Perceived stress, worries and changes in interpersonal relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychopathological and cognitive precursors in a 10-year youth cohort

Aims: to investigate if mental disorders and cognitive performance are associated with interpersonal behaviours and negative emotions among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): This work is part of the Brazilian High-Risk Cohort for Mental Conditions (BHRC), which included 6-12 years-old children at baseline (Year 2010) who participated in an online COVID-19 wave (N = 1.144). Outcomes were factor socres from specifc sections of the international Coronavirus Health and Impact Survey (relationship changes, stress, and concerns related to COVID-19). A structured interview (DAWBA, DSM-IV) assessed externalizing and internalizing disorders. Cognitive predictors were IQ and executive function assessed at baseline. We used Generalized Linear Models adjusting for sex and socioeconomic variables. First, higher IQ (B = 0.0032;t = 2.714;p = .006) and any internalizing disorder prior to the pandemic (B = 0.0902;t = 2.228;p = .026) were associated with higher perceived stress during the pandemic. Second, any externalizing disorder (B = -0.1449;t = -2.066;p = .039) was linked with lower levels of COVID-19-related worries, whilst higher performance in executive function tasks was associated with higher levels (B = 0.1803;t = 4.796;p = .001). Third, higher IQ was linked with negative changes in interpersonal relationships (B = -0.0007;t = -3.371;p = .0007). Conclusion(s): This study showed that lifetime externalizing and internalizing disorders, in addition to cognitive variables at lifetime externalizing and internalizing disorders, in addition to cognitive variables at an early age, were associated with distinct mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-Covid: Neuropsychological function at 6 and 12months - relation to depression and self-reported symptoms

Objective: Studies have reported significant cognitive impairment following Covid-19, although the majority of reports rely on patients' self-report or short screening instruments to quantify cognitive function. Additionally, little is known about the development of cognitive impairment post Covid-19 and how these trajectories are related to psychiatric and medical variables. Method(s): Patients presenting a spectrum of neurological symptoms following Covid-19 infection were recruited from a national multicenter study. At 6 (N = 77) and 12 (N = 58) months post-covid infection, they completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. At 6 months self-reported symptoms of cognitive dysfunction and fatigue were extracted from questionnaires and depression diagnoses from the MINI neuropsychiatric interview. A control group (N = 58), antibody verified Covid-19 negative, completed neuropsychological assessment. Result(s): At 6 months, verbal and visual memory, attention/working memory, and executive function were significantly reduced in patients compared to healthy controls. These impairments were not associated to acute illness severity indexes, and only moderately correlated to subjective cognitive complaints, level of fatigue, and diagnosis of depression at 6 months. There was a significant improvement in cognitive function across affected domains from 6 to 12 months post infection. This improvement was not associated with depression or self-report at 6 months, nor was the improvement related to acute illness severity. Conclusion(s): Covid-19 patients presenting with neurological symptoms showed significant cognitive impairment at 6 months. However, at 12 months their cognitive functions were normalized and no longer different from healthy controls. These results indicate a good prognosis regarding cognitive function in most patients following Covid-19 infection.Copyright © 2023

Worked Examples Moderate the Effect of Math Learning Anxiety on Children's Math Learning and Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic

We investigated whether worked examples could be used to reduce cognitive load on mathematics learners who may have reduced available cognitive resources due to experiencing anxiety or excess stress. Across 2 days, 280 fifth-grade students learned from a difficult lesson on ratio, half of whom reviewed worked examples at key problem-solving opportunities during instruction. We also measured two sources of students' worry during learning: math anxiety and worries about learning during the pandemic. We explored the attentional and affective effects of worked examples and worries in addition to their effects on learning. Results suggest that math anxiety, but not pandemic learning worries, negatively predicted procedural and conceptual learning from the lesson. In line with previous research and cognitive load theory, math anxiety also predicted greater mind wandering during testing and lower situational interest during learning. Critically, reviewing worked examples during learning mitigated these effects on learning and engagement. Pandemic-related learning worries were unrelated to learning outcomes but did predict affective and motivational outcomes. Educational implications are discussed.

Early executive control buffers risk for adolescent psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a global impact on youth mental health, and there is a critical need for research examining individual factors that contribute to increased psychopathology during the pandemic. The current study explored whether executive control (EC) abilities in early childhood interact with COVID-related stress to attenuate risk for adolescent psychopathology during the first 6 months of the pandemic. METHODS: Participants were 337 youth (49% female) living in a small midwestern city in the United States. Participants completed EC tasks when they were approximately 4.5 years old as part of a longitudinal study investigating cognitive development. At annual laboratory visits during adolescence and before the pandemic, participants (Mage = 14.57) reported on mental health symptoms. In July and August of 2020, participants (Mage = 16.57) reported on COVID-related stress and depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms. RESULTS: COVID-related stress was associated with increased internalizing problems after controlling for prepandemic symptom levels. Further, the impact of COVID-related stress on adolescent internalizing problems was moderated by preschool EC, with higher levels of EC buffering the effects of COVID-related stress on adolescent internalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of promoting EC early in development, as well as screening for EC deficits and implementing targeted intervention strategies across the lifespan to help reduce the impact of stress on adolescent internalizing problems.

Cognitive, Motor, & Negative Valence Systems in Neurologic Pasc: A Preliminary Study

Background: Nervous system post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (NS-PASC) include cognitive and mental health symptoms. To further define these, we applied a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) approach to examine motor, positive valence (PV) and negative valence (NV) systems, and social processing data in The COVID Mind Study of NS-PASC. Method(s): NS-PASC participants (>3 months after COVID-19) referred from a NeuroCOVID Clinic and non-COVID controls from New Haven, CT and Baltimore, MD completed an RDoC test battery for cognition (language, declarative and working memory, cognitive control, perception), motor, PV, NV, and social processes. To date, 3T MRI with diffusion tensor imaging was performed in 11 NS-PASC to assess white matter integrity (global white matter fractional anisotropy [FA]) as a contributor to alterations identified on the RDoC tests. Analysis of Covariance examined group differences after adjusting for sex, race, ethnicity, age, and years of education. Result(s): 25 NS-PASC participants (age 43.4+/-11.3 yrs, 76% female, 402 days after COVID-19 symptom onset) and 29 controls (age 46.2.6+/-13.1 yrs, 66% female) completed the battery. Controls were more racially diverse and less educated than NS-PASC (43% vs. 12% Black, p=0.005;14.5 vs. 16.1 yrs of education, p< 0.05). Means and statistics for RDoC between NS-PASC and controls are shown in Table. NS-PASC performed worse in language, verbal working and declarative memory, and perception and reported greater cognitive control difficulties (e.g., behavioral inhibition, set shifting) without issues on performance-based metrics (Stroop, Trail Making Test-Part B), and had slower motor function. NS-PASC reported more NV issues including greater symptoms of depression, rumination in response to depressive mood, apathy, childhood trauma, anxiety, and perceived stress. There were no differences in PV and social processing. In a subset of NS-PASC participants who underwent MRI, there was a dynamic range of FA values with a mean of 0.509 (IQR 0.481 - 0.536). Conclusion(s): Our findings extend previous PASC studies characterizing cognitive and mental health alterations, indicating that additional RDoC assessments warrant focus, including alterations in motor and the negative valence system. In future analyses, we will examine white matter integrity as a pathophysiologic contributor to these RDoC systems.

Trajectory of Post-Covid Neurocognitive Recovery in People Living with and without Hiv

Background: Neurocognitive dysfunction is common in long COVID and in people living with HIV (PWH). It is unknown whether PWH experience different disturbances in neurocognitive function following COVID-19 compared to HIVseronegative people. Method(s): The amfAR-Johns Hopkins University COVID Recovery Study is a prospective observational cohort study consisting of four groups: participants who had SARS-CoV-2 infection for the first time within 30 days prior to enrollment with HIV (PWH, arm 1) and without HIV (arm 2);participants with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection with HIV (arm 3) and without HIV (arm 4). 93.5% of the cohort had received a COVID-19 vaccine prior to enrollment. Cognitive tests were administered at 1-and 4-months post symptom onset (arms 1-2) or post-enrollment (arms 3-4) in seven domains. Age standardized scores (all tests) and age-sex-and education-standardized scores (verbal fluency) were obtained. Standardized scores were compared using the Mann-Whitney U Test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Result(s): PWH scored lower than HIV-seronegative participants at 1 and 4 months post-COVID on three tests: the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) learning (M1, p=0.011, M4, p=0.015), HVLT-R memory (M1, p=0.029, M4, p=0.007), and category-cued verbal fluency (VF;M1&4, p< 0.001). For the majority of timepoints, PWH who were post-COVID produced equivalent scores as PWH who never had COVID (p-levels > 0.05). Comparing post-COVID HIV-seronegative people to those who never had COVID, post-COVID participants scored lower than never-COVID participants on the Oral Trail Making Test part A (OTMT) test of processing speed at month 1 (p=0.033). Between month 1 and 4, HIV-seronegative people who were post-COVID showed improvements in HVLT-R Recognition (p=0.039), OTMT A (p=0.003), and OTMT B test of executive function (p=0.032). Conclusion(s): Neurocognitive scores in PWH were independent of COVID status, suggesting that higher frequencies of post-COVID neurocognitive dysfunction in PWH compared to HIV-seronegative people are due to HIV-associated factors more so than COVID. HIV-seronegative, post-COVID people demonstrate diminished recognition memory, processing speed, and executive function at 1 month post-COVID that improves by 4 months. Post-COVID neurocognitive dysfunction is present, if temporary, even in a highly vaccinated cohort of people.

Youth pre-pandemic executive function relates to year one COVID-19 difficulties.

Introduction: The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic presented a series of stressors that could relate to psychological difficulties in children and adolescents. Executive functioning (EF) supports goal achievement and is associated with life success, and better outcomes following early life adversity. EF is also strongly related to processing speed, another predictor of life outcomes. Methods: This longitudinal study examined 149 youths' pre-pandemic EF and processing speed abilities as predictors of self-reported emotional, cognitive, and social experiences during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. EF and processing speed were measured with a total of 11 behavioral tasks. The COVID-era data was collected during two timepoints, during early (May-July 2020) and mid- (January-March of 2021) pandemic. Results: Better pre-pandemic EF skills and processing speed abilities predicted more mid-COVID-19 pandemic emotional and cognitive difficulties. On the other hand, better switching (a subcomponent of EF) and processing speed abilities predicted more mid-pandemic social interactions. EF and processing speed abilities did not relate to the well-being reports from the initial months of the pandemic. Our EF - but not processing speed - results were largely maintained when controlling for pre-pandemic mental health burden, socioeconomic status (SES), and gender. Discussion: Better cognitive abilities may have contributed to worse mid-pandemic functioning by supporting the meta-cognition needed for attending to the chaotic and ever-changing pandemic news and advice, leading to higher stress-induced worry and rumination. Our study highlights a potential downside of higher EF - often largely viewed as a protective factor - in youth.

An investigation of Head Start preschool children's executive function, early literacy, and numeracy learning in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on preschool children's school readiness skills remains understudied. This research investigates Head Start preschool children's early numeracy, literacy, and executive function outcomes during a pandemic-affected school year. Study children (N = 336 assessed at fall baseline; N = 237-250 assessed in spring depending on outcome; fall baseline sample: mean age = 51 months; 46% Hispanic; 36% Black Non-Hispanic; 52% female) in a network of Head Start centers in four states (Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) experienced low in-person preschool exposure compared to national pre-pandemic norms. Children experienced fall to spring score gains during the pandemic-affected year of 0.05 SD in executive function, 0.27 SD in print knowledge, and 0.45-0.71 SD in early numeracy skills. Descriptively, for two of the three early numeracy domains measured, spring test score outcomes were stronger among children who attended more in-person preschool. We discuss implications for future research and policy.

Cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia with L-Carnosine adjuvant therapy - A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

The antioxidant L-Carnosine is reported to improve negative and cognitive symptoms in Schizophrenia. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was planned to study the effectiveness of adjuvant L-Carnosine therapy in patients with Schizophrenia. 100 eligible patients with predominant negative symptoms as measured by scale for assessment of negative symptoms (SANS total score ≥ 60) and Schizophrenia diagnosis (International Classification of Disorder-Tenth Edition, ICD-10) were recruited. They were randomly allocated to receive a fixed dose of either 400 mg L-Carnosine or identical placebo for 3 months and increased to 800 mg from 13th week till completion of study. Primary outcome measures assessed changes in SANS scores with L-Carnosine at 24 weeks compared to baseline, 4 and 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures were done to assess the improvement in cognitive symptoms (executive function, attention, and memory) at 24 weeks using subtests of NIMHANS (National Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences) cognitive battery. Side effects were assessed using adverse events reporting form. The attention scores (p = .023) showed significant differences in patients receiving 800 mg of L-Carnosine at the end of the study. There were no significant differences in negative symptoms in the two arms at study completion. L-Carnosine dosing of 800 mg may be a promising agent to enhance executive functions in Schizophrenia.

The influence of executive function and emotional self-regulation on engagement in health behaviors

Increasing positive health behaviors as well as limiting negative health behaviors is critical for maintaining physical and mental health. Two self-regulatory facets, executive functions (EF) and emotion regulation/coping (emotional self-regulation;ESR), are both theorized to be related to health outcomes, such that strengths in these skills are related to better or enhanced physical and mental health, whereas weaknesses are associated with poor health outcomes. Thus, gaining a better understanding of these constructs may provide insight into opportunities to alter health behaviors. The present study aimed to explore the relationships among EF, ESR, and health behaviors. A sample of 114 college students completed EF performance-based tasks and self-report questionnaires related to their emotional self-regulation strategy use, physical activity, sleep, COVID-related stress, anxiety, and depression. An exploratory factor analysis revealed ten ESR factors, seven of which were used in regression analyses and four were used in path analyses. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated EFs did not significantly predict health behaviors, although expressive support seeking predicted physical activity and positive focus predicted sleep quality. Path analyses revealed that the indirect effects of EF on health behavior through ESR were not significant. Across all analyses, COVID-19 variables significantly predicted health behaviors. Interpretations of the current results were presented, and future directions were suggested. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Occupational stress and cognitive processes among teachers in the COVID-19 pandemic

Education is an area directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many teachers started to have new work demands, which can be perceived as stressful variables. This study aimed at analyzing the relationship between cognitive planning and occupational stress among teachers from Distrito Federal, in the COVID-19 pandemic context. This is a correlational and quantitative study, whose variables are cognitive planning, occupational stress and cognitive failures. Data collection was performed electronically with 29 adults aged between 30 and 49 years old, by applying the Cognitive Planning Scale, the Work-related Stress Scale and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. The analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, parametric and non-parametric tests and correlations. The results indicated that there was no significant relationship between cognitive planning and occupational stress. In addition, the study contributed to the discussion of the effects of the pandemic on basic education professionals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Portuguese) A educacao e uma area diretamente afetada pela pandemia da COVID-19. Muitos professores passaram a ter novas exigencias de trabalho, que podem ser percebidas como variaveis estressoras. Este estudo teve por objetivo analisar a relacao entre planejamento cognitivo e estresse ocupacional de professores do Distrito Federal no contexto da pandemia da COVID-19. Trata-se de um estudo correlacional, quantitativo, tendo como variaveis planejamento cognitivo, estresse ocupacional e falhas cognitivas. A coleta de dados foi realizada eletronicamente, com 29 adultos entre 30 e 49 anos, por meio da aplicacao da Escala de Planejamento Cognitivo, da Escala de Estresse no Trabalho e do Questionario de Falhas Cognitivas. A analise foi conduzida por meio de estatisticas descritivas, testes parametricos e nao parametricos e correlacoes. Os resultados indicaram que nao houve relacao significativa entre planejamento cognitivo e estresse ocupacional. Ademais, o estudo contribui para a discussao dos efeitos da pandemia nos profissionais de Educacao Basica. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) La educacion es un area directamente afectada por la pandemia COVID-19. Los profesores empezaron a tener nuevas demandas laborales que pueden percibirse como variables estresantes. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la relacion entre planificacion cognitiva y estres ocupacional entre profesores del Distrito Federal, en el contexto de la pandemia COVID-19. Se trata de un estudio cuantitativo y correlacional, cuyas variables son la planificacion cognitiva, el estres laboral y las fallas cognitivas. La recoleccion de datos se realizo en forma electronica con 29 adultos de 30 a 49 anos de edad, mediante la Escala de Planificacion Cognitiva, la Escala de Estres Laboral y el Cuestionario de Fallas Cognitivas. El analisis se realizo mediante estadistica descriptiva, pruebas parametricas y no parametricas y correlaciones. Los resultados indican que no hubo relacion significativa entre planificacion cognitiva y estres ocupacional. Ademas, el estudio contribuye a la discusion de los efectos de la pandemia en profesores. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Clinical experience with the alpha2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of cognitive deficits in "Long-COVID19"

Background: Prolonged cognitive deficits ("brain fog") following COVID19 infection (long-COVID) are common and debilitating, yet there are currently no approved treatments. Cognitive impairment particularly targets the working memory and executive functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC has unusual neurotransmission and neuromodulation that render it vulnerable to stressors, and basic research has identified mechanisms that protect PFC connections. Based on the basic neuroscience data, we tried a combined open label treatment to bolster prefrontal function: the alpha2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, which strengthens prefrontal connectivity, and the anti-oxidant, N- acetylcysteine (NAC), which protects mitochondria and reduces kynurenic acid blockade of NMDA receptors. Case report: Twelve patients with "brain fog" including difficulties in executive functions were treated with guanfacine (1mg, PO bedtime for the first month, increased to 2mg after 1 month, if well-tolerated) and 600 mg NAC daily. Guanfacine+NAC improved cognitive abilities in eight of the twelve patients;four patients discontinued therapy, two for unspecified reasons and two due to hypotension and/or dizziness, common side effects of guanfacine. Those who stayed on guanfacine+NAC reported improved working memory, concentration, and executive functions, including a resumption of normal workloads. One patient briefly stopped taking guanfacine due to a hypotensive episode and reported a return of cognitive deficits that abated with resumed guanfacine treatment. Conclusion(s): Although placebo-controlled trials will be needed to more rigorously demonstrate efficacy, as these agents have established safety, they may be immediately helpful in treating the large number of patients suffering from prolonged cognitive deficits following COVID19 infection.Copyright © 2022 The Author(s)

The relationship between executive function and resilience among college students- a study during COVID-19

College was already a stressful time for many individuals, and COVID has added another major stress to change college life, highlighting the importance of stress management skills and increased cognitive resilience. The goals of the current study included 1) comparing stress, executive functioning (EF), resilience, alcohol use, and school connectedness of students during the pandemic and normed data;2) examining the relationship between resilience and stress;3) investigating the effects of class standing, alcohol use, and stress on EF (self-report and performance-based measures) and resilience;4) studying the interaction of class standing, alcohol use, and stress levels after the impact of an acute stressor on EF. Participants completed the Trail Making Test and Tower of London and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test - Computerized followed by the Cued Go/No-Go Task. Data was collected from college students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (n=462). Current findings indicated that students reported significantly less problematic alcohol use, alcohol use to cope, premeditation, school connectedness, as well as more stress and planning abilities than students prior to the pandemic. When comparing association among the variables, self-reported and performance-based EF were associated with resilience and school connectedness measures. Lowerclassman college students who endorsed severe stress with high problematic drinking reported less impulsive behaviors (i.e., more premeditation) than upperclassman students who endorsed severe stress with high problematic drinking. Additionally, Lowerclassman students who endorsed low problematic drinking rated themselves as possessing greater resilience than upperclassman students with high problematic drinking group. Also, upperclassmen who endorsed problematic alcohol use and severe stress made fewer omission errors than the rest of the sample after the acute stressor was presented. The current results demonstrated the changes in students' experiences during the pandemic associated with more stress than in previous cohorts, emphasizing the importance of building resources to increase students' resilience and connectedness to campus. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Supporting emotion regulation in individuals with ASD, ADHD and bipolar disorder through trauma‐informed instruction and self‐regulation strategies

Since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, students have endured drastic changes in educational routines. Such disruptions can be especially challenging for students who struggle with executive functioning, self‐regulation and emotion regulation, such as students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder. Using a framework of trauma‐informed instruction, the authors supported classroom teachers in implementing sensory spaces for students with ASD, ADHD and bipolar disorder. The project included professional development and funding for teachers to develop, procure and offer sensory tools and strategies to assist students in recognising and managing emotions. The authors collected data on the effectiveness of the sensory supports, combining teacher surveys and student behaviour data. Results indicated increased teacher knowledge on trauma‐informed instruction and use of sensory supports to promote executive functioning and self‐regulation and decreased target behaviours in students based on structured observation and anecdotal teacher feedback.

Stimulation of the Executive Functions Mediated by Digital Games: Current Challenges in the School Context

Executive Functions are a group of cognitive abilities that guide the behavior of individuals towards achieving goals, regulation and control of thoughts, emotions, and inhibition of behavioral tendencies. The healthy development of the executive components are predictors of several aspects in the life of individuals, such as success in professional life, academic performance, and socio-affective relationships. Studies indicate that impairments in the Executive Functions are directly related to several known clinical conditions, e.g., depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Investigations show that it is possible to foster the components of Executive Functions, so that individuals can obtain cognitive gains, promoting benefits in several aspects of one's life, especially when it occurs during childhood and adolescenthood. Digital games are a cultural artifact present in the lives of children and adolescents and have been increasingly used in educational settings. Therefore, investigations based on robust evidence are needed about cognitive stimulation using digital games in the school context. This chapter presents five challenges in the field, and how to evaluate them: (I) Development of Digital Games for Cognitive Stimulation and Assessment;(II) Methodologies using Digital Games;(III) Applications within the School Environment and Brazilian Scope;(IV) Difficulty Curves in Digital Games;(V) Cognitive Stimulation in the School Context after Social Isolation by COVID-19. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Combination of transcranial direct current stimulation with online cognitive training improves symptoms of Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19: a case series

Abstract Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) has been associated with cognitive impairment and complains in up to 90% of individuals after the infection by COVID 19. In this context, there is an urgent need to develop treatments for this disorder. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation intervention that can modulate neuronal excitability and improve PASC neurocognitive symptoms. Here, we investigated the effects of this intervention in a case series of four patients with cognitive symptoms using the Assessment of PASC (A-PASC) inventory. The intervention consisted of 20-minute, 2mA, 20 daily sessions of bilateral prefrontal (anodal-left/cathodal-right) tDCS (1x1 Mini-CT, Soterix Medical, New York, NY) plus online cognitive training using the BrainHQ platform (Posit Science, San Francisco, Glenn Smith). Several neuropsychological domains were assessed at baseline and endpoint. After treatment, all participants described cognitive and emotional complaints decreasing. The neuropsychological assessment showed that the participants performed better for delayed and immediate recall in the verbal episodic memory task. They showed an improving trend in lexicon assessment, and in phonemic verbal fluency. The same was observed for the sustained attention task. Also, the participants showed a trend in becoming faster and more accurate in processing speed, and in executive function (inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and time management). These are preliminary results from a pilot study that preceded an ongoing, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of cognitive training combined with sham or active tDCS at University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Research Category and Technology and Methods Clinical Research: 9. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Keywords: transcranial direct current stimulation, cognitive training, cognitive impairment, Post-Acute Sequelae of Sars-Cov2Copyright © 2023

Childhood Trauma and Suicide.

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, and childhood trauma has been found to be an important risk factor. However, the mechanisms linking trauma to suicide risk remain unclear. Aims: The current registered report sought to (1) investigate whether childhood trauma and its subtypes were related to suicide risk in adulthood and (2) explore the potential mechanisms associating childhood trauma with suicide and well-being, especially executive functioning, impulsivity, and stress. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 457 individuals who reported experiencing suicide ideation in the past 12 months. Results: Childhood trauma and its subtypes were associated with an increased risk of reporting recent suicide thoughts, COVID-19-related suicide attempts, and recent suicide attempts. There were also significant indirect effects of childhood trauma on recent suicide ideation and well-being through executive functioning and impulsivity. Conclusion: These findings show that childhood trauma is associated with suicide risk in adulthood and suggest that poorer executive functioning and higher levels of impulsivity contribute to this increased risk. These results have implications for the development of future interventions to reduce suicide vulnerability.

COVID-19 severity is related to poor executive function in people with post-COVID conditions.

Patients with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions typically experience cognitive problems. Some studies have linked COVID-19 severity with long-term cognitive damage, while others did not observe such associations. This discrepancy can be attributed to methodological and sample variations. We aimed to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 severity and long-term cognitive outcomes and determine whether the initial symptomatology can predict long-term cognitive problems. Cognitive evaluations were performed on 109 healthy controls and 319 post-COVID individuals categorized into three groups according to the WHO clinical progression scale: severe-critical (n = 77), moderate-hospitalized (n = 73), and outpatients (n = 169). Principal component analysis was used to identify factors associated with symptoms in the acute-phase and cognitive domains. Analyses of variance and regression linear models were used to study intergroup differences and the relationship between initial symptomatology and long-term cognitive problems. The severe-critical group performed significantly worse than the control group in general cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), executive function (Digit symbol, Trail Making Test B, phonetic fluency), and social cognition (Reading the Mind in the Eyes test). Five components of symptoms emerged from the principal component analysis: the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" "Digestive/Headache", "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric" and "Smell/ Taste" components were predictors of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores; the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" component predicted attention and working memory; the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" and "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric" components predicted verbal memory, and the "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric," "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic," and "Digestive/Headache" components predicted executive function. Patients with severe COVID-19 exhibited persistent deficits in executive function. Several initial symptoms were predictors of long-term sequelae, indicating the role of systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation in the acute-phase symptoms of COVID-19." Study Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov , identifier NCT05307549 and NCT05307575.

Can NeuroIS improve executive employee recruitment? Classifying levels of executive functions using resting state EEG and data science methods

Based on the assumption that the success of an organization is largely determined by the knowledge and skills of its employees, human resource (HR) departments invest considerable resources in the employee recruitment process with the aim of selecting the best, most suitable employees. Due to the high cost of the recruitment process along with its high rate of uncertainty, HR recruiters utilize a variety of methods and instruments to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this process. Thus far, however, neurological methods, in which neurobiological signals from an examined person are analyzed, have not been utilized for this purpose. This study is the first to propose a neuro-based decision support system to classify cognitive functions into levels, whose target is to enrich the information and indications regarding the candidate along the employee recruitment processes. We first measured relevant functional and cognitive abilities of 142 adult participants using traditional computer-based assessment, which included a battery of four tests regarding executive functions and intelligence score, consistent with actual recruitment processes. Second, using electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, which is one of the dominant measurement tools in NeuroIS research, we collected the participants' brain signals by administering a resting state EEG (rsEEG) on each participant. Finally, using advanced machine and deep learning algorithms, we leveraged the collected rsEEG to classify participants' levels of executive functions and intelligence score. Our empirical analyses show encouraging results of up to 72.6% accuracy for the executive functions and up to 71.2% accuracy for the intelligence score. Therefore, this study lays the groundwork for a novel, generic (non-stimuli based) system that supports the current employee recruitment processes, that is based on psychological theories of assessing executive functions. The proposed decision support system could contribute to the development of additional medium of assessing employees remotely which is especially relevant in the current Covid-19 pandemic. While our method aims at classification rather than at explanation, our intriguing findings have the potential to push forward NeuroIS research and practice. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.