To examine (1) the association between purpose in life and multiple domains of cognitive function and informant-rated cognitive decline, affect, and activities; (2) whether these associations are moderated by sociodemographic factors, cognitive impairment, or depression; (3) whether the associations are independent of other aspects of well-being and depressive symptoms.

As part of the 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol from the Health and Retirement Study, participants completed a battery of cognitive tests and nominated a knowledgeable informant to rate their cognitive decline, affect, and activities. Participants with information available on their purpose in life from the 2014/2016 Leave Behind Questionnaire were included in the analytic sample (N = 2,812).

Purpose in life was associated with better performance in every cognitive domain examined (episodic memory, speed-attention, visuospatial skills, language, numeric reasoning; median β =.10, p <.001; median d =.53). Purpose was likewise associated with informant-rated cognitive decline and informant-rated affective and activity profiles beneficial for cognitive health (median β =.18, p < .001; median d =.55). There was little evidence of moderation by sociodemographic or other factors (e.g., depression). Life satisfaction, optimism, positive affect, and mastery were generally associated with cognition. When tested simultaneously with each other and depressive symptoms, most dimensions were reduced to non-significance; purpose remained a significant predictor.

Purpose in life is associated with better performance across numerous domains of cognition and with emotional and behavioral patterns beneficial for cognitive health that are observable by knowledgeable others. These associations largely generalize across demographic and clinical groups and are independent of other aspects of well-being.

Schizophrenia it’s a deteriorating illness, where the cognitive impairment it’s one of the predominant components in this process. Theory of neurodevelopment, the most widely recognized, explains that cognition will depend most of it, on premorbid development. However, other factors explain this impairment, such as the cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF).

The purpose of this study is to determine cognitive impairment and the domains affected in a sample of patients who suffered schizophrenia and almost one CVRF.

Cross-sectional study. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and at least one poorly controlled CVRF (diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension or active smoking) were selected. Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP) scale was used to evaluate cognitive impairment and the domains affected.

Preliminary data of twenty patients were included (60% men, mean age: 50 years). At CVRF in the sample, no diabetes was found, 75% had hypercholesterolemia, 15% arterial hypertension and 20% active smoking. SCIP scale showed deficits in word learning and delayed learning in 95% of the sample (n=19). The domain less affected was verbal fluency, affected in 55% of the sample (n=11). Additionally, moderate to severe cognitive impairment was observed in 65% of the sample (n=13).

More than half of the patients with schizophrenia and CVRF have a moderate to severe cognitive impairment. Intervention at CVRF could reduce the severity of cognitive impairment, improving functionality in these patients.

Nursing instruments have the potential for daily screening of delirium; however, they have not yet been evaluated. Therefore, after assessing the functional domains of the electronic Patient Assessment — Acute Care (ePA-AC), this study evaluates the cognitive and associated domains.

In this prospective cohort study in the intensive care unit, 277 patients were assessed and 118 patients were delirious. The impacts of delirium on the cognitive domains, consciousness and cognition, communication and interaction, in addition to respiration, pain, and wounds were determined with simple logistic regressions and their respective odds ratios (ORs).

Delirium was associated with substantial impairment throughout the evaluated domains. Delirious patients were somnolent (OR 6), their orientation (OR 8.2–10.6) and ability to acquire knowledge (OR 5.5–11.6) were substantially impaired, they lost the competence to manage daily routines (OR 8.2–22.4), and their attention was compromised (OR 12.8). In addition, these patients received psychotropics (OR 3.8), were visually impaired (OR 1.8), unable to communicate their needs (OR 5.6–7.6), displayed reduced self-initiated activities (OR 6.5–6.9) and challenging behaviors (OR 6.2), as well as sleep–wake disturbances (OR 2.2–5), Furthermore, delirium was associated with mechanical ventilation, abdominal/thoracic injuries or operations (OR 4.2–4.4), and sensory perception impairment (OR 3.9–5.8).

Delirium caused substantial impairment in cognitive and associated domains. In addition to the previously described functional impairments, these findings will aid the implementation of nursing instruments in delirium screening.