OBJECTIVE:The importance of including people with a lived experience (LE) of eating disorders (ED) in the development and conduct of research is being recognised for the value it brings to the field. While the risks and benefits are beginning to be understood, there is still a lack of clarity around how to support LE partners through the process. This study examined perspectives on LE collaboration in ED research from individuals with personal LE, carers, clinicians, and researchers. METHODS:An online survey yielded 122 participants: 71 with personal LE, 37 carers, 21 clinicians, and 18 researchers. RESULTS:While researchers generally supported LE collaboration, carers were more hesitant. Across groups, the main perceived benefit was producing more meaningful research and improved treatments, while the primary concern was the risk of relapse for LE contributors. Views varied on the appropriate illness stage for LE involvement, though most agreed that readiness should be assessed collaboratively. Researchers strongly endorsed the development of ED-specific guidelines for LE engagement. CONCLUSIONS:Overall, each of the groups valued LE input but identified a need for clearer guidance on safe and effective collaboration.

Although the inclusion of individuals with lived experience is encouraged within the research process, there remains inconsistent direct involvement in many mental health fields. Within the eating disorders field specifically, there is a very strong and increasing presence of lived experience advocacy. However, due to a number of potential challenges, research undertaken in consultation or in collaboration with individuals with lived experience of an eating disorder is scarce. This paper describes the significant benefits of the inclusion of individuals with lived experience in research. The specific challenges and barriers faced in eating disorders research are also outlined. It is concluded that in addition to existing guidelines on working with lived experience collaborators in mental health research, more specific procedures are required when working with those with eating disorders.

Brain aging is a complex and multifactorial process broadly involving changes in the brain’s structure, neuronal activity, and biochemical profile. These changes in brain function have also been linked to age-associated variations in cognitive function. Recent research has suggested a role of increased oxidative stress and reduced cognition in older people. Therefore, studies that examine the effects of antioxidants on cognitive performance are important, particularly in the context of an increase in elderly populations in most Western countries. One such antioxidant, Pycnogenol, is a standardized plant-based extract obtained from the bark of the French maritime pine and has a long historical use to treat inflammation and improve health. More recently, Pycnogenol has been subjected to more than 100 research trials. In vitro and animal studies using the standardized extract have indicated a multimodal action of Pycnogenol, and several human studies have shown improvements in cognitive function after chronic administration. In this paper, we review these studies in the context of understanding both biological and cognitive changes due to Pycnogenol and evaluate possibilities of Pycnogenol to improve neurocognitive function.

B vitamins are essential for optimal brain and body function, and are particularly important for cortical metabolic processes that have downstream effects on mitigating oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked to poor psychological outcomes including psychological distress, which has wide-reaching implications for the community and the workplace. Given work-related stress has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, high-dose B vitamin supplementation may be effective in improving brain function and psychological outcomes via attenuation of oxidative stress. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated psychological outcomes following 6-month supplementation of a high-B-vitamin multivitamin in a large sample of healthy adults (n = 108, aged 30-70 years), as well as changes in default mode network functional connectivity in a subset of the original sample (n = 28). Improvements in occupational stress, general health, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and mood profiles were identified for both active and placebo groups over time (p < 0.05 corrected). Seed-based functional connectivity analysis centered on the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) showed that connectivity between the PCC and the caudate increased for the active treatment group, but decreased for the placebo group (p < 0.05 corrected). These findings reveal a substantial intervention effect for both active and placebo treatments, which could in part be associated with a placebo effect in subjective measures. There was, however, a significant treatment effect in the objective measure of functional connectivity, suggesting that reduced psychological stress and high-B-vitamin multivitamin supplementation may lead to an increase in DMN and caudate functional connectivity, which might reflect a strengthening of neurocircuitry within areas associated with reward and emotion at rest. Future studies should consider a placebo run-in methodology to reduce the placebo effect on the subjective measures of stress.

The Australian Research Council Longevity Intervention (ARCLI) was designed to investigate the effects of two active supplements, Pycnogenol and Bacopa monnieri (CDRI08) on cognitive performance in a cohort of elderly participants. An additional antioxidant supplement has been included into the trial. A neuroimaging component has also been added to the ARCLI study to investigate the neurochemical biomarkers of oxidative stress in vivo, as well as structural and functional changes associated with ageing and oxidative stress. Faecal biomarkers of gut microflora will also be analysed to investigate if gut microbiota are associated with domains of cognition (e.g., attention, processing speed, memory), mood or other ARCLI outcome variables. The aim of this paper is to update the published methods of the ARCLI clinical trial before it is completed, and data analysis commences.

Oxidative stress has been identified as a process which is detrimental to brain health, and associated with age-related cognitive declines. Few studies to-date have examined the relationship between in vivo oxidative stress biomarkers and cognitive performance within healthy elderly populations. The current study investigated the relationship between reaction time and oxidative stress, as measured by blood plasma concentrations of F2-isoprostanes using a sample of 251 healthy, non-demented, elderly volunteers (Male; 111: Female 140) aged 60-75 years from the Australian Research Council Longevity Intervention (ARCLI) study cohort. A Jensen Box was used in conjunction with the Hick paradigm in order to differentiate simple from choice reaction time (two, four and eight-choice conditions) as well as movement (MT) and decision times (DT). MT, but not DT, was found to be significantly slower for participants in the high F2-isoprostane group compared to the low F2-isoprostane group, across all stimulus choices. F2-isoprostanes, age and Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) full scale intelligence quotient (IQ) were found to be significant predictors of average MT in the sample as a whole. These findings provide preliminary evidence to suggest that higher levels of oxidative stress may be associated with impaired psychomotor speed in the healthy elderly population.

A diet rich in B-group vitamins is essential for optimal body and brain function, and insufficient amounts of such vitamins have been associated with higher levels of neural inflammation and oxidative stress, as marked by increased blood plasma homocysteine. Neural biomarkers of oxidative stress quantified through proton magnetic spectroscopy (1H-MRS) are not well understood, and the relationship between such neural and blood biomarkers is seldom studied. The current study addresses this gap by investigating the direct effect of 6-month high-dose B-group vitamin supplementation on neural and blood biomarkers of metabolism. Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 32 healthy adults (20 female, 12 male) aged 30–65 years underwent blood tests (vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine levels) and 1H-MRS of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) before and after supplementation. Results confirmed the supplement was effective in increasing vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 levels and reducing homocysteine, whereas there was no change in folate levels. There were significant relationships between vitamin B6 and N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline, and creatine, as well as between vitamin B12 and creatine (ps < 0.05), whereas NAA in the PCC increased, albeit not significantly (p > 0.05). Together these data provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of high-dose B-group supplementation in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation through increasing oxidative metabolism. It may also promote myelination, cellular metabolism, and energy storage.

Anxiety is associated with compromised cognitive control functions, such as working memory. State and trait anxiety within the non-clinical population can be utilised to investigate potential neural markers for anxiety, which may help to elucidate potential prevention and intervention methods. Thirty-two healthy adults (20 female, 12 male), aged between 30 and 65 years, performed a 2-back task whilst fMRI BOLD signal was acquired using a 3T scanner. Mean BOLD signal was obtained in cognitive control network regions of interest of: left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and posterior parietal lobe (PPL), and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). State and trait anxiety levels were recorded. Higher overall anxiety was moderately associated with more left and right PPL BOLD signal; there was a weak relationship between anxiety and left DLPFC BOLD signal. MPFC BOLD signal and trait anxiety were moderately associated with overall 2-back task performance. These findings suggest that non-clinical anxiety affects the recruitment of cortical resources during working memory, but that anxiety does not impair performance during a 2-back task.

Age-associated cognitive decline amongst otherwise healthy older individuals is a multifaceted characteristic of ageing. The role of oxidative stress biomarkers has been increasingly examined in the context of pathological aging conditions that affect cognition. Plasma F-2-Isoprostane levels are a reliable index of systemic oxidative stress (specifically lipid peroxidation) and are elevated in dementia patients. Less is known about their role in healthy cognitive ageing. This study evaluated the relationship between F-2-Isoprostanes and cognitive functioning in a cohort of 211 healthy elderly adults (60-75 years: Male; 88, Female; 123). Cognitive assessment included the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerised assessment battery, which produces five validated factor scores (corresponding to 'Quality of Episodic Memory', 'Speed of Memory', Quality of Working Memory', Power of Attention' and 'Continuity of Attention'). Participants with higher F-2-Isoprostane levels had significantly lower Quality of Episodic Memory scores (suggesting inferior abilities in retaining and retrieving verbal information in episodic memory). This is, to our knowledge, the first report of compromised verbal episodic memory in healthy ageing humans being linked to increased levels of F-2-Isoprostanes. These results have relevance for interventions aimed at improving cognitive performance in the healthy elderly.

ObjectiveThe benefits of befriending programs for aged care residents are well documented. However, there is a paucity of research on the befriender's experience. The aim of this paper is to provide insight into the experiences of befriending from the perspective of befrienders in aged care residencies. It is intended to provide a snapshot into the complexities inherent in the befriending role, in order to prepare potential befrienders with a realistic expectation of this role, and to generate the type of training that is needed to assist befrienders to address such challenges.MethodThree postgraduate psychology students participated in Swinburne University's Wellbeing Clinic for Older Adults' Befriending Program. After a year of befriending, exploratory case studies were produced from the befrienders' first-hand experience.ResultsEach case study is composed of three subheadings: role description, challenges, and role uncertainty. Befriending predominately consisted of companionship and conversation, and befrienders were exposed to confronting discussions, memory decline, and an uncertainty surrounding their role.ConclusionsGreater insight has been provided to future befrienders into what befriending entails, as well as some of the challenges and benefits of the role. This may minimise their apprehension towards befriending. Befriending has the potential to benefit both the befriender and the older adult and could be a viable and sustainable solution to combating loneliness in aged care residencies. Formal training programs that provide counselling skills and guidelines on the specifics of what the role entails may facilitate future befriending and should be investigated in future research.

Event Abstract Back to Event Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Cognitive Function: The Role of Plasma B vitamin Status Tamara Simpson1*, Chao Suo2*, Helen Macpherson1*, Andrew Pipingas1* and Con Stough1* 1 Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Australia 2 Monash University, Monash Clinical and Imaging Neuroscience, Australia Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that adequate vitamin and dietary intake is important for cognitive function. Particularly of interest are the positive relationships between B group vitamins and cognitive performance, the production of metabolic reactions, the manufacture of neurotransmitters and brain volume. However, no studies have investigated endogenous brain metabolites associated with cognition and the role of B vitamin status using the technique of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). MRS research has the potential to elucidate the functional integrity of brain regions by examining biochemical changes in neurometabolites. Therefore, we will examine the association between plasma B vitamin levels, domains of cognitive performance and neurometabolites in 40 healthy adults aged 30 - 65 years. The first novel aim is to determine the association of B vitamins and brain metabolites with cognitive performance. The second novel aim is to examine whether associations between the B group vitamins is stronger for cognitive performance or brain metabolite levels. Cognitive performance will be measured using a computerised cognitive test battery sensitive to the effects of ageing. Blood measures of B vitamin status including folate, B-12 and B-6 will be obtained. MRS will be employed to investigate participants' neurometabolite levels in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC), for its association with higher order processing, and the posterior cingulate (PC), due to its sensitivity to diseases of cognitive impairment. It is expected that there will be a strong relationship between B vitamin status and cognitive performance as well as between brain metabolites and cognitive performance. It is also expected that higher blood levels of B group vitamins will show positive relationships with cognitive performance and brain metabolites in both regions of interest, but particularly the lDLPFC. Keywords: Cognition, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Ageing, Vitamin B Conference: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 27 Jul - 31 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Methods Development Citation: Simpson T, Suo C, Macpherson H, Pipingas A and Stough C (2015). Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Cognitive Function: The Role of Plasma B vitamin Status. Conference Abstract: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2015.217.00330 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 19 Feb 2015; Published Online: 24 Apr 2015. * Correspondence: Ms. Tamara Simpson, Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Melbourne, Australia, tsimpson@swin.edu.au Dr. Chao Suo, Monash University, Monash Clinical and Imaging Neuroscience, Melbourne, Australia, chao.suo@monash.edu Dr. Helen Macpherson, Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Melbourne, Australia, helen.macpherson@deakin.edu.au Dr. Andrew Pipingas, Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Melbourne, Australia, apipingas@swin.edu.au Prof. Con Stough, Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Melbourne, Australia, cstough@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Tamara Simpson Chao Suo Helen Macpherson Andrew Pipingas Con Stough Google Tamara Simpson Chao Suo Helen Macpherson Andrew Pipingas Con Stough Google Scholar Tamara Simpson Chao Suo Helen Macpherson Andrew Pipingas Con Stough PubMed Tamara Simpson Chao Suo Helen Macpherson Andrew Pipingas Con Stough Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

The detrimental effect of neuronal cell death due to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The Indian herb Bacopa monnieri is a dietary antioxidant, with animal and in vitro studies indicating several modes of action that may protect the brain against oxidative damage. In parallel, several studies using the CDRI08 extract have shown that extracts of Bacopa monnieri improve cognitive function in humans. The biological mechanisms of this cognitive enhancement are unknown. In this review we discuss the animal studies and in vivo evidence for Bacopa monnieri as a potential therapeutic antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress and improve cognitive function. We suggest that future studies incorporate neuroimaging particularly magnetic resonance spectroscopy into their randomized controlled trials to better understand whether changes in antioxidant status in vivo cause improvements in cognitive function.

Workplace stress in Australia and other western countries has been steadily increasing over the past decade. It can be observed not only in terms of increased compensation claims but also costs due to absenteeism, loss of productivity at work and reduced psychological and physiological health and well-being. Given the cost and pervasive effects of stress in the modern workforce, time efficient and cost-effective interventions capable of reducing occupational stress (or strain) and burnout are urgently required for the improved well-being of stressed employees. One intervention gaining scientific traction is supplementation with nutritional interventions, particularly the B group vitamins.

In an increasingly aging population, a number of adults are concerned about declines in their cognitive abilities. Online computer-based cognitive training programs have been proposed as an accessible means by which the elderly may improve their cognitive abilities; yet, more research is needed in order to assess the efficacy of these programs. In the current study, a commercially available 21-day online computer-based cognitive training intervention was administered to 34 individuals aged between 53 and 75 years. The intervention consisted of computerized training in reaction time, inspection time, short-term memory for words, executive function, visual spatial acuity, arithmetic, visual spatial memory, visual scanning/discrimination, and n-back working memory. An active solitaire control group was also included. Participants were tested at baseline, posttraining and at three-weeks follow-up using a battery of neuropsychological outcome measures. These consisted of simple reaction time, complex reaction time, digit forwards and backwards, spatial working memory, digit symbol substitution, RAVLT, and trail making. Significant improvement in simple reaction time and choice reaction time task was found in the cognitive training group both posttraining and at three-weeks follow-up. However, no significant improvements on the other cognitive tasks were found. The training program was found to be successful in achieving transfer of trained cognitive abilities in speed of processing to similar untrained tasks.