Background: Gender and social support are important social determinants of health, but the relevance of such variables in older people’s health has raised less scholarly attention than in younger age groups. This study examines the relevance of gender and social support in the self-rated health and life satisfaction of elderly Spanish people. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 702 men and 754 women aged between 60 and 94 years was conducted. All participants were evaluated through questionnaires that assess gender role traits, social support, and life satisfaction. Results: Men scored higher than women in masculine/instrumental trait and in life satisfaction whereas women scored higher than men in feminine/expressive trait. Results from multiple regression analyses indicated that women and men presenting higher social support had better self-rated health and higher life satisfaction. High scores in masculine/instrumental trait also proved to be an important predictor of men’s and women’s high life satisfaction and of women’s better self-rated health, whereas the high feminine/expressive trait predicted better self-rated health in the men group. A high educational level was associated in the women’s group with better self-rated health and higher life satisfaction. Conclusions: We conclude that gender and social support are important social determinants of health among older people.

Chiari Malformation type I (CM-I) is a neurological disorder characterized by a displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum into the spinal canal. Most research has focused on physical symptomatology but few studies include neuropsychological examinations. Moreover, although current research highlights the involvement of the cerebellum on higher cognitive functions, little is known about cognitive consequences associated with CM-I. The aim of this study is to analyze cognitive functioning between 39 CM-I patients and 39 healthy controls, matched by gender, age and years of education. Participants have been examined on a large battery of neuropsychological tests, including executive functioning, verbal fluency, spatial cognition, language, verbal memory, processing speed, facial recognition and theory of mind. Results show a poorer performance of the clinical group compared to the control group, even after controlling the effect of physical pain and anxious-depressive symptomatology. The findings suggest the presence of a generalized cognitive deficit associated with CM-I, which makes it necessary to focus attention not only on physical consequences, but also on cognitive ones.

Context In recent years, the ketogenic diet has gained special relevance as a possible therapeutic alternative to some neurological and chronic diseases. Objective The aim of this systematic review was to answer the following question: Does a ketogenic diet improve cognitive skills in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, refractory epilepsy, and type 1 glucose deficiency syndrome? To define the research question, the PICOS criteria were used, following the guidelines of the PRISMA method. Data sources Medline/PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Dialnet, EBSCOhost, Mediagraphic, Sage Journals, ProQuest, and Wiley Online Library databases were used. Data extraction After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria in accordance with the PRISMA method, a total of 63 entries published between 2004 and 2019 were used. Data analysis The records extracted were analyzed from a qualitative approach, so no statistical analysis was carried out. Conclusion Although scientific literature on the subject is scarce and there has tended to be a lack of scientific rigor, the studies reviewed confirmed the effectiveness of this diet in improving the cognitive symptomatology of the aforementioned diseases.

No abstract

No abstract