Tinnitus-on the interplay between emotion and cognition

Subjective tinnitus (hereafter tinnitus) is often considered and studied as a perceptual phenomenon. Accordingly, various abnormalities in the area of cognitive processing have been reported in patients with tinnitus. At the same time, the disorder is characterized by considerable emotional distress, which is associated with a high comorbidity of affective disorders. Here, we aim to outline the close link between cognition and emotion, and how current research from the field of cognitive neuroscience examines the processing and acquisition of emotional stimuli. The emotional valence of stimuli can be acquired after brief exposure to learning, leading from neutral to appetitive or aversive evaluation. In contrast to neutral stimuli, emotional stimuli attract attention very early (about 100 ms) during processing, leading to deeper processing and corresponding memory effects. The involved subcortical and cortical network encompasses limbic and sensory areas. In particular, prefrontal regions are involved in the acquisition and evaluation of emotional stimuli as also shown in studies of patients with affect disorders. The interplay of cognitive and emotional processes seems to be central to the development, maintenance, and treatment of tinnitus.

[Tinnitus-on the interplay between emotion and cognition. German version]

Subjective tinnitus (hereafter tinnitus) is often considered and studied as a perceptual phenomenon. Accordingly, various abnormalities in the area of cognitive processing have been reported in patients with tinnitus. At the same time, the disorder is characterized by considerable emotional distress, which is associated with a high comorbidity of affective disorders. Here, we aim to outline the close link between cognition and emotion, and how current research from the field of cognitive neuroscience examines the processing and acquisition of emotional stimuli. The emotional valence of stimuli can be acquired after brief exposure to learning, leading from neutral to appetitive or aversive evaluation. In contrast to neutral stimuli, emotional stimuli attract attention very early (about 100 ms) during processing, leading to deeper processing and corresponding memory effects. The involved subcortical and cortical network encompasses limbic and sensory areas. In particular, prefrontal regions are involved in the acquisition and evaluation of emotional stimuli as also shown in studies of patients with affect disorders. The interplay of cognitive and emotional processes seems to be central to the development, maintenance, and treatment of tinnitus.

Neurocognitive functioning and impulsivity in first-episode psychosis with suicidal ideation and behavior: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and behavior (SB) among people suffering from psychotic disorders is a public health issue. Most suicide attempts (SAs) occur before or during the early phases of first-episode psychosis (FEP). Improving knowledge about the suicide risk in the early stages is essential to develop therapeutic and prevention strategies. We conducted a systematic review to investigate an association between neurocognitive impairments or a history of impulsive behavior and SI or SB among patients with FEP.

METHOD

PRISMA guidelines were followed. Ten databases were searched using MeSH terms or key-words related to FEP, impulsivity or cognitive functioning measures and SI or SB, without restrictions for study design or length of follow-up. Included studies evaluated at least one cognitive function with neuropsychological tests or validated questionnaires, or provided records of impulsive behavior.

RESULTS

Twenty one research papers were included from databases, bibliographic references or expert opinions. Among patients with FEP, seven studies showed more pronounced neuropsychological impairments, especially regarding attention, processing speed, executive functioning and theory of mind in patients that had attempted suicide. No association was found between cognitive impairments on neuropsychological tests and SI. Previous non-suicidal impulsive behaviors were associated with SAs and suicide.

CONCLUSION

Our review suggests an association between neurocognitive impairments and SAs among patients with FEP. Records of impulsive behavior are also associated with SB in that population. Further research on the neuropsychology of FEP is necessary to identify how these impairments facilitate SB and evaluate their potential utility as therapeutic targets.

Grieving a disrupted biography: an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring barriers to the use of mindfulness after neurological injury or impairment

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness has demonstrated strong utility for enhancing self-management and health outcomes in chronic illness. However, sensation-focused mindfulness techniques may not be appropriate for clinical populations with neurological injury. This study aimed to identify how expert mindfulness teachers with sensory loss/impairment naturalistically adapt and experience mindfulness. We aimed to highlight the rationale for and barriers to mindfulness practice when living with sensory loss.

METHODS

A qualitative, semi-structured interview design was used, analysed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Eight (5 females, 3 males) mindfulness teachers with neurological injury were recruited via a national registry of Mindfulness for Health teachers. Interviews (range: 50-93 min) were completed, transcribed verbatim and analysed idiographically for descriptive, linguistic and conceptual themes, before a cross-case analysis was completed.

RESULTS

Two superordinate themes were identified: (1) Overcoming a disrupted biography; and (2) Proactive self-management. These themes considered the challenge of reconciling, through grief, a past health status with the present reality of living with sensory loss due to Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis or Functional Neurological Disorder. Mindfulness was experienced as a method by which proactive choices could be made to maintain control and autonomy in health, reducing perceptions of suffering, psychological distress, cognitive reactivity and rumination.

CONCLUSIONS

Mindfulness was found to support the self-management of health after neurological injury/impairment. Mindfulness meditation presented an initial challenge as trauma and grief processes were (re-)activated during mindfulness sessions. However, mindfulness was found to support the resolution of these grief processes and encourage adaptive approach-based coping and acceptance of health and neurological impairment/injury.

Life course changes provoked by chronic disease: A study on everyday life for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

This study examined patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a means to explore the impacts of chronic disease on life courses.

METHODS

A semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with nine patients in China in 2017; participants were included based on their having or having had facial butterfly erythema.

RESULTS

The study focused on both the disease's impact on the patients' health and on their daily lives. Four core themes emerged: visible changes in the patient's bodies, social dilemmas, "the encouragement of disease", and a new perspective on the relationship between disease and health. One important finding was that the occurrence of a chronic disease did not have only negative repercussions; some patients felt that there were advantages to being sick. Chronic disease resulted in a reworking of daily life. The patients developed a self-referential model of healing.

CONCLUSION

The distinct interpretations of the same disease offered by different patients served to yield a more complete understanding of the disease. People with SLE adjust their thinking about the disease based on personal feelings as well as experiences and pursue a dialogue on their illness based on the disease pattern unique to them. The meaning that disease had for the patients was not limited to negative connotations.

Evaluation of a cognitive affective model of physical activity behavior

Background: To empirically evaluate a cognitive affective model of physical activity. This bidirectional, cyclical model hypotheses that executive control processes directly influence habitual engagement in exercise and also directly subserve the exercise-induced affective response to acute exercise associated with future physical activity. Methods: The present study employed a one-week prospective, multi-site design. Participant recruitment and data collection occurred at two separate University sites (one in the United States and the other in Canada). Participants completed a bout of treadmill exercise, with affect and arousal assessed before, during and after the bout of exercise. Subjective and objective measures of executive function were assessed during this visit. Following this laboratory visit, seven days of accelerometry were employed to measure habitual engagement in physical activity. Results: Within our inactive, young adult sample, we observed some evidence of 1) aspects of executive function were associated with more light-intensity physical activity in the future (1-week later) (r = 0.36, 95% CI = -0.03 to 0.66, P = 0.07), 2) aspects of executive function were associated with post-exercise affect (r = -0.39, 95% CI = -0.67 to -0.03, P = 0.03) and forecasted affect (r =0.47, 95% CI = 0.11 to 0.72, P = 0.01), and 3) aspects of acute exercise arousal and affect were associated with current mild-intensity physical activity behavior (r = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.68, P = 0.03). Conclusion : We demonstrate partial support of a cognitive-affective model of physical activity.

Changes in subjective mental and physical fatigue during netball games in elite development athletes

OBJECTIVES

To assess the magnitude of changes in, and relationships between, physical and mental fatigue pre-to-post match in elite development netballers.

DESIGN

Observational.

METHODS

Twelve female netballers (21.3±2.9 years) competing in the Australian Netball League reported perceptual measures of mental and physical fatigue pre- and post-match on 12 separate competition occasions. Minutes played, to allow for calculation of weighted changes (ratings proportional to playing time), positional groups and performance analysis variables were also assessed.

RESULTS

Post-match ratings were higher (p<0.01) than pre-match for both mental (pre: 31.02±19.28; post: 44.73±24.47) and physical fatigue (pre: 28.86±15.37; post: 47.21±24.67). The correlation coefficient between change in mental and physical fatigue (r=0.37, p<0.01) revealed a shared variance of 13.9%. Acute changes in mental fatigue were related to minutes played (r=0.32, p<0.01) as was change in physical fatigue (r=0.59, p<0.01). No differences in change in mental fatigue were found between positional groups (p=0.07) though change in physical fatigue was higher for shooters compared to defenders (p<0.05). Performance variables revealed no relationships with mental or physical fatigue, with the exception of turnover number with both post-match weighted physical (r= -0.23, p<0.01) and weighted-change in physical fatigue (r=-0.16, p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Mental and physical fatigue were found to increase across netball matches in elite development athletes. Mental fatigue emerged as a largely separate construct to physical fatigue.

Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Whole-Body Vibration and Mental Workload: A Pilot Study

Background:

Whole-body vibration (WBV) and mental workload (MWL) are common stressors among drivers who attempt to control numerous variables while driving a car, bus, or train.

Objective:

To examine the individual and combined effects of the WBV and MWL on the autonomic nervous system.

Methods:

ECG of 24 healthy male students was recorded using NeXus-4 while performing two difficulty levels of a computerized dual task and when they were exposing to WBV (intensity 0.5 m/s2; frequency 3–20 Hz). Each condition was examined for 5 min individually and combined. Inter-beat intervals were extracted from ECG records. The time-domain and frequency-domain heart rate variability parameters were then extracted from the inter-beat intervals data.

Results:

A significant (p=0.008) increase was observed in the mean RR interval while the participants were exposed to WBV; there was a significant (p=0.02) reduction in the mean RR interval while the participants were performing the MWL. WBV (p=0.02) and MWL significantly (p<0.001) increased the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals with a moderate-to-large effect size. All active periods increased the low-frequency component and low-frequency/high-frequency ratio. However, only the WBV significantly increased the highfrequency component. A significant (p=0.01) interaction was observed between the WBV and MWL on low-frequency component and low-frequency/high-frequency ratio.

Conclusion:

Exposure to WBV and MWL can dysregulate the autonomic nervous system. WBV stimulates both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; MWL largely affects sympathetic nervous system. Both variables imbalance the sympatho-vagal control as well.

An Exploration of the Rapid Automatic Naming Test as Administered to Brazilian Children

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this research was to conduct an exploratory study of the performance of Brazilian children on the Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) test, examining schooling effects of schooling and associations with reading speed, comprehension, and reading level for each of the RAN subtests of colour, numbers, letters, and objects.

METHODS

Participants were 97 children, aged 7-11 years, enrolled in the first to fifth grade of elementary public education.

RESULTS

The findings indicated a school-year effect on RAN performance, with recurrent differences in grades 1-4 and no effect in RAN Numbers. Correlations ranged from moderate to high for reading level, speed, and comprehension. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis indicated that RAN Letters could significantly predict performance in the three reading abilities studied.

CONCLUSION

Thus, the study provided initial evidence of RAN's performance in testing Brazilian children's phonological processing as a form of predictive monitoring of reading development in school-age children as it relates to scholastic progress and reading speed, comprehension, and level.

[Qualitative research on psychological experience of parents of burned infants during hospitalization]

Objective: To understand the psychological experience of parents of burned infants during hospitalization, and to provide basis for formulating feasible targeted treatment and nursing programs. Methods: The mother or father of 15 burned infants admitted to the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June to October 2017 were interviewed about their psychological experience during hospitalization of their burned infants one day before the children were expected to be discharged, using the phenomenological method of qualitative research. Data were collected through face to face, semi-structured, and in-depth interviews, and the Colaizzi's analysis method was applied to analyze, induce, and refine themes of interview data. Results: During hospitalization, the parents of burned infants experienced five periods: collapse period, self-blame period, worrying period, stable period, and life belief transition period. Conclusions: The psychological experience of parents of burned infants is similar. Beginning with emotional collapse and self-blame, their psychological fluctuations gradually stabilize later. Medical staff should strengthen the psychological assessment and offer timely intervention to parents of burned infants, and it is extremely urgent to popularize knowledge related to burn prevention and first aid for parents of infants.

Effects of Changing the Focus of Attention on Accuracy, Acceleration, and Electromyography in Dart Throwing

Research over the past 15 years or so has shown that an external focus on the effects of one's movements improves performance relative to an internal focus of attention on bodily actions. More recent research has attempted to discover how the focus of attention (FOA) influences underlying motor control processes by using kinematic and EMG measures. Research has shown that an external FOA reduces EMG activity and the co-contraction between agonist and antagonist muscle groups relative to an internal FOA. The primary goal of the current study was to determine how the FOA influences the acceleration pattern during dart throwing, providing a more complete kinematic description relative to earlier work. Twenty-four participants threw 24 darts in both an external focus condition, focusing on the flight of the dart, and an internal focus condition focusing on the elbow angle at dart release. Surface EMGs were recorded from the triceps and biceps muscles and acceleration was recorded in the X, Y, and Z axes. Accuracy was better with an external focus relative to an internal focus. There was greater acceleration in the Y and Z axes in the second half of the movement in the external focus condition relative to the internal focus condition. An external focus generated less co-contraction between muscle groups compared to the internal focus condition. Overall, the results showed that an internal FOA reduces movement efficiency relative to an external FOA.

Visuospatial Functioning in the Primary Progressive Aphasias

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify whether the three main primary progressive aphasia (PPA) variants would show differential profiles on measures of visuospatial cognition. We hypothesized that the logopenic variant would have the most difficulty across tasks requiring visuospatial and visual memory abilities.

METHODS

PPA patients (n=156), diagnosed using current criteria, and controls were tested on a battery of tests tapping different aspects of visuospatial cognition. We compared the groups on an overall visuospatial factor; construction, immediate recall, delayed recall, and executive functioning composites; and on individual tests. Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons were made, adjusted for disease severity, age, and education.

RESULTS

The logopenic variant had significantly lower scores on the visuospatial factor and the most impaired scores on all composites. The nonfluent variant had significant difficulty on all visuospatial composites except the delayed recall, which differentiated them from the logopenic variant. In contrast, the semantic variants performed poorly only on delayed recall of visual information. The logopenic and nonfluent variants showed decline in figure copying performance over time, whereas in the semantic variant, this skill was remarkably preserved.

CONCLUSIONS

This extensive examination of performance on visuospatial tasks in the PPA variants solidifies some previous findings, for example, delayed recall of visual stimuli adds value in differential diagnosis between logopenic variant PPA and nonfluent variant PPA variants, and illuminates the possibility of common mechanisms that underlie both linguistic and non-linguistic deficits in the variants. Furthermore, this is the first study that has investigated visuospatial functioning over time in the PPA variants. (JINS, 2018, 24, 259-268).

The Study of Cognitive Change Process on Depression during Aerobic Exercises

INTRODUCTION

Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise is effective in treating the depression and improving the mental health. There are various theories which explains why aerobic exercise is effective in the treatment of depression and improve mental health, but there are limited studies to show how cognitive components and depression improve during aerobic exercises.

AIM

The current study was carried out to investigate the cognitive change process during aerobic exercises in depressed students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted through structural equation modeling; the study sample included 85 depressed students. Participants were selected through purposive sampling method. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Automatic Negative Thoughts (ATQ), and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) were used as the data collection instruments. The participants received eight sessions of aerobic exercise (three times a week). The obtained data was analysed by AMOS-18 & SPSS 18 software.

RESULTS

The results showed that depression (p=0.001), automatic thoughts (ferquency p=0.413, beliefs p=0.676) and dysfunctional assumptions (p=0.219) reduce during aerobic exercise; however, it was only meaningful for the depression. The casual and consequential models were not fit to the data and partially and fully interactive models provided an adequate fit to the data.

CONCLUSION

Fully interactive model provided the best fit of the data. It seems that aerobic exercise reduced cognitive components separately leading to reduce depression.

[Risk factors and psychological vulnerabilities to binge-drinking in youth]

For years, a large number of studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of alcohol consumption on the brain and therefore on behavior and cognition. These studies first aimed at identifying the consequences of alcohol abuse consumption, more specifically in pathologies such as alcohol-dependence or Korsakoff syndrome. Researchers then also started to focus on vulnerabilities to alcohol consumption, especially in hyper fast alcohol consumption called binge-drinking (BD). Indeed BD, which is a particularly dangerous form of alcohol consumption, is usually observed in adolescents and young adults. Typically, young people tend to adopt this way of drinking in order to reach a massive and expeditious intoxication. The aim of this paper is to present the bibliographic data available on the main risk factors to BD and to describe the main measurement tools for investigating these factors in clinical researches. The interaction between psychological dysfunctions and BD is not well understood. For a better understanding of the links between binge-drinking and psychological and personality factors in terms of vulnerability or risk, studies have investigated on affective factors (depression and anxiety), personality characteristics (impulsivity and sensation seeking) and drinking motives (coping, improvement, compliance and wellness). Although different factors are often associated with BD in adolescents and young adults, it is still not clear whether these factors are the consequences of alcohol consumption or a reflection of pre-morbid abnormalities predisposing individuals to excessive alcohol consumption. Furthermore, results are not unequivocal and various distinct personality profiles seem to emerge. Thus, these questions are still not fully resolved and further studies are needed to understand the complex relationships between BD and the various psychological or personality factors. The need for investigating these factors in clinical studies is nevertheless important with regard to therapeutic interventions. Indeed, the identification of specific profiles involved in a binge-drinking type of consumption could allow an adaptation of the contents of therapeutic programs by targeting a specific mechanism. For example, recent findings have revealed that when factors such as impulsivity are considered, therapeutic intervention is more effective.

Therapies for Cognitive Deficits Associated With Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review of Objective Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review evidence of treatments for cognitive impairments experienced by at least 20% of all women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer.

DATA SOURCES

Searches of 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL), with no date or language restrictions, identified 1701 unique results. Search terms included breast cancer, chemotherapy, chemobrain, chemofog, and terms on cognition and language deficits.

STUDY SELECTION

Included only peer-reviewed journal articles that described therapies for cognitive dysfunction in women undergoing (or who had undergone) chemotherapy for breast cancer and provided objective measurements of cognition or language.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted according to Cochrane recommendations, including characteristics of participants, interventions, outcomes, and studies. Quality assessment of all 12 eligible studies was performed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and treatment fidelity criteria. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment reliability were performed.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Six articles described interventions for cognition that took place during cancer treatment; 6, afterward. Five interventions were medical (including a strength-training program), 2 were restorative, and 5 were cognitive. Medicinal treatments were ineffective; restorative and exercise treatments had mixed results; cognitive therapy had success in varying cognitive domains. The domains most tested and most successfully treated were verbal memory, attention, and processing speed.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive therapy protocols delivered after chemotherapy and aimed at improving verbal memory, attention, and processing speed hold the most promise. Future research is needed to clarify whether computerized cognitive training can be effective in treating this population, and to identify objective assessment tools that are sensitive to this disorder.