Mario Fioravanti

International Preferences in Selecting Mates: A Study of 37 Cultures

This study sought to identify the effects of culture and sex on mate preferences using samples drawn world-wide. Thirty-seven samples were obtained from 33 countries located on six continents and five islands (N = 9,474). Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed strong effects of both culture and sex, moderated by specific mate characteristics. Chastity proved to be the mate characteristic on which cultures varied the most. The preference ordering of each sample was contrasted with an international complement. Each culture displayed a unique preference ordering, but there were some similarities among all cultures as reflected in a positive manifold of the cross-country correlation matrix. Multidimensional scaling of the cultures yielded a five dimensional solution, the first two of which were interpreted. The first dimension was interpreted as Traditional versus Modern, with China, India, Iran, and Nigeria anchoring one end and the Netherlands, Great Britain, Finland, and Sweden anchoring the other. The second dimension involved valuation of education, intelligence, and refinement. Consistent sex differences in value attached to eaming potential and physical attractiveness supported evolution-based hypotheses about the importance of resources and reproductive value in mates. Discussion emphasizes the importance of psychological mate preferences for scientific disciplines ranging from evolutionary biology to sociology.

A meta-analysis of cognitive deficits in adults with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

This review identified 1275 studies examining cognitive deficits in people with schizophrenia, published between 1990 and 2003. Data from 113 studies (4365 patients and 3429 controls) were combined in a meta-analysis carried out on the five cognitive domains of IQ, memory, language, executive function, and attention. Studies were excluded where they lacked a suitable control group or failed to present complete information. In all five cognitive domains, analysis indicated a consistent trend for patients to perform more poorly than healthy controls, with significant heterogeneity across studies. Sources of heterogeneity were analyzed and a need to ensure more appropriate composition of patient and control groups and to adopt a more refined and methodologically correct, hypothesis-driven approach was identified.

Cognitive deficits in schizophrenia: an updated metanalysis of the scientific evidence.

BackgroundThis is an update of a previous meta-analysis published in 2005.MethodsIt includes the data published up to march 2010 for a total of 247 papers and 18,300 cases. Cognitive deficits are examined in 5 different domains: Memory functioning (128 studies), Global cognitive functioning (131 studies), Language (70 studies), Executive function (67 studies), Attention (76 studies). Only controlled studies were included: patients vs. normal subjects.ResultsResults evidence that in all domains and in all different analyses performed within each domain, patients show a significant reduction of cognitive efficiency with respect to normal subjects. The between studies heterogeneity is very high in almost all domains. There are various sources of this heterogeneity (age, sex, sample size, type of patients, and type of measurement) which contribute to the high degree of not-overlapping information offered by the single studies.ConclusionsOur results, based on the current scientific evidence, confirm the previous findings that there is a generalized impairment of various cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia when compared to normal cases. The modalities with which these results are obtained have not changed over the years and the more recent studies do not modify the high heterogeneity previously found between the studies. This reduces the methodological quality of the results. In order to improve the methodological quality of the studies performed in the field of cognitive deficits of patients with schizophrenia, various factors should be taken into account and better managed in designing future studies.

Low folate levels in the cognitive decline of elderly patients and the efficacy of folate as a treatment for improving memory deficits

The relevance of low folate levels as determinants of cognitive deficits and the usefulness of folate supplementation in the treatment of cognitive deficits was reviewed from the literature. Over 40 papers and book chapters published in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish were examined. This represents those papers published in the international literature in the last 10 years which were identified by various key words including folate, cognition and aging (or ageing). Among these papers, only 13 articles specifically addressed issues relevant to the criteria adopted for this review. The remaining papers were principally concerned with depression and or with other pathologies of the aged associated with folate deficiency. Although the specific role of low folate levels in the physiopathology of dementia is still under debate, a growing consensus is emerging in the literature where low folate as well as cobalamin levels in aged patients with cognitive deficits are being considered as a sign of functional problems in the absorption and utilization of vitamins, and not merely as a sign of bad eating habits. In studies where folate compounds were evaluated for treatment effects, the results of a majority of investigations indicated that folate treatment was effective in lessening cognitive deficits. Treatment efficacy, however, has not yet been sufficiently demonstrated by these results because there were no controlled studies and the methodology was heterogeneous for the evaluation of cognitive characteristics. An ad hoc double-blind, controlled versus placebo pilot study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of folic acid in 30 aged patients with abnormal cognitive decline and folate level below 3 ng/ml to better understand the value of this type of intervention. Our results from this preliminary study demonstrated that patients treated with folic acid for 60 days showed a significant improvement on both memory and attention efficiency when compared with a placebo group. The intensity of memory improvement was positively correlated with initial severity of folate deficiency. On the contrary, the severity of initial cognitive decline was unrelated to the degree of folate deficiency.

Systematic review of the body of evidence for the use of biomarkers in the diagnosis of dementia.

Although recent diagnostic criteria for Alzheimers disease propose the use of biomarkers, validation of these biomarkers by diagnostic test accuracy studies is a necessary first step, followed by the synthesis of the evidence from these studies in systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. The quality of the resulting evidence depends on the number and size of the primary studies, their quality, and the adequacy of their reporting. This systematic review assesses the weight and quality of the evidence available from primary diagnostic test accuracy studies.

Idebenone in senile dementia of Alzheimer type: A multicentre study

Idebenone is a new cerebro-active drug, effective in dementia disorders, particularly indicated in primary degenerative dementias, i.e. Alzheimers disease. This new molecule acts as an electron trapper and a free radical scavenger protecting mitochondrial membranes from lipid peroxidation. A multicentric, double-blind trial of idebenone (45 mg twice daily orally) vs. placebo was carried out on 102 elderly patients affected by Alzheimer-type dementia of mild or moderate severity. Idebenone was administered for 4 consecutive months, 45 mg twice daily. Clinical evaluations were performed at the time of enrollment (t0) and monthly thereafter (t30, t60, t90 and t120) and at follow-up (t150 ). Tolerability to idebenone treatment was good and was associated with a statistically significant improvement of memory, attention and behaviour. It is worthwhile noting that these cognitive and behavioral findings were observed after the first month of treatment with enhancement evident in the following period.

Therapeutic Use of Nicergoline

The ergot alkaloid derivative nicergoline became clinically available about 35 years ago in the 1970s. Nicergoline has a broad spectrum of action: (i) as an α1-adrenoceptor antagonist, it induces vasodilation and increases arterial blood flow; (ii) it enhances cholinergic and catecholaminergic neurotransmitter function; (iii) it inhibits platelet aggregation; (iv) it promotes metabolic activity, resulting in increased utilization of oxygen and glucose; and (v) it has neurotrophic and antioxidant properties. Acting on several basic pathophysiological mechanisms, nicergoline has therapeutic potential in a number of disorders. This article provides an overview of the published clinical evidence relating to the efficacy and safety of nicergoline (30 mg twice daily) in the treatment of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia) and vascular and balance disorders.For dementia of different aetiologies, the therapeutic benefit of nicergoline has been established, with up to 89% of patients showing improvements in cognition and behaviour. After as little as 2 months of treatment, symptom improvement is apparent compared with placebo, and most patients are still improved or stable after 12 months. Concomitant neurophysiological changes in the brain indicate (after only 4–8 weeks’ treatment) improved vigilance and information processing. In patients with balance disorders, mean improvements of 44–78% in symptom severity and quality of life have been observed with nicergoline. Although clinical experience with nicergoline in vascular disorders is limited to relatively short-term, small-scale studies, it has been successfully used in rehabilitation therapy of patients with chronic ischaemic stroke. Open-label evaluations suggest that nicergoline may also be valuable in glaucoma, depression and peripheral arteriopathy.Adverse events of nicergoline, if any, are related to the central nervous system, the metabolic system and the overall body. Most are considered typical symptoms of ergot derivatives. Because of their generally mild and transient nature, treatment discontinuations occur relatively infrequently.The efficacy of nicergoline combined with a favourable safety and tolerability profile at commonly applied doses (60 mg/day) make this agent a valuable therapy in patients with mild to moderate dementia, vascular diseases and balance disorders.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated patterns of memory decline.

The relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cognitive functioning was analyzed in a study with 50 aging patients. A complex pattern of interactions was identified between emotional and cognitive functioning and chronic respiratory disease when the effects of age, sex, type and severity of disease were controlled. These patients did not show any global and diffuse cognitive impairment. Only a portion of COPD patients (about 30%) evidenced memory impairment which was confined to immediate memory. Memory impairment found in these patients did not appear to be associated with those changes present in the aging process but was mainly related to those specific clinical and instrumental parameters which are considered valid indicators of respiratory efficiency. Two types of cognitive and emotional problems were identified. A progressive stage-dependent set of characteristics was associated with the course of the disease and a fluctuating, probably reversible state-dependent set of characteristics was associated with the temporary condition of the patients during the period of examination. Patients who had received more recent medical treatment or who were under protection of vaccination for influenza showed a better cognitive and emotional efficiency.

Is urinary 1-hydroxypyrene a valid biomarker for exposure to air pollution in outdoor workers? A meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and specificity of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPu) as a biomarker of the exposure from urban pollution to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among outdoor workers in a meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis was performed according to standard methods, and the results show that the concentrations of 1-OHPu tend to be higher in exposed workers than in unexposed workers (if we exclude two highly heterogeneous articles), in exposed non-smokers than in unexposed non-smokers and in exposed than in unexposed workers who were carriers of the CYP1A1 genotype and in those with the glutathione-S-transferase M1 (−)genotype. These genotypes enhance the effect of exposure, particularly in non-smokers. Smoking reduces the differences between exposed and unexposed subjects. In conclusion, our results suggest that the use of the 1-OHPu biomarker appears to be reliable for studying occupational exposure to PAHs from urban pollution, as long as environmental and behavioural factors are considered.

CBF and cognitive evaluation of Alzheimer type patients before and after IMAO-B treatment: a pilot study

Ten patients diagnosed as affected by primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer type, with a mild to moderate cognitive and behavioral impairment, were studied in a double blind design when taking for 60 days 5 mg twice a day of L-deprenyl or placebo. Cognitive functions and cerebral blood flow were assessed at the beginning and at the end of treatment by a wide array of memory, attention, and language efficiency measures and by SPECT-99TcHMPAO procedure. Reduced CBF on the parietal lobes was demonstrated in the patients at baseline together with a reduction of memory and cognitive efficiency. At the end of the treatment patients who received L-deprenyl showed an improvement in cognitive efficiency and no changes in CBF, while patients treated with placebo showed a worsening of cognitive efficiency and further reduction of parietal lobe CBF.