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- De Palma, Adriana, et al.
(author)
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Predicting bee community responses to land-use changes : effects of geographic and taxonomic biases
- 2016
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 6, s. 1-14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Land-use change and intensification threaten bee populations worldwide, imperilling pollination services. Global models are needed to better characterise, project, and mitigate bees' responses to these human impacts. The available data are, however, geographically and taxonomically unrepresentative; most data are from North America and Western Europe, overrepresenting bumblebees and raising concerns that model results may not be generalizable to other regions and taxa. To assess whether the geographic and taxonomic biases of data could undermine effectiveness of models for conservation policy, we have collated from the published literature a global dataset of bee diversity at sites facing land-use change and intensification, and assess whether bee responses to these pressures vary across 11 regions (Western, Northern, Eastern and Southern Europe; North, Central and South America; Australia and New Zealand; South East Asia; Middle and Southern Africa) and between bumblebees and other bees. Our analyses highlight strong regionally-based responses of total abundance, species richness and Simpson's diversity to land use, caused by variation in the sensitivity of species and potentially in the nature of threats. These results suggest that global extrapolation of models based on geographically and taxonomically restricted data may underestimate the true uncertainty, increasing the risk of ecological surprises.
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- Redondo-Camos, M., et al.
(author)
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Local Prefrontal Cortex TMS-Induced Reactivity Is Related to Working Memory and Reasoning in Middle-Aged Adults
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Psychology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-1078. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IntroductionThe prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a crucial role in cognition, particularly in executive functions. Cortical reactivity measured with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation combined with Electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) is altered in pathological conditions, and it may also be a marker of cognitive status in middle-aged adults. In this study, we investigated the associations between cognitive measures and TMS evoked EEG reactivity and explored whether the effects of this relationship were related to neurofilament light chain levels (NfL), a marker of neuroaxonal damage. MethodsFifty two healthy middle-aged adults (41-65 years) from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative cohort underwent TMS-EEG, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, and a blood test for NfL levels. Global and Local Mean-Field Power (GMFP/LMFP), two measures of cortical reactivity, were quantified after left prefrontal cortex (L-PFC) stimulation, and cognition was set as the outcome of the regression analysis. The left inferior parietal lobe (L-IPL) was used as a control stimulation condition. ResultsLocal reactivity was significantly associated with working memory and reasoning only after L-PFC stimulation. No associations were found between NfL and cognition. These specific associations were independent of the status of neuroaxonal damage indexed by the NfL biomarker and remained after adjusting for age, biological sex, and education. ConclusionOur results demonstrate that TMS evoked EEG reactivity at the L-PFC, but not the L-IPL, is related to the cognitive status of middle-aged individuals and independent of NfL levels, and may become a valuable biomarker of frontal lobe-associated cognitive function.
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- Cattaneo, G., et al.
(author)
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Sense of Coherence Mediates the Relationship Between Cognitive Reserve and Cognition in Middle-Aged Adults
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Psychology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-1078. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In recent years, supported by new scientific evidence, the conceptualization of cognitive reserve (CR) has been progressively enriched and now encompasses not only cognitive stimulating activities or educational level, but also lifestyle activities, such as leisure physical activity and socialization. In this context, there is increasing interest in understanding the role of psychological factors in brain health and cognitive functioning. In a previous study, we have found that these factors mediated the relationship between CR and self-reported cognitive functioning. In this study, we have confirmed an association between two important constructs included in the psychological wellbeing and salutogenic models, "purpose in life" and "sense of coherence," CR, as assessed using a questionnaire, and cognitive functioning, as evaluated using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Results from 888 middle-aged healthy participants from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative indicate that both sense of coherence (SoC) and CR were positively associated with verbal memory, reasoning and attention, working memory, and global cognition. Moreover, the relation between CR and cognitive functioning in the different domains is partially mediated by SoC. When we controlled for brain integrity, introducing into the model neurofilament light chain measures, the mediator role of SoC was confirmed for reasoning and attention and global cognition. However, purpose in life was not associated with cognitive functioning. These results reveal the central role of the SoC construct, which mediates the association between classic CR estimates and cognitive functions, potentially representing a modifiable target for interventions that aim to promote brain health.
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