Lifespan trajectories of risk preference, impulsivity, and self-control: A dataset containing self-report, informant-report, behavioral, hormone and functional neuroimaging measures from a cross-sectional human sample

This paper describes data collected from a cross-sectional convenience sample of 200 healthy human volunteers between 16 and 81 years of age. We assembled an extensive battery of measures of risk preference, impulsivity, and self-control, as well as a range of demographic and cognitive measures, Crucially, we adopted different measure categories, including self-reports, informant reports, behavioral measures, and biological measures (hormones, brain function) to capture individual differences, and adopted a within-participant design. Data collection took place over multiple sessions. First, participants completed a laboratory session at the university during which we collected computer-assisted self-report measures (i.e., standardized questionnaires) as well as behavioral measures using computerized tasks. Second, participants independently completed a home session that included the completion of self-report measures, and the collection of saliva samples. In parallel, we acquired informant reports from up to three individuals nominated by the study participants. Third, participants completed a final session at the local hospital during which we collected structural and functional neuroimaging data, as well as further self-report measures. The data was collected to address questions concerning the developmental trajectories of risk preference and related constructs while assessing the impact of the assessment method; however, we invite fellow researchers to benefit from and further explore the data for research on decision-making under risk and uncertainty in general, and to apply novel analytical approaches (e.g., machine-learning applications to the neuroimaging data). Combining a large set of measures with a within-participant design affords a wealth of opportunities for further insights and a more robust evidence base supporting current theorizing on (age-related) differences in risk preference, impulsivity, and self-control.

Cohort profile: Genetic data in the German Socio-Economic Panel Innovation Sample (SOEP-G)

The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) serves a global research community by providing representative annual longitudinal data of respondents living in private households in Germany. The dataset offers a valuable life course panorama, encompassing living conditions, socioeconomic status, familial connections, personality traits, values, preferences, health, and well-being. To amplify research opportunities further, we have extended the SOEP Innovation Sample (SOEP-IS) by collecting genetic data from 2,598 participants, yielding the first genotyped dataset for Germany based on a representative population sample (SOEP-G). The sample includes 107 full-sibling pairs, 501 parent-offspring pairs, and 152 triads, which overlap with the parent-offspring pairs. Leveraging the results from well-powered genome-wide association studies, we created a repository comprising 66 polygenic indices (PGIs) in the SOEP-G sample. We show that the PGIs for height, BMI, and educational attainment capture 22∼24%, 12∼13%, and 9% of the variance in the respective phenotypes. Using the PGIs for height and BMI, we demonstrate that the considerable increase in average height and the decrease in average BMI in more recent birth cohorts cannot be attributed to genetic shifts within the German population or to age effects alone. These findings suggest an important role of improved environmental conditions in driving these changes. Furthermore, we show that higher values in the PGIs for educational attainment and the highest math class are associated with better self-rated health, illustrating complex relationships between genetics, cognition, behavior, socio-economic status, and health. In summary, the SOEP-G data and the PGI repository we created provide a valuable resource for studying individual differences, inequalities, life-course development, health, and interactions between genetic predispositions and the environment.

Natural products from plants targeting key enzymes for the future development of antidiabetic agents

Covering: 2000 to January 2023Diabetes is a metabolic disease of serious concern nowadays, with a negative economic impact. In 2021, the International Diabetes Federation estimated that more than 537 million adults live with diabetes, causing over 6.7 million deaths in that year. Intensive scientific research on medicinal plants in the last 100 years reveals that herbal drugs have been an essential source of products for developing antidiabetic agents acting on different physiological targets. This review summarizes recent research from 2000 to 2022 on plant natural compounds affecting selected crucial enzymes (dipeptidyl peptidase IV, diacylglycerol acyltransferase, fructose 1,6-biphosphatase, glucokinase, and fructokinase) involved in glucose homeostasis. Enzyme-aimed treatments usually induce reversible inhibition, irreversible by covalent changes of the objective enzymes, or bind non-covalently but so tightly that their inhibition is irreversible. Depending on the binding site, these inhibitors could be orthosteric or allosteric; in any case, the desired pharmacological action is achieved. One crucial advantage of targeting enzymes in drug discovery is that the required assays are usually simple, using biochemical experiments capable of analyzing enzyme activity.

Age differences in the neural basis of decision-making under uncertainty

Humans globally are reaping the benefits of longer lives. Yet, longer life spans also require engaging with consequential but often uncertain decisions well into old age. Previous research has yielded mixed findings with regards to life span differences in how individuals make decisions under uncertainty. One factor contributing to the heterogeneity of findings is the diversity of paradigms that cover different aspects of uncertainty and tap into different cognitive and affective mechanisms. In this study, 175 participants (53.14% females, mean age = 44.9 years, SD = 19.0, age range = 16 to 81) completed functional neuroimaging versions of two prominent paradigms in this area, the Balloon Analogue Risk Task and the Delay Discounting Task. Guided by neurobiological accounts of age-related changes in decision-making under uncertainty, we examined age effects on neural activation differences in decision-relevant brain structures, and compared these across multiple contrasts for the two paradigms using specification curve analysis. In line with theoretical predictions, we find age differences in nucleus accumbens, anterior insula, and medial prefrontal cortex, but the results vary across paradigm and contrasts. Our results are in line with existing theories of age differences in decision making and their neural substrates, yet also suggest the need for a broader research agenda that considers how both individual and task characteristics determine the way humans deal with uncertainty.

Life-Course Trajectories of Risk-Taking Propensity: A Coordinated Analysis of Longitudinal Studies

OBJECTIVES

How does risk preference change across the life span? We address this question by conducting a coordinated analysis to obtain the first meta-analytic estimates of adult longitudinal age differences in risk-taking propensity in different domains.

METHODS

We report results from 26 longitudinal samples (12 panels; 187,733 unique respondents; 19 countries) covering general and domain-specific risk-taking propensity (financial, driving, recreational, occupational, health) across 3 or more waves.

RESULTS

Results revealed a negative relation between age and both general and domain-specific risk-taking propensity. Furthermore, females consistently reported lower levels of risk taking across the life span than males in all domains, but there is little support for the idea of an age by gender interaction. Although we found evidence of systematic and universal age differences, we also detected considerable heterogeneity across domains and samples.

DISCUSSION

Our work suggests a need to understand the nature of heterogeneity of age differences in risk-taking propensity and recommends the use of domain-specific and population estimates for applications interested in modeling heterogeneity in risk preference for economic and policy-making purposes.

Aging and Economic Preferences: Cumulative meta-analyses of age differences in risk, time, social, and effort preferences

OBJECTIVES

Several theories predict changes in individuals' economic preferences across the life span. To test these theories and provide an historical overview of this literature, we conducted meta-analyses on age differences in risk, time, social, and effort preferences as assessed by behavioral measures.

METHODS

We conducted separate meta-analyses and cumulative meta-analyses on the association between age and risk, time, social, and effort preferences. We also conducted analyses of historical trends in sample sizes and citations patterns for each economic preference.

RESULTS

The meta-analyses identified overall no significant effects of age for risk (r = -0.02, 95%CI[-0.06, 0.02], n = 39,832), and effort preferences (r = 0.24, 95%CI[-0.05, 0.52], n = 571), but significant effects of age for time (r = -0.04, 95%CI[-0.07, -0.01], n = 115,496) and social preferences (r = 0.11, 95%CI[0.01, 0.21], n = 2,997), suggesting increased patience and altruism with age, respectively. Equivalence tests, that compare these effects to practically important ones (i.e., r = |.1|), however, suggest that all effects are of trivial significance. The analyses of temporal trends suggest that the magnitude of effects and sample sizes have not changed significantly over time, nor do they dramatically affect the extent that articles are cited.

DISCUSSION

Overall, our results contrast with theories of aging that propose general age effects for risk, and effort preferences, yet provide some but tenuous support for those suggesting age-related changes in time and social preferences. We discuss implications for theory development as well as future empirical work on economic preferences.

Structural differences in the semantic networks of younger and older adults

Cognitive science invokes semantic networks to explain diverse phenomena, from memory retrieval to creativity. Research in these areas often assumes a single underlying semantic network that is shared across individuals. Yet, recent evidence suggests that content, size, and connectivity of semantic networks are experience-dependent, implying sizable individual and age-related differences. Here, we investigate individual and age differences in the semantic networks of younger and older adults by deriving semantic networks from both fluency and similarity rating tasks. Crucially, we use a megastudy approach to obtain thousands of similarity ratings per individual to allow us to capture the characteristics of individual semantic networks. We find that older adults possess lexical networks with smaller average degree and longer path lengths relative to those of younger adults, with older adults showing less interindividual agreement and thus more unique lexical representations relative to younger adults. Furthermore, this approach shows that individual and age differences are not evenly distributed but, rather, are related to weakly connected, peripheral parts of the networks. All in all, these results reveal the interindividual differences in both the content and the structure of semantic networks that may accumulate across the life span as a function of idiosyncratic experiences.

On the semantic representation of risk

What are the defining features of lay people's semantic representation of risk? We contribute to mapping the semantics of risk based on word associations to provide insight into both universal and individual differences in the representation of risk. Specifically, we introduce a mini-snowball word association paradigm and use the tools of network and sentiment analysis to characterize the semantics of risk. We find that association-based representations not only corroborate but also extend those extracted from past survey- and text-based approaches. Crucially, we find that the semantics of risk show universal properties and individual and group differences. Most notably, while semantic clusters generalize across languages, their frequency varies systematically across demographic groups, with older and female respondents showing more negative connotations and mentioning more often certain types of activities (e.g., recreational activities) relative to younger adults and males, respectively. Our work has general implications for the measurement of risk-related constructs by suggesting that "risk" can mean different things to different individuals.

Temporal discounting across adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A number of developmental theories have been proposed that make differential predictions about the links between age and temporal discounting, or the devaluation of future rewards. Most empirical studies examining adult age differences in temporal discounting have relied on economic intertemporal choice tasks, which pit choosing a smaller, sooner monetary reward against choosing a larger, later one. Although initial studies using these tasks suggested older adults discount less than younger adults, follow-up studies provided heterogeneous, and thus inconclusive, results. Using an open science approach, we test the replicability of adult age differences in temporal discounting by conducting a preregistered systematic literature search and meta-analysis of adult age differences in intertemporal choice tasks. Across 37 cross-sectional studies (Total N = 104,737), a planned meta-analysis found no sizeable relation between age and temporal discounting, r = -0.068, 95% CI [-0.170, 0.035]. We also found little evidence of publication bias or p-hacking. Exploratory analyses of moderators found no effect of research design (e.g., extreme-group vs. continuous age), incentives (hypothetical vs. real rewards), duration of delay (e.g., days, weeks, months, or years), or quantification of discounting behavior (e.g., proportion of immediate choices vs. parameters from computational modeling). Additional analyses of 12 participant-level data sets found little support for a nonlinear relation between age and temporal discounting across adulthood. Overall, the results suggest that younger, middle-aged, and older adults show similar preferences for smaller, sooner over larger, later rewards. We provide recommendations for future empirical work on temporal discounting across the adult life span. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Network Science to Understand the Aging Lexicon: Linking Individuals' Experience, Semantic Networks, and Cognitive Performance

People undergo many idiosyncratic experiences throughout their lives that may contribute to individual differences in the size and structure of their knowledge representations. Ultimately, these can have important implications for individuals' cognitive performance. We review evidence that suggests a relationship between individual experiences, the size and structure of semantic representations, as well as individual and age differences in cognitive performance. We conclude that the extent to which experience‐dependent changes in semantic representations contribute to individual differences in cognitive aging remains unclear. To help fill this gap, we outline an empirical agenda that utilizes network analysis and involves the concurrent assessment of large‐scale semantic networks and cognitive performance in younger and older adults. We present preliminary data to establish the feasibility and limitations of such empirical, network‐analytical approaches.

Whether it is possible to define a rational standard in decision making and, if yes, whether such a standard is achievable by finite agents (such as humans) has been a hotly debated issue. This special issue offers an overview of some promising modern approaches to these questions, taking advantage of the latest developments in decision theory.

We review evidence that suggests links between individual experiences, semantic representations, and age differences in cognitive performance, and present an empirical agenda and pilot data involving the assessment of large‐scale, individual semantic networks.

Does information structuring improve recall of discharge information? A cluster randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

The impact of the quality of discharge communication between physicians and their patients is critical on patients' health outcomes. Nevertheless, low recall of information given to patients at discharge from emergency departments (EDs) is a well-documented problem. Therefore, we investigated the outcomes and related benefits of two different communication strategies: Physicians were instructed to either use empathy (E) or information structuring (S) skills hypothesizing superior recall by patients in the S group.

METHODS

For the direct comparison of two communication strategies at discharge, physicians were cluster-randomized to an E or a S skills training. Feasibility was measured by training completion rates. Outcomes were measured in patients immediately after discharge, after 7, and 30 days. Primary outcome was patients' immediate recall of discharge information. Secondary outcomes were feasibility of training implementation, patients' adherence to recommendations and satisfaction, as well as the patient-physician relationship.

RESULTS

Of 117 eligible physicians, 80 (68.4%) completed the training. Out of 256 patients randomized to one of the two training groups (E: 146 and S: 119) 196 completed the post-discharge assessment. Patients' immediate recall of discharge information was superior in patients in the S-group vs. E-group. Patients in the S-group adhered to more recommendations within 30 days (p = .002), and were more likely to recommend the physician to family and friends (p = .021). No differences were found on other assessed outcome domains.

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Immediate recall and subsequent adherence to recommendations were higher in the S group. Feasibility was shown by a 69.6% completion rate of trainings. Thus, trainings of discharge information structuring are feasible and improve patients' recall, and may therefore improve quality of care in the ED.

Anxiety in MINOCA patients according to latest definitions

Background

Anxiety is a global public health problem affecting the lives of large numbers of patients (pts) and their families. Some studies suggest that pts with MINOCA (myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries) have more anxiety levels than the rest of pts with myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of this study is to compare anxiety levels between pts with MINOCA and the rest of MI pts using a validated scale: The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Methods

An analytical and observational study was developed in a University Hospital. We analysed the clinical data of all consecutive MI pts admitted to our centre from July 2017 to December 2020. Inclusion criteria were determined by the 4th Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction and the latest definitions of MINOCA according to the 2020 ESC Guidelines. A group of experts reviewed all MINOCA cases in order to exclude those who did not fulfil the selection standards and takotsubo syndrome and myocarditis pts were excluded.

STAI questionnaire was completed by each patient during admission. Data collected included “trait anxiety”, that refers to relatively stable individual differences in anxiety-proneness, whereas “state anxiety” is a temporary emotion due to a particular situation (hospitalization in this case). Total score in each subgroup ranges from 0 to 60 points, where a higher score correlates with major anxiety levels.

Follow up analysis included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: cardiovascular readmission, myocardial reinfarction, stroke and death from any cause). Survival analysis is based on Cox regression. Median follow-up was 25±23 months.

Results

From a total of 413 consecutive MI pts, 243 (58.8%) completed the questionnaire. Of them, 32 (13%) were MINOCA pts. There were no significant differences in trait anxiety between both groups (MINOCA mean value 21±14 points vs rest of MI 19±10 points, p=0.9), nor in state anxiety (20±14 vs 19±10 points, p=0.8). There were also no significant differences when data were analysed by percentiles: 37.5% of MINOCA pts were below P25 and 28% of the rest of MI were also in this percentile. At the other end of the scale, 31.3% of MINOCA pts were above P75, as well as 22.7% of the rest of MI pts (table 1). During follow up, punctuation in trait anxiety in MINOCA pts showed no differences in MACE (HR 1.01, CI 95% (0.9–1.07)), nor did punctuation in state anxiety (HR 1.01, CI 95% (0.9–1.06)). This was also observed in the rest of MI pts: trait anxiety HR 1.01, CI 95% (0.9–1.04) and state anxiety HR 0.9, CI 95% (0.9–1.01).

Conclusion

In this study, there were no significant differences in anxiety levels between MINOCA pts and the rest of MI pts. The lack of takotsubo pts in this study reflect real data from MINOCA according to the latest definitions. Subjective emotions could lead to mistaken findings, making it necessary to determine emotional disorders with validated and objective tools.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): European Society of Cardiology Table 1. Percentile values of STAI.

Insomnia incidence in myocardial infarction with and without obstructive coronary arteries

Background

Insomnia can either be a primary problem or it may be associated with other psychological conditions, ranging from anxiety to depression. Some studies have reported that pts with MINOCA (myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries) have more emotional disorders than the rest of pts with myocardial infarction (MI). However, a relationship with insomnia has not been yet described.

The aim of this study is to compare insomnia levels between patients with MINOCA and the rest of MI patients using a validated scale: Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) (Figure 1).

Methods

We performed an analytical and observational study in which all consecutive MI pts from July 2017 to December 2020 were recruited. We used the latest definitions of MINOCA according to the 2020 ESC Guidelines. A group of experts reviewed all MINOCA cases in order to exclude those who did not fulfil criteria. Therefore, takotsubo syndrome and pts with myocarditis were excluded.

ISI questionnaire was completed by each patient during admission. Total score ranges from 0 to 28 points. Depending on the final score, pts could have no clinically significant insomnia (0–7 points), subthreshold insomnia (8–14 points), clinical insomnia of moderate severity (15–21 points) and severe clinical insomnia (22–28 points).

Follow up analysis included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: cardiovascular readmission, myocardial reinfarction, stroke and death from any cause). Survival analysis is based on Cox regression. Median follow-up was 25±23 months.

Results

From a total of 413 consecutive MI pts, 244 (59%) completed the questionnaire. Of them, 32 (13%) were MINOCA pts. There were no statistically significant differences in insomnia levels between both groups (Table 1). Even in absolute terms, both groups presented same mean levels: MINOCA mean value 7.6±6 points vs rest of MI 7.7±6 points, p=0.8. When separated by sex, women in the MI group had higher punctuation levels than men (24% of moderate clinical insomnia in women vs 8.9% of men, p=0.03). Punctuation in ISI questionnaire showed no significant differences in MACE in MINOCA pts (HR 0.9, CI 95% (0.7–1.2)), nor in the rest of MI pts (HR 0.9, CI 95% (0.9–1.03)).

Conclusions

Levels of insomnia were similar in MINOCA pts than in the rest of MI pts. Follow up showed no differences in MACE between both groups regarding insomnia according to ISI. Women had higher punctuation levels than men, with more clinical insomnia in a moderate grade. Subjective emotions could lead to mistaken findings, making it necessary to use ISI questionnaire or other objective validated scales to correctly study some disorders and their distribution in different populations.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Spanish Society of Cardiology Table 1. Insomnia severity indexFigure 1. ISI Questionnaire

Brain-Behavior Associations for Risk Taking Depend on the Measures Used to Capture Individual Differences

Maladaptive risk taking can have severe individual and societal consequences; thus, individual differences are prominent targets for intervention and prevention. Although brain activation has been shown to be associated with individual differences in risk taking, the directionality of the reported brain-behavior associations is less clear. Here, we argue that one aspect contributing to the mixed results is the low convergence between risk-taking measures, especially between the behavioral tasks used to elicit neural functional markers. To address this question, we analyzed within-participant neuroimaging data for two widely used risk-taking tasks collected from the imaging subsample of the Basel-Berlin Risk Study (N = 116 young human adults). Focusing on core brain regions implicated in risk taking (nucleus accumbens, anterior insula, and anterior cingulate cortex), for the two tasks, we examined group-level activation for risky versus safe choices, as well as associations between local functional markers and various risk-related outcomes, including psychometrically derived risk preference factors. While we observed common group-level activation in the two tasks (notably increased nucleus accumbens activation), individual differences analyses support the idea that the presence and directionality of associations between brain activation and risk taking varies as a function of the risk-taking measures used to capture individual differences. Our results have methodological implications for the use of brain markers for intervention or prevention.

New Perspectives on the Aging Lexicon

The field of cognitive aging has seen considerable advances in describing the linguistic and semantic changes that happen during the adult life span to uncover the structure of the mental lexicon (i.e., the mental repository of lexical and conceptual representations). Nevertheless, there is still debate concerning the sources of these changes, including the role of environmental exposure and several cognitive mechanisms associated with learning, representation, and retrieval of information. We review the current status of research in this field and outline a framework that promises to assess the contribution of both ecological and psychological aspects to the aging lexicon.

Three gaps and what they may mean for risk preference

Risk preference is one of the most important building blocks of choice theories in the behavioural sciences. In economics, it is often conceptualized as preferences concerning the variance of monetary payoffs, whereas in psychology, risk preference is often thought to capture the propensity to engage in behaviour with the potential for loss or harm. Both concepts are associated with distinct measurement traditions: economics has traditionally relied on behavioural measures, while psychology has often relied on self-reports. We review three important gaps that have emerged from work stemming from these two measurement traditions: first, a description-experience gap which suggests that behavioural measures do not speak with one voice and can give very different views on an individual's appetite for risk; second, a behaviour-self-report gap which suggests that different self-report measures, but not behavioural measures, show a high degree of convergent validity; and, third, a temporal stability gap which suggests that self-reports, but not behavioural measures, show considerable temporal stability across periods of years. Risk preference, when measured through self-reports-but not behavioural tests-appears as a moderately stable psychological trait with both general and domain-specific components. We argue that future work needs to address the gaps that have emerged from the two measurement traditions and test their differential predictive validity for important economic, health and well-being outcomes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Risk taking and impulsive behaviour: fundamental discoveries, theoretical perspectives and clinical implications'.

Antidiabeticin vitroandin vivoevaluation of cyclodipeptides isolated fromPseudomonas fluorescensIB-MR-66e

Cyclodipeptides cyclo(l-Pro-l-Leu),1; cyclo(l-Pro-l-Val),2; and cyclo (l-Pro-l-Phe),3fromPseudomonas fluorescensIB-MR-66e showed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity.

The influence of information structuring and health literacy on recall and satisfaction in a simulated discharge communication

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effects of information structuring and its potential interaction with pre-existing medical knowledge on recall in a simulated discharge communication.

METHODS

127 proxy-patients (i.e. students) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions. Video vignettes provided identical information, differing in means of information structuring only: The natural conversation (NC) condition was not explicitly structured whereas the structure (S) condition presented information organised by chapter headings. The book metaphor (BM) and the post organizer (PO) conditions also presented structured information but in addition included a synopsis, either at the beginning or at the end of discharge communication, respectively. Proxy-patients' recall, perception of quality and pre-existing medical knowledge were assessed.

RESULTS

Information structuring (conditions: S, BM, PO) did not increase recall in comparison to NC, but pre-existing medical knowledge improved recall (p < .01). An interaction between medical knowledge and recall in the BM condition was found (p = .02). In comparison to the NC, proxy-patients in all information structuring conditions more strongly recommended the physician (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Structured discharge communication complemented by the BM is beneficial in individuals with lower pre-existing medical knowledge.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The lower pre-existing medical knowledge, the more recipients will profit from information structuring with the BM.

Computational neuroscience across the lifespan: Promises and pitfalls

In recent years, the application of computational modeling in studies on age-related changes in decision making and learning has gained in popularity. One advantage of computational models is that they provide access to latent variables that cannot be directly observed from behavior. In combination with experimental manipulations, these latent variables can help to test hypotheses about age-related changes in behavioral and neurobiological measures at a level of specificity that is not achievable with descriptive analysis approaches alone. This level of specificity can in turn be beneficial to establish the identity of the corresponding behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms. In this paper, we will illustrate applications of computational methods using examples of lifespan research on risk taking, strategy selection and reinforcement learning. We will elaborate on problems that can occur when computational neuroscience methods are applied to data of different age groups. Finally, we will discuss potential targets for future applications and outline general shortcomings of computational neuroscience methods for research on human lifespan development.

End-of-life decisions in emergency patients: prevalence, outcome and physician effect

BACKGROUND

End-of-life decisions (EOLD) represent potentially highly consequential decisions often made in acute situations, such as 'do not attempt resuscitation' (DNAR) choices at emergency presentation.

AIM

We investigated DNAR decisions in an emergency department (ED) to assess prevalence, associated patient characteristics, potential medical and economic consequences and estimate contributions of patients and physicians to DNAR decisions.

DESIGN

Single-centre retrospective observation, including ED patients with subsequent hospitalization between 2012 and 2016. Primary outcome was a DNAR decision and associated patient characteristics. Secondary outcomes were mortality, admission to intensive care unit and use of resources.

METHODS

Associations between DNAR and patient characteristics were analysed using logistic mixed effects models, results were reported as odds ratios (OR). Median odds ratios (MOR) were used to estimate patient and physician contributions to variability in DNAR.

RESULTS

Patients of 10 458 were attended by 315 physicians. DNAR was the choice in 23.3% of patients. Patients' characteristics highly associated with DNAR were age (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 3.6-4.3) and non-trauma presentation (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.9-2.9). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher (OR = 5.4, CI = 4.0-7.3), and use of resources was significantly lower (OR = 0.7, CI = 0.6-0.8) in patients choosing DNAR. There was a significant effect on DNAR by both patient (MOR = 1.8) and physician (MOR = 2.0).

CONCLUSIONS

DNAR choices are common in emergency patients and closely associated with age and non-trauma presentation. Mortality was significantly higher, and use of resources significantly lower in DNAR patients. Evidence of a physician effect raises questions about the choice autonomy of emergency patients in the process of EOLD.

Age differences in intertemporal choice: U-shaped associations in a probability sample of German households

To describe adult age differences in intertemporal choice, we analyzed data from 1,491 participants who completed an incentivized monetary intertemporal discounting choice task involving different conditions (e.g., time delay of 12 months vs. 1 month). Respondents completed a number of other survey measures including behavioral measures of cognitive ability and self-reports concerning health, financial security, and demographic characteristics. We found significant quadratic (U-shaped) effects of age in task conditions involving 12-month (but not 1-month) delays, with middle-aged adults proving most patient relative to younger and older adults. The age effects found were robust to the inclusion of covariates, including cognitive ability, that have been suggested to underlie individual and age differences in time preferences. The results favor theories that propose nonlinear effects of age-related processes or multiple mechanisms underlying the development of intertemporal choice across the life span and suggest that it is important to consider long time delays and wide age ranges when trying to understand age differences in time preferences. (PsycINFO Database Record

Risk preference shares the psychometric structure of major psychological traits

To what extent is there a general factor of risk preference, R, akin to g, the general factor of intelligence? Can risk preference be regarded as a stable psychological trait? These conceptual issues persist because few attempts have been made to integrate multiple risk-taking measures, particularly measures from different and largely unrelated measurement traditions (self-reported propensity measures assessing stated preferences, incentivized behavioral measures eliciting revealed preferences, and frequency measures assessing actual risky activities). Adopting a comprehensive psychometric approach (1507 healthy adults completing 39 risk-taking measures, with a subsample of 109 participants completing a retest session after 6 months), we provide a substantive empirical foundation to address these issues, finding that correlations between propensity and behavioral measures were weak. Yet, a general factor of risk preference, R, emerged from stated preferences and generalized to specific and actual real-world risky activities (for example, smoking). Moreover, R proved to be highly reliable across time, indicative of a stable psychological trait. Our findings offer a first step toward a general mapping of the construct risk preference, which encompasses both general and domain-specific components, and have implications for the assessment of risk preference in the laboratory and in the wild.

Towards an Ecological Perspective on Age–Performance Relations

Abstract. The layperson’s view associates aging with biological and cognitive losses, which could be associated with decrements in work productivity and overall contributions to society. In turn, ecological approaches to life span development suggest that successful performance can result from an adaptive employment of an individual’s physical, cognitive, or social capital in the appropriate environment. This ecological framework suggests that one must understand the demands of particular ecologies (i.e., niches) to predict whether aging is associated with failure, maintenance, or even improvements in performance. We provide examples that illustrate the importance of an ecological approach to understanding adaptation to challenging decision tasks both in the laboratory and in the wild. Overall, we propose that there are specific strategies and niches that can help older adults thrive and that more work is needed to understand the exact characteristics that lead to good performance in old age.

Reduced dopamine receptors and transporters but not synthesis capacity in normal aging adults: a meta-analysis

Many theories of cognitive aging are based on evidence that dopamine (DA) declines with age. Here, we performed a systematic meta-analysis of cross-sectional positron emission tomography and single-photon emission-computed tomography studies on the average effects of age on distinct DA targets (receptors, transporters, or relevant enzymes) in healthy adults (N = 95 studies including 2611 participants). Results revealed significant moderate to large, negative effects of age on DA transporters and receptors. Age had a significantly larger effect on D1- than D2-like receptors. In contrast, there was no significant effect of age on DA synthesis capacity. The average age reductions across the DA system were 3.7%-14.0% per decade. A meta-regression found only DA target as a significant moderator of the age effect. This study precisely quantifies prior claims of reduced DA functionality with age. It also identifies presynaptic mechanisms (spared synthesis capacity and reduced DA transporters) that may partially account for previously unexplained phenomena whereby older adults appear to use dopaminergic resources effectively. Recommendations for future studies including minimum required samples sizes are provided.

Who Dares, Who Errs? Disentangling Cognitive and Motivational Roots of Age Differences in Decisions Under Risk

We separate for the first time the roles of cognitive and motivational factors in shaping age differences in decision making under risk. Younger and older adults completed gain, loss, and mixed-domain choice problems as well as measures of cognitive functioning and affect. The older adults’ decision quality was lower than the younger adults’ in the loss domain, and this age difference was attributable to the older adults’ lower cognitive abilities. In addition, the older adults chose the more risky option more often than the younger adults in the gain and mixed domains; this difference in risk aversion was attributable to less pronounced negative affect among the older adults. Computational modeling with a hierarchical Bayesian implementation of cumulative prospect theory revealed that the older adults had higher response noise and more optimistic decision weights for gains than did the younger adults. Moreover, the older adults showed no loss aversion, a finding that supports a positivity-focus (rather than a loss-prevention) view of motivational reorientation in older age.

The habenula as a critical node in chronic stress-related anxiety

The habenula is activated in response to stressful and aversive events, resulting in exploratory inhibition. Although possible mechanisms for habenula activation have been proposed, the effects of chronic stress on the habenular structure have never been studied. Herein, we assessed changes in volume, cell density and dendritic structure of habenular cells after chronic stress exposure using stereological and 3D morphological analysis. This study shows for the first time that there is a hemispherical asymmetry in the medial habenula (MHb) of the adult rat, with the right MHb containing more neurons than its left counterpart. Additionally, it shows that chronic stress induces a bilateral atrophy of both the MHb and the lateral habenula (LHb). This atrophy was accompanied by a reduction of the number of neurons in the right MHb and the number of glial cells in the bilateral LHb, but not by changes in the dendritic arbors of multipolar neurons. Importantly, these structural changes were correlated with elevated levels of serum corticosterone and increased anxious-like behavior in stressed animals. To further assess the role of the habenula in stress-related anxiety, bilateral lesions of the LHb were performed; interestingly, in lesioned animals the chronic stress protocol did not trigger increases in circulating corticosterone or anxious-like behavior. This study highlights the role of the habenula in the stress responses and how its sub-regions are structurally impacted by chronic stress with physiological and behavioral consequences.

Altered Value Coding in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex in Healthy Older Adults

Previous work suggests that aging is associated with changes in risk taking but less is known about their underlying neural basis, such as the potential age differences in the neural processing of value and risk. The goal of the present study was to investigate adult age differences in functional neural responses in a naturalistic risk-taking task. Twenty-six young adults and 27 healthy older adults completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Young and older adults showed similar overt risk-taking behavior. Group comparison of neural activity in response to risky vs. control stimuli revealed similar patterns of activation in the bilateral striatum, anterior insula (AI) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Group comparison of parametrically modulated activity in response to continued pumping similarly revealed comparable results for both age groups in the AI and, potentially, the striatum, yet differences emerged for regional activity in the vmPFC. At whole brain level, insular, striatal and vmPFC activation was predictive of behavioral risk taking for young but not older adults. The current results are interpreted and discussed as preserved neural tracking of risk and reward in the AI and striatum, respectively, but altered value coding in the vmPFC in the two age groups. The latter finding points toward older adults exhibiting differential vmPFC-related integration and value coding. Furthermore, neural activation holds differential predictive validity for behavioral risk taking in young and older adults.

Stability and change in risk-taking propensity across the adult life span

Can risk-taking propensity be thought of as a trait that captures individual differences across domains, measures, and time? Studying stability in risk-taking propensities across the life span can help to answer such questions by uncovering parallel, or divergent, trajectories across domains and measures. We contribute to this effort by using data from respondents aged 18 to 85 in the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) and by examining (a) differential stability, (b) mean-level differences, and (c) individual-level changes in self-reported general (N = 44,076) and domain-specific (N = 11,903) risk-taking propensities across adulthood. In addition, we investigate (d) the correspondence between cross-sectional trajectories of self-report and behavioral measures of social (trust game; N = 646) and nonsocial (monetary gamble; N = 433) risk taking. The results suggest that risk-taking propensity can be understood as a trait with moderate stability. Results show reliable mean-level differences across the life span, with risk-taking propensities typically decreasing with age, although significant variation emerges across domains and individuals. Interestingly, the mean-level trajectory for behavioral measures of social and nonsocial risk taking was similar to those obtained from self-reported risk, despite small correlations between task behavior and self-reports. Individual-level analyses suggest a link between changes in risk-taking propensities both across domains and in relation to changes in some of the Big Five personality traits. Overall, these results raise important questions concerning the role of common processes or events that shape the life span development of risk-taking across domains as well as other major personality facets. (PsycINFO Database Record

Patterns and Universals of Adult Romantic Attachment Across 62 Cultural Regions

As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, a total of 17,804 participants from 62 cultural regions completedthe RelationshipQuestionnaire(RQ), a self-reportmeasure of adult romanticattachment. Correlational analyses within each culture suggested that the Model of Self and the Model of Other scales of the RQ were psychometrically valid within most cultures. Contrary to expectations, the Model of Self and Model of Other dimensions of the RQ did not underlie the four-category model of attachment in the same way across all cultures. Analyses of specific attachment styles revealed that secure romantic attachment was normative in 79% of cultures and that preoccupied romantic attachment was particularly prevalent in East Asian cultures. Finally, the romantic attachment profiles of individual nations were correlated with sociocultural indicators in ways that supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment and basic human mating strategies.

Propensity for Risk Taking Across the Life Span and Around the Globe

Past empirical work suggests that aging is associated with decreases in risk taking. But are such effects universal? Life-history theory suggests that the link between age and risk taking is a function of specific reproductive strategies that can be more or less risky depending on the ecology. We assessed variation in the age-risk curve using World Values Survey data from 77 countries ( N = 147,118). The results suggest that propensity for risk taking tends to decline across the life span in the vast majority of countries. In addition, there is systematic variation among countries: Countries in which hardship (e.g., high infant mortality) is higher are characterized by higher levels of risk taking and flatter age-risk curves. These findings suggest that hardship may function as a cue to guide life-history strategies. Age-risk relations thus cannot be understood without reference to the demands and affordances of the environment.

The role of cognitive abilities in decisions from experience: Age differences emerge as a function of choice set size

People seldom enjoy access to summarized information about risky options before making a decision. Instead, they may search for information and learn about environmental contingencies-thus making decisions from experience. Aging is associated with notable deficits in learning and memory-but do these translate into poorer decisions from experience? We report three studies that used a sampling paradigm to investigate younger (M=24 years) and older (M=71 years) adults' decisions from experience. In Study 1 (N=121) participants made 12 decisions between pairs of payoff distributions in the lab. Study 2 (N=70) implemented the same paradigm using portable devices, collecting 84 decisions per individual over a week. Study 3 (N=84) extended the sampling paradigm by asking participants to make 12 decisions between two, four, and eight payoff distributions (in the lab). Overall, the behavioral results suggest that younger and older adults are relatively similar in how they search and what they choose when facing two payoff distributions (Studies 1 and 2). With an increasing number of payoff distributions, however, age differences emerged (Study 3). A modeling analysis on the level of individual participants showed that a simple delta-learning rule model best described the learning processes of most participants. To the extent that ongoing updating processes unfold relatively automatically and effortlessly, older adults may be liberated from the detrimental consequences of cognitive aging in the case of decisions from experience with few decision options. We discuss implications for research on decisions from experience and choice performance over the lifespan.

Search and the Aging Mind: The Promise and Limits of the Cognitive Control Hypothesis of Age Differences in Search

Search is a prerequisite for successful performance in a broad range of tasks ranging from making decisions between consumer goods to memory retrieval. How does aging impact search processes in such disparate situations? Aging is associated with structural and neuromodulatory brain changes that underlie cognitive control processes, which in turn have been proposed as a domain-general mechanism controlling search in external environments as well as memory. We review the aging literature to evaluate the cognitive control hypothesis that suggests that age-related change in cognitive control underlies age differences in both external and internal search. We also consider the limits of the cognitive control hypothesis and propose additional mechanisms such as changes in strategy use and affect that may be necessary to understand how aging affects search.

Interference of l,2,3,4-Tetramethoxy-5-(2-propenyl)benzene with Photosynthetic Electron Transport

The effect of 1,2,3,4-tetramethoxy-5-(2-propenyl)benzene, the major phytogrowth-inhibitory agent isolated from the leaves, stem bark and wood of Malmea depressa (Annonaceae), on several photosynthetic activities has been investigated using freshly lysed spinach chloroplasts. The results indicate that this compound inhibits proton-uptake, ATP synthesis and electron flow (basal, phosphorylating and uncoupled) in a concentration dependent manner, therefore acting as a Hill reaction inhibitor. Uncoupled electron transport through photosystem I from reduced dichlorophenol-indophenol to methylviologen is unaffected by this compound. On the other hand, uncoupled electron transport through photosystem II from water to dichlorophenol-indophenol, from water to silicomolibdate and from diphenylcarbazide to dichlorophenol-indophenol is inhibited by this phenylpropanoid, suggesting that the site of inhibition is located in the span from P680 to QA.

Phenological and geographical influence in the concentration of selected bioactive 4-phenylcoumarins and chlorogenic acid in Hintonia latiflora leaves

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Hintonia latiflora is a Mexican medicinal plant with well-documented ethnomedical record comprising more than 400 years; in modern Mexico is used for treating several maladies such as diabetes and gastric ulcers. Although the pharmacological actions of the stem-bark and leaves have been demonstrated, the phenological and geographical effect on the concentration of active principles remains unexplored.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The main goals of this study were to analyze the amount of selected 4-phenylcoumarins and chlorogenic acid in the leaves in order to assess the best harvesting period, and consequently their pharmacological efficacy. In addition, the preclinical antidiabetic efficacy of the infusion of the leaves was corroborated using standard pharmacological tests.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The aqueous extracts from the leaves of Hintonia latiflora were prepared by infusion. For phenological and geographical comparison, leaves of Hintonia latiflora were collected in two different regions in Chihuahua and Michoacán. The material was analyzed by UPLC applying an analytical method that developed and validated for this purpose following the ICH guidelines. Investigation of the antidiabetic action was accomplished using an acute hypoglycemic test and oral glucose and sucrose tolerance tests.

RESULTS

The validated analytical method was successfully applied for quantifying chlorogenic acid (1) and 4-phenylcoumarins (2-5) in the leaves of 12 different batches (1-12) during one-year period, and seven different batches for each geographical region; the concentration of the metabolites at the phenological cycle was significantly different, their concentration increased during the pre-senescence phase whereas in the leaf renovation stage the highest concentration of 2-5 was reached. The overall analysis of the active compounds concentration between the two populations investigated seems to be less important than the phenological variations. The aqueous extract of the leaves of Hintonia latiflora exerted its antidiabetic effect by different mechanisms showing comparable effect to the organic extract.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present investigation reveal that the best harvest season for the leaves of Hintonia latiflora is between the leaves renovation and senescence stages avoiding the flowering period. In addition, no significant differences were found among the two different geographical populations analyzed. The infusions of the leaves, rich in 4-phenylcoumarins and chlorogenic acid, showed comparable antidiabetic action than the organic extract.

Mechanisms of age-related decline in memory search across the adult life span

Three alternative mechanisms for age-related decline in memory search have been proposed, which result from either reduced processing speed (global slowing hypothesis), overpersistence on categories (cluster-switching hypothesis), or the inability to maintain focus on local cues related to a decline in working memory (cue-maintenance hypothesis). We investigated these 3 hypotheses by formally modeling the semantic recall patterns of 185 adults between 27 to 99 years of age in the animal fluency task (Thurstone, 1938). The results indicate that people switch between global frequency-based retrieval cues and local item-based retrieval cues to navigate their semantic memory. Contrary to the global slowing hypothesis that predicts no qualitative differences in dynamic search processes and the cluster-switching hypothesis that predicts reduced switching between retrieval cues, the results indicate that as people age, they tend to switch more often between local and global cues per item recalled, supporting the cue-maintenance hypothesis. Additional support for the cue-maintenance hypothesis is provided by a negative correlation between switching and digit span scores and between switching and total items recalled, which suggests that cognitive control may be involved in cue maintenance and the effective search of memory. Overall, the results are consistent with age-related decline in memory search being a consequence of reduced cognitive control, consistent with models suggesting that working memory is related to goal perseveration and the ability to inhibit distracting information.