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Kraft und Kognition
(2023)
Die in den letzten Jahren aus Querschnittstudien gewonnenen empirischen Erkenntnisse deuten auf einen Zusammenhang zwischen muskulärer Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit hin [10]. Diese Beobachtung wird von Längsschnittstudien gestützt, bei denen in Folge gezielter Krafttrainingsinterventionen, welche typischerweise zur Steigerung der muskulären Kraftleistungsfähigkeit führen, Verbesserungen der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit dokumentiert werden konnten [11]. Die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen, die den Zusammenhang zwischen muskulärer Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit begründen, sind jedoch noch nicht vollständig bekannt und bedürfen weiterer Forschung [10,12]. Vor diesem Hintergrund hatten die im Rahmen dieser Dissertation durchgeführten Forschungsarbeiten das übergeordnete Ziel, die Mechanismen zu untersuchen, welche den Zusammenhang zwischen der muskulären Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit erklären können. In dieser Arbeit wurden dazu unterschiedliche Populationen (junge Menschen und ältere Menschen ohne und mit leichten kognitiven Störungen) unter Anwendung verschiedener untersuchungsmethodischer Ansätze (systematische Literaturrecherche, Doppelaufgabenparadigma und funktionelle Nahinfrarotspektroskopie) untersucht. Aufgrund der im Rahmen dieser Dissertation durchgeführten Forschungsarbeiten, die konsekutiv aufeinander aufbauen, konnten folgende Haupterkenntnisse gewonnen werden:
• Um einen umfassenden Überblick über die aktuelle Evidenzlage zum Thema Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit sowie den zugrundeliegenden neuronalen Korrelaten zu erlangen, wurde eine systematische Literaturrecherche zu diesem Forschungsthema durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse dieser systematischen Literaturrecherche dokumentieren, dass ein gezieltes Krafttraining neben der Steigerung der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit zu funktionellen und strukturellen Veränderungen des Gehirns, insbesondere in frontalen Gehirnregionen, führen kann [13]. Ferner zeigen die Ergebnisse dieser systematischen Literaturrecherche, bei der eine begrenzte Anzahl verfügbarer Studien (n = 18) identifiziert wurde, den Bedarf weiterer Forschungsarbeiten zu diesem Themenfeld an [13].
• Zur Überprüfung der Hypothese, dass zur Ausführung von Krafttrainingsübungen höhere kognitive Prozesse benötigt werden, wurde in einer experimentellen Studie bei jüngeren gesunden Erwachsenen das Doppelaufgabenparadigma bei der Krafttrainingsübung Knie-beuge angewendet. Die in dieser Studie beobachteten Doppelaufgabenkosten bei der Ausführung der Krafttrainingsübung Kniebeuge (im Vergleich zur Kontrollbedingung Stehen) deuten auf die Beteiligung höherer kognitiver Prozesse zur Lösung dieser Bewegungsaufgabe hin und bestätigen die aufgestellte Hypothese [14].
• Um die Hypothese zu untersuchen, dass spezifische neuronale Korrelate (funktionelle Gehirnaktivität) den Zusammenhang zwischen muskulärer Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit vermitteln, wurde bei jungen gesunden Erwachsenen der Zusammenhang zwischen der Ausprägung der maximalen Handgriffkraft (normalisiert auf den Body-Mass-Index) und der kortikalen hämodynamischen Antwortreaktion untersucht, die bei der Durchführung eines standardisierten kognitiven Tests mittels funktioneller Nahinfrarotspektroskopie in präfrontalen Gehirnarealen gemessen wurde. Im Rahmen dieser Querschnittsstudie konnte die initiale Hypothese nicht vollständig bestätigt werden, da zwar Zusammenhänge zwischen maximaler Handgriffkraft und kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit mit Parametern der hämodynamischen Antwortreaktion beobachtet wurden, aber die Ausprägung der maximalen Handgriffkraft nicht im Zusammenhang mit der Kurzeitgedächtnisleistung stand [16].
• Zur Untersuchung der Annahme, dass eine vorliegende neurologische Erkrankung (im Speziellen eine leichte kognitive Störung), die typischerweise mit Veränderungen von spezifischen neuronalen Korrelaten (z.B. des Hippokampus‘ [17-19] und des präfrontalen Kortex‘ [20,21]) einhergeht, einen Einfluss auf die Assoziation zwischen muskulärer Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit hat, wurde in einer Querschnittsstudie der Zusammenhang zwischen der Ausprägung der maximalen Handgriffkraft (normalisiert auf den Body-Mass-Index) und der Ausprägung der exekutiven Funktionen bei älteren Erwachsenen mit amnestischem und nicht-amnestischem Subtyp der leichten kognitiven Störung sowie gesunden älteren Erwachsenen untersucht. In dieser Querschnittsstudie wurde nur bei älteren Erwachsenen mit dem amnestischen Subtyp der leichten kognitiven Störung ein Zusammenhang zwischen maximaler Handgriffkraft und exekutiven Funktionen beobachtet. Solch eine Korrelation existiert jedoch nicht bei älteren Erwachsenen mit dem non-amnestischen Subtyp der leichten kognitiven Störung oder bei gesunden älteren Erwachsenen [24].
• In einem Perspektivenartikel wurde aufgezeigt, wie durch die theoriegeleitete Nutzung physiologischer Effekte, die bei einer speziellen Krafttrainingsmethode durch die Moderation des peripheren Blutflusses mittels Manschetten oder Bändern auftreten, insbesondere Populationen mit niedriger mechanischer Belastbarkeit von den positiven Effekten des Krafttrainings auf die Gehirngesundheit profitieren könnten [25].
Insgesamt deuten die Ergebnisse der in dieser Dissertation zusammengeführten und aufeinander aufbauenden Forschungsarbeiten auf das Vorhandensein von gemeinsamen neuronalen Korrelaten (z.B. frontaler Kortex) hin, die sowohl für die muskuläre Kraftleistungsfähigkeit als auch für höhere kognitive Prozesse eine wichtige Rolle spielen [26]. Betrachtet man die in der vorliegenden Dissertation gewonnenen Erkenntnisse im Verbund mit den bereits in der Literatur existieren-den empirischen Belegen, unterstützen sie die Sichtweise, dass eine relativ hohe muskuläre Kraftleistungsfähigkeit und deren Erhalt durch gezielte Krafttrainingsinterventionen über die Lebenspanne positive Effekte auf die (Gehirn-)Gesundheit haben können [27].
Global heat adaptation among urban populations and its evolution under different climate futures
(2022)
Heat and increasing ambient temperatures under climate change represent a serious threat to human health in cities. Heat exposure has been studied extensively at a global scale. Studies comparing a defined temperature threshold with the future daytime temperature during a certain period of time, had concluded an increase in threat to human health. Such findings however do not explicitly account for possible changes in future human heat adaptation and might even overestimate heat exposure. Thus, heat adaptation and its development is still unclear. Human heat adaptation refers to the local temperature to which populations are adjusted to. It can be inferred from the lowest point of the U- or V-shaped heat-mortality relationship (HMR), the Minimum Mortality Temperature (MMT). While epidemiological studies inform on the MMT at the city scale for case studies, a general model applicable at the global scale to infer on temporal change in MMTs had not yet been realised. The conventional approach depends on data availability, their robustness, and on the access to daily mortality records at the city scale. Thorough analysis however must account for future changes in the MMT as heat adaptation happens partially passively. Human heat adaptation consists of two aspects: (1) the intensity of the heat hazard that is still tolerated by human populations, meaning the heat burden they can bear and (2) the wealth-induced technological, social and behavioural measures that can be employed to avoid heat exposure. The objective of this thesis is to investigate and quantify human heat adaptation among urban populations at a global scale under the current climate and to project future adaptation under climate change until the end of the century. To date, this has not yet been accomplished. The evaluation of global heat adaptation among urban populations and its evolution under climate change comprises three levels of analysis. First, using the example of Germany, the MMT is calculated at the city level by applying the conventional method. Second, this thesis compiles a data pool of 400 urban MMTs to develop and train a new model capable of estimating MMTs on the basis of physical and socio-economic city characteristics using multivariate non-linear multivariate regression. The MMT is successfully described as a function of the current climate, the topography and the socio-economic standard, independently of daily mortality data for cities around the world. The city-specific MMT estimates represents a measure of human heat adaptation among the urban population. In a final third analysis, the model to derive human heat adaptation was adjusted to be driven by projected climate and socio-economic variables for the future. This allowed for estimation of the MMT and its change for 3 820 cities worldwide for different combinations of climate trajectories and socio-economic pathways until 2100. The knowledge on the evolution of heat adaptation in the future is a novelty as mostly heat exposure and its future development had been researched. In this work, changes in heat adaptation and exposure were analysed jointly. A wide range of possible health-related outcomes up to 2100 was the result, of which two scenarios with the highest socio-economic developments but opposing strong warming levels were highlighted for comparison. Strong economic growth based upon fossil fuel exploitation is associated with a high gain in heat adaptation, but may not be able to compensate for the associated negative health effects due to increased heat exposure in 30% to 40% of the cities investigated caused by severe climate change. A slightly less strong, but sustainable growth brings moderate gains in heat adaptation but a lower heat exposure and exposure reductions in 80% to 84% of the cities in terms of frequency (number of days exceeding the MMT) and intensity (magnitude of the MMT exceedance) due to a milder global warming. Choosing a 2 ° C compatible development by 2100 would therefore lower the risk of heat-related mortality at the end of the century. In summary, this thesis makes diverse and multidisciplinary contributions to a deeper understanding of human adaptation to heat under the current and the future climate. It is one of the first studies to carry out a systematic and statistical analysis of urban characteristics which are useful as MMT drivers to establish a generalised model of human heat adaptation, applicable at the global level. A broad range of possible heat-related health options for various future scenarios was shown for the first time. This work is of relevance for the assessment of heat-health impacts in regions where mortality data are not accessible or missing. The results are useful for health care planning at the meso- and macro-level and to urban- and climate change adaptation planning. Lastly, beyond having met the posed objective, this thesis advances research towards a global future impact assessment of heat on human health by providing an alternative method of MMT estimation, that is spatially and temporally flexible in its application.
This paper analyzes the effect of new bicycle lanes on traffic volume, congestion, and accidents. Crucially, the new bike lanes replace existing car lanes thereby reducing available space for motorized traffic. In order to obtain causal estimates, I exploit the quasi-random timing and location of the newly built cycle lanes. Using an event study design, a two-way fixed effects model and the synthetic control group method on geo-coded data, I show that the construction of pop-up bike lanes significantly reduced average car speed by 8 to 12 percentage points (p.p.) and up to 16 p.p. in peak traffic hours. In contrast, the results for car volume are modest, while the data does not allow for a conclusive judgment of accidents.
Role of GDF15 in active lifestyle induced metabolic adaptations and acute exercise response in mice
(2019)
Physical activity is an important contributor to muscle adaptation and metabolic health. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is established as cellular and nutritional stress-induced cytokine but its physiological role in response to active lifestyle or acute exercise is unknown. Here, we investigated the metabolic phenotype and circulating GDF15 levels in lean and obese male C57BI/6J mice with long-term voluntary wheel running (VWR) intervention. Additionally, treadmill running capacity and exercise-induced muscle gene expression was examined in GDF15-ablated mice. Active lifestyle mimic via VWR improved treadmill running performance and, in obese mice, also metabolic phenotype. The post-exercise induction of skeletal muscle transcriptional stress markers was reduced by VWR. Skeletal muscle GDF15 gene expression was very low and only transiently increased post-exercise in sedentary but not in active mice. Plasma GDF15 levels were only marginally affected by chronic or acute exercise. In obese mice, VWR reduced GDF15 gene expression in different tissues but did not reverse elevated plasma GDF15. Genetic ablation of GDF15 had no effect on exercise performance but augmented the post exercise expression of transcriptional exercise stress markers (Atf3, Atf6, and Xbp1s) in skeletal muscle. We conclude that skeletal muscle does not contribute to circulating GDF15 in mice, but muscle GDF15 might play a protective role in the exercise stress response.
Labor market policy tools such as training and sanctions are commonly used to help bring workers back to work. By analogy to medical treatments, the individual exposure to these tools may have side effects. We study effects on health using individual-level population registers on labor market events outcomes, drug prescriptions and sickness absence, comparing outcomes before and after exposure to training and sanctions. We find that training improves cardiovascular and mental health and lowers sickness absence. The results suggest that this is not due to improved employment prospects but rather to instantaneous features of participation such as, perhaps, the adoption of a more rigorous daily routine. Unemployment benefits sanctions cause a short-run deterioration of mental health, possibly due higher stress levels, but this tapers out quickly.
Purpose
To test whether the negative relationship between perceived stress and quality of life (Hypothesis 1) can be buffered by perceived social support in patients with dementia as well as in caregivers individually (Hypothesis 2: actor effects) and across partners (Hypothesis 3: partner effects and actor-partner effects).
Method
A total of 108 couples (N = 216 individuals) comprised of one individual with early-stage dementia and one caregiving partner were assessed at baseline and one month apart. Moderation effects were investigated by applying linear mixed models and actor-partner interdependence models.
Results
Although the stress-quality of life association was more pronounced in caregivers (beta = -.63, p<.001) compared to patients (beta= -.31, p<.001), this association was equally moderated by social support in patients (beta = .14, p<.05) and in the caregivers (beta =.13, p<.05). From one partner to his or her counterpart, the partner buffering and actor-partner-buffering effect were not present.
Conclusion
The stress-buffering effect has been replicated in individuals with dementia and caregivers but not across partners. Interventions to improve quality of life through perceived social support should not only focus on caregivers, but should incorporate both partners.
River floods are among the most damaging natural hazards that frequently occur in Germany. Flooding causes high economic losses and impacts many residents. In 2016, several southern German municipalities were hit by flash floods after unexpectedly severe heavy rainfall, while in 2013 widespread river flooding had occurred. This study investigates and compares the psychological impacts of river floods and flash floods and potential consequences for precautionary behaviour. Data were collected using computer-aided telephone interviews that were conducted among flood-affected households around 9 months after each damaging event. This study applies Bayesian statistics and negative binomial regressions to test the suitability of psychological indicators to predict the precaution motivation of individuals. The results show that it is not the particular flood type but rather the severity and local impacts of the event that are crucial for the different, and potentially negative, impacts on mental health. According to the used data, however, predictions of the individual precaution motivation should not be based on the derived psychological indicators – i.e. coping appraisal, threat appraisal, burden and evasion – since their explanatory power was generally low and results are, for the most part, non-significant. Only burden reveals a significant positive relation to planned precaution regarding weak flash floods. In contrast to weak flash floods and river floods, the perceived threat of strong flash floods is significantly lower although feelings of burden and lower coping appraisals are more pronounced. Further research is needed to better include psychological assessment procedures and to focus on alternative data sources regarding floods and the connected precaution motivation of affected residents.
Strategic sexual signals
(2016)
The color red has special meaning in mating-relevant contexts. Wearing red can enhance perceptions of women's attractiveness and desirability as a potential romantic partner. Building on recent findings, the present study examined whether women's (N = 74) choice to display the color red is influenced by the attractiveness of an expected opposite-sex interaction partner. Results indicated that female participants who expected to interact with an attractive man displayed red (on clothing, accessories, and/or makeup) more often than a baseline consisting of women in a natural environment with no induced expectation. In contrast, when women expected to interact with an unattractive man, they eschewed red, displaying it less often than in the baseline condition. Findings are discussed with respect to evolutionary and cultural perspectives on mate evaluation and selection.
Changing the perspective sometimes offers completely new insights to an already well-known phenomenon. Exercising behavior, defined as planned, structured and repeated bodily movements with the intention to maintain or increase the physical fitness (Caspersen, Powell, & Christenson, 1985), can be thought of as such a well-known phenomenon that has been in the scientific focus for many decades (Dishman & O’Connor, 2005). Within these decades a perspective that assumes rational and controlled evaluations as the basis for decision making, was predominantly used to understand why some people engage in physical activity and others do not (Ekkekakis & Zenko, 2015).
Dual-process theories (Ekkekakis & Zenko, 2015; Payne & Gawronski, 2010) provide another perspective, that is not exclusively influenced by rational reasoning. These theories differentiate two different processes that guide behavior “depending on whether they operate automatically or in a controlled fashion“ (Gawronski & Creighton, 2012, p. 282). Following this line of thought, exercise behavior is not solely influenced by thoughtful deliberations (e.g. concluding that exercising is healthy) but also by spontaneous affective reactions (e.g. disliking being sweaty while exercising). The theoretical frameworks of dual-process models are not new in psychology (Chaiken & Trope, 1999) and have already been used for the explanation of numerous behaviors (e.g. Hofmann, Friese, & Wiers, 2008; Huijding, de Jong, Wiers, & Verkooijen, 2005). However, they have only rarely been used for the explanation of exercise behavior (e.g. Bluemke, Brand, Schweizer, & Kahlert, 2010; Conroy, Hyde, Doerksen, & Ribeiro, 2010; Hyde, Doerksen, Ribeiro, & Conroy, 2010). The assumption of two dissimilar behavior influencing processes, differs fundamentally from previous theories and thus from the research that has been conducted in the last decades in exercise psychology. Research mainly concentrated on predictors of the controlled processes and addressed the identified predictors in exercise interventions (Ekkekakis & Zenko, 2015; Hagger, Chatzisarantis, & Biddle, 2002).
Predictors arising from the described automatic processes, for example automatic evaluations for exercising (AEE), have been neglected in exercise psychology for many years. Until now, only a few researchers investigated the influence of these AEE for exercising behavior (Bluemke et al., 2010; Brand & Schweizer, 2015; Markland, Hall, Duncan, & Simatovic, 2015). Marginally more researchers focused on the impact of AEE for physical activity behavior (Calitri, Lowe, Eves, & Bennett, 2009; Conroy et al., 2010; Hyde et al., 2010; Hyde, Elavsky, Doerksen, & Conroy, 2012). The extant studies mainly focused on the quality of AEE and the associated quantity of exercise (exercise much or little; Bluemke et al., 2010; Calitri et al., 2009; Conroy et al., 2010; Hyde et al., 2012). In sum, there is still a dramatic lack of empirical knowledge, when applying dual-process theories to exercising behavior, even though these theories have proven to be successful in explaining behavior in many other health-relevant domains like eating, drinking or smoking behavior (e.g. Hofmann et al., 2008).
The main goal of the present dissertation was to collect empirical evidence for the influence of AEE on exercise behavior and to expand the so far exclusively correlational studies by experimentally controlled studies. By doing so, the ongoing debate on a paradigm shift from controlled and deliberative influences of exercise behavior towards approaches that consider automatic and affective influences (Ekkekakis & Zenko, 2015) should be encouraged. All three conducted publications are embedded in dual-process theorizing (Gawronski & Bodenhausen, 2006, 2014; Strack & Deutsch, 2004). These theories offer a theoretical framework that could integrate the established controlled variables of exercise behavior explanation and additionally consider automatic factors for exercise behavior like AEE.
Taken together, the empirical findings collected suggest that AEE play an important and diverse role for exercise behavior. They represent exercise setting preferences, are a cause for short-term exercise decisions and are decisive for long-term exercise adherence. Adding to the few already present studies in this field, the influence of (positive) AEE for exercise behavior was confirmed in all three presented publications. Even though the available set of studies needs to be extended in prospectively studies, first steps towards a more complete picture have been taken. Closing with the beginning of the synopsis: I think that time is right for a change of perspectives! This means a careful extension of the present theories with controlled evaluations explaining exercise behavior. Dual-process theories including controlled and automatic evaluations could provide such a basis for future research endeavors in exercise psychology.
Vor dem Hintergrund steigender psychischer Erkrankungen setzt sich die Arbeit damit auseinander, welche Möglichkeiten bestehen, um die psychische Gesundheit von Mitarbeitern zu fördern. Die Arbeit konzentriert sich auf das Erleben sozialer Unterstützung im Arbeitskontext. Zunächst wurde ein diagnostisches Instrument entwickelt, welches das Erleben sozialer Unterstützung im beruflichen Kontext reliabel und valide abzubilden vermag (N=936). Im Mittelpunkt der empirischen Untersuchung stand die Überprüfung der gesundheitsförderlichen Wirkung sozial unterstützenden Verhaltens bei Lehrern, Feuerwehrbediensteten, Krankenschwestern und Polizisten (N=1.041) unter differentiellem Aspekt. Hauptaugenmerk wurde dabei auf das personenbezogene Merkmal des individuellen Bewältigungsmusters im Beruf gelegt. Auf der Grundlage der gewonnenen Ergebnisse wurde ein Interventionsprogramm für Lehrer zum Zwecke der Gesundheitsförderung abgeleitet (N=207), in dem sowohl personen- als auch bedingungsbezogene Elemente kombiniert wurden und welches das berufliche Unterstützungserleben von Schulleitern und Lehrern fokussierte. Es war Ziel der Intervention, das Unterstützungserleben im beruflichen Kontext zu stärken und nachhaltige Veränderungen zu initiieren. Ebenso wie in anderen Untersuchungen konnte bestätigt werden, dass dem Unterstützungserleben im Arbeitskontext eine wichtige Pufferfunktion zukommt. Personen, die sich insbesondere vom Vorgesetzten unterstützt fühlen, weisen in den Gesundheitsindikatoren günstigere Werte auf als jene, die aus ihrem beruflichen Umfeld kaum Unterstützung wahrnehmen. Durch die Berücksichtigung des individuellen Bewältigungsmusters als personales Merkmal kann zusätzliche Kriteriumsvarianz aufgeklärt werden. Die Intervention belegt, dass die sinnvolle Kombination von verhältnis- und personbezogenen Elementen Schulen dabei hilft, aus eigener Kraft Ressourcen zu stärken und Belastungen abzubauen.