Subclinical Hypothyroidism: behavioral and psychophysiological characteristics.A pilot study

Background: Clinical hypothyroidism affects various aspects of cognitive and affective brain function. The most severe hypothyroidism may also mimic a picture of melancholic depression and dementia. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT) is characterized by elevated TSH levels despite normal thyroid hormone concentrations. The aim of this research is to verify the presence of a typical psychophysiological pattern in SHT patients. Methods: Since 1998 fifty patients who underwent surgeries at the Department of Endocrinology, University of Pisa, diagnosed with SHT, were subsequently recruited. Subjects underwent an inspection of the reported symptoms using the Crown & Crisp Experiential Index, and a psychophysiological assessment with a simultaneous recording of the parameters Skin Conductance Level/ Response (SCL/SCR), Surface Frontal Electromyogram (EMG), Peripheral Temperature (PT), Heart Rate (HR). As a control group, fifty subjects without endocrine disorders were subsequently recruited. Results: Data shows little difference in levels in hormonal assays except for TSH. There is also a significant elevation of some of the CCEI subscales: Anxiety, Depression, and Somatic Complaints. At the autonomic level, there is a general pattern of excessive arousal with significant differences in SCL/SCR, HR, and PT. Conclusions: A first data interpretation is that in sub-clinical hypothyroidism, the body tries to support and integrate the general lack of energy with an acceleration of the autonomic activity. This condition of initial arousal could be a useful indicator in order to monitor the treatment course and its effectiveness on the pathological evolution

Gas Distribution and Monitoring for the Drift Chamber of the MEG-II Experiment

The reconstruction of the positron trajectory in the MEG-II experiment searching for the $\mu^+ \to e^+ \gamma$ decay uses a cylindrical drift chamber operated with a helium-isobutane gas mixture. A stable performance of the detector in terms of its electron drift properties, avalanche multiplication, and with a gas mixture of controlled composition and purity has to be provided and continuously monitored. In this paper we describe the strategies adopted to meet the requirements imposed by the target sensitivity of MEG-II, including the construction and commissioning of a small chamber for an online monitoring of the gas quality.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Journal of Instrumentatio

ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES IN EATING DISORDERS AFTER AN INTEGRATED TREATMENT

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of integrated therapy (IT) in a group of patients with Eating Disorders (EDs; N= 19), divided into AN (Anorexia Nervosa) and BN (Bulimia Nervosa), using the psychophysiological assessment of some parameters, with an experimental design. The statistical analysis was performed using between-within parametric statistics when data were normally distributed and non-parametric when they were not. During the psychophysiological registration a significant difference in SCL and HR in baseline values was noticed. In particular AN subgroup showed SCL values definitely lower than BN subgroup and a steady profile besides a hypoactivation in HR. A significant increase in SCL parameter was obtained in AN subgroup in the long term evaluation, with a normalization of the values with BN subgroup. Improvement observed in SCL parameter in AN might be understood in light of new prospective theories that investigate the psychopathological characteristics associated with a given diagnostic category: in particular, a tendency for females suffering from EDs to “exhibit” intense emotional reactions on the behavioral and verbal levels, despite experiencing a small physiological activation. The greater physiological reactivity following the IT may reflect patients’ learning of new cognitive strategies for processing and managing emotional experiences. Therefore psychophysiological assessment can be an important and objective help for a proper differential diagnosis and for treatment evaluation in a prospective of IT

Subclinical Hypothyroidism: behavioral and psychophysiological characteristics.A pilot study

Background: Clinical hypothyroidism affects various aspects of cognitive and affective brain function. The most severe hypothyroidism may also mimic a picture of melancholic depression and dementia. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT) is characterized by elevated TSH levels despite normal thyroid hormone concentrations. The aim of this research is to verify the presence of a typical psychophysiological pattern in SHT patients. Methods: Since 1998 fifty patients who underwent surgeries at the Department of Endocrinology, University of Pisa, diagnosed with SHT, were subsequently recruited. Subjects underwent an inspection of the reported symptoms using the Crown & Crisp Experiential Index, and a psychophysiological assessment with a simultaneous recording of the parameters Skin Conductance Level/ Response (SCL/SCR), Surface Frontal Electromyogram (EMG), Peripheral Temperature (PT), Heart Rate (HR). As a control group, fifty subjects without endocrine disorders were subsequently recruited. Results: Data shows little difference in levels in hormonal assays except for TSH. There is also a significant elevation of some of the CCEI subscales: Anxiety, Depression, and Somatic Complaints. At the autonomic level, there is a general pattern of excessive arousal with significant differences in SCL/SCR, HR, and PT. Conclusions: A first data interpretation is that in sub-clinical hypothyroidism, the body tries to support and integrate the general lack of energy with an acceleration of the autonomic activity. This condition of initial arousal could be a useful indicator in order to monitor the treatment course and its effectiveness on the pathological evolution

Aerobic exercise effects upon cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Several studies have shown that physical activity has positive effects on cognition in healthy older adults without cognitive complains but lesser is known about the effectiveness of aerobic exercise in patients suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The aim of the present study was to systematically review the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effects of aerobic exercise upon cognition in MCI patients. To this end, PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science databases were analytically searched for RCTs including aerobic exercise interventions for MCI patients. There is evidence that aerobic exercise improves cognition in MCI patients. Overall research reported moderate effects for global cognition, logical memory, inhibitory control and divided attention. Due to methodological limitations of the investigated studies, findings should be interpreted with caution. Standardized training protocols, larger scale interventions and follow-ups may also provide better insight into the preventive effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive deterioration in MCI and its conversion into dementia. (15) Aerobic exercise effects upon cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318508283_Aerobic_exercise_effects_upon_cognition_in_Mild_Cognitive_Impairment_A_systematic_review_of_randomized_controlled_trials [accessed Apr 04 2018]