Background Psycho-oncology literature pointed out that individual health outcomes may depend on patients’ propensity to adopt approach or, conversely, avoidant coping strategies. Nevertheless, coping factors associated with postoperative distress remain unclear, unfolding the lack of tailored procedures to help breast cancer patients manage the psychological burden of scheduled surgery. In view of this, the present study aimed at investigating: 1. pre-/post-surgery distress variations occurring among women diagnosed with breast cancer; 2. the predictivity of approach and avoidant coping strategies and factors in affecting post-surgery perceived distress. Methods N = 150 patients (mean age = 59.37; SD =  ± 13.23) scheduled for breast cancer surgery were administered a screening protocol consisting of the Distress Thermometer (DT) and the Brief-COPE. The DT was used to monitor patients’ distress levels before and after surgery (± 7 days), whereas the Brief-COPE was adopted only preoperatively to evaluate patients’ coping responses to the forthcoming surgical intervention. Non-parametric tests allowed for the detection of pre-/post-surgery variations in patients’ perceived distress. Factor analysis involved the extraction and rotation of principal components derived from the Brief-COPE strategies. The predictivity of such coping factors was investigated through multiple regression (Backward Elimination). Results The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test yielded a significant variation in DT mean scores (TW = -5,68 < -zα/2 = -1,96; p < .001) indicative of lower perceived distress following surgery. The four coping factors extracted and Varimax-rotated were, respectively: 1. cognitive processing (i.e., planning + acceptance + active coping + positive reframing); 2. support provision (i.e., instrumental + emotional support); 3. emotion-oriented detachment (i.e., self-blame + behavioral disengagement + humor + denial); 4. goal-oriented detachment (i.e., self-distraction). Among these factors, support provision (B = .458; β = − .174; t = − 2.03; p = .045), encompassing two approach coping strategies, and goal-oriented detachment (B = .446; β = − .176; t = − 2.06; p = .042), consisting of one avoidant strategy, were strongly related to post-surgery distress reduction. Conclusion The present investigation revealed that the pre-surgery adoption of supportive and goal-oriented strategies led to postoperative distress reduction among breast cancer patients. These findings highlight the importance of timely psychosocial screening and proactive interventions in order to improve patients’ recovery and prognosis.

Background:Information processing speed is commonly impaired in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). However, depression and fatigue can affect the cognitive profile of patients: fatigue has a negative impact from the disease’s earliest stage and a reduced information processing speed is often associated with higher levels of depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between information processing speed and physical fatigue in a cohort of Italian PwMS from a single center, considering the effect of depression. Methods: Two hundred (W=128; mean age=39.83 years; SD=11.86) PwMS, from the Bari University Hospital, underwent testing for processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test [SDMT]), fatigue level (Fatigue Severity Scale [FSS]), and depression (Beck's Depression Inventory [BDI]). Results: Statistically significant correlations emerged between SDMT and FSS, SDMT and BDI, FSS and BDI. Mediation analyses revealed that while physical fatigue had no significant direct negative effect on information processing speed (z=-0.891; p>0.05), depression predicted the relationship between fatigue and information processing speed (z=-2.181; p<0.05). Conclusion: Our findings showed that cognitive performance at SDMT was not affected by patients' perceived level of physical fatigue, but by depression. The presence of a high BDI score mediates the physical fatigue on cognitive performance impact.

Background Information processing speed is commonly impaired in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). However, depression and fatigue can affect the cognitive profile of patients: fatigue has a negative impact from the disease’s earliest stage and a reduced information processing speed is often associated with higher levels of depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between information processing speed and physical fatigue in a cohort of Italian PwMS from a single center, considering the effect of depression. Methods Two hundred (W = 128; mean age = 39.83 years; SD = 11.86) PwMS, from the Bari University Hospital, underwent testing for processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test [SDMT]), fatigue level (Fatigue Severity Scale [FSS]), and depression (Beck’s Depression Inventory [BDI]). Results Statistically significant correlations emerged between SDMT and FSS, SDMT and BDI, FSS and BDI. Mediation analyses revealed that while physical fatigue had no significant direct negative effect on information processing speed (z=-0.891; p > 0.05), depression predicted the relationship between fatigue and information processing speed (z=-2.181; p < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings showed that cognitive performance at SDMT was not affected by patients’ perceived level of physical fatigue, but by depression. The presence of a high BDI score mediates the physical fatigue on cognitive performance impact.

Cognitive reserve (CR) allows individuals to maintain cognitive functionality even in the presence of pathologies. The compensation hypothesis suggests that CR plays an indirect role between age and cognitive decline, contrasting the negative effect of ageing on cognition. We test this hypothesis in an unselected and consecutively enrolled sample of memory clinic attendees (n = 134) who completed the CR Index questionnaire and three neuropsychological tests assessing global cognition (MMSE, FAB, CDT). Participants were divided into two groups based on standard diagnostic criteria (DSM‐5): those who were cognitively impaired (n = 92) and those who were preserved (n = 42). A principal component analysis was used to extract a composite measure of global cognitive functioning from the three neuropsychological tests, and mediation analysis was used to examine the relationship between CR, age and global cognitive functioning in the two groups. Results revealed that: (i) age had a significant direct negative effect on the global cognitive score in both groups; (ii) the three socio‐behavioural proxies of CR together suppress the direct negative relationship between age and global cognitive score in cognitively impaired patients but not in cognitively preserved participants. This study confirms the association between CR, age and cognition and allows us to validate its role in a population with cognitive impairment and extend findings to a low‐to‐middle educated population. These results hold important implications for public health and wellness promotion, emphasising the beneficial role of maintaining healthy and active physical, cognitive and social lifestyles.

Background Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment (NPA) has proven to be a diagnostic and monitoring procedure that contributes to the understanding of neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). Despite memory deficits being considered as hallmarks of age‐related cognitive decline, executive impairment has emerged as the strongest correlate of functional dependence that characterizes major NCD. Hence, the present study aims to: (1) examine the neuropsychological predictors of major NCD; (2) compare between indices of immediate memory and executive functions involved in cognitive decline. Method Out of a dataset of 179 (Mage = 75±5.43; women = 96) elderly outpatients, 97 individuals (Mage = 76±5.72; women = 51) met the DSM‐5 criteria for NCD as they presented impairment in at least one cognitive domain and, in the case of major NCD, impact on activities of daily living. The sample underwent NPA consisting of a two‐screening procedure; ten domain‐specific tests; psychodiagnostic‐functional evaluation. Analyses relied on multivariate and non‐parametric tests to examine differential clinical profiles and NPA tools, respectively. Result A prior analysis using the Hosmer‐Lemeshow test confirmed the goodness of the model (χ2 = ‐4,771; p = .782) (diagnostic labels: major vs. mild NCDs). The final model obtained could correctly predict 71% of cases. Logistic regression through backward elimination revealed that the lower the scores at Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the greater the chances of fitting major NCD (vs. mild NCD) (B = ‐.284; p = .006). Friedman test enabled multiple comparisons within the whole sample, and by considering mild and major groups separately, with respect to immediate memory (FCSRT‐ISC and Babcock Story‐IR) and executive indices (Clock Drawing Test and Digit Span Backwards). The analyses showed a significant difference between the ranks of test scores only within the major NCD group through Bonferroni correction (χ2 = 8.813, p = .032), revealing a greater drop in Clock Drawing Test than in Babcock Story‐IR (χ2 = ‐.906, p = .030). Conclusion These preliminary findings point to the importance of considering, besides memory indices, executive performances in elderly patients affected by severe cognitive‐functional impairment, consistent with potential implications of planning difficulties in the progressive loss of everyday life autonomy. Screening for executive functioning may also enhance the understanding about the clinical course from mild to severe disease, thus orienting clinicians in the differential diagnosis, secondary prevention, and treatment of NCDs.