Data_Sheet_1_Complexity changes in functional state dynamics suggest focal connectivity reductions.PDF

The past two decades have seen an explosion in the methods and directions of neuroscience research. Along with many others, complexity research has rapidly gained traction as both an independent research field and a valuable subdiscipline in computational neuroscience. In the past decade alone, several studies have suggested that psychiatric disorders affect the spatiotemporal complexity of both global and region-specific brain activity (Liu et al., 2013; Adhikari et al., 2017; Li et al., 2018). However, many of these studies have not accounted for the distributed nature of cognition in either the global or regional complexity estimates, which may lead to erroneous interpretations of both global and region-specific entropy estimates. To alleviate this concern, we propose a novel method for estimating complexity. This method relies upon projecting dynamic functional connectivity into a low-dimensional space which captures the distributed nature of brain activity. Dimension-specific entropy may be estimated within this space, which in turn allows for a rapid estimate of global signal complexity. Testing this method on a recently acquired obsessive-compulsive disorder dataset reveals substantial increases in the complexity of both global and dimension-specific activity versus healthy controls, suggesting that obsessive-compulsive patients may experience increased disorder in cognition. To probe the potential causes of this alteration, we estimate subject-level effective connectivity via a Hopf oscillator-based model dynamic model, the results of which suggest that obsessive-compulsive patients may experience abnormally high connectivity across a broad network in the cortex. These findings are broadly in line with results from previous studies, suggesting that this method is both robust and sensitive to group-level complexity alterations.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Stress, anxiety, and depression trajectories during the “first wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic: what drives resilient, adaptive and maladaptive responses in the Portuguese population?.PDF

IntroductionThe COVID-19 outbreak and the community mitigation strategies implemented to reduce new SARS-CoV-2 infections can be regarded as powerful stressors with negative consequences on people's mental health. Although it has been shown that negative emotional symptoms subside during lockdown, it is likely the existence of inter-individual differences in stress, anxiety and depression trajectories throughout lockdown.ObjectivesWe aimed to cluster participants' according to their trajectories of stress, anxiety and depression scores throughout lockdown, and identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors that may distinguish the subjects included in the different clusters.MethodsFrom March 23, 2020, to May 31, 2020, participants completed weekly online questionnaires on sociodemographic information (age, sex, education level, and employment status), psychological functioning (DASS-21, NEO-FFI-20), and clinical data (psychiatric disorders, psychiatric medication, physical disorders). Data regarding smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and time spent daily looking for COVID-19-related information were also collected. Stress, anxiety and depression trajectories were determined using latent class mixed models.ResultsA total of 2040 participants answered the survey at baseline and 603 participants answered all surveys. Three groups (“Resilient,” “Recovered,” and “Maladaptive”) with distinct mental health trajectories were identified. Younger participants, women, participants with lower education level, not working, studying, diagnosed with a mental disorder, taking psychiatric medication, smokers, those who spent more time consuming COVID-19-related information and those with higher neuroticism tended to cluster in the “Maladaptive” group, placing them at higher risk of persistent negative emotional symptoms during compulsory confinement.ConclusionAccordingly, a tailored approach to emotional suffering for vulnerable subjects during the COVID-19 and future pandemics must be devised.</p

Swimming pool exposure is associated with autonomic changes and increased airway reactivity to a beta-2 agonist in school aged children: A cross-sectional survey

<div><p>Background</p><p>Endurance swimming exercises coupled to disinfection by-products exposure has been associated with increased airways dysfunction and neurogenic inflammation in elite swimmers. However, the impact of swimming pool exposure at a recreational level on autonomic activity has never been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how swimming pool attendance is influencing lung and autonomic function in school-aged children.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A total of 858 children enrolled a cross sectional survey. Spirometry and airway reversibility to beta-2 agonist, skin-prick-tests and exhaled nitric oxide measurements were performed. Pupillometry was used to evaluate autonomic nervous function. Children were classified as current swimmers (CS), past swimmers (PS) and non-swimmers (NS), according to the amount of swimming practice.</p><p>Results</p><p>Current swimmers group had significantly lower maximum and average pupil constriction velocities when compared to both PS and NS groups (3.8 and 5.1 vs 3.9 and 5.3 vs 4.0 and 5.4 mm/s, <i>p</i> = 0.03 and <i>p</i> = 0.01, respectively). Moreover, affinity to the beta-2 agonist and levels of exhaled nitric oxide were significantly higher in CS when compared to NS (70 vs 60 mL and 12 vs 10 ppb, <i>p</i><0.01 and <i>p</i> = 0.03, respectively). A non-significant trend for a higher risk of asthma, atopic eczema and allergic rhinitis was found with more years of swimming practice, particularly in atopic individuals (β = 1.12, 1.40 and 1.31, respectively). After case-case analysis, it was possible to observe that results were not influenced by the inclusion of individuals with asthma.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Concluding, swimming pool attendance appears to be associated with autonomic changes and increased baseline airway smooth muscle constriction even in children without asthma.</p></div

Nutrition UP 65 study: The association between 25(OH)D levels, frailty status and obesity indices in older adults database

<p>This study database derives from Nutrition UP 65 study main database. The association between 25(OH)D levels, frailty status and obesity indices in older adults was evaluated. This database was prepared according to the recommendations of the following article: "Hrynaszkiewicz Iain, Norton Melissa L, VickersAndrew J, Altman Douglas G. Preparing raw clinical data for publication: guidance for journal editors, authors, and peer reviewers BMJ 2010; 340:c181".</p

Le Courrier

15 janvier 18331833/01/15 (N15)

Characteristics of the participants.

<p>Characteristics of the participants.</p

Logistic regression between the number of years in swimming practice and the assessed clinical outcomes (adjusted for age and “early swimming”).

<p>Participants were stratified according to their atopic status: A) Atopic children; and B) Non-atopic children. Results are represented as β (5–95%CI). *There were no non-atopic children reporting symptoms of allergic rhinitis.</p