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We explore the impressions and conceptualisations produced by participants after their first encounter with the teleoperated robot, Telenoid R1.

The pathophysiological development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) begins in the brain years before the onset of clinical symptoms. The accumulation of beta‐amyloid (Aβ) is thought to be the first cortical pathology to occur. Carrying one apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele increases the risk of developing AD at least 2–3 times and is associated with earlier Aβ accumulation. Although it is difficult to identify Aβ‐related cognitive impairment in early AD with standard cognitive tests, more sensitive memory tests may be able to do this. We sought to examine associations between Aβ and performance on three tests within three subdomains of memory, verbal, visual, and associative memory, to elucidate which of these tests were sensitive to Aβ‐related cognitive impairment in at‐risk subjects. 55 APOE ε4 carriers underwent MRI, 11C‐Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB) PET, and cognitive testing. A composite cortical PiB SUVR cut‐off score of 1.5 was used to categorise subjects as either APOE ε4 Aβ+ or APOE ε4 Aβ−. Correlations were carried out using cortical surface analysis. In the whole APOE ε4 group, we found significant correlations between Aβ load and performance on verbal, visual, and associative memory tests in widespread cortical areas, the strongest association being with performance on associative memory tests. In the APOE ε4 Aβ+ group, we found significant correlations between Aβ load and performance of verbal and associative, but not visual, memory in localised cortical areas. Performance on verbal and associative memory tests provides sensitive markers of early Aβ‐related cognitive impairment in at‐risk subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia is a prevalent condition with significant health, societal, and economic impacts. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) is recommended as the first-line treatment. With limited accessibility to in-person--delivered CBTI (ipCBTI), electronically delivered eHealth CBTI (eCBTI), ranging from telephone- and videoconference-delivered interventions to fully automated web-based programs and mobile apps, has emerged as an alternative. However, the relative efficacy of eCBTI compared to ipCBTI has not been conclusively determined. Objective: This study aims to test the comparability of eCBTI and ipCBTI through a systematic review and meta-analysis of equivalence based on randomized controlled trials directly comparing the 2 delivery formats. Methods: A comprehensive search across multiple databases was conducted, leading to the identification and analysis of 15 unique randomized head-to-head comparisons of ipCBTI and eCBTI. Data on sleep and nonsleep outcomes were extracted and subjected to both conventional meta-analytical methods and equivalence testing based on predetermined equivalence margins derived from previously suggested minimal important differences. Supplementary Bayesian analyses were conducted to determine the strength of the available evidence. Results: The meta-analysis included 15 studies with a total of 1083 participants. Conventional comparisons generally favored ipCBTI. However, the effect sizes were small, and the 2 delivery formats were statistically significantly equivalent (P<.05) for most sleep and nonsleep outcomes. Additional within-group analyses showed that both formats led to statistically significant improvements (P<.05) in insomnia severity; sleep quality; and secondary outcomes such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Heterogeneity analyses highlighted the role of treatment duration and dropout rates as potential moderators of the differences in treatment efficacy. Conclusions: eCBTI and ipCBTI were found to be statistically significantly equivalent for treating insomnia for most examined outcomes, indicating eCBTI as a clinically relevant alternative to ipCBTI. This supports the expansion of eCBTI as a viable option to increase accessibility to effective insomnia treatment. Nonetheless, further research is needed to address the limitations noted, including the high risk of bias in some studies and the potential impact of treatment duration and dropout rates on efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Anthropomorphism represents a central theoretical term in social robotics and human robot interaction (HRI) research. However, the research into anthropomorphism displays several conceptual problems that translate into methodological shortcomings. Here we report the results of a scoping review, which we conducted in order to explore (i) how the notion of 'anthropomorphism' is understood in HRI and social robotics research, and (ii) which assessment tools are used to assess anthropomorphism. Three electronic databases were searched; two independent reviewers were involved in the screening and data extraction process; a total of 57 studies were included in the final review which encompassed 43 different robots and 2947 participants. Across studies, researchers used seven different definitions of anthropomorphism and most commonly assessed the phenomenon by use of amended versions of existing questionnaires (n = 26 studies). Alternatively, idiosyncratic questionnaires were developed (n = 17 studies) which, as a qualitative thematic analysis of the individual questionnaire items revealed, addressed nine distinct themes (such as attribution of shared intentionality, attribution of personality etc.). We discuss these results relative to common standards of methodological maturity and arrive at the conclusion that the scope and heterogeneity of definitions and assessment tools of anthropomorphism in HRI hinders cross-study comparisons, while the lack of validated assessment tools might also affect the quality of results. To nurture reflection on these methodological challenges and increase comparability within the field we conclude by offering a set of reporting guidelines for research on anthropomorphism, as a first constructive effort to facilitate a coherent theory of anthropomorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) have frequently been measured using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), though results have been inconsistent. At present, task performance has primarily been evaluated based on the total IGT score, and there is a need for further analysis of the strategy of older individuals with PD and healthy control (HC) participants in IGT. The present study aims to explore possible impairments in IGT performance in individuals with PD compared to healthy controls using strategy analysis, extending previous results on this subject, and to discuss potential effects of medication on task performance. 67 individuals with PD and 29 HC participants completed the IGT. Results were analyzed to evaluate impairments, applied strategies, presence of subgroups, and potential effects of medication on performance. Both groups obtained a low overall IGT score and individuals with PD had significantly lower total IGT scores compared to HC participants. Regression analysis showed a small, but significant relationship between levodopa and dopamine agonist dosage and total IGT score, indicating that medication level could be a marker of level of executive functions. Subgroups of advantageous and disadvantageous choosers differed significantly in deck preferences for both groups. Individuals with PD were significantly impaired in IGT performance, both in overall scores and in detailed analyses, and they utilized an inefficient strategy during task performance. However, HC participants also presented with a suboptimal strategy and results suggest the presence of subgroups in both individuals with PD and HC participants, which may reflect age-related changes. These results are in line with previous research on performance of older individuals and alternative deck preferences in the IGT and underline the importance of considering the applied strategy in the evaluation of IGT performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), affecting almost all patients with PD at some time. It has been shown that patients with PD, who express subjective cognitive complaints, are at a higher risk of eventually developing PD‐MCI. This is corroborated by the Movement Disorders Society's (MDS) diagnostic criteria from 2012 for PD‐MCI, from which it follows that a subjective cognitive complaint must be present in addition to objective cognitive impairment for a patient with PD to receive a diagnosis of PD‐MCI. Nevertheless, there is currently no standardized measurement available for assessing subjective cognitive complaints. Therefore, this review aims to generate an overview of how subjective cognitive complaints are commonly operationalized in the empirical literature as well as whether they are found to be associated with the level of cognitive impairment. The findings revealed that a broad range of measures has been used to obtain subjective cognitive complaints and that there is little consistency between different studies with regard to how they have obtained these complaints, from whom they had obtained them, how many they have obtained, which types of complaints they have obtained and whether they were associated with cognitive impairment. Given the fact that the presence of subjective cognitive complaints is a requirement for setting a diagnosis, there is a need for more methodological consensus with regard to the measurement hereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease copathology is common in PD at autopsy. In non-PD subjects with mild cognitive impairment, tau depositions can be detected using 18F-AV-1451 PET. We hypothesized that 18F-AV-1451 PET would show tau aggregation in PD with mild cognitive impairment and correlate with cognitive dysfunction.Objectives: To describe tau aggregation in PD patients.Methods: Twenty-six PD patients and 23 controls had 18F-AV-1451 PET and neuropsychological assessment to detect mild cognitive impairment.Results: Nine PD patients (35%) were identified with mild cognitive impairment. Regional analyses showed no significant differences between groups. Voxel-wise analyses showed no correlation with cognitive domain z-scores within patients. One patient with mild cognitive impairment was estimated Braak tau stage 5; all other patients were stage 0.Conclusion: Our results indicate that tau pathology, as detected by 18F-AV-1451, is uncommon in PD with mild cognitive impairment and shows no significant correlation with cognitive dysfunction at this stage. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the hepatic component of the metabolic syndrome and now seemingly affects one-fourth of the world population. Features associated with NAFLD and the metabolic syndrome have frequently been linked to cognitive dysfunction, i.e. systemic inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and sleep apnoea. However, emerging evidence suggests that NAFLD may be a cause of cognitive dysfunction independent of these factors. NAFLD in addition exhibits dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and impaired urea cycle function, favouring systemic ammonia accumulation and further promotes systemic inflammation. Such disruption of the gut–liver–brain axis is essential in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy, the neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with progressive liver disease. Considering the growing burden of NAFLD, the morbidity from cognitive impairment is expected to have huge societal and economic impact. The present paper provides a review of the available evidence for cognitive dysfunction in NAFLD and outlines its possible mechanisms. Moreover, the clinical challenges of characterizing and diagnosing cognitive dysfunction in NAFLD are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]