Addressing Cognitive Function and Psychological Well-Being in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review on the Use of Technology-Based Interventions.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at risk of both a gradual decline in cognitive function and an increase in psychological distress. This includes symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances, all of which are factors that have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In response, we are now seeing that interventions based on new digital technologies are increasingly used in order to optimize patients' quality of life.

Factors Influencing Intention to Technological Use in Older Adults. The TAM Model Aplication.

The use of digital technology by older adults has improved in recent years in response to the need for their functional adaptation to an increasingly technological social context. Understanding this type of technological adaptation has recently become an important field of inquiry in both social and gerontological studies. Working within this framework, the aim of this study is to identify the main determinants that influence the intention of older people to use digital technology in their daily lives, using the Technological Acceptance Model.

Research on Emotion Recognition and Dementias: Foundations and Prospects.

Background: The study of emotion recognition could be crucial for detecting alterations in certain cognitive areas or as an early sign of neurological disorders.

Objective: The main objective of the study is to characterize research development on emotion recognition, identifying the intellectual structure that supports this area of knowledge, and the main lines of research attracting investigators' interest.

Methods: We identified publications on emotion recognition and dementia included in the Web of Science Core Collection, analyzing the scientific output and main disciplines involved in generating knowledge in the area.

Behavioral impact of experience based on environmental enrichment: Influence of age and duration of exposure in male NMRI mice.

Prior studies have suggested that short periods of exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) in rodents induce physiological and behavioral effects. In the present study, our aim was to evaluate if the impact of experiences based on EE could be modulated by the age of onset and the developmental period of exposure. NMRI male mice (n = 64) were exposed to EE or standard environment (SE) and behavioral changes (anxiety, exploration, memory and social interaction) were evaluated.

The Mediational Role of Burden and Perceived Stress in Subjective Memory Complaints in Informal Cancer Caregivers.

The role of informal caregiver of cancer patients is considered a situation of chronic stress that could have impact on cognitive functioning. Our aim was to evaluate differences in perceived stress, subjective memory complaints, self-esteem, and resilience between caregivers and non-caregivers, as well as the possible mediational role of burden in caregivers. The sample was composed of 60 participants divided into two groups: (1) Primary informal caregivers of a relative with cancer (CCG) ( = 34); and (2) non-caregiver control subjects (Non-CG) ( = 26).

Physical activity and environmental enrichment: Behavioural effects of exposure to different housing conditions in mice.

Enriched environments and exercise provide complex environmental stimulation that can induce emotional and cognitive changes; however, few studies have evaluated the effects of these two components on other behaviours, such as novelty seeking or pain sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of voluntary physical activity provided through different housing conditions on anxiety, locomotor activity, pain sensitivity, and exploration. Male mice at postnatal day (PND) 21 and were randomly assigned to one of four different conditions on PND 28: Marlau cages (MC), a standardized cage designed to provide a complex environment; physical exercise in large groups (PE‑8); physical exercise in small groups (PE‑4); or a standard environment (SE).

An Animal Model of Alcohol Binge Drinking: Chronic-Intermittent Ethanol Administration in Rodents.

Binge drinking (BD), characterized by intermittent consumption of large quantities of alcohol in short periods of time, is the main alcohol consumption pattern in adolescents and young adults. BD has serious biomedical consequences, and it is a prominent risk factor for later development of alcohol use disorders. Rodent models offer exceptional power to study these negative consequences of BD.

Methods for Evaluating the Interaction Between Social Stress and Environmental Enrichment in Animal Models of Nicotine Addiction.

The environmental enrichment (EE) paradigm has been evaluated as a means of counteracting some of the consequences of chronic stress in rodents as well as a model of protective environment against drug abuse development. In the present chapter, our main aim is to describe the models of EE and chronic social stress and how they can be applied jointly in order to evaluate the effects of early psychosocial stress in animals exposed of different environments (enriched environment or standard environment). Furthermore, both paradigms could be applied in animal models of nicotine addiction, so the guidelines for the application of a chronic oral nicotine treatment in mice will be described.

Bupropion induces social anxiety in adolescent mice: Influence of housing conditions.

Background: The antidepressant bupropion has received increasing attention as a pharmacological tool to treat addiction although little is known about its effects on social behaviour in adolescents. The present study aimed to evaluate if environmental housing conditions influence bupropion's actions on social behaviour of adolescent mice.

Methods: Mice were either group- or individually housed for 2-weeks and then randomly divided into 2 cohorts: half of the mice remained in the initial housing condition and the other half were changed to isolated conditions for further 2-weeks.

Adolescent and adult mice display differential sensitivity to the effects of bupropion on the acquisition of a water maze task.

Background: Adolescence is characterized by major neurobiological changes, and the effects of some psychoactive drugs seem to differ between adolescents and adults. Bupropion, an antidepressant that is also used to treat nicotine addiction, induces behavioral actions in both adolescent and adult rodents. However, the effects of this drug on spatial ability have not been compared in animals at different stages of their development.

Corticosterone levels and behavioral changes induced by simultaneous exposure to chronic social stress and enriched environments in NMRI male mice.

Environmental enrichment (EE) is an experimental model which is believed to counteract some of the effects induced by stressors, although few studies have exposed rodents simultaneously to EE and stress. Our aim was to compare the short- and long-term effects of different housing conditions in mice submitted to chronic stress. 128 NMRI male mice arrived at our laboratory on postnatal day (PND) 21.

Differential effects of bupropion on acquisition and performance of an active avoidance task in male mice.

Bupropion is an antidepressant drug that is known to aid smoking cessation, although little experimental evidence exists about its actions on active avoidance learning tasks. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of this drug on two-way active avoidance conditioning. In this study, NMRI mice received bupropion (10, 20 and 40mg/kg) or saline before a daily training session (learning phase, days 1-4) in the active avoidance task.

Enriched environments for rodents and their interaction with nicotine administration.

An active lifestyle throughout the life cycle seems to delay cognitive aging and dementia and has also been evaluated as an intervention against addiction to cocaine and other drugs of abuse. In epidemiological studies with humans, it has proved difficult to separate the cognitive, social and physical components from other variables that influence lifestyle. Studies in animal models are useful for evaluating the impact of each of these factors and for uncovering the underlying mechanisms of the benefits of complex environments.

Behavioral effects of different enriched environments in mice treated with the cholinergic agonist PNU-282987.

Environmental enrichment is an experimental model in which rodents are housed in complex environments that favor lower levels of anxiety-like behavior. PNU-282987 (PNU) is a α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist with beneficial effects on learning though its effects on anxiety are unclear. Our main aim was to carry out a study of its effects in NMRI (n=96) mice reared in different environments: environmental enrichment (EE), Marlau™ cages (MC) and standard environment (SE).

Bupropion induced changes in exploratory and anxiety-like behaviour in NMRI male mice depends on the age.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the antidepressant bupropion on anxiety and novelty-seeking in adolescent mice of different ages and adults. Behavioural differences between early adolescent, late adolescent and adult NMRI mice were measured both in the elevated plus-maze and the hole-board tasks following acute administration of bupropion (5, 10, 15, 20mg/kg) or saline. In the plus maze test, early and late adolescent mice treated with bupropion (10, 15mg/kg, respectively) had lower percentages of entries in the open-arms compared to their vehicle controls.

Environmental enrichment improves novel object recognition and enhances agonistic behavior in male mice.

Environmental enrichment (EE) is an experimental paradigm in which rodents are housed in complex environments containing objects that provide stimulation, the effects of which are expected to improve the welfare of these subjects. EE has been shown to considerably improve learning and memory in rodents. However, knowledge about the effects of EE on social interaction is generally limited and rather controversial.

Behavioral effects of combined environmental enrichment and chronic nicotine administration in male NMRI mice.

Environmental enrichment (EE) is an experimental paradigm which provides sensory, social, physical and cognitive stimulation for rodents. Experimental evidence indicates that this type of housing induces different neurobiological and behavioral changes. However, few studies have evaluated the consequences of combined exposure to an enriched environment and nicotine administration during a critical period of development such as adolescence.

Potential benefits and limitations of enriched environments and cognitive activity on age-related behavioural decline.

The main aim of this chapter is to review preclinical studies that have evaluated interventions which may aid in preventing or delaying age-related behavioural decline. Animal models of Environmental Enrichment (EE) are useful for evaluating the influence of cognitive, physical and social stimulation in mitigating cognitive decline at different ages. The EE paradigm has been proposed as a non-invasive treatment for alleviating age-related memory impairment and neurodegenerative diseases.

Individual differences in novelty-seeking and behavioral responses to nicotine: a review of animal studies.

Individual differences in the behavioral responses to a novel environment have been proposed as a research tool to predict responsiveness to other behavioral tasks, response to certain events and individual vulnerability to nicotine addiction. In rats and mice, novelty seeking (defined as enhanced specific exploration of novel situations) is a complex behavior confirmed by a large body of neurochemical, endocrinological and behavioral data. We review the main standardized procedures employed to measure the novelty seeking trait in rodents and the ontogeny of this behavior throughout the life-span taking into account that novelty seeking can be permanently modified as a consequence of particular early experiences, maternal care, and environmental enrichment.

Differential sensitivity to the effects of nicotine and bupropion in adolescent and adult male OF1 mice during social interaction tests.

Few studies have compared the action of both nicotine (NIC) and bupropion (BUP), an antidepressant used to treat NIC dependence, on social and aggressive behavior at different ages. This study aims to determine whether these drugs produce differential effects in adolescent (postnatal day: 36-37) and adult (postnatal day: 65-66) mice that have been housed individually for 2 weeks in order to induce aggressive behavior. Mice received BUP (40, 20, or 10 mg/kg), NIC (1, 0.

Effects of bupropion, alone or coadministered with nicotine, on social behavior in mice.

Bupropion, administered alone or combined with nicotine, is presently used to treat nicotine dependence. Despite experimental evidence of the complex behavioral actions of this drug, there have been little data reported about its effects on social behavior. Our main aim was to investigate the effects of acute administration of bupropion, alone or plus nicotine, on social interaction in mice.

Neuroprotective effects of behavioural training and nicotine on age-related deficits in spatial learning.

Studies in humans and animals show a clear decline in spatial memory with age and several approaches have been adopted to alleviate this impairment. The purpose of our review is to assess the studies that have suggested the possible neuroprotective actions of behavioural training and nicotine-applied both independently and in conjunction-on age-related deficits in spatial learning. Both spatial pretraining and nonspatial experiences influence an animal's performance in spatial tasks.

Effects of co-administration of bupropion and nicotinic agonists on the elevated plus-maze test in mice.

There is evidence that the cholinergic nicotinic system is involved in the modulation of anxiety. Anxiolytic and anxiogenic effects of nicotine agonists have been reported in mice. Bupropion is an antidepressant drug which may alleviate some symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, although its effects on anxiety are not clear.

Effects of housing and nicotine on shuttle-box avoidance in male NMRI mice.

The present study aimed to evaluate whether housing condition could interact with nicotine administration in influencing the acquisition of a two-way active avoidance task. Male NMRI mice were either group- or individually housed for 30 days and, after this period, evaluated both in the actimeter and, 24h later, in the elevated plus-maze. On the basis of the percentage of time spent in the open arms of the plus-maze, both group- and individually housed mice were sub-classified into three groups with high, moderate or low anxiety baseline levels.