Challenges in the diagnosis of dementia: Insights from the United Kingdom-Brazil Dementia Workshop

In July 2019, a group of multidisciplinary dementia researchers from Brazil and the United Kingdom (UK) met in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, to discuss and propose solutions to current challenges faced in the diagnosis, public perception and care of dementia. Here we summarize the outcomes from the workshop addressing challenges in diagnosis. Brazil faces a major problem in dementia underdiagnosis, particularly involving the population in an adverse socioeconomic context. There is poor availability of resources and specialists, and the knowledge of general practitioners and other healthcare professionals is far from satisfactory. Low education level is a further obstacle in diagnosing dementia, as the most commonly used screening tests are not designed to evaluate this population. Patients and their families must overcome the stigma of a diagnosis of dementia, which is still prevalent in Brazil and increases the burden of this condition. Whilst the UK has greater resources, dedicated memory services and a National Dementia Strategy plan, the National Health Service (NHS) has limited funding. Therefore, some challenges regarding diagnosis are common across both countries. The authors suggest possible solutions to confront these, with the goal of improving assessment and recognition of dementia and reducing misdiagnosis

Effects of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on anxiety and depressive symptoms in adults: A meta-analysis

Background: A comprehensive meta-analysis quantitatively examining the effects of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on anxiety and depressive symptoms is required to advance our understanding of its efficacy and moderating factors. Methods: Four electronic databases were searched in August 2018. An update search was conducted in November 2021. Forty-eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this review (3292 participants: anxiety = 34 RCTs, depression = 40 RCTs). Results: The overall effect size for anxiety symptoms was medium-to-large (g = 0.52, p <0.001; 95% CI = 0.30 – 0.73), while the overall effect size was small-to-medium for depressive symptoms (g = 0.47, p < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.31 – 0.64). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that group ACT was significantly superior to non-active controls (e.g., waiting list) in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms. Group ACT was only significantly superior to active controls (e.g., CBT) in reducing depressive symptoms. Subgroup analyses also demonstrated that the effect size can vary depending on the number of sessions provided and the primary condition of participants recruited. Limitations: The number of studies included in each category of subgroup analyses was small and the risk of bias varied across studies. There was high heterogeneity among the included studies, and this might have affected the results. Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that group ACT may be effective in treating anxiety and depressive symptoms, perhaps more so for depressive symptoms when compared to other well-established treatments. The intensity of treatment and the targeted population may need to be considered when delivering group ACT

Divulgando a Psicologia no rádio: relato de uma experiência

The diffusion of science knowledge has traditionally represented a challenge for researchers from several areas given the abundant difficulties involved in its planning and execution. Despite the acknowledged importance of this task, it is clear that the universities themselves have not been giving enough attention to this matter. The present report describes the process of a weekly production of a radio program that is aimed at approaching everyday themes using psychological knowledge as one of its references. 20 programs were produced so far with an average duration of 15 minutes each. The importance of the diffusion of science based upon knowledge dialogue is highlighted in this report. Also, here are described the main difficulties faced by the team regarding language and the technical aspects of the production of the radio programs and the solutions found in the search for a format that combines the ethical responsibility in addressing the themes, loyalty to the theoretical assumptions of the interviewees and language accessibility to a public non-specialist in psychology.Em virtude das inúmeras dificuldades envolvidas no seu processo de planejamento e de execução, a divulgação científica tem tradicionalmente representado um desafio para pesquisadores de diversas áreas. Apesar da reconhecida importância dessa tarefa, é preciso admitir que a própria Academia tem dedicado a ela insuficiente atenção. O relato aqui apresentado descreve o processo de produção semanal de um programa de rádio que tem como objetivo, utilizando o saber psicológico como uma de suas referências, abordar temas cotidianos. Foram produzidos, até o momento, 20 programas com duração média de 15 minutos. É destacada no relato a importância da atividade de divulgação científica baseada na interlocução de saberes. São descritas as principais dificuldades enfrentadas pela equipe quanto à linguagem e aos aspectos técnicos da produção dos programas e as soluções encontradas na busca por um formato que conjugue a responsabilidade ética no tratamento dos temas, a fidelidade aos pressupostos teóricos dos entrevistados e a acessibilidade da linguagem para um público não especialista em Psicologia.En virtud de las innumerables dificultades involucradas en su proceso de planeación y de ejecución, la divulgación ha representado tradicionalmente un desafío para investigadores de diversas áreas. A despecho de la reconocida importancia de esa tarea, es necesario reconocer que la propia academia ha dedicado a ella insuficiente atención. El relato aquí presentado describe el proceso de producción semanal de un programa de radio que tiene como objetivo, utilizando el saber psicológico como una de sus referencias, abordar temas cotidianos. Han sido producidos, hasta el momento, 20 programas con duración promedio de 15 minutos. Es destacada en el relato la importancia de la actividad de divulgación científica basada en la interlocución de saberes. Son descriptas las principales dificultades enfrentadas por el equipo en cuanto al lenguaje y a los aspectos técnicos de la producción de los programas y las soluciones encontradas en la búsqueda por un formato que conjugue la responsabilidad ética en el tratamiento de los temas, la fidelidad a los presupuestos teóricos de los entrevistados y la accesibilidad del lenguaje para un público no especialista en psicología

Different patterns of gray matter atrophy in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia with and without episodic memory impairment

Background: Differentiating patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) from Alzheimer's disease (AD) is important as these two conditions have distinct treatment and prognosis. Using episodic impairment and medial temporal lobe atrophy as a tool to make this distinction has been debatable in the recent literature, as some patients with bvFTD can also have episodic memory impairment and medial temporal lobe atrophy early in the disease.  Objectives: To compare brain atrophy patterns of patients with bvFTD with and without episodic memory impairment to that of patients with AD. Methods: We analyzed 19 patients with bvFTD, 21 with AD and 21 controls, matched by age, sex, and years of education. They underwent brain MRI and the memory test from the Brief Cognitive Battery (BCB) to assess episodic memory. We then categorized the bvFTD group into amnestic (BCB delayed recall score <7) and non-amnestic.  Results: The amnestic bvFTD group (n = 8) had significant gray matter atrophy in the left parahippocampal gyrus, right cingulate and precuneus regions compared with the nonamnestic group. Compared with AD, amnestic bvFTD had more atrophy in the left fusiform cortex, left insula, left inferior temporal gyrus and right temporal pole, whereas patients with AD had more atrophy in the left hippocampus, left frontal pole and left angular gyrus.  Conclusions: There is a group of amnestic bvFTD patients with episodic memory dysfunction and significant atrophy in medial temporal structures, which poses a challenge in considering only these features when differentiating bvFTD from AD clinically

I'm looking through you: Mentalizing in frontotemporal dementia and progressive supranuclear palsy

Mentalizing and emotion recognition are impaired in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). It is not clear whether these abilities are also disturbed in other conditions with prominent frontal lobe involvement, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Our aim was to investigate social cognition (facial emotion recognition, recognition of social norms violation and mentalizing) in bvFTD and PSP. The neural basis of these functions in PSP and bvFTD groups, by analysis of structural neuroimaging, were also investigated. Twenty-three bvFTD patients, 21 PSP patients and 23 healthy controls were included. All participants underwent 3T brain MRI and a full cognitive exam including the short version of Social and Emotional Assessment (Mini-SEA), which is composed of a facial emotion recognition test (FERT) and the faux pas test. Two components of the faux pas test were distinguished: a score assessing the recognition of social norms violation and a score assessing mentalizing. Compared to controls, bvFTD and PSP patients had significantly reduced scores in all tests of social cognition but did not differ on these measures. PSP and bvFTD had cerebral atrophy in critical regions for social cognition processes, when compared to controls. The cortical correlates of emotion recognition partially overlapped in bvFTD and PSP, with correlations retrieved within the frontal medial cortex, cingulate, insula and limbic structures. PSP and bvFTD patients also displayed similar patterns of brain correlations for the composite score of social norms, with a significant cluster in anterior temporal lobes. Mentalizing scores were associated with frontal and temporal poles bilaterally, in both bvFTD and PSP. These findings support previous observations that PSP patients exhibit impairment in complex cognitive abilities, such as mentalizing. Moreover, these data extend previous findings showing that PSP and bvFTD share key clinical, cognitive and neuroimaging features

Use of digital images for evaluating soil compaction in the culture of beans Uso de imagens digitais para avaliação da compactação do solo na cultura do feijão

Bean yield in Brazil is considered low, around 820 kg ha-1, reaching values above 3000 kg ha-1, there are several environmental factors which may limit the performance of this culture, especially those related to the soil. The present work aimed to evaluate soil compactions in bean culture of different soil management systems, by means of digital images. This study took place at the Federal University of Viçosa, randomized block design with six replications was used and four treatments, (direct planting, conventional preparation, minimum plantation using grade crusher-leveler and minimum plantation using scarificator), were evaluated. The spectral responses using the vegetation indexes (NDVI, RS, GNDVI, VARI, WDRVI and SAVI) were evaluated, calculated from digital numbers of the images and the values were estimated from the reflectance. For obtainning the images, a platform containing two digital cameras, one sensitive in the region of visible (RGB) and another sensitive to the region of proximal infrared were used, this platform was attached to a helium-inflatable balloon. The vegetation indexes obtained from the values of digital numbers of images were only able to defer treatments 70 days after plantation. However, indexes obtained from the reflectance, deferred treatments at 34 and 70 days after planting.<br>A produtividade do feijoeiro no Brasil é considera baixa entorno de 820 kg ha-1, podendo atingir valores acima de 3.000 kg ha-1, vários fatores ambientais podem limitar o bom desempenho da cultura, principalmente os relacionados ao solo. Sendo assim objetivou-se com a realização deste trabalho avaliar a compactação do solo na cultura do feijoeiro em diferentes sistemas de manejo do solo, por meio de imagens digitais. Este trabalho foi realizado na Universidade Federal de Viçosa, utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com seis repetições, sendo quatros tratamentos avaliados (plantio direto, preparo convencional, cultivo mínimo utilizando grade niveladora-destorroadora e cultivo mínimo utilizando escarificador). Foram avaliados a resposta espectral utilizando índices de vegetação (NDVI, RS, GNDVI, VARI, WDRVI e SAVI), calculados a partir dos valores dos números digitais das imagens e dos valores estimados da reflectância. Para aquisição das imagens foi utilizado uma plataforma contendo duas câmeras digitais, uma sensível na região do visível (RGB) e a outra sensível na região do infravermelho próximo, esta plataforma foi acoplada a um balão inflado com gás hélio. Os índices de vegetação obtidos a partir dos valores dos números digitais das imagens só foram capazes de diferirem os tratamentos aos 70 dias após o plantio. Os índices obtidos pelos valores estimados da reflectância diferiram os tratamentos aos 34 e 70 dias após o plantio

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data