Estrés percibido y quejas subjetivas de memoria en adultos jóvenes: papel mediador de las funciones ejecutivas

Introduction. Previous studies have shown that executive functions can be mediators between perceived stress and subjective memory complaints. However, it has not been evaluated which executive functions are those that most mediate this relationship. Aim. To determine if executive functions have a mediating role in the relationship between perceived stress and subjective memory complaints, and which ones have the greatest explanatory power. Patients and methods. The sample consisted of 743 university students (76.4% women), with an average age of 22.24 ± 3.64 years. The subjective memory complaints were evaluated with the Memory Failure of Everyday Questionnaire, the stress with the Perceived Stress Scale, and the executive functions with the Prefrontal Symptoms Inventory. Results. The executive functions and the perceived stress explained altogether 57% of the subjective memory complaints, being the attentional problems and the executive control problems the two variables with a greater weight in the model. On the other hand, the executive control problems, attentional problems and social behaviour problems showed a mediating effect between perceived stress and subjective memory complaints. Conclusions. The executive control problems and the attentional problems could be factors of choice for clinical intervention, since they act on their own as generators of subjective memory complaints and, moreover, are involved in mediation processes of perceived stress.IntroducciónEn estudios previos se ha señalado que las funciones ejecutivas pueden actuar como mediadoras entre el estrés percibido y las quejas subjetivas de memoria. Sin embargo, no se ha evaluado qué funciones ejecutivas son las que median en mayor medida dicha relación. ObjetivoDeterminar si las funciones ejecutivas tienen un papel mediador en la relación entre el estrés percibido y las quejas subjetivas de memoria, y cuáles son las que tienen un mayor poder explicativo. Pacientes y métodosLa muestra estuvo compuesta por 743 universitarios (76,4% mujeres), con una edad media de 22,24 ± 3,64 años. Las quejas subjetivas de memoria se evaluaron con el cuestionario de fallos de memoria de la vida cotidiana; el estrés, con la escala de estrés percibido; y las funciones ejecutivas, con el inventario de síntomas prefrontales. ResultadosLas funciones ejecutivas y el estrés percibido explicaron en conjunto un 57% de las quejas subjetivas de memoria, y los problemas atencionales y los problemas del control ejecutivo fueron las dos variables con un mayor peso en el modelo. Por otro lado, los problemas del control ejecutivo, los problemas atencionales y los problemas de la conducta social mostraron un efecto mediador entre el estrés percibido y las quejas subjetivas de memoria. Conclusiones Los problemas del control ejecutivo y los problemas atencionales podrían ser factores de elección para la intervención clínica, puesto que actúan por sí solos como generadores de quejas subjetivas de memoria y además se encuentran implicados en procesos de mediación del estrés percibido

Quejas subjetivas de memoria, estrés percibido y estrategias de afrontamiento en adultos jóvenes

Introducción. Las quejas subjetivas de memoria son cada vez más frecuentes entre los adultos jóvenes. En la actualidad, no existe bibliografía que analice la relación entre las quejas de memoria, el estrés percibido y las estrategias de afrontamiento de forma conjunta en adultos jóvenes. Objetivo. Determinar la contribución del estrés percibido y diferentes estrategias de afrontamiento sobre las quejas subjetivas de memoria en adultos jóvenes sanos. Sujetos y métodos. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 299 universitarios, el 71,6% mujeres, con una edad media de 22,54 ± 4,73 años. La variable ‘quejas de memoria’ se midió con el cuestionario de fallos de memoria; la variable ‘estrés percibido’, con la escala de estrés percibido, y las variables referidas a estrategias de afrontamiento, con el inventario de estrategias de afrontamiento. Resultados. Las variables que presentan una mayor aportación a la varianza de las quejas de memoria son, en primer lugar, estrés percibido y estrategias de afrontamiento positivas centradas en el problema, y, en segundo lugar, estrategias de afrontamiento negativas centradas en la emoción y en el problema. Las estrategias de afrontamiento positivas centradas en la emoción presentan una aportación nula. Conclusión. Una vez más se evidencia la infl uencia del estrés sobre los procesos de memoria. El empleo de estrategias de afrontamiento positivas centradas en el problema, como la reestructuración cognitiva y la resolución de problemas, puede resultar benefi cioso para atenuar la presencia de quejas de memoria, y es necesario realizar una mayor investigación al respectoIntroduction. Subjective memory complaints are becoming more and more frequent among young adults. There are currently no studies in the literature that analyse the relation among memory complaints, perceived stress and coping strategies as a whole in young adults. Aim. To determine the contribution made by perceived stress and diff erent coping strategies on subjective memory complaints in healthy young adults. Subjects and methods. The sample consisted of 299 university students, of whom 71.6% were women, with a mean age of 22.54 ± 4.73 years. The variable ‘memory complaints’ was measured with the memory failures questionnaire; the variable ‘perceived stress’ was measured with the perceived stress scale, and the variables referring to coping strategies were measured using the coping strategies inventory. Results. The variables that made a higher contribution to the variance of the memory complaints are, fi rst, perceived stress and positive problem-focused coping strategies, and, second, negative coping strategies focused on the emotion and on the problem. The positive emotion-focused coping strategies do not make any contribution. Conclusion. Again we fi nd evidence of the infl uence of stress on memory processes. The use of positive problem-focused coping strategies, such as cognitive restructuring and problem-solving, can be benefi cial to lessen the presence of memory complaints. Further research on this matter is warrante

Frequency-domain analysis of fNIRS fluctuations induced by rhythmic mental arithmetic

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly used technology for imaging neural correlates of cognitive processes. However, fNIRS signals are commonly impaired by task-evoked and spontaneous hemodynamic oscillations of non-cerebral origin, a major challenge in fNIRS research. In an attempt to isolate the task-evoked cortical response, we investigated the coupling between hemodynamic changes arising from superficial and deep layers during mental effort. For this aim, we applied a rhythmic mental arithmetic task to induce cyclic hemodynamic fluctuations suitable for effective frequency-resolved measurements. Twenty university students aged 18–25 years (eight males) underwent the task while hemodynamic changes were monitored in the forehead using a newly developed NIRS device, capable of multi-channel and multi-distance recordings. We found significant task-related fluctuations for oxy-and deoxy-hemoglobin, highly coherent across shallow and deep tissue layers, corroborating the strong influence of surface hemodynamics on deep fNIRS signals. Importantly, after removing such surface contamination by linear regression, we show that the frontopolar cortex response to a mental math task follows an unusual inverse oxygenation pattern. We confirm this finding by applying for the first time an alternative method to estimate the neural signal, based on transfer function analysis and phasor algebra. Altogether, our results demonstrate the feasibility of using a rhythmic mental task to impose an oscillatory state useful to separate true brain functional responses from those of non-cerebral origin. This separation appears to be essential for a better understanding of fNIRS data and to assess more precisely the dynamics of the neuro-visceral link

Quejas subjetivas de memoria en adultos jóvenes: influencia del estado emocional

Aims. To perform an exploratory analysis to determine the role played by symptoms of depression and of various subtypes of specific and unspecific anxiety in memory complaints in young adults. Patients and methods. The sample used in this study was made of 193 university students, 71% of whom were females, with a mean age of 22.22 ± 3.67 years. The variable ‘Memory complaints’ was measured with the Memory Failures Questionnaire, and the Brief Symptom Check List was used to measure the variables ‘Depression’, ‘Social anxiety’, ‘Obsessive-compulsive anxiety’, ‘Agoraphobic anxiety’, ‘Somatisation’ and ‘Insomnia’. Results. The variables of specific anxiety show a greater correlation with memory complaints than unspecific anxiety. Multiple regression analysis explained 34.9% of the variance of memory complaints, although the only variable that made a significant contribution was ‘Social anxiety’, which alone explains 34.4%. Conclusions. A distinct influence between the different types of anxiety and memory complaints has been observed. The findings obtained are a novelty in this area of knowledge by pointing to a greater relevance of the variables of specific anxiety in comparison to unspecific anxiety in explaining memory complaints and the need to take a personalised approach

Frequency-domain analysis of fNIRS fluctuations induced by rhythmic mental arithmetic

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly used technology for imaging neural correlates of cognitive processes. However, fNIRS signals are commonly impaired by task-evoked and spontaneous hemodynamic oscillations of non-cerebral origin, a major challenge in fNIRS research. In an attempt to isolate the task-evoked cortical response, we investigated the coupling between hemodynamic changes arising from superficial and deep layers during mental effort. For this aim, we applied a rhythmic mental arithmetic task to induce cyclic hemodynamic fluctuations suitable for effective frequency-resolved measurements. Twenty university students aged 18–25 years (eight males) underwent the task while hemodynamic changes were monitored in the forehead using a newly developed NIRS device, capable of multi-channel and multi-distance recordings. We found significant task-related fluctuations for oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin, highly coherent across shallow and deep tissue layers, corroborating the strong influence of surface hemodynamics on deep fNIRS signals. Importantly, after removing such surface contamination by linear regression, we show that the frontopolar cortex response to a mental math task follows an unusual inverse oxygenation pattern. We confirm this finding by applying for the first time an alternative method to estimate the neural signal, based on transfer function analysis and phasor algebra. Altogether, our results demonstrate the feasibility of using a rhythmic mental task to impose an oscillatory state useful to separate true brain functional responses from those of non-cerebral origin. This separation appears to be essential for a better understanding of fNIRS data and to assess more precisely the dynamics of the neuro-visceral link.Peer reviewe