Systematic Review of Studies on Subliminal Exposure to Phobic Stimuli: Integrating Therapeutic Models for Specific Phobias.

We systematically review 26 papers investigating subjective, behavioral, and psychophysiological correlates of subliminal exposure to phobic stimuli in phobic patients. Stimulations were found to elicit: (1) cardiac defense responses, (2) specific brain activations of both subcortical (e.g.

Age Trends in Well-Being and Depressive Symptoms: the Role of Social Desirability.

This study was conducted to determine whether age-related variance in social desirability mediates age trends in psychological health. Self-report measures assessing depressive symptoms, well-being and social desirability were administered to wide age range sample (158 participants aged 20-101 years) from Sardinia, an Italian region located in the Mediterranean Sea being characterized by high level of longevity. Binary correlations showed that ageing was significantly correlated with fewer depressive symptoms and greater well-being; social desirability was significantly correlated with fewer depressive symptoms and higher well-being; age and social desirability were positively correlated.

Motor stroke recovery after tDCS: a systematic review.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor recovery in adult patients with stroke, taking into account the parameters that could influence the motor recovery responses. The second aim was to identify the best tDCS parameters and recommendations available based on the enhanced motor recovery demonstrated by the analyzed studies. Our systematic review was performed by searching full-text articles published before February 18, 2019 in the PubMed database.

Alexithymia and Psychological Distress in Patients With Fibromyalgia and Rheumatic Disease.

Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic rheumatologic disease characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and other psychopathological symptoms which have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. FMS is frequently associated with alexithymia, a multidimensional construct characterized by difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) and verbally communicating them difficulty describing feelings (DDF) and an externally oriented cognitive thinking style (EOT). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between alexithymia, anxious and depressive symptoms and pain perception, in patients with FMS and other rheumatic diseases (RD).

Numeracy Skills and Self-Reported Mental Health in People Aging Well.

This study investigated the relationship between numerical accuracy (i.e, number comprehension and mental calculation) and self-reported depression in late adulthood. Whether social context (i.

Memory, Subjective Memory and Motor Functioning in Non-Demented Elders With and Without Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurological condition characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms impacting life quality. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of PD on objective (i.e.

SODA: a new questionnaire for the assessment of life satisfaction in late life span.

Background: Established measures of well-being rarely examine active lifestyle or religious behaviors. Though these could be assessed using individual measures, in older populations, the availability of a brief composite instrument with adequate psychometric properties would be desirable.

Aims: Two studies were conducted to assess the psychometric properties (i.

Psychological markers of longevity in Sardinian centenarians: the impact of developmental factors and social desirability.

A body of research documented that the study of mental health of the oldest individuals may contribute to understand the psychological characteristics of longevity. This study had two related aims. First, to fully characterize the psychological health of Sardinian elders in the very late adult span.

Self-reported physical and mental health and motor functioning in elders with and without Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurological disorder characterized by motor symptoms and other clinical conditions, such as cognitive impairment, negative mood, anxiety. The present study explored the impact of PD on self-reported physical and mental health, objective cognition and postural control. The relationship among these variables was examined in order to understand the impact on quality of life.

Sex-dependent and sex-independent muscle activation patterns in adult gait as a function of age.

Introduction: Aging leads to poorer neuromuscular control that may impact mobility. However, the specific decades when these changes occur, and whether these time-based changes are sex-specific, are unclear.

Methods: Adults aged 20-82 years (N = 93, 51 females) walked six gait trials at their preferred speed over a 10-m platform.

Resilience in Elders of the Sardinian Blue Zone: An Explorative Study.

: older adults from the Sardinian Blue Zone self-report low depressive symptoms and high psychological well-being. However, the role of dispositional resilience as a determinant of these characteristics is unknown. : the current study had three aims.

Cognitive failures in late adulthood: The role of age, social context and depressive symptoms.

The incidence of self-reported cognitive failures among older adults may be an index of successful cognitive aging. However, self-reported cognitive failures are biased by variation in depressive symptomatology. This study examined age-related and socio-cultural context effects on cognitive failures while controlling for depressive symptoms.

Psychological Well-Being in Italian Families: An Exploratory Approach to the Study of Mental Health Across the Adult Life Span in the Blue Zone.

Self-reported measures of psychological well-being and depressive symptoms were examined across differently aged family members, while controlling for the impact of marital status and personal satisfaction about family and non-family relations. Twenty-one grandchildren (i.e.

The impact of leisure on mental health of Sardinian elderly from the 'blue zone': evidence for ageing well.

Background: There has been scientific interest in the Sardinia population for a number of years and for a variety of reasons, including its extreme longevity. This is especially prevalent in the central-eastern region of the island, where a blue zone region has been precisely delineated.

Aims: The present study examines the influence of leisure activities on psychological well-being and depressive symptoms in elderly individuals living in the blue zone region of inner Sardinia.

The immediate retrieval of verbal sequences in late-life span: a developmental approach.

The present study aims to explore the mechanisms underpinning forward and backward immediate serial recall in young (i.e., 20-30 years), old (i.

Does social desirability influence psychological well-being: perceived physical health and religiosity of Italian elders? A developmental approach.

Objective: This study was mainly aimed at exploring the relationship between psychological well-being and lifestyle, religion, perceived physical health and social desirability of Italian elders.

Methods: Four hundred and six cognitively healthy 65-99 years old participants were recruited from the Italian isle of Sardinia, where a high prevalence of centenarians is registered. Participants were presented with several tools assessing psychological well-being, lifestyle, social desirability, religiosity and subjective physical health.

Do self-referent metacognition and residential context predict depressive symptoms across late-life span? A developmental study in an Italian sample.

Objectives: There is controversial evidence concerning the variables favoring depression in community-dwelling elderly individuals. This study mainly investigates the impact of lifestyle, residential environment, cognitive efficiency and social desirability in predicting self-assessed depressive signs in late adult span.

Method: One hundred forty-nine elders were recruited in Northern Italy and Sardinia - an Italian island characterized by the longevity of people living in the inner areas.

Life satisfaction and social desirability across the late life span: what relationship?

Purpose: The current study mainly aimed to investigate the impact of social desirability in predicting life satisfaction in cognitively healthy elderly people.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-eight 65- to 99-year-old adults were recruited in Sardinia, an Italian Isle known for the longevity of its inhabitants, and were presented a battery of questionnaires assessing subjective well-being, metacognitive efficiency, depressive symptoms and socially desirable responding style.

Results: An analysis of covariance and a hierarchical regression analysis showed that the social desirable style does have a marginal impact on self-referent measures of life satisfaction.