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Browsing by Author "Hall, Peter A."

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    Cognitive function following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a population-representative Canadian sample
    Hall, Peter A.; Meng, Gang; Hudson, Anna; Sakib, Mohammed N.; Hitchman, Sara C.; MacKillop, James; Bickel, Warren K.; Fong, Geoffrey T. (Elsevier, 2022-05-01)
    Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection is believed to adversely affect the brain, but the degree of impact on socially relevant cognitive functioning and decision-making is not well-studied, particularly among those less vulnerable to age-related mortality. The current study sought to determine whether infection status and COVID-19 symptom severity are associated with cognitive dysfunction among young and middled-aged adults in the general population, using self-reported lapses in executive control and a standardized decision-making task. Method: The survey sample comprised 1958 adults with a mean age of 37 years (SD ​= ​10.4); 60.8% were female. Participants reported SARS-CoV-2 infection history and, among those reporting a prior infection, COVID-19 symptom severity. Primary outcomes were self-reported symptoms of cognitive dysfunction assessed via an abbreviated form of the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) and performance on a validated delay-discounting task. Results: Young and middle-aged adults with a positive SARS-CoV-2 infection history reported a significantly higher number of cognitive dysfunction symptoms (Madj ​= ​1.89, SE ​= ​0.08, CI: 1.74, 2.04; n ​= ​175) than their non-infected counterparts (Madj ​= ​1.63, SE ​= ​0.08, CI: 1.47,1.80; n ​= ​1599; β ​= ​0.26, p ​= ​.001). Among those infected, there was a dose-response relationship between COVID-19 symptom severity and level of cognitive dysfunction reported, with moderate (β ​= ​0.23, CI: 0.003–0.46) and very/extremely severe (β ​= ​0.69, CI: 0.22–1.16) COVID-19 symptoms being associated with significantly greater cognitive dysfunction. These effects remained reliable and of similar magnitude after controlling for demographics, vaccination status, mitigation behavior frequency, and geographic region, and after removal of those who had been intubated during hospitalization. Very similar—and comparatively larger—effects were found for the delay-discounting task, and when using only PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases. Conclusions: Positive SARS-CoV-2 infection history and moderate or higher COVID-19 symptom severity are associated with significant symptoms of cognitive dysfunction and amplified delay discounting among young and middle-aged adults with no history of medically induced coma.
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    Neuroimaging, neuromodulation, and population health: the neuroscience of chronic disease prevention
    Hall, Peter A.; Bickel, Warren K.; Erickson, Kirk I.; Wagner, Dylan D. (2018-09)
    Preventable chronic diseases are the leading cause of death in the majority of countries throughout the world, and this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. The potential to offset the social, economic, and personal burdens associated with such conditions depends on our ability to influence people's thought processes, decisions, and behaviors, all of which can be understood with reference to the brain itself. Within the health neuroscience framework, the brain can be viewed as a predictor, mediator, moderator, or outcome in relation to health-related phenomena. This review explores examples of each of these, with specific reference to the primary prevention (i.e., prevention of initial onset) of chronic diseases. Within the topic of primary prevention, we touch on several cross-cutting themes (persuasive communications, delay discounting of rewards, and self-control), and place a special focus on obesity as a disorder influenced by both eating behavior and exercise habits.
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    The Predictive Utility of Valuing the Future for Smoking Cessation: Findings from the ITC 4 Country Surveys
    Borland, Ron; Le Grande, Michael; Heckman, Bryan W.; Fong, Geoffrey T.; Bickel, Warren K.; Stein, Jeffrey S.; East, Katherine A.; Hall, Peter A.; Cummings, Kenneth Michael (MDPI, 2022-01-06)
    Background: Delay discounting (DD) and time perspective (TP) are conceptually related constructs that are theorized as important determinants of the pursuit of future outcomes over present inclinations. This study explores their predictive relationships for smoking cessation. Methods: 5006 daily smokers at a baseline wave provided 6710 paired observations of quitting activity between two waves. Data are from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) smoking and vaping surveys with samples from the USA, Canada, England, and Australia, across three waves conducted in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Smokers were assessed for TP and DD, plus smoking-specific predictors at one wave of cessation outcomes defined as either making a quit attempt and/or success among those who tried to quit which was ascertained at the subsequent survey wave. Results: TP and DD were essentially uncorrelated. TP predicted making quit attempts, both on its own and controlling for other potential predictors but was negatively associated with quit success. By contrast, DD was not related to making quit attempts, but high DD predicted relapse. The presence of financial stress at baseline resulted in some moderation of effects. Conclusions: Understanding the mechanisms of action of TP and DD can advance our understanding of, and ability to enhance, goal-directed behavioural change. TP appears to contribute to future intention formation, but not necessarily practical thought of how to achieve goals. DD is more likely an index of capacity to effectively generate competing future possibilities in response to immediate gratification.