Although ageing is naturally associated with cognitive decline, some lifestyle factors, such as formal education and occupational complexity, were shown to promote the preservation of cognitive functions such as memory. Genetic factors, such as the Complement Receptor 1 (CR1) gene, were also identified to have an impact on cognition. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the associations of education, occupational complexity, and CR1 polymorphisms (rs6656401) with cognitive functions in a sample of autonomous, healthy older adults. A final sample of 102 participants was tested for executive functions, episodic memory, non-verbal memory, and reaction speed, while the final sample for the genetic assessment was 48. The mPACC scores were calculated in order to classify the participants into standard or High-Performing Older Adults. The lifelong occupations were classified according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations-08 criteria. The results revealed that education was more strongly associated with cognitive performance than occupational complexity. However, occupational complexity was independently associated with mental state among the highest education group. Furthermore, normative scores for older adults over 75 are provided. The CR1 AG/AA genotypes were associated with poorer memory performance among older participants, although these exploratory findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited genetic sample size. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that both education and occupation are associated with higher cognitive performance in older adults. The findings also suggest distinct cognitive effects of CR1 polymorphisms regarding ageing, although these results should be considered hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory.

O envelhecimento cognitivo é um processo complexo e multifatorial, caracterizado por mudanças graduais nas estruturas e funções cerebrais ao longo da vida. Esta revisão teórica discute fatores preventivos associados ao envelhecimento cerebral saudável, com foco na neuropsicologia do envelhecimento. São analisados fatores biológicos, cognitivos, comportamentais, ambientais e socioculturais que contribuem para a manutenção da integridade cerebral e funcionalidade cognitiva. A literatura indica que estilos de vida saudáveis, engajamento cognitivo, suporte social, regulação emocional e intervenções multicomponentes podem atenuar declínios neurocognitivos. O artigo também discute mecanismos neuropsicológicos subjacentes e implicações para políticas públicas e práticas clínicas.

Resumo O processo de migração forçada expõe o indivíduo a diversas situações de vulnerabilidade antes, durante e depois da chegada ao país de destino. Nesse contexto, a prevalência de ansiedade, depressão e transtorno do estresse pós-traumático se apresenta em dobro quando comparada à prevalência na população não refugiada. O Brasil recebe cerca de 30 mil pedidos de refúgio anualmente, mas carece de instrumentos de triagem em saúde mental adaptados para esse público. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi fazer a tradução e adaptação transcultural do instrumento Refugee Health Screener - 15 (RHS-15) do espanhol para o português brasileiro. Visou-se a criação de um instrumento bilíngue que viabilize o atendimento, por profissionais brasileiros, de populações hispânicas refugiadas no Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo que envolveu as etapas de tradução e retrotradução, avaliação por juízes especialistas e público-alvo. A análise estatística se baseou na avaliação de concordância entre traduções e na medida de confiabilidade dos resultados pelo coeficiente kappa. O RHS-15 foi adaptado para o português brasileiro dando origem à Escala de Saúde para Refugiados - 15, que apresenta evidência de validade baseada em indicadores de equivalência semântica e conceitual.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor deficits as cardinal symptoms, in addition to non-motor symptoms, including impairments in inhibitory control. Neurologic music therapy-a therapeutic intervention based on research on the effects of music on the central nervous system-can be considered a potential therapeutic approach for various impairments, including cognitive aspects. Methods: In this feasibility study, we randomly recruited five (n=5) participants with PD. We carried out an individualized intervention over four weeks, with three weekly sessions of 30 minutes each, totaling 12 sessions, held at each participant's home. We investigated recruitment and retention rates, as well as a qualitative assessment of assessment and intervention protocols. We also evaluated inhibitory control, quality of life, and motor/cognitive development. Results: The recruitment of the five participants took 40 days, with a dropout rate of 20% and 85% approval of the protocols. Due to the small sample size, inferential statistical analysis for motor/cognitive outcomes was not performed. The results indicate positive aspects pointed out by participants and researchers, such as the evaluation and intervention protocols, and highlight the need for a longer intervention period and longer duration of sessions. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary data for the planning of future research with larger samples and randomized controlled designs.

ABSTRACT Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with cognitive and personality changes that extend beyond its characteristic motor symptoms. Objective: To analyze the effects of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on executive function (EF) and personality (The Five-Factor Model — FFM) in PD patients, comparing outcomes between those treated solely with medication and those receiving both medication and STN-DBS. Methods: A total of 69 participants were divided into three groups: DBS, medication, and control. Evaluations included inventories, tests, and scales, with results summarized in tables highlighting sociodemographic variables and screening outcomes. Results: Cognitive assessments indicated that the DBS group exhibited slightly lower cognitive scores compared to the medication group. Personality differences were minimal, with only extraversion demonstrating significance. Conclusion: STN-DBS did not have a significant impact on executive functions or personality traits in patients with PD. These results highlight the importance of considering broader cognitive and neuropsychiatric factors when evaluating patient outcomes following DBS.

This study examines the ethical implications of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) through a systematic review and qualitative synthesis of the literature. While DBS significantly improves motor function and quality of life for many patients, individual experiences vary widely, often involving psychosocial challenges that can mitigate the benefits of motor improvements. Psychosocial changes, including shifts in mood, self-perception, and social relationships, are central to these experiences. The findings emphasize the critical need for comprehensive pre-surgical education and informed consent processes to ensure patients and caregivers fully understand both the potential benefits and psychosocial impacts of DBS. Moreover, the variability in patient experiences suggests that existing clinical guidelines may require revision to incorporate routine psychological assessments and standardized follow-up care. Limitations of this study, such as methodological concerns in the included research, point to the need for further longitudinal studies and rigorous adherence to quality standards to comprehensively capture the long-term ethical implications of DBS. By examining these psychosocial and ethical dimensions, this review contributes valuable insights to inform clinical practices and promote patient-centered approaches, ensuring that DBS is applied in a manner that prioritizes patient well-being and effectively addresses ethical concerns.

Introduction: Impairments in inhibitory control are common and directly impact the quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Non-pharmacological interventions for this population primarily focus on motor outcomes, with cognitive aspects often overlooked. Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), a model integrating neuroscience and music therapy techniques, may have significant potential for cognitive rehabilitation. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a home-based NMT intervention, focusing on primary outcomes related to the intervention's feasibility and secondary outcomes concerning cognition and quality of life in individuals with PD. Method: Five (n = 5) individuals diagnosed with PD will be recruited. Participants will receive three 30-minute NMT sessions per week over four weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be conducted. The assessment protocol will include protocol questionnaires (sociodemographic/clinical and music therapy); tests for inclusion criteria; feasibility assessment through recruitment rate, retention rate, dropout rate, protocol acceptability, and researcher report; and evaluation of clinical outcomes with the Stroop Color-Word Test, Hayling Test, Go/No-Go Task, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS/UPDRS). Discussion: This study will provide essential insights for planning and conducting a larger clinical trial, offering important data on recruitment, acceptability, evaluation, intervention design, and musical techniques for inhibitory control.

Given the increasing aging population, investigating the cognitive functioning of older adults is crucial. Various factors are associated with both cognitive decline and preservation. High Performance Older Adults (HPOAs) are a subset of older individuals demonstrating exceptional cognitive abilities, often exhibiting phenotypic characteristics such as superior cognitive skills. This study aims to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic factors, cognitive reserve and cognitive performance in a sample of brazilian older adults identified as having high cognitive abilities. To examine this phenomenon, data were collected via a sociodemographic questionnaire and cognitive assessments. Of an initial sample of 62 participants, 54 completed the study (38.8% men, 61.1% women). Analysis revealed 12 participants (22.2%) met HPOA criteria, while 42 (77.7%) were classified as Standard Performance Older Adults (SPOAs). HPOAs demonstrated significantly better performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) in trials A1-A5, A6, A7, and Recognition Memory (p < 0.001); on the Rey Complex Figure in Immediate and Delayed Recall (p = 0.006), and on the Trail Making Test A (TMT A) (p = 0.003). Significant differences were also found in the analysis items of the Cognitive Reserve Scale (CRS) (p < 0.001; p = 0.008; p = 0.002). The findings reveal that HPOAs exhibit superior performance in episodic memory, attention and processing speed tasks. The model coefficients in logistic regression revealed a statistically significant association between Total Points in CRS and HPOA (β = 0.0508, standard error = 0.0147, z = 3.45, p < 0.001). These results emphasize the importance of cognitive reserve for preserving cognitive performance in the elderly. New research should aim to elucidate the complex interplay of markers associated with HPOAs, employing rigorous research protocols sensitive to sociocultural context.

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the quality of life of older Brazilian adults. This study aimed to investigate the level of loneliness and social support of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relation with cognitive reserve, sociodemographic data, daily habits, and perceived health. An online cross-sectional study was conducted. The final sample consisted of 116 Brazilians aged over 60 years. The following instruments were used: sociodemographic questionnaire, questionnaire on the everyday habits during the pandemic, CRIq, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and MOS-SSS. The results showed a significant association between loneliness and social support. The regression models demonstrate the influence of perceived health and different forms of social contact in predicting social support and loneliness. These results evince the importance of the evaluation of factors related to the quality of life of older Brazilian adults during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The forced migration process exposes the individual to different situations of vulnerability before, during and after arrival in the country of destination. In this context, the prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder is double when compared to the non-refugee population. Brazil receives approximately 30,000 refugee requests annually, but it lacks mental health screening instruments adapted for this public. Thus, the objective of this research was to perform the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Refugee Health Screener - 15 (RHS-15) instrument from Spanish to Brazilian Portuguese. The aim was to create a bilingual instrument that would enable Brazilian professionals to assist Hispanic refugee populations in Brazil. This study involved the stages of translation and back-translation, evaluation by expert judges and the target audience. Statistical analysis was based on the assessment of agreement between translations and the measurement of the reliability of the results by the kappa coefficient. The RHS-15 was adapted to Brazilian Portuguese, giving rise to the Escala de Saúde para Refugiados - 15, which presents evidence of validity based on indicators of semantic and conceptual equivalence.

Parkinson’s disease has exhibited the most rapid increase in prevalence among neurodegenerative disorders over the past 25 years. With the expanding availability of its surgical interventions and the controversial side effects identified in the literature, it is urgent to develop instruments for discerning subtle changes in patients’ biopsychosocial functioning. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to culturally adapt the Deep Brain Stimulation Impairment Scale (DBS-IS) into Brazilian Portuguese and evaluate its content validity. The final version of the DBS-IS in Brazilian Portuguese comprises 19 Likert items and yielded an S-CVI of 0.97, indicating robust content validity. Given the escalating number of Parkinson’s disease diagnoses annually in Brazil, this tool may prove beneficial for practitioners and could also contribute to clarifying some of the apparent disparities among users of brain stimulation therapies worldwide and in Brazil.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder that primarily affects movement and is often accompanied by depressive symptoms. Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a therapeutic intervention for PD, although its impact on depressive symptoms remains complex. This study investigates the relationship between PD, DBS, and depressive symptoms, focusing on how DBS influences cognitive function and mood among PD patients in Brazil. The study involved two cohorts: one in 2019 with 46 participants and another in 2022 with 31 patients. Distinct assessment instruments, including the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 and Beck Depression Inventory-II, were employed to evaluate depressive symptoms. The results revealed no significant correlation between participants' gender and the presence of DBS, but substantial differences were observed in age, disease duration, and Activities of Daily Living scores. Patients undergoing DBS showed notably poorer cognitive performance compared to those treated solely with medication. Furthermore, the use of DBS was associated with higher scores on depressive symptoms scales within one of the cohorts. These findings underscore the intricate interplay among PD, DBS treatment, and depressive symptoms, highlighting the necessity for tailored approaches to patient care.

A pandemia da COVID-19 afetou significativamente a qualidade de vida dos idosos brasileiros. Desse modo, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o nível de apoio social e de solidão de idosos durante a pandemia do COVID-19 e a sua relação com a reserva cognitiva. Foi conduzido um estudo transversal, a partir de um questionário online com os instrumentos CRIq, UCLA Loneliness Scale Revised e MOS-SSS. A amostra foi composta por 116 idosos brasileiros. Os resultados mostram correlação entre a solidão e o apoio social, mas essas variáveis não foram correlacionadas com a reserva cognitiva. Os modelos de regressão encontrados demonstram a influência da percepção do estado de saúde, e de diferentes meios de comunicação social na predição do apoio social e da solidão. Os resultados apresentados demonstram a importância de avaliar fatores relacionados a qualidade de vida dos idosos brasileiros durante e após a pandemia de COVID-19, de modo a propor estratégias efetivas para o cuidado e bem-estar dessa população.

Devido ao rápido envelhecimento da população mundial, conceitos como a reserva cognitiva e o envelhecimento bem-sucedido, que promovem a prevenção de doenças e melhoria da qualidade de vida da população idosa, ganharam destaque nos estudos em psicologia e geriatria. Desse modo, essa revisão integrativa buscou destacar os fatores mais relevantes que influenciam ambos os conceitos. Em relação a reserva cognitiva destacam-se os fatores relacionados a educação, as atividades de laser, a complexidade do trabalho e as adversidades socioeconômicas. Os fatores relacionados ao envelhecimento bem-sucedido abrangem os aspectos físicos (boa saúde física e mental), psicológicos (manutenção das funções cognitivas) e sociais (atividades de laser, educação e interação social), incluindo alguns dos aspectos envolvidos na reserva cognitiva. A identificação dos fatores que contribuem para a reserva cognitiva e para o envelhecimento bem-sucedido possibilita a promoção de saúde e bem-estar para a população idosa, bem como uma melhor orientação para profissionais de saúde e cuidadores.

Objective: This study aims to identify what existing literature has shown about possible cognitive alterations in unaccompanied refugee children. Data sources: The search was performed in the Web of Science, PsycInfo, Scopus, and PubMed databases, including articles published in any year and in any language. The research was submitted to the Prospero protocol (ID: CRD42021257858), and the quality of the included articles was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data synthesis: Memory and attention are the main topics identified, largely because they are related to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. However, low specificity was observed in the conduction of cognitive assessments, leading to relevant inconsistencies in the collected data. Conclusions: The use of psychological assessment instruments that are either poorly adapted or not adapted at all to the populations studied casts doubt on the validity of the data produced so far.

Some studies have associated Parkinson’s disease with specific personality traits. We aimed to analyze personality profiles in Parkinson’s disease based on the Five- Factor Model, using the following 3 instruments as parameters: NEO Personality Inventory, revised NEO Personality Inventory, and NEO Five-Factor Inventory. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched. The initial search resulted in 232 studies, and 11 studies were selected for full-text review. The personality traits most commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease were high neuroticism and low extraversion and conscientiousness. These results cannot be attributed only to Parkinson’s disease because other associated diseases were present in the included studies. Evidence from these studies is insufficient to state that there is a typical personality profile associated with Parkinson’s disease, given that this profile is nonspecific and found in many psychopathological disorders that differ considerably from each other. This study was registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42021271526).

Age-related cortical atrophy and cognitive decline, especially in memory function, are common among older adults. However, a subset of older adults, known as SuperAgers (SA), exhibit exceptional resilience to these effects, displaying an episodic memory capacity equivalent to or exceeding that of individuals 20 to 30 years their junior. Despite this phenomenon, there is no consensus among researchers regarding the most appropriate instruments and criteria for classifying SuperAgers. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine which instruments and classification criteria are most frequently utilized. Our search of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO yielded results suggesting that SuperAgers are generally defined as individuals aged 80 years or older, with anterograde memory tests based on fixed cut-off values for word list recall, as well as executive functioning tests, serving as the primary classification tools. Given the influence of sociocultural and linguistic factors, as well as differences in the choice of memory tests, it is not recommended to establish a single cut-point in global SA studies.

A literatura internacional, nos últimos anos, vem demonstrando que existe uma relação entre as perdas auditivas e o desempenho cognitivo de idosos. Com o objetivo de analisar o desempenho cognitivo de idosos com perda auditiva, usuários ou não de Aparelho de Amplificação Sonora Individual (AASI) a presente pesquisa obteve oitenta participantes, idosos diagnosticados com perda auditiva e problemas socioeconômicos. Esse é um estudo quantitativo, transversal e observacional, com aplicação dos instrumentos: 1) questionário de caracterização sociodemográfica; 2) Montreal Cognitive Assessment. A análise dos dados utilizou-se de estatística descritiva e, para comparação de médias, o t de Student; para correlação das variáveis, o teste de Coeficiente de Correlação de Pearson e, para comparação das proporções das variáveis, o teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson. Os resultados evidenciaram que idosos com perda auditiva, usuários de AASI e com maior nível de instrução tiveram melhor desempenho no teste cognitivo. Os achados da pesquisa podem auxiliar profissionais da saúde no acompanhamento de idosos com perda auditiva.

Background: Several studies have investigated the cognitive effects of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, studies on the influence of individual variables on cognitive performance in DBS are scarce. This study aimed to identify the association between demographic characteristics (age, schooling, and activities of daily living), executive functions, and memory performance in a group of PD patients with and without DBS. Methods: 76 participants were subdivided into three groups: 30 healthy people (control group), 30 diagnosed with PD treated only with drugs (drug group), and 16 with PD treated with DBS (DBS group). Executive functions and memory were assessed using the following instruments : Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test A and B, Digits Span, and Stroop Test. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and exploratory linear regression were used for data analysis. Results: ANOVA showed significant differences between the control, drug, and DBS groups. However, the exploratory regression analysis identified a significant association of the variables including age, schooling, and activity of daily living with the performance of executive functions and memory only in the DBS group. Conclusion: The results showed that the performance of memory and executive functions was associated with demographic characteristics only in patients treated with DBS.

The introduction of neuropsychologists in legal practice allowed for the field of forensic neuropsychology to arise. However, it is still a recent field of knowledge that is in continuous development. The existing literature highlights the incipience of studies in this area and the need for adaptation of instruments and methods. Thus, this scoping review aims to analyze how neuropsychological assessment has been employed so far in the forensic context. In order to do this, a search and a follow-up were conducted in the databases PsycInfo, Scopus and Web of Science. The query used for both searches was "(neuropsychological assessment OR neuropsychological test)" AND "forensic" OR "forensic neuropsychology". Initially, 1001 papers were identified, and after a two-stage screening process, 83 articles were included for analysis. Regarding neuropsychological assessment, the most investigated constructs were cognitive levels, memory and symptom validity. The heterogeneity of employed instruments we found in the studies evidenced the great existing variability in forensic neuropsychological practice. Among the most assessed populations were individuals with psychiatric, psychological or neurological diagnoses and male adult detainees in general. With this review, we expect to provide an overview on the current state of forensic neuropsychology, as well as information that may serve as a starting point for new research and further developments in the field.