Preterm birth and early life environmental factors: neuropsychological profiles at adolescence and young adulthood.

OBJECTIVES: To establish neuropsychological profiles after high- and low-risk preterm birth (i.e., with and without neonatal brain injury) during adolescence and young adulthood and to assess the potential role of early life environmental factors in cognition. STUDY DESIGN: Participants (N = 177; Mage = 20.11 years) of both sexes were evaluated when adolescent or in young adulthood. They were grouped according to their birth status: 30 high-risk preterm, 83 low-risk preterm and 64 born at full term. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in several cognitive domains between groups. Furthermore, familial socioeconomic status (SES) moderated the relation between the degree of maturity/immaturity at birth and cognition (F(5,171) = 11.94, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.26). DISCUSSION: The findings showed different neuropsychological profiles during adolescence and young adulthood, with the high-risk preterm sample evidencing lower cognitive values. In addition, higher scores in the familial SES score in this study seem to have a protective effect on cognition.

Analyzing structural and functional brain changes related to an integrative cognitive remediation program for schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial.

Cognitive remediation has been shown to improve cognition in schizophrenia, but little is known about the specific functional and structural brain changes related to the implementation of an integrative cognitive remediation program. This study analyzed the functional and structural brain changes identified after implementing an integrative cognitive remediation program, REHACOP, in schizophrenia. The program combined cognitive remediation, social cognitive training, and functional and social skills training. The sample included 59 patients that were assigned to either the REHACOP group or an active control group for 20 weeks. In addition to a clinical and neuropsychological assessment, T1-weighted, diffusion-weighted and functional magnetic resonance images were acquired during a resting-state and during a memory paradigm, both at baseline and follow-up. Voxel-based morphometry, tract-based spatial statistics, resting-state functional connectivity, and brain activation analyses during the memory paradigm were performed. Brain changes were assessed with a 2 × 2 repeated-measure analysis of covariance for group x time interaction. Intragroup paired t-tests were also carried out. Repeated-measure analyses revealed improvements in cognition and functional outcome, but no significant brain changes associated with the integrative cognitive remediation program. Intragroup analyses showed greater gray matter volume and cortical thickness in right temporal regions at post-treatment in the REHACOP group. The absence of significant brain-level results associated with cognitive remediation may be partly due to the small sample size, which limited the statistical power of the study. Therefore, further research is needed to clarify whether the temporal lobe may be a key area involved in cognitive improvements following cognitive remediation.

Patient safety and its relationship with specific self-efficacy, competence, and resilience among nursing students: A quantitative study.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a relevant subject in the nursing curriculum. Each university programs patient safety teaching and practical training differently. However, few studies have sought to explore the relationship between patient safety as perceived by nursing students and other important psychosocial competencies in the nursing curriculum, such as self-efficacy, competence, and resilience. OBJECTIVES: To analyze differential patient safety integration into three nursing education programs, and to assess agreement levels regarding patient safety climate, students' knowledge of patient safety and correlations with specific self-efficacy, competence and resilience. METHODS: Participants were 647 undergraduate students from three universities. Patient safety climate and knowledge of patient safety (good praxis) were measured using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture for nursing students, and other psychosocial variables were also analyzed using other instruments: specific self-efficacy, perceived competence and resilience. Nursing education programs and patient safety climate were analyzed using the Rwg(j) and ICC measures of inter-rater agreement across different academic levels. RESULTS: The ICC and Rwg indexes revealed high inter-rate agreement in all three universities. Differences were observed between Univ-2 and Univ-3 in patient safety climate scores and agreement values between academic levels. Differences in good praxis were found when academic levels were compared in Univ1-and Univ-2. Patient safety climate was found to correlate significantly with the psychosocial variables studied, but only in Univ-1. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived patient safety climate differs between universities and academic levels. This competency is related to self-efficacy, competence and resilience, which endorses the assessment of patient safety integration from a broader perspective.

Development, Application and Evaluation of an Active Learning Methodology for Health Science Students, Oriented towards Equity and Cultural Diversity in the Treatment and Care of Geriatric Patients.

The increased aging of populations and rises in immigration have prompted the design of new methodologies and instruments for fostering the invisible care of geriatric patients among health science students in accordance with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. A total of 656 psychology, nursing and dentistry students participated in this study, which had a pretest-posttest design and was implemented over the course of three academic years. The intervention groups received training using an active learning methodology based on a case study involving a geriatric patient; specifically, a Maghrebi woman. The control groups were not exposed to the case study. The CCI-U questionnaire was designed ad hoc to evaluate the acquisition of invisible competences for caring for geriatric patients in accordance with their age, sex, emotional situation and ethnic origin. The questionnaire had a reliability of α = 0.63 to 0.72 and its factor solution was found to have a good fit. Students in the intervention groups scored higher than those in the control groups, with the difference being statistically significant for ethnic origin in all three undergraduate courses and all three academic years. The proper application of this active learning methodology fosters the invisible care of geriatric patients among students in accordance with the 2030 Agenda.

Microstructural white matter abnormalities in Lesch-Nyhan disease.

Lesch-Nyhan disease is a rare, sex-linked, genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by hyperuricemia, dystonia, cognitive impairment and recurrent self-injury. We previously found reduced brain white matter volume in patients with Lesch-Nyhan disease compared with healthy adults using voxel-based morphometry. Here, we address the structural integrity of white matter via diffusion tensor imaging. We hypothesized that white matter integrity would be decreased in men with Lesch-Nyhan disease and to a lesser extent in men with a milder variant of the disease (Lesch-Nyhan variant) relative to healthy men. After acquiring diffusion-weighted brain images from Lesch-Nyhan disease (n = 5), Lesch-Nyhan variant (n = 6) and healthy participants (n = 10), we used both tract-based spatial statistics and a regions of interest approach to analyse between-group fractional anisotropy differences. We first replicated earlier findings of reduced intracranial, grey matter and white matter volumes in patients. We then discovered marked reductions of fractional anisotropy relative to the healthy control group. The Lesch-Nyhan disease group showed more pronounced reductions in white matter integrity than the Lesch-Nyhan variant group. In addition to whole brain fractional anisotropy group differences, reductions in white matter integrity were observed in the corpus callosum, corona radiata, cingulum, internal capsule and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Moreover, the variant group had attenuated dystonia severity symptoms and cognitive deficits. These findings highlight the need to better understand the role of white matter in Lesch-Nyhan disease.

Cognitive, creative, functional, and clinical symptom improvements in schizophrenia after an integrative cognitive remediation program: a randomized controlled trial.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of an integrative cognitive remediation program (REHACOP) in improving neurocognition, social cognition, creativity, functional outcome, and clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, possible mediators predicting improvement in functional outcomes were explored. The program combined cognitive remediation with social cognitive training and social and functional skill training over 20 weeks. The sample included 94 patients, 47 in the REHACOP group and 47 in the active control group (occupational activities). Significant differences were found between the two groups in change scores of processing speed, working memory, verbal memory (VM), inhibition, theory of mind, emotion processing (EP), figural creative strengths, functional competence, disorganization, excitement, and primary negative symptoms. A mediational analysis revealed that changes in VM, inhibition, and EP partially explained the effect of cognitive remediation on functional competence improvement. This study provides initial evidence of the effect of integrative cognitive remediation on primary negative symptoms and creativity.

Long-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcomes after Moderate and Late Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review and perform meta-analyses on the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of adults born moderate and late preterm (MLPT) in relation to cognitive functioning and psychiatric disorders. STUDY DESIGN: A search was conducted to identify any studies that involved prematurity in adulthood. From these studies, reports that included a group of MLPT adults and included description of cognitive and/or mental health domains (including specific long-term outcomes) were selected. RESULTS: In total, 155 publications were identified, but only 16 papers met the inclusion criteria. A small effect size (g = 0.38) was found in MLPT to demonstrate poorer intellectual performance compared with those born at term. Moreover, MLPT adults exhibited greater odds for any psychiatric (OR 1.14), substance use (OR 1.16), mood (OR 1.06), and psychotic disorders (OR 1.40). CONCLUSIONS: Despite inconsistency due to the methodologic differences between the selected studies, MLPT showed minor long-term effects into adulthood. However, more studies are needed, because prematurity seems to confer some vulnerability to biological and environmental factors that enhance susceptibility to adverse neurodevelopment outcomes.

Brain White Matter Correlates of Creativity in Schizophrenia: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.

The relationship between creativity and psychopathology has been a controversial research topic for decades. Specifically, it has been shown that people with schizophrenia have an impairment in creative performance. However, little is known about the brain correlates underlying this impairment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze whole brain white matter (WM) correlates of several creativity dimensions in people with schizophrenia. Fifty-five patients with schizophrenia underwent diffusion-weighted imaging on a 3T magnetic resonance imaging machine as well as a clinical and a creativity assessment, including verbal and figural creativity measures. Tract-based spatial statistic, implemented in FMRIB Software Library (FSL), was used to assess whole brain WM correlates with different creativity dimensions, controlling for sex, age, premorbid IQ, and medication. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) in frontal, temporal, subcortical, brain stem, and interhemispheric regions correlated positively with figural originality. The most significant clusters included the right corticospinal tract (cerebral peduncle part) and the right body of the corpus callosum. Verbal creativity did not show any significant correlation. As a whole, these findings suggest that widespread WM integrity is involved in creative performance of patients with schizophrenia. Many of these areas have also been related to creativity in healthy people. In addition, some of these regions have shown to be particularly impaired in schizophrenia, suggesting that these WM alterations could be underlying the worse creative performance found in this pathology.

Modelo predictivo de la funcionalidad en la esquizofrenia: una aproximación desde el modelado de ecuaciones estructurales / An outcome prediction model for schizophrenia: a structural equation modelling approach

Introducción: Aunque la relación de los síntomas y las funciones cognitivas con la funcionalidad de pacientes con esquizofrenia es bien conocida, la complejidad de la patología hace necesario el estudio de esta relación por medio de un método más analítico que los enfoques de relaciones simples. Material y métodos: Ciento sesenta y cinco pacientes con esquizofrenia se sometieron a una evaluación clínica (síntomas clínicos, insight, síntomas afectivos y ajuste premórbido). La neurocognición fue representada mediante una estructura de 5 factores obtenida por medio del análisis factorial confirmatorio. La funcionalidad se obtuvo mediante la escala DAS-WHO y la calidad de vida mediante la Escala de Calidad de Vida. Resultados: Utilizando el modelado de ecuaciones estructurales (MEE), específicamente el «measured-variable path analysis», el modelo de mediación formado por la capacidad neurocognitiva, los síntomas clínicos y el funcionamiento premórbido mostró un buen ajuste con los datos observados (Satorra-Bentler χ2=604,83; RMSEA=0,08; SRMR=0,11; NNFI=0,96; CFI=0,97). La velocidad de procesamiento, la memoria verbal y el funcionamiento premórbido predijeron directamente la funcionalidad. La fluidez verbal predijo la funcionalidad de manera directa e indirecta, a través de los síntomas negativos. Las funciones ejecutivas, el insight, los síntomas afectivos y los datos cognitivos adicionales no contribuyeron de manera significativa al modelo. Conclusiones: Los resultados indican que los síntomas negativos y el funcionamiento premórbido predicen directamente la funcionalidad, mientras que los factores cognitivos muestran interacciones más complejas con los síntomas negativos y la funcionalidad. Estos resultados deberían ser considerados para nuevas estrategias de intervención

Introduction: Although it is well-known that several factors such as symptoms and cognition are related with functional outcome in schizophrenia, the complex nature of the disorder makes necessary to study their interaction by means of a more analytic method than simple linkages approaches. Material and methods: One hundred and sixty-five patients with schizophrenia underwent a clinical evaluation (including clinical symptoms, insight, affective symptoms and premorbid adjustment). Neurocognition was represented by a 5-factor structure obtained by confirmatory factor analysis from a neurocognitive battery. The estimation for outcome was obtained throughout the DAS-WHO scale, and quality of life with the Quality of Life Scale. Results: Using structural equation modeling (SEM), specifically measured-variable path analysis, a mediational model consisting of neurocognitive capacity linked to clinical symptoms and premorbid functioning showed good fit to the observed data (Satorra-Bentler χ2=604.83; RMSEA=.08; SRMR=.11; NNFI=.96; CFI=.97). Processing speed, verbal memory and premorbid functioning directly predicted outcome. Verbal fluency predicted outcome both directly and indirectly via negative symptoms. Executive functions, insight, affective symptoms, and additional cognitive data did not significantly contribute to the model. Conclusions: Results suggest that negative symptoms and premorbid functioning directly predict outcome, whereas cognitive factors show more complex interactions with negative symptoms and outcome. These results should be considered for new intervention strategies

A Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Program for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatric and Neurological Conditions: A Review That Supports Its Efficacy.

Neuropsychological rehabilitation has been the focus of much scientific research over the past decades due to its efficacy in different pathologies. Advances in the neuropsychology field have led to improvements and changes in neuropsychological interventions, which in turn have given rise to different approaches and rehabilitation programs. REHACOP is an integrative neuropsychological rehabilitation program designed by specialist neuropsychologists. With an integrated bottom-up and top-down approach, REHACOP includes neurocognition, social cognition, and daily living tasks hierarchically organized on an increasing level of difficulty. Task arrangement is addressed to maximize improvements and transfer effects into participant's daily living. To date, REHACOP has been implemented on different clinical samples such as patients with schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson's disease (PD). This manuscript presents the efficacy data of REHACOP across these three populations and discusses it in the context of the available literature. Overall, the magnitude of improvements obtained by means of REHACOP ranged from medium to high across samples. These changes were not restricted to specific neurocognitive domains since participants attending the REHACOP program also showed changes in social cognition and daily functioning variables by means of both direct and transfer effects. Results regarding REHACOP's efficacy in psychiatric and neurological conditions have contributed to expanding the existing evidence about the use of structured neuropsychological rehabilitation. In addition, the results obtained after its implementation highlighted the need and importance of designing and implementing integrative neuropsychological rehabilitation programs that are focused not only on cognition per se but also on participants' performance in daily living.

Equivalent short forms of the Situational Feature Recognition Test 2: Psychometric properties and analysis of interform equivalence and test-retest reliability.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain two equivalent short forms of the "Situational Feature Recognition Test, Version 2," a social perception test, and their psychometric properties. METHODS: Patients with schizophrenia (n = 101) were assessed at two different times. Statistical analyses were performed as follows: (1) Cronbach's alpha was used to assess reliability; (2) Spearman correlations, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and a 2 (form) × 2 (time) repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyse interform equivalence; (3) Sensitivity to change was studied by a 2 (group) × 2 (time) repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance; (4) Spearman correlations were employed to assess test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and relationship with functionality and symptoms. RESULTS: The short forms showed good internal consistency at both times. Significant and moderate correlation between forms was found along with no statistically significant form x time interaction. Hits and false positives of both forms were moderately correlated at both times. Group x time interaction was significant especially for hits when assessing sensitivity to change. Both forms were significantly correlated with other social cognition domains and with functionality. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study support the use of short forms of the Situational Feature Recognition Test, Version 2 especially in clinical trials and longitudinal studies among patients with schizophrenia.

An outcome prediction model for schizophrenia: A structural equation modelling approach. / Modelo predictivo de la funcionalidad en la esquizofrenia: una aproximación desde el modelado de ecuaciones estructurales.

INTRODUCTION: Although it is well-known that several factors such as symptoms and cognition are related with functional outcome in schizophrenia, the complex nature of the disorder makes necessary to study their interaction by means of a more analytic method than simple linkages approaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty-five patients with schizophrenia underwent a clinical evaluation (including clinical symptoms, insight, affective symptoms and premorbid adjustment). Neurocognition was represented by a 5-factor structure obtained by confirmatory factor analysis from a neurocognitive battery. The estimation for outcome was obtained throughout the DAS-WHO scale, and quality of life with the Quality of Life Scale. RESULTS: Using structural equation modeling (SEM), specifically measured-variable path analysis, a mediational model consisting of neurocognitive capacity linked to clinical symptoms and premorbid functioning showed good fit to the observed data (Satorra-Bentler χ2=604.83; RMSEA=.08; SRMR=.11; NNFI=.96; CFI=.97). Processing speed, verbal memory and premorbid functioning directly predicted outcome. Verbal fluency predicted outcome both directly and indirectly via negative symptoms. Executive functions, insight, affective symptoms, and additional cognitive data did not significantly contribute to the model. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that negative symptoms and premorbid functioning directly predict outcome, whereas cognitive factors show more complex interactions with negative symptoms and outcome. These results should be considered for new intervention strategies.

Altered frontal white matter asymmetry and its implications for cognition in schizophrenia: A tractography study.

BACKGROUND: White matter (WM) alterations are well documented in schizophrenia. Abnormalities in interhemispheric fibers appear to account for altered WM asymmetry in the illness. However, the regional specificity (e.g., frontal versus occipital) of these alterations and their potential contribution to cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia remain unknown. METHODS: Forty one patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy controls (HC) underwent diffusion-weighted imaging on a 3 Tesla MRI machine. Tract-based spatial statistic (FSL) was used to assess whole brain differences in WM. Probabilistic tractography was performed in order to separately measure frontal and occipital WM tracts. Participants also completed tests of verbal memory and processing speed. Repeated measures analyses of covariance and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: A significant group x cerebral hemisphere interaction was found for fractional anisotropy (FA) (F(1,17) = 7.03; p = .017; ηp2 = 0.29) and radial diffusivity (RD) (F(1,17) = 4.84; p = .042; ηp2 = 0.22) in the frontal tract of patients versus HC. Healthy controls showed higher mean FA and lower mean RD in the left frontal tract compared to patients, who showed the opposite pattern. In patients with schizophrenia, mean FA and RD in the right frontal tract correlated with verbal memory (r = -0.68, p = .046; r = 0.77, p = .015). CONCLUSIONS: Asymmetric WM alterations were found in a frontal tract of patients with schizophrenia. Higher mean FA in the right frontal tract correlated with worse verbal memory performance, suggesting a possible contribution these brain changes to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

Spanish adaptation and validation of the situational feature recognition test 2 (SFRT-2) in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

The main purpose of the present study was to adapt and validate the social perception measure "Situational Feature Recognition Test 2″ (SFRT-2) in Spanish psychiatric and non-psychiatric population. One hundred and one patients with schizophrenia and 100 healthy controls (HC) were assessed. Test's reliability was studied by Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Concurrent validity was assessed using Spearman's correlations. Discriminant validity was studied by comparing schizophrenia and HC groups by means of the ROC curve analysis. Internal consistency indexes of the test ranged from alpha = 0.66 to alpha = 0.90 in both groups. The SFRT-2 scores correlated with scores obtained in other social cognition measures such as Theory of Mind. The ROC curve analysis showed that the composite score including both actions and goals scores of the SFRT-2 discriminate well between patients and HC (AUC = 0.81). The Spanish adaptation and validation of the SFRT-2 showed good psychometric properties in both patients with schizophrenia and HC. To our knowledge, this is the first adaptation and validation of an existing social perception measure in native Spanish-speaking patients with schizophrenia. Results further support the use of the SFRT-2 as social perception measure in clinical practice and research.

Integrative group-based cognitive rehabilitation efficacy in multiple sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of the integrative group-based cognitive rehabilitation programme, REHACOP, on improving cognitive functions in multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Fourty-two MS patients were randomized to the treatment programme REHACOP (n = 21) or waiting list control condition (n = 21). The REHACOP group received cognitive rehabilitation in group format for three months focused on attention, processing speed, learning and memory, language, executive functioning, and social cognition. Patients completed a neuropsychological assessment at baseline and follow-up, which included tests of attention, processing speed, working memory, verbal memory, verbal fluency, and executive functioning. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to determine the efficacy of the cognitive rehabilitation programme. RESULTS: Group × Time interactions revealed significant improvements in the REHACOP group as compared with the control group for processing speed (p = 0.011, np2 = 0.16), working memory (p = 0.014, np2 = 0.15), verbal memory (p = 0.025, np2 = 0.13), and executive functioning (p = 0.024, np2 = 0.13), showing medium-large effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving REHACOP showed improvements in several cognitive domains. This preliminary study thus provides evidence supporting the efficacy of this integrative group-based cognitive rehabilitation intervention in MS. Future research should confirm these findings, examine the impact of the treatment on everyday life functioning and explore the presence of brain changes associated with cognitive rehabilitation. Implications for rehabilitation This study provides initial evidence for integrative group-based cognitive rehabilitation efficacy in MS patients through the implementation of the REHACOP cognitive rehabilitation programme. Patients received cognitive rehabilitation for three months (3 one-hour-sessions per week) focused on training attention, learning and memory, language, executive functioning, and social cognition. Patients attending REHACOP sessions showed medium to large and statistically significant improvements in processing speed, working memory, verbal memory, and executive functioning.

The influence of posterior visual pathway damage on visual information processing speed in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The injury of visual pathway and abnormalities of visual processing speed (VPS) are frequent in MS, but their association remains unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of posterior visual pathway structural and functional integrity on VPS of MS patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 30 MS patients and 28 controls, evaluating the association of a VPS tests composite (Salthouse Perceptual Comparison test, Trail Making Test A and Symbol Digit Modalities Test) with 3T MRI visual cortex thickness, optic radiations (OR) diffusion tensor imaging indexes, and medial visual component (MVC) functional connectivity (FC) (MVC-MVC FC (iFC) and MVC-brain FC (eFC)) by linear regression, removing the effect of premorbid IQ, fatigue, and depression. RESULTS: V2 atrophy, lower OR fractional anisotropy (FA) and MVC FC significantly influenced VPS in MS (at none or lesser extent in controls), even after removing the effect of Expanded Disability Status Scale and previous optic neuritis (V2 ( r2 = 0.210): ß = +0.366, p = 0.046; OR FA ( r2 = 0.243): ß = +0.378, p = 0.034; MVC iFC, for example, left cuneus ( r2 = 0.450): ß = -0.613, p < 0.001; MVC eFC, for example, right precuneus-postcentral gyrus ( r2 = 0.368): ß = -0.466, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Posterior visual pathway integrity, structural (V2 thickness and OR FA) and functional (MVC FC), may explain respectively up to 24% and 45% of VPS variability in MS.