Executive functions and information processing in patients with type 2 diabetes in comparison to pre-diabetic patients

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is associated with cognitive decline or dementia. The purpose of this study was to assess the executive functions and information processing in patients with type 2diabetes in comparison to pre-diabetic patients and normal subjects in Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center of Isfahan City from April to July 2011. METHODS: The sample consisted of 32 patients with type 2 diabetes, 28 pre-diabetic patients and 30 healthy individuals. Executive functions were assessed by Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Information processing was assessed by Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and sub tests of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). RESULTS: There was a significant difference among 3 groups, after the variables of age, sex and academic status were controlled (p ≤ 0.001). The pairwise comparisons of executive functions among three groups suggest a significant difference between diabetic and normal groups in WCST (perseveration) p = 0.018, and significant difference between diabetic and pre-diabetic patient in WCST (perseveration) p = 0.019. But there was no difference between three groups in WCST (category) and WCST (conceptual responses). The pairwise comparisons of information processing among three groups, suggest a significant difference between diabetic and normal groups in PASAT3". PASAT2", and Symbol coding (P = 0.003, P = 0.009, and P = 0.001, respectively). There was a significant correlation between demographic variable (FBS, HbA1c) and Symbol coding p = 0.05, p = 0.01 respectively) and significant correlation between (cholesterol) and WCST (conceptual responses) p = 0.05. The other variables were not correlated. CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in executive function and information processing in patients with type 2 diabetic and normal individuals. Thus, monitoring neuropsychological status besides controlling levels of blood sugar in these patients is important

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Intervention on Cognitive Functions: A Meta-analysis of Mindfulness Studies

Background: The experience of cognitive deficits is common among patients with degenerative and psychiatric disorders. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the empirical literature of mindfulness intervention on cognitive functions. Methods: This study was conducted in June 2020 by using the scientific records were retrieved by a systematic search of several bibliographic databases on the Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Sciences, Google scholar database from 2000 to 2020 for testing the effect of mindfulness intervention on cognitive functions. For data analysis CMA2 software were used. Heterogeneity assessed by Cochran’s Q statistics test. Publication Bias assessed by Orwin fail safe N, Begg’s method kendall’s Tau, Egger’s method intercept and funnel plot. Results: from 17 initial studies, 28 effect sizes were calculated. Among the 28 effect sizes, 6 indicators were negative and 22 indicators were positive. key results from the meta-analysis, Compared to healthy controls showed that people were receive mindfulness intervention significantly improved in working memory and attention function, with this enhance medium magnitude (Hedges’ g = 0.32, 0.35 respectively, see Figure 2). There was no significant improve by use mindfulness intervention on executive function. Conclusions: The results prove the initial evidence that mindfulness intervention can improve some neurocognitive processing such as attention function and working memor

Investigation of Factors Affecting on Relapse of Addiction in Substance Abuse Patients Referred to Narcotics Anonymous Population

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting on relapse of addiction in substance abuse patients referred to Malayer Narcotics Anonymous Population. Methods:This cross-sectional study was performed on 340 substance abuse patients from Narcotics Anonymous population of Malayer recruited with a simple sampling method, in 2014. The standard questionnaire was used for data collection including demographic variables and causes of relapse via self-report method. Data analysis was performed using SPSS18 by Pearson Correlation test. Results: Age of respondents ranged from 13 to 71 year; with a mean age of 36.47 years (SD=11.4). According to the results, 58.2 percent of the respondents had 1-3 relapse, 30.9 percent 4-10 relapse and 10.9 percent more than 10 relapse. The participants reported their viewpoints regarding the other factors as follows: Among individual factors; enjoyment and fun (%46.2), and among familial factors, poor parental relationships (%25.6) had been reported by the addicts. With regard to the social factors, the existence of addicts’ friends (52.4%), and related to the economic factors, lack of job was the major element with (34.1%). Considering cultural factors, recreational use of drugs and loss of function obscenity (%55) were leading factors mentioned by the addicts. Findings indicated that all factors related with relapse (personal factors, family factors related to spouse, social factors, economic factors and cultural factors) are significant positive correlation with each other at level in 05/0 and 01/0 respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings, exploring these correlates may predict the likelihood of relapse among drug users

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Intervention on Cognitive Functions: A Meta-analysis of Mindfulness Studies

Antecedentes: la experiencia de los déficits cognitivos es común entre los pacientes con trastornos degenerativos y psiquiátricos. Objetivo: El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el efecto de la literatura empírica de la intervención de mindfulness sobre las funciones cognitivas. Métodos: Este estudio se realizó en junio de 2020 mediante el uso de registros científicos que se recuperaron mediante una búsqueda sistemática de varias bases de datos bibliográficas en Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Sciences, base de datos académica de Google de 2000 a 2020 para probar el efecto de la intervención de mindfulness en funciones cognitivas. Para el análisis de datos se utilizó el software CMA2. Heterogeneidad evaluada por la prueba de estadística Q de Cochran. Sesgo de publicación evaluado por Orwin a prueba de fallos N, método de Begg, Tau de Kendall, método de intercepción y gráfico de embudo de Egger. Resultados: de 17 estudios iniciales, se calcularon 28 tamaños de efecto. Entre los 28 tamaños de efecto, 6 indicadores fueron negativos y 22 indicadores fueron positivos. Los resultados clave del metanálisis, en comparación con los controles sanos, mostraron que las personas que recibieron la intervención de atención plena mejoraron significativamente en la memoria de trabajo y la función de atención, con esta mejora de magnitud media (g de Hedges = 0.32, 0.35 respectivamente, ver Figura 2). No hubo una mejora significativa mediante el uso de la intervención de atención plena en la función ejecutiva. Conclusiones: Los resultados prueban la evidencia inicial de que la intervención de mindfulness puede mejorar algunos procesos neurocognitivos como la función de atención y la memoria de trabajo.Background: The experience of cognitive deficits is common among patients with degenerative and psychiatric disorders. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the empirical literature of mindfulness intervention on cognitive functions. Methods: This study was conducted in June 2020 by using the scientific records were retrieved by a systematic search of several bibliographic databases on the Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Sciences, Google scholar database from 2000 to 2020 for testing the effect of mindfulness intervention on cognitive functions. For data analysis CMA2 software were used. Heterogeneity assessed by Cochran’s Q statistics test. Publication Bias assessed by Orwin fail safe N, Begg’s method kendall’s Tau, Egger’s method intercept and funnel plot. Results: from 17 initial studies, 28 effect sizes were calculated. Among the 28 effect sizes, 6 indicators were negative and 22 indicators were positive. key results from the meta-analysis, Compared to healthy controls showed that people were receive mindfulness intervention significantly improved in working memory and attention function, with this enhance medium magnitude (Hedges’ g = 0.32, 0.35 respectively, see Figure 2). There was no significant improve by use mindfulness intervention on executive function. Conclusions: The results prove the initial evidence that mindfulness intervention can improve some neurocognitive processing such as attention function and working memor

Effects of psychotherapy in combination with pharmacotherapy, when compared to pharmacotherapy only on blood pressure, depression, and anxiety in female patients with hypertension

We investigated effects of metacognitive detached mindfulness therapy and stress management training on hypertension and symptoms of depression and anxiety, as compared to a control condition. A total of 45 female patients (mean age: M = 36.49 years) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: metacognitive detached mindfulness therapy, stress management training, and the control condition. Blood pressure and symptoms of depression and anxiety decreased from baseline to post-test, to follow-up. Group comparisons showed that blood pressure and symptoms of depression and anxiety decreased more in psychotherapeutic groups than in the control group. Psychotherapeutic treatment of hypertension reduced blood pressure and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Positive effects were observable at follow-up 8 weeks later

Early maladaptive schemas of emotional deprivation, social isolation, shame and abandonment are related to a history of suicide attempts among patients with major depressive disorders

Patients with psychiatric disorders have an exceptionally high risk of completed or attempted suicide. This holds particularly true for patients with major depressive disorders. The aim of the present study was to explore whether patients with major depressive disorders (MDD) and a history of suicide attempts differed in their early maladaptive schemas from patients with MDD but without such a history or from healthy controls.; Ninety participants took part in the study. Of these, 30 were patients with MDD who had made a recent suicide attempt; 30 were patients with MDD but no suicide attempts, and 30 were gender- and age-matched healthy controls. Participants completed questionnaires covering socio-demographic characteristics and the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ- RE2R) to assess early maladaptive schemas. Experts rated patients' MDD with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale.; Patients did not differ in experts' ratings of symptoms of depression. Compared to healthy controls, patients with MDD recorded higher scores on maladaptive schemas such as recognition seeking, negativity/pessimism, and insufficient self-control. Compared to patients without suicide attempts and healthy controls, those who had made a suicide attempt had higher scores on dimensions such as failure, mistrust, emotional inhibition, social isolation, and abandonment/instability.; Compared to healthy controls, patients with MDD had more pronounced maladaptive schemas, but this was more marked in patients with a history of suicide attempts. The results suggest that suicide attempts and poorer psychological functioning are related

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Improved Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders but Not Executive Functions: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial with Crossover Design and Sham Condition

Whereas there is growing evidence that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) favorably impacts on symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), less is known regarding the influence of rTMS on cognitive performance of patients with OCD. Here, we tested the hypothesis that rTMS has a positive impact both on symptom severity and executive functions in such patients.; We assessed 10 patients diagnosed with OCD (mean age: 33.5 years) and treated with a standard medication; they were randomly assigned either to a treatment-first or to a sham-first condition. Symptom severity (experts' ratings) and executive functions (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) were assessed by independent raters unaware of the patients' group assignments at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks. After 2 weeks, treatment switched to sham condition, and sham condition switched to treatment condition.; Under treatment but not under sham conditions, symptom severity decreased. Performance on the executive function test increased continuously with every new assessment and was unrelated to rTMS treatment.; Whereas the present study confirmed previous research suggesting that rTMS improved symptoms of OCD, rTMS did not improve executive functions to a greater degree than sham treatment. More research is needed to investigate the effect of rTMS on executive functions in patients with OCD