-
Environmental Research Nov 2023Particulate matter (PM) is a major component of ambient air pollution (AAP), being widely associated with adverse health effects. Epidemiological and experimental... (Review)
Review
The influence of environmental particulate matter exposure during late gestation and early life on the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review of experimental evidences.
Particulate matter (PM) is a major component of ambient air pollution (AAP), being widely associated with adverse health effects. Epidemiological and experimental studies point towards a clear implication of AAP on the development of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In this sense, the period of most CNS susceptibility is early life, when the CNS is maturing. In humans the last trimester of gestation is crucial for brain maturation while in rodents, due to the shorter gestational period, the brain is still immature at birth, and early postnatal development plays a significant role. The present systematic review provides an updated overview and discusses the existing literature on the relationship between early exposure to PM and neurodevelopmental outcomes in experimental studies. We included 11 studies with postnatal exposure and 9 studies with both prenatal and postnatal exposure. Consistent results between studies suggest that PM exposure could alter normal development, triggering impairments in short-term memory, sociability, and impulsive-like behavior. This is also associated with alterations in synaptic plasticity and in the immune system. Interestingly, differences have been observed between sexes, although not all studies included females. Furthermore, the developmental window of exposure seems to be crucial for effects to be observed in the future. In summary, air pollution exposure during development affects subjects in a time- and sex-dependent manner, the postnatal period being more important and being males apparently more sensitive to exposure than females. Nevertheless, additional experimental investigations should prioritize the examination of learning, impulsivity, and biochemical parameters, with particular attention provided to disparities between sexes.
Topics: Male; Infant, Newborn; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Particulate Matter; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Environmental Exposure; Neurodevelopmental Disorders
PubMed: 37527744
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116792 -
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024(1) Background: Previous studies have identified discrepancies in improvements in executive functioning in typically developing children when comparing closed- and... (Review)
Review
Effects of Practicing Closed- vs. Open-Skill Exercises on Executive Functions in Individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.
(1) Background: Previous studies have identified discrepancies in improvements in executive functioning in typically developing children when comparing closed- and open-skill exercise interventions. However, there is limited research on executive functioning in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the impact of closed- and open-skill exercises on ADHD populations. (2) Methods: The PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed to search seven databases to evaluate and analyze studies published from 2013 to 2023. Prospero: CRD42023460452. (3) Results: A meta-analysis of 578 subjects with ADHD in 11 RCTs (Randomized control trial) and 3 NRS (Non-randomized studies) revealed that closed-skill exercise significantly improved executive function subdomains, including inhibitory control (standardized mean differences (SMD) = -1.00), cognitive flexibility (SMD = -1.33), and working memory (SMD = -0.85). Furthermore, open-skill exercise was found to have a positive effect on inhibitory control (SMD = -1.98) and cognitive flexibility (SMD = -0.97) in ADHD patients. Both types of exercise interventions demonstrated an improvement in executive function compared to controls, with open-skill exercises exhibiting superior effects (Q = 6.26). (4) Conclusions: The review recommends a 12-week intervention cycle with exercise at least twice a week of moderate or higher intensity as suitable for ADHD individuals. This review also encourages individuals with ADHD to engage in exercises involving multiple motor skill types.
PubMed: 38920831
DOI: 10.3390/bs14060499 -
Journal of Learning Disabilities 2023Traditional static tests of reading and reading-related skills offer some ability to predict future reading performance, though such screeners may misclassify children... (Review)
Review
Traditional static tests of reading and reading-related skills offer some ability to predict future reading performance, though such screeners may misclassify children with or at risk of reading disorder (RD). Dynamic assessment (DA) is an alternative approach that measures learning potential and may be less dependent on learning background. A systematic review was carried out to examine the ability of DA to classify children with or at risk of RD. A database search yielded 14 eligible articles assessing DA of decoding, phonological awareness (PA), and working memory (WM). Results suggest that DA explains unique variance in the prediction of later RD status, and although models with a single dynamic predictor sometimes achieved good classification accuracy, this was enhanced somewhat by the addition of static predictors. Higher classification accuracy was found for DA targeting constructs more proximal to reading, particularly decoding, but the predictive power of DA of decoding and PA appeared to wane with increasing age as static measures explained more variance in outcomes. Some evidence emerged that DA provides benefits over static tests for the prediction of RD in bilingual students, though no studies examined outcomes by administration format or orthographic depth. Limitations and suggestions for future work are discussed.
Topics: Child; Humans; Dyslexia; Learning; Awareness; Students; Memory, Short-Term; Phonetics
PubMed: 36017540
DOI: 10.1177/00222194221117510 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Dec 2023Depression is highly prevalent in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC) and associated with significant cognitive dysfunction across multiple domains. However, little... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Depression is highly prevalent in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC) and associated with significant cognitive dysfunction across multiple domains. However, little is known about neurocognitive tests used in people with depression in LMIC. We aimed to investigate cognitive performance and cognitive tests in depression research in LMIC.
METHODS
APA PsycInfo, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and Global Health were systematically searched for studies that implemented a cognitive performance test in a depressed, LMIC population. Tool quality was assessed using an adapted scale for quality of measures in cross-cultural settings. Data extracted included demographics, depression and cognitive performance measures, and cognitive performance comparisons between depression and control groups.
RESULTS
29 studies met eligibility criteria, involving a total of 19,100 participants from 11 LMIC. 93.1 % of studies were conducted in upper middle-income countries. 67 cognitive performance tools were implemented. Reliability was reported for 5.6 % of cognitive performance tests and validity was reported for 8.3 %. 36.1 % of tests used were culturally adapted. 75.9 % of included studies implemented at least one memory test. Cognitive deficits were observed in all depressed groups, especially in memory (Cohen's d = -1.60, 95 % CI -2.02 to -1.18).
LIMITATIONS
Heterogeneity between studies; averaged results across memory subtypes; no assessment of depression severity and cognitive deficits associations; restrictive search terms.
CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive impairments in depression, especially in memory, are prevalent in LMIC. This research has drawn attention to the burden of cognitive dysfunction in depression in LMIC, and to the disparate research gap in LMIC. PROSPERO registration CRD42022315397.
Topics: Humans; Developing Countries; Depression; Reproducibility of Results; Poverty; Cognition
PubMed: 37690541
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.09.007 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Apr 2024: The study aims to provide a comprehensive neuropsychological analysis of psychotic spectrum disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. It... (Review)
Review
: The study aims to provide a comprehensive neuropsychological analysis of psychotic spectrum disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. It focuses on the critical aspects of cognitive impairments, diagnostic tools, intervention efficacy, and the roles of genetic and environmental factors in these disorders. The paper emphasizes the diagnostic significance of neuropsychological tests in identifying cognitive deficiencies and their predictive value in the early management of psychosis. : The study involved a systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted in significant databases like Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science using keywords relevant to clinical neuropsychology and psychotic spectrum disorders. The inclusion criteria required articles to be in English, published between 2018 and 2023, and pertinent to clinical neuropsychology's application in these disorders. A total of 153 articles were identified, with 44 ultimately included for detailed analysis based on relevance and publication status after screening. The review highlights several key findings, including the diagnostic and prognostic significance of mismatch negativity, neuroprogressive trajectories, cortical thinning in familial high-risk individuals, and distinct illness trajectories within psychosis subgroups. The studies evaluated underline the role of neuropsychological tests in diagnosing psychiatric disorders and emphasize early detection and the effectiveness of intervention strategies based on cognitive and neurobiological markers. : The systematic review underscores the importance of investigating the neuropsychological components of psychotic spectrum disorders. It identifies significant cognitive impairments in attention, memory, and executive function, correlating with structural and functional brain abnormalities. The paper stresses the need for precise diagnoses and personalized treatment modalities, highlighting the complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors. It calls for a deeper understanding of these neuropsychological processes to enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Psychotic Disorders; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Cognitive Dysfunction; Bipolar Disorder; Schizophrenia; Cognition
PubMed: 38674291
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040645 -
Brain Sciences Jul 2023The objective of the present review was to systematically examine associations between perturbations of the homeostatic or circadian sleep processes and the... (Review)
Review
The objective of the present review was to systematically examine associations between perturbations of the homeostatic or circadian sleep processes and the neurobehavioral functioning (NBF) of individuals with ADHD. Electronic databases were searched for articles published between December 2013 and March 2023. Studies were included if they used objective measures of NBF, used objective or subjective measures of sleep, and focused on individuals with ADHD. Ten studies met these inclusion criteria. Of these, eight studies found perturbations in the interplay between NBF and Process S or Process C, and three studies did not. The quality of the studies was degraded because they failed to address key factors that affect the sleep processes and by the presence of methodological weaknesses. Our review suggests that homeostatic and circadian sleep processes are associated with NBF in individuals with ADHD. However, to confirm the validity of this conclusion, future studies should examine or control for confounders and utilize experimental designs that allow causality to be inferred.
PubMed: 37626491
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13081134 -
European Journal of Ageing Aug 2023The cognitive complaints encountered in late-life depression (LLD) make it difficult to distinguish from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's... (Review)
Review
The role of semantic assessment in the differential diagnosis between late-life depression and Alzheimer's disease or amnestic mild cognitive impairment: systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECT
The cognitive complaints encountered in late-life depression (LLD) make it difficult to distinguish from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) based on an analysis of neurocognitive disorders. The hypothesis of the early impairment of semantic memory in AD and aMCI is considered a potential differential cognitive clue, but the absence of this impairment has not yet been confirmed in LLD.
METHOD
Based on the PRISMA method, we systematically seek neuropsychological assessments of individuals with LLD, the present study included 31 studies representing 3291 controls and 2820 people with LLD. Wherever possible, studies that tested simultaneously groups with LLD, AD (or aMCI) were also included. The results of the group of neuropsychological tasks relying on semantic memory were analyzed in two groups of tasks with high- or low-executive demand. The mean average effect of LLD was calculated and compared to the incremental effect of aMCI or AD on the scores. Linear regressions including education, age, and severity and type of depression were run to seek their power of prediction for the mean average effects.
RESULTS
LLD has a medium effect on scores at semantic and phonemic fluency and naming and a small average effect on the low-executive demand tasks. Differences in education is a predictor of the effect of LLD on phonemic fluency and naming but not on semantic fluency or on low-executive demand tasks. Except for semantic fluency, aMCI did not demonstrate an incremental effect on the scores compared to LLD, while AD did, for all the tasks except phonemic fluency.
CONCLUSION
Assessment of semantic memory can be a discriminating clue for the distinction between depression and Alzheimer's disease but some methodological variables are highly influential to the scores, especially education. However, high-executive semantic tasks alone do not allow us to clearly distinguish LLD from AD or aMCI, as both pathologies seem to have a largely dialectical influential relationship, but low-executive semantic tasks appear as more sensible to this pathological distinction.
PubMed: 37563432
DOI: 10.1007/s10433-023-00780-z -
Translational Psychiatry Jan 2024Neurocognitive deficits are a core feature of psychotic disorders, but it is unclear whether they affect all individuals uniformly. The aim of this systematic review and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Neurocognitive deficits are a core feature of psychotic disorders, but it is unclear whether they affect all individuals uniformly. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the evidence on the magnitude, progression, and variability of neurocognitive functioning in individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP). A multistep literature search was conducted in several databases up to November 1, 2022. Original studies reporting on neurocognitive functioning in FEP were included. The researchers extracted the data and clustered the neurocognitive tasks according to the seven Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) domains and six additional domains. Random-effect model meta-analyses, assessment of publication biases and study quality, and meta-regressions were conducted. The primary effect size reported was Hedges g of (1) neurocognitive functioning in individuals at FEP measuring differences with healthy control (HC) individuals or (2) evolution of neurocognitive impairment across study follow-up intervals. Of 30,384 studies screened, 54 were included, comprising 3,925 FEP individuals and 1,285 HC individuals. Variability analyses indicated greater variability in FEP compared to HC at baseline and follow-up. We found better neurocognitive performance in the HC group at baseline and follow-up but no differences in longitudinal neurocognitive changes between groups. Across the 13 domains, individuals with FEP showed improvement from baseline in all studied domains, except for visual memory. Metaregressions showed some differences in several of the studied domains. The findings suggest that individuals with FEP have marked cognitive impairment, but there is greater variability in cognitive functioning in patients than in HC. This suggests that subgroups of individuals suffer severe disease-related cognitive impairments, whereas others may be much less affected. While these impairments seem stable in the medium term, certain indicators may suggest potential further decline in the long term for a specific subgroup of individuals, although more research is needed to clarify this. Overall, this study highlights the need for tailored neurocognitive interventions for individuals with FEP based on their specific deficits and progression.
Topics: Humans; Cognition; Cognitive Dysfunction; Databases, Factual; Longitudinal Studies; Psychotic Disorders
PubMed: 38191534
DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02718-6 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... May 2024The gut-brain axis is a crucial interface between the central nervous system and the gut microbiota. Recent evidence shows that exposure to environmental contaminants,... (Review)
Review
The gut-brain axis is a crucial interface between the central nervous system and the gut microbiota. Recent evidence shows that exposure to environmental contaminants, such as heavy metals, can cause dysbiosis in gut microbiota, which may affect the gut-brain communication, impacting aspects of brain function and behavior. This systematic review of the literature aims to evaluate whether deleterious effects on brain function due to heavy metal exposure could be mediated by changes in the gut microbiota profile. Animal studies involving exposure to heavy metals and a comparison with a control group that evaluated neuropsychological outcomes and/or molecular outcomes along with the analysis of microbiota composition were reviewed. The authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, extracted data and assessed risk of bias using the protocol of Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) for preclinical studies. A search in 3 databases yielded 16 eligible studies focused on lead (n = 10), cadmium (n = 1), mercury (n = 3), manganese (n = 1), and combined exposure of lead and manganese (n = 1). The animal species were rats (n = 7), mice (n = 4), zebrafish (n = 3), carp (n = 1) and fruit fly (n = 1). Heavy metals were found to adversely affect cognitive function, behavior, and neuronal morphology. Moreover, heavy metal exposure was associated with changes in the abundance of specific bacterial phyla, such as Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, which play crucial roles in gut health. In some studies, these alterations were correlated with learning and memory impairments and mood disorders. The interplay of heavy metals, gut microbiota, and brain suggests that heavy metals can induce direct brain alterations and indirect effects through the microbiota, contributing to neurotoxicity and the development of neuropsychological disorders. However, the small number of papers under review makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Further research is warranted to unravel the underlying mechanisms and evaluate the translational implications for human health.
Topics: Mice; Rats; Animals; Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Manganese; Zebrafish; Metals, Heavy; Brain
PubMed: 38462196
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123732 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023There are multiple reports of neuropsychiatric disorders (NDs) such as stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or anxiety, in patients who have...
INTRODUCTION
There are multiple reports of neuropsychiatric disorders (NDs) such as stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or anxiety, in patients who have survived the acute phase of COVID-19, being even more frequent in people who were hospitalized with moderate or severe disease. South America (SA) was one of the most affected continents during this time due to its health, social, political and economic context. We aimed to determine the prevalence and incidence of NDs in patients following hospitalization for COVID-19 in SA.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We searched in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases up to October 2022. We performed proportion meta-analysis with a random-effect model and Freeman-Tukey Double Arcsine transformation using the STATA 16.1 program. Finally, we evaluated heterogeneity by subgroup analysis and certainty of evidence with the GRADE approach.
RESULTS
We included eight studies from four countries. We only pooled six studies with prevalence measures. The estimated prevalence of all NDs was 31.48% (two-studies, 95%CI: 25.82-37.43). Depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, and memory alterations had a pooled prevalence of 16.23% (three-studies, 95%CI: 7.18-27.93, I2: 94.22), 18.72% (three-studies, 95%CI: 11.65-26.97, I2: 87.56), 43.07% (three-studies, 95%CI: 32.77-53.37, I2: 92.61), 31.78% (three-studies, 95%CI: 14.33-52.40, I2: 97.96), and 38.24% (two-studies, 95%CI: 35.5-40.97), respectively. The evidence included was deemed as moderate to high certainty.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that NDs should be prioritized in research and care in South America with public policies that can support their identification and prompt management to improve the quality of life of patients. More studies are needed to adequately study the prevalence of NDs in South America, their associated factors, and evaluate the causes of heterogeneity.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21901041.v1.
PubMed: 38025440
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1163989