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Hormones and Behavior Mar 2017There are sex differences associated with schizophrenia, as women exhibit later onset of the disorder, less severe symptomatology, and better response to antipsychotic...
There are sex differences associated with schizophrenia, as women exhibit later onset of the disorder, less severe symptomatology, and better response to antipsychotic medications. Estrogens are thought to play a role in these sex differences; estrogens facilitate the effects of antipsychotic medications to reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but it remains unclear whether estrogens protect against the cognitive symptoms of this disorder. Amphetamine sensitization is used to model some symptoms of schizophrenia in rats, including cognitive deficits like excessive perseveration and slower reversal learning. In this experiment female rats were administered a sensitizing regimen of amphetamine to mimic these cognitive symptoms. They were ovariectomized and administered either low or high estradiol replacement as well as chronic administration of the antipsychotic haloperidol, and were assessed in tests of perseveration and reversal learning. Results of these experiments demonstrated that, in amphetamine-sensitized rats, estradiol alone does not affect perseveration or reversal learning. However, low estradiol facilitates a 0.25mg/day dose of haloperidol to reduce perseveration and improve reversal learning. Combined high estradiol and 0.25mg/day haloperidol has no effect on perseveration or reversal learning, but high estradiol facilitates the effects of 0.13mg/day haloperidol to reduce perseveration and improve reversal learning. Thus, in amphetamine-sensitized female rats, 0.25mg/day haloperidol only improved perseveration and reversal learning when estradiol was low, while 0.13mg/day haloperidol only improved these cognitive processes when estradiol was high. These findings suggest that estradiol facilitates the effects of haloperidol to improve perseveration and reversal learning in a dose-dependent manner.
Topics: Amphetamine; Animals; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Synergism; Estradiol; Female; Haloperidol; Rats; Reversal Learning; Schizophrenic Psychology; Stereotyped Behavior
PubMed: 28062232
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.12.010 -
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning 2017Grit, or the perseverance and passion for long-term goals, has been associated with successful pursuits in academics, competitions, and professions outside of pharmacy....
Grit, or the perseverance and passion for long-term goals, has been associated with successful pursuits in academics, competitions, and professions outside of pharmacy. The fortitude needed to withstand tremendous physical, mental, and emotional stressors may be better predicted by grit than other factors. In those who demonstrate grit, a combination of factors may reflect academic achievement. It appears that achievement results when talent and effort are combined, with particular attention being paid to effort, as it is a function of the direction, duration, and intensity of a person's actions toward a goal. It appears that grit may be a good discriminating factor when evaluating individuals in other professions. The objective of this short commentary is to provide an introduction to the non-pharmacy literature surrounding grit and to suggest its applications in pharmacy.
Topics: Goals; Humans; Learning; Personality
PubMed: 29180140
DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2016.08.048 -
Biological Psychiatry Global Open... Jan 2024The nature of cognitive flexibility deficits in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which historically have been tested with probabilistic reversal learning tasks,...
BACKGROUND
The nature of cognitive flexibility deficits in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which historically have been tested with probabilistic reversal learning tasks, remains elusive. Here, a novel deterministic reversal task and inclusion of unmedicated patients in the study sample illuminated the role of fixed versus uncertain rules/contingencies and of serotonergic medication. Additionally, our understanding of probabilistic reversal was enhanced through theoretical computational modeling of cognitive flexibility in OCD.
METHODS
We recruited 49 patients with OCD, 21 of whom were unmedicated, and 43 healthy control participants matched for age, IQ, and gender. Participants were tested on 2 tasks: a novel visuomotor deterministic reversal learning task with 3 reversals (feedback rewarding/punishing/neutral) measuring accuracy/perseveration and a 2-choice visual probabilistic reversal learning task with uncertain feedback and a single reversal measuring win-stay and lose-shift. Bayesian computational modeling provided measures of learning rate, reinforcement sensitivity, and stimulus stickiness.
RESULTS
Unmedicated patients with OCD were impaired on the deterministic reversal task under punishment only at the first and third reversals compared with both control participants and medicated patients with OCD, who had no deficit. Perseverative errors were correlated with OCD severity. On the probabilistic reversal task, unmedicated patients were only impaired at reversal, whereas medicated patients were impaired at both the learning and reversal stages. Computational modeling showed that the overall change was reduced feedback sensitivity in both OCD groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Both perseveration and increased shifting can be observed in OCD, depending on test conditions including the predictability of reinforcement. Perseveration was related to clinical severity and remediated by serotonergic medication.
PubMed: 38298803
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.06.004 -
Brain Sciences May 2023Persistence is defined as, among other ways, the need to achieve the goals and strive for the goal. Persistence can also be considered from the perspective of the...
UNLABELLED
Persistence is defined as, among other ways, the need to achieve the goals and strive for the goal. Persistence can also be considered from the perspective of the resource concept, as a positive factor related to an individual's adaptive behaviour, psychological resilience, and normal self-regulation. In contrast, tendencies behaviourally similar to perseverance, but which may have psychopathological features, are persistence and perfectionism. The main goal of our study was to: (I) Build non-clinical Persistence Scale (PS) in Polish and English; (II) translate in Polish and validate the Persistence, Perfectionism and Perseveration Questionnaire (PPPQ); (III) analyse properties of both scales.
METHODS
The study was conducted on a non-clinical group of 306 subjects. The mean age was 27.6 and ranged from 18 to 58 years. The properties of both scales were analysed using the NEO-FFI personality inventory, PSS-10 Perceived stress level scale, The UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviour Scale, the SPSRQ Sensitivity to Punishment and Reward scale, Grit scale and NAS-50 Self-Control Scale.
RESULTS
The psychometric features of the scales fulfil the requirements for psychometric tools. The factorial structure of both versions of the PS-20 scale proved to be unifactorial. Openness was the only variable to co-occur with the persistence scales of both the PS-20 and the PPPQ-10, and did not co-occur with scales intended to indicate psychopathology (Perseveration, Perfectionism). Negative correlations occurred with variables describing Persistence with levels of perceived stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Impulsivity measured by the SUPPS scale also showed negative correlations with the study variables.
CONCLUSIONS
In the present work, we postulate that persistence is an umbrella construct that gathers and integrates many other traits to form a multi-trait persistence. Perseveration should be regarded as an undesirable trait characterising psychopathological behaviour. Desirable and indicative traits of an individual's good functioning are persistence and, to some extent, perfectionism. Individuals with low persistence and high perseveration may be characterised by a repertoire of psychopathological behaviours.
PubMed: 37371344
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060864 -
Headache Jan 2023Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) and transient global amnesia (TGA) are acute and self-limiting intra-cerebral conditions. Although previously... (Review)
Review
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) and transient global amnesia (TGA) are acute and self-limiting intra-cerebral conditions. Although previously studied as independent phenomena, there are increasing reports of co-occurrence of these two pathologies. We report a 55-year-old male who presented to the hospital with recurrent thunderclap headaches over the course of 1 week with sudden onset of anterograde memory loss. His medications included a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and intermittent use of pseudoephedrine. On examination he was amnestic to recent events and notably perseverating. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain without contrast showed a small, punctate focus of restricted diffusion in the left hippocampus. He was diagnosed with TGA based on his clinical presentation. His headaches and amnesia resolved over the next 12 h throughout the course of his stay with acetaminophen and oral verapamil and he was discharged. Repeat computed tomography angiogram at 2 weeks revealed diffuse and segmental narrowing of the anterior and posterior intracranial circulation, which resolved on follow-up imaging at 3 months, confirming RCVS. The acute and reversible nature of these conditions and increasing reports of co-occurrence suggests a common pathophysiologic link. We review the literature highlighting similar cases and the presumed pathophysiology.
Topics: Male; Humans; Middle Aged; Amnesia, Transient Global; Vasoconstriction; Vasospasm, Intracranial; Headache Disorders, Primary; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Headache
PubMed: 36588462
DOI: 10.1111/head.14432 -
Indian Journal of Orthopaedics May 2020Athletes that excel in their field, and are hence declared "elite", have many challenges and problems in their career. The path to glory is often littered with personal...
Athletes that excel in their field, and are hence declared "elite", have many challenges and problems in their career. The path to glory is often littered with personal sacrifice, rigorous schedules and many related medical issues from orthopaedic injuries specific to individual sports, to mental health issues that are often not diagnosed. Coupled with that, the lack of support to these sportspersons in underdeveloped countries, makes their road to the top much more challenging. Commitment of time, continuance of effort and perseverance are key components. The current account of a difficult journey and the issues that were overcome serves as a guide to aspiring athletes and to support staff ranging from doctors to physiotherapists and perhaps even the sports administrators.
PubMed: 32399140
DOI: 10.1007/s43465-020-00091-w -
Journal of Behavioral Medicine Apr 2021A number of studies have shown that self-rated health reliably predicts mortality. This study assessed the impact of perseveration on self-rated health, physical...
A number of studies have shown that self-rated health reliably predicts mortality. This study assessed the impact of perseveration on self-rated health, physical functioning, and physical symptoms (pain, fatigue, breast cancer symptoms) among breast cancer patients. We hypothesized that cancer-related distress would serve as an intervening variable between both worry and rumination and self-rated health, physical functioning, and physical symptoms. Women (N = 124) who were approximately 7 weeks post-surgery but pre adjuvant treatment completed the Impact of Events Scale, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and the Rumination Scale. They also rated their pain, fatigue, physical functioning, and self-rated health using the RAND-36 and breast cancer symptoms with the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist (BCPT). Covariates included body mass index, age, cancer stage, menopause status, and physical comorbidities. Worry was associated with higher cancer-related distress, which in turn predicted greater pain and breast cancer symptoms, poorer physical functioning, and lower self-rated health. Rumination also predicted greater cancer-related distress, which ultimately contributed to greater pain along with poorer physical functioning and self-rated health. Models with fatigue as an outcome were not significant. These findings suggest that perseveration can heighten cancer-related distress and subsequent perceptions of physical symptoms and health among breast cancer patients prior to adjuvant treatment. Perseveration early in the cancer trajectory can adversely increase the impact of a cancer diagnosis and treatment on functioning and quality of life.
Topics: Anxiety; Breast Neoplasms; Fatigue; Female; Humans; Pain; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 33135103
DOI: 10.1007/s10865-020-00192-9 -
Aging & Mental Health 2023A randomized trial was conducted to investigate the effects of computerized cognitive training (CCT) and tai chi exercise (TCE) vs. health education (HE) on cognitive... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
A randomized trial was conducted to investigate the effects of computerized cognitive training (CCT) and tai chi exercise (TCE) vs. health education (HE) on cognitive functions in 189 older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
METHODS
Cognitive functions were assessed by the five-domain Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) (attention, initiation/perseveration, construction, conceptualization, and memory) and the modified Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS-M), while the timed up and go (TUG), Tinetti's balance, activities of daily living (ADLs), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) were also evaluated. Each intervention was delivered once a week for 6 months. All outcomes were followed up at 6 and 12 months of the study.
RESULTS
Compared to HE, CCT increased scores on the MDRS's total, initiation/perseveration, construction, and conceptualization domains and on the TICS-M at 6 months and those on the MDRS's total, attention, construction, conceptualization, and memory domains and on the TICS-M at 12 months; TCE increased scores on the MDRS's total and construction domains and on the TICS-M at 6 months and those on the MDRS's total, attention, initiation/perseveration, and conceptualization domains and on the TICS-M at 12 months. Moreover, CCT improved the TUG at 6 and 12 months and Tinetti's balance at 12 months, and TCE improved the TUG at 6 and 12 months, Tinetti's balance, and ABC at 6 and 12 months, and ADLs at 12 months.
CONCLUSIONS
The effects of CCT and TCE on improving global cognition and certain cognitive domains for older MCI adults may have been small but they lasted for at least 12 months.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Activities of Daily Living; Cognition; Cognitive Dysfunction; Cognitive Training; Tai Ji
PubMed: 37365961
DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2023.2225430 -
Aging & Mental Health 2023: To investigate the associations of specific cognitive functions and with the frailty trajectory among older Taiwanese adults. At baseline, 730 community-dwelling older...
: To investigate the associations of specific cognitive functions and with the frailty trajectory among older Taiwanese adults. At baseline, 730 community-dwelling older adults were recruited from outpatient clinics of a general hospital. Frailty status was defined using phenotype criteria. Global cognition was assessed using the modified Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test were used to evaluate 6 cognitive domains: attention, initiation/perseveration, construction, conceptualization, memory, and processing speed. The group-based trajectory model was used to identify latent frailty trajectory groups and the multinomial logistic regression was to examine the relationships of specific cognitive functions with frailty trajectory. Among 485 participants (168 men, 317 women, and mean age: 71.1 ± 5.5 years) completed 2 annual follow-up assessments, three frailty trajectory groups of improvement, no-change, and progression were identified. After adjusting for baseline frailty status, age, sex, global cognition, regular exercise habit, and number of comorbidities, higher scores on MDRS's initiation/perseveration (odds ratio [OR] = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.75-0.95) and attention (OR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.38-1.00), respectively, were significantly associated with lower risk of frailty progression. Conversely, no significant association was detected between MMSE or TICSM scores and frailty improvement or progression. Specific cognitive functions of initiation/perseveration and attention, rather than global cognition, may be more useful to predict frailty progression, thus allowing the identification of at-risk older adults.
PubMed: 36016472
DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2116393 -
Scientific Reports Mar 2021In recent years, evidence linked hypnotizability to the executive control and information salience networks, brain structures that play a role in cognitive conflict...
In recent years, evidence linked hypnotizability to the executive control and information salience networks, brain structures that play a role in cognitive conflict resolution and perseveration (insisting on applying a previously learned logical rule on a new set). Despite the growing body of neuroimaging evidence, the cognitive phenotype of hypnotizability is not well understood. We hypothesized that higher hypnotizability would correspond to lower perseveration and set-shifting. Seventy-two healthy adults were tested for hypnotizability and executive functions (perseveration and set-shifting). Multiple regression analyses were performed to test the relationship between hypnotizability and perseveration and set-shifting. Higher hypnotizability was associated with lower perseveration after accounting for age and education. Hypnotizability significantly predicted perseveration but not set-shifting. Our results indicate an inverse relationship between trait hypnotizability and perseveration, an executive function that utilizes regions of both the executive control and the salience systems. This suggests that hypnotizability may share a common cognitive mechanism with error evaluation and implementation of logical rules.
Topics: Adult; Brain; Cognition; Executive Function; Female; Humans; Hypnosis; Linear Models; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Young Adult
PubMed: 33707531
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84954-8