Cognitive control in recognition of emotionally negative face in 5-10-year-old children

We used the experimental model of cognitive visual set, designed by D.N. Uznadze, to study the influence of previous experience on emotional face expression recognition in pre-school (6.1 +/- 0.3 years) and elementary school (10.5 +/- 0.1 years) children. Our results suggest that the ability to form a cognitive set to an angry face expression develops in ontogenesis in strong concordance with functional maturation of prefrontal cortex that takes place at the age of approximately 10 years. At this age children display almost the same level of set plasticity and a similar kind of erroneous perceptions during set actualization as grown-ups. Children of younger age (6.1 +/- 0.3 years) display more perceverative erroneous perceptions, or assimilative illusions (probably of a priming origin), than the above mentioned groups. We consider this to be a result of a more strong influence of previous experience in their case.     

Development of a function to recognize angry facial expressions in 5- to 11-year-old children

In 5- to 6-, 7- to 8-, and 10- to 11-year-old children, age-related features of the effects of former experience on the recognition of emotional facial expressions were found using a cognitive set model. In five- to six-year-old children, an inert set to an angry facial expression was formed and expressed during testing as a large number of erroneous recognition of facial expressions of the perseverative type (assimilative) illusions. Set plasticity was increased in seven- to eight-year-old children and the number of assimilative illusions decreased. In 10- to 11-year-old children, the cognitive set was similar to adults in terms of its plasticity and a ratio of assimilative and contrast illusions. Changes in the spatial synchronization of electrical potentials in the ??- and ??-frequency bands were observed in all age groups, mainly during set formation. In all age groups, we observed a correlation between the bioelectrical data and the effects of former experience on the recognition of facial expression. Based on the data on the coherence of the potentials of the ??- and ??-ranges we propose age-related changes in the involvement of the cortico-hippocampal and fronto-thalamic functional systems of integration of brain activity in organizing the sets to emotionally negative facial expressions.     

Context effects recognition of the emotional facial expression

Influence of additional working memory load on emotional face recognition was studied in healthy adults. Visual set to emotional face expression was experimentally formed, and two types of additional task--visual-spatial or semantic--were embedded in the experiment. Additional task caused less plastic set, i.e., a slower set-shifting. This effect displayed itself in an increase of erroneous facial expression perceptions. The character of these erroneous perceptions (assimilative or contrast or visual illusions) depended on the type of the additional task. Pre-stimulus EEG coherence across experimental trials in theta (4-7), low alpha (8-10 Hz) and beta (14--20) bands was analysed. Data of low-alpha and beta-coherence supported the hypothesis that increased memory load caused less involvement of frontal lobes in selective attention mechanisms that are associated with set-forming. This results in a slower set-shifting. Increased memory load also led to a growth of theta-band coherence in the left hemisphere and its decrease in the right hemisphere. The account of theta-coherence decrease in the right hemisphere between prefrontal and temporal areas for a slower set-shifting is discussed.     

The Feet of Overweight and Obese Young Children: Are They Flat or Fat?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the flat feet displayed by young obese and overweight children are attributable to the presence of a thicker midfoot plantar fat pad or a lowering of the longitudinal arch relative to that in non‐overweight children. Research Methods and Procedures: Foot anthropometry, an arch index derived from plantar footprints, and midfoot plantar fat pad thickness measured by ultrasound were obtained for 19 overweight/obese preschool children (mean age, 4.3 ± 0.9 years; mean height, 1.07 ± 0.1 m; mean BMI, 18.6 ± 1.2 kg/m²) and 19 non‐overweight children matched for age, height, and sex (mean age, 4.3 ± 0.7 years; mean height, 1.05 ± 0.1 m; mean BMI, 15.7 ± 0.7 kg/m²). Results: Independent t tests revealed no significant between‐subject group differences (p = 0.39) in the thickness of the midfoot plantar fat pad. However, the overweight/obese children had a significantly lower plantar arch height (0.9 ± 0.3 cm) than their non‐overweight counterparts (1.1 ± 0.2 cm; p = 0.04). Discussion: The lower plantar arch height found in the overweight/obese children suggests that the flatter feet characteristic of overweight/obese preschool children may be caused by structural changes in their foot anatomy. It is postulated that these structural changes, which may adversely affect the functional capacity of the medial longitudinal arch, might be exacerbated if excess weight bearing continues throughout childhood and into adulthood.     

The High Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Mexican Children

Objective: To establish the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Mexican children 10 to 17 years of age according to the percentiles from both the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Research Methods and Procedures: Heights and weights were measured in children from nationally representative, randomly chosen households in the Mexican National Health Survey 2000. The study population consisted of 7862 boys and 8947 girls, 10 to 17 years of age. Measurements used were the percentage of children in the corresponding BMI categories for overweight and obesity specified by the CDC and the IOTF BMI percentiles. Results: The children were short, with mean Z scores for height by age varying from ? 0.62 ± 1.26 to ?1.12 ± 1.06 in boys and from ?0.45 ± 1.25 to ?1.19 ± 1.12 in girls. CDC‐based overweight prevalences varied by age from 10.8% to 16.1% in boys and 14.3% to 19.1% in girls, with obesity prevalences from 9.2% to 14.7% in boys and 6.8% to 10.6% in girls; these prevalences did not relate to stunting. IOTF‐based excess weight prevalences were similar, with higher overweight rates (boys, 15.4% to 18.8%; girls, 18.4% to 22.3%) but lower obesity rates (boys, 6.1% to 9%; girls, 5.9% to 8.2%). Discussion: Mexican children have one‐half the overweight/obesity prevalences of U.S. Mexican‐American children; however, there are higher rates in Northern Mexico, which is closer to the U.S. These escalating rates of excess weight demand new prevention, as well as management, policies.     

The blood glucose content in newborn rats depending on level and pattern of spontaneous motor activity

Earlier we have shown that administration to newborn rats of the pentose phosphate cycle inhibitor hydroquinone leads to a change in intensity and pattern of spontaneous periodic motor activity (SPMA) characteristic of early stages of development. The most typical was the disappearance of the rest period from the near-minute “activity-rest” cycle and the appearance of uninterrupted motor activity. In several cases, especially after 10 days of development, there was noted an enhancement in the SMPA pattern of the motor activity complexes following in the decasecond rhythm. In this study, on the 3–10-day old rats maintained under conditions of free behavior there was studied the blood glucose content in the animals at various periods of the activity-rest cycle. Apart from the SPMA phase, its composition (pattern) characterizing the maturity level and functional state of spinal motor centers was taken into account. In the 3, 7 and 10-day old rats at the rest period, the glucose concentration was established to differ depending on the motor activity pattern. In the case of the decasecond periodicity, it amounts to 5.7 ± 0.2, 6.3 ± 0.3, and 7.5 ± 0.3 mmol/l, while at the minute one—6.1 ± 0.4, 7.8 ± 0.3, and 7.8 ± 0.1 mmol/l. At the moment of bursts of motor excitation, the glucose concentration falls to 5.2 ± 0.1, 6.1 ± 0.4, and 7.1 ± 0.3 mmol/l at the decasecond and to 5.4 ± 0.5, 6.7 ± 0.2, and 7.6 ± 0.3 mmol/l at the near-minute rhythm (for the 3-, 7-, and 10-day old animals, respectively). The results obtained on the 5-day rat pups differ qualitatively from those observed in other age groups. Thus, the glucose concentration at the rest period amounts to 6.8 ± 0.2 at the decasecond and to 6.7 ± 0.4 mmol/l at the nearminute periodicity. At the period of motor excitation accompanied by the presence of the decasecond activity rhythm, the glucose concentration falls to the level of 6.0 ± 0.2 mmol/l by differing statistically significantly from the observed one in the rest state. In the case of the appearance of the minute rhythm, the glucose concentration amounts to 5.8 ± 0.3 mmol/l. The obtained data indicate that reproduction of the minute and decasecond rhythms recorded in composition of SPMA is accompanied by a change in the blood serum glucose level. The degree of a decrease of its concentration correlates with a certain activity rhythm: at the decasecond one the fall is 9, 13, 3, and 7%, whereas at the minute rhythm—11, 13, 14, and 2% (for the 3-, 5-, 7- and 10-day old rats, respectively). It is to be noted that a certain effect on the activity pattern is produced by the degree of satiety of the rat pups, the gastric emptying being accompanied by an increase in expression of the decasecond rhythm and of brief jerks. Besides, there occur the significant seasonal oscillations of the blood serum glucose concentration in the newborn rat pups—at the summer period it is statistically significantly higher than at the winter—spring period.     

Reconstruction of Historic Forest Cover Changes Indicates Minor Effects on Carbon Stocks in Swiss Forest Soils

Forest cover in Switzerland and other European countries has gradually increased in the past century. Our knowledge of the impacts of forest expansion and development on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage is, however, limited due to uncertainties in land-use history and lack of historical soil samples. We investigated the effect of forest age on current SOC storage in Switzerland. For 857 sites, we analysed SOC stocks and determined the minimal forest age for all presently forested sites using digitized historical maps, classifying all sites into three categories: young (≤60 years), medium (60–120 years), and old (≥120 years) forests. Grassland was the primary previous use of afforested land. Forest age affected current SOC stocks only moderately, whereas climate, soil chemistry, and tree species exerted a stronger impact. In the organic layer, highest SOC stocks were found in medium sites (3.0 ± 0.3 kg C m^?2). As compared to other age categories, these sites had a 10% higher cover in coniferous forests with higher organic layer C stocks than broadleaf forests. SOC stocks in mineral soils decreased with increasing forest age (12.5 ± 0.9, 11.4 ± 0.5, 10.5 ± 0.3 kg C m^?2). This decrease was primarily related to a 200-m higher average elevation of young sites and higher SOC stocks in a colder and more humid climate. In summary, forest age has only a minor effect on SOC storage in Swiss forest soils. Therefore, ongoing forest expansion in mountainous regions of Europe is unlikely contributing to soil C sequestration.     

Improving adherence to medication in stroke survivors (IAMSS): a randomised controlled trial: study protocol

Background  

Adherence to therapies is a primary determinant of treatment success, yet the World Health Organisation estimate that only 50% of patients who suffer from chronic diseases adhere to treatment recommendations. In a previous project, we found that 30% of stroke patients reported sub-optimal medication adherence, and this was associated with younger age, greater cognitive impairment, lower perceptions of medication benefits and higher specific concerns about medication. We now wish to pilot a brief intervention aimed at (a) helping patients establish a better medication-taking routine, and (b) eliciting and modifying any erroneous beliefs regarding their medication and their stroke.     

Stable isotope ratio analysis of breastfeeding and weaning practices of children from medieval Fishergate House York,UK

Rib collagen of 51 juveniles and 11 adult females from the late medieval Fishergate House cemetery site (York, UK) were analyzed using nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratio analysis to determine the weaning age for this population and to reconstruct diet. The juveniles' ages ranged from fetal to 5–6 years, while the females were of reproductive age. Previous researchers suggested that the children from Fishergate House might have been weaned later than the medieval British norm of 2 years, based on a mortality peak at 4–6 years of age. The results show weaning was complete by 2 years of age, agreeing with previous British weaning studies. The adult female δ¹⁵N values have a mean of 11.4‰ ± 1.1‰ and the δ¹³C values have a mean of ?19.4‰ ± 0.4‰. These findings are consistent with previous isotopic studies of female diet in York during this period, though slightly lower. The weaned juvenile nitrogen values were found to be higher than the adult females (12.4‰ ± 1.0‰ for δ¹⁵N and ?19.7‰ ± 0.5‰ for δ¹³C), which might indicate a dependence on higher trophic level proteins such as marine fish or pork. Marine fish is considered a high status food and children are considered low‐status individuals at this time, making this a particularly interesting finding. Weaning does not appear to coincide with peak mortality, suggesting environment factors may be playing a larger role in child mortality at Fishergate House. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:407–416, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Type 2 Diabetes with Comorbid Depression in Relation to Cognitive Impairment: an Opportunity for Prevention?

Studies show poor glycemic control is associated with increased risk of dementia among patients with Type 2 diabetes, indicating potential for prevention of dementia with improved glycemia. Emerging evidence suggests that a relationship between short-term glycemic control and cognitive function exists in Type 2 diabetes. However, detailed mechanisms relating diabetic dementia are lacking, as other concurrent conditions, such as depression, may also increase the risk of dementia in Type 2 diabetes. We examined the effects of glycemic control and depression on cognitive function in 88 patients (mean age, 67 ± 4 years) whose A1c (glycosylated hemoglobin) levels, comorbid depression, mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores were recorded at baseline. Seventeen patients had depression; 14 agreed on anti-depressants. In 6 months, 69 patients reached A1c goal of < 7% (A1c from 9.7 ± 0.8 to 6.4 ± 0.3) while cognition improved significantly (MMSE scored from 20.2 ± 3.5 to 26.2 ± 2.1, p < 0.05). Cognitive increment in controlled diabetes was more consistently observed if their underlying depression was effectively treated (n ? 14). Nineteen patients did not reach A1c goal of < 7% (A1c from 9.6 ± 0.9 to 8.9 ± 0.9) while cognitive increment was minimal (MMSE scored from 20.6 ± 4.9 to 21.3 ± 5.1, p > 0.05). Cognitive decrements were observed among depressed diabetics who refused anti-depressants. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, education, alcohol use, and other variables yielded similar results. We found controlled glycemia and depression prevent cognitive decline. Further research into mechanisms of cognitive impairment in diabetes may allow us to challenge the concept of dementia in those patients as an irremediable disease.     

Plasma visfatin concentration as a surrogate marker for visceral fat accumulation in obese children

Objective: This study was designed to elucidate whether the plasma visfatin level reflects visceral or subcutaneous fat accumulation and metabolic derangement in obese children. Methods and Procedures: Fifty‐six obese Japanese children, including 37 boys and 19 girls were enrolled in the study. The age of the subjects ranged from 5 to 15 (10.2 ± 0.3; mean ± s.e.m.) years. The age‐matched control group for measuring visfatin consisted of 20 non‐obese children. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) areas were measured by computed tomography. The plasma concentrations for visfatin and leptin were assayed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: The plasma visfatin level was higher in the obese (14.7 ± 0.9 ng/ml) than in the control children (8.6 ± 0.6 ng/ml). In a univariate analysis, the visfatin correlated significantly with age, height, body weight, waist circumference, VAT and SAT area, triglyceride (TG), insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐R). After being adjusted for age and sex, only the VAT area retained significant partial correlation with visfatin, and in contrast the body weight, BMI–s.d., and SAT area with leptin. The plasma visfatin concentration was not correlated with leptin. The plasma visfatin levels in the control, non‐metabolic syndrome (MS) (n = 49), and MS groups (n = 7) were significantly different from each other. Discussion: These results suggest that plasma visfatin level is a specific marker for visceral fat accumulation in obese children. As a good surrogate marker, plasma visfatin level can predict the VAT area in obese children.     

The ontogeny and population variability of human hepatic dihydronicotinamide riboside:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO2)

Dihydronicotinamide riboside:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO2) is an enzyme that performs reduction reactions involved in antioxidant defense. We hypothesized that NQO2 hepatic drug clearance would develop in children over time, similar to NQO1. Using human liver cytosol (n = 117), the effects of age, sex, ethnicity, and weight on NQO2 expression and activity were probed. No significant correlations were observed. Biochemical activity of NQO2 was as high at birth as in adults (0.23 ± 0.04 nmol/min/mg protein, mean ± SEM, range 0–1.83). In contrast, modeled hepatic clearance through the NQO2 pathway was up to 10% of adult levels at birth, reaching predicted adult levels (0.3 ± 0.03 L/h) at 14 years of age. Comparisons between NQO1 and NQO2 in the same livers showed that neither protein (P = 0.32) nor activity (P = 0.23) correlated, confirming both orthologs are independently regulated. Because hepatic clearance through NQO2 does not mature until teenage years, compounds detoxified by this enzyme may be more deleterious in children.     

Ubiquinone-10 plasma concentrations in healthy European children

The reduced form of ubiquinone-10 (coenzyme Q) has been shown to represent an important physiologic antioxidant principle in human blood. In order to establish a reference range for infants, we measured plasma levels of ubiquinone in 50 healthy European children aged 2 months to 15 years. A mean ±SD) value of 0.75±0.27 μg/ml plasma (0.87±0.31 μM) was determined; ubiquinone concentrations were not found to be sex-dependent (0.7±0.24μg/ml for girls, n=17, and 0.7±0.28μg/ml for boys, n=33) but correlated negatively with age (r = -0.37, P=0.0075). This negative correlation was mainly due to relatively high levels in infants approximately 1 year old.

The mean value determined does not significantly differ from the average ubiquinone plasma concentrations determined in healthy Nigerian children (0.85±0.40 μg/ml, n= 18) in a previous study (Becker K, Boetticher D, Leichsenring M. Internat J Vitam Nutr Res 1995, in press).     

Cognitive disorder in brain concussion

This paper presented original study results concerning the prevalence and clinical characteristics of cognitive impairment associated with brain concussion. The cognitive functions of 80 consecutive patients （mean age = 37.40±1l.74years; 50 men and 30 women） admitted to the hospital with brain concussions were evaluated. Their cognitive scores were compared with 40 age- and education-matched healthy volunteers without history of cranial trauma. Cognitive impairment without dementia was found in 93% of the patients. Cognitive impairment in brain concussion was also characterized by prominent cognitive slowness （bradyphrenia）, concentration decrease, free recall insufficiency, and visual-spatial dysfunction. Age and severity of anxiety significantly influence the cognitive performance of patients.     

Apathy in Parkinson disease

Apathy is one of the least investigated symptom of Parkinson disease （PD）. In the article there are data of frequency, diagnostic features, pathophysiology and treatment of apathy in PD. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the frequency of apathy in PD without dementia, evaluate the relationship with other neuropsychiatric and motor disorders, influence on the life quality. 115 patients （age-63.84±0.6 years, stage 2.6±0.3） with PD without dementia were included in the investigation. There were used the following scales： scale of evaluation stages of PD by Hoehn-Yahr, UPDRS （part 〈〈activity of daily living〉〉, 〈〈motor functions 〉〉）; Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Parkinson Disease Sleep Scale- PDSS, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Parkinson Fatigue Scale-PFS- 16, SCOPA-Cog, Lilli Apathy Rating Scale LARS and Apathy Scale AS. Apathy was found in 25% of patients. The frequency and severity of apathy does not depend on stage and duration of PD. It was found positive correlation of apathy and hypokinesia. In different stages of PD there was variability of relationships of apathy with depression, executive functions and sleep disorders. We suppose the heterogeneity of apathy in PD because of the variability of the association with other neuropsychiatric （affective, cognitive, sleep） disorders. It was found the negative influence of apathy on daily activity, emotional and social aspects of life quality.     

Robots with Display Screens: A Robot with a More Humanlike Face Display Is Perceived To Have More Mind and a Better Personality

It is important for robot designers to know how to make robots that interact effectively with humans. One key dimension is robot appearance and in particular how humanlike the robot should be. Uncanny Valley theory suggests that robots look uncanny when their appearance approaches, but is not absolutely, human. An underlying mechanism may be that appearance affects users’ perceptions of the robot’s personality and mind. This study aimed to investigate how robot facial appearance affected perceptions of the robot’s mind, personality and eeriness. A repeated measures experiment was conducted. 30 participants (14 females and 16 males, mean age 22.5 years) interacted with a Peoplebot healthcare robot under three conditions in a randomized order: the robot had either a humanlike face, silver face, or no-face on its display screen. Each time, the robot assisted the participant to take his/her blood pressure. Participants rated the robot’s mind, personality, and eeriness in each condition. The robot with the humanlike face display was most preferred, rated as having most mind, being most humanlike, alive, sociable and amiable. The robot with the silver face display was least preferred, rated most eerie, moderate in mind, humanlikeness and amiability. The robot with the no-face display was rated least sociable and amiable. There was no difference in blood pressure readings between the robots with different face displays. Higher ratings of eeriness were related to impressions of the robot with the humanlike face display being less amiable, less sociable and less trustworthy. These results suggest that the more humanlike a healthcare robot’s face display is, the more people attribute mind and positive personality characteristics to it. Eeriness was related to negative impressions of the robot’s personality. Designers should be aware that the face on a robot’s display screen can affect both the perceived mind and personality of the robot.     

Dietary Restraint and Stress-Induced Snacking in Youth

Objective: To determine whether dietary restraint modifies stress-induced eating in youth. Research Methods and Procedures: Snacking was measured in boys (9.5 ± 0.3 years) and girls (9.0 ± 0.3 years), with and without dietary restraint, across a control day after reading children's magazines and/or coloring, and on a stress day after giving a videotaped speech, with order of conditions counterbalanced. Children were divided into four groups based on dietary restraint and changes in perceived stress: low-restraint/low-reactive (n = 9), low-restraint/high-reactive (n = 13), high-restraint/low-reactive (n = 10), and high-restraint/high-reactive (n = 8). Body composition was estimated by skinfolds. Results: Energy intake of snack foods was influenced differently by dietary restraint and stress reactivity in the stress and control conditions (p < 0.01). After being stressed, low-restraint/low-reactive children ate fewer snacks and high-restraint/high-reactive children ate more snacks compared with the control condition. After covarying for percentage of body fat, the interactions remained (p < 0.01). Girls ate less than boys (p < 0.001), but sex did not influence eating in control and stress conditions. Discussion: Dietary restraint occurs in children and may influence the effect of stress on eating. Interpersonal stress decreases snacking in low dietary restrained youth but increases snacking in high dietary restrained children, perhaps because of stress-induced disinhibition.     

Part-Based and Configural Processing of Owner's Face in Dogs

Dogs exhibit characteristic looking patterns when looking at human faces but little is known about what the underlying cognitive mechanisms are and how much these are influenced by individual experience. In Experiment 1, seven dogs were trained in a simultaneous discrimination procedure to assess whether they could discriminate a) the owner''s face parts (eyes, nose or mouth) presented in isolation and b) whole faces where the same parts were covered. Dogs discriminated all the three parts of the owner''s face presented in isolation, but needed fewer sessions to reach the learning criterion for the eyes than for both nose and mouth. Moreover, covering the eyes region significantly disrupted face discriminability compared to the whole face condition while such difference was not found when the nose or mouth was hidden. In Experiment 2, dogs were presented with manipulated images of the owner''s face (inverted, blurred, scrambled, grey-scale) to test the relative contribution of part-based and configural processing in the discrimination of human faces. Furthermore, by comparing the dogs enrolled in the previous experiment and seven ‘naïve’ dogs we examined if the relative contribution of part-based and configural processing was affected by dogs'' experience with the face stimuli. Naïve dogs discriminated the owner only when configural information was provided, whereas expert dogs could discriminate the owner also when part-based processing was necessary. The present study provides the first evidence that dogs can discriminate isolated internal features of a human face and corroborate previous reports of salience of the eyes region for human face processing. Although the reliance on part-perception may be increased by specific experience, our findings suggest that human face discrimination by dogs relies mainly on configural rather than on part-based elaboration.     

Public opinion,prejudice and the racialization of welfare in Canada

Drawing on a unique survey experiment in the 2011 Canadian Election Study data set, this paper examines the ways in which racial cues influence attitudes towards redistributive policy. While work in the USA points to a strong racialization of welfare attitudes, little research explores the ways in which racial cues may structure attitudes about welfare elsewhere. In the Canadian context, Aboriginal peoples have faced both historic persecution and continue to face severe discrimination. They also experience much higher levels of poverty than other groups in Canada. Our results examine the effect that (hypothetical) Aboriginal recipients have on public support for social assistance. Results suggest that respondents' support for redistribution is lower when recipients are Aboriginal rather than white. As we have seen in the USA, then, support for welfare is related to racialized perceptions about those who benefit from social assistance.     

Cognitive Change in Obese Adolescents Losing Weight

Objectives: To investigate how obese adolescents think about themselves in terms of exercise, eating, and appearance and whether these cognitions change over the course of a residential weight loss camp. Research Methods and Procedures: Obese adolescents [N = 61; age, 14.1 (±0.2) years; BMI, 33.9 (±0.7) kg/m²] completed assessments of body weight and height and self‐esteem and a sentence‐completion test eliciting thoughts and beliefs about exercise, eating, and appearance at the start and end of the camp (mean stay, 26 days). They were compared with a single assessment of 20 normal‐weight adolescents [age, 15.4 (±0.2) years; BMI, 21.8 (±0.5) kg/m²]. Results: The obese adolescents lost 5.7 kg and reduced their BMI SD score by 0.25. Camp residence was associated with a significant reduction in the number of negative automatic thoughts and an increase in positive thoughts, especially related to exercise and appearance. There was no change in conditional beliefs, either functional or dysfunctional. Including BMI SD score change as a covariate took away all the main and interaction effects of time, showing that cognitive change was largely accounted for by the reduction in weight. Despite this improvement, campers remained cognitively more negative and dysfunctional than the normal‐weight comparison adolescents. Discussion: Obese adolescents not only lost weight, but they improved their self‐representation, specifically in terms of automatic thoughts about exercise and appearance. Although these are short‐term cognitive changes, they reflect positively on the camp experience and show the value of psychological improvement in assessing obesity‐treatment outcomes.