cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7942082
title: The Von Restorff effect in the Brazilian version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test in an elderly population

description: ABSTRACT. The Von Restorff (isolation) effect refers to a stimulus that is more likely to be remembered amongst other stimuli in memory tasks. It has been demonstrated with different age ranges and methodologies. Objective: To investigate: a) the presence of the isolation effect in elders tested with the new Brazilian Portuguese version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task (RAVLT) in which a word with potential emotional weight (mother) was introduced; b) whether isolation effects persist in memory disorders of different degrees of severity (Mild Cognitive Impairment [MCI]; Alzheimer’s Dementia [AD]). Methods: The RAVLT was administered to 287 consecutive volunteers. Individuals underwent medical and neuropsychological evaluation and were further sub-grouped into normal controls (n=114), MCI (n=87) and AD (n=86) patients. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-squared tests were performed. Post-hoc Tukey analysis was conducted to assess significance of group differences. Results: There were significant group effects on the learning curve. A W-shape - instead of the classical U-shape - was found for the serial position curve in all groups. Conclusion: The new Brazilian version of the RAVLT exhibited the Von Restorff effect, where this phenomenon was evident not only in older adults but also patients with MCI and AD, providing further psychometric measures for inter-group analyses.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7942082.v1
title: The Von Restorff effect in the Brazilian version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test in an elderly population

description: ABSTRACT. The Von Restorff (isolation) effect refers to a stimulus that is more likely to be remembered amongst other stimuli in memory tasks. It has been demonstrated with different age ranges and methodologies. Objective: To investigate: a) the presence of the isolation effect in elders tested with the new Brazilian Portuguese version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task (RAVLT) in which a word with potential emotional weight (mother) was introduced; b) whether isolation effects persist in memory disorders of different degrees of severity (Mild Cognitive Impairment [MCI]; Alzheimer’s Dementia [AD]). Methods: The RAVLT was administered to 287 consecutive volunteers. Individuals underwent medical and neuropsychological evaluation and were further sub-grouped into normal controls (n=114), MCI (n=87) and AD (n=86) patients. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-squared tests were performed. Post-hoc Tukey analysis was conducted to assess significance of group differences. Results: There were significant group effects on the learning curve. A W-shape - instead of the classical U-shape - was found for the serial position curve in all groups. Conclusion: The new Brazilian version of the RAVLT exhibited the Von Restorff effect, where this phenomenon was evident not only in older adults but also patients with MCI and AD, providing further psychometric measures for inter-group analyses.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7942466
title: Brief version of Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) for burden assessment in older caregivers

description: ABSTRACT. The degree of burden related to the demands of daily care provided to a dependent older adult is important to evaluate due to the negative influence exerted on caregivers’ physical and psychological health. Objective: To analyze the validity of the 12-item version of the Zarit Burden Interview administered to older caregivers of community-dwelling older dependent individuals and suggest a cut-off score based on quartiles. Methods: Three hundred and forty-one older caregivers (mean age: 69.6±7.1 years; 76.8% women) registered with primary healthcare centers were evaluated using the ZBI-12. Additional evaluations addressed stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS]) in the older caregivers and the degree of dependence of the older care recipients (Lawton and Brody [L&B]). Results: Cronbach’s alpha demonstrated very good internal consistency (α=0.81). Correlations were found between all ZBI-12 items and overall score on the PSS (r=0.53; p&lt;0.01). GDS (r=0.43; p&lt;0.01) and L&B (r= -0.23; p&lt;0.01) scale scores. The PSS demonstrated the strongest correlation with ZBI-12 score and proved to be the standard reference. Based on caregivers with a higher degree of stress considering the PSS score quartiles, a cut-off score of 13 points on the ZBI-12 is suggested for screening burden in community-dwelling older caregivers, but should not be assumed as normative data. Conclusion: The ZBI-12 can be considered valid for evaluation of burden in clinical practice and research as a fast, efficient option for screening burden among older caregivers of community-dwelling older adults.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7942466.v1
title: Brief version of Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) for burden assessment in older caregivers

description: ABSTRACT. The degree of burden related to the demands of daily care provided to a dependent older adult is important to evaluate due to the negative influence exerted on caregivers’ physical and psychological health. Objective: To analyze the validity of the 12-item version of the Zarit Burden Interview administered to older caregivers of community-dwelling older dependent individuals and suggest a cut-off score based on quartiles. Methods: Three hundred and forty-one older caregivers (mean age: 69.6±7.1 years; 76.8% women) registered with primary healthcare centers were evaluated using the ZBI-12. Additional evaluations addressed stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS]) in the older caregivers and the degree of dependence of the older care recipients (Lawton and Brody [L&B]). Results: Cronbach’s alpha demonstrated very good internal consistency (α=0.81). Correlations were found between all ZBI-12 items and overall score on the PSS (r=0.53; p&lt;0.01). GDS (r=0.43; p&lt;0.01) and L&B (r= -0.23; p&lt;0.01) scale scores. The PSS demonstrated the strongest correlation with ZBI-12 score and proved to be the standard reference. Based on caregivers with a higher degree of stress considering the PSS score quartiles, a cut-off score of 13 points on the ZBI-12 is suggested for screening burden in community-dwelling older caregivers, but should not be assumed as normative data. Conclusion: The ZBI-12 can be considered valid for evaluation of burden in clinical practice and research as a fast, efficient option for screening burden among older caregivers of community-dwelling older adults.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7941470
title: Retrieval practice as a learning strategy for individuals with Down syndrome A preliminary study

description: ABSTRACT. Remembering recently studied materials (i.e., retrieval practice) is more beneficial for learning than restudying these materials. Objective: To investigate whether retrieval practice benefits learning for individuals with Down syndrome. Methods: Eighteen individuals with Down syndrome (mean age=21.61 years, SD=5.93) performed a task entailing a first read of an encyclopedic text covering a series of target words. After reading the text twice, participants recalled half of the target words (retrieval practice), and reread the other half (restudy). After 48 hours, participants answered a multiple-choice test including all target words. Subsequently, WASI’s Vocabulary and Matrix reasoning subtests were administered to estimate intelligence. Results: The benefit of retrieval practice for learning was numerically greater than the benefit of restudy, although this advantage did not reach statistical significance. Inspection of individual data suggested that the benefit of retrieval practice was greater than the benefit of restudy for the majority of the participants, independently of the participants’ vocabulary or reasoning abilities. Conclusion: Although more research is needed before retrieval practice can be recommended as a learning strategy for individuals with Down syndrome, the data suggest that retrieval practice can be a useful teaching tool for at least part of this population.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7941470.v1
title: Retrieval practice as a learning strategy for individuals with Down syndrome A preliminary study

description: ABSTRACT. Remembering recently studied materials (i.e., retrieval practice) is more beneficial for learning than restudying these materials. Objective: To investigate whether retrieval practice benefits learning for individuals with Down syndrome. Methods: Eighteen individuals with Down syndrome (mean age=21.61 years, SD=5.93) performed a task entailing a first read of an encyclopedic text covering a series of target words. After reading the text twice, participants recalled half of the target words (retrieval practice), and reread the other half (restudy). After 48 hours, participants answered a multiple-choice test including all target words. Subsequently, WASI’s Vocabulary and Matrix reasoning subtests were administered to estimate intelligence. Results: The benefit of retrieval practice for learning was numerically greater than the benefit of restudy, although this advantage did not reach statistical significance. Inspection of individual data suggested that the benefit of retrieval practice was greater than the benefit of restudy for the majority of the participants, independently of the participants’ vocabulary or reasoning abilities. Conclusion: Although more research is needed before retrieval practice can be recommended as a learning strategy for individuals with Down syndrome, the data suggest that retrieval practice can be a useful teaching tool for at least part of this population.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14269975
title: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on traumatic brain injury (TBI) recovery: A systematic review

description: ABSTRACT. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of chronic disability. Less than a quarter of moderate and severe TBI patients improved in their cognition within 5 years. Non-invasive brain stimulation, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), may help neurorehabilitation by boosting adaptive neuroplasticity and reducing pathological sequelae following TBI. Methods: we searched MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science databases. We used Jadad scale to assess methodological assumptions. Results: the 14 papers included reported different study designs; 2 studies were open-label, 9 were crossover randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and 3 were parallel group RCTs. Most studies used anodal tDCS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but montages and stimulation parameters varied. Multiple studies showed improved coma recovery scales in disorders of consciousness, and improved cognition on neuropsychological assessments. Some studies showed changes in neurophysiologic measures (electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), correlating with clinical findings. The main methodological biases were lack of blinding and randomization reports. Conclusion: tDCS is a safe, non-invasive neuromodulatory technique that can be given as monotherapy but may be best combined with other therapeutic strategies (such as cognitive rehabilitation and physical therapy) to further improve clinical cognitive and motor outcomes. EEG and TMS may help guide research due to their roles as biomarkers for neuroplasticity.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14269975.v1
title: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on traumatic brain injury (TBI) recovery: A systematic review

description: ABSTRACT. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of chronic disability. Less than a quarter of moderate and severe TBI patients improved in their cognition within 5 years. Non-invasive brain stimulation, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), may help neurorehabilitation by boosting adaptive neuroplasticity and reducing pathological sequelae following TBI. Methods: we searched MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science databases. We used Jadad scale to assess methodological assumptions. Results: the 14 papers included reported different study designs; 2 studies were open-label, 9 were crossover randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and 3 were parallel group RCTs. Most studies used anodal tDCS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but montages and stimulation parameters varied. Multiple studies showed improved coma recovery scales in disorders of consciousness, and improved cognition on neuropsychological assessments. Some studies showed changes in neurophysiologic measures (electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), correlating with clinical findings. The main methodological biases were lack of blinding and randomization reports. Conclusion: tDCS is a safe, non-invasive neuromodulatory technique that can be given as monotherapy but may be best combined with other therapeutic strategies (such as cognitive rehabilitation and physical therapy) to further improve clinical cognitive and motor outcomes. EEG and TMS may help guide research due to their roles as biomarkers for neuroplasticity.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14327200
title: Olfactory impairment in frontotemporal dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

description: ABSTRACT. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) presents clinically in three variants: one behavioral and two with progressive primary aphasia - non-fluent/agrammatic and semantic. Defined by the degenerative process and cerebral atrophy, olfactory dysfunction occurs in up to 96% of previous FTD case series. Objective: the present study aims to critically synthesize data about the relationship between FTD and olfactory impairment to analyze the usefulness of olfactory evaluation tests as a complementary element in early diagnosis. Methods: a database search was performed using the keywords “olfactory OR smell OR olfaction AND frontotemporal dementia”. We included studies that evaluated olfactory function in patients diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, all subtypes, compared with age-matched healthy controls. For comparative purposes, the effect size was calculated using Cohen’s D. The studies selected were categorized according to dementia variant and olfactory test type. A meta-analysis was performed using forest plots - homogeneity was evaluated by statistical tests (i2 and Cochran Q). Results: ten articles met the inclusion criteria. Heterogeneity was classified as low for semantic dementia olfactory identification and behavioral variant olfactory discrimination groups (i2 = 0 and 3.4%, respectively) and as moderate for the behavioral variant olfactory identification group (i2 = 32.6%). Conclusion: patients with the frontotemporal dementia behavioral variant seem to present with alterations in odor identification, but with preserved discrimination. Scent identification also seems to be impaired in semantic dementia. Therefore, we conclude that olfactory evaluation in these patients is possibly impacted by cognitive alterations and not by sensory deficits. Application of olfactory tests may prove important in differentiating prodromal states from other types of dementia with more pronounced olfactory impairment.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14327200.v1
title: Olfactory impairment in frontotemporal dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

description: ABSTRACT. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) presents clinically in three variants: one behavioral and two with progressive primary aphasia - non-fluent/agrammatic and semantic. Defined by the degenerative process and cerebral atrophy, olfactory dysfunction occurs in up to 96% of previous FTD case series. Objective: the present study aims to critically synthesize data about the relationship between FTD and olfactory impairment to analyze the usefulness of olfactory evaluation tests as a complementary element in early diagnosis. Methods: a database search was performed using the keywords “olfactory OR smell OR olfaction AND frontotemporal dementia”. We included studies that evaluated olfactory function in patients diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, all subtypes, compared with age-matched healthy controls. For comparative purposes, the effect size was calculated using Cohen’s D. The studies selected were categorized according to dementia variant and olfactory test type. A meta-analysis was performed using forest plots - homogeneity was evaluated by statistical tests (i2 and Cochran Q). Results: ten articles met the inclusion criteria. Heterogeneity was classified as low for semantic dementia olfactory identification and behavioral variant olfactory discrimination groups (i2 = 0 and 3.4%, respectively) and as moderate for the behavioral variant olfactory identification group (i2 = 32.6%). Conclusion: patients with the frontotemporal dementia behavioral variant seem to present with alterations in odor identification, but with preserved discrimination. Scent identification also seems to be impaired in semantic dementia. Therefore, we conclude that olfactory evaluation in these patients is possibly impacted by cognitive alterations and not by sensory deficits. Application of olfactory tests may prove important in differentiating prodromal states from other types of dementia with more pronounced olfactory impairment.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14269764
title: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in elderly with mild cognitive impairment: A pilot study

description: ABSTRACT. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive, painless and easy-to use-technology. It can be used in depression, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders. There are no studies about longer usage protocols regarding the ideal duration and weekly frequency of tDCS. Objective: to study the use of tDCS twice a week for longer periods to improve memory in elderly with MCI. Methods: a randomized double-blind controlled trial of anodal tDCS on cognition of 58 elderly aged over 60 years was conducted. A current of 2.0 mA was applied for 30 minutes for 10 sessions, twice a week. The anode was placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLFC). Subjects were evaluated before and after 10 sessions by the following tests: CAMCOG, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making, Semantic Verbal Fluency (Animals), Boston naming, Clock Drawing Test, Word list memory (WLMT), Direct and Indirect Digit Order (WAIS-III and WMS-III) and N-back. Results: After 10 sessions of tDCS, significant group-time interactions were found for the CAMCOG - executive functioning (χ2 = 3.961, p = 0.047), CAMCOG - verbal fluency (χ2 = 3.869, p = 0.049), CAMCOG - Memory recall (χ2 = 9.749, p = 0.004), and WMLT - recall (χ2 = 7.254, p = 0.007). A decline in performance on the CAMCOG - constructional praxis (χ2 = 4.371, p = 0.037) was found in the tDCS group after intervention. No significant differences were observed between the tDCS and Sham groups for any other tasks. Conclusion: tDCS at 2 mA for 30 min twice a week over 5 consecutive weeks proved superior to placebo (Sham) for improving memory recall, verbal fluency and executive functioning in elderly with MCI.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14269764.v1
title: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in elderly with mild cognitive impairment: A pilot study

description: ABSTRACT. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive, painless and easy-to use-technology. It can be used in depression, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders. There are no studies about longer usage protocols regarding the ideal duration and weekly frequency of tDCS. Objective: to study the use of tDCS twice a week for longer periods to improve memory in elderly with MCI. Methods: a randomized double-blind controlled trial of anodal tDCS on cognition of 58 elderly aged over 60 years was conducted. A current of 2.0 mA was applied for 30 minutes for 10 sessions, twice a week. The anode was placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLFC). Subjects were evaluated before and after 10 sessions by the following tests: CAMCOG, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making, Semantic Verbal Fluency (Animals), Boston naming, Clock Drawing Test, Word list memory (WLMT), Direct and Indirect Digit Order (WAIS-III and WMS-III) and N-back. Results: After 10 sessions of tDCS, significant group-time interactions were found for the CAMCOG - executive functioning (χ2 = 3.961, p = 0.047), CAMCOG - verbal fluency (χ2 = 3.869, p = 0.049), CAMCOG - Memory recall (χ2 = 9.749, p = 0.004), and WMLT - recall (χ2 = 7.254, p = 0.007). A decline in performance on the CAMCOG - constructional praxis (χ2 = 4.371, p = 0.037) was found in the tDCS group after intervention. No significant differences were observed between the tDCS and Sham groups for any other tasks. Conclusion: tDCS at 2 mA for 30 min twice a week over 5 consecutive weeks proved superior to placebo (Sham) for improving memory recall, verbal fluency and executive functioning in elderly with MCI.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14270379
title: Posturographic analysis of older adults without dementia and patients with Alzheimer’s disease: A cross-sectional study

description: ABSTRACT. Additional clinical tools should be investigated to facilitate and aid the early diagnosis of cognitive decline. Postural control worsens with aging and this may be related to pathological cognitive impairment. Objective: to compare the balance of older adults without dementia in a control group (CG) and with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), to observe the possible association with the independent variables (diagnosis, age, gender, and global cognition) and to verify the best posturographic analyses to determine the difference between the groups. Methods: 86 older adults (AD = 48; CG = 38) were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and postural control was assessed by stabilometry on the Wii Balance Board ® (WBB). Independent T, Mann-Whitney U-tests, Effect Size (ES) and a linear regression were performed. Results: there was a significant difference for Elliptical Area, Total Velocity, Medio-Lateral displacements with closed eyes and open eyes, antero-posterior, with closed eyes and BBS between groups. These variables showed a large effect size for BBS (-1.02), Elliptical Area (0.83) with closed eyes, Medio-Lateral (0.80, 0.96) and Total Velocity (0.92; 1.10) with eyes open and eyes closed, respectively. Regression indicated global cognition accompanied by age, gender, and diagnosis influenced postural control. Conclusion: patients with AD showed impaired postural control compared to Control Group subjects. Total Velocity with closed eyes was the most sensitive parameter for differentiating groups and should be better investigated as a possible motor biomarker of dementia in posturographic analysis with WBB.