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Garau F, Antonietti A, Bonfiglio NS, Madeddu B, Crepaldi M, Giannì J, Fusi G, Colautti L, Borsa VM, Palmiero M, Rusconi ML, Penna MP. The Role of Well-Being, Divergent Thinking, and Cognitive Reserve in Different Socio-Cultural Contexts. Brain Sci 2025; 15:249. [PMID: 40149771 PMCID: PMC11940472 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci15030249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2025] [Revised: 02/14/2025] [Accepted: 02/19/2025] [Indexed: 03/29/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many protective factors promote psychological well-being (PWB) in the elderly and contribute to healthy aging, such as engagement, positive emotions, and cognitive reserve (CR), which includes education, leisure, and work activities. CR sustains cognitive functioning and positively correlates with creativity, particularly divergent thinking (DT), helping older adults cope with everyday challenges and enhancing their PWB. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between DT, CR, PWB, memory functions, depression, stress, and anxiety indexes even in the Blue Zone (BZ), an area known for extraordinary longevity and high PWB. METHODS A total of 165 Italian healthy older adults (Mage = 73.8, SD = 6.7) from Milan (MI), Bergamo (BG), Cagliari (CA), and BZ were enrolled and divided into four groups according to their origin. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with normal and gamma link functions were used. RESULTS BZ presented higher DT and PWB indices than the cities but lower CR, particularly in education. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the influence of DT in supporting cognitive functions and PWB, suggesting that PWB and DT are key protective factors in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Garau
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09127 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (B.M.); (M.P.P.)
| | | | | | - Beatrice Madeddu
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09127 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (B.M.); (M.P.P.)
| | - Maura Crepaldi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (M.C.); (J.G.); (G.F.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Jessica Giannì
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (M.C.); (J.G.); (G.F.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Giulia Fusi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (M.C.); (J.G.); (G.F.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Laura Colautti
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy;
| | - Virginia Maria Borsa
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (M.C.); (J.G.); (G.F.); (M.L.R.)
| | | | - Maria Luisa Rusconi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (M.C.); (J.G.); (G.F.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Maria Pietronilla Penna
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09127 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (B.M.); (M.P.P.)
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Ruiz-Gonzalez C, Cardona D, Rueda-Ruzafa L, Rodriguez-Arrastia M, Ropero-Padilla C, Roman P. Cognitive and Emotional Effect of a Multi-species Probiotic Containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis in Healthy Older Adults: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024:10.1007/s12602-024-10315-2. [PMID: 38935259 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-024-10315-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
As the population ages, cognitive decline becomes more common. Strategies targeting the gut-brain axis using probiotics are emerging to achieve improvements in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. However, the beneficial role of probiotics on brain function in healthy older adults remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate a multi-species probiotic formulation as a therapeutic approach to reduce emotional and cognitive decline associated with aging in healthy adults. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted. The study involved a 10-week intervention where participants consumed the assigned probiotic product daily, followed by a 4-week washout period before the second condition started. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Psychological Experiments Construction Language Test Battery. At the emotional level, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. Thirty-three participants, recruited between July 2020 and April 2022, ingested a multispecies probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis). After the intervention, noticeable enhancements were observed in cognitive function (mean difference 1.90, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.70, p < 0.005), memory (mean difference 4.60, 95% CI 2.91 to 6.29, p < 0.005) by MMSE and digit task, and depressive symptoms (mean difference 4.09, 95% CI 1.70 to 6.48, p < 0.005) by BDI. Furthermore, there were significant improvements observed in planning and problem-solving skills, selective attention, cognitive flexibility, impulsivity, and inhibitory ability. Probiotics administration improved cognitive and emotional function in older adults. Limited research supports this, requiring more scientific evidence for probiotics as an effective therapy for cognitive decline. This study has been prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04828421; 2020/July/17).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristofer Ruiz-Gonzalez
- Torrecárdenas University Hospital, Almeria, Andalusia, 04009, Spain
- Research Group CTS-1114 Advances and Innovation in Health, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
| | - Diana Cardona
- Department of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Health Research Center CEINSA, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
| | - Lola Rueda-Ruzafa
- Research Group CTS-1114 Advances and Innovation in Health, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain.
- Department of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain.
- Health Research Center CEINSA, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain.
| | - Miguel Rodriguez-Arrastia
- Research Group CTS-1114 Advances and Innovation in Health, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Department of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Health Research Center CEINSA, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- ScienceFlows, Universitat de València, Valencia, 46010, Spain
| | - Carmen Ropero-Padilla
- Research Group CTS-1114 Advances and Innovation in Health, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Department of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Health Research Center CEINSA, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- ScienceFlows, Universitat de València, Valencia, 46010, Spain
| | - Pablo Roman
- Research Group CTS-1114 Advances and Innovation in Health, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Department of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
- Health Research Center CEINSA, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalusia, 04120, Spain
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Fusi G, Giannì J, Borsa VM, Colautti L, Crepaldi M, Palmiero M, Garau F, Bonfiglio SN, Cao Y, Antonietti A, Penna MP, Rozzini L, Rusconi ML. Can Creativity and Cognitive Reserve Predict Psychological Well-Being in Older Adults? The Role of Divergent Thinking in Healthy Aging. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:303. [PMID: 38338188 PMCID: PMC10855052 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12030303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of psychological well-being (PWB) in the older adult population is a pivotal goal for our rapidly aging society. PWB is a multicomponent construct that can be influenced by several factors in the lifespan. The beneficial role of divergent thinking (DT) and cognitive reserve (CR) in sustaining older subjects' PWB has been scarcely investigated so far. The present study aims to investigate the relationships between DT, CR, and PWB in a sample of 121 healthy older adults (61 females; M age: 73.39 ± 6.66 years; M education: 11.33 ± 4.81 years). The results highlight that better DT performance predicts higher CR, which mediates an indirect positive effect of DT on emotional competence, one of the PWB factors. It follows that DT and CR can be considered protective factors in aging, and their effects go beyond cognitive functioning, revealing a positive effect even on some PWB components. The practical implications regarding targeted health interventions for prevention in the older adult population to support well-being and promote healthy aging are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Fusi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (J.G.); (V.M.B.); (M.C.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Jessica Giannì
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (J.G.); (V.M.B.); (M.C.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Virginia Maria Borsa
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (J.G.); (V.M.B.); (M.C.); (M.L.R.)
| | - Laura Colautti
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy; (L.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Maura Crepaldi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (J.G.); (V.M.B.); (M.C.); (M.L.R.)
| | | | - Francesca Garau
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (S.N.B.); (Y.C.); (M.P.P.)
| | - Salvatore Natale Bonfiglio
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (S.N.B.); (Y.C.); (M.P.P.)
| | - Ylenia Cao
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (S.N.B.); (Y.C.); (M.P.P.)
| | - Alessandro Antonietti
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy; (L.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Maria Pietronilla Penna
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; (F.G.); (S.N.B.); (Y.C.); (M.P.P.)
| | - Luca Rozzini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25136 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Maria Luisa Rusconi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy; (J.G.); (V.M.B.); (M.C.); (M.L.R.)
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Colombo B, Hamilton A, Telazzi I, Balzarotti S. The relationship between cognitive reserve and the spontaneous use of emotion regulation strategies in older adults: a cross-sectional study. Aging Clin Exp Res 2023:10.1007/s40520-023-02424-9. [PMID: 37142942 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-023-02424-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies reported cognitive reserve (CR) as an important factor in promoting healthy aging within a non-clinical aging population. AIMS The main goal of the present study is to investigate the link between higher levels of CR and more effective emotion regulation. In more detail, we examine the association between a number of CR proxies and the habitual use of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression. METHODS Three hundred and ten older adults aged between 60 and 75 (mean = 64.45, SD = 4.37; 69.4% female) joined this cross-sectional study by filling out self-report measures of CR and emotion regulation.² RESULTS: Reappraisal and suppression use were correlated. Practicing different leisure activities constantly over many years, being more original and having a higher education promoted more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal. These CR proxies were also significantly related to suppression use, even though the percentage of variance explained was lower. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Exploring the role played by the cognitive reserve on different emotion regulation techniques can be useful in understanding which variables predict the use of antecedent-focused (reappraisal) or response-focused (suppression) emotion regulation strategies in aging individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Colombo
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, Champlain College, 163 S Willard St, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA.
| | - Adam Hamilton
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, Champlain College, 163 S Willard St, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Ilaria Telazzi
- Psychology Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Balzarotti
- Psychology Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
- Research Center in Communication Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy
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Fasbender U, Burmeister A, Wang M. Motivated to be socially mindful: Explaining age differences in the effect of employees’ contact quality with coworkers on their coworker support. PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/peps.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Fasbender
- Work and Organizational PsychologyJustus‐Liebig‐University Giessen Giessen Germany
| | - Anne Burmeister
- Rotterdam School of ManagementErasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam The Netherlands
| | - Mo Wang
- Department of Management, Warrington College of BusinessUniversity of Florida Gainesville Florida
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Koole SL, Rothermund K. Revisiting the past and back to the future: Horizons of cognition and emotion research. Cogn Emot 2019; 33:1-7. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2019.1574398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sander L. Koole
- Department of Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Klaus Rothermund
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
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