EFFECTS OF AGE AND CEREBRAL ATROPHY UPON SPAN OF IMMEDIATE RECALL AND PAIRED-ASSOCIATE LEARNING IN OLDER ADULTS.

EFFECTS OF AGE AND CEREBRAL ATROPHY UPON SPAN OF IMMEDIATE RECALL AND PAIRED-ASSOCIATE LEARNING IN OLDER ADULTS

Conceptual, Theoretical, and Methodological Issues in Inferring Subjective Emotion Experience Recommendations for Researchers

In recent years, researchers in a variety of disciplines have outlined broad methodological strategies for approaching the scientific study of conscious experience, advocating the systematic inclusion of phenomenological data in ongoing research and the use of findings at the phenomenal level to constrain investigations at other, more objective levels of analysis (Baars, 1988; Chalmers, 1999, 2004; Flanagan, 1992; Varela, 1996). The proposals differ in the details, but they share the common theme that new and better self-report methods will be required to advance our understanding of experience. Compared with the apparent fine-grained nature of phenomenal experience, our measures of it remain crude. Varela (1996) lamented that the advancement of the field of consciousness studies may be hindered by a reticence on the part of traditional investigators to take phenomenologica

A Multipronged Intervention for Treatment of Psychotic Symptoms from Post-football Traumatic Brain Injury in an Adolescent Male: A Case Report

Introduction - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in adolescents. TBI can result in impaired cognitive functioning and mood disturbance. In some cases, TBI results in psychotic symptoms. There is little documentation for treatment of psychotic symptoms resulting from TBI. Case presentation - The present case study reviews an adolescent male who was seen in an outpatient behavioral health clinic, following a football-related TBI. The TBI resulted in postconcussive syndrome including psychotic symptoms (i.e., visual and auditory hallucinations) and increased anxiety. Management and Outcome - The adolescent underwent 12 individual sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and 7 sessions of family therapy for his anxiety and psychotic symptoms. He also underwent Vestibulo-Ocular Therapy. At the end of treatment, the patient's anxiety symptoms and those related to post-concussive syndrome were in remission with no hallucinations experienced for >6 months. Discussion - The results provide encouragement for systematic randomized controlled trials of individual and family behavioral interventions as part of an integrated treatment approach for mild TBI.Open access article. UA Open Access Publishing Fund.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Leadership, morality and ethics: Developing a practical model for moral decision-making

The present paper is the product of collaboration between a neuroscientist, an ethicist, and a contemplative exploring issues around leadership, morality, and ethics. It is an exploration on how people in roles of responsibility can better understand how to engage in discernment processes with more awareness and a deeper sense of responsibility for others and themselves. It draws upon recent research and scholarship in neuroscience, contemplative science, and applied ethics to develop a practical understanding of how moral decision-making works and is essential in this time when there can seem to be an increasing moral vacuum in leadership

Effects of a Brief, Online, Focused Attention Mindfulness Training on Cognition in Older Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives Many cognitive changes occur in later life, including declines in attentional control and executive functioning. These cognitive domains appear to be enhanced with mindfulness training, particularly focused attention mindfulness (FAM) meditation, suggesting this practice might slow age-related change. We hypothesized that FAM training would increase self-reported and behaviorally measured mindfulness; improve executive functioning, attentional control, and emotion regulation; and reduce self-reported daily cognitive errors in older adults. To address the call for higher methodological rigor in the field, we used a RCT design with an active control group, measured credibility and expectancy, used objective measures, and attempted to isolate mechanisms of action of mindfulness. Methods Fifty older adults aged 65 to 90 (M = 75.7, SD = 5.7) completed pre-training testing followed by 6 weeks of online daily FAM or mind-wandering (control) training and then returned for post-training testing. Results Conditions were comparable with respect to credibility and expectancy. However, most hypotheses were not supported. Though aspects of mindfulness, Fs(1,45) >= 7.42, ps = 0.13, CIs(90%) = [0.02, 0.37] and inhibitory control, F(1,43) = 4.95, p = .031, eta(2)(p) = 0.10, CI90% = [0.01, 0.25], increased, this was not specific to mindfulness training. There was modest evidence of an improvement in attentional control specific to the mindfulness group, F(1,43) = 4.59, p = .038, eta(2)(p) = 0.10, CI90% = [0.01, 0.24], but this was not consistent across our two measures. Conclusions Results are encouraging for the continued study of mindfulness for improving aspects of attentional control in older adults. However, the present research requires replication in a larger, more diverse sample. Implications for future mindfulness studies with older adults are discussed.Mind and Life Institute12 month embargo; published online: 11 February 2020This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]