The model of fear of movement/(re)injury runs clockwise from catastrophizing: evidence from a sample of outpatients with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Objective: To provide evidence that catastrophizing is the primer of the cognitive-behavioural model of fear of movement/(re)injury (FAM).

Design: A cross-sectional analysis of 180 outpatients with chronic non-specific low back pain who completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Depression (HADS-D), and a pain intensity numerical rating scale (NRS). The intercorrelations of the outcome measures were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r), and regression analyses were used to examine their predictive values by following the left side of the FAM clockwise from the PCS (p = 0.

Patient engagement, quality of life and chronic pain: A cross-sectional study on endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting approximately 1 in 10 women of childbearing age, significantly impacting their daily lives, mental health, and quality of life. This study explores the relationship between chronic pain, patient engagement, and quality of life among women with endometriosis. Utilizing a sample of 354 women the study employed the WHOQOL-BREF, Patient Health Engagement Scale, and Numerical Pain Rating Scale to measure QoL, engagement, and pain intensity, respectively.

Hemodynamics and cerebral oxygenation during acute exercise in moderate normobaric hypoxia and with concurrent cognitive task in young healthy males.

The present investigation aimed to study the cardiovascular responses and the cerebral oxygenation (Cox) during exercise in acute hypoxia and with contemporary mental stress. Fifteen physically active, healthy males (age 29.0 ± 5.

Impact of information technology supported serious leisure gardening on the wellbeing of older adults: The Turntable project.

Objective: The study presented in this paper aimed to assess the effect of an Information Technology enabled community gardening program for older adults, developed by an international consortium.

Methods: We have executed a quantitative, pre- and post-test field trial with older adult volunteers to test the proposed programme in two European countries, Italy and Belgium (n=98). We used standardized and ad hoc questionnaires to measure changes in the volunteers' mental and psychological state during the trial.

Executive Functions and Mood States in Athletes Performing Exercise Under Hypoxia.

Hypoxia can impair cognitive performance, whereas exercise can enhance it. The effects of hypoxia on cognitive performance during exercise appear to be moderated by exercise duration and intensity and by severity and duration of hypoxia and cognitive task. In normal individuals, exercise under hypoxia can evoke adverse post-exercise mood states, such as tension and fatigue.

Combined mental task and metaboreflex impair cerebral oxygenation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Cardiovascular regulation is altered by type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), producing an abnormal response to muscle metaboreflex. During physical exercise, cerebral blood flow is impaired in patients with DM2, and this phenomenon may reduce cerebral oxygenation (COX). We hypothesized that the simultaneous execution of a mental task (MT) and metaboreflex activation would reduce COX in patients with DM2.

Affective Variables and Cognitive Performances During Exercise in a Group of Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Previous research has documented that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with cognitive impairment. Psychological variables were repeatedly investigated to understand why T2DM patients are poorly active, despite standards of medical care recommends performing aerobic and resistance exercise regularly and reducing the amount of time spent sitting. This exploratory study aims to investigate how affective variables as thoughts, feelings, and individuals' stage of exercise adoption can modulate low cognitive performances during an experimental procedure based on exercise.

The Rebooting in Sports and Physical Activities After COVID-19 Italian Lockdown: An Exploratory Study.

The lockdown imposed in Italy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 posited unusual challenges to people practicing sports and physical activities. The rebooting of activities highlighted the need to cope with new behaviors and routines, such as wearing a face mask while exercising. We conducted a web-based survey in Italy at the start of physical activities' rebooting, to investigate how people reacted to the new norms.

Effect of Combined Mental Task and Metaboreflex Activation on Hemodynamics and Cerebral Oxygenation in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome.

The hemodynamic response to muscle metaboreflex has been reported to be significantly altered by metabolic syndrome (MS), with exaggerated systemic vascular resistance (SVR) increments and reduced cardiac output (CO) in comparison to healthy controls (CTLs). Moreover, patients with metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, have proven to have impaired cerebral blood flow in response to exercise. Thus, we hypothesized that contemporary mental task (MT) and metaboreflex would result in reduced cerebral oxygenation (COX) in these patients.

The Relationships between Physical Activity, Self-Efficacy, and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis.

Regular physical activity (PA) can enhance the physical and mental health of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) because of its impact on muscular strength, mobility, balance, walking, fatigue, pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Previous studies have hypothesized that the relationship between PA and HRQoL is mediated by self-efficacy. The aim of this research is to evaluate whether self-efficacy in goal setting and self-efficacy in the management of symptoms, mediate the relationship between PA and HRQoL, in a similar way to exercise self-efficacy.

Effects of Metabolic Syndrome on Cognitive Performance of Adults During Exercise.

The metabolic syndrome (MS) has been associated with poor performances in multiple cognitive domains, as processing speed, visuo-spatial abilities, and executive functioning. Exercise is a critical factor for MS people's vulnerability to cognitive dysfunction, because this may be beneficial to reduce cognitive impairment, but limited physical activity and impaired cerebral blood flow in response to exercise have been reported by individuals suffering from MS. Using an attentional interference test, the Bivalent Shape Task (BST), and metaboreflex, we analyzed cognitive performance and cerebral oxygenation (COX) in 13 MS people (five women), and 14 normal age-matched control (CTL, six women).

The Use of Digital Technologies, Impulsivity and Psychopathological Symptoms in Adolescence.

Past research on the associations between psychopathological symptoms and technological-based addictions, i.e., Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Social Media Addiction (SMA), showed contradictory results in adolescents and adult populations.

Quantitative assessment of gait parameters in people with Parkinson's disease in laboratory and clinical setting: Are the measures interchangeable?

This study aimed to investigate possible differences in spatio-temporal gait parameters of people with Parkinson's Disease (pwPD) when they are tested either in laboratory using 3D Gait Analysis or in a clinical setting using wearable accelerometers. The main spatio-temporal gait parameters (speed, cadence, stride length, stance, swing and double support duration) of 31 pwPD were acquired: i) using a wearable accelerometer in a clinical setting while wearing shoes (ISS); ii) same as condition 1, but barefoot (ISB); iii) using an optoelectronic system (OES) undressed and barefoot. While no significant differences were found for cadence, stance, swing and double support duration, the experimental setting affected speed and stride length that decreased (by 17% and 12% respectively, P<0.

The Use of Footstep Sounds as Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation for Gait Rehabilitation in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The use of rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) has been proven useful in the management of gait disturbances associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Typically, the RAS consists of metronome or music-based sounds (artificial RAS), while ecological footstep sounds (ecological RAS) have never been used for rehabilitation programs.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a rehabilitation program integrated either with ecological or with artificial RAS.

An evaluation of the Movement ABC-2 Test for use in Italy: A comparison of data from Italy and the UK.

Background: The standardized test within the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition (MABC-2) is used worldwide to assess motor problems in children. Ideally, any country using a test developed in another country should produce national norms to ensure that it functions effectively in the new context.

Aim: The first objective of this study was to explore the differences in motor performance between Italian and British children.

Enhanced recovery pathway in elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery: is there an effect of increasing ages? Results from the perioperative Italian Society Registry.

Previous studies reported that enhanced recovery pathway (ERP) is safe in elderly who did not require a specifically tailored protocol. In previous studies, elderly have been considered as a homogeneous cohort and the cut-off value to identify them was different. The aim of the present study is to assess the compliance to ERP and its impact on postoperative outcome in three subgroups of elderly patients with increasing ages.

Impact of laparoscopy on adherence to an enhanced recovery pathway and readiness for discharge in elective colorectal surgery: Results from the PeriOperative Italian Society registry.

Introduction: Previous studies reported that laparoscopic surgery (LPS) improved postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing colorectal surgery within an enhanced recovery program (ERP). However, the effect of minimally invasive surgery on each ERP item has not been clarified, yet. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of LPS on adherence to ERP items and recovery as measured by time to readiness for discharge (TRD).

Effects of Physical Rehabilitation Integrated with Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation on Spatio-Temporal and Kinematic Parameters of Gait in Parkinson's Disease.

Movement rehabilitation by means of physical therapy represents an essential tool in the management of gait disturbances induced by Parkinson's disease (PD). In this context, the use of rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) has been proven useful in improving several spatio-temporal parameters, but concerning its effect on gait patterns, scarce information is available from a kinematic viewpoint. In this study, we used three-dimensional gait analysis based on optoelectronic stereophotogrammetry to investigate the effects of 5 weeks of supervised rehabilitation, which included gait training integrated with RAS on 26 individuals affected by PD (age 70.

Physical activity interventions in schools for improving lifestyle in European countries.

In the last decades, children's and adolescents' obesity and overweight have increased in European Countries. Unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle have been recognized to determine such an epidemic. Schools represent an ideal setting to modify harmful behaviors, and physical activity could be regarded as a potential way to avoid the metabolic risks related to obesity.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and body satisfaction. An application of the transtheoretical model in older adults.

Physical activity (PA) is a relevant component of the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, to prevent its related morbidities, PA requires an immediate and lasting change of lifestyle. Exercise self-efficacy and body satisfaction were used in a sample of older adults with T2DM, classified in different stages of change, to predict levels of PA.

Validation of an Italian version of the Oxford happiness inventory in adolescence.

An Italian adaptation of the Oxford Happiness Inventory was administered to 782 adolescents. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to examine the first- and second-order factorial structure of the scale and its invariance across gender; internal consistency and construct validity were also investigated. ESEM underlined a 5-factor structure (mastery and self-fulfillment, satisfaction with life, vigor, social interest, and social cheerfulness) that measures positive psychological functioning.

[A critical review of Italian Children's Depression Scale].

Introduction: In the present paper we investigate the factor structure of the Italian version of the Children's Depression Scales (CDS).

Methods: We analyzed the responses at the questionnaires of 592 subjects (9-16 years old) and we studied three factor structures previous considered in literature. As a first step, we replicated an exploratory factor analyses and, then, a two and three-factor solutions analyzed by a confirmatory factorial analysis.