Investigating the influence of music training on verbal memory

Previous research has shown that musical training is associated with enhanced verbal memory. The current study investigated the generality of this association by presenting undergraduates who had received musical training (n = 20) and undergraduates with no formal music training (n = 20) with four types of word list; high visual imagery, high auditory imagery, high tactile imagery, and abstract. Those who had received music training showed enhanced memory for all word lists, suggesting that music training leads to a general enhancement in verbal memory that is not restricted to specific types of words (e.g., those invoking auditory imagery). The findings support previous research in showing that music training enhances cognitive skills beyond those that are specific to the domain of music. The possible cognitive and neural factors underpinning this effect are discussed

Personal Health and Community Safety Perceptions and their Association with Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines

Objective: To examine whether Vermonters’ perceptions of physical health, mental health, and community safety are associated with meeting Healthy Vermonters’ (HV) 2020 goals.1,2,3 Data was collected in 2017 and utilized for the present study, completed May 2020. Methods: Predictor variables for logistic regression analysis were the 4,393 respondents’ selfreported 1) physical health, 2) mental health, and 3) community safety for walking. Outcome variables were achievement of the HV 2020 goals for 1) aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity and 2) engagement in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Results: The odds of meeting the HV 2020 guidelines for aerobic and muscle strengthening activity for those who ranked their community as “Extremely safe” for walking were higher than for those who ranked their community as “Not at all safe” (OR = 2.48; p = .012). Similarly, the odds of engaging in LTPA were higher for those who ranked their community “Extremely safe” than for those who ranked their community “Not at all safe”. (OR = 1.7; p = .046). Conclusion: Perception of neighborhood safety appears to be significantly related to meeting physical activity goals

Attitudes and Perceptions of Parenthood Among Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Purpose: Increasing numbers of childhood cancer survivors enter adulthood and encounter decisions surrounding parenthood. However, limited research has systematically examined how childhood cancer may influence parenthood attitudes among survivors.Methods: Adult survivors of childhood cancer, who had or wanted to have children (N = 77; M-age = 30.2 years, range: 22-43; 91% White), rated their perceived impact of cancer at enrollment and parenthood attitudes using the "Attitudes to Parenthood After Cancer Scale" 2 years later. First, internal consistencies for the parenthood measure were examined, and modified subscales were proposed. Second, hierarchical stepwise regressions analyzed the contribution of background factors and cancer's impact on parenthood attitudes.Results: Reevaluation of parenthood items yielded four subscales with improved internal consistency (alpha's &gt; .78): improved parenting due to cancer, no children due to cancer, concerns about a (potential) child's health, and parenthood desire irrespective of own health concerns. Already having children (n = 38) was related to more favorable ratings on most subscales. Older age was associated with perceiving improved parenting due to cancer (r = .24) and shorter time since diagnosis was related to considering having no children due to cancer (r = -.23). Hierarchical stepwise regressions reconfirmed parenthood status as related to more favorable parenting attitudes. Cancer preoccupation and perceiving cancer as a most difficult life experience predicted more concerns toward parenthood (R-2 = .044-.216).Conclusions: Parenthood attitudes were more favorable among survivors with children, who were older, and/or further into survivorship. Survivors burdened by their cancer experience reported more concerns about parenthood. Childhood cancer may shape parenthood perceptions positively and negatively, warranting further research to inform interventions.</p

Poly-use of cannabis and other substances among juvenile-justice involved youth: variations in psychological and substance-related problems by typology

Background: Adolescent cannabis use is associated with increased risk for psychological problems, with evidence for more severe problems among youth who use cannabis in combination with other substances (i.e., polysubstance use). Juvenile offenders engage in both cannabis use and polysubstance use at higher rates than the general adolescent population. Yet, limited research has examined the relationship between cannabis poly-use (e.g., cannabis and alcohol use) and functional or psychological problems among juvenile offenders. Objectives: The current study addresses this gap by examining the association of polysubstance use of cannabis compared to cannabis only use with cognitive functioning, psychological distress, and substance-related problems among juvenile detainees. Methods: Participants were 238 detained youth ages 12–18 (80.4% male, 77.3% non-White) who completed assessments of substance use, intellectual functioning, psychological symptoms, and substance-related problems. Youth were also assessed by a clinical psychologist for substance use disorder. Results: Four cannabis-use typologies were identified; cannabis and alcohol use was the largest class, followed by cannabis only use, cannabis, alcohol and other drug use, then cannabis and other drug use. Polysubstance use was associated with lower scores on measures of intellectual functioning, more externalizing and internalizing symptomology, and more substance-related problems relative to cannabis only use. However, the relationship between polysubstance use and problems varied by typology. Conclusions: Findings suggest that justice-involved youth engaged in polysubstance use may be at greater need for concurrent academic, affective, and behavioral support in their rehabilitation and transition back to the community

Verbal Learning and Memory After Cochlear Implantation in Postlingually Deaf Adults: Some New Findings with the CVLT-II

OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of verbal learning and memory in speech and language processing, this domain of cognitive functioning has been virtually ignored in clinical studies of hearing loss and cochlear implants in both adults and children. In this article, we report the results of two studies that used a newly developed visually based version of the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II), a well-known normed neuropsychological measure of verbal learning and memory. DESIGN: The first study established the validity and feasibility of a computer-controlled visual version of the CVLT-II, which eliminates the effects of audibility of spoken stimuli, in groups of young normal-hearing and older normal-hearing (ONH) adults. A second study was then carried out using the visual CVLT-II format with a group of older postlingually deaf experienced cochlear implant (ECI) users (N = 25) and a group of ONH controls (N = 25) who were matched to ECI users for age, socioeconomic status, and nonverbal IQ. In addition to the visual CVLT-II, subjects provided data on demographics, hearing history, nonverbal IQ, reading fluency, vocabulary, and short-term memory span for visually presented digits. ECI participants were also tested for speech recognition in quiet. RESULTS: The ECI and ONH groups did not differ on most measures of verbal learning and memory obtained with the visual CVLT-II, but deficits were identified in ECI participants that were related to recency recall, the buildup of proactive interference, and retrieval-induced forgetting. Within the ECI group, nonverbal fluid IQ, reading fluency, and resistance to the buildup of proactive interference from the CVLT-II consistently predicted better speech recognition outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that several underlying foundational neurocognitive abilities are related to core speech perception outcomes after implantation in older adults. Implications of these findings for explaining individual differences and variability and predicting speech recognition outcomes after implantation are discussed

At risk of being risky: The relationship between "brain age" under emotional states and risk preference.

Developmental differences regarding decision making are often reported in the absence of emotional stimuli and without context, failing to explain why some individuals are more likely to have a greater inclination toward risk. The current study (N=212; 10-25y) examined the influence of emotional context on underlying functional brain connectivity over development and its impact on risk preference. Using functional imaging data in a neutral brain-state we first identify the "brain age" of a given individual then validate it with an independent measure of cortical thickness. We then show, on average, that "brain age" across the group during the teen years has the propensity to look younger in emotional contexts. Further, we show this phenotype (i.e. a younger brain age in emotional contexts) relates to a group mean difference in risk perception - a pattern exemplified greatest in young-adults (ages 18-21). The results are suggestive of a specified functional brain phenotype that relates to being at "risk to be risky.

Tensor-valued diffusion MRI in under 3 minutes: An initial survey of microscopic anisotropy and tissue heterogeneity in intracranial tumors

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of a 3-minute b-tensor encoding protocol for diffusion MRI-based assessment of the microscopic anisotropy and tissue heterogeneity in a wide range of intracranial tumors. Methods: B-tensor encoding was performed in 42 patients with intracranial tumors (gliomas, meningiomas, adenomas, metastases). Microscopic anisotropy and tissue heterogeneity were evaluated by estimating the anisotropic kurtosis ($MK_A$) and isotropic kurtosis ($MK_I$), respectively. An extensive imaging protocol was compared with a faster 3-minute protocol. Results: The fast imaging protocol yielded parameters with characteristics in terms of bias and precision similar to the full protocol. Glioblastomas had lower microscopic anisotropy than meningiomas $(MK_A = 0.29 \pm 0.06$ versus $0.45\pm0.08, p = 0.003)$. Metastases had higher tissue heterogeneity $(MK_I = 0.57\pm0.07)$ than both the glioblastomas $(0.44\pm0.06, p < 0.001)$ and meningiomas $(0.46\pm0.06, p = 0.03)$. Conclusion: Evaluation of the microscopic anisotropy and tissue heterogeneity in intracranial tumor patients is feasible in clinically relevant times frames.Comment: Submitted to Magnetic Resonance in Medicin

Medulloblastoma has a global impact on health related quality of life: Findings from an international cohort.

BackgroundUnderstanding the global impact of medulloblastoma on health related quality of life (HRQL) is critical to characterizing the broad impact of this disease and realizing the benefits of modern treatments. We evaluated HRQL in an international cohort of pediatric medulloblastoma patients.MethodsSeventy-six patients were selected from 10 sites across North America, Europe, and Asia, who participated in the Medulloblastoma Advanced Genomics International Consortium (MAGIC). The Health Utilities Index (HUI) was administered to patients and/or parents at each site. Responses were used to determine overall HRQL and attributes (ie specific subdomains). The impact of various demographic and medical variables on HRQL was considered-including molecular subgroup.ResultsThe majority of patients reported having moderate or severe overall burden of morbidity for both the HUI2 and HUI3 (HUI2&nbsp;=&nbsp;60%; HUI3&nbsp;=&nbsp;72.1%) when proxy-assessed. Self-care in the HUI2 was rated as higher (ie better outcome) for patients from Western versus Eastern sites, P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.02. Patients with nonmetastatic status had higher values (ie better outcomes) for the HUI3 hearing, HUI3 pain, and HUI2 pain, all P&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;.05. Patients treated with a gross total resection also&nbsp;had better outcomes for the HUI3 hearing (P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.04). However, those who underwent a gross total resection reported&nbsp;having worse outcomes on the HUI3 vision (P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.02). No differences in HRQL were evident as a function of subgroup.ConclusionsBy examining an international sample of survivors, we characterized the worldwide impact of medulloblastoma. This is a critical first step in developing global standards for evaluating long-term outcomes

Birth elicits a conserved neuroendocrine response with implications for perinatal osmoregulation and neuronal cell death

Long-standing clinical findings report a dramatic surge of vasopressin in umbilical cord blood of the human neonate, but the neural underpinnings and function(s) of this phenomenon remain obscure. We studied neural activation in perinatal mice and rats, and found that birth triggers activation of the suprachiasmatic, supraoptic, and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. This was seen whether mice were born vaginally or via Cesarean section (C-section), and when birth timing was experimentally manipulated. Neuronal phenotyping showed that the activated neurons were predominantly vasopressinergic, and vasopressin mRNA increased fivefold in the hypothalamus during the 2–3 days before birth. Copeptin, a surrogate marker of vasopressin, was elevated 30-to 50-fold in plasma of perinatal mice, with higher levels after a vaginal than a C-section birth. We also found an acute decrease in plasma osmolality after a vaginal, but not C-section birth, suggesting that the difference in vasopressin release between birth modes is functionally meaningful. When vasopressin was administered centrally to newborns, we found an ~ 50% reduction in neuronal cell death in specific brain areas. Collectively, our results identify a conserved neuroendocrine response to birth that is sensitive to birth mode, and influences peripheral physiology and neurodevelopment.Fil: Hoffiz, Yarely C.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Castillo Ruiz, Alexandra. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Hall, Megan A. L.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Hite, Taylor A.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Gray, Jennifer M.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Cisternas, Carla Daniela. Georgia State University; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Cortes, Laura R.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Jacobs, Andrew J.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Forger, Nancy G.. Georgia State University; Estados Unido