Psychoeducation versus psychoeducation integrated with yoga for family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease: a randomized clinical trial.

We evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two psychoeducation programs on the burden and quality of life of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease: one of psychoeducation alone and the other integrated with yoga. Forty-nine participants were randomly allocated to two groups, 25 to the psychoeducation integrated with yoga group (G1) and 24 to the psychoeducation group (G2). The programs took place online through Google Meet and consisted of eight weekly meetings, lasting 30 min for psychoeducation and 30 min for yoga. Participants were evaluated by the Burden Interview Scale (BI-Zarit), Quality of Life Scale in Alzheimer's Disease-Caregiver Version (CQOL-AD), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Mindfulness and Awareness Scale (MAAS) and a satisfaction survey. Both groups showed reduced overload according to the BI-Zarit scale (F(1) = 4.435, p = 0.041, η2p = 0.086) and improvement in the domains of physical health (F(1) = 4.881, p = 0.032, η2p = 0.094), memory (F(1) = 4.192, p = 0.046, η2p = 0.082) and money (F(1) = 4.862, p = 0.032, η2p = 0.094) in the CQOL-AD. We detected a significantly higher improvement of G1 in memory (F(1) = 4.192, p = 0.046 η2p = 0.082), money (F(1) = 7.147, p = 0.010, η2p = 0.132) and friends (F(1) = 4.828, p = 0.033, η2p = 0.093). The G1 when compared to the G2 did not demonstrate significant effects of the BI-Zarit, in the total scores CQOL-AD, MAAS and DASS-21. The study showed that both psychoeducation alone and integrated with yoga reduced the burden of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease, and that the integration of online yoga practice with psychoeducation potentiated the improvement only in some aspects of the quality of life and subjective perception of burden reduction.Clinical trial registration https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/ , identifier RBR-794593r, retrospectively registered.

The use of functional near infrared spectroscopy and gait analysis to characterize cognitive and motor processing in early-stage patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Dual-task paradigms are a known tool to evaluate possible impairments in the motor and cognitive function in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A technique to evaluate the cortical function during movement is functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The evaluation of the MS course or its treatment by associating fNIRS with gait measurements may be flexible and low-cost; however, there are no feasibility studies in the literature using these combined techniques in early-stage patients with MS. Objective: To evaluate cortical hemodynamics using fNIRS and gait parameters in patients at early stages of MS and in healthy controls during a dual-task paradigm. Methods: Participants performed cognitive tasks while walking to simulate daily activities. Cortical activation maps and gait variability were used to evaluate differences between 19 healthy controls and 20 patients with MS. Results and conclusion: The results suggest an enhanced cortical activation in the motor planning areas already at the early stages of MS when compared to controls. We have also shown that a systematic analysis of the spatiotemporal gait variability parameters indicates differences in the patient population. The association of cortical and gait parameters may reveal possible compensatory mechanisms related to gait during dual tasking at the early stages of the disease.

Baseline emotional state influences on the response to animated short films: A randomized online experiment.

Introduction: Considering the relevance of the emotional state, it is necessary to understand how daily stimuli can modulate the emotions. Animated short films are common stimuli, but it is unknown how they can modulate the emotional state. The study aimed to evaluate: how participants' emotional state changed after watching animated short films with positive or negative emotional valence in an online experiment; the relationship between participants' baseline score on an Emotional Intensity Scale and their potential change in the main emotion after watching the films; and the association between the initial main emotion valence and the potential change in this emotion with participants' sociodemographic information. Methods: A sample of 2,269 participants recruited during COVID-19 pandemic were randomly assigned to either watch a negative or positive animated short film. Results: The results showed that, after watching a film with negative valence, participants were in a more negative emotional state than at baseline and compared with those who watched the film with positive valence. Also, individuals who had a negative baseline emotion and maintained the same emotion after the film had presented higher baseline emotional state scores (more negative emotion) than those who changed their emotions. In addition, the individuals who kept the baseline emotion had an association with age, marital status, level of education and psychiatric disorders, use of medication, and emotional awareness, while the individuals who changed the baseline emotion had an association with age, gender, and following or not social distancing recommendations. Conclusion: Baseline emotional state may influence the response to animated short films and sociodemographic characteristics are associated with the initial main emotion valence and its potential change in this emotion.

COVID-19 news valence effects on emotion and its modulation by a relaxation: A randomized online experiment during COVID-19 pandemic.

This study evaluated how news with positive and negative content about COVID-19, as well as a relaxation pause, affect the emotional state. We also investigated the association between emotional state and practicing meditation/yoga, physical activity or having a mental disease. For that, a sample of 717 participants, recruited through social media, were randomly assigned to listen to negative or positive news about COVID-19. After that, both groups were guided through a short relaxation pause. Their emotional state was measured before they listened to the audios and after each audio. Mixed linear models were used to evaluate the effects of news group, relaxation pause, mental health and well-being practices. Negative news worsened their emotional state, whereas positive news improved it. A brief relaxation pause improved the effects of negative news content and may mitigate the effects of this valence of information. Practicing physical activity, meditation/yoga was associated with better emotional responses.

Quantitative assessment of pilot-endured workloads during helicopter flying emergencies: an analysis of physiological parameters during an autorotation.

The procedures to be performed after sudden engine failure of a single-engine helicopter impose high workload on pilots. The maneuver to regain aircraft control and safe landing is called autorotation. The safety limits to conduct this maneuver are based on the aircraft height versus speed diagram, which is also known as "Dead Man's Curve". Flight-test pilots often use subjective methods to assess the difficulty to conduct maneuvers in the vicinity of this curve. We carried out an extensive flight test campaign to verify the feasibility of establishing quantitative physiological parameters to better assess the workload endured by pilots undergoing those piloting conditions. Eleven pilots were fully instrumented with sensors and had their physiological reactions collected during autorotation maneuvers. Our analyses suggested that physiological measurements (heart rate and electrodermal activity) can be successfully recorded and useful to capture the most effort-demanding effects during the maneuvers. Additionally, the helicopter's flight controls displacements were also recorded, as well as the pilots' subjective responses evaluated by the Handling Qualities Rate scale. Our results revealed that the degree of cognitive workload was associated with the helicopter's flight profile concerning the Height-Speed diagram and that the strain intensity showed a correlation with measurable physiological responses. Recording flight controls displacement and quantifying the pilot's subjective responses show themselves as natural effective candidates to evaluate the intensity of cognitive workload in such maneuvers.

Can news with positive or negative content affect and a relaxation pause improve the emotional state of health care professionals? A randomized online experiment during COVID-19 pandemic.

A cause of mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic is media exposure, which can impact health care professionals (HCPs) who must keep up to date with the statistics and procedures to fight the outbreak. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of listening to negative and positive news about COVID-19 pandemic and a relaxation pause audio. For that, we measured the emotional state through Likert items in a scale developed to assess how anxious, stressed, hopeful, conscious about emotions, irritated, despondent, joyful, optimistic, and preoccupied, he or she was feeling in the moment of evaluation. In an online experiment, an HCPs sample of 245 participants were randomly assigned to either listen to negative or positive news contents about COVID-19. After that, both groups were guided by a relaxation pause activity in which they paid attention to the body and breath. They were assessed before and after listening to each audio. After listening to negative news, participants entered in a more negative emotional state than at baseline (p < 0.001) and compared with participants who listened to positive news (p < 0.001). Both groups improved their emotional state after performing the proposed brief relaxation (p < 0.001). These results show the importance of HCPs being aware and controlling the content of consumed news. A brief relaxation practice can mitigate the negative effects of consuming information with negative content.

The Child Emotion Facial Expression Set: A Database for Emotion Recognition in Children.

Background: This study developed a photo and video database of 4-to-6-year-olds expressing the seven induced and posed universal emotions and a neutral expression. Children participated in photo and video sessions designed to elicit the emotions, and the resulting images were further assessed by independent judges in two rounds. Methods: In the first round, two independent judges (1 and 2), experts in the Facial Action Coding System, firstly analysed 3,668 emotions facial expressions stimuli from 132 children. Both judges reached 100% agreement regarding 1,985 stimuli (124 children), which were then selected for a second round of analysis between judges 3 and 4. Results: The result was 1,985 stimuli (51% of the photographs) were produced from 124 participants (55% girls). A Kappa index of 0.70 and an accuracy of 73% between experts were observed. Lower accuracy was found for emotional expression by 4-year-olds than 6-year-olds. Happiness, disgust and contempt had the highest agreement. After a sub-analysis evaluation of all four judges, 100% agreement was reached for 1,381 stimuli which compound the ChildEFES database with 124 participants (59% girls) and 51% induced photographs. The number of stimuli of each emotion were: 87 for neutrality, 363 for happiness, 170 for disgust, 104 for surprise, 152 for fear, 144 for sadness, 157 for anger 157, and 183 for contempt. Conclusions: The findings show that this photo and video database can facilitate research on the mechanisms involved in early childhood recognition of facial emotions in children, contributing to the understanding of facial emotion recognition deficits which characterise several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.

COVID-19 information exposure in digital media and implications for employees in the health care sector: findings from an online survey.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate coronavirus disease 2019-related information consumption and related implications for health care professionals (medical and nonmedical personnel) during the pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional on-line survey was distributed to employees of a major health care institution located in São Paulo, Brazil between April 3 and April 10, 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The sample comprised 2,646 respondents. Most participants (44.4%) reported excessive or almost excessive access to information about the novel coronavirus and 67.6% reported having increased their average time spent on social media. When asked how frequently they consider it was easy to determine the reliability of information, "sometimes" corresponded to 43.2% of the answers in contrast to 14.6% responding "always". Answers related to potential signs of information overload associated with the pandemic indicated that 31% of respondents felt stressed by the amount of information they had to keep up with almost every day or always. Overall, 80.0% of respondents reported having experienced at least one of the following symptoms: headache, eye twitching, restlessness or sleeping difficulty. The frequency of symptoms was higher among participants with a more negative information processing style regarding when dealing with large volumes of information relative to those with a positive information processing style. Likewise, symptoms were more frequently reported by participants who had increased their social media access relative to those reporting reduced access during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Our survey provides a description of how health professionals consume COVID-19 related information during the pandemic, and suggests that excessive information exposure and high processing demands may impose psychological distress and affect mental health.

A Critical Analysis on Characterizing the Meditation Experience Through the Electroencephalogram.

Meditation practices, originated from ancient traditions, have increasingly received attention due to their potential benefits to mental and physical health. The scientific community invests efforts into scrutinizing and quantifying the effects of these practices, especially on the brain. There are methodological challenges in describing the neural correlates of the subjective experience of meditation. We noticed, however, that technical considerations on signal processing also don't follow standardized approaches, which may hinder generalizations. Therefore, in this article, we discuss the usage of the electroencephalogram (EEG) as a tool to study meditation experiences in healthy individuals. We describe the main EEG signal processing techniques and how they have been translated to the meditation field until April 2020. Moreover, we examine in detail the limitations/assumptions of these techniques and highlight some good practices, further discussing how technical specifications may impact the interpretation of the outcomes. By shedding light on technical features, this article contributes to more rigorous approaches to evaluate the construct of meditation.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Program as an Adjunct to the Standard Treatment for Smoking: A Pragmatic Design Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Posttreatment relapse is a major roadblock to stemming the global epidemic of tobacco-related illness. This article presents results from a pilot trial evaluating the feasibility and initial efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) as an adjunct to standard relapse prevention treatment (ST) for smoking cessation. AIMS AND METHODS: Smokers (n = 86) in the maintenance phase of treatment were randomized to receive either ST plus MBRP (MBRP) (n = 44) or ST alone (ST) (n = 42). Data were collected at baseline and at 4-, 12-, and 24-week follow-up points. We evaluated the feasibility of the protocol with frequency analysis, and the efficacy with both intention to treat and complete case analyses of the effects of MBRP on abstinence. Secondary outcomes included mindfulness, craving, depression, anxiety, and positive/negative affect. RESULTS: High adherence suggested MBRP is acceptable and feasible. Participants in the MBRP group reported increases in mindfulness (M = -7.833, p = .016), and reductions in craving (M = 17.583, p = .01) compared with the ST group. Intention to treat analysis found that, compared with MBRP (36.4%), ST (57.1%) showed trend-level superiority in abstinence at Week 4 (Prevalence Ratio = 0.63, p = .06); however at Week 24, the ST group (14.3%) demonstrated a twofold greater decrease in abstinence, compared with the MBRP group (20.1%) (Prevalence Ratio = 2.25, p = .08). Therefore, the MBRP group maintained a higher abstinence rate for longer. Reported effects were greater in the complete case analysis. CONCLUSIONS: MBRP holds promise for preventing relapse after aided tobacco quit attempts. IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that MBRP is acceptable, feasible, and valued by participants. At 24-week follow-up, there was a large effect size and a statistical trend toward fewer MBRP patients relapsing compared with ST patients. MBRP conferred ancillary benefits including reductions in craving and increases in levels of mindfulness. MBRP for tobacco cessation is highly promising and merits further research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov. IDENTIFIER: NCT02327104.

Neural correlates of meditation: a review of structural and functional MRI studies.

Here, we review the neurophysiological and neuroimaging changes that mediation induces in structural and functional MRI. The available evidence from structural studies suggests that mediation impacts neuronal plasticity and the functional MRI suggest that there are changes in gray and white matter in subjects who meditate. FMRI studies show that meditation is associated with decreased activity of default mode network and activation of brain regions involved in cognitive and emotional control. Together, the available imaging techniques have revealed that rather than impacting specific brain regions, meditation causes structural and functional changes in large-scale brain networks.

COVID-19 information exposure in digital media and implications for employees in the health care sector: findings from an online survey / Exposição às informações sobre COVID-19 em mídias digitais e suas implicações para funcionários do setor de saúde: resultados de uma pesquisa on-line

ABSTRACT Objective: To estimate coronavirus disease 2019-related information consumption and related implications for health care professionals (medical and nonmedical personnel) during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional on-line survey was distributed to employees of a major health care institution located in São Paulo, Brazil between April 3 and April 10, 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The sample comprised 2,646 respondents. Most participants (44.4%) reported excessive or almost excessive access to information about the novel coronavirus and 67.6% reported having increased their average time spent on social media. When asked how frequently they consider it was easy to determine the reliability of information, "sometimes" corresponded to 43.2% of the answers in contrast to 14.6% responding "always". Answers related to potential signs of information overload associated with the pandemic indicated that 31% of respondents felt stressed by the amount of information they had to keep up with almost every day or always. Overall, 80.0% of respondents reported having experienced at least one of the following symptoms: headache, eye twitching, restlessness or sleeping difficulty. The frequency of symptoms was higher among participants with a more negative information processing style regarding when dealing with large volumes of information relative to those with a positive information processing style. Likewise, symptoms were more frequently reported by participants who had increased their social media access relative to those reporting reduced access during the pandemic. Conclusion: Our survey provides a description of how health professionals consume COVID-19 related information during the pandemic, and suggests that excessive information exposure and high processing demands may impose psychological distress and affect mental health.

RESUMO Objetivo: Estimar o consumo de informações relacionadas com doença do novo coronavírus e seus efeitos em profissionais do setor da saúde durante a pandemia. Métodos: Um questionário on-line foi distribuído para funcionários de uma instituição de saúde em São Paulo, Brasil, entre 3 e 10 de abril de 2020. Os dados foram analisados com estatísticas descritivas. Resultados: Foram incluídos nas análises 2.646 participantes. A maioria (44,4%) reportou ter acessado uma quantidade excessiva ou próxima de excessiva sobre o novo coronavírus, e 67,6% reportaram ter aumentado seu tempo médio em mídias sociais. Quando perguntados se era fácil determinar o que era informação confiável, 43,2% responderam "às vezes", comparados com 14,6% que responderam "sempre". Sobre os possíveis sinais de sobrecarga de informação associada com a pandemia, 31% sempre ou quase todos os dias se sentiram estressados com a quantidade de informações que tinham que acompanhar. Entre os respondentes, 80,0% reportaram sentir pelo menos um sintoma como dor de cabeça, espasmos oculares, inquietação ou dificuldade para dormir. Participantes com um estilo mais negativo de lidar com muitas informações também reportaram maior proporção de sintomas que os participantes com estilo positivo. De forma semelhante, participantes que aumentaram seu acesso a mídias sociais reportaram maior proporção de sintomas do que os que diminuíram seu acesso durante a pandemia. Conclusão: Nossa pesquisa fornece uma descrição de como os indivíduos consomem informações relacionadas com a doença do novo coronavirus durante a pandemia e sugere que a exposição a uma quantidade excessiva de informações e as elevadas demandas podem impor sofrimento psicológico e afetar a saúde mental.

Efeitos de um curso de meditação de atenção plena em estudantes da saúde no Brasil / Efectos de un curso de meditación de atención plena en estudiantes de la salud en Brasil / Effects of a mindfulness meditation course on healthcare students in Brazil

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar os efeitos de um curso de meditação de atenção plena nas emoções e na gentileza dos estudantes de Saúde em relação a si mesmos e aos outros. Métodos Estudo de caso longitudinal e de método misto com inclusão de ferramentas quantitativas e qualitativas. Os grupos de controle (n=14) e de estudo (n=16) foram formados por uma população de 30 estudantes de Enfermagem, Medicina e Fonoaudiologia. Os participantes do grupo de estudo fizeram curso eletivo sobre estratégias para desenvolver a atenção plena incluindo varredura corporal, respiração consciente e movimento consciente, entre outros. Durante as aulas, os alunos também participaram de discussões sobre gentileza e compaixão, com base em espiritualidade e neurociência. O curso teve duração de 36 horas, ao longo de nove semanas. Os alunos dos grupos de estudo e controle foram avaliados por meio de entrevistas em grupo, antes e após o curso. As ferramentas de avaliação incluíram a Escala de Estresse Percebido (PSS), a Escala de Atenção Plena e Consciência (MAAS), a Escala de Afeto Positivo e Negativo X (PANAS-X); e o Índice de Bem-Estar OMS-5. Resultados Após o curso, os indivíduos do grupo de estudo alcançaram pontuações significativamente mais baixas no PANAS-X (afeto negativo) em comparação com as pontuações anteriores. Outras variáveis quantitativas não tiveram alterações significativas (p>0,05). Três categorias emergiram das análises qualitativas: (a) dificuldades em viver o momento presente e ansiedade na tentativa de controlar o futuro; (b) práticas de meditação como ferramenta para enfrentar tais dificuldades; e (c) experiência caracterizada pelo afeto. Conclusão O curso eletivo focado na meditação da atenção plena e compaixão ajudou a desenvolver as habilidades socioemocionais de bem-estar, a autoconsciência dos alunos e a reduzir o afeto negativo.

Resumen Objetivo Evaluar los efectos de un curso de meditación de atención plena en las emociones y gentileza de estudiantes de la salud con relación a sí mismos y a los otros. Métodos Estudio de casos longitudinal y de método mixto con inclusión de herramientas cuantitativas y cualitativas. Una población de 30 estudiantes de Enfermería, Medicina y Fonoaudiología formaron los grupos de control (n=14) y experimental (n=16). Los participantes del grupo experimental hicieron un curso electivo sobre estrategias para desarrollar la atención plena, que incluyó exploración corporal, respiración consciente y movimiento consciente, entre otras. Durante las clases, los alumnos también participaron en discusiones sobre gentileza y compasión, basadas en espiritualidad y neurociencia. El curso tuvo una duración de 36 horas, durante nueve semanas. Se evaluó a los alumnos de los grupos experimentales y de control mediante entrevistas en grupo, antes y después del curso. Las herramientas de evaluación incluyeron la Escala de Estrés Percibido (PSS), la Escala de Conciencia y Atención Plena (MAAS), la Escala de Afecto Positivo y Negativo X (PANAS-X) y el Índice de Bienestar OMS-5. Resultados Después del curso, los individuos del grupo experimental alcanzaron una puntuación significativamente más baja en la PANAS-X (afecto negativo) en comparación con la puntuación anterior. Otras variables cuantitativas no tuvieron modificaciones significativas (p>0,05). Surgieron tres categorías de los análisis cualitativos: (a) dificultades de vivir el momento presente y ansiedad en el intento de controlar el futuro; (b) prácticas de meditación como herramienta para afrontar tales dificultades; y (c) experiencia caracterizada por el afecto. Conclusión El curso electivo dedicado a la meditación de atención plena y compasión ayudó a desarrollar habilidades socioemocionales de bienestar y la autoconciencia de los alumnos y a reducir el afecto negativo.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effects of a mindfulness meditation course on healthcare students' emotions and kindness towards themselves and others. Methods Mixed method, longitudinal case study including quantitative and qualitative tools. A population of 30 nursing, medical, and speech therapy students formed the control (n=14) and study (n=16) groups. Participants of the study group took an elective course on strategies for the development of mindfulness, which included body scans, conscious breathing and conscious movement, among others. During classes, students also participated in discussions about kindness and compassion based on spirituality and neuroscience. The course duration was of 36 hours throughout nine weeks. Students in both the study and control groups were evaluated through group interviews before and after the course. Evaluation tools included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS); Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule X (PANAS-X); and the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index. Results Individuals in the study group had significantly lower scores on the PANAS-X (negative affect) after the course in comparison to their previous scores. Other quantitative variables were not significantly altered (p>0.05). Qualitative analyses yielded three categories: (a) difficulties living the present moment and anxiety trying to control the future; (b) meditation practices as a tool for facing such difficulties; and (c) experience characterized by affection. Conclusion The elective course focused on mindfulness meditation and compassion helped to develop students' socio-emotional, wellbeing and self-awareness abilities and to reduce the negative affect.

A New Mental Health Mobile App for Well-Being and Stress Reduction in Working Women: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Although the availability and use of mobile mental health apps has grown exponentially in recent years, little data are available regarding their efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an app developed to promote stress management and well-being among working women compared with a control app. METHODS: Female employees at a private hospital were invited to participate in the study via mailing lists and intranet ads. A total of 653 individuals self-enrolled through the website. Eligible participants were randomized between control (n=240) and intervention (n=250) groups. The well-being mobile app provides an 8-week program with 4 classes per week (including a brief theoretical portion and a 15-min guided practice). The active control app also provided 4 assessments per week that encouraged participants to self-observe how they were feeling for 20 min. We also used the app to conduct Web-based questionnaires (10-item Perceived Stress Scale and 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index) and ask specific questions to assess subjective levels of stress and well-being at baseline (t1), midintervention (t4=4 weeks after t1) and postintervention (t8=8 weeks after t1). Both apps were fully automated without any human involvement. Outcomes from the control and intervention conditions at the 3 time points were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Among the randomized participants (n=490), 185 participants were excluded at the 4-week follow-up and another 79 at the 8-week follow-up because of noncompliance with the experimental protocol. Participants who did not complete t4 and t8 assessments were equally distributed between groups (t4: control group=34.6% [83/240] and intervention group=40.8% [102/250]; P=.16; t8: control group=29.9% [47/157] and intervention group=21.6% [32/148]; P=.10). Both groups showed a significant increase in general well-being as a function of time (F2,426=5.27; P=.006), but only the intervention group presented a significant increase in work-related well-being (F2,426=8.92; P<.001), as well as a significant reduction in work-related and overall stress (F2,426=5.50; P=.004 and F2,426=8.59; P<.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The well-being mobile app was effective in reducing employee stress and improving well-being. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02637414; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02637414.

Dispositional mindfulness, affect and tobacco dependence among treatment naive cigarette smokers in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The current study examined associations between affective and smoking-related factors, and dispositional mindfulness among smokers seeking enrollment in a cessation program in Brazil. METHODS: Participants were first-time treatment seeking adult smokers (N=90) on a waiting list for a government-sponsored cessation program. Pearson's bivariate correlations assessed relationships between the primary outcome variable (dispositional mindfulness) and each explanatory variable (nicotine dependence, depression, anxiety, and state positive/negative affect). Linear regression analyses evaluated the unique contribution of each explanatory variable when controlling for the others. RESULTS: The sample (N=90) was predominantly female (n=71) and most (79%) had 11 or fewer years of education. In the final regression model, a total of 36.2% of the variance in dispositional mindfulness was accounted for by positive affect (B=0.81, p<0.001), negative affect (B= -0.44, p=0.02), and level of nicotine dependence (B=1.48, p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Positive and negative affect, as well as nicotine dependence, account for a significant and sizable amount of the variance in dispositional mindfulness. Future mindfulness interventions for smoking cessation should be designed to address individual differences in affect, as well as nicotine dependence, in order to better tailor treatment to address baseline differences in mindfulness.

The effects of perceived chronic stress on the fMRI correlates of attentional control in women managers.

The aims of the current study were to examine differences in brain responses to cognitive control in stressed and non-stressed women managers. Stress complaints are highly prevalent among active workers and play an important role in women managers mental health and cognitive functioning. Psychosocial stress has been associated with differential executive functions in this population, but little is known about the neural correlates underlying such differences. We examined brain responses of a particular group of workers that has been proposed to have a different response to stress as a function of their status (i.e., managers). Stressed (n = 19) and non-stressed women managers (n = 21) were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the performance of a cognitively demanding task. We used the Stroop color-word task to compare neural activation associated with the suppression of a predominant response tendency (i.e., word reading) and the initiation of an appropriate behavior alternative (i.e., naming word color). Despite similar behavioral performances, stressed managers exhibited increased activation in the occipital cortex during response inhibition. No regions were more activated in the non-stressed relative to the stressed group. This finding of greater activation has been interpreted as compensatory brain response to maintain performance in front of cognitive challenge.

Quality of life is related to the functional connectivity of the default mode network at rest.

Quality of life is an important issue concerning people all over the world and affecting patients in the mental health field. When considering the potential neural links between quality of life and the brain, a brain network that comes into mind is the default mode network (DMN). Its architecture and function has been investigated in relation to various research fields including social and emotional cognition, meditation and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as happiness. In this cross-sectional study we investigated the relationship between various quality of life domains (physiological, psychological, social and environmental) and the functional connectivity of the default mode network at rest in a sample of 42 healthy working female managers. The results indicate that there is a significant association between the social quality of life domain and the functional connectivity of the default mode network. Post-hoc analysis revealed that high social quality of life scores were associated with right-left lateral parietal hypoconnectivity. By adopting a wide ranging perspective, our study approaches to fundamental research about quality of life but so far only applied on a female subgroup. As far as we know, it is the first to analyze the neuronal correlates of quality of life in the brain and therefore sets an initial step in its investigation.

Perceived stress among Primary Health Care Professionals in Brazil. / Estresse percebido em profissionais da Estratégia Saúde da Família.

OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the perceived stress (PS) of professionals in Primary Health Care and its association with the characteristics of the teams in the Family Health Program (FHP). The association between PS and self-referred morbidity was also investigated. METHODS:: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 450 employees from 60 teams in 12 Basic Health Units (BHUs) in a region of São Paulo. The differences in the total score in the Perceived Stress Scale were evaluated through multiple linear regression models. RESULTS:: Higher levels of PS were observed in those who had been working for one year or more in the same team, in the categories of doctors, nurses and community health workers, females, non-religious, and in BHU professionals in incomplete teams (absence of a physician). Lower perceived stress was found in widowers. It was observed that individuals with higher levels of PS have higher chances of reporting chronic health problems. CONCLUSION:: It can be concluded that the perception of stress in this population is associated with individual, professional factors, and the composition of teams in healthcare units.

Estresse percebido em profissionais da Estratégia Saúde da Família / Perceived stress among Primary Health Care Professionals in Brazil

RESUMO: Objetivo: Avaliar o estresse percebido (EP) de profissionais da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF) e a associação com características das equipes. Também foi investigada a ocorrência de associação entre EP e morbidade autorreferida. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo transversal com 450 trabalhadores de 60 equipes em 12 Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS), em uma região de São Paulo. As diferenças entre o escore total da Escala de Estresse Percebido e suas associações com as características individuais e das equipes foram avaliadas por meio de modelos múltiplos de regressão linear. Resultados: Observaram-se níveis mais elevados de EP naqueles com tempo de trabalho igual ou superior a um ano na mesma equipe, nas categorias de médicos, enfermeiros e agentes comunitários de saúde, gênero feminino, em não praticantes de credos religiosos, e em profissionais de UBS com equipes incompletas (ausência do médico). Menor estresse percebido foi encontrado em viúvos. Observou-se que indivíduos com níveis mais elevados de EP têm mais chance de relatar problemas crônicos de saúde. Conclusão: Conclui-se que a percepção de estresse na população estudada está associada a fatores individuais, profissionais, e à composição das equipes nas unidades básicas de saúde.

ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate the perceived stress (PS) of professionals in Primary Health Care and its association with the characteristics of the teams in the Family Health Program (FHP). The association between PS and self-referred morbidity was also investigated. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 450 employees from 60 teams in 12 Basic Health Units (BHUs) in a region of São Paulo. The differences in the total score in the Perceived Stress Scale were evaluated through multiple linear regression models. Results: Higher levels of PS were observed in those who had been working for one year or more in the same team, in the categories of doctors, nurses and community health workers, females, non-religious, and in BHU professionals in incomplete teams (absence of a physician). Lower perceived stress was found in widowers. It was observed that individuals with higher levels of PS have higher chances of reporting chronic health problems. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the perception of stress in this population is associated with individual, professional factors, and the composition of teams in healthcare units.