Multi-Sensory Stimuli Improve Relaxation and Sleep Quality in Rotating Shift Workers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To compare the effects of multi-sensory stimuli on relaxation and sleep quality in 2 periods. Patients and Methods: This experimental research used a sample group of 60 individuals, divided into three groups, with each group consisting of 20 participants. The test period was divided into two equal periods of 4 days each. The collected data included measurements of relaxation (visually calibrated scale, percentage stress, and heart rate) and sleep quality (percentage sleep, total sleep duration, and duration of deep sleep). Quantitative statistics were employed to analyze the data and compare average differences. Results: Regarding relaxation, the results from the second period test indicated that Group 2, which received both fragrance and natural sound treatment, outperformed the other groups based on the visually calibrated scale. This group also exhibited lower levels of percentage stress and heart rate as compared to Group 1 and the control group, with a confidence level of p < 0.05. In terms of sleep quality, during the second period test, Group 2 achieved more superior results compared to the other groups in terms of percentage sleep, total sleep duration, and duration of deep sleep, with a confidence level of p < 0.05. Conclusion: It can be inferred that multi-sensory stimuli enhanced relaxation and sleep quality.

Virtual Reality-based Cognitive Intervention for Enhancing Executive Functions in Community-dwelling Older Adults

With the rapid growth of the older population globally, it is anticipated that age-related cognitive decline in the prodromal phase and more severe pathological decline will increase. Moreover, currently, no effective treatment options for the disease exist. Thus, early and timely prevention actions are promising and prior strategies to preserve cognitive functions by preventing symptomatology from increasing the age-related deterioration of the functions in healthy older adults. This study aims to develop the virtual reality-based cognitive intervention for enhancing executive functions (EFs) and examine the EFs after training with the virtual reality-based cognitive intervention in community-dwelling older adults. Following inclusion/exclusion criteria, 60 community-dwelling older adults aged 60–69 years were involved in the study and randomly divided into passive control and experimental groups. Eight 60 min virtual reality-based cognitive intervention sessions were held twice a week and lasted for 1 month. The EFs (i.e., inhibition, updating, and shifting) of the participants were assessed by using standardized computerized tasks, i.e., Go/NoGo, forward and backward digit span, and Berg’s card sorting tasks. Additionally, a repeated-measure ANCOVA and effect sizes were applied to investigate the effects of the developed intervention. The virtual reality-based intervention significantly improved the EFs of older adults in the experimental group. (AU)

Ante el rápido crecimiento de la población mayor a nivel mundial se prevé un aumento del deterioro cognitivo propio de la edad en la fase prodrómica y un mayor deterioro patológico. Además no hay en la actualidad opciones eficaces de tratamiento de la enfermedad. Por tanto, las medidas preventivas tempranas y puntuales suponen estrategias prometedoras para preservar las funciones cognitivas al evitar que la sintomatología aumente el deterioro de las funciones asociado a la edad de personas mayores sanas. El presente estudio tiene como obejetivo desarrollar una intervención cognitiva basada en la realidad virtual para mejorar las funciones ejecutivas (FE) y examinarlas tras el entrenamiento de intervención cognitiva con realidad virtual en personas mayores que viven en su domicilio. Teniendo en cuenta criterios de inclusión y exclusión se contó para el estudio con 60 personas mayores de entre 60 y 69 años que vivían en su domicilio, a los que se asignó aleatoriamente a un grupo de control pasivo y a un grupo experimental. (AU)

Virtual Reality-based Cognitive Intervention for Enhancing Executive Functions in Community-dwelling Older Adults.

With the rapid growth of the older population globally, it is anticipated that age-related cognitive decline in the prodromal phase and more severe pathological decline will increase. Moreover, currently, no effective treatment options for the disease exist. Thus, early and timely prevention actions are promising and prior strategies to preserve cognitive functions by preventing symptomatology from increasing the age-related deterioration of the functions in healthy older adults. This study aims to develop the virtual reality-based cognitive intervention for enhancing executive functions (EFs) and examine the EFs after training with the virtual reality-based cognitive intervention in community-dwelling older adults. Following inclusion/exclusion criteria, 60 community-dwelling older adults aged 60-69 years were involved in the study and randomly divided into passive control and experimental groups. Eight 60 min virtual reality-based cognitive intervention sessions were held twice a week and lasted for 1 month. The EFs (i.e., inhibition, updating, and shifting) of the participants were assessed by using standardized computerized tasks, i.e., Go/NoGo, forward and backward digit span, and Berg's card sorting tasks. Additionally, a repeated-measure ANCOVA and effect sizes were applied to investigate the effects of the developed intervention. The virtual reality-based intervention significantly improved the EFs of older adults in the experimental group. Specifically, the magnitudes of enhancement were observed for inhibitory as indexed by the response time, F(1) = 6.95, p < .05, ηp2 = .11, updating as represented by the memory span, F(1) = 12.09, p < .01, ηp2 = .18, and the response time, F(1) = 4.46, p = .04, ηp2 = .07, and shifting abilities as indexed by the percentage of correct responses, F(1) = 5.30, p = .03, ηp2 = .09, respectively. The results indicated that the simultaneous combined cognitive-motor control as embedded in the virtual-based intervention is safe and effective in enhancing EFs in older adults without cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, further studies are required to investigate the benefits of these enhancements to motor functions and emotional aspects relating to daily living and the well-being of older populations in communities.

Ante el rápido crecimiento de la población mayor a nivel mundial se prevé un aumento del deterioro cognitivo propio de la edad en la fase prodrómica y un mayor deterioro patológico. Además no hay en la actualidad opciones eficaces de tratamiento de la enfermedad. Por tanto, las medidas preventivas tempranas y puntuales suponen estrategias prometedoras para preservar las funciones cognitivas al evitar que la sintomatología aumente el deterioro de las funciones asociado a la edad de personas mayores sanas. El presente estudio tiene como obejetivo desarrollar una intervención cognitiva basada en la realidad virtual para mejorar las funciones ejecutivas (FE) y examinarlas tras el entrenamiento de intervención cognitiva con realidad virtual en personas mayores que viven en su domicilio. Teniendo en cuenta criterios de inclusión y exclusión se contó para el estudio con 60 personas mayores de entre 60 y 69 años que vivían en su domicilio, a los que se asignó aleatoriamente a un grupo de control pasivo y a un grupo experimental. Se realizaron ocho sesiones de 60 minutos de intervención cognitiva con realidad virtual dos veces por semana durante un mes. Las FE (i.e., la inhibición, actualización y cambio) de los participantes se evaluaron mediante tareas informatizadas estandarizadas, i.e., Go/NoGo, amplitud de dígitos hacia delante y hacia atrás y clasificación de cartas de Berg. Además, se utilizó un ANCOVA de medidas repetidas y el tamaño del efecto para medir el efecto de la intervención desarrollada. La intervención con realidad virtual mejoró significativamente las funciones ejecutivas de los mayores del grupo experimental. En concreto se observaron más mejoras en inhibición, reflejada en el tiempo de respuesta, F(1) = 6.95, p < .05, ηp2 = .11, actualización, representada por la amplitud de memoria, F(1) = 12.09, p < .01, ηp2 = .18, y el tiempo de respuesta, F(1) = 4.46, p = .04, ηp2 = .07, y las habilidades de cambio, como refleja el porcentaje de respuestas correctas, F(1) = 5.30, p = .03, ηp2 = .09, respectivamente. Los resultados indican que el control cognitivo-motor combinado simultáneamente, tal y como se aplica en la intervención virtual, es seguro y eficaz para conseguir aumentar las funciones ejecutivas de personas mayores sin deterioro cognitivo. No obstante, se necesitan más estudios para investigar los beneficios de estas mejoras en las funciones motoras y los aspectos emocionales de la vida cotidiana, así como el bienestar de las personas mayores que viven en la comunidad.