The gut microbiome and cognition in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The pathology underlying cognitive changes in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) is not well understood. In healthy older adults, gut microbiome composition has been associated with cognitive function. In people with PD, preliminary evidence suggests that cortical spreading of abnormal alpha-synuclein aggregates may be associated with cognitive impairment. As changes in the gut have been linked to PD onset and associated Lewy body pathology, an investigation of the gut microbiome and cognition in PD is warranted. OBJECTIVE: To synthesise existing evidence on the relationship between the gut microbiome and cognitive function in PD. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to search for peer-reviewed articles and grey literature published to July 2021 across seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses). English language articles reporting the relationship between cognition and the gut microbiome in human participants with PD were considered for inclusion. Results were qualitatively synthesised and evidence quality was assessed using the QualSyst tool for quantitative studies. RESULTS: Five cross-sectional studies reporting the association between the gut microbiome and cognition in 395 participants with PD were included. Studies provided preliminary evidence of a relationship between cognition and gut microbiota within the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla, however, associations with specific genera were inconsistent across studies. CONCLUSIONS: Some species of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria (e.g. acetate, butyrate, and propionate producers) appear to be reduced in participants with PD with cognitive impairment. More research with larger samples and more consistent methodology is needed to substantiate these findings.

The association between childhood trauma and overweight and obesity in young adults: the mediating role of food addiction.

PURPOSE: Childhood trauma is associated with increased risk of obesity during adulthood, which may be associated with the development of food addiction. This study examined whether food addiction mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and obesity in young adults. METHODS: A sample of 512 young adults, aged 18 to 30 years, living with overweight and obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 25 kg/m2), from the United Kingdom participated in the study. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and provided their current height and weight to compute their Body Mass Index (BMI). RESULTS: Using the PROCESS macro, a mediation analysis found that food addiction accounted for 45% of variance in the relationship between childhood trauma and BMI. Post hoc analyses were conducted to examine the mediating effect of food addiction across each of the five subscales of the CTQ (emotional/physical/sexual abuse and emotional/physical neglect). Food addiction accounted for 32% to 51% of the variance in the relationship between each CTQ subscale and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that experiences of childhood trauma are associated with the development of overweight and obesity during early adulthood and up to half of this relationship can be attributed to food addiction, which is likely used as a maladaptive coping mechanism in response to trauma. Young adults living with overweight and obesity who report experiences of childhood trauma may benefit from the support of clinical and counselling psychologists to improve their understanding of the underlying psychosocial factors that influence their eating behaviours. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional analytic study.

Protocol for the Development and Initial Validation of the COG-IMPACT Tool: A Purpose-Built Unmet Needs Assessment for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment.

(1) Background: A significant proportion of cancer survivors report experiencing a cognitive 'fog' that affects their ability to think coherently and quickly, and reason with clarity. This has been referred to as cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). CRCI has extensive impacts on the daily lives of people living with or beyond cancer, including occupational, social, and psychological functioning. Oncology health professionals report feeling under-resourced to effectively assess the needs of an individual with CRCI and then provide optimal care and referral. (2) Methods: The objective of this project is to develop and provide an initial validation of the first purpose-built unmet needs assessment for CRCI: the Unmet Needs Assessment of Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment Impact (COG-IMPACT). We will use a multiple-stage, co-design, mixed-methods approach to develop and provide an initial validation of the COG-IMPACT. (3) Results: The primary anticipated result of this research is the production of the COG-IMPACT, the first purpose-built unmet needs assessment for CRCI. The assessment could be used by health professionals to understand the unmet needs and facilitate optimal care and referral for cancer survivors, by survivors to elucidate their supportive needs and advocate for their care, and by researchers to examine the correlates of unmet needs relating to CRCI, as well as how best to support people with CRCI.

Effect of health-care professionals' weight status on patient satisfaction and recalled advice: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Research has demonstrated that healthcare professionals are not immune to weight stigma attitudes, with evidence showing that people living with overweight or obesity may experience direct and indirect stigma and discrimination. This can impact the quality of care provided and impact patients' engagement in healthcare. Despite this, there is a paucity of research examining patient attitudes towards healthcare professionals living with overweight or obesity, which can also hold implications for the patient-practitioner relationship. Thus, this study examined whether healthcare professionals' weight status impacts patient satisfaction and recalled advice. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, using an experimental design, 237 participants (113 women, 125 men) aged 32 ± 8.92 with a body mass index of 25.87 ± 6.79 kg m2 were recruited through a participant pooling service (ProlificTM), word of mouth, and social media. The majority of participants were from the UK: 119, followed by participants from the USA: 65, Czechia: 16, Canada: 11, and other countries (N = 26). Participants completed an online experiment consisting of questionnaires assessing satisfaction with healthcare professionals and recalled advice after exposure to one of eight conditions assessing the impact of healthcare professional weight status (lower weight or obesity), gender (woman or man) and profession (psychologist or dietitian). A novel approach to creating the stimuli was used to exposure participants to healthcare professionals of different weight status. All of the participants responded to the experiment hosted on Qualtrics™ in the period from June 8, 2016 to July 5, 2017. Study hypotheses were examined using linear regression with dummy variables and follow up post-hoc analysis to estimate marginal means with adjustment for planned comparisons. Findings: The only statistically significant result was a difference with a small effect in patient satisfaction, where satisfaction was significantly higher in healthcare professional who was a women living with obesity compared to healthcare professional who was a man living with obesity (estimate = -0.30; SE = 0.08; df = 229; ωₚ2 = 0.05; CI = -0.49 to -0.11; p < 0.001), and healthcare professional who was a women living with lower weight compared to healthcare professional who was a man living with lower weight (estimate = -0.21; SE = 0.08; df = 229; CI = -0.39 to -0.02; ωₚ2 = 0.02; p = 0.02). There were no statistically significant differences in satisfaction of healthcare professionals and recall of advice in the lower weight compared to obesity conditions. Interpretation: This study has used novel experimental stimuli to examine weight stigma towards healthcare professionals which is vastly under-researched and holds implications for the patient-practitioner relationship. Our findings showed statistically significant differences and a small effect where satisfaction with healthcare professionals both living with obesity and with a lower weight were higher when the healthcare professional was a woman compared to man. This research should act as a stimulus for further research that aims to examine the impact of healthcare professional gender on patient responses, satisfaction and engagement, and weight stigma from patients towards healthcare professionals. Funding: Sheffield Hallam University.

Explicit and implicit weight bias among health care students: a cross-sectional study of 39 Australian universities.

Background: Weight bias exhibited by health care students may continue into their future practice, compromising the provision of care that people living with overweight or obesity receive. This highlights the need to comprehensively examine the extent to which weight bias is present among health care students and the factors that may be associated with students' weight bias. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, Australian university students enrolled in health care courses were invited via social media advertisements, snowball and convenience sampling, and by making direct contact with universities to complete an online survey. Students provided demographic information including discipline of study, perceived weight status, and state of residence. Students then completed several measures which assessed their explicit and implicit weight bias, and empathy. Descriptive statistics established the presence of explicit and implicit weight bias, and ANCOVAs, ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the potential factors associated with students' exhibited weight bias. Findings: Between March 08, 2022, and March 15, 2022, 900 eligible health care students attending 39 Australian universities participated in the study. Students reported varying levels of explicit and implicit weight bias, with minimal differences between disciplines on most outcome measures. Students who identified as men (vs. women) exhibited higher of both explicit and implicit bias (Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP): p = 0.0002, Antifat Attitudes Questionnaire (AFA)-Dislike: p = 0.019, AFA Willpower p < 0.0001, Empathy for Obese Patients: p = 0.0011, Implicit Association Test: p = 0.022), and students who displayed greater (vs. less) empathic concern exhibited lower levels of explicit bias (BAOP, AFA Dislike and Willpower, and Empathy for Obese Patients: p < 0.0001). Having witnessed the enactment of weight stigma sporadically (vs. regularly) by role models was associated with greater attribution of the causes of obesity to willpower (a few times a month vs. daily: p = 0.020, a few times a year vs. daily: p = 0.022), and less time spent with people living with overweight or obesity outside of study was associated with more dislike (a few times a month vs. daily: p = 0.0048, once a month vs. daily: p = 0.0002) and less fear of fat (once a month vs. daily: p = 0.036, and once a month vs. a few times a week: p = 0.0028). Interpretation: Results demonstrate the presence of both explicit and implicit weight bias among Australian health care students. Several characteristics and experiences of students were associated with their weight bias. Validity of the exhibited weight bias should be established in practical interactions with people living with overweight or obesity and novel interventions should be developed to ameliorate weight bias. Funding: Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, Australian Government, Department of Education.

A Conceptual Model Depicting How Children Are Affected by Parental Cancer: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Approach.

Cancer patients' children are vulnerable to psychosocial and behavioural issues. The mechanisms underlying how children are affected by their parent's diagnosis are unknown, warranting further research. This study investigated how children are affected by their parent's cancer diagnosis and provides a theoretical model conceptualising this experience. Informed by methods of grounded theory, embedded within a social constructivist framework, 38 informants (15 health professionals (HPs); 11 parents; 12 children (5 to 17 years)) were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Three themes were identified: (i) children were worried and distressed because they felt alone, (ii) parents were unable to tend to children's needs because they were overwhelmed by practical factors, and (iii) HPs were not detecting children due to barriers that affected their visibility in clinical settings. The proposed Alexander's Children's Cancer Communication (ACCC) Model and clinical recommendations made can be used to guide the clinical practice and development of future intervention research.

"Is My Brain Ever Going to Work Fully Again?": Challenges and Needs of Cancer Survivors with Persistent Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment.

Many cancer survivors experience cognitive impairments that impact memory, concentration, speed of information processing, and decision making. These impairments, collectively known as cancer-related cognitive impairments (CRCIs), are a key domain of unmet needs and can significantly impact a cancer survivor's identity and quality of life. However, there are no purpose-built, multi-domain, needs assessment tools specifically for CRCI. The development of such tools requires an in-depth understanding of cancer survivors' CRCI-specific challenges and associated needs. This study explored the challenges and associated needs of cancer survivors with persistent CRCI. An in-depth qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with (a) cancer survivors with perceived CRCI (n = 32) and (b) oncology health professionals (n = 19) was utilised. A reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews resulted in five overarching themes: (1) executing regular activities, (2) relational difficulties, (3) occupational functioning, (4) psychological distress, and (5) social functioning, as well as an additional informational needs domain. Ultimately, CRCI was found to directly produce a range of challenges that negatively, and persistently, impact cancer survivors' quality of life. Cancer survivors were also found to have a range of needs associated with these challenges. This research should be used to inform future challenges and needs assessment tools as well as treatment and supportive care priority areas directly relating to CRCI.

Weight stigma in Australia: a public health call to action.

People living with obesity experience weight stigma in most social settings. This has a negative impact on their health and quality of life. A primary contributor to weight stigma is the misconception that obesity is caused by factors solely within an individual's control. However, this disregards the complex and multifaceted nature of obesity. Weight stigma is perpetuated by the media, healthcare practitioners and researchers, and even in public health campaigns and policies designed to help people living with obesity. This perspective article is a public health call to action to address weight stigma in Australia. We provide key recommendations for public health researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

Auditory-cognitive training for adult cochlear implant recipients: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need to develop new therapies to improve cognitive function in adults following cochlear implant surgery. This study aims to determine if completing at-home computer-based brain training activities improve memory and thinking skills in adults following their first cochlear implant. METHODS: This study will be conducted as a single-blind, head-to-head, randomised controlled trial (RCT). It will determine whether auditory training combined with adaptive computerised cognitive training will elicit greater improvement in cognition, sound and speech perception, mood, and quality of life outcomes in adult cochlear implant recipients, when compared to auditory training combined with non-adaptive (i.e. placebo) computerised cognitive training. Participants 18 years or older who meet the clinical criteria for a cochlear implant will be recruited into the study. RESULTS: The results of this trial will clarify whether the auditory training combined with cognitive training will improve cognition, sound and speech perception, mood, and quality of life outcomes in adult cochlear implant recipients. DISCUSSION: We anticipate that our findings will have implications for clinical practice in the treatment of adult cochlear implant recipients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619000609156 . Registered on April 23 2019.

A Conceptual Model of Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance: The Importance of Cognitive, Empirical and Computational Approaches.

Living with obesity is related to numerous negative health outcomes, including various cancers, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Although much is known about the factors associated with obesity, and a range of weight loss interventions have been established, changing health-related behaviours to positively affect obesity outcomes has proven difficult. In this paper, we first draw together major factors that have emerged within the literature on weight loss to describe a new conceptual framework of long-term weight loss maintenance. Key to this framework is the suggestion that increased positive social support influences a reduction in psychosocial stress, and that this has the effect of promoting better executive functioning which in turn facilitates the development of healthy habits and the breaking of unhealthy habits, leading to improved ongoing maintenance of weight loss. We then outline how the use of computational approaches are an essential next step, to more rigorously test conceptual frameworks, such as the one we propose, and the benefits that a mixture of conceptual, empirical and computational approaches offer to the field of health psychology.

Cognitive Reserve, Executive Function, and Memory in Parkinson's Disease.

Cognitive impairment is acknowledged as a feature of Parkinson's disease (PD), and the most common cognitive declines are in executive function (EF) and memory. Cognitive reserve (CR) may offer some protection against cognitive dysfunction in PD. The present study used two proxies of CR (years of education, premorbid IQ) to examine the relationship between CR and (i) EF (ii) memory in a large PD sample (n = 334). Two aspects of EF were examined, including verbal fluency and planning skills. Two aspects of verbal memory were examined, including immediate recall and delayed recall. For EF, both CR proxies significantly predicted verbal fluency, but only years of education predicted planning skills. Years of education significantly predicted immediate recall, but premorbid IQ did not. Neither CR proxy predicted delayed recall. These findings suggest that CR, in particular years of education, may contribute to EF and memory function in those with PD. A key finding of this study is the varying contribution of CR proxies to different aspects of the same cognitive domain. The findings indicate that using only one proxy has the potential to be misleading and suggest that when testing the relationship between CR and cognition, studies should include tasks that measure different aspects of the cognitive domain(s) of interest.

Weight bias among health care professionals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Weight-biased attitudes and views held by health care professionals can have a negative impact on the patient-provider relationship and the provision of care, but studies have found mixed results about the extent and nature of bias, which warrants a review of the evidence. METHODS: A systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis were conducted by including studies up to January 12, 2021. RESULTS: A total of 41 studies met inclusion criteria, with 17 studies providing sufficient data to be meta-analyzed. A moderate pooled effect (standardized mean difference = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.37-0.96) showed that health care professionals demonstrate implicit weight bias. Health care professionals also report explicit weight bias on the Fat Phobia Scale, Antifat Attitudes Scale, and Attitudes Towards Obese Persons Scale. Findings show that medical doctors, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, podiatrists, and exercise physiologists hold implicit and/or explicit weight-biased attitudes toward people with obesity. A total of 27 different outcomes were used to measure weight bias, and the overall quality of evidence was rated as very low. CONCLUSIONS: Future research needs to adopt more robust research methods to improve the assessment of weight bias and to inform future interventions to address weight bias among health care professionals.

Hearing Loss and Depression in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies reporting an association between hearing loss and depression in older adults are conflicting and warrant a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A search of academic databases (e.g., MEDLINE) and gray literature (e.g., OpenGrey) identified relevant articles published up to July 17, 2018. Cross-sectional or cohort designs were included. Outcome effects were computed as odds ratios (ORs) and pooled using random-effects meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42018084494). RESULTS: A total of 147,148 participants from 35 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-four studies were cross-sectional and 11 were cohort designs. Overall, hearing loss was associated with statistically significantly greater odds of depression in older adults (OR = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31-1.65). When studies were stratified by design, hearing loss was associated with greater odds of depression in cross-sectional studies (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.31-1.80) and cohort studies (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.16 - 1.67), and there was no difference between cross-sectional or cohort effect estimates (Q = 0.64, p = .42). There was no effect of moderator variables (i.e., hearing aid use) on the association between hearing loss and depression, but these findings must be interpreted with caution. There was no presence of publication bias but certainty in the estimation of the overall effect was classified as "low." DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Older adults may experience increased odds of depression associated with hearing loss, and this association may not be influenced by study or participant characteristics.

Cognitive Training and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study examined whether standard cognitive training, tailored cognitive training, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), standard cognitive training + tDCS, or tailored cognitive training + tDCS improved cognitive function and functional outcomes in participants with PD and mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). Forty-two participants with PD-MCI were randomized to one of six groups: (1) standard cognitive training, (2) tailored cognitive training, (3) tDCS, (4) standard cognitive training + tDCS, (5) tailored cognitive training + tDCS, or (6) a control group. Interventions lasted 4 weeks, with cognitive and functional outcomes measured at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR: 12614001039673). While controlling for moderator variables, Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) showed that when compared to the control group, the intervention groups demonstrated variable statistically significant improvements across executive function, attention/working memory, memory, language, activities of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QOL; Hedge's g range = 0.01 to 1.75). More outcomes improved for the groups that received standard or tailored cognitive training combined with tDCS. Participants with PD-MCI receiving cognitive training (standard or tailored) or tDCS demonstrated significant improvements on cognitive and functional outcomes, and combining these interventions provided greater therapeutic effects.

Visuospatial asymmetries do not modulate the cheerleader effect.

The cheerleader effect occurs when the same individual appears to be more attractive when seen in a group, compared to alone. As observers over-attend to visual information presented in the left visual field, we investigated whether the spatial arrangement of the faces in a group would influence the magnitude of the cheerleader effect. In Experiment 1, target faces were presented twice in the centre of the display: once alone, and once in a group. Group images featured two distractor faces, which were presented in either the left or the right visual field, or on either side of the target. The location of the distractor faces did not modulate the size of the cheerleader effect, which was observed in each group configuration. In Experiment 2, we manipulated the location of the target faces, which were presented at the far left, far right, or centre of the group. Faces were again significantly more attractive in each group configuration, and the spatial location of the target face did not influence the size of the cheerleader effect. Together, our results show that the cheerleader effect is a robust phenomenon, which is not influenced by the spatial arrangement of the faces in the group.

Auditory and Cognitive Training for Cognition in Adults With Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy of auditory training and cognitive training to improve cognitive function in adults with hearing loss. A literature search of academic databases (e.g., MEDLINE, Scopus) and gray literature (e.g., OpenGrey) identified relevant articles published up to January 25, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or repeated measures designs were included. Outcome effects were computed as Hedge's g and pooled using random-effects meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42017076680). Nine studies, five auditory training, and four cognitive training met the inclusion criteria. Following auditory training, the pooled effect was small and statistically significant for both working memory ( g = 0.21; 95% CI [0.05, 0.36]) and overall cognition ( g = 0.19; 95% CI [0.07, 0.31]). Following cognitive training, the pooled effect for working memory was small and statistically significant ( g = 0.34; 95% CI [0.16, 0.53]), and the pooled effect for overall cognition was large and significant ( g = 1.03; 95% CI [0.41, 1.66]). However, this was dependent on the classification of training approach. Sensitivity analyses revealed no statistical difference between the effectiveness of auditory and cognitive training for improving cognition upon removal of a study that used a combined auditory-cognitive approach, which showed a very large effect. Overall certainty in the estimation of effect was "low" for auditory training and "very low" for cognitive training. High-quality RCTs are needed to determine which training stimuli will provide optimal conditions to improve cognition in adults with hearing loss.

Cognitive Training and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for Cognition in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many people with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience cognitive decline. It is not known whether cognitive training or noninvasive brain stimulation are effective at alleviating cognitive deficits in PD. OBJECTIVE: To examine cognitive training and non-invasive brain stimulation interventions for cognition in PD. METHODS: An extensive search was conducted of published and unpublished studies in online databases. Studies were selected if they were controlled trials examining standard (not individualized) or tailored (individualized) cognitive training, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in PD, with outcomes measured by standardized neuropsychological tests. RESULTS: Fourteen controlled trials met inclusion criteria. For executive function, the pooled effect size (Hedges' g) for cognitive training (standard and tailored combined) was small ( g = 0.42) but statistically significant (95% CI 0.15-0.68). The pooled effect for standard cognitive training (alone) was medium ( g = 0.51) and significant (95% CI 0.16-0.85). For attention/working memory, small pooled effect sizes were found when combining standard and tailored cognitive training ( g = 0.23; 95% CI 0.02-0.44) and for standard cognitive training alone ( g = 0.29; 95% CI 0.04-0.53), both significant. For memory, small but significant pooled effect sizes were also found when combining standard and tailored cognitive training and for standard cognitive training alone. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that standard and tailored cognitive training may improve executive function, attention/working memory, and memory in PD. Future studies must adopt randomized controlled trial designs to explore the therapeutic potential of these interventions.

Prevalence and Subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease.

The current study examined the prevalence and subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in an Australian sample of people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Seventy participants with PD completed neuropsychological assessments of their cognitive performance, using MDS Task Force Level II diagnostic criteria for PD-MCI. A cut-off score of less than one standard deviation (SD) below normative data determined impaired performance on a neuropsychological test. Of 70 participants, 45 (64%) met Level II diagnostic criteria for PD-MCI. Among those with PD-MCI, 42 (93%) were identified as having multiple domain impairment (28 as amnestic multiple domain and 14 as nonamnestic multiple domain). Single domain impairment was less frequent (2 amnestic/1 nonamnestic). Significant differences were found between the PD-MCI and Normal Cognition groups, across all cognitive domains. Multiple domain cognitive impairment was more frequent than single domain impairment in an Australian sample of people with PD. However, PD-MCI is heterogeneous and current prevalence and subtyping statistics may be an artifact of variable application methods of the criteria (e.g., cut off scores and number of tests). Future longitudinal studies refining the criteria will assist with subtyping the progression of PD-MCI, while identifying individuals who may benefit from pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions.