It has been demonstrated that exploring a new environment promotes memory in young adults. Animal studies propose that the enhancement of memory in novel settings is linked to hippocampal dopamine....Show moreIt has been demonstrated that exploring a new environment promotes memory in young adults. Animal studies propose that the enhancement of memory in novel settings is linked to hippocampal dopamine. While the dopaminergic system undergoes changes across the lifespan, little is known about the effects of novelty on memory throughout different life stages. This research contributes to the understanding of the effects of novelty in older adults. The participants (n=14) explored both novel and previously familiarised virtual environments to assess the influence of spatial novelty on declarative memory. Subsequently, participants were presented with a word list to memorise, and their memory performance was evaluated through both immediate and delayed recall. Our results indicate superior immediate recall compared to delayed recall, with no evidence for an effect of novelty. We found no difference in spontaneous eye blinking rate following exposure to a novel or familiar environment. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between spontaneous eye blinking rate and memory recall. Finally, this sample showed that participants had a slightly better performance on day two compared to day three, especially when they had lower expectations. This suggests that there is an extra novelty effect that is noticeable on the second day, which is suggestive of a decreasing novelty effect over the course of subsequent days. Our findings could potentially be explained by the fact that the advantageous effects of novelty decrease as individuals age, likely due to deterioration in the neural pathways associated with novelty processing. In today's society, where the active contribution of older adults is increasingly valued, it is crucial to address age-related cognitive decline. In order to develop intervention for age-related memory decline, further research is necessary for the specific role of novelty-induced memory in older adults.Show less
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique showing promise in stroke rehabilitation, with evidence indicating significant enhancement in motor function of...Show moreTranscranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique showing promise in stroke rehabilitation, with evidence indicating significant enhancement in motor function of the contralateral limb following treatment. While TMS appears promising for stroke rehabilitation, there is variability in the level of improvement individuals exhibit. This variability may be attributed to oscillatory neurophysiology, which refers to the rhythmic electrical activity of the brain. Therefore, this study investigated phase-dependent changes in cortical excitability after TMS among stroke patients in affected and unaffected hemispheres. We investigated motor-evoked and TMS-evoked potentials at four phases of the ongoing motor cortical mu rhythm (trough, peak, rising, falling) in both hemispheres (affected, unaffected). Participants comprised N=11 chronic subcortical stroke patients (6 female, mean ± std age: 58 y ± 11.4) with affected lateralized upper-limb impairment. Four blocks of 150 TMS pulses were applied on each hemisphere, targeting the primary motor hotspot of the first dorsal interosseus muscle of the contralateral hand. Participants watched nature videos during stimulation to maintain consistent attention levels. Cortical excitability was assessed by analyzing motor-evoked potentials (MEP) and TMS-evoked potentials (TEP). Results showed that motor responses (measured through MEP amplitudes) were significantly larger at the trough and rising phase compared to the peak phase. No significant differences were observed between the affected and unaffected hemispheres. TEP components, the brain signals in response to TMS, did not exhibit significant phase-dependent changes. While our findings showed a nonsignificant effect of stroke severity, exploratory correlation analyses presented a positive association between higher remaining movement function and enhanced phase-dependent responses to TMS. The findings build upon previous research indicating phase-dependent changes in cortical excitability for MEPs but not for TEPs. The larger MEP amplitudes during trough and rising phases suggest that TMS can be more effective at specific points of cortical activity. Further exploration is needed to assess the efficacy of phase-specific TMS interventions in clinical settings, potentially through larger-scale clinical trials with longitudinal designs and comparative effectiveness studies, aiming to evaluate functional outcomes and determine their impact on motor recovery.Show less
This thesis studies the connection between suffering and sentience in Karel Capek’s R.U.R. (1921) and the first season of Westworld (HBO, 2016). Both R.U.R. and Westworld present suffering as a...Show moreThis thesis studies the connection between suffering and sentience in Karel Capek’s R.U.R. (1921) and the first season of Westworld (HBO, 2016). Both R.U.R. and Westworld present suffering as a catalyst for the emergence of a human form of consciousness in artificial people. Initially, however, organic human characters in both texts are convinced that artificial people feel no pain and are unable to suffer. The organic human characters use this supposed inability to justify the inhumane treatment of the artificial characters. This thesis demonstrates how R.U.R. and Westworld reflect on the ways that theories about differences in sensitivity to pain were and continue to be used to justify the mistreatment of Others in real life. Additionally, the thesis shows how R.U.R. and Westworld offer illustrations of the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, in which one’s suffering in response to the Other’s suffering is the foundation of becoming a fully human subject. The thesis shows how R.U.R. and Westworld interweave these opposite ways of responding to the suffering Other, and thereby contribute to a better understanding of the role of suffering in the ongoing negation of what it means to be human.Show less
Background: Individuals with psychotic disorders (PD) often experience cognitive challenges, particularly in executive functioning (EF), crucial for daily functioning. Sleep disruptions, notably...Show moreBackground: Individuals with psychotic disorders (PD) often experience cognitive challenges, particularly in executive functioning (EF), crucial for daily functioning. Sleep disruptions, notably insomnia, are prevalent in PD, worsening symptoms and affecting overall well-being and treatment outcomes. Moreover, individuals with PD frequently engage in cannabis use, which can further impact EF. Gender differences may also play a role in how cannabis affects EF, though findings are varied. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the interplay between insomnia, EF, and cannabis use in PD individuals, while considering gender influences. We hypothesize that higher insomnia rates correlate with poorer EF in PD, with cannabis mediating this relationship. Additionally, we expect gender disparities to influence how cannabis affects EF. This study sheds light on critical factors affecting cognitive function in PD, aiding in tailored intervention strategies. Method: Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of patients (N=262) undergoing treatment at a mental health care clinic in the South-western part of the Netherlands at time of inclusion. Participants, aged between 18 and 65 at inclusion, had a primary diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. The current study utilized data from the Lichamelijke Klachten Vragenlijst (LKV), the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for Adults (BRIEF-A), and the Measurements in Addictions for Triage and Evaluation (MATE). Results: Significant correlations indicated a moderate positive association between insomnia and EF problems. However, mediation analysis did not support cannabis use as a mediator between insomnia and EF. Gender differences were explored through residual variances analysis, suggesting potential unaccounted factors impacting variability. Model fit indices revealed areas for improvement in explaining variance, warranting further examination and potential adjustments to refine the overall model fit. Conclusion: Higher rates of insomnia were related to higher rates of EF problems. There is no evidence for a mediating effect of cannabis use in this relationship. Gender differences did not seem to play a significant role in the effect of cannabis on EF. Future research should incorporate performance-based tasks alongside self-report measures to improve measurement precision. Future treatments could potentially benefit from incorporating interventions that address insomnia, as this may lead to potential enhancements in executive functioning.Show less
Pain, which substantially impacts one’s quality of life, is affected by various factors, including outcome expectancies. Although the effect of outcome expectancies has been studied extensively on...Show morePain, which substantially impacts one’s quality of life, is affected by various factors, including outcome expectancies. Although the effect of outcome expectancies has been studied extensively on pain perception, their impact on pain tolerance -defined as the ability to withstand a maximum pain intensity stimulus before seeking relief- remains mostly unknown. Furthermore, underlying mechanisms, that may be at play are not fully understood. This study aims to examine the role of induced outcome expectancies for pain tolerance, and the moderating role of optimism. It was hypothesized that the participants of the high outcome expectancy condition who received verbal suggestions about the expected outcome would exhibit higher pain tolerance than those in the neutral condition group, who did not receive any verbal suggestions. Additionally, optimism, comprised of positive outcome expectancies for the future, was hypothesized to moderate the relationship between outcome expectancies and pain tolerance meaning that outcome expectancies would decrease one’s sensitivity to pain more when optimism is high. The study’s factorial 2x2 between-subjects design involved randomizing healthy adults into a neutral control and high outcome expectancy condition group. Outcome expectancies were manipulated through verbal suggestions and assessed using a visual analog scale about the expected intensity of the upcoming stimulus. A Cold Pressor Test was used to assess pain tolerance, and dispositional optimism was measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised. The analysis revealed no significant difference in expected intensity ratings between the two groups, suggesting a need for further improvement of the effectiveness of verbal suggestions. Similarly, no significant difference was observed in pain tolerance between the two groups and optimism did not demonstrate a moderating effect on the relationship between induced outcome expectancies and pain tolerance. Future research may further explore cognitive and psychological mechanisms while taking into account personal traits that may be responsible for the association between outcome expectancies and pain perception and tolerance.Show less
Prediction models play a paramount role in various fields such as psychology and medicine, where the aim is to maximize predictive performance while ensuring high interpretability and stability....Show morePrediction models play a paramount role in various fields such as psychology and medicine, where the aim is to maximize predictive performance while ensuring high interpretability and stability. Prediction rule ensembles are a recent statistical learning method that address the black-box problem from common machine learning methods. First, an ensemble of trees is fitted, and by employing sparse regression, such as the lasso, only a subset of those trees is retained in the final ensemble, enhancing interpretability. However, the lasso suffers from drawbacks, considering that the optimal penalty parameter for variable selection may lead to an over-shrinkage of large coefficients. This study investigates if accuracy, sparsity, and stability of prediction rule ensembles can be improved by using the adaptive or relaxed lasso, or their combination. In the adaptive lasso, weight parameters are assigned to each coefficient in the penalty term, while in the relaxed lasso the lasso coefficients are debiased towards unpenalized values. In addition, in this study we compared if the results differ if the model selection was based on the lambda- 1se or lambda-min criterion and between continuous and binary outcomes. For this, the models were evaluated on nine benchmark datasets using repeated 10-fold cross-validation. The results show that all lasso variations improve model sparsity significantly while maintaining high accuracy, but at the cost of stability. The relaxed and adaptive lasso select sparser models than the standard lasso while achieving good stability of variable selection, but at the cost of less stable predictions. The relaxed adaptive lasso yields the sparsest model, but is the most unstable. Regarding lambda criterion, for continuous outcomes the lambda-minimum criterion leads to highly unstable results and diminishes the effect of lasso approach used. For binary outcomes, the lambda-1se criterion only improves accuracy and sparsity, but not stability, while for continuous outcomes it improves all performance diagnostics.Show less
The study looked at how regression to the mean affects the results of diabetes Type II medication effectiveness using data from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) study. This research...Show moreThe study looked at how regression to the mean affects the results of diabetes Type II medication effectiveness using data from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) study. This research showed that RTM can happen before and after starting medication. In simulations where there was no treatment effect, the HbA1c levels before starting medication were unexpectedly lower than the true average. This suggests that choosing different times to compare in the study can really change how effective the medication seems. When applying the same methods to the real NEO study data, there were some big differences compared to the simulations. For example, the estimated average HbA1c level before starting medication in the NEO study was higher than what was found using certain statistical models. This points out some possible issues with these methods and shows how complex the NEO study data is. The findings suggest that RTM is an important factor to consider in studies about medication effectiveness. Because the NEO study data is so complex, future research might need more detailed methods to properly understand RTM and how it affects the results. Expanding the types of scenarios studied, including different criteria for when treatment starts, and looking at more patient data could help give a fuller picture of RTM and improve how we evaluate medication effectiveness in real-world studiesShow less
Adolescence is a period marked by the pursuit of autonomy and asserting independence from parents, yet adolescents with mild-to-borderline intellectual disability (MBID) often rely more heavily on...Show moreAdolescence is a period marked by the pursuit of autonomy and asserting independence from parents, yet adolescents with mild-to-borderline intellectual disability (MBID) often rely more heavily on parental support compared to typically developing adolescents. This study examined parental involvement within a new cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach where peers assist adolescents with MBID in confronting their fears. The study employed a stakeholder-driven approach, conducting focus groups and interviews to gather insights from various stakeholders: adolescents with MBID (n=17), parents of adolescents with MBID (n=8), and therapists (n=15). We examined how long participants discussed the topic parental involvement, how many words they dedicated to it, and whether they generally expressed the importance of parental involvement. Additionally, qualitative analyses are conducted on the opinions of the stakeholder groups regarding how they think that parents should be involved in therapy. Results indicated a prioritization of parental involvement by therapists and parents over adolescents with MBID. Therapists and parents utilized a greater number of words pertaining to parental involvement, dedicated more time to discussing parental involvement, and explicitly articulated its importance. Parents expressed a strong need for support and involvement throughout the therapy process, while therapists unanimously agree that parents should be actively involved in treatment. Adolescents, on the other hand, believed that parents should only be involved when necessary. Implications of the study suggest scheduling parental appointments before and during therapy, offering psychoeducation, support and facilitating meetings with other parents of adolescents with MBID. Also involving parents in therapy through video recordings and progress reports are recommended strategies. Importantly, soliciting the opinions and approval of adolescents regarding parental involvement is crucial, and the benefits of parental involvement should be clearly communicated.Show less
If employees are not able to deal effectively with their emotions, negative consequences may occur such as absenteeism, turnover, and poorer physical and mental health. Therefore this study aimed...Show moreIf employees are not able to deal effectively with their emotions, negative consequences may occur such as absenteeism, turnover, and poorer physical and mental health. Therefore this study aimed to investigate if exercise fosters emotion regulation. It was hypothesized that 1) exercise would lead to less negative emotions; 2) this relationship is mediated by adaptive emotion regulation strategies, and 3) this effect would be greater for individuals high versus low in sensory processing sensitivity. To investigate this, an experimental, between-subjects design was used. A total of 134 students were recruited from Dutch universities, who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: exercise, active control (making a puzzle), or passive control (rest). During the experiment, all participants filled out a questionnaire measuring background variables, negative state emotions, and trait sensory processing sensitivity. After this, participants underwent a negative emotion induction task to elicit negative emotions and create a need to regulate emotions. They then spent thirty minutes on a cycle ergometer, doing a puzzle, or resting in a chair, after which adaptive emotion regulation strategies and negative emotions were measured. A mixed ANCOVA was conducted to test whether participants in the exercise condition experienced less negative emotions after cycling for thirty minutes than the participants in the control conditions, which was not supported by the data. The SPSS extension ,,PROCESS” was used to test the second (model 4) and third (model 7) hypothesis. Support was found for the expectation that participants in the exercise condition make more use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies after cycling for thirty minutes, and therefore experience less negative emotions than the participants in the puzzle or rest condition (significant full mediation effect). Lastly, the hypothesis that the effect of exercise on negative emotions via emotion regulation would be greater for those scoring higher on sensory processing sensitivity than for those scoring lower on this trait, was not supported. These findings further our knowledge on the interdependence of these variables, since inconsistencies found in the literature may be explained by the indirect effect found in this study. The role of adaptive emotion regulation may be key to understanding the underlying mechanisms of how exercise influences emotions. This could potentially impact the development of creating (workplace) interventions, where combining an exercise intervention with increasing the knowledge of the employees about adaptive emotion regulation strategies might be most effective. However, more research in this area is needed to test how generalizable this effect is, since there is reason to believe gender differences and natural preferences (versus lab imposed conditions) may influence these findings.Show less
In recent years, a lack of reproducibility in science has come to light. One of the causes of this lack of reproducibility is the use of questionable research practices (QRPs). P-hacking is one of...Show moreIn recent years, a lack of reproducibility in science has come to light. One of the causes of this lack of reproducibility is the use of questionable research practices (QRPs). P-hacking is one of these QRPs and consists of making impromptu data analytic choices, resulting in a biased significant p-value. The practice of blind analysis could be a viable option to tackle p-hacking. This thesis introduces a new categorization of blind analysis-methods: label blinding, noise blinding and coefficient blinding. Each of these categories has its own implications when it comes to the data analysis. Label blinding allows a researcher to check assumptions with the blinded data, but does not hide the actual p-values. Noise blinding prevents a researcher from checking assumptions with the blinded data, but hides the actual p¬-values. Coefficient blinding allows a researcher to check assumptions and hides the actual p-values, but requires a researcher to specify the model they are going to fit beforehand. Three case studies with simulated data illustrate what the plots and tests used for assumption checks look like for a method from each blind analysis category, as well as what the test statistics might look like. When using a label blinding method while conducting a two-way ANOVA, we are able to check the assumptions of a two-way ANOVA, but our results are not hidden, leaving an opening for p-hacking. When using a noise blinding method while conducting a two sample t-test, we are unable to check the assumptions of a two sample t-test, but our test results are hidden. When using a coefficient blinding method while conducting a linear regression analysis, we are able to check the assumptions of a linear regression and our test results are hidden. Not every blind analysis method is applicable to every dataset or data analysis. More research is needed to explore what blind analysis methods are applicable to which tests. Additionally, guidelines for the practical implementation of blind analysis should be specified.Show less
Objective. To determine the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program including physical exercise, in improving cognition, participation, and coping in patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)...Show moreObjective. To determine the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program including physical exercise, in improving cognition, participation, and coping in patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Secondary, it was aimed to identify the role of clinical characteristics in the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program. Methods. A longitudinal pilot intervention study was performed, with measurements before the start (T0), after three months (T1), and after six months (T2). Cognition was measured with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, participation with the Impact on Participation and Autonomy questionnaire, and coping with the Utrecht Proactive Coping Competence Scale. Generalized Estimating Equation analyses were performed. Results. A total of 19 patients with SAH participated; 13 in the intervention group and 6 in the control group. For the intervention group, cognition improved between T0 and T2 and between T1 and T2. Participation declined between T0 and T1, but improved between T1 and T2. Proactive coping declined between T0 and T2 and between T1 and T2. Cognition of the control group did not change, but participation improved between T0 and T1 and proactive coping declined between T0 and T1. There was no significant difference between the control and intervention groups in improvements in cognition between T0 and T1 (p = 0.090). However, there was a significant difference between the control and intervention groups in changes in participation between T0 and T1 (p = 0.001) and in changes in coping between T0 and T1 (p < 0.001). The location of SAH played a role in the differences in participation, but not in cognition and coping. For treatment type and time since SAH, no significant effects were found. Conclusion. There was no effect of the rehabilitation program on cognition. The control group had a better participation level after three months and the intervention group worsened. The intervention group had a stable coping style after three months, whereas the control group declined in the use of proactive coping. Only the characteristic location of the aneurysm played a role in the participation level after three months, but not in cognition or coping. The other characteristics did not play a role in the changes. This study indicates that some long-term complaints can improve after the rehabilitation program, but more research is needed.Show less
The lack of contact between a debtor and creditor has been identified as a big problem in overcoming financial stress and debt. This study aimed to investigate whether inducing control results in...Show moreThe lack of contact between a debtor and creditor has been identified as a big problem in overcoming financial stress and debt. This study aimed to investigate whether inducing control results in greater willingness to contact creditors. Furthermore, financial self-efficacy was investigated as a moderator of this relationship. A total of 134 participants were assigned to either an induced control group or a baseline group. The participants were asked to recall a negative financial experience and were then presented with a fictional letter from an imaginary creditor, urging them to contact the creditor as soon as possible. The creditor letter was left unchanged from a standard creditor letter in the baseline group, while in the control group, the letter offered two possibilities to help repay outstanding debt. After reading the letter, participants were asked if they would be willing to contact the creditor. The study found that there was a significant difference in the participants' willingness to contact creditors. However, financial self-efficacy was not found to be a significant moderator. The present study provides additional support to previous findings that increasing perceived control led to a higher willingness to contact in the context of financial hardship.Show less
