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Why do romantic partners sometimes act in ways that potentially threaten relationship satisfaction and stability, even when strongly committed to the relationship? This article discusses research that has addressed this question by examining the role of executive control. We argue that executive control plays a particularly important role in relationship functioning when partners are faced with dilemmas between acting on self-interest and acting on partner or relationship interest. We review the key findings in this domain, demonstrating that individual differences in executive control are positively associated with sacrifice, forgiveness, and the ability to resist the temptation of attractive alternatives. We conclude with proposing a theoretical model that integrates the role of motivation and capacity factors in promoting pro-relationship responses and discuss promising areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is it that some people are better able to sacrifice their own immediate interest for the sake of their partner than others? We conducted two studies to test whether an individual's level of executive control plays a role in answering this question. Study 1 demonstrated that executive control is related to the tendency to continue a frustrating task to benefit one's partner. Study 2 replicated this effect by using two different indicators of sacrifice: a behavioral sacrifice measure and a questionnaire on the intention to make major sacrifices for one's partner. Together, our findings suggest that higher levels of executive control facilitate prorelational behavior when facing various conflicts of interests in a romantic relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of erector spinae plane block and rectus sheath block for postoperative analgesia in midline abdominal procedures is becoming more common. However, the most effective and appropriate method remains unclear. We aimed to compare the postoperative analgesic effecacy of ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spinae plane blocks with rectus sheath blocks for midline abdominal surgery in a low- and middle-income country., Methods: We allocated randomly 72 patients aged 18-65 y undergoing midline abdominal surgery to an erector spinae plane block (n = 36) or a rectus sheath block (n = 36) utilising a prospective, parallel study design. Patients, care providers and outcome assessors were blinded to the interventions. The primary outcome measures were total postoperative analgesia consumption, postoperative pain severity and time to first rescue analgesic administration. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of postoperative complications and adverse events., Results: Of 78 patients assessed for eligibility, six were excluded, leaving 72 for analysis. Patients allocated to erector spinae plane block had a lower mean (SD) postoperative opioid consumption compared with those allocated to rectus sheath block (3.5 (8.7) morphine milligram equivalents vs. 8.2 (2.8) morphine milligram equivalents, respectively; p = 0.003). Time to first analgesic request was greater in patients allocated to erector spinae plane block compared with those allocated to rectus sheath block (mean (95%CI) 16 (13-17) h vs. 12 (11-13) h, respectively; p < 0.001). There were no block-related complications in either group., Discussion: Erector spinae plane blocks are more effective than rectus sheath blocks for the management of postoperative pain following midline abdominal surgery. Integration of erector spinae plane blocks into multimodal opioid-sparing analgesic strategies after midline abdominal surgeries may promote enhanced patient recovery in low-and middle-income countries., (© 2024 Association of Anaesthetists.)