Alexandra J Fiocco

Toronto Metropolitan University · Psychology

Eysenck’s biopsychological model of stress posits that the extraversion–introversion distinction is associated with different thresholds of arousal, which in turn moderate the stress response. Although higher thresholds of activation have been reported in the context of physiological stress induction, more contemporary research has resulted in mixe...

Background: Research suggests that cognitive and behavioural factors, including lifestyle behaviours, contribute to the mitigation of perceived stress and stress-related health outcomes in later life. Given that stress management and lifestyle behaviour interventions for older adults are an important target for healthcare efforts, there is a need t...

This survey-based, cross-sectional study explored the independent and synergistic effect of filial piety discrepancy (FPD), acculturation, and living arrangement on the psychological, social, and physical wellbeing of older Chinese immigrants living in Canada. A total of 299 older Chinese immigrants were recruited from community organizations in th...

Background With growing prevalence of dementia worldwide, dementia risk reduction is a key interest of the World Health Organization’s Global Dementia Action Plan. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a prominent predictor of future dementia diagnosis. Therefore, people with SCD are an important group for dementia prevention intervention. Exercise...

Objectives: In response to calls for inventive ways to mitigate risks of physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic for older adults living in residential care, the JAVA Music Club-Digital (JMC-D) was developed. The current feasibility study investigated benefits, usability, and implementation of weekly JMC-D sessions over 6 months. Method:...

Introduction: The objective of this study was to examine whether a healthy lifestyle composite score of social engagement, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence moderates the association between psychological distress and global cognitive decline among cognitively healthy older adults (67+ years of age at baseline). Methods: A tota...

This study aimed to (a) investigate the associations between indices of stress severity across the lifespan (early, middle, late life) and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults, and (b) examine whether a healthy lifestyle composite score comprised of physical activity, healthy diet adherence, social engagement, sleep quality, and...

Background The Intervention mapping framework was used to plan and develop Brain Health PRO (BHPro), a 45‐week, theory‐ and evidence‐based online educational program co‐created with users in English and French. The goal of the program is to improve dementia literacy, self‐efficacy, and attitude toward dementia and ultimately have a positive impact...

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVRFs) contribute to the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods: This study examined the associations between circulating CVRF biomarkers and cognition in 386 cognitively healthy older adults (mean age = 78 ± 4 years, 53% females) selected from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on N...

Objectives: Rates of loneliness and social isolation increase following the transition to residential care and are associated with poor health outcomes. One way to mitigate these experiences is through meaningful recreation, however, there is research to suggest that currently available programming does not meet the needs of lonely and socially iso...

Objectives: Although chronic stress is a risk factor for poor age-related cognitive health, there is limited research that has examined how cumulative stress across the lifespan impacts cognitive aging. There may also be resilience factors that minimize the effects of cumulative stress on cognitive health. Engaging in a healthy lifestyle is protec...

Malnutrition is correlated with poor cognition; however, an understanding of the association between nutrition risk, which precedes malnutrition, and cognition is lacking. This study aimed to determine if nutrition risk measured with the SCREEN-8 tool is associated with cognitive performance among cognitively healthy adults aged 55+, after adjustin...

Background: Chronic stress is associated with accelerated aging and poor health outcomes in older adults. According to the Transactional Model of Stress (TMS), distress is experienced when one perceives the stressor, or threat, to outweigh the ability to cope. The experience of distress is correlated with trait neuroticism, which is associated wit...

Allostatic load (AL) is a multisystemic index of biological wear and tear which is associated with poor health outcomes. In recent years, researchers have examined the association between dietary pattern intake and AL; however, no studies to date have examined the relationship between AL and consumption of a Mediterranean diet. Blood and urine samp...

Early life adversity (ELA) is consequential for poor cognitive health in mid to late life. ELA is associated with higher allostatic load (AL), a biological indicator of physiological dysregulation due to cumulative wear-and-tear from chronic stress. Higher AL is also associated with poorer cognitive function across the lifespan. To date, however, a...

Objectives: Despite social engagement being a robust predictor of wellbeing for older adults living in residential care, social programming ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic to abide by social distancing guidelines. Consequently, a tablet-based program called the Java Music Club-Digital (JMC-D) was developed. The JMC-D enables residents to engag...

Objectives Mindfulness training (MT) may enhance the well-being of family caregivers of persons with neurodegenerative disease. However, long-term benefits are unclear. The current mixed-methods study examined whether benefits associated with MT are maintained 1 year following program completion. Methods Family caregivers who participated in a ran...

In 2021, the Toronto Metropolitan University Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research welcomed over 200 conference delegates across Canada to the inaugural Canadian Stress Research Summit (CSRS) to share ideas and foster collaboration among Canadian scholars. This conference was unique from existing international stress-related conferences as it...

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of a brief mindfulness practice on perceived stress and sustained attention, and to determine whether priming the benefits of mindfulness meditation enhances this effect. Methods: Two hundred and twenty undergraduate students were randomly assigned to a control conditio...

Allostatic load (AL) is a multisystemic index of biological wear and tear which is associated with poor health outcomes. In recent years, researchers have examined the association between dietary pattern intake and AL; however, no studies to date have examined the relationship between AL and consumption of a Mediterranean diet. Blood and urine samp...

Background Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are suggested to play a role in the prevention of cognitive decline. The evidence may be inconsistent due to methodological issues including interrelations with other long-chain (14 or more carbons) fatty acids (LCFAs) and use of sex as a confounding factor rather than an effect modifier....

Early life adversity is consequential for poor cognitive health in mid to late-life. Early life adversity is associated with higher allostatic load, a biological indicator of physiological dysregulation due to cumulative wear-and-tear from chronic stress. Higher allostatic load is also associated with poorer cognitive function across the lifespan....

Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) have been suggested as modifiable protective factors for cognitive decline because of their neuroprotective properties. However, the evidence is still inconsistent regarding types of omega-3 FAs, and the probable interrelation with other circulating long chain FAs (LCFAs). This study aimed to evaluate associations between...

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures were put into place to flatten the pandemic curve. It was projected that older adults were at increased risk for poor psychological and health outcomes resulting from increased social isolation and loneliness. However, little research has supported this projection among community-dwel...

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures were put into place to flatten the pandemic curve. It was projected older adults were at increased risk for poor psychological and health outcomes resulting from increased social isolation and loneliness. However, little re-search has supported this projection among community-dwelling...

With a rise in the prevalence of depression among undergraduate students, it is important to identify potential antecedents and modifiable factors in illness development. One of the most well studied etiological predictors of depression among youth and among young adults is the experience of real or perceived stress. However, research further sugge...

Research examining the effects of group-based mindfulness interventions on executive functioning have yielded inconsistent findings, with some reports of enhanced performance and other reports of null findings. Inconsistencies in the literature may be due to methodological differences across studies, including the type of control group employed and...

Background: Prospective studies suggest that tea consumption may decrease the risk for cognitive impairment in late life. However, little research has examined the association between tea consumption and cognitive performance across multiple domains. In addition, no research has examined the benefit of tea consumption on cognitive performance amon...

Due to financial and mobility barriers, a majority of older adults living in collective dwellings are no longer able to engage in tourism, a leisure activity that contributes to quality of life and wellbeing. Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) may serve as a programmatic tool to facilitate tourism. This pilot study examined the effects of VR tourism ex...

Although the acute stress response is adaptive for survival, frequent and intermittent activation of the acute stress response may have negative health consequences over time. As such, the development of effective low-cost and noninvasive stress reduction interventions is important. Music listening is shown to promote faster physiological recovery...

Objectives This study examined the effect of dietary patterns and engagement in cognitive stimulating lifestyle (CSL) behaviors on the trajectory of global cognition, executive function (EF), and verbal episodic memory (VEM). Methods Western and prudent dietary patterns were empirically derived using food frequency questionnaire responses from 350...

Previous research suggests that high allostatic load (AL), a biological indicator of physiological dysregulation due to chronic stress, is associated with poor cognitive functioning. To date, no studies have systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate the strength and consistency of this relationship. The objective of this study was to condu...

Heightened stress levels are associated with emotional eating and increased consumption of highly palatable foods. This behaviour can have numerous negative health consequences and research is needed to investigate the potential effect-modifiers in this association. Physical activity (PA) is associated with an increase in healthy food intake and lo...

Background: Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity...

Filial piety plays an important role in the parent-child relationship in Chinese culture. To date, the majority of studies have focused on filial piety attitudes and expectations from the perspectives of the adult child. With only a few studies examining filial piety from the parent’s perspectives, there is a paucity of studies that examines the di...

Background: Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity...

Background: Ninety percent of long-term care (LTC) residents experience some form of cognitive impairment. Social support may benefit cognition by decreasing depressive symptoms and loneliness, which are commonly reported among LTC residents. Objective: To investigate the effects of the Java Music Club (JMC), a manualized social support program, on...

Objectives: Perceived stress and adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern have been identified as independent predictors of cognitive function in older adulthood; however, no studies to date have examined the interaction between perceived stress and diet adherence on cognitive health. This cross-sectional study investigated the synergistic effect...

Background Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity o...

Allostatic load (AL), an index of multisystem physiological dysregulation due to chronic stress, has been identified as a predictor of poor health outcomes in late life. Research suggests that perceived social support (PSS) improves health outcomes by buffering the negative effects of stress on wellbeing and increasing health promoting behaviours i...

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on cognitive function and well-being in family caregivers. Methods Family caregivers (N = 57) of a person with a neurodegenerative disease were recruited and assigned to an 8-week MBSR program (n = 33) or a psychoeducation-so...

Stress exposure over the lifespan is robustly associated with accelerated cognitive decline in later life. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is shown to regulate activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association betweenthe BDNF polymorphism and indices of stress among adults aged...

The current study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Revised Life Orientation Test (CLOT-R) in a sample of 342 community-dwelling older Chinese immigrants in Canada (mean age = 71.99, SD = 5.62; 58.5% female). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the CLOT-R yields a two-factor model wit...

Peripheral biomarkers have shown significant value in predicting brain health and may serve as a useful proxy measurement in the assessment of evidence-based lifestyle behavior modification programs, including physical activity and nutrition programs, that aim to maintain cognitive function in late life. The aim of this systematic review was to elu...

Aim: In this study, we examined whether Chinese and White women with and without a history of breast cancer exhibit differences in physiological and psychological stress profiles. Methods: Diurnal and reactive salivary cortisol profiles and psychological stress patterns of 41 breast cancer survivors and 58 healthy women were assessed. Results: Brea...

The current randomized controlled study employed a mixed methods approach to better elucidate the benefits of mindfulness meditation for stress management among healthy older adults. Ninety-six older adults were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI, n = 57) or a reading and relaxation program (RRP, n = 39). Participants...

Dietary carbohydrates have been shown to influence cognitive performance and satiety in children. However, it remains unclear whether the carbohydrate source is a primary determinant of cognitive performance and satiety. The objective was to compare the effects of white potatoes and other carbohydrate-containing foods on cognitive performance, glyc...

Objectives: Positive Expectations Regarding Aging serve as a protective factor of healthy aging; however, negative stereotypes regarding aging continue to dominate popular aging discourse. It is proposed that trait mindfulness (TM) is associated with aging expectations through the cultivation of openness, curiosity, and non-judgment to one’s though...

Stress exposure over the lifespan is robustly associated with accelerated cognitive decline in late life. Researchers continue to investigate factors that determine individual differences in stress physiology. Brain derived neurotrophic factor is found to associate with cognitive trajectory in late life, and the Met allele of the functional Val66Me...

It is well-documented that perceived social support decreases the risks of depression in older adults. Past studies have also noted a negative relationship between ethnic identity and depression, especially among minority seniors. As the Canadian senior population becomes increasingly diverse, it is important to understand the interplay between eth...

Background There is a positive association between regular breakfast consumption and cognitive performance in children, however, little is known about the role of macronutrient composition on cognition. The objective of the study was to examine the effects of 50 grams of available carbohydrates from potatoes and other carbohydrates on cognitive per...

Recent studies of aging and decision making suggests that altruism increases with age. It is unclear, however, whether this pattern holds when choices are made under stress, as is often the case in real-world scenarios. The current study used an intertemporal choice task in which younger and older adults received a financial endowment before making...

Given the increase in research suggesting benefit following cognitive training in older adults, researchers have started to investigate the potential moderating role of genetic polymorphisms on transfer effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the moderating effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and brain-derived neurotrophic fa...

Background With a rise in the aging population and a consequential rise in persons diagnosed with dementia comes an increase in the number of informal caregivers who are caring for a loved one. The objective of the proposed study was to assess the neurocognitive and psychological effects of caring for a person with dementia or a related neurodegene...

Objective: To examine the nature and frequency of cognitive fluctuations (CFs) among institutionalized persons with dementia. Method: A clinical interview and a medical chart review were conducted, and 55 patients were assigned a specific dementia diagnosis. The Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) was administered to assess cognitive function, and t...

Experimental and epidemiological studies suggested that exposure to lead (Pb) may influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, previous studies have yielded mixed results. We evaluated changes in basal salivary cortisol levels and acute cortisol responsivity to psychological stress in relation with blood Pb levels (BPb), in Cau...

Despite consumer growth, few studies have evaluated the cognitive effects of gaming using mobile devices. This study examined the association between video game play platform and cognitive performance. Furthermore, the differential effect of video game genre (action versus nonaction) was explored. Sixty undergraduate students completed a video game...

Objective: Cognitive fluctuations (CFs) occur commonly in dementia of all types. While it is generally accepted that CFs can affect the clinical rating of dementia severity and neuropsychological performance, little is known about their impact on patients' activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QOL). Our study aims to explore the i...

Stress is an insidious health risk that is commonly reported among university students. While research suggests that dog exposure may facilitate recovery from a stress response, little is known about the buffer effect of dog exposure on the stress response to a future stressor. This study examined whether interaction with a therapy dog could reduce...

In Dr. Kim Lavoie (Chair), Innovations in behavioral medicine: how psychology can improve outcomes in chronic disease. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. Symposium.

Background: With population aging, prevention of cognitive decline has become of paramount interest to the general public. Biomarkers, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), decline with age and thus may be useful for predicting cognitive health in late life. Animal models have shown that IGF-1 plays a significant role in enhancing working m...

This study explored the mediating role of sleep in the relationship between personality traits and depressive symptoms in a group of community-dwelling men and women (Mage = 57.92, SD = 4.00). Participants completed the short form NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies De...

Dataset. Minimal dataset associated with this article. (SAV)

Adults over the age of 65 years are now the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population. Although individual differences exist, aging is commonly associated with impairments in executive function and episodic memory. Previous studies have shown that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can improve cognitive function in healthy younger a...

With population aging and a projected exponential expansion of persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the development of treatment and prevention programs has become a fervent area of research and discovery. A growing body of evidence suggests that music exposure can enhance memory and emotional function in person with AD. However, there...

Purpose of review: Stress exacerbates mental illnesses such as depression but also appears to increase risk of dementia, suggesting a common mechanism for development of stress-induced affective and cognitive impairment. The purpose of this review is to address the question of whether anxiety 'damages' the brain, and to identify potential mechanis...

The central nervous system (CNS) is a complex structure consisting of the brain and spinal cord. From conception to the end of life, the CNS is a dynamic system that develops and changes in response to genetic programming, time, and environmental change. This entry will discuss the CNS, its development, and the normal and pathological changes that...

Given the rise in obesity and obesity-related disorders, understanding the relationship between stress, self-efficacy and food choice in young adulthood may have implications for preventing negative health outcomes later in life that stem from poor eating habits. The current study examined whether stress levels and diet self-efficacy may be associa...

Theoretical models of mental health provide essential contributions to our understanding of psychopathology. The important role of theoretical models in predicting, classifying, and treating psychopathology is discussed. Further, a review of the evolution of theoretical models of mental health, from the early medical model to psychological and soci...

The cultivation of mindfulness has received increasing attention over the past 2 decades because of its association with increased psychological well-being and reduced stress-related health disorders. Given the robust positive association between perceived stress and cognitive impairment in late life, the current study evaluated the association bet...

The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis production of the stress hormone cortisol interacts with the hippocampal formation and impacts memory function. A growing interest is to determine whether hippocampal volume (HV) predicts basal and/or reactive cortisol levels in young and older adults. Recent evidence shows that contextual features in testing...

Objective Several studies have emphasized the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and inadequate response of the biological stress system. However, other factors related to SES are rarely considered, such as cultural values, social norms, organization, language and communication skills, which raises the need to investigate cross-country...

Mindfulness training has increasingly been implemented in substance abuse treatment regimes with the goal of relapse prevention. Among the available treatments, Motivational Interviewing (MI) is reported to be the most effective form of treatment for transitional-age youths. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the effects of mindf...

Mindfulness training has increasingly been implemented in substance abuse treatment regimes with the goal of relapse prevention. Among the available treatments, Motivational Interviewing (MI) is reported to be the most effective form of treatment for transitional-age youths. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the effects of mindf...

Canada is experiencing a rise in type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a known risk factor for accelerated cognitive decline and dementia. Within the context of an aging population, this will impose significant individual and societal burden, making the development of prevention programs imperative. This pilot study examines the effects of the Diabetes...

The val66met polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNFMet) is associated with impaired learning/memory function, affective dysregulation and maladaptive personality traits. Here, we examine the potential relationship between the BDNFMet allele, introversion and declarative memory in middle-age adults. A total of 132 middle-ag...