Max Rapp-Ricciardi

Cognitive disability in alzheimer's disease and its management

Cognitive disability linked to neurodegenerative diseases and in particular to Alzheimers disease, remains an increasing cause for concern through a dramatic prevalence increment and associated socio-economic burdens. Initially Alzheimers disease develops asymptomatically with primary clinical signs, such as memory impairment, decline of spatial and perceptual abilities, occurring at a later stage. This delay implies the possibility of promoting early interventions during the pre-symptomatic stage of the disease. Different strategies have been applied in order to prevent/delay onset of Alzheimers disease or at least to improve quality of life and health conditions of Alzheimers disease patients and their caregivers, especially in the absence of current viable therapies. Multidomain interventions, aimed at affecting several risk factors simultaneously, offer a versatility that may attain improved outcomes in comparison with single-domain prevention trials. These multidomain interventions involve diet, physical exercise, cognitive training and social activities, while music therapy, improving self-consciousness and reducing neurofibrils, may contribute to deceleration/delay onset of Alzheimers disease progression. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides broad applications to improve quality of life and well-being of Alzheimers disease patients and caregivers, suffering from psychological distress, as well as reducing additional public health costs.

Factor analysis of the Swedish version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen: Swedish Dark Triad Dirty Dozen

The aim of this study was to test the proposed three-factor structure of the Swedish version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen measure. A confirmatory factor analysis showed mixed evidence for model fit. In contrast to expectations, men did not score significantly higher than women in Machiavellianism and narcissism. Nevertheless, men scored higher than women in psychopathy.

IRT analyses of the Swedish Dark Triad Dirty Dozen

Background The Dark Triad (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) can be captured quickly with 12 items using the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (Jonason and Webster, 2010). Previous Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses of the original English Dark Triad Dirty Dozen have shown that all three subscales adequately tap into the dark domains of personality. The aim of the present study was to analyze the Swedish version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen using IRT. Method 570 individuals (nmales = 326, nfemales = 242, and 2 unreported), including university students and white-collar workers with an age range between 19 and 65 years, responded to the Swedish version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (Garcia et al., 2017a,b). Results Contrary to previous research, we found that the narcissism scale provided most information, followed by psychopathy, and finally Machiavellianism. Moreover, the psychopathy scale required a higher level of the latent trait for endorsement of its items than the narcissism and Machiavellianism scales. Overall, all items provided reasonable amounts of information and are thus effective for discriminating between individuals. The mean item discriminations (alphas) were 1.92 for Machiavellianism, 2.31 for narcissism, and 1.99 for psychopathy. Conclusion This is the first study to provide IRT analyses of the Swedish version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen. Our findings add to a growing literature on the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen scale in different cultures and highlight psychometric characteristics, which can be used for comparative studies. Items tapping into psychopathy showed higher thresholds for endorsement than the other two scales. Importantly, the narcissism scale seems to provide more information about a lack of narcissism, perhaps mirroring cultural conditions.

Personal attributes linked to empowerment that influence receptivity to coaching leadership

ABSTRACT The present study assessed affective profiles, locus of control and posttraumatic growth (thriving) as factors determining the receptivity of managers to assimilate new knowledge, skills and insights associated with the coaching leadership paradigm. Data were assembled using a web-based survey among 385 managers who participated in a leadership development programme focused on coaching leadership skills and practices. The data were analysed using three stepwise multiple regression analyses. We found differences regarding respondents’ (managers) capability of developing according to the programme. Positive affect (PA), internal locus of control and posttraumatic growth predicted managers’ receptivity to assimilate the relevant knowledge, skills, insights and coaching tools. The results support the notion that PA, an internal locus of control and the propensity for posttraumatic growth contributes to empowerment through adoption of a coaching leadership style.

Physical Exercise for Life-Long Health

Physical activity/exercise as a general health requirement to ensure normal, healthy development of structure and function in children and adolescents as well as over the lifecycle remains an essential ingredient, as evidenced from global Public Health physical activity guidelines Hitchins et al. [1]; Lauer et al. [2], not least due to prevailing concerns regarding body mass in the younger, middle-aged and aged individuals Duberg et al. [3]; Schmidt et al. [4]; Sylvester et al. [5]. Physical exercise paradigms imply remarkably complex biological reciprocal interactions, invoking polygenic intercommunication within cells, tissues/organs, systems, with conspicuous cross-talk occurring among the elements of cardiovascular fitness and different expressions of health and wellbeing Ruegsegger et al. [6]. Increasingly, health clubs and institutions that cater for variants upon endurance and resistance training programs utilize appropriate conditioning-design and supervisory measures to describe: (i) moderate-intensity aerobic activity, (ii) vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, (iii) muscle-strengthening activity, and (iv) bonestrengthening activity that ensure safety and prospects for compliance. These programs have been planned carefully to promote muscular strength and limb-power, to ameliorate cardiovascular risk profiles, develop motor skills and performance, to offer a superior resilience to sports injuries, advance psychological well-being and provide self-fulfillment, and optimize cognitive functioning Hattar et al. [7]; Langguth et al. [8]; Ross et al. [9]. Exercise promotes healthy brain condition by reducing inflammation, suppressing oxidative stress and stabilizing physiological homeostasis Luongo et al. [10]; Mann et al. [11]; St Clair Gibson et al. [12].

Legal medical consideration of Alzheimer’s disease patients’ dysgraphia and cognitive dysfunction a 6 month follow up

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients to express intentions and desires, and their decision-making capacity. This study examines the findings from a 6-month follow-up of our previous results in which 30 patients participated. Materials and methods The patient’s cognition was examined by conducting the tests of 14 questions and letter-writing ability over a period of 19 days, and it was repeated after 6 months. The difference between these two cognitive measures (PQ1 before–PQ2 before), tested previously and later the writing test, was designated DΔ before. The test was repeated after 6 months, and PQ1 after–PQ2 after was designated DΔ after. Results Several markedly strong relationships between dysgraphia and other measures of cognitive performance in AD patients were observed. The most aged patients (over 86 years), despite less frequency, maintain the cognitive capacity manifested in the graphic expressions. A document, written by an AD patient presents an honest expression of the patient’s intention if that document is legible, clear, and comprehensive. Conclusion The identification of impairment/deficits in writing and cognition during different phases of AD may facilitate the understanding of disease progression and identify the occasions during which the patient may be considered sufficiently lucid to make decisions.