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Brain Sciences
Special Issues
Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management
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Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropsychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 16418

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fares Al-Shargie

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Guest Editor
Department of Electrical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Interests: stress management; EEG; fNIRS; emotion recognition; artificial intelligence; cognitive enhancement
Dr. Ahmad Rauf Subhani

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Guest Editor
College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Interests: neuro-signal processing; mental stress assessment and mitigation
Dr. Sahar Taresh

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Social Science, Art and Humanities, Lincoln University College, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Interests: mental illness; mental stress; emotional regulation
Dr. Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, CA 91105, USA
Interests: neuro-signal processing; mental health conditions; brain-heart connections

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mental stress is one of the major health problems in modern societies.  Stress reduces human functionality during routine work and may lead to severe health defects. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress as a workplace hazard. World statistics report that around 970 million people around the world suffer from mental health problems. Generally, it has been estimated that the annual global economic cost of mental illness USD 2.5T, with a projected increase to USD 6T by 2030. Thus, managing mental stress is critical for safety, productivity, and quality of life.

The aim of the current Special Issue is to gather studies on the assessment and mitigation of mental stress and cognitive deficiency. These studies should aim to achieve a more sophisticated level of understanding, showing new experimental techniques for studying mental stress and cognitive deficiency. Methodological/experimental work as well as applied science in healthy and clinical samples is welcome. Cognitive domains include—but are not limited to—memory, attention, consciousness, executive functions, motivation, sensation, and perception. Both original experimental and theoretical papers on the previous subjects, as well as review papers, are solicited.

Dr. Fares Al-Shargie
Dr. Ahmad Rauf Subhani
Dr. Sahar Taresh
Dr. Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental stress
  • cognition
  • learning and memory
  • cognitive enhancement
  • transcranial electrical stimulation
  • neurofeedback
  • binaural beat stimulation
  • electroencephalography (EEG)
  • functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
  • fMRI, MEG
  • machine learning and deep learning

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 175 KiB  
Editorial
Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management
by Fares Al-Shargie, Sahar Mohammed Taresh and Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(4), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14040316 - 27 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4799
Abstract
Mental stress is a prevalent aspect of contemporary life that affects individuals from diverse backgrounds [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 5472 KiB  
Article
EEG Network Analysis of Depressive Emotion Interference Spatial Cognition Based on a Simulated Robotic Arm Docking Task
by Kai Yang, Yidong Hu, Ying Zeng, Li Tong, Yuanlong Gao, Changfu Pei, Zhongrui Li and Bin Yan
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14010044 - 31 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1651
Abstract
Depressive emotion (DE) refers to clinically relevant depressive symptoms without meeting the diagnostic criteria for depression. Studies have demonstrated that DE can cause spatial cognition impairment. However, the brain network mechanisms underlying DE interference spatial cognition remain unclear. This study aimed to reveal [...] Read more.
Depressive emotion (DE) refers to clinically relevant depressive symptoms without meeting the diagnostic criteria for depression. Studies have demonstrated that DE can cause spatial cognition impairment. However, the brain network mechanisms underlying DE interference spatial cognition remain unclear. This study aimed to reveal the differences in brain network connections between DE and healthy control (HC) groups during resting state and a spatial cognition task. The longer operation time of the DE group during spatial cognition task indicated DE interference spatial cognition. In the resting state stage, the DE group had weaker network connections in theta and alpha bands than the HC group had. Specifically, the electrodes in parietal regions were hubs of the differential networks, which are related to spatial attention. Moreover, in docking task stages, the left frontoparietal network connections in delta, beta, and gamma bands were stronger in the DE group than those of the HC group. The enhanced left frontoparietal connections in the DE group may be related to brain resource reorganization to compensate for spatial cognition decline and ensure the completion of spatial cognition tasks. Thus, these findings might provide new insights into the neural mechanisms of depressive emotion interference spatial cognition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management)
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14 pages, 266 KiB  
Article
Frequency, Characteristics, and Correlates of Cognitive Complaints in a Cohort of Individuals with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19
by Cayla Muschel, Sean T. Lynch, Rhea Dornbush, Lidia Klepacz, Sivan Shahar and Stephen J. Ferrando
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14010003 - 20 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1930
Abstract
Background: Cognitive complaints are among the most frequent symptoms of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). This study aimed to investigate the frequency, characteristics, and clinical correlates of cognitive complaints (CC) in PASC, particularly in relation to objective neuropsychological (NP) performance. Methods: Seventy-four participants [...] Read more.
Background: Cognitive complaints are among the most frequent symptoms of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). This study aimed to investigate the frequency, characteristics, and clinical correlates of cognitive complaints (CC) in PASC, particularly in relation to objective neuropsychological (NP) performance. Methods: Seventy-four participants underwent psychiatric, medical, and NP testing approximately 7 months after acute COVID-19. The Patient Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory (PAOFI) was used to characterize the frequency and severity of CC in domains of memory, language, and cognitive/executive function. The associations of CC with sociodemographic, medical, psychiatric, and NP variables were assessed utilizing correlational analysis, logistic regression, and pairwise comparisons of those categorized as having CC vs. not having CC. Results: Taken together, approximately one-third of the study participants had clinically significant CC. Memory difficulty was the most frequent CC, although all categories were frequently endorsed. Memory and cognitive/executive complaints correlated with NP tests in these and multiple other NP domains. CC were more likely to be under-reported in those with diminished NP performance than over-reported in those without diminished performance. Acute COVID-19 symptom severity, elevated depressive symptoms, and NP tests of diminished attention and psychomotor processing speed were independent predictors of CC in logistic regression. Conclusions: Cognitive complaints after acute COVID-19 should be taken seriously, as they are likely to reflect diminished NP performance, as well as medical, psychiatric, and functional burdens. However, patients with PASC may not accurately identify or characterize objective cognitive difficulties, so programs offering comprehensive care for patients with PASC should offer formal neuropsychological testing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management)
19 pages, 4172 KiB  
Article
Mental Stress Classification Based on Selected Electroencephalography Channels Using Correlation Coefficient of Hjorth Parameters
by Ala Hag, Fares Al-Shargie, Dini Handayani and Houshyar Asadi
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(9), 1340; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13091340 - 18 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2076
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) signals offer invaluable insights into diverse activities of the human brain, including the intricate physiological and psychological responses associated with mental stress. A major challenge, however, is accurately identifying mental stress while mitigating the limitations associated with a large number of [...] Read more.
Electroencephalography (EEG) signals offer invaluable insights into diverse activities of the human brain, including the intricate physiological and psychological responses associated with mental stress. A major challenge, however, is accurately identifying mental stress while mitigating the limitations associated with a large number of EEG channels. Such limitations encompass computational complexity, potential overfitting, and the prolonged setup time for electrode placement, all of which can hinder practical applications. To address these challenges, this study presents the novel CCHP method, aimed at identifying and ranking commonly optimal EEG channels based on their sensitivity to the mental stress state. This method’s uniqueness lies in its ability not only to find common channels, but also to prioritize them according to their responsiveness to stress, ensuring consistency across subjects and making it potentially transformative for real-world applications. From our rigorous examinations, eight channels emerged as universally optimal in detecting stress variances across participants. Leveraging features from the time, frequency, and time–frequency domains of these channels, and employing machine learning algorithms, notably RLDA, SVM, and KNN, our approach achieved a remarkable accuracy of 81.56% with the SVM algorithm outperforming existing methodologies. The implications of this research are profound, offering a stepping stone toward the development of real-time stress detection devices, and consequently, enabling clinicians to make more informed therapeutic decisions based on comprehensive brain activity monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management)
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14 pages, 812 KiB  
Article
Reliability and Validity of the Geriatric Depression Scale in a Sample of Portuguese Older Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Cognitive Impairment
by Susana I. Justo-Henriques, Enrique Pérez-Sáez, Janessa O. Carvalho, Elzbieta Bobrowicz-Campos, João L. Alves Apóstolo, Patricia Otero and Fernando L. Vázquez
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(8), 1160; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13081160 - 3 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2382
Abstract
Although the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a well-established instrument for the assessment of depressive symptoms in older adults, this has not been validated specifically for Portuguese older adults with cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties [...] Read more.
Although the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a well-established instrument for the assessment of depressive symptoms in older adults, this has not been validated specifically for Portuguese older adults with cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of two Portuguese versions of the GDS (GDS-27 and GDS-15) in a sample of Portuguese older adults with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment. Clinicians assessed for major depressive disorder and cognitive functioning in 117 participants with mild-to-moderate cognitive decline (76.9% female, Mage = 83.66 years). The internal consistency of GDS-27 and GDS-15 were 0.874 and 0.812, respectively. There was a significant correlation between GDS-27 and GDS-15 with the Beck Depression Inventory-II (GDS-27: rho = 0.738, p < 0.001; GDS-15: rho = 0.760, p < 0.001), suggesting good validity. A cutoff point of 15/16 in GDS-27 and 8/9 in GDS-15 resulted in the identification of persons with depression (GDS-27: sensitivity 100%, specificity 63%; GDS-15: sensitivity 90%, specificity 62%). Overall, the GDS-27 and GDS-15 are reliable and valid instruments for the assessment of depression in Portuguese-speaking older adults with cognitive impairment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management)
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15 pages, 3091 KiB  
Article
Listening Effort in Tinnitus: A Pilot Study Employing a Light EEG Headset and Skin Conductance Assessment during the Listening to a Continuous Speech Stimulus under Different SNR Conditions
by Giulia Cartocci, Bianca Maria Serena Inguscio, Giovanna Giliberto, Alessia Vozzi, Andrea Giorgi, Antonio Greco, Fabio Babiloni and Giuseppe Attanasio
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(7), 1084; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13071084 - 17 Jul 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2237
Abstract
Background noise elicits listening effort. What else is tinnitus if not an endogenous background noise? From such reasoning, we hypothesized the occurrence of increased listening effort in tinnitus patients during listening tasks. Such a hypothesis was tested by investigating some indices of listening [...] Read more.
Background noise elicits listening effort. What else is tinnitus if not an endogenous background noise? From such reasoning, we hypothesized the occurrence of increased listening effort in tinnitus patients during listening tasks. Such a hypothesis was tested by investigating some indices of listening effort through electroencephalographic and skin conductance, particularly parietal and frontal alpha and electrodermal activity (EDA). Furthermore, tinnitus distress questionnaires (THI and TQ12-I) were employed. Parietal alpha values were positively correlated to TQ12-I scores, and both were negatively correlated to EDA; Pre-stimulus frontal alpha correlated with the THI score in our pilot study; finally, results showed a general trend of increased frontal alpha activity in the tinnitus group in comparison to the control group. Parietal alpha during the listening to stimuli, positively correlated to the TQ12-I, appears to reflect a higher listening effort in tinnitus patients and the perception of tinnitus symptoms. The negative correlation between both listening effort (parietal alpha) and tinnitus symptoms perception (TQ12-I scores) with EDA levels could be explained by a less responsive sympathetic nervous system to prepare the body to expend increased energy during the “fight or flight” response, due to pauperization of energy from tinnitus perception. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Stress and Cognitive Deficits Management)
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