Browsing by Author "Podd J"

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    The effects of docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on cognition and well-being in mild cognitive impairment: A 12-month randomised controlled trial
    (John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, 2022-05) Mengelberg A; Leathem J; Podd J; Hill S; Conlon C
    OBJECTIVES: Several recent clinical trials have shown that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements have a significant effect on cognition in cognitively impaired older adults. This randomised controlled trial aimed to investigate the cognitive effects of a DHA fish oil supplement in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, and to examine the moderating effect of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 allele on cognition and well-being. METHODS/DESIGN: Seventy-two older adults between the ages of 60 and 90 from New Zealand were given a DHA supplement equivalent to 1491 mg DHA + 351 mg eicosapentaenoic acid per day or a placebo for a period of 12 months. Outcome measures included cognition, wellbeing and self-rated quality of life as well as height, weight, blood pressure and APOE genotyping. RESULTS: The final analysis (n = 60) found no evidence of a treatment effect on cognitive measures, although did find a treatment effect on systolic blood pressure (p = 0.03, ƞ2  = 0.08), and a treatment interaction for APOE ɛ4 carriers on depression (p = 0.04, ƞ2  = 0.07) and anxiety (p = 0.02, ƞ2  = 0.09) scores in favour of the DHA supplement. CONCLUSIONS: Despite no effect on cognition, the positive result in APOE ɛ4 carriers on depression and anxiety scores and on systolic blood pressure justifies further DHA trials. It may be a prudent step going forward for more studies to replicate the design elements (dose, duration and cognitive measures) of previous DHA trials to help understand why not all older adults appear to benefit from taking a fish oil supplement.
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    The relationship between driving anxiety and driving skill: A review of human factors and anxiety-performance theories to clarify future research needs
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2008) Taylor JE; Deane FP; Podd J
    This article examines theory and identifies gaps in research related to the role of driving skills in driving anxiety. Increasingly, investigators have examined the clinical features of driving anxiety and the more severe situation of driving fear and phobia, but the possible involvement of driving skills has been neglected. This is surprising given the potential implications for skills training and remediation in the assessment and treatment of some of those who experience driving anxiety, fear, and phobia. The largest body of relevant research comes from the driving and human factors literature on the relationship between anxiety and driving performance. The main theories addressing the relationship between anxiety and performance are examined, with specific attention to studies that have applied theoretical models to the driving situation. The paper identifies the need for further research regarding the relationship between driving skills and performance for individuals reporting driving anxiety. The implications for assessment and treatment are outlined, such as the role of driving task characteristics in planning exposure therapy.
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    The use of brief screening instruments for age-related cognitive impairment in New Zealand
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2012) Strauss H-M; Leathem J; Humphries S; Podd J; Fitzgerald, J
    This study aimed to determine which measures are most commonly used to screen for age-related cognitive impairment in New Zealand, to describe how and why they are used, determine the factors clinicians deem most important in the selection of a particular screen and their levels of training and expertise in using particular screens. A web survey was completed by geriatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, and psychologists (N=82). Cognitive screening measures were selected for the survey based on previous research. According to the sample, the most frequently used screen was the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), followed by the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R). Cognitive screening fulfilled a variety of functions in clinical practice and was widely used, especially in services for older people, however formal training was limited. Availability, reliability and validity, and brevity (respectively) were the most important factors clinicians considered when selecting a screening instrument. Respondent comments agreed with current literature that the MMSE is inadequate as a screening instrument for cognitive impairment, and this was reflected in the comments of respondents on the survey questionnaire, yet this was still the most commonly used measure in New Zealand.