scholarly journals Exercise and dietary program-induced weight reduction is associated with cognitive function among obese adolescents: a longitudinal study

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun Xie ◽  
Xiaochun Wang ◽  
Chenglin Zhou ◽  
Chang Xu ◽  
Yu-Kai Chang
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Obese Adolescents ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Combined Exercise ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Relationship

Objective The present study was to determine the effect of a combined exercise and dietary program on cognitive function as well as the relationship between the program-induced weight change and cognitive function alterations. Design The study applies a quasi-experimental design. Methods Fifty-eight adolescents with obese status (body mass index, BMI >28 kg/m2) were assigned to either an experiment (n = 30) or control group (n = 28). Participants in the experiment group received a scheduled program with a specific exercise protocol (two sessions per day, six days per week) and diet plan for four consecutive weeks; the control group was instructed to maintain their normal school activities. The primary outcome measures were anthropometric data and flanker task performance. Results The combined program led to reduced BMI with maintenance of the incongruent accuracy in the experiment group, but the incongruent accuracy decreased in the control group after the four-week period. Additionally, the change in weight status between post- and pre-test measurements was inversely correlated with the change in incongruent accuracy. Conclusion The combined exercise and dietary program resulted in decreased weight and enhanced executive function in the obese adolescents, and the weight alteration may be considered the mediator between the intervention and executive function.

scholarly journals Effects and Responsiveness of a Multicomponent Intervention on Body Composition, Physical Fitness and Leptin in Overweight/Obese Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7267
Author(s):  
Leticia Borfe ◽  
Caroline Brand ◽  
Letícia Schneiders ◽  
Jorge Mota ◽  
Claudia Cavaglieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Interleukin 10 ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽  
Obese Adolescents ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Multicomponent Program

Physical exercise reduces the biochemical markers of obesity, but the effects of multicomponent interventions on these markers should be explored. The present study aimed to elucidate how overweight/obese adolescents respond to a multicomponent program approach on body composition, physical fitness, and inflammatory markers, using a quasi-experimental study with 33 overweight/obesity adolescents (control group (CG) = 16; intervention group (IG) = 17). The intervention consisted of 24 weeks with physical exercises and nutritional and psychological guidance. Both groups were evaluated at the pre/post-intervention moments on body mass index (BMI); body fat (%Fat); waist circumference (WC); waist/hip ratio (WHR); waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF); abdominal strength, flexibility; leptin; interleukin 6; interleukin 10; and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Mixed-analysis of variance and generalized estimation equations were used for statistical analysis. There was an interaction effect between groups and time on %Fat (p = 0.002), WC (p = 0.023), WHR (p < 0.001), WHtR (p = 0.035), CRF (p = 0.050), and leptin (p = 0.026). Adolescents were classified as 82.4% responders for %Fat, 70.6% for WC, 88.2% for WHR, and 70.6% for CRF. Further, there was an association between changes in %Fat (p = 0.033), WC (p = 0.032), and WHR (p = 0.033) between responders and non-responders with CRF in the IG. There was a positive effect on body composition, physical fitness, and leptin. In addition, reductions in body composition parameters were explained by CRF improvements.

scholarly journals Study of the Interaction between Executive Function and Adaptive Behavior at School in Girls with Fragile X Syndrome

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1108
Author(s):  
Lorena Joga-Elvira ◽  
Jennifer Martinez-Olmo ◽  
María-Luisa Joga ◽  
Carlos Jacas ◽  
Ana Roche-Martínez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Fragile X Syndrome ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Neuropsychological Tests ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Fragile X ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Control Group ◽  
The Relationship

The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between executive functions and adaptive behavior in girls with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) in the school setting. This study is part of a larger investigation conducted at the Hospital Parc Tauli in Sabadell. The sample consists of a total of 40 girls (26 with FXS and 14 control) aged 7–16 years, who were administered different neuropsychological tests (WISC-V, NEPSY-II, WCST, TOL) and questionnaires answered by teachers (ABAS-II, BRIEF 2, ADHD Rating Scale). The results show that there is a greater interaction between some areas of executive function (cognitive flexibility, auditory attention, and visual abstraction capacity) and certain areas of adaptive behavior (conceptual, practical, social, and total domains) in the FXS group than in the control group. These results suggest that an alteration in the executive functions was affecting the daily functioning of the girls with FXS to a greater extent.

scholarly journals The Relationship of Psychiatric Symptoms with Performance-Based and Self-Reported Cognitive Function After Ischemic Stroke

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Kliem ◽  
Elise Gjestad ◽  
Truls Ryum ◽  
Alexander Olsen ◽  
Bente Thommessen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Cognitive Difficulties ◽  
Memory And Attention ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objective: Findings on the relationship of psychiatric symptoms with performance-based and self-reported cognitive function post-stroke are inconclusive. We aimed to (1) study the relation of depression and anxiety to performance-based cognitive function and (2) explore a broader spectrum of psychiatric symptoms and their association with performance-based versus self-reported cognitive function. Method: Individuals with supratentorial ischemic stroke performed neuropsychological examination 3 months after stroke. For primary analyses, composite scores for memory and attention/executive function were calculated based on selected neuropsychological tests, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used. Psychiatric symptoms and self-reported cognitive function for secondary aims were assessed using the Symptom-Checklist-90 – Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: In a sample of 86 patients [mean (M) age: 64.6 ± 9.2; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 3–7 days post-stroke: M = 28.4 ± 1.7; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) after 3 months: M = 0.7 ± 1.6] depressive symptoms (HADS) were associated with poorer memory performance after controlling for age, sex, and education (p ≤ .01). In a subsample (n = 41; Age: M = 65.7 ± 8.1; MMSE: M = 28.4 ± 1.8; NIHSS: M = 1.0 ± 1.9), symptoms of phobic anxiety (SCL-90-R) were associated with poorer performance-based memory and attention/executive function, and symptoms of anxiety (SCL-90-R) with lower attention/executive function. Higher levels of self-reported cognitive difficulties were associated with higher scores in all psychiatric domains (p ≤ .05). Conclusion: Even in relatively well-functioning stroke patients, depressive symptoms are associated with poorer memory. The results also suggest that various psychiatric symptoms are more related to self-reported rather than to performance-based cognitive function. Screening for self-reported cognitive difficulties may not only help to identify patients with cognitive impairment, but also those who need psychological treatment.

scholarly journals Weight Status Influences Carotid Intima-Media Thickness to Executive Function Among Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 367-368
Author(s):  
Desiree Bygrave ◽  
Regina Wright
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Carotid Atherosclerosis ◽  
Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Media Thickness

Abstract Carotid atherosclerosis has emerged as an early predictor of reduced cognitive function. Underlying this association are risk factors, such as overweight and obesity, that promote carotid atherosclerosis and poor cognitive outcomes. Given the prevalence of overweight and obesity among older adults, there is a critical need to better understand how atherosclerosis influences cognitive function in the context of elevated weight. To address this gap, the current study examined relations between carotid atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness [IMT]), and attention (Trailmaking Test) and executive function (Verbal Fluency Test) performance, and whether they varied as a function of weight status (body mass index [BMI] classification). Data were analyzed from 162 older adults (mean age = 68.43y, 34% male, 41% African American), free of major disease. Mutliple regression and analysis of variance analyses, adjusted for age, sex, education and mean arterial pressure, showed a statistically significant IMT x BMI interaction for Verbal Fluency performance (p=.04) and a trending IMT x BMI interaction for Trailmaking A performance (p=.05). Simple effects analysis of IMT and Verbal Fluency performance showed that this association was most pronounced among those who are obese. Findings suggest atherosclerosis may influence executive function in the context of obesity among older adults. As the development of carotid atherosclerosis is strongly related to aging, our findings suggest that maintaining a healthy weight may reduce its impact on executive function in older adulthood.

scholarly journals Relevance of the body mass index in the cognitive status of diabetic patients with different alcohol-drinking patterns

2014 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 347-353
Author(s):  
Serban Lacramioara ◽  
Cristina Toarba ◽  
Simona Hogas ◽  
A. Covic ◽  
A. Ciobica ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Drinking ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Alcohol Drinking Patterns ◽  
The Relationship

Nowadays the general relevance of alcohol consumption in diabetes is extremely controversial. There are recent reports that alcohol consumption could result in a decreased incidence of diabetes, as well as other studies demonstrating a positive association between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes; there are also reports arguing for an inverse association between the two or for no correlation at all. The different results obtained in these studies could be explained by the existence of several confounders that could influence the outcome of the aforementioned studies. In this paper, we studied the possible relevance of BMI as a confounder in the relationship between alcohol consumption in diabetes and cognitive function, by analyzing the correlations between BMI values in diabetic patients with different alcohol drinking patterns and the subdomains from some main psychometric tests, such as MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) and MOCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Our results provide evidence for BMI as a possible confounder of the relationship between alcohol consumption in diabetes and cognitive function. We found a significant increase (p<0.0001) in BMI values in patients with diabetes compared to our control group. Most importantly, significant correlations between BMI parameters in alcohol-consuming diabetic patients and most of the subdomains for psychometric testing.

scholarly journals From Dependence to Independence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Intan Azura Mokhtar ◽  
Shaheen Majid ◽  
Schubert Foo
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Mediated Learning ◽  
Control Group Design ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Information Skills ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Library Skills ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Although it is widely believed that information literacy (IL) competencies are useful in helping students perform better in their schoolwork and beyond, limited empirical evidence is available showing the relationship between IL competencies and IL education. While a lot of research has been done worldwide and most of the findings have proven that IL is a much-needed skill by students, little research has been conducted on IL teaching approaches or what is termed IL pedagogy. To date, studies on IL have mainly focused only on students’ information skills per se, on library skills or on ICT education. None of these studies has assessed the different approaches to IL education. This paper provides an overview of a research study that investigates the impact of an IL teaching approach in the form of personalised coaching, which is grounded in the pedagogy known as mediated learning, on students’ level and applicability of IL competencies. Through the application of a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control-group design, as well as student responses in the post-experiment semi-structured group interviews, it was found that personalised coaching (or mediated learning) helps students perform better in the learning and application of IL competencies.

scholarly journals Effects of smart-care services program for breast cancer survivors

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Bok Yae Chung ◽  
Sung Jung Hong
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Sleep Time ◽  
Nursing Intervention ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a smart-care services program for breast cancer survivors on cognitive function and physical health. Methods: A quasi-experimental control group pretest posttest design was used. Subjects were recruited in D city, and data were collected from July 2017 to February 2018. The experimental group (n=24) participated in the smart-care services program, whereas the control group (n=26) received conventional management. The smart-care services program consisted of addressing cognitive function problems arising from chemotherapy, diet, exercise, head/neck massage and self-monitoring using smartphone applications and smart bands. All participants underwent assessments at baseline, at 6 weeks, and at 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation), a chi-squared test, t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: After the smart-care services program, significant differences were found between the groups in cognitive function (F=18.91, p<.001) and sleep time (F=9.25, p<.001). No significant differences were found between the groups in caloric consumption after the program. Conclusion: The smart-care services program significantly improved the level of cognitive function and sleep time for breast cancer survivors. The use of this smart-care services program for breast cancer survivors might be an effective nursing intervention tool for improving cognitive function and health behaviors.

Street Gangs and Preventive Interventions

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID W. THOMPSON ◽  
LEONARD A. JASON
Keyword(s):  
Gang Membership ◽  
After School ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Street Gangs ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Intensive Intervention ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Youth At Risk ◽  
Conducting Research

This article presents an evaluation of an intervention aimed at youth at risk for joining street gangs. In a quasi-experimental design, targeted youth were assigned to one of two levels of treatment (classroom sessions or a combination of classroom sessions and structured after-school activities) or to a no-treatment control group. To ascertain gang membership following the intervention, the youths' names were compared with gang membership rosters obtained from informants. Four members of the control group and one receiving youth receiving the more intensive intervention were subsequently identified as gang members. Implications of the study for public policy are considered, methodological difficulties in conducting research in this area are discussed, and future research directions are suggested.

Executive Function Is Associated With Antisocial Behavior and Aggression in Athletes

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Micai ◽  
Maria Kavussanu ◽  
Christopher Ring
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Antisocial Behavior ◽  
Impulse Control ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Male Athletes ◽  
The Relationship

Poor executive function has been linked to increased antisocial and aggressive behavior in clinical and nonclinical populations. The present study investigated the relationship between executive and nonexecutive cognitive function and antisocial behavior in sport as well as reactive and proactive aggression. Cognitive function was assessed in young adult male and female athletes using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Antisocial behavior in sport and aggression were assessed via self-report instruments and were found to be positively correlated. Executive function (but not nonexecutive function) scores were negatively correlated with both self-reported antisocial behavior and aggression in males but not females. Our findings suggest that prefrontal deficits among male athletes could contribute to poor impulse control and difficulty in anticipating the consequences of their antisocial and aggressive behavior.

scholarly journals The effect of Bonyan-Method Experiential Marathon Structured Groups (BEMSG) on ego functions

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-104
Author(s):  
Arash Nejatian ◽  
Maryam Khaksar ◽  
Alireza Zahiroddin ◽  
Leila Azimi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Function Evaluation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Trial Group ◽  
Ego Functions ◽  
Statistical Effect ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Adaptive Regression ◽  
Structured Groups ◽  
The Relationship

The present research has studied Bonyan-Method Experiential Marathon Structured Groups' efficacy on the nonclinical populations' ego functions. This study was a quasi-experimental trial with a control group. The trial group participated in the marathon group on three consecutive days (36 hours) and weekly sessions for three weeks. Then the ego function evaluation questionnaire was simultaneously given to both groups. All ego functions in the trial group showed significant growth compared to the control group. Among these, the most remarkable statistical effect size was related to "Adaptive Regression in Service of the Ego" and "Stimulus barrier." The relationship between improving ego functions and mental health can be anticipated, and steps can be taken to promote the community’s mental health by using these groups.

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