[Sensitivity to pain, self-regulation, coping and personality in healthy adult women]. / Sensibilidad al dolor, autorregulación, afrontamiento y personalidad en mujeres adultas sanas.

The goals of this study were to investigate the relation between sensitivity to pain and subjectively perceived intensity of pain, and to establish which psychological variables affect lesser or greater objective sensitivity to experimental pain. The study sample consisted of 74 adult women without regular pain symptoms. Experimental pain was induced by means of the Portable Electronic Dolorimeter (DEP). Intensity of induced pain was evaluated using a Visual Analogic Scale (VAS). Psychological characteristics studied were self-government, stress-coping strategies, sensitivity to anxiety and the five personality dimensions evaluated by the BFQ of Caprara, Barbaranelli and Borgogni (1995). Results revealed a positive relation between sensitivity to pain and subjective intensity of pain. An analysis of variance also revealed statistically significant differences between groups with low and high sensitivity to pain in the following variables: self-motivation, focalization in problem-solving, positive reappraisal of stressful events, energy and mental openness. The importance of the study lies in the identification of specific psychological factors for intervention in the psychological treatment of pain.

Influence of level of activity on cognitive performance and cognitive plasticity in elderly persons.

As a result of the rapid increase in the elderly population over recent decades, the analysis of factors influencing cognitive aging has become a focus of great interest for current research. In this area, numerous papers have indicated a relation between specific psychosocial variables and the level of activity and cognitive performance and plasticity in old age. This study aimed at testing a theoretical model, which establishes relations between level of activity, cognitive performance and cognitive plasticity in old age. In this study 176 elderly persons participated and were evaluated by means of a cognitive screening test, two cognitive plasticity evaluation tests and a questionnaire on the level of activity before and after retirement. A structural equation analysis was carried out on the data, which reveal significant relations between level of activity after retirement and cognitive performance and plasticity. Similarly, a significant relation is established between cognitive functioning and plasticity. The findings lend support to studies affirming that a high level of activity protects against cognitive decline and is related to cognitive plasticity in old age.