The impact of mild cognitive impairment on the self-regulation process: A comparison study of persons with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy older adults.

This study examined whether mild cognitive impairment affects the associations between personal expectations (i.e. optimism and self-efficacy), illness-related coping, and quality of life. In total, two groups of older adults participated: 127 persons diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment and 225 cognitively healthy older persons (cognitively non-impaired group). Several significant relationships observed in the cognitively non-impaired group did not reach significance among mild cognitive impairment patients, with the opposite trend noted for others (e.g. between palliative coping and physical health). These findings indicate that mild cognitive impairment may lead to problems in the self-regulation process and highlight the significance of the interplay between neurocognitive and psychosocial aspects of self-regulation.

[Mental disorders and neuropsychological impairment related to chronic use of cannabis]. / Trastornos mentales y afectacion neuropsicologica relacionados con el uso cronico de cannabis.

INTRODUCTION. Cannabis is an illegal drug in wide use nowadays, mainly for recreational purposes. It is considered one of the less harmful drugs, partly due to the large amount of information to which most people have access. However, the scientific literature could reveal important clues to the contrary. AIM. To gather and resume updated scientific data from different fields (clinical psychology, neurobiology, neuroimaging...) about the effects and consequences of the chronic use of cannabis. DEVELOPMENT. Evidence concerning the mental disorders and neuropsychological impairment associated the most to the chronic use is presented along with comments on the possible underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and the most important risk factors are also described. CONCLUSIONS. The evidence indicates that frequent and prolonged use of cannabis can be detrimental to mental health. A high risk of psychotic symptoms in predisposed individuals, higher for frequent users, is described, while the findings on symptoms of depression and anxiety are less consistent. On the cognitive-behavioral level, the functions most affected seem to be the attentional and executive ones. These data can be valuable both to guide further research and for updating the sensibilization and prevention programs on cannabis abuse.

Trastornos mentales y afectación neuropsicológica relacionados con el uso crónico de cannabis / Mental disorders and neuropsychological impairment related to chronic use of cannabis

Introducción. El cannabis es una droga ilegal de amplio uso actualmente, principalmente por objetivos recreativos. Debido, en parte, a la gran cantidad de información que la mayoría de la gente tiene a su alcance, se tiende a considerar una de las drogas menos dañinas. Sin embargo, la bibliografía científica detecta importantes indicios de lo contrario. Objetivo. Recopilar y resumir datos científicos actualizados, provenientes de distintos campos (psicología clínica, neurobiología, neuroimagen...), sobre los efectos y consecuencias del uso crónico de cannabis en la salud mental. Desarrollo. Se exponen evidencias acerca de los trastornos mentales y las alteraciones neuropsicológicas más asociados al uso crónico incluyendo comentarios sobre los posibles mecanismos neurobiológicos subyacentes, y se describen los factores de riesgo más importantes. Conclusiones. Las evidencias indican que el uso frecuente y prolongado de cannabis puede resultar perjudicial para la salud mental. Se describe un elevado riesgo de aparición de síntomas psicóticos en personas con predisposición, mayor para los consumidores frecuentes, mientras que los hallazgos de sintomatología depresiva y de ansiedad son menos consistentes. Las funciones cognitivo-conductuales más afectadas parecen ser las atencionales y ejecutivas. Estos datos pueden ser valiosos tanto para guiar la continuación de la investigación como para la actualización de programas de sensibilización y prevención respecto al abuso de cannabis (AU)

Introduction. Cannabis is an illegal drug in wide use nowadays, mainly for recreational purposes. It is considered one of the less harmful drugs, partly due to the large amount of information to which most people have access. However, the scientific literature could reveal important clues to the contrary. Aim. To gather and resume updated scientific data from different fields (clinical psychology, neurobiology, neuroimaging...) about the effects and consequences of the chronic use of cannabis. Development. Evidence concerning the mental disorders and neuropsychological impairment associated the most to the chronic use is presented along with comments on the possible underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and the most important risk factors are also described. Conclusions. The evidence indicates that frequent and prolonged use of cannabis can be detrimental to mental health. A high risk of psychotic symptoms in predisposed individuals, higher for frequent users, is described, while the findings on symptoms of depression and anxiety are less consistent. On the cognitive-behavioral level, the functions most affected seem to be the attentional and executive ones. These data can be valuable both to guide further research and for updating the sensibilization and prevention programs on cannabis abuse (AU)