scholarly journals Controlling TMD Enhances Cognitive and Emotional Responsiveness

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Richard Klein ◽  
◽  
Barbara C Fisher ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pain Relief ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Trigger Point ◽  
Cognitive Improvement ◽  
Mood Changes ◽  
Neurocognitive Assessment ◽  
Craniofacial Pain ◽  
Voluntary Basis ◽  
Practical Implications

Background: While previous studies have focused on cognitive improvement over time, they have not necessarily focused on mood changes. The goal of this study was to address pain relief, in particular the immediate response of pain relief. Methods: The focus of this study was 25 chronic TMD patients suffering from craniofacial pain. Trigger point injections were given to alleviate this pain, after a neurocognitive assessment was completed. Patients were then given the Epworth Daytime Sleepiness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and a measure of memory (Three Words Three Shape Test) and processing speed (Symbol Search from the WAIS III) test. This was performed on a voluntary basis. Results: Out of 25 participants, 4.2% reported a pain ranking of 1 (on a scale of 0 to 3), 37.5% reported a pain ranking of 2, and 58.3% reported a pain ranking of 3. In regards to the origin of pain, 75% reported that trauma was the origin, 16.7% reported that stress was the origin, and 8% reported that the origin was anatomical in nature. Conclusions: This study has shown that you have a higher chance of immediate increase in cognitive function in terms of processing speed, however memory is not as receptive to immediate change. Craniofacial muscles are therefore less tense. Practical Implications: Can there be an immediate improvement in brain function when pain is eliminated? Dentists who are specialists in treating TMD are proving to revert negative cognitive and emotional changes when TMD symptoms dissipate

Evidence-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation for People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 7512520385p1-7512520385p1
Author(s):  
Yu-Chih Chen ◽  
Szu-Wei Chen ◽  
Britney Ferri
Keyword(s):  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cognitive Improvement ◽  
Computer Based

Abstract Date Presented 04/22/21 Computer-based programs, conventional cognitive rehabilitation, neurologic music therapy, and noninvasive brain stimulation are effective in improving memory and learning, processing speed, language, executive function, or general cognitive skills. However, the retention of treatment effects and the generalizability of the cognitive improvement to the daily occupations are not clear. Including a predetermined single outcome, functional and long-term outcomes are needed in future studies. Primary Author and Speaker: Yu-Chih Chen Contributing Authors: Nicole Gerhardt, Christina Calhoun Thielen, Winnie Dunn, and Mary Jane Mulcahey

When is an Islamic work ethic more likely to spur helping behavior? The roles of despotic leadership and gender

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 630-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
Inam Ul Haq ◽  
Usman Raja ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem ◽  
Norashikin Mahmud
Keyword(s):  
Work Ethic ◽  
Work Values ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Islamic Work Ethic ◽  
Female Employees ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Voluntary Basis ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how employees’ Islamic work ethic might enhance their propensity to help their coworkers on a voluntary basis, as well as how this relationship might be invigorated by despotic leadership. It also considers how the invigorating role of despotic leadership might depend on employees’ gender. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from employees and their supervisors in Pakistani organizations. Findings Islamic work values relate positively to helping behaviors, and this relationship is stronger when employees experience despotic leadership, because their values motivate them to protect their colleagues against the hardships created by such leadership. This triggering role of despotic leadership is particularly strong among female employees. Practical implications For organizations, the results demonstrate that Islamic work values may be important for creating a culture that promotes collegiality, to a greater extent when employees believe that their leaders act as despots who exploit their followers for personal gain. Originality/value This study elaborates how employees’ Islamic work ethic influences the likelihood that they help their coworkers, particularly in work contexts marked by stress-inducing leadership.

Perceived advantages and disadvantages of taking a psychology professional placement year

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 456-467
Author(s):  
Helen St Clair-Thompson ◽  
Carla Chivers
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Main Theme ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transferable Skills ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Voluntary Basis ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose It is well established that there are several benefits of taking a placement year, for example, higher academic attainment, the acquisition of transferable skills and enhanced employability. It is therefore important to understand why students choose to take or not to take a placement. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach In the current study, 159 first year students studying psychology were asked about their perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of taking a psychology professional placement year. Their responses were analysed using thematic analysis, and the number of participants who provided information relating to each main theme was also tabulated. Findings Students perceived the main benefits of placements as relating to career certainty, future prospects, experience, knowledge and skills. In contrast, they perceived the main disadvantages as practical disadvantages, social/emotional disadvantages, difficulty, and there being no guaranteed benefit of a placement. Practical implications The results are discussed in terms of their potential to inform practices for developing and enhancing psychology placements within higher education. For example, providing further empirical evidence of the benefits of placements may help staff in higher education to further promote placement years. Originality/value The study contributes to the knowledge of perceived advantages and disadvantages of taking a placement in psychology. Placements in psychology are likely to be very beneficial for employability, but are often only available on a voluntary basis.

scholarly journals Effect of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy on brain health of the child at 11 years: the FASSTT Offspring trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aoife Caffrey ◽  
Kristina Pentieva ◽  
Helene McNulty ◽  
Pramod Gaur ◽  
Joel B. Talcott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Folic Acid Supplementation ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Acid Supplementation ◽  
Lower Power ◽  
High Gamma

AbstractPericonceptional folic acid (FA) has an established role in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), leading to global recommendations for FA supplementation before and in early pregnancy. However, it is unclear whether there are any benefits for offspring brain health arising from continued maternal FA supplementation beyond the first trimester. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of maternal folate nutrition during pregnancy in relation to cognitive performance and brain function in the offspring at 11 years. The children of mothers who had participated in a randomised trial of Folic Acid Supplementation in the Second and Third Trimesters (FASSTT) were investigated, providing a unique opportunity to examine offspring brain health in relation to maternal folate (the FASSTT Offspring trial; n = 68). Cognitive performance was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth UK Edition (WISC-IV). The WISC-IV measures Full Scale IQ and specific domains of cognitive performance: Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed. Brain function was measured using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in a subset of the child participants (n = 33). The results showed no significant difference in Full Scale IQ between the children of mothers who had received folic acid versus placebo during pregnancy (P = 0.993). Processing Speed subtest scores were however significantly higher in the folic acid group compared with placebo (Symbol Search: P = 0.046 and Cancellation: P = 0.011). The application of MEG analysis showed that at rest, there were differences in brain functioning with significantly lower overall power at Broad band [1–48Hz] (P = 0.041) and a trend (not significant) towards lower power in all other frequency bands (Theta, Mu, Beta, Low Gamma and High Gamma) in children from the FA group compared with placebo. Results for the responses to the language task (congruent and incongruent sentences) in children from the FA group showed significantly lower power within the Theta band [4–8Hz] and significantly higher power within high frequency bands i.e. Beta [13–30 Hz] and High Gamma [49–70 Hz]. This suggested more efficient language processing abilities in these children compared to children of mothers in the placebo group. The findings provide scientific evidence that continuing FA supplementation beyond the periconceptional period that is protective against NTDs, may be beneficial for brain health in the offspring. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that MEG is a useful tool for objective assessment of functional brain activity in healthy children in response to nutrition intervention.

scholarly journals Why happy employees help

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1001-1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
Inam Ul Haq ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Meaningfulness ◽  
Helping Behaviour ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Voluntary Basis ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Positive Work

Purpose Drawing from conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction and helping behaviour, and, particularly, how it may be moderated by two personal resources (work meaningfulness and collectivistic orientation) and one organisational resource (organisational support). Design/methodology/approach Quantitative data were collected from a survey administered to employees and their supervisors in a Pakistani-based organisation. Findings The usefulness of job satisfaction for stimulating helping behaviour is greater when employees believe that their work activities are meaningful, emphasise collective over individual interests, and believe that their employer cares for their well-being. Practical implications The results inform organisations about the circumstances in which they can best leverage employees’ positive job energy, which arises from their job satisfaction, to encourage their voluntary assistance of other organisational members. Originality/value This study extends research on positive work behaviours by examining the concurrent roles that job satisfaction and several contingent factors play in promoting employee helping behaviour. In particular, it highlights the invigorating effects of these factors on the usefulness of the enthusiasm that employees feel about their job situation for increasing their willingness to extend help to other members, on a voluntary basis.

Effect of Acupuncture Treatment on Heel Pain Due to Plantar Fasciitis

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Tillu ◽  
S Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Pain Relief ◽  
Plantar Fasciitis ◽  
Acupuncture Treatment ◽  
Trigger Point ◽  
Plantar Fascia ◽  
Heel Pain ◽  
Poor Responders ◽  
Percentage Improvement ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
History Of

Eighteen patients attending an orthopaedic outpatient clinic with a year or more's history of heel pain due to plantar fasciitis were studied. All had had conservative treatment of physiotherapy and shoe-support without significant pain relief before acupuncture was offered, and thus acted as their own controls for the purposes of the study. The following traditional points were needled: Taixi (KI.3), Kunlun (BL.60) and Sanyinjiao (SP.6). Pain was assessed by a 100mm visual analogue scale (VAS) before treatment was started and after four, weekly sessions of acupuncture treatment. If complete pain relief was not obtained by the initial four-week treatment, a further two, weekly sessions of the above mentioned acupoints, with the addition of trigger point acupuncture in the gastro-soleus and plantar fascia, was carried out and pain assessed. Patients were also assessed with a verbal rating score to indicate the percentage improvement after acupuncture compared to before treatment. The mean duration of heel pain was 25.11 months (SD 10.68). The VAS data obtained at 4 and 6 weeks of acupuncture treatment showed a statistically highly significant improvement compared to the VAS before acupuncture (p < 0.0009 and p < 0.0001 respectively). Using the Mann-Whitney test, there was a statistically significant difference in VAS obtained at 6 weeks, after trigger point acupuncture had been added for poor responders, compared to that obtained after the first 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment (p < 0.047). Our study demonstrates that acupuncture is effective in treating patients with chronic heel pain due to plantar fasciitis and that the addition of trigger point acupuncture in poor or non-responders may be useful.

scholarly journals Fusing Functional MRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Measures of Brain Function and Structure to Predict Working Memory and Processing Speed Performance among Inter-episode Bipolar Patients

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 330-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin S. McKenna ◽  
Rebecca J. Theilmann ◽  
Ashley N. Sutherland ◽  
Lisa T. Eyler
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Corpus Callosum ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Regions Of Interest ◽  
Bipolar Patients

AbstractEvidence for abnormal brain function as measured with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and cognitive dysfunction have been observed in inter-episode bipolar disorder (BD) patients. We aimed to create a joint statistical model of white matter integrity and functional response measures in explaining differences in working memory and processing speed among BD patients. Medicated inter-episode BD (n=26; age=45.2±10.1 years) and healthy comparison (HC; n=36; age=46.3±11.5 years) participants completed 51-direction DTI and fMRI while performing a working memory task. Participants also completed a processing speed test. Tract-based spatial statistics identified common white matter tracts where fractional anisotropy was calculated from atlas-defined regions of interest. Brain responses within regions of interest activation clusters were also calculated. Least angle regression was used to fuse fMRI and DTI data to select the best joint neuroimaging predictors of cognitive performance for each group. While there was overlap between groups in which regions were most related to cognitive performance, some relationships differed between groups. For working memory accuracy, BD-specific predictors included bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from fMRI, splenium of the corpus callosum, left uncinate fasciculus, and bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi from DTI. For processing speed, the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum and right superior longitudinal fasciculus from DTI were significant predictors of cognitive performance selectively for BD patients. BD patients demonstrated unique brain-cognition relationships compared to HC. These findings are a first step in discovering how interactions of structural and functional brain abnormalities contribute to cognitive impairments in BD. (JINS, 2015, 21, 330–341)

scholarly journals Who benefits from computerized cognitive training? Lower processing speed predicts greater cognitive improvement

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 100149
Author(s):  
Sophie Schiff ◽  
Dakota A. Egglefield ◽  
Jeffrey N. Motter ◽  
Alice Grinberg ◽  
Sara N. Rushia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Computerized Cognitive Training ◽  
Cognitive Improvement

scholarly journals C-20 Cardiorespiratory Fitness Predicts Processing Speed Performance in Urban Latin Americans

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1049-1049
Author(s):  
A Alioto ◽  
K Conde ◽  
M Salazar-Villanea ◽  
J Moncada-Jimenez ◽  
D Cahn-Weiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Cognitive Improvement ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Minute Walk

Abstract Objective There is evidence that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) protects against age-related declines in processing speed (PS), but studies investigating older adults living in low and middle-income countries are lacking. We used data from the Epidemiology and Development of Alzheimer’s Disease (EDAD) study to investigate the role of CRF on PS in older Costa Rican adults. Method 306 community dwelling older adults (mean age = 69) were recruited for a study on cognition and physical fitness. We used a regression model to test the association between CRF and a composite measure of PS (Digit Symbol, Trails A, Block Design, and Stroop Color Naming). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with full information maximum likelihood was conducted in a nested multi-step process on subtest scores. We also compared the strength of the relationship between two measures of CRF: Maximal oxygen uptake (V02 peak) and a latent variable comprised of distance achieved during the 6-minute Walk Test and change in heart rate before and after walking (Modified 6-Minute Walk). Results Higher CRF was significantly associated with PS, and the association remained significant after controlling for age and sex (B = 0.21; p < .001). The strength of the relationship between two measures of CRF was very high, suggesting equivalence of these indices. Conclusions CRF and PS are clinically meaningful therapeutic targets for future prevention trials in Latin America. The modified 6-Minute Walk is an efficient approximation of the gold standard CRF measurement. The cognitive benefits of CRF should be compared to other lifestyle interventions (e.g., diet) to determine the active components of cognitive improvement.

scholarly journals Changes in Processing Speed, Cognitive Flexibility, and Selective Attention over a Four-Week Treatment Period in Inpatients with Moderate to Severe Depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-140
Author(s):  
Brooke C. Schneider ◽  
Sabrina Diedrich ◽  
Marit Hauschildt ◽  
Sarah V. Biedermann ◽  
Sönke Arlt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Selective Attention ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Treatment Period ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Practice Effects ◽  
Cognitive Improvement

Abstract. Cognitive dysfunction among individuals with depression is associated with reduced functional status, and cognitive improvement is often an important treatment goal. We compared changes in cognitive performance over four weeks among 45 inpatients with a unipolar depressive disorder completing inpatient treatment to that of 20 controls on measures of processing speed and set-shifting (Trail Making Test), as well as selective attention (Test d2). In the patients, depressive symptoms improved significantly and with a large effect over the treatment period ( d = 1.22–1.81). Among the three cognitive domains examined, the most pronounced reductions among patients compared to controls were observed in cognitive flexibility (Group effect: ηp2 = .04). The effect of Group; however, was not significant. Likewise, there were no significant improvements in cognitive flexibility over time, and changes in cognitive flexibility over the four-week period did not differ between the two groups (Group x Time interaction). Performances in selective attention and processing speed improved over the four-week period, though neither the effect of Group nor the interaction (Group x Time) was significant regarding these performances. Change in cognitive performance was not associated with changes in symptom severity (incl. remission status). Taken together, the significant improvements in selective attention and processing speed were largely attributable to practice effects. Our findings lend further support to the notion that cognitive flexibility, selective attention, and processing speed are independent of improvements in depressive symptoms. This study underscores the importance of including comparison groups to control for practice effects when examining cognitive change, and providing treatments specifically aimed at improving cognitive symptoms.

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