Effects of Conventional Milk Versus Milk Containing Only A2 β-Casein on Digestion in Chinese Children: A Randomized Study.

Objectives: In this study, we hypothesized that replacing conventional milk, which contains A1 and A2 β-casein proteins, with milk that contains only A2 β-casein in the diet of dairy or milk-intolerant preschoolers (age 5 to 6 years) would result in reduced gastrointestinal symptoms associated with milk intolerance, and that this would correspond with cognitive improvements.

Methods: This randomized, double-blind, crossover study aimed to compare the effects of 5 days' consumption of conventional milk versus milk containing only A2 β-casein on gastrointestinal symptoms, as assessed via visual analog scales, average stool frequency and consistency, and serum inflammatory and immune biomarkers in healthy preschoolers with mild-to-moderate milk intolerance. The study also aimed to compare changes in the cognitive behavior of preschoolers, based on Subtle Cognitive Impairment Test scores.

Randomised clinical trial: reducing the intake of dietary FODMAPs of breastfeeding mothers is associated with a greater improvement of the symptoms of infantile colic than for a typical diet.

Background: Therapeutic diets for infantile colic lack evidence. In breastfed infants, avoiding "windy" foods by the breastfeeding mother is common.

Aim: To examine the effects of a maternal low-FODMAP (Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols) diet compared to a typical-Australian diet on infant crying-fussing durations of infants with colic in a randomised, double-blind, crossover feeding study.

Cognitive impairment in Crohn's disease is associated with systemic inflammation, symptom burden and sleep disturbance.

Background: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) frequently complain of cognitive difficulties such as problems with concentration and clouding of thought, yet this has scarcely been objectively defined and underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Objective: The objective of this article is to objectively measure cognitive impairments in patients with CD compared with healthy controls, and if present, to identify potentially modifiable, contributing factors associated with cognitive impairment.

Methods: CD patients and healthy age-/sex-matched controls completed surveys encompassing clinical, demographic, psychiatric, fatigue and sleep parameters.

Computer use in primary care practices in Canada.

Objective: To examine the use of computers in primary care practices.

Design: The international Quality and Cost of Primary Care study was conducted in Canada in 2013 and 2014 using a descriptive cross-sectional survey method to collect data from practices across Canada. Participating practices filled out several surveys, one of them being the Family Physician Survey, from which this study collected its data.

Gluten-induced cognitive impairment ("brain fog") in coeliac disease.

Much is known about the serious neurological effects of gluten ingestion in coeliac disease patients, such as sporadic ataxia and peripheral neuropathy, although the causal links to gluten are still under debate. However, such disorders are observed in only a small percentage of coeliac patients. Much less is known about the transient cognitive impairments to memory, attention, executive function, and the speed of cognitive processing reported by the majority of patients with coeliac disease.

Randomised clinical trial: the efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy is similar to that of the low FODMAP diet for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: A low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet is effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Aim: To compare the effects of gut-directed hypnotherapy to the low FODMAP diet on gastrointestinal symptoms and psychological indices, and assess additive effects.

Methods: Irritable bowel syndrome patients were randomised (computer-generated list), to receive hypnotherapy, diet or a combination.

Effects of milk containing only A2 beta casein versus milk containing both A1 and A2 beta casein proteins on gastrointestinal physiology, symptoms of discomfort, and cognitive behavior of people with self-reported intolerance to traditional cows' milk.

Background: Cows' milk generally contains two types of β-casein, A1 and A2 types. Digestion of A1 type can yield the peptide β-casomorphin-7, which is implicated in adverse gastrointestinal effects of milk consumption, some of which resemble those in lactose intolerance. This study aimed to compare the effects of milk containing A1 β-casein with those of milk containing only A2 β-casein on inflammation, symptoms of post-dairy digestive discomfort (PD3), and cognitive processing in subjects with self-reported lactose intolerance.

Characterising receptive language processing in schizophrenia using word and sentence tasks.

Introduction: Language dysfunction is proposed to relate to the speech disturbances in schizophrenia, which are more commonly referred to as formal thought disorder (FTD). Presently, language production deficits in schizophrenia are better characterised than language comprehension difficulties. This study thus aimed to examine three aspects of language comprehension in schizophrenia: (1) the role of lexical processing, (2) meaning attribution for words and sentences, and (3) the relationship between comprehension and production.

Validity of a screening tool for detecting subtle cognitive impairment in the middle-aged and elderly.

The present study tested 121 middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling individuals on the computer-based Subtle Cognitive Impairment Test (SCIT) and compared their performance with that on several neuropsychological tests. The SCIT had excellent internal consistency, as demonstrated by a high split-half reliability measure (0.88-0.

Cognitive impairment in coeliac disease improves on a gluten-free diet and correlates with histological and serological indices of disease severity.

Background: Mild impairments of cognition or 'Brain fog' are often reported by patients with coeliac disease but the nature of these impairments has not been systematically investigated.

Aim: This longitudinal pilot study investigated relationships between cognitive function and mucosal healing in people with newly diagnosed coeliac disease commencing a gluten-free diet.

Methods: Eleven patients (8 females, 3 males), mean age 30 (range 22-39) years, were tested with a battery of cognitive tests at weeks 0, 12 and 52.

Efficacy of cognitive processes in young people with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder using a novel visual information-processing task.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterised by a unique pattern of preserved abilities and deficits within and across cognitive domains. The Complex Information Processing Theory proposes this pattern reflects an altered capacity to respond to cognitive demands. This study compared how complexity induced by time constraints on processing affect cognitive function in individuals with ASD and typically-developing individuals.

Randomised clinical trial: gluten may cause depression in subjects with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity - an exploratory clinical study.

Background: Current evidence suggests that many patients with self-reported non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) retain gastrointestinal symptoms on a gluten-free diet (GFD) but continue to restrict gluten as they report 'feeling better'.

Aim: To investigate the notion that a major effect of gluten in those with NCGS is on mental state and not necessarily on gastrointestinal symptoms.

Methods: Twenty-two subjects (24-62 years, five male) with irritable bowel syndrome who had coeliac disease excluded but were symptomatically controlled on a GFD, undertook a double-blind cross-over study.

Effects on cognition of conventional and robotically assisted cardiac valve operation.

Background: The effect of valve surgical procedures on cognition was investigated in patients undergoing conventional or robotically assisted techniques. The confounding factors of surgical procedure, mood state, preexisting cognitive impairment, and repeated experience with cognitive tests were controlled for.

Methods: Patients undergoing conventional valve procedures (n = 15), robotically assisted valve procedures (n = 15), and thoracic surgical procedures (n = 15), along with a nonsurgical control group (n = 15) were tested preoperatively, 1 week after operation, and 8 weeks after operation by use of a battery of cognitive tests and a mood state assessment.

Recovery of cognitive function after coronary artery bypass graft operations.

Background: The effect of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations on cognition was examined after controlling for the operation, emotional state, preexisting cognitive impairment, and repeated experience with cognitive tests.

Methods: On-pump CABG patients (n=16), thoracic surgical patients (n=15), and a nonsurgical control group (n=15) were tested preoperatively, and at 1 and 8 weeks postoperatively, using a battery of cognitive tests and an emotional state assessment. Patient groups were similar in age, sex, level of education, and premorbid intelligence quotient score.

Brief report: The relationship between language skills, adaptive behavior, and emotional and behavior problems in pre-schoolers with autism.

This study investigated the relationship between structural language skills, and communication skills, adaptive behavior, and emotional and behavior problems in pre-school children with autism. Participants were aged 3-5 years with autism (n = 27), and two comparison groups of children with developmental delay without autism (n = 12) and typically developing children (n = 20). The participants were administered standardised tests of structural language skills, and parents completed the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and the Developmental Behaviour Checklist.

Morphological and syntactic skills in language samples of pre school aged children with autism: atypical development?

This study investigated whether children with autism have atypical development of morphological and syntactic skills, including whether they use rote learning to compensate for impaired morphological processing and acquire grammatical morphemes in an atypical order. Participants were children aged from 3-6 years who had autism (n = 17), developmental delay without autism (n = 7), and typically-developing children (n = 19). Language samples were taken from participants during the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, and transcripts were coded using the Index of Productive Syntax, and for usage of Brown's grammatical morphemes.

Subtle cognitive impairment in elders with Mini-Mental State Examination scores within the 'normal' range.

Objective: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is commonly used as a screening test for dementia, yet MMSE scores above the cut-off for dementia (24-30) are widely thought to have limited utility, particularly in older persons. The study investigates whether scores within this range can be indicative of pre-symptomatic levels of cognitive impairment.

Methods: Ninety-six community-dwelling older persons aged 62-89  years (mean = 75.

Lexical processing in individuals with high-functioning autism and Asperger's disorder.

The presence or absence of clinically delayed language development prior to 3 years of age is a key, but contentious, clinical feature distinguishing autism from Asperger's disorder. The aim of this study was to examine language processing in children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger's disorder (AD) using a task which taps lexical processing, a core language ability. Eleven individuals with HFA, 11 with AD and 11 typically developing (TD) individuals completed a masked priming task, a psycholinguistic paradigm that directly examines lexical processes.

Impaired perceptual judgment at low blood alcohol concentrations.

Males and females show different patterns of cognitive impairment when blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) are high. To investigate whether gender differences persist at low BACs, cognitive impairment was tested in 21 participants (11 female, 10 male) using a brief computerized perceptual judgment task that provides error rate and response time data. Participants consumed a measured dose of alcohol (average peak BAC: females: 0.