Differences in the functional brain architecture of sustained attention and working memory in youth and adults.

Sustained attention (SA) and working memory (WM) are critical processes, but the brain networks supporting these abilities in development are unknown. We characterized the functional brain architecture of SA and WM in 9- to 11-year-old children and adults. First, we found that adult network predictors of SA generalized to predict individual differences and fluctuations in SA in youth. A WM model predicted WM performance both across and within children-and captured individual differences in later recognition memory-but underperformed in youth relative to adults. We next characterized functional connections differentially related to SA and WM in youth compared to adults. Results revealed 2 network configurations: a dominant architecture predicting performance in both age groups and a secondary architecture, more prominent for WM than SA, predicting performance in each age group differently. Thus, functional connectivity (FC) predicts SA and WM in youth, with networks predicting WM performance differing more between youths and adults than those predicting SA.

Using the Biopsychosocial Approach to Identify Factors Associated with Major Depressive Disorder for Individuals with Hypothyroidism.

Previous research has found that major depressive disorder (MDD) commonly occurs in hypothyroid populations. The purpose of this study was to use the biopsychosocial model to investigate factors associated with MDD and hypothyroidism by comparing hypothyroid patients with MDD and without MDD. A sample of 386 participants with hypothyroidism completed both cognitive and psychosocial self-reported assessments along with a questionnaire rating the severity of common hypothyroid symptoms. Participants were divided into two groups (MDD and no MDD) using the diagnostic criteria of the Patient Health Questionnaire. Univariate comparisons were used to assess differences in the severity of physical, psychological, and social correlates in participants with and without MDD. Participants with MDD reported significantly worse symptom severity, increased stress, and disruptions of cognitive functioning. Compared to individuals without MDD, they also indicated poorer quality of life, doctor-patient relationships, and treatment adherence. Individuals with comorbid depression and hypothyroidism reported worse outcomes across physical symptoms, social factors, and psychological and cognitive states than individuals without MDD. Integrating depression screeners and independent treatment for MDD, in addition to the patient's hypothyroid treatment plan, may result in hypothyroid symptom relief and greater quality of life.

The Relationship Between Brain Fog and Medication Adherence for Individuals With Hypothyroidism.

Individuals with hypothyroidism suffer from symptoms including impairments to cognition (i.e., "brain fog"). Medication can help reduce symptoms of hypothyroidism; however, brain fog may hinder adherence. The aim of this study was to determine if memory impairment and cognitive failures are related to treatment nonadherence in 441 individuals with hypothyroidism. Participants with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and currently prescribed a thyroid hormone replacement medication were placed in two groups according to adherence level and compared on validated scales assessing impairments to memory and cognition. Results indicated a significant association between treatment nonadherence and self-reported brain fog, represented by greater cognitive and memory impairments. Nonadherent individuals indicated impairments with prospective, retrospective, and short- and long-term memory; and more cognitive failures, compared to adherent individuals. Findings suggest the importance of interventions to enhance adherence for individuals with brain fog, such as encouraging the use of reminders.

Contemporary College Students' Attitudes about Deception in Research.

Given the widespread use of deception in psychological experiments and the frequent recruitment of college students as participants, scholars have taken an interest in the ways college students assess the potential costs and benefits of deception studies. It stands to reason that the engagement of participants not as mere subjects, but rather as participant partners, demands at least an awareness of how such participants consider the moral dimensions of deception. To this end, the present study replicates a project conducted almost 25 years ago to determine whether today's college students think about deception in research any differently than their counterparts did in the early 1990s. This article reviews some of the literature on deception, describes the original study conducted, and presents the results of the replication study.