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Journal of Developmental and Behavioral... Sep 2022Throughout the years, several myths have arisen suggesting that children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders possess unusually high abilities in specific...
OBJECTIVE
Throughout the years, several myths have arisen suggesting that children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders possess unusually high abilities in specific domains, depending on the disorder. On the other hand, special skills and talents in children with neurodevelopmental disorders are most commonly overshadowed by their difficulties and overlooked. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the association between giftedness and neurodevelopmental disorders.
METHODS
The related articles published in PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and Embase up to December 31, 2020, as well as their reference lists, were reviewed systematically.
RESULTS
A total of 6069 studies were scanned, and 32 of them (9904 subjects) were deemed eligible for this systematic review. Studies have supported associations between autism spectrum disorders and music ability. Contradictory results have been published regarding associations between giftedness, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and specific learning disorders. Diagnostic methods seemed to modify associations between giftedness and neurodevelopmental disorders.
CONCLUSION
The dearth of the available evidence is prominent. More research is needed to investigate the field of dual exceptionality. Longitudinal studies are needed, addressing methodological challenges pertaining to variability in the definition of giftedness.
Topics: Adolescent; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child; Humans; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Specific Learning Disorder
PubMed: 36040826
DOI: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001103 -
PloS One 2023Whether food source or energy mediates the effect of fructose-containing sugars on blood pressure (BP) is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Whether food source or energy mediates the effect of fructose-containing sugars on blood pressure (BP) is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of different food sources of fructose-containing sugars at different levels of energy control on BP. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library through June 2021 for controlled trials ≥7-days. We prespecified 4 trial designs: substitution (energy matched substitution of sugars); addition (excess energy from sugars added); subtraction (excess energy from sugars subtracted); and ad libitum (energy from sugars freely replaced). Outcomes were systolic and diastolic BP. Independent reviewers extracted data. GRADE assessed the certainty of evidence. We included 93 reports (147 trial comparisons, N = 5,213) assessing 12 different food sources across 4 energy control levels in adults with and without hypertension or at risk for hypertension. Total fructose-containing sugars had no effect in substitution, subtraction, or ad libitum trials but decreased systolic and diastolic BP in addition trials (P<0.05). There was evidence of interaction/influence by food source: fruit and 100% fruit juice decreased and mixed sources (with sugar-sweetened beverages [SSBs]) increased BP in addition trials and the removal of SSBs (linear dose response gradient) and mixed sources (with SSBs) decreased BP in subtraction trials. The certainty of evidence was generally moderate. Food source and energy control appear to mediate the effect of fructose-containing sugars on BP. The evidence provides a good indication that fruit and 100% fruit juice at low doses (up to or less than the public health threshold of ~10% E) lead to small, but important reductions in BP, while the addition of excess energy of mixed sources (with SSBs) at high doses (up to 23%) leads to moderate increases and their removal or the removal of SSBs alone (up to ~20% E) leads to small, but important decreases in BP in adults with and without hypertension or at risk for hypertension. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02716870.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Fructose; Blood Pressure; Fruit; Sugars; Hypertension
PubMed: 37582096
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264802 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Oct 2021Laboratory experiments using fear conditioning and extinction protocols help lay the groundwork for designing, testing, and optimizing innovative treatments for... (Review)
Review
Laboratory experiments using fear conditioning and extinction protocols help lay the groundwork for designing, testing, and optimizing innovative treatments for anxiety-related disorders. Yet, there is limited basic research on fear conditioning and extinction in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is surprising because exposure-based treatments based on associative learning principles are among the most popular and effective treatment options for OCD. Here, we systematically review and critically assess existing aversive conditioning and extinction studies of OCD. Across 12 studies, there was moderate evidence that OCD is associated with abnormal acquisition of conditioned responses that differ from comparison groups. There was relatively stronger evidence of OCD's association with impaired extinction processes. This included multiple studies finding elevated conditioned responses during extinction learning and poorer threat/safety discrimination during recall, although a minority of studies yielded results inconsistent with this conclusion. Overall, the conditioning model holds value for OCD research, but more work is necessary to clarify emerging patterns of results and increase clinical translational utility to the level seen in other anxiety-related disorders. We detail limitations in the literature and suggest next steps, including modeling OCD with more complex conditioning methodology (e.g., semantic/conceptual generalization, avoidance) and improving individual-differences assessment with dimensional techniques.
Topics: Conditioning, Classical; Conditioning, Psychological; Extinction, Psychological; Fear; Humans; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
PubMed: 34314751
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.026 -
Medical Education Oct 2018Research has suggested beneficial effects of self-regulated learning (SRL) for medical students' and residents' workplace-based learning. Ideally, learners go through a... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Research has suggested beneficial effects of self-regulated learning (SRL) for medical students' and residents' workplace-based learning. Ideally, learners go through a cyclic process of setting learning goals, choosing learning strategies and assessing progress towards goals. A clear overview of medical students' and residents' successful key strategies, influential factors and effective interventions to stimulate SRL in the workplace is missing. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of and a theoretical base for effective SRL strategies of medical students and residents for their learning in the clinical context.
METHODS
This systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines of the Association for Medical Education in Europe. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC and the Cochrane Library from January 1992 to July 2016. Qualitative and quantitative studies were included. Two reviewers independently performed the review process and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. A total of 3341 publications were initially identified and 18 were included in the review.
RESULTS
We found diversity in the use of SRL strategies by medical students and residents, which is linked to individual (goal setting), contextual (time pressure, patient care and supervision) and social (supervisors and peers) factors. Three types of intervention were identified (coaching, learning plans and supportive tools). However, all interventions focused on goal setting and monitoring and none on supporting self-evaluation.
CONCLUSIONS
Self-regulated learning in the clinical environment is a complex process that results from an interaction between person and context. Future research should focus on unravelling the process of SRL in the clinical context and specifically on how medical students and residents assess their progress towards goals.
Topics: Clinical Competence; Education, Medical; Europe; Goals; Humans; Internship and Residency; Self-Directed Learning as Topic; Students, Medical
PubMed: 29943415
DOI: 10.1111/medu.13615 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews May 2022Early life exposure to air pollution has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Emerging evidence are highlighting a possible impact of air pollution on... (Review)
Review
Early life exposure to air pollution has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Emerging evidence are highlighting a possible impact of air pollution on typically developing children. Thirty papers were included in this review to systematically evaluate the association between air pollutants exposure in prenatal and/or postnatal periods and specific neurodevelopmental skills (i.e. intellective functioning, memory and learning, attention and executive functions, verbal language, numeric ability and motor and/or sensorimotor functions) in preschool- and school-age children. Detrimental effects of air pollutants on children's neurodevelopmental skills were observed, although they do not show clinically relevant performance deficits. The most affected domains were global intellective functioning and attention/executive functions. The pollutants that seem to represent the greatest risk are PM2.5, NO₂ and PAHs. Prenatal exposure is primarily associated with child neurodevelopment at pre-school and school ages. Early exposure to air pollutants is related to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in the general population of children. Further research is needed to support stronger conclusions.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Child; Child, Preschool; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy
PubMed: 35331818
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104623 -
Advances in Health Sciences Education :... Aug 2022The purpose of this scoping review was to explore how errors are conceptualized in medical education contexts by examining different error perspectives and practices.... (Review)
Review
The purpose of this scoping review was to explore how errors are conceptualized in medical education contexts by examining different error perspectives and practices. This review used a scoping methodology with a systematic search strategy to identify relevant studies, written in English, and published before January 2021. Four medical education journals (Medical Education, Advances in Health Science Education, Medical Teacher, and Academic Medicine) and four clinical journals (Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Annals of Surgery, and British Medical Journal) were purposively selected. Data extraction was charted according to a data collection form. Of 1505 screened studies, 79 studies were included. Three overarching perspectives were identified: 'understanding errors') (n = 31), 'avoiding errors' (n = 25), 'learning from errors' (n = 23). Studies that aimed at'understanding errors' used qualitative methods (19/31, 61.3%) and took place in the clinical setting (19/31, 61.3%), whereas studies that aimed at 'avoiding errors' and 'learning from errors' used quantitative methods ('avoiding errors': 20/25, 80%, and 'learning from errors': 16/23, 69.6%, p = 0.007) and took place in pre-clinical (14/25, 56%) and simulated settings (10/23, 43.5%), respectively (p < 0.001). The three perspectives differed significantly in terms of inclusion of educational theory: 'Understanding errors' studies 16.1% (5/31),'avoiding errors' studies 48% (12/25), and 'learning from errors' studies 73.9% (17/23), p < 0.001. Errors in medical education and clinical practice are defined differently, which makes comparisons difficult. A uniform understanding is not necessarily a goal but improving transparency and clarity of how errors are currently conceptualized may improve our understanding of when, why, and how to use and learn from errors in the future.
Topics: Delivery of Health Care; Education, Medical; Humans; United States
PubMed: 35190892
DOI: 10.1007/s10459-022-10091-0 -
How are overweight and obesity associated with reinforcement learning deficits? A systematic review.Appetite Feb 2024Reinforcement learning (RL) refers to the ability to learn stimulus-response or response-outcome associations relevant to the acquisition of behavioral repertoire and... (Review)
Review
Reinforcement learning (RL) refers to the ability to learn stimulus-response or response-outcome associations relevant to the acquisition of behavioral repertoire and adaptation to the environment. Research data from correlational and case-control studies have shown that obesity is associated with impairments in RL. The aim of the present study was to systematically review how obesity and overweight are associated with RL performance. More specifically, the relationship between high body mass index (BMI) and task performance was explored through the analysis of specific RL processes associated with different physiological, computational, and behavioral manifestations. Our systematic analyses indicate that obesity might be associated with impairments in the use of aversive outcomes to change ongoing behavior, as revealed by results involving instrumental negative reinforcement and extinction/reversal learning, but further research needs to be conducted to confirm this association. Hypotheses regarding how obesity might be associated with altered RL were discussed.
Topics: Humans; Overweight; Learning; Reinforcement, Psychology; Obesity; Case-Control Studies
PubMed: 37992896
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107123 -
Central European Journal of Urology 2021While several recent studies investigated the influence of statins on survival outcomes in prostate cancer (PCa) patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT),... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
While several recent studies investigated the influence of statins on survival outcomes in prostate cancer (PCa) patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), definitive conclusions are still missing. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to develop an overarching framework for the association of statins use and survival outcomes in PCa patients who receive ADT.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature assessing the survival outcomes for statin compared to non-statin users in PCa patients who received ADT. We searched PubMed and Web of Science for studies published before March 1, 2021. We used the random effect model in the presence of heterogeneity and the fixed-effects model in the absence of heterogeneity per the statistic. We did two meta-analyses; the primary meta-analysis was accomplished for articles reporting cancer-specific survival (CSS) as an outcome. A secondary meta-analysis was completed for articles reporting overall survival (OS) as an outcome.
RESULTS
Ten studies were eligible for inclusion. Nine studies included in the first meta-analysis comprising 136,285 patients showed no statistically significant difference in CSS (HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.49-1.21) between statin users and non-users in PCa patients who received ADT. In four studies included in the second meta-analysis comprising 95,032 patients, statin users had a significantly better OS compared to non-users (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.62-0.73).
CONCLUSIONS
Although the combination of statins and ADT in PCa patients significantly improves OS, it seems not to be through an effect on cancer-specific factors.
PubMed: 35083066
DOI: 10.5173/ceju.2021.0260 -
MedRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Apr 2023Heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes presentation, progression and treatment has the potential for precision medicine interventions that can enhance care and outcomes for...
Heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes presentation, progression and treatment has the potential for precision medicine interventions that can enhance care and outcomes for affected individuals. We undertook a systematic review to ascertain whether strategies to subclassify type 2 diabetes are associated with improved clinical outcomes, show reproducibility and have high quality evidence. We reviewed publications that deployed 'simple subclassification' using clinical features, biomarkers, imaging or other routinely available parameters or 'complex subclassification' approaches that used machine learning and/or genomic data. We found that simple stratification approaches, for example, stratification based on age, body mass index or lipid profiles, had been widely used, but no strategy had been replicated and many lacked association with meaningful outcomes. Complex stratification using clustering of simple clinical data with and without genetic data did show reproducible subtypes of diabetes that had been associated with outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and/or mortality. Both approaches require a higher grade of evidence but support the premise that type 2 diabetes can be subclassified into meaningful groups. More studies are needed to test these subclassifications in more diverse ancestries and prove that they are amenable to interventions.
PubMed: 37131632
DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.19.23288577