Artículos (Psicología Experimental)

URI permanente para esta colecciónhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/11075

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Psychometric properties of the fertility problem inventory in Spanish infertile patients undergoing assisted reproduction treatments
(Springer, 2026) Domínguez Salas, Sara; Rodríguez Domínguez, Carmen; Moura Ramos, Mariana; Gómez Gómez, Irene; Ostos Serna, Rosa; Armijo Sánchez, Alberto; Psicología Experimental; Universidad de Sevilla
Infertility affects millions of individuals worldwide, significantly impacting mental health and quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to have valid and reliable score interpretations of measurement tools to study the effects of infertility-related stress on people’s lives. This study seeks to undertake the translation and cultural adaptation of the instrument the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) into Spanish, assessing its reliability and validity in a sample of 205 heterosexual infertile patients undergoing Assisted Reproductive Treatments (ART). Participants completed an online questionnaire after providing informed consent. Validity evidence based on the internal structure was obtained through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). In addition, validity evidence based on the relation with other variables was explored by correlations between the FPI with anxiety and depression scales. Internal consistency was also explored. The results indicated that the alternative model of the FPI (two second-order factors) provided a better fit than the first one proposed by Newton et al. (1999) (CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.064) and demonstrated adequate reliability (α = 0.891 for global stress). A positive association was found between higher levels of infertility-related stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly concerning the impact of infertility on daily life. This study provides validity evidence of the FPI Spanish version for its use with infertile patients undergoing ART, highlighting the importance of considering social and relational aspects, as well as beliefs about parenthood, in understanding the emotional distress associated with infertility.
Behavioral Determinants and Effectiveness of Digital Behavior Change Interventions for the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV: Overview of Systematic Reviews
(JMIR Publications, 2026) Duarte Anselmi, Giuliano; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; López Arenas, Daniel; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España
Background: Unsafe sexual practices remain a major contributor to global morbidity, premature mortality, and health care burden. More than 1 million people acquire a sexually transmitted infection (STI) daily, including HIV. Although biomedical innovations such as pre-exposure prophylaxis have expanded prevention options, consistent condom use and regular HIV and STI testing remain essential behavioral strategies. Adherence to these behaviors remains uneven, underscoring the need for complementary digital and behavioral approaches. Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs), technology-based programs designed to support health-related behavior change, offer scalable and personalized tools for safer-sex promotion. However, evidence regarding their behavioral components and effectiveness remains fragmented across systematic reviews (SRs). Objective: This study aims to synthesize and critically appraise evidence on the effectiveness of DBCIs for preventing STIs and HIV, and to identify which behavior change techniques (BCTs) and theoretical domains framework (TDF) have been used to improve safe-sex behaviors. Methods: A search was conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of SRs, Epistemonikos, and PsycINFO for all publications up to November 12, 2025, without language or date restrictions. Eligible SRs examined DBCIs targeting STI and HIV prevention or reduction of risky sexual behaviors. Two reviewers (GDA and DLA) independently screened, extracted data, and appraised methodological quality using the AMSTAR-2 tool. The reporting followed the PRIOR (Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews) and PRISMA-S (Preferred Reporting Items for SRs and Meta-Analyses Literature Search Extension) recommendations. Results: Overall, 23 SRs, comprising 514 primary studies and 129,481 participants, met the inclusion criteria. Most interventions were SMS-based, mobile app–based, or web-delivered. Digital interventions consistently improved STI and HIV testing uptake and engagement with sexual health services. Evidence for condom use and biological outcomes was mixed. Improvements in cognitive determinants, such as HIV-related knowledge, motivation, and self-efficacy, were frequently reported. Only 4 reviews explicitly applied BCT or TDF taxonomies, identifying goal setting, feedback on behavior, and prompts and cues as commonly used techniques. Research predominantly originated from high-income settings, with limited evidence from low- and middle-income countries and minimal reporting of sex- or gender-disaggregated outcomes. Conclusions: DBCIs show promise for strengthening STI/HIV prevention, particularly by increasing testing behaviors and supporting cognitive determinants of risk reduction. However, sustained condom use and biological outcomes remain inconsistent, and reporting of behavioral mechanisms is limited. This overview is the first to integrate effectiveness evidence with a systematic, mechanism-focused mapping of BCTs and TDF constructs, providing an innovation not present in earlier reviews. Clarifying which active components of digital interventions are most consistently linked to beneficial outcomes offers concrete guidance for designing culturally tailored, theory-driven, and equity-focused digital strategies. These insights have direct implications for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers seeking to develop digital prevention programs that more effectively address behavioral determinants of STI and HIV risk.
Methodological quality of football studies based on observational methodology: A systematic review
(Universidad de Murcia, 2026) López Arenas, Daniel; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Anguera Argilaga, María Teresa; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España; HUM649: Innovaciones Metodológicas en Evaluación de Programas
Observational methodology (OM) has been extensively employed in football research. This study presents a systematic review that applies the Methodological Quality Scale for studies based on Observational Methodology (MQSOM) to 236 primary papers on football based on OM to unveil methodological trends. The psychometric properties of the MQSOM yielded adequate results. Descriptive statistics were provided; a proportion analysis was conducted to identify differences in procedures; and a two-step cluster analysis was conducted to identify methodological quality (MQ) profiles. The proportion analysis revealed significant differences in observation type (frequently direct), coding manual (often specified), data type (seldom specified), observational instrument (frequently specified), recording (often specified), control (occasionally specified) and analysis software (frequently specified), parameter type (usually frequency), quality control (frequently employed), and analysis (usually non-descriptive). Two-step cluster analysis yielded five MQ profiles ranked in decreasing order based on the MQSOM score (P1: high Design Quality -DQ-, and Measurement & Analysis Quality -MAQ-; P2: moderate DQ, high MAQ; P3: low DQ, high MAQ; P4: low DQ, moderate MAQ; and P5: low DQ and MAQ). This work presents an updated snapshot of OM applied in football research, outlining future improvements in MQ.
Subcortical functional cognitive hubs assessed by intraoperative neuropsychological protocol in awake surgery
(Elsevier, 2026) Trujillo Pozo, Isabel; Narros-Giménez, José Luis; Alcántara-Bernal, Ricardo; Del Águila Puntas, Tamara; Cancela-Caro, Paloma; Martín-Schrader, Ignacio; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío
Awake patient surgery for glioma resection aims to achieve the widest possible resection while ensuring that postoperative deficits do not compromise the patient’s quality of life. This report presents the case of a 40-year-old right-handed man with a left frontal lobe lesion consistent with a probable low-grade glial tumour. A preoperative neuropsychological assessment was performed to establish the patient’s baseline cognitive functioning and to plan a comprehensive, individualised intraoperative neuropsychological protocol. Bipolar cortical stimulation and deep monopolar stimulation of the white matter were employed. During bipolar cortical stimulation, three language-blocking sites were identified at the posteroinferior margin of the lesion, corresponding to Broca’s area. In addition, involuntary directional eye movements contralateral to the stimulated area were observed, suggesting involvement of the frontal eye field region. Using neuropsychological tasks in combination with deep monopolar white matter stimulation, alterations in motor sequencing, autobiographical memory, naming, verbal automatisms, and calculation were recorded. These alterations occurred when different points of the deep white matter were stimulated, particularly in regions between the supplementary motor area and the precentral gyrus. Overall, these findings suggest that complex and flexible cognitive, behavioural, and emotional functions can be identified during awake surgery. Our work highlights the need to develop intraoperative tasks that enhance patient safety during the neurosurgical procedure while minimising false-positive findings. Furthermore, white matter stimulation provides valuable insight into the interconnected network systems that support brain function. An additional consideration is the optimisation of direct electrical stimulation parameters, which may further improve the reliability of intraoperative mapping.
Beyond Synchrony: Non-Phase Gamma as a Candidate Mechanism for Perceptual Anti-Binding
(MDPI, 2026) Caballero Díaz, Rocío; Sarrias Arrabal, Esteban; Martín Clemente, Rubén; Vázquez Marrufo, Manuel; Psicología Experimental; Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Universidad de Sevilla
The gamma band observed in human electroencephalography (EEG) has been extensively studied. However, recent research has begun distinguishing the potential roles assigned to phase and non-phase modulation within this band. The primary aim of this study is to analyze the potential role of non-phase gamma modulation in a widely used visual task in human subjects. For this purpose, using a 58-channel EEG recording, gamma activity was evaluated during an oddball task. Responses from 21 healthy subjects were recorded at two separate time points, with an average interval of 49.5 ± 48.9 days. Latency, amplitude, and topographic correlation values were calculated to assess the replicability. Furthermore, potential influence of alpha band harmonics on gamma was analyzed. Topographic analyses revealed a strong negative correlation between gamma phase-locked (synchronous) and non-phase-locked (asynchronous) activity, with correlation coefficients of r < −0.9 for both measures. The results observed between the two time points were robust. The harmonic analysis did not show any potential contribution of the alpha band. The separate analysis of phase and non-phase activity has enabled us to identify distinct roles for each. Establishing non-phase activity as a perceptual “anti-binding” mechanism opens new avenues for exploring a previously unaddressed aspect of gamma activity.
Facing dominant master narratives on gender and sexuality: identity reconstruction of women in situations of inequality
(Sage, 2022) Mata Benítez, Manuel de La; Cala Carrillo, María Jesús; Sala, Arianna; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)
The article is based on a conception of identity and self as a situated narrative construction in which memory plays a central role. To construct self-narratives, individuals internalise cultural master narratives in specific socio-cultural settings. For that reason, the analysis of self-identity needs to go beyond the individual to integrate interpersonal and socio-cultural levels, as well. Starting from this theoretical perspective, two studies of identity reconstruction of women facing situations of inequality and violence (lesbian women and women after gender-based violence) in Spain were examined. These two groups were confronted with gendered master narratives that place women in a subordinate situation. The two studies applied a similar methodology, based on the use of Bruner’s self-indicators. The analysis of the cases was focused on three issues: the dynamics of master versus alternative narratives in identity (re)construction and their relation to social reproduction and change, the need to consider the three levels of analysis (socio-cultural, interpersonal and individual) and the role of voice and silence in these processes. Finally, the involvement or memory in identity reconstruction was considered.
Estudio comparativo entre hombres y mujeres candidatos a cirugía bariátrica: autoestima, apego y percepción de apoyo familiar
(Sociedad Española de Cirugía de la Obesidad, 2021) Pazos Pazos, María del Águila; Benítez Hernández, María del Mar; Arias Velarde, María Ángeles; Luque Budia, Asunción; Borda Mas, María de las Mercedes; Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos; Psicología Experimental
Ante el rápido crecimiento de la obesidad mórbida en países occidentales, así como la alta tasa de mortalidad que provoca en la población, la cirugía bariátrica está mostrando ser el método más eficaz en dar respuesta a dicha demanda sanitaria. Antes de ser intervenidos quirúrgicamente, los pacientes pasan por un proceso de evaluación mediante el cual son considerados o no aptos para dicha operación. Mediante este estudio se pretende examinar las diferencias psicológicas existentes entre aquellos que son evaluados como aptos, no aptos, y un grupo control que no padece obesidad mórbida. Se utilizó una muestra de 419 personas, pacientes del Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla. Los resultados indicaron que los pacientes evaluados como no aptos para la cirugía bariátrica se caracterizaban por no percibir apoyo familiar, tener un estilo de apego inseguro y bajos niveles de autoestima. Estas diferencias se dieron en ambos sexos, excepto en el caso del apego, donde no encontramos diferencias significativas en la población masculina. Consecuentemente, es preciso que se siga trabajando en el estudio de los factores psicológicos que se relacionan con la obesidad mórbida para así aplicar un tratamiento psicológico pre-operatorio eficaz a los pacientes candidatos a cirugía bariátrica que lo requieran.
Mental health in parents of very preterm infants at 12 months: Influential variables and profiles
(Wiley, 2026) Barbancho Morant, María Merced; Padilla Muñoz, Eva María; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Lanzarote Fernández, María Dolores; Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos; Psicología Experimental; Junta de Andalucía; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España
Objective: The goal was to explore the influence of clinical and developmental variables of the infant on the mental health of parents at12 months corrected age of very preterm babies. Background: There is no agreement on whether all parents of preterm infants need the same specialized attention in the neonatal intensive care unit and during their first years. Method: The sample consisted of 107 couples. Stress, depression, resilience, and two types of monitoring were evaluated in both parents and in child development. We tested the influence of the infants' development on the parents' mental health using neural networks, and we explored different family profiles with cluster analysis. Results: The most influential variable for parents' mental health was the Developmental Index. Two family profiles were obtained, one of which presented greater risk, regardless of the clinical variables at birth. Conclusions: At 12 months after the child's birth, the mental health of parents of very preterm infants was associated with the child's development and, to a lesser extent, with clinical variables upon birth. Family profiles were differentiated by the parents' mental health. Implications: In order to be able to intervene early, it would be beneficial to extend the monitoring of not only the baby's development but also the parents' mental health.
Effect of the NMDA antagonist MK-801 on latent inhibition of fear conditioning
(Elsevier, 2012) Traverso Arcos, Luis Miguel; Ruiz Ortiz, Gabriel; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). España; Junta de Andalucía
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors seem to play a central role in learning and memory processes involved in Latent Inhibition (LI). In fact, MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, has proved its effectiveness as a drug for attenuating LI when administered before or after stimulus preexposure and conditioning stages. This paper presents three experiments designed to analyze the effect of MK-801 on LI when the drug is administered before (Experiment 1A) or after (Experiment 1B) preexposure and conditioning stages with a conditioned emotional response procedure. Additionally, we analyze the effect of the drug when it was administered before preexposure, before conditioning or before both phases (Experiment 2). The results show that the effect of the drug varied as a function of the dose (with only the highest dose being effective), the moment of administration (with only the drug administered before the experimental treatments being effective), and the phase of procedure (reducing LI when the drug was administered only at preexposure, and disrupting fear conditioning when administered at conditioning). These differences may be due to several factors ranging from the role played by NMDA receptors in the processing of stimuli of different sensorial modalities to the molecular processes triggered by drug administration.
Feelings Toward Adoption and Well-Being Among Adolescent Adoptees
(Taylor & Francis, 2026) Paniagua Infantes, Carmen Elisa; Moreno Rodríguez, María del Carmen; Rivera de los Santos, Francisco José; Grotevant, Harold D.; Palacios González, Jesús; Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación; Psicología Experimental
This study explores how adolescents internalize their adoptive identity and its impact on well-being. It examines feelings about adoption among 541 adoptees aged 11–18 from the 2018 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study in Spain. Findings show that younger adolescents (11–12) tend to express positive feelings, while older adolescents (13+) develop more complex, ambivalent perspectives. Three emotional profiles emerged: predominantly positive, predominantly negative, and a third one characterized by the presence of both positive and negative feelings. Finally, positive feelings were linked to higher wel-lbeing, while negative ones were associated with lower well-being.
Protective factors of mental health in a premature population: a 14-year exploratory study across developmental stages
(AME Publishing Company, 2026) Galán Megías, Rocío; Lanzarote Fernández, María Dolores; Arias Sánchez, Samuel; Padilla Muñoz, Eva María; Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos; Psicología Experimental
Background: Every year, more premature infants grow into adulthood, yet while extensive research has focused on the risks associated with prematurity, information is scarce regarding the protective factors that can support mental health in these individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of proxies for social and educational functioning on their mental health across different developmental stages (childhood, adolescence and adulthood). Methods: In this 14-year developmental study, 50 premature infants were assessed using Achenbach’s behavioral scales, including the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL), and Adult Self-Report (ASR). Results: The findings of this exploratory study revealed that while most participants fell within the normative range, 10–20% displayed low social functioning proxies during childhood and adolescence. Notably, the social functioning proxies were significantly associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as overall mental health, particularly during adolescence and adulthood. Furthermore, the educational functioning proxies emerged as a key protective factor in adulthood. Conclusions: These results emphasize the importance of fostering strong social and educational functioning throughout life to mitigate mental health risks associated with prematurity. As an exploratory study, these findings suggest that further research is needed to confirm these relationships and enhance the generalizability of the results, with larger and more diverse samples potentially providing more robust insights.
Inhibition of brain NOS activity impair spatial learning acquisition in fish
(Elsevier, 2020) Gómez Gordillo, Yolanda; Vargas Romero, Juan Pedro; López García, Juan Carlos; Portavella García, Manuel; Psicología Experimental; Junta de Andalucía
Nitric oxide plays a role in the long term potentiation mechanisms produced in the mammalian hippocampus during spatial learning. A great deal of data has demonstrated that the dorsolateral telencephalon of fish could be homologous to the mammalian hippocampus sharing functional similarities. In the present study, we analyzed the role of nitric oxide in spatial learning in teleost fish. In Experiment 1, we studied the effects of the inhibition of telencephalic nitric oxide in goldfish during the acquisition of a spatial task. The results showed that nitric oxide is involved in the learning of a spatial task. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of the inhibition of telencephalic nitric oxide in goldfish for the retrieval of a learned spatial response. The results indicated that the retrieval of the information previously stored is not dependent of the nitric oxide. The last experiment analyzed the role of the telencephalic nitric oxide in place and cue learning. Results showed a clear impairment in place but not in cue learning. As a whole, these results indicate that fish and mammals, could have a relational memory system mediated by similar biochemical mechanisms.
Psychological distress in Spanish-speaking countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis
(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2026) Escobar-Segovia, Kenny; Domínguez Salas, Sara; García-Iglesias, Juan Jesús; López-López, Daniel; Allande Cussó, Regina; Ruiz-Frutos, Carlos; Artero-García, Alejandro; Gómez Salgado, Juan; Psicología Experimental; Enfermería; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS); CTS1050: Cuidados Complejos, Cronicidad y Resultados en Salud; SEJ663: Metodología, Estadística y Psicometría Aplicada a las Ciencias del Comportamiento y de la Salud
Background: Psychological distress (PD) has increased significantly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In Spanish-speaking countries, with their cultural, social, and economic diversity, this phenomenon has become particularly relevant and has been aggravated by factors such as socioeconomic inequalities and unequal access to mental health services. The aim of this systematic review was to consolidate the available knowledge on PD in Spanish-speaking population groups by assessing both the prevalence of symptoms and the associated factors in different demographic groups and geographic contexts, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement was conducted in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus electronic databases in January 2025. The search included studies published from the beginning of the pandemic until May 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute’s critical assessment tool was used to evaluate the chosen studies’ methodological quality. Results: A total of 53 studies were included in the review, which involved research conducted in Spain, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Colombia. The results revealed a high prevalence of PD in these countries, especially among healthcare workers, women, and young people. The assessment methods used included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, GHQ-12, and GHQ-28 versions), the Kessler scale (K-6 and K-10 versions), and the 90-symptom checklist questionnaire (SCL-90-R), that allowed obtaining various dimensions of PD. The studies also highlighted the importance of the sense of coherence and work engagement as protective factors. Conclusions: In the COVID-19 pandemic, PD was analyzed to be severe in Spanish-speaking countries, pointing to the need for specific and culturally adapted interventions to address this public mental health crisis. This is why public health policies must focus on the prevention and treatment of PD, with special attention to the most vulnerable groups.
Editorial: Towards a basic standard methodology for international research in psychology
(Frontiers Media, 2023) Sánchez Hernández, Milagros O.; Holgado Tello, Francisco Pablo; Carrasco Ortiz, Miguel Ángel; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Lozano Lozano, José Antonio; Psicología Experimental
Predictive Factors of Mental Health in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Chile
(Sage, 2022) Labra-Valerdi, Paloma; Chacón Moscoso, Salvador; Sanduvete Chaves, Susana; Psicología Experimental; Beca Presidente (Chile); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT). Chile; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); Junta de Andalucía; Universidad de Sevilla
Studies about violence against women specific to the Chilean population are scarce. As a result, government treatment programs lack a local perspective. Predictor variables were analyzed in the mental health of Chilean women who have survived intimate partner abuse. Two hundred and two women who made regular visits to public Women's Centers participated in the study; on average, they had survived 11 years of abuse. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine what variable/s in the history of violence best predicted the mental health variables. Among other protective factors, an increase in both resilience and the time since the last violent episode yielded a reduction in levels of general psychological distress (B = -1.836, p < .001 and B = 1.117, p < .001 respectively), post-traumatic stress disorder (B = -1.243, p = .002 and B = 1.221, p < .001 respectively), and depression (B = -1.822, p < .001 and B = 1.433, p < .001 respectively). The study also noted risk factors such as a high level of additional stressors, which in turn led to increased levels of general psychological distress (B = 1.007, p = .005), post-traumatic stress disorder (B = 0.928, p = .013), and depression (B = 1.061, p = .016). The Women's Center is the place where women feel most supported. To improve the effectiveness of treatments at these centers and aid in the recovery of women who have suffered from intimate partner violence, the predictive factors significantly related to mental health should be taken into account. This means prioritizing cases where the last episode of violence was more recent, addressing additional stressors, and promoting resilience.
A Systematic Review on Sex Differences in Prepulse Inhibition of Startle: Implications for Translational Research
(HOGREFE & HUBER PUBLISHERS, 2024) Santos Carrasco, Daniel; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España
Prepulse inhibition of the startle response is defined as the inhibition of the startle reflex to an intense contextual stimulus (named pulse) when a weaker stimulus (named prepulse) precedes it, and is considered as a measure of sensorimotor gating. Consistent with recent research, it has been observed that this measure might exhibit sex differences in studies of both humans and rodents, although the results in the literature appear to be inconsistent. Therefore, this systematic review aims to analyze the sexual differences observed in both human and nonhuman animal studies from a comparative perspective. A comprehensive search was conducted from the inception to the present in the Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycInfo databases. Following the search, 58 studies were included in the review. The average age in human studies (n=32) was 31.45 years (range = 4-69), while among nonhuman animal studies (n=26), the average age was 75.5 postnatal days (range = 7-360). The results indicated that there were no clear sexual differences in the startle response magnitude. However, consistent sex differences in prepulse inhibition were found, revealing that males exhibited higher levels of sensorimotor gating compared to females in both human (78.79% of the studies) and nonhuman animal studies (69.23% of the studies). Therefore, the findings corroborate the sex differences of prepulse inhibition and underscore the value of this paradigm in comparative science, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as an independent variable when studying this phenomenon.
Induced positive affect reduces the magnitude of the startle response and prepulse inhibition
(HOGREFE & HUBER PUBLISHERS, 2021) Ruiz Salas, Juan Carlos; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO). España; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)
The startle response is a reflex that represents a form of adaptation to environmental changes potentially relevant to survival. Startle magnitude can change depending on a number of factors such as the affective state of the organism during the presentation of the startle-inducing stimulus, or the so-called Prepulse Inhibition (PPI) that occurs when the startling stimulus (or Pulse) is preceded by a low intensity stimulus (or Prepulse). This paper describes an experiment designed to analyze the impact of an induced positive affect on the magnitude of the startle response and PPI in adult humans. Specifically, each participant received alternating exposures to a picture of a face of a loved person (positive affect condition) or to a picture of a face of an unknown person (control condition) while the startle response and PPI were recorded. The results showed a decrease in both the magnitude of the startle response and percent PPI on the positive affect trials when compared with the control trials. These results are interpreted from psychophysiological and psychological perspectives considering the role of emotions in adaptive behavior.
Psychological pain and opioid receptors: Reward downshift is disrupted when tested in a context signaling morphine
(Elsevier, 2022) Ruiz-Salas, Juan C.; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Torres, Carmen; Papini, Mauricio R.; Psicología Experimental; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España
A sucrose downshift causes a temporary suppression of consumption accompanied by psychological pain, a negative emotion triggered by reward loss. When administered systemically before downshift sessions, opioid agonists reduce and opioid antagonists enhance such behavioral suppression. However, little is known about the effects of signals of opioid drugs on behavior during a reward downshift episode. Research showed that morphine administration can induce a direct effect (e.g., hypoalgesia) followed by a compensatory effect (e.g., hyperalgesia). Therefore, a signal for morphine could elicit either a direct or a compensatory effect. Male Wistar rats were exposed to ten 5-min sessions of access to 32% sucrose in context A, followed by three sessions of access to 4% sucrose in context B. In parallel, animals received pairings between context B and morphine (5 mg/kg, sc) occurring each day immediately after sucrose sessions (contexts were counterbalanced). Control conditions included a saline control (no morphine injected), an unpaired control (morphine injected after exposure to B) tested in A (Experiment 1), and an unpaired control tested in B (Experiment 2). In both experiments, behavioral suppression induced by the 32-to-4% sucrose downshift was attenuated when the downshift occurred in a context previously paired with morphine. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that reward downshift is accompanied by an emotion of negative valence that can be counteracted by the conditioned release of endogenous opioids triggered by signals of morphine, much like it is attenuated by systemic morphine administration. Alternative hypotheses are also discussed.
Haloperidol-based conditioned increase in locomotor activity is disrupted by latent inhibition and extended interstimulus interval
(Elsevier, 2020) Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Cárcel Valle, Lucía; Marias, Mélanie; Ruiz-Salas, Juan C.; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). España; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)
Previous research have shown that repeated administration of 0.5 mg/kg of haloperidol in a given context gives rise to an increase in activity when spontaneous locomotor activity is recorded in a drug-free test conducted in such context. In order to confirm whether this type of response is based on processes of a Pavlovian nature, we conducted two experiments involving two manipulations that disrupt conditioning in typical classical conditioning procedures: preexposure of the to-be-conditioned stimulus (latent inhibition), and an increase in the length of the inter-stimulus interval. The results revealed that both manipulations were effective in reducing the conditioned increase of the locomotor response. This kind of conditioning can be explained in terms of the differential effects of low vs. high doses of haloperidol, and the temporal dynamics of conditioned response.
Dimensions of sucrose solutions in the successive negative contrast effect
(Elsevier, 2020) Ruiz-Salas, Juan C.; Casa Rivas, Luis Gonzalo de La; Papini, Mauricio R.; Psicología Experimental; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). España; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)
The consummatory successive negative contrast (cSNC) task typically involves administering food-deprived rats 10 daily 5-min sessions of access to 32 % sucrose (preshift) followed by a few sessions in which the concentration is reduced to 4 % sucrose (postshift). Such sucrose downshift leads to transient suppression of consummatory behavior. Reward downshifts were used to determine whether food-deprived rats treat sucrose solutions as food, because sweetness is a proxy for its caloric content, or as water, because a solution has hydration content. In Experiment 1, a cSNC effect was obtained in food-deprived animals, but not in water-deprived animals. This suggested that food deprivation focused attention on the feeding dimension of sucrose, whereas water deprivation focused attention on the drinking dimension of sucrose. Sucrose downshift results in a greater caloric change than in hydration content because both concentrations continue to provide fluid. Experiments 2 and 3 offered presession access to rewards either before preshift or before postshift sessions, respectively. Consistent with this attentional view, presession access to water (which should focus attention on the feeding dimension), but not to food (which should focus attention on the drinking dimension), suppressed consummatory behavior after a sucrose downshift. Presession access to food, like water deprivation, enhanced the hydration properties of the sucrose solution at the expense of its caloric properties. These results are consistent with an attentional hypothesis according to which the internal state, manipulated via deprivation or presession reward access, determines which dimension of the sucrose reward would control consummatory behavior.

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