Towards dementia risk reduction among individuals with a parental family history of dementia

Tackling modifiable risk factors for dementia, such as diabetes and physical inactivity, can reduce the risk of dementia. Especially individuals with a parental family history (PFH) of dementia may benefit from this, since they have more often modifiable risk factors for dementia. Nevertheless, changing health behaviour is difficult. Therefore, we investigated the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards dementia (risk reduction) among the general population and among individuals with a PFH of dementia. We found that the knowledge about dementia (risk reduction) is insufficient. Additionally, older individuals perceived dementia as a more severe disease, but perceived less benefits of performing health-enhancing behaviour for their brain health. Young and highly educated individuals perceived less barriers, but had more confidence in their ability to perform the desired behaviour. Perceived benefits and cues-to-action were associated with the intention to change physical activity and alcohol consumption, and perceived barriers were associated with the intention to change diet. Smokers who perceived more barriers to change their smoking behaviour were less likely to have the intention to change this behaviour. Further, we found that individuals with a PFH of dementia feel the need of exchanging experiences of having a parent with dementia, which seemed a prerequisite to thinking about their own health. The Demin study (www.demin.nl) focuses on tackling risk factors for dementia among individuals (40-60) with a PFH of dementia by an online lifestyle programme. In order for dementia risk reduction programmes to be effective, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards dementia (risk reduction) should be improved

Correction to:Cross-cultural validation of the motivation to change lifestyle and health behaviours for dementia risk reduction scale in the Dutch general population

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article

Cross-cultural validation of the motivation to change lifestyle and health behaviours for dementia risk reduction scale in the Dutch general population

Background: This study aimed to translate and validate the Motivation to Change Lifestyle and Health Behaviours for Dementia Risk Reduction (MCLHB-DRR) scale in the Dutch general population. Methods: A random sample of Dutch residents aged between 30 and 80 years old were invited to complete an online questionnaire including the translated MCLHB-DRR scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were conducted to assess construct validity. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess internal consistency. Results: Six hundred eighteen participants completed the questionnaire. EFA and Cronbach's alpha showed that four items were candidate for deletion. CFA confirmed that deleting these items led to an excellent fit (RMSEA = 0.043, CFI = 0.960, TLI = 0.951, χ2/df = 2.130). Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.69 to 0.93, indicating good internal consistency. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that the Dutch MCLHB-DRR scale is a valid scale for assessing health beliefs and attitudes towards dementia risk reduction among Dutch adults aged between 30 and 80 years old

Backaction noise produced via cavity-aided nondemolition measurement of an atomic clock state

We use a quantum nondemolition measurement to probe the collective pseudospin of an atomic ensemble in a high-finesse optical cavity. We analyze the backaction antisqueezing produced by the measurement process to show that our protocol could create conditional spin squeezing in the atomic ensemble.Comment: 4.1 pages, 3 figure

Cognitive Bias Modification: Retrieval Practice to Simulate and Oppose Ruminative Memory Biases

Ruminative tendencies to think repetitively about negative events, like retrieval practice in laboratory experiments, should enhance long-term recall. To evaluate this claim, ruminators and non-ruminators learned positive, negative, and neutral adjective-noun pairs. Following each of four study phases, “practice” participants attempted cued recall of nouns from positive or negative pairs; study-only participants performed a filler task. Half the pairs of each valence were tested after the learning cycles, and all pairs were tested a week later. Large practice effects were found on both tests, even though ruminators showed a trait-congruent bias in recalling unpracticed negative pairs on the immediate test. Positive practice also improved the moods of ruminators. Thus, repetitive positive retrieval shows promise in counteracting ruminative recall and its consequences

Practicing Emotionally Biased Retrieval Affects Mood and Establishes Biased Recall a Week Later

Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) can yield clinically relevant results. Only few studies have directly manipulated memory bias, which is prominent in depression. In a new approach to CBM, we sought to simulate or oppose ruminative processes by training the retrieval of negative or positive words. Participants studied positive and negative word pairs (Swahili cues with Dutch translations). In the positive and negative conditions, each of the three study trials was followed by a cued-recall test of training-congruent translations; a no-practice condition merely studied the pairs. Recall of the translations was tested after the training and after 1 week. Both recall tests revealed evidence of training-congruent bias and bias was associated with emotional autobiographical memory. Positive retrieval practice yielded stable positive mood, in contrast to the other conditions. The results indicate that memory bias can be established through retrieval practice and that the bias transfers to mood and autobiographical memory