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Aplicaciones multidisciplinarias sobre la cognición y el comportamiento
Abstract and Figures
El estudio de las bases psicológicas que sustentan el comportamiento del ser humano ha sido de interés para numerosas disciplinas a lo largo de la historia, desde sus inicios mediante la filosofía hasta la instauración de la psicología como la ciencia especializada en los sustratos del comportamiento humano. Las características propias de nuestra especie han hecho que aun la psicología se diversifique en disciplinas que se centran en el estudio especializado de alguna de las principales esferas que integran al ser humano, entre las que se encuentran la esfera biológica, la psicológica y la social, así como sus interacciones. Dicha diversidad ha dado pie a la identificación y estudio de diferentes problemáticas, trayendo consigo el desarrollo de diversas estrategias para su intervención. El presente libro compila las experiencias de diversos expertos que, desde su área de conocimiento, proponen aplicaciones bajo un sustento teórico y metodológico aplicado con rigor científico, para la atención y mejora de la cognición y el comportamiento.
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Tendemos a abordar materias como las crecientes tasas de homicidios y otros actos de violencia física ‒que dominan la prensa en México‒ en relación con el crimen organizado y la guerra contra el narcotráfico. De la misma forma, las respuestas del gobierno frente a estas problemáticas se enfocan en el uso de las Fuerzas Armadas. Rara vez se considera el rol de las violencias estructurales en el análisis de los crímenes violentos y la consecuente construcción social del miedo individual y colectivo, como se hace en este libro.
La investigación se basa en un estudio exploratorio con jóvenes y madres en tres colonias del Cerro del Cuatro en la zona metropolitana de Guadalajara, así como en un examen de los factores sociodemográficos y económicos que perpetúan la estigmatización de los barrios donde viven. También se reflexiona sobre la evolución del miedo vinculado al cambio de control territorial, del dominio anterior de las pandillas al poder actual de ‘la plaza’. Por último, se plantea una discusión sobre las estrategias del gobierno para disminuir la violencia y, como alternativa, se propone el potencial de la eficacia colectiva para fortalecer el tejido social, contrarrestar el miedo colectivo y reducir el involucramiento de los jóvenes en el crimen organizado.
Background
Pharmacological and conventional non-pharmacological treatments are only moderately effective in treating generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Recently, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has attracted interest because of its potential therapeutic value.
Aim
To investigate the efficacy and safety of rTMS treatment for GAD.
Methods
Literature studies published in English or Chinese were screened in 10 electronic databases up to 5 December 2018. The included studies’ bias risk was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Meta-analysis was performed to compute the standardised mean difference (SMD) and risk ratio (RR) along with its 95% CIs through using RevMan V.5.3. Heterogeneity was inspected by I ² and the χ ² test. We performed subgroup analysis and meta-regression to investigate heterogeneity. We used funnel plot to assess publication bias. We used the GRADE approach to assess the whole quality of evidence.
Results
Twenty-one studies, with a total sample size of 1481, were analysed. The risk of bias in most studies included is moderate, the majority of which are lacking of blinding methods of treatment allocation. The treatment had beneficial effects in the rTMS group compared with the control group in mean anxiety score (SMD=−0.68; 95% CI −0.89 to −0.46). None of the 21 studies included here reported severe adverse events. As for dropout rates, there are no statistically significant differences between the two groups (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.82) or adverse events (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.18). No particular influence on the heterogeneity of any variable was observed. The risk of publication bias was low. According to the GRADE approach, the evidence levels of primary outcome (treatment effects) and secondary outcomes (acceptability and safety) were rated as ‘medium’.
Conclusion
The use of rTMS combined with medication treatment may have a significant positive anti-anxiety effect on patients with GAD. However, we should interpret the results cautiously due to the relatively high heterogeneity of the meta-analysis. Future high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm our results.
A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize the existing literature on how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used to modulate episodic memory. Given the numerous parameters of TMS protocols and experimental design characteristics that can be manipulated, a mechanistic understanding of how changes in the combination of parameters (e.g., frequency, timing, intensity, targeted brain region, memory task) modulate episodic memory is needed. To address this, we reviewed 59 studies and conducted a meta-analysis on 245 effect sizes from 37 articles on healthy younger adults (N = 1,061). Analyses revealed generally more beneficial effects of 1-Hz rTMS vs. other frequencies on episodic memory. Moderation analyses revealed complex interactions as online 20-Hz rTMS protocols led to negative effects, while offline 20-Hz rTMS led to enhancing effects. There was also an interaction between stimulation intensity and frequency as 20-Hz rTMS had more negative effects when applied below- vs. at-motor threshold. Conversely, 1-Hz rTMS had more beneficial effects than other frequencies when applied below- vs. at- or above-motor threshold. No reliable aggregate or hypothesized interactions were found when assessing stimulation site (frontal vs. parietal cortex, left vs. right hemisphere), stimulated memory process (during encoding vs. retrieval), the type of retrieval (associative/recollection vs. item/familiarity), or the type of control comparison (active vs. sham or no TMS) on episodic memory. However, there is insufficient data to make strong inference based on the lack of aggregate or two-way interactions between these factors, or to assess more complex (e.g., 3-way) interactions. We reviewed the effects on other populations (healthy older adults and clinical populations), but systematic comparison of parameters was also prevented due to insufficient data. A database of parameters and effects sizes is available as an open source repository so that data from studies can be continuously accumulated in order to facilitate future meta-analysis. In conclusion, modulating episodic memory relies on complex interactions among the numerous moderator variables that can be manipulated. Therefore, rigorous, systematic comparisons need to be further investigated as the body of literature grows in order to fully understand the combination of parameters that lead to enhancing, detrimental or null effects on episodic memory.
Highlights
• While obesity prevalence is similar in men and women, men are less likely to participate in weight-loss programs
• Women and men differ in their biology, social roles, and their position in the community
• New models of obesity management are needed to account for gender differences and broader social and environmental factors.
Interventions including social scaffolding and metacognitive strategies have been used in educational settings to promote cognition. In addition, increasing evidence shows that computerized process‐based training enhances cognitive skills. However, no prior studies have examined the effect of combining these two training strategies. The goal of this study was to test the combined effect of metacognitive scaffolding and computer‐based training of executive attention in a sample of typically developing preschoolers at the cognitive and brain levels. Compared to children in the regular training protocol and an untrained active control group, children in the metacognitive group showed larger gains on intelligence and significant increases on an electrophysiological index associated with conflict processing. Moreover, changes in the conflict‐related brain activity predicted gains in intelligence in the metacognitive scaffolding group. These results suggest that metacognitive scaffolding boosts the influence of process‐based training on cognitive efficiency and brain plasticity related to executive attention.
Objective
To investigate the effect of applying horticulture activity on stress, work performance and quality of life in persons with psychiatric illness.
Methods
This study was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Using convenience sampling, 24 participants with psychiatric illness were recruited to participate in a horticultural programme and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Two participants dropped out from experimental groups after assignment. Ten participants in the experimental group attended 10 horticultural sessions within 2 weeks, while 12 participants in the control group continued to receive conventional sheltered workshop training. Participants were assessed before and after programme using Chinese version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21) and the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI-C), and the Work Behavior Assessment.
Results
There was a significant difference in change scores of the DASS21 (p=.01) between experimental and control group. There were no significant differences in change scores of the PWI-C between the two groups.
Conclusion
Horticultural therapy is effective in decreasing the levels of anxiety, depression and stress among participants in this pilot study, but the impact of the programme on work behavior and quality of life will need further exploration.
Background
Given the strong relationship between executive functions and academic achievement, there has been great interest in improving executive functions. School‐based group interventions targeting executive functions revealed encouraging results in preschoolers and young school children; however, there is a paucity of studies in older primary school children (age 10–12). This is surprising considering that deficits in executive function performance can often be observed in this age group.
Aims
Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether an innovative customized school‐based group intervention could improve core executive functions (updating, inhibition, and shifting) in the age group concerned.
Sample
In total, 118 ten‐ to twelve‐year‐old school children were recruited from eight participating classes.
Methods
They were randomly assigned to one of two‐six‐week conditions of either a cognitive games group comprising of card and board games training executive functions (experimental group) or a wait‐list control group (regular school lessons). In the cognitive games group, the class teachers held a 30‐min training session twice a week. ANCOVAs (using pre‐test values as covariate) were used to compare executive function performance between groups.
Results
Results revealed that the cognitive games group improved specific executive functions (updating and shifting) compared to the control group. These findings indicate that a school‐based group intervention can improve executive functions, even in ‘older’ primary school children.
Conclusion
This study provides empirical evidence for the effectiveness of a classroom‐based cognitive training in older primary school children and is of practical relevance for educators.
Cognitive training results in significant, albeit modest, improvements in specific cognitive functions across a range of mental illnesses. Inhibitory control, defined as the ability to stop the execution of an automatic reaction or a planned motor behavior, is known to be particularly important for the regulation of health behaviors, including addictive behaviors. For example, several studies have indicated that inhibitory training can lead to reduced alcohol consumption or a loss of weight/reduced energy intake. However, the exact neurocognitive mechanisms that underlie such behavioral changes induced by training are still matter of debate. In the present study, we investigated the long-term impact (ie, at 1 week posttraining) of an inhibitory training program (composed of 4 consecutive daily training sessions of 20 minutes each) on the performance of a Go/No-go task. Healthy participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 designated groups: (1) an Inhibition Training (IT) group that received training based on a hybrid flanker Go/No-go task; (2) a group that received a noninhibition-based (ie, episodic memory; EM) training; and (3) a No-Training (NT) group to control for test-retest effects. Each group underwent 3 sessions of a Go/No-go task concomitant with the recording of event-related potentials. Our results revealed a specific impact of the Inhibitory Training on the Go/No-go task, indexed by a faster process compared with the other 2 groups. This effect was neurophysiologically indexed by a faster N2 component on the difference NoGo-Go waveform. Importantly, effects at both the behavioral and at the neural level were still readily discernible 1 week posttraining. Thus, our data clearly corroborate the notion that cognitive training is effective, while also indicating that it may persist over time.
