bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
62 Cognitive Functioning and Non-Cognitive Symptoms in Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
Authors: Gardner Melissa M , Thompson Ryan C , Moncrief Grant G , Roth Robert M 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Patients with Post-Acute COVID Syndrome (PACS) are reported to commonly experience a variety of cognitive, physical, and neuropsychiatric symptoms well beyond the acute phase of the illness. Notably, concerns involving mood, fatigue, and physical symptoms (e.g., pain, headaches) following COVID-19 appears to be especially prevalent. It is unclear, however, the extent to which such symptoms are associated with cognitive problems in patients with PACS. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment in a sample of patients with PACS, as well as the relationship between cognitive functioning and several non-cognitive symptoms.Participants and Methods:Participants were 38 patients with PACS [71.1% female; mean age = 48.03 years (SD = 11.60) and years of education = 15.26 years (SD = 2.60)] seen for a neuropsychological evaluation at a large Northeastern medical center at least three months from the time of COVID-19 diagnosis (per PCR test). As part of a larger battery, patients completed the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test- Revised (HVLT, learning and delayed recall), Trail Making Test (TMT; time to complete parts A and B), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT total correct), and Animals (total correct). They also were administered the Chalder Fatigue Scale-11 (CFS-11), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). The percentage of patients with scores in the impaired range (z < -1.5) on cognitive tests was determined. Correlations between cognitive and non-cognitive measures were also examined.Results:The most frequent impairment was seen for COWAT (21.2%), followed by TMT-A and TMT-B (both 13.9%), then category fluency (9.1%). No patients were impaired on HVLT-R Learning and only one (4%) for HVLT-R Delayed Recall. Overall, the sample endorsed considerable depression, anxiety, fatigue, as well as physical symptoms. Greater fatigue was associated with worse verbal learning, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency (letter and category). Worse physical symptom severity was related to poorer verbal delayed recall and cognitive flexibility. Greater anxiety was also associated with worse cognitive flexibility, while more severe depression was related to poorer category fluency.Conclusions:In our sample of patients with PACS, seen for evaluation several months since contracting COVID-19, phonemic fluency was the most common cognitive impairment, though less than a quarter were impaired on any given cognitive test. Importantly, several associations were observed between cognitive test performance and non-cognitive symptoms commonly endorsed by patients with PACS. These findings highlight the importance of assessing multiple factors potentially contributing to cognitive impairment in these patients. Interventions designed to address such symptoms may be helpful in ameliorating cognitive functioning in those with PACS.
63 Select Dietary Components are Associated with Better Global Cognition in Adults with HIV
Authors: Fazeli Pariya L , Davey Christine Horvat , Webel Allison , Oliveira Vitor , Buford Thomas , Vance David E , Burkholder Greer , Crane Heidi , Fleming Julia , Willig Amanda 
Published: December 2023

Objective:People with HIV (PWH) are at an increased risk for cognitive impairment as they age compared to their HIV-negative counterparts. Lifestyle factors can have protective effects on cognitive outcomes among PWH. However, little work has examined diet quality and cognitive function in PWH. Examining the association between diet quality and cognitive function among PWH is particularly important given this population’s increased risk for both poor diet quality and cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between diet and cognitive function in aging PWH.Participants and Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted in Birmingham, Alabama and Cleveland, Ohio. Eighty-six PWH (mean age 56 years) completed standard triple-pass 24-hour diet recalls and a neurocognitive assessment. Partial Pearson’s correlations were conducted between diet variables and global neurocognitive function T scores, adjusting for total calories, sex, and education level.Results:Overall diet quality of the sample was poor. The overall sample presented with low Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 scores, high glycemic index, twice the goal amount for saturated fatty acids (SFAs), and inadequate consumption of several nutrients typically associated with cognitive health including omega-3 fatty acids, dietary protein, fiber, Vitamin D, Zinc, and several B-vitamins. Greater total calories per day (r=0.28, p<0.05), greater percentage of total calories of SFAs (r=0.26, p<0.01), and lower glycemic index (r=-0.24, p<0.05) were associated with better cognition. Higher intake of several individual fatty acids, particularly SFAs, were associated with better cognition (correlations ranging from 0.23 to 0.31). Higher intakes of phosphorus (r=0.29, p<0.01), magnesium (r=0.25, p<0.05), and potassium (r=0.22, p<0.05) were associated with better cognition. Higher grams/day of several amino acids were associated with better cognition (correlations ranging from 0.22 to 0.27).Conclusions:In a sample with overall poor diet quality not meeting recommended guidelines, findings suggest that being nourished in itself is associated with better cognitive function. Associations with several individual nutrients may inform potential intervention targets to protect brain health in PWH. Further, targeting food insecurity in interventions may have downstream effects on cognition in PWH.
86 Memory Performance in Children with Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Park Sydney E , Owens Ronnise , Kiefel Jacqueline , Verma Sumit 
Published: December 2023

Objective:There is limited and mixed research describing the memory performance of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a progressive disorder that affects the muscle and the brain, presumably due to the absence of dystrophin; however, the literature indicates either the existence of a selective deficit in verbal working memory, or more generalized impairment in both verbal and visual memory. Far less is documented about the neurocognitive profile of boys with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), a closely related neuromuscular disorder which allows for at least some functional dystrophin protein to circulate. The Child and Adolescent Memory Profile (ChAMP) is a valid and widely used memory battery that has not been studied in either DMD or BMD. This study aimed to assess the verbal and visual memory performance in boys having either a DMD or a BMD diagnosis using the ChAMP. A working memory measure, the Digit Span subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition, was also included for comparison.Participants and Methods:Twenty-one patients (Age M = 12.19 ± 3.60; 100% male; 76% DMD, 24% Becker) were selected from retrospective data collection of neuropsychological performance in children with neuromuscular disorders. Patients were recruited and assessed as part of a larger scale IRB-approved research study designed to better understand the neurocognitive and behavioral trajectories of boys with DMD or BMD with a complete neuropsychological battery.Results:Independent samples f-tests revealed no significant differences between groups across verbal (DMD M = 88.71; BMD M = 100.80; p = .08), visual (DMD M =90.36; BMD M 93.60; p = .33), and working memory (DMD M = 84.69; BMD: M 82.60; p = .40) domains. In additional analyses, a one sample f-test comparing verbal and visual memory within DMD children revealed significantly worse verbal than visual memory scores (verbal memory M = 88.71; visual memory M = 90.36; p = <.001).Conclusions:There were no significant differences between groups in verbal, visual, and working memory performance, though sample size was a significant limitation. However, based on a comparison of means, children with BMD appear to have stronger verbal memory skills than children with DMD. Furthermore, significant differences between verbal and visual memory within DMD children were observed, such that verbal memory skills were weaker. These findings add to the absence of literature on verbal and visual memory outcomes in children with DMD and BMD.
Plenary A: Presidential Address: Anesthesia: A Wake-Up Call. Part 2. Developmental Risk or Resilience?
Authors: Baron Ida Sue 
Published: December 2023

Abstract & Learning Objectives:This presentation is a clarion call to neuropsychologists to contribute their specialized knowledge to help answer a critical question: Is there a Fetal Anesthesia Syndrome that results in subtle and persistent adverse effects over an individual’s lifespan? Neuropsychologists are uniquely positioned to make substantial contributions to conceptualization, methodology, and interpretation in studies of human exposure to general anesthesia (GA). Part 1, presented at the 2022 INS Barcelona meeting, reviewed preclinical data that documented effects on the central nervous system and long-term behavioral adversities of GA exposure during an animal’s critical growth spurt developmental period. Studies of human adult exposure were also summarized, and attention directed to the absence of prospective studies from childhood to adulthood. Part 2 extends the conversation to GA exposure during the highly vulnerable in utero and early childhood developmental periods. Human retrospective study results began to be published in the early 2000s, and prospective studies only within the last decade. Reports of associations between GA and attentional problems, learning disorder, neuropsychological deficit, and neuropsychiatric disorder are emerging. Yet, due to methodological weaknesses and multiple confounders, clear evidence of causality remains lacking in this nascent literature. A 'developmentalistic’ way forward for neuropsychologists will be suggested, one using neuropsychological expertise along with the application of innovative technologies that is informed by the extensive preclinical data showing cellular, synaptic, and neural circuitry disruption during critical growth periods and short- and long-termeuropsychological effects. Upon conclusion of this course, learners will be able to:
1.Describe types of central nervous system disruption that result in animals following exposure to general anesthesia2.Identify neuropsychological domains at high potential risk following exposure to general anesthesia during the human critical growth spurt period3.Explain what is meant by 'vertical transfer'
2 A Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled Trial of Liraglutide in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: Neuropsychological Outcomes
Authors: Wertheimer Jeffrey C , Hogg Elliot , Wu Tina , Gottuso Ann , Gold Dov , Tagliati Michele 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance. Pharmacological intervention used to treat insulin resistance, like GLP-1 agonists, may have auspicious results in the treatment for PD. The objective of this clinical trial was to assess the therapeutic effect of liraglutide on non-motor symptoms, such as, but not limited to, cognitive function and emotional well-being, and quality of life for individuals with PD.Participants and Methods:In a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, PD patients self-administered liraglutide injections once-daily (1.2 or 1.8 mg, as tolerated) or placebo in a 2:1 study design for 52 weeks after titration. Primary outcomes included adjusted difference in the OFF-state Movement Disorders Society Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) part III, non-motor symptom scale (NMSS) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS-2). Secondary outcomes included quality of life scores (Parkinson Disease Questionnaire, PDQ-39) and other neuropsychological tests, including Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Parkinson’s Anxiety Scale (PAS) scores.Results:Sixty-three subjects were enrolled and randomized to liraglutide (n=42) or placebo (n=21). Mean age in years was 63.5 (9.8) and 64.2 (6.4) for liraglutide and placebo cohorts, respectively (p=0.78), and mean age at symptom onset was 58.9 (10.5) and 59.3 (7.5) for liraglutide and placebo cohorts, respectively (p=0.86). At 54 weeks, NMSS scores had improved by 6.6 points in the liraglutide group and worsened by 6.5 points in the placebo group, a 13.1 point adjusted mean difference (p<0.05). Further analysis showed all nine NMSS sub-domain changes favoring the liraglutide group, with one (attention/memory) reaching statistical significance (p<0.05). Secondary outcome analyses revealed a significant improvement of PDQ-39 (p<0.001) and Parkinson’s Anxiety Scale - Avoidance Behavior scores (p<0.05) in the treatment group. MDRS-2 sub-scores did not further differentiate study groups, while DKEFS letter fluency scores favored placebo group (p<0.05).Conclusions:Treatment with liraglutide improved self-reported non-motor symptoms of PD, activities of daily living, and quality of life. These results validate similar outcomes reported with other GLP-1 agonists implicating consideration for novel treatment opportunities for individuals with PD. Notably, the absence of significant performance-based cognitive changes over the duration of the trial for the participants in this study has several plausible explanations given participant-related baseline demographic and clinical factors. Implications for neuropsychologists will be discussed.
8 Incident TBI among a Nationwide Cohort of US Older Adults
Authors: Kornblith Erica , Yaffe Kristine , Boscardin W. John , Diaz-Ramirez L. Grisell , Gardner Raquel C. 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Traumatic brain injury (TBI), very common in the United States (US) and occurring at highest rates in older adulthood, is a documented risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia. However, the full scope of the problem is unknown, as comparative incidence of TBI among older adults is poorly characterized. Moreover, the effect of demographics (race/ethnicity, sex) and cognitive and medical status, as well as education, socioeconomic status, and other social determinants of health (SDOH) on TBI risk is not well understood. We aimed to explore the impact of demographics, cognitive and medical status, and SDOH on vulnerability to new TBIs among older adults.Participants and Methods:Enrollees 65 and older in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who consented to have their survey data linked to Medicare claims and had not experienced a head injury prior to HRS enrollment were studied. We used claims data 2000-2018 to obtain incident TBI diagnoses and harnessed the detailed demographic, cognitive, medical, and SDOH information available in the HRS. Incident TBI was defined using inpatient and outpatient International Classification of Disease (ICD 9 and 10) codes received the same day as an emergency room (ER) visit code and a computed tomography (CT) scan code, occurring after the enrollee’s baseline HRS interview. We calculated descriptive statistics and bivariate associations for TBI status with demographic and SDOH characteristics measured at baseline using sample weights to account for the complex survey design.Results:Of respondents meeting inclusion criteria (n=9273) during the study follow-up period of 18 years, 8.9% received emergency room treatment for a TBI. Older adults who experienced TBI during the study period were more likely to be female (p=0.0006), and white (p=0.0001), to have normal cognition (vs. cognitive impairment or dementia, p=0.0011), higher education (p<0.0001), and higher income (p=0.01). Having lung disease (p=0.0003) or functional impairment (p=0.03) at baseline were protective against experiencing a TBI.Conclusions:Our results suggest that almost 9% of US older adults received ER treatment for a new TBI during the 18-year study period, and that race, sex, and SDOH factors may increase risk for, or be protective against, TBI. This novel investigation into the impact of demographics and SDOH on incident TBI suggests access to care may impact who gets treatment for TBI. Further study is indicated and may lead to opportunities for both targeted intervention (e.g., primary TBI prevention) to groups most at risk as well as identification and mollification of the most relevant structural and contextual factors (e.g., access to care) to reduce risk of TBI among older adults.
10 Accuracy of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Knowledge Across Three Diverse Samples
Authors: Falletta Gillian T , Zurlinden Taylor , Everhart Daniel Erik 
Published: December 2023

Objective:There are many common beliefs within the general public about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) that contradict research findings and scientific evidence. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the accuracy of CTE knowledge across three diverse samples.Participants and Methods:The three groups included in the sample were 333 college students (54%), 196 individuals from the public (32%), and 90 psychology trainees/clinicians (54%) for a total of 619 participants. Online surveys were used to collect the CTE knowledge accuracy (i.e., the number correct divided by the total number of questions) of the sample. The questions about CTE were adapted from Merz et al. (2017) and from the Sports Neuropsychology Society’s “CTE: A Q and A Fact Sheet.”Results:Overall, CTE knowledge accuracy was 52% (M = 51%, SD = .24). Regarding inaccurate beliefs, two-thirds of the sample believed that CTE was related to sports participation alone even if a head injury did not occur, and most participants believed that CTE could be caused by a single injury. Additionally, confidence in CTE knowledge was positively correlated with willingness to allow their child to play a high contact sport despite overall low CTE knowledge accuracy. Last, many participants reported education (67%) and health care providers (61%) as their main sources of CTE information while only 18% of participants cited television/movies. However, when asked to provide additional details about their CTE information source, many participants cited ESPN specials and the movie “Concussion” as the main reason they learned of the condition and sought out additional information.Conclusions:The results of this study are consistent with previous research on CTE knowledge accuracy. This further supports the need for clinicians and researchers to address misconceptions by providing information and scientific facts.
13 Reduced Left Orbitofrontal Volume Correlates with Semantic Verbal Fluency Performance Among Veterans with TBI
Authors: Hodges Kathleen M 
Published: December 2023

Objective:Semantic verbal fluency (SVF) has traditionally been correlated with activity in the left anterior temporal lobe. Damage to the anterior temporal lobe, such as from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or neurodegenerative disease, can result in impairments in semantic fluency and language expression. Although the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is not well studied as being correlated to this process, its functional connectivity to language-related brain regions, such as the inferior frontal gyrus (Broca’s area), suggests it may also play a role in SVF. In fact, preliminary research has shown that lesions in the OFC are associated with semantic fluency deficits (Almairac et al. 2015). As such, the goal of this study was to investigate whether OFC volume correlates with SVF in a population of Veterans with a prior TBI.Participants and Methods:Thirty-five Veterans who sustained TBIs were included in this study (11% female, age M = 41.77, SD = 11.27; years of education M =14.94, SD = 1.62). All participants underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and regional normative volumes were standardized to account for differences in brain size (volume of brain area/total brain volume). Participants were given the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) verbal fluency subtest to measure verbal generativity. A Pearson correlation was conducted to investigate the relationship between OFC volume and SVF performance. Post hoc analysis was conducted with Veterans who met the criteria for a TBI sustained by a blast to the head (n = 25).Results:A significant positive correlation emerged between left OFC volume and semantic fluency (category subtest; p = .03, r = .35). Additional analyses with Veterans with blast-related TBIs indicated a significant correlation between the volume of the OFC and performance on the category (p = .02, r = .45), and switching (p = .02, r = .43) subtests of the D-KEFS verbal fluency test.Conclusions:These findings demonstrate a correlation between the volume of the left OFC and SVF performance. Specifically, Veterans with TBIs had decreased volume of the OFC which correlated with deficits on a SVF task. Among Veterans with blast-related TBIs, both category and category switching subtests correlated with OFC volume. Given the functional connectivity between the OFC and language areas of the brain, this study highlights the importance of analyzing associated cortical regions beyond the anterior temporal lobe when studying SVF performance.