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1.
Appetite ; 203: 107684, 2024 Sep 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39306043

ABSTRACT

It is increasingly apparent that we require a substantial reduction in animal production and consumption for the sake of the environment and public health. In this paper, we conducted a systematic review to explore the policy levers available for governments to reduce animal farming and the consumption of meat. The policy levers generated by the review are categorised by four main types of interventions: Financial measures, Command- and-control, Informational, and Behavioural. First, we explore four financial measures: taxes on meat is the most-studied intervention, and the least publicly accepted in polling, sometimes being implemented indirectly via measures such as carbon taxes or rescinding VAT exemptions; subsidies for animal product alternatives are considered as a more publicly acceptable alternative approach, and would reduce long-term demand for meat by making alternatives more competitive; agricultural carbon trading schemes are discussed, and may represent a politically feasible way to hold livestock producers accountable for negative externalities; and buyouts of animal farms can be an impactful way to compensate producers to leave the industry, but must be done with care to avoid unintended social and market consequences. Second, we explore two command-and-control measures: regulating animal production with standards such as animal welfare requirements and health and safety rights for agricultural workers is amongst the most well-supported policies, and is an impactful way to ensure minimum standards of production are met; however, restrictions on animal consumption, such as meat-free days in public catering, are less publicly accepted. Third, we discuss three informational measures: food product labels, such as animal welfare or environmental impact labels, fulfil consumers' expectations to have this information, and although there is limited evidence that they impact consumer behaviour directly, such labels may nonetheless incentivise producers to competitively improve; likewise, national dietary guidelines appear to have little direct impact on food choices, but can impact other institutions such as schools and medical institutions; policies on information campaigns can help or hurt meat reduction efforts, with some jurisdictions prohibiting meat advertisements, while others spend millions on campaigns to promote meat consumption. Fourth, we explore a range of behavioural measures which could be implemented in public catering settings and/or incentivised in food service, including presentation and positioning of meat- and plant-based dishes, and altering the food options on offer - we find that adding more high-quality plant-based options to menus and presenting these options as the default wherever the format allows are highly impactful and tractable behavioural policies that could reduce meat consumption. Informational and behavioural measures can complement traditional fiscal and command-and-control measures to reduce animal production and consumption. We discuss the implications for researchers and policymakers.

2.
Neurol Clin ; 42(4): 959-979, 2024 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39343487

ABSTRACT

Cognition is influenced by a host of factors, including the patient's medical, psychiatric, and developmental history; sociocultural and demographic factors; modifiable behavioral factors; and structural and social determinants of health. Neuropsychological approaches include interpreting test data in the context of these factors to classify impairment and derive a cognitive diagnosis accurately. Failure to integrate an individual's sociodemographic, sociocultural, and developmental background can result in diagnostic errors, which have critical clinical implications for patient care.


Subject(s)
Neuropsychological Tests , Humans , Cultural Diversity
3.
Clin Neuropsychol ; : 1-16, 2024 Aug 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39158158

ABSTRACT

Objective: Latino adults are at increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and have lower rates of health insurance (HI) coverage. Although inadequate HI coverage and MetS have been independently linked to poor cognition, their potential interactive effects have not yet been examined. The present study explored whether HI moderated the association between MetS and cognition. We hypothesized that Latinos with MetS that did not have HI would demonstrate poorer cognition than those with HI, whereas there would be minimal differences in cognition across HI status in those without MetS. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 805 Latino older adults enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities was utilized. Analysis of covariance adjusting for sociodemographics examined MetS x HI interactions on memory and attention/executive functions composites. Results: Results revealed a significant MetS x HI interaction on memory (F = 4.33, p = 0.037, ηp2 = .01); Latino adults with MetS and no HI coverage had worse memory performance than those with MetS who had HI coverage (p = 0.022, ηp2 = .01), whereas there was no significant difference in memory between HI coverage groups in those without MetS (p > .05, ηp2 = .002). No MetS x HI interaction was observed for the attention/executive functions composite (F = 0.29, p = 0.588, ηp2 < .001). Conclusion: Latino older adults with MetS that do not have HI coverage may be at risk for poorer memory outcomes. Increasing the accessibility of HI coverage may help reduce cognitive health disparities in Latino older adults with vascular health comorbidities.

4.
Aging Ment Health ; : 1-9, 2024 Aug 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39118434

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are independent risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, but the association of their interaction on AD biomarkers have yet to be characterized. This study aimed to examine the impact of PTSD on the association between SCD and tau and amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) as well as global cognition in older Veterans. METHOD: This study included 87 Vietnam-Era Veterans without dementia (42 with PTSD; 45 without PTSD) from the Department of Defense-Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. All participants had both tau and amyloid PET imaging as well as cognitive testing. SCD was measured using the Everyday Cognition questionnaire. RESULTS: While SCD was associated with tau PET, amyloid PET, and global cognition, PTSD moderated these associations for tau and amyloid PET levels. Specifically, Veterans without PTSD had a stronger positive relationship between SCD and AD biomarkers when compared to those with PTSD. CONCLUSION: Higher SCD was associated with greater tau and amyloid burden and worse cognitive performance across the sample, though the tau and amyloid associations were stronger for Veterans without PTSD. Results highlight the potential benefit of comprehensive clinical assessments including consideration of mental health among older Veterans with SCD to understand the underlying cause of the cognitive concerns. Additionally, more work is needed to understand alternative mechanisms driving SCD in older Veterans with PTSD.

5.
J Appl Gerontol ; : 7334648241257995, 2024 Jun 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38835249

ABSTRACT

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is protective against cardiovascular disease. Exercise can increase HDL concentration, and some evidence suggests that this effect occurs more strongly in women than in men. Both HDL and exercise are associated with inflammation. We hypothesized a sex-by-exercise interaction on HDL level, whereby women would benefit from exercise more strongly than men, and tumor necrosis factor alpha and serum soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-2 would mediate this relationship. This study included 2,957 older adult participants (1,520 women; 41% Black, 59% White; 73.6-years-old) from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study. Regression models revealed a positive exercise-HDL relationship in women only (sex-by-exercise interaction: ß = 0.09, p = .013; exercise on HDL in women: ß = 0.07, p = .015), mediated by TNFα (axb = 0.15; CI: 0.01, 0.30), suggesting that exercise may increase HDL levels in women through reduced inflammation. Given that vascular risk contributes to Alzheimer's disease risk, findings have implications for sex differences in AD risk factors.

6.
Brain Imaging Behav ; 2024 Jun 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38850388

ABSTRACT

Age and depression may interact to produce a "double jeopardy" for cognitive impairment, and executive functioning, in cognitively unimpaired aging. Few studies have considered middle age or the ethnoracial diversity of subjects, despite evidence of more severe cognitive outcomes in historically minoritized people. In this pilot study, we investigated the impact of age on depression-related cognitive impairment and the underlying brain volumes in middle-aged non-Hispanic White adults (116), and Hispanic and Black adults (60), with a total number of 176 adults. The result shows a significant interaction between age and depression for executive functioning, specifically for middle-aged Hispanic and Black adults, but not non-Hispanic White adults. Prefrontal cortex volumes, which were reduced in the Black and Hispanic compared to the non-Hispanic White adults, partially mediated the relationship between depression level and executive functioning, across age and ethnoracial group. Collectively, these results suggest that the negative impact of depression on executive functioning and Prefrontal cortex volumes integrity may be exacerbated by age and that historically minoritized people may be particularly sensitive to this double jeopardy.

7.
J Alzheimers Dis ; 99(1): 417-427, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38669550

ABSTRACT

Background: Within older Veterans, multiple factors may contribute to cognitive difficulties. Beyond Alzheimer's disease (AD), psychiatric (e.g., PTSD) and health comorbidities (e.g., TBI) may also impact cognition. Objective: This study aimed to derive subgroups based on objective cognition, subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and amyloid burden, and then compare subgroups on clinical characteristics, biomarkers, and longitudinal change in functioning and global cognition. Methods: Cluster analysis of neuropsychological measures, SCD, and amyloid PET was conducted on 228 predominately male Vietnam-Era Veterans from the Department of Defense-Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Cluster-derived subgroups were compared on baseline characteristics as well as 1-year changes in everyday functioning and global cognition. Results: The cluster analysis identified 3 groups. Group 1 (n = 128) had average-to-above average cognition with low amyloid burden. Group 2 (n = 72) had the lowest memory and language, highest SCD, and average amyloid burden; they also had the most severe PTSD, pain, and worst sleep quality. Group 3 (n = 28) had the lowest attention/executive functioning, slightly low memory and language, elevated amyloid and the worst AD biomarkers, and the fastest rate of everyday functioning and cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric and health factors likely contributed to Group 2's low memory and language performance. Group 3 was most consistent with biological AD, yet attention/executive function was the lowest score. The complexity of older Veterans' co-morbid conditions may interact with AD pathology to show attention/executive dysfunction (rather than memory) as a prominent early symptom. These results could have important implications for the implementation of AD-modifying drugs in older Veterans.


Subject(s)
Amyloid beta-Peptides , Cognition , Cognitive Dysfunction , Neuropsychological Tests , Veterans , Humans , Male , Veterans/psychology , Aged , Female , Longitudinal Studies , Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism , Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism , Cognition/physiology , Positron-Emission Tomography , Phenotype , Cluster Analysis , Aged, 80 and over , Middle Aged
8.
RSC Chem Biol ; 5(3): 167-188, 2024 Mar 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38456038

ABSTRACT

In structural terms, the sialic acids are a large family of nine carbon sugars based around an alpha-keto acid core. They are widely spread in nature, where they are often found to be involved in molecular recognition processes, including in development, immunology, health and disease. The prominence of sialic acids in infection is a result of their exposure at the non-reducing terminus of glycans in diverse glycolipids and glycoproteins. Herein, we survey representative aspects of sialic acid structure, recognition and exploitation in relation to infectious diseases, their diagnosis and prevention or treatment. Examples covered span influenza virus and Covid-19, Leishmania and Trypanosoma, algal viruses, Campylobacter, Streptococci and Helicobacter, and commensal Ruminococci.

9.
Cereb Circ Cogn Behav ; 6: 100206, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38328026

ABSTRACT

This study assessed whether the effect of vascular risk on cerebral blood flow (CBF) varies by gene dose of apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4 alleles. 144 older adults without dementia from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative underwent arterial spin labeling and T1-weighted MRI, APOE genotyping, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), lumbar puncture, and blood pressure (BP) assessment. Vascular risk was assessed using pulse pressure (systolic BP - diastolic BP). CBF was examined in six AD-vulnerable regions: entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, inferior temporal cortex, inferior parietal cortex, rostral middle frontal gyrus, and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Linear regressions tested the interaction between APOE ε4 dose and pulse pressure on CBF in each region, adjusting for age, sex, cognitive classification, antihypertensive medication use, FDG-PET, reference CBF region, and AD biomarker positivity. There was a significant interaction between pulse pressure and APOE ɛ4 dose on CBF in the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and inferior parietal cortex, such that higher pulse pressure was associated with lower CBF only among ε4 homozygous participants. These findings demonstrate that the association between pulse pressure and regional CBF differs by APOE ε4 dose, suggesting that targeting modifiable vascular risk factors may be particularly important for those genetically at risk for AD.

10.
Alzheimers Dement ; 20(2): 1360-1373, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37990803

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Identification of psychosocial-behavioral phenotypes to understand within-group heterogeneity in risk and resiliency to Alzheimer's disease (AD) within Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino older adults is essential for the implementation of precision health approaches. METHODS: A cluster analysis was performed on baseline measures of socioeconomic resources (annual income, social support, occupational complexity) and psychiatric distress (chronic stress, depression, anxiety) for 1220 racially/ethnically minoritized adults enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities (HABS-HD). Analyses of covariance adjusting for sociodemographic factors examined phenotype differences in cognition and plasma AD biomarkers. RESULTS: The cluster analysis identified (1) Low Resource/High Distress (n = 256); (2) High Resource/Low Distress (n = 485); and (3) Low Resource/Low Distress (n = 479) phenotypes. The Low Resource/High Distress phenotype displayed poorer cognition and higher plasma neurofilament light chain; differences between the High Resource/Low Distress and Low Resource/Low Distress phenotypes were minimal. DISCUSSION: The identification of psychosocial-behavioral phenotypes within racially/ethnically minoritized older adults is crucial to the development of targeted AD prevention and intervention efforts.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Black or African American , Hispanic or Latino , Aged , Humans , Biomarkers , Cognition , Phenotype
11.
Res Sq ; 2023 Nov 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38045357

ABSTRACT

Age and depression may interact to produce a "double jeopardy" for cognitive impairment, and executive functioning, in cognitively unimpaired aging. Few studies have considered middle age or the ethnoracial diversity of subjects, despite evidence of more severe cognitive outcomes in historically minoritized people. In this pilot study, we investigated the impact of age on depression-related cognitive impairment and the underlying brain volumes in middle-aged non-Hispanic White adults (116), and Hispanic and Black adults (60), with a total number of 176 adults. The result shows a significant interaction between age and depression for executive functioning, specifically for middle-aged Hispanic and Black adults, but not non-Hispanic White adults. Prefrontal cortex volumes, which were reduced in the Black and Hispanic compared to the non-Hispanic White adults, partially mediated the relationship between depression level and executive functioning, across age and ethnoracial group. Collectively, these results suggest that the negative impact of depression on executive functioning and Prefrontal cortex volumes integrity may be exacerbated by age and that historically minoritized people may be particularly sensitive to this double jeopardy.

12.
Alzheimers Dement (Amst) ; 15(4): e12509, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38089652

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The effects of bilingualism on neuropsychological test performance in bilinguals with and without cognitive impairment are not well-understood and are relatively limited by small sample sizes of Latinos. METHODS: Using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), we explored patterns of cognitive performance and impairment across a large sample of community-dwelling bilingual and monolingual Latino older adults with (n = 180) and without (n = 643) mild cognitive impairment (MCI) enrolled in HABS-HD. RESULTS: Bilinguals demonstrated cognitive resiliency in the form of significantly better performance on the Trail Making Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test, observed across the cognitively unimpaired and MCI groups. In contrast, bilinguals demonstrated cognitive vulnerability in the form of significantly poorer performance and higher impairment rates on phonemic fluency in the MCI phase, only. Follow-up analyses revealed less balanced bilinguals demonstrated poorer performance and higher impairment rates on this measure, supported by lower levels of plasma Aß 42/40. DISCUSSION: Patterns of cognitive performance and impairment differ as a function of bilingualism. Bilingualism must be considered when evaluating cognitive and biomarker outcomes in Latino older adults. Highlights: Latino bilinguals perform better on measures of processing speed and coding.Latino bilinguals with MCI demonstrate cognitive vulnerability in verbal fluency.Less balanced bilinguals demonstrate greatest vulnerability anchored by Aß 42/40.

13.
Clin Nephrol ; 100(5): 216-223, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37675489

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic effects of immunosuppressive drugs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are being actively investigated. However, COVID-19's potential effects on serum calcineurin inhibitor levels have only been described recently. This study aimed to evaluate COVID-19's effect on tacrolimus levels in renal transplant recipients with moderate to severe symptoms and to assess their potential correlation with disease severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 50 kidney transplant recipients with moderate to severe COVID-19. Their tacrolimus trough level on admission was compared to baseline levels, and their laboratory measurements and clinical course were reviewed on days 1 (admission), 7, 14, and 28. RESULTS: We found that 90% of patients had admission tacrolimus trough levels above baseline, with a mean increase of 176%. In addition, 71% had tacrolimus trough levels ≥ 50% above baseline, and 40% had supra-therapeutic trough levels of > 15 ng/mL. Supra-therapeutic trough levels were associated with greater hypoxemic respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, and increased 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: Elevated tacrolimus levels occur in many renal transplant recipients with moderate to severe COVID-19 and are associated with worse clinical outcomes. Close drug monitoring is crucial to avoid toxicities and minimize over-immunosuppression complications.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Kidney Transplantation , Humans , Tacrolimus/therapeutic use , Retrospective Studies , Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , SARS-CoV-2 , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Patient Acuity , Transplant Recipients
14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37712765

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the moderating effect of traumatic brain injury (TBI) history on subjective and objective cognition across multiple cognitive domains. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND DESIGN: Participants included 242 Vietnam-era veterans with a history of no TBI (n = 86), mild TBI (n = 74), or moderate-to-severe TBI (n = 82) from the observational Department of Defense-Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (DoD-ADNI) study. MAIN MEASURES: Objective cognition was the outcome and was measured using neuropsychological measures in the domains of memory, attention/executive functioning, and language. Subjective cognition was measured using the memory, divided attention, and language subscales from the Everyday Cognition (ECog) measure. TBI severity status was the moderating variable. RESULTS: Veterans with a history of moderate-to-severe TBI had a stronger negative association between subjective and objective attention relative to participants without a TBI (P = .002). Although this association did not differ between mild TBI and no TBI history groups (P = .100), the association between subjective and objective attention for the mild TBI group was intermediate to the no TBI and moderate-to-severe TBI history groups. TBI status did not moderate associations between subjective and objective memory or language. CONCLUSION: Results highlight the importance of assessing subjective and objective cognition in older veterans and the relevance of attention in the context of TBI history. More work is needed to better understand the intersection of TBI and aging and how these factors may be used to guide individualized assessment and treatment approaches for older veterans.

15.
Psychosom Med ; 85(9): 805-812, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37594246

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Midlife obesity is a risk factor for dementia, whereas obesity in older age may be protective of cognition, a phenomenon known as the "obesity paradox." The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive function over time remain unclear. METHODS: In 1399 adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (median age 73.6 years) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, we modeled the effects of baseline BMI on within-person trajectories of cognitive decline using Latent Growth Curve Modeling. We also tested if the effects of BMI on cognitive decline are global or specific to memory, executive function, or language. RESULTS: Higher baseline BMI was associated with better memory ( ßBMI = 0.06, p < .05) and worse executive function ( ßBMI = -0.05, p < .05) and not associated with language. Independent of baseline diagnosis, higher baseline BMI was associated with slower rate of decline in executive function, memory, and language ( ßBMI = 0.13, 0.12, and 0.12, respectively; p < .01). Higher BMI was not associated with the intercept ( ßBMI = 0.04, p = .059) or change ( ßBMI = 0.04, p = .415) in a global cognitive factor. CONCLUSIONS: We found that higher baseline BMI was associated with slower cognitive decline in participants with and without mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. Higher BMI in this context seems to be protective of cognitive function for people at risk for dementia. Our findings also support domain-specific effects of obesity on various cognitive functions rather than a final common pathway.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cognitive Dysfunction , Adult , Humans , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Body Mass Index , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnostic imaging , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Cognition , Neuroimaging/adverse effects , Obesity/complications , Obesity/diagnostic imaging , Obesity/epidemiology , Neuropsychological Tests
16.
Cell ; 186(12): 2501-2505, 2023 06 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37295394

ABSTRACT

Juneteenth commemorates the freeing of the last large group of enslaved people in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War. We asked several Black scientists what Juneteenth means to them in the context of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM)? Their answers run the emotional gamut.


Subject(s)
Science , Humans , Technology , Engineering , Mathematics , Black People
17.
J Alzheimers Dis ; 94(2): 695-707, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37302031

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease are common, co-existing pathologies in older adults. Whether the effects of cerebrovascular disease and AD biomarkers on cognition are additive or synergistic remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume moderates the independent association between each AD biomarker and cognition. METHODS: In 586 older adults without dementia, linear regressions tested the interaction between amyloid-ß (Aß) positron emission tomography (PET) and WMH volume on cognition, independent of tau-PET. We also tested the interaction between tau-PET and WMH volume on cognition, independent of Aß-PET. RESULTS: Adjusting for tau-PET, the quadratic effect of WMH interacted with Aß-PET to impact memory. There was no interaction between either the linear or quadratic effect of WMH and Aß-PET on executive function. There was no interaction between WMH volume and tau-PET on either cognitive measure. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that cerebrovascular lesions act synergistically with Aß to affect memory, independent of tau, highlighting the importance of incorporating vascular pathology into biomarker assessment of AD.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cerebrovascular Disorders , Cognitive Dysfunction , White Matter , Humans , Aged , White Matter/pathology , tau Proteins/metabolism , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Alzheimer Disease/pathology , Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism , Positron-Emission Tomography , Cerebrovascular Disorders/complications , Amyloid , Biomarkers , Cognitive Dysfunction/pathology
18.
Clin Neuropsychol ; 37(8): 1745-1765, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36883430

ABSTRACT

Objective: Memory problems are frequently endorsed in Veterans following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but subjective complaints are poorly associated with objective memory performance. Few studies have examined associations between subjective memory complaints and brain morphometry. We investigated whether self-reported memory problems were associated with objective memory performance and cortical thickness in Veterans with a history of mTBI. Methods: 40 Veterans with a history of remote mTBI and 29 Veterans with no history of TBI completed the Prospective-Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), PTSD Checklist (PCL), California Verbal Learning Test-2nd edition (CVLT-II), and 3 T T1 structural magnetic resonance imaging. Cortical thickness was estimated in 14 a priori frontal and temporal regions. Multiple regressions adjusting for age and PCL scores examined associations between PRMQ, CVLT-II scores, and cortical thickness within each Veteran group. Results: Greater subjective memory complaints on the PRMQ were associated with lower cortical thickness in the right middle temporal gyrus (ß = 0.64, q = .004), right inferior temporal gyrus (ß = 0.56, q = .014), right rostral middle frontal gyrus (ß = 0.45, q = .046), and right rostral anterior cingulate gyrus (ß = 0.58, q = .014) in the mTBI group but not the control group (q's > .05). These associations remained significant after adjusting for CVLT-II learning. CVLT-II performance was not associated with PRMQ score or cortical thickness in either group. Conclusions: Subjective memory complaints were associated with lower cortical thickness in right frontal and temporal regions, but not with objective memory performance, in Veterans with histories of mTBI. Subjective complaints post-mTBI may indicate underlying brain morphometry independently of objective cognitive testing.

19.
Mov Disord Clin Pract ; 10(2): 213-222, 2023 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36825053

ABSTRACT

Background: Current conflict exists regarding the potential beneficial effects of dopamine medications on facial expressivity in Parkinson's disease. Via digital video analysis software, we previously found reduced facial movement (entropy) and slower time to reach peak entropy in individuals with Parkinson's disease compared to controls. Objectives: We aimed to determine whether levodopa medications improved parameters of dynamic facial expressions (amplitude, speed). Methods: A total of 34 individuals with idiopathic Parkinson's disease were videotaped making voluntary facial expressions (happy, fear, anger, disgust) when "on" and "off" levodopa. Participants were 52 to 80 years old, early to mid-stage disease, non-demented, and included more men (65%). Expressions were digitized and analyzed using software that extracted three variables: two indices of movement change (total entropy, percent entropy change) and time to reach peak expression. Results: Indices of facial movement (total entropy, peak entropy) and timing were significantly improved when patients were "on" vs "off" medication (all F's ≥ 3.00, P < 0.05). For total movement and time to reach peak entropy, levodopa-related improvements were emotion nonspecific. Levodopa-related improvement for peak entropy was driven primarily by happy expressions. There was no relationship between quantitative indices and clinical measures of mood (depression, anxiety) and motor disease severity. Conclusion: The effects of levodopa on Parkinson's disease voluntary facial movement and on timing were robust and consistent with those of levodopa on other intentional movements in Parkinson's disease. This improvement possibly occurred because of levodopa enhanced activation of face representation areas in fronto-cortical regions or because of less movement-based suppression.

20.
Arch Clin Neuropsychol ; 38(6): 929-943, 2023 Aug 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36702773

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore racial/ethnic differences in neurobehavioral symptom reporting and symptom validity testing among military veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHOD: Participants of this observational cross-sectional study (N = 9,646) were post-deployed Iraq-/Afghanistan-era veterans enrolled in the VA's Million Veteran Program with a clinician-confirmed history of TBI on the Comprehensive TBI Evaluation (CTBIE). Racial/ethnic groups included White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Multiracial, Another Race, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Dependent variables included neurobehavioral symptom domains and symptom validity assessed via the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and Validity-10, respectively. RESULTS: Chi-square analyses showed significant racial/ethnic group differences for vestibular, somatic/sensory, and affective symptoms as well as for all Validity-10 cutoff scores examined (≥33, ≥27, ≥26, >22, ≥22, ≥13, and ≥7). Follow-up analyses compared all racial/ethnic groups to one another, adjusting for sociodemographic- and injury-related characteristics. These analyses revealed that the affective symptom domain and the Validity-10 cutoff of ≥13 revealed the greatest number of racial/ethnic differences. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed significant racial/ethnic group differences on neurobehavioral symptom domains and symptom validity testing among veterans who completed the CTBIE. An enhanced understanding of how symptoms vary by race/ethnicity is vital so that clinical care can be appropriately tailored to the unique needs of all veterans. Results highlight the importance of establishing measurement invariance of the NSI across race/ethnicity and underscore the need for ongoing research to determine the most appropriate Validity-10 cutoff score(s) to use across racially/ethnically diverse veterans.


Subject(s)
Brain Injuries, Traumatic , Veterans , Humans , Veterans/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/complications , Ethnicity , Hispanic or Latino
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