Publications by authors named "Donna Lang"

Background: The pathophysiology of protracted symptoms after COVID-19 is unclear. This study aimed to determine if long-COVID is associated with differences in baseline characteristics, markers of white matter diffusivity in the brain, and lower scores on objective cognitive testing.

Methods: Individuals who experienced COVID-19 symptoms for more than 60 days post-infection (long-COVID) (n = 56) were compared to individuals who recovered from COVID-19 within 60 days of infection (normal recovery) (n = 35).

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Introduction: Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a cognitive-based, task-specific intervention recommended for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). We recently showed structural and functional brain changes after CO-OP, including increased cerebellar grey matter. This study aimed to determine whether CO-OP intervention induced changes in cortical grey matter volume in children with DCD, and if these changes were associated with improvements in motor performance and movement quality.

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Introduction: The cause of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is unknown, but neuroimaging evidence suggests that DCD may be related to altered brain development. Children with DCD show less structural and functional connectivity compared to typically developing (TD) children, but few studies have examined cortical volume in children with DCD. The purpose of this study was to investigate cortical grey matter volume using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in children with DCD compared to TD children.

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Objective: To examine cognitive intraindividual variability (IIV) dispersion as a predictor of everyday functioning and mortality in persons who are homeless or precariously housed.

Method: Participants were 407 community-dwelling adults, followed for up to 13 years. Neurocognition was assessed at baseline and IIV dispersion was derived using a battery of standardized tests.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the relationship between drug-induced movement disorders (DIMDs) and psychotic symptoms among homeless individuals in Vancouver, highlighting differences in how specific types of DIMDs correlate with particular psychotic symptoms.
  • - Analysis included 401 participants, revealing that parkinsonism is linked to increased negative symptoms, dyskinesia to disorganized symptoms, and akathisia to excited symptoms, but no association with depressive symptoms.
  • - Temporal associations found that delusions and unusual thoughts often precede parkinsonism, while dyskinesia leads to greater conceptual disorganization later on, emphasizing the complex interplay between these conditions in vulnerable populations.
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Housing insecurity is associated with co-occurring depression and pain interfering with daily activities. Network analysis of depressive symptoms along with associated risk or protective exposures may identify potential targets for intervention in patients with co-occurring bodily pain. In a community-based sample of adults (n = 408) living in precarious housing or homelessness in Vancouver, Canada, depressive symptoms were measured by the Beck Depression Inventory; bodily pain and impact were assessed with the 36-item Short Form Health Survey.

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The approach to analysis of and interpretation of findings from the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a self-report questionnaire, depends on sample characteristics. To extend work using conventional BDI scoring, the BDI's suitability in assessing symptom severity in a homeless and precariously housed sample was examined using Rasch analysis. Participants (n=478) recruited from an impoverished neighbourhood in Vancouver, Canada, completed the BDI.

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Objective: Many individuals living in precarious housing or homelessness have multimorbid illnesses, including substance use, psychiatric, and neurological disorders. Movement disorders (MDs) associated substance use are amongst the poorly studied subtopics of drug-induced MDs. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to determine the proportion affected and severity of different signs of MDs, as well as their associations with substance use in a community-based sample of precariously housed and homeless individuals.

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Homeless and precariously housed persons exhibit significant memory impairment, but the component processes underlying memory dysfunction have not been explored. We examined the serial position profile (i.e.

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Background: Homeless or precariously housed individuals live with poor health and experience premature mortality compared with the general population, yet little is known about age-related brain changes among these individuals. We evaluated whether MRI measures of brain structure are differentially associated with age and selected risk factors among individuals who are homeless or precariously housed compared with a general population sample.

Methods: We compared T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging measures of brain macrostructure and white matter microstructure in a well-characterised sample of 312 precariously housed participants with a publicly available dataset of 382 participants recruited from the general population.

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Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that significantly impairs a child's ability to learn motor skills and to perform everyday activities. The cause of DCD is unknown; however, evidence suggests that children with DCD have altered brain structure and function. While the cerebellum has been hypothesised to be involved in developmental coordination disorder, no studies have specifically examined cerebellar structure in this population.

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Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects a child's ability to learn motor skills. Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is one of the recommended treatments to help achieve functional motor goals. The purpose of this study was to determine if CO-OP intervention induces functional improvements and structural changes in the cerebellum of children with DCD.

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Cavities in the hippocampus are morphological variants of uncertain significance. Aberrant neurodevelopment along with vascular and inflammatory etiologies have been proposed. We sought to characterize these cavities and their potential risk factors in a marginally housed population, with high rates of viral infection, addiction, and mental illness.

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Pain and related consequences could contribute to comorbid illness and premature mortality in homeless and precariously housed persons. We analyzed longitudinal data from an ongoing naturalistic prospective study of a community-based sample (n = 370) to characterize risk factors and consequences of bodily pain. The aims were to describe bodily pain and associations with symptoms and psychosocial function, investigate factors that may increase or ameliorate pain, and examine the consequences of pain for symptoms, functioning, and all-cause mortality.

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Article Synopsis
  • Homeless and precariously housed individuals have a high rate of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), with a study in Vancouver documenting 175 TBIs among 326 participants over a year.
  • Key incidents leading to TBIs included falls, assaults, and head impacts, with factors like acute intoxication and opioid dependence increasing TBI risk.
  • The findings highlight a critical need for better healthcare strategies to address TBIs in this vulnerable population, underscoring the importance of targeted prevention efforts.
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Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of exercise training in persons living with schizophrenia. However, the optimal exercise training program remains unclear. The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined aerobic and resistance training on health-related physical fitness and positive and negative symptoms in persons living with schizophrenia.

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Article Synopsis
  • Opioid use, both prescribed and non-prescribed, is common among marginalized groups, often starting from prescribed pain medications.
  • A study interviewed 440 individuals living in precarious housing about their bodily pain and opioid use over the past month to explore the pain-opioid use relationship.
  • Results showed that factors like being female, younger age, and early exposure to opioids predicted current use, but surprisingly, there was no link between current bodily pain levels and opioid use.
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Second-generation antipsychotic medications are used to treat schizophrenia and a range of other psychotic disorders, although adverse effects, including cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities and extrapyramidal symptoms, are often inevitable. Studies have shown that exercise, as an adjunct therapy, can be effective in reducing the core symptoms of schizophrenia as well as ameliorating intrinsic and antipsychotic-induced cardiometabolic abnormalities. However, it is noteworthy that exercise may need to be implemented with caution in some individuals receiving certain antipsychotic treatment regimens.

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The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is a widely used measure of decision making, but its value in signifying behaviors associated with adverse, "real-world" consequences has not been consistently demonstrated in persons who are precariously housed or homeless. Studies evaluating the ecological validity of the IGT have primarily relied on traditional IGT scores. However, computational modeling derives underlying component processes of the IGT, which capture specific facets of decision making that may be more closely related to engagement in behaviors associated with negative consequences.

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Article Synopsis
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is highly prevalent in homeless and precariously housed individuals, with 82.1% of a studied sample reporting a history of TBI, particularly linked to violence.
  • The severity and timing of TBI, especially moderate or severe cases, are closely associated with the onset of homelessness and the duration of unstable housing.
  • Females experienced a higher rate of TBIs due to physical abuse, highlighting a significant gender difference in the causes of TBI within this population.
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Background: People living in precarious housing or homelessness have higher than expected rates of psychotic disorders, persistent psychotic symptoms, and premature mortality. Psychotic symptoms can be modeled as a complex dynamic system, allowing assessment of roles for risk factors in symptom development, persistence, and contribution to premature mortality.

Method: The severity of delusions, conceptual disorganization, hallucinations, suspiciousness, and unusual thought content was rated monthly over 5 years in a community sample of precariously housed/homeless adults ( = 375) in Vancouver, Canada.

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Background And Purpose: We aim to describe the burden, characteristics, and cognitive associations of cerebral small vessel disease in a Canadian sample living with multimorbidity in precarious housing.

Methods: Participants received T1, T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and susceptibility-weighted imaging 3T magnetic resonance imaging sequences and comprehensive clinical, laboratory, and cognitive assessments. Cerebral small vessel disease burden was characterized using a modified Small Vessel Disease (mSVD) score.

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Longitudinal studies of cannabis exposure during early adolescence in the general population frequently report an increased risk of subsequently developing psychotic symptoms or a psychotic illness. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the effects of early cannabis exposure on psychosis in homeless and precariously housed adults, who represent a population afflicted with high rates of psychosis. The aim of the present study was to examine how early cannabis exposure (by age 15) compared to later first use (after age 15) affected the expression of adult psychosis in this population.

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Background: The "trimorbidity" of substance use disorder and mental and physical illness is associated with living in precarious housing or homelessness. The extent to which substance use increases risk of psychosis and both contribute to mortality needs investigation in longitudinal studies.

Methods And Findings: A community-based sample of 437 adults (330 men, mean [SD] age 40.

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