Train the brain with music (TBM): brain plasticity and cognitive benefits induced by musical training in elderly people in Germany and Switzerland, a study protocol for an RCT comparing musical instrumental practice to sensitization to music

Abstract Background Recent data suggest that musical practice prevents age-related cognitive decline. But experimental evidence remains sparse and no concise information on the neurophysiological bases exists, although cognitive decline represents a major impediment to healthy aging. A challenge in the field of aging is developing training regimens that stimulate neuroplasticity and delay or reverse symptoms of cognitive and cerebral decline. To be successful, these regimens should be easily integrated in daily life and intrinsically motivating. This study combines for the first-time protocolled music practice in elderly with cutting-edge neuroimaging and behavioral approaches, comparing two types of musical education. Methods We conduct a two-site Hannover-Geneva randomized intervention study in altogether 155 retired healthy elderly (64–78) years, (63 in Geneva, 92 in Hannover), offering either piano instruction (experimental group) or musical listening awareness (control group). Over 12 months all participants receive weekly training for 1 hour, and exercise at home for ~ 30 min daily. Both groups study different music styles. Participants are tested at 4 time points (0, 6, and 12 months & post-training (18 months)) on cognitive and perceptual-motor aptitudes as well as via wide-ranging functional and structural neuroimaging and blood sampling. Discussion We aim to demonstrate positive transfer effects for faculties traditionally described to decline with age, particularly in the piano group: executive functions, working memory, processing speed, abstract thinking and fine motor skills. Benefits in both groups may show for verbal memory, hearing in noise and subjective well-being. In association with these behavioral benefits we anticipate functional and structural brain plasticity in temporal (medial and lateral), prefrontal and parietal areas and the basal ganglia. We intend exhibiting for the first time that musical activities can provoke important societal impacts by diminishing cognitive and perceptual-motor decline supported by functional and structural brain plasticity. Trial registration The Ethikkomission of the Leibniz Universität Hannover approved the protocol on 14.08.17 (no. 3604–2017), the neuroimaging part and blood sampling was approved by the Hannover Medical School on 07.03.18. The full protocol was approved by the Commission cantonale d’éthique de la recherche de Genève (no. 2016–02224) on 27.02.18 and registered at clinicaltrials.gov on 17.09.18 (NCT03674931, no. 81185).

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Faktor-Faktor Determinan yang melatar belakangi Kehamilan Remaja di Desa Pandansari Kecamatan Poncokusumo Kabupaten Malang

Jurnal Ners dan Kebidanan (Journal of Ners and Midwifery) ◽

10.26699/jnk.v7i2.art.p247-255 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 247-255

Author(s):

Maria Magdalena Setyaningsih ◽

Emy Sutiyarsih

Keyword(s):

Sex Education ◽

Teen Pregnancy ◽

Teenage Pregnancy ◽

Well Being ◽

Case Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Case Group ◽

The Family ◽

History Of ◽

First Time

Kehamilan remaja adalah kehamilan yang terjadi pada remaja berusia kurang dari 20 tahunan. Kehamilan remaja memberikan banyak kerugian bagi kesehatan, mental dan psikologis, kesejahteraan ekonomi dan peluang karier, kemiskinan dan prospek kehidupan masa depan remaja. Tujuan penelitian mengidentifikasi faktor determinan yang melatarbelakangi terjadinya kehamilan remaja. Jenis penelitian adalah penelitian analitik kategorik jenis survei kuantitatif dengan desain case control. Populasi semua perempuan yang bertempat tinggal di wilayah dusun Wonosari, Sukosari, dan Krajan Pandansari dan pernah/sedang hamil pertama kali pada usia kurang dari 20 tahun. Teknik pengambilan sampel cluster random sampling besar sampel 73. Berdasarkan hasil model akhir analisis multivariat, diketahui bahwa variabel pendidikan, riwayat kehamilan remaja pada keluarga dan usia menikah merupakan variabel yang berhubungan dengan kejadian kehamilan remaja setelah dikontrol oleh variabel akses informasi, responden berpendidikan rendah memiliki peluang 20,8 kali lebih tinggi, responden yang memiliki riwayat kehamilan remaja pada keluarga memiliki peluang 14,9 kali lebih tinggi, responden yang menikah pada usia <20 tahun memiliki peluang 12,1 kali lebih tinggi, responden dengan pemahaman yang kurang baik terkait penggunaan kondom memiliki peluang 5,9 kali lebih tinggi untuk terjadi kehamilan remaja. Oleh karena itu perlu dibangun karakter buiding, sosial karakter suport untuk para ibu remaja dan keluarga sehingga terbangun interaksi yang baik dalam keluarga yang dilandasi dengan pendidikan dan pemahaman yang baik tentang Pendidikan seksualitas. Teen pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs in adolescents aged less than 20 years old. Teen pregnancy provides many disadvantages for health, mental, psychological, economic well-being, career opportunities, poverty, and the future life. The aim of the study was to identify the determinants underlying teen pregnancy incidence. This study was a quantitative study with categorical analytic method. The study design used a case control with two comparison groups. The groups were control group and case group. The population in this study was all women who lived in the Wonosari, Sukosari, and Krajan Pandansari district and had or were pregnant for the first time at the age of less than 20 years old. Seventy three respondents were recruited using cluster sampling technique. The case group consists of women who were or had pregnant for the first time at the age of less than 20 years old and their children are currently aged ≤ 1 years old. The control group consists of women who were pregnant for the first time at the age of > 20 years old. The data was collected using a questionnaire. The findings showed that education, history of teen pregnancy in family and the age of marriage were related to the incidence of teen pregnancy after being controlled by information access. Low-educated respondents had 20.8 times higher chance of experiencing teen pregnancy; respondents with a history of teen pregnancy in the family had 4.9 times higher chance of experiencing teen pregnancy; respondents who were married at the age of < 20 years old had 12.1 times higher chance of experiencing teen pregnancy; respondents with poor understanding of condom use had 5.9 times higher chance of teenage pregnancy. In conclusion, the findings suggest to build good interactions in the family based on education and a good understanding of sex education.

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The Effect of Working Memory Rehabilitation on Visual Memory and Memory Span

Elderly Health Journal ◽

10.18502/ehj.v6i2.5018 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mansour Mahmoudi Aghdam ◽

Esmaeil Soleimani ◽

Ali Issa Zadegan

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Elderly People ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Visual Memory ◽

Memory Span ◽

Control Group ◽

Age Related ◽

Memory Rehabilitation ◽

The Mean

Introduction: Age-related cognitive decline or cognitive aging is largely the result of structural and functional decline in specific areas of the brain, but lifestyle also contributes to this cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of working memory rehabilitation on visual memory and memory span in ageing. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design and a control group. The study population included all elderly people who lived in Bukan Nursing Home from April to July 2019 (N = 120). Among these individuals, 30 elderly people were selected by convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (two groups of 15 people). Kim Karad Visual Memory Test and Wechsler Memory Span Test were taken from the groups in pretest. The working memory rehabilitation was performed in 18 sessions (each sessions 60-minute) and after which the test was performed again. The data were analyzed by multivariate covariance test according to its assumptions. Results: The results showed that after the rehabilitation of working memory, in the experimental group, the mean of short, medium and long components of visual memory were 12.00, 10.8 and 12.33, respectively, and the direct and inverse of memory span were 11.66 and 9.66, respectively. In the control group, the average of short, medium and long components of visual memory is 7.00, 6.70 and 9.00, respectively, and direct and inverse of memory span is 8.33 and 6.46, respectively. The difference in the mean scores between the two groups in the components of visual memory and memory span after the intervention was significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results showed that working memory rehabilitation can improve visual memory and memory span, and it is recommended that this rehabilitation method be used to improve the cognitive functions of the elderly.

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Aging

The Mismatch Negativity ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198705079.003.0005 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 105-112

Author(s):

Risto Näätänen ◽

Teija Kujala ◽

Gregory Light

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Speech Perception ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Temporal Processing ◽

Brain Aging ◽

Brain Plasticity ◽

Part Of Speech ◽

Memory Traces ◽

Age Related ◽

The Brain

This chapter shows that MMN and its magnetoencephalographic (MEG) equivalent MMNm are sensitive indices of aging-related perceptual and cognitive decline. Importantly, the age-related neural changes are associated with a decrease of general brain plasticity, i.e. that of the ability of the brain to form and maintain sensory-memory traces, a necessary basis for veridical perception and appropriate cognitive brain function. MMN/MMNm to change in stimulus duration is particularly affected by aging, suggesting the increased vulnerability of temporal processing to brain aging and accounting, for instance, for a large part of speech-perception difficulties of the aged beyond the age-related peripheral hearing loss.

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Lactobacillus paracasei PS23 Delays Progression of Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Senescence Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) Mice

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10070894 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 894 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Shih-Yi Huang ◽

Li-Han Chen ◽

Ming-Fu Wang ◽

Chih-Chieh Hsu ◽

Ching-Hung Chan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Brain Dysfunction ◽

Lactobacillus Paracasei ◽

Oxidative Enzymes ◽

Control Group ◽

Age Related ◽

Chemotactic Protein ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽

Samp8 Mice ◽

Senescence Accelerated Mouse

Probiotic supplements are potential therapeutic agents for age-related disorders due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of probiotics on age-related brain dysfunction remains unclear. To investigate the effects of Lactobacillus paracasei PS23 (LPPS23) on the progression of age-related cognitive decline, male and female senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were divided into two groups (n = 6 each): the control and PS23 groups. From the age of 16 weeks, these groups were given saline and LPPS23, respectively, because SAMP8 mice start aging rapidly after four months of age. After 12 weeks of treatment, we evaluated the effect of LPPS23 by analyzing their appearance, behavior, neural monoamines, anti-oxidative enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines. The PS23 group showed lower scores of senescence and less serious anxiety-like behaviors and memory impairment compared to the control group. The control mice also showed lower levels of neural monoamines in the striatum, hippocampus, and serum. Moreover, LPPS23 induced the anti-oxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Higher levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1) and lower levels of interleukin (IL)-10 indicated that LPPS23 modulated the inflammation. Our results suggest that LPPS23 supplements could delay age-related cognitive decline, possibly by preventing oxidation and inflammation and modulating gut–brain axis communication.

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Hearing aids to support cognitive functions of older adults at risk of dementia: the HearCog trial- clinical protocols

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-020-01912-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dona M. P. Jayakody ◽

Osvaldo P. Almeida ◽

Andrew H. Ford ◽

Marcus D. Atlas ◽

Nicola T. Lautenschlager ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

At Risk ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

Trial Registration ◽

Control Group ◽

Age Related ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Globally, about 50 million people were living with dementia in 2015, with this number projected to triple by 2050. With no cure or effective treatment currently insight, it is vital that factors are identified which will help prevent or delay both age-related and pathological cognitive decline and dementia. Observational data have suggested that hearing loss is a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia, but no conclusive evidence from randomised controlled trials is currently available. Methods The HearCog trial is a 24-month, randomised, controlled clinical trial aimed at determining whether a hearing loss intervention can delay or arrest the cognitive decline. We will randomise 180 older adults with hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment to a hearing aid or control group to determine if the fitting of hearing aids decreases the 12-month rate of cognitive decline compared with the control group. In addition, we will also determine if the expected clinical gains achieved after 12 months can be sustained over an additional 12 months and if losses experienced through the non-correction of hearing loss can be reversed with the fitting of hearing aids after 12 months. Discussion The trial will also explore the cost-effectiveness of the intervention compared to the control arm and the impact of hearing aids on anxiety, depression, physical health and quality of life. The results of this trial will clarify whether the systematic correction of hearing loss benefits cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. We anticipate that our findings will have implications for clinical practice and health policy development. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR: 12618001278224), registered on 30.07.2018.

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Plant-Based Dietary Patterns, Plant Foods, and Age-Related Cognitive Decline

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmz081 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (Supplement_4) ◽

pp. S422-S436 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Sujatha Rajaram ◽

Julie Jones ◽

Grace J Lee

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Well Being ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Plant Foods ◽

Age Related ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline

ABSTRACT The aging population is expanding, as is the prevalence of age-related cognitive decline (ARCD). Of the several risk factors that predict the onset and progression of ARCD, 2 important modifiable risk factors are diet and physical activity. Dietary patterns that emphasize plant foods can exert neuroprotective effects. In this comprehensive review, we examine studies in humans of plant-based dietary patterns and polyphenol-rich plant foods and their role in either preventing ARCD and/or improving cognitive function. As yet, there is no direct evidence to support the benefits of a vegetarian diet in preventing cognitive decline. However, there is emerging evidence for brain-health–promoting effects of several plant foods rich in polyphenols, anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, and plant-based dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet that include a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. The bioactive compounds present in these dietary patterns include antioxidant vitamins, polyphenols, other phytochemicals, and unsaturated fatty acids. In animal models these nutrients and non-nutrients have been shown to enhance neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and neuronal survival by reducing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. In this review, we summarize the mounting evidence in favor of plant-centered dietary patterns, inclusive of polyphenol-rich foods for cognitive well-being. Randomized clinical trials support the role of plant foods (citrus fruits, grapes, berries, cocoa, nuts, green tea, and coffee) in improving specific domains of cognition, most notably frontal executive function. We also identify knowledge gaps and recommend future studies to identify whether plant-exclusive diets have an added cognitive advantage compared with plant-centered diets with fish and/or small amounts of animal foods.

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The Effect of Cyberspace-based Education on the Well-Being of Caregivers of Elderly People with Dementia

Current Aging Science ◽

10.2174/1874609814666210208180051 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

Author(s):

Yadollah Abolfathi Momtaz ◽

Parisa Mollaei ◽

Parisa Taheri-Tanjani

Keyword(s):

Elderly People ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Control Group ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Age Related ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Introduction: One of the consequences of aging is the prevalence of chronic and age-related diseases, such as dementia. Caring for patients with dementia has a negative impact on the caregiver's well-being. This study aimed to examine the impact of cyberspace-based education on the well-being of caregivers of demented elderly people. Methods: This experimental study was done on a sample of 86 caregivers of elderly with dementia in 2018. The study sample was selected from memory clinic of Taleghani Hospital and randomly assigned into groups (intervention n = 43, control n = 43 groups). The well-being was measured using the World Health Organization - Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), before and two months after the intervention. Cyberspace-based educational intervention was conducted for one month. The SPSS software version 23 was employed in data analysis. Results: The mean age of the caregivers in the intervention and control groups were (M = 51.95, SD = 10.90) and (M = 51.36, SD = 15.12) respectively. No significant difference was found between two groups in terms of age, gender and level of education. The results of analysis showed that while the well-being of the intervention group was significantly increased (t (38) = -11.38, P<0.001) the well-being in the control group was significantly reduced ( t(36) =4.71 , P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings showed that cyberspace-based education can improve the well-being of caregivers of the elderly with dementia.

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A New Tool to Study Parkinsonism in the Context of Aging: MPTP Intoxication in a Natural Model of Multimorbidity

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22094341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (9) ◽

pp. 4341

Author(s):

Lorena Cuenca-Bermejo ◽

Elisa Pizzichini ◽

Valeria C. Gonçalves ◽

María Guillén-Díaz ◽

Elena Aguilar-Moñino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Calcium Binding ◽

Dopaminergic Neurons ◽

Dorsal Hippocampus ◽

Control Group ◽

Suitable Model ◽

Nigrostriatal Pathway ◽

Ventral Mesencephalon ◽

Age Related ◽

Motor Condition ◽

First Time

The diurnal rodent Octodon degus (O. degus) is considered an attractive natural model for Alzheimer’s disease and other human age-related features. However, it has not been explored so far if the O. degus could be used as a model to study Parkinson’s disease. To test this idea, 10 adult male O. degus were divided into control group and MPTP-intoxicated animals. Motor condition and cognition were examined. Dopaminergic degeneration was studied in the ventral mesencephalon and in the striatum. Neuroinflammation was also evaluated in the ventral mesencephalon, in the striatum and in the dorsal hippocampus. MPTP animals showed significant alterations in motor activity and in visuospatial memory. Postmortem analysis revealed a significant decrease in the number of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral mesencephalon of MPTP animals, although no differences were found in their striatal terminals. We observed a significant increase in neuroinflammatory responses in the mesencephalon, in the striatum and in the hippocampus of MPTP-intoxicated animals. Additionally, changes in the subcellular expression of the calcium-binding protein S100β were found in the astrocytes in the nigrostriatal pathway. These findings prove for the first time that O. degus are sensitive to MPTP intoxication and, therefore, is a suitable model for experimental Parkinsonism in the context of aging.

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Combined Neurocognitive And Metacognitive Rehabilitation In Schizophrenia: Effects On Bias Against Disconfirmatory Evidence

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.02.006 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 615-621 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

M. Buonocore ◽

M. Bosia ◽

R. Riccaboni ◽

M. Bechi ◽

M. Spangaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Biases ◽

Cognitive Remediation ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Metacognitive Training ◽

Open Questions ◽

Being There ◽

First Time

AbstractBackgroundA Metacognitive Training for Schizophrenia patients (MCT) was developed to target the cognitive biases that characterize the illness. Results suggest positive MCT effects encompassing several aspects of psychopathology and subjective well-being. There are still open questions concerning the effect on different cognitive biases and the interplay between them and both psychopathology and neurocognition. Specifically, the bias against disconfirmatory evidence (BADE) has never been tested in previous trials on MCT. In this study we evaluated the feasibility of MCT combined with a cognitive remediation therapy (CACR) in schizophrenia and its effect on BADE. Moreover, we investigated the relationships between BADE and both neuropsychology and psychopathology, taking into account mutual influences on the degree of improvement.MethodsFifty-seven schizophrenia outpatients were randomly assigned to CACR + control group or MCT+CACR and assessed at baseline and after treatment for psychopathology, neurocognition and BADE.ResultsAfter MCT+CACR patients showed significantly greater improvements on BADE. Although BADE baseline performances correlated with several cognitive domains, no association was found between BADE improvement and neurocognitive nor psychopathological measures.ConclusionsThis study enlightened for the first time the efficacy of MCT+CACR on BADE in schizophrenia, suggesting the importance to develop a more specific intervention tailored on individual needs of patients.

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The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (THBP): a prospective longitudinal examination of the effect of university-level education in older adults in preventing age-related cognitive decline and reducing the risk of dementia

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610213000380 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 25 (7) ◽

pp. 1145-1155 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mathew J. Summers ◽

Nichole L.J. Saunders ◽

Michael J. Valenzuela ◽

Jeffery J. Summers ◽

Karen Ritchie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Reserve ◽

Life Experience ◽

Reference Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Age Related ◽

University Level ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽

Prospective Longitudinal

ABSTRACTBackground: Differences in the level of cognitive compromise between individuals following brain injury are thought to arise from underlying differences in cognitive reserve. The level of cognitive reserve attained by an individual is influenced by both genetic and life experience factors such as educational attainment and occupational history. The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (THBP) is a world-first prospective study examining the capacity of university-level education to enhance cognitive reserve in older adults and subsequently reduce age-related cognitive decline and risk for neurodegenerative disease.Methods: Up to 1,000 adults aged 50–79 years at the time of entry into the study will be recruited to participate in the THBP. All participants will be healthy and free of significant medical, psychological, or psychiatric illness. Of the participant sample, 90% will undertake a minimum of 12 months part-time university-level study as an intervention. The remaining 10% will act as a control reference group. Participants will complete an annual comprehensive assessment of neuropsychological function, medical health, socialization, and personal well-being. Premorbid estimates of past cognitive, education, occupational, and physical function will be used to account for the mediating influence of prior life experience on outcomes. Potential contributing genetic factors will also be explored.Results: Participant results will be assessed annually. Participants displaying evidence of dementia on the comprehensive neuropsychological assessment will be referred to an independent psycho-geriatrician for screening and diagnosis.Conclusions: The THBP commenced in 2011 and is expected to run for 10–20 years duration. To date, a total of 383 participants have been recruited into the THBP.

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