Individual Cognition Research Articles

Pilot Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial Evaluating the Feasibility of an Intranasal Oxytocin in Improving Social Cognition in Individuals Living with Alzheimer's Disease.

Individuals living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) demonstrate extensive deficits in social cognition. To date, no studies have investigated the feasibility of an intranasal oxytocin (INOT) treatment to improve social cognition in individuals living with AD. We conducted a pilot trial to determine recruitment feasibility, enrolment acceptability, and adherence to an INOT treatment to inform on the subsequent design of a future randomized controlled trial (RCT). We also estimated the effect sizes of potential social cognitive function outcome measures related to participants and their caregivers. Four individuals with AD were enrolled in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial involving a one-week treatment period with both INOT (72 IU twice daily) and placebo. All participants reported no treatment-causative or serious adverse events following repeated INOT administration. While enrolment acceptability (100%) and INOT adherence (placebo, 95%; INOT, 98%) were excellent, feasibility of recruitment was not acceptable (i.e., n = 4/58 individuals screened met inclusion criteria). However, positive/large effects were associated with secondary outcomes of self-reported health and wellbeing, caregiver 'burden', intimacy and interpersonal-bonding, following repeated INOT administration. No positive effects were associated with participant outcomes of social cognition. This pilot RCT provides first evidence that INOT administration in individuals living with AD is safe and well-tolerated. Despite limitations in sample size, moderate-to-large effect size improvements were identified in participant health outcomes as well as core social cognitive functions and 'burden' as reported by a caregiver. This suggests potential broad-ranging beneficial effects of INOT which should be assessed in future RCTs.

Emotional Disorder of Adolescents on Family Interactive Theory

As the enhancement of public awareness, more researchers are realizing the severity of mental health problems, which generally begin before the age of 14. In response to the issue of psychological sensitivity among adolescents, a summary was made from the perspective of emotional disorders among college students. Persistent emotional disorders can lead to biases in self-awareness. Self-worth is an important aspect of self. It affects individual cognition, emotion and behavior, and even physical health. An effective way to face adolescents' Developmental disorder is Improving adolescents' self-esteem is an effective. For this phenomenon, Satya has put forward a systematic coping theory in family relations, interpersonal communication, and self-consultation, and used discourse analysis. The research methods of case analysis and desktop research summarize the emotional disorders of Chinese adolescents in the past 5 years. By identifying common causes, identifying and analyzing coping strategies, we explore the imbalances that occur in the development process of adolescents from the perspectives of language, communication, and culture.

Self-beliefs, Transactive Memory Systems, and Collective Identification in Teams: Articulating the Socio-Cognitive Underpinnings of COHUMAIN.

Socio-cognitive theory conceptualizes individual contributors as both enactors of cognitive processes and targets of a social context's determinative influences. The present research investigates how contributors' metacognition or self-beliefs, combine with others' views of themselves to inform collective team states related to learning about other agents (i.e., transactive memory systems) and forming social attachments with other agents (i.e., collective team identification), both important teamwork states that have implications for team collective intelligence. We test the predictions in a longitudinal study with 78 teams. Additionally, we provide interview data from industry experts in human-artificial intelligence teams. Our findings contribute to an emerging socio-cognitive architecture for COllective HUman-MAchine INtelligence (i.e., COHUMAIN) by articulating its underpinnings in individual and collective cognition and metacognition. Our resulting model has implications for the critical inputs necessary to design and enable a higher level of integration of human and machine teammates.

Çekingen Kişilik Bozukluğunun Tedavisinde Bilişsel Davranışçı Terapi ve Bilişsel Davranışçı Grup Terapisinin Karşılaştırılması

The primary aim of this study is to compile studies on cognitive behavioral therapy method in the treatment of avoidant personality disorder and present their data. Another aim is to discuss with the reasons, cognitive behavior group therapies may be more effective on this disorder than cognitive behavioral individual therapies, since the main problem in avoidant personality disorder stems from interpersonal communication and because the cognitive behavioral therapies applied as a group were found to be quite effective when the avoidant personality disorder was first defined. The aim of this study is to present recommendations together and to compile studies in which cognitive behavioral group therapies were applied on avoidant personality disorder. In this study, studies in domestic and foreign sources, which were conducted with a sample group with avoidant personality disorder and social anxiety disorder, were examined and the study was prepared by reviewing the literature, which is one of the secondary data collection techniques. Since there are not many studies on avoidant personality disorder in the literature, considering the high similarity and comorbidity of avoidant personality disorder with social anxiety disorder, studies on cognitive behavioral group therapies related to social anxiety disorder have also been compiled. As a result of the studies examined, it has been found that the symptoms of avoidant personality disorder are related to the distorted cognition of individuals and cognitive behavioral therapies are a very effective approach because they increase the awareness of the automatic thoughts in the minds of the clients, question their correctness and provide alternative thoughts to replace them.

Outcomes and clinical implications of intranasal insulin on cognition in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aberrant brain insulin signaling has been posited to lie at the crossroads of several metabolic and cognitive disorders. Intranasal insulin (INI) is a non-invasive approach that allows investigation and modulation of insulin signaling in the brain while limiting peripheral side effects. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the effects of INI on cognition in diverse patient populations and healthy individuals. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane CENTRAL were systematically searched from 2000 to July 2021. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials that studied the effects of INI on cognition. Two independent reviewers determined study eligibility and extracted relevant descriptive and outcome data. Twenty-nine studies (pooled N = 1,726) in healthy individuals as well as those with Alzheimer's disease (AD)/mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mental health disorders, metabolic disorders, among others, were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Patients with AD/MCI treated with INI were more likely to show an improvement in global cognition (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.05-0.38 p = <0.00001, N = 12 studies). Among studies with healthy individuals and other patient populations, no significant effects of INI were found for global cognition. This review demonstrates that INI may be associated with pro-cognitive benefits for global cognition, specifically for individuals with AD/MCI. Further studies are required to better understand the neurobiological mechanisms and differences in etiology to dissect the intrinsic and extrinsic factors contributing to the treatment response of INI.

The effect of anxiety and depression on cognition in older adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss.

To evaluate the effect of anxiety and/or depression on cognition in older adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss. In total, 83 older subjects (age of 55years or older) with post-lingual, bilateral, severe-to-profound hearing loss were enrolled in this study between April 2014 and March 2021. The Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status for Hearing-impaired individuals (RBANS-H) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to measure cognition and anxiety/depression. A multiple linear regression was used to predict the total RBANS-H score based on the total HADS score, years of education and age of the participants. These variables statistically significantly predicted RBANS-H, F(3, 79) = 12.604, p = 0.010, R2 = 0.324. All three variables added statistically significantly to the prediction, p < 0.05. A higher HADS-score resulted in a significantly lower RBANS-H score with an estimated effect size b1 of -0.486. In addition, a multiple linear regression was executed for each subdomain of the RBANS-H and its relation to the total HADS-score, age and years of education of the participants. These variables statistically significantly predicted RBANS-H immediate memory F(3, 79) = 16.858, p = 0.003, R2 = 0.390. All three variables added statistically significantly to the prediction, p < 0.05. In the other four subdomains no statistical significance was observed. Anxiety and/or depression have a significantly negative impact on cognition in individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss. This negative correlation was mainly attributable to the significantly lower score in the immediate memory subdomain.

Stability of specific personality network features corresponding to openness trait across different adult age periods: A machine learning analysis

The functional connectivity patterns of the brain during resting state are closely related to an individual's cognition, emotion, behavior, and social interactions, making it an important research method to measure personality traits in an unbiased way, replacing traditional paper-and-pencil tests. However, due to the dynamic nature of the brain, whether the changes in functional connectivity caused by age can stably map onto personality traits has not been previously investigated. This study focuses on whether network features that are significantly related to personality traits can effectively distinguish subjects with different personality traits, and whether these network features vary across different periods of adulthood. The study included 343 healthy adult participants, divided into early adulthood and middle adulthood groups according to the age threshold of 35. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the Big Five personality questionnaire were collected. we investigated the relationship between personality traits and intrinsic whole-brain functional connectome. We then used support vector machine (SVM) to evaluate the performance of personality network features in distinguishing subjects with high and low scores in the early-adulthood sample, and cross-validated in the mid-adulthood sample. Additionally, edge-based analysis (NBS) was used to explore the stability of personality networks across the two age samples. Our results show that the network features corresponding to openness personality trait are stable and can effectively differentiate subjects with different scores in both age samples. Furthermore, this study found that these network features vary to some extent across different periods of adulthood. These findings provide new evidence and insights into the application of resting-state functional connectivity patterns in measuring personality traits and help us better understand the dynamic characteristics of the human brain.

Effects of Livelihood Capital on the Farmers’ Behavioral Intention of Rural Residential Land Development Right Transfer: Evidence from Wujin District, Changzhou City, China

In the process of rapid urbanization and industrialization, there is a significant gap between farmers’ participation and rural homestead reorganization for the more diversified external environment. Despite considerable research focused on homestead withdrawal, the transfer of rural residential land development rights has received comparatively little attention. To realize the optimal use of rural homesteads’ resources and reducing potential living risks, this paper conducted an empirical study on the impact of farmers’ livelihood capital on their behavioral intention of rural residential land development right transfer within Wujin District as an example by incorporating the concepts of livelihood capital and risk perception into the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The results of this research show that the increase in livelihood capital may reduce the level of risk perception. The livelihood capital influences farmers’ intentions towards rural residential land development right transfer through risk perception and individual cognition. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested to diversify livelihood strategies and improve the quality of livelihood capital, in order to reduce the constraint impact of risk perception on farmers’ behavioral intention (BI).

Beyond Individual Cognitions: Time for Intervention Science to Focus on Health Context and Audience.

Intervention science faces a hazardous paradox: on the one hand, vulnerable populations (eg,patients, people from low socioeconomic background, older adults) are those for whom adoption of healthy behaviors is most urgent; on the other hand, behavior change models are less predictive, and interventions less successful, in these populations. This commentary presents 4 reasons that may explain this issue: (1)research mostly focuses on what causes behavior and how to change it, at the expense of investigating among whom and under what conditions models are valid; (2)models put an undue emphasis on individual cognitions; (3)most studies are not conducted on vulnerable populations; and (4)most researchers are from high-income countries. Several avenues are proposed to address this issue: (1)providing a central place to the context and audience in health behavior change modelization, through collaborations with researchers from other disciplines and countries, and with members of the targeted audience; (2)better reporting samples' sociodemographic characteristics and increasing samples' diversity; and (3)using more rigorous and innovative designs (eg,powered randomized controlled trials, N-of-1 trials, intensive longitudinal studies). In conclusion, it becomes urgent to change the way we do research: the social utility and credibility of intervention science depend on it.

Jian-Yan-Ling capsules ameliorate cognitive impairment in mice with D-galactose-induced senescence and inhibit the oxidation-induced apoptosis of HT22 hippocampal cells by regulating the Nrf2-HO1 signaling pathway.

The Jian-Yan-Ling (JYL) capsule is a famous anti-aging Chinese patent medicine. It is applied mainly to delay senescence to improve cognition in aging individuals. However, the action mechanisms of JYL for improving cognition have not been determined. We will evaluate the effect of the JYL capsule at improving the cognition of aging mice by improving oxidative stress in the hippocampus and exploring its action mechanism. A senescence mouse model was developed via intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose. The effect of the JYL capsule at improving the learning and memory abilities of mice was evaluated using the Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. The apotosis of model mice hippocampus' were determined by TUNEL analysis. The antioxidant capacity of the JYL capsule was evaluated by determining the activities of antioxidant enzymes and expressions of oxidative products. The regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway of the JYL capsule was evaluated by determining the expressions of related proteins via western blotting analysis. In vitro, H2O2-treated mouse hippocampal HT22cells were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of JYL-containing rat serum by determining the cell viability, apoptotic level and expressions of related proteins. JYL capsules enhanced the learning and memory abilities of model mice according to behavioral tests. The results of TUNEL analysis showed that the JYL capsule ameliorated hippocampal apoptosis in model mice. JYL capsules also exerted significant antioxidant capacity by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes while decreasing the levels of oxidative products both in the hippocampus and serum. The regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway might contribute to the antioxidant function. In vitro, JYL-containing rat serum protected HT22cells from H2O2 induced oxidative stress. The apoptosis of HT22cells was also attenuated by regulating the caspase and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways. The amelioration of neuronal oxidative stress of hippocampus might contribute to the D-galactose-induced cognition impairment of senescence mice. These findings provide evidence for the application of JYL capsules to enhance cognition in aging individuals.

Design and baseline characteristics of the Cognitive and Aerobic Resilience for the Brain (CARB) study

BackgroundTreatments that delay progression of cognitive impairment in older adults are of great public health significance. This manuscript outlines the protocol, recruitment, baseline characteristics, and retention for a randomized controlled trial of cognitive and aerobic physical training to improve cognition in individuals with subjective cognitive dysfunction, the “Cognitive and Aerobic Resilience for the Brain” (CARB) study. MethodsCommunity-dwelling, older adults with self-reported memory loss were randomly assigned to receive either computer-based cognitive training, aerobic physical training, combined cognitive and physical training, or education control. Treatment was delivered 2- to 3-times per week in 45- to 90-min sessions for 12 weeks by trained facilitators videoconferencing into subject's home. Outcome assessments of were taken at the baseline, immediately following training, and 3-months after training. Results191 subjects were randomized into the trial (mean age, 75.5 years; 68% female; 20% non-white; mean education, 15.1 years; 30% with 1+ APOE e4 allele). The sample was generally obese, hypertensive, and many were diabetic, while cognition, self-reported mood, and activities of daily living were in the normal range. There was excellent retention throughout the trial. Interventions were completed at high rates, participants found the treatments acceptable and enjoyable, and outcome assessments were completed at high rates. ConclusionsThis study was designed to determine the feasibility of recruiting, intervening, and documenting response to treatment in a population at risk for progressive cognitive decline. Older adults with self-reported memory loss were enrolled in high numbers and were well engaged with the intervention and outcome assessments.

Mechanisms linking hearing loss with risk for dementia depends on age

AbstractBackgroundAge related hearing loss has been associated with increased prevalence and incidence of dementia. Underlying mechanisms that connect hearing loss with dementia remain largely unclear.MethodsWe studied the association of hearing loss and other risk markers for dementia in two cohorts with normal cognition and different age: 65 participants from the EMIF‐AD 90+ study (mean age 92.7 years, 56.9% female) and 60 participants from the EMIF‐AD PreclinAD study (mean age 74.4, 43.3% female). Individuals were selected when they had hearing function (‘digits‐in‐noise test’) and neuropsychological testing available. Amyloid binding potential (BPND) was derived from dynamic PET scans. We used linear regression analysis and generalized estimating equations to test the association of hearing loss and BPND. We used linear mixed models to test the association of hearing function and cognition over time. In the oldest‐to‐old individuals, magnetic resonance imaging was available at the time of hearing function testing, and we performed mediation analyses to study whether cognitive decline is mediated through regional brain regions. All models included age, sex, and amyloid status as covariates, and longitudinal analyses were corrected for education years.ResultsOldest‐to‐old individuals showed worse hearing functioning than the younger cohort (p&lt; .001). In oldest‐to‐old hearing loss was not associated with BPND (p = .70), whereas younger individuals showed an association of hearing loss with higher BPND (p = .003, figure 1). Oldest‐to‐old individuals showed associations of worse hearing with a steeper decline in memory (β ± SE = ‐0.018 ± 0.007), global cognition (β ± SE = ‐0.017 ± 0.007) and language (β ± SE = ‐0.014 ± 0.007), while in the younger cohort worse hearing was associated with steeper decline in language only (β ± SE = ‐0.086 ± 0.02, figure 2). Mediation analyses demonstrated that the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens fully mediate the effects of hearing loss on memory and global cognition in the older individuals (figure 3‐4).ConclusionsHearing loss was associated with amyloid burden in younger individuals only, and with cognitive decline in both age groups. These results suggest that mechanisms linking hearing loss with risk for dementia depends on age.

Effects of ApoE in the Panama aging research initiative: A community‐dwelling older adults’ cohort in Panama

AbstractBackgroundThe Panama Aging Research Initiative (PARI) is a longitudinal study of more than 800 adults aged 60 years and older. The objective of this analysis consists of identifying the effects of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene as a risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with elevated risk for ε4‐carriers and reduced risk for ε2‐carriers.MethodOur ongoing community‐based cohort (n = 400) has undergone clinical interviews, neuropsychological testing, and assessments of frailty at two time points (14‐29 months apart). Fasting blood draws were obtained for measurements of genetic and blood‐based biological markers. DNA was extracted from whole blood and (ApoE) genotyping (n = 330) was conducted according to standardized PCR procedures. We will examine whether ε2 and ε4 are associated with differential rates of normal cognitive aging, and whether associations of ε4 with cognitive decline are modified by sex, education or other health conditions common among older adults in Panama, including chronic illnesses, polypharmacy and frailty.ResultOur study evaluate whether ApoE ε2, ε3 and ε4 allele frequency is a significant factor associated with cognition and daily function in elderly individuals. Specifically, we focus on evaluating the frequency of ApoE ε4 expression as a risk for cognitive impairment. Together these results contribute to our understanding of the risk factors of cognitive outcomes among Hispanic populations outside the US.ConclusionLittle is known about the factors associated to cognitive health at old age in Central American populations. Genetic biomarkers could be used as a tool for diagnostic testing. It is expected that ApoE‐ε4 polymorphism will correlate with cognitive deficit among the elderly population and those at risk for cognitive impairment.

DIETARY SODIUM/POTASSIUM INTAKE AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION: DATA FROM NHANES 2011-2014

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between dietary sodium/ potassium intake and cognition in elderly individuals with hypertension. Design and method: We designed a cross-sectional study based on the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Cognitive performance was assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease test (CERAD), and Animal Fluency Test (AFT). Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to assess the relationship between dietary sodium/ potassium intake and cognition. Results: After excluding participants with incomplete data, 1670 out of 2276 participants had confirmed hypertension. Compared with the lowest quartile of dietary sodium, the lowest weighted odds ratio (OR) of cognitive impairment in DSST was observed in Q4 (OR = 0.45, 0.29–0.70), and a similar trend was observed in AFT (OR = 0.34, 0.18–0.65). After adjusting the covariates, the lowest weighted multivariate adjusted OR of cognitive impairment in DSST were also observed in Q4 (OR = 0.47, 0.26–0.84) compared with the lowest quartile of dietary sodium. The RCS results showed that dietary sodium was U-shaped and associated with the risk of cognitive impairment in the DSST (Pnon–linearity = 0.0067). No significant association was observed between dietary potassium and cognitive performance. Conclusions: Too high and too low dietary sodium levels were associated with impairment of specific processing speed, sustained attention, and working memory for hypertension among the elderly in the United States. However, no association was observed between the dietary potassium intake and cognition.

Workplace ostracism as an antecedent to workplace envy: the mediating roles of metacognitive resources and dimensions of social perception

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to explore novel antecedents to workplace envy. The authors explore the role of workplace ostracism (WO) as a contextual antecedent in triggering envy, as well as the mediating effects of metacognitive resources (MR) and dimensions of social perception (DSP) as cognitive antecedents. The authors integrate affective events theory, social comparison theory and schema theory to develop their arguments.Design/methodology/approachUsing the survey approach, the authors recruited 490 professionals employed in Egypt and validated the proposed model and hypotheses in structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThe results show a significant relationship between WO and workplace envy. Additionally, metacognitive experiences (MEs) and warmth mediate the relationship among them.Originality/valueBy addressing how WO is a predictor of envy, this study is among the few to consider social-related events as predictors of envy. Additionally, the study is one of the first that has extended affective events theory to explore the role of an individual's cognition in generating envy.

Pain Control Beliefs Predict Premature Withdrawal From the Labor Market in Workers With Persistent Pain: Prospective Cohort Study With 11-Year Register Follow-up

While a range of work-related psychosocial factors has been associated with various pain disorders and early retirement, less is known about pain cognitions and their influence on premature exit from the labor market. Therefore, as a primary objective, this study investigates associations between pain control beliefs and risk of disability pension among Danish eldercare workers. In 2005, 2257 female eldercare workers with low-back and/or neck/shoulder pain>90 days within the previous 12 months, replied to a survey and were followed for 11 years in a national register of social transfer payments. Using Cox regression, we estimated the risk of disability pension during follow-up from experiencing different levels of “pain control” and “pain influence,” controlling for pain intensity and other relevant confounders. In the fully adjusted model for pain control with “high” as reference, hazard ratios of 1.30 (95% CI 1.03–1.64) and 2.09 (95% CI 1.45–3.01) are observed for “moderate” and “low,” respectively, while the metric of pain influence shows hazard ratios of 1.43 (95% CI 1.11–1.87) and 2.10 (1.53–2.89), respectively. Pain control beliefs are associated with disability pension among eldercare workers with persistent pain. These results highlight the importance of evaluating not only bodily manifestations of pain, but also individual pain-related cognitions that may influence the experience of pain. PerspectiveThis article addresses the complex experience of pain within an organizational context. We introduce the metrics of “pain control” and “pain influence” among workers with persistent pain, showing that the psychometric properties of these measures are prospectively associated with premature exit from the labor market.

Dietary sodium/potassium intake and cognitive impairment in older patients with hypertension: Data from NHANES 2011-2014.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between dietary sodium/potassium intake and cognition in elderly individuals with hypertension. We designed a cross-sectional study based on the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. A multivariable-logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between sodium/potassium intake and cognitive impairment. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) based on regression analysis to assess the nonlinear dose-response relationship between dietary sodium intake and cognitive performance. Out of the 2276 participants included in this study, 1670 patients had hypertension. Compared with the lowest quartile of dietary sodium intake, the lowest weighted odds ratio of cognitive impairment in DSST was observed in Q4 (OR=0.45, 0.29-0.70), and a similar trend was observed in AFT (OR=0.34, 0.18-0.65). After adjusting the covariates, the lowest weighted multivariable-adjusted OR of cognitive impairment in DSST were also observed in Q4 (OR=0.47, 0.26-0.84) compared with the lowest quartile of dietary sodium intake. The RCS results showed that dietary sodium intake was U-shaped and associated with the risk of cognitive impairment in the DSST (Pnon-linearity =0.0067). In addition, no significant association was observed between dietary potassium intake and different dimensions of cognitive performance. In conclusion, excessively high and low low dietary sodium were associated with impairment of specific processing speed, sustained attention, and working memory for elderly patients with hypertension in the United States. However, no association was observed between dietary potassium intake and cognition.

Disturbed Oligodendroglial Maturation Causes Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: A New Hypothesis.

Cognitive impairment is a hallmark of schizophrenia, but no effective treatment is available to date. The underlying pathophysiology includes disconnectivity between hippocampal and prefrontal brain regions. Supporting evidence comes from diffusion-weighted imaging studies that suggest abnormal organization of frontotemporal white matter pathways in schizophrenia. Here, we hypothesize that in schizophrenia, deficient maturation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into mature oligodendrocytes substantially contributes to abnormal frontotemporal macro- and micro-connectivity and subsequent cognitive deficits. Our postmortem studies indicate a reduced oligodendrocyte number in the cornu ammonis 4 (CA4) subregion of the hippocampus, and others have reported the same histopathological finding in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Our series of studies on aerobic exercise training showed a volume increase in the hippocampus, specifically in the CA4 region, and improved cognition in individuals with schizophrenia. The cognitive effects were subsequently confirmed by meta-analyses. Cell-specific schizophrenia polygenic risk scores showed that exercise-induced CA4 volume increase significantly correlates with OPCs. From animal models, it is evident that early life stress and oligodendrocyte-related gene variants lead to schizophrenia-related behavior, cognitive deficits, impaired oligodendrocyte maturation, and reduced myelin thickness. Based on these findings, we propose that pro-myelinating drugs (e.g., the histamine blocker clemastine) combined with aerobic exercise training may foster the regeneration of myelin plasticity as a basis for restoring frontotemporal connectivity and cognition in schizophrenia.

Impact of sex and serum lipids interaction on working memory: A large-scale brain networks study.

Previous studies have demonstrated that both serum lipid levels and sex are crucial factors associated with individual cognition. However, the impact of sex and serum lipid interaction effects on the brain and cognition remains largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the underlying neural mechanisms among sex, serum lipids, and cognition using large-scale brain networks. Resting-state functional MRI data were collected from 157 young healthy adults. Independent component analysis was used to examine large-scale inter- and intra-network functional connectivity (FCs). Peripheral venous blood samples were collected to measure serum lipid levels. The three-back task was employed to assess cognition (i.e., working memory). General linear model, correlation, and mediation analyses were conducted to examine the interaction effects of sex and serum lipids on large-scale brain networks and their relationship with working memory. We found that inter-network connectivity with the executive control network at its core was more susceptible to sex and triglyceride interaction effects. The intra-network connectivity in the dorsal attention networks (DANs), lateral visual networks, and anterior default mode networks was influenced by the interaction effects of sex and total cholesterol (TC)/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Specifically, correlations between serum lipids and affected brain networks were found to be sex-specific. In addition, higher intra-network FC in the right inferior parietal (R-IPL) of the DAN correlated with a longer three-back reaction time in females. More importantly, the relationship between serum TC levels and three-back reaction time was mediated by intra-network connectivity in the R-IPL of the DAN. Our findings describe the impact of sex and serum lipid interaction effects on large-scale brain networks, as well as on cognitive function. Our data suggest that sex-specific usage of serum lipids or brain networks would be beneficial for monitoring and therapy in dyslipidemia-related cognition decline.

Associations between saliva alpha-amylase, heart rate variability, saliva cortisol and cognitive performance in individuals at ultra high-risk for psychosis.

Cognitive impairments are present in individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis and UHR individuals exhibit a hyperactive and dysfunctional HPA-axis. Increasing stress levels could potentially lead to cognitive impairments and no previous studies have examined the association between physiological stress biomarkers and cognition in UHR individuals. This study aims to examine the association between saliva alpha amylase (SAA), heart rate variability (HRV), saliva cortisol, and cognition in UHR individuals. We included 72 UHR individuals, aged 18-40, fulfilling criteria of the comprehensive assessment of at-risk mental state (CAARMS). Cognitive tests indexed the 7 core domains as stated by Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS). Physiological stress levels were observed for one day: saliva was collected at awakening, 30 min and 60 min after awakening and at bedtime. HRV was measured during sleep and before awakening. We used generalized linear model and controlled for multiple testing using false discovery rate (FDR). Higher levels of SAA were significantly associated with lower cognitive performance in the domains of verbal and visual learning and memory, sustained attention, working memory and global neurocognition looking at unadjusted data. Controlling for FDR visual memory, sustained attention and global neurocognition remained significant associated with SAA. We discovered no associations between cortisol and cognition. Visual learning and memory, sustained attention and global neurocognition remained significantly associated with SAA. This finding supports our hypothesis that an association between abnormal stress biomarkers and impaired cognition might be present in UHR individuals.