Cognitive decline, socioemotional change, or both? How the science of aging can inform future research on sacrificial moral dilemmas

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Ryan T. Daley ◽  
Elizabeth A. Kensinger
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Future Research

scholarly journals Moral Dilemmas and Existential Issues Encountered Both in Psychotherapy and Philosophical Counseling Practices

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice A. Popescu
Keyword(s):  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Integrative Model ◽  
Sentence Completion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Therapy Room ◽  
Axis I ◽  
Existential Issues

This paper stems from clinical observations and empirical data collected in the therapy room over six years. It investigates the relationship between psychotherapy and philosophical counseling, proposing an integrative model of counseling. During cognitive behavior therapy sessions with clients who turn to therapy in order to solve their clinical issues, the author noticed that behind most of the invalidating symptoms classified by the DSM-5 as depression, anxiety, hypochondriac and phobic complaints, usually lies a lack of existential meaning or existential scope and clients are also tormented by moral dilemmas. Following the anamnestic interview and the psychological evaluation, rarely the depression or anxiety diagnosed on Axis I is purely just a sum of invalidating symptoms, which may disappear if treated symptomatically. When applying the Sentence Completion Test, an 80 items test of psychodynamic origin and high-face validity, most of the clients report an entire plethora of conscious or unconscious motivations, distorted cognitions or irrational thinking but also grave existential themes such as scope or meaning of life, professional identity, fear of death, solitude and loneliness, freedom of choice and liberty. Same issues are approached in the philosophical counseling practice, but no systematic research has been done yet in the field. Future research and investigation is needed in order to assess the importance of moral dilemmas and existential issues in both practices.

scholarly journals Behavioral interventions to benefit cognition (Intervenciones cognitivas para beneficiar la cognición)

Retos ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 197-202
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Etnier ◽  
Chia-Hao Shih ◽  
Aaron Piepmeier
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dietary Interventions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related

With the growing population of older adults, the identification of treatment strategies to prevent or ameliorate age-related cognitive decline has been an important topic in recent years. After reviewing cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimentally designed studies, as well as evidence from narrative and meta-analytic reviews, the authors concluded that behavioral approaches such as physical activity, cognitive training, and dietary interventions show promising results. In addition, given the likelihood that multiple underlying mechanisms support cognitive function, research is currently focusing on how to combine lifestyle factors into multi-component interventions to generate greater and more meaningful effects. Though evidence for these enhanced benefits exists from animal studies, few multi-component studies have been performed with humans. However, the findings from these studies are promising and a continued pursuit of multi-component behavioral interventions to benefit cognitive performance is warranted. Given the world’s aging population and accompanying age-related health issues such as cognitive decline and dementia, future research should focus on understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for these effects in order to allow for the development of behavioral lifestyle prescriptions to benefit cognitive performance.Keywords. aging, cognitive function, exercise intervention, oxidative stress, cognitive engagement.Resumen. Con la creciente población de adultos mayores, la identificación de las estrategias de tratamiento para prevenir o mejorar el deterioro cognitivo relacionado con la edad ha sido un tema importante en los últimos años. Después de revisar estudios con diseños transversales, longitudinales y experimentales, así como la evidencia de revisiones de literatura narrativa y meta-analítica, los autores concluyen que los enfoques conductuales como la actividad física, el entrenamiento cognitivo y las intervenciones dietéticas muestran resultados prometedores. Además, dada la probabilidad de que múltiples mecanismos subyacentes apoyan la función cognitiva, las investigaciones se enfocan actualmente en la manera de cómo combinar factores del estilo de vida en las intervenciones con múltiples componentes para generar efectos mayores y más significativos. Aunque existe evidencia de estos beneficios a partir de estudios en animales, se han realizado pocos estudios de componentes múltiples en humanos. Sin embargo, los resultados de estos estudios son prometedores y se garantiza un seguimiento continuo de las intervenciones conductuales de componentes múltiples para beneficiar el rendimiento cognitivo. Teniendo en cuenta el envejecimiento de la población mundial y los problemas de salud relacionados con la edad que la acompañan, tales como el deterioro cognitivo y la demencia, la investigación futura debería centrarse en la comprensión de los mecanismos biológicos responsables de estos efectos con el fin de permitir el desarrollo de las prescripciones de comportamiento de estilo de vida para beneficiar el rendimiento cognitivo.Palabras claves. envejecimiento, funcionamiento cognitivo, intervención con ejercicio, estrés oxidativo, participación cognitiva.

scholarly journals Priming intuition disfavors instrumental harm but not impartial beneficence

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerio Capraro ◽  
Jim Albert Charlton Everett ◽  
Brian D. Earp
Keyword(s):  
Moral Judgment ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Moral Judgments ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Model ◽  
Total N ◽  
Two Dimensional Model ◽  
Do So

Understanding the cognitive underpinnings of moral judgment is one of most pressing problems in psychological science. Some highly-cited studies suggest that reliance on intuition decreases utilitarian (expected welfare maximizing) judgments in sacrificial moral dilemmas in which one has to decide whether to instrumentally harm (IH) one person to save a greater number of people. However, recent work suggests that such dilemmas are limited in that they fail to capture the positive, defining core of utilitarianism: commitment to impartial beneficence (IB). Accordingly, a new two-dimensional model of utilitarian judgment has been proposed that distinguishes IH and IB components. The role of intuition on this new model has not been studied. Does relying on intuition disfavor utilitarian choices only along the dimension of instrumental harm or does it also do so along the dimension of impartial beneficence? To answer this question, we conducted three studies (total N = 970, two preregistered) using conceptual priming of intuition versus deliberation on moral judgments. Our evidence converges on an interaction effect, with intuition decreasing utilitarian judgments in IH—as suggested by previous work—but failing to do so in IB. These findings bolster the recently proposed two-dimensional model of utilitarian moral judgment, and point to new avenues for future research.

scholarly journals Hearing loss and cognition: a discussion for audiologists and hearing healthcare professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-78
Author(s):  
Douglas L Beck ◽  
Sarah Bant ◽  
Nathan A Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
British Society ◽  
Future Research ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Status ◽  
Impact Patient Care ◽  
The Relationship

Among researchers, clinicians and patients, there is widespread and growing interest in the relationship between hearing and cognition. The Cognition in Hearing Special Interest Group (SIG) is part of the British Society of Audiology (BSA) and is uniquely positioned to explore the relationship between hearing loss, amplification and cognitive ability and cognitive decline. The multiplicity of emerging reports concerning hearing loss and cognition is increasing rapidly. In light of this vast growth, there is a risk that clinicians may be left uncertain regarding the nature and extent of the emerging evidence linking hearing and cognition. The trickle-down corollary of such uncertainty can negatively impact patient care. Answering challenging questions and disseminating complex information about the latest evidence-based hearing science are a daily part of any clinician’s role and those in audiology services may be asked “How does my hearing loss affect my chance of getting dementia?” or “can hearing aids help people with dementia?” This discussion is therefore, based on articles and information our committee members selected to represent the status quo. The Cognition in Hearing SIG aims, through this discussion article, to provide clinicians a contemporary understanding of research on this topic. We will discuss evidence concerning hearing loss and cognition and how it relates to people living with hearing loss and cognitive decline or dementia, and we shall pose some challenges and opportunities for future research and clinical practice evidence. Therefore, to address these aims in an accessible manner for clinicians, the Cognition in Hearing SIG shall address the following broad questions: What is the relationship between hearing loss and cognition? What do we know about hearing loss and cognitive performance? Is there a link between hearing loss, cognitive decline, and dementia? Can we intervene on the relationship between hearing loss and cognition?

scholarly journals Longitudinal Relationships Between Subjective Cognitive Decline and Objective Memory: Depressive Symptoms Mediate Between-Person Associations

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Nikki L. Hill ◽  
Sakshi Bhargava ◽  
Emily Bratlee-Whitaker ◽  
Jennifer R. Turner ◽  
Monique J. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Over Time

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be an early indicator of cognitive impairment, but depressive symptoms can confound this relationship. Associations may be influenced by differences between individuals (i.e., between-persons) or how each individual changes in their experiences over time (i.e., within-persons). Objective: We examined depressive symptoms as a mediator of the between- and within-person associations of SCD and objective memory in older adults. Methods: Coordinated analyses were conducted across four datasets drawn from large longitudinal studies. Samples (range: n = 1,889 to n = 15,841) included participants 65 years of age or older with no dementia at baseline. We used multilevel structural equation modeling to examine the mediation of SCD and objective memory through depressive symptoms, as well as direct relationships among SCD, objective memory, and depressive symptoms. Results: Older adults who were more likely to report SCD had lower objective memory on average (between-person associations), and depressive symptoms partially mediated this relationship in three of four datasets. However, changes in depressive symptoms did not mediate the relationship between reports of SCD and declines in objective memory in three of four datasets (within-person associations). Conclusion: Individual differences in depressive symptoms, and not changes in an individual’s depressive symptoms over time, partially explain the link between SCD and objective memory. Older adults with SCD and depressive symptoms may be at greater risk for poor cognitive outcomes. Future research should explore how perceived changes in memory affect other aspects of psychological well-being, and how these relationships influence cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease risk.

scholarly journals Human decision-making biases in the moral dilemmas of autonomous vehicles

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darius-Aurel Frank ◽  
Polymeros Chrysochou ◽  
Panagiotis Mitkidis ◽  
Dan Ariely
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Moral Code ◽  
Moral Decision Making ◽  
Moral Decisions ◽  
Human Decision

Abstract The development of artificial intelligence has led researchers to study the ethical principles that should guide machine behavior. The challenge in building machine morality based on people’s moral decisions, however, is accounting for the biases in human moral decision-making. In seven studies, this paper investigates how people’s personal perspectives and decision-making modes affect their decisions in the moral dilemmas faced by autonomous vehicles. Moreover, it determines the variations in people’s moral decisions that can be attributed to the situational factors of the dilemmas. The reported studies demonstrate that people’s moral decisions, regardless of the presented dilemma, are biased by their decision-making mode and personal perspective. Under intuitive moral decisions, participants shift more towards a deontological doctrine by sacrificing the passenger instead of the pedestrian. In addition, once the personal perspective is made salient participants preserve the lives of that perspective, i.e. the passenger shifts towards sacrificing the pedestrian, and vice versa. These biases in people’s moral decisions underline the social challenge in the design of a universal moral code for autonomous vehicles. We discuss the implications of our findings and provide directions for future research.

Is hospitalization a risk factor for cognitive decline in older age adults?

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Lucia Chinnappa-Quinn ◽  
Steve Robert Makkar ◽  
Michael Bennett ◽  
Ben C. P. Lam ◽  
Jessica W. Lo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Severity Of Illness ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Meta Analyses

ABSTRACT Objectives: Many studies document cognitive decline following specific types of acute illness hospitalizations (AIH) such as surgery, critical care, or those complicated by delirium. However, cognitive decline may be a complication following all types of AIH. This systematic review will summarize longitudinal observational studies documenting cognitive changes following AIH in the majority admitted population and conduct meta-analysis (MA) to assess the quantitative effect of AIH on post-hospitalization cognitive decline (PHCD). Methods: We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Selection criteria were defined to identify studies of older age adults exposed to AIH with cognitive measures. 6566 titles were screened. 46 reports were reviewed qualitatively, of which seven contributed data to the MA. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: The qualitative review suggested increased cognitive decline following AIH, but several reports were particularly vulnerable to bias. Domain-specific outcomes following AIH included declines in memory and processing speed. Increasing age and the severity of illness were the most consistent risk factors for PHCD. PHCD was supported by MA of seven eligible studies with 41,453 participants (Cohen’s d = −0.25, 95% CI [−0.02, −0.49] I2 35%). Conclusions: There is preliminary evidence that AIH exposure accelerates or triggers cognitive decline in the elderly patient. PHCD reported in specific contexts could be subsets of a larger phenomenon and caused by overlapping mechanisms. Future research must clarify the trajectory, clinical significance, and etiology of PHCD: a priority in the face of an aging population with increasing rates of both cognitive impairment and hospitalization.

Mild cognitive impairment: a history and the state of current diagnostic criteria

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Gerstenecker ◽  
Benjamin Mast
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
The State ◽  
Clinical Vignette ◽  
Daily Functioning ◽  
Diagnostic Classification ◽  
Future Research

ABSTRACTBackground:Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a diagnostic classification used to describe patients experiencing cognitive decline but without a corresponding impairment in daily functioning. Over the years, MCI diagnostic criteria have undergone major changes that correspond to advancements in research. Despite these advancements, current diagnostic criteria for MCI contain issues that are reflected in the research literature.Methods:A review of the available MCI literature was conducted with emphasis given to tracing MCI from its conceptual underpinnings to the most current diagnostic criteria. A clinical vignette is utilized to highlight some of the limitations of current MCI diagnostic criteria.Results:Issues are encountered when applying MCI diagnostic criteria due to poor standardization. Estimates of prevalence, incidence, and rates of conversion from MCI to dementia reflect these issues.Conclusions:MCI diagnostic criteria are in need of greater standardization. Recommendations for future research are provided that could potentially bring more uniformity to the diagnostic criteria for MCI and, therefore, more consistency to the research literature.

scholarly journals Association of adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines with cognitive performance and cognitive decline in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study: a longitudinal analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Zhixin Liu ◽  
Perminder S. Sachdev ◽  
Nicole A. Kochan ◽  
Henry Brodaty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Dairy Consumption ◽  
Global Cognition

Abstract This study investigated associations of adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) with cognitive performance and cognitive decline over 6 years. We used longitudinal data from the Sydney Memory and Aging Study comprising 1037 community-dwelling non-demented participants aged 70–90 years. Dietary intake was assessed at baseline using the Dietary Questionnaire for Epidemiological Studies Version 2. Adherence to the ADG was scored using the Dietary Guideline Index 2013 (DGI-2013). Cognition was assessed using neuropsychological tests in six cognitive domains and global cognition at baseline and 2, 4 and 6 years later. Linear mixed models analysed the association between adherence to the ADG and cognitive function and cognitive decline over 6 years. Results indicated that overall adherence to the ADG was suboptimal (DGI-2013 mean score 43⋅8 with a standard deviation of 10⋅1; median score 44, range 12–73 with an interquartile range of 7). The percent of participants attaining recommended serves for the five food groups were 30⋅2 % for fruits, 11⋅2 % for vegetables, 54⋅6 % for cereals, 28⋅9 % for meat and alternatives and 2⋅1 % for dairy consumption. Adherence to the ADG was not associated with overall global cognition over 6 years (β = 0⋅000; 95 % CI: −0⋅007, 0⋅007; P = 0⋅95). Neither were DGI-2013 scores associated with change in global cognitive performance over 6 years (β = 0⋅002; 95 % CI: −0⋅002, 0⋅005; P = 0⋅41) nor in any individual cognitive domains. In conclusion, adherence to the ADG was not associated with cognitive health over time in this longitudinal analysis of older Australians. Future research is needed to provide evidence to support specific dietary guidelines for neurocognitive health among Australian older adults.

scholarly journals Loneliness and Changes in Cognitive Functioning Among Racially Diverse Older Adults in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 588-589
Author(s):  
Kelly Pacheco ◽  
Charles Henderson ◽  
M Cary Reid ◽  
Elaine Wethington ◽  
David Camacho
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Racially Diverse

Abstract Longitudinal studies examining the association of loneliness with cognitive decline rarely include older members of racial minorities. Guided by a Minority Stress Framework, we used Waves 2 and 3 from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project to assess whether loneliness (UCLA-3-items) at W2 predicts cognitive decline (Chicago Cognitive Functioning Measure) among US African-American, Latino, and white older adults (ages≥60). We included interactions of W2 loneliness with race in examining changes in cognitive functioning. Estimates were (N=1,950) adjusted for demographics, chronic disease, depression, and social connectedness. In all groups, loneliness was positively associated with greater global cognitive decline over the 5-year interval. However, analyses of different domains of cognitive functioning (e.g., executive functioning, memory) suggested that this association differs by cognitive domain and race. Future research on interventions to prevent cognitive decline should consider targeting loneliness, include diverse older adults, and examine global and specific domains of cognitive functioning.

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