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Introduction: There is a widespread prevalence of obesity and growing evidence suggests its possible adverse effect on cognitive functions. Hence, it is important to study the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Cognitive Functions. Aim: The aim of this study was to find out the association between BMI and cognitive functions in medical students. The present study also determined whether there are any gender based difference of association of BMI and cognitive functions. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done at Cognitive function test Laboratory of Dr. Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Nashik between July and December 2016. Study was done on randomly selected medical undergraduate students (50 male and 50 females) of 18-25 years age group. Height and weight were recorded and subjects were divided into 3 groups based on BMI (in kg/m2) as: Underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), Normal weight (BMI 18.5-25 kg/m2) and Overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2). In all the above BMI groups, four domains of cognitive functions were assessed i.e., attention, perception, executive functions and working memory using Visual and Auditory Reaction Time (VRT and ART) and Go/No-Go VRT and ART; Fast Counting (FC); Eriksen Flanker Test (EFT) and Stroop Test (ST) and Visual Forward (VFDS) and Backward Digit Span (VBDS) test, respectively. The data was statistically analysed and different cognitive function tests were compared in various categories of BMI (viz., underweight, normal and overweight) using ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests. Gender based association of BMI and cognitive functions were also assessed. The data was analysed statistically using SPSS version 16.0 and p-value <0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: On comparing the cognitive functions with BMI, it was found that when whole study population was considered, the difference in time taken by subjects of different BMI categories to give response in VBDS test was found to be statistically significant (p=0.007). When the gender differences were analysed, it was found that in males, the time taken to give response to stimuli with interference (ST) in various BMI categories was statistically significant (p=0.004) and in females, the time taken to give response in VBDS test in various BMI categories was found to be statistically significant (p=0.024). The correlation between the reciprocal of time taken to give response in ST and VBDS and BMI was a weak positive correlation (0.3 < r < 0.5). Conclusion: A weak positive correlation was found between BMI and reciprocal of time taken to give response to stimulus with interference in males and BMI and reciprocal of time taken to give response in VBDS Test in Females.

Background: Cardiac output is an important hemodynamic parameter of cardiovascular system and a significant indicator of autonomic function status of a person. It can be measured invasively as well as non-invasively. Imepdance cardiography (ICG) is a promising, new, noninvasive technique to measure cardiac output. There are no studies noninvasively measuring cardiac output in healthy subject by impedance cardiography using new horizontal method of electrode placement during postural challenges. Objective: We observed effect of postural challenges on noninvasive cardiac output measurement using ICG by new horizontal electrode placement method. Methods: Cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV) and cardiac index (CI), were measured noninvasively, before and after postural challenges namely Head Up Tilt (HUT) of 70 0 and Head Down Tilt (HDT) 20 0 , in 38 healthy male subjects (mean age-28 yrs, range 22-34 yrs). Results: After 70 0 HUT the values of CO, SV and CI decreased by 1.5±0.9 l/min (31%), 25.8±11.4 ml (37%), & 0.8±0.4 l/min/m 2 (27 %), respectively. HDT did not cause significant change in theses hemodynamic parameters. Conclusion: ICG successfully detected physiological changes in cardiac output following postural challenges using new horizontal electrode placement method. The study underscores utility of this simple noninvasive tool for hemodynamic assessment after postural challenge using new horizontal electrode placement method.

Background.Status of autonomic homoeostasis in hemostasic disturbances due to hemophilia needs to be studied.Objectives.To compare autonomic nervous system markers measured by heart rate variability (HRV) and blood flow variability (BFV) in hemophiliacs and healthy age-matched control population using medical analyzer system.Design.Cross-sectional study.Settings.Motiwala Homoeopathy Medical College, and Hemophilia Clinics, Nashik.Subjects.Eighty subjects.Interventions.Nil.Outcome Measures.Autonomic function markers for HRV and BFV.Results.Among 80 subjects, BFV time domain measure, root mean square of successive NN (normal-to-normal) interval differences (RMSSD), was significantly higher among hemophiliacs than nonhemophiliacs. Frequency domain analysis parameter, low frequency for both HRV and BFV was significantly higher among hemophiliacs as compared with nonhemophiliacs.Conclusions.Hemophiliacs were shown to have higher autonomic activity as compared with healthy controls. Homoeopathic medicines used as an adjunct was associated with decrease in parasympathetic modulations.