The impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors on outcome of patients with diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have a higher risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), and those with diagnosed CRC have a poorer prognosis compared with individuals with normal glucose levels. The inhibition of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) channels has been associated with a reduction in tumor proliferation in preclinical studies. We aimed to investigate the impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on the outcome of T2DM patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study comprising adult patients with T2DM and colorectal adenocarcinoma. SGLT2i recipients were matched to non-SGLT2i recipients in a 1:1 ratio based on age, sex, and cancer stage. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcomes were previously reported serious adverse events associated with SGLT2i. RESULTS: We identified 1347 patients with T2DM and colorectal adenocarcinoma, from which 92 patients in the SGLT2i cohort were matched to the non-SGLT2i cohort. Compared to non-SGLT2i recipients, SGLT2i recipients had a higher rate of 5-year OS (86.2% [95% CI: 72.0-93.5] vs 62.3% [95% CI: 50.9-71.8], P = 0.013) and 5-year PFS (76.6% [95% CI: 60.7-86.7] vs 57.0% [95% CI: 46.2-66.4], P = 0.021). In Cox proportional hazard analyses, SGLT2i were associated with a 50-70% reduction in all-cause mortality and disease progression. SGLT2i were not associated with an increased risk of serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: SGLT2i were associated with a higher rate of survival in T2DM patients with colorectal cancer.

Electrophysiological differences in inhibitory control processing between collegiate level soccer players and non-athletes in the absence of performance differences.

Inhibitory control, the ability to manage conflicting responses and suppress inappropriate actions, is crucial for team sports athletes, including soccer players. While previous studies have shown that soccer players possess superior inhibitory control, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this advantage remain unclear. Thus, this research aimed to investigate the neural processes involved in conflict resolution and response inhibition, comparing collegiate level soccer players with non-athletes. Participants completed a novel go/no-go task that involved conflict resolution and response inhibition, while their electroencephalograms were recorded. Despite no significant difference in behavioral performance between the two groups, soccer players exhibited notable N2 and frontal midline theta modulations in response to conflict resolution and inhibition, which were comparatively weaker in non-athletes. Our findings suggest that expertise in team sports may enhance neural sensitivity to subtle yet significant information, even without a discernible behavioral advantage.

Mindfulness induction and executive function after high-intensity interval training with and without mindful recovery intervals.

OBJECTIVES: Determine the effect of incorporating mindfulness-based activities into the recovery intervals of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on mindfulness induction and subsequent executive function performance. DESIGNS: A within-subject crossover trial. METHODS: Forty adults participated in two experimental conditions, including a 30-min bout of HIIT involving mindfulness recovery intervals (Mindful) and a 30-min bout of HIIT without mindfulness recovery intervals (Non-mindful), on two separate days in counterbalanced order. Before and after each condition, participants completed the flanker task, switch-flanker task, and n-back task to measure inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, respectively. RESULTS: A higher level of mindfulness state was observed following the Mindful condition than the Non-mindful condition. Dispositional mindfulness was positively correlated with the level of the mindful state only during the Mindful condition but not the Non-mindful condition. The switch-flanker response accuracy was improved from the pretest to posttest during the Non-mindful condition but remained unchanged over time during the Mindful condition. Time-related improvements in the flanker and n-back task outcomes were observed for both the Mindful and Non-mindful conditions and did not differ between conditions. CONCLUSION: Although incorporating mindfulness-based activities during the recovery intervals of HIIT successfully led to greater state-related mindfulness, such a heightened mindful state did not correspond with additional modulation in inhibitory control and working memory performance while attenuating HIIT-related positive changes in task performance requiring cognitive flexibility.

Cognitively engaging movement games improve interference control and academic performance in overweight children: A randomized control trial.

The purpose of this study was to determine the (a) dose-response effects of cognitively engaging movement games (CEMGs) designed to improve aerobic capacity, interference control (IC), and academic performance, (b) relationship between intervention-induced improvements in aerobic capacity, IC, and academic performance, and (c) moderation effect of IC on the relationship between aerobic capacity and academic performance in overweight children. Seventy-five overweight children (aged 11.23 ± 0.60 years; 48% males) participated in this study conducted in Taipei during the 2018/2019 academic year and were randomly assigned to the low-dose (20-min) intervention, high-dose (40-min) intervention, and control groups and completed a Stroop test, half-mile run, and language and mathematics tests before and after a 10-week afterschool program. Both intervention groups showed similar improvements in outcomes of aerobic capacity (ds > 0.80), IC (ds > 0.76), and academic performance (ds > 0.90) from the pretest to posttest, whereas these outcomes were unchanged for the control group. Furthermore, improved IC moderated the association between improvements in aerobic capacity and academic performance. Our findings suggest that CEMG with varying doses is feasible and effective for improving aerobic capacity, IC, and academic performance in overweight children and that the association between improvements in aerobic capacity and academic performance depends on the intervention effects on IC.

A chemical probe inhibitor targeting STAT1 restricts cancer stem cell traits and angiogenesis in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a worldwide cancer with rising annual incidence. New medications for patients with CRC are still needed. Recently, fluorescent chemical probes have been developed for cancer imaging and therapy. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) has complex functions in tumorigenesis and its role in CRC still needs further investigation. METHODS: RNA sequencing datasets in the NCBI GEO repository were analyzed to investigate the expression of STAT1 in patients with CRC. Xenograft mouse models, tail vein injection mouse models, and azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) mouse models were generated to study the roles of STAT1 in CRC. A ligand-based high-throughput virtual screening approach combined with SWEETLEAD chemical database analysis was used to discover new STAT1 inhibitors. A newly designed and synthesized fluorescently labeled 4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone (THIF) probe (BODIPY-THIF) elucidated the mechanistic actions of STAT1 and THIF in vitro and in vivo. Colonosphere formation assay and chick chorioallantoic membrane assay were used to evaluate stemness and angiogenesis, respectively. RESULTS: Upregulation of STAT1 was observed in patients with CRC and in mouse models of AOM/DSS-induced CRC and metastatic CRC. Knockout of STAT1 in CRC cells reduced tumor growth in vivo. We then combined a high-throughput virtual screening approach and analysis of the SWEETLEAD chemical database and found that THIF, a flavonoid abundant in soybeans, was a novel STAT1 inhibitor. THIF inhibited STAT1 phosphorylation and might bind to the STAT1 SH2 domain, leading to blockade of STAT1-STAT1 dimerization. The results of in vitro and in vivo binding studies of THIF and STAT1 were validated. The pharmacological treatment with BODIPY-THIF or ablation of STAT1 via a CRISPR/Cas9-based strategy abolished stemness and angiogenesis in CRC. Oral administration of BODIPY-THIF attenuated colitis symptoms and tumor growth in the mouse model of AOM/DSS-induced CRC. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that STAT1 plays an oncogenic role in CRC. BODIPY-THIF is a new chemical probe inhibitor of STAT1 that reduces stemness and angiogenesis in CRC. BODIPY-THIF can be a potential tool for CRC therapy as well as cancer cell imaging.

Effect of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 genetics polymorphism on clinicopathological characteristics of uterine cervical cancer patients in Taiwan.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP-3) have been revealed to be related to various cancers. To date, no study explores the relationships between TIMP-3 polymorphisms and uterine cervical cancer. The purposes of this research were to investigate the associations among genetic variants of TIMP-3 and development and clinicopathological factors of uterine cervical cancer, and patient 5 years survival in Taiwanese women. The study included 123 patients with invasive cancer and 97 with precancerous lesions of uterine cervix, and 300 control women. TIMP-3 polymorphisms rs9619311, rs9862 and rs11547635 were checked and their genotypic distributions were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. It showed that women with genotypes CT/TT in rs9862 were found to display a higher risk of developing cervical cancer with moderate and poor cell differentiation. Moreover, it revealed that cervical cancer patients carrying genotypes CC in rs9619311 exhibited a poorer 5 years survival, as compared to those with TT/TC in Taiwanese women, using univariate analysis. In addition, pelvic lymph node metastasis was determined to independently predict 5 years survival in cervical cancer patients using multivariate analysis. Conclusively, TIMP-3 SNPs polymorphisms rs9619311 are related to cervical patient survival in Taiwanese women.

Association of urogenital and intestinal parasitic infections with type 2 diabetes individuals: a comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, urogenital and intestinal parasitosis remain significant health challenges. They are associated with rising morbidity, death, and many harmful outcomes. A little is known concerning parasitosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our study planned to investigate the urogenital and intestinal parasitic infections among type 2 diabetes patients compare to non-diabetic (Control) individuals and examine the intensity of helminthiasis in both groups. METHODS: At Kosti Teaching Hospital (Sudan), 300 Urine and 300 stool samples have collected from 150 type 2 diabetes and 150 control individuals, along with the socio-demographic data using a structured questionnaire. The parasitic infections were examined by direct sedimentation technique for urine specimens. Whereas, for fecal samples, simple-direct saline, formal-ether concentration, Kato-Katz, and modified Ziehl-Neelsen techniques were used. RESULTS: Out of 150 type 2 diabetes patients studied, 31 (20.6%) and 14 (9.3%) had intestinal parasitosis and urogenital schistosomiasis, respectively. Whereas, 16 (10.6%) and 8 (5.3%) of the control group were infected, respectively. Compared to the control group, the odds of testing positive for either urogenital schistosomiasis (AOR: 2.548, 95% CI: 0.836-7.761, P = 0.100) or intestinal parasitic diseases (AOR: 2.099, 95% CI: 0.973-4.531, P = 0.059) were greater in diabetic individuals. Likewise, the intensities of helminthiasis were much higher in the diabetic patients and positively correlated with the duration of illness. The rate of urogenital schistosomiasis was also significantly different among the disease duration subcategories. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has highlighted the relationship of type 2 diabetes with urogenital and intestinal parasitic infections and enhanced our knowledge about the frequency of particular urogenital and intestinal parasites as well as the intensity of helminths infection in type 2 diabetes compared to non-diabetic individuals, which are important for further studies.

Impact of pentraxin 3 genetic variants on uterine cervical cancer clinicopathologic characteristics.

The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships among pentraxin 3 (PTX3) genetic variants and development and clinicopathological characteristics of uterine cervical cancer, and patient survival in Taiwanese women. The study enrolled 125 patients with invasive cancer and 98 patients with precancerous lesions of uterine cervix, and 325 control women. PTX3 genetic variants rs2120243, rs3816527, rs2305619 and rs1840680 were selected and their genotypic distributions were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicated that patients with genotype CC in PTX3 rs2120243 and genotype GG in rs1840680 had more chance to have adenocarcinoma but not squamous cell carcinoma, as compared to those with CA/AA and those with GA/AA, respectively. No other clinicopatholgical characteristics were associated with PTX3 genetic variants. In addition, PTX3 genetic variants were not associated with 5 years survival of cervical cancer patients. In conclusions, PTX3 genetic variants are not associated with carcinogenesis and clinicopathological variables of uterine cervix and patient survival in Taiwanese women. The only independent predictor for the 5 years survival is pelvic lymph node metastasis.

The impact of Aurora kinase A genetic polymorphisms on cervical cancer progression and clinicopathologic characteristics.

The aims of this study were to explore the involvement of Aurora kinase A (AURKA) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in uterine cervical cancer that has not yet been investigated. One hundred and six patients with cervical invasive cancer and 94 patients with precancerous lesions, and 302 Taiwanese female individuals were included. AURKA SNPs rs2273535, rs6024836, rs2064863 and rs1047972 were analyzed for genotypic distributions using real-time polymerase chain reaction. There were no statistically significant differences in the genetic frequencies of AURKA SNPs among patients with invasive cancer and those with precancerous lesions of uterine cervix and control women. There were no associations among AURKA SNPs and clinicopathologcal variables and recurrence and survival events. However, in a multivariate analysis, cervical cancer patients with adenocarcinoma (HR: 3.18, 95% CI: 1.23-8.23; p=0.017) and larger tumor (HR: 5.61, 95% CI: 2.10-14.95; p=0.001) had poorer recurrence-free survival. In conclusion, tumor size and pelvic lymph node status rather than AURKA SNPs were the most obvious independent parameter that could significantly predict 5 years survival rate in Taiwanese women with cervical cancer.

Acute effects of aerobic exercise on response variability and neuroelectric indices during a serial n-back task.

To determine the neuroelectric underpinnings of exercise-induced changes in working memory, this study investigated the acute effects ofaerobic exercise (AE) on the P3 component of an event-related potential and brain oscillations during a serial n-back task. Task-related electroencephalography was collected in 23 young adults following 20 min of rest and AE on separate, counterbalanced days. The results revealed reductions in standard deviation of response time and coefficient of variation of response time following AE compared to rest. Neuroelectric analyses showed increased P3 amplitude following AE compared to rest. Task-related frontal alpha desynchronization was stronger in the 2-back compared with the 1-back task following AE, while no such modulation was observed following rest. These findings suggest AE may temporarily enhance working memory, as reflected by decreases in response variability, which are accompanied by neuroelectric indices reflecting greater upregulation of attentional processes.

Motor expertise modulates neural oscillations and temporal dynamics of cognitive control.

The field of motor expertise in athletes has recently been receiving increasing levels of investigation. However, there has been less investigation of how dynamic changes in behavior and in neural activity as a result of sporting participation might result in superiority for athletes in domain-general cognition. We used a flanker task to investigate conflict-related behavioral measures, such as mean reaction time (RT) and RT variability, in conjunction with electroencephalographic (EEG) measures, including N2d, theta activity power, and inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC). These measures were compared for 18 badminton players, an interceptive sport requiring the performance of skills in a fast-changing and unpredictable environment, and 18 athletic controls (14 track-and-field athletes and 4 dragon boat athletes), with high fitness levels but no requirement for skills such as responses to their opponents. Results showed that badminton players made faster and less variable responses on the flanker task than athletic controls, regardless of stimulus congruency levels. For EEG measures, both badminton players and athletic controls showed comparable modulations of conflicting on midfrontal N2 and theta power. However, such an effect on ITPC values was found only for the badminton players. The behavior-EEG correlation seen suggests that smaller changes in RT variability induced by conflicting process in badminton players may be attributable to greater stability in the neural processes in these individuals. Because these findings were independent from aerobic fitness levels, it seems such differences are likely due to training-induced adaptations, consistent with the idea of specific transfer from cognitive components involved in sport training to domain-general cognition.

Neural Oscillation Reveals Deficits in Visuospatial Working Memory in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder.

The electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations associated with visuospatial working memory (VSWM) were examined in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD; 10-11 years; N = 29) and typically developing (TD) children (10-11 years; N = 29). Behaviorally, DCD showed poorer VSWM than TD, which coincided with the diminished ability of DCD in modulating neural oscillations. Furthermore, prestimulus oscillatory alpha activity was correlated with VSWM performance. The results suggest that children with DCD might have a reduced ability to encode and recognize new information, and in particular have difficulty in maintaining task-relevant information, resulting in poorer VSWM. This study thus concludes that changes in oscillatory EEG activity reflect some of the problems leading to cognitive deficits in DCD.

Neural Correlates of Expert Behavior During a Domain-Specific Attentional Cueing Task in Badminton Players.

The present study aimed to investigate the neural correlates associated with sports expertise during a domain-specific task in badminton players. We compared event-related potentials activity from collegiate male badminton players and a set of matched athletic controls when they performed a badminton-specific attentional cueing task in which the uncertainty and validity were manipulated. The data showed that, regardless of cue type, the badminton players had faster responses along with greater P3 amplitudes than the athletic controls on the task. Specifically, the contingent negative variation amplitude was smaller for the players than for the controls in the condition involving higher uncertainty. Such an effect, however, was absent in the condition with lower uncertainty. We conclude that expertise in sports is associated with proficient modulation of brain activity during cognitive and motor preparation, as well as response execution, when performing a task related to an individual's specific sport domain.

Effects of acute aerobic exercise on a task-switching protocol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations in young adults with different levels of cardiorespiratory fitness.

What is the central question of this study? Neurocognitive functions can be enhanced by acute aerobic exercise, which could be associated with changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations. We aimed to explore acute exercise-induced changes in BDNF concentrations, neuropsychological and neurophysiological performances when individuals with different levels of cardiorespiratory fitness performed a cognitive task. What is the main finding and its importance? Only young adults with higher cardiorespiratory fitness could attain switching cost and neurophysiological benefits via acute aerobic exercise. The mechanisms might be fitness dependent. Although acute aerobic exercise could enhance serum BDNF concentrations, changes in peripheral BDNF concentrations could not be the potential factor involved in the beneficial effects on neurocognitive performance. This study investigated the effects of acute aerobic exercise on neuropsychological and neurophysiological performances in young adults with different cardiorespiratory fitness levels when performing a task-switching protocol and explored the potential associations between acute aerobic exercise-induced changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations and various neurocognitive outcomes. Sixty young adults were categorized into one control group (i.e. non-exercise-intervention; n = 20) and two exercise-intervention (EI) groups [i.e. higher (EIH , n = 20) and lower (EIL , n = 20) cardiorespiratory fitness] according to their maximal oxygen consumption. At baseline and after either an acute bout of 30 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or a control period, the neuropsychological and neurophysiological performances and serum BDNF concentrations were measured when the participants performed a task-switching protocol involving executive control and greater demands on working memory. The results revealed that although acute aerobic exercise decreased reaction times across three (i.e. pure, switching and non-switching) conditions in both EI groups, only the EIH group showed a smaller switching cost and larger P3 amplitudes after acute exercise, supporting the view that the mechanisms of neural functioning that underlie the effects of such exercise may be fitness dependent. In addition, serum BDNF concentrations were elevated after acute exercise for both EI groups, but there were no significant correlations between the changes in BDNF concentrations and changes in neuropsychological and neurophysiological performances for either group, suggesting that serum BDNF could not be the potential factor involved in the beneficial effects on neuropsychological and neurophysiological performances seen in young adults after acute aerobic exercise.

Dynesys dynamic stabilization-related facet arthrodesis.

OBJECTIVE Dynamic stabilization devices are designed to stabilize the spine while preserving some motion. However, there have been reports demonstrating limited motion at the instrumented level of the lumbar spine after Dynesys dynamic stabilization (DDS). The causes of this limited motion and its actual effects on outcomes after DDS remain elusive. In this study, the authors investigate the incidence of unintended facet arthrodesis after DDS and clinical outcomes. METHODS This retrospective study included 80 consecutive patients with 1- or 2-level lumbar spinal stenosis who underwent laminectomy and DDS. All medical records, radiological data, and clinical evaluations were analyzed. Imaging studies included pre- and postoperative radiographs, MR images, and CT scans. Clinical outcomes were measured by a visual analog scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores. Furthermore, all patients had undergone postoperative CT for the detection of unintended arthrodesis of the facets at the indexed level, and range of motion was measured on standing dynamic radiographs. RESULTS A total of 70 patients (87.5%) with a mean age of 64.0 years completed the minimum 24-month postoperative follow-up (mean duration 29.9 months). Unintended facet arthrodesis at the DDS instrumented level was demonstrated by CT in 38 (54.3%) of the 70 patients. The mean age of patients who had facet arthrodesis was 9.8 years greater than that of the patients who did not (68.3 vs 58.5 years, p = 0.009). There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes, including VAS back and leg pain, ODI, and JOA scores between patients with and without the unintended facet arthrodesis. Furthermore, those patients older than 60 years were more likely to have unintended facet arthrodesis (OR 12.42) and immobile spinal segments (OR 2.96) after DDS. Regardless of whether unintended facet arthrodesis was present or not, clinical evaluations demonstrated improvement in all patients (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS During the follow-up of more than 2 years, unintended facet arthrodesis was demonstrated in 54.3% of the patients who underwent 1- or 2-level DDS. Older patients (age > 60 years) were more likely to have unintended facet arthrodesis and subsequent immobile spinal segments. However, unintended facet arthrodesis did not affect the clinical outcomes during the study period. Further evaluations are needed to clarify the actual significance of this phenomenon.

Physical Activity Is Associated With Greater Visuospatial Cognitive Functioning Regardless of the Level of Cognitive Load in Elderly Adults.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of regular physical activity on visuospatial cognition in elderly adults, and to further understand the potential neural mechanisms underpinning such effects. We assessed 24 physically active elderly adults and 24 sedentary counterparts using behavioral and neuroelectric measures during a visuospatial cognitive task with different levels of cognitive load. The results showed that the active group had higher behavioral accuracy along with greater P3 amplitudes, regardless of the level of cognitive load. Moreover, the correlation results revealed that physical activity levels were positively associated with accuracy performance in both conditions, while being correlated with frontal P3 amplitudes in the high cognitively demanding condition. However, no significant effects were observed in terms of P3 latency and contingent negative variation. These findings suggest that regular physical activity might be part of an effective lifestyle to attenuate the trajectory of age-related cognitive declines, thus increasing the likelihood of individuals becoming high-functioning older adults.

The relationship between aerobic fitness and neural oscillations during visuo-spatial attention in young adults.

While the cognitive benefits of aerobic fitness have been widely investigated, current findings in young adults remain unclear. Specifically, little is known about how these effects are reflected in the time-frequency domain. This study thus assessed the relationship between aerobic fitness and neural oscillations during visuo-spatial attention. A between-subjects design that included 20 participants with higher aerobic fitness (age = 21.95 ± 2.24 years; VO2max = 58.98 ± 6.94 ml/kg/min) and 20 age- and gender-matched lower aerobic fitness participants (age = 23.25 ± 2.07 years; VO2max = 35.87 ± 3.41 ml/kg/min) was used to examine the fitness-related differences in performance and neuroelectric indexes during a Posner visuo-spatial attention paradigm. The results demonstrated that high-fitness participants, in comparison with their low-fitness counterparts, showed faster reaction times as well as greater modulation of oscillatory theta and beta power during target processing, regardless of cue types. Moreover, the neurocognitive correlation showed that higher theta power was related to better task performance. Collectively, these findings suggest that aerobic fitness is associated with general enhanced attentional control in relation to visuo-spatial processing, as evidenced through greater motor preparation and in particular the up-regulation of attentional processing in healthy young adults. The present study may contribute to current knowledge by revealing the relationship between aerobic fitness and modulation of brain oscillations.

Combination of ATRA and ATRC for the synthesis of periodic vinyl copolymers.

A new approach to periodic vinyl copolymers via combination of atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) and atom transfer radical coupling (ATRC) is reported. The two examples are methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St) periodic copolymer (P(SMMS)) and acrylonitrile (AN) and St periodic copolymer (P(SAAS)). First, two monomer sequence units (MSU) with built-in sequence, SMMS and SAAS, are synthesized through the controlled ATRA of two ATRP initiators with St. Then, the ATRC of SMMS and SAAS are conducted at high radical conditions to generate two types of high-molecular-weight copolymers, P(SMMS) and P(SAAS). Though side reactions can not be totally avoided, characterizations of the polymer structure with a variety of means confirm that the main chain structures of P(SMMS) and (PSAAS) are predominantly with the periodic sequences from the MSUs. Attempts to suppress the side reactions are successful via the MNP-mediated ATRC of SMMS and SAAS.

The association of physical activity to neural adaptability during visuo-spatial processing in healthy elderly adults: A multiscale entropy analysis.

Physical activity has been shown to benefit brain and cognition in late adulthood. However, this effect is still unexplored in terms of brain signal complexity, which reflects the level of neural adaptability and efficiency during cognitive processing that cannot be acquired via averaged neuroelectric signals. Here we employed multiscale entropy analysis (MSE) of electroencephalography (EEG), a new approach that conveys important information related to the temporal dynamics of brain signal complexity across multiple time scales, to reveal the association of physical activity with neural adaptability and efficiency in elderly adults. A between-subjects design that included 24 participants (aged 66.63±1.31years; female=12) with high physical activity and 24 age- and gender-matched low physical activity participants (aged 67.29±1.20years) was conducted to examine differences related to physical activity in performance and MSE of EEG signals during a visuo-spatial cognition task. We observed that physically active elderly adults had better accuracy on both visuo-spatial attention and working memory conditions relative to their sedentary counterparts. Additionally, these physically active elderly adults displayed greater MSE values at larger time scales at the Fz electrode in both attention and memory conditions. The results suggest that physical activity may be beneficial for adaptability of brain systems in tasks involving visuo-spatial information. MSE thus might be a promising approach to test the effects of the benefits of exercise on cognition.

A multimodal approach integrating cognitive and motor demands into physical activity for optimal mental health: Methodological issues and future directions.

Physical activity is known for its positive effects on cognition and affect, with existing literature suggesting that these mental health benefits may be optimally experienced by incorporating cognitive and motor demands during physical activity (PA). However, the existing body of literature lacks a comprehensive guideline for designing the qualitative characteristics of a PA program. Accordingly, this narrative review aimed to (1) provide a working two-dimension model that operationally defines the cognitive and motor demands involved in PA and the rationale for systematically studying these qualitative aspects of PA, (2) identify methods to assess the cognitive and motor demands of PA and address associated methodological issues, and (3) offer potential future directions for research on the cognitive and motor aspects of PA in support of the development of PA programs designed to maximize PA-induced cognitive and affective benefits. We anticipate this article to inform the need for future research and development on this topic, aiming to create clear, evidence-based guidelines for designing innovative and effective PA interventions.