Can older "at risk" adults benefit from psychoeducation targeting healthy brain aging?

BACKGROUND: Multifactorial strategies that prevent or delay the onset or progress of cognitive decline and dementia are needed, and should include education regarding recognized risk factors. The current study sought to investigate whether older adults "at risk" of cognitive decline benefit from psychoeducation targeting healthy brain aging. METHODS: 65 participants (mean age 64.8 years, SD 9.6) with a lifetime history of major depression; vascular risk as evidenced by at least one vascular risk factor; and/or subjective or objective memory impairment were allocated to weekly psychoeducation sessions or a waitlist control group. The small group sessions were conducted over ten weeks by a team of medical and allied health professionals with expertise in late-life depression and cognition. Sessions focused on modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline including vascular risk, diet, exercise, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance, as well as providing practical strategies for memory and cognition. Both the psychoeducation and waitlist group completed a 20-item knowledge test at baseline and follow-up. Participants in the psychoeducation group were asked to complete follow-up self-report satisfaction questionnaires. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant interaction effect depicting improvements in knowledge associated with psychoeducation, corresponding to an improvement of 15% from baseline. Satisfaction data additionally showed that 92.3% of participants rated the program as "good" to "excellent", and over 90% suggested they would recommend it to others. CONCLUSIONS: A group-based psychoeducation program targeting healthy brain aging is effective in improving knowledge. Additionally, it is acceptable and rated highly by participants.

Corticosteroid phobia and other confounders in the treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis explored using parent focus groups.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Anxieties associated with corticosteroid treatment and preference for 'safer natural therapy' are common in parents of children with atopic dermatitis. We used focus groups to explore the source of these attitudes. METHODS: The study involved 16 parents. Parents expressed difficulties with living with and treating atopic dermatitis which were categorized into themes using qualitative data analysis software. RESULTS: Themes identified include: emotional impact of atopic dermatitis; difficulty in accepting 'control' verses 'cure'; topical corticosteroid negative perceptions; anxiety and confusion with treatment; preference for 'natural' therapy; and attitude-changing positive experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings illustrate the emotional impact of atopic dermatitis and the frustration with the lack of potential cure. 'Corticosteroid phobia' was universal among parents in our cohort and is a fear generated by doctors, pharmacists, close acquaintances and information from the internet. Participants expressed high levels of parental guilt linked to a desire for an eradicable 'cause' for atopic dermatitis, despite intellectually understanding this is a genetically determined condition. Parents were willing to change attitudes with accurate information from perceived reliable sources, positive hospitalization experiences and a relationship with a trusted dermatologist. Parents' suggestions to improve confidence included the provision of readily available information and better access to doctor- and nurse-led paediatric dermatology services.

Taking the feeling out of emotional memories - a study of hypnotic emotional numbing: a brief communication.

This study investigated the influence of hypnotic emotional inhibition on emotional response to and recall of emotional features of autobiographical memories. Twenty-nine high hypnotizable participants were administered a hypnotic induction and either emotional suppression or control instructions and then were asked to recall a personal distressing or neutral autobiographical memory. Dependent variables included self-reported emotion, EMG corrugator muscle activity, and use of affective descriptors in autobiographical memories. Participants in the suppression condition displayed less emotional responsivity on self-report and EMG corrugator muscle activity than other participants during recall of the distressing memory. In contrast, emotional suppression did not influence the use of affective descriptors in the content of personal memories. These findings point to the capacity for hypnotic emotional inhibition to differentially influence affective and semantic components of the emotional response.