bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
7 The Role of Depressive Symptomatology in Predicting Cognitive and Functional Decline in Memory Clinic Patients
Authors: Cai Shuang , Kirk Andrew , Karunanayake Chandima , Edwards Devin , O’Connell Megan , Morgan Debra 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Depressive symptomatology has long been shown to be associated with the onset of dementia, though the exact form and directionality of this association remains unclear. While much research has gone into confirming this link, there has been little investigation into the effects of depression on dementia progression after diagnosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between depressive symptomatology and cognitive and behavioural decline over the following year.Participants and Methods:In a Rural and Remote Memory Clinic, 375 patients consecutively diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), or non-AD dementia completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at first visit and one-year follow-up to assess depressive symptomatology. The same cohort were evaluated for cognitive and behavioural decline through the completion of five clinical tests performed at the first visit and at one-year follow-up. Cognitive decline was assessed using the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) and the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed using two subsets of data from the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI severity and distress), both of which are completed by the patients’ caregivers. Functional decline was assessed using the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). In both cognitive and functional decline, data were analyzed with linear regression analysis in the population subgroups of All Type Dementia (ATD, which includes MCI for this study) (N=375), Alzheimer’s type dementia (N=187), and Mild Cognitive Impairment (N=74).Results:In this study, we observed no correlation between CES-D scores at baseline and cognitive or functional decline over one year. However, we observed a significant positive correlation between changes in CES-D scores and NPI-severity scores over one year in patients with ATD (likely the most reliable observation from this study due to larger statistical power) and in the MCI subgroup, but not in the AD subgroup. This relationship may be attributable to a relationship between depression and neuropsychiatric symptoms in general, or to the fact that a person with dementia who exhibits more depressive symptomatology appears more impaired and causes greater distress in their caregivers, despite stability in the objective measures of their cognitive and functional status. This finding may indicate that intervention for depression is needed to alleviated caregiver burden when managing dementia patients.Conclusions:Increasingly severe depressive symptomatology may exacerbate neuropsychiatric symptomatology but did not correlate with cognitive and functional decline in patients with dementia. More studies are needed to help delineate the relationship between depression and dementia progression.
53 Case Study Comparison of Logopenic and Semantic PPA Variants within the Medically Complex Veteran Population
Authors: Witbeck Angelina , Kayvandovsky Elizabeth , Burger Carly N 
Published: December 2023

Objective:To explore the utility of neuropsychological testing for patients with Primary Progressive Aphasia and compare testing data for a Logopenic and Semantic PPA variants within the medically complex Veteran population.Participants and Methods:Both participants were referred by their psychiatrist due to memory concerns. The case studies testing data will be compared to look at the differences on testing between different PPA presentations within the Veteran population. Patient A is a 77 year old, right handed, African American, divorced man with approximately 14 years of formal education. Patient B is a 76 year old, right handed, Caucasian, widowed man with approximately 16 years of formal education.Results:Patient A displayed problems with single-word retrieval, repetition of nonsense words and sentences, comprehension, reading, spelling, and naming. He also displayed impairments in aspects of working memory, along with learning and memory. His cognitive profile raises concern for a logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia, which often has Alzheimer's disease pathology. Patient B displayed empty speech, impairments in fluency and reduced semantic knowledge that raises concern for a semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia. However, aspects of his presentation are not consistent with this diagnosis, specifically intact confrontation visual naming. Patient has a history of significant alcohol abuse, although he has mostly remained sober since moving to Texas. This evaluation cannot rule out the contribution of sustained alcohol use on his cognitive functioning; however, this is likely not the primary etiology given his significant language issues.Conclusions:Patients with medically complex histories and unclear timelines of symptom progressive make it difficult for diagnostic clarity. Diagnoses can be additionally difficult to determine at times when the clinical presentation is not as clearly defined in textbooks. This case study comparison displays the importance of integrating all data to determine the proper diagnosis to optimize patient care and provide recommendations tailored to that individual.
65 Learning Ability in Relation to Everyday Activities in Patients with Korsakoff’s Syndrome, Other Alcohol-Related Cognitive Impairments, or Uncomplicated Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Kessels Roy P.C. , van Nuland Jurriaan , Rensen Yvonne C.M. 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Assessment of learning potential in patients with cognitive disorders in individuals with alcohol-related cognitive disorders (including Korsakoff’s syndrome; KS) is highly relevant, as this may help to tailor interventions, guide treatment planning and help to optimize care. However, studies on assessing learning potential or learning ability using neuropsychological assessment in relation to changes in everyday activities during the course of treatment are scarce. In this study we examined whether verbal and visuospatial learning curves could be used as an index of learning ability in relation to everyday activities before and after a treatment program.Participants and Methods:We examined the episodic learning ability of patients with KS (N=137), other alcohol-related cognitive impairments (ARCI; N=164), and uncomplicated alcohol use disorder (AUD; N=49). For this, we calculated the learning curves for the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and the Location Learning Test - Revised (LLT-R) and examined their association with ratings of everyday activities by the patient and his/her professional caregiver using the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS) before and after a 10-12 week treatment program following admission to the Korsakoff Centre.Results:For both verbal and visuospatial memory, the AUD group had a steeper learning curve than the ARCI patients, who in turn had a steeper learning curve than the KS group (p<.01). While the VLGT total score was related to the PCRS in all patient groups (Pearson r>.38, p<.01), this was only the case for the KS group for the LLT-R total score (r>-.29, p<.01). However, the learning curve estimates of both tests were neither related to the PCRS absolute scores (for patients and caregivers, before and after treatment) nor to the APCRS scores during the course of the treatment program.Conclusions:Episodic learning ability, as measured with the learning curves of the CVLT and LLT-R, were unrelated to the patients everyday activity level as measures by the patients themselves or their professional caregiver. The results will be discussed in relation to other tools for assessing the learning potential of cognitively impaired patients, such as dynamic testing.
66 An Examination of Racial Disparities on Dementia Types in the Black Community
Authors: Hunte Yvonne , Bennett Lauren 
Published: December 2023

Objective:There is limited and inconsistent research exploring diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of dementias amongst Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC). By 2050, it is suspected that the White population will significantly decrease and BIPOC groups will comprise the majority of the US population yet BIPOC are historically underrepresented in dementia research. Prior research indicates apolipoprotein 4 allele (APOE-4) status is associated with a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in Black individuals when compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Investigating the racial disparities in dementia will expand our knowledgebase of risk for dementia types in the Black community to better meet the evergrowing population needs. The current study explored the impact of racial identity on global cognitive functioning, independent of age, education, and APOE e4 status.Participants and Methods:Participants were drawn from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study and consisted of five pairs of Black and White individuals (n = 10) matched based on age, education, and APOE status. Global cognitive performance was measured by the total Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score. Notably, only five Black individuals in phase 1 of ADNI met inclusion criteria. It was hypothesized Black individuals would be more cognitively impaired than their White counterparts. A matched pairs t-test was utilized to examine the relationship between global cognitive performance and race.Results:Black and White individuals’ MMSE scores did not significantly differ (p > .05). The mean MMSE performance of White participants (26.40) was less robust than Black participants (27.80). Findings are inconsistent with current research, indicating that BIPOC individuals are disproportionately impacted by AD, with increased severity of cognitive impairment. There is a profound need for more research in preventative interventions and recruitment of BIPOC individuals who have been historically marginalized in cognitive research trials to help better understand diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of AD in BIPOC.Conclusions:The observed commensurate global cognitive functioning performance between matched Black and White individuals is not consistent with prior research findings demonstrating increased risk of developing dementia amongst BIPOC. This study’s small sample size reflects a significant barrier to detecting clinically meaningful differences. Efforts to address the recruitment crisis, underreporting, cultural influences, and overall mistrust of research among BIPOC is warranted. Inclusive research is critical to dismantling health disparities.
91 Personality Traits Account for Variability in Self-Reported Executive Functioning but not Objective Executive Performance.
Authors: Ikonomou Vasilios C. , Myers Melissa A. , Hawley Nanako A. , Pizer Jasmin H. , Campbell Ivan A. , Wagaman Bailey , Hill Benjamin D. 
Published: December 2023

Objective:This study evaluated the relation between five-factor model (FFM) personality traits and intra-individual variability (IIV) in executive functioning (EF) using both subjective self-report and objectives measures of EF.Participants and Methods:165 university participants (M=19 years old, SD=1.3; 55.2% White, 35.2% African American, 72.7% female) completed the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale-Long Form (BDEFS), IPIP-NEO Personality Inventory, Trail-Making Test (TMT) Parts A and B, and the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) EF module. A participant’s IIV was calculated as the standard deviation around their own mean performance. Objective EF IIV was computed from T-scores for performance on Trails A, Trails B, and the NAB EF module. Subjective EF IIV was computed from T-scores for performance across BDEFS domains.Results:Pearson r correlations were used to evaluate the relation between subjective and objective IIV and FFM traits of personality. Subjective EF IIV was positively correlated with FFM neuroticism [r=.48; p<.001] and negatively correlated with FFM conscientiousness [r=-.43; p<.001], extraversion [r=-.18; p=.023] and agreeableness [r=-.22; p=.004]. There were no significant associations between FFM traits and objective EF IIV performance. There was additionally no significant relation between subjective EF IIV performance and objective EF IIV.Conclusions:Personality traits were associated with individual variability on a self-reported measure of EF but not on performance-based EF measures. These results suggest that IIV for the BDEFS was influenced by personality traits, particularly neuroticism and conscientiousness, and may reflect method variance. It was notable that IIV was not correlated between subjective and objective EF measures.
92 Inflammatory Biomarkers Mediate the Relationship between Perceived Stress and Executive Functions
Authors: Jurgens Savana M , Hayes Jasmeet P 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Psychosocial stress has been associated with impaired cognition and risk for neurodegenerative disease. However, the intermediate pathways underlying this relationship are not yet well understood. Chronic exposure to stress causes endocrine and immune dysregulation that can lead to heightened systemic inflammation. Moreover, chronic, low-grade inflammation has been linked to neurodegeneration, impaired neurogenesis and cognitive decline. Given the strength of the individual links between stress, inflammation and cognition, the current study tested the hypothesis that inflammatory biomarkers would mediate the relationship between perceived stress and executive functions.Participants and Methods:Data from the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) (N=863; Mean age= 52.72) provided measures of perceived psychological stress, inflammatory biomarkers [C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)] and executive functions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test for the mediating effect of inflammation on the relationship between perceived stress and executive functions. Exploratory analyses were conducted to investigate whether sex-differences were driving these relationships. Mediation analyses adjusted for age and history of smoking.Results:In the full sample of men and women, there was a significant indirect effect of perceived stress on executive functions through inflammation [ß=-0.021, z=-2.841, p=0.005]. Further examination revealed that this effect was present in women [B=-0.039, z=-2.680, p=0.007] but not men [ß=-0.003, z=-0.558, p=0.577]. While inflammation was negatively associated with executive functions in both men and women [ß=-0.126, z=-1.930, p=0.050; ß=-0.279, z=-0.558, p>0.001], pathways linking perceived stress to inflammation and executive functions were only significant in women [ß=0.014, z=-3.190, p=0.001; ß=-0.192, z=-3.355, p=0.001].Conclusions:These findings suggest that inflammatory biomarkers are a viable pathway for explaining how experiencing stress can negatively affect executive functions. Results indicate that women may be particularly vulnerable to the inflammatory and cognitive consequences of stress. As such, psychosocial stress and associated inflammation may be important targets for improving cognitive health outcomes, particularly in women.
7 Does Neurocognition Contribute to Age-Related Differences in the Accuracy and Sharing of COVID-19 Misinformation?
Authors: Matchanova Anastasia , Woods Steven Paul , Neighbors Clayton , Beltran-Najera Ilex , Alex Christina , Johnson Briana , Morales Yenifer , Medina Luis D. , Podell Kenneth , Babicz Michelle A. , Thompson Jennifer L. 
Published: December 2023

Objective:COVID-19 misinformation proliferating online has led to adverse health and societal consequences. Older adults are a particularly vulnerable population due to increased risk for both COVID-19 related complications and susceptibility to, as well as sharing of, misinformation on social networking sites. The present study aimed to: 1) investigate differences in COVID-19 headline accuracy discernment and online sharing of COVID-19 misinformation in older and younger adults; and 2) examine individual differences in global cognition, health literacy and verbal IQ in online sharing of COVID-19 misinformation.Participants and Methods:Fifty-two younger (age 18 to 35 years) and fifty older adults (age 50 and older) completed a telephone neurocognitive battery, health literacy and numeracy measures and self-report questionnaires. Participants also completed a social media headline-sharing experiment (Pennycook et al.,2020) in which they were presented true and false COVID-19 headlines and asked to indicate: 1) the likelihood that they would share the story on social media; and 2) the factual accuracy of the story.Results:A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance controlling for gender and race/ethnicity showed no effects of age (p=.099), but a significant interaction between actual COVID-19 headline accuracy and likelihood of sharing (p<.001), such that accuracy is more strongly related to sharing false headlines (r=-.64) versus true headlines (r=-.43). Moreover, higher likelihood of sharing false COVID-19 headlines was associated with lower verbal IQ and numeracy skills in older adults (rs=-.51--.40; ps<.01) and with lower verbal IQ, numeracy, and global cognition in younger adults (rs=-.66--.60; ps<.01).Conclusions:Findings indicate that headline accuracy judgements are an important predictor of sharing COVID-19 misinformation in both older and younger adults. Further, individual differences in cognition, IQ, and numeracy may predict the likelihood of misinformation sharing in younger adults, while IQ and numeracy skills may act as important antecedents of misinformation sharing in older adults. Future work might leverage modern, neuropsychologically-based psychoeducation approaches to improving health and science literacy related to COVID-19.
10 Female APOE ε4 Carriers with Slow Rates of Biological Aging Have Better Verbal Memory Performance Compared to Female Carriers with Faster Rates of Aging, Independent of Chronological Age, Education, and Depressive Symptoms.
Authors: Kaplan Burcu , O’Shea Deirdre M. 
Published: December 2023

Objective:The presence of an e4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE ε4) is considered the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the US. Evidence suggests that APOE ε4 carriers have worse memory performances compared to APOE ε4 non-carriers in cognitively normal older adults and that female APOE ε4 carriers are at greater risk of AD compared to male carriers. Recent advancements in estimating biological age using DNA methylation markers may enhance understanding of the associations between sex and APOE ε4 on cognitive aging. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate whether associations between APOE ε4 status and memory vary according to rates of biological aging, using a DNA methylation age biomarker, in older men and women without dementia.Participants and Methods:Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1771 older adults enrolled in the 2016 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (Mean age = 75, SD = 7; 57% female; 76% non-Hispanic white). The standardized residual from regressing chronological age on the epigenetic clock “DNAGrimAge” was used as a measure of the aging rate. A series of ANCOVAs with Bonferroni corrected post hoc pairwise tests, adjusting for education, white blood cell count, chronological age, and depressive symptoms were used to test the main and interaction effects of APOE ε4 status (non-carriers = 0; carriers = 1) and aging rates, defined as 1 standard deviation below (i.e., slow rate), or above (i.e., fast rate) sex-specific mean rate (i.e., average) of aging, on a standardized composite measure of verbal memory. Alpha was set at .05 and all raw scores were converted to z-score metric prior to analyses.Results:APOE ε4 female carriers with slow rates of aging (n = 34) had significantly better memory performances compared to APOE ε4 female carriers with fast rates of aging (n = 41), mean difference = .61, p = .006, and average rates of aging (n = 170), mean difference = .44, p = .017. There was no effect of aging rate on memory in the female non-carriers and there were no significant differences in memory performances based on rates of aging in either male APOE ε4 carriers or non-carriers.Conclusions:Although the presence of the APOE ε4 has previously been shown to represent a stronger risk of AD for women compared to men, results from the current study suggest that slower rates of aging in this high-risk group may confer protection against clinical symptoms (i.e., memory impairment). Conversely, faster than average aging in female APOE ε4 carriers may represent a group at greater risk of memory impairment due to AD. However, longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate the risk of dementia/memory impairment based on rates of aging in female APOE ε4 carriers.
39 Relationships among Cardiovascular Risk Factors, White Matter Hyperintensities, and Depressive Symptoms in Black and White Older Adults
Authors: Minto Lex R , Dotson Vonetta M 
Published: December 2023

Objective:The vascular depression hypothesis posits that there is a relationship between vascular disease and geriatric depressive symptoms. Black Americans are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than their White counterparts. However, it is not fully understood whether risk for CVD or potentially related neurovascular changes have a differential relationship in Black and White Americans. We investigated differences in the relationships between white matter hyperintensities, risk for CVD, and depressive symptoms in Black and White older adults.Participants and Methods:Participants were derived from the National Alzheimer Coordinating Center database. Black (N = 120) and White (N = 120) participants were matched on age, sex, and education. White matter hyperintensity (WMH) and CVD burden data (sum of vascular conditions) on 320 individuals were analyzed (mean age = 75.9; 69.4% female). Age, sex, race, and education were included as covariates in separate regression models in which WMH and CVD burden predicted scores on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Follow-up stratified analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between WMH and CVD burden on GDS scores in the Black and White samples.Results:Lower WMH volume and higher CVD burden were associated with higher GDS scores in the total sample. Analyses stratified by race showed a positive effect of CVD burden on GDS scores only for the Black sample and a trend effect of WMH on GDS scores only for the White sample, with higher WMH volume associated with lower rather than higher GDS scores.Conclusions:These findings are consistent with previous research showing that WMH and CVD burden are related to depression in older adults. Contrary to expectation, WMH had a negative trend association with GDS scores in the White sample. Findings also suggest that different etiologies may play a role in the clinical presentation of depression in Black and White Americans. Additional research is needed to further explore the relationships among CVD, its neural correlates, and depressive symptoms in diverse samples.