Somatic comorbidity and the progression of cognitive impairment.

Background: There are usually multiple factors underlying dementia in old age. Somatic comorbidity is one important element that influences the progression of cognitive impairment. Objective: The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between the progression of cognitive impairment and the presence and severity of comorbidities based on a four-year observation. Material: Out of 128 patients from the Clinic for Outpatients in Gdansk, who were recruited into the study based on the criteria of the Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment, a total of 93 participants completed the four-year observation. Only the data from participants who completed the full period of observations were analysed. The mean age of the group was M = 75.93 (SD = 9.43). The level of progression of cognitive impairment was measured using the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale - Sum of Boxes, the severity of comorbidities was measured using the modified Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, and, additionally, at the time of inclusion in the study, participants were assessed using the MMSE scale and the Activity Scale, and sociodemographic data were collected. The Generalized Estimating Equations method was employed to fit a marginal model for analyzing the data collected in a repeated measures design. The tested model elucidated the role of the overall severity of comorbidities in explaining the progression of cognitive impairment, while controlling for everyday activity and basic demographic variables. Results: During the four-year observation, a significant decline in cognitive function (B = 1.86, p < 0.01) was observed in the examined sample. The statistical analysis revealed that individuals with higher overall severity of comorbidities exhibited significantly more pronounced progression of cognitive impairment over time. Regarding particular comorbidities, metabolic diseases were found to be associated with a poorer prognosis (rho = 0.41, p < 0.05). Furthermore, a time physical activity interaction was identified as predicting cognitive impairment, indicating that individuals who were more physically active at the beginning of the study exhibited significantly less pronounced progression of cognitive impairment over the course of the 4 years. Conclusion: This study suggests the important roles of comorbidities and physical activity for the prognosis of mild cognitive impairment.

Nordic Walking training in BungyPump form improves cognitive functions and physical performance and induces changes in amino acids and kynurenine profiles in older adults.

Introduction: Although impacts of physical activity on cognitive functions have been intensively investigated, they are still far from being completely understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks of the Nordic Walking training with BungyPump resistance poles (NW-RSA) on the amino acid and kynurenine profiles as well as selected myokine/exerkine concentrations, which may modify the interface between physical and cognitive functions. Methods: A group of 32 older adults participated in the study. Before and after the intervention, body composition, cognitive functions, and physical performance were assessed. Blood samples were taken before and 1 h after the first and last sessions of the NW-RSA training, to determine circulating levels of exercise-induced proteins, i.e., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), irisin, kynurenine (KYN), metabolites, and amino acids. Results: The NW-RSA training induced a significant improvement in cognitive functions and physical performance as well as a reduction in fat mass (p = 0.05). Changes were accompanied by a decline in resting serum BDNF (p = 0.02) and a slight reduction in irisin concentration (p = 0.08). Still, changes in irisin concentration immediately after the NW-RSA intervention depended on shifts in kynurenine-irisin dropped as kynurenine increased. The kynurenine-to-tryptophan and phenylalanine-to-tyrosine ratios decreased significantly, suggesting their possible involvement in the amelioration of cognitive functions. No changes of glucose homeostasis or lipid profile were found. Shifts in the concentrations of selected amino acids might have covered the increased energy demand in response to the NW-RSA training and contributed to an improvement of physical performance. Conclusion: Regular Nordic Walking training with additional resistance (BungyPump) improved cognitive functions and physical performance. These positive effects were associated with a reduced BDNF concentration and kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio as well as changes in the amino acid profile.

Cognitive Functioning of Preadolescent Gymnasts, Including Bioelectrical Brain Activity.

Our main aim in this study was to investigate cognitive functioning in young gymnasts. The study group consisted of 86 children, aged 10-12 years: (a) a criterion group of 41 juvenile athletes (Mage = 11.23; SDage = 0.93) who trained six times per week; and (b) a comparison group of 45 children (Mage = 11.11; SDage = 0.61) who were not involved competitively in sports but who were mostly quite physically active. We measured attention, memory processes, and bioelectrical brain activity in the central region (Cz; where there are connections to motor control, movement, and sensation). We found significant differences between our two participant groups in short-term memory, deferred naming memory, and long-term memory of visual material. Children who practiced gymnastics had a better attention span than those who did not, and children who were non-athletes but who undertook physical activity more frequently than five times per week had a different theta/sensory motor rhythm (SMR) brain wave ratio (with SMR higher), meaning that they felt calmer and more relaxed.

Anxiety and coping during COVID-19. Investigation of anxiety management types in a German and Polish sample.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to assess the differences in anxiety management types between German and Polish samples. The research was conducted in the context of health-related variables and anxiety management types during the period of March to April 2020. The research project was approved by the Ethical Committee at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Gdansk, Poland. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: German Sample: Consisted of 323 subjects with an average age of 46 years. 73% were females, and 26% were males. Polish Sample: Included 100 subjects with an average age of 42 years. 73% were females, and 27% were males. The study collected data on various health-related variables and anxiety management types using specific measurement procedures. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the frequency distribution of anxiety management types between the Polish and German samples (p < .001). In the Polish sample, 60% showed negative anxiety management types (Sensitizer, Repressor, Highly anxious), compared to the German sample with 52%. 40% of the Polish and 48% of the German sample showed positive expressions. There were stronger significant differences in both samples regarding health-related variables, with the Polish sample being at a disadvantage. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides a comprehensive insight into the anxiety management types between German and Polish samples, revealing distinct differences in their responses. The Polish sample exhibited a higher prevalence of negative anxiety management types compared to the German sample. These disparities can be attributed to a myriad of factors, including historical traumas, transgenerational experiences, and the influence of dominant religions in each country. The findings underscore the importance of considering cultural, historical, and religious contexts when assessing and addressing mental health and coping mechanisms across different populations. Further research with larger samples and diverse groups could offer a more nuanced understanding of these patterns and their underlying causes.

Self-Assessed Personality Traits and Adherence to the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has forced all countries affected by it to introduce quarantine and isolation to prevent the spread of the virus, as well as masking and distancing. Not everyone is equally willing to follow the rules related to limit the extent of the coronavirus epidemic. This might be connected with personality traits, especially openness, positive attitude, and optimism. Materials and Methods: An online survey was created and completed by participants in April-May 2020. Self-assessment of personality traits and adherence to lockdown recommendations were assessed. A total of 7404 participants took part in the study, mainly from Poland (83.6%) and Italy (12.7%). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was performed. Results: The participants were divided into groups depending on the degree of compliance with the lockdown rules. In the multivariate analysis, variables that increased the odds for stricter lockdown compliance were temporary work suspension OR 1.27 (95% CI 1.10-1.48), income level "we can't handle this situation" OR 1.67 (95%CI 1.20-2.33), and junior high school education OR 1.68 (95% CI 1.13-2.50). Other significant factors included age and place of residence. Each point of self-assessed sociability OR 1.07 (95% CI 1.00-1.13) also increased the likelihood of adhering to lockdown rules. Conclusions: Taking the basic demographic characteristics as well as working and health environment conditions traits into account may be helpful when forecasting epidemiological compliance during a pandemic, as well as in other public health tasks. The key role of self-assessed personality traits was not confirmed in this study. Reliability of the results is limited by significant disproportions in the size of the study groups.

Twin-To-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Donor and Recipient and Their Subsequent Cognitive Functioning in Late Childhood as Juvenile Athletes-A Case Study.

Objective: It is estimated that twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) occurs in 10-15% of monochorionic twin pregnancies. One of the fetuses takes on the role of donor and the other of recipient. The treatment administered involves serial amnioreduction and laser photocoagulation of the communicating blood vessels. After TTTS, children may have deficiencies in psychomotor functioning, in particular in cognitive functions, expressive language, and motor skills. Few scientific reports indicate that twins after TTTS do not demonstrate significant differences in tests which measure intellectual functioning. Methods: The cognitive functioning of twins in the late childhood period was compared using the following tools: an analysis of their medical history, an interview with their parents, and neuropsychological tests allowing the evaluation of their whole profile of cognitive functions. Case Study: Cognitive functioning in the late childhood period was analyzed in a pair of 11-year-old male twins (juvenile athletes), a donor and a recipient, who had developed TTTS syndrome in the prenatal period. Results: Comparison of the cognitive functioning profile of the donor and recipient revealed that children with a history of TTTS develop normally in terms of cognitive and motor functioning in late childhood. A comparative analysis of the donor and recipient was more favorable for the recipient, who had a higher level of general intelligence, visual-motor memory, and semantic fluency. Conclusions: The fact that both the donor and the recipient chose to pursue athletics suggests that gross motor skills are their strongest suit. Playing sports as a method of rehabilitation of cognitive function of children born prematurely after TTTS could contribute to the improvement of cognitive functioning.

A Polish and German Population Study of Quality of Life, Well-Being, and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Psychological studies undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic rarely include people in their 60s or older. In our study, we studied the predictors of quality of life, well-being, and life satisfaction (including risky behavior, trait anxiety, feeling of threat, sleep quality, and optimism) during the pandemic in older people from Germany and Poland and compared them to three different age groups. Methods: A total of 494 adults in four groups-60+ (N = 60), 50-60 (N = 139), 36-49 (N = 155), <35 (N = 140)-completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing: socio-demographic data, quality of life, trait anxiety, risk tolerance, Coronavirus threat, optimism regarding the pandemic, difficulty relaxing, life satisfaction, well-being, and sleep quality during the pandemic period. Results: Older people rated their quality of life higher than did young (mean difference=0.74, SE=0.19, p < 0.01) and middle-aged (mean difference=0.79, SE=0.18, p < 0.01) participants, rated their life satisfaction higher than young (mean difference=1.23, SE = 0.31, p < 0.01) and middle-aged (mean difference=0.92, SE = 0.30, p < 0.05) participants, and rated their well-being higher than young (mean difference=1.40, SE = 0.31, p < 0.01) and middle-aged (mean difference=0.91, SE = 0.31, p < 0.05) participants. They also experienced lower levels of trait anxiety and Coronavirus threat (mean difference=-9.19, SE = 1.90, p < 0.01) than the younger age groups. They experienced greater risk tolerance (mean difference=1.38, SE=0.33, p < 0.01), sleep quality (F =1 .25; eta 2 = 0.01), and optimism (F = 1.96; eta 2 = 0.01), and had less difficulty relaxing during the pandemic (F = 3.75; eta 2 = 0.02) than middle-aged respondents. Conclusions: Quality of life, life satisfaction, and well-being during the pandemic is affected by age, trait anxiety, and Coronavirus threat. Older people rated their quality of life, life satisfaction, and well-being during pandemic higher than young people, and experienced lower levels of trait anxiety and Coronavirus threat than the younger age groups. They experienced greater risk tolerance, sleep quality, and optimism, and had less difficulty relaxing than middle-aged respondents.

Changes of Mood and Cognitive Performance before and after a 100 km Nighttime Ultramarathon Run.

Ultramarathons are becoming an increasingly popular endurance sport. Year after year, the demands on athletes' skills and endurance increase. Ultramarathons are particularly taxing on athletes' psychological functioning. This study assessed the relationships between taking part in a nighttime ultramarathon and changes in mood and cognitive functioning. The study included 20 experienced runners aged 26-57 (M = 37.29; SD = 7.94) who had M = 7.08, SD = 5.41 (range 3-44) years of experience running. There were 18 men and 2 women. The mood states were measured twice, just before the start of the run and shortly after crossing the finish line, using the Polish version of the UMACL UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist by Mathews, Chamberlain, and Jones. To assess cognitive functioning, the Stroop Color and Word Test and "Forward digit span" subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale were used. We observed statistically significant changes in the mood of the runners: tense arousal, associated with the experienced stress, was significantly higher before the run than immediately after the finish. Moreover, we observed an improvement in cognitive functioning after finishing the 100 km run on both of the trials on the Stroop color word test and on the forward digit span test.

Does Self-Efficacy and Emotional Control Protect Hospital Staff From COVID-19 Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms? Psychological Functioning of Hospital Staff After the Announcement of COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the hospital staff, as well as to identify protective factors of COVID-19 anxiety once the coronavirus pandemic was announced in Poland. METHODS: 90 healthcare workers from the hospital in Poland completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing self-efficacy, emotional control, and PTSD symptoms; a questionnaire assessing COVID-19 anxiety; and a socio-demographic questionnaire. A multiple linear regression was conducted to assess the effects of gender, being directly vs indirectly exposed to patients, and general self-efficacy on COVID-19 anxiety. RESULTS: The analysis showed that female (ß = -0.271, p < 0.01) healthcare professionals indirectly exposed to patients (ß = -0.336, p < 0.01) and those who reported lower levels of general self-efficacy (ß = -0.295, p < 0.01) have a stronger tendency to experience COVID-19 anxiety [R 2 = 0.301, F(3,89) = 12.34, p < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: The findings show the importance of self-efficacy for dealing with COVID-19 anxiety. The internal coping strategies should be introduced to healthcare workers.

Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning of Children: A Systematic Review.

Childhood is an important and sensitive period for cognitive development. There is limited published research regarding the relationship between sports and cognitive functions in children. We present studies that demonstrate the influence of physical activity on health, especially a positive correlation between sports and cognitive functions. The keywords “children, cognition, cognitive function, physical activity, and brain” were searched for using PsycInfo, Medline, and Google Scholar, with publication dates ranging from January 2000 to November 2017. Of the 617 results, 58 articles strictly connected to the main topics of physical activity and cognitive functioning were then reviewed. The areas of attention, thinking, language, learning, and memory were analyzed relative to sports and childhood. Results suggest that engaging in sports in late childhood positively influences cognitive and emotional functions. There is a paucity of publications that investigate the impact of sports on pre-adolescents’ cognitive functions, or explore which cognitive functions are developed by which sporting disciplines. Such knowledge would be useful in developing training programs for pre-adolescents, aimed at improving cognitive functions that may guide both researchers and practitioners relative to the wide range of benefits that result from physical activity.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and faster progression of cognitive impairments as predictors of risk of conversion of mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this research, based on 7 years of observations, was to assess the relationship between the dynamics of changes in the realm of cognitive functions in the early stages of observations and the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms as well as further progression of cognitive function impairments in people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and ninety three individuals were included in the study, all of whom referred themselves to the Mental Health Clinic and were diagnosed with MCI based on the criteria of the Working Group on MCI. It was assumed that these individuals would be subjected to systematic psychiatric and neuropsychological observation until they were diagnosed with dementia. This report concerns a completed 7-year period of these observations. Participants were assessed based on the following scales: MMSE, NPI and GDS. RESULTS: The obtained results indicate statistically significant differences between groups of subjects at the time of inclusion in the study, regarding the frequency of occurrence and severity of the following categories of impairments: thought impairments (p < 0.001), arousal/aggression (p < 0.001), depression/dysphoria (p < 0.001), disinhibition (p < 0.03), irritability/lability (p < 0.001), abnormal motor behaviors (p < 0.02), as well as sleep and night-time behavior disorders (p < 0.01) Moreover, individuals who developed dementia during observation exhibited greater progression in cognitive function impairment assessed with the MMSE scale in the first year of observation (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The accruing of cognitive function impairments and the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms seem to be important risk factors for the development of dementia.