to provide a detailed description of common clinical stage of those presenting for treatment of social anxiety, and to delineate the associations between symptom type, severity and clinical stage. Methods: The results of a structured clinical interview along with background clinical information formed the basis for consensus-derived decisions regarding clinical stage. Subjects also completed self-report measures to assess anxiety and depressive symptoms. Comparisons were conducted largely between those subjects who were considered to have reached a critical clinical threshold for discrete or progressive disorders (i.e. those staged at two and beyond) and those with ''attenuated syndromes'' (stage 1b - 69% of subjects). Results: One hundred forty-three subjects (63% male, mean age???=???22.1???years) were clinically assessed prior to entry into active treatment programmes. Subjects assigned to stage two or above reported more psychological distress, higher depression scores and more alcohol use. However, these subjects did not report more severe anxiety symptoms. A higher incidence of substance misuse was a significant feature of those in later clinical stages. Conclusions: The study suggests that those who present with social anxiety are characterized by a broad range of symptom severity, with a small, though significant proportion representing individuals whose mental health problems have already progressed to a stage characterized by greater co-morbidity and risk of chronicity. Our data specifically suggest that depressive symptoms and substance abuse/dependence may differentiate those in earlier and later clinical stages.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319 111708 170106


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Liu, Jean C J
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Dadds, Mark R
%T Effects of oxytocin on human social approach measured using intimacy equilibriums.
%B Hormones and Behavior
%D 2012
%C United States
%I Academic Press
%V 62
%N 5
%P 585-591
%@ 1095-6867
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Quintana, Daniel S
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Outhred, Tim
%A Hickie, Ian B
%A Kemp, Andrew H
%T Heart Rate Variability Predicts Emotion Recognition: Direct Evidence for a Relationship Between the Autonomic Nervous System and Social Cognition.
%B International Journal of Psychophysiology
%D 2012
%C Netherlands
%I Elsevier BV
%V 86
%N 2
%P 168-172
%@ 1872-7697
%X It is well established that heart rate variability (HRV) plays an important role in social communication. Polyvagal theory suggests that HRV may provide a sensitive marker of one''s ability to respond and recognize social cues. The aim of the present study was to directly test this hypothesis. Resting-state HRV was collected and performance on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test was assessed in 65 volunteers. Higher HRV predicted improved performance on this emotion recognition task confirming our hypothesis and these findings were retained after controlling for a variety of confounding variables known to influence HRV - sex, BMI, smoking habits, physical activity levels, depression, anxiety, and stress. Our data suggests that increased HRV may provide a novel marker of one''s ability to recognize emotions in humans. Implications for understanding the biological basis of emotion recognition, and social impairment in humans are discussed.
%Z FOR Codes: 170101 110901


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Bryant, Richard A
%A Hung, Lynette
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Mitchell, Philip B
%T Oxytocin as a moderator of hypnotizability.
%B Psychoneuroendocrinology
%D 2012
%C United Kingdom
%I Pergamon
%V 37
%N 1
%P 162-6
%@ 1873-3360
%X Since hypnosis was popularly recognized in the nineteenth century, the phenomenon of hypnotizability has remained poorly understood. The capacity to increase hypnotizability has important implications because it may increase the number of people who can benefit from hypnotic interventions for psychological and medical conditions. Current theories emphasize that rapport between hypnotist and subject is pivotal to motivate the respondent to engage in strategies that allows them to suspend reality and respond to suggestions. The neuropeptide oxytocin is implicated in social bonding, and enhances a range of social behaviors in animals and humans. This study tested the proposal that oxytocin administration, which enhances social bonding in humans, may enhance hypnotic responding by administering intranasal spray of oxytocin or placebo prior to hypnosis in 40 low hypnotizable male subjects. When low hypnotizable individuals were administered oxytocin via nasal spray, their level of hypnotic responding increased significantly compared to hypnotic responding levels prior to oxytocin administration. This is the first demonstration of a neurochemical basis for hypnotic responding, and points to a potential neural mechanism to explain hypnotizability.
%Z FOR Codes: 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Kemp, Andrew H
%A Quintana, Daniel S
%A Kuhnert, Rebecca-Lee
%A Griffiths, Kristi
%A Hickie, Ian B
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Oxytocin increases heart rate variability in humans at rest: implications for social approach-related motivation and capacity for social engagement.
%B PLoS One
%D 2012
%C United States
%I Public Library of Science
%V 7
%N 8
%P e44014
%@ 1932-6203
%X Oxytocin (OT) plays a key regulatory role in human social behaviour. While prior studies have examined the effects of OT on observable social behaviours, studies have seldom examined the effects of OT on psychophysiological markers such as heart rate variability (HRV), which provides an index of individual''s motivation for social behaviour. Furthermore, no studies have examined the impact of OT on HRV under resting conditions, which provides an index of maximal capacity for social engagement.
%Z FOR Codes: 170101 110319 110901


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Alvares, Gail A
%A Chen, Nigel T M
%A Balleine, Bernard W
%A Hickie, Ian B
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Oxytocin selectively moderates negative cognitive appraisals in high trait anxious males.
%B Psychoneuroendocrinology
%D 2012
%C United Kingdom
%I Pergamon
%V 37
%N 12
%P 2022-2031
%@ 1873-3360
%X The mammalian neuropeptide oxytocin has well-characterized effects in facilitating prosocial and affiliative behavior. Additionally, oxytocin decreases physiological and behavioral responses to social stress. In the present study we investigated the effects of oxytocin on cognitive appraisals after a naturalistic social stress task in healthy male students. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 48 participants self-administered either an oxytocin or placebo nasal spray and, following a wait period, completed an impromptu speech task. Eye gaze to a pre-recorded video of an audience displayed during the task was simultaneously collected. After the speech, participants completed questionnaires assessing negative cognitive beliefs about speech performance. Whilst there was no overall effect of oxytocin compared to placebo on either eye gaze or questionnaire measures, there were significant positive correlations between trait levels of anxiety and negative self-appraisals following the speech. Exploratory analyses revealed that whilst higher trait anxiety was associated with increasingly poorer perceptions of speech performance in the placebo group, this relationship was not found in participants administered oxytocin. These results provide preliminary evidence to suggest that oxytocin may reduce negative cognitive self-appraisals in high trait anxious males. It adds to a growing body of evidence that oxytocin seems to attenuate negative cognitive responses to stress in anxious individuals.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 111502 170106


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Clarke, Patrick J F
%A Chen, Nigel T M
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Prepared for the best: Readiness to modify attentional processing and reduction in anxiety vulnerability in response to therapy.
%B Emotion
%D 2012
%C United States
%I American Psychological Association
%V 12
%N 3
%P 487-494
%@ 1931-1516
%X Individuals differ in the extent to which their vulnerability to anxiety is reduced by psychological therapy. However, the cognitive basis for such individual differences is still poorly understood. To test a cognitive account of differences in anxiety reduction in response to treatment, the present study examined individuals undergoing group therapy for social anxiety disorder. We assessed whether differences in their readiness to adopt selective attentional processing in response to an experimental contingency predicted positive changes in a range of anxiety measures in response to treatment. Findings were consistent with the position that readiness to alter attentional processing bias may underpin individual differences in the tendency to respond to positive experiential conditions, such as group therapy, by reducing anxiety vulnerability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
%Z FOR Codes: 170106


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Scott, Elizabeth M
%A Hermens, Daniel F
%A Glozier, Nicholas
%A Naismith, Sharon L
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Targeted primary care-based mental health services for young Australians.
%B Medical Journal of Australia
%D 2012
%C Australia
%I Australasian Medical Publishing Company Pty. Ltd.
%V 196
%N 2
%P 136-140
%@ 1326-5377
%X To assess the extent to which youth-specific, mental health care centres engage young people (12-25 years of age) in treatment, and to report the degree of psychological distress, and the diagnostic type, stage of illness, and psychosocial and vocational impairment evident in these young people.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Scott, Elizabeth M
%A Hermens, Daniel F
%A Naismith, Sharon L
%A White, Django
%A Whitwell, Bradley
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Glozier, Nick
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Thoughts of death or suicidal ideation are common in young people aged 12 to 30 years presenting for mental health care.
%B BMC Psychiatry
%D 2012
%C United Kingdom
%I BioMed Central Ltd.
%V 12
%N 1
%P 234
%@ 1471-244X
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Kenyon, Amanda R
%A Unkelbach, Christian
%A Alvares, Gail A
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Arginine Vasopressin selectively enhances recognition of sexual cues in male humans.
%B Psychoneuroendocrinology
%D 2011
%C United Kingdom, Unit
%I Pergamon
%V 36
%N 2
%P 294-7
%@ 1873-3360
%X Arginine Vasopressin modulates complex social and sexual behavior by enhancing social recognition, pair bonding, and aggression in non-human mammals. The influence of Arginine Vasopressin in human social and sexual behavior is, however, yet to be fully understood. We evaluated whether Arginine Vasopressin nasal spray facilitated recognition of positive and negative social and sexual stimuli over non-social stimuli. We used a recognition task that has already been shown to be sensitive to the influence of Oxytocin nasal spray (Unkelbach et al., 2008). In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design, 41 healthy male volunteers were administered Arginine Vasopressin (20 IU) or a placebo nasal spray after a 45 min wait period and then completed the recognition task. Results showed that the participants administered Arginine Vasopressin nasal spray were faster to detect sexual words over other types of words. This effect appeared for both positively and negatively valenced words. Results demonstrate for the first time that Arginine Vasopressin selectively enhances human cognition for sexual stimuli, regardless of valence. They further extend animal and human genetic studies linking Arginine Vasopressin to sexual behavior in males. Findings suggest an important cognitive mechanism that could enhance sexual behaviors in humans.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 170101


%0 Journal Article
%A Kemp, Andrew
%A Guastella, Adam
%T The Role of Oxytocin in Human Affect:
A Novel Hypothesis
%B Current Directions in Psychological
Science
%D 2011
%C United States
%I Sage Publications, Inc.
%V 20
%N 4
%P 222-231
%@ 0963-7214
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 170112


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Alvares, Gail A
%A Hickie, Ian B
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Acute effects of intranasal oxytocin on subjective and behavioral responses to social rejection.
%B Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
%D 2010
%C United States
%I American Psychological Association
%V 18
%N 4
%P 316-321
%@ 1936-2293
%X The hormone and neuropeptide oxytocin is believed to buffer against social stress and reduce social-threat perception. We employed a widely used ostracism paradigm, Cyberball, to investigate whether oxytocin ameliorated the acute behavioral and affective consequences of social rejection. In a double-blind, randomized, between-subjects design, 74 healthy male and female participants were administered intranasal oxytocin or placebo and subsequently ostracized or included during this virtual ball-tossing game. Ostracized participants reported negative affective and attachment-related reactions, as well as a significant motivational change in increased desire to be involved in the game; these effects were not influenced by oxytocin. Intranasal oxytocin did, however, increase included participants'' desire to play again with the same participants, suggesting oxytocin enhanced desire for future social engagement following inclusion. These findings are argued to provide evidence that the effects of oxytocin in promoting social approach behavior may be context specific and sensitive to positive social cues. The results suggest that in an explicitly aversive context, oxytocin does not buffer against the immediate impact of blunt social rejection.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 170101 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Kenyon, Amanda R
%A Alvares, Gail A
%A Carson, Dean S
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Intranasal Arginine Vasopressin Enhances the Encoding of Happy and Angry Faces in Humans.
%B Biological psychiatry
%D 2010
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc.
%V 67
%N 12
%P 1220-2
%@ 1873-2402
%X Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has a complex but crucial role in social behavior. In nonhuman mammals it facilitates social recognition and bonding while also promoting defensive, aggressive, and territorial behaviors. There has been little research in humans exploring its effect on social cognition, including the encoding of social memories.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Einfeld, Stewart L
%A Gray, Kylie M
%A Rinehart, Nicole J
%A Tonge, Bruce J
%A Lambert, Timothy J
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Intranasal Oxytocin Improves Emotion Recognition for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
%B Biological psychiatry
%D 2010
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc.
%V 67
%N 7
%P 692-4
%@ 1873-2402
%X A diagnostic hallmark of autism spectrum disorders is a qualitative impairment in social communication and interaction. Deficits in the ability to recognize the emotions of others are believed to contribute to this. There is currently no effective treatment for these problems.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Carson, Dean S
%A Cornish, Jennifer L
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Hunt, Glenn E
%A McGregor, Iain S
%T Oxytocin decreases methamphetamine self-administration, methamphetamine hyperactivity, and relapse to methamphetamine-seeking behaviour in rats.
%B Neuropharmacology
%D 2010
%C United Kingdom
%I Pergamon
%V 58
%N 1
%P 38-43
%@ 0028-3908
%X There is emerging evidence that the neuropeptide oxytocin may be utilised as a treatment for various psychopathologies, including drug addictions. Here we used an animal model to assess whether oxytocin might be effective in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction. Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to lever press to intravenously self-administer methamphetamine under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. Once responding had stabilised, one group of rats received escalating doses of oxytocin (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 0.3, 1 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally (IP) prior to daily self-administration tests, while other rats received vehicle. After these tests, lever-pressing was extinguished and the ability of methamphetamine primes (IP, 1 mg/kg) to reinstate responding was studied with and without co-administration of oxytocin (IP, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg). Results showed that oxytocin dose-dependently reduced responding for intravenous methamphetamine with an almost complete absence of responding at the highest oxytocin dose (1 mg/kg). Hyperactivity during methamphetamine self-administration was also dose-dependently reduced by oxytocin. Oxytocin (1 but not 0.3 mg/kg) also reduced the ability of methamphetamine to reinstate methamphetamine-seeking behaviour. In separate tests, oxytocin (IP, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg) robustly decreased the hyperactivity and rearing induced by methamphetamine challenge (IP, 1 mg/kg), producing activity levels similar to control animals. This study suggests that oxytocin may have a powerful inhibitory effect on the motivation to consume methamphetamine and on hyperactivity associated with acute methamphetamine intoxication. These results point to the potential utility of human trials of oxytocin as a therapeutic treatment for methamphetamine addiction.
%Z FOR Codes: 110903 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Kemp, Andrew H
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Oxytocin: prosocial behavior, social salience, or approach-related behavior?
%B Biological Psychiatry
%D 2010
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc.
%V 67
%N 6
%P e33-e34
%@ 1873-2402
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 110999


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Christensen, Helen
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Mackinnon, Andrew J
%A Griffiths, Kathleen M
%A Eagleson, Claire
%A Batterham, Philip J
%A Kalia, Kanupriya
%A Kenardy, Justin
%A Bennett, Kylie
%A Hickie, Ian B
%T Protocol for a randomised controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of an online e-health application compared to attention placebo or sertraline in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder.
%B Trials
%D 2010
%C United Kingdom, Unit
%I BioMed Central Ltd.
%V 11
%N 
%P 48
%@ 1745-6215
%X BACKGROUND: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a high prevalence, chronic psychiatric disorder which commonly presents early in the lifespan. Internet e-health applications have been found to be successful in reducing symptoms of anxiety and stress for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, social phobia and depression. However, to date, there is little evidence for the effectiveness of e-health applications in adult GAD. There are no studies which have directly compared e-health applications with recognised evidence-based medication. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a web-based program for treating GAD relative to sertraline and attention placebo. METHODS/DESIGN: 120 community-dwelling participants, aged 18-30 years with a clinical diagnosis of GAD will be recruited from the Australian Electoral Roll. They will be randomly allocated to one of three conditions: (i) an online treatment program for GAD, E-couch (ii) pharmacological treatment with a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), sertraline (a fixed-flexible dose of 25-100 mg/day) or (iii) an attention control placebo, HealthWatch. The treatment program will be completed over a 10 week period with a 12 month follow-up. DISCUSSION: As of February 2010, there were no registered trials evaluating the effectiveness of an e-health application for GAD for young adults. Similarly to date, this will be the first trial to compare an e-health intervention with a pharmacological treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN76298775.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Carson, Dean S
%A Hunt, Glenn E
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Barber, Lachlan
%A Cornish, Jennifer L
%A Arnold, Jonathon C
%A Boucher, Aurelie A
%A McGregor, Iain S
%T Systemically administered oxytocin decreases methamphetamine activation of the subthalamic nucleus and accumbens core and stimulates oxytocinergic neurons in the hypothalamus.
%B Addiction biology
%D 2010
%C United Kingdom
%I Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
%V 15
%N 4
%P 448-63
%@ 1369-1600
%X Recent preclinical evidence indicates that the neuropeptide oxytocin may have potential in the treatment of drug dependence and drug withdrawal. Oxytocin reduces methamphetamine self-administration, conditioned place preference and hyperactivity in rodents. However, it is unclear how oxytocin acts in the brain to produce such effects. The present study examined how patterns of neural activation produced by methamphetamine were modified by co-administered oxytocin. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with either 2 mg/kg oxytocin (IP) or saline and then injected with either 2 mg/kg methamphetamine (IP) or saline. After injection, locomotor activity was measured for 80 minutes prior to perfusion. As in previous studies, co-administered oxytocin significantly reduced methamphetamine-induced behaviors. Strikingly, oxytocin significantly reduced methamphetamine-induced Fos expression in two regions of the basal ganglia: the subthalamic nucleus and the nucleus accumbens core. The subthalamic nucleus is of particular interest given emerging evidence for this structure in compulsive, addiction-relevant behaviors. When administered alone, oxytocin increased Fos expression in several regions, most notably in the oxytocin-synthesizing neurons of the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. This provides new evidence for central actions of peripheral oxytocin and suggests a self-stimulation effect of exogenous oxytocin on its own hypothalamic circuitry. Overall, these results give further insight into the way in which oxytocin might moderate compulsive behaviors and demonstrate the capacity of peripherally administered oxytocin to induce widespread central effects.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 111501 170101


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Howard, Alexandra L
%A Dadds, Mark R
%A Mitchell, Philip
%A Carson, Dean S
%T A randomized controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin as an adjunct to exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder.
%B Psychoneuroendocrinology
%D 2009
%C United Kingdom
%I Pergamon
%V 34
%N 6
%P 917-923
%@ 0306-4530
%X In humans, oxytocin nasal administration reduces social-threat perception and improves processes involved in communication and the encoding of positive social cues. The aim of this study was to determine whether oxytocin given as an adjunct to exposure therapy improves treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD) as indicated by a comprehensive set of symptom outcome measures. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we administered 24 IU of oxytocin or a placebo in combination with exposure therapy to twenty-five participants who met primary diagnosis for SAD. Participants administered with oxytocin showed improved positive evaluations of appearance and speech performance as exposure treatment sessions progressed. These effects did not generalize to improve overall treatment outcome from exposure therapy. Participants who received oxytocin or placebo reported similar levels of symptom reduction following treatment across symptom severity, dysfunctional cognition, and life-impairment measures. This study shows that the administration of oxytocin improves mental representations of self, following exposure therapy. These effects may be either short term or situation specific. Future research is now needed to determine whether oxytocin can enhance treatment outcomes for SAD when used with greater frequency, with a wider variety of social learning experiences, and in conjunction with interventions that more specifically target change in broader dysfunctional cognitions.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 170106 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Carson, Dean S
%A Dadds, Mark R
%A Mitchell, Philip B
%A Cox, Rochelle E
%T Does oxytocin influence the early detection of angry and happy faces?
%B Psychoneuroendocrinology
%D 2009
%C United Kingdom
%I Permagon
%V 34
%N 0
%P 220-5
%@ 0306-4530
%X Oxytocin has a crucial role in social behaviour, although its effects on social cognition are not fully understood. Past research shows that oxytocin enhances encoding and conceptual recognition of positive social stimuli over social-threat stimuli. In this study, we evaluated whether oxytocin modified responses to positive and threatening social stimuli at an earlier perceptual stage of processing using the visual search task. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, between-subject design, oxytocin (24 IU) or a placebo was administered to 104 healthy volunteers. Participants returned to complete the visual search paradigm 45min later. Results showed that angry faces were detected more efficiently than happy faces. Participants also gazed longer and more frequently toward angry faces. Oxytocin did not, however, influence response time, accuracy, or gaze toward angry or happy faces, even when participants were separated into high- and low-social anxiety. The results of this study suggest that oxytocin may not influence the detection of positive and threatening social stimuli at early perceptual levels of processing. Oxytocin may have greater influence in altering the cognitive processing of social valence at more conceptual and elaborate levels of processing.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999 110319 111502


%0 Journal Article
%~ Isi
%A Guastella, A. J.
%A Dadds, M. R.
%T Sequential Growth in Cognitive-behavioral Emotion-processing: A Laboratory Study
%B Cognitive Therapy and Research
%D 2009
%C United States
%I Springer New York LLC
%V 33
%N 4
%P 368-374
%@ 0147-5916
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 110902


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Richardson, Rick
%A Lovibond, Peter F
%A Rapee, Ronald M
%A Gaston, Jonathan E
%A Mitchell, Philip
%A Dadds, Mark R
%T A randomized controlled trial of D-cycloserine enhancement of exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder.
%B Biological psychiatry
%D 2008
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc.
%V 63
%N 6
%P 544-549
%@ 1873-2402
%X BACKGROUND: Pilot research has suggested that D-cycloserine (DCS) enhances treatment outcomes for anxiety disorders when employed as an adjunct to exposure therapy (ET). The aim of this study was to determine whether 50 mg of DCS enhances ET for social anxiety disorder (SAD) according to a comprehensive set of symptom and life impairment measures. METHODS: In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, we administered 50 mg of DCS or placebo in combination with ET to 56 participants who met primary diagnosis for SAD. RESULTS: Participants administered DCS reported greater improvement on measures of symptom severity, dysfunctional cognitions, and life-impairment from SAD in comparison with placebo-treated participants. Effect sizes were mostly in the medium range. Results also indicated that the amount of adaptive learning about one''s ability to give speeches in front of an audience interacted with DCS to enhance treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the administration of DCS before ET enhances treatment outcomes for SAD. Results also provide the first preliminary evidence to suggest that DCS moderates the relationship between a reduction in negative appraisals about one''s speech performance and improvement in overall SAD symptoms.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Dadds, Mark R
%T Cognitive-behavioural emotion writing tasks: A controlled trial of multiple processes.
%B Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry
%D 2008
%C United Kingdom
%I Pergamon
%V 39
%N 4
%P 558-66
%@ 0005-7916
%X We report on a controlled trial of three structured writing paradigms that engage the writer with cognitive-behavioural emotion-processes: exposure, devaluation, and benefit-finding. University students (N=198) wrote once a week for three weeks about their most upsetting experience. The long-term effects of these structured writing procedures were compared to an unstructured emotion writing condition and control. Outcomes indicated that exposure writing sped the reduction of intrusive and avoidant symptoms, while benefit-finding writing increased reports of positive growth. Results suggest the use of these paradigms to study emotion-processing mechanisms and, potentially, in practice to enhance coping in process-specific ways.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Mitchell, Philip B
%A Mathews, Frosso
%T Oxytocin Enhances the Encoding of Positive Social Memories in Humans.
%B Biological psychiatry
%D 2008
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc.
%V 64
%N 6
%P 256-8
%@ 0006-3223
%X In nonhuman mammals, oxytocin has a critical role in social recognition and the development of long-term bonds. There has been limited research evaluating effects of oxytocin on the encoding and recognition of faces in humans.
%Z FOR Codes: 110999


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Mitchell, Philip B
%A Dadds, Mark R
%T Oxytocin increases gaze to the eye region of human faces.
%B Biological psychiatry
%D 2008
%C United States
%I Elsevier Inc
%V 63
%N 1
%P 3-5
%@ 1873-2402
%X BACKGROUND: In nonhuman mammals, oxytocin has a critical role in peer recognition and social approach behavior. In humans, oxytocin has been found to enhance trust and the ability to interpret the emotions of others. It has been suggested that oxytocin may enhance facial processing by increasing focus on the eye region of human faces. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, between-subject design, we tracked the eye movements of 52 healthy male volunteers who were presented with 24 neutral human faces after intranasal administration of 24 IU oxytocin or placebo. RESULTS: Participants given oxytocin showed an increased number of fixations and total gaze time toward the eye region compared with placebo participants. CONCLUSIONS: Oxytocin increases gaze specifically toward the eye region of human faces. This may be one mechanism by which oxytocin enhances emotion recognition, interpersonal communication, and social approach behavior in humans. Findings suggest a possible role for oxytocin in the treatment of disorders characterized by eye-gaze avoidance and facial processing deficits.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Unkelbach, Christian
%A Guastella, Adam J
%A Forgas, Joseph P
%T Oxytocin selectively facilitates recognition of positive sex and relationship words.
%B Psychological Science
%D 2008
%C United Kingdom
%I Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
%V 19
%N 11
%P 1092-1094
%@ 1467-9280
%X 
%Z FOR Codes: 170113 170112 110999


%0 Journal Article
%~ PubMed
%A Dadds, Mark R
%A El Masry, Yasmeen
%A Wimalaweera, Subodha
%A Guastella, Adam J
%T Reduced eye gaze explains "fear blindness" in childhood psychopathic traits.
%B Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
%D 2008
%C Netherlands, United
%I Elsevier BV
%V 47
%N 4
%P 455-63
%@ 1527-5418
%X OBJECTIVE: Damage to the amygdala produces deficits in the ability to recognize fear due to attentional neglect of other people''s eyes. Interestingly, children with high psychopathic traits also show problems recognizing fear; however, the reasons for this are not known. This study tested whether psychopathic traits are associated with reduced attention to the eye region of other people''s faces. METHOD: Adolescent males (N = 100; age mean 12.4 years, SD 2.2) were stratified by psychopathic traits and assessed using a Tobii eye tracker to measure primacy, number, and duration of fixations to the eye and mouth regions of emotional faces presented via the UNSW Facial Emotion Task. RESULTS: High psychopathic traits predicted poor fear recognition (1.21 versus 1.35; p < .05) and lower number (1.85 versus 2.51; p < .001) and duration (375 versus 620 ms; p < .001) of eye fixations, and fewer first foci to the eye region (1.01 versus 2.01; p < .001). There were no differences in gaze indices to the mouth region. All indices of gaze to the eye region correlated positively with accurate recognition of fear for the high psychopathy group, especially the number of times that subjects looked at the eyes first (r = .50; p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Attention to other people''s eyes is reduced in young people with high psychopathic traits, thus accounting for their problems with fear recognition, and is consistent with amygdala dysfunction failing to promote attention to emotional salience in the environment.
%Z FOR Codes: 110319