Impact of Neurologic Deficits on Motor Imagery: A Systematic Review of Clinical Evaluations

Motor imagery (MI, the mental representation of an action without engaging in its actual execution) is a therapeutically relevant technique to promote motor recovery after neurologic disorders. MI shares common neural and psychological bases with physical practice. Interestingly, both acute and progressive neurologic disorders impact brain motor networks, hence potentially eliciting changes in MI capacities. How experimental neuroscientists and medical practitioners should assess and take into account these changes in order to design fruitful interventions is largely unresolved. Understanding how the psychometric, behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of MI are impacted by neurologic disorders is required. To address this brain-behavior issue, we conducted a systematic review of MI data in stroke, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, and amputee participants. MI evaluation methods are presented. Redundant MI profiles, primarily based on psychometric and behavioral evaluations, emerged in each clinical population. When present, changes in the psychometric and behavioral correlates of MI were highly congruent with the corresponding motor impairments. Neurophysiological recordings yielded specific changes in cerebral activations during MI, which mirrored structural and functional reorganizations due to neuroplasticity. In this view, MI capacities may not be deteriorated per se by neurologic diseases resulting in chronic motor incapacities, but adjusted to the current state of the motor system. Literature-driven orientations for future clinical research are provided.     

General and Domain-Specific Effectiveness of Cognitive Remediation after Stroke: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Cognitive remediation (CR) has been shown to improve cognitive abilities following a stroke. However, an updated quantitative literature review is needed to synthesize recent research and build understanding of factors that may optimize training parameters and treatment effects. Randomized controlled trials of CR were retrieved from seven electronic databases. Studies specific to adult stroke populations were included. Treatment effects were estimated using a random effects model, with immediate and longer-term follow-up outcomes, and moderator effects, examined for both overall and domain-specific functioning. Twenty-two studies were identified yielding 1098 patients (583 in CR groups). CR produced a small overall effect (g?=?0.48, 95% CI 0.35–0.60, p?<?0.01) compared with control conditions. This effect was moderated by recovery stage (p?<?0.01), study quality (p?=?0.04), and dose (p?=?0.04), but not CR approach (p?=?0.63). Significant small to medium (g?=?0.25–0.75) post-intervention gains were evident within each individual outcome domain examined. A small overall effect (g?=?0.27, 95% CI 0.04–0.51, p?=?0.02) of CR persisted at follow-up (range 2–52 weeks). CR is effective and efficient at improving cognitive performance after stroke. The degree of efficacy varies across cognitive domains, and further high-quality research is required to enhance and sustain the immediate effects. Increased emphasis on early intervention approaches, brain-behavior relationships, and evaluation of activity and participation outcomes is also recommended.     

Correction to: Towards a Better Understanding of Cognitive Deficits in Absence Epilepsy: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neuropsychology Review - Due to an error during the editorial phase, a correction regarding Fig.&nbsp;2 is added to the original article: “Towards a Better Understanding of Cognitive...     

Towards a Better Understanding of Cognitive Deficits in Absence Epilepsy: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neuropsychology Review - Cognition in absence epilepsy (AE) is generally considered undisturbed. However, reports on cognitive deficits in AE in recent years have suggested otherwise. This review...     

Approaches to Cognitive Remediation of Neuropsychological Deficits in Schizophrenia: A Review and Meta-Analysis

A review and critique of the literature pertaining to the use of cognitive remediation techniques in patients with schizophrenia is presented. The review is organized into three sections, according to the neuropsychological deficit targeted for remediation: 1) executive-function, 2) attention, and 3) memory. With regards to executive-function, despite an initial report suggesting that Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance cannot be remediated, subsequent studies suggest that performance can be improved on a variety of dependent measures including perseverative errors, categories achieved, and conceptual level responses. These observations were confirmed by a meta-analytic investigation that revealed large mean effects sizes (d ₊ = 0.96) for these studies. Effect sizes were homogenous across discrepant remediation strategies and dependent measures. With regards to attention, serial scanning can be improved with instruction and reinforcement, whereas there is mixed evidence suggesting that practice-based attention drills can improve performance on measures of sustained attention in schizophrenia. With regards to memory, relatively simple semantic and affective elaborate encoding strategies elevates verbal list-learning memory in patients with schizophrenia to levels consistent with controls. A similar encoding procedure, combined with vigilance training, produces substantial improvement in social cue recognition. Avenues for future research are discussed.     

Family Adjustment to Childhood Cancer: A Systematic Review

This systematic review integrates qualitative and quantitative research findings regarding family changes in the context of childhood cancer. Twenty-eight quantitative, 42 qualitative, and one mixed-method studies were reviewed. Included studies focused on family functioning, marital quality, and/or parenting in the context of pediatric cancer, were written in English, and were published between 1996 and 2009. Overall, qualitative findings show that families alter roles, responsibilities, and day-to-day functioning to accommodate the needs of children with cancer. Although some degree of family reorganization is normative, the extent and impact of these changes varies. Quantitative work shows that mean levels of family functioning (e.g., cohesion, flexibility) are similar between families facing cancer and normative or comparison samples. However, families follow different trajectories of improvement, decline, or stability in family closeness and marital quality. Parenting has received limited quantitative research attention, but qualitative work suggests that parents perceive deeper bonds with ill children and may spoil or overprotect them. Conclusions support future work examining the influence of family-level variables on the adjustment of individual family members.     

Meaning and Health: A Systematic Review

The research base linking meaning with physical health is significantly underdeveloped in comparison to that linking subjective well-being and physical health. We address this deficit by first providing an overview of the study of meaning, and then examining evidence of its positive relationship to physical health in a systematic review of relevant literature. We searched PsycINFO and PubMed databases for studies of varying design and populations, excluding studies that did not have clear measures of meaning and physical health and/or did not address their relationship. Overall, higher levels of meaning are clearly associated with better physical health, as well as with behavioral factors that decrease the probability of negative health outcomes or increase that of positive health outcomes. Methodological challenges and future directions are discussed.     

Interoceptive Abnormalities and Suicidality: A Systematic Review

Dysfunction of interoception (i.e., difficulties sensing the physiological state of one's own body) is increasingly linked to different mental health disorders and suicidal outcomes. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the association between suicidality and interoception, as well as identify potential confounders and mediators of the relationship. We conducted a systematic review of four databases, allowing for critical examination of the role of different measures of interoception (accuracy, sensibility, awareness, cognitive/emotional evaluation) across the suicide continuum (ideation, plans, attempts, deaths). The search strategy identified 22 studies (14,988 participants). Preliminary but limited evidence was found for impaired interoceptive accuracy among those reporting suicide attempt histories. We found evidence of interoceptive sensibility disturbances across the suicide continuum, including experiences of not trusting one’s own body sensations and impaired abilities to sustain and control attention to such sensations. Consistent evidence was also reported for disturbances related to cognitive and emotional evaluations of interoceptive sensations. The latter was particularly pronounced for those reporting suicide attempts, relative to those reporting suicidal thinking or planning alone. Overall, this review’s results suggest that interoceptive abnormalities are potentially important indicators of risk for suicidal thinking, intentions, and behaviors. However, due to the inconsistent adjustment for variables of interest, and cross-sectional designs, it is unclear whether interoceptive changes and disturbances have a direct role, or whether the association is explained and mediated by key third variables (e.g. depression, disordered eating, emotional dysregulation). We discuss the implications with respect to suicidal risk and therapeutic interventions.     

Interfaith Spiritual Care: A Systematic Review

Journal of Religion and Health - Although knowledge on spiritual care provision in an interfaith context is essential for addressing the diversity of patients’ religious and spiritual needs,...     

多种感觉信息整合的认知与神经机制研究

我们通常利用多种感觉通道的信息对周围世界进行感知,如视觉、听觉、嗅觉、前庭感觉和本体感觉信息.为了确保对环境的正确感知,大脑必须把对同一物体特征进行表征的不同感觉信息整合成一致的、稳定的信息.以往的研究证实不同感觉信息之间是以统计最优化的模式结合的.文章首先综述了在贝叶斯理论的基础上建立起来的统计最优化模型以及其行为实验验证方法.然后,介绍了相关的神经成像研究结果和具有生理意义的神经网络模型.     

Treatment of Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review

Childhood obesity trends have increased dramatically over the past three decade’s. The purpose of this quantitative systematic review is to provide an update of the evidence, illustrating the efficacy of childhood obesity treatment, considering whether treatment fidelity has been measured and/or reported and whether this related to the treatment effect size. Searches revealed 61 relevant articles published from January 2000 to 2009, including both randomized and non-randomized controlled trials of childhood and adolescent obesity treatment interventions. The review identified scant measurement and reporting of issues around treatment fidelity, an increase in the number of interventions outside of the US, (particularly across Europe) and an emergence of studies involving older children and adolescents in a range of settings. Interventions comprising a dietary, exercise, and behavioral component, supported by family involvement and delivered by trained interventionists in specialized or supervised settings, appeared to offer a potentially effective treatment for obesity. However, concern remains over study quality (particularly sample size), dropout rates and study design. Variations in outcome measures and intervention designs means generalizable conclusions cannot be easily be made. Of greater concern is the lack of consideration for treatment fidelity, which has implications for the transfer of knowledge and the reliability of interventions. Conclusions from the review include; the need for increased accuracy of reporting and objective measurement of treatment fidelity; the need for further investigation of potential cost-effective treatment options (including maintenance strategies to enhance sustainability of current interventions); and an increase in the number of longitudinal trials beyond 1?year in duration.     

Investigating Elite End-of-Athletic-Career Transition: A Systematic Review

This article presents a systematic review of the literature investigating factors that contribute to a successful end-of-career transition among elite athletes. The systematic review included 10 studies that focused on elite athlete retirement that in part measured positive outcomes, which fall under the flourishing construct. Results indicated that although there has been an abundance of research examining multiple effects of transition out of sport among elite athletes, there appears to be no current literature explicitly examining flourishing within this elite population. The results of the review have practical implications for sport psychology practitioners who are aiming to facilitate a successful transition for elite athletes through their end-of-athletic-career transition. The findings from the systematic review are discussed, and the article provides recommendations for future research and for current applied practice.     

The Combined Effect of Neuropsychological and Neuropathological Deficits on Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults: a Systematic Review

To date, studies have consistently demonstrated associations between either neuropsychological deficits or neuroanatomical changes and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in aging. Only a limited number of studies have evaluated morphological brain changes and neuropsychological test performance concurrently in relation to IADL in this population. As a result, it remains largely unknown whether these factors independently predict functional outcome. The current systematic review intended to address this lack of information by reviewing the literature on older adults, incorporating studies that examined e.g., normal aging, but also stroke or dementia patients. A comprehensive search of databases (Pubmed, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO) and reference lists was performed, focusing on papers in the English language that examined the combined effect of neuropsychological and neuroanatomical factors on IADL in samples of adults with an average age above 50. In total, 58 potential articles were identified; 20 were included in the review. The results show that especially neuropsychological variables (primarily memory and executive functions) independently predict IADL. Although some unique predictive value of brain morphological changes, such as hippocampal atrophy, was found, support for the importance of white matter changes was limited. However, the results of the studies reviewed are diverse, and appear to be at least partially determined by the variables included. For example, studies were less likely to find an independent effect of cognition if they solely employed a cognitive screening instrument. This indicates that a structured examination of neuroanatomical and neuropsychological correlates of IADL in different patient populations is warranted.     

Race and the Criminal Justice System Response to Sexual Assault: A Systematic Review

Prior research has consistently documented that the vast majority of sexual assault cases do not progress through the criminal justice system. However, there is less agreement in prior work on how race influences case progression, resulting in a literature frequently described as “inconsistent.” This systematic review examines all prior research that has included race as an independent variable in predicting the criminal justice system response to sexual assault (N = 34) in an effort to provide insight into seemingly disparate findings. We assess each study for the degree to which race was a focal point of interest, if and what theory was used to inform the investigation of race, how samples were drawn, and how and whose race was measured. Results illustrate that findings in prior research are not inconsistent, but rather unite to tell a nuanced story of the role of race in the criminal justice system response to sexual assault. The review demonstrates how decisions made by researchers throughout the research process can have significant impacts on reported findings, and how such findings may be used to influence policy and practice.     

Military and Crime: A Systematic Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT

This study systematically analyzed the literature on the effects of military participation on later criminal behavior. When all studies were analyzed as a whole, the findings did not indicate a clear effect. However, a focus upon specific offense types revealed that the military experience decreased non-violent crime but increased violent crime. Active military personnel tended to be less likely to commit crime. Some evidence demonstrated that male and non-white veterans committed more crime than their civilian counterparts, but future research is needed to replicate these subgroup differences. Theoretical implications and future research directions are also discussed.     

Mental Disorders, Religion and Spirituality 1990 to 2010: A Systematic Evidence-Based Review

Religion/spirituality has been increasingly examined in medical research during the past two decades. Despite the increasing number of published studies, a systematic evidence-based review of the available data in the field of psychiatry has not been done during the last 20 years. The literature was searched using PubMed (1990–2010). We examined original research on religion, religiosity, spirituality, and related terms published in the top 25 % of psychiatry and neurology journals according to the ISI journals citation index 2010. Most studies focused on religion or religiosity and only 7 % involved interventions. Among the 43 publications that met these criteria, thirty-one (72.1 %) found a relationship between level of religious/spiritual involvement and less mental disorder (positive), eight (18.6 %) found mixed results (positive and negative), and two (4.7 %) reported more mental disorder (negative). All studies on dementia, suicide, and stress-related disorders found a positive association, as well as 79 and 67 % of the papers on depression and substance abuse, respectively. In contrast, findings from the few studies in schizophrenia were mixed, and in bipolar disorder, indicated no association or a negative one. There is good evidence that religious involvement is correlated with better mental health in the areas of depression, substance abuse, and suicide; some evidence in stress-related disorders and dementia; insufficient evidence in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and no data in many other mental disorders.     

Choice as an Intervention to Improve Behavior: A Review of the Literature

In recent years, choice making has been evaluated as an intervention for people with disabilities. This review examines applied research during the past two decades using choice as a distinct intervention or as part of an intervention package. Fourteen studies published between 1975 and 1996 were identified that implemented choice as an intervention to increase or decrease a target behavior. These studies applied choice-making in the following three broad areas: (a) vocational or domestic activities; (b) academic activities; and (c) leisure, recreational, or social activities. All of the studies indicated that choice-making procedures resulted in behavioral improvements with some, if not all of the participants.     

Psychological Distress in Refugee Children: A Systematic Review

Nearly one-quarter of the refugees worldwide are children. There have been numerous studies reporting their levels of psychological distress. The aim of this paper is to review systematically and synthesize the epidemiological research concerning the mental health of refugee children residing in Western countries. A Cochrane Collaboration style review was conducted searching nine major databases, bibliographies, and grey literature from 2003 to 2008. Included studies had to meet the reporting standards of STROBE and investigate mental health in non-clinical samples of asylum seeking and refugee children residing in OECD countries. A total of twenty-two studies were identified of 4,807 retrieved citations, covering 3,003 children from over 40 countries. Studies varied in definition and measurement of problems, which included levels of post-traumatic stress disorder from 19 to 54%, depression from 3 to 30%, and varying degrees of emotional and behavioral problems. Significant factors influencing levels of distress appear to include demographic variables, cumulative traumatic pre-migration experiences, and post-migration stressors. Importantly, the research base demands greater contextual and methodological refining such that future research would have greater generalizability and clinical implications.     

Psychological Distress Among Religious Nonbelievers: A Systematic Review

Studies of religious belief and psychological health are on the rise, but most overlook atheists and agnostics. We review 14 articles that examine differences between nonbelievers and believers in levels of psychological distress, and potential sources of distress among nonbelievers. Various forms of psychological distress are experienced by nonbelievers, and greater certainty in one’s belief system is associated with greater psychological health. We found one well-documented source of distress for nonbelievers: negative perceptions by others. We provide recommendations for improving research on nonbelievers and suggest a model analogous to Pargament’s tripartite spiritual struggle to understand the stresses of nonbelief.     

Relationship Between Religious Belief and Happiness: A Systematic Literature Review

Happiness is a feeling that is desired by every human being. To achieve happiness, human try various routes like, to gain financial superiority, fame, entertainment, assets and so on. But on the contrary, religiosity is claimed to be a technique to attain purpose in life, mental health, physical well-being and internal peace, which ultimately leads to happiness in life. This study analyses the studies conducted in last two decades toward understanding the relationship between religiousness and happiness. These studies have been organised in terms of the religions, geographic locations, scales and significance. The study shows that the claim has proven to be true by a vast majority of the surveys irrespective of religion, gender, nationality or race. Although Muslims seems to be the happiest, it requires further verification.