bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
4 Does Working Memory Training for Children Need to be Adaptive? A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Lau Regine C , Anderson Peter J , Wiley Joshua F , Gathercole Susan E , Spencer-Smith Megan
Published: December 2023

Objective:

A common assumption to maximise cognitive training outcomes is that training tasks should be adaptive, with difficulty adjusted to the individual’s performance. This has only been tested once in adults (von Bastian & Eschen, 2016). We aimed to examine children’s outcomes of working memory training using adaptive, self-select and stepwise approaches to setting the difficulty of training tasks compared to an active control condition.

Participants and Methods:

In a randomised controlled trial (ACTRN 12621000990820), children in Grades 2-5 (7 to 11 years) were allocated to one of four conditions: adaptive working memory training, self-select working memory training, stepwise working memory training, or active control. An experimental intervention embedded in Minecraft was developed for teachers to deliver in the classroom over two weeks (10 x 20-minute sessions). The working memory training comprised two training tasks with processing demands similar to daily activities: backward span with digits and following instructions with objects. The control condition comprised creative building tasks. As part of a larger protocol, children completed at baseline and immediately post-intervention working memory measures similar to the training activities (primary outcome): backward span digits and letters versions, following instructions objects and letters versions. Primary analyses were intention-to-treat. Secondary analyses included only children who completed 10 sessions.

Results:

Of 204 children recruited into the study, 203 were randomised, with 95% retention at post-intervention. 76% of children completed all 10 training sessions. Comparisons between each working memory training condition and the active control on working memory measures were non-significant (f2 = 0.00), with one exception. Children in the self-select condition on average performed 1-point better than the controls on the following instructions objects measure (p = .02, f2 = 0.03). A pattern emerged that the self-select condition performed better on most measures.

Conclusions:

We found little evidence that an adaptive approach to setting the difficulty of training tasks maximises training outcomes for children. Findings suggest that working memory outcomes following training are limited and are not modulated by the approach to setting the difficulty of training tasks. This is consistent with findings from von Bastian & Eschen (2016), who also observed that the self-select condition (and not the adaptive condition) showed a slightly larger change in working memory performance following training than the control. It is helpful for clinicians to be aware that adaptive working memory training programs might not be superior in improving children’s working memory, and the benefits of programs are limited.
4 Associations between prospective memory performance and cognitive domains
Authors: Lehto Eliisa A , Virta Maarit , Järvinen Ilkka J , Schiavone Nella , Launes Jyrki , Hokkanen Laura
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Executive functions have been shown to predict prospective memory (PM) performance (Martin, Kliegel, & McDaniel, 2003). PM performance has also been associated with retrospective memory and working memory (Smith, 2003; McDaniel & Einstein, 2000). We investigated the association between PM performance and cognitive domains (executive functions, episodic memory, working memory) in adults at 40 years.

Participants and Methods:

The participants (n = 470, age 40) were part of a longitudinal study including a cohort with a history of a birth risk (eg. asphyxia, low birth weight, hyperbilirubinemia) prospectively followed since birth and controls without birth risks. PM performance was assessed using the new Finnish Proper Prospective Memory Test (PROPS) offering a score for laboratory tasks and naturalistic tasks separately, for event-based PM (EBPM) and time-based PM (TBPM) performance, and a total score. Composite scores of three cognitive domains - executive functions, episodic memory, working memory -were formed by converting raw scores of nine cognitive test (e.g. the Wechsler subtests, the Stroop test, the Trail Making Test) to z scores, summed up and averaged. We calculated Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the five PROPS scores and the composite scores of the cognitive domains.

Results:

The episodic memory domain score correlated significantly with the PROPS laboratory tasks (rs = .23, p = < .01), naturalistic tasks, (rs = .13, p = < .01), the total score (rs = .23, p = < .01), EBPM (rs = .25, p = < .01), and TBPM (rs = .15, p = < .01). The executive functions domain score correlated with the PROPS laboratory tasks (rs = .17, p = < .01), the total score (rs = .16, p = < .01) and EBPM (rs = .20, p = < .01). The associations between the working memory domain and the PROPS test varied, in the laboratory setting (rs = .14, p = < .01), in the total score (rs = .13, p = < .01) and in EBPM (rs = .21, p = < .01). Furthermore, the composite score of the combined episodic memory and executive functions domains correlated significantly with the PROPS test in the laboratory setting (rs = .25, p = < .01), in the total score (rs = .25, p = < .01) and in EBPM (rs = .28, p = < .01).

Conclusions:

The combination of the episodic memory domain and the executive functions domain was most associated with PM performance measured with the new Finnish Prospective Memory test (PROPS). Only the episodic memory domain was linked with the PROPS tasks in the naturalistic setting. Although the episodic memory domain was more associated with PM performance, the results support the multidomain nature of PM functions.
8 Computational Modeling of Memory Processes in non-CNS Cancer Survivors
Authors: Potthoff Ruben D , Schagen Sanne B , van Rentergem Joost A Agelink
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Cognitive impairment is an often-overlooked issue that non-CNS cancer survivors face. Our current understanding of their issues is lacking, as traditional memory sum scores grant us little insight into the underlying cognitive processes of memory and its impairment. We can improve the informativity of memory impairment studies by isolating which cognitive processes are impaired.

Participants and Methods:

Participants were breast cancer survivors who received chemotherapy (n=68), and women controls (n=157). The participants completed the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS), in which classical neuropsychological tests are digitally recreated for online at-home administration. Online administration reduces the burden on patients and allows for recording measurements with greater precision. The specific test used to illustrate the effectiveness of our computational modeling approach was the ACS equivalent of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, in which participants are tasked with recalling a list of 15 words five times. We formulated a Hierarchical Bayesian Cognitive Model to replace traditional sum scores and disentangle performance into the more theoretically meaningful concepts of 'memory storage’ and 'memory retrieval'.

Results:

A traditional analysis of the sum of trials 1-5 indicated no significant difference between patients and controls (t(223)=-0.99, p = 0.323), with a small effect size (Cohen’s d = -0.14).

For the newly isolated cognitive process “memory storage”, a non-significant difference was found between patients and controls (d=0.10, 95% credible interval on Cohen’s d: [0.25, 0.43]). On the “memory retrieval” process, a medium significant difference was found between patients and controls (d = -0.57, 95% credible interval on Cohen’s d: [-1.00, -0.19]).

Conclusions:

The results indicate that the impaired memory processes in cancer patients are not a general impairment across all memory functions, but rather a selective impairment of memory retrieval. Our method of analysis revealed information that would have been left unnoticed had we relied on traditional sum over trials 1-5.
24 Functional Distinctions in Metabolic Network Patterns in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Heydari Nahal D. , Mattis Paul J.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Cognitive decline is a common non-motor feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the underlying mechanisms of cognitive impairment in PD require further elucidation. FDG PET imaging data analyses have revealed distinct brain metabolic patterns associated with the cognitive features of PD. The PD cognition-related pattern (PDCP) and default mode network (DMN) are two overlapping, but topographically distinct, networks that may serve as biomarkers of cognitive decline in PD. Decreased activity of the resting-state DMN and increased expression of the PDCP are associated with cognitive impairment in PD. Studies have consistently demonstrated the association between neuropsychological memory test performance and PDCP expression. Thus, we examined whether memory performance could offer additional value in predicting PDCP expression in PD patients. We hypothesized that DMN and memory performance would predict greater variance in PDCP expression than the DMN alone.

Participants and Methods:

Participants included 48 PD patients ages 46-80 (mean (SD) Age: 61.9 (8.1), Education: 15.0 (2.8), IQ: 112.5 (14.9), DRS total: 136.7 (5.8)). All participants completed the FDG PET and neuropsychological evaluation 8-12 hours after their last dose of Levodopa. Neuropsychological memory testing included the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) z score of sum of learning trials. PDCP and DMN values were z scores generated from normal controls in previous studies. Data were analyzed using linear regression analyses.

Results:

A hierarchical regression was performed to predict PDCP as a function of DMN and CVLT learning performance. Variables were entered in two separate blocks. The first block included DMN as a predictor, and the overall regression was significant (R2 = 0.55, F(1, 39)= 47.0, p < 0.001). As hypothesized, DMN significantly predicted PCDP expression (β= -0.74, p < 0.001). The second block of the regression included CVLT learning memory performance. Both DMN and CVLT performance explained a significant amount of variance in PDCP (R2 change = 0.05, F(2, 39)= 27.6, p < 0.001). CVLT performance significantly predicted PDCP (β= -0.22, p =0.048). The final model accounted for 60.0% of the variance in
PDCP.

Conclusions:

Disruptions in functional connectivity within brain networks have become increasingly recognized as mechanisms responsible for cognitive impairment in patients. As demonstrated in previous studies, our results indicated that DMN loss is a strong predictor of PDCP expression, likely due to the networks' overlapping spatial regions. However, we found that the addition of memory performance to the model could explain a small amount of variance (5%) over and above DMN expression. Overall, the current findings demonstrate a functional (i.e., learning) distinction between population-specific (PDCP) and more general brain networks (DMN).
33 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with and without Bulbar Onset: Cognitive and Behavioral Findings from an Outpatient Sample
Authors: Gold Dov B. , Maxwell Kendal L.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

The relationship between frontotemporal dementias (FTDs) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is well established and is believed to be more pronounced in those with bulbar onset ALS (B-ALS). This study compared cognitive and behavioral symptoms among persons with B-ALS to those of individuals with nonbulbar phenotypes (NB-ALS).

Participants and Methods:

Outpatient clinic data collected during an initial neuropsychology consultation at an ALS interdisciplinary clinic in an academic medical center was retroactively analyzed. All individuals were diagnosed with ALS by neurologists specializing in movement and neuromuscular disorders based on results of neurological/motor examination, electromyographies, and (when available) genotypic data. Total scores on the short form of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-SF) and scores on the ALS Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS) and ALS CBS Caregiver questionnaire were of focus. 22 B-ALS and 44 NB-ALS individuals were compared on said measures using univariate analyses while controlling for ALS symptoms duration.

Results:

B-ALS individuals scored significantly lower on the MoCA-SF (F(2)=3.15, p=0.05, n2=0.13) and the tracking subscale of the ALS-CBS (F(2)=3.50, p=0.04, n2=0.17). The groups were not significantly different on other ALS-CBS measures, including caregiver-rated behavior questionnaire.

Conclusions:

Consistent with previous research, this study found lower total scores on a brief screener of global cognition and tasks of tracking requiring cognitive control in those with B-ALS relative to NB-ALS individuals. Interestingly, despite behavioral variant being the most prevalent FTD phenotype, the groups did not differ significantly in terms of caregiver-rated behavioral changes. It is hypothesized that the absence of these differences could reflect effects of gradual loss of speech and functionality that secondarily limit caregivers' abilities to observe behavioral changes concerning for possible behavioral variant FTD. That said this could reflect limitations of the sample and/or study design, and further exploration is therefore needed. Recommendations for future studies of neuropsychological/behavioral variables in B-ALS as well as development of more targeted instruments for use in this population are discussed.
38 Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind in Young and Elderly Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Montembeault Maxime , Farley Romane , Ouellet Julie , Brando Estefania , Tremblay Alexandra , Charest Kim , Roger Elaine , Scherzer Peter , Duquette Pierre , Rouleau Isabelle
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Theory of mind (ToM) deficits have been reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, most studies have used pictures or written scenarios as stimuli without distinguishing between cognitive and affective ToM, and no studies have investigated older pwMS. The aims of this study were to determine the impact of MS and age on cognitive and affective ToM using a more ecological video-based task. We also aimed to investigate the relationships between ToM, cognition and emotion reading to understand the nature of ToM deficits in pwMS.

Participants and Methods:

We recruited 13 young healthy controls (HC), 14 young pwMS, 14 elderly HC and 15 elderly pwMS. ToM was measured using an adaptation of the Conversations and Insinuations task (Ouellet et al. 2010). In this task, participants watch four 2-minutes videos of social interactions, which are interrupted by multiple choice questions about either the emotional state (affective ToM; 14 questions) or the intention (cognitive ToM; 14 questions) of the characters. They also underwent a short neuropsychological battery including cognitive tasks (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), DKEFS Color-Word Interference Test) and an experimental multimodal emotion recognition task.

Results:

We found significant effects of group (pwMS < HC), age (older < younger) and condition (cognitive ToM < affective ToM) on the ToM task. Although no interaction effect was found, the elderly pwMS group showed the largest discrepancy between their cognitive and affective ToM, the cognitive subtask being significantly more affected. ToM significantly correlated with general cognition (MoCA) in all participants, while cognitive inhibition (DKEFS Color-Word Interference Test) correlated with ToM only in elderly pwMS. No significant correlation was observed between ToM and emotion reading.

Conclusions:

This study highlights both cognitive and affective ToM deficits in pwMS, and particularly in cognitive ToM in elderly pwMS. These impairments could be underlied by cognitive and executive difficulties, but not by core social cognitive impairments, as observed in the correlation analyses. Future studies should investigate the relationships between ToM impairments and impairments in real-life empathy and social behavior in pwMS.
76 Investigating the Severity of Insomnia Comorbidities Between the Sexes
Authors: Desai Shivani , Hildebrand Lindsey , Reich-Feuhrer Melissa , Henderon-Arredondo Kymberly , Killgore William D.S.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Previous research indicates that women tend to struggle with insomnia at higher rates both prior to and during the global COVID-19 pandemic; however, not much research has investigated the extent to which insomnia correlates with comorbid problems, including aggression, depression, anxiety, PTSD severity, and alcohol use between the sexes. On a neurobiological level, insomnia could be associated with those mood disorders due to the effects of sleep disturbance on serotonergic and GABA neurotransmission, and males might experience such associations at a lower frequency due to their increased rates of serotonin synthesis. Consequently, we hypothesized that women would demonstrate higher prevalence of the aforementioned comorbidities during COVID than males due to higher rates of insomnia reported in women during COVID.

Participants and Methods:

We surveyed a total of 13,313 adults, with 5,598 females (Mage=36.4, SD=11.9) and 7,654 males (Mage=37.81, SD=12.7) using Amazon Mechanical Turk between April 2020 and April 2021. Insomnia was measured using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), while levels of depression, anxiety, PTSD severity, and alcohol use, and aggression were assessed through Patient Stress Questionnaires (PSQs) and the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ).

Results:

As expected, there were significant positive correlations between ISI and BPAQ (r(13306)=0.364, p<0.0001), PSQ Depression (r(13300)=0.694, p<0.0001), PSQ Anxiety (r(13211)=0.627, p<0.0001), PSQ PTSD (r(13305)=0.444, p<0.0001), and PSQ Alcohol (r(12915)=0.218, p<0.001). The strength of these associations was significantly higher in males than females in almost all categories: aggression (z=4.27, p<0.0001), depression (z=2.41, p=0.016), anxiety (z=3.16, p=0.0016), and alcohol use (z=5.89, p<0.0001) - not significant for PTSD severity (z=1.48, p=0.14).

Conclusions:

We found that insomnia was more strongly correlated with comorbid emotional and behavioral problems among males than females. This stands in contrast to our initial hypothesis, as the findings suggest that men who suffer from greater insomnia are more likely to experience those four comorbidities than females. This suggests that sex may play a role in the association between sleep disturbances and other clinical presentations relevant to neuropsychology. Further work will be necessary to identify the neurobiological mechanisms that drive the sex differences in these associations. While the present findings cannot determine the causal direction of the association, it will be crucial to determine the directionality of these associations and the mechanisms that lead to differences in expression between the sexes.
78 The Effects of Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Auditory Learning and Memory in Veterans with PTSD Symptomology
Authors: Alipio Jocson Valerie Z. , Gretler Julie , Chen Marcel , Yesavage Jerome A. , Kinoshita Lisa M.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with cognitive deficits as evidenced by neuropsychological testing in the domains of attention/working memory, verbal memory, processing speed, and executive function. OSA is often comorbid with hypertension and has been considered a risk factor for hypertension (Kareem et al., 2018; Tietjens et al., 2019). Both hypertension and OSA have been shown to be independent predictors of memory (Kinoshita et al., 2012). OSA and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also frequently co-occurring, especially among veterans. In a group of veterans with a history of PTSD, we seek to explore the effects of sleep apnea and hypertension on cognitive functioning, particularly auditory learning/memory.

Participants and Methods:

One hundred and three male and female participants with comorbid OSA and PTSD symptomology were screened as part of a larger VA Palo Alto Health Care System study. Participants (age: x=56.3, a=13.8, 24-81 years; education: x=14.6, a=2.3, 8-20 years; 9.6% female, 89.6% male) completed a neuropsychological battery, including the CVLT-II and WMS-IV Logical Memory. Presence or absence of hypertension was dichotomously coded and AHI severity was categorically coded. An auditory learning/memory composite variable was created using the z-score transformation method (Dodge et al., 2020). Variables and covariates were entered into a hierarchical regression.

Results:

The initial regression model revealed hypertension and OSA severity to be independent predictors of performance on auditory learning/memory (hypertension: ß= -0.71, p<0.01; OSA: ß= -0.42, p<0.01), where presence of hypertension or increased severity of OSA resulted in worse performance on the auditory learning/memory composite.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that hypertension and OSA may independently and negatively affect performance on measures of auditory learning/memory in veterans with PTSD symptomology and OSA. Such findings underscore the importance of assessing and treating both hypertension and OSA among veterans with PTSD to improve not only physical health, but also cognitive health. Further research demonstrating similar findings is recommended along with studies investigating whether or not the treatment of hypertension and OSA can improve auditory learning/memory.
26 Do depression, anxiety, or stress moderate the relationship between auditory learning and verbal learning?
Authors: Laique Aamir , Springer Jessica , Breting Leslie Guidotti , Axelrod Jenna , Geary Elizabeth , Sweet Jerry J
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Attention plays a key role in auditory processing of information by shifting cognitive resources to focus on incoming stimuli (Riccio, Cohen, Garrison, & Smith, 2005). Mood symptoms are known to affect the efficiency with which this processing occurs, especially when consolidation of memory is required (Massey, Meares, Batchelor, & Bryant, 2015). Without proper focus on relevant task information, improper encoding occurs, resulting in negatively affected performances. This study examines how depression, anxiety, and stress moderate the relationship between auditory attention and verbal list-learning.

Participants and Methods:

Archival data from 373 adults (Mage= 56.46, SD=17.75; Medu = 15.45, SD=2.2; 54% female; 74% white*) were collected at an outpatient clinic. Race was not available in a small percentage of cases included in analyses. Auditory attention was assessed via the Brief Test of Attention (BTA). Learning was assessed via the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) total T-Score (Trials 15). Mood was assessed via the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-42). A moderation analysis was conducted utilizing the DASS-42 as the moderator between the relationship of BTA and CVLT-II.

Results:

Block 1 of the hierarchical regression was significant in that BTA contributed significantly toward verbal learning on the CVLT-II (F(1, 378)=30.141, p =<.001 , AR2=.074). The standardized beta weight and p-value for BTA were (ß=.272, p<.001). When DASS variables were introduced into Block 2, the model remained significant F(3, 375)=4.227, p =.006 , AR2=.030). The DASS Anxiety subscale had significant beta weights in the model (ß=-.210 p=.004), whereas Depression and Stress were not significant (ß=.039, p=.563) and (ß=.021, p=.765), respectively.

Conclusions:

The current study examined whether mood symptoms affect the relationship between auditory attention and verbal learning. Present results confirm previous research that auditory attention has a significant impact on verbal learning (Massey, Meares, Batchelor, & Bryant, 2015; Weiser, 2004). Building upon prior research, these results indicate that when accounting for auditory attention, clinicians should be aware of possible confounds of anxiety, which may artificially suppress auditory attention. In some circumstances, a differential diagnosis may require consideration that absent anxiety auditory attention may be within normal range. Continued assessment and evaluation regarding the impact of anxiety is crucial for neuropsychologists when examining performances on verbal learning.
28 Executive Functioning in Children with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo
Authors: Persad Ashni S , Adedeji Oladipo , Robles Jasmine , Nolty Anne A.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is an attentional disorder characterized by excessive daydreaming, reduced alertness, slowed motor behavior, and mental fogginess. The purpose of the present study was to examine potential executive functioning group differences between children with high SCT symptoms versus those with low SCT symptoms. It was hypothesized that children with high SCT symptoms would have greater executive functioning deficits than children with low SCT symptoms, as reported by their teachers.

Participants and Methods:

There were 32 children in this study, between the ages of 6 to 13 (M = 8.94; SD = 1.97). To measure the level of SCT symptomology, an average rating on four items from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Items 13, 17, 80, 102) and an average rating from five items from the Teacher's Report Form (TRF; Items 13, 17, 60, 80, 102) were acquired and averaged to produce a combined measure of SCT. The present study had fair to good reliability for CBCL and TRF with Cronbach alpha values of .71 and .82 respectively. Eighteen participants had SCT scores above the Garner et al. (2010) cutoff criteria for the CBCL (SCT over 0.67) or the TRF (SCT over 0.75) which placed them in the high SCT group. The 13 participants who did not meet criteria for high SCT were considered the low SCT group. To measure executive function, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) teacher ratings were used. A general linear model multivariate analysis was conducted on each measure of the BRIEF teacher reports with ADHD-Inattentive (ADHD-IN) and Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) scores as covariates.

Results:

There were significant group differences between the BRIEF Teacher Global Executive Composite scores of the high SCT group (M = 60.81, SD = 7.78) versus the low SCT group (M = 50.31, SD = 6.87), F(1, 30) = 11.73, p < .001, np2 = .59. The high SCT group scored significantly higher than the low SCT group on the Initiate (p < .001), Working Memory (p < .001), Plan/Organize (p < .001), Monitor (p < .01), and Organization of Materials (p < .05) subscales. These findings indicate that the children in the high SCT group had greater executive functioning difficulties overall than the low SCT group.

Conclusions:

Children with high SCT symptoms demonstrated greater executive functioning deficits than children with low SCT symptoms regarding metacognition but not behavioral regulation. This means that children with SCT likely struggle more with initiating tasks, planning, organization, memory, and monitoring their thinking and behaviors than children without SCT. These skills are important for learning, which may at least partially help explain why children with SCT experience problems in school.
60 Family Functioning Effects on Cognitive Abilities in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Gordon Amanda M
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Psychosocial factors show a significant relationship between child behavior problems, family functioning, and cognitive performance in children with Sickle Cell Disease, marking those as important targets for intervention among this population. The purpose of this research is to address the effects of psychosocial factors impact on specific cognitive domains.

Participants and Methods:

Archival data from the National Institutes of Health’s Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease was used. Data was restricted to individuals aged 14 or younger (N= 2,408), with 47.8% (n = 1,152) identified as female and 52.2% (n = 1,256) as male. Black or African American (96.9%, n = 2,334) children made up the majority of the sample, with the remainder coded as “other” (2.8%, n = 68). The measures utilized included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, and Family Environment Scale (FES).

Results:

Bivariate correlations were completed with significant correlations found between FES and performance on the WISC-R/III and PPVT. Supportiveness subscale on the FES demonstrated several statistically significant correlations with WAIS FSIQ (r = .21, p = .000) as well as the Information (r = .22, p = .000), Similarities (r = .17, p = .001), Arithmetic (r = .13, p = .021), Block Design (r = .11, p = .036), Vocabulary (r = .22, p = .000), Object Assembly (r = .12, p = .033), Comprehension (r = .19, p = .000), and Digit Span (r = .13, p = .014) subscales. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the PPVT and the Supportiveness subscale (r = .34, p = .000).

Conclusions:

Various areas of cognitive functioning are affected by family dynamics. Improvement in family functioning would benefit the cognitive functioning of children with SCD. To increase aspects of family functioning including supportiveness, early identification of children with SCD, targeted interventions, and family and/or individual therapy for caregivers are suggested.
9 Four-Year Practice Effects on the RBANS in a Longitudinal Study of Older Adults
Authors: Reed Christopher , Calamia Matthew , Sanderson-Cimino Mark , De Vito Alyssa , Toups Robert , Keller Jeffrey
Published: December 2023

Objective:

The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is one of the most widely used measures in neuropsychological assessment. Studies of practice effects on the RBANS have largely been limited to studies assessing one or two repeated assessments. The aim of the current study is to examine practice effects across four years after baseline in a longitudinal study of cognitively healthy older adults. Practice effects were estimated using a pseudo-replacement participants approach which has been previously applied in other aging studies.

Participants and Methods:

453 Participants from the Louisiana Aging Brain Study (LABrainS) completed the RBANS Form A on up to four annual assessments after a baseline evaluation. Practice effects were calculated using a modified participants-replacement method where scores of individuals who were administered RBANS Form A multiple times are compared to the baseline scores of matched participants with additional adjustment for attrition effects.

Results:

Practice effects were observed primarily in the immediate memory, delayed memory, and total score indices. For example, an increase of nearly half a standard deviation was observed for delayed memory.

Conclusions:

These findings extend past work on the RBANS and other neuropsychological batteries more broadly in showing the susceptibility of memory measures to practice effects. Given that memory and total score indices of the RBANS have the most robust relationships with diagnostic status and biomarkers for pathological cognitive decline, these findings raise concerns about the ability to recruit those at risk for decline from longitudinal studies using the same form of the RBANS for multiple years.
51 Importance of Using Baseline Verbal Abilities When Interpreting the MOCA Test Performance
Authors: Kim Se Yun (Jacqueline) , Altaras Caroline , O’Connor Margaret
Published: December 2023

Objective:

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) is widely used as a mental status screening test to detect cognitive impairment in adults over 55 years of age. Performance on this test ranges from 0 to 30. One point is given to individuals with 12 or lower years of education. This accommodation is based on the fact that low education may be a risk factor for dementia (Milani et al., 2018). However, studies suggest the one-point adjustment may not be sufficient to address the impact of low education on test performance (Malek-Ahmadi et al., 2015). The aim of this study is to compare the effects of educational achievement versus baseline verbal abilities on MOCA performance.

Participants and Methods:

Fifty patients (25 male; mean age=72.78, SD = 8.11; mean education=16.18, SD = 2.73) with cognitive concerns were referred to Massachusetts General Brigham. All underwent neuropsychological evaluation, including screening with the MOCA. Total MOCA scores were calculated. In this patient group, the MOCA scores ranged from 10 to 29 (mean=22, SD=5.129). Measures of literacy (Wechsler Test of Adult Reading or Test of Premorbid Functioning) were used to estimate baseline verbal abilities. Educational achievement was based on self-reported years of education.

Results:

Correlational analyses included the Total MOCA scores, measures of literacy, and years of education. Performance on the MOCA significantly correlated with measures of literacy, r(43)=.578, p< .001, and a stepwise regression analysis revealed that literacy predicted performance on the MOCA, R2=.041, F(3,139)= 9.172, p<.001. Years of education correlated with measures of literacy, r(44)=.494, p< .001, but not with performance on the MOCA.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest that education-adjusted scoring on the MOCA may not be sufficient to “level the playing field” in terms of MOCA performance. Years of education had less of an effect on the Total MOCA scores than did baseline verbal abilities. It may be the case that literacy has a more robust effect on MOCA performance due to the inherent verbal nature of the MOCA. Data from this study highlight the importance of considering a patient’s baseline verbal abilities in the interpretation of their MOCA performance.
62 The Print Knowledge as a Predictor of Reading Acquisition in Mexican Preschoolers
Authors: Lara-Gonzalez Victor H. , de la Miyar Carmen Armengol , Aguillön-Solis Cristina , Salvador-Cruz Judith
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Print Knowledge in children starts with recognizing and characterizing printed figures; it is a precursor of other skills like letter knowledge and phonological awareness. The goal was to assess print knowledge components and their predictive value in emerging literacy in a sample of Mexican preschoolers.

Participants and Methods:

60 children (aged 4 to 6 years old; 50% boys and 50% girls) were tested with an analysis of the visual synthesis and the figure copy from the SNBP-MX and the Rey Complex Figure Test (children’s version).

Results:

Children with lower performance in the SNBP-MX cannot use visual information to perform correctly at the Rey Complex Figure. They have problems in the reproduction of the figure, and they do not respect the components of the Print Knowledge: 1) figure building characteristics (size, rotation, orientation) and function (relationship with the background and with other figures).

Conclusions:

Early visual perception skills impairments are related to the execution of elements from the Print Knowledge. Therefore, it is expected that children with low performance at visoperception and spatial tasks will have difficulties with early literacy. Since visual information is needed for the copy and learning of writing figures, print knowledge could be categorized as a predictor of the early word and letter recognition skills. We thank project PAPIIT IN308219 for sponsoring this research.
Poster Symposium: Digital Neuropsychology in Perspective: Are we 'Clinically’ there yet?
Authors: Crivelli Lucia , Sunderaraman Preeti
Published: December 2023

Summary Abstract

Traditionally, neuropsychology has focused on assessing aspects of the brain and behavior using in-person, paper-and-pencil tests. There was a heavy emphasis on the standardization of test procedures and use of psychometrically sound norms to enable precise clinical evaluations and diagnosis. In the past few decades, the advent of digital technology has led to an increased focus on teleneuropsychology, which consists of conducting evaluations remotely. The coronavirus (COVID) pandemic propelled teleneuropsychology to new heights as it became increasingly recognized that cognitive evaluations conducted via technology can be both a feasible and practical approach to understanding the brain. However, with this realization, it also became apparent that teleneuropsychology tests and procedures need to be updated to keep pace with the contextual changes. In keeping with this need the current symposium includes four abstracts covering a range of topics relevant to improve our understanding of the future of teleneuropsychology and its emergent clinical applications. The first abstract focuses on providing the audience with a scoping review of the literature about the current state of teleneuropsychology following the COVID pandemic. The second abstract focuses on providing evidence for the feasibility of conducting cognitive assessments remotely along with providing construct validity for the tasks. The third abstract discusses a rapid approach to test development, piloting, translation to clinical use, and adaptation for other languages and cultures using a unique platform. Finally, the last abstract focuses on improving our understanding of a Hybrid Neuropsychology model that integrates various digital tools for neuropsychological use that is being implemented in a clinical setting.
4 Accelerated Long-Term Forgetting in Patients with Cerebrovascular Disease
Authors: Kessels Roy PC
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Long-term forgetting rates may be more sensitive for detecting memory decrements compared to short-delay memory assessments (e.g., after 20-30 minutes). To date, much research has been performed on accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF) in epilepsy patients, but research in other patient groups is lacking. ALF may be promising in the field of cerebrovascular disease, as many of these patients experience cognitive complaints, yet do not show impaired performances on neuropsychological assessments.

Participants and Methods:

Here, I will present empirical findings on ALF in individuals after a TIA/minor stroke (n=30) and after stroke (n=91) using short- (20-30 min) and long-delay (1-week) memory testing.

Results:

After TIA/minor stroke, short-delay (2030 min) memory testing was unimpaired, but 1-week delayed testing showed an impaired performance compared to stroke-free controls. In the stroke group, ALF was present in 17% of the patients, compared to stroke-free controls, but more prevalent than rapid forgetting after short-delay memory testing.

Conclusions:

ALF is present in patients with cerebrovascular disease, despite normal acquisition rates. The relation with neuroimaging findings and the clinical relevance of these results will be discussed.
9 Interoceptive Attentiveness: Evidence for Neurofunctional Correlates from an EEG Source Localization Study
Authors: Crivelli Davide , Balconi Michela
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Since seminal work by Sherrington, the term interoception refers to the ability to sense modifications of internal bodily states as opposed to the ability to sense stimuli coming from outside the body itself. Despite conceptual changes regarding the afferent signals subserving this type of inner perception, the core of this definition is still valid and widely accepted. The critical contribution of internal state perception to self-regulation as well as higher-order cognitive processes has led to the development of psychometric and observational measures trying to capture individual interoceptive skills, focusing especially on the ability to orient attention to internal sensations. Nonetheless, despite growing interest in interoceptive attention (IAtt), little is known about neurofunctional correlates of our ability to redirect attention to internal sensations and consciously process them, as well as on potential objective biomarkers of IAtt performance.

Participants and Methods:

This study included 36 volunteers who were asked to complete a heart-beat counting task (HCT), a common IAtt task. During both resting-state and HCT, central electrophysiological (EEG, 32 electrodes) and cardiovascular activity (ECG, I lead) were recorded. eLORETA was used to estimate both task-related and resting-state intracortical sources of EEG signals. Statistical non-parametric mapping (SnPM) was used to draw and investigate contrast statistical maps between rest- and task-related cortical current density.

Results:

Contrast analyses comparing HCT and resting revealed higher Alpha frequency current density estimates during the task, with primary cortical seed in the right parahippocampal gyrus. Regression analyses of the relationship between IAtt scores and task-related changes in intracortical current density during HCT revealed a positive relationship for the Beta frequency bands with primary cortical seeds in the cingulate gyrus and insula.

Conclusions:

Findings add to available literature by further specifying the electrophysiological signature of interoceptive attentiveness, and suggest specific electrophysiological markers as objective measures of individual IAtt skills.
25 Longitudinal Decline in Memory in 1991 Gulf War Veterans: Where you Start Matters.
Authors: Orlinsky Leah A , Price Kathryn A , Zundel Clara G , Sullivan Kimberly , Krengel Maxine H
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Memory complaints have been a concern of Gulf War (GW) veterans since their return from the war in 1991, and over time it has been reported that exposures to neurotoxicants during the war have been associated with memory decline from premorbid levels. However, many of the studies that have shown slight or no memory decrements only looked at one time point and have not followed participants to document trajectory of symptoms over time. Longitudinal design is an optimal way to document change in cognitive function over time and the Fort Devens cohort (FDC), the longest running cohort of GW veterans, is ideal for assessing such change. This prospectively designed non-treatment seeking cohort were assessed at multiple timepoints with neuropsychological assessments and surveys. Initial neuropsychological assessments from 1997 showed above average scores on tests of verbal memory (California Verbal Learning Test) and average nonverbal memory (Wechsler Memory Scale-R) performances. A follow-up study of neuropsychological testing was completed between 2019-2022. This study was designed to document change in cognitive status between the two time points.

Participants and Methods:

Participants (N=50) from the original 1991 cohort were again tested from 2019-2022. Neuropsychological tests included California Verbal Learning Test-Second edition (CVLT2) for verbal learning, and the visual reproduction subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) for nonverbal learning and memory. For both time points, the average scores of the participants were compared with age scaled scores for each neuropsychological test.

Results:

The mean age of our current participants was 58 years. 72% were men. Relative to standardized test norms at the first time point, the scores for total learning from trials 1 through 5 from the CVLT2 were in the above average range relative to age and gender-based norms. During the second time point, the participants average scores on the same scale had dropped to the average range, one full standard deviation below their prior performances. In addition, at the first time point, total learning from visual reproductions was in the average range and dropped to the low average range for the second time point. This value dropped by one-half a standard deviation.

Conclusions:

Results showed significant diminishment in verbal and visual memory relative to prior test performances. Whenever possible, documenting the trajectory of symptoms relative to where each participant started on neuropsychological functional outcomes is key to understanding the longitudinal impact of neurotoxicant and other war-related exposures in military veterans. Given this decline, further assessment of GW veterans’ cognitive trajectories is warranted.
35 Happiness Project: A Customized Mind Body Intervention Significantly Changed the Social Relationship Scores Among Healthy College Students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Pillai Varun , Manohar Nuthan , Byrne Nicole , Rodriguez Adriana , Nair Anil
Published: December 2023

Objective:

To find how healthy college going participants SRS were affected by a customized Mind Body Intervention (MBI).

Participants and Methods:

We performed a customized online tele-video course based MBI incorporating mindfulness and awareness training over a period of one month in 2021 to MBA students attending the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). Each subject was their own control. We used the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (QO-BREF) social relationship sub-scores pre and post intervention to assess participant SRS.

Results:

277 MBA students from the IIM with a mean age of 26.89 ± 1.7 were analyzed. Of the 277 students, 90 (32.49%) were female. The MBI decreased the self-perceived Social Relationship score among 277 graduate students. The mean SRS before the intervention was 7.51 ± 1.7 while the mean SRS after was 6.9 ± 1.7. Univariate paired t-test showed a significant mean difference (t = 5.1, p<.001). On a multivariate linear-regression model, the SRS change estimate was 0.46, t-value was 9.3, p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval was 0.37 - 0.56; p-value <0.001.

Conclusions:

An online tele-video based customized Mind Body Intervention decreased the self-perceived social relationship score among graduate students at the IIM during the Covid-19 pandemic.