36 research outputs found
Quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia: contributions of disease symptoms, lifestyle and multi-medication
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disease characterized by the presence of chronic and
widespread musculoskeletal pain, which causes a high negative impact on
the quality of life (QoL). Although there are many studies about the QoL
of patients with FM, it is unknown which variables have a main influence
on it. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to determine which FM
symptoms predict a worse QoL and also to establish whether lifestyle and
multi-medication are associated to QoL.We assessed a sample of 134 women
with FM using a semi-structured clinical interview to explore lifestyle (diet,
exercise, smoking) and medication use, and questionnaires to cover the main
symptoms of this disease and QoL (SF-36).We found that the patients with FM
had a poor QoL, being “physical pain” and “vitality” the most affected domains.
A linear regression analysis showed that depression and anxiety assessed
by HADS were the FM symptoms which most significantly predicted QoL,
explaining 49% of the variance. Concerning lifestyle/medication influences,
we found that multiple drug treatment and smoking also predicted a worse
QoL (14%). Moreover, patients who practiced exercise regularly showed better
QoL than patients who did not (regardless of the severity of FM). Thus,
our results suggest that treatment strategies to improve QoL in FM should
be focused on improving psychological distress, promoting regular exercise
and reducing smoking and multi-medication. The data highlights the role of
positive self-management practices to improve QoL in FMThis study has been funded by the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; ref PSI2016-75313- R) and Galician Government (IDT Plan. Grant 2021-PG011). In addition, NS-V was supported by a grant from the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; grant number: BES-2017-082684)S
Brain electrical activity associated with visual attention and reactive motor inhibition in patients with fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a generalized chronic pain condition associated with multiple cognitive impairments, including altered inhibitory processes. Inhibition is a key component of human executive functions and shares neural substrate with pain processing, which may explain the inhibitory deficits in FM. Here, we investigated the integrity of brain inhibitory mechanisms in these patients.Galician Government (Consellería
de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; axudas
para a consolidación e estruturación de unidades de investigación
competitivas do Sistema Universitario de Galicia; grant number
GPC2014/047) and funding from the Spanish Government (Ministerio
de Economía y Competitividad; grant number PSI2013-45818-R).
A.G.V. was partially supported by a grant from the Xunta de Galicia
(Axudas de apoio á etapa de formación posdoutoral 2018) and by a
research grant from the Diputación da Coruñ
Neural correlates of unpredictable Stop and non-Stop cues in overt and imagined execution
The ability to inhibit incorrect behaviors is crucial for survival. In real contexts, cues that require stopping usually appear intermixed with indications to continue the ongoing action. However, in the classical Stop-signal task (SST), the unpredictable stimuli are always signals that require inhibition. To understand the neural mechanisms activated by low-probability nonstop cues, we recorded the electroencephalography from 23 young volunteers while they performed a modified SST where the unpredictable stimuli could be either Stop or confirmatory Go signals (CGo). To isolate the influence of motor output, the SST was performed during overt and covert execution. We found that, paradoxically, CGo stimuli activated motor inhibition processes, and evoked patterns of brain activity similar to those obtained after Stop signals (N2/P3 event-related potentials and midfrontal theta power increase), though in lesser magnitude. These patterns were also observed during the imagined performance. Finally, applying machine learning procedures, we found that the brain activity evoked after CGo versus Stop signals can be classified above chance during both, overt and imagined execution. Our results provide evidence that unpredictable signals cause motor inhibition even when they require to continue an ongoing actionThis work was supported by funding from the Galician Government (Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; Axudas para a consolidación e Estruturación de unidades de investigación competitivas do Sistema universitario de Galicia; grant number Ref:: ED431C 2021/04.); and from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia––Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECIND/02639/2017 to A.G.V.)S
The effects of stimulus intensity and age on visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) in normal children
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Carrillo-de-la-Peña, M.T.; Rodríguez Holguín, S.; Cadaveira, F. (1999). The effects of stimulus intensity and age on visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) in normal children. Psychophysiology, 36(6), 693-698, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-8986.3660693. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived VersionsIn this study, we explored the effects of flash intensity and age on visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) in a sample of 85 children aged 8–15 years. Results of previous studies are discrepant regarding the extent to which children show an evoked potential augmenting tendency at vertex, which has been reported to be a characteristic of an immature inhibitory control system. In the present study, VEPs to light flashes of four different intensities were recorded at Cz. The results confirmed that P1N1 and N1P2 at Cz were positively related to increases in stimulus intensity, whereas N1 was not related reliably to intensity. This difference between peak–peak and baseline–peak amplitude findings at Cz relative to evoked potential augmenting and reducing may help to explain discrepant results among earlier studies. Developmental changes were found for our sample of children that were independent of stimulus intensity: N1 amplitude increased significantly with age, whereas N1 latency showed a small (nonsignificant) age-related decreaseThis research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture (DGICYT) grant PB95-0856S
Functional Equivalence of Imagined vs. Real Performance of an Inhibitory Task: An EEG/ERP Study
Early neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies suggested that motor imagery
recruited a different network than motor execution. However, several studies have
provided evidence for the involvement of the same circuits in motor imagery tasks, in
the absence of overt responses. The present study aimed to test whether imagined
performance of a stop-signal task produces a similar pattern of motor-related EEG
activity than that observed during real performance. To this end, mu and beta eventrelated
desynchronization (ERD) and the Lateralized Readiness Potential (LRP) were
analyzed. The study also aimed to clarify the functional significance of the Stop-N2
and Stop-P3 event-related potential (ERPs) components, which were also obtained
during both real and imagined performance. The results showed a common pattern
of brain electrical activity, and with a similar time course, during covert performance and
overt execution of the stop-signal task: presence of LRP and Stop-P3 in the imagined
condition and identical LRP onset, and similar mu and beta ERD temporal windows
for both conditions. These findings suggest that a similar inhibitory network may be
activated during both overt and covert execution of the task. Therefore, motor imagery
may be useful to improve inhibitory skills and to develop new communicating systems
for Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) devices based on inhibitory signalsThis research was funded by Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Reference PSI2013-43594-R). AJG-V was supported by a research grant from the Fundación Ramón DominguezS
Broad cognitive complaints but subtle objective working memory impairment in fibromyalgia patients
Background
Cognitive dysfunction in fibromyalgia (FM) encompasses objective cognitive difficulties, as measured in neuropsychological tests, and self-reported cognitive complaints. Although it has been suggested that FM patients display problems in working memory, the data are inconsistent, and the overall working memory status of the patients is unclear. It is also not clear whether the working memory problems are related to cognitive complaints or how the dyscognition is affected by the characteristic clinical symptoms of FM.
Methods
To clarify these aspects, we explored the neuropsychological performance for different components of working memory and the subjective self-perception of cognitive status in a sample of 38 women with FM. They were compared with a matched group of 32 healthy women.
Results
Our findings suggested that the FM patients do not differ from healthy controls in their overall working memory functioning. Only a poor performance was found in a single task of visuospatial working memory, mediated by the presence of depressive symptoms, fatigue and pain. The FM patients also displayed a higher level of perception of cognitive difficulties than healthy controls, and this difference was mediated by depression and fatigue. Furthermore, cognitive complaints in FM patients were only associated with a lower verbal WM capacity.
Discussion
FM patients have a subtle specific impairment in their working memory functioning, as well as elevated concern about their cognitive status. These findings suggest a disconnection between neuropsychological performance and subjective complaints. In FM patients, clinical variables such as pain, fatigue, and depression play an important role in dyscognition, as assessed by both objective and subjective measures, and should be taken into account in future researchThis work was supported by funding from the Galician Government (Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; axudas para a consolidación e Estruturación de unidades de investigación competitivas do Sistema universitario de Galicia [grant number GPC2014/047] and funding from the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad) [Grant Number PSI2013-45818-R]. Alberto González-Villar was supported by a grant from the Fundación Ramón DomínguezS
Working memory performance, pain and associated clinical variables in women with fibromyalgia
Working memory (WM) is a critical process for cognitive functioning in which fibromyalgia
(FM) patients could show cognitive disturbances. Dyscognition in FM has been
explained by interference from pain processing, which shares the neural substrates
involved in cognition and may capture neural resources required to perform cognitive
tasks. However, there is not yet data about how pain is related to WM performance,
neither the role that other clinical variables could have. The objectives of this study were
(1) to clarify the WM status of patients with FM and its relationship with nociception,
and (2) to determine the clinical variables associated to FM that best predict WM
performance. To this end, 132 women with FM undertook a neuropsychological
assessment of WM functioning (Digit span, Spatial span, ACT tests and a 2-Back
task) and a complete clinical assessment (FSQ, FIQ-R, BDI-1A, HADS, PSQI, MFE-30
questionnaires), including determination of pain thresholds and tolerance by pressure
algometry. Patients with FM seem to preserve their WM span and ability to maintain and
manipulate information online for both visuospatial and verbal domains. However, up
to one-third of patients showed impairment in tasks requiring more short-term memory
load, divided attention, and information processing ability (measured by the ACT task).
Cognitive performance was spuriously related to the level of pain experienced, finding
only that pain measures are related to the ACT task. The results of the linear regression
analyses suggest that sleep problems and fatigue were the variables that best predicted
WM performance in FM patients. Future research should take these variables into
account when evaluating dyscognition in FM and should include dynamic measures
of pain modulationThis study was funded by the Spanish State Research Agency (Call: Retos 2016. Project reference: PSI2016-75313-R) and Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidades, Xunta de Galicia (Code: ED431C 2021/04)S
DNA methylation changes in genes involved in inflammation and depression in fibromyalgia: a pilot study
Objectives: The present pilot study aims to investigate
DNA methylation changes of genes related to fibromyalgia
(FM) development and its main comorbid symptoms,
including sleep impairment, inflammation, depression
and other psychiatric disorders. Epigenetic modifications
might trigger or perpetuate complex interplay between
pain transduction/transmission, central pain processing
and experienced stressors in vulnerable individuals.
Methods: We conducted DNA methylation analysis by
targeted bisulfite NGS sequencing testing differential
methylation in 112 genomic regions from leukocytes of
eight women with FM and their eight healthy sisters as
controls.
Results: Tests for differentially methylated regions and
cytosines brought focus on the GRM2 gene, encoding the metabotropic glutamate receptor2. The slightly increased
DNA methylation observed in the GRM2 region of FM patients
may confirm the involvement of the glutamate
pathway in this pathological condition. Logistic regression
highlighted the simultaneous association of methylation
levels of depression and inflammation-related genes
with FM.
Conclusions: Altogether, the results evidence the glutamate
pathway involvement in FM and support the idea that
a combination of methylated and unmethylated genes
could represent a risk factor to FM or its consequence, more
than single genes. Further studies on the identified biomarkers
could contribute to unravel the causative underlying
FM mechanisms, giving reliable directions to
research, improving the diagnosis and effective therapiesThis study was supported by Spanish Government Funding (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad: grant PSI2013-45818-R). The genotyping service was carried out at CEGEN-PRB3-ISCIII; it is supported by grant PT17/0019, of the PE I + D + i 2013–2016, funded by ISCIII and ERDF. MCG and LAN are part of the Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP) which is supported by the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF121)S
Healthcare workers hospitalized due to COVID-19 have no higher risk of death than general population. Data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry
Aim To determine whether healthcare workers (HCW) hospitalized in Spain due to COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Methods Observational cohort study based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a nationwide registry that collects sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data on patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Spain. Patients aged 20-65 years were selected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results As of 22 May 2020, 4393 patients were included, of whom 419 (9.5%) were HCW. Median (interquartile range) age of HCW was 52 (15) years and 62.4% were women. Prevalence of comorbidities and severe radiological findings upon admission were less frequent in HCW. There were no difference in need of respiratory support and admission to intensive care unit, but occurrence of sepsis and in-hospital mortality was lower in HCW (1.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.024 and 0.7% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001 respectively). Age, male sex and comorbidity, were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality and healthcare working with lower mortality (OR 0.211, 95%CI 0.067-0.667, p = 0.008). 30-days survival was higher in HCW (0.968 vs. 0.851 p<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalized COVID-19 HCW had fewer comorbidities and a better prognosis than NHCW. Our results suggest that professional exposure to COVID-19 in HCW does not carry more clinical severity nor mortality
Lo glocal y el turismo. Nuevos paradigmas de interpretación.
El estudio del turismo se realiza desde múltiples escalas y enfoques, este libro aborda muchos temas que es necesario discutir desde diversas perspectivas; es el caso de la reflexión sobre la propia disciplina y sus conceptos, así como los asuntos específicos referidos al impacto territorial, los tipos de turismo, las cuestiones ambientales, el tema de la pobreza, la competitividad, las políticas públicas, el papel de las universidades, las áreas naturales protegidas, la sustentabilidad, la cultura, el desarrollo, la seguridad, todos temas centrales documentados y expuestos con originalidad y dominio del asunto. Lo multiescalar es básico para la comprensión del sistema turístico, sistema formado de procesos globales, regionales y locales. El eje de discusión del libro es lo glocal, esa interacción entre lo nacional y local con lo global