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Objective: The two studies presented utilize neuroimaging data to evaluate potential therapeutic and safety biomarkers in depressed patients receiving Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Method: The first study enrolled 41 depressed subjects receiving ECT from two independent sites and evaluated gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA+) in the anterior cingulate cortex with proton-spectroscopy contrasted with healthy controls and therapeutic and cognitive outcomes. The second study investigated 17 subjects receiving ECT and evaluated ictal theta power during ECT to electric dose measured by E-field modeling, therapeutic and cognitive outcomes. Results: No significant difference was seen in GABA+ in depressed subjects receiving ECT compared to healthy controls and no association was found with therapeutic outcomes; however, change in GABA+ may be related to cognitive outcomes. Ictal theta power was found to be associated with dose (E-field strength) and cognitive outcomes. Conclusion: Both ∆GABA+ and ictal theta power have potential to be ECT safety biomarkers.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of service quality on the quality of student experience and its impact on cognitive outcomes at universities that have AIPT A in East Java based on the HEdPERF higher education service quality model. The research method used is quantitative research. The results of hypothesis testing prove that Hedperf (high education performance) has a significant effect on the quality of student experience, Quality of student experience has a significant effect on cognitive outcomes, and Hedperf (high education performance) has a significant effect on cognitive outcomes through the quality of student experience in higher education institutions. AIPT A in East Java..

Neurological and psychological symptoms are increasingly realized in the post-acute phase of COVID-19. To examine and characterize cognitive and related psychosocial symptoms in adults (21-75 years) who tested positive for or were treated as positive for COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, data collection included a cognitive testing battery (Trails B; Digit Symbol; Stroop; Immediate and Delayed Verbal Learning) and surveys (demographic/clinical history; self-reported cognitive functioning depressive symptoms, fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbance, social role performance, and stress). Results were compared with published norms, rates of deficits (more than 1 standard deviation (SD) from the norm) were described, and correlations were explored. We enrolled 52 participants (mean age 37.33 years; 78.85% female) who were, on average, 4 months post illness. The majority had a history of mild or moderate COVID-19 severity. Forty percent of participants demonstrated scores that were 1 SD or more below the population norm on one or more of the cognitive tests. A subset had greater anxiety (21.15%), depressive symptoms (23.07%), and sleep disturbance (19.23%) than population norms. Age differences were identified in Stroop, Digit Symbol, and Trails B scores by quartile (p < .01), with worse performance in those 28-33 years old. Cognitive dysfunction and psychological symptoms may be present in the weeks or months after COVID-19 diagnosis, even in those with mild to moderate illness severity. Clinicians need to be aware and educate patients about the potential late/long-term cognitive and psychological effects of COVID-19, even in mild to moderate disease.

Intrinsic brain tumors often occur within functional neural networks, leading to neurological impairment and disability of varying degrees. Advances in our understanding of tumor-network integration, human cognition and language processing, and multiparametric imaging, combined with refined intraoperative tumor resection techniques, have enhanced surgical management of intrinsic brain tumors within eloquent areas. However, cognitive symptoms impacting health-related quality of life, particularly processing speed, attention, concentration, working memory, and executive function, often persist after the postoperative recovery period and treatment. Multidisciplinary cognitive rehabilitation is the standard of care for addressing cognitive impairments in many neurological diseases. There is promising research to support the use of cognitive rehabilitation in adult brain tumor patients. In this review, we summarize the history and usefulness of postacute cognitive rehabilitation for adult brain tumor patients.

Outcomes for patients with lower-grade gliomas (LrGGs) continue to improve with advances in molecular characterization and treatment. However, cognitive sequela from the tumor and its treatment leave a significant impact on health-related quality of life for these patients. Several factors affect each patient's cognition, such as tumor location, treatment, medication, and comorbidities. However, impairments of processing speed, attention, concentration, working memory, and executive function are common across LrGG patients. Cognitive rehabilitation strategies, well established in traumatic brain injury and stroke populations, are based on neural plasticity and functional reorganization. Adapting these strategies for implementation in patients with brain tumors is an active area of research. This article provides an overview of cognitive domains commonly impaired in LrGG patients and evidence for the use of cognitive rehabilitation strategies to address these impairments with the goal of improving health-related quality of life in this patient population.

Salivary cortisol dysrhythmias have been reported in some, but not all studies assessing hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis function in Huntington’s disease (HD). These differences are presumed to be due to environmental influences on temporal salivary cortisol measurement. Further exploration of HPA-axis function using a more stable and longer-term measure, such as hair cortisol, is needed to confirm earlier findings. This study aimed to evaluate hair and salivary cortisol concentrations and their associations with clinical and lifestyle outcomes in individuals with premanifest HD (n = 26) compared to healthy controls (n = 14). Participants provided saliva and hair samples and data were collected on clinical disease outcomes, mood, cognition, physical activity, cognitive reserve, sleep quality and social network size to investigate relationships between clinical and lifestyle outcomes and cortisol concentrations. Hair and salivary cortisol concentrations did not significantly differ between the premanifest HD and control groups. No significant associations were observed between hair or salivary cortisol concentrations and cognitive, mood or lifestyle outcomes. However, hair cortisol concentrations were significantly associated with disease outcomes in individuals with premanifest HD. Significant associations between hair cortisol concentrations and measures of disease burden and onset may suggest a potential disease marker and should be explored longitudinally in a larger sample of individuals with HD.

Salivary cortisol dysrhythmias have been reported in some, but not all studies assessing hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis function in Huntington’s disease (HD). These differences are presumed to be due to environmental influences on temporal salivary cortisol measurement. Further exploration of HPA-axis function using a more stable and longer-term measure, such as hair cortisol, is needed to confirm earlier findings. This study aimed to evaluate hair and salivary cortisol concentrations and their associations with clinical and lifestyle outcomes in individuals with premanifest HD (n = 26) compared to healthy controls (n = 14). Participants provided saliva and hair samples and data were collected on clinical disease outcomes, mood, cognition, physical activity, cognitive reserve, sleep quality and social network size to investigate relationships between clinical and lifestyle outcomes and cortisol concentrations. Hair and salivary cortisol concentrations did not significantly differ between the premanifest HD and control groups. No significant associations were observed between hair or salivary cortisol concentrations and cognitive, mood or lifestyle outcomes. However, hair cortisol concentrations were significantly associated with disease outcomes in individuals with premanifest HD. Significant associations between hair cortisol concentrations and measures of disease burden and onset may suggest a potential disease marker and should be explored longitudinally in a larger sample of individuals with HD.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of service quality on the quality of student experience and its impact on cognitive outcomes at universities that have AIPT A in East Java based on the HEdPERF higher education service quality model. The research method used is quantitative research. The results of hypothesis testing prove that Hedperf (high education performance) has a significant effect on the quality of student experience, Quality of student experience has a significant effect on cognitive outcomes, and Hedperf (high education performance) has a significant effect on cognitive outcomes through the quality of student experience in higher education institutions. AIPT A in East Java..

This study was conducted to determine the effect of service quality on the quality of student experience and its impact on cognitive outcomes at universities that have AIPT A in East Java based on the HEdPERF higher education service quality model. The research method used is quantitative research. The results of hypothesis testing prove that Hedperf (high education performance) has a significant effect on the quality of student experience, Quality of student experience has a significant effect on cognitive outcomes, and Hedperf (high education performance) has a significant effect on cognitive outcomes through the quality of student experience in higher education institutions. AIPT A in East Java..

Background: Technological advances have allowed a variety of computerized cognitive training tools to be engineered in ways that are fun and entertaining yet challenging at a level that can maintain motivation and engagement. This revolution has created an opportunity for gerontological scientists to evaluate brain gaming approaches to improve cognitive and everyday function. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide a critical overview of the existing literature on nonimmersive, electronic brain gaming interventions in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Research Design and Methods: Systematic search was conducted using 7 electronic databases from inception through July 2017. A comprehensive 2-level eligibility process was used to identify studies for inclusion based on PRISMA guidelines. Results: Seventeen studies met eligibility criteria. Majority of the studies were randomized controlled trials (n = 13) and incorporated an active control (n = 9). Intervention doses ranged from 4 to 24 weeks in duration with an average of 8.4 (±5.1 standard deviation [SD]) weeks. Session durations ranged from 30 to 100 min with an average of 54 (±25 SD) minutes. Nearly half of studies included a follow-up, ranging from 3 months to 5 years (n = 8). For most studies, brain gaming improved at least one cognitive outcome (n = 12); only one study reported improvement in activities of daily living. Discussion and Implications: This scoping review conveys the breadth of an emerging research field, which will help guide future research to develop standards and recommendations for brain gaming interventions which are currently lacking.

Brain tumors are the most common solid tumor of childhood and leading cause of cancer-related death in children (Guerreiro Stucklin et al. 2018; Pollack & Jakacki, 2011). Over the past few decades, long-term survival rates of children diagnosed with brain tumors have improved substantially due to the advent of improved imaging and treatment techniques (Armstrong et al. 2010). However, childhood brain tumors and their treatment have a direct impact on the developing brain and on the quality of life of children and their families (Aarsen et al. 2006). Our main objective was to measure the cognitive outcomes of school-age childhood brain tumor survivors (CBTS) and to explore the potential impacts of several individual, tumor and treatment-related factors on cognitive functioning. Our second objective was to examine the evolution of cognitive performance over time and to address the “growing into deficit” phenomenon, which relates to potential cognitive late effects as well as the development of new deficits in the years following diagnosis and completion of cancer therapies. Our third objective was to investigate CBTS’ behavior starting from the parents and teachers’ perspectives.Our results showed that, when considered as a group, most children presented with normal cognitive functioning except for cognitive inhibition (study 1). An older age at the time of diagnosis was related to a better performance in several cognitive domains beyond intellectual functioning. Moreover, the performance of our group of CBTS remained relatively stable between the two cognitive evaluations and children even tended to improve rather than to decline over time (study 2). Finally, most children showed adequate functioning on various aspects of behavior according to their parents and teachers (study 3).Three main observations could be made when reviewing the main results of the three studies. The first observation was that our group of CBTS seemed to have a good overall functioning, both a, Doctorat en Sciences psychologiques et de l'éducation, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The purpose of this study was to explore effects of faculty and student affairs staff roles within living-learning programs (LLPs) on perceptions of growth in critical thinking/analysis abilities, cognitive complexity, and liberal learning among LLP participants. This study used two data sources from the National Study of Living-Learning Programs (NSLLP), a multi-institutional study of LLPs that included data on student background characteristics, experiences, and outcomes. Data sources included the 2007 baseline study and data from the Living-Learning Programs Survey. The 2007 NSLLP administration contained data from 48 institutions and 11,606 students living in LLPs. The General Causal Model for Assessing the Effects of Differential College Environments on Student Learning and Cognitive Development (Pascarella, 1985) served as the conceptual framework for this study. This model proposed that learning and cognitive development were functions of institutional characteristics, student background/pre-college traits, interactions with agents of socialization (peers and faculty), institutional environment, and quality of effort. An adapted form of this model was used in this study to include the potential effects of LLP characteristics, such as the involvement of faculty and student affairs professional staff. The cognitive outcomes used in this study were critical thinking/analysis abilities, cognitive complexity, and liberal learning. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the direct and differential effects of faculty and student affairs professional staff roles on the study outcomes. Study results showed that numerous curricular and co-curricular experiences shared positive and negative relationships across all three cognitive outcomes. Student affairs mentorship had a negative direct association with cognitive complexity and liberal learning, while increased student affairs socio-cultural involvement contributed positively. Faculty involvement in socio-cu

The aim of the current study detailed in the following pages was to investigate the cognitive functioning from quantitative and qualitative perspectives of a group of 19 people who had received ECT two or more years previously. Reviews of the literature conducted prior to the study suggested the domains most commonly reported affected by ECT were verbal learning and memory, visual learning and memory, global cognitive functioning, subjective complaints, retrograde amnesia/memory, attention, retrieval, autobiographical memory, anterograde amnesia/memory and aspects of executive functioning. The most commonly used objective measures for these domains were the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, the Rey Complex Figure Test, the Mini Mental State Examination and the Autobiographical Memory Inventory. Qualitative assessment most often utilised subjective measures such as the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire or the Squire Subjective Memory Questionnaire. The current study planned to extend qualitative assessment using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Specific hypothesis were that 1) scores on the RCFT, RAVLT and AMI for patients who received their last ECT two or more years ago would be below the age-matched norms (cut-off ranges in the case of the AMI) for each test, 2) the MoCA would identify more participants with Global Cognitive deficits than the MMSE and 3) participants would report a higher degree of difficulty with their memory and cognition than what was identified by the objective assessment measures. Findings did not confirm hypothesis 1) with the exception of scores on the RCFT. Hypothesis 2) was confirmed, with the MoCA identifying more participants with deficits than the MMSE. Hypothesis 3) was confirmed, with participants reporting subjective complaints that were not identified by the objective measures. The study was limited by small sample size for quantitative analysis and further research utilising a larger sample which assesses at baseline, dur

The unique features of entrepreneurial learning, that involves multiple dimensions, are not easily captured and today few appropriate assessment frameworks exist. The aim of this paper is therefore to develop an assessment framework for entrepreneurial learning and empirically illustrate its potential on a specific SME learning program. Based on a survey of owners/managers who took part in the government supported learning program, krAft, an exploratory factors analysis and a regression analysis were conducted. The paper proposes a two dimensional framework of cognitive and social/emotional learning outcomes where both are strongly correlated to internal efficiency but only the social/emotional outcomes are correlated to external effectiveness. The paper therefore concludes that the mere focus on cognitive learning outcomes is not enough in order to successfully act upon business opportunities. Hence, the social/emotional learning dimension is of great importance, and should be utilized, in the development of arranged SME learning groups.

Women at familial breast cancer risk have highly inflated perceptions of their risk of developing the disease, high levels of cancer-specific distress, and lower levels of natural killer cell activity (NKCA) than women without familial breast cancer risk. The proposed study will examine the impact of an expressive writing intervention on emotional, biological, and cognitive processes among women at familial breast cancer risk. This intervention has been shown to have positive effects on emotional outcomes (e.g., decreased distress), biological outcomes (e.g., increased NKCA), and cognitive outcomes (e.g., increased working memory) in individuals writing about a variety of life stressors, including minor stressors and major trauma. The authors propose a randomized controlled trial examining the effects of expressive writing intervention on emotional, biological, and cognitive functions in healthy women at familial breast cancer risk.

Cruickshank, T., Porter, T., Laws, S. M., Ziman, M., & Bartlett, D. M. (2021). Hair and salivary cortisol and their relationship with lifestyle, mood and cognitive outcomes in premanifest Huntington’s disease. Scientific Reports, 11, article 5464. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84726-4