Γνωστικός έλεγχος, θεωρία του νου και μνήμη: προγνωστική ικανότητα σε ηλικιωμένους με ήπια γνωστική εξασθένηση και παράγοντες κινδύνου ανάπτυξης αγγειακής νόσου

One of the key research interests of recent years, which in fact finds a direct connection with clinical practice, is the issue of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular pathology. The present doctoral thesis has as its central theme the evaluation of three main components of cognition, namely, executive functions, memory capacity, and Theory of Mind abilities, that are affected in cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular pathology. The purpose of the study was to examine the components of cognition in two pathological groups, comparing them with a healthy control group, in order to (a) understand their differentiations in cognitive decline, and (b) develop specific short batteries that can help the early diagnosis of each kind of cognitive decline. Specifically, the two pathological groups consisted of adults (over 58 years old) with vascular risk factors, while one group additionally had a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment. The study had two phases, cross-sectional and longitudinal. ANOVAs, MANOVAs and mixed methods were used to examine and compare the performance of the three groups in all variables as well as the variation over time of the variables in each group; Mediation analysis was also used to examine potential relationships among specific variables of interest. Specifically, the aim of the cross-sectional assessment was to reveal the differences between the performance of the study groups and the pattern of difficulties presented to each group; While for the longitudinal part, the aim was the evaluation of the variables at three points in time, investigating their alterations within and between the groups, in order to reveal a pattern of potentially different cognitive decline for each of the pathological groups. The utility of the study lies in proposing specific tools that are useful both in the diagnosis of the two pathologies and in the assessment of the transition from one pathological category to another.Ένα από τα βασικά ερευνητικά ενδιαφέροντα των τελευταίων ετών, το οποίο μάλιστα βρίσκει άμεση σχέση με την κλινική πράξη, είναι το θέμα της νόσου Alzheimer (AD) και της αγγειακής παθολογίας. Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή έχει ως κεντρικό θέμα την αξιολόγηση τριών βασικών συνιστωσών της γνωστικής λειτουργίας, δηλαδή των εκτελεστικών λειτουργιών, της μνήμης και της Θεωρίας του Νου, οι οποίες εκπίπτουν στη νόσο Alzheimer (AD) και στην αγγειακή παθολογία. Σκοπός της μελέτης ήταν να εξεταστούν τα στοιχεία της γνωστικής λειτουργίας σε δύο παθολογικές ομάδες, συγκρίνοντάς τα με μια υγιή ομάδα ελέγχου, ώστε (α) να κατανοηθούν οι διαφοροποιήσεις τους στη γνωστική έκπτωση και (β) να αναπτυχθούν συγκεκριμένες συντομες συστοιχίες που μπορούν να βοηθήσουν στην έγκαιρη διάγνωση γνωστικής έκπτωσης. Συγκεκριμένα, οι δύο παθολογικές ομάδες αποτελούνταν από ενήλικες (άνω των 58 ετών) με παράγοντες αγγειακού κινδύνου, ενώ η μία ομάδα είχε επιπλέον διάγνωση Ήπιας Γνωσιακής Εξασθένησης. Η μελέτη είχε δύο φάσεις, τη συγχρονική και τη διαχρονική. Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν ANOVA, MANOVA και μικτές μέθοδοι για την εξέταση και σύγκριση της απόδοσης των τριών ομάδων σε όλες τις μεταβλητές καθώς και της διαχρονικής διακύμανσης των μεταβλητών σε κάθε ομάδα. Η ανάλυση διαμεσολάβησης χρησιμοποιήθηκε επίσης για την εξέταση πιθανών σχέσεων μεταξύ συγκεκριμένων μεταβλητών ενδιαφέροντος. Συγκεκριμένα, ο στόχος της συγχρονικής αξιολόγησης ήταν να αποκαλύψει τις διαφορές μεταξύ της απόδοσης των ομάδων μελέτης και του προτύπου των δυσκολιών που παρουσιάστηκαν σε κάθε ομάδα. Ενώ για το διαχρονικό μέρος, στόχος ήταν η αξιολόγηση των μεταβλητών σε τρία χρονικά σημεία, η διερεύνηση των αλλαγών τους εντός και μεταξύ των ομάδων, ώστε να αποκαλυφθεί ένα μοτίβο δυνητικά διαφορετικής γνωστικής έκπτωσης για κάθε μία από τις παθολογικές ομάδες. Η χρησιμότητα της μελέτης έγκειται στην πρόταση συγκεκριμένων εργαλείων που είναι χρήσιμα τόσο στη διάγνωση των δύο παθολογιών όσο και στην αξιολόγηση της μετάβασης από τη μια παθολογική κατηγορία στην άλλη

Emotion Recognition in a Health Continuum: Comparison of Healthy Adults of Advancing Age, Community Dwelling Adults Bearing Vascular Risk Factors and People Diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment

The identification of basic emotions plays an important role in social relationships and behaviors linked to survival. In neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the ability to recognize emotions may already be impaired at early stages of the disease, such as the stage of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). However, as regards vascular pathologies related to cognitive impairment, very little is known about emotion recognition in people bearing vascular risk factors (VRF). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine emotion recognition ability in the health continuum “healthy advancing age—advancing age with VRF—MCI”. The sample consisted of 106 adults divided in three diagnostic groups; 43 adults with MCI, 41 adults bearing one or more VRF, and 22 healthy controls of advancing age (HC). Since HC were more educated and younger than the other two groups, the age-group and level of educational were taken into account in the statistical analyses. A dynamic visual test was administered to examine recognition of basic emotions and emotionally neutral conditions. The results showed only a significant diagnostic group x educational level interaction as regards total emotion recognition ability, F (4, 28.910) = 4.117 p = 0.004 η2 = 0.166. High educational level seems to contribute to a high-level-emotion-recognition-performance both in healthy adults of advancing age and in adults bearing vascular risk factors. Medium educational level appears to play the same role only in healthy adults. Neither educational level can help MCI people to enhance their significantly lower emotion recognition ability

Trajectories of Cognitive Impairment in Adults Bearing Vascular Risk Factors, with or without Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment: Findings from a Longitudinal Study Assessing Executive Functions, Memory, and Social Cognition

With the aging of the population, a key concern of both societies and health services is to keep the population cognitively healthy until the maximum age limit. It is a well-known fact that vascular aging has a negative effect on the cognitive skills of adults, putting them at greater risk of developing dementia. The present longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the main dimensions of cognition in two pathological groups with different health profiles: a group of adults with vascular risk factors (VRF) (n = 35) and a group of adults with vascular risk factors and mild cognitive impairment (VRF + MCI) (n = 35). The two groups were matched in age, education, and gender. They were assessed with extensive neuropsychological testing at three different times with a distance of about 8 months between them; the assessment regarded executive functions, memory capacity, and Theory of Mind abilities. The analyses carried out were (a) mixed-measures ANOVA, (b) repeated measures ANOVA, and (c) ANOVA. The findings showed that global cognitive status and short-term memory are the main cognitive abilities that decline in community dwelling people bearing VRF. Hence, this group of adults should be examined at least every 2 years for this decline. As regards people with both VRF and MCI, it seems that the assessment of Theory of Mind abilities can better capture their further impairment. Global cognitive status, task/rule switching function, and long-term memory (delayed verbal recall) were revealed as the abilities that clearly and steadily differentiate VRF people with and without MCI

Abstracts of the 9th International Organisation of Physical Therapy in Mental Health Conference

This book contains the abstracts of the papers presented at the 9th International Organisation of Physical Therapy in Mental Health Conference, Organized by the International Organisation of Physical Therapy in Mental Health and Greek Scientific Section “Physiotherapy in Mental Health” of PanHellenic Physiotherapists’ Association, held on 4–6 May 2022. It is the biannual conference of the International Organization of Physical Therapy in Mental Health (IOPTMH), and we answered with success the question: Physiotherapy in mental health; what’s next? The highly qualified scientific program, the reputable presenters, and the venue altogether form a powerful motivation for both physiotherapists and other mental health professionals to attend this conference. Conference Title: 9th International Organisation of Physical Therapy in Mental Health ConferenceConference Theme: Physiotherapy in mental health; what’s next?Conference Date: 4–6 May 2022Conference Location: Crowne Plaza Athens - City Centre Hotel, 50, Michalakopoulou Str. GR 11528 AthensConference Organizer: International Organisation of Physical Therapy in Mental Health and Greek Scientific Section “Physiotherapy in Mental Health” of PanHellenic Physiotherapists’ AssociationConference Secretariat - Public Relations: Alpha Public Relations and Integrated Marketing S.A., 55, Pytheou Str. GR 11743 Athen