ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9940-5635
Current Organisations
Kyushu University
,
University of Bern
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Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 21-03-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2022.811534
Abstract: Aim: Participation in classroom physical activity breaks may improve children’s cognition, but few studies have involved adolescents. The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of classroom-based resistance training with and without cognitive training on adolescents’ cognitive function. Methods: Participants were 97 secondary school students (45.4% females, mean age 15.78 ± 0.44). Four-year 10 classes from one school were included in this four-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. Classes were randomly assigned to the following groups: sedentary control with no cognitive training, sedentary with cognitive training, resistance training without cognitive training, and resistance training with cognitive training. Sessions varied in levels of both cognitive demand and resistance training (i.e., high vs. low) and were administered three times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions). Inhibition, cognitive flexibility, episodic memory, on-task behavior, and muscular fitness were assessed at baseline and post-test. Linear mixed models were used to examine changes within and between groups. Results: In comparison with the control group, episodic memory improved significantly in the resistance training without cognitive training group (−9.87 units, 95% CI: −17.71 to −2.03, p = 0.014, d = 0.72). There were no group-by-time effects for inhibition or cognitive flexibility. Classroom activity breaks both with and without cognitive demand improved participants’ on-task behavior in comparison with the control and sedentary group. The resistance training programs did not lead to improvements in muscular fitness. Conclusion: Participation in body weight resistance training without cognitive training led to selective improvements in episodic memory. No training effects were found for inhibition or cognitive flexibility. A longer study period may be necessary to induce improvements in muscular fitness and associated changes in inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Clinical Trial Registration: www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12621001341819.aspx , Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry—ACTRN12621001341819.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-11-2021
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated governmental restrictions suddenly changed everyday life and potentially affected exercise behavior. The aim of this study was to explore whether in iduals changed their preference for certain types of physical exercise during the pandemic and to identify risk factors for inactivity. An international online survey with 13,881 adult participants from 18 countries/regions was conducted during the initial COVID-19 related lockdown (between April and May 2020). Data on types of exercise performed during and before the initial COVID-19 lockdown were collected, translated, and categorized (free-text input). Sankey charts were used to investigate these changes, and a mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to analyze risks for inactivity. Many participants managed to continue exercising but switched from playing games (e.g., football, tennis) to running, for ex le. In our s le, the most popular exercise types during the initial COVID-19 lockdown included endurance, muscular strength, and multimodal exercise. Regarding risk factors, higher education, living in rural areas, and physical activity before the COVID-19 lockdown reduced the risk for inactivity during the lockdown. In this relatively active multinational s le of adults, most participants were able to continue their preferred type of exercise despite restrictions, or changed to endurance type activities. Very few became physically inactive. It seems people can adapt quickly and that the constraints imposed by social distancing may even turn into an opportunity to start exercising for some. These findings may be helpful to identify in iduals at risk and optimize interventions following a major context change that can disrupt the exercise routine.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-04-2021
DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2021.1922410
Abstract: Childhood cancer and its treatment puts survivors at risk of low working memory capacity. Working memory represents a core cognitive function, which is crucial in daily life and academic tasks. The aim of this functional MRI (fMRI) study was to examine the working memory network of survivors of childhood cancer without central nervous system (CNS) involvement and its relation to cognitive performance. Thirty survivors (aged 7-16 years, ≥ 1 year after cancer treatment) and 30 healthy controls performed a visuospatial working memory task during MRI, including a low- and a high-demand condition. Working memory performance was assessed using standardized tests outside the scanner. When cognitive demands increased, survivors performed worse than controls and showed evidence for slightly atypical working memory-related activation. The survivor group exhibited hyperactivation in the right-hemispheric superior parietal lobe (SPL) in the high- compared to the low-demand working memory condition, while maintaining their performance levels. Hyperactivation in the right SPL coincided with poorer working memory performance outside the scanner in survivors.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 19-11-2020
DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2020.1844243
Abstract: Long-term sequelae of cancer and its treatment render childhood cancer (CC) survivors vulnerable to cognitive and behavioural difficulties and likely affect their quality of life (QoL). Our aim was to compare levels of cognition, psychosocial functioning, and health-related QoL of CC survivors to healthy controls and examine the associations between these three domains. Seventy-eight CC survivors (age range = 7-16 years, ≥ one year since cancer treatment) and 56 healthy controls were included. Cognition (i.e., fluid intelligence, executive functions, memory, processing speed, and selective attention), psychosocial functioning, and health-related QoL were assessed using standardized tests and questionnaires. The cognitive performance, parent-reported psychosocial behaviour, and health-related QoL of the CC survivors were within the normative range. However, working memory was significantly poorer in survivors than controls, and visuospatial working memory below the normative range was more commonly observed among survivors than among controls. Processing speed significantly predicted survivors' performance in executive functions. Among survivors, greater peer problems were significantly associated with poorer cognitive functions and health-related QoL. Despite the evidence for good intellectual functioning, which might point towards adequate reserves, in some survivors, domain-specific difficulties may emerge years after cancer relating to psychosocial development and QoL.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 22-06-2022
Abstract: Personal and social resources may buffer the adverse effects of childhood cancer and its impact on cognition and quality of life. While childhood cancer survivors show domain-specific cognitive difficulties, little is known about their personal and social resources. We therefore investigated personal and social resources and their association with cognitive and quality-of-life outcomes in childhood cancer survivors. Seventy-eight survivors of childhood cancer of different etiologies (aged 7–16 years ≥one year since treatment) and fifty-six healthy controls were included. Cognitive outcome was assessed by neuropsychological tests personal and social resources, as well as health-related quality of life, were assessed by standardized questionnaires. In the social resource domain, peer integration was worse in survivors than in controls (puncorr 0.04, d = 0.33). Personal resources and all other subscales of social resources did not significantly differ between survivors and controls. In survivors, the global resource score was significantly correlated with processing speed (r = 0.39, pcorr 0.001) and quality of life (parent: r = 0.44 self-report: r = 0.46 pscorr 0.001). In controls, no association occurred between resources and cognitive outcome, and the correlation between the global resource score and quality of life did not withstand correction for multiple comparison (parent: r = 0.28 self-report: r = 0.40, psuncorr 0.001). After an adverse event such as childhood cancer, resources might play a particularly buffering role on cognitive performance and quality of life (when compared to the everyday life of healthy controls). This highlights the importance of interventions that strengthen the resources of children and their families, even years after cancer. Such resource-focused intervention could help to counteract long-term sequelae in cognitive outcomes and health-related quality of life.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-06-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-01-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2019
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 09-02-2017
DOI: 10.1111/PEDI.12508
Abstract: Defects of the insulin receptor gene ( INSR ) cause wide spectra of congenital insulin resistance. Monoallelic defects result in milder insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus with acanthosis nigricans (IRAN, type A). Whereas, leprechaunism (Donahue syndrome), the most severe condition with lethality during the infantile period is caused by biallelic defects of INSR . We detected 2 missense mutations in 2 cases of leprechaunism and IRAN, type A, and reduced mRNA expression in the leprechaunism case. We performed an in vitro analysis to confirm that the 2 missense mutations are causative. The heterozygote mutations c.3436G>A (p.Gly1146Arg) and c.294C>A (p.Ser98Arg) were identified in a male patient with IRAN, type A and a female patient with leprechaunism, respectively. Gly1146Arg was previously reported in a diabetic case without precise functional analyses, and Ser98Arg is a novel mutation. Gly1146 and Ser98 are located on the tyrosine kinase domain and ligand-binding domain of INSR, respectively, and in vitro analyses (assay for insulin binding and phosphorylation) revealed that each mutation disrupted protein functions and properties. In the leprechaunism case, mutations in INSR other than Ser98Arg were not identified, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that mRNA expression of INSR in lymphocytes was reduced in the leprechaunism case. Our study indicates that the 2 missense mutations of INSR , Gly1146Arg, and Ser98Arg, are responsible for insulin resistance, and, suggests that mutations not contained within INSR , but leading to decreased INSR expression should be considered for the patients who show insulin resistance without any mutations in the coding sequence of INSR.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-10-2016
DOI: 10.1002/AJMG.A.38020
Abstract: 1p36 deletion syndrome is the most common terminal deletion syndrome, and the genomic regions that contribute to specific 1p36 deletion syndrome-related phenotypes were recently identified. Deletions in the 1p36 region have been documented in various tumor tissues, which indicates correlation between loss of heterozygosity of 1p36 and tumor development, and the existence of tumor suppressors in this region. Therefore, it was suspected that patients with 1p36 deletion syndrome have a higher risk of tumor development however, only a few child cases of neuroblastoma with 1p36 deletion syndrome have been reported. We report the first case of 1p36 deletion syndrome with paraganglioma (PGL) and include genetic investigation. The 24-year-old woman with 1p36 deletion syndrome had severe intellectual disability, dilated cardiomyopathy, and distinct dysmorphic features, and presented with persistent vomiting accompanied by hypertension (178/115 mmHg). Abdominal CT revealed a 40 × 50 mm retroperitoneal mass and substantial elevations of plasma and urine norepinephrine (15.4 nmol/L and 1022 µmol/mol creatinine, respectively) abnormal uptake of
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-11-2020
DOI: 10.1002/BRB3.1931
Abstract: Non‐central nervous system cancer in childhood (non‐CNS CC) and its treatments pose a major threat to brain development, with implications for functional networks. Structural and functional alterations might underlie the cognitive late‐effects identified in survivors of non‐CNS CC. The present study evaluated resting‐state functional networks and their associations with cognition in a mixed s le of non‐CNS CC survivors (i.e., leukemia, lymphoma, and other non‐CNS solid tumors). Forty‐three patients (off‐therapy for at least 1 year and aged 7–16 years) were compared with 43 healthy controls matched for age and sex. High‐resolution T1‐weighted structural magnetic resonance and resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging were acquired. Executive functions, attention, processing speed, and memory were assessed outside the scanner. Cognitive performance was within the normal range for both groups however, patients after CNS‐directed therapy showed lower executive functions than controls. Seed‐based connectivity analyses revealed that patients exhibited stronger functional connectivity between fronto‐ and temporo‐parietal pathways and weaker connectivity between parietal‐cerebellar and temporal‐occipital pathways in the right hemisphere than controls. Functional hyperconnectivity was related to weaker memory performance in the patients' group. These data suggest that even in the absence of brain tumors, non‐CNS CC and its treatment can lead to persistent cerebral alterations in resting‐state network connectivity.
No related grants have been discovered for Valentin Benzing.