Protective Role of Recent and Past Long-Term Physical Activity on Age-Related Cognitive Decline: The Moderating Effect of Sex.

This study aimed to investigate if the impact of both recent and long-term physical activity on age-related cognitive decline would be modified by sex. One-hundred thirty-five men (N = 67) and women (N = 68) aged 18 to 80 years completed the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire and the Historical Leisure Activity Questionnaire. A composite score of cognitive functions was computed from five experimental tasks. Hierarchical regression analyses performed to test the moderating effect of recent physical activity on age-cognition relationship had not revealed significant result regardless of sex. Conversely, past long-term physical activity was found to slow down the age-related cognitive decline among women (ß = 0.22, p = .03), but not men. The findings support a lifecourse approach in identifying determinants of cognitive aging and the importance of taking into account the moderating role of sex. This article presented potential explanations for these moderators and future avenues to explore.

Joint Attention is Slowed in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: The automatic propensity to orient to the location where other people are looking is the main way of establishing joint attention with others. Whereas joint attention has been mostly investigated with young adults, the present study examines age-related differences in the magnitude and time course of joint attention. METHODS: Forty-three community-dwelling seniors and 43 younger adults performed a visuospatial task. The procedures closely follow those of gaze-cueing tasks commonly used to investigate joint attention. RESULTS: The findings revealed that a gaze-cueing effect occurs for both younger and older adults, with an equivalent average magnitude but with different time courses. The effect peaks later in older adults. CONCLUSION: Age-related differences in joint attention could be linked to a more general cognitive slowing rather than to poorer basic social skills. The present study adds to the growing interest in gerontological research regarding social attention.

On the perception of movement vigour.

It is common to get the impression that someone moves rather slowly or quickly in everyday life. In motor control, the natural pace of movement is captured by the concept of vigour, which is often quantified from the speed or duration of goal-directed actions. A common phenomenon, here referred to as the vigour law, is that preferred speed and duration idiosyncratically increase with the magnitude of the motion. According to the direct-matching hypothesis, this vigour law could thus underlie the judgement of someone else's movement vigour. We conducted a series of three experiments (N = 80) to test whether the vigour law also exists in perception and whether it is linked to that of action. In addition to measuring participants' vigour, we also asked them to judge the quickness of stimuli representing horizontal arm reaching movements varying through amplitudes, speeds, and durations. Results showed that speed and duration of movements perceived as neither fast nor slow (i.e., natural pace) increased with amplitude, thereby indicating that the vigour law holds when an observer judges the natural pace of others' movements. Results also revealed that this judgement was population-based (related to the average vigour of all participants) rather than individual-based (participant's own vigour).

Physical activity and combined hormonal contraception: association with female students' perception of menstrual symptoms.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between physical activity (PA) and combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) on female students' self perceptio of their menstrual cycle symptoms. Methods: Healthy French female students (n = 834) completed an online questionnaire to assess their PA level (Group 1: non-active; Group 2: moderate physical activity; Group 3: high physical activity; Group 4: very high physical activity), menstrual status or contraception use, self-reported diet and medication, impact on engagement in some social activities, and self-assessment of perceived mental and physical symptoms during the week prior to menses (PM) for students with a normal menstrual cycle (NMC), and the week of menses (ME) for normal menstrual cycle students and those using combined hormonal contraception. Results: Whatever the conditions (PM and ME, NMC and CHC), fewer self-perceived symptoms and self-reported alteration in fat intake were reported by the students in Group 4, and more analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication use was reported by Group 1. Fewer self-perceived symptoms were also found in CHC vs NMC female students for all physical activity levels, but in a more marked way when associated with very high physical activity. In addition, less university and sports practice absenteeism was observed with high and very high physical activity. Conclusion: In conclusion, the perception of menstrual cycle symptoms was lower with very high physical activity, as with combined hormonal contraception. Moreover, female students training more than 5 h/week also reported less university absenteeism and impairment in physical activities. Further studies are necessary to establish the causal link of physical activity and combined hormonal contraception on menstrual symptoms.

The Specificities of Elite Female Athletes: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

Female athletes have garnered considerable attention in the last few years as more and more women participate in sports events. However, despite the well-known repercussions of female sex hormones, few studies have investigated the specificities of elite female athletes. In this review, we present the current but still limited data on how normal menstrual phases, altered menstrual phases, and hormonal contraception affect both physical and cognitive performances in these elite athletes. To examine the implicated mechanisms, as well as the potential performances and health risks in this population, we then take a broader multidisciplinary approach and report on the causal/reciprocal relationships between hormonal status and mental and physical health in young (18-40 years) healthy females, both trained and untrained. We thus cover the research on both physiological and psychological variables, as well as on the Athlete Biological Passport used for anti-doping purposes. We consider the fairly frequent discrepancies and summarize the current knowledge in this new field of interest. Last, we conclude with some practical guidelines for eliciting improvements in physical and cognitive performance while minimizing the health risks for female athletes.

Short-term DHEA administration in recreational athletes: impact on food intake, segmental body composition and adipokines.

BACKGROUND: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration is potentially therapeutic because it has been shown to decrease fat mass and adipokines and improve eating and mood disturbances. However, its impact on these parameters has never been investigated in a young healthy population. This study therefore sought to determine whether short-term DHEA administration would alter food intake, segmental body composition, adipokine secretion and mood in young healthy male and female volunteers with regular sport practice. METHODS: Following a double-blind and randomized protocol, 20 young healthy recreational athletes (10 men and 10 women) received treatment with either oral placebo or DHEA (100 mg/day for 4 weeks). Body weight, segmental body composition and adipokines (i.e., leptin, adiponectin and resistin) were determined before and at the end of each treatment. In parallel, spontaneous food intake was assessed at the end of each treatment, and mood was assessed before and at the end of treatment with the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS). RESULTS: Body weight and segmental body composition showed no significant change in the men or women. Similarly, no change in adipokine secretion was found after DHEA administration. Total food intake was not affected by DHEA in any subject, despite an increase in fat intake by male subjects under DHEA (P<0.05). Positive and negative affect were not altered. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, in contrast to pathological populations, a young healthy population of men and women was not significantly affected by short-term DHEA administration with regard to total food intake, segmental body composition, adipokines or mood.

Vigour of self-paced reaching movement: cost of time and individual traits.

People usually move at a self-selected pace in everyday life. Yet, the principles underlying the formation of human movement vigour remain unclear, particularly in view of intriguing inter-individual variability. It has been hypothesized that how the brain values time may be the cornerstone of such differences, beyond biomechanics. Here, we focused on the vigour of self-paced reaching movement and assessed the stability of vigour via repeated measurements within participants. We used an optimal control methodology to identify a cost of time (CoT) function underlying each participant's vigour, considering a model of the biomechanical cost of movement. We then tested the extent to which anthropometric or psychological traits, namely boredom proneness and impulsivity, could account for a significant part of inter-individual variance in vigour and CoT parameters. Our findings show that the vigour of reaching is largely idiosyncratic and tend to corroborate a relation between the relative steepness of the identified CoT and boredom proneness, a psychological trait relevant to one's relationship with time in decision-making.

French validation of the modified-falls efficacy scale (M-FES Fr).

INTRODUCTION: Among the tools assessing fall related self-efficacy, the Modified-Falls Efficacy Scale (M-FES) seems to be a comprehensive and sensitive scale. However, no validated French version exists to this day. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to translate the M-FES and validate this French translation (M-FES Fr). METHOD: The validation steps used to translate and validate the M-FES Fr were i) forward - backward translation, ii) examination of the internal structure and reliability, iii) evaluation of the convergent validity. In this study, 310 French-speaking older adults (56 geriatric patients and 254 community-dwelling older adults) completed the M-FES Fr. Among the community-dwelling older adults, 67 fallers and 70 non-fallers were also asked to complete questionnaires related to variables such as health, fear of falling, and physical activity levels. RESULTS: A two-factor solution (indoor vs outdoor activities) was suggested, which accounted for 68.1% of the total variance. Reliability estimates for both factors were good (Cronbach α > 0.94, ICC > .93). Significant differences between geriatric patients and community-dwelling older adults and between fallers and non-fallers were highlighted. Furthermore, the M-FES Fr scores were significantly linked to various risk factors for falling. CONCLUSION: The M-FES Fr has psychometric properties which are similar to those found in the original version, including reliability and validity. This questionnaire will enable French-speaking researchers and health professionals to work with the same concepts as those used in other languages. Notably, the M-FES Fr could be used in the development and evaluation of intervention strategies in the prevention of falls.

Attachment and alcohol use amongst athletes: the mediating role of conscientiousness and alexithymia.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to explore the mediating effects of conscientiousness and alexithymia in the relationship between parental attachment style and alcohol use in a large sample of athletic young people. METHOD: Participants included 434 French sport sciences students. Alcohol use, parental attachment style, conscientiousness and alexithymia were assessed. The hypotheses were tested by using regression and bootstrapping mediation analyses. RESULTS: Maternal insecure attachment style is positively associated with alcohol use. The current study highlights a multiple pathway in this relationship. The results reveal the mediating effect of low conscientiousness and alexithymia between maternal insecure attachment and alcohol use. CONCLUSION: Athletes' alcohol use seems to be the result of a complex association of underlying psychological factors.

Mountaineering as affect regulation: the moderating role of self-regulation strategies.

We investigated the change in mountaineers' affect from pre- to post-mountain route and the moderating role of self-regulation strategies in this process. First, we hypothesized that engagement in a high-risk sport such as mountaineering would lead to a decrease in negative affect and an increase in positive affect and that this affect regulation would be moderated by self-regulation strategies (escape from self-awareness and compensation). Second, we predicted that the self-regulation affect process would be specifically associated with high-risk sport rather than sport generally. One hundred and five mountaineers and 73 judokas completed the Risk and Excitement Inventory and the Positive and Negative Emotions Scale before and after completing their activity (mountain route or judo fight). Regression analyses revealed that anxiety significantly decreased from pre- to post-mountain route and that the self-regulation of escape from awareness yielded a significantly greater anxiety decrease. No such interaction emerged for the compensation strategy and no effects were revealed for judokas. Results are discussed in terms of the specificity of the high-risk sport domain in its ability to serve an affect regulation function for those individuals who seek to escape from self-awareness.

Where's the emotion? How sport psychology can inform research on emotion in human factors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate how research on emotion in sport psychology might inform the field of human factors. BACKGROUND: Human factors historically has paid little attention to the role of emotion within the research on human-system relations. The theories, methods, and practices related to research on emotion within sport psychology might be informative for human factors because fundamentally, sport psychology and human factors are applied fields concerned with enhancing performance in complex, real-world domains. METHOD: Reviews of three areas of theory and research on emotion in sport psychology are presented, and the relevancy of each area for human factors is proposed: (a) emotional preparation and regulation for performance, (b) an emotional trait explanation for risk taking in sport, and (c) the link between emotion and motor behavior. Finally, there are suggestions for how to continue cross-talk between human factors and sport psychology about research on emotion and related topics in the future. RESULTS: The relevance of theory and research on emotion in sport psychology for human factors is demonstrated. CONCLUSION: The human factors field and, in particular, research on human-system relations may benefit from a consideration of theory and research on emotion in sport psychology. APPLICATION: Theories, methods, and practices from sport psychology might be applied usefully to human factors.

Who takes risks in high-risk sports? A typological personality approach.

We investigated the risk-taking behaviors of 302 men involved in high-risk sports (downhill skiing mountaineering rock climbing, paragliding, or skydiving). The sportsmen were classified using a typological approach to personality based on eight personality types, which were constructed from combinations of neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness. Results showed that personality types with a configuration of low conscientiousness combined with high extraversion and/or high neuroticism (impulsive, hedonistic, insecure) were greater risk-takers. Conversely, personality types with a configuration of high conscientiousness combined with low extraversion and/or high extraversion (skeptic, brooder, entrepreneur) were lower risk-takers. Results are discussed in the context of typology and other approaches to understanding who takes risks in high-risk domains.

Beyond sensation seeking: affect regulation as a framework for predicting risk-taking behaviors in high-risk sport.

Sensation seeking has been widely studied when investigating individual differences in the propensity for taking risks. However, risk taking can serve many different goals beyond the simple management of physiological arousal. The present study is an investigation of affect self-regulation as a predictor of risk-taking behaviors in high-risk sport. Risk-taking behaviors, negative affectivity, escape self-awareness strategy, and sensation seeking data were obtained from 265 high-risk sportsmen. Moderated hierarchical regression analysis revealed significant main and interaction effects of negative affectivity and escape self-awareness strategy in predicting risk-taking behaviors: high-risk sportsmen's negative affectivity leads them to adopt risk-taking behaviors only if they also use escape self-awareness strategy. Furthermore, the affective model remained significant when controlling for sensation seeking. The present study contributes to an in-depth understanding of risk taking in high-risk sport.

Social cognitive determinants of the intention to wear safety gear among adult in-line skaters.

INTRODUCTION: In-line skating is increasing in popularity with a concomitant raise in the number of injuries associated with this activity. Studies have emphasized the value of protective gears in reducing the incidence of injuries and the subsequent need to identify the factors and processes involved in decision making about safety gear-wearing. The present study examined the contribution of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) variables, and perceived susceptibility to and perceived severity of skating injury on the safety gear-wearing intention of adult skaters. METHODS: Skaters (n=181) completed a questionnaire assessing the constructs of the TPB, perceived susceptibility to and perceived severity of skating injuries, and intention to wear safety gear. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant contributions of instrumental attitude and subjective norm to the prediction of safety gear-wearing intention. In addition, perceived susceptibility to and perceived severity of injuries enhanced the prediction of intentions to wear safety gear over and above the contribution of TPB components. CONCLUSION: As the TPB focuses only on behavioural evaluation, it seems promising to include threat perceptions in this theory as another aspect of health-related cognitions motivating intention formation about safety gear use. Practical implications for future campaigns and countermeasures are discussed.