Search Results (181)

Background: This study examines whether participation in STEAM-based educational activities is associated with improvements in executive functions (EFs) and cognitive skills in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods: A total of 60 children diagnosed with ADHD (mean age = 8 years) participated, with 30 following a traditional educational approach and 30 engaged in STEAM-based activities. Executive functions and cognitive abilities were assessed using standardized instruments (BRIEF, WISC-V, CARAS-R), and data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 25. Results: Children in the STEAM group outperformed the control group across several domains, showing statistically significant gains in inhibition, planning and organization, verbal comprehension, visuospatial skills, processing speed, total IQ, efficiency, and the Impulsivity Control Index (ICI). Conclusions: These findings suggest that STEAM-based educational experiences may support neurodevelopmental growth and enhance cognitive and executive functioning in children with ADHD, although causal inferences cannot be drawn due to the cross-sectional design. Full article

Background/Objectives: Post-traumatic epileptogenesis is a frequent and clinically relevant consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), often contributing to worsened neurological and functional outcomes. In patients experiencing early post-injury seizures, rehabilitative strategies that support recovery while considering increased epileptogenic risk are needed. This case study explores the potential benefits of combining neurofeedback (NFB) with motor therapy on cognitive and motor recovery. Methods: A patient hospitalized for severe TBI who experienced an acute symptomatic seizure in the early post-injury phase underwent baseline quantitative EEG (qEEG), neuromotor, functional, and neuropsychological assessments. The patient then completed a three-week rehabilitation program (five days/week) including 30 sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) NFB sessions (35 min each) combined with daily one-hour motor therapy. qEEG and clinical assessments were repeated post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up. Results: Post-intervention qEEG showed significant reductions in Delta and Theta power, reflecting decreased cortical slowing and enhanced neural activation. Relative power analysis indicated reduced Theta activity and Alpha normalization, suggesting improved cortical stability. Increases were observed in Beta and High-beta activity, alongside significant reductions in the Theta/Beta ratio, consistent with improved attentional regulation. Neuropsychological outcomes revealed reliable improvements in global cognition, memory, and visuospatial abilities, mostly maintained or enhanced at follow-up. Depressive and anxiety symptoms decreased markedly. Motor and functional assessments demonstrated meaningful improvements in motor performance, coordination, and functional independence. Conclusions: Findings suggest that integrating NFB with motor therapy may support recovery processes and be associated with sustained neuroplastic changes in the early post-injury phase after TBI, a condition associated with elevated risk for post-traumatic epilepsy. Full article

Acquired brain injury (ABI) often results in cognitive and motor impairments that can compromise driving ability, an essential aspect of independence and social participation. This study utilized a custom-designed driving simulator to compare driving performance between individuals with ABI and controls, and to examine the relationship between cognitive performance and driving behavior within the control group. All participants completed a series of standardized driving simulation tasks of varying complexity. The control group also completed a neuropsychological battery that assessed attention, processing speed, executive function, and visuospatial abilities. Simulator data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models to evaluate group differences and, for the control group, cognitive predictors of performance. Results showed that individuals with ABI performed comparably to controls in basic operational tasks but demonstrated reduced performance in cognitively demanding scenarios requiring sustained attention, visuospatial monitoring, and adaptive control, such as rural driving, vehicle following, and parking. In the control group, strong associations were found between simulator outcomes and measures of attention, processing speed, and spatial orientation. The findings support the use of simulator-based assessment as an objective tool sensitive to post-injury impairments and highlight its links to cognitive domains relevant to driving. Full article

Dynamic drawing has emerged as a strategy to communicate tactical diagrams, yet its effectiveness remains uncertain and appears to depend on individual differences. This study investigated how the memorization and visual processing of tactical soccer scenes are influenced by drawing format (static drawing vs. dynamic drawing) and moderated by visuospatial abilities (VSA) and expertise. Expert (N = 57) and novice (N = 54) participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In the static drawing condition, participants viewed a pre-drawn, completed tactical diagram accompanied by an oral explanation. In the dynamic drawing condition, they observed the coach drawing the diagram in real time while delivering the same explanation. VSA was first assessed using a control test. Then, in the main test, participants memorized and reproduced the tactical scene while their eye movements were recorded using an eye tracker. Key findings revealed a three-way interaction, highlighting the occurrence of an expertise reversal effect: high VSA novices performed better with dynamic drawing, whereas low VSA experts benefited more from static drawing, showing distinct visual processing patterns across groups. Overall, the results highlight the need to tailor drawing strategies to individual characteristics, particularly VSA and expertise, to optimize visual attention and tactical memorization. Full article

Background/Objective: Neuroimmune and metabolic dysregulation have been increasingly implicated in the cognitive heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it remains unclear whether anti-inflammatory diets engage distinct biological and cognitive pathways in autistic and neurotypical children. This study examined whether a 12-week anti-inflammatory dietary protocol produces group-specific neuroimmune–metabolic signatures and cognitive responses in autistic children, neurotypical children receiving the same diet, and untreated neurotypical controls. Methods: Twenty-two children (11 with ASD, six a on neurotypical diet [NT-diet], and five neurotypical controls [NT-control]) completed pre–post assessments of plasma IFN-γ, CXCL1, RANTES (CCL5), trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), and an extensive ENI-2/WISC-IV neuropsychological battery. Linear mixed-effects models were used to test the Time × Group effects on biomarkers and cognitive domains, adjusting for age, sex, and baseline TMAO. Bayesian estimation quantified individual changes (posterior means, 95% credible intervals, and posterior probabilities). Immune–cognitive coupling was explored using Δ–Δ correlation matrices, network metrics (node strength, degree centrality), exploratory mediation models, and responder (≥0.5 SD domain improvement) versus non-responder analyses. Results: In ASD, the diet induced robust reductions in IFN-γ, RANTES, CXCL1, and TMAO, with decisive Bayesian evidence for IFN-γ and RANTES suppression (posterior P(δ < 0) > 0.99). These shifts were selectively associated with gains in verbal learning, semantic fluency, verbal reasoning, attention, and visuoconstructive abilities, whereas working memory and executive flexibility changes were heterogeneous, revealing executive vulnerability in individuals with smaller TMAO reductions. NT-diet children showed modest but consistent improvements in visuospatial processing, attention, and processing speed, with minimal biomarker changes; NT controls remained biologically and cognitively stable. Network analyses in ASD revealed a dense chemokine-anchored architecture with CXCL1 and RANTES as central hubs linking biomarker reductions to improvements in fluency, memory, attention, and executive flexibility. ΔTMAO predicted changes in executive flexibility only in ASD (explaining >50% of the variance), functioning as a metabolic node of executive susceptibility. Responders displayed larger coordinated decreases in all biomarkers and broader cognitive gains compared to non-responders. Conclusions: A structured anti-inflammatory diet elicits an ASD-specific, coordinated neuroimmune–metabolic response in which suppression of CXCL1 and RANTES and modulation of TMAO are tightly coupled with selective improvements in verbal, attentional, and executive domains. Neurotypical children exhibit modest metabolism-linked cognitive benefits and minimal immune modulation. These findings support a precision-nutrition framework in ASD, emphasizing baseline immunometabolic profiling and network-level biomarkers (CXCL1, RANTES, TMAO) to stratify responders and design combinatorial interventions targeting neuroimmune–metabolic pathways. Full article

Classroom acoustics and noise exposure significantly impact students’ emotional, cognitive, and academic well-being. This study investigates how classroom noise and acoustics affect auditory and cognitive performance among 131 children in three primary schools in northeast Italy. Student performance was assessed using standardised tests evaluating working memory, verbal short and long-term memory, and visuospatial memory. Children were tested under two distinct acoustic conditions: ambient classroom noise and artificially induced noise (comprising a sequence of typical internal and external classroom sounds, intelligible speech, and unintelligible conversations). Prior to testing, hearing threshold was assessed, in order to reveal any existing impairments. Following each experimental session, children rated their perceived effort and fatigue in completing the tests. Acoustic characterisation of empty classrooms was performed using Reverberation Time (T₂₀), Clarity (C₅₀), and Speech Transmission Index (STI), while noise level was measured during all testing phases. Regression analysis was employed to correlate noise levels and reverberation times with class-average performance and perception scores. Results indicate that noise significantly impaired both verbal working memory and visual attention, increasing perceived effort and fatigue. Notably, both ambient and induced noise conditions exhibited comparable adverse effects on attentional and memory task performance. These findings underscore the critical importance of acoustic design in educational environments and provide empirical support for developing classroom acoustic standards. Full article

Objective: Gliomas disrupt functional brain networks and impair neurological functions. While left-hemispheric tumors are well-studied because of their impact on language domains, the influence of right-sided gliomas on higher cognitive functions remains less understood. This study aimed to assess pre- and postoperative neurocognitive performance and to link cognitive outcomes with structural findings derived from function-based tractography in patients with right-hemispheric gliomas. Methods: Patients with gliomas were enrolled in this prospective observational study. A structured neurocognitive test battery was administered preoperatively, postoperatively, and at 3-month follow-up. Preoperative cortical mapping using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and function-based fiber tracking, based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), was performed. Results: Eighteen patients aged 52.7 ± 18.3 years were included. Preoperatively, 88.8% of patients showed impairments in at least one cognitive test, most frequently in the Nine-Hole Peg Test (66.7%), Bells Test task completion time (61.1%), Trail Making Test A and B (TMT-A: 50.0%; TMT-B: 44.4%), and digit symbol substitution test (27.8%). At follow-up, task performance improved on most cognitive tests. Function-based tractography showed that involvement of the superior longitudinal fasciculi I–III (44.4% of cases) was associated with impairments in attention, executive function, visuospatial processing, and processing speed. The involvement of the inferior frontooccipital fasciculus (55.5% of cases) was related to deficits in processing speed, attention, executive function, and episodic memory. Conclusions: Neurocognitive deficits are common in patients with right-hemispheric gliomas even before surgery. Maximal safe resection and sparing of these tracts is associated with cognitive recovery at follow-up. Function-based tractography emphasizes the structural involvement of key association fibers related to these cognitive deficits. Full article

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is consistently linked to multidimensional working memory (WM) impairments, encompassing deficits in sustained attention, verbal and visuospatial processing, and executive control, with inhibitory dysfunction emerging as a key feature. This scoping review synthesizes evidence from 39 studies examining neurobiological mechanisms, trauma-related factors, genetic and hormonal influences, gender differences, and task-specific variability. Findings indicated that PTSD is associated with altered activation and connectivity in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and related neural networks, often resulting in compensatory but inefficient recruitment patterns. Emotional distraction and comorbidities such as depression, alcohol use, and traumatic brain injury can exacerbate cognitive deficits. Performance impairments are evident across both emotional and neutral WM tasks, with visuospatial and updating processes being particularly vulnerable. Risk factors include chronic trauma exposure, older age, APOE ε4 allele, and the BDNF Val66Met (rs6265) polymorphism, while modulators such as oxytocin, cortisol, and physical activity show potential cognitive benefits under specific conditions. Methodological heterogeneity and limited longitudinal data restrict generalizability. These findings underscore the importance of early screening, targeted cognitive interventions, and inclusion of underrepresented populations to refine prevention and treatment strategies for PTSD-related WM deficits. Full article

Background: Cognitive Reserve (CR) is a theoretical construct developed to explain individual differences in resilience to age-related cognitive decline. Empirical evidence supports its positive role across multiple cognitive domains. However, behavioral research has primarily focused on areas either vulnerable to aging, such as memory, or relatively preserved, such as language. In contrast, the relationship between CR and task-specific performance in domains like visuospatial processing—a domain critical for everyday functioning—remains underexplored. This study investigates whether CR, as measured by the Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire (CRIq), predicts performance in mental rotation tasks in healthy older adults. Methods: Participants (age 55–85) completed two tasks: (1) a hand laterality task, requiring judgments about whether a rotated hand image (palm or back view) was left or right; and (2) a letter-congruency task, in which participants determined whether simultaneously presented rotated letters were identical or mirror-reversed. Results: Generalized and linear mixed-effects models revealed a protective effect of cognitive reserve, with higher CRIq scores significantly predicting greater accuracy in both tasks. Efficiency benefits (i.e., shorter reaction times) were evident mainly in the easiest conditions, suggesting that CR supports processing resources more effectively under moderate rather than maximal task demands. This pattern indicates that cognitive reserve does not uniformly enhance performance but instead modulates the allocation of cognitive resources in a context-dependent manner. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a modulatory role of CR on visuospatial abilities in healthy older adults. These findings open new avenues for investigating how CR may differentially affect performance across a broader spectrum of cognitive functions, including attention, executive control, and spatial processing. A better understanding of these mechanisms could inform targeted cognitive interventions to strengthen resilience and promote successful aging. Full article

Background/Objectives: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment for motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but concerns remain regarding its impact on cognitive function. Identifying neuroanatomical predictors of postoperative cognitive decline could improve patient selection and outcomes. This study aims to investigate the relationship between preoperative brain morphology and postoperative neuropsychological outcomes in PD patients undergoing bilateral STN-DBS. Methods: Thirty-eight PD patients underwent standardized neuropsychological testing and preoperative MRI before and 3–24 months after STN-DBS. Manual MRI morphometric measurements were obtained for 42 cortical, subcortical, and ventricular parameters. Changes in cognitive domains—including executive function, memory, language, visuospatial abilities, attention, and global cognition—were analyzed, and correlations between structural metrics and cognitive changes were assessed using Spearman’s coefficients. Results: Significant postoperative declines occurred selectively in language functions: verbal fluency (phonemic and semantic, d = −0.49 to −0.84) and confrontation naming (d = −0.47). Memory, executive functions, attention, and global cognition remained preserved. Enlarged lateral ventricles were consistently associated with poorer outcomes across multiple domains, while increased left precentral gyrus width correlated with executive and memory decline. Additionally, smaller midbrain and cingulate gyrus width were associated with greater executive impairment. Conclusions: STN-DBS in PD is associated with selective postoperative cognitive changes, most prominently in verbal fluency. Simple preoperative MRI morphometric measures, including ventricular size, limbic structure volumes, and specific cortical parameters, may serve as clinically feasible predictors of cognitive risk. Incorporating such measures into preoperative assessments could enhance patient selection, counseling, and individualized surgical planning. Full article

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease with a major impact on respiratory function, but also with possible underestimated effects on cognitive function. Although interest in cognitive impairment in chronic respiratory diseases, such as COPD, has increased, data on IPF remain limited and heterogeneous. Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on cognitive impairment in IPF, identify the most affected domains, and evaluate the certainty of evidence using standardized methodological tools. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020, with a registered PROSPERO protocol (CRD420251041866). Four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) were searched for studies from 2014 to 2025. Methodological quality and certainty of evidence were appraised with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and GRADE frameworks. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria (two cross-sectional, one descriptive, one case–control). Across investigations, working and verbal memory emerged as the most consistently impaired domains, followed by processing speed and executive function, whereas visuospatial and language abilities were less frequently affected. Cognitive impairment was present even in mild IPF and became more pronounced with lower DLCO, shorter 6 min walk distance, greater desaturation, and obstructive sleep apnea. Certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate due to small samples and heterogeneous testing. Conclusions: Cognitive dysfunction, particularly in memory, attention, and executive domains, is a frequent but under-recognized feature of IPF. Routine screening with brief, validated tools such as the MoCA may facilitate early detection and guide individualized rehabilitation. Full article

Objective: This systematic review evaluated the effects of body weight strength training (BWST) on cognitive function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in apparently healthy older people compared with active/inactive control groups. Methods: A literature search was conducted in six databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, and PsycINFO. The PRISMA, TESTEX, RoB 2, and GRADEpro tools were used to assess the methodological quality and certainty of evidence. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42024623038). Results: Among the 27,241 records, 9 randomized controlled trials involving 682 (85% women) apparently healthy older people were included. Compared with the active/inactive control groups, the BWST resulted in significant improvements in orientation to place, language, visuospatial ability, processing speed, attention, and short-term memory. Within-group improvements were observed in general cognitive function and health-related anxiety scores in both the BWST and active control groups. The calculation and set shifting improved only within the BWST group. Conclusions: The individual results of the RCTs suggest that BWST may have potential effects on cognitive function and HRQoL in apparently healthy older people. Nevertheless, the certainty of evidence was insufficient to support definitive recommendations. Therefore, further high-quality studies are needed to establish solid conclusions. Full article

Background: Cognitive impairment after stroke often reduces independence and quality of life. Cognitive rehabilitation is therefore essential, and recent research on computer-based interventions has shown promising results. This proof-of-concept study investigated the effects of additional self-administered cognitive training using an electronic device, compared with traditional paper-and-pencil methods, on attentional functions in individuals with subacute stroke. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. For two consecutive weeks, both groups received forty-five-minute, face-to-face cognitive therapy sessions each morning, delivered via an electronic device. In addition, the experimental group engaged in sixty minutes of self-administered cognitive training using the same device, while the control group completed conventional exercises with paper-and-pencil tools. Neuropsychological assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. Results: Twenty-three participants were included (experimental group: eleven; control group: twelve). No significant differences in safety or attentional performance were observed between groups. Within-group analyses showed improvements in the experimental group in attentional shifting, inhibitory control, visuospatial planning, and problem-solving, while the control group improved in visuospatial planning and problem-solving. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that self-administered electronic cognitive training may be a feasible approach to support attentional recovery in individuals with subacute stroke. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss constitutes a modifiable risk factor for dementia. Auditory rehabilitation with devices such as cochlear implants (CIs) has been reported to prevent cognitive decline in older adults. However, post-implant cognitive effects remain highly heterogeneous across studies. Thus, the aim of this review is to synthesize the evidence on cognitive outcomes and their interplay with speech perception, quality of life (QoL), and psychological status. Methods: A bibliographic search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines from January 2015 to July 2025. Studies were eligible if they included adult CI candidates who completed cognitive and audiometric assessments. In total, 43 studies, including longitudinal and cross-sectional designs, were reviewed. Several studies also assessed hearing aid (HA) users and normal-hearing (NH) controls. Principal results were identified and analyzed across cognitive domains, audiological performance, QoL, and psychological outcomes. Results: CIs significantly improved cognition across longitudinal studies, with a higher number of assessments reporting gains in memory (61%), global cognition (57%), and executive function (46%); while attention, language, and visuospatial skills were less frequently evaluated. Though findings are not fully consistent, interactions between speech intelligibility and cognitive subdomains have also been found in several studies: global cognition (25%), executive function (22%), visuospatial skills (20%), attention (21%), language (17%), and memory (12%). Improvements in QoL, social engagement, depression, and anxiety are frequently observed. Conclusions: The lack of unified and adapted neurocognitive tools may prevent the observation of consistent outcomes across studies. Further research and multimodal data are still needed to fully understand the interaction between cognition, speech intelligibility, and QoL in CI users. Full article

Background: Neural efficiency theory proposes that expert athletes optimize brain resource allocation and functioning. Beta band oscillations are associated with attention, motor preparation, and emotional control, reflecting adaptive patterns of reduced cortical energy expenditure (absolute power) and greater temporal precision (peak frequency). Slow cortical potential (SCP) neurofeedback has emerged as a method to train voluntary cortical regulation, yet its application in sports—particularly in precision-demanding disciplines such as golf—remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of SCP neurofeedback on beta band activity in competitive golfers. Methods: Forty-two golfers were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 21), which completed 16 SCP neurofeedback sessions (2560 trials), or a control group (n = 21). SCP activity was measured during activation and deactivation trials, while EEG beta oscillations were analyzed in terms of peak frequency and absolute power at C3, O2, F8, and T5. These sites were chosen for their relevance to golf: C3 (motor execution), O2 (visual processing), F8 (inhibitory and emotional control), and T5 (visuospatial integration). Results: The intervention group showed significant increases in positive SCP trials, reflecting improved voluntary cortical inhibition. Peak frequency increased in Beta 1 (C3) and Beta 2 (O2), while absolute power decreased at F8 and T5, which seems to indicate a reduced cortical overload and enhanced visuospatial integration. Conclusions: SCP neurofeedback modulated beta activity in golfers, enhancing neural efficiency and supporting its potential as an innovative tool to optimize performance in precision sports. Full article