Showing papers on "Psychomotor learning published in 2014"

Augmented reality in medical education

Abstract: Learning in the medical domain is to a large extent workplace learning and involves mastery of complex skills that require performance up to professional standards in the work environment. Since training in this real-life context is not always possible for reasons of safety, costs, or didactics, alternative ways are needed to achieve clinical excellence. Educational technology and more specifically augmented reality (AR) has the potential to offer a highly realistic situated learning experience supportive of complex medical learning and transfer. AR is a technology that adds virtual content to the physical real world, thereby augmenting the perception of reality. Three examples of dedicated AR learning environments for the medical domain are described. Five types of research questions are identified that may guide empirical research into the effects of these learning environments. Up to now, empirical research mainly appears to focus on the development, usability and initial implementation of AR for learning. Limited review results reflect the motivational value of AR, its potential for training psychomotor skills and the capacity to visualize the invisible, possibly leading to enhanced conceptual understanding of complex causality.

Air pollution during pregnancy and childhood cognitive and psychomotor development: six European birth cohorts.

Abstract: Background: Accumulating evidence from laboratory animal and human studies suggests that air pollution exposure during pregnancy affects cognitive and psychomotor development in childhood. Methods: We analyzed data from 6 European population-based birth cohorts-GENERATI ON R (The Netherlands), DUISBURG (Germany), EDEN (France), GASPII (Italy), RHEA (Greece), and INMA (Spain)-that recruited mother-infant pairs from 1997 to 2008. Air pollution levels-nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOx) in all regions and particulate matter (PM) with diameters of Results: A total of 9482 children were included. Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, particularly NO2, was associated with reduced psychomotor development (global psychomotor development score decreased by 0.68 points [95% confidence interval = -1.25 to -0.11] per increase of 10 mu g/m(3) in NO2). Similar trends were observed in most regions. No associations were found between any air pollutant and cognitive development. Conclusions: Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, particularly NO2 (for which motorized traffic is a major source), was associated with delayed psychomotor development during childhood. Due to the widespread nature of air pollution exposure, the public health impact of the small changes observed at an individual level could be considerable.

Profiles of impaired, spared, and recovered neuropsychologic processes in alcoholism.

Abstract: Long-term chronic alcoholism is associated with disparate and widespread residual consequences for brain functioning and behavior, and alcoholics suffer a variety of cognitive deficiencies and emotional abnormalities. Alcoholism has heterogeneous origins and outcomes, depending upon factors such as family history, age, gender, and mental or physical health. Consequently, the neuropsychologic profiles associated with alcoholism are not uniform among individuals. Moreover, within and across research studies, variability among subjects is substantial and contributes to characteristics associated with differential treatment outcomes after detoxification. In order to refine our understanding of alcoholism-related impaired, spared, and recovered abilities, we focus on five specific functional domains: (1) memory; (2) executive functions; (3) emotion and psychosocial skills; (4) visuospatial cognition; and (5) psychomotor abilities. Although the entire brain might be vulnerable in uncomplicated alcoholism, the brain systems that are considered to be most at risk are the frontocerebellar and mesocorticolimbic circuitries. Over time, with abstinence from alcohol, the brain appears to become reorganized to provide compensation for structural and behavioral deficits. By relying on a combination of clinical and scientific approaches, future research will help to refine the compensatory roles of healthy brain systems, the degree to which abstinence and treatment facilitate the reversal of brain atrophy and dysfunction, and the importance of individual differences to outcome.

Cognitive Symptoms in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder and Their Implications for Clinical Practice

Abstract: Context The literature regarding cognitive symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD) is vast and often contradictory. To provide clinicians with a concise understanding of these prevalent and disabling symptoms, this overview describes what is known regarding cognitive symptoms in patients with MDD, the limitations of the current literature, and the implications of these data for current and future clinical practice. Evidence acquisition PubMed searches were conducted to identify studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews evaluating cognitive function (not cognitive bias) in patients with MDD. Search terms used in combination with MDD were cognition, cognitive dysfunction, memory, psychomotor processing, and executive function. Searches were limited to articles available in the English language and those published between April 2007 and March 2012. Additional studies and those describing screening tools were identified using reference lists and PubMed "related citations." Ongoing trials were identified by searching for cognitive dysfunction and MDD at www.ClinicalTrials.gov. Relevant articles were obtained and reviewed by the author. Results Small sample size and inconsistent assessment tools were identified as major limitations of studies assessing clinical characteristics and risk factors for cognitive symptoms. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews were used to mitigate this limitation. Conclusions Cognitive symptoms of depression are prevalent and associated with earlier illness onset and longer episode duration. They can have an adverse impact on the treatment course of MDD as well as on functional recovery in depression. Further studies are needed to help determine whether certain treatments can be more effective than others at targeting these symptoms.

Hypertension and Dementia

Abstract: The negative impact of hypertension on cognitive function was already hinted at in the 1960s in a study on psychomotor speed of air traffic controllers and pilots and has received extensive confirmation during the following decades.1 Thus, hypertension has been associated with a wide variety of cognitive deficits, including reduced abstract reasoning (executive dysfunction), impaired memory, attention deficit, and slowing of mental processing speed.1,2 Indeed, hypertension is a leading cause of vascular cognitive impairment, a term that includes all cognitive deficits attributable to vascular factors.3 The most extreme case of vascular cognitive impairment is vascular dementia, in which multiple cognitive domains are affected, with a negative impact on the activities of daily living. Increasing evidence also suggests that hypertension is a risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD), highlighting its participation in all major causes of cognitive impairment.4,5 In the past 3 years (2011–2013), several articles published in Hypertension have provided new insight into the link between high blood pressure and dementia. These articles will be briefly discussed, highlighting their contribution to current concepts of pathobiology, prevention, and treatment of the end-organ damage to the brain inflicted by hypertension. Although it is well established that hypertension impairs cognition, one of the key issues still unsettled concerns the temporal relationships between blood pressure elevation and cognitive decline. On the one hand, cross-sectional studies indicated that individuals with dementia have lower blood pressure, challenging the involvement of hypertension.6 On the other hand, longitudinal studies, in which patient were followed for decades, revealed that individuals who develop dementia have a history of high blood pressure earlier in life.6,7 The effect is independent of other cardiovascular risk factors or comorbidities and is observed in both men and women. In this context, Joas et …

Preschool children's fundamental motor skills: a review of significant determinants

Abstract: Fundamental motor skills (FMS) affect children's physical, social, and cognitive development. To plan successful interventions when promoting the development of children's FMS, the underlying positive determinants for the acquisition of FMS competence during preschool years need to be identified. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify positive determinants of FMS such as stability, locomotor, and manipulative movements in children between the ages of three and six. Five electronic databases (ERIC, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Physical Education Index) were used for the systematic search and in our final analysis there were 29 articles. Four categories of determinants were identified: (1) individual characteristics (gender, ethnicity, age, physical activity, physical fitness, and playfulness), (2) education-related (programmes promoting physical activity and motor skill, attendance of physical education lessons, practice schedules), (3) social environments (parent- and family-related ...

Folic Acid Supplements During Pregnancy and Child Psychomotor Development After the First Year of Life

Abstract: Importance Folate intake during pregnancy has been associated with improved neuropsychological development in children, although the effects of high dosages of folic acid (FA) supplements are unclear Objective To examine the association between the use of high dosages of FA supplements during pregnancy and child neuropsychological development after the first year of life Design, Setting, and Patients The multicenter prospective mother-child cohort Infancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project recruited pregnant women from 4 areas of Spain (Asturias, Sabadell, Gipuzkoa, and Valencia) between November 2003 and January 2008 Pregnant women completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire on the usual dietary folate intake and FA supplements at 10 to 13 weeks and 28 to 32 weeks of gestation The main analyses were based on a sample of 2213 children with complete information on neuropsychological development and FA supplement intake during pregnancy Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to explore the effects of FA supplements on child neuropsychological development Main Outcomes and Measures Neuropsychological development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development We calculated mental scale and psychomotor scale scores One SD below the mean established a delay in neurodevelopment (score Results A high proportion of women (573%) did not reach the recommended dosages of FA supplements (400 μg/d), but 252% women took more than 1000 μg/d of FA supplements (35% consuming >5000 μg/d) In multivariate analysis, we observed that children whose mothers used FA supplement dosages higher than 5000 μg/d during pregnancy had a statistically significantly lower mean psychomotor scale score (difference, −435 points; 95% CI, −834 to −036) than children whose mothers used a recommended dosage of FA supplements (400-1000 μg/d) An increased risk of delayed psychomotor development (psychomotor scale score Conclusions and Relevance To our knowledge, this is the first time a detrimental effect of high dosages of FA supplements during pregnancy on psychomotor development after the first year of life has been shown Further research from longitudinal studies is warranted to confirm these results

Long-term outcome of abusive head trauma

Abstract: Abusive head trauma is a severe inflicted traumatic brain injury, occurring under the age of 2 years, defined by an acute brain injury (mostly subdural or subarachnoidal haemorrhage), where no history or no compatible history with the clinical presentation is given. The mortality rate is estimated at 20-25% and outcome is extremely poor. High rates of impairments are reported in a number of domains, such as delayed psychomotor development; motor deficits (spastic hemiplegia or quadriplegia in 15-64%); epilepsy, often intractable (11-32%); microcephaly with corticosubcortical atrophy (61-100%); visual impairment (18-48%); language disorders (37-64%), and cognitive, behavioral and sleep disorders, including intellectual deficits, agitation, aggression, tantrums, attention deficits, memory, inhibition or initiation deficits (23-59%). Those combined deficits have obvious consequences on academic achievement, with high rates of special education in the long term. Factors associated with worse outcome include demographic factors (lower parental socioeconomic status), initial severe presentation (e.g., presence of a coma, seizures, extent of retinal hemorrhages, presence of an associated cranial fracture, extent of brain lesions, cerebral oedema and atrophy). Given the high risk of severe outcome, long-term comprehensive follow-up should be systematically performed to monitor development, detect any problem and implement timely adequate rehabilitation interventions, special education and/or support when necessary. Interventions should focus on children as well as families, providing help in dealing with the child's impairment and support with psychosocial issues. Unfortunately, follow-up of children with abusive head trauma has repeatedly been reported to be challenging, with very high attrition rates.

Motor development in children at risk of autism: A follow-up study of infant siblings:

Abstract: Recently, evidence of poor or atypical motor skills in autism spectrum disorder has led some to argue that motor impairment is a core feature of the condition. The current study uses a longitudinal prospective design to assess the development of motor skills of 20 children at increased risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, who were recruited and tested at 9 and 40 months of age, on the basis of having an older sibling diagnosed with the condition. All children completed a range of motor, face processing, IQ and diagnostic assessments at a follow-up visit (aged 5–7 years), providing a detailed profile of development in this group from a number of standardised, parental report and experimental measures. A higher proportion of children than expected demonstrated motor difficulties at the follow-up visit and those highlighted by parental report as having poor motor skills as infants and toddlers were also more likely to have lower face processing scores and elevated autism-related social symptoms at 5–7 years, despite having similar IQ levels. These data lend support to the argument that early motor difficulties may be a risk factor for later motor impairment as well as differences in social communication and cognition, traits that are related to autism spectrum disorder.

Psychomotor skills in medical ultrasound imaging: an analysis of the core skill set.

Abstract: Sonographers use psychomotor skills to perform medical ultrasound examinations. Psychomotor skills describe voluntary movements of the limb, joints, and muscles in response to sensory stimuli and are regulated by the motor neural cortex in the brain. We define a psychomotor skill in relation to medical ultrasound imaging as "the unique mental and motor activities required to execute a manual task safely and efficiently for each clinical situation." Skills in clinical ultrasound practice may be open or closed; most skills used in medical ultrasound imaging are open. Open skills are both complex and multidimensional. Visuomotor and visuospatial psychomotor skills are central components of medical ultrasound imaging. Both types of skills rely on learners having a visual exemplar or standard of performance with which to reference their skill performance and evaluate anatomic structures. These are imperative instructional design principles when teaching psychomotor skills.

Effect of standardized aqueous extract of Withania somnifera on tests of cognitive and psychomotor performance in healthy human participants.

Abstract: Background: Withania somnifera is an herbal medicine that has been known to possess memory-enhancing properties. The current study involved an assessment of cognitive and psychomotor effects of Withania somnifera extract in healthy human participants. Materials and Methods : In this prospective, double-blind, multi-dose, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 20 healthy male participants were randomized to receive 250 mg two capsules twice daily of an encapsulated dried aqueous extract of roots and leaves of Withania somnifera or a matching placebo for a period of 14 days. Cognitive and psychomotor performance was assessed pre-dose (day 1) and at 3 hrs post-dose on day 15 using a battery of computerized psychometric tests. After a washout period of 14 days, the subjects crossed-over to receive the other treatment for a further period of 14 days as per prior randomization schedule. Same battery of test procedures were performed to assess cognitive and psychomotor performance. Results: Significant improvements were observed in reaction times with simple reaction, choice discrimination, digit symbol substitution, digit vigilance, and card sorting tests with Withania somnifera extract compared to placebo. However, no effect can be seen with the finger tapping test. Conclusion: These results suggest that Withania somnifera extract can improve cognitive and psychomotor performance and may, therefore, be a valuable adjunct in the treatment of diseases associated with cognitive impairment.

The comparison of school-age children's performance on two motor assessments: the Test of Gross Motor Development and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children

Abstract: Background: Competence in the motor domain is associated with positive, health-related outcomes. Physical education teachers often administer assessments into their programs to measure motor competence for a variety of reasons. Recently, researchers have questioned the relatedness of performance on different assessments. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare motor assessment outcomes of the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) in school-age children.Method: Sixty-five children (M = 6.7 years) completed the TGMD-2 and the MABC-2. The TGMD-2 includes two subscales: object control and locomotor skills. The MABC-2 includes three subscales: manual dexterity, aiming and catching, and balance. Standard scores and percentile rankings were used for analysis.Findings: Although 10 of the possible 12 Pearson correlations were significant, the range of r² values was 0.07–0.27 indicating low practical significance. A paired samples t-test rev...

Comorbidities in preschool children at family risk of dyslexia

Abstract: Background: Comorbidity among developmental disorders such as dyslexia, language impairment, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and developmental coordination disorder is common. This study explores comorbid weaknesses in preschool children at family risk of dyslexia with and without language impairment and considers the role that comorbidity plays in determining children's outcomes. Method: The preschool attention, executive function and motor skills of 112 children at family risk for dyslexia, 29 of whom also met criteria for language impairment, were assessed at ages 3½ and 4½ years. The performance of these children was compared to the performance of children with language impairment and typically developing controls. Results: Weaknesses in attention, executive function and motor skills were associated with language impairment rather than family risk status. Individual differences in language and executive function are strongly related during the preschool period, and preschool motor skills predicted unique variance (4%) in early reading skills over and above children's language ability. Conclusion: Comorbidity between developmental disorders can be observed in the preschool years: children with language impairment have significant and persistent weaknesses in motor skills and executive function compared to those without language impairment. Children's early language and motor skills are predictors of children's later reading skills.

Cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function in middle age: The CARDIA Study

Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether greater cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with better cognitive function 25 years later. Methods: We studied 2,747 participants in the community-based Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study of black and white men and women aged 18 to 30 years at recruitment in 1985–1986 (baseline year 0). Symptom-limited maximal treadmill test durations at years 0 and 20 provided measures of CRF. Cognitive tests at year 25 measured verbal memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test [RAVLT]), psychomotor speed (Digit Symbol Substitution Test [DSST]), and executive function (Stroop Test). Results: Per minute of baseline CRF, the RAVLT was 0.12 words recalled higher (standard error [SE] = 0.03, p p p p = 0.07). Analysis in the subset of 1,957 participants who also completed the year-20 treadmill test showed that 20-year change in CRF was positively associated only with DSST ( p Conclusions: Better verbal memory and faster psychomotor speed at ages 43 to 55 years were clearly associated with better CRF 25 years earlier.

Cognitive ability is associated with different outcome trajectories in autism spectrum disorders.

Abstract: Variability in clinical expression and in intervention outcome has been described in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study examined progress after 1 and 2 years of intervention and compared the impact of baseline cognitive ability on outcome trajectories in 46 children (m = 25.5 months) with ASD. The entire group showed a gradual decrease in autism severity and increase in verbal cognitive scores. Only the low cognitive scores (DQ <70) group significantly improved in fine motor and receptive language scores. Significant gains in adaptive skills were found only for the high cognitive scores (DQ ≥70) group after 2 years of intervention. The entire group progressed with intervention, but only children with higher cognitive levels at baseline transferred their acquired socio-communication skills into daily functioning.

Cognitive development in children with new onset epilepsy

Abstract: Aim To characterize the prospective trajectory of cognitive development in children with new or recent onset epilepsy from baseline to 5 to 6 years after diagnosis. Method Sixty-nine children (40 males, 29 females; age 8–18y), with new or recent onset epilepsies underwent neuropsychological assessment shortly after diagnosis (Wave 1), 2 years (Wave 2), and 5 to 6 years after diagnosis (Wave 3). Intelligence, academic achievement, language, executive function, and psychomotor speed were evaluated. Sixty-two children (28 males, 34 females; age 8–18) with typical development served as a comparison group at each time point. The cognitive data were examined by syndrome (localization-related epilepsy [LRE]; idiopathic generalized epilepsy [IGE]; comparison group). Mixed effect regression models compared trajectories among groups with respect to time since diagnosis. Results Cognitive abnormalities exhibited by children with epilepsy in arithmetic computation, response inhibition, attention, fine motor dexterity, and psychomotor speed (all p values <0.001), are detectable at or near the time of diagnosis and largely remain stable over the ensuing 5 to 6 years without evidence of progressive worsening or recovery. This course is evident across both LRE and IGE groups, with the LRE group performing better for some outcomes (arithmetic, response inhibition, psychomotor speed) and never worse than the IGE group. Interpretation Cognitive development in children with LRE and IGE is not characterized by progressive deterioration or lack of age-appropriate development; rather, development lags behind that of children with typical development. Cognitive abnormalities, when detected, are present near the time of diagnosis, persist over time, and require early intervention.

Individual Differences in Infant Oculomotor Behavior During the Viewing of Complex Naturalistic Scenes.

Abstract: Little research hitherto has examined how individual differences in attention, as assessed using standard experimental paradigms, relate to individual differences in how attention is spontaneously allocated in more naturalistic contexts. Here, we analyzed the time intervals between refoveating eye movements (fixation durations) while typically developing 11-month-old infants viewed a 90-min battery ranging from complex dynamic to noncomplex static materials. The same infants also completed experimental assessments of cognitive control, psychomotor reaction times (RT), processing speed (indexed via peak look during habituation), and arousal (indexed via tonic pupil size). High test–retest reliability was found for fixation duration, across testing sessions and across types of viewing material. Increased cognitive control and increased arousal were associated with reduced variability in fixation duration. For fixations to dynamic stimuli, in which a large proportion of saccades may be exogenously cued, we found that psychomotor RT measures were most predictive of mean fixation duration; for fixations to static stimuli, in contrast, in which there is less exogenous attentional capture, we found that psychomotor RT did not predict performance, but that measures of cognitive control and arousal did. The implications of these findings for understanding the development of attentional control in naturalistic settings are discussed.

Assessing premorbid cognitive ability in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus--a review with implications for future intervention studies.

Abstract: Associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and accelerated cognitive decline are well established. However, the sensitivity of neuropsychological tests to detect early deficits in cognitively normal adults with T2DM is unknown. This review examined cognitive domains and specific neuropsychological tests that are impaired in T2DM, based on clinically significant differences (effect sizes >0.5) between T2DM and groups without T2DM. Nine cross-sectional studies were identified which reported means and standard deviations for individual tests. Tests of executive function, working memory and psychomotor and attentional functions were found to be impaired in T2DM. Impairments of executive function and choice reaction time may have consequences for everyday functioning, in particular the risk of falls in older adults. More research on cognitive deficits in dual-task situations and how they impact everyday functioning is needed; the Trail Making Task, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Verbal Fluency Task and tests of reaction time and processing speed could be included as core components of test batteries in future intervention studies. They could also be assessed in newly diagnosed T2DM and used to monitor progressive deterioration of cognitive function and the efficacy of therapeutic interventions on cognitive function.

Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.

Abstract: Down Syndrome (DS) is characterised by premature aging and an accelerated decline of cognitive functions in the vast majority of cases. As the life expectancy of DS persons is rapidly increasing, this decline is becoming a dramatic health problem. The aim of this study was to thoroughly evaluate a group of 67 non-demented persons with DS of different ages (11 to 66 years), from a neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric and psychomotor point of view in order to evaluate in a cross-sectional study the age-related adaptive and neuropsychological features, and to possibly identify early signs predictive of cognitive decline. The main finding of this study is that both neuropsychological functions and adaptive skills are lower in adult DS persons over 40 years old, compared to younger ones. In particular, language and short memory skills, frontal lobe functions, visuo-spatial abilities and adaptive behaviour appear to be the more affected domains. A growing deficit in verbal comprehension, along with social isolation, loss of interest and greater fatigue in daily tasks, are the main features found in older, non demented DS persons evaluated in our study. It is proposed that these signs can be alarm bells for incipient dementia, and that neuro-cognitive rehabilitation and psycho-pharmacological interventions must start as soon as the fourth decade (or even earlier) in DS persons, i.e. at an age where interventions can have the greatest efficacy.

Frequency of domain-specific cognitive impairment in sub-acute and chronic stroke

Abstract: BACKGROUND Functional contributions of cognitive impairment may vary by domain and severity. OBJECTIVE (1) To characterize frequency of cognitive impairment by domain after stroke by severity (mild: -1.5 ≤ z-score < -2; severe: Z ≤ -2) and time (sub-acute: < 90d; chronic: 90d-2yrs); and (2) To assess the association of cognitive impairment with function in chronic stroke. METHODS Cognitive function was characterized among 215 people with sub-acute or chronic stroke (66.8 years, 43.3% female). Z-scores by cognitive domain were determined from normative data. Function was defined as the number of IADLs minimally independent. RESULTS 76.3% of sub-acute and 67.3% of chronic stroke participants had cognitive impairment in ≥ 1 domain (p-for-difference = 0.09). Severe impairment was most common in psychomotor speed (sub-acute: 53.5%; chronic: 33.7%). Impairment in executive function was common (sub-acute: 39.5%; chronic: 30.7%) but was usually mild. Severe impairment in psychomotor speed, visuospatial function, and language and any impairment in executive function and memory was associated with IADL impairment (p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Mild cognitive impairment is common after stroke but is not associated with functional disability. Impairment in psychomotor speed, executive function, and visuospatial function is common and associated with functional impairment so should be a focus of screening and rehabilitation post-stroke.

A prospective study of cognitive function in men with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors

Abstract: ObjectiveLongitudinal neuropsychological assessments were performed to determine if adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with cognitive dysfunction in men with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT). MethodsPatients with NSGCT status post-orchiectomy that either received adjuvant chemotherapy (n=55) or did not (n=14) were recruited. Patients were tested before chemotherapy, 1week post-chemotherapy (or 3months later in the surveillance group) and 12months after the baseline evaluation. ResultsCompared with the surveillance group, patients treated with chemotherapy had higher rates of cognitive decline at 12months (overall cognitive decline: 0%, 52%, and 67% in the surveillance, low exposure (LE), and high exposure (HE) group, respectively), greater number of tests that declined (mean of 0.1, 1.4, and 2.0 in the surveillance, LE, and HE group, respectively), and more frequent worsening in motor dexterity (0%, 48%, and 46% in the surveillance, LE, and HE group, respectively). Compared with the surveillance group, patients receiving more cycles of chemotherapy demonstrated worse psychomotor speed and learning and memory. Younger age was associated with greater incidence of overall cognitive decline at 12-month follow-up. ConclusionsMen with NSGCT that received chemotherapy demonstrated greater rates of cognitive decline in a dose-response manner. Reductions in motor dexterity were most common. Decline in learning and memory also was evident particularly at later follow-up time points and in men receiving more chemotherapy. Men that receive chemotherapy for NSGCT are at risk for cognitive decline and may benefit from monitoring and referral for psychosocial care. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Association of cardiopulmonary resuscitation psychomotor skills with knowledge and self-efficacy in nursing students.

Abstract: Effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills are essential for better patient survival, but whether these skills are associated with knowledge of and self-efficacy in CPR is not well known. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of CPR skills and identify the association of the psychomotor skills with knowledge and self-efficacy at the time of CPR skills training. A convenience sample of 124 nursing students participated in a one-group posttest-only study. The quality of CPR psychomotor skills, as assessed by structured observation using a manikin, was suboptimal. Nursing students who performed correct chest compression skills reported higher self-efficacy, but there was no association between CPR psychomotor skills and total knowledge. Rigorous skills training sessions with more objective feedback on performance and individual coaching are warranted to enable mastery learning and self-efficacy.