Structural Brain Correlates of Sleep Microstructure in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 and its Role on Clinical Phenotype.

The influence of brain atrophy on sleep microstructure in Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs) has not been extensively explored limiting the use of these sleep traits as surrogate biomarkers of neurodegeneration and clinical phenotype. The objective of the study is to explore the relationship between sleep microstructure and brain atrophy in SCA2 and its role in the clinical phenotype. Fourteen SCA2 mutation carriers (7 pre-manifest and 7 manifest subjects) underwent polysomnographic, structural MRI, and clinical assessments. Particularly, markers of REM and non-REM sleep microstructure, measures of cerebellar and brainstem atrophy, and clinical scores were analyzed through correlation and mediation analyses. The sleep spindle activity exhibited a negative correlation with the number of trials required to complete the verbal memory test (VMT), and a positive correlation with the cerebellar volume, but the significance of the latter correlation did not survive multiple testing corrections. However, the causal mediation analyses unveiled that sleep spindle activity significantly mediates the association between cerebellar atrophy and VMT performance. Regarding REM sleep, both phasic EMG activity and REM sleep without atonia exhibited significant associations with pontine atrophy and disease severity measures. However, they did not demonstrate a causal mediation effect between the atrophy measures and disease severity. Our study provides evidence about the association of the pontocerebellar atrophy with sleep microstructure in SCA2 offering insights into the cerebellar involvement in cognition via the control of the sleep spindle activity. Therefore, our findings may help to understand the disease pathogenesis and to better characterize sleep microstructure parameters as disease biomarkers.Clinical trial registration number (TRN): No applicable.

Association between violence and depression during pregnancy with perinatal outcomes: a moderated mediation analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the direct, indirect, and total effects of violence during pregnancy on perinatal outcomes, and to evaluate the effect of violence as a moderator of the mediated relationship of depression with perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Data was collected from the prenatal study and follow-ups of the BRISA cohort, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The perinatal outcomes investigated were: birth weight (BW), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and gestational age (GA). Violence against women was evaluated using the World Health Organization Violence against Women instrument (Violence during pregnancy - regardless of the type of violence; Physical violence during pregnancy; Psychological violence during pregnancy). Depressive symptoms during pregnancy were evaluated as a mediating variable. Moderated mediation analysis was performed to estimate the effects of violence and depression on perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: Three types of violence analyzed by depression had an indirect effect in BW and GA. None of the types of violence showed an association with IUGR. All types of violence analyzed showed a moderated mediation effect with BW and GA. Only among women who experienced violence were birth weight and gestational age lower the higher the values of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Violence and depression are only associated with lower BW and GA when they occur simultaneously.

Insulin resistance and carotid intima-media thickness mediate the association between resting-state heart rate variability and executive function: A path modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Research has linked high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) to cognitive function. The present study adopts a modern path modelling approach to understand potential causal pathways that may underpin this relationship. METHODS: Here we examine the association between resting-state HF-HRV and executive function in a large sample of civil servants from Brazil (N=8114) recruited for the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). HF-HRV was calculated from 10-min resting-state electrocardiograms. Executive function was assessed using the trail-making test (version B). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Insulin resistance (a marker of type 2 diabetes mellitus) and carotid intima-media thickness (subclinical atherosclerosis) mediated the relationship between HRV and executive function in seriatim. A limitation of the present study is its cross-sectional design; therefore, conclusions must be confirmed in longitudinal study. Nevertheless, findings support that possibility that HRV provides a 'spark' that initiates a cascade of adverse downstream effects that subsequently leads to cognitive impairment.

The contribution of personal resources (emotional intelligence, core self-evaluations and positive affect) to engagement: an analysis in Spanish college students and employees / La contribución de los recursos personales (inteligencia emocional, core self-evaluations y afectividad positiva) al engagement: un análisis en estudiantes universitarios y trabajadores españoles

The study examines the incremental validity of emotional intelligence dimensions above and beyond core self-evaluations and positive affectivity as predictors of employee engagement in both college students (N=347) and employees (N=344). Moreover, we test the potential role as mediators of emotional intelligence dimensions and positive affectivity in the relationship between core self-evaluations and engagement. The hierarchical regression and mediation analyses have shown the potential influence of emotional intelligence dimensions (clarity and repair) on vigor and dedication. Data of mediational analyses revealed the mediator role of positive affectivity and emotional intelligence dimensions in the relationships between core self-evaluations - engagement (vigor and dedication). Results are discussed in the context of the relevance of personal resources in academic and organizational settings.

El presente estudio examina la validez incremental de las dimensiones de la inteligencia emocional más allá del potencial explicativo de las core self-evaluations (auto-evaluaciones centrales) y la afectividad positiva como predictores del engagement (ilusión por el trabajo) tanto en estudiantes universitarios (N=347) como en trabajadores (N=344). Por otra parte, se analiza el rol de las dimensiones de la inteligencia emocional y la afectividad positiva como mediadores en la relación entre core self-evaluations y engagement. Las regresiones jerárquicas y los análisis de mediación apuntan la influencia potencial de las dimensiones de la claridad y reparación emocional sobre el vigor y la dedicación. Los datos de los análisis mediacionales revelan asimismo el papel mediador de las dimensiones de la afectividad positiva y de la inteligencia emocional en la relación entre las core self-evaluations y el engagement (vigor y dedicación). Los resultados se discuten en el contexto de la relevancia de los recursos personales en contextos académicos y organizacionales.