Gender Stereotypes Selectively Affect the Remembering of Highly Valued Professions

This study includes two experiments designed to assess the effects of occupational gender-related stereotypes on information processing and memory performance. These two experiments were conducted in two separate cohorts of undergraduate students (N=107 and N=96, respectively). In each of them, we assessed (and confirmed) the presence of an implicit association preferentially linking high status attributes to men using the Implicit Association Test (IAT). We also assessed the effective incorporation of this association into gender-schemata and its consequences for information processing with a memory task that involved remembering the feminine and masculine forms of high or low status professional occupations. Results indicated that, independently of their gender, participants were more likely to forget and less likely to falsely recall the feminine forms of high status professions, whereas the opposite was true for the masculine forms of high status professions. The magnitude of these memory biases was correlated with the IAT scores. Moreover, in agreement with the predictions of gender-schemata theory, these memory biases (and their correlations with IAT scores) were predominantly observed when participants were not adverted that their recall would be evaluated later on (incidental-encoding memory task; Experiment 1), but less so when participants were explicitly instructed to memorize the same feminine and masculine forms of high or low status professional occupations (intentional encoding memory task; Experiment 2). Taken together, these results call into question the notion that gender stereotypes about professional occupations are declining, and they highlight a “men-high-status” association as a major component of these occupational stereotypes.Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume

Possible evidence of near transfer effects after adaptive working memory training in persons with multiple sclerosis

Background: Cognitive deficits, especially in working memory (WM) and information processing (IP) efficiency, are common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Few studies have examined the efficacy of n-back training in improving these two cognitive functions in PwMS. In the present study, we examined the effects of an intensive n-back training program by measuring the gains on the trained task (2- and 3-back tasks), but we also studied possible near transfer effects to other tests that assess WM and IP, as well as far transfer effects or improvements in other cognitive functions. Methods: A sample consisting of 35 PwMS with different cognitive statuses. All the participants underwent an adaptive n-back training for 10 days (60 min/day), and they were neuropsychologically assessed at baseline (D1) and after training (D10). The effectiveness of the training was tested: (1) by using mean-based comparisons and Cohen's d values; (2) by estimating and comparing the quartile values of the D1 and D10 distributions. Two indexes of improvement in individual performance were calculated, the net score improvement index (NSI) and the percent of maximum possible individualized improvement (PMPI). Results: Repeat practice improves 2- and 3-back performance, showing more correct responses (CR) and lower reaction times (RT) on D10 compared to D1. These results were corroborated by the NSI and PMPI scores, but the gains after training were more statistically significant for the 3-back (observing higher CR and lower RT after training) than for the 2-back (observing gains in CR, but not in RT). We also observed a possible transference of this improvement on the n-back task to other WM/IPS tests. Specifically, statistically significant pre-post training differences were found in the values in three quartiles of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT; q25, p < 0.03; q50, p < 0.001; q75, p < 0.002) and of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT; q25, p < 0.03; q50, p < 0.001; q75, p < 0.001) as well as in two quartiles of the Letter-Number Sequencing Task (LNST; q50, p < 0.004; q75 p < 0.001), and in one quartile of the Digit Backwards Span Test (DSBT; q75, p < 0.001). Reliable change analyses confirmed these performance improvements on the PASAT, SDMT, and LNST. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the intensive and adaptive n-back training produced improvements in the trained task in PwMS with different cognitive statuses. Furthermore, these gains were not only observed on the trained task, but they seemed to be also transferred to other tests that measured WM and IP functions

Hipoactivación en el área parahipocampal durante una tarea de “codificación/ recuperación”: estudio diferencial mediante RMf de pacientes con EA y DCL

Vuitenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2002-2003

Accelerated long-term forgetting in resected and seizure-free temporal lobe epilepsy patients

Episodic memory impairments caused by temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are well documented in the literature. Standard clinical episodic memory tests typically include a 30-min delayed recall test. However, in the past decade, it has become apparent that this standard test does not capture the full range of memory problems in TLE patients. Some patients perform well on a standard 30-min delayed recall test, but show Accelerated Long-term Forgetting (ALF) after 24 h. Although ALF has been investigated in patients with different types of epilepsy, current research on resected TLE patients is missing. In the present study, resected TLE patients were compared to a control group matched on initial learning. They showed normal performance on verbal recall after 30 min, but impairments became apparent after one week. Moreover, the significant interaction between participant group and memory test delay demonstrated that the patients indeed showed an acceleration in forgetting. Furthermore, ALF was present in both left and right resected TLE patients, which contradicts the presence of material-specific hemispheric differences in ALF. In addition, ALF was observed in seizure-free resected TLE patients, thereby demonstrating that this factor is not crucial for long-term memory deficits. The outcome shows that clinicians are likely to underestimate memory deficits in resected TLE patients and, therefore, advocates for the inclusion of ALF tests in standard clinical batteries for both pre- and post-surgery testing sessions

Voxelwise assessment of the regional distribution of damage in the brains of patients with multiple sclerosis and fatigue

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fatigue affects up to 90% of patients with MS. We assessed the regional distribution of lesions and atrophy of the normal-appearing WM and GM in patients with RRMS with fatigue compared with HC and patients with similar characteristics, but without fatigue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 14 patients with RRMS without fatigue, 10 with RRMS with fatigue, and 14 HC, we acquired brain dual-echo and high-resolution T1-weighted scans. Voxel-wise distributions of GM, WM damage, and T2 lesions were compared between patients with fatigued and nonfatigued MS by using SPM5 software. We report results at P < .05, FWE corrected. RESULTS: T2 lesion distribution and regional WM atrophy did not differ between patients with fatigued and nonfatigued MS. Compared with HC, patients with MS had significant WM atrophy in the posterior part of the corpus callosum and significant GM atrophy of the left superior frontal sulcus, left precentral gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, right thalamus, and left middle frontal gyrus. No additional areas of atrophy were found in patients with nonfatigued MS compared with HC, whereas patients with fatigued MS also had atrophy of the left central sulcus. Atrophy in the left central sulcus and the precentral gyrus was more severe in patients with fatigued versus nonfatigued MS. In patients with MS, significant correlations were found between fatigue severity and GM atrophy in the left precentral gyrus (r = −0.73, P < .0001 uncorrected). CONCLUSIONS: Atrophy of the primary sensorimotor area is likely to contribute to MS-related fatigue

Relación entre las alteraciones estructurales y el deterioro cognitivo en pacientes con Esclerosis Múltiple

Setzenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació (Any 2011)Las causas del deterioro cognitivo en los pacientes de Esclerosis Múltiple (EM) son todavía desconocidas, así como la relación entre dicho deterioro y el daño cerebral observado con distintas técnicas de adquisición y análisis de neuroimagen. Objetivos Observar la distribución de la atrofia en sustancia gris y blanca en pacientes de EM con Deterioro Cognitivo (DC) y Sin Deterioro Cognitivo (SDC), así como su relación con variables clínicas y cognitivas Pacientes y métodos Se reclutaron para el estudio a 22 participantes control (edad= 32,22 +6,24) y a 75 pacientes diagnosticados de EM (edad= 40,06 +10,01). Todos los participantes fueron valorados con la Batería Neuropsicológica Breve (BNB) especifica para valorar deterioro cognitivo en EM. Los pacientes fueron seleccionados en dos grupos: 1) DC: los que presentaban al menos 1 test de la batería por debajo de 2 DT (n=41); 2) SDC: rendimiento normal en pruebas neuropsicológicas (n=34). Posteriormente se adquirieron los datos morfométricos de todos los participantes en una Resonancia Magnética Siemens Avanto 1.5 T. Se obtuvieron parámetros de volumen en sustancia blanca y gris utilizando el programa de análisis Diffeomorphic Anatomical Registrations Through Exponentiated Lie Algebra (DARTEL). Resultados Los pacientes con DC muestran un menor rendimiento cognitivo en todas las pruebas neuropsicológicas. Estos pacientes también muestran más atrofia en distintas zonas corticales y subcorticales tanto en sustancia blanca como en sustancia gris respecto al grupo control y respecto al grupo de pacientes SDC. Finalmente, se observa una relación entre el rendimiento neuropsicológico en distintas pruebas cognitivas y la atrofia en sustancia gris en el grupo de pacientes con DC. Conclusiones: Se observa en pacientes de EM con DC un mayor grado de atrofia así como una consistente relación entre la atrofia en sustancia gris y rendimiento en pruebas neuropsicológicas

Effects of different intracranial volume correction methods on univariate sex differences in grey matter volume and multivariate sex prediction

Sex differences in 116 local gray matter volumes (GMVOL) were assessed in 444 males and 444 females without correcting for total intracranial volume (TIV) or after adjusting the data with the scaling, proportions, power‑corrected proportions (PCP), and residuals methods. The results confirmed that only the residuals and PCP methods completely eliminate TIV‑variation and result in sex‑differences that are “small” (∣d∣ 80%) when using raw local GMVOL, but also when using scaling or proportions adjusted‑data or TIV as a single predictor. Conversely, after properly controlling TIV variation with the PCP and residuals’ methods, prediction accuracy dropped to ≈ 60%. It is concluded that gross morphological differences account for most of the univariate and multivariate sex differences in GMVO

Cambios estructurales y funcionales del hipocampo en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple y su relación con procesos de memoria

Introducción. Una de las alteraciones cognitivas más prevalentes en los pacientes con esclerosis múltiple son los proble- mas de codificación de la información (tanto verbal como visual), proceso relacionado con el hipocampo. Objetivo. Estudiar la relación entre los procesos de aprendizaje y retención de la información a largo plazo con el volumen hipocampal y la conectividad funcional (CF) en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple comparados con un grupo control. Sujetos y métodos. Ambos grupos fueron evaluados con la batería neuropsicológica breve, que incluye pruebas de me- moria verbal y visual. Se realizó el estudio de volumetría de la sustancia gris mediante la técnica de morfometría basada en el vóxel y un estudio de CF de vóxel de semilla centrado en la zona de interés (hipocampo). Se realizaron análisis de asociación entre rendimiento en memoria y cambios volumétricos y de CF. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron atrofia en la sustancia gris en el hipocampo izquierdo y una menor CF entre el hipo- campo izquierdo y el troncoencéfalo, el cerebelo, el giro fusiforme y el giro temporal superior en los pacientes respecto al grupo control. En el grupo de pacientes se observa una correlación positiva entre la sustancia gris en ambos hipocampos y el rendimiento en memoria verbal, así como una correlación positiva entre el rendimiento en memoria visual y la CF entre el hipocampo izquierdo y diversas regiones temporales. Conclusiones. Los resultados muestran una relación entre el rendimiento de memoria verbal y visual, y cambios estructu- rales y funcionales en el hipocampo en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple.Introduction. One of the most prevalent cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients relates to (both verbal and visual) information encoding, a process related the hippocampus. Aim. To assess the relationship between information learning and long-term retention processes and hippocampal volume and functional connectivity (FC) in MS patients. Subjects and methods. MS patients and a control group of healthy volunteers were assessed using the brief neuro- psychological battery, which includes tests of verbal and visual memory. Gray matter volume was assessed through the voxel based morphometry technique, and a study of seed-based FC focused on the region of interest (hippocampus) was also conducted. Results. Results revealed that, as compared to the control group, MS patients display gray matter atrophy at the left hippocampus gray matter and smaller FC between left hippocampus and brainstem, cerebellum, fusiform gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. Association analyses were performed between memory tests performance and both volumetric and FC changes. Results showed a positive correlation between gray matter hippocampal (bilateral) volume and verbal memory performance of the MS group. Further, in MS patients, a positive correlation between visual memory performance and FC between the left hippocampus and several temporal regions was also found. Conclusions. The results of the present study reveal a relationship between structural and functional changes in the hippocampus of MS patients and their performance on verbal and visual memory tests.Subvención concedida por la Universitat Jaume I (P1.1B2014-05)

Hippocampal dysfunction is associated with memory impairment in multiple sclerosis: A volumetric and functional connectivity study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested a relationship between neuroanatomical and neurofunctional hippocampal alterations and episodic memory impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients OBJECTIVE: We examined hippocampus volume and functional connectivity (FC) changes in MS patients with different episodic memory capabilities. METHODS: hippocampal subfield volume and FC changes were compared in two subgroups of MS patients with and without episodic memory impairment (MSi and MSp, respectively) and healthy controls. A discriminant function (DF) analysis was used to identify which of these neuroanatomical and neurofunctional parameters were the most relevant components of the mnemonic profiles of HC, MSp and MSi. RESULTS: MSi showed reduced volume in several hippocampal subfields compared to MSp and HC. Ordinal gradation (MSi>MSp>HC) was also observed for FC between the posterior hippocampus and several cortical areas. DF-based analyses revealed that reduced right fimbria volume and enhanced FC at the right posterior hippocampus were the main neural signatures of the episodic memory impairments observed in the MSi group. CONCLUSIONS: Before any sign of episodic memory alterations (MSp), FC increased on several pathways that connect the hippocampus with cortical areas. These changes further increased when the several hippocampal volumes reduced and memory deficits appeared (MSi).This study was sponsored by grants P1-1B2014-15 awarded by Universitat Jaume I and PSI2015-67285-R awarded by MINECO to Dr. Cristina For

Increased regional gray matter atrophy and enhanced functional connectivy in male multiple sclerosis patients

Evidence suggests that sex/gender is an important factor for understanding multiple sclerosis (MS) and that some of its neuropathological consequences might manifest earlier in males. In the present study, we assessed gray matter (GM) volume and functional connectivity (FC) in a sample of female and male MS patients (MSp) and female and male healthy controls (HCs). As compared to female MSp, male MSp showed decreased GM volume in the bilateral frontal areas and increased FC between different brain regions. Because both sets of changes correlated significantly and no differences in cognitive performance were observed, we suggest that the FC increase observed in male MSp acts as a compensatory mechanism for their more extensive GM loss and that it promotes a functional convergence between male- and female-MSp.This research has been supported by grant P1-1B2014-15 provided to Cristina Forn by the Universitat Jaume I