Repositorio Institucional Examinando por Autor "Amayra Caro, Imanol"

Examinando por Autor "Amayra Caro, Imanol"

Mostrando 1 - 14 de 14

Cognitive functioning in adults with phenylketonuria in a cohort of Spanish patients
(Hindawi Limited, 2023) Luna Ovalle, Paula; López Paz, Juan Francisco; García Martín, Maitane; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Martínez, Óscar; Pérez Álvarez, Manuel; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; Pérez Núñez, Paula; Ceberio, I.; Mansilla, Noelia; Soria, Cristina
The early introduction of a low phenylalanine (Phe) diet has been demonstrated to be the most successful treatment in subjects with phenylketonuria (PKU), especially for preventing severe cognitive and neurological damages. However, it still concerns that even if treated in the first months of life with supplements and following a diet, they can show slight scores below people without PKU in neuropsychological assignments. We investigated 20 adults with classical PKU aged 19-48 years (mean age 29 years) and 20 heathy controls matched by age, gender, and years of education. Patients and controls were assessed with an extended neuropsychological battery, as well as psychological aspects and quality of life, also the last Phe level result was obtained. Results showed that the most affected cognitive domains are processing speed, executive functioning, memory, and also theory of mind, but very well-preserved verbal fluency, language, and visuospatial functioning. In quality of life, some significant results were seen specially in anxiety of Phe levels, anxiety of Phe levels during pregnancy, guilt if poor adherence to supplements, and if dietary protein restriction not followed. No significant results were obtained for the psychological variables. In conclusion, it has been shown that a combination of a low Phe diet, supplement intake, and keeping Phe levels in a low range seems appropriate to have the most normal and alike cognitive performance to persons without PKU.
Comparative study of emotional facial expression recognition among Prader–Willi syndrome subtypes
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2024) Perosanz Hidalgo, Ane; López Paz, Juan Francisco; Amayra Caro, Imanol; García Martín, Maitane; Martínez, Óscar
Background: Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a congenital disease caused by a rare and generally non-inherited genetic disorder. The inability to recognise facial expressions of emotion is an apparent social cognition deficit in people diagnosed with PWS. The main objective of the present study is to compare the ability to recognise emotional facial expression, in both non-contextualised and contextualised scenarios, among the main subtypes of PWS and a control group. Methods: The sample consisted of 46 children divided into three groups: deletion (n = 10), maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD) (n = 13) and control (n = 23). The protocol included the Facially Expressed Emotion Labeling and the Deusto-e-Motion 1.0. Results: The control group recognised facial emotions more accurately and quickly in both non-contextualised and contextualised scenarios than children with PWS, regardless of genetic subtype. Despite no differences being detected between PWS subtypes when non-contextualised scenarios were analysed, in contextualised situations, a longer reaction time was observed in children with the mUPD subtype. Conclusions: This is the first study to assess the ability to recognise emotional facial expressions in contextualised situations among PWS subtypes and a control group. The findings suggest that some of the social cognitive deficits evidenced in children with mUPD PWS may be similar to those in autism spectrum disorder.
Difficulties in social cognitive functioning among pediatric patients with muscular dystrophies
(Frontiers Media SA, 2023) García Urquiza, Irune; Martínez, Óscar; López Paz, Juan Francisco; García Martín, Maitane; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; Amayra Caro, Imanol
Introduction: Pediatric muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. A neuropsychosocial approach is crucial for these patients due to associated cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric comorbidities; however, the social cognitive domain has not been adequately addressed. Methods: This study aimed to analyze on social cognition performance in a pediatric MD patient cohort. This cross-sectional study included 32 pediatric patients with MD and 32 matched-healthy controls. The Social Perception Domain of the NEPSY-II, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test–Child and Happé’s Strange Stories Test were administered. General intelligence and behavioral and emotional symptoms were controlled for to eliminate covariables’ possible influence. The assessments were performed remotely. Results: Children with MDs performed significantly worse on most of the social cognition tasks. The differences found between the groups could be explained by the level of general intelligence for some aspects more related to theory of mind (ToM) (TM NEPSY-II: F = 1.703, p =.197; Verbal task: F = 2.411, p =.125; RMET-C: F = 2.899, p =.094), but not for emotion recognition. Furthermore, these differences were also independent of behavioral and emotional symptoms. Discussion: In conclusion, social cognition is apparently impaired in pediatric patients with MD, both for emotion recognition and ToM. Screening assessment in social cognition should be considered to promote early interventions aimed at improving these patient’s quality of life.
Effect of the Wii Sports Resort on the improvement in attention, processing speed and working memory in moderate stroke
(BioMed Central Ltd., 2019-02-28) Unibaso Markaida, Iratxe; Iraurgi Castillo, Ioseba; Ortiz Marqués, Nuria; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Martínez Rodríguez, Silvia
Background: Stroke is the most common neurological disease in the world. After the stroke, some people suffer a cognitive disability. Commercial videogames have been used after stroke for physical rehabilitation; however, their use in cognitive rehabilitation has hardly been studied. The objectives of this study were to analyze attention, processing speed, and working memory in patients with moderate stroke after an intervention with Wii Sports Resort and compared these results with a control group. Methods: A pre-post design study was conducted with 30 moderate stroke patients aged 65 ± 15. The study lasted eight weeks. 15 participated in the intervention group and 15 belong to the control group. They were assessed in attention and processing speed (TMT-A and B) and working memory (Digit Span of WAIS-III). Parametric and effect size tests were used to analyze the improvement of those outcomes and compared both groups. Results: At the baseline, there was no difference between TMT-A and B. A difference was found in the scalar score of TMT-B, as well as in Digit Backward Span and Total Digit Task. In TMT-A and B, the intervention group had better scores than the control group. The intervention group in the Digit Forward Span and the Total Digit obtained a moderate effect size and the control group also obtained a moderate effect size in Total Digit. In the Digit scalar scores, the control group achieved better results than the intervention group. Conclusions: The results on attention, processing speed and working memory improved in both groups. However, according to the effect sizes, the intervention group achieved better results than the control group. In addition, the attention and processing speed improved more than the working memory after the intervention. Although more studies are needed in this area, the results are encouraging for cognitive rehabilitation after stroke.
Effects of a neuropsychosocial teleassistance intervention on social cognition and health-related quality of life of pediatric patients with neuromuscular diseases
(Oxford University Press, 2024-08) García Urquiza, Irune; Martínez, Óscar; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Salgueiro, Monika; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; López Paz, Juan Francisco
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of a neuropsychosocial teleassistance group-based intervention on improving social cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in pediatric neuromuscular diseases (NMD). Methods: Thirty-five pediatric patients with NMD were assigned to the neuropsychosocial intervention program (n=20) or waiting list control condition (n=15). The intervention group received an integrative approach that combines training in social cognition with cognitive behavioral therapy. All participants completed a neuropsychological and clinical assessment at baseline and follow-up, which included tests of social cognition, both for emotion recognition and theory of mind, and HRQoL. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance was used to determine the effects of the teleassistance program. Results: Group × Time interactions revealed significant improvements in the intervention group as compared with the control group for different social cognition's indicators (AR NEPSY-II: p=.003, η2p = .24; TM NEPSY: p<.001, η2p = .35; Verbal task: p<.001, η2p = .35; Happe's Strange Stories: p=.049, η2p = .11) and HRQoL (Psychosocial health: p=.012, η2p = .18; Emotional functioning: p=.037, η2p = 0.13; Social functioning: p=.006, η2p = .21; Total: p=.013, η2p = .17), showing medium to large effects. Conclusions: Patients receiving the neuropsychosocial intervention showed improvements in their social cognition performance and psychosocial HRQoL, providing evidence about the positive effects of the program in pediatric patients with NMD. This should be considered in further research and interventions in this field.
Effects of teleassistance on the quality of life of people with rare neuromuscular diseases according to their degree of disability
(Frontiers Media S.A., 2021-03) Martínez, Óscar; Amayra Caro, Imanol; López Paz, Juan Francisco; Lázaro Pérez, Esther; Caballero, Patricia; García Urquiza, Irune; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; García Martín, Maitane; Luna Ovalle, Paula; Pérez Núñez, Paula; Barrera, Jaume; Passi, Nicole; Berrocoso Cascallana, Sarah; Pérez Álvarez, Manuel; Al-Rashaida, Mohammad Ali Hussein
Rare neuromuscular diseases (RNMDs) are a group of pathologies characterized by a progressive loss of muscular strength, atrophy, fatigue, and other muscle-related symptoms, which affect quality of life (QoL) levels. The low prevalence, high geographical dispersion and disability of these individuals involve difficulties in accessing health and social care services. Teleassistance is presented as a useful tool to perform psychosocial interventions in these situations. The main aim of this research is to assess the effects of a teleassistance psychosocial program on the QoL levels of people with RNMDs who have different levels of disability. A sample of 73 participants was divided into an experimental group (n = 40), which participated in the intervention, and a control wait list group (n = 33). QoL was evaluated through the SIP and the SF-36, and disability through the WHO-DAS II. The participants with a moderate to severe level of disability were those who most benefited from the intervention. The results also revealed that the psychosocial teleassistance program was suitable to improve physical and psychosocial aspects of people suffering from a rare neuromuscular disease with a moderate level of disability, but just psychosocial aspects in those with a severe level of disability.
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with myasthenia gravis
(International Advancement Center for Medicine and Health Research Co., Ltd., 2023) García Urquiza, Irune; Martínez, Óscar; López Paz, Juan Francisco; Salgueiro, Monika; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; Zorita-Pérez, Janire; García Sanchoyerto, Maddalen; Amayra Caro, Imanol
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxious-depressive symptoms, feelings of loneliness, and fear of COVID-19 between people with myasthenia gravis (MG) and healthy controls. We also wanted to know in which group the variable fear of COVID-19 interfered the most with the results. This cross-sectional study involved 60 people with MG and 60 healthy controls. Participants using an online platform completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Fear of COVID19 Scale (FCV-19S). The MG group reported worse levels in HRQoL indicators (p = 0.043- < .001), more severe anxiety-depressive symptoms (p = 0.002), and greater fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.001), but there were no differences in feelings of loneliness (p = 0.002). Furthermore, after controlling for the effect of the fear of COVID-19 variable, the differences remained for physical health indicators, but not for the most of psychosocial indicators (Social Functioning p = 0.102, η2p = 0.023; Role Emotional p = 0.250, η2p = 0.011; and HADS Total p = 0.161, η2p = 0.017). The harmful effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was greater in the MG group, and the perceived fear of COVID-19 had also a greater impact among this group, which has increased its negative effect on their psychosocial health.
Health-related quality of life in 153 children with neuromuscular disorders in Latin America: is it age, functional dependence or diagnosis?
(W.B. Saunders Ltd, 2024-09) Ortega, Javier; Vázquez, Natalia; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Muntadas, Javier; Squitín Tasende, Magalí; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora
Neuromuscular diseases impact on children's health related quality of life but there is a lack of studies in Latin America that measured this construct. To respond to this need, this study aimed to explore quality of life and its relationship with age, functional dependence and specific diagnosis in children and adolescents in Latin America. A cross-sectional correlation study was carried out with 133 caregivers on children (2–18 years old) with various neuromuscular disorders. Parents reported on their children's health related quality of life through the PedsQL GCS and the PedsQL NMM. Differences in quality of life were found when comparing children with high functional dependence with those with mild dependence (p = 0.05). No significant differences were found regarding the child diagnosis. Finally, quality of life was highly correlated with the child's age, even when controlling for functional dependence differences between ages. Children and adolescents with neuromuscular show a diminished health related quality of life, not only in physical functioning but in their psychosocial functioning. Health related quality of life may vary according to the child's age and functional dependence.
Impact of chronic pain and depressive symptoms on the quality of life of adults with Chiari Malformation type I: a comparative study
(International Advancement Center for Medicine and Health Research Co., Ltd., 2024) García Martín, Maitane; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Pérez, Manuel; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; Salgueiro, Monika; Infante, Jon
Chiari Malformation type I (CM-I) is a neurological disorder characterized by cerebellar tonsillar herniation. Chronic pain, particularly headaches, is a prevalent symptom in CM-I patients, significantly impacting their quality of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceived quality of life in adults with CM-I and examine the influence of chronic pain and comorbid symptoms on their well-being. 26 CM-I patients (8 with decompressive surgery) and 26 matched healthy controls were recruited. Participants completed the following questionnaires: WHOQOL-BREF, HDI, NDI, OLBPDQ and HADS. CM-I patients exhibited significantly lower scores across all domains of quality of life when compared to healthy controls. Chronic pain, including headache, neck pain, and low back pain, was more pronounced among CM-I patients and demonstrated a significant correlation with depressive symptoms. Notably, after controlling for chronic pain, the differences in quality of life between CM-I patients and controls diminished. The results suggest that chronic pain, especially headaches, and comorbid depressive symptoms exert a substantial impact on the quality of life of CM-I patients. Surgical intervention alone may not fully address these issues, highlighting the importance of considering psychological interventions as part of the comprehensive treatment. Further research with larger samples and pre-post-surgery assessments is needed to validate these findings and explore the potential benefits of psychological therapies in enhancing the quality of life for CM-I patients.
Memory in spina bifida, from childhood to adulthood: a systematic review
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024-09) Amayra Caro, Imanol; Ruiz de Lazcano Sánchez, Aitana; Salgueiro, Monika; Anguiano, Samuel; Ureña, Malena; Martínez, Óscar
Background: Spina bifida (SB) is a rare congenital disease characterized by not only physical but also neuropsychological disturbances. Among these neuropsychological impairments, memory deficits are a significant concern, as they substantially hinder aspects of crucial importance in the lives of individuals with SB such as medical needs or daily life activities. The main objective is to conduct a systematic review of the current evidence on the memory deficits in the SB population, including children, adolescents, and adults. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ProQuest) were systematically screened for eligible studies. Results: The present review reveals cognitive difficulties in different memory types among individuals with SB. These deficits, identified in childhood, seem to persist into adulthood. Specifically, impairments are evident in short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory. The neuropsychological instruments applied in the studies that were included in this systematic review vary, however, most reach the same conclusions. Conclusions: The present findings underscore the importance of incorporating cognitive assessments, particularly those focused on the memory domain, into routine childhood evaluations for individuals with SB. Early identification of these cognitive difficulties allows for the timely implementation of cognitive interventions that could leverage the inherent plasticity of the developing brain, and prevent or delay the onset of these deficits in later adulthood for people with SB, ultimately improving their functionality and quality of life.
Neuropsychological profile of hereditary ataxias: study of 38 patients
(Oxford University Press, 2022-08) García Martín, Maitane; Rouco Axpe, Idoia; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Rodríguez-Antigüedad Zarranz, Alfredo; Catalli, Claudio; Cabrera-Zubizarreta, Alberto; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; Pérez Álvarez, Manuel
Hereditary ataxias are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by degeneration of the cerebellum and its connections. It is known that patients with ataxia can manifest a broad spectrum of motor symptoms; however, current research has emphasized the relevance of cognitive disturbances. The aim of this study is to analyze the presence of cognitive impairment in a heterogeneous cohort of patients with hereditary ataxia (HA). A group of 38 patients with HA of different etiologies and a matched group of 38 healthy controls were recruited and evaluated through a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. The findings show a worse performance in ataxic patients on planning, visuospatial skills, naming, and Theory of Mind tasks, regardless their physical and psychological symptomatology. The influence of clinical status as well as functional ability-related variables on their performance were analyzed, showing that the level of disability and motor disturbances have a significant effect on verbal memory, verbal fluency, and working memory. These findings suggest that patients with HA can manifest cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms as part of their clinical features, which demands its inclusion for the diagnosis and management of the disease.
Propiedades psicométricas de la versión en castellano del Cuestionario Calidad de Vida Pediátrica Módulo de Impacto Familiar (PedsQL FIM)
(Elsevier España, 2023-01) Ortega, Javiera; Vázquez, Natalia; Amayra Caro, Imanol; Assalone, Florencia
Introducción: Este trabajo analiza las propiedades psicométricas de la versión en castellano del Cuestionario de calidad de vida pediátrica módulo de impacto familiar (PedsQL FIM) en población argentina. Pacientes y métodos : Se obtuvo una muestra de 232 cuidadores, 108 de niños con enfermedades crónicas (M = 9,54, DE = 4,43) y 124 de niños de población general (M = 12,37, DE = 4,6). Resultados: La validez del instrumento se estudió a través del método de grupos contrastados, encontrando diferencias significativas en la escala total y subdimensiones de la escala (p < 0,01). A su vez, se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio en el que se encontró un modelo de 8 factores explicando el 74,02% de la varianza total. La confiabilidad fue estudiada a través del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach y se encontró un valor alto de consistencia interna α = 0,95. Conclusiones: El instrumento PedsQL demostró ser una herramienta válida y confiable para estudiar el impacto que tiene una condición pediátrica crónica a nivel de la calidad de vida del cuidador y del funcionamiento familiar.
Social cognition in Chiari Malformation Type I: a preliminary characterization
(Springer, 2020-06) García Martín, Maitane; Amayra Caro, Imanol; López Paz, Juan Francisco; Martínez, Óscar; Lázaro Pérez, Esther; Pérez Álvarez, Manuel; Berrocoso Cascallana, Sarah; Al-Rashaida, Mohammad Ali Hussein; Infante, Jon
Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) is a neurological disorder in which cerebellar tonsils are herniated through the foramen magnum into the spinal canal. A wide spectrum of cognitive deficits underlying this pathology has been reported, but the literature about social cognition is insufficient. Clinical research has pointed out the cerebellar role in Theory of Mind (ToM), indicating that there are several disorders with cerebellar pathology that reveal a poorer performance in social cognition tasks. The main purpose of this study is to compare the performance on ToM tasks between CM-I patients and healthy controls. The protocol includes Faux Pas test, Happé’s Strange Stories test, Ice-Cream Van task, the FEEL test, and the Word Accentuation Test. In order to eliminate the possible influence of covariables, physical pain and anxious-depressive symptomatology have been controlled for. According to the results, CM-I patients performed worse than matched healthy controls on ToM tasks, except for facial emotion recognition. These differences remained even after controlling for the neuropsychiatric variables and physical pain. Thus, it can be suggested that patients with CM-I are impaired in their social skills related to their performance on ToM tasks. These findings can be considered to be a preliminary approach to the specific study of social cognition in relation to CM-I since it is similar to other cerebellar pathologies and to previous literature on the cerebellum’s role in social cognition.
Social cognition in DMD and BMD dystrophinopathies: a cross-sectional preliminary study
(Routledge, 2024) García Urquiza, Irune; Martínez, Óscar; López Paz, Juan Francisco; García Martín, Maitane; Espinosa Blanco, Patricia; Rodríguez Bermejo, Alicia Aurora; Pallarès-Sastre, Mercè; Ruiz de Lazcano Sánchez, Aitana; Amayra Caro, Imanol
Objective: The dystrophinopathies called Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) are rare, progressive, incurable, and life-limiting paediatric-onset neuromuscular diseases. These diseases have long been associated with specific neuropsychological deficits. However, the performance of these patients in the social cognition domain has not been properly investigated. Thus, the main objective of this study was to compare the performance on social cognition between DMD/BMD patients and healthy age-matched boys. Method: This cross-sectional study included 20 DMD/BMD children and adolescents and 20 healthy controls. The protocol included the Social Perception Domain of the NEPSY-II, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test–Child and Happé’s Strange Stories test. General intelligence was controlled to eliminate the possible influence of covariables. All the assessments were performed remotely. Results: Most social cognition tasks were worse in patients with DMD/BMD than in matched healthy controls. These differences remained even after controlling for the general intelligence variable, with the exception of Total Disgust Errors (F = 1.462, p =.234, η2p=.038) and Verbal task (F = 1.820, p =.185, η2p=.047) scores from the NEPSY-II. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that the neuropsychological domain of social cognition is impaired in DMD/BMD patients, independent of the level of general intelligence. Screening assessments in DMD/BMD patients should be promoted to allow social cognition difficulties to be detected at an early stage to enhance patients’ quality of life and social development.

Examinando por Autor "Amayra Caro, Imanol"

Resultados por página

Opciones de ordenación