Effects of quercetin on predator stress-related hematological and behavioural alterations in pregnant rats and their offspring.

This study aims at investigating the effect of a psychogenic stress during gestation on the behaviour and haematological indices in dams as well as on the neonatal haematological status and periadolescent behaviour in their offspring. Moreover, the ability of quercetin, a natural flavonoid, to prevent the stress-induced changes was estimated. Pregnant Wistar rats were pretreated with quercetin before the exposure to a predator stress on gestational day 19. Post-stress maternal anxiety-like behaviour was assessed with a concomitant haematological analysis. In the offspring, haematological analysis and behavioural testing were performed during the postnatal stage. Our results revealed that predator stress causes an anxiety-like behaviour in dams along with a decrease in erythrocytes, a microcytosis, and a thrombocytosis. Prenatally stressed neonates manifested microcytosis and thrombocytosis with a significant polycythemia. Signs of motor hyperactivity, anxiety-like behaviour, and memory dysfunction were detected at periadolescence. Quercetin pretreatment alleviated the stress-induced behavioural and haematological impairments in dams but failed to attenuate the haematological changes in neonates. A sex-dependent effect of quercetin on behaviour was found at periadolescence. Our findings suggest that, besides a beneficial effect on haematological and behavioural anomalies in traumatized dams, quercetin may lastingly modulate the behaviour of their progeny.

Influence of Memory Intensive Training Program on Cognitive Function, Memory Performance, and Self-Esteem in Elderly People / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to confirm the influence of memory intensive training program on the elderly people's cognitive function, memory performance, and self-esteem. METHOD: Using a quasi-experimental or experimental design, 60 elderly aged over 60 years randomly assigned the experimental and control groups completed pretest-post evaluation. The experimental group participated in the memory intensive training program was offered to the participants in the experimental group for three weeks (2times/week). The t-test and chi2-test using SAS program. RESULTS: 1) The cognitive function was significantly higher in the experimental group compared to that in the control group (t=3.26, p=.002). 2) The memory performance that included immediate word recall tasks, word recognition tasks and delayed word recall tasks was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (t=5.30, p<.001). The experimental group showed significantly higher scores for memory performance than the control group (t=5.30, p<.001). 3) The self-esteem was higher in the experimental group than in the control group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (t=1.94, p=.058). CONCLUSION: The Memory Intensive Training Program could be an effective intervention for improving cognitive function, and memory performance of the elderly people.

The Decline of Memory Performances of Old Adults and its Correlated Factors / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study were to find out the degree of memory decline and to confirm its correlated factors in old adults. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 68 old adults over the age 65 who living in Busan. Data were collected by the interview method, using a structured questionnaire and the testing method on the memory performance. RESULTS: The old adults' memory performances declined in tasks of immediately word recall, delayed word recall, and face recognition and increased slightly in word recognition over 2 years. However, there was only significant difference in delayed word recall task. The significant variables to predict memory decline were age, literacy, depression, locus, and strategy. CONCLUSION: The memory decline of old adults wasn't more serious problem than the perceived one. There needs to be some intervention programs to prevent memory decline for the elderly.

The Effects of the Older Adults' Depression on Metamemory and Memory Performance / 성인간호학회지

The purpose of this study is to find out the effects of depression on older adults' metamemory and memory performances. The subjects of the study consisted of 103 older adults over the age of 60 who are living in Kangwon Province. Some data were collected by means of the interview method, using questionnaires for metamemory (MIA questionnaire by Hultsch, et al., 1988), and depression(GDS by Yesavage and Sheikl, 1986). Other data were collected by a testing method on the memory performance, such as the immediate word recall task, the delayed word recall task, the word recognition task(Elderly Verbal Learning Test by Kyung Mi Choi, 1998), and the face recognition task(Face Recognition Task tool developed by this study). The results of this study were as follows: 1) The average point of depressed older persons' metamemory is 3.2 on a 5 point scale and was significantly lower than nondepressed older persons' point of 3.6. Looking into each sub-concept of metamemory, depressed persons' points are higher in terms of task(4.1), but are lower in terms of change(2.3), locus(2.6), and strategy(2.9) in comparison with nondepressed persons' points. 2)Depressed older persons' memory performances are all significantly lower than nondepressed person's, especially in terms of face recognition task(t=7.26, p<.0082) and word recognition task(t=6.58, p<.01). 3) In both depressed and nondepressed persons, metamemory has a close correlation with all memory tasks. In particular, depressed older persons' correlation is higher across the board, especially in memory self-efficacy of metamemory(r=.36 - .49) in comparison with nondepressed persons. 4) According to the results of analysis on the relations between metamemory and memory performances of each memory task using canonical analysis, in the case of depressed older persons, strategy, locus, capability and task have high correlation with word recognition task and delayed word recall task. Also in the case of nondepressed persons, achievement, strategy, change and locus variable have high correlation with face recognition task and immediate word recall task. As mentioned above, depression variables have a negative effect on older persons' metamemory and memory performance. In conclusion, when we care for depressed older persons with less memory ability, we have to consider the outcomes of this study are relevant. In addition, it is necessary to develop nursing intervention in order to prevent memory loss and improve memory performance in depressed older persons.

Effects of a Memory Training Program Using Efficacy Sources on Memory Improvement in Elderly People / 간호학회지

This study was a quasi-experimental study to confirm the effects of a memory training program using efficacy sources. The purpose was to develop an effective memory training program for elderly people and to identify the effects of the memory training program. This study was carried out between February 24 and July 18, 1999 and the subjects of the study were 102 elderly people who were participants at a welfare institute in Seoul. The experimental group (51) and the control group (51) were assigned by means of participation order. The control group was matched to the experimental group and was selected considering age, sex, and religion. The experimental group participated in the memory training program. The memory training program was based on the literature of Fogler & Stern (1994), Wang & Lee (1990), Lee (1991) and Lee (1993). The memory training program was given twice a week for two weeks with each program lasting two hours. Task centered memory self-efficacy was measured using the Memory Self-Efficacy Scale developed by Berry & Dennehey (1989) and Meta Memory was measured by the MIA developed by Dixon et al. (1988) Memory performance was measured by the Data were analyzed by SPSS PC and the results are described below. 1. The experimental group which participated in the Memory Training Program showed higher task centered memory self-efficacy scores as compared to the control group (t=4.354, P=.0001). 2. The experimental group which participated in the Memory Training Program showed higher metamemory scores as compared to the control group (t=4.733, P=.0001). 3. The experimental group which participated in the Memory Training Program showed higher memory performance scores as compared to the control group (t=7.500, P=.0001). The memory performance involved an immediate word recall task, a delayed word recall task, a word recognition task, and the face recognition task. 4. In the experimental group, there was significant correlation between the task centered memory self-efficacy scores and the metamemory scores (r=.382, P=.006), but the correlation between the task centered memory self-efficacy scores and the memory performance scores and between the metamemory scores and the memory performance scores were not significant. The results showed that task centered memory self-efficacy, meta memory and memory performance improved following the Memory Training Program including the memory process, changes in memory with aging, and appropriate use of memory strategies. Memory Training Program is an effective nursing intervention for improving memory in elderly people and, also, in people with complaints of memory loss. word list developed by Cho Sung Won (1995) and the face recognition task (Face Recognition Task developed for this study).