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Evaluating Immunopathogenic Biomarkers During Severe Malaria Illness as Modifiers of the Neuropsychologic Benefits of Computer Cognitive Games Rehabilitation in Ugandan Children.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:We explored 3 immunopathogenic biomarkers collected during acute malaria illness as potential moderators of gains from a computerized cognitive rehabilitation training (CCRT) intervention. METHOD:Von Willebrand Factor (vWF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and Regulated on Activation, Normal T Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) were assayed from plasma and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of children during acute severe malaria anemia or cerebral malaria. Two years after acute malaria illness, 150 surviving children and 150 nonmalaria community controls (CCs) from their households 6-12 years old entered a 3-arm randomized controlled trial of titrating and nontitrating CCRT against no CCRT. Tests of cognition [Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC)], Tests of Variables of Attention and Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were administered before and after 24 CCRT sessions over a 3-month period, and at 1-year follow-up. Differences in outcomes by trial arms and biomarker levels were evaluated using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS:Severe malaria survivors with lower levels of vWF, lower CSF levels of TNF and higher levels of plasma and CSF RANTES had better KABC cognitive performance after both titrating and nontitrating CCRT compared with no CCRT. For the CBCL, high plasma RANTES was associated with no benefit from either the titrating and nontitrating CCRT, whereas high TNF plasma was predictive of the benefit for both interventions. These biomarker moderating effects were not evident for CC children. CONCLUSIONS:Severe malaria immunopathogenic biomarkers may be related to poorer long-term brain/behavior function as evidenced by diminished benefit from a computerized cognitive rehabilitation intervention.

SUBMITTER: Boivin MJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6629482 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evaluating Immunopathogenic Biomarkers During Severe Malaria Illness as Modifiers of the Neuropsychologic Benefits of Computer Cognitive Games Rehabilitation in Ugandan Children.

Boivin Michael J MJ Sikorskii Alla A Nakasujja Noeline N Ruiseñor-Escudero Horacio H Familiar-Lopez Itziar I Opoka Robert O RO Giordani Bruno B

The Pediatric infectious disease journal 20190801 8

<h4>Background</h4>We explored 3 immunopathogenic biomarkers collected during acute malaria illness as potential moderators of gains from a computerized cognitive rehabilitation training (CCRT) intervention.<h4>Method</h4>Von Willebrand Factor (vWF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and Regulated on Activation, Normal T Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) were assayed from plasma and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of children during acute severe malaria anemia or cerebral malaria. Two years after acute mala ...[more]

PMID: 31232898

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Computerized cognitive rehabilitation training (CCRT) may be beneficial for alleviating persisting neurocognitive deficits in Ugandan severe malaria survivors. We completed a randomized controlled trial of CCRT for both severe malaria and non-malaria cohorts of children. METHODS:150 school-age severe malaria and 150 non-malaria children were randomized to three treatment arms: 24 sessions of Captain's Log CCRT for attention, working memory and nonverbal reasoning, in which training on each of 9 tasks difficulty increased with proficiency; a limited CCRT arm that did not titrate to proficiency but randomly cycled across the simplest to moderate level of training; and a passive control arm. Before and after 2 months of CCRT intervention and one year following, children were tested with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (KABC-II), computerized CogState cognitive tests, the Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Function (BRIEF), and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). RESULTS:Malaria children assigned to the limited-CCRT intervention arm were significantly better than passive controls on KABC-II Mental Processing Index (P = 0.04), Sequential Processing (working memory) (P = 0.02) and the Conceptual Thinking subtest (planning/reasoning) (P = 0.02). At one year post-training, the limited CCRT malaria children had more rapid CogState card detection (attention) (P = 0.02), and improved BRIEF Global Executive Index (P = 0.01) as compared to passive controls. Non-malaria children receiving CCRT significantly benefited only on KABC-II Conceptual Thinking (both full- and limited-CCRT; P < 0.01), CogState Groton maze chase and learning (P < 0.01), and CogState card identification (P = 0.05, full CCRT only). Improvements in KABC-II Conceptual Thinking planning subtest for the non-malaria children persisted to one-year follow-up only for the full-CCRT intervention arm. CONCLUSION:For severe malaria survivors, limited CCRT improved attention and memory outcomes more than full CCRT, perhaps because of the greater repetition and practice on relevant training tasks in the absence of the performance titration for full CCRT. There were fewer significant cognitive and behavior benefits for the non-malaria children, with the exception of the planning/reasoning subtest of Conceptual Thinking, with stronger full- compared to limited-CCRT improvements persisting to one-year follow-up.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Recent research has highlighted naturalistic uptake as a key barrier to maximizing the impact of mental health technologies. Although there is increasing evidence regarding the efficacy of digital interventions for mental health, as demonstrated through randomized controlled trials, there is also evidence that technologies do not succeed as expected when deployed in real-world settings. OBJECTIVE:This paper describes the naturalistic deployment of Pesky gNATs, a computer game designed to support cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children experiencing anxiety or low mood. The objective of this deployment study was to identify how therapists use Pesky gNATs in real-world settings and to discover positive and negative factors. On the basis of this, we aimed to derive generalizable recommendations for the development of mental health technologies that can have greater impact in real-world settings. METHODS:Pesky gNATs has been made available through a not-for-profit organization. After 18 months of use, we collected usage and user experience data from therapists who used the game. Data were collected through an online survey and semistructured interviews addressing the expectations and experiences of both therapists and young people. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes in the interview and survey data. RESULTS:A total of 21 therapists, who used Pesky gNATs with 95 young people, completed the online survey. Furthermore, 5 therapists participated in the follow-up interview. Confirming previous assessments, data suggest that the game can be helpful in delivering therapy and that young people generally liked the approach. Therapists shared diverse opinions regarding the young people for whom they deemed the game appropriate. The following 3 themes were identified: (1) stages of use, (2) impact on the delivery of therapy, and (3) customization. We discuss therapists' reflections on the game with regard to their work practices and consider the question of customization, including the delicate balance of adaptable interaction versus the need for fidelity to a therapeutic model. CONCLUSIONS:This study provides further evidence that therapeutic games can support the delivery of CBT for young people in real-world settings. It also shows that deployment studies can provide a valuable means of understanding how technologies integrate with the overall mental health ecosystem and become a part of therapists' toolbox. Variability in use should be expected in real-world settings. Effective training, support for therapist autonomy, careful consideration of different approaches to customization, the reporting of deployment data, and support for communities of practice can play an important role in supporting variable, but effective, use.

Project description:BackgroundApproximately two thirds of stroke survivors maintain upper limb (UL) impairments and few among them attain complete UL recovery 6 months after stroke. Technological progress and gamification of interventions aim for better outcomes and constitute opportunities in self- and tele-rehabilitation.ObjectivesOur objective was to assess the efficacy of serious games, implemented on diverse technological systems, targeting UL recovery after stroke. In addition, we investigated whether adherence to neurorehabilitation principles influenced efficacy of games specifically designed for rehabilitation, regardless of the device used.MethodThis systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registration number: 156589). Two independent reviewers searched PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for eligible randomized controlled trials (PEDro score ≥ 5). Meta-analysis, using a random effects model, was performed to compare effects of interventions using serious games, to conventional treatment, for UL rehabilitation in adult stroke patients. In addition, we conducted subgroup analysis, according to adherence of included studies to a consolidated set of 11 neurorehabilitation principles.ResultsMeta-analysis of 42 trials, including 1760 participants, showed better improvements in favor of interventions using serious games when compared to conventional therapies, regarding UL function (SMD = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.24 to 0.70; P < 0.0001), activity (SMD = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.46; P = 0.02) and participation (SMD = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.29 to 1.03; P = 0.0005). Additionally, long term effect retention was observed for UL function (SMD = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.79; P = 0.03). Interventions using serious games that complied with at least 8 neurorehabilitation principles showed better overall effects. Although heterogeneity levels remained moderate, results were little affected by changes in methods or outliers indicating robustness.ConclusionThis meta-analysis showed that rehabilitation through serious games, targeting UL recovery after stroke, leads to better improvements, compared to conventional treatment, in three ICF-WHO components. Irrespective of the technological device used, higher adherence to a consolidated set of neurorehabilitation principles enhances efficacy of serious games. Future development of stroke-specific rehabilitation interventions should further take into consideration the consolidated set of neurorehabilitation principles.

Project description:Attention is a basic and main mental task and can play an important role in the functioning of other brain abilities such as intelligence, memory, learning, and perception, and its deficit occurs in 80% of patients with traumatic brain injury. The use of game-based tools for rehabilitation is rapidly expanding. Cognitive rehabilitation via video games is an emerging hot topic in cognitive science. Serious games serve a specific purpose in addition to entertainment. They can be more engaging than exercises since they replace reward and motivation systems with real-world motivations as a complement for rehabilitation activities. This study was aimed at identifying and categorizing serious computer games used for attention rehabilitation and evaluating their effects. Six electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, ISI, Embase, IEEE, and Cochrane) were searched in August 2021. The search strategy consisted of three main concepts of "serious game", "cognitive deficits", and "cognitive rehabilitation". The inclusion criteria were (1) journal articles, (2) English language, (3) being published in the last 10 years, (4) human participants, and (5) game-based intervention. In the 30 included studies, 22 unique games were utilized for attention rehabilitation. Lumosity (20%), Brain Age (Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training) (10%), and MoHRS (6.66%) were the most common games among the studies. There were (57%) casual, (23%) action, (10%) simulation, and (10%) multiple genres. Of the 47 tools used in the studies, 5 utilized cross-modal oddball attention tasks, 4 utilized game performance, 3 utilized the paced auditory serial additional test (PASAT), and the rest employed other tools. A total of 73 outcome measures were related to attention, 42 measures did not have significant results, 30 were significantly improved, 1 was significantly deteriorated, and 4 articles did not have any specific measures for attention evaluation. Thus, the results revealed the positive effect of serious games on attention. However, issues such as absence of scientific teams, the variety of the disorders that cause defects, the variety of criteria, differences in measurements, lack of long-term follow-up, insufficient RCT studies, and small sample sizes should be considered when designing, developing, and using game-based systems to prevent bias.

Project description:Purpose: People with severe mental illness are sedentary, have high cardio-metabolic risks and significantly reduced life expectancy. Despite considerable data regarding positive physical and mental health outcomes following exercise interventions, implementation and evaluation of real-world programs is lacking. The primary aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of an exercise intervention implemented by exercise physiology (EP) students within a residential rehabilitation unit for residents with severe mental illness, together with assessment of a range of secondary physical and mental health outcomes pre- and post- the intervention. Design: Single arm, prospective pilot study evaluating outcomes pre- and post- a 10 week intervention. Method: Inactive people with severe mental illness participated in a mixed aerobic and resistance exercise intervention, three times per week for 10 weeks. Data was obtained from a sample of 16 residents with severe mental illness; primary diagnosis schizophrenia (n = 12). Primary outcomes were feasibility as assessed using recruitment, retention and participation rates, as well as reasons for withdrawal and amount of exercise achieved. Secondary outcomes included: functional exercise capacity was measured by the 6-min walk test; metabolic data obtained from anthropometric measurements; blood pressure; fasting cholesterol and blood sugar levels; and physical activity levels and mental health as assessed by self- administered questionnaires measured before and after the intervention. Results: Broad level acceptance of the program: high recruitment (81%), retention (77%), and participation (78%) rates were observed. Promising improvements in functional exercise capacity, volume of exercise, and negative symptoms was demonstrated in those who completed. Conclusions: Exercise interventions delivered by EP students in a residential rehabilitation setting for people with SMI are feasible; group setting, supervision and choice for engagement are important considerations. Evaluation of longitudinal, multi site studies, with the addition of dietary interventions within residential rehabilitation units are warranted. Addressing cost feasibility and cost effectiveness of such programs is recommended. The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number, Unique Identifier: ACTRN 12618000478213, http://www.anzctr.org.au Universal trial number (UTN) - U1111-1211-4009.

Dataset Information

Evaluating Immunopathogenic Biomarkers During Severe Malaria Illness as Modifiers of the Neuropsychologic Benefits of Computer Cognitive Games Rehabilitation in Ugandan Children.

Publications

Evaluating Immunopathogenic Biomarkers During Severe Malaria Illness as Modifiers of the Neuropsychologic Benefits of Computer Cognitive Games Rehabilitation in Ugandan Children.

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