bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
37 Adherence to treatment in Multiple Sclerosis. The importance of personality, executive functions, and social support
Authors: Raudeberg Carlos Alberto Martinez , Crivelli Lucia , Calandri Ismael , Arruabarrena Micaela , Piedrabuena Maria Agustina , Piedrabuena Maria Agustina , Ysrraelit Maria Celica , Allegri Ricardo , Correale Jorge
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To test whether adherence to treatment in patients with MS is influenced by cognitive variables (executive functions), personality, and social support.

Participants and Methods:

This is a pilot observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. 60 patients with Relapsing remitting MS ( 73.33% female; age: 41.41 ±14.00) undergoing medical treatment ( 28 dymethilfumarate, 7 ocrelizumab/ rituximab, 6 fingolimod, 5 interferon, 5 natalizumab, 4 cladribine, 3 teriflunomide, 1 alemtuzumab, 1 glatiramer acetate) underwent a comprehensive multi-component evaluation including : cognition, social support (using the self-reported record of social support scale), personality (using the NEO-FFI questionnaire) and evaluation of treatment adherence using the Morisky Green Levine Medication Adherence Scale Participants were divided into two groups according to their adherence to medical treatment, low vs. high adherence was defined using a cutoff score of 4. Differences between groups were evaluated using Student's t-test with a significance level of p<0.05, the effect size was calculated with Cohen's d test.

Results:

Groups did not differ significantly in age, sex, type of treatment, Montreal Cognitive Assesments (MoCA) or neuropsychiatric scales of depression and anxiety. Regardless of treatment type, 63.33% of the patients had high treatment adherence. Significant differences between groups were found in the Global Index of Social Support (p=0.016, Cohen's d= 0.73) and the responsibility factor of the NEO-FFI (p=0.048, Cohen's d= 0.20). Conversely, no significant differences were found in executive functions (p=0.8), Openness (p=0.062), Extraversion (p=0.5), Neuroticism (p=0.4) and Agreeableness (p=0.8).

Conclusions:

Social support and the responsibility factor of personality are significantly different between MS patients with high and low adherence to medical treatment. The study of social support and personality may be a key component in improving adherence strategies.
43 Symptoms of Apathy in Older Adults with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Cote Sarah E. , Holtzer Roee
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Apathy is significantly higher in adults with MS compared to healthy populations. Apathy is a lack of motivation that can cause dysfunctions in each step of goal-directed behaviors. Apathy is associated with diminished ability to perform activities of daily living, tasks requiring normal executive function, and quality of life. Across various neurodegenerative disorders, apathy has been regarded as a predictor of poor cognition and functional outcomes. However, the severity of apathy and its association with cognitive function in older adults with MS have not been reported. This study's objective was to address this gap of knowledge. Hence, we evaluated: 1) the severity of apathy symptoms in older adults with MS compared to healthy older adults and, 2) the association of apathy symptoms and global cognitive functioning in older adults with MS compared to controls.

Participants and Methods:

Participants were community-residing older adults (age >60ys) enrolled in a cohort study, “Brain Predictors of Mobility and Falls in Older Adults with Multiple Sclerosis.” Healthy controls (n=59; mean age=66.25± 3.37; %female=47.5) and persons with MS (n=69; mean age=64.58± 3.88; %female=62.3) were included in the analysis. Using McDonald criteria, MS diagnosis was physician-confirmed by medical record review, apathy symptoms were assessed through 4 apathy symptom questions on the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and global cognitive functioning was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Covariates included age, gender, years of education, global health score (GHS), and depression (GDS w/out apathy questions). For the first objective, a linear regression model was used with a bi-level group status variable (MS vs controls) serving as a predictor of apathy symptoms. For the second objective, two linear regression models stratified by group status were run with apathy symptoms as a predictor of global cognitive functioning.

Results:

The presence of MS was significantly associated with worse apathy (β=.34, p < .001) and it remained significant after adjusting for covariates (β=.19, p=.03). Additionally, apathy was negatively associated with global cognition in persons with MS (β=-.32, p =.01) and this association remained significant after adjusting for covariates (β=-.33, p =.01) except depression (β=-.27, p =.08). The association of apathy and global cognitive functioning was not significant in healthy controls (β=.01, p=.95).

Conclusions:

This study is the first to report worse apathy symptoms in older persons with MS compared to healthy controls. Additionally, worse apathy symptoms were associated lower global cognitive functioning in older adults with MS but not in healthy controls.
55 Tracking Cognitive Change in Huntington’s Disease with the Mini Mental State Exam and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Authors: Churchill Emma G , Culbert Braden , Smirnova Anna , Hughes Shelby , Snell Chase , Hall Andrew , Bohall Lauren , Ashraf Easha , Wright Brenton A. , Gilbert Paul , Corey-Bloom Jody
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To assess the utility of the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for tracking cognitive changes Huntington’s Disease.

Participants and Methods:

Currently, the most frequently used brief assessment of global cognitive functioning is the MMSE. Although the MMSE is helpful for distinguishing individuals without significant cognitive impairment from those with dementia, it is not particularly sensitive to more subtle cognitive deficits. The MoCA is another brief cognitive screening tool that has been shown to be more sensitive to mild impairment and may have greater usefulness in subcortical dementias because of its more extensive assessment of executive function. Although the MoCA appears to have high sensitivity and specificity in a variety of neurological populations, there is currently little known about its efficacy in tracking cognitive decline in individuals with HD. We used a mixed effects model to analyze MMSE and MoCA scores collected prospectively during 5 years of follow-up for 163 patients with HD seen at one academic HDSA Center of Excellence. Baseline mean age for the HD cohort was 51.35 years, mean education 14.46 years, and a mean CAG repeat length 43.95. Mean follow-up time was 3.33 years.

Results:

Mean MMSE and MoCA scores at baseline were 25.13 (SD=1.66) and 22.76 (SD=3.70) respectively. At baseline, age and gender were not associated with MMSE and MoCA scores, while years of education were. Neither age nor gender predicted rate of decline for the MoCA while years of education predicted rate of decline for the MMSE. For the MMSE, each year of education predicted on average 0.51 points higher score at enrollment; for the MoCA, each year of education predicted on average 0.79 points higher score at enrollment. The mean rates of decline on the MMSE was 0.48 points per year (p<.001) while that on the MoCA was only 0.31 points annually (p<.001) in the first five years of observation.

Conclusions:

The MMSE and MoCA decline significantly over time in an unselected HD population. The smaller rate of decline in the MoCA may be due, in part, to the greater variability in baseline, MoCA (SD=3.70) vs MMSE (SD=1.66) scores in our HD cohort. Unlike cortical dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), where declines of 2-3 points per year have been described for the MMSE and MoCA, much lower annual rates of decline have been reported in subcortical dementias such as Parkinson’s disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of rate of cognitive decline on the MMSE and MoCA in HD: such information is vital for adequately preparing patients and families for future needs, in addition to planning for interventional/treatment trials in HD.
61 Factors Affecting Executive Functioning in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Focht Kristen N , Lyon Abigail C
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions that leads to progressive degeneration in areas of the brain that control movement. As the disease progresses, cognition is also frequently affected, primarily executive functioning. Multiple factors may be involved in the relationship between PD and cognitive dysfunction. This study seeks to determine the association between disease duration (i.e., years since PD diagnosis), vascular comorbidities, and cognitive reserve (CR) and their relationship with executive functioning, in a clinic-referred PD population.

Participants and Methods:

Participants included English-speaking subjects with a diagnosis of PD made by the patient’s treating neurologist (i.e., movement disorders specialist) who received their neurological care and had undergone a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA over the past five years. The sample consists of 67 patients. Comprehensive medical and psychiatric histories were obtained, and individuals with severe psychopathology (e.g., bipolar disorder or schizophrenia), medical or other neurological disorders (e.g., seizure disorder, stroke, documented head injury that was more severe than a mild TBI or intracranial bleeding) that could account entirely for cognitive impairment were excluded. An overall domain score of executive functioning was calculated by averaging each participant’s T-scores for the individual neuropsychological tests. Regression analysis was utilized to explore the relationship between number of vascular comorbidities, disease duration, and CR, as measured by a composite of formal education and literacy level, with executive functioning performance on neuropsychological testing for this sample.

Results:

The model explains 12.1% of the variance of executive functioning performance (F (3, 66) = 2.883, p = 0.043). A significant positive relationship was found between CR and executive functioning (b = .335, p = 0.008). No significant relationships were found between vascular comorbidities or disease duration with executive functioning. The relationship between CR and each neuropsychological measure was explored independently using Pearson correlation (2-tailed). Significant positive correlations were found between CR and WAIS-IV or WASI-II Similarities (r = .49, p < .001), CR and WAIS-IV or WASI-II Matrix Reasoning (r = .46, p = .001), and CR and FAS (r = .26, p = .037). No significant relationships were found between CR and TMT-B (r = .07, p = .565) or CR and Stroop Color and Word Interference (r = .17, p = .240).

Conclusions:

Results suggest that CR may be a better predictor of executive functioning in patients with PD than number of vascular comorbidities or disease duration. Stronger premorbid cognitive functioning and better cognitive efficiency may be neuroprotective and stave off cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease.
71 Sleep Quality and Measures of Attention and Learning in Middle-Aged Adults
Authors: Thompson Jennifer L , Kneissler Casey J , Tucker Jacob D , Ahmed Fayeza S
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Sleep has been shown to directly impact cognitive function throughout the lifespan; good quality sleep benefits and improves cognitive function, including processing speed and attention, while poor quality sleep can contribute to negative cognitive outcomes1. In particular, attention, learning, and memory have been demonstrated to be sensitive to sleeping changes, including fragmentation and restriction2. Subjective sleeping scales are utilized in both research and clinical practice, allowing sleep to be measured via self-report on various domains, including duration and factors that can contribute to sleep disruption and disturbances3. This study aims to examine the possible relation between subjective sleep quality and cognitive function among middle-aged adults to inform future research for early interventions of modifiable behaviors that can contribute to abnormal cognitive decline.

Participants and Methods:

Data for this analysis is part of the preliminary results of an ongoing pilot study. 29 middle-aged (40-65 years, inclusive), cognitively unimpaired individuals were recruited from the community. Subjective sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Attention and memory were measured using the California Verbal Learning Test, Third Edition (CVLT-III).

Results:

Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to evaluate if aspects of sleep quality were significantly correlated to complex attention and learning performance in this sample. First, correlation amylases showed significant relationships between PSQI Component 6 (Use of Sleeping Medication) and Trials 1 to 2 Learning Slope (R2 = -0.56, p =0.002) and CVLT-III Trials 1 through 5 Recall Discriminability (R2 = -0.42, p = 0.02), each with significant regression analyses outcomes (b =0.42, p = 0.04 and b = -0.46, p = 0.04, respectively). There were other variables that were found to be significantly correlated; however, after adjusting for relevant demographic variables (age, education, sex), the hierarchical regression analyses revealed no association between the aforementioned variables.

Conclusions:

While multiple aspects of sleep quality were expected to influence measures of attention and learning, only PSQI Component 6 was found to be statistically significantly associated with only two learning variables. Limitations of this study included a small sample size which was limited to cognitive and relatively physically healthy middle-aged adults. Further, sleep quality was measured with one subjective measure and no objective data was collected to support the hypotheses. Future analysis is needed to continue to explore the relation between subjective sleep quality and cognitive outcomes. As this is an ongoing study, we look forward to exploring this research question in more detail as the study progresses.
2 The Vietnamese Montreal Cognitive Assessment: An Evaluation of Construct Validity and Recommended Cut-off for Cognitive Impairment after TBI
Authors: Quang Halle , Nguyen Ashley , Do Cardinal , McDonald Skye , Nguyen Chris
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Cognitive screening tools such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) play an essential role in the clinical evaluation of neuropsychological functions. Despite the extensive investigations of the MoCA in English speaking countries as well as emerging adaptation work in a few Asian cultures, evidence base for the utility of the Vietnamese MoCA (MoCA-V) is lacking. This has posed a huge challenge for current and future clinical practice in Vietnam, as the country continues to assume a large burden of brain-related disorders. This study examined the construct validity of the MoCA-V and identified a cut-off score for the determination of cognitive impairment in a prevalent neurological condition in Vietnam - traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Participants and Methods:

Participants included 129 neurologically healthy individuals and 80 patients with moderate-to-severe TBI. All participants completed the MoCA-V, along with other common neurocognitive measures such as the Trail Making Test (TMT) Parts A and B, Vietnamese Verbal Fluency Test, and Digit Span.

Results:

Pearson’s correlations revealed significant, moderate correlations between performance on the MoCA-V subdomains and more comprehensive cognitive measures. Performance on the MoCA-V Attention domain was correlated with both Digit Span Forward, r(110) = .453, p < .001] and Digit Span Backward, r(110) = .303, p = .001; performance on the MoCA Language domain was correlated with the Vietnamese Verbal Fluency Test, r(107) = .334, p < .001; and performance on the MoCA Executive Function domain was correlated with the TMT-B, r(108) = -.479, p = .022. Performance on the MoCA-V was also associated with age, r(127) = -.659, p < .001, and education, r(127) = .769, p < .001, consistent with the general effects of age and education in cognitive abilities. Finally, a cut-off score of 22.5 was identified for the detection of cognitive impairment in Vietnamese people with TBI (AUC = 0.811; 95% CI = .75-.87, p < .001).

Conclusions:

This study provides the first evidence for the construct validity and clinical utility of the MoCA-V. Future research is necessary to cross-validate study findings among other clinical populations. Lessons learned from neuropsychological test translation and adaptation process will be discussed, particularly in the development of the administration materials and test instructions (e.g., considerations for individuals with limited formal education, influences of colonialism in the development of test stimuli).
37 Clinical utility of the BEARS as a sensitive screener for sleep problems in ADHD.
Authors: Kivisto Lynette R , Casey Joseph E
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Many children and adolescents do not achieve adequate sleep durations. The prevalence of sleep problems has been estimated at 7% for typically developing children (Corkum, Tannock, & Moldofsky, 1998) and as high as 45% for representative samples of children, including participants with various diagnoses in proportion to what would be expected in the population (Sher-Fen Gau, 2006). For children with ADHD, the prevalence of sleep problems has been estimated at between 25-50% (Corkum, Tannock, & Moldofsky, 1998). Given the important role that sleep plays in children with ADHD, a brief and effective screener is needed to aid clinicians in assessing for sleep problems, especially when the referral for a neuropsychological evaluation concerns ADHD or any other neurodevelopmental disorder for which presenting concerns involve symptoms that overlap with ADHD. While the developers of the BEARS have demonstrated its utility as a screening tool, there is currently no independent published research replicating this finding. The current study aimed to replicate the findings of the BEARS developers by demonstrating its utility as a sensitive screening tool for sleep problems. It was predicted that the BEARS would demonstrate high sensitivity in identifying children with sleep problems.

Participants and Methods:

Data from 54 school aged children (aged 6-147-13, Mage = 9.83) was analysed. Children were administered the BEARS, and caregivers completed the BEARS and Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), as part of a larger study.

Results:

Binomial logistic regression model was statistically significant, x2(2) = 20.508, p < .0005. The model explained 46.8% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance and correctly classified 70.8% of cases. Sensitivity was 78.6%, specificity was 60.0%, positive predictive value was 73.3%, and negative predictive value was 66.7%. Both predictor variables, parent reported BEARS (p = .001) and child-reported BEARS (p = .049), were significant. Children with higher BEARS parent report scores had 3.27 times higher odds, and those with higher self-report scores had 2.88 times higher odds, of exceeding the CSHQ cut-off than those with lower scores. ROC curve analysis revealed that the BEARS parent and self-report scores had excellent diagnostic utility (Hosmer et al., 2013) for accurately classifying children who exceeded the cut-off on the CSHQ from those who did not (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.849, SE = 0.054, 95% CI = .742 to .956, p < .001).

Conclusions:

The results of the current study indicate that the BEARS has excellent diagnostic utility for accurately classifying sleep problems. Additionally, it is quick to administer making it a practical screening tool for clinicians to include as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment.
4 Assessing Visuospatial Skills in Parkinson’s Disease Using the Identi-Fi
Authors: Teti AnneMarie , Thompson Ryan C. , Moncrief Grant G. , Roth Robert M.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly show deficits on tests of visuospatial functioning. The Identi-Fi is a new measure of visual organization and recognition composed of two components. The Visual Recognition (VR) subtest asks persons to identify an object that has been broken its pieces and rearranged, akin to the Hooper Visual Organization Test, but using updated and colorful pictures. The Visual Matching (VM) subtest involves showing the same stimuli, but the examinee must select the correct response from among five choices (1 correct and 4 foils), placing greater demand on visuospatial discrimination. Together, the two subtests comprise the Visual Organization Index (VOI), reflecting overall visual processing and organization ability. The present study examined performance on the Identi-Fi in patients with PD and its association with other aspects of cognition.

Participants and Methods:

Participants were 23 patients with PD (95% male; mean age = 69.7 years [SD = 7.8], range = 47-79) and 12 patients with cognitive concerns (CC) who were intact on neuropsychological testing (excluding consideration of Identi-Fi scores; 50% male, mean age = 71.08 [SD = 6.27], range = 60-78) seen for a neuropsychological evaluation at a large Northeastern medical center. As part of a larger battery, patients completed the Identi-Fi, Trail Making Test (TMT), Category Fluency, Test of Premorbid Functioning (TOPF), and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Revised (BVMT-R).

Results:

The PD group performed significantly worse than the CC group on VR and VM, as well as VOI, of the Identi-Fi (p < .001). Within the PD group, poorer VR, VM, and VOI performance was associated with lower scores on the TOPF (p < .05), BVMT-R learning (p < .05) and delayed recall (p < .05), as well as TMT Parts A and B (p < .05). VR was significantly correlated with Category Fluency (p < .05), while a trend was seen for the association between VOI and Category Fluency (p = .094).

Conclusions:

Identi-Fi performance was worse in the PD group than the CC group, which is consistent with prior research indicating that visuospatial processing is often abnormal in patients with PD. Furthermore, findings indicate that poorer performance on the Identi-Fi in the PD group is associated with poorer cognitive functioning in other domains (i.e., visuospatial learning and memory, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and semantic fluency), as well as lower premorbid intellectual functioning. While these findings suggest that the Identi-Fi is useful in identifying visuospatial dysfunction in PD, findings should be interpreted with caution given the small sample sizes and uneven gender distribution
47 Premorbid Intellectual Functioning and Not Education Predicts Memory Performance Virtual Environment Grocery Store
Authors: Griffin Rebekah A , Guillory Logan A , Hardesty Danielle R , Avendano Jacob S , Boynton Harrison G , Killingsworth Derek C , Morales-Mejia Yenifer L , Parsons Thomas D , Barnett Michael D
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Previous research has found that measures of premorbid intellectual functioning may be predictive of performance on memory tasks among older adults (Duff, 2010). Intellectual functioning itself is correlated with education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incremental validity of a measure of premorbid intellectual functioning over education levels to predict performance on the Virtual Environment Grocery Store (VEGS), which involves a simulated shopping experience assessing learning, memory, and executive functioning.

Participants and Methods:

Older adults (N = 118, 60.2% female, age 60-90, M = 73.51, SD = 7.46) completed the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading and the VEGS.

Results:

WTAR and education level explained 9.4% of the variance in VEGS long delay free recall, F = 5.97, p = 0.003). WTAR was a significant predictor (ß = 0.25, p = 0.006), while level of education was not.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that crystalized intelligence may benefit recall on a virtual reality shopping task.
54 Utilizing Responses on Intake Form to Predict Performance Validity
Authors: Sheldon Sloane , Saad Adam
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Ensuring test-taking validity is a crucial part of any neuropsychological evaluation. While all batteries ought to include well established test-taking validity measures regardless, it can still be helpful to be aware of an increased chance of poor performance validity prior to initiating testing. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that it is very difficult to predict which patient, particularly those without any clear incentive for poor test performance, will have invalid test performances based purely on subjective clinical judgment. Therefore, there is a need for an objective predictor of poor test taking validity. This study examines if a high endorsement of cognitive symptoms can indicate likely failure on test-taking validity measures.

Participants and Methods:

All patients at an outpatient neurological clinic completed an intake background form prior to testing. On this form, patients were asked to endorse in which, if any, of nine cognitive areas they may be experiencing difficulty (memory, attention/concentration, word finding, etc.). Patients who endorsed at least eight out of the nine clinical symptoms on the intake form were included in the current study (N=7; age range 36-43 years). All patients were clinically referred for a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation with a variety of conditions (e.g., stroke, memory concerns, and post-COVID-19 syndrome). Importantly, none of these patients were referred within a forensic context, and therefore, they did not have any clear external motivation or secondary gain. In addition to a battery of individual neuropsychological measures, each patient was administered performance validity tests (Test of Memory Malingering, Reliable Digits, and CVLT-3 Forced Choice).

Results:

In this sample, 57% of patients who endorsed all - or nearly all - cognitive symptoms on an intake form failed test-taking validity measures. Patients who failed validity measures did not meet passing criteria on two or more embedded or independent performance validity tests. This signifies a much higher rate than the typically observed base rates (∼15%) of test-taking invalidity across non-forensic clinical settings.

Conclusions:

Preliminary findings suggest that those who indicate having cognitive problems in all (or nearly all) listed domains fail validity measures at a higher than expected rate, supporting the use of responses on a background from to indicate likely poor performance validity. Identification of high rates of symptomatic complaints, particularly symptoms that may extend beyond the initial referral question, should prompt practitioners to keenly evaluate performance validity and consider the results within the context of the patient’s presentation.
66 Neuropsychological Profile of ROHHAD Syndrome: A Case Study
Authors: Cernokova Ivana , Owens Ronnise D , Martinez Eva del Valle , Semaan Nicole , Bergeron Coralie , Bearden Donald J , Ono Kim E
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Rapid Onset Obesity with Hypoventilation, Hypothalamic Dysfunction, Autonomic Dysregulation (ROHHAD) is a rare and often progressive syndrome with unknown etiology and only 100 cases reported to date. The syndrome is characterized by generally normal development followed by rapid onset of pain, muscle weakness, personality changes, and developmental regression. Associated chronic pain and fatigue result in difficulty concentrating, slow information processing, and executive function challenges. Only one study has examined the neuropsychological profile of pediatric patients with this syndrome.

Participants and Methods:

Our patient was a 10-year-old, right-handed male with a history of ROHHAD syndrome, focal epilepsy, mild neurocognitive disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who underwent two comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations at our medical center.

Results:

Findings across multiple evaluations showed solid verbal skills and difficulty processing visual-spatial and nonverbal information, as well as problems with attention, executive functioning, and adaptive skills, and psychosocial functioning consistent with his diagnoses of ADHD and ASD. He exhibited fine-and gross-motor challenges associated with hypotonia. Chronic fatigue contributed to his challenges with attention and information processing. These findings are generally consistent with previous research examining the neuropsychological profile associated with ROHHAD syndrome.

Conclusions:

Results from our case study highlight the complexity and challenges associated with ROHHAD syndrome. Consistent with available information, etiology of our patients’ neuropsychological weakness and functional decline is unclear. Yearly neuropsychological evaluations are recommended for these patients to update interventions based on their variable abilities. More research is needed to firmly establish the neuropsychological profile in youth of varying ages afflicted with this syndrome.
73 Examining the Associations Between Sentence Repetition and Other Cognitive Abilities in a Clinical Sample of School-Aged Children
Authors: Taylor Rebekah E , Casey Joseph E , Flanagan Ava M
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Sentence repetition (SR) task performance is related to various cognitive abilities and not just learning and memory, as is commonly considered (e.g., Baron, 2018). Bartlett (2018) was the first to examine the associations among SR performance and other cognitive abilities within a single study, using a normative sample. Bartlett (2018) found that SR performance was predicted by language, auditory verbal working memory, processing speed, and nonverbal cognitive ability of which only language abilities and auditory verbal memory significantly added to the prediction. However, no study to date has examined the associations between SR and other cognitive abilities in a clinical sample of school-aged children. The present study sought to determine the extent to which language, working memory, nonverbal abilities (visuospatial processing and fluid reasoning), and processing speed predict children’s SR in a clinical sample.

Participants and Methods:

Children 6 to 14 years of age (N = 191; 65% males) were included in the present study. Participants were drawn from two separate archival data populations of children referred for neuropsychological assessment in southwestern Ontario. SR scores were obtained from performance on Benton’s (1965) sentence repetition task. Language, working memory, fluid reasoning, visual perception, and processing speed were measured with Index scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (5th edition). The association of each of these cognitive domains with SR was determined by multiple linear regression. The effects of age and sex on SR were also examined (N = 226; 64% males).

Results:

A multiple linear regression model including the five independent variables significantly predicted SR performance, F(5, 185) = 30.306, p < .001., adj. R2 = .435. Only language and working memory added significantly to the prediction, p < .05. A mediation analysis demonstrated that processing speed indirectly predicted SR performance through working memory, b=.0241, [95% BCa [CI .0132, .0355]. A moderate positive correlation was found between age and SR performance, r(226) = .416, p < .001. Sex was unrelated to SR performance.

Conclusions:

The findings from this study are consistent with other studies indicating that SR taps multiple cognitive abilities. In a large and representative clinical sample of children referred for assessment due to academic or other learning difficulties, language plays as significant a role in SR performance as does auditory verbal attention and working memory. An advantage of the present study was the use of clinically relevant summary measures of cognitive domains associated with intelligence testing.
76 Cross-Cultural Utility of Performance Validity Indicators in a Community Sample from Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Baird Abigail , Mejia Cesilia , Booth Jane , Collins Robert , Wisdom Nicholas
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Empirical support for inclusion of performance validity testing (PVTs) in neuropsychological assessment continues to grow (Sweet et al., 2021). However, considerable validation is still needed to understand the impact of culturally mediated factors on the reliability of current, commonly used PVTs to accurately classify effort among various cultural groups. This study sought to contribute to the literature by examining the utility of several PVTs in a non-clinical, community-dwelling sample in Kampala, Uganda.

Participants and Methods:

Participants included 52 residents (25 Female, 27 Male) who were born between 1953-2003 from the Wabigalo community of central Kampala. Individuals were recruited by community leaders and volunteered to participate. All 52 participants were administered the Dot Counting Test (DCT; Boone et al., 2002), Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM; Tombaugh, 1997), and Rey 15-Item Memorization Test (Rey 15; Lezak, 1995). Twenty-five participants also completed Green’s Non-Verbal Medical Symptom Validity Test (NV-MSVT; Green, 2006). Data from three participants was excluded due to suspected memory concerns. Instructions for all tests were translated into Luganda by a professional translator with experience in Luganda and were administered by Luganda-speaking individuals.

Results:

Using test manual-derived cut scores, 71.4% (n = 35) participants scored in the invalid range on the DCT, 10.2% (n = 5) produced total combined scores in the invalid range on Rey 15, 6.1% (n = 3) failed TOMM Trial 2, and one participant (4.3%) exceeded cut-offs on Green’s NV-MSVT.

Conclusions:

In this non-clinical sample, manual cutoffs for DCT contributed to a high type-1 error rate. These findings suggest that culturally mediated factors may contribute to differences in engagement or performance on DCT. Future studies should explore these factors and continue to examine the utility of widely used tests in diverse samples.
2 Long Term Forgetting for News Events: Does Event Frequency Matter?
Authors: O’Connor Margaret G
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Health providers frequently probe patients’ recall of current and/or remote news items to determine the extent of memory loss. Impaired memory for transient events (i.e., in the news for a circumscribed time) may provide information regarding the onset of cognitive impairment. We utilized the Transient News Events Test (TNET) to explore how memory changes over time in older adults with cognitive impairment (CI) and non-cognitively impaired (NCI) individuals. We hypothesized that CI individuals would demonstrate reduced memory for transient events. We investigated the role of semantic and episodic memory on TNET performance.

Participants and Methods:

Participants completed the TNET as part a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Analyses included t tests to evaluate group differences for TNET performance, and correlations between TNET and neuropsychological measures, including episodic and semantic memory tests.

Results:

NCI adults demonstrated better memory than CI participants for TNET items. The NCI and CI groups did not differ regarding memory for remote items; however, CI participants had worse memory for recent items. There was a significant association between TNET performance and capacity for episodic and semantic memory in people with CI. In the NCI group, the TNET was associated only with episodic memory.

Conclusions:

Findings support the use of news events to assess remote memories in older adults. Novel remote memory measures broaden the scope of memory assessment far beyond what is feasible within traditional neuropsychological assessment and provide insight into the onset of memory changes. Results enhance understanding of memory decline in older adults with cognitive impairment.
2 Pilot Study of a Cognitive Enhancement Intervention for Substance Abuse Recovery
Authors: Ford Alicia Ito , Smith Riley
Published: December 2023

Objective:

This was a pilot study testing a cognitive enhancement program to improve rate of cognitive recovery in early substance abuse treatment. It is hypothesized that if patients were able to accelerate the rate of cognitive improvement, they may be able to better engage in substance abuse treatment and potentially have better long-term outcomes.

Participants and Methods:

Participants were 47 adults newly admitted to a residential substance abuse treatment facility (74.5% male, 76.6% white, mean age=34.5 years, education=12+ years). All were post-detox. All were being treated for opioid abuse, with the majority in treatment for polysubstance abuse. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (BrainHQ research cognitive training program) or active control group (inert computer games) and completed 34 training sessions per week for a minimum of 3 weeks. NIH Toolbox cognition battery was administered at baseline and endpoint.

Results:

Regardless of study group, most participants had a significant improvement in cognitive performance across most subtests and composite scores of the NIH Toolbox cognition battery. The RAVLT and Oral Symbol Digit subtests had the greatest change (p<.001) for both groups, as well as a significant improvement (p=.002) in Cognitive Function Composite Score for both groups. The only difference between the control and intervention group was on the Pattern Comparison subtest, with the intervention group scoring significantly higher at endpoint (p=.004).

Conclusions:

Although substance abuse is known to cause injury to the brain that may not be fully repaired by sobriety, cognitive recovery was significant in this group of patients during early inpatient treatment for opioid abuse. Although it has yielded significant effect in other patient populations, the BrainHQ program did not show a significant enhancement in cognitive recovery, compared to the active control group, in this pilot study of patients in treatment for opioid abuse. This study was limited by a small sample size and potential future variations should be considered, such as changes to intervention intensity and specific intervention exercises.
6 Semantic and Phonemic Fluency in Alcohol Dependent Individuals
Authors: Kung Jennifer , Sarkissians Sharis , Hauson Alexander O. , Pollard Anna A. , Walker Alyssa D. , Allen Kenneth E. , Flora-Tostado Christopher , Meis Benjamin
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Verbal fluency consists of semantic and phonemic fluency and is often used to detect verbal ability and executive control (Shao et al., 2014). While research has found general verbal fluency impairments in chronic alcohol use, few studies have examined semantic and phonemic fluency separately (Stavro et al., 2012; Stephan et al., 2017). This meta-analytical study examines the performance of abstinent alcohol-dependent individuals on semantic fluency (categories) and phonemic fluency (letters).

Participants and Methods:

As part of a larger study, two researchers independently searched eight databases, extracted required data, and calculated effect sizes on neuropsychological data in alcohol dependent (AD) individuals. Inclusion criteria for articles were: (a) comparison of abstinent alcohol-dependent patients to healthy controls, (b) matched control group on age, education, or IQ, and (c) standardized neuropsychological testing. Exclusion criteria included: (a) diagnosis of Axis I disorders (other than alcohol dependence), (b) comorbidity with other disorders that impact neuropsychological functioning, or (c) not published or translated into English. A total of 31 articles (AD n=1,080 and HC n=1,090) was analyzed in this study.

Results:

Semantic fluency evidenced a statistically significant and medium effect size estimate (g = 0.632, p < 0.001). The heterogeneity for semantic fluency was statistically significant (Q=152.468, df=20, p=0.000). Phonemic fluency evidenced a statistically significant and medium effect size estimate (g = 0.572, p < 0.001). The heterogeneity for phonemic fluency was also statistically significant (Q=236.697, df=24, p=0.000).

Conclusions:

Deficits in semantic and phonemic fluency are both associated with alcohol dependence. Although some previous research has reported more frontal lobe impact of alcohol, which would be expected to impact phonemic more readily than semantic fluency, this is not evident in the current data. There are many possible reasons for this failure to observe this dissociation meta-analytically. Some potential reasons include the possibility that alcohol affects multiple regions of the brain, that both these measures are affected by alcohol but miss the subtlety associated with frontal damage, or the likelihood that when studies are aggregated in meta-analysis the heterogeneity results in a regression to the mean effect size. These and other reasons are not mutually exclusive and future research should attempt to examine these and other hypotheses.
31 Sex Differences in Emotion Regulation and Emotional Awareness in Middle Aged and Older Adults
Authors: Kaufman Jack R. , Armstrong Megan , Maciarz Jeremy , Palekar Nikhil , Kim Joseph , Koppelmans Vincent , Welsh Robert C. , Langenecker Scott A. , Weisenbach Sara L.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

We measured sex differences in emotion regulation (ER) abilities – relying on exercise of cognitive reappraisal – during an image rating task in adults over 55 years of age with varying degrees of depression symptom severity. We also collected a self-report measure on participants' views of their own ER capacities. Previous research by this group has demonstrated the importance of emotion processing in the context of sex and aging in depression. We hypothesized that females would (1) score higher on the Cognitive Reappraisal Facet of the ERQ, (2) be more successful in utilizing cognitive reappraisal skills in response to negative stimuli; and (3) have self-report scores on the ERQ that more closely match their success at cognitive reappraisal than would males.

Participants and Methods:

capacities. Previous research by this group has demonstrated the importance of emotion processing in the context of sex and aging in depression. We hypothesized that females would (1) score higher on the Cognitive Reappraisal Facet of the ERQ, (2) be more successful in utilizing cognitive reappraisal skills in response to negative stimuli; and (3) have self-report scores on the ERQ that more closely match their success at cognitive reappraisal than would males.

Results:

Only the first of our three outcome measures was successfully predicted by the model including age, MADRS scores, and sex as predictors. Scores on the ERQ cognitive reappraisal facet with sex accounted for 11.3% of the variance (F=7.344, p=.009). Age and depression symptom severity did not reach significance. Performance on the ERT itself and the correlation between the two were not meaningfully modeled.

Conclusions:

Women showed both better cognitive reappraisal abilities overall and more insight into the level of those abilities, findings that fall in line with most ER literature. However, we found that females were also more likely than males to be skewed in the positive or “overconfident” direction; to overestimate those same abilities. This information is useful for clinicians interpreting self-report information in the emotion regulation domain. These findings may not generalize to a more diverse (racially and socioeconomically) population and given the cognitive nature of the reappraisal strategy; these results may not extend to a less educated population. These data will be useful to inform the interpretation of fMRI images from this same experiment.
37 Assessment of Social Cognition in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Mariani Francesca , Uriarte Laura , Gomez Fabian , Salazar Emilio , Dansilio Sergio
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a persistent neuroinflammatory disease of the central nervous system that affects young adults, and is pathologically characterized by multiple and distributed focal white matter lesions, although they are characteristically located in periventricular regions. Cognitive impairment occurs in all clinical forms of the disease, with great variability and great impact on the quality of life of patients. Recent research indicates that in addition to cognitive and physical deficits, they also have deficits in social cognition, such as Theory of Mind. Although social cognition in patients with multiple sclerosis has begun to be studied in recent years, there is still little knowledge about its impact in the early stages of the disease, when the load of injuries is low and physical disability is not yet present. A series of 7 cases of patients diagnosed with MS in follow-up by the Multiple Sclerosis polyclinic of the Institute of Neurology of the Hospital de Clínicas is presented.

Participants and Methods:

Clinically stable patients with no recent urges and no cognitive complaint were included. They were evaluated with the ACE-R screening test and Theory of Mind tests: Reading the mind in the eyes and Faux Pas tests.

Results:

All patients presented normal ACE results, without indicators of cognitive impairment and poor performance in the emotion reading test. In two cases, poor yields in Faux Pas were also found.

Conclusions:

Social cognition has a great impact on quality of life, and there are indicators of involvement in early stages of the disease in which other typical cognitive deficits are not yet evident, and may constitute the first indicator of deterioration. The evaluation and early detection of deficits in social cognition could contribute to the treatment and quality of life of patients.