Browsing by Author "Toloza Ramírez, David Isaias"

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    Association Between Hearing Loss Suspect with Diabetes and Arterial Hypertension Risk Under Different Body Composition Phenotypes: Results from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-17
    (2024) Álvarez, Cristián; Toloza Ramírez, David Isaias; Martinez-Ulloa, Lorena; Flores-Bustos, Carolina; Flores-Riquelme, Arturo
    Purpose: 1) To characterize the glucose and blood pressure control in HLS adult participants based on four body composition phenotypes models from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-17. 2) to associate the HLS and body composition phenotypes (based on calf and waist circumference [WC]) with arterial hypertension and diabetes markers. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study based on the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-17, reporting adults with/without HLS based on four different phenotypes was carried out by the epidemiological group of the Institute of Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences of the Universidad Andres bello, Chile (ICER-UNAB). Groups were as follows; Low skeletal muscle [SMM] and high waist circumference [WC] (Lsmm−Hwc, n=278), Low SMM and low WC (Lsmm−Lwc, n=479), High SMM and high WC (Hsmm−Hwc, n=2140), and High SMM and low WC (Hsmm−Lwc, n=2709). The primary outcomes were fasting plasma glucose, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure. Findings: In systolic blood pressure, there were significant differences between each Lsmm−Hwc (150 vs. 123 mmHg), Lsmm−Lwc (140 vs. 123 mmHg), and Hsmm−Hwc vs. the Reference group (145 vs. 123 mmHg, all P<0.0001). Systolic blood pressure reported significant Group x HLS interaction F (3.33), P=0.019, ES 0.004. In diastolic blood pressure, there were significant differences between each Lsmm−Hwc (74 vs. 72 mmHg) and Hsmm−Hwc vs. the Reference group (76 vs. 72 mmHg, both P<0.0001). Diastolic blood pressure reported significant Group x HLS interaction F (4.49), P=0.004, ES 0.005. Chilean adults with HLS, low SMM and high waist circumference shows a higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
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    Beyond the left cerebral hemisphere: bilateral language lateralization in healthy aging and its clinical implications
    (2025) Toloza Ramírez, David Isaias; Santibáñez Ávila, Rodrigo Andrés; Arrano Carrasco, Leonardo Marcelo; Zunino Pesce, Romina Francesca; Julio-Ramos, Teresa; Copland, David A.; Quezada, Camilo; Méndez Orellana, Carolina
    Background Functional MRI (fMRI) studies conducted on young adults reveal a predominantly left-lateralized cortical language network during semantic and phonological processing (SP and PP, respectively). Both linguistic dimensions have been advanced as potential cognitive markers of pathological aging. However, the neural mechanisms underlying SP and PP among healthy older adults remain poorly understood.AimThis study aimed to investigate the dynamics of language lateralization among native Spanish-speaking older adults in relation to their behavioral performance in specific semantic and phonological tasks.MethodologyTwenty-eight healthy, right-handed older Chilean adults (mean age: 67.7, SD±: 7.44, range: 60–87) took part in an fMRI session during which they performed semantic and phonological tasks. They were also evaluated for overall language performance using the Spanish version of ScreeLing and verbal fluency tasks. A fixed-effect analysis was performed to explore group-level differences. Standard regression analyses were also used to assess the association between brain activation and language performance.ResultsBoth SP and PP elicited bilateral activation in the pars triangularis and opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the superior temporal gyrus. Activation was also observed in the left inferior parietal gyrus. Semantic fluency performance was significantly associated with activation in the right angular gyrus and the pars opercularis of the IFG. In contrast, phonological fluency was associated with bilateral activation in the IFG pars orbitalis.ConclusionAmong healthy older adults, SP and PP recruit bilateral language-related brain regions, potentially reflecting compensatory mechanisms associated with normal aging. Notably, the IFG pars orbitalis may play a distinct role in supporting phonological fluency, despite not being a region traditionally linked to PP. Further research is needed to clarify the contribution of this region to phonological performance among aging adults.
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    Beyond the left cerebral hemisphere: bilateral language lateralization in healthy aging and its clinical implications
    (2025) Toloza Ramírez, David Isaias; Santibáñez Ávila, Rodrigo Andrés; Arrano Carrasco, Leonardo Marcelo; Zunino Pesce, Romina Francesca; Julio-Ramos, Teresa; Copland, David A.; Quezada, Camilo; Méndez Orellana, Carolina Patricia
    Background Functional MRI (fMRI) studies conducted on young adults reveal a predominantly left-lateralized cortical language network during semantic and phonological processing (SP and PP, respectively). Both linguistic dimensions have been advanced as potential cognitive markers of pathological aging. However, the neural mechanisms underlying SP and PP among healthy older adults remain poorly understood.AimThis study aimed to investigate the dynamics of language lateralization among native Spanish-speaking older adults in relation to their behavioral performance in specific semantic and phonological tasks.MethodologyTwenty-eight healthy, right-handed older Chilean adults (mean age: 67.7, SD±: 7.44, range: 60–87) took part in an fMRI session during which they performed semantic and phonological tasks. They were also evaluated for overall language performance using the Spanish version of ScreeLing and verbal fluency tasks. A fixed-effect analysis was performed to explore group-level differences. Standard regression analyses were also used to assess the association between brain activation and language performance.ResultsBoth SP and PP elicited bilateral activation in the pars triangularis and opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the superior temporal gyrus. Activation was also observed in the left inferior parietal gyrus. Semantic fluency performance was significantly associated with activation in the right angular gyrus and the pars opercularis of the IFG. In contrast, phonological fluency was associated with bilateral activation in the IFG pars orbitalis.ConclusionAmong healthy older adults, SP and PP recruit bilateral language-related brain regions, potentially reflecting compensatory mechanisms associated with normal aging. Notably, the IFG pars orbitalis may play a distinct role in supporting phonological fluency, despite not being a region traditionally linked to PP. Further research is needed to clarify the contribution of this region to phonological performance among aging adults.
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    Hearing Loss Rehabilitation and Its Contribution to Cognitive-Linguistic Performance in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic ReviewRehabilitación de la pérdida auditiva y su contribución al desempeño cognitivo-lingüístico en adultos mayores sanos: una revisión sistemática
    (2025) Mansilla-Jara, Francisca; Julio-Ramos, Teresa; Godoy-Díaz, Álvaro; Solomons, Daniel; Cigarroa, Igor; Toloza Ramírez, David Isaias
    Introduction. Hearing loss (HL) rehabilitation involves using different hearing technologies, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants. The efficacy of HL rehabilitation strategies and their cognitive benefits has been reported for clinical populations, such as those with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. However, up to date, there is no clarity about the cognitive-linguistic implications of HL rehabilitation for healthy older adults. Therefore, increasing knowledge about its benefits in healthy older people is critical to generating early intervention strategies that could delay the progression to pathological stages. Aim. To profile cognitive-linguistic performance after HL rehabilitation in healthy older adults. Methodology. Systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines. We included randomized and non-randomized clinical trials from Medline by PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases (January 2000 to May 2024). Results. We identified 410 titles, from which five papers were qualitatively analyzed. Results suggest that after HL rehabilitation, healthy older adults improve their performance in specific abilities such as working memory, delayed recall, attention, semantic and phonological fluency, and language comprehension. We highlight an association between working memory improvement and semantic skills’ benefits, especially in subjects with mild to moderate HL. Conclusion. HL rehabilitation programs should consider cognitive-linguistic stimulation programs in healthy older adults to prevent cognitive dysfunction or neurodegenerative conditions. We only analyzed a few studies; thus, we suggest interpreting the information carefully. Indeed, promoting more follow-up studies to clarify the benefits of using hearing devices and their cognitive-linguistic implications in healthy people is still necessary.
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    Right hemisphere engagement in language abilities in older adults: indication of compensation rather than decline
    (2025) Solomons, Daniel; Rodríguez Fernández, María; Mery Muñoz, Francisco Javier; Arraño Carrasco, Leonardo Marcelo; Toloza Ramírez, David Isaias; Sahli Costabal, Francisco; Méndez Orellana, Carolina Patricia
    Introduction: Structural brain changes during aging have been used as specific markers to distinguish normal aging from dementia. Changes in specific cognitive abilities such as episodic memory, processing speed, and executive functions, are observed in healthy aging. Limited evidence reports changes in linguistic functions alongside structural and functional brain changes. This study investigates correlations between language performance, gray matter volume (GMV), and neural activity in language regions, adjusted for demographic factors, in healthy older adults. Methods: Twenty-seven right-handed participants aged 60–87 were evaluated for overall linguistic performance using the Spanish version of ScreeLing (SCL) test and phonemic fluency and semantic verbal fluency tasks (PF and SF). Participants also underwent an MRI session during which they performed a functional MRI language task. T1-weighted MRI scans were used to measure GMV in specific language-related regions and assess language lateralization. Correlational analyses were conducted between language scores, GMV, years of education, age, sex, and fMRI lateralization. Results: In the right hemisphere (RH), significant positive correlations were found between SCL scores and GMV in the orbital inferior frontal gyrus (r = 0.5402; p = 0.0044) and the superior temporal gyrus (r = 0.516; p = 0.007). Furthermore, SCL and Phonemic fluency positively correlated with years of education, indicating that higher education enhances speech performance. No significant correlations were found in the left hemisphere (LH). Age, sex, and fMRI lateralization did not significantly correlate with specific linguistic scores. Discussion: These results challenge the current view of the role of the right hemisphere in language performance as increased GMV in specific right hemisphere language regions is associated with better language performance, highlighting the role of the right hemisphere in supporting language skills during healthy aging.