Psychomotor Performance Research Articles

Residual next-day effects of alprazolam on psychomotor performance and simulated driving in healthy normal adults.

The prevalence of drugged driving has increased in the United States. Some drugged driving may be unintentional as prescription medications used as sleeping aids, like zolpidem, cause impairment after the predicted duration of therapeutic action has elapsed. The aim of this study was to determine if nighttime administration of alprazolam, a drug commonly prescribed off-label as a sleeping aid, impacts driving performance the following day. Participants were healthy adults (n = 15) who completed a double-blind, double-dummy, within-subjects inpatient study examining the effects of nighttime administration of alprazolam (0.5, 1, and 2 mg), zolpidem (10 mg), and placebo on driving performance the following day. Alprazolam (1 mg; morning) and zolpidem (nighttime) both served as positive control conditions. Driving simulator measures, cognitive and psychomotor tasks, and questionnaires querying drug effects were collected the afternoon before drug administration and for 5.5 hr the next day and analyzed using symmetry and mixed-model approaches. Morning alprazolam significantly impaired driving performance. Driving impairment was observed up to 12.5 hr after nighttime alprazolam 2 mg and for 8.5 hr after nighttime zolpidem 10 mg. Participant reports on driving ability indicated that they were not aware of their level of impairment. These results suggest that alprazolam used before bed may pose a yet unrecognized public safety risk in the form of next-day drugged driving. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of Esketamine Nasal Spray on Cognition in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression: Results from Four Phase-3 Studies.

While esketamine is effective in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), detailed information about the effect of esketamine on cognition is relatively scarce. This analysis assessed the effect of short-term (three double-blind [DB] studies; DB1, DB2, and DB4) or long-term maintenance treatment (DB3) with esketamine nasal spray (ESK) compared to an active-comparator+placebo (PBO), on cognition in patients with TRD. Patients (DB1/DB2/DB3: [18-64years, n=747]; DB4: [≥65years, n=137]) with TRD received ESK (DB1/DB2/DB3:56/84mg; DB4:28/56/84mg) or PBO+newly initiated oral antidepressant (OAD) as per treatment schedules. Cognitive assessments- Cogstate battery and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, were administered at baseline, Day-28/early withdrawal, and follow-up visits in DB1/DB2/DB4 and at 12-week intervals in DB3 maintenance phase. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze ESK effects on cognition with effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) used to express the nature/magnitude of treatment effects relative to active-comparator+PBO. Correlation between depression severity (MADRS scores) and cognition was assessed at baseline and endpoint(s). At baseline, mild-to-moderate impairment in psychomotor function, attention, and memory (working/episodic) were evident. For each DB1/DB2/DB4, group mean performance in z-scores for ESK+OAD and OAD+PBO groups on all cognitive tests remained similar/slightly improved from, baseline at endpoint (Day-28) and follow-up assessments. Similarly, in DB3(limited to participants ≥65years), both groups generally showed improvement in cognitive performance at endpoint(s). Correlations between MADRS scores and performance on the cognitive test battery were small at baseline and endpoint(s). This analysis did not identify evidence of negative effects on cognition following short-term or long-term maintenance treatment with ESK+OAD in patients with TRD.

Diurnal variation of psychomotor, cognitive and physical performances in schoolchildren: sex comparison

BackgroundThe present study investigated the effect of time of day (08h00 vs. 11h00 vs. 14h00 vs. 17h00) and sex (girls vs. boys) on physical (i.e., five jump test (5JT), push-ball test and 5 m shuttle run test (5mSRT)), cognitive (i.e., attention) and mental (i.e., mental flexibility) performances.MethodsThirty schoolchildren, equally divided in girls (n = 15; age: 9.60 ± 0.51 years) and boys (n = 15; age: 9.40 ± 0.51 years) performed the digit cancellation test, the trail making test, the 5JT, the 2 kg push-ball test and the 5mSRT in a counterbalanced and cross over study design at 08h00, 11h00, 14h00 and 17h00 with 48 h of rest in between. Additionally, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was determined after each repetition of the 5mSRT and the average of the score (i.e., sum of RPE scores divided by 6) was determined.ResultsResults showed that RPE at the end of the test was significantly higher at 11h00 compared to 08h00 (p = 0.02) and 14h00 (p = 0.001) and average RPE was higher at 11h00 compared to 08h00 (p = 0.001). Likewise, attention was significantly higher at 08h00 compared to 17h00 (p = 0.001) before and after the 5mSRT test only in girls. However, 5JT performance was significantly lower at 17h00, both in girls and boys, compared to at 08h00 (p = 0.02 and p = 0.001 respectively), 11h00 (p = 0.004 and p = 0.001 respectively) and 14h00 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001 respectively). However, push-ball (p = 0.086) and 5mSRT performances [best distance (p = 0.173), total distance (p = 0.306), mean distance (p = 0.29), fatigue index (p = 0.06)] were time of day independent. Mental flexibility was significantly higher at 08h00, 11h00 and 14h00 compared to 17h00 (p = 0.001).ConclusionMental flexibility, attention and jump performances were time of day dependent and push-ball test and 5mSRT performances did not change according to the time of day. Also, no clear sex effect was found on the diurnal variation of mental, cognitive and physical performances.

Variations In Sleep And Psychomotor Performance In Paralympic Swimmers During Different Periods Of Sports Training

Variations In Sleep And Psychomotor Performance In Paralympic Swimmers During Different Periods Of Sports Training

The effect of diabetes in the multifaceted relationship between education and cognitive function

BackgroundEducation has been shown to be positively associated with cognitive performance. However, the pathways via lifestyle-related disease through which education is related to cognitive performance have not been sufficiently explored. Diabetes is an important lifestyle-related disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. Low education is associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, while diabetes may also lead to a deterioration in cognitive performance. This study aims to explore if the associations between education and cognitive function is mediated by the diabetes status among older adults.MethodsThe data utilized in this study were derived from the first two waves of the Dutch Lifelines Cohort Study (2006–2015). The analyzed sample included 26,131 individuals aged 50 years or above at baseline. The baseline assessment included measurements of educational attainment (exposure) and the potential mediator diabetes. The outcome of cognitive function was assessed using age-standardized reaction times from the psychomotor function and attention tasks, as measured by the Cogstate Brief Battery. The Cogstate Brief Battery was only conducted at the follow-up assessment, not at the baseline assessment. Faster reaction times correspond to higher cognitive performance. The study employed linear and logistic regression models, in addition to a causal mediation approach which estimated the average causal mediation effect (ACME).ResultsHigher education was associated with a lower risk of diabetes (b= -0.1976, 95%CI= -0.3354; -0.0597) compared to low or middle education as well as with faster reaction times (b= -0.2023, 95%CI= -0.2246; -0.1798), implying better cognitive function. Diabetes was associated with slower reaction times (b = 0.0617, 95%CI = 0.0162; 0.1072). Most importantly, the mediation approach identified a significant indirect effect of education on cognitive function via the diabetes status (ACME= -0.00061, 95%CI= -0.00142; -0.00011).DiscussionThe findings emphasize the potentially importance of diabetes in explaining the role of education in promoting healthy cognitive function and mitigating the risk of cognitive decline. Early detection and treatment of diabetes may be particularly beneficial for individuals with low or middle levels of education in order to maintain good levels of cognitive function.

A new injury prevention program ‘FUNBALL’ improves cognitive performance of young football (soccer) players: A cluster randomized controlled trial

The youth football injury prevention program ‘FUNBALL’ contains exercises requiring high cognitive demands, which are performed concurrently to the training of the respective motor task. This study evaluates whether the program increases cognitive performances of young football players.1253 football players (aged 13–19 years old) were randomly assigned to either a control (CON) or an intervention (INT) group. The INT group performed the ‘FUNBALL’ program at least twice per week in their training sessions for one season (9 months). The CON group continued their training routine. From the total sample, the cognitive performance of 304 players (n = 135 CON; n = 169 INT) was assessed at the beginning and the end of the season using the Cogstate® Brief Battery, with the following subtests: One Back test (accuracy), Two Back test (accuracy), One Card Learning test (accuracy), Chase Test (correct moves per second), Set Shifting (accuracy), Identification test (speed), Detection test (speed), Groton Maze Learning Test (accuracy), and Groton Maze Learning Test Delayed Recall (accuracy).A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) on the cognitive performance improvements from pre-to posttest showed that the INT group improved their performances more strongly than the CON group for all cognitive tests, namely for working memory, visual learning, visual motor control, attention, psychomotor function, memory, and executive function.The present study indicates that the exercise-based injury prevention program ‘FUNBALL’ may improve the cognitive performance of young football players. Future research should include an active control group, and should investigate whether the improvement in cognition also has beneficial effects on in-game performance. Trial registration numberAsPredicted (https://aspredicted.org/2kb3b.pdf).

Attributes of Pathological Fractures in a Nigerian myeloma cohort

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell tumor usually characterized by lytic bone lesions. Pathological Fracture (PF) is a debilitating condition that usually affects a patient’s psychomotor functions, treatment modality, morbidity, and outcome. We evaluated the associations, characteristics, and impact of PF on survival in a group of Nigerian myeloma cohort. A 10-year (2011-2021) retrospective review of MM data from Nigerian tertiary hospital haemato-oncology unit to evaluate attributes of PFs in myeloma cohort. Sixty-six patients had MM of which 23 had PF while forty-three had no fractures. Of the number with PF, 18 had lytic bone lesions, while 20 had bone pains. Monoclonal Immunoglobulin G was predominant followed by Immunoglobulin A. Significant correlations existed between hemoglobin level (r=0.446, p=0.002); platelet count (r=-0.347, p=0.041), serum calcium (r=0.471, p=0.006) and bone pains; as well as between urea level (r=-0.787, p=001), creatinine level (r=-0.853, p=0.001) and renal impairment respectively. PFs are associated with diabetes, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, nephropathy, and arthritis. Bortezomib-based regimen was the choice treatment. Overall survival was 16 (69.6%) with 7 (30.4%) mortality. PF is common amongst the myeloma cohort with the spine being the most common site. It is associated with significant comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcer disease, and paraplegia and is characterized by severe debilitating bone pains, anemia, hypercalcemia, raised plasma monoclonal immunoglobulin, renal impairment, loss of man-hour at work, and psychosocial imbalance. The impact of the fracture has increased morbidity and mortality and has reduced the median survival duration to as low as 4 years.

The anxiogenic drug yohimbine is a reinforcer in male and female rats.

The indole alkaloid yohimbine is an anxiogenic drug that activates stress-responsive systems in the brain. However, because yohimbine also elicits approach behaviors, this study employed male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to explore its potential reinforcing effects. Thus, it was first determined if intravenous (IV) infusions of yohimbine (0.25 mg/kg/infusion) could maintain lever pressing, whether intake could be modulated by dose/infusion, and if lever pressing would persist in the absence of yohimbine or yohimbine-paired cues. Next, to assess yohimbine's effect on memory consolidation, 0.3, 1.25 or 3 mg/kg yohimbine was administered post-training using an object recognition memory task. Finally, place conditioning assessed whether doses of yohimbine that elevate blood serum corticosterone levels (1.25 or 3 mg/kg) couldelicit a conditioned place preference. It was found that both sexes acquired yohimbine IV self-administration, that intake was modulated by dose/infusion, and that lever pressing persisted during extinction and in the absence of the yohimbine-paired cue. As well, post-training injections of 1.25 mg/kg yohimbine enhanced consolidation of object memory, and 1.25 and 3 mg/kg elevated corticosterone levels and elicited a place preference in both sexes. Finally, in behavioral tests of psychomotor functions, acute yohimbine increased lever pressing for a visual cue and elevated locomotor activity. These findings reveal a profile of yohimbine's behavioral effects that is consistent with that of psychostimulant reinforcing drugs.

Definition of the Profile of Cognitive Deficit in Cardiac Surgery Patients Using the Optimal Clustering Method

An original clustering method based on discrete optimization of multidimensional objects according to many heterogeneous parameters: age, severity of carotid artery stenosis (CA), personal and cognitive characteristics was used to identify pre- and postoperative specificity of the profile of cognitive functions. The study involved 163 cardiac surgery patients. Determination of CA stenoses was carried out in the preoperative period using color duplex scanning and further classification of the lesion. Psychometric assessment of personal and situational anxiety, as well as psychomotor and executive functions, attention, short-term memory was performed 3–5 days before and 7–10 days after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). As a result of clustering arrays of 17 normalized indicators and subsequent analysis of three groups formed in this way, different dynamics of restoration of the profile of cognitive functions after coronary bypass surgery were discovered. One of the groups was designated as a group of cognitive reserves according to its best indicators of information selection and memory both in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Another selected group was characterized by a postoperative increase in the speed of information selection, but low memory scores. The third selected group demonstrated close relationships between indicators of attention, memory and the efficiency of a complex visual-motor reaction with age and the degree of stenosis of the CA, regardless of the pre- or postoperative testing period, which may indicate persistent disorganization of cognitive functions in such patients, requiring special attention when choosing neuro- and cardiac rehabilitation programs for them. The developed clustering method makes it possible to group patients according to a variety of heterogeneous parameters to identify the dynamics of their changes during the course of treatment.

Residual and enduring effects of cannabis use on cognitive and psychomotor function: A study of adults during unrestricted cannabis use, short-term abstinence, and protracted abstinence.

The impact of cannabis on cognitive and psychomotor function is important to understand, given the role of the endocannabinoid system in these critical processes. The literature has shown robust acute negative effects of cannabis on cognition and psychomotor skills during intoxication, and to a lesser degree, persisting effects following short-term abstinence up to 4 weeks. However, whether these decrements resolve after long-term cessation of use remains unclear. We evaluated cognitive and psychomotor function in 31 adults with current cannabis use during unrestricted use (UNR) and after a 3-day abstinence (RES), 23 adults with former cannabis use (> 90 days abstinent; FU), and 58 nonusing controls (CON) using the cognition and motor batteries of the National Institutes of Health Toolbox. Linear mixed models showed no significant differences in cognitive and motor performance between UNR, RES, and FU groups. Group effects emerged such that CON outperformed UNR on the Oral Reading Recognition Test, and CON outperformed both UNR and RES on the Picture Vocabulary Test. In terms of psychomotor function, FU, RES, and UNR performed better than CON on the Grip Strength Test. In this comprehensive examination of cognitive and psychomotor performance in adults with cannabis use with 3 days to > 90 days of abstinence, our results indicated that the cognitive impacts of chronic, heavy cannabis use are observable during short-term abstinence but remit after > 90 days of abstinence. This highlights widespread impacts of cannabis use abstinence across cognitive and psychomotor domains. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether these effects are also observable with use reduction, as opposed to abstinence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Does mental fatigue affect performance in racket sports? A systematic review

Mental fatigue impairs performance across several sports domains. However, a systematic review on its effects on racket sports performance has been lacking due to the previous scarcity of studies. This review aims to provide a comprehensive review the effects of mental fatigue on racket players’ performance, with a discussion of the underlying mechanisms. A thorough search was conducted across five databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus (via EBSCOhost), and the Psychological and Behavioral Science Collection (via EBSCOhost). The PICOS framework established the inclusion criteria: (1) healthy racket sports players; (2) induction of mental fatigue in both field and laboratory settings; (3) comparison of mental fatigue interventions with a control group (e.g., watching a movie or reading a magazine); (4) assessment of performance outcomes, including physical performance, skilled performance, and perceptual-cognitive performance; and (5) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized controlled trials (non-RCTs), and non-randomized non-controlled trials. Mental fatigue manipulation, subjective evaluation, and (neuro)physiological markers were synthesized to support the successful induction of mental fatigue. Performance was categorized into tennis, table tennis, badminton, and padel based on the characteristics of specific racket sports domains. Secondary outcomes, such as the rate perception of effort (RPE) and motivation, were synthesized to explain the mechanisms based on the prominent theory of the Psychobiological model of endurance performance. Six studies revealed that mental fatigue impacts stroke performance in table tennis, affecting speed, accuracy, faults, and only second-serve accuracy in tennis. The response time of psychomotor performance increased in table tennis, padel, and badminton. Meanwhile, mental fatigue increased the RPE and remained unchanged in heart rate, blood glucose, and lactate, consistent with the Psychobiological model of endurance performance. Additionally, attention is suggested as a significant underlying psychobiological factor.

Electrophysiological predictors of early response to antidepressants in major depressive disorder

BackgroundPsychomotor retardation (PMR) is a core feature of major depressive disorder (MDD), which is characterized by abnormalities in motor control and cognitive processes. PMR in MDD can predict a poor antidepressant response, suggesting that PMR may serve as a marker of the antidepressant response. However, the neuropathological relationship between treatment outcomes and PMR remains uncertain. Thus, this study examined electrophysiological biomarkers associated with poor antidepressant response in MDD. MethodsA total of 142 subjects were enrolled in this study, including 49 healthy controls (HCs) and 93 MDD patients. All participants performed a simple right-hand visuomotor task during magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanning. Patients who exhibited at least a 50 % reduction in disorder severity at the endpoint (>2 weeks) were considered to be responders. Motor-related beta desynchronization (MRBD) and inter- and intra-hemispheric functional connectivity were measured in the bilateral motor network. ResultsAn increased MRBD and decreased inter- and intra-hemispheric functional connectivity in the motor network during movement were observed in non-responders, relative to responders and HCs. This dysregulation predicted the potential antidepressant response. ConclusionAbnormal local activity and functional connectivity in the motor network indicate poor psychomotor function, which might cause insensitivity to antidepressant treatment. This could be regarded as a potential neural mechanism for the prediction of a patient's treatment response.

Beyond the Classroom: Investigating the Relationship between Psychomotor Development and Academic Achievement in 4-12-Year-Olds.

The relevance of psychomotor skills in children's growth is being increasingly recognized. The transversal role of psychomotor skills in learning performance is described through a link between cognitive and motor functioning, promoting socio-affective-expressive competencies, but there is a scarcity of evidence from the field. A two-fold goal was defined: to investigate the relationship between psychomotor functions and academic performance and to examine the factors affecting children's academic performance. The Portuguese versions of the Neuropsychomotor Functions Assessment Battery for Children (NPmot.pt), Preschool Diagnostic Tasks (PRE), and School Learning Skills Battery (SLSB) were applied to 350 children (85.72 ± 24.23 months) with and without disabilities attending mainstream schools. Pearson correlations and regression analyses were used. NPmot.pt domains showed moderate to strong correlations with PRE domains (0.30 < r < 0.82) and weak ones with SLSB domains (r < 0.30). Psychomotor development is a stronger predictor (p < 0.001) of pre-academic performance outcomes: (βTonus = 0.67, βGross Motor Skills = 1.04, βSpatial Orientation = -1.44, βRhythm = -1.59 and βAuditory Attention = 3.68) than of academic performance above 7 years old (p > 0.05). Results strengthen the importance of psychomotor skills development from an early age, also at school, with implications for an early psychomotor assessment and intervention for children with and without disabilities. Tailor-fit interventions, including strategies to improve psychomotor skills, should be promoted during the school process of all children for a successful learning process.

Role of vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy

ABSTRACT Introduction and purpose: Epilepsy affects 1% globally, with 2.6 to 6 million cases in Europe. 30-40% of the 50 million epilepsy patients globally don't respond to drugs. For those ineligible for surgery, Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) therapy offers an alternative for drug-resistant epilepsy and major depression. A brief description of the state of knowledge: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is a modern therapy using implanted or non-invasive devices to regulate nerve activity with controlled electrical impulses. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is effective for focal seizures, including simple partial seizures and auras. It also shows promise in reducing seizures in generalized tonic-clonic seizures and benefits patients with epileptic encephalopathies like Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. VNS effectively decreases both the frequency and duration of seizures in individuals contending with intractable epilepsy. The use of vagus nerve stimulation is generally a safe and well-tolerated form of treatment. VNS therapy improves psychomotor functions in patients with severe drug-resistant epilepsy, showing positive effects on cognitive aspects. The precise mechanism through which VNS affects the body is not fully understood, but it has demonstrated effectiveness, especially in cases of drug-resistant epilepsy. Conclusions: Extensive research backs Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) as an effective palliative for intractable epilepsy, reducing seizures. Yet, identifying specific patients who would benefit most from VNS treatment lacks clear criteria. Neuromodulation remains crucial for healthcare professionals handling drug-resistant epilepsy.

Cycle-based high-intensity sprint exercise elicits acute cognitive dysfunction in psychomotor and memory task performance

PurposeTo examine the impact of an acute high-intensity sprint exercise protocol (HISEP) for eliciting post-exercise cognitive dysfunction in psychomotor, attentional, executive, and memory tasks.MethodsTwenty-four recreationally active adults (22 ± 4 yrs, 169.39 ± 10.07 cm, 75.80 ± 14.73 kg, 27.03 ± 9.55 BF%) performed a HISEP on a cycle ergometer. Average psychomotor reaction time (avgRT; Dynavision D2 Mode A &amp;amp; Mode B), mood (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire; POMS), and cognition (Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics; ANAM) were assessed pre- (PRE), post- (POST) and 60-min post (60POST) HISEP. One-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to assess changes across time.ResultsFatigue (main effect: p &amp;lt; 0.001, ηp2 = 0.309) was significantly higher at POST compared to PRE (p = 0.007). Tension (main effect: p = 0.021, ηp2 = 0.154) was significantly lower at 60POST compared to PRE (p = 0.029). Mode A avgRT (main effect: p = 0.022, ηp2 = 0.153) was significantly slower at POST compared to PRE (p = 0.026). Throughput (TP) scores for ANAM code substitution-delayed (CSD) task (main effect: p &amp;lt; 0.001, ηp2 = 0.284) and matching to sample (M2S) tasks (main effect: p = 0.014, ηp2 = 0.169) were significantly lower at POST compared to PRE (p = 0.001 and p = 0.025, respectively), while mathematical processing (main effect: p = 0.002, ηp2 = 0.232) was significantly higher at 60POST compared to both PRE (p = 0.019) and POST (p = 0.005). No other significant changes in cognitive task performance were observed (p's &amp;gt; 0.05).ConclusionsThe HISEP is a feasible and time-effective fatiguing exercise stimulus capable of eliciting acute cognitive dysfunction in psychomotor and memory task performance. NCT05100589.

Wpływ mikroklimatu gorącego na funkcje psychomotoryczne pracowników

The effect of hot microclimate on psychomotor functions of employees For several years now, one of the most important harmful factors related to the work environment has been a hot microclimate. Additionally, due to climate changes, including an increase in the average air temperature, especially in summer, attention should be paid to people working in open spaces. Microclimate parameters affect not only on physiological responses of the human body, but also psychomotor efficiency, which translates into the number of errors made during work, and thus the safety of oneself and one's colleagues. The aim of the article is to indicate the impact of a hot microclimate (and so a high air temperature) on the psychomotor functions of workers. Expanding knowledge in this area may contribute to improving safety at work in hot microclimates. Keywords: air temperature, hot environment, hot microclimate, thermal load, psychomotor performance, cognitive function

Effect of serial night shifts on the cognitive, psychomotor, and moral performance of residents in the department of Emergency Medicine.

The objective was to study the effect of serial night shifts on the cognitive, psychomotor, and moral performance of emergency medicine residents of an academic Emergency Medicine Department. This prospective case-crossover study compared emergency medicine residents' sleep time, subjective sleepiness, cognitive function, moral judgment, and psychomotor skills after 5 consecutive days versus night shifts using sleep diaries, activity monitors, and multiple performance tests. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyze data based on normality. Correlation analysis was done using Spearman's correlation test. Subgroup analysis was also performed to find any difference based on gender and year of residency. Twenty-seven emergency medicine residents participated (13 males, 48.1%). The distribution across residency years was as follows: 44.4% in their first year, 25.9% in their second year, and 29.6% in their third year. Following five consecutive night shifts, total sleep duration decreased significantly from 338.1 ± 67.8 to 307.4 ± 71.0 min (p < 0.001), while subjective sleepiness scores increased from 9.6 ± 3.3 to 13.6 ± 4.6. Psychomotor performance and reaction times did not significantly differ between night and day shifts. However, working memory declined, assessed by self-paced three-back test scores (median [IQR] 517.1 [471.9-546.7] vs. 457.6 [334.4-508.8]; p = 0.034) and interference test scores (445.5 ± 59.9 vs. 407.2 ± 56.8; p < 0.001), along with moral judgment (median [IQR] 19 [18-28] vs. 15 [11-21]; p = 0.010) after serial night shifts. No correlations existed between performance measures nor differences based on gender or residency year. Residents sleep less following night versus day shifts, reporting the highest sleepiness levels after 5 consecutive nights. Despite this, psychomotor performance and reaction times did not significantly differ. However, considerable reductions occurred in moral judgment, working memory, and interference test performance after serial night shifts.

Deficits in prefrontal metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 are associated with functional alterations during emotional processing in bipolar disorder

BackgroundElucidating biological mechanisms contributing to bipolar disorder (BD) is key to improved diagnosis and treatment development. With converging evidence implicating the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) in the pathology of BD, here, we therefore test the hypothesis that recently identified deficits in mGlu5 are associated with functional brain differences during emotion processing in BD. MethodsPositron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]FPEB was used to measure mGlu5 receptor availability and functional imaging (fMRI) was performed while participants completed an emotion processing task. Data were analyzed from 62 individuals (33 ± 12 years, 45 % female) who completed both PET and fMRI, including individuals with BD (n = 18), major depressive disorder (MDD: n = 20), and psychiatrically healthy comparisons (HC: n = 25). ResultsConsistent with some prior reports, the BD group displayed greater activation during fear processing relative to MDD and HC, notably in right lateralized frontal and parietal brain regions. In BD, (but not MDD or HC) lower prefrontal mGlu5 availability was associated with greater activation in bilateral pre/postcentral gyri and cuneus during fear processing. Furthermore, greater prefrontal mGlu5-related brain activity in BD was associated with difficulties in psychomotor function (r≥0.904, p≤0.005) and attention (r≥0.809, p≤0.028). LimitationsThe modest sample size is the primary limitation. ConclusionsDeficits in prefrontal mGlu5 in BD were linked to increased cortical activation during fear processing, which in turn was associated with impulsivity and attentional difficulties. These data further implicate an mGlu5-related mechanism unique to BD. More generally these data suggest integrating PET and fMRI can provide novel mechanistic insights.

Using a smartwatch and smartphone to assess early Parkinson’s disease in the WATCH-PD study over 12 months

Digital measures may provide objective, sensitive, real-world measures of disease progression in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, multicenter longitudinal assessments of such measures are few. We recently demonstrated that baseline assessments of gait, tremor, finger tapping, and speech from a commercially available smartwatch, smartphone, and research-grade wearable sensors differed significantly between 82 individuals with early, untreated PD and 50 age-matched controls. Here, we evaluated the longitudinal change in these assessments over 12 months in a multicenter observational study using a generalized additive model, which permitted flexible modeling of at-home data. All measurements were included until participants started medications for PD. Over one year, individuals with early PD experienced significant declines in several measures of gait, an increase in the proportion of day with tremor, modest changes in speech, and few changes in psychomotor function. As measured by the smartwatch, the average (SD) arm swing in-clinic decreased from 25.9 (15.3) degrees at baseline to 19.9 degrees (13.7) at month 12 (P = 0.004). The proportion of awake time an individual with early PD had tremor increased from 19.3% (18.0%) to 25.6% (21.4%; P < 0.001). Activity, as measured by the number of steps taken per day, decreased from 3052 (1306) steps per day to 2331 (2010; P = 0.16), but this analysis was restricted to 10 participants due to the exclusion of those that had started PD medications and lost the data. The change of these digital measures over 12 months was generally larger than the corresponding change in individual items on the Movement Disorder Society—Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale but not greater than the change in the overall scale. Successful implementation of digital measures in future clinical trials will require improvements in study conduct, especially data capture. Nonetheless, gait and tremor measures derived from a commercially available smartwatch and smartphone hold promise for assessing the efficacy of therapeutics in early PD.

The impact of intermittent fasting during Ramadan on psychomotor and cognitive skills in adolescent athletes.

Intermittent fasting (IF) represents a dietary intervention similar to caloric restriction, characterized by the strategic limitation of food consumption. Among the diverse array of practices for IF, Ramadan IF (RIF), a religious observance in Islam, mandates that healthy adult Muslims abstain from both food and drinks during daylight hours. In sports, researchers have extensively studied IF effects on health, including sleep and physical performance, but its impact on cognitive functions during RIF remains understudied. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the influence of RIF on psychomotor and cognitive performance among young female athletes. To achieve this purpose, a cohort of 23 female handball players, aged 17.2 ± 0.5 years, participated in a series of six testing sessions: one conducted prior to Ramadan (R0), and others during the first (R1), second (R2), third (R3), and fourth (R4) weeks of Ramadan, followed by a session in the week after Ramadan (R5). Each session involved assessments using a Simple Reaction Time Test (SRT), Choice Reaction Time Test (CRT), Vigilance Test (VT), and Mental Rotation Test (MRT). Additionally, dietary intake, body composition, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were evaluated during these periods. The obtained data illustrated that there was a decrease in SRT, CRT, VT, and MRT performances during R1 in comparison to R0 (all p < .001). This reduction was also observed in R2, R3, R4, and R5. Notably, during the fourth week of Ramadan (R4), these cognitive and psychomotor parameters were significantly lower than during the earlier weeks (R1, R2, R3; all p < .001). Furthermore, a gradual decrease in total PSQI scores, sleep quality, and sleep duration was observed throughout the Ramadan period, reaching the lowest levels during R4. These findings illustrate that RIF has a significantly detrimental impact on neuromuscular and cognitive abilities as well as sleep quality in young female athletes. The study also highlights a fluctuating pattern in cognitive function across the four weeks of Ramadan, with the most pronounced decline observed during the final week of fasting illustrating the importance of conducting similar studies on normal individuals from both genders with larger sample size.