An active and constructive process whereby individuals possess the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behavior in order to achieve a desired achievement goal is referred to as self-regulation. The aim of the present study is to examine the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire, validated in the Czech educational context (SRQ-CZ). The other target is to identify any usage of self-regulation strategies which may differ as nationality, gender, age, education, and internal motivation to learn come into play. A total of 1,711 adult learners from Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic who were enrolled in a formal secondary or higher education system pursuing professions in the field of humanities, social and health care sciences participated in this study. A measurement-invariant four-factor model was obtained across all countries (min. CFI, TLI = 0.918, and 0.902, max. RMSEA = 0.059; ω between 0.625 and 0.838, and Cronbach's α between 0.622 and 0.837), including the Impulse Control, Goal Orientation, Self-Direction, and Decision Making subscales. Generally, the study confirmed a gradual increase in scores that measure positive self-regulatory qualities (Goal Orientation and Decision Making) and a decrease in unfavorable self-regulatory qualities (Impulse Control and Self-Direction) with higher age, education, and motivation, with no gender differences reported within countries. Moreover, scores on Goal Orientation and Decision Making dominated between countries. In conclusion, the SRQ-CZ demonstrated its suitability for cross-national comparisons, and personal characteristics appear to be important factors that distinguish those with high and low self-regulation.

• Klíčová slova
• adults, decision making, goal orientation, self-control, self-regulation,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Despite the extensive knowledge about the effects of chronic stress on cognition, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional moderation analysis on a population-based sample of 596 adults to examine the age- and sex-specific role of emotion regulation (ER) in the relationship between chronic stress and cognitive performance using validated self-report questionnaires. While women showed no direct or moderated relationship between stress and cognition, men displayed a distinct age-related pattern where stress was negatively associated with poorer cognitive performance at older ages, and the onset of this relationship was detected earlier in men with ER problems. These results showed that suppression of emotions and lack of executive control of ER amplify the negative consequences of chronic stress and suggest that there are sex-specific differences in the decline of ability to cope with long-term exposure to stressors.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• emoce fyziologie   MeSH
• emoční regulace * MeSH
• kognice fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: In severe conditions of limited motor abilities, frequent position changes for work or passive and active rest are essential bedside activities to prevent further health complications. We aimed to develop a system using eye movements for bed positioning and to verify its functionality in a control group and a group of patients with significant motor limitation caused by multiple sclerosis. METHODS: The eye-tracking system utilized an innovative digital-to-analog converter module to control the positioning bed via a novel graphical user interface. We verified the ergonomics and usability of the system by performing a fixed sequence of positioning tasks, in which the leg and head support was repeatedly raised and then lowered. Fifteen women and eleven men aged 42.7 ± 15.9 years in the control group and nine women and eight men aged 60.3 ± 9.14 years in the patient group participated in the experiment. The degree of disability, according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), ranged from 7 to 9.5 points in the patients. We assessed the speed and efficiency of the bed control and the improvement during testing. In a questionnaire, we evaluated satisfaction with the system. RESULTS: The control group mastered the task in 40.2 s (median) with an interquartile interval from 34.5 to 45.5 s, and patients mastered the task in in 56.5 (median) with an interquartile interval from 46.5 to 64.9 s. The efficiency of solving the task (100% corresponds to an optimal performance) was 86.3 (81.6; 91.0) % for the control group and 72.1 (63.0; 75.2) % for the patient group. Throughout testing, the patients learned to communicate with the system, and their efficiency and task time improved. A correlation analysis showed a negative relationship (rho = - 0.587) between efficiency improvement and the degree of impairment (EDSS). In the control group, the learning was not significant. On the questionnaire survey, sixteen patients reported gaining confidence in bed control. Seven patients preferred the offered form of bed control, and in six cases, they would choose another form of interface. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed system and communication through eye movements are reliable for positioning the bed in people affected by advanced multiple sclerosis. Seven of 17 patients indicated that they would choose this system for bed control and wished to extend it for another application.

• Klíčová slova
• Assistive technologies, BCI, EDSS, Eye-tracking, Fully adjustable electric bed, Multiple sclerosis,
• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pohyby očí MeSH
• postižení * MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• roztroušená skleróza * MeSH
• technologie sledování pohybu očí MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

The paper deals with a possibility of foreign language learning (FLL) intervention in older adults as a psychosocial rehabilitation method to improve the quality of life (QoL) in this age segment, i.e. the people who are over 55 years. FLL has been researched as a successful tool to maintain or even enhance cognitive functions in older age along with other intentional activities, such as engagement in any physical activity. FLL cannot dramatically improve memory and cognitive deterioration of older adults, however, it can improve QoL by increasing subjective happiness that is connected to improved wellbeing. The research was conducted in two groups of seniors who are engaged in FLL, specifically in the Czech Republic and Poland. The major premise of the research was based on the positive psychology concept, i.e., the subjective happiness leads to improved levels of QoL. Both groups consisted of about a hundred respondents whose opinions were researched by an online questionnaire. The major focus of this questionnaire was to evaluate the level of subjective happiness and then compare the results obtained from the respondents from these two geographically different regions. The findings clearly showed that those who had engaged in FLL had reached high levels of subjective happiness, therefore, their subjective wellbeing could be improved. These results might be important for psychosocial rehabilitation practices because they can create a framework for further non-pharmacological intervention to maintain healthy aging. FLL can thus be a very efficient tool for any psychosocial rehabilitation in older healthy adults who do not suffer from any cognitive pathological development but who are just experiencing negative side effects of natural aging process. The research into this topic is very scarce, and therefore, this paper could be an inspiration for further and larger-scale research.

• Klíčová slova
• Aging, Cognitive decline, FLL, Foreign language learning, Healthy aging, L2 acquisition, Psycholinguistics, Seniors, Successful aging, Wellbeing,
• MeSH
• kognice MeSH
• kvalita života * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• psychiatrická rehabilitace * MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• učení MeSH
• vývoj řeči MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Longitudinal comorbidity of depression and cognitive impairment has been reported by number of epidemiological studies but the underlying mechanisms explaining the link between affective problems and cognitive decline are not very well understood. Imaging studies have typically investigated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) separately and thus have not identified a structural brain signature common to these conditions that may illuminate potentially targetable shared biological mechanisms. We performed a meta-analysis of. 48 voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies of individuals with MDD, MCI, and age-matched controls and demonstrated that MDD and MCI patients had shared volumetric reductions in a number of regions including the insula, superior temporal gyrus (STG), inferior frontal gyrus, amygdala, hippocampus, and thalamus. We suggest that the shared volumetric reductions in the insula and STG might reflect communication deficits and infrequent participation in mentally or socially stimulating activities, which have been described as risk factors for both MCI and MDD. We also suggest that the disease-specific structural changes might reflect the disease-specific symptoms such as poor integration of emotional information, feelings of helplessness and worthlessness, and anhedonia in MDD. These findings could contribute to better understanding of the origins of MDD-MCI comorbidity and facilitate development of early interventions.

• Klíčová slova
• Major depressive disorder, Meta-analysis, Mild cognitive impairment, Shared volumetric reductions, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), voxel-based morphometry (VBM),
• MeSH
• deprese MeSH
• depresivní porucha unipolární * diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• kognitivní dysfunkce * diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie MeSH
• mozek diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• metaanalýza MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Positive psychology has recently seen unprecedented rise and has reached vast achievements in the area of quality of life (QoL) improvement. The purpose of this study is to show that there are different aspects of well-being that make healthy older people motivated to learn a foreign language at a later age. The research was conducted in the Czech Republic and Poland in two groups of learners aged 55 years and more. The experimental group consisted of 105 Czech respondents who were targeted with an online questionnaire with the aim to determine the level of FLL outcomes connected to QoL in healthy older adults in their L2 acquisition. The second experimental group (n = 100) was established of Polish seniors who attended similar language courses. The findings of the research clearly show that FLL has an irreplaceable role as one of several non-pharmacological strategies utilized to improve the aging process and reduce drawbacks of aging. The results indicate that seniors' overall satisfaction and subjective feelings of well-being are enormously high when attending foreign language classes at older age. FLL, therefore, creates an environment that can enhance QoL of older adults that can be supplemented by other means such as well-balanced diet, other social activities, sport and physical activity, music, or computer games. All these intervention methods can significantly improve QoL of older adults and the parties engaged and/or responsible for taking care of older generation should take it into serious consideration.

• Klíčová slova
• FLL, L2 acquisition, applied linguistics, cognitive linguistics, elderly people, foreign language learning, positive psychology, psycholinguistics,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

This study concerns aspects of positive psychology connected to foreign language learning (FLL) in an older healthy generation. The positive psychology perspective stresses the positive aspects of improved wellbeing in participants who engage in various activities, particularly mental and brain-training practices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore older people's subjective feelings connected to their FLL as one of the crucial ways to improve their quality of life (QoL). The objective of the research was to determine the subjective satisfaction level of the participants of a second language (L2) acquisition course. The research sample (experimental group) consisted of 105 respondents who were Czech citizens and 55+ years old. Two control groups were set up. The first (young control) consisted of 102 young adults (university students), also Czech citizens, aged between 19 and 23 years. The second control group (elderly control) consisted of 102 subjects older than 55 years, similar in age to the experimental group. A standardized online questionnaire survey was the principal research method, identical both for the experimental and control groups. The findings clearly showed that language training significantly improved the subjective positive feelings and wellbeing of the older participants, regardless of their objective progress in FLL itself. These results stood in opposition to the young control group and were different from the elderly control group. The results revealed that FLL is an effective tool for enhancing the overall wellbeing of older people, which was shown in their expression of their feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and positive motivation to learn an L2. In addition, FLL objectively affected their mental health in a positive way and expanded their social networks. Moreover, FLL was a meaningful activity for them, despite the weak objective learning outcomes due to the decline of cognitive functions, helping them find their general purpose of life, as well as life motivation as expressed in the survey. These findings are crucial, as it has already been proven that wellbeing is directly connected with good health and longevity. Therefore, national governments and all stakeholders dealing with the present issue of the aging population should pay undivided attention to the enhancement of older people's wellbeing by all possible intervention approaches, including FLL. There is limited research into the issue and the findings of this investigation could be an impetus for further research into the topic from the perspectives of cognitive science, psychology, and psycholinguistics.

• Klíčová slova
• FLL, L2 acquisition, brain health, education of seniors, foreign language learning, healthy lifestyle improvement, mental health, positive psychology, psycholinguistics, psychology of education, second language acquisition, wellbeing,
• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• jazyk (prostředek komunikace) * MeSH
• kvalita života * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• psycholingvistika MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• učení * MeSH
• vývoj řeči MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a multielement combat sport where fighters need to quickly react to an opponent's movements under fatigued conditions. Research indicates that fast reaction time is important in many sports, but the effect of fatigue has shown negative, null, or even positive influences on reaction time. However, few studies have been conducted in a controlled setting, especially using MMA figthers, whose matches are frequently resolved in a split-second. Therefore, this study investigated whether acute neuromuscular fatigue affects reaction and movement times, and their consistency in MMA fighters (N = 45). Before and after an upper-body Wingate test, a simple visual reaction time task was completed. Results showed a significant negative effect of fatigue on the reaction times and their consistency, with longer reactions (1.5% change) and lower consistency (14.7% change) after the Wingate test. Further, greater amounts of fatigue during the Wingate test seemed to negatively affect the consistency of post-Wingate movement time. Due to cumulative fatigue and the dynamic nature of MMA, our data indicate that not only the decrements in aerobic and anaerobic power likely affect a fighter's performance, but their reaction time and motor time may also be compromised during a fight.

• MeSH
• anaerobní práh fyziologie   MeSH
• bojové sporty fyziologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• reakční čas fyziologie   MeSH
• svalová únava fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

The purpose of this mini-review is to investigate if there are any cognitive benefits of computer-based foreign language training for healthy older individuals aged 55+ years. The author conducted a literature search of peer-reviewed English written research articles found in Pub Med, Web of Science and Scopus. The findings of this mini-review reveal that the research on the cognitive benefits of computer-based foreign language training for healthy older individuals is small-scale. The limited research findings of only three relevant studies indicate that these computer-based foreign language training programs may bring cognitive benefits for healthy elderly people, especially as far as the enhancement of their cognitive functions such as working memory are concerned. In addition, the authors of these studies suggest that foreign language learning is a useful activity for healthy older adults since it has the benefits of being meaningful (an advantage over other cognitive training approaches) and provides the chance for acquiring important skills that can benefit other aspects of life, such as travel or communication. In conclusion, the author of this mini-review also provides several implications for practice and future research.

• Klíčová slova
• benefits, cognitive functions, computer-based training, foreign language learning, seniors,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH