Neuropsychological disturbance in schizophrenia: A diffusion tensor imaging study.

Patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects underwent both neuropsychological evaluation and magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, during which the cingulum bundle (CB) and the uncinate fasciculus (UF) were defined with fiber tractography and their integrity was quantified. On the basis of prior findings, it was hypothesized that neuropsychological disturbance in schizophrenia may be characterized, in part, by 2 dissociable functional neuroanatomical relationships: (a) executive functioning–CB integrity and (b) episodic memory–UF integrity. In support of the hypothesis, hierarchical regression results indicated that reduced white matter of the CB and the UF differentially and specifically predicted deficits in executive functioning and memory, respectively. Neuropsychological correlates of the CB also extended to lower generalized intelligence, as well as to reduced visual memory that may be related to failures of contextual monitoring of to-be-remembered scenes. Reduced white matter of the CB and the UF may each make distinct contributions to neuropsychological disturbance in schizophrenia

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Neuropsychological Correlates of Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Schizophrenia.

Patients with schizophrenia (n = 41) and healthy comparison participants (n = 46) completed neuropsychological measures of intelligence, memory, and executive function. A subset of each group also completed magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies (fractional anisotropy and cross-sectional area) of the uncinate fasciculus (UF) and cingulate bundle (CB). Patients with schizophrenia showed reduced levels of functioning across all neuropsychological measures. In addition, selective neuropsychological–DTI relationships emerged. Among patients but not controls, lower levels of declarative–episodic verbal memory correlated with reduced left UF, whereas executive function errors related to performance monitoring correlated with reduced left CB. The data suggested abnormal DTI patterns linking declarative–episodic verbal memory deficits to the left UF and executive function deficits to the left CB among patients with schizophrenia

PRAXIS: el Pràcticum al Grau de Pedagogia: mapa, simulació i immersió. (continuació).

El projecte d’innovació docent que presentem és la continuïtat del que es va atorgar el curs 2012-2013. Consta de la continuïtat en la implementació i anàlisi de la proposta d’innovació fonamentalment metodològica del Pràcticum al grau de Pedagogia, en les tres assignatures obligatòries que es troben coordinades sota una lògica de progressiva immersió en una institució de pràctiques. Així, la innovació que presentem per al present curs 2013-2014 es troba fonamentalment en la darrera assignatura de Pràctiques Externes, i alhora, dotant de coherència global en coordinació amb les altres dues assignatures. Durant el projecte PID anterior es van engegar les pràctiques externes, amb una mirada transdisciplinar, opten, per una part, per la immersió de l’alumnat en una organització, entesa la immersió com l'exposició intensiva d’aquest, a una organització. És una perspectiva sistèmica que considera les organitzacions com a sistemes complexos i holística perquè condueix a la integració unitària i globalitzadora de tots els coneixements de la persona. Per altra part, opten per sessions de pràctica reflexiva entre l’alumnat i el tutor de la universitat que han de permetre la transferència de coneixement, la reflexió al voltant de la relació existent entre el saber teòric i el saber experiencial en la vida professional. El tutor de la universitat i l’alumnat es reuniran per analitzar la pràctica, i les experiències de l’escenari professional. Durant aquest curs passat es va pilotar en dos tutores el portafolis digital per a l’avaluació de competències. La continuïtat pel proper curs ha estat d’implementar aquesta eina avaluativa a bona part del tutors. L’avaluació de les pràctiques es farà mitjançant la realització d’un portafolis digital, i implicarà l’autoavaluació de l’alumnat, la del tutor de l’organització de pràctiques, així com la del tutor de la universitat. També ens proposem, la sistematització i millora de les sessions de pràctica reflexiva, quant a la proposta temàtica relacionada amb els blocs de contingut i articulades al voltant de les diverses competències, tot donat continuïtat a les millores realitzades en el projecte d’innovació docent anterior. L’equip de coordinació del pràcticum i l’equip docent de l’assignatura de Pràctiques Externes ens proposem sistematitzar aquestes experiències i avaluar-les tot analitzant el seu potencial en l’alumnat pel desenvolupament de les competències que es plantegen en el pràcticum. També considerem fonamental donar continuïtat a les coordinacions de tot el conjunt del pràcticum implicant les altres dues assignatures: professionalització i sortides laborals i pràctiques d’iniciació professional. Donada la necessitat i valoracions rebudes entre els tres equips docents, pensem que s’ha de seguir apostant per aquesta via. En aquest sentit, l’aplicació de l’avaluació de competències transversals mitjançant el portafolis digital que aquest curs ho pilotarem a molts més grups de Pràctiques Externes, tenim la intencionalitat que en un futur sigui un recurs que acompanyi l’estudiantat en les tres assignatures. Finalment, consolidar la missió de constituir-nos com agents de transferència de coneixement. Actualment amb la programació d’una sèrie d’activitats institucionals que representaran l’inici d’una nova visió del Pràcticum de la Facultat de Pedagogia de la Universitat de Barcelona ho hem iniciat, però cal avançar més en aquesta direcció. És així com adquireix el sentit principal de seguir contribuint al ple desenvolupament com a persones, ciutadans i professionals dels nostres estudiants i a la millora de la competitivitat de les nostres empreses en un nou país més cohesionat, just i sostenible dins d’un món global i orientat al coneixement i la revalorització dels valors humans més fonamentals

Schizotypy and Behavioural Adjustment and the Role of Neuroticism

In the present study the relationship between behavioural adjustment following cognitive conflict and schizotypy was investigated using a Stroop colour naming paradigm. Previous research has found deficits with behavioural adjustment in schizophrenia patients. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that individual differences in schizotypy, a personality trait reflecting the subclinical expression of the schizophrenia phenotype, would be associated with behavioural adjustment. Additionally, we investigated whether such a relationship would be explained by individual differences in neuroticism, a non-specific measure of negative trait emotionality known to be correlated with schizotypy. 106 healthy volunteers (mean age: 25.1, 60% females) took part. Post-conflict adjustment was measured in a computer-based version of the Stroop paradigm. Schizotypy was assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and Neuroticism using the NEO-FFI. We found a negative correlation between schizotypy and post-conflict adjustment (r = -.30, p<.01); this relationship remained significant when controlling for effects of neuroticism. Regression analysis revealed that particularly the subscale No Close Friends drove the effect. Previous findings of deficits in cognitive control in schizophrenia patients were extended to the subclinical personality expression of the schizophrenia phenotype and found to be specific to schizotypal traits over and above the effects of negative emotionality

The uncinate fasciculus and extraversion in schizotypal personality disorder: A diffusion tensor imaging study

Psycholog

A High-Density EEG Investigation into Steady State Binaural Beat Stimulation

Binaural beats are an auditory phenomenon that has been suggested to alter physiological and cognitive processes including vigilance and brainwave entrainment. Some personality traits measured by the NEO Five Factor Model have been found to alter entrainment using pulsing light stimuli, but as yet no studies have examined if this occurs using steady state presentation of binaural beats for a relatively short presentation of two minutes. This study aimed to examine if binaural beat stimulation altered vigilance or cortical frequencies and if personality traits were involved. Thirty-one participants were played binaural beat stimuli designed to elicit a response at either the Theta (7 Hz) or Beta (16 Hz) frequency bands while undertaking a zero-back vigilance task. EEG was recorded from a high-density electrode cap. No significant differences were found in vigilance or cortical frequency power during binaural beat stimulation compared to a white noise control period. Furthermore, no significant relationships were detected between the above and the Big Five personality traits. This suggests a short presentation of steady state binaural beats are not sufficient to alter vigilance or entrain cortical frequencies at the two bands examined and that certain personality traits were not more susceptible than others

"Delirium Day": A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 \ub1 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys