Effect of cognitive training on brain dynamics

The human brain is highly plastic.Cognitive training is usually used to modify functional connectivity of brain networks.Moreover,the structures of brain networks may determine its dynamic behavior which is related to human cognitive abilities.To study the effect of functional connectivity on the brain dynamics,the dynamic model based on functional connections of the brain and the Hindmarsh–Rose model is utilized in this work.The resting-state fMRI data from the experimental group undergoing abacus-based mental calculation(AMC)training and from the control group are used to construct the functional brain networks.The dynamic behavior of brain at the resting and task states for the AMC group and the control group are simulated with the above-mentioned dynamic model.In the resting state,there are the differences of brain activation between the AMC group and the control group,and more brain regions are inspired in the AMC group.A stimulus with sinusoidal signals to brain networks is introduced to simulate the brain dynamics in the task states.The dynamic characteristics are extracted by the excitation rates,the response intensities and the state distributions.The change in the functional connectivity of brain networks with the AMC training would in turn improve the brain response to external stimulus,and make the brain more efficient in processing tasks.

Research on the Application of Montessori Education Method in Cognitive Training of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

Objective:To study the application of the Montessori education method in cognitive training in patients with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Methods:40 cases of senile dementia patients who were admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were selected and randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group according to the single and double number table method,with 20 cases in each group.The intervention group used the Montessori education method,the principle of which was to implement individualized health interventions based on the individual conditions of the patients,for a period of 6 months;the control group was given conventional treatment and nursing of the disease.The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)was used to compare the effects of the two groups of patients before and after health intervention and conduct statistical analysis.Results:The score of the intervention group was higher than that of the control group,and there was a statistical difference between the two(P<0.05).Conclusion:Implementing the Montessori education method for diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients can effectively improve their cognitive function and delay the progress of further dementia.

Effect of cognitive behavior therapy training and psychological nursing on the midwifery process in the delivery room

BACKGROUND The severe physical and psychological impact of pain on the physical and mental health of women during labor leads to increased risks and complications during childbirth,presenting a major public health concern.Some studies have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT)has a positive effect on maternal psychology during delivery,reducing stress and shortening labor time.Thus,CBT training for mothers and delivery room staff may be beneficial in minimizing complications and adverse effects during natural birth.AIM To investigate the clinical effects of CBT training and psychological care during delivery,and their therapeutic effects on women in labor.METHODS This study used a retrospective analysis and included 140 mothers admitted to the maternity ward between January 2021 and January 2023.The study subjects were randomized into two groups:control(n=70)and observation(n=70).Routine care,CBT training,and psychological care were provided to mothers in both groups.Psychological status scores,delivery time,and satisfaction with care pre-and post-delivery were compared,and the incidence of complications after receiving care was analyzed between the two groups.RESULTS Although the psychological state of both groups improved significantly in the late stages of labor,the psychological state scores of the mothers in the observation group were significantly lower than those of the mothers in the control group(P<0.05).The duration of labor and incidence of complications in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The mothers in the observation group were significantly more satisfied with nursing care during the course of labor than those in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION CBT training and psychological care for mothers in the midwifery process can effectively improve anxiety and depression,shorten labor duration,reduce postnatal complications,and improve nursing satisfaction and nurse-patient relationships.Its clinical application is effective and has popularization value,providing a new way to protect maternal mental health.

Cognitive Training in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objective We investigated the feasibility and efficacy of cognitive training for older adults in rura settings and with low education levels, who have mild cognitive impairment （MCl）. Methods Forty-five older adults （ages 〉65 years） with MCI were assigned to treatment or control groups, at a 2：1 ratio. Cognitive training occurred in the treatment group for 2 months. The cognitive abilities of the participants were assessed at pre-training, metaphase, and post-training time points, using the Mini-Mental State Examination （MMSE）, Montreal Cognitive Assessment （MoCA）, Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment （LOTCA）, and Hamilton Depression Scale （HAM-D）. Results Following training, cognitive abilities improved in the treatment group, based on the total scores of all 4 measures, as well as specifically on the MoCA and LOTCA. There were differences in the main effects of group and time point on some subscales, but these differences had little, if any, effect on the overall analyses. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that cognitive training has beneficial effects on attention, language, orientation, visual perception, organization of visual movement, and logical questioning in patients with MCI. Furthermore, the observed effects are long-term changes.

A network-based cognitive training induces cognitive improvements and neuroplastic changes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis:an exploratory case-control study

Cognitive impairments are commonly observed in patients with multiple sclerosis and are associated with lower levels of quality of life.No consensus has been reached on how to tackle effectively cognitive decline in this clinical population non-pharmacologically.This exploratory case-control study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a hypothesis-based cognitive training designed to target multiple domains by promoting the synchronous co-activation of different brain areas and thereby improve cognition and induce changes in functional connectivity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.Forty-five patients(36 females and 9 males,mean age 44.62±8.80 years)with clinically stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis were assigned to either a standard cognitive training or to control groups(sham training and nonactive control).The standard training included twenty sessions of computerized exercises involving various cognitive functions supported by distinct brain networks.The sham training was a modified version of the standard training that comprised the same exercises and number of sessions but with increased processing speed load.The non-active control group received no cognitive training.All patients underwent comprehensive neuropsychological and magnetic resonance imaging assessments at baseline and after 5 weeks.Cognitive and resting-state magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed using repeated measures models.At reassessment,the standard training group showed significant cognitive improvements compared to both control groups in memory tasks not specifically targeted by the training:the Buschke Selective Reminding Test and the Semantic Fluency test.The standard training group showed reductions in functional connectivity of the salience network,in the anterior cingulate cortex,associated with improvements on the Buschke Selective Reminding Test.No changes were observed in the sham training group.These findings suggest that multi-domain training that stimulates multiple brain areas synchronously may improve cognition in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis if sufficient time to process training material is allowed.The associated reduction in functional connectivity of the salience network suggests that training-induced neuroplastic functional reorganization may be the mechanism supporting performance gains.This study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee of Yorkshire and Humber(approval No.12/YH/0474)on November 20,2013.

Cognitive training in neurodegenerative diseases: a way to boost neuroprotective molecules?

Neurotrophins,and growth factors in general,are proteins which exert many actions in central nervous system neurons.Neurotrophins promote the survival and neuronal function of neurons and exert neuroprotective effects in pathological models of neurodegenerative diseases.In humans several clinical trials based on the use of these proteins have been carried out. Among them, it is worth to mention gene ther- apy especially in Parkinson＇s disease （PD） （Kordower and Bjorklund, 2013）, and a series of experiments using vectors capable of carrying neurotrophins in the selected target re- gion where they can exert their beneficial action （Ghosh et al., 2014）.

A Training Effect by Three-Month Watering on the Frontal Pole Activation of Healthy Older Adults

The effectiveness of training prefrontal lobe function for suppressing cognitive decline or improving cognitive function has been reported. Some epidemiological studies suggested that gardening activities can contribute to suppression of cognitive decline. In our previous studies using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), we reported the possibility of frontal pole (FP) activation of healthy older adults during gardening activities in the quasi-laboratory setting. The objective of this study was to examine the impacts of a three-month continual practice of the watering task in the actual gardening settings on the FP activation of healthy older adults. The participants were 18 right-handed healthy older adults without a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia (M = 71.7 years ± SD 5.0, range: 63 - 84 years) who lived independently at home. We asked the participants to continue watering at home for three months in the same way as the research task in the fNIRS measurement. After a three-month intervention, the participants’ task performance improved compared with that of pre-intervention. In addition, the Oxy-Hb values in the right lateral FP during the third trial in the post-intervention measurement were significantly greater compared with the pre-intervention measurement. This study suggested that even a gardening activity with a small number of processes such as watering, if the activity is continued for a certain period of time, can suppress the decline of the FP activation of healthy older adults. Combination of various gardening activities has the potential to be a further cognitive training for activating the FP.

Computerized Cognitive Training in Healthy Older Adults:Baseline Cognitive Level and Subjective Cognitive Concerns Predict Training Outcome

Computerized cognitive training (CCT) can improve cognition in older adults. However, specific programs for this target group have rarely been developed, and predictors of training success are largely unclear. In a randomized controlled pilot trial, we examined effects of a six-week CCT, tailored to the cognitive profile of healthy older adults (EG, n = 21) as compared to a nonspecific CCT (CG, n = 18) matched in frequency and intensity. No interaction effects between Group and Time were found. However, within-group analysis showed significant gains in verbal and non-verbal memory, executive and visuospatial functions and subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) in the EG, while the CG only benefitted in non-verbal memory and set-shifting. Low cognitive performance and lower SCC at baseline were the most consistent predictors of cognitive gains in the EG. Thus, CCTs specifically tailored to older adults seem advantageous compared to non-specific CCT. Further, we conclude that SCC may be related to reduced cognitive plasticity.

Analysis of the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for patients with chronic mental illness:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND People suffering from chronic mental illness are sensitive to stressful stimuli,lack coping skills,and have low self-esteem due to problems such as social situations.They also experience depression,isolation,fear,and frustration.Due to cognitive dysfunction,people suffering from chronic mental illness have inadequate cognitive processes that lead to distorted thinking.AIM To confirm the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation therapy in improving cognitive function and alleviating behavioral and psychological symptoms in patients with chronic mental illness,and to identify the cognitive function that had the main effect.METHODS The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews criteria,and data published from 2011 to December 2022 were searched using PubMed,Cochrane,RISS,KISS,and DBpia.The keywords used in the search were“mental illness,”“cognitive rehabilitation,”“cognition,”and“mental.”A meta-analysis was conducted on the 12 selected papers.RESULTS The level of evidence for the 12 documents was that of a randomized experimental study.Intervention types in cognitive rehabilitation can be divided into cognitive behavior,cognitive training,cognitive rehabilitation,and computerized cognitive programs.Most of the studies were on schizophrenia,and the measurement areas were cognitive functions(e.g.,concentration,memory,and executive function)as well as depression,sociability,and quality of life.As a result of the meta-analysis of each variable,the effect size for cognitive rehabilitation treatment was in the following order:Sociability,memory,concentration,executive function,quality of life,and depression.Particularly,sociability and memory exhibited significant effects.CONCLUSION Cognitive rehabilitation aids cognitive function and sociability in patients with chronic mental illness and can be used as evidence for cognitive rehabilitation in mental health and occupational therapy.

Reshaping the Cortical Connectivity Gradient by Long-Term Cognitive Training During Development

The organization of the brain follows a topologi-cal hierarchy that changes dynamically during development.However,it remains unknown whether and how cognitive training administered over multiple years during develop-ment can modify this hierarchical topology.By measuring the brain and behavior of school children who had carried out abacus-based mental calculation(AMC)training for five years(starting from 7 years to 12 years old)in pre-training and post-training,we revealed the reshaping effect of long-term AMC intervention during development on the brain hierarchical topology.We observed the development-induced emergence of the default network,AMC training-promoted shifting,and regional changes in cortical gradi-ents.Moreover,the training-induced gradient changes were located in visual and somatomotor areas in association with the visuospatial/motor-imagery strategy.We found that gradient-based features can predict the math ability within groups.Our findings provide novel insights into the dynamic nature of network recruitment impacted by long-term cognitive training during development.

What do we know from clinical trials on exercise and Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is the most common form of dementia in elderly with major symptoms of a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities impairment which are serious enough to interfere with daily life.While there is no treatment can prevent and revise the cognitive function impairment in AD,physical activity becomes a potential beneficia intervention for AD.Multiple evidences suggested that exercise in general plays beneficia roles in improving brain function.Most common mechanisms of exercise-induced enhancement of brain function are including alteration of neurogenesis,neuron plasticity,neuronal signaling and receptors,as well as neuronal networks.This mini review includes most recent clinical studies and focuses on the effects of physical exercise,cognitive stimulation,and combination of both physical and cognitive training on protection and rescue cognitive decline in people with AD.

Behavioural and Neurophysiological Effects of a Stroke Rehabilitation Program on Emotional Processing in Tuberothalamic Infarct—Case Study

The aim of the study was to assess the neurophysiological and behavioural effects of a stroke rehabilitation involving Treatment As Usual (TAU) combined with Social Cognitive Training (SCT) in a right-handed patient suffered from tuberothalamic infarct compared to healthy controls (HCs) (n = 13). Methods: Both HCs and the patient were assessed by means of the following measures: Penn Emotion Perception Battery (ER40, EmoDiff40, PEAT40, PFMT), Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and Toronto Alexithymia Scale alongside clinical scales (Mini Mental State Examination, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Hamilton Depression Scale). The SCT was delivered individually for 60 minutes weekly in a 12-week program (12 sessions). The subject participated twice in a fMRI scanning session including the event-related task of implicit processing of 100% fearful expressions to detect physiological changes after TAU plus SCT and compared them with HCS who underwent the same assessment once. Results: Compared with HCs, the patient before therapy revealed lower scores in emotion recognition;particularly perception of anger was affected alongside worse performance on both emotion discrimination and acuity tests. After therapy, B.D. showed improvement in emotional processing. B.D. had less post-therapy activation maps compared with pretherapy ones and more significantly activated pre-and post-central gyrus and right cerebellum in response to fearful faces. Interestingly, no amygdala was significantly activated as the response to fearful stimuli before or after therapy was completed. Conclusions: Further research was needed to increase understanding about efficacy of SCT and the theory of neuroplasticity, thus helping rehabilitation programs.

Effects of combined physical and cognitive training on executive function of adolescent shooting athletes:A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

Individual executive function improvement through physical and cognitive training is a research hotspot in physical education and cognitive science.However,few studies have evaluated whether combined physical and cognitive training(CPCT)has greater benefits for executive function performance and cerebral oxygenation in adolescent athletes than cognitive training alone.This study randomly assigned 33 adolescent shooting athletes to a CPCT(n=17)or computerized cognitive training(CCT,n=16)group and compared their executive function after six weeks of training.All subjects were assessed using the 2-back,task-switching,and Stroop tests before and after training.The prefrontal cortex oxygenated hemoglobin(Oxy-Hb)activation level was monitored while executing the three tasks using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.Our results showed that the CPCT and CCT groups similarly improved their updating function as indicated by the 2-back task accuracy.The CPCT group significantly improved the switching function in the task-switching test accuracy,while the CCT group did not.However,both groups did not improve in behavioral performance as indicated by the inhibition function in the Stroop task.Cerebral oxygenation,indicated by the oxy-Hb activation level in the frontal pole area of the prefrontal lobe,significantly improved in the CPCT group during the three cognitive tasks,whereas the CCT group showed no change.These findings indicated that CPCT endowed greater advantages in task-switching in the behavioral performance of the executive function than CCT.Moreover,CPCT was superior to CCT in increasing task-efficient cerebral oxygenation during the activation of the prefrontal cortex in adolescent shooting athletes.