scholarly journals Current Cognition Tests, Potential Virtual Reality Applications, and Serious Games in Cognitive Assessment and Non-Pharmacological Therapy for Neurocognitive Disorders

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 3287
Author(s):  
Roger Jin ◽  
Alexander Pilozzi ◽  
Xudong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Neurocognitive Disorders ◽  
Pharmacological Therapy ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Current State ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Visuospatial Reasoning ◽  
Global Population

As the global population ages, the incidence of major neurocognitive disorders (major NCDs), such as the most common geriatric major NCD, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), has grown. Thus, the need for more definitive cognitive assessment or even effective non-pharmacological intervention for age-related NCDs is becoming more and more pressing given that no definitive diagnostics or efficacious therapeutics are currently unavailable for them. We evaluate the current state of the art of cognitive assessment for major NCDs, and then briefly glance ahead at potential application of virtual reality (VR) technologies in major NCD assessment and in cognition training of visuospatial reasoning in a 3D environment, as well as in the alleviation of depression and other symptoms of cognitive disorders. We believe that VR-based technologies have tremendous potentials in cognitive assessment and non-pharmacological therapy for major NCDs.

Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Post-Stroke Cognitive Rehabilitation

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Convento ◽  
Cristina Russo ◽  
Luca Zigiotto ◽  
Nadia Bolognini
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Spatial Neglect ◽  
Transcranial Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Neuropsychological Disorders ◽  
Current State ◽  
Stimulation Technique

Abstract. Cognitive rehabilitation is an important area of neurological rehabilitation, which aims at the treatment of cognitive disorders due to acquired brain damage of different etiology, including stroke. Although the importance of cognitive rehabilitation for stroke survivors is well recognized, available cognitive treatments for neuropsychological disorders, such as spatial neglect, hemianopia, apraxia, and working memory, are overall still unsatisfactory. The growing body of evidence supporting the potential of the transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES) as tool for interacting with neuroplasticity in the human brain, in turn for enhancing perceptual and cognitive functions, has obvious implications for the translation of this noninvasive brain stimulation technique into clinical settings, in particular for the development of tES as adjuvant tool for cognitive rehabilitation. The present review aims at presenting the current state of art concerning the use of tES for the improvement of post-stroke visual and cognitive deficits (except for aphasia and memory disorders), showing the therapeutic promises of this technique and offering some suggestions for the design of future clinical trials. Although this line of research is still in infancy, as compared to the progresses made in the last years in other neurorehabilitation domains, current findings appear very encouraging, supporting the development of tES for the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairments.

Ecologically relevant episodic memory assessment indicates an attenuated age-related memory loss – A virtual reality study.

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 680-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlon O. Pflueger ◽  
Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz ◽  
Patrick Lemoine ◽  
Thomas Leyhe
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Memory Assessment ◽  
Age Related

scholarly journals The Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) in the Challenging Future of Cancer Therapy and Age-Related Diseases

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 485
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Cuollo ◽  
Fabrizio Antonangeli ◽  
Angela Santoni ◽  
Alessandra Soriani
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Senescent Cell ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Tissue Microenvironment ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Secretory Phenotype ◽  
Novel Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Novel Therapeutic

Cellular senescence represents a robust tumor-protecting mechanism that halts the proliferation of stressed or premalignant cells. However, this state of stable proliferative arrest is accompanied by the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP), which entails the copious secretion of proinflammatory signals in the tissue microenvironment and contributes to age-related conditions, including, paradoxically, cancer. Novel therapeutic strategies aim at eliminating senescent cells with the use of senolytics or abolishing the SASP without killing the senescent cell with the use of the so-called “senomorphics”. In addition, recent works demonstrate the possibility of modifying the composition of the secretome by genetic or pharmacological intervention. The purpose is not to renounce the potent immunostimulatory nature of SASP, but rather learning to modulate it for combating cancer and other age-related diseases. This review describes the main molecular mechanisms regulating the SASP and reports the evidence of the feasibility of abrogating or modulating the SASP, discussing the possible implications of both strategies.

scholarly journals Online Assessment of Cognitive Functioning: A Reliable Alternative to Laboratory Testing?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 576-577
Author(s):  
Maximilian Haas ◽  
Sascha Zuber ◽  
David Framorando ◽  
Elissa El Khawli ◽  
Susanne Scheibe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Online Tools

Abstract As the population ages, risks for cognitive decline threaten independence and quality of life for older adults. Classically, psychological assessment tools to evaluate cognitive functioning are administered in face-to-face laboratory sessions, which is time- and resource-consuming. With the aim of reducing such costs, the present study set out to develop and validate two new online tools, allowing a rapid assessment of general cognitive abilities and of prospective memory. We collected data from 250 participants equally spread across the adult lifespan (aged 18 – 86). Results suggest that performance assessed via these newly developed online tools is comparable to performance in face-to-face laboratory settings. Our findings thereby indicate that these online tools can reliably measure cognitive functioning across the lifespan at a reduced cost, which may help detect individuals at risk of developing age-related cognitive disorders.

scholarly journals The ATP Synthase Deficiency in Human Diseases

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Chiara Galber ◽  
Stefania Carissimi ◽  
Alessandra Baracca ◽  
Valentina Giorgio
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Phosphorylation ◽  
Atp Synthase ◽  
Mitochondrial Protein ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Neurocognitive Disorders ◽  
Human Diseases ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Muscle Tissues ◽  
Mitochondrial Atp Synthase ◽  
Genes Encoding

Human diseases range from gene-associated to gene-non-associated disorders, including age-related diseases, neurodegenerative, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, diabetic diseases, neurocognitive disorders and cancer. Mitochondria participate to the cascades of pathogenic events leading to the onset and progression of these diseases independently of their association to mutations of genes encoding mitochondrial protein. Under physiological conditions, the mitochondrial ATP synthase provides the most energy of the cell via the oxidative phosphorylation. Alterations of oxidative phosphorylation mainly affect the tissues characterized by a high-energy metabolism, such as nervous, cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues. In this review, we focus on human diseases caused by altered expressions of ATP synthase genes of both mitochondrial and nuclear origin. Moreover, we describe the contribution of ATP synthase to the pathophysiological mechanisms of other human diseases such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative diseases or neurocognitive disorders.

Puzzles Unpuzzled

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (CHI PLAY) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Andrey Krekhov ◽  
Katharina Emmerich ◽  
Ronja Rotthaler ◽  
Jens Krueger
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Basic Structure ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Related Research ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Current State ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
High Level

Escape rooms exist in various forms, including real-life facilities, board games, and digital implementations. The underlying idea is always the same: players have to solve many diverse puzzles to (virtually) escape from a locked room. Within the last decade, we witnessed a rapidly increasing popularity of such games, which also amplified the amount of related research. However, the respective academic landscape is mostly fragmented in its current state, lacking a common model and vocabulary that would withstand these games' variety. This manuscript aims to establish such a foundation for the analysis and construction of escape rooms. In a first step, we derive a high-level design framework from prior literature. Then, as our main contribution, we establish an atomic puzzle taxonomy that closes the gap between the analog and digital domains. The taxonomy is developed in multiple steps: we compose a basic structure based on previous literature and systematically refine it by analyzing 39 analog and digital escape room games, including recent virtual reality representatives. The final taxonomy consists of mental, physical, and emotional challenges, thereby providing a robust and approachable basis for future works across all application domains that deal with escape rooms or puzzles in general.

Lipofuscin causes atypical necroptosis through lysosomal membrane permeabilization

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (47) ◽  
pp. e2100122118
Author(s):  
Chendong Pan ◽  
Kalpita Banerjee ◽  
Guillermo L. Lehmann ◽  
Dena Almeida ◽  
Katherine A. Hajjar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Pigment Epithelium ◽  
Retinal Pigment ◽  
Physicochemical Characteristics ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Toxic Waste ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Human Disorders ◽  
Lipofuscin Granules

Lipofuscin granules enclose mixtures of cross-linked proteins and lipids in proportions that depend on the tissue analyzed. Retinal lipofuscin is unique in that it contains mostly lipids with very little proteins. However, retinal lipofuscin also presents biological and physicochemical characteristics indistinguishable from conventional granules, including indigestibility, tendency to cause lysosome swelling that results in rupture or defective functions, and ability to trigger NLRP3 inflammation, a symptom of low-level disruption of lysosomes. In addition, like conventional lipofuscins, it appears as an autofluorescent pigment, considered toxic waste, and a biomarker of aging. Ocular lipofuscin accumulates in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), whereby it interferes with the support of the neuroretina. RPE cell death is the primary cause of blindness in the most prevalent incurable genetic and age-related human disorders, Stargardt disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), respectively. Although retinal lipofuscin is directly linked to the cell death of the RPE in Stargardt, the extent to which it contributes to AMD is a matter of debate. Nonetheless, the number of AMD clinical trials that target lipofuscin formation speaks for the potential relevance for AMD as well. Here, we show that retinal lipofuscin triggers an atypical necroptotic cascade, amenable to pharmacological intervention. This pathway is distinct from canonic necroptosis and is instead dependent on the destabilization of lysosomes. We also provide evidence that necroptosis is activated in aged human retinas with AMD. Overall, this cytotoxicity mechanism may offer therapeutic targets and markers for genetic and age-related diseases associated with lipofuscin buildups.

AR- und VR-Brillen in der Fabrikplanung*/Current AR- and VR-glasses in factory planning

2018 ◽  
Vol 108 (04) ◽  
pp. 251-256
Author(s):  
U. Bracht ◽  
M. Schlegel
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Factory Planning ◽  
Current State ◽  
Virtual And Augmented Reality ◽  
Stand Der Technik

Augmented- und Virtual-Reality-Brillen haben signifikante Fortschritte in ihrer technischen Leistungsfähigkeit gemacht. In diesem Fachartikel wird der aktuelle Stand der Technik von AR- und VR-Brillen beschrieben, die bisherigen Hemmnisse für die Verwendung in der Fabrikplanung erörtert und Einsatzpotenziale aufgezeigt, die sich durch die verbesserte Hardware erschließen lassen.   Virtual and Augmented Reality Glasses have made significant progress. This paper shows the current state of technology as well as previous impediments in usage and points out applications for an efficient factory planning.

Investigating Age-Related Differences in Spatial Presence in Virtual Reality

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 1782-1786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean A. McGlynn ◽  
Ranjani M. Sundaresan ◽  
Wendy A. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Aspects ◽  
Spatial Presence ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Perceptual Abilities

Virtual reality (VR) has potential applications for promoting physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional well-being for users of all ages. The ability for individuals to develop a sense of being physically located in the virtual environment, referred to as spatial presence, is often an essential component of successful VR applications. Thus, it is necessary to understand the psychological aspects of the spatial presence process and identify methods of measuring presence formation and maintenance. This in-progress study addresses gaps in the spatial presence literature through an empirical evaluation of a conceptual model of spatial presence, which emphasizes users’ characteristics and abilities. Age will serve as a proxy for changes in a variety of presence-relevant cognitive and perceptual abilities. The results will have implications for the design of VR systems and applications and for selecting individuals best-suited for these applications.

scholarly journals Screening tools for the identification of dementia for adults with age-related acquired hearing or vision impairment: a scoping review

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 1771-1784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Pye ◽  
Anna Pavlina Charalambous ◽  
Iracema Leroi ◽  
Chrysoulla Thodi ◽  
Piers Dawes
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sensory Modality ◽  
Vision Impairment ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Cognitive Screening ◽  
Age Related

ABSTRACTBackground:Cognitive screening tests frequently rely on items being correctly heard or seen. We aimed to identify, describe, and evaluate the adaptation, validity, and availability of cognitive screening and assessment tools for dementia which have been developed or adapted for adults with acquired hearing and/or vision impairment.Method:Electronic databases were searched using subject terms “hearing disorders” OR “vision disorders” AND “cognitive assessment,” supplemented by exploring reference lists of included papers and via consultation with health professionals to identify additional literature.Results:1,551 papers were identified, of which 13 met inclusion criteria. Four papers related to tests adapted for hearing impairment; 11 papers related to tests adapted for vision impairment. Frequently adapted tests were the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). Adaptations for hearing impairment involved deleting or creating written versions for hearing-dependent items. Adaptations for vision impairment involved deleting vision-dependent items or spoken/tactile versions of visual tasks. No study reported validity of the test in relation to detection of dementia in people with hearing/vision impairment. Item deletion had a negative impact on the psychometric properties of the test.Conclusions:While attempts have been made to adapt cognitive tests for people with acquired hearing and/or vision impairment, the primary limitation of these adaptations is that their validity in accurately detecting dementia among those with acquired hearing or vision impairment is yet to be established. It is likely that the sensitivity and specificity of the adapted versions are poorer than the original, especially if the adaptation involved item deletion. One solution would involve item substitution in an alternative sensory modality followed by re-validation of the adapted test.

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