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COVID-19 caused devastating effects of human loss and suffering along with disruption in clinical research, forcing reconceptualization and modification of studies. This paper attempts to outline the steps followed and detail the modifications undertaken to deal with the impacts of the pandemic on the first ongoing randomized controlled trial on effectiveness of neuropsychological rehabilitation in adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy in India. All modifications were based on evolving guidelines and circumstantial context and were planned, reviewed and approved by important stakeholders. Results obtained from the trial need to be interpreted and analysed within this context. These modifications have implications for wider outreach of neuropsychology services in India.
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OBJECTIVES: Prior work has demonstrated that executive function training or physical exercise can improve older adults' cognition. The current study takes an exploratory approach to compare the feasibility and efficacy of online executive function training and low-intensity aerobic exercise for improving cognitive and psychosocial functioning in healthy older adults. METHOD: Following a standard pretest-training-posttest protocol, 40 older adults (aged 65 and above) were randomly assigned to an executive function or a physical training group. A battery of cognitive and psychosocial outcome measures were administered before and after training. During the 10 weeks of self-guided training at home (25-30 min/day, 4 days/week), the executive function training group practiced a set of adaptive online executive function tasks designed by Lumos Labs, whereas the physical training group completed an adaptive Digital Video Disc (DVD)-based low-intensity aerobic exercise program. RESULTS: Training transfer effects were limited. Relative to low-intensity aerobic exercise, executive function training yielded cognitive improvement on the 64-card Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST-64), a general executive function measure. Depression and stress levels dropped following both training programs, but this could be driven by decreased stress or excitement in performing the tasks over time. DISCUSSION: The results revealed limited cognitive benefits of the online executive function training program, specifically to a near transfer test of general executive control. Importantly, the current study supports the feasibility of home-based self-guided executive function and low-intensity physical training with healthy older adults.
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Introducción: Durante los últimos años se ha enfatizado la importancia que los trabajadores de la salud deban tener una cantidad mínima de horas de sueño. Se ha encontrado que los daños por la falta de sueño se ven implicados en el deterioro físico y mental, además se ha asociado al error médico. Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar si existe un deterioro psicomotor en estudiantes de medicina y así establecer si es necesario modificar las prácticas médicas para mejorar la función cognitiva de estudiantes y así optimizar la atención a pacientes. Métodos: En este estudio se utilizó el programa de entrenamiento cognitivo, Lumosity. (5) Con esta herramienta fue posible realizar mediciones de destrezas psicomotoras en estudiantes de medicina en un estado de desvelo y en un estado en el que habían dormido más de seis horas. Además, se compararon los resultados y se determinó si existía o no una diferencia significativa en ambas poblaciones. Estudio abierto transversal de 52 estudiantes de sexto y séptimo año de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Resultados: Se encontró evidencia estadísticamente significativa que indica que hay deterioro psicomotor por falta de sueño en estudiantes de sexto y séptimo año de medicina. Se obtuvieron mayores puntuaciones en Lumosity en los grupos pre guardia que en los grupos post guardia (puntaje promedio de grupo pre guardia: 2912 vs. puntaje promedio de grupo post guardia: 2515). Conclusiones: Existe un deterioro psicomotor por falta de sueño en estudiantes de sexto y séptimo año de medicina. Palabras clave: Deterioro psicomotor, Lumosity, guardia y pre guardia
Background. Recent papers have emphasized the importance of sufficient sleep in health practitioners to avoid skill deterioration. Lack of sleep often leads to physical and mental deterioration and medical error. Objective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if there is a psychomotor deterioration in medical students and to determine if modifying medical practices is necessary to improve cognitive function in medical students, thus assuring a better quality service to patients. Methods. Lumosity test (5) cognitive training program was used, which allowed data recollection of psychomotor skills from medical students who were sleep deprived and from students who had slept at least six hours; then, the data was compared. Open transversal study with 52 medical students in the last two years of their career from Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Results: There was statistically significant evidence indicating that there is a psychomotor deterioration due to sleep deprivation in medicine students during their last year. Lumosity mean scores in the group that had slept six hours and in the sleep-deprived group were 2912 and 2515, respectively. Conclusions: There is a psychomotor deterioration due to a lack of sleep in medical students working long hospital calls. Key words: Sleep deficit; psychomotor skills; Lumosity test
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@#In order to determine sleep disorders, especially insomnia due to exam stress in medical students, moreover are there any bad effects on performance of mental abilities and emotional competency, we carried out this research. We used Prospective cohort study design, involving III and IV grade 60 students, once these grades are most overloaded courses. The study performed through 2 stages: 1) Just after Final examination of a block, 2) During regular days, after sleeping well. The aim can be divided into three main categories, including evaluation of sleep disorders, estimation of brain performances and emotional competency. An average sleeping time was 3.67±1.45 hours on final exam day, whereas a main sleeping time during regular day was 7.88±1.19 hours. As totally 70% of students were estimated as having insomnia and according to insomnia severity index, 58.3% of them had subthreshold insomnia, 16.7% of them had moderate insomnia. Furthermore, regarding to Epworth sleepiness scale, 36.7% of all participants were evaluated as having mild daytime sleepiness, 13.3% had moderate, and 10% had severe sleepiness, which was more common in male students. The estimation of emotional competency consists of self-awareness, managing emotions, motivating oneself, empathy, and social skill, which were strongly associated with duration of sleep time, as well as, emotion was more stable in 4th grade students. As comparison between mental performances of sufficient and insufficient sleep time, main difference of speed 3428±1249, memory 2984±1063, attention 2472±31, flexibility 4525±1184, and problem solving 945±193 scores.
