A serious game : a new training addressing particularly prospective memory in the elderly

A training in the form of a computer game that aims at improving five cognitive functions in the elderly has been developed: visuospatial memory, attention, memory for prose, working memory and prospective memory. It was devised as a collaboration among the Department of Cognitive Psychology in Warsaw, Department of Individual Differences Psychology in Bydgoszcz, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science – Game Academy in Cracow, and Department of Human Psychology and Department of Psychiatry of Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz. This software is an example of the so-called serious games. To the best of our knowledge it is the first one to focus particularly on prospective memory. This is the first report concerning the present training, which is currently being elaborated. The next step in its development will be testing its validity

Evaluation of Transcriptomic Regulations behind Metabolic Syndrome in Obese and Lean Subjects

Multiple mechanisms have been suggested to confer to the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS), however despite great interest from the scientific community, the exact contribution of each of MetS risk factors still remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate molecular signatures in peripheral blood of individuals affected by MetS and different degrees of obesity. Metabolic health of 1204 individuals from 1000PLUS cohort was assessed, and 32 subjects were recruited to four study groups: MetS lean, MetS obese, “healthy obese”, and healthy lean. Whole-blood transcriptome next generation sequencing with functional data analysis were carried out. MetS obese and MetS lean study participants showed the upregulation of genes involved in inflammation and coagulation processes: granulocyte adhesion and diapedesis (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0063), prothrombin activation pathway (p = 0.0032, p = 0.0091), coagulation system (p = 0.0010, p = 0.0155). The results for “healthy obese” indicate enrichment in molecules associated with protein synthesis (p < 0.0001), mitochondrial dysfunction (p < 0.0001), and oxidative phosphorylation (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest that MetS is related to the state of inflammation and vascular system changes independent of excess body weight. Furthermore, “healthy obese”, despite not fulfilling the criteria for MetS diagnosis, seems to display an intermediate state with a lower degree of metabolic abnormalities, before they proceed to a full blown MetS