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Cureus Jan 2024Background Long COVID is a multisystem condition with prolonged symptoms that develop after recovery from the COVID-19 infection, often following a mild infection. Few...
Background Long COVID is a multisystem condition with prolonged symptoms that develop after recovery from the COVID-19 infection, often following a mild infection. Few studies have been conducted on cognitive function among medical students after recovery from mild COVID-19 This study aimed to assess the attention span and working memory (WM) capacity of medical students after six months of recovery. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed on 17 young adult medical students who had suffered a mild COVID-19 infection at least six months prior. Eighteen age-matched healthy medical students served as the controls. Audio-visual WM tasks and attention spans were assessed using computerized software for both the cases and controls. Results The mean ages of the case and control were 19.67±1.6 and 20.0±1.2 years, respectively. The most common symptoms among cases were fatigue (33%), weight loss (26%), and nasal stuffiness (13%). The overall proportion of correct responses across all visual and auditory WM tasks (p=0.085) and reaction times (p=0.609) did not differ between the cases and controls. However, the overall target hit rate of the auditory WM task was significantly lower in cases than in controls (p=0.002). This difference was not observed in the visual WM task (p=0.374). Conclusion In the current study, the overall WM functions (visual and auditory combined) and attention span did not differ between cases and controls. However, auditory WM performance was significantly impaired in patients compared with controls, indicating selective impairment of auditory WM in patients with long COVID.
PubMed: 38298288
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51457 -
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2023Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinical disease that affects multiple body systems. It is characterized by persistent or recurring fatigue, which may be linked to...
A cross-sectional study exploring the relationship between symptoms of anxiety/depression and P50 sensory gating in adult patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.
INTRODUCTION
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinical disease that affects multiple body systems. It is characterized by persistent or recurring fatigue, which may be linked to immune, neuroendocrine, and energy metabolism dysfunctions. Individuals with CFS may experience pain, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression. This research analyzed the fundamental characteristics of anxiety/depression symptoms in patients with CFS and investigated the association between these symptoms and the P50 SG (sensory gate) ratio.
METHODS
Two hundred and forty-nine subjects fulfilled the CDC-1994 criteria for CFS and were included in the study. The subjects successively completed the Symptom CheckList-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale-14 (HAMA-14), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HAMD-24). Auditory-evoked potential P50 were measured using the 128-lead-electroencephalograph.
RESULT
According to HAMA and HAMD, 17.3% ( = 43) of the patients did not exhibit anxiety/depression, with a threshold score of 7 and 7 for HAMA and HAMD. When the threshold score was 14 and 20 respectively, 43.3% ( = 108) of the patients did not exhibit anxiety/depression. The SCL-90-R results indicated that 69.5% ( = 173) of these individuals with the score arranging from 0 to 160 did not present mental problems. There was a correlation between somatization scores and P50 SG ratio in the overall sample and no anxiety or depression (NAOD) group delimited by 14 and 20, respectively, ( < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that anxiety and depression were risk factors associated with an abnormal P50 SG ratio.
DISCUSSION
A significant correlation exists between the P50 SG ratio and clinical symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Abnormalities in brain function among patients with CFS may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of the condition, leading to their classification as being prone to functional neurological disorders. The P50 SG ratio cannot be used as a diagnostic marker for CFS but show some significance on the mechanism, classification, treatment, and prognosis of CFS.
PubMed: 38249591
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1286340 -
Audiology Research Jan 2024Children with single-sided deafness (SSD) may experience delays in language and speech development. Reduced speech discrimination and poor sound localization abilities... (Review)
Review
Children with single-sided deafness (SSD) may experience delays in language and speech development. Reduced speech discrimination and poor sound localization abilities in young SSD patients may result in greater cognitive efforts required to focus and process auditory information, as well as increased listening-related fatigue. Consequently, these children can have a higher risk of academic failure and are often in need of extra help at school. Recently, cochlear implants (CIs) have been introduced as a rehabilitative option for these children, but their effectiveness is still a topic of debate. A literature review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines, searching the Medline database from inception to October 2023. The research identified nine papers that met the inclusion criteria. Data extracted from the selected studies included 311 children affected by SSD and cochlear implants. The reported audiological outcomes were further analyzed. Overall, a high level of satisfaction was described by parents of children with SSD and CI, and those who received a CI under the age of 3 presented better results. However, a proportion of patients did not use the device daily. Our review highlights the possible, and still controversial, role of CI for the hearing rehabilitation of children with unilateral deafness, underlining the need for further research in this field. To date, careful and comprehensive counseling with the child and the family is necessary before considering this option.
PubMed: 38247563
DOI: 10.3390/audiolres14010007 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2024Post-thyroidectomy syndrome (PTS), characterized by voice issues after thyroidectomy without recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, was investigated in this study. The Voice...
Post-thyroidectomy syndrome (PTS), characterized by voice issues after thyroidectomy without recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, was investigated in this study. The Voice Fatigue Index (VFI) and cepstral analysis were employed for subjective and objective voice evaluation. Retrospective analysis involved 96 patients (37 males, 59 females) who underwent thyroidectomy without nerve injury from April 2018 to June 2022. Assessments pre- and post-thyroidectomy included the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and VFI, along with auditory perceptual, acoustic (including cepstral), aerodynamic, and glottal vibration analyses. In females, although the GRBAS scale showed no significant change, both VHI and VFI increased post-thyroidectomy. Significant correlations were observed between the VHI and VFI in females. Acoustic analysis indicated a decrease in the cepstral peak prominence (CPP) of vowels (/a/) and sentences in females, with significant correlations between changes in the CPP/a/ and VHI/VFI. The maximum fundamental frequency (Fmax) exhibited a significant decrease, correlating with the VHI and VFI changes. The VFI demonstrated effectiveness in subjective PTS voice evaluation, comparable to the VHI. The present study highlights the potential of cepstral analysis as an index reflecting subjective voice discomfort, suggesting its promise for a comprehensive PTS voice evaluation.
PubMed: 38201420
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14010111 -
Journal of Pathology Informatics Dec 2024Laboratory testing can provide information useful to promote patient health literacy and ultimately patient well-being. The human state of mind involves not only... (Review)
Review
Laboratory testing can provide information useful to promote patient health literacy and ultimately patient well-being. The human state of mind involves not only cognition but also emotion and motivation factors when receiving, processing, and acting upon information. The cognitive load for patients acquiring and processing new information is high. Modes of distribution can affect both attention to and receipt of information. Implicit unconscious biases can affect whom and what patients believe. Positive wording and framing of information with salience for patients can evoke positive emotions. Providing patients with the gist, or essential meaning, of information can positively influence decision-making. What laboratorians provide as information helps to combat mis- and disinformation. Laboratorians can actively participate in measures to improve the patient experience in health care by developing and contributing to high-quality information to enable timely, meaningful communication and interpretation of test results.
PubMed: 38075016
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpi.2023.100349 -
Scientific Reports Dec 2023Optimizing the training regimen depending on neuromuscular fatigue is crucial for the well-being of professionals intensively practicing motor skills, such as athletes...
Optimizing the training regimen depending on neuromuscular fatigue is crucial for the well-being of professionals intensively practicing motor skills, such as athletes and musicians, as persistent fatigue can hinder learning and cause neuromuscular injuries. However, accurate assessment of fatigue is challenging because of the dissociation between subjective perception and its impact on motor and cognitive performance. To address this issue, we investigated the interplay between fatigue and learning development in 28 pianists during three hours of auditory-motor training, dividing them into two groups subjected to different resting conditions. Changes in behavior and muscle activity during training were measured to identify potential indicators capable of detecting fatigue before subjective awareness. Our results indicate that motor learning and fatigue development are independent of resting frequency and timing. Learning indices, such as reduction in force and timing errors throughout training, did not differ between the groups. No discernible distinctions emerged in fatigue-related behavioral and physiological indicators between the groups. Regression analysis revealed that several fatigue-related indicators, such as tapping speed variability and electromyogram amplitude per unit force, could explain the learning of timing and force control. Our findings suggest the absence of a universal resting schedule for optimizing auditory-motor learning.
Topics: Humans; Learning; Motor Skills; Electromyography; Music; Regression Analysis
PubMed: 38062126
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49226-7 -
Indian Journal of Occupational and... 2023The present study aimed to explore auditory deficits in full-time call center workers. A total of sixty participants participated, which was divided into two groups,...
The present study aimed to explore auditory deficits in full-time call center workers. A total of sixty participants participated, which was divided into two groups, viz. experimental group and control group. The complete audiological test battery was performed. On comparing the groups, significant differences were obtained for both ears while analyzing the TEOAEs, PTA1, and PTA2 (high-frequency audiometry). From the results, it can be delineated that BPO employees are at risk for sensorineural hearing loss following continuous noise exposure. We conclude that this type of hearing loss may be considered an iceberg, and to overcome all the issues related to noise exposure, all BPO employees should undergo periodic audiological, psychological, and health screening.
PubMed: 38047166
DOI: 10.4103/ijoem.ijoem_149_22 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Nov 2023We often exert greater cognitive resources (i.e., listening effort) to understand speech under challenging acoustic conditions. This mechanism can be overwhelmed in...
UNLABELLED
We often exert greater cognitive resources (i.e., listening effort) to understand speech under challenging acoustic conditions. This mechanism can be overwhelmed in those with hearing loss, resulting in cognitive fatigue in adults, and potentially impeding language acquisition in children. However, the neural mechanisms that support listening effort are uncertain. Evidence from human studies suggest that the cingulate cortex is engaged under difficult listening conditions, and may exert top-down modulation of the auditory cortex (AC). Here, we asked whether the gerbil cingulate cortex (Cg) sends anatomical projections to the AC that facilitate perceptual performance. To model challenging listening conditions, we used a sound discrimination task in which stimulus parameters were presented in either 'Easy' or 'Hard' blocks (i.e., long or short stimulus duration, respectively). Gerbils achieved statistically identical psychometric performance in Easy and Hard blocks. Anatomical tracing experiments revealed a strong, descending projection from layer 2/3 of the Cg1 subregion of the cingulate cortex to superficial and deep layers of primary and dorsal AC. To determine whether Cg improves task performance under challenging conditions, we bilaterally infused muscimol to inactivate Cg1, and found that psychometric thresholds were degraded for only Hard blocks. To test whether the Cg-to-AC projection facilitates task performance, we chemogenetically inactivated these inputs and found that performance was only degraded during Hard blocks. Taken together, the results reveal a descending cortical pathway that facilitates perceptual performance during challenging listening conditions.
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
Sensory perception often occurs under challenging conditions, such a noisy background or dim environment, yet stimulus sensitivity can remain unaffected. One hypothesis is that cognitive resources are recruited to the task, thereby facilitating perceptual performance. Here, we identify a top-down cortical circuit, from cingulate to auditory cortex in the gerbils, that supports auditory perceptual performance under challenging listening conditions. This pathway is a plausible circuit that supports effortful listening, and may be degraded by hearing loss.
PubMed: 38014324
DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.10.566668 -
Brain Sciences Nov 2023Movement sonification has been recently introduced into the field of neuromotor rehabilitation alongside Neurologic Music Therapy and music-based interventions. This...
BACKGROUND
Movement sonification has been recently introduced into the field of neuromotor rehabilitation alongside Neurologic Music Therapy and music-based interventions. This study introduces the use of musical auditory cues encompassing the melodic-harmonic aspect of music.
METHODS
Nineteen patients with Parkinson's disease were randomly assigned to the experimental ( = 10) and control ( = 9) groups and underwent thrice-weekly sessions of the same gait training program, with or without sonification. Functional and motor parameters, as well as fatigue, quality of life, and the impact of intervention on patients' well-being, were assessed at baseline (PRE), the end of treatment (POST), and at follow-up (FU). Between-group differences were assessed for each outcome measure using linear mixed-effects models. The outcome measure was entered as the dependent variable, group and time as fixed effects, and time by group as the interaction effect.
RESULTS
Mini BESTest and Dynamic Gait Index scores significantly improved in the experimental group ( = 0.01 and = 0.03, respectively) from PRE to FU, demonstrating a significant impact of the sonification treatment on balance. No other significant differences were observed in the outcome measures.
CONCLUSIONS
Larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the effectiveness of sonification approaches in Parkinson's disease, as well as in other neurological disorders.
PubMed: 38002546
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13111586 -
Human Factors Nov 2023To explore the scope of available research and to identify research gaps on in-vehicle interventions for drowsiness that utilize driver monitoring systems (DMS).
OBJECTIVE
To explore the scope of available research and to identify research gaps on in-vehicle interventions for drowsiness that utilize driver monitoring systems (DMS).
BACKGROUND
DMS are gaining popularity as a countermeasure against drowsiness. However, how these systems can be best utilized to guide driver attention is unclear.
METHODS
A scoping review was conducted in adherence to PRISMA guidelines. Five electronic databases (ACM Digital Library, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, TRID, and SAE Mobilus) were systematically searched in April 2022. Original studies examining in-vehicle drowsiness interventions that use DMS in a driving context (e.g., driving simulator and driver interviews) passed the screening. Data on study details, state detection methods, and interventions were extracted.
RESULTS
Twenty studies qualified for inclusion. Majority of interventions involved warnings ( = 16) with an auditory component ( = 14). Feedback displays ( = 4) and automation takeover ( = 4) were also investigated. Multistage interventions ( = 12) first cautioned the driver, then urged them to take an action, or initiated an automation takeover. Overall, interventions had a positive impact on sleepiness levels, driving performance, and user evaluations. Whether interventions effective for one type of sleepiness (e.g., passive vs. active fatigue) will perform well for another type is unclear.
CONCLUSION
Literature mainly focused on developing sensors and improving the accuracy of DMS, but not on the driver interactions with these technologies. More intervention studies are needed in general and for investigating their long-term effects.
APPLICATION
We list gaps and limitations in the DMS literature to guide researchers and practitioners in designing and evaluating effective safety systems for drowsy driving.
PubMed: 37982386
DOI: 10.1177/00187208231208523