| 1. |
- Ballesteros, Soledad, et al.
(författare)
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A randomized controlled trial of brain training with non-action video games in older adults : results of the 3-month follow-up
- 2015
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1663-4365. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This randomized controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616)investigated the maintenance of training effects of 20 1-hr non-action video gametraining sessions with selected games from a commercial package on several agedecliningcognitive functions and subjective wellbeing after a 3-month no-contactperiod. Two groups of cognitively normal older adults participated in both the posttraining(posttest) and the present follow-up study, the experimental group who receivedtraining and the control group who attended several meetings with the research teamduring the study but did not receive training. Groups were similar at baseline ondemographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. Significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group had been previously found at posttest, in processing speed, attention and visual recognition memory, as well as in two dimensions of subjective wellbeing. In the current study, improvement from baseline to 3 months follow-up was found only in wellbeing (Affection and Assertivity dimensions) in the trained group whereas there was no change in the control group. Previous significant improvements in processing speed, attentionand spatial memory become nonsignificant after the 3-month interval. Training olderadults with non-action video games enhanced aspects of cognition just after training butthis effect disappeared after a 3-month no-contact follow-up period. Cognitive plasticitycan be induced in older adults by training, but to maintain the benefits periodic boosting sessions would be necessary.
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| 2. |
- Ballesteros, Soledad, et al.
(författare)
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An ICT-mediated social network in support of successful ageing
- 2014
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Ingår i: Gerontechnology. - : International Society for Gerontechnology (ISG). - 1569-1101 .- 1569-111X. ; 13:1, s. 37-46
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The idea is that an active lifestyle rich in social interactions and active engagement may mitigate age-related decline and reduce healthcare costs. The main aim of the AGNES project was to investigate the potential of new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environments to help maintain the independence and wellbeing of elders. The innovative applications developed in this research project could have wide application for a large number of older adults living alone. Method We used a web-based social network platform, enhanced with devices to detect users´ states and collect activity data. The effectiveness of the ICT-based solution was assessed throughout the project with user and control groups in Spain, Sweden and Greece. User interviews and psychological testing were conducted at the beginning of the project and after a year of deployment of the equipment. Both groups completed the same assessment protocol. Results & discussion We found that only the user group showed an improvement from pretest to posttest in the affective dimension of the wellbeing SPF-IL scale. This dimension relates to the degree of confidence, social acceptance, and level of satisfaction with the people around them. Exploring new ways to maintain the cognitive and functional state of older users is today a critical issue, for individuals, their families, and for whole societies. The study suggests the potential of AGNES to improve older adults’ perceived wellbeing. However, more research may be needed to determine if AGNES is a tool to maintain mental health and independent living in older adults, especially those with MCI.
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| 3. |
- Ballesteros, Soledad, et al.
(författare)
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Brain training with non-action video games enhances aspects of cognition in older adults : a randomized controlled trial
- 2014
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1663-4365. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Age-related cognitive and brain declines can result in functional deterioration in many cognitive domains, dependency, and dementia. A major goal of aging research is to investigate methods that help to maintain brain health, cognition, independent living and wellbeing in older adults. This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of 20 1-hr non-action video game training sessions with games selected from a commercially available package (Lumosity) on a series of age-declined cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study, the experimental group who received the training and the control group who attended two meetings with the research team along the study. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. All participants were assessed individually before and after the intervention, or a similar period of time, using neuropsychological tests and laboratory tasks to investigate possible transfer effects. The results showed significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group, in processing speed (choice reaction time), attention (reduction of distraction and increase of alertness), immediate and delayed visual recognition memory, as well as a trend to improve in Affection and Assertivity, two dimensions of the Wellbeing Scale. Visuospatial working memory (WM) and executive control (shifting strategy) did not improve. Overall, the current results support the idea that training healthy older adults with non-action video games will enhance some cognitive abilities but not others.
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| 4. |
- Ballesteros, Soledad, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of chronic physical exercise on executive functions and episodic memory in clinical and healthy older adult populations : a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
- 2024
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Ingår i: Systematic Reviews. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 2046-4053. ; 13:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Executive functions (EFs) and episodic memory are fundamental components of cognition that deteriorate with age and are crucial for independent living. While numerous reviews have explored the effect of exercise on these components in old age, these reviews screened and analyzed selected older adult populations, or specific exercise modes, thus providing only limited answers to the fundamental question on the effect of exercise on cognition in old age. This article describes the protocol for a systematic review and multilevel meta-analytic study aiming at evaluating the effectiveness of different types of chronic exercise in improving and/or maintaining EFs and long-term episodic memory in older adults.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study protocol was written in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Several databases will be searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in older adults aged ≥ 60 years providing any kind of planned, structured, and repetitive exercise interventions, and EFs and/or episodic memory measures as outcomes, published in English in peer-reviewed journals and doctoral dissertations will be included. Two independent reviewers will screen the selected articles, while a third reviewer will resolve possible conflicts. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool will be used to assess the quality of the studies. Finally, data will be extracted from the selected articles, and the formal method of combining individual data from the selected studies will be applied using a random effect multilevel meta-analysis. The data analysis will be conducted with the metafor package in R.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This review will synthesize the existing evidence and pinpoint gaps existing in the literature on the effects of exercise on EFs and episodic memory in healthy and unhealthy older adults. Findings from this meta-analysis will help to design effective exercise interventions for older adults to improve and/or maintain EFs and episodic memory. Its results will be useful for many researchers and professionals working with older adults and their families.SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022367111.
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| 5. |
- Garcia-Argibay, Miguel, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
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Binaural auditory beats affect long-term memory
- 2019
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Ingår i: Psychological Research. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0340-0727 .- 1430-2772. ; 83:6, s. 1124-1136
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The presentation of two pure tones to each ear separately with a slight difference in their frequency results in the perception of a single tone that fluctuates in amplitude at a frequency that equals the difference of interaural frequencies. This perceptual phenomenon is known as binaural auditory beats, and it is thought to entrain electrocortical activity and enhance cognition functions such as attention and memory. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of binaural auditory beats on long-term memory. Participants (n = 32) were kept blind to the goal of the study and performed both the free recall and recognition tasks after being exposed to binaural auditory beats, either in the beta (20 Hz) or theta (5 Hz) frequency bands and white noise as a control condition. Exposure to beta-frequency binaural beats yielded a greater proportion of correctly recalled words and a higher sensitivity index d' in recognition tasks, while theta-frequency binaural-beat presentation lessened the number of correctly remembered words and the sensitivity index. On the other hand, we could not find differences in the conditional probability for recall given recognition between beta and theta frequencies and white noise, suggesting that the observed changes in recognition were due to the recollection component. These findings indicate that the presentation of binaural auditory beats can affect long-term memory both positively and negatively, depending on the frequency used.
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| 6. |
- Garcia-Argibay, Miguel, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
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Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception : a meta-analysis
- 2019
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Ingår i: Psychological Research. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0340-0727 .- 1430-2772. ; 83:2, s. 357-372
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Binaural auditory beats are a perceptual phenomenon that occurs when presenting separately to each ear two tones that slightly differ in their frequency. It has been suggested that binaural beats can influence cognition and mental states among others. The objective of this meta-analysis was to study the effect of binaural beats on memory, attention, anxiety, and analgesia. Twenty-two studies met our inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. The results, based on 35 effect sizes, showed an overall medium, significant, consistent effect size (g = 0.45). Meta-regression results indicated that it does not seem to be necessary to mask binaural beats with white noise or pink noise in terms of effectiveness, obtaining similar effects with unmasked binaural beats. Moreover, the findings suggest that binaural-beat exposure before, and before and during the task produces superior results than exposure during the task. Time under exposure contributed significantly to the model indicating that longer periods are advisable to ensure maximum effectiveness. Our meta-analysis adds to the growing evidence that binaural-beat exposure is an effective way to affect cognition over and above reducing anxiety levels and the perception of pain without prior training, and that the direction and the magnitude of the effect depends upon the frequency used, time under exposure, and the moment in which the exposure takes place.
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