The association between metamemory, subjective memory complaints, mood, and well-being: the Hungarian validation of Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire.

The current study addressed the relationship between subjective memory complaints and negative affect, well-being, and demographic variables by investigating the Hungarian version of Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire. The original factor structure showed a poor fit on our data; therefore, principal component analysis was conducted on data from 577 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 92 years. Our analysis provided a six-component solution: Satisfaction, Retrospective memory mistakes, Prospective memory mistakes, External Strategies, Internal Strategies, and Frustration. To improve the reliability and internal consistency indicators we created four subscales by combining Frustration with Satisfaction, and Retrospective and Prospective memory mistakes subscales. Thus, we were able to preserve the factor structure similar to the original. Subjective memory complaints were correlated positively with anxiety and depression and were associated negatively with well-being. We found a slight positive correlation between age and memory ability, and age was associated negatively with the frequency of external strategy use. Individuals with higher education were satisfied with their memory, used more frequent external strategies. Furthermore, men were more satisfied with their memory and reported better memory ability, while women tended to use more external and internal strategies. Women also showed a higher level of anxiety and depression than men. In conclusion, self-reported memory changes are of particular importance because of their association with perceived mental health status and implications for later disease development.

Validation of the Hungarian version of the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ).

Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) is a widely utilized tool to measure the frequency of everyday cognitive lapses. Here we present a validation study of the Hungarian translation of CFQ. A subsample (n = 157) filled out the questionnaire twice within a 7-21 days interval to determine test-retest reliability. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) method was run on a larger sample (n = 382) for testing a different number of potential factors. Although the multiple-factor solutions showed good fit, the one-factor solution described the data more adequately. The composite reliability of the final model (CR = .822) as well as test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .900) and the internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .920) of the CFQ were high. Higher CFQ scores (i.e., more cognitive slips) correlated positively with anxiety and depression while a negative relationship was present with well-being. Furthermore, women were characterized with higher CFQ scores compared to men. Our results are in line with previous studies, and the excellent psychometric properties make the Hungarian version of CFQ an appropriate measure of cognitive failures.

Increased behavioral problems in children with sleep-disordered breathing.

BACKGROUND: Healthy sleep is essential for the cognitive, behavioral and emotional development of children. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the behavioral consequences of sleep disturbances by examining children with sleep-disordered breathing compared with control participants. METHODS: Seventy-eight children with SDB (average age: 6.7 years (SD = 1.83); 61 had OSA and 17 had primary snoring) and 156 control subjects (average age: 6.57 years (SD = 1.46) participated in the study. We matched the groups in age (t(232) = 0.578, p = 0.564) and gender (χ2(1) = 2.192, p = 0.139). In the SDB group, the average Apnea-Hypopnea Index was 3.44 event/h (SD = 4.00), the average desaturation level was 87.37% (SD = 6.91). Parent-report rating scales were used to measure the children's daytime behavior including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and Child Behavior Checklist. RESULTS: Our results showed that children with SDB exhibited a higher level of inattentiveness and hyperactive behavior. Furthermore, the SDB group demonstrated more internalizing (anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, social problems) (p < 0.001) and externalizing (aggressive and rule-breaking behavior) problems compared with children without SDB, irrespective of severity. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings we supposed that snoring and mild OSA had a risk for developing behavioral and emotional dysfunctions as much as moderate-severe OSA. Therefore, clinical research and practice need to focus more on the accurate assessment and treatment of sleep disturbances in childhood, particularly primary snoring, and mild obstructive sleep apnea.

Physiological measurements in social acceptance of self driving technologies.

The goal of the present study is to examine the cognitive/affective physiological correlates of passenger travel experience in autonomously driven transportation systems. We investigated the social acceptance and cognitive aspects of self-driving technology by measuring physiological responses in real-world experimental settings using eye-tracking and EEG measures simultaneously on 38 volunteers. A typical test run included human-driven (Human) and Autonomous conditions in the same vehicle, in a safe environment. In the spectrum analysis of the eye-tracking data we found significant differences in the complex patterns of eye movements: the structure of movements of different magnitudes were less variable in the Autonomous drive condition. EEG data revealed less positive affectivity in the Autonomous condition compared to the human-driven condition while arousal did not differ between the two conditions. These preliminary findings reinforced our initial hypothesis that passenger experience in human and machine navigated conditions entail different physiological and psychological correlates, and those differences are accessible using state of the art in-world measurements. These useful dimensions of passenger experience may serve as a source of information both for the improvement and design of self-navigating technology and for market-related concerns.

[The role of sleep in the relational memory processes]. / Alvással a felejtés ellen? Az alvás szerepe az asszociációs memóriafolyamatokban.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A growing body of evidence suggests that sleep plays an essential role in the consolidation of different memory systems, but less is known about the beneficial effect of sleep on relational memory processes and the recognition of emotional facial expressions, however, it is a fundamental cognitive skill in human everyday life. Thus, the study aims to investigate the effect of timing of learning and the role of sleep in relational memory processes. METHODS: 84 young adults (average age: 22.36 (SD: 3.22), 21 male/63 female) participated in our study, divided into two groups: evening group and morning group indicating the time of learning. We used the face-name task to measure relational memory and facial expression recognition. There were two sessions for both groups: the immediate testing phase and the delayed retesting phase, separated by 24 hours. RESULTS: 84 young adults (average age: 22.36 (SD: 3.22), 21 male/63 female) participated in our study, divided into two groups: evening group and morning group indicating the time of learning. We used the face-name task to measure relational memory and facial expression recognition. There were two sessions for both groups: the immediate testing phase and the delayed retesting phase, separated by 24 hours. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the timing of learning and sleep plays an important role in the stabilizing process of memory representation to resist against forgetting.

[Effects of nasal provocation with a single-dose allergen on the explicit and implicit memory of physically active and inactive patients with ragweed allergy]. / Az egyszeri allergéndózis hatása az explicit-implicit emlékezetre parlagfu-allergiás sportoló és nem sportoló betegeken.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Allergy is an endemic disease and has a considerable impact on the quality of life. This study aimed to measure the effect of active allergic rhinitis on memory functions of physically active and inactive patients with ragweed allergy. METHODS: Memory functions were assessed before and after allergen exposure. Participants in both groups were provoked nasally with 30 IR/mL ragweed allergen in each nostril. Explicit memory was measured with story-recalling and implicit memory was investigated with reaction time task. RESULTS: In neuropsychological assessments athletes performed significantly better, compared with the control group after allergen provocation in short-term and long-term memory functions. There was no difference between the groups in the implicit tasks. Athletes have achieved better results after provocation, comparing to the baseline test and the tests that measured short-term and long-term memory functions. CONCLUSION: Short-term disturbing factors, e.g. swollen nasal mucosa, sneezing, and watery eyes after provocation did have not caused deterioration in cognitive functions. A single-shot allergen in high doses have caused an increase of mental concentration, which was more pronounced in athletes.

Declarative and Non-declarative Memory Consolidation in Children with Sleep Disorder.

Healthy sleep is essential in children's cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development. However, remarkably little is known about the influence of sleep disorders on different memory processes in childhood. Such data could give us a deeper insight into the effect of sleep on the developing brain and memory functions and how the relationship between sleep and memory changes from childhood to adulthood. In the present study we examined the effect of sleep disorder on declarative and non-declarative memory consolidation by testing children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) which is characterized by disrupted sleep structure. We used a story recall task to measure declarative memory and Alternating Serial Reaction time (ASRT) task to assess non-declarative memory. This task enables us to measure two aspects of non-declarative memory, namely general motor skill learning and sequence-specific learning. There were two sessions: a learning phase and a testing phase, separated by a 12 h offline period with sleep. Our data showed that children with SDB exhibited a generally lower declarative memory performance both in the learning and testing phase; however, both the SDB and control groups exhibited retention of the previously recalled items after the offline period. Here we showed intact non-declarative consolidation in SDB group in both sequence-specific and general motor skill. These findings suggest that sleep disorders in childhood have a differential effect on different memory processes (online vs. offline) and give us insight into how sleep disturbances affects developing brain.

The consolidation of implicit sequence memory in obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Syndrome is a relatively frequent sleep disorder characterized by disrupted sleep patterns. It is a well-established fact that sleep has beneficial effect on memory consolidation by enhancing neural plasticity. Implicit sequence learning is a prominent component of skill learning. However, the formation and consolidation of this fundamental learning mechanism remains poorly understood in OSA. In the present study we examined the consolidation of different aspects of implicit sequence learning in patients with OSA. We used the Alternating Serial Reaction Time task to measure general skill learning and sequence-specific learning. There were two sessions: a learning phase and a testing phase, separated by a 10-hour offline period with sleep. Our data showed differences in offline changes of general skill learning between the OSA and control group. The control group demonstrated offline improvement from evening to morning, while the OSA group did not. In contrast, we did not observe differences between the groups in offline changes in sequence-specific learning. Our findings suggest that disrupted sleep in OSA differently affects neural circuits involved in the consolidation of sequence learning.

[Postoperative monitoring of children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome]. / Obstruktív alvási apnoe szindrómában szenvedo gyermekek posztoperatív monitorozása.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is surgical. The incidence of postoperative respiratory complications in this population is 5-25%. AIM: The aim of the authors was to present the preoperative evaluation and monitoring procedure elaborated in Heim Pál Children Hospital, Budapest. METHOD: 142 patients were involved in the study. Patient history was obtained and physical examination was performed in all cases. Thereafter, polysomnography was carried out, the severity of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was determined, and the patients underwent tonsilloadenotomy. RESULTS: 45 patients with mild, 50 patients with moderate and 47 patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were diagnosed. There was no complication in patients with mild disease, while complications were observed in 6 patients in the moderate group and 24 patients in the severe group (desaturation, apnea, stridor, stop breathing) (p<0.000). In patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, no significant difference was noted in preoperative apnoea-hypapnea index (p = 0.23) and in nadir oxygen saturation values (p = 0.73) between patients with and without complication. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome should be treated in hospital where pediatric intensive care unit is available.

[The role of sleep in the implicit learning processes]. / Az alvás szerepe az implicit tanulási folyamatokban.

The role of sleep in different memory processes is debated. Probably it plays an active role in the memory consolidation or possibly it prevents forgetting by protecting against interference or it makes the memory performance more efficient by facilitating the forgetting. The beneficial effect of sleep in explicit memory is well demonstrated, while the role of sleep in implicit mechanisms has not been comprehensively characterized so far. There are several factors which affect the appearance of sleep effect, such as the structure, the length and the complexity of sequence being used, the awareness of the sequence, the length of the learning blocks and the offline period. Besides the classical sleep deprivation methods with healthy participants, examining patients with sleep disorders could be a new method of the investigation of the sleep effect which enables us to enrich our knowledge not only about the sleep-dependent memory consolidation but also the cognitive dysfunction related to sleep pathologies. This new line of research can help the development of more effective rehabilitation programs.

Sleep disorder in childhood impairs declarative but not nondeclarative forms of learning.

A large amount of studies have investigated the association between sleep and memory systems. However, remarkably little is known of the effect of sleep disorders on declarative and nondeclarative memory for children. In the present study we examined the effects of sleep disorders on different aspects of memory functions by testing children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which is characterized by disrupted sleep patterns. We used "The War of the Ghosts" test to measure declarative memory and the Alternating Serial Reaction Time (ASRT) task. This enabled us to measure two aspects of nondeclarative memory--general skill learning and sequence-specific learning--separately. Ten children with SDB and 10 healthy controls participated in this study. Our data showed dissociation between declarative and nondeclarative memory in children with SDB. They showed impaired declarative memory, while the sequence-specific and general skill learning was similar to that of healthy controls, in spite of sleep disruption. Our findings suggest that sleep-disordered breathing affects declarative and nondeclarative memory differently in children. Moreover, these findings imply that the disrupted sleep pattern influences the more attention-demanding and cortical structure-guided explicit processes, while the less attention-demanding implicit processes mediated by subcortical structures are preserved.

[Effect of two month positive airway pressure therapy on the structure of sleep, cognitive function and anxiety]. / Két hónapos légsínterápia hatása az alvás struktúrájára, a kognitív funkciókra es a szorongásra.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder, characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep, resulting intermittent hypoxia and disruption of the normal sleep pattern, which caused cognitive dysfunction in these patients. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure is the treatment of choice for this disorder. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of short-term positive airway pressure on sleep pattern (polisomnographic measures), cognitive function and anxiety. Twenty four newly diagnosed and previously untreated patients with obstructive sleep apnea were evaluated a battery of neuropsychological tests before and after 2 and a half months of the treatment. We focused on working memory, short and long-term episodic memory, executive functions, anxiety and subjective sleepiness. Our results showed that the two and half month of treatment improved the respiration during sleep, sleep pattern and the subjective sleepiness. We found improvement in short- and long-term verbal memory, and complex working memory. Despite of treatment we did not find improvement in visuospatial learning. These results reveal that 2 and a half months of positive airway pressure treatment restored not only the normal respiration during sleep and normal sleep pattern, but also the cognitive functions. Our study suggests that cognitive dysfunction is at least partial reversible in obstructive sleep apnea patients after positive airway pressure treatment.

Intact implicit probabilistic sequence learning in obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) belongs to the sleep-related breathing disorders and is associated with cognitive impairments in learning and memory functions. The impairments in attention-demanding cognitive functions such as working memory and executive functions are well established in OSA; however, it remains unknown if less attention-demanding implicit sequence learning is affected. In the present study, we examined implicit sequence learning in OSA to probe the functional integrity of this fundamental learning mechanism. We used listening span to measure complex working memory capacity and the alternating serial reaction time (ASRT) task, which enables us to measure general skill learning and sequence-specific learning separately. Twenty OSA patients and 20 healthy controls participated in this study. Our data show dissociation between working memory and implicit sequence learning in OSA. Surprisingly, OSA patients showed preserved general skill and sequence-specific learning in spite of the possible hypoxia and sleep restriction. In contrast, working memory performance measured by listening span task was impaired in the OSA group. This finding suggests selective susceptibility of more attention-demanding cognitive functions in this patient population, while implicit learning remains intact. Our findings draw attention the fact that disordered sleep may have less impact on the integrity of structures connected to implicit sequence learning.

[Different effect of sleep on working memory and skill learning: cognitive function in obstructive sleep apnea]. / Az alvás differenciált hatása a munkamemória teljesitményre és a készségtanulásra: Kognitiv funkciók obstruktiv alvási apnoeban.

In obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) hypoxia and sleep deprivation lead to neuropsychological impairments. Our goal in this study to evaluate working memory and skill learning to get a complex picture about cortical and sub-cortical function in patients with sleep apnea. Twenty-one OSAS patients and 21 healthy controls participated in the study. We analyzed verbal-, vizuo-spatial, complex working memory, general skill learning and sequence specific learning separately. Our data show that complex working memory was impaired in OSAS patients, in contrary OSAS patients represented better achievement in the vizuo-spatial task compared to the control group. We found that OSAS patients showed general skill learning and implicit learning of probabilistic sequences similar to that of controls. Taken together, we found dissociation between working memory and implicit sequence learning in OSAS. These findings suggest that sleep has less influence on the functions related to sub-cortical structures like cortical functions.