ORCID Profile
0000-0002-8772-8226
Current Organisations
Ear Science Institute Australia
,
Curtin University
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Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-03-2020
Abstract: Studies reporting an association between hearing loss and depression in older adults are conflicting and warrant a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence. A search of academic databases (e.g., MEDLINE) and gray literature (e.g., OpenGrey) identified relevant articles published up to July 17, 2018. Cross-sectional or cohort designs were included. Outcome effects were computed as odds ratios (ORs) and pooled using random-effects meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42018084494). A total of 147,148 participants from 35 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-four studies were cross-sectional and 11 were cohort designs. Overall, hearing loss was associated with statistically significantly greater odds of depression in older adults (OR = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31−1.65). When studies were stratified by design, hearing loss was associated with greater odds of depression in cross-sectional studies (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.31−1.80) and cohort studies (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.16 − 1.67), and there was no difference between cross-sectional or cohort effect estimates (Q = 0.64, p = .42). There was no effect of moderator variables (i.e., hearing aid use) on the association between hearing loss and depression, but these findings must be interpreted with caution. There was no presence of publication bias but certainty in the estimation of the overall effect was classified as “low.” Older adults may experience increased odds of depression associated with hearing loss, and this association may not be influenced by study or participant characteristics.
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 26-04-2022
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-1567682/V1
Abstract: Purpose Childhood trauma is associated with increased risk of obesity during adulthood, which may be associated with the development of food addiction. This study examined whether food addiction mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and obesity in young adults. Methods A s le of 512 young adults, aged 18 to 30 years, living with overweight and obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 25kg/m 2 ), from the United Kingdom participated in the study. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and provided their current height and weight to compute their Body Mass Index (BMI). Results Using the PROCESS macro, a mediation analysis found that food addiction accounted for 45% of variance in the relationship between childhood trauma and BMI . Post-hoc analyses were conducted to examine the mediating effect of food addiction across each of the five subscales of the CTQ (emotional hysical/sexual abuse and emotional hysical neglect). Food addiction accounted for 32% to 51% of the variance in the relationship between each CTQ subscale and BMI. Conclusions These findings suggest that experiences of childhood trauma are associated with the development of overweight and obesity during early adulthood and up to half of this relationship can be attributed to food addiction, which is likely used as a maladaptive coping mechanism in response to trauma. Young adults living with overweight and obesity who report experiences of childhood trauma may benefit from the support of clinical and counselling psychologists to improve their understanding of the underlying psychosocial factors that influence their eating behaviours. Level of Evidence Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1155/2018/4318475
Abstract: This study examined whether standard cognitive training, tailored cognitive training, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), standard cognitive training + tDCS, or tailored cognitive training + tDCS improved cognitive function and functional outcomes in participants with PD and mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). Forty-two participants with PD-MCI were randomized to one of six groups: (1) standard cognitive training, (2) tailored cognitive training, (3) tDCS, (4) standard cognitive training + tDCS, (5) tailored cognitive training + tDCS, or (6) a control group. Interventions lasted 4 weeks, with cognitive and functional outcomes measured at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR: 12614001039673 ). While controlling for moderator variables, Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) showed that when compared to the control group, the intervention groups demonstrated variable statistically significant improvements across executive function, attention/working memory, memory, language, activities of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QOL Hedge’s g range = 0.01 to 1.75). More outcomes improved for the groups that received standard or tailored cognitive training combined with tDCS. Participants with PD-MCI receiving cognitive training (standard or tailored) or tDCS demonstrated significant improvements on cognitive and functional outcomes, and combining these interventions provided greater therapeutic effects.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-09-2016
DOI: 10.1038/SREP33929
Abstract: The current study examined the prevalence and subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in an Australian s le of people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Seventy participants with PD completed neuropsychological assessments of their cognitive performance, using MDS Task Force Level II diagnostic criteria for PD-MCI. A cut-off score of less than one standard deviation (SD) below normative data determined impaired performance on a neuropsychological test. Of 70 participants, 45 (64%) met Level II diagnostic criteria for PD-MCI. Among those with PD-MCI, 42 (93%) were identified as having multiple domain impairment (28 as amnestic multiple domain and 14 as nonamnestic multiple domain). Single domain impairment was less frequent (2 amnestic/1 nonamnestic). Significant differences were found between the PD-MCI and Normal Cognition groups, across all cognitive domains. Multiple domain cognitive impairment was more frequent than single domain impairment in an Australian s le of people with PD. However, PD-MCI is heterogeneous and current prevalence and subtyping statistics may be an artifact of variable application methods of the criteria (e.g., cut off scores and number of tests). Future longitudinal studies refining the criteria will assist with subtyping the progression of PD-MCI, while identifying in iduals who may benefit from pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-04-2019
Abstract: Minimizing disability is critical to reduce the costly health care associated with disability and maintain quality of life into old age. We examined the effect sizes of nonpharmacological intervention studies in reducing disability and explored the active ingredients of interventions. A scoping review was conducted via PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. Thirty-one randomized controlled trials were included. Eight active ingredients were identified by three experts (exercise, problem-solving, cognitive behavioral therapy, environmental modification, education, goal setting, comprehensive geriatric assessment, and cognitive training). The range of Cohen’s d was –0.85 to 1.76 across 31 studies (included 33 interventions) 67% studies (n = 22) obtained small-to-negative effect sizes (d = –0.85 to 0.18), accounting for 83% participants across studies. Interventions that incorporated exercise, problem-solving, cognitive behavior therapy, and environmental modification were associated with stronger effect sizes. Interventions that incorporated comprehensive geriatric assessment obtained small effect sizes. Majority of intervention studies found little or no effect in reducing disability for older adults. To optimize the effects of nonpharmacological interventions, we recommend researchers to (i) develop a screening tool for “risk of disability” to inform those who are early on the disability progression, yet not experience any difficulties in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living (ii) specify the active ingredients embedded in complex interventions to facilitate change in disability and (iii) select sensitive tools to capture the progression of disability in late life.
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 15-07-2014
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 24-12-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-02-2018
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-018-20784-5
Abstract: The cheerleader effect occurs when the same in idual appears to be more attractive when seen in a group, compared to alone. As observers over-attend to visual information presented in the left visual field, we investigated whether the spatial arrangement of the faces in a group would influence the magnitude of the cheerleader effect. In Experiment 1, target faces were presented twice in the centre of the display: once alone, and once in a group. Group images featured two distractor faces , which were presented in either the left or the right visual field, or on either side of the target. The location of the distractor faces did not modulate the size of the cheerleader effect, which was observed in each group configuration. In Experiment 2, we manipulated the location of the target faces , which were presented at the far left, far right, or centre of the group. Faces were again significantly more attractive in each group configuration, and the spatial location of the target face did not influence the size of the cheerleader effect. Together, our results show that the cheerleader effect is a robust phenomenon, which is not influenced by the spatial arrangement of the faces in the group.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-07-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S40519-022-01454-Y
Abstract: Childhood trauma is associated with increased risk of obesity during adulthood, which may be associated with the development of food addiction. This study examined whether food addiction mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and obesity in young adults. A s le of 512 young adults, aged 18 to 30 years, living with overweight and obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ), from the United Kingdom participated in the study. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and provided their current height and weight to compute their Body Mass Index (BMI). Using the PROCESS macro, a mediation analysis found that food addiction accounted for 45% of variance in the relationship between childhood trauma and BMI. Post hoc analyses were conducted to examine the mediating effect of food addiction across each of the five subscales of the CTQ (emotional hysical/sexual abuse and emotional hysical neglect). Food addiction accounted for 32% to 51% of the variance in the relationship between each CTQ subscale and BMI. These findings suggest that experiences of childhood trauma are associated with the development of overweight and obesity during early adulthood and up to half of this relationship can be attributed to food addiction, which is likely used as a maladaptive coping mechanism in response to trauma. Young adults living with overweight and obesity who report experiences of childhood trauma may benefit from the support of clinical and counselling psychologists to improve their understanding of the underlying psychosocial factors that influence their eating behaviours. Level V, cross-sectional analytic study.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-08-2022
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 07-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2023
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-09-2021
DOI: 10.1002/OBY.23266
Abstract: Weight‐biased attitudes and views held by health care professionals can have a negative impact on the patient‐provider relationship and the provision of care, but studies have found mixed results about the extent and nature of bias, which warrants a review of the evidence. A systematic review and random‐effects meta‐analysis were conducted by including studies up to January 12, 2021. A total of 41 studies met inclusion criteria, with 17 studies providing sufficient data to be meta‐analyzed. A moderate pooled effect (standardized mean difference = 0.66 95% CI: 0.37‐0.96) showed that health care professionals demonstrate implicit weight bias. Health care professionals also report explicit weight bias on the Fat Phobia Scale, Antifat Attitudes Scale, and Attitudes Towards Obese Persons Scale. Findings show that medical doctors, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, podiatrists, and exercise physiologists hold implicit and/or explicit weight‐biased attitudes toward people with obesity. A total of 27 different outcomes were used to measure weight bias, and the overall quality of evidence was rated as very low. Future research needs to adopt more robust research methods to improve the assessment of weight bias and to inform future interventions to address weight bias among health care professionals.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 05-06-2017
Abstract: Background. Many people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience cognitive decline. It is not known whether cognitive training or noninvasive brain stimulation are effective at alleviating cognitive deficits in PD. Objective. To examine cognitive training and non-invasive brain stimulation interventions for cognition in PD. Methods. An extensive search was conducted of published and unpublished studies in online databases. Studies were selected if they were controlled trials examining standard (not in idualized) or tailored (in idualized) cognitive training, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in PD, with outcomes measured by standardized neuropsychological tests. Results. Fourteen controlled trials met inclusion criteria. For executive function, the pooled effect size (Hedges’ g) for cognitive training (standard and tailored combined) was small ( g = 0.42) but statistically significant (95% CI 0.15-0.68). The pooled effect for standard cognitive training (alone) was medium ( g = 0.51) and significant (95% CI 0.16-0.85). For attention/working memory, small pooled effect sizes were found when combining standard and tailored cognitive training ( g = 0.23 95% CI 0.02-0.44) and for standard cognitive training alone ( g = 0.29 95% CI 0.04-0.53), both significant. For memory, small but significant pooled effect sizes were also found when combining standard and tailored cognitive training and for standard cognitive training alone. Conclusions. The results suggest that standard and tailored cognitive training may improve executive function, attention/working memory, and memory in PD. Future studies must adopt randomized controlled trial designs to explore the therapeutic potential of these interventions.
No related grants have been discovered for Blake Lawrence.