scholarly journals Serum Lutein is related to Relational Memory Performance

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne Cannavale ◽  
Kelsey Hassevoort ◽  
Caitlyn Edwards ◽  
Sharon Thompson ◽  
Nicholas Burd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Beta Carotene ◽  
Study Phase ◽  
Relational Memory ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Diet Records ◽  
Spatial Reconstruction ◽  
Serum Carotenoids

Dietary carotenoids, plant pigments with anti-oxidant properties, accumulate in neural tissue and are often found in lower concentrations among individuals with obesity. Given previous evidence of negative associations between excess adiposity and memory, it is possible that greater carotenoid status may confer neuroprotective effects among persons with overweight or obesity. This study aimed to elucidate relationships between carotenoids assessed in diet, serum, and the macula (macular pigment optical density (MPOD)) and relational memory among adults who are overweight or obese. Adults aged 25–45 years (N = 94) completed a spatial reconstruction task. Task performance was evaluated for accuracy of item placement during reconstruction relative to the location of the item during the study phase. Dietary carotenoids were assessed using 7-day diet records. Serum carotenoids were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between carotenoids and task performance. Although initial correlations indicated that dietary lutein, beta-carotene, and serum beta-carotene were positively associated with memory performance, these relationships were not sustained following adjustment for age, sex, and BMI. Serum lutein remained positively associated with accuracy in object binding and inversely related to misplacement error after controlling for covariates. Macular carotenoids were not related to memory performance. Findings from this study indicate that among the carotenoids evaluated, lutein may play an important role in hippocampal function among adults who are overweight or obese.

scholarly journals Working Memory Performance under a Negative Affect Is More Susceptible to Higher Cognitive Workloads with Different Neural Haemodynamic Correlates

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 935
Author(s):  
Ying Xing Feng ◽  
Masashi Kiguchi ◽  
Wei Chun Ung ◽  
Sarat Chandra Dass ◽  
Ahmad Fadzil Mohd Hani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Affective State ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Haemodynamic Activity

The effect of stress on task performance is complex, too much or too little stress negatively affects performance and there exists an optimal level of stress to drive optimal performance. Task difficulty and external affective factors are distinct stressors that impact cognitive performance. Neuroimaging studies showed that mood affects working memory performance and the correlates are changes in haemodynamic activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We investigate the interactive effects of affective states and working memory load (WML) on working memory task performance and haemodynamic activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) neuroimaging on the PFC of healthy participants. We seek to understand if haemodynamic responses could tell apart workload-related stress from situational stress arising from external affective distraction. We found that the haemodynamic changes towards affective stressor- and workload-related stress were more dominant in the medial and lateral PFC, respectively. Our study reveals distinct affective state-dependent modulations of haemodynamic activity with increasing WML in n-back tasks, which correlate with decreasing performance. The influence of a negative effect on performance is greater at higher WML, and haemodynamic activity showed evident changes in temporal, and both spatial and strength of activation differently with WML.

scholarly journals Nonvolatile Ternary Resistive Memory Performance of a Benzothiadiazole-Based Donor–Acceptor Material on ITO-Coated Glass

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 318
Author(s):  
Yang Li ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
Zhiming Shi ◽  
Jingni Li ◽  
Qingyun Qian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Storage ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Resistive Memory ◽  
Molecular Systems ◽  
Threshold Voltages ◽  
Donor Acceptor ◽  
Low Threshold ◽  
Multilevel Memory ◽  
Further Development

The explosive growth of data and information has increasingly motivated scientific and technological endeavors toward ultra-high-density data storage (UHDDS) applications. Herein, a donor−acceptor (D–A) type small conjugated molecule containing benzothiadiazole (BT) is prepared (NIBTCN), which demonstrates multilevel resistive memory behavior and holds considerable promise for implementing the target of UHDDS. The as-prepared device presents distinct current ratios of 105.2/103.2/1, low threshold voltages of −1.90 V and −3.85 V, and satisfactory reproducibility beyond 60%, which suggests reliable device performance. This work represents a favorable step toward further development of highly-efficient D−A molecular systems, which opens more opportunities for achieving high performance multilevel memory materials and devices.

scholarly journals Delivery of Thyronamines (TAMs) to the Brain: A Preliminary Study

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1616
Author(s):  
Nicoletta di Leo ◽  
Stefania Moscato ◽  
Marco Borso' ◽  
Simona Sestito ◽  
Beatrice Polini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
In Vitro Model ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Pharmacological Response ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Vitro Model ◽  
The Brain

Recent reports highlighted the significant neuroprotective effects of thyronamines (TAMs), a class of endogenous thyroid hormone derivatives. In particular, 3-iodothyronamine (T1AM) has been shown to play a pleiotropic role in neurodegeneration by modulating energy metabolism and neurological functions in mice. However, the pharmacological response to T1AM might be influenced by tissue metabolism, which is known to convert T1AM into its catabolite 3-iodothyroacetic acid (TA1). Currently, several research groups are investigating the pharmacological effects of T1AM systemic administration in the search of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of interlinked pathologies, such as metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). A critical aspect in the development of new drugs for NDDs is to know their distribution in the brain, which is fundamentally related to their ability to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). To this end, in the present study we used the immortalized mouse brain endothelial cell line bEnd.3 to develop an in vitro model of BBB and evaluate T1AM and TA1 permeability. Both drugs, administered at 1 µM dose, were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Our results indicate that T1AM is able to efficiently cross the BBB, whereas TA1 is almost completely devoid of this property.

Visuospatial Working Memory Deficits and Visual Pursuit Impairments are Not Directly Related in Schizophrenia

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 766-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Cocchi ◽  
Francesca Bosisio ◽  
Olivia Carter ◽  
Stephen J. Wood ◽  
André Berchtold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Correct Choice ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Visuospatial Working Memory ◽  
Visual Pursuit ◽  
Scanning Time ◽  
Time Scanning ◽  
Correct Path

Objective: Patients with schizophrenia show deficits in visuospatial working memory and visual pursuit processes. It is currently unclear, however, whether both impairments are related to a common neuropathological origin. The purpose of the present study was therefore to examine the possible relations between the encoding and the discrimination of dynamic visuospatial stimuli in schizophrenia. Method: Sixteen outpatients with schizophrenia and 16 control subjects were asked to encode complex disc displacements presented on a screen. After a delay, participants had to identify the previously presented disc trajectory from a choice of six static linear paths, among which were five incorrect paths. The precision of visual pursuit eye movements during the initial presentation of the dynamic stimulus was assessed. The fixations and scanning time in definite regions of the six paths presented during the discrimination phase were investigated. Results: In comparison with controls, patients showed poorer task performance, reduced pursuit accuracy during incorrect trials and less time scanning the correct stimulus or the incorrect paths approximating its global structure. Patients also spent less time scanning the leftmost portion of the correct path even when making a correct choice. The accuracy of visual pursuit and head movements, however, was not correlated with task performance. Conclusions: The present study provides direct support for the hypothesis that active integration of visuospatial information within working memory is deficient in schizophrenia. In contrast, a general impairment of oculomotor mechanisms involved in smooth pursuit did not appear to be directly related to lower visuospatial working memory performance in schizophrenia.

Tracking-Task Performance during Heat Stress Simulating Cockpit Conditions in High-Performance Aircraft

Ergonomics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 549-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
SARAH A. NUNNELEY ◽  
PATRICK J. DOWD ◽  
LOREN G. MYHRE ◽  
RICHARD F. STRIBLEY ◽  
RICHARD C. MCNEE
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Tracking Task ◽  
High Performance Aircraft

scholarly journals Variations in Pupil Size Related to Memory for Recently Presented Words and Event Related Potentials

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-09
Author(s):  
Jan Rouke Kuipers ◽  
William A. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Pupil Size ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Study Phase ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Performance Study ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Initial List

Pupillometry has been found to be correlated with activity of cholinergic and noradrenergic neuromodulator systems. These systems regulate the level of cortical arousal and therefore perception, attention, and memory. Here, we tested how different types of pupil size variance (prestimulus baseline and prestimulus hippus power) may correlate with behavioral and electrophysiological brain responses (ERPs). We recorded pupil size and ERPs while participants were presented with a series of words and then asked whether they had been in the initial list when they were later presented intermixed with unpresented words. We found that a smaller prestimulus baseline pupil size during the study phase was associated with better memory performance. Study items also evoked a larger P3 response at presentation and a greater old/new memory ERP effect at test when prestimulus pupil size was small rather than large. Prestimulus hippus power was found to be a between-subjects factor affecting the robustness of memory encoding with less power being associated with a greater old/new memory ERP effect. These results provide evidence relating memory and ERPs to variables defined on pupil size that are thought to reflect varying states of parasympathetic and sympathetic arousal.

Neuroprotective effects of thymoquinone against MDMA-induced neurotoxicity

2021 ◽  
pp. 5945-5952
Author(s):  
Mustafa NS. ◽  
Mohamad N. ◽  
Abu Bakar NH. ◽  
Mohd Adnan LH. ◽  
Jeharsae R. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Natural Compound ◽  
Neuronal Damage ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Novel Object Recognition ◽  
Psychoactive Substance ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus ◽  
Object Recognition Test ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects

MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psychoactive substance that is associated with neurotoxicity. MDMA exposure to human results in the degeneration of neuronal cells in the hippocampus. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential of a natural compound known as thymoquinone (TQ) to protect against neuronal damage and memory impairment in rats stimulated by MDMA. The administration of TQ into MDMA-induced neuronal damage rats was carried out in male Sprague Dawley via a 1-week treatment dividing into four groups (n=36, 7-9 per group). The studied groups involved with the treatments comprise i) Control (1 mL/kg saline), ii) MDMA (10 mg/kg MDMA), iii) MDMA+TQ (10 mg/kg MDMA + 40 mg/kg TQ) and iv) TQ control (40 mg/kg TQ). A novel object recognition test (NORT) was carried out to evaluate the memory performance of the rats, followed by a histopathological assessment of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. The histopathology analysis revealed a significant increase in numbers of positive cells by Fluoro-Jade C following the effect of MDMA on neuronal damage (MDMA induced group) compared to control (P<0.05). Next, the TQ treatments observed in MDMA+TQ exhibited a decline in positive cells from Fluoro-Jade C. The index of recognition memory was found to be increased in MDMA+TQ compared to the MDMA alone (P<0.05). This study suggests that the neuronal damage inflicted by MDMA in a rat model has the potential to be treated by TQ.

Simultaneous determination of vitamins A and E and carotenoids in plasma by reversed-phase HPLC in elderly and younger subjects

1993 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 2229-2234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Zaman ◽  
P Fielden ◽  
P G Frost
Keyword(s):  
Simultaneous Determination ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Ammonium Acetate ◽  
Beta Carotene ◽  
High Performance Liquid Chromatographic ◽  
Solvent Mixture ◽  
Reversed Phase ◽  
Alpha Tocopherol ◽  
Elderly Subjects

Abstract A reversed-phase high-performance liquid-chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of retinol, alpha-tocopherol, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, and lycopene is described. This method was applied to plasma measurements in healthy young and elderly subjects. The plasma, deproteinized with ethanol, is extracted twice with n-hexane. After evaporation, the residue is dissolved in 50 microL of tetrahydrofuran and made up to 200 microL with ethanol. Samples (50 microL) are injected onto a 250 x 4.6 mm column of 5-microns-particle Spherisorb ODS1 (Phase Separations) that had been equilibrated with solvent mixture A:B (90:10 by vol) [A = 100 mmol/L ammonium acetate in methanol: acetonitrile (80:20 by vol) and B = 100 mmol/L ammonium acetate in water] at 2 mL/min. The analytes are eluted by running a 12-min linear gradient to 100% A; solvent A is then maintained for 10 min. Intrabatch CVs were 2.3%, 3.3%, 2.8%, 3.6%, 3.6%, and 3.0% for retinol, alpha-tocopherol, lutein/zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and beta-carotene, respectively. The corresponding interbatch CVs were 4.9%, 5.8%, 12.3%, 6.5%, 8.0%, and 3.4%.

scholarly journals The Aqueous Extract from Ceratonia siliqua Leaves Protects against 6-Hydroxydopamine in Zebrafish: Understanding the Underlying Mechanism

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Abidar ◽  
Razvan Boiangiu ◽  
Gabriela Dumitru ◽  
Elena Todirascu-Ciornea ◽  
Amina Amakran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aqueous Extract ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Ceratonia Siliqua ◽  
Ceratonia Siliqua L ◽  
6 Hydroxydopamine

Ceratonia siliqua L. is a Mediterranean medicinal plant traditionally cultivated for its ethnopharmacological benefits, such as antidiarrheal, antidiabetic, enhance acetylcholine, antioxidant, antiatherosclerotic, and for its possible anti-neurodegenerative potential. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the chemical composition, as well as the cognitive-enhancing, anxiolytic, and antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract from C. siliqua (CsAE) leaves against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) zebrafish Parkinson’s disease (PD) model. CsAE (0.1, 0.3, and 1 mg/L) was administered by immersion to zebrafish (Danio rerio) for eight consecutive days and one hour before each behavioral test of each day, while 6-OHDA (250 µM) treatment was supplied one day before the novel tank diving test (NTT). Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed by the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analysis. The memory performance was evaluated through the NTT and Y-maze tests. Additionally, the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant status and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was also assessed. Our finds demonstrated that CsAE presented positive antioxidant and anti-AChE activities, which contributed to the improvement of cognitive function in the 6-OHDA zebrafish PD model.

Distinguished Scholars Invited Essay: Becoming a Good Sport and a Better Performer: A Social Information Processing View of Authentic Leadership

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-152
Author(s):  
Chester A. Schriesheim ◽  
Yonghong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Social Information Processing ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Authentic Leadership ◽  
Social Information ◽  
Social Information Processing Theory ◽  
Processing Theory ◽  
Contrast Analysis ◽  
And Behavior

Drawing on social information processing theory, this study investigates the mechanisms by which authentic leadership affects subordinate task performance through subordinate attitudes and behavior. Sportsmanship, conceptualized as a behavioral indicator of employee positivity and persistence in pursuing high performance, is argued to be a potentially important outcome for authentic leadership. Data collected from 203 matched subordinate–supervisor dyads in six organizations from six diverse industries were subjected to contrast analysis with bootstrapping. The results suggest that the indirect effect of authentic leadership on subordinate sportsmanship is mainly via a cognitive process, as opposed to an affective one. Furthermore, it is the employee’s sportsmanship that transmits the effects of authentic leadership on employee task performance. Implications and future directions are discussed.

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