1
|
Baumgartner NW, Kao SC. Size or Strength? how components of muscle relate to behavioral and neuroelectric measures of executive function independent of aerobic fitness. Brain Cogn 2024; 175:106139. [PMID: 38364518 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
While previous research has linked cognitive function with resistance exercise, the nuanced links between muscle strength, mass, and neuroelectric function are less understood. Therefore, this study investigated the association of muscle strength and mass with inhibitory control (IC), working memory (WM), and related neuroelectric activity. A total of 123 18-50-year-old adults completed maximal aerobic capacity and strength tests, a body composition scan, and IC and WM tasks while the N2 and P3 components of event-related potentials were recorded. Bivariate correlations revealed aerobic fitness, strength, and mass were associated with behavioral and neuroelectric outcomes. After accounting for age, sex, and aerobic fitness, strength was associated with intra-individual response time variability, accuracy, and P3 latency during WM. Muscle mass was associated with N2 latency during IC. While relationships with behavioral outcomes did not persist after controlling for the opposite muscle outcome, greater strength and mass were related to shorter P3 latency during WM and shorter N2 latency during IC, respectively. These results provide initial evidence that muscle outcomes are associated with executive function and neuroelectric processing speed, suggesting distinct contributions of strength and mass to cognition. This work highlights the significance of maintaining muscle strength and mass alongside aerobic fitness for optimal cognitive health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Baumgartner
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States
| | - Shih-Chun Kao
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu J, Zhang Y, Jia F, Zhang H, Luo L, Liao Y, Ouyang M, Yi X, Zhu R, Bai W, Ning G, Li X, Qu H. Sex differences in fetal brain functional network topology. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae111. [PMID: 38517172 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The fetal period is a critical stage in brain development, and understanding the characteristics of the fetal brain is crucial. Although some studies have explored aspects of fetal brain functional networks, few have specifically focused on sex differences in brain network characteristics. We adopted the graph theory method to calculate brain network functional connectivity and topology properties (including global and nodal properties), and further compared the differences in these parameters between male and female fetuses. We found that male fetuses showed an increased clustering coefficient and local efficiency than female fetuses, but no significant group differences concerning other graph parameters and the functional connectivity matrix. Our study suggests the existence of sex-related distinctions in the topological properties of the brain network at the fetal stage of development and demonstrates an increase in brain network separation in male fetuses compared with female fetuses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Yujin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Fenglin Jia
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Hongding Zhang
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Lekai Luo
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Yi Liao
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Minglei Ouyang
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoxue Yi
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Ruixi Zhu
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Wanjing Bai
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Gang Ning
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Xuesheng Li
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Haibo Qu
- Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cartier L, Guérin M, Saulnier F, Cotocea I, Mohammedi A, Moussaoui F, Kheloui S, Juster RP. Sex and gender correlates of sexually polymorphic cognition. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:3. [PMID: 38191503 PMCID: PMC10773055 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00579-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexually polymorphic cognition (SPC) results from the interaction between biological (birth-assigned sex (BAS), sex hormones) and socio-cultural (gender identity, gender roles, sexual orientation) factors. The literature remains quite mixed regarding the magnitude of the effects of these variables. This project used a battery of classic cognitive tests designed to assess the influence of sex hormones on cognitive performance. At the same time, we aimed to assess the inter-related and respective effects that BAS, sex hormones, and gender-related factors have on SPC. METHODS We recruited 222 adults who completed eight cognitive tasks that assessed a variety of cognitive domains during a 150-min session. Subgroups were separated based on gender identity and sexual orientation and recruited as follows: cisgender heterosexual men (n = 46), cisgender non-heterosexual men (n = 36), cisgender heterosexual women (n = 36), cisgender non-heterosexual women (n = 38), gender diverse (n = 66). Saliva samples were collected before, during, and after the test to assess testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone. Psychosocial variables were derived from self-report questionnaires. RESULTS Cognitive performance reflects sex and gender differences that are partially consistent with the literature. Interestingly, biological factors seem to better explain differences in male-typed cognitive tasks (i.e., spatial), while psychosocial factors seem to better explain differences in female-typed cognitive tasks (i.e., verbal). CONCLUSION Our results establish a better comprehension of SPC over and above the effects of BAS as a binary variable. We highlight the importance of treating sex as a biological factor and gender as a socio-cultural factor together since they collectively influence SPC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louis Cartier
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mina Guérin
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Fanny Saulnier
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ioana Cotocea
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada
| | - Amine Mohammedi
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Fadila Moussaoui
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sarah Kheloui
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Robert-Paul Juster
- Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang C, Wang J, Wu X, Liu T, Wang F, Zhou H, Chen C, Shi L, Ma L, Liu T, Li C. Comprehensive review on sexual dimorphism to improve scalp acupuncture in nervous system disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14447. [PMID: 37665197 PMCID: PMC10805401 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the development of modern medicine, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combined with western medicine began to be produced and applied. Scalp acupuncture (SA) as a Chinese medicine based on neurological theory, has a great advantage compared with TCM in the treatment of nervous system diseases. METHOD In this paper, we analyze the physiological and pathological manifestations of sexual dimorphism (SD) to illustrate the necessity of SD treatment. In addition, we review the factors that can affect SD and analyze in physiological structure, function, and pathological neurons. Diseases (pathological basis, pathological manifestations, and incidence) and factors leading to gender differences, which to analyze the possibility of gender differences in SA. RESULT Furthermore, we creatively a new insight of SD-SA and provide the complete SD treatment cases on the basis of the existing SA in different kinds of diseases including stroke, migraine, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression. CONCLUSION In summary, we believe that it is feasible to improve the clinical effectiveness of SA, which is able to promote the development of SA, and then provides an actionable evidence for the promotion of precision medicine in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaojie Wang
- Department of First Clinical Medical CollegeHeilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHeilongjiangChina
| | - Jiening Wang
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xubo Wu
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Feng Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Huanxia Zhou
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Chen Chen
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Lijuan Shi
- School of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Lin Ma
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Tiantian Liu
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Cancheng Li
- School of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Johnson KA, Petrie MA, Shields RK. Biomarkers for rapid H-reflex operant conditioning among females. J Neurophysiol 2023; 129:685-699. [PMID: 36791051 PMCID: PMC10010925 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00188.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Operant conditioning of a spinal monosynaptic pathway using the Hoffman reflex (H-reflex) is well established in animal and human studies. There is a subset within the human population (∼20% nonresponders) who are unable to up train this pathway suggesting some distinct or unique identifying characteristics. Importantly, females, who have a nine times higher rate of injury during human performance activities than men, have been understudied in areas of CNS neuroplasticity. Our long-term goal is to understand if innate ability to rapidly up train the H-reflex is predictive of future performance-based injury among females. In this study, we primarily determined whether healthy, young females could rapidly increase the H-reflex within a single session of operant conditioning and secondarily determined if electro-physiological, humoral, cognitive, anthropometric, or anxiety biomarkers distinguished the responders from nonresponders. Eighteen females (mean age: 24) participated in the study. Overall, females showed a group main effect for up training the H-reflex (P < 0.05). Of the cohort, 10 of 18 females met the criteria for up training the H-reflex (responders). The responders showed lower levels of estradiol (P < 0.05). A multivariate stepwise regression model supported that extracellular to intracellular water ratio (ECW/ICW) and H-max/M-max ratio explained 60% of the variation in up training among females. These findings support that females can acutely upregulate the H-reflex with training and that electro-physiological and hormonal factors may be associated with the up training.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Young females who acutely increase their H-reflexes with operant conditioning had lower levels of estradiol. However, the best predictors of those who could up-train the H-reflex were baseline H-reflex excitability (H-max/M-max) and extracellular to intracellular water ratio (ECW/ICW). Future studies are warranted to understand the complex relationship between operant conditioning, human performance, and injury among active young females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin A Johnson
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Michael A Petrie
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Richard K Shields
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Exploring the sex and gender correlates of cognitive sex differences. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2021; 221:103452. [PMID: 34801881 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The correlates of cognitive sex differences are yet to be fully understood. Many biological and psychosocial factors modulate these cognitive abilities leading to mixed results in the scientific literature. The current study aims to explore the different parameters potentially influencing cognitive abilities acting in synergy. Sex and gender correlates of cognitive functioning were assessed in a sample of individuals ages 18 to 45 years (N = 87) from diverse sexual orientations. Sex hormones were assessed via saliva samples at four timepoints throughout the testing. Gender roles, sexual orientation and socio-demographics were measured via self-report questionnaires. Participants completed mental rotation and verbal fluency tasks. Men performed better than women at mental rotation, while no significant difference was found for verbal fluency. Significant positive associations were observed between estradiol and word fluency for the naturally cycling women compared to the women using oral contraception. While controlling for sex hormones, a significant interaction effect of sex by gender roles was identified for mental rotation among masculine women. These exploratory results suggest an effect principally driven by sex and sex hormones on cognitive performance that will need to be furthered with larger studies.
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although episodic memory impairment is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the relative decline in the components of episodic memory (What, Where, and When) and the effects of cognitive training on each of them are still unknown. OBJECTIVE We aimed to independently assess the impairment in each component of episodic memory in early to moderate AD and address whether it can be enhanced through active, spatiotemporal episodic training. METHODS A non-verbal scene-based episodic memory task was developed to assess the ability to remember What, Where, and When information. Experiment 1 tested whether this task can differentiate AD subjects (N = 16) from healthy controls (N = 16). In Experiment 2, 13 AD subjects underwent 16 training sessions, followed by a re-administration of the scene-based memory task. Experiment 3 tested 42 healthy older adults and 51 younger adults on the same task to investigate the effects of normal aging. RESULTS Of the three components, When memory had the highest predictive power in distinguishing AD from normal aging. Following training of AD subjects, only Where memory improved. Only What memory revealed a significant decline in healthy subjects from 65-85 years of age. CONCLUSION These findings shed new light on the importance of the temporal component of episodic memory as a behavioral marker of AD. The selective improvement of spatial but not temporal memory through training further demonstrates the fragility of temporal memory even in early AD. Neuroscientific research is needed to distinguish whether the Where component was enhanced by improvements in hippocampal spatial representation or by other compensatory mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hyuck Park
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea
| | - Sang Ah Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lopez A, Caffò AO, Tinella L, Postma A, Bosco A. Studying Individual Differences in Spatial Cognition Through Differential Item Functioning Analysis. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110774. [PMID: 33114284 PMCID: PMC7690914 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In the field of spatial cognition, the study of individual differences represents a typical research topic. Gender and age have been prominently investigated. A promising statistical technique used to identify the different responses to items in relation to different group memberships is the Differential Item Functioning Analysis (DIF). The aim of the present study was to investigate the DIF of the Landmark positioning on a Map (LPM) task, across age groups (young and elderly) and gender, in a sample of 400 healthy human participants. Methods: LPM is a hometown map completion test based on well-known and familiar landmarks used to assess allocentric mental representations. DIF was assessed on LPM items two times: on categorical (i.e., positions) and coordinate (i.e., distances) scores, separately. Results: When positions and distances were difficult to assess with respect to the intended reference point, the probability to endorse the items seemed to get worse for the elderly compared to the younger participants. Instead other features of landmarks (high pleasantness, restorativeness) seemed to improve the elderly performance. A gender-related improvement of probability to endorse distance estimation of some landmarks, favoring women, emerged, probably associated with their repeated experiences with those landmarks. Overall, the complexity of the task seemed to have a differential impact on young and elderly people while gender-oriented activities and places seemed to have a differential impact on men and women. Conclusions: For the first time DIF was applied to a spatial mental representation task, based on the schematic sketch maps of the participants. The application of DIF to the study of individual differences in spatial cognition should become a systematic routine to early detect differential items, improving knowledge, as well as experimental control, on individual differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Lopez
- Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.O.C.); (L.T.); (A.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Alessandro O. Caffò
- Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.O.C.); (L.T.); (A.B.)
| | - Luigi Tinella
- Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.O.C.); (L.T.); (A.B.)
| | - Albert Postma
- Helmholtz Institute, Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Andrea Bosco
- Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.O.C.); (L.T.); (A.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Left-handedness is associated with greater fighting success in humans. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15402. [PMID: 31659217 PMCID: PMC6817864 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51975-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Left-handedness is a costly, sexually dimorphic trait found at low frequencies in all human populations. How the handedness polymorphism is maintained is unclear. The fighting hypothesis argues that left-handed men have a negative frequency-dependent advantage in violent intrasexual competition giving them a selective advantage. In support of this, many studies have found that left-handed men are overrepresented among modern professional fighters, but studies typically find no difference in fighting success between left and right-handed fighters. We studied over 13,800 professional boxers and mixed martial artists of varying abilities in three of the largest samples to test this hypothesis to date, finding robust evidence that left-handed fighters have greater fighting success. This held for both male and female fighters, and for both percentage of fights won and an objective measure of fighting ability. We replicated previous results showing that left-handed fighters are strongly overrepresented in professional combat sports, but left-handed fighters did not show greater variance in fighting ability, a hypothesis suggested in previous studies. Overall we find strong evidence consistent with the fighting hypothesis.
Collapse
|
10
|
Yousefzadeh F, Pirzad Jahromi G, Mokari Manshadi E, Hatef B. The Effect of Prostration (Sajdah) on the Prefrontal Brain Activity: A Pilot Study. Basic Clin Neurosci 2019; 10:257-268. [PMID: 31462980 PMCID: PMC6712630 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction "Sajdah", a prostration position, is part of Muslim daily prayers. It seems to have several effects on the brain and heart function. This study aimed to investigate the prefrontal brain activity after 10 seconds of Sajdah in the direction of Qibla (the direction that a Muslim prays) while putting the forehead on the ground. Methods Three women and two men participated in this pilot study. Linear (absolute and relative power of θ (4-8Hz), α 1 (8-10 Hz), α 2 (10-12 Hz), β 1 (12-16 Hz), β 2 (16-20 Hz), β 3 (20-30 Hz), γ 1 (30-40 Hz), γ 2 (40-50 Hz) and non-linear features (approximate entropy, Katz fractal dimension, Petrosian fractal dimension, spectral entropy, and sample entropy) from Fps channel were calculated. Results The relative β to γ band, approximate and sample entropy, Petrosian fractal dimension and mean of amplitude decreased in open eye state in women. While θ to γ bands in the closed eye state decreased after Sajdah in women. The absolute γ bands in closed eye state and relative β band in open eye state increased after Sajdah in men. Conclusion The pilot study showed that 10 seconds of Sajdah has effects on brain activity and sometimes showed the opposite effect on genders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gila Pirzad Jahromi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan Mokari Manshadi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Boshra Hatef
- Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Thornton D, Harkrider AW, Jenson DE, Saltuklaroglu T. Sex differences in early sensorimotor processing for speech discrimination. Sci Rep 2019; 9:392. [PMID: 30674942 PMCID: PMC6344575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36775-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor activity in speech perception tasks varies as a function of context, cognitive load, and cognitive ability. This study investigated listener sex as an additional variable. Raw EEG data were collected as 21 males and 21 females discriminated /ba/ and /da/ in quiet and noisy backgrounds. Independent component analyses of data from accurately discriminated trials identified sensorimotor mu components with characteristic alpha and beta peaks from 16 members of each sex. Time-frequency decompositions showed that in quiet discrimination, females displayed stronger early mu-alpha synchronization, whereas males showed stronger mu-beta desynchronization. Findings indicate that early attentional mechanisms for speech discrimination were characterized by sensorimotor inhibition in females and predictive sensorimotor activation in males. Both sexes showed stronger early sensorimotor inhibition in noisy discrimination conditions versus in quiet, suggesting sensory gating of the noise. However, the difference in neural activation between quiet and noisy conditions was greater in males than females. Though sex differences appear unrelated to behavioral accuracy, they suggest that males and females exhibit early sensorimotor processing for speech discrimination that is fundamentally different, yet similarly adaptable to adverse conditions. Findings have implications for understanding variability in neuroimaging data and the male prevalence in various neurodevelopmental disorders with inhibitory dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley W Harkrider
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - David E Jenson
- Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, 99202, USA
| | - Tim Saltuklaroglu
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
An Y, Feng L, Zhang X, Wang Y, Wang Y, Tao L, Lu Y, Qin Z, Xiao R. Patterns of cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults-findings from the EMCOA study. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2018; 10:93. [PMID: 30219087 PMCID: PMC6138914 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-018-0421-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background The principal aim of this study was to demonstrate the gender-specific cognitive patterns among middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults, investigate the risk factors on global and domain-specific cognitive performance in men and women, respectively, and report demographically adjusted norms for cognitive tests. Methods The Effects and Mechanism of Cholesterol and Oxysterol on Alzheimer’s disease (EMCOA) study enrolled 4573 participants aged 50–70 years in three Chinese cities. All participants underwent an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Composite scores for specific domains were derived from principal component analysis (PCA). Multivariate linear regression models were used to determine gender-specific risk factors and demographically adjusted normative data. Results Three cognitive domains of verbal memory, attention/processing speed/executive function, and cognitive flexibility were extracted. A female advantage in verbal memory was observed regardless of age, whereas men tended to outperform women in global cognition and attention/processing speed/executive function. The effects of education on women were more substantial than men for general cognition and attention/processing speed/executive function. For all the cognitive tests, regression-based and demographically adjusted normative data were calculated. Conclusions There is a need for gender-specific intervention strategies for operationalizing cognitive impairment. Trial registration EMCOA, ChiCTR-OOC-17011882. Retrospectively registered on 5 July 2017. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13195-018-0421-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu An
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Lingli Feng
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China.,Peking university First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaona Zhang
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yushan Wang
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Lingwei Tao
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yanhui Lu
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China.,Linyi Mental Health Center, Linyi, Shandong, China
| | | | - Rong Xiao
- School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You An Men Wai, Beijing, 100069, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Cognition During and After Multiple Sclerosis Relapse as Assessed With the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8169. [PMID: 29802384 PMCID: PMC5970258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26449-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
There is some evidence that cognition may be impaired during multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse. The aims of this study were to assess the cognitive status with the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in MS patients during relapse, in stable patients, and in healthy controls; to evaluate cognitive changes up to 3 months after relapse; and to estimate the impact of different factors on cognition after relapse. BICAMS was performed in 60 relapsing, 30 stable patients and 30 controls. Relapsing MS patients were assessed during relapse and one and three months after relapse. SDMT score was lower in relapsing than in stable patients. The mean scores of all BICAMS tests were higher one month after relapse than during relapse (p < 0.001). SDMT score after relapse improved in younger patients, who had more severe relapse (p < 0.05). BVMT-R score improved more in men, in patients with biologically active interferon-beta, in patients treated with methylprednisolone and in patients who were rehabilitated (p < 0.05). CVLT-II score improved in women and in patients with shorter relapse (p < 0.05). A neuropsychological assessment, like the evaluation of physical disability, is important during relapse. BICAMS may be suitable for a quick and effective assessment of cognition during relapse.
Collapse
|
14
|
Daga FB, Macagno E, Stevenson C, Elhosseiny A, Diniz-Filho A, Boer ER, Schulze J, Medeiros FA. Wayfinding and Glaucoma: A Virtual Reality Experiment. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:3343-3349. [PMID: 28687845 PMCID: PMC5499646 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-21849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Wayfinding, the process of determining and following a route between an origin and a destination, is an integral part of everyday tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of glaucomatous visual field loss on wayfinding behavior using an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment. Methods This cross-sectional study included 31 glaucomatous patients and 20 healthy subjects without evidence of overall cognitive impairment. Wayfinding experiments were modeled after the Morris water maze navigation task and conducted in an immersive VR environment. Two rooms were built varying only in the complexity of the visual scene in order to promote allocentric-based (room A, with multiple visual cues) versus egocentric-based (room B, with single visual cue) spatial representations of the environment. Wayfinding tasks in each room consisted of revisiting previously visible targets that subsequently became invisible. Results For room A, glaucoma patients spent on average 35.0 seconds to perform the wayfinding task, whereas healthy subjects spent an average of 24.4 seconds (P = 0.001). For room B, no statistically significant difference was seen on average time to complete the task (26.2 seconds versus 23.4 seconds, respectively; P = 0.514). For room A, each 1-dB worse binocular mean sensitivity was associated with 3.4% (P = 0.001) increase in time to complete the task. Conclusions Glaucoma patients performed significantly worse on allocentric-based wayfinding tasks conducted in a VR environment, suggesting visual field loss may affect the construction of spatial cognitive maps relevant to successful wayfinding. VR environments may represent a useful approach for assessing functional vision endpoints for clinical trials of emerging therapies in ophthalmology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fábio B Daga
- Visual Performance Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Eduardo Macagno
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States 3Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Cory Stevenson
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States 3Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Ahmed Elhosseiny
- Visual Performance Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States 4California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Alberto Diniz-Filho
- Visual Performance Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Erwin R Boer
- Visual Performance Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Jürgen Schulze
- California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States 5Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Felipe A Medeiros
- Visual Performance Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hüttermann S, Memmert D. The Attention Window: A Narrative Review of Limitations and Opportunities Influencing the Focus of Attention. RESEARCH QUARTERLY FOR EXERCISE AND SPORT 2017; 88:169-183. [PMID: 28332919 DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2017.1293228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Visual attention is essential in many areas ranging from everyday life situations to the workplace. Different circumstances such as driving in traffic or participating in sports require immediate adaptation to constantly changing situations and frequently the conscious perception of 2 objects or scenes at the same time. METHOD The attention window task, a measure of attentional breadth, in which people must attend to 2 equally attention-demanding stimuli simultaneously, was introduced. This article provides a narrative review of studies using this task and outlines different factors that might influence the attention window. RESULTS Differences in the spatial distribution of attention result, for example, from effects of age or physical activities as well as from emotional processes and those affected by current motivation, while gender does not have any influence. The window is represented as an ellipse with greater attentional breadth along the horizontal axis than the vertical axis, and it is about 5 to 6 times smaller than the human visual field. CONCLUSION Not only everyday occurrences but also situations in sport games-for example, having an overview of the opponent, teammates, and the ball-require the ability to pay visual attention to 2 peripheral objects and continuously changing situations. Therefore, the application or avoidance of different strategies and factors is discussed to improve and adjust behavior in those situations.
Collapse
|
16
|
Zancada-Menendez C, He Q, Sampedro-Piquero P, Lopez L, McNamara TP. Influence of bidirectional perspective on learning routes and spatial layout. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2016.1143476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|