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Abstract Background There are considerable phenotypic and neuroimmune overlaps between myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). While the precise aetiologies of both MS and ME/CFS are unclear, evidence suggests that deterioration in cognitive function is widely prevalent in patients with either condition. Little is known about differing risk factors or exposures, which may lead to severe cognitive or sleep symptoms. This study aims to gauge the extent of cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS and MS patients participating in the UK ME/CFS Biobank and identify the characteristics of those experiencing severe symptoms. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 395 UK ME/CFS Biobank participants, recruited from primary care and the community, using similar standardised protocols, and matched by age, sex and geographical area. Data were collected from participants using a standardized written questionnaire at clinical visits. Cognitive symptoms included problems with short-term memory, attention, and executive function. Sleep symptoms included unrefreshing sleep and poor quality or inadequate duration of sleep. All participants reported symptoms based on an ordinal severity scale. Multivariable logistic regression was carried out in the ME/CFS group to investigate socio-demographic factors associated with severe symptoms. Results All cognitive and sleep symptoms were more prevalent in the ME/CFS group, with ‘trouble concentrating’ (98.3%) the most commonly reported symptom. Severe symptoms were also more commonly reported in the ME/CFS group, with 55% reporting ‘severe, unrefreshing sleep’. Similarly, in the MS group, the most commonly reported severe symptoms were sleep-related. Logistic regression analysis revealed that ME/CFS patients aged over 50 years were more than three times as likely to experience severe symptoms than those younger than 30 (OR 3.23, p = 0.031). Current smoking was associated with severe symptoms, increasing the risk by approximately three times (OR 2.93, p = 0.003) and those with household incomes of more than £15,000 per year were less likely to experience severe symptoms compared to those earning less than this (OR 0.31, p = 0.017). Conclusions Cognitive and sleep symptoms are more common in ME/CFS patients than in MS patients and healthy controls, providing further support for existing evidence of central nervous system abnormalities in ME/CFS. Our findings suggest that people with ME/CFS who are smokers, or have a low income, are more likely to report severe cognitive and sleep symptoms. Future research should aim to develop strategies to prevent the progression of severe cognitive and sleep symptoms through early interventions that prioritise patients identified as being at highest risk.

Jutaporn Maneewong,1 Benchalak Maneeton,1 Narong Maneeton,1 Tanat Vaniyapong,2 Patrinee Traisathit,3 Natthanidnan Sricharoen,3 Manit Srisurapanont1 1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, 3Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand Background: Delirium in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common, may be predictable, and has a multifaceted symptom complex. This study aimed to examine: 1) the sum score of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and if its component scores could predict delirium in TBI patients, and 2) the prominent symptoms and their courses over the first days after TBI. Methods: TBI patients were recruited from neurosurgical ward inpatients. All participants were hospitalized within 24 hours after their TBI. Apart from the sum score of GCS, which was obtained at the emergency department (ED), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, diagnostic criteria for delirium were applied daily. The severity of delirium symptoms was assessed daily using the Delirium Rating Scale – Revised-98 (DRS-R-98). Results: The participants were 54 TBI patients with a mean GCS score of 12.7 (standard deviation [SD] =2.9). A total of 25 patients (46.3%) met the diagnosis of delirium and had a mean age of 36.7 years (SD =14.8). Compared with 29 non-delirious patients, 25 delirious patients had a significantly lower mean GCS score (P=0.04), especially a significantly lower verbal component score (P=0.03). Among 18 delirious patients, four symptoms of the DRS-R-98 cognitive domain (orientation, attention, long-term memory, and visuospatial ability) were moderate symptoms (score ≥2) at the first day of admission. After follow-up, three cognitive (orientation, attention, and visuospatial ability) and two noncognitive symptoms (lability of affect and motor agitation) rapidly resolved. Conclusion: Almost half of patients with mild to moderate head injuries may develop delirium in the first 4 days after TBI. Those having a low GCS score, especially the verbal component score, at the ED were likely to have delirium in this period. Most cognitive domains of delirium described in the DRS-R-98 were prominent within the first 4 days of TBI with delirium. Three cognitive and two noncognitive symptoms of delirium decreased significantly. Keywords: Delirium Rating Scale Revised-98, DRS-R-98, brain injuries, traumatic, noncognitive symptoms, cognitive symptoms, Glasgow Coma Scale score

Limited data exist on concordance between patients’ and health care providers’ (HCPs) perceptions regarding symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment priorities, particularly across disease phases. This study examined concordance during the acute, post-acute, and remission phases of MDD. In an online survey, 2,008 patients responded based on their experience with MDD, and 1,046 HCPs responded based on their clinical experience treating patients with MDD. Questions included symptom frequency and severity, treatment priorities, and impact on psychosocial functioning. Patients reported more frequently mood, physical, and cognitive symptoms than HCPs in the post-acute and remission phases and greater impact on psychosocial functioning. Patients reported that all these symptoms require high treatment priority across the phases of MDD, generally to a greater extent than HCPs. Patients also gave high emphasis to addressing impairment in psychosocial functioning early in the treatment course. A substantial difference in the effectiveness of treating symptoms of MDD between patients and HCPs was observed. This is the first study to quantify, broadly, differences in perceptions of MDD symptom prevalence, severity, and treatment priorities across MDD phases, and the study findings highlight a need for improved communication between patients and HCPs about symptoms, their impact on psychosocial functioning, and treatment priorities across phases.

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and bipolar disorder (BIP) are complex traits influenced by numerous common genetic variants, most of which remain to be detected. Clinical and epidemiological evidence suggest that AD and BIP are related. However, it is not established if this relation is of genetic origin. Here, we applied statistical methods based on the conditional false discovery rate (FDR) framework to detect genetic overlap between AD and BIP and utilized this overlap to increase the power to identify common genetic variants associated with either or both traits.Methods: We obtained genome wide association studies data from the International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project part 1 (17,008 AD cases and 37,154 controls) and the Psychiatric Genetic Consortium Bipolar Disorder Working Group (20,352 BIP cases and 31,358 controls). We used conditional QQ-plots to assess overlap in common genetic variants between AD and BIP. We exploited the genetic overlap to re-rank test-statistics for AD and BIP and improve detection of genetic variants using the conditional FDR framework.Results: Conditional QQ-plots demonstrated a polygenic overlap between AD and BIP. Using conditional FDR, we identified one novel genomic locus associated with AD, and nine novel loci associated with BIP. Further, we identified two novel loci jointly associated with AD and BIP implicating the MARK2 gene (lead SNP rs10792421, conjunctional FDR = 0.030, same direction of effect) and the VAC14 gene (lead SNP rs11649476, conjunctional FDR = 0.022, opposite direction of effect).Conclusion: We found polygenic overlap between AD and BIP and identified novel loci for each trait and two jointly associated loci. Further studies should examine if the shared loci implicating the MARK2 and VAC14 genes could explain parts of the shared and distinct features of AD and BIP.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant contributor to disability across the world. TBIs vary in severity, and most cases are designated mild TBI (mTBI), involving only brief loss of consciousness and no intracranial findings on imaging. Despite this categorization, many persons continue to report persistent cognitive changes in the months to years after injury, with particular impairment in the cognitive and executive functions of the pre-frontal cortex. For these persons, there are no currently approved medications, and treatment is limited to symptom management and cognitive or behavioral therapy. The current case studies explored the use of the alpha-2A adrenoreceptor agonist, guanfacine, combined with the antioxidant, N -acetylcysteine (NAC), in the treatment of post-TBI cognitive symptoms, based on guanfacine's ability to strengthen pre-frontal cortical function, and the open-label use of NAC in treating TBI. Two persons from our TBI clinic were treated with this combined regimen, with neuropsychological testing performed pre- and post-treatment. Guanfacine + NAC improved attention, processing speed, memory, and executive functioning with minimal side effects in both persons. These results encourage future placebo-controlled trials to more firmly establish the efficacy of guanfacine and NAC for the treatment of cognitive deficits caused by TBI., Competing Interests: No competing financial interests exist., (© Siddharth Khasnavis et al., 2024; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Following the development of the Cognitive Bias Scale (CBS), three other cognitive over-reporting indicators were created. This study cross-validates these new Cognitive Bias Scale of Scales (CB-SOS) measurements in a military sample and contrasts their performance to the CBS. We analyzed data from 288 active-duty soldiers who underwent neuropsychological evaluation. Groups were established based on performance validity testing (PVT) failure. Medium effects (d = .71 to .74) were observed between those passing and failing PVTs. The CB-SOS scales have high specificity (≥.90) but low sensitivity across the suggested cut scores. While all CB-SOS were able to achieve .90, lower scores were typically needed. CBS demonstrated incremental validity beyond CB-SOS-1 and CB-SOS-3; only CB-SOS-2 was incremental beyond CBS. In a military sample, the CB-SOS scales have more limited sensitivity than in its original validation, indicating an area of limited utility despite easier calculation. The CBS performs comparably, if not better, than CB-SOS scales. CB-SOS-2's differences in performance in this study and its initial validation suggest that its psychometric properties may be sample dependent. Given their ease of calculation and relatively high specificity, our study supports the interpretation of elevated CB-SOS scores indicating those who are likely to fail concurrent PVTs.

Limited data exist on concordance between patients' and health care providers' (HCPs) perceptions regarding symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment priorities, particularly across disease phases. This study examined concordance during the acute, post-acute, and remission phases of MDD. In an online survey, 2,008 patients responded based on their experience with MDD, and 1,046 HCPs responded based on their clinical experience treating patients with MDD. Questions included symptom frequency and severity, treatment priorities, and impact on psychosocial functioning. Patients reported more frequently mood, physical, and cognitive symptoms than HCPs in the post-acute and remission phases and greater impact on psychosocial functioning. Patients reported that all these symptoms require high treatment priority across the phases of MDD, generally to a greater extent than HCPs. Patients also gave high emphasis to addressing impairment in psychosocial functioning early in the treatment course. A substantial difference in the effectiveness of treating symptoms of MDD between patients and HCPs was observed. This is the first study to quantify, broadly, differences in perceptions of MDD symptom prevalence, severity, and treatment priorities across MDD phases, and the study findings highlight a need for improved communication between patients and HCPs about symptoms, their impact on psychosocial functioning, and treatment priorities across phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of cognitive impairment in Veterans initiating an evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not yet established and has implications for service delivery. Our objectives were to (1) describe the type, severity, and prevalence of objective cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive problems experienced by Veterans at the time they began an EBP for PTSD and (2) determine whether assessments of objective cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive problems agree. We conducted objective and subjective (self-report) cognitive assessments in a sample of 38 Veterans initiating EBP for PTSD at one Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Thirty Veterans produced valid assessments. Almost half (14/30) of the participants demonstrated objective impairment in one or more cognitive domains, primarily in the areas of learning, memory, and processing speed. Almost all (29/30) participants endorsed moderate or greater cognitive problems on at least one self-report measure. After adjustment for multiple comparisons, there were no significant correlations between objective and subjective assessments. Objective cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive problems are common in Veterans beginning an EBP for PTSD. Longitudinal research on a larger sample is warranted to better understand relationships among subjective cognitive problems, objective cognitive impairment, and PTSD treatment participation and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Studies have indicated that altruistic behaviour may be associated with better health. Nevertheless, it has not been determined if volunteering acts as a protective factor against cognitive decline or if a person's altruistic character does so. This study aims to evaluate whether altruistic behaviour and volunteering are associated with better cognitive function in active community‐dwelling older persons. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional study in healthy older persons. Sociodemographics, altruistic behaviour (self‐report altruism scale), volunteering (days volunteered), cognitive state (cognitive assessment battery), and factors associated with cognition (e.g. depression, social support, functional status, and religiosity) were evaluated. Adjusted and non‐adjusted models were created in order to understand the relationship of altruistic behaviour and volunteering with cognitive performance. Results: A total of 312 older adults were evaluated; 89.4% were women, and the mean age was 69.6 years. In the linear regression models, greater altruistic behaviour was associated with higher scores on the Mini‐Mental State Examination (β = 0.148, P < 0.05) and the verbal fluency test (β = 0.219, P < 0.001), even after adjustments. In contrast, volunteering was not associated with any of the cognitive tests used. Conclusion: Altruistic behaviour seems to have a role in older persons' cognition, with more altruistic people tending to have greater cognitive performance. These findings can assist in developing mechanisms that can help keep older people more cognitively active and serve as the foundation for future interventions and studies in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore racial/ethnic differences in midlife women's cognitive symptoms among four major racial/ethnic groups in the United States and to determine multiple factors that influenced the women's cognitive symptoms. This was a secondary analysis of the data from two larger studies among 1,054 midlife women. The instruments included multiple questions on background characteristics and health and menopausal status, and the Cognitive Symptom Index for Midlife Women. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic and Poisson regression analyses. There existed significant racial/ethnic differences in the total numbers and total severity scores of cognitive symptoms (p < .01); non-Hispanic Asians had significantly lower total numbers and total severity scores compared with other racial/ethnic groups. Socioeconomic status and health and menopausal status were significant factors that influenced cognitive symptoms across racial/ethnic groups (p < .05). Further studies on racial/ethnic differences in cognitive symptoms are needed with diverse groups of midlife women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some women report cognitive impairment after adjuvant chemotherapy (CTh) for breast cancer. Here we explore cognitive function, and underlying mechanisms with blood tests and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Women treated for early breast cancer were recruited to three groups based on self-reported cognitive symptoms (CS) using FACT-Cog scores. CTh + CS+ (n = 44) had received chemotherapy and self-reported cognitive symptoms; CTh + CS- (n = 52) had chemotherapy but did not report cognitive problems; CTh- (n = 30) had not received chemotherapy. Clinical and computer-based neuropsychological tests were performed. Blood tests included 10 cytokines, sex hormones, coagulation factors, and apolipoprotein-E genotype. fMRI (n = 101) was performed while subjects performed an n-back memory task. Participants had median age 50 (range: 29-60) years and were a median of 17 months post-diagnosis. On clinical neuropsychological tests 19% had cognitive impairment using Global Deficit Score, and 36% using International Cancer and Cognition Task Force criteria with no significant differences in cognitive impairment rates between groups. CTh + CS+ had significantly more fatigue, anxiety/depression and poorer quality-of-life than other groups. There was no association between FACT-Cog and neuropsychological scores. There were significant differences in frontal and parietal regions on fMRI scans: CTh- showed hyperactivation compared to chemotherapy-treated groups, CTh + CS+ had more frontal activation than CTh + CS-. Elevated IL-1, IL-2 were associated weakly and IL-8 more strongly with neuropsychological impairment (rho > 0.20). There were no differences in global cognitive impairment between groups. Cognitive symptoms were associated with fatigue and anxiety/depression, but not with objective cognitive impairment. fMRI scans differed among the three groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In children, tick-borne encephalitis and neuroborreliosis are common infections affecting the central nervous system. As inflammatory pathways including cytokine expression are activated in these children and appear to be of importance for outcome, we hypothesized that induction of the kynurenine pathway may be part of the pathophysiological mechanism. Inflammatory biomarkers were analyzed in cerebrospinal fluid from 22 children with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), 34 children with neuroborreliosis (NB) and 6 children with no central nervous system infection. Cerebrospinal fluid levels of kynurenine and kynurenic acid were increased in children with neuroborreliosis compared to the comparison group. A correlation was seen between expression of several cerebrospinal fluid cytokines and levels of kynurenine and kynurenic acid in children with neuroborreliosis but not in children with tick-borne encephalitis. These findings demonstrate a strong induction of the kynurenine pathway in children with neuroborreliosis which differs from that seen in children with tick-borne encephalitis. The importance of brain kynurenic acid (KYNA) in both immune modulation and neurotransmission raises the possibility that abnormal levels of the compound in neuroborreliosis might be of importance for the pathophysiology of the disease. Drugs targeting the enzymes of this pathway may open the venue for novel therapeutic interventions.

Background: Full functional recovery is defined as a state in which patients are again able to enjoy their usual activities, return to work, and take care of themselves, and it should represent the end goal of treatment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients with MDD report many unmet needs, including residual cognitive symptoms, lack of improvement in psychosocial functioning and life satisfaction, even during mood symptom remission. In this paper, we aim to: (a) identify the available assessment tools for evaluating cognitive and psychosocial functioning in patients with MDD; (b) provide an overview of therapeutic options that can improve full functional recovery in MDD also by improving cognitive symptoms.Methods: The relevant databases MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge – Web of Science Index, Cochrane Reviews Library and PsychoINFO were searched for identifying papers on validated tools for the assessment of cognitive and personal functioning in patients with MDD.Results: New assessment tools (such as the THINC-it TOOL, the COBRA, the SCIP-D, and the UPSA-D) have been developed for evaluating the cognitive dysfunction in MDD patients. Adopting these tools in the clinical routine practice is useful to evaluate the improvement in cognitive functioning and, therefore, the achievement of full functioning recovery. The optimal management of patients with MDD include the combination of pharmacological compounds and psychosocial interventions for achieving full functional recovery in patients with MDD.Conclusions: Full functional recovery must be the target of any treatment programme for patients with MDD. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to develop personalized treatment and integrate psychosocial and psychopharmacological interventions.

This research was carried out in order to ascertain the incidence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in a health staff sample of the Mexican Army and Air Force by means of a digital instrument presenting the GADI scale. The data obtained were analyzed in SPSS v27, obtaining an incidence of 27.51%, this being higher than the prevalence reported for the general global (3 to 8%) and Mexican (3%) population, though similar to the prevalence of anxiety in military populations of Latin American countries: Ecuador (28.2%), Colombia (more than a third of the military personnel under 55 years of age) and Mexico (45.77% in a previous study). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently a significant part of schizophrenia studies have been focused on the role of cytokines, especially interleukin-6 (IL-6). Some authors have suggested a pathogenetic role for IL-6 in schizophrenia and concluded that therapy that centers on suppressing IL-6 activity may prove beneficial for certain categories of patients with the disorder. However, many questions about whether the changes in IL-6 levels in schizophrenia are primary, related to symptoms or caused by therapy, are concomitant metabolic disorders, are related to smoking or other secondary factors remain unanswered., Aim: To assess the level of serum IL-6 in patients with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy controls, as well as to study its association with clinical and socio-demographic characteristics., Methods: Some 125 patients with schizophrenia and 95 healthy volunteers were examined. The evaluation of IL-6 was performed by enzyme immunoassay. All patients were assessed using standardized psychometric instruments. Information from patient medical records on the course of the disease and treatment was analyzed., Results: The level of IL-6 was significantly higher in the patients than in the healthy volunteers (z=2.58; p= 0.0099), but among men the difference between the patients and volunteers was not significant. Statistically significant correlations were found between the level of serum IL-6 and the severity of the cognitive impairment of patients: (auditory [ρ=-0.31; p= 0.00063] and working memory [ρ=-0.25; p= 0.0065], hand-eye coordination [ρ=-0.29; p= 0.0011], verbal fluency [ρ=-0.28; p= 0.0019] and problem-solving capacity [ρ=-0.22; p= 0.013]), total severity of schizophrenia symptoms (PANSS, ρ=0.22; p =0.016), PANSS positive subscale (ρ=0.18; p =0.048), and the age of manifestation (ρ=0.20; p =0.025) and disease duration (ρ=0.18; p =0.043). The level of IL-6 was the lowest in patients treated with third-generation antipsychotics, and the highest in those treated with first-generation antipsychotics (H=6.36; p =0.042). Moreover, in hospital patients, the level of IL-6 was significantly higher than in outpatients and inpatients hospitals (H=18.59; p =0.0001)., Conclusion: The study confirmed that there are associations between the serum IL-6 level and schizophrenia, the age of the patient, duration of the disease and how late in one's life cycle it began manifesting itself, as well as a number of clinical characteristics. Considering that IL-6 is associated with a wide range of symptoms that are loosely controlled by antipsychotics, this biochemical marker needs to be studied to look into how closely its level tracks with an unfavorable course of schizophrenia. That would require further prospective studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023, Zhilyaeva T.V., Rukavishnikov G.V., Manakova E.A., Mazo G.E.)

Background: Full functional recovery is defined as a state in which patients are again able to enjoy their usual activities, return to work, and take care of themselves, and it should represent the end goal of treatment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients with MDD report many unmet needs, including residual cognitive symptoms, lack of improvement in psychosocial functioning and life satisfaction, even during mood symptom remission. In this paper, we aim to: (a) identify the available assessment tools for evaluating cognitive and psychosocial functioning in patients with MDD; (b) provide an overview of therapeutic options that can improve full functional recovery in MDD also by improving cognitive symptoms. Methods: The relevant databases MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge – Web of Science Index, Cochrane Reviews Library and PsychoINFO were searched for identifying papers on validated tools for the assessment of cognitive and personal functioning in patients with MDD. Results: New assessment tools (such as the THINC-it TOOL, the COBRA, the SCIP-D, and the UPSA-D) have been developed for evaluating the cognitive dysfunction in MDD patients. Adopting these tools in the clinical routine practice is useful to evaluate the improvement in cognitive functioning and, therefore, the achievement of full functioning recovery. The optimal management of patients with MDD include the combination of pharmacological compounds and psychosocial interventions for achieving full functional recovery in patients with MDD. Conclusions: Full functional recovery must be the target of any treatment programme for patients with MDD. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to develop personalized treatment and integrate psychosocial and psychopharmacological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early intervention to prevent, or delay, the transition from healthy cognition to cognitive impairment in older adults is an important goal. In this way, it is critical to find sensitive, reproducible, and early markers to use low cost methods for the detection of that transition. One of those early markers for symptomatic manifestation of AD is subjective cognitive decline (SCD).Objective: To examine the internal consistency of the concept of SCD and to evaluate its clinical significance on the progression through the continuum of AD.Methods: 1,091 cognitively healthy individuals from the Vallecas Project cohort were followed for three years. Cognitive complaints were systematically collected and analyzed along with clinical data. All participants were classified in three groups at every visit based on specific features of their complaints.Results: Concordance analyses showed a good agreement in longitudinal classification of SCD. The Multi-state Markov Model highlighted a unidirectional transition from the status of no cognitive complaints to SCD. Interestingly, a more severe condition of SCD, namely SCD Plus, showed the highest risk of progression to mild cognitive impairment.Conclusions: The concept of SCD is stable over time when it is operationally defined and consistently assessed. It provides not only a fast identification of individuals at higher risk of future mild cognitive impairment, but also it allows us to track longitudinal trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cognitive symptoms are common in cancer patients, with up to 70% reporting cognitive symptoms following chemotherapy. These symptoms can have a major impact on how an individual functions in all aspects of their lives. This review evaluates self-reported cognitive function and its associations with neuropsychological tests and patient-reported outcomes in adult cancer patients who received chemotherapy treatment for a solid cancer.Methods: A search of multiple databases (Medline, Ovid at Nursing, PsycINFO, Allied and Complementary Medicine) from 1936 to 2017 was conducted, identifying 1563 unique articles, of which 101 met inclusion criteria.Results: Of the 101 included studies, 48 (47%) were cross-sectional and 38 (38%) longitudinal in design, with 12 (12%) randomised controlled trials. A minority (26%) incorporated a healthy control arm in the study design, whilst the majority (79%) were in women with breast cancer. There was diversity in the assessment of self-reported cognitive symptoms. A total of 43 of 44 studies that sought an association between self-reported cognitive function and patient-reported outcomes found a moderate to strong association. Overall, 31 studies showed a lack of association between self-reported cognitive symptoms and neuropsychological results, whilst 14 studies reported a significant association between the two, but the association was often restricted to limited cognitive domains.Conclusion: The review found widespread heterogeneity in the assessment of self-reported cognitive symptoms and consistently absent or weak association with neuropsychological test scores.Implications For Cancer Survivors: This research highlights the need for a standardised approach to measurement of self-reported cognitive symptoms in cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia remains the major psychiatric disorder with the most debilitating effects, for which psychopharmacological treatment is only capable of a partial recovery from the total symptomatic dimensions. The clinical evolution and prognosis of these patients are still discouraging. Although are less disruptive for families and society, negative and cognitive symptoms heavily precede the psychotic onset of schizophrenia and have the tendency to persist even after the remission of the disease’s positive symptoms, sometimes considered as a state of psychic defect. These two symptomatic dimensions have the highest share in influencing disability and in the reduction of the autonomy degree of these patients. In the last decades, other cerebral neurotransmission pathways have been identified, and their dysfunction are supposed to underpin the negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Highlighting the contribution of cholinergic, glutamatergic and serotonergic receptors, along with the role of other dopaminergic receptors besides those previously known have generated hope for the development of a new psychotropic class that can specifically target these types of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aims of this study are to investigate the course of work functioning, health status, and work-related factors among cancer patients during 18 months after return to work (RTW) and to examine the associations between these variables and work functioning over time.Methods: Data were used from the 18-month longitudinal "Work Life after Cancer" (WOLICA) cohort, among 384 cancer patients who resumed work. Linear mixed models were performed to examine the different courses during 18-month follow-up. Linear regression analyses with generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to examine the associations and interactions.Results: Cancer patients reported an increase of work functioning and a decrease of fatigue and depressive symptoms in the first 12 months, followed by a stable course between 12 and 18 months. Cognitive symptoms were stable during the first 18 months. Working hours increased and social support decreased during the first 6 months; both remained stable between 6 and 18 months. Fatigue, depressive, and cognitive symptoms were negatively associated with work functioning over time; working hours and supervisor social support were positively associated.Conclusions: Interventions to improve cancer patients' work functioning over time might be promising if they are aimed at reducing fatigue, depressive symptoms, cognitive symptoms, and encouraging supervisor social support.Implications For Cancer Survivors: It is important to monitor cancer patients not only in the period directly after RTW but up to 18 months after RTW, allowing for timely interventions when needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in breast cancer treatment have markedly increased survivorship over the past three decades, with over 3.1 million survivors expected to live into their 70s and 80s. Without symptom relief interventions, nearly 35% of these survivors will have life-altering and distressing cognitive symptoms. This pilot study explored associations between serum markers of vascular aging, laterality in cerebral oxygenation, and severity of cognitive impairment in women, 12-18 months after chemotherapy for stage 2/3 invasive ductal breast cancer. Fifteen women (52-84 years) underwent a brief cognitive assessment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MOCA]) and blood draws to assess markers of vascular aging (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], C-reactive protein [CRP], and insulin growth factor-1 [IGF-1]). All underwent a computer-based test protocol that is known to increase blood flow within the frontal lobes. Percent cerebral oxyhemoglobin saturation (rcSO2) was recorded during and after testing. Laterality in rcSO2 was defined by ≥ 3% difference between left and right rcSO2 (|rcSO2 meanRIGHT - meanLEFT|). Eight participants had MOCA scores between 21 and 25 points, suggestive of mild cognitive impairment. Neither CRP (r = −.24) nor IL-6 (r = .34) nor TNF-α (r = .002) were associated with MOCA scores. Higher IL-6 was associated with greater laterality (r = .41). MOCA scores were significantly lower in subjects with laterality in rcSO2 than in those without laterality (F(1,14) = 13.5, p = 003). Lower IGF-1 was significantly associated with greater laterality (r = − .66, p = .007) and lower cognitive function (r = .58). These findings suggest that persistent cognitive impairment is associated with phenotypical changes consistent with accelerated vascular aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence indicates synaptic dysfunction as an early mechanism affected in neuroinflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, which are characterized by chronic microglia activation. However, the mode(s) of action of reactive microglia in causing synaptic defects are not fully understood. In this study, we show that inflammatory microglia produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) which are enriched in a set of miRNAs that regulate the expression of key synaptic proteins. Among them, miR-146a-5p, a microglia-specific miRNA not present in hippocampal neurons, controls the expression of presynaptic synaptotagmin1 (Syt1) and postsynaptic neuroligin1 (Nlg1), an adhesion protein which play a crucial role in dendritic spine formation and synaptic stability. Using a Renilla -based sensor, we provide formal proof that inflammatory EVs transfer their miR-146a-5p cargo to neuron. By western blot and immunofluorescence analysis we show that vesicular miR-146a-5p suppresses Syt1 and Nlg1 expression in receiving neurons. Microglia-to-neuron miR-146a-5p transfer and Syt1 and Nlg1 downregulation do not occur when EV-neuron contact is inhibited by cloaking vesicular phosphatidylserine residues and when neurons are exposed to EVs either depleted of miR-146a-5p, produced by pro-regenerative microglia, or storing inactive miR-146a-5p, produced by cells transfected with an anti-miR-146a-5p. Morphological analysis reveals that prolonged exposure to inflammatory EVs leads to significant decrease in dendritic spine density in hippocampal neurons in vivo and in primary culture, which is rescued in vitro by transfection of a miR-insensitive Nlg1 form. Dendritic spine loss is accompanied by a decrease in the density and strength of excitatory synapses, as indicated by reduced mEPSC frequency and amplitude. These findings link inflammatory microglia and enhanced EV production to loss of excitatory synapses, uncovering a previously unrecognized role for microglia-enriched miRNAs, released in association to EVs, in silencing of key synaptic genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive deficits are one of the core symptoms of schizophrenia that evolve during the course of schizophrenia, after being originated even before the onset of illness. Existing pharmacological and biological treatment modalities fall short to meet the needs to improve the cognitive symptoms; hence, various cognitive remediation strategies have been adopted to address these deficits. Research evidences suggest that cognitive remediation measures improve the functioning, limit disability bettering the quality of life. The functional outcomes of cognitive remediation in schizophrenia are resultant of neurobiological changes in specific brain areas. Recent years witnessed significant innovations in cognitive remediation strategies in schizophrenia. This comprehensive review highlights the biological correlates of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and the remedial measures with evidence base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the effect of exercise on cognition in depression as well as the impact of potential moderators and intervention type.Method: Controlled and uncontrolled interventional studies that described an exercise intervention and cognitive outcomes in participants with major depressive disorder (MDD) were included following a search of Pubmed, Ovid Medline, PsycInfo and Embase from inception to January 2017. Meta-analyses were conducted to calculate Hedges' g using a random-effects model. Meta-regression explored the relationships among age, baseline cognition, frequency and duration of exercise, and cognitive outcomes. Subgroup analyses were also conducted according to type and intensity of exercise interventions.Results: Of 12 controlled studies and 3 uncontrolled studies that met inclusion criteria, 9 (642 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. No significant effect of exercise was found on global cognition (Hedges' g = 0.08, P = 0.33, I2 = 0%) or on individual cognitive domains. Meta-regression analyses failed to find significant relationships among participant age, baseline cognition, number of exercise sessions per wk, duration of exercise per wk, total duration of exercise during the intervention, or improvement in global cognition. Interventions combining physical with cognitive activity significantly improved global cognition ( P = 0.048), whereas low-intensity interventions were also positive ( P = 0.048).Conclusions: No impact of physical exercise was found on cognition in MDD overall. However, we found that interventions combining physical and cognitive activities had a positive impact, and that lower-intensity interventions, where adherence was improved, also impacted positively. There remains a lack of high-quality data in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The manifestation of major depressive disorder (MDD) may include cognitive symptoms that can precede the onset of MDD and persist beyond the resolution of acute depressive episodes. However, little is known about how cognitive symptoms are experienced by MDD patients and the people around them. Methods: In this international (Brazil, Canada, China, France, and Germany) ethnographic study, we conducted semi-structured interviews and observations of remitted as well as symptomatic MDD patients (all patients self-reported being diagnosed by an HCP and self-reported being on an antidepressant) aged 18-60 years with self-reported cognitive symptoms (N = 34). In addition, participating depressed patients' close family or friends (N = 31) were interviewed. Separately recruited from depressed participants, work colleagues (N = 21) and healthcare providers (HCPs; N = 13) of depressed individuals were interviewed. Results: Key insights were that: (1) patients were generally unaware that their cognitive symptoms were linked to their depression and, instead, attributed these symptoms to negative aspects of their person (e.g., age, separate disease, laziness, exhaustion); (2) cognitive symptoms in MDD appeared to negatively impact patients' social relationships and patients' ability to handle daily tasks at work and at home; (3) patients' cognitive symptoms also impacted relationships with family members and coworkers; (4) patients' cognitive symptoms increased stress and feelings of failure, which in turn seemed to worsen the cognitive symptoms, thereby creating a destructive cycle; and (5) although HCPs recommended that patients re-engage in everyday activities to help overcome their depression, cognitive symptoms seemed to impede such functional recovery. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings highlight a negative impact of patients' cognitive symptoms on their social functioning, work performance, and quality of life on the people close to them, and consequently on the degree of functional recovery after depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]