Digital Commons Network^™

Editorial: Midlife Brain Health: Understanding Brain Aging In Middle-Age And Effects Of Interventions To Prevent Neurodegeneration In Late Life, Junyeon Won, Marissa A. Gogniat, Takuya Kurazumi, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

With the rapid increase in the aging population, the prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) has risen significantly, affecting over 55 million people worldwide in 2023, with projections suggesting this number will exceed 78 million by 2030 (Better, 2023). While much research has been focused on understanding and treating AD in older adults, there is growing emphasis on early interventions to prevent its onset (Crous-Bou et al., 2017; Dohm-Hansen et al., 2024). In this regard, middle-age has gained recognition as a critical period for the development and prevention of AD (Ritchie et al., 2017). For example, …

Alcohol Misuse During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Stressors And Intersectionality Among Latinx Women, Lucas Torres, Alison Cerezo, Isaiah J. Jones, Fiorella L. Carlos Chavez, German Cadenas

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives:

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated previously existing disparities and introduced new challenges for individuals living at the intersection of marginalized identities, such as Latinx women. For instance, increases in alcohol use have been noted during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet it is unclear which circumstances experienced are more likely to predict alcohol use among Latinx women.

Method:

The present study sought to identify the profile of intersectional factors, namely immigrant status, socioeconomic standing, and age, and COVID-19 stressors that predicted high or hazardous alcohol use among 1,227 Latinx women living in the United States.

Results:

The main findings, in the …

Professional Skills For Behavior Analysts: A Survey On The Proficiency And Importance Of Hard And Soft Skills, Landon S. Cowan, Tiffany Kodak

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals seeking certification as board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) require training in both hard and professional (soft) skills. Trainees seeking certification complete coursework, supervised fieldwork experience, and a BCBA exam that assesses mastery of hard skills. However, training and mastery of soft skills is not as defined. BCBAs are also expected to maintain these skills throughout their career. Previous research has shown that soft skills are viewed as important by clients and their caregivers but are not consistently demonstrated from those providing services. Research also suggests that BCBA trainees may not consistently receive training on soft skills. The current study …

Rethinking Behavioral Reassignment In School Systems: A Restorative Model For Holistic Intervention, Gabriel M. Velez, Thomas Durkin, Kristin Haglund, John H. Grych, Julie Novak, Sherri Walker, Emily Goldstein Nolan, Amanda Krzykowski, Janessa Doucette, Drew Deluito, Bridget Schock

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Growing evidence over the last few decades has highlighted that punitive approaches in schools perpetuate violence, furthering inequities, deepening issues of safety, and negatively impacting young people’s development. These impacts are particularly felt in under-resourced urban schools situated in contexts of community violence. Partially, in response, an increasing number of schools and school districts are engaging in restorative practices. This trauma-informed, strengths-based framework focuses on relationships, healing, and accountability. This article contributes to the growing literature on the potential of restorative justice to promote equity in urban schools and educational systems by outlining the development and model of a restorative …

A Whole-Brain Voxel-Based Analysis Of Structural Abnormalities In Ptsd: An Enigma-Pgc Study, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit smaller regional brain volumes in commonly reported regions including the amygdala and hippocampus, regions associated with fear and memory processing. In the current study, we have conducted a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) meta-analysis using whole-brain statistical maps with neuroimaging data from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD working group.

Methods

T1-weighted structural neuroimaging scans from 36 cohorts (PTSD n = 1309; controls n = 2198) were processed using a standardized VBM pipeline (ENIGMA-VBM tool). We meta-analyzed the resulting statistical maps for voxel-wise differences in gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes between PTSD patients and …

Anxiety And Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Comorbidity Rates And Symptom Associations, Kathryn E. Barber, Isabella F. Cram, Elyse C. Smith, Leila K. Capel, Ivar Snorrason, Douglas W. Woods

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) disorders, including hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania [TTM]) and skin picking disorder (SPD), frequently co-occur with anxiety disorders, but reported comorbidity rates vary widely. Additionally, research on the relationship between anxiety and BFRB symptoms has yielded inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis and systematic review examined (1) the prevalence of comorbid anxiety disorders in individuals with BFRB disorders and (2) correlations between anxiety and BFRB symptom measures. The study protocol was pre-registered on PROSPERO. A systematic search of PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science identified 119 studies (N=15,902) reporting anxiety prevalence rates in BFRB disorders and/or correlations between anxiety …

Surgeons, Physiatrists And Neurologists Speaking "Edx And Nerve Surgery": A Paradigm Shift For Nerve Injured Patients, Deng Pan, Aneri U Patel, J Megan Patterson, Anna Rose Johnson, Travis Gordon, Susan E Mackinnon

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Surgeons' ability to interpret electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies has greatly enhanced patient selection and outcome for nerve surgeries as it has informed our understanding of the classification of nerve injury. EDX measures axons present, lost, or demyelinated. It does not measure an area where axons experience chronic ischemia, making a Sunderland Zero nerve injury a clinical diagnosis that should be suspected when patients have normal EDX, decreased recruitment on electromyography (EMG), and no atrophy. Only observation of recovery in the earliest postoperative period would confirm a Sunderland Zero. In this article, we present an expanded classification of nerve injury, highlighting Sunderland …

Data‐Driven Approach To Dynamic Resting State Functional Connectivity In Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Enigma‐Pgc Ptsd Study, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with aberrations in brain networks in the absence of a given cognitive demand or task, called resting-state networks. Prior work has focused on disruption in the static functional connectivity (FC) among specific regions constrained by a priori hypotheses. However, dynamic FC, an approach that examines brain network characteristics over time, may provide a more sensitive measure to understand the network properties underlying dysfunction in PTSD. Further, using a data-driven analytic approach may reveal the contribution of other larger network disturbances beyond those revealed by hypothesis-driven …

Domain Mapping Of Disease Mutations Reveals Pathogenic Sorl1 Variants In Alzheimer's Disease, Olav M. Andersen, Carlos Cruchaga, Maria Victoria Fernandez, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Multi-Ancestry Genome-Wide Meta-Analysis Of 56,241 Individuals Identifies Known And Novel Cross-Population And Ancestry-Specific Associations As Novel Risk Loci For Alzheimer's Disease, Farid Rajabli, Bruno A. Bonitez, Nigel J. Cairns, John C. Morriswashington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis, Carlos Cruchaga, Oscar Harari, Laura Ibanez, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.