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Neuropsychological tests are proliferating in Indonesia. So far, unfortunately, it is not accompanied by the development of a performance validity test (PVT). According to international neuropsychological standards, using PVTs is essential to determine the validity of the neuropsychological test results. To date, there is no single standardized PVT available in Indonesia. In this article, we describe (1) the concept of performance validity testing, (2) the detection strategy, and (3) the procedure of PVT. Furthermore, several factors which affect PVT failure and its implication on the interpretation of a neuropsychological assessment are discussed. Considering the importance of PVTs incorporation and that it has become a standard by some neuropsychological associations, it is crucial to develop PVTs in Indonesia. Finally, the utilization of PVT should be performed cautiously, as many factors might influence the PVT result.

Additional file 1: Appendix 1. Cognitive domains with corresponding subtests of the neuropsychological assessment

Confabulations generally refer to the emergence of memories of experiences and events that, in reality, never took place, and which are unintentionally produced. They are frequently observed in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome. The aim of the current study was to validate the Nijmegen-Venray Confabulation List (NVCL), an observation scale for quantifying both spontaneous and provoked confabulations. The NVCL was completed for 252 patients with alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test three- and four-factor models of the NVCL structure. A four-factor model (provoked confabulations, spontaneous confabulations, severity of spontaneous confabulations, and distorted sense of reality) fitted the data better than the initially proposed three-factor model (provoked confabulations, spontaneous confabulations, memory, and orientation). The new instrument is therefore referred to as the NVCL-R. We encourage clinicians to include the assessment of confabulations in the neuropsychological examination, and to do so with validated instruments such as the NVCL-R.

© 2020 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. The presence of white matter lesions in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is among the main causes of cognitive decline. We investigated the relation between white matter hyperintensity (WMH) locations and executive and language abilities in 442 SVD patients without dementia with varying burden of WMH. We used Stroop Word Reading, Stroop Color Naming, Stroop Color-Word Naming, and Category Fluency as language measures with varying degrees of executive demands. The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) was used as a control task, as it measures processing speed without requiring language use or verbal output. A voxel-based lesion–symptom mapping (VLSM) approach was used, corrected for age, sex, education, and lesion volume. VLSM analyses revealed statistically significant clusters for tests requiring language use, but not for SDMT. Worse scores on all tests were associated with WMH in forceps minor, thalamic radiations and caudate nuclei. In conclusion, an association was found between WMH in a core frontostriatal network and executive-verbal abilities in SVD, independent of lesion volume and processing speed. This circuitry underlying executive-language functioning might be of potential clinical importance for elderly with SVD. More detailed language testing is required in future research to elucidate the nature of language production difficulties in SVD.

Contains fulltext : 219540.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Confabulations generally refer to the emergence of memories of experiences and events that, in reality, never took place, and which are unintentionally produced. They are frequently observed in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome. The aim of the current study was to validate the Nijmegen-Venray Confabulation List (NVCL), an observation scale for quantifying both spontaneous and provoked confabulations. The NVCL was completed for 252 patients with alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test three- and four-factor models of the NVCL structure. A four-factor model (provoked confabulations, spontaneous confabulations, severity of spontaneous confabulations, and distorted sense of reality) fitted the data better than the initially proposed three-factor model (provoked confabulations, spontaneous confabulations, memory, and orientation). The new instrument is therefore referred to as the NVCL-R. We encourage clinicians to include the assessment of confabulations in the neuropsychological examination, and to do so with validated instruments such as the NVCL-R. 11 p.

Additional file 1 : Table 1. Diagnostic criteria for QFS and chronic Q fever.

Additional file 3 : Supplement 3 Baroreflex sensitivity results repeated sit-stands.

Additional file 5 : Supplement 5 Cerebrovascular reactivity results.

Supplemental material, NVCL-R_EN for Confabulations in Alcoholic Korsakoff’s Syndrome: A Factor Analysis of the Nijmegen–Venray Confabulation List by Yvonne C.M. Rensen, Erik Oudman, Joukje M. Oosterman and Roy P. C. Kessels in Assessment

Additional file 1 : Supplement 1 Flow chart.

Additional file 1. Details of the study population and their occupation.

Additional file 4 : Supplement 4 Cerebral autoregulation results repeated sit-stands.

Additional file 2. Supplemental Box 1: Overview Neuropsychological Test Battery.

Goal Management Training (GMT) is an effective method for improving disorganised behaviour in multistep real-life tasks after brain damage. In the present study we incorporated Working Memory Training (WMT) in GMT to explore their combined efficacy in facilitating the serial-order maintenance of the steps that had to be learned. GMT+WMT was compared to a control WMT designed for other purposes. For this purpose 18 brain-injured patients (aged 20-54), who were at least 4 months post-onset, were randomly assigned to either the GMT+WMT or the WMT treatment. Inclusion was based on a baseline score of less than six correct steps on each of two multistep everyday tasks. Alternative versions of these tasks were used as primary outcome tasks. Pre-treatment and post-treatment comparisons of scores on these primary tasks and on several secondary neuropsychological measures were collected. The results show that post-treatment the GMT+WMT group performed significantly better than the WMT group on the primary outcome measures and on several ecologically valid executive tests that demanded a step-by-step maintenance of multiple actions. Time effects were found for both groups on the secondary measures. Other measures showed no significant differences. We conclude that our results support the efficacy of the combined GMT+WMT in facilitating performance in everyday multistep tasks.

Additional file 2 : Supplement 2 Detailed description of the cognitive tasks.

Renée L Roelofs,1,2 Ellen Wingbermühle,1,2 Roy PC Kessels,2–4 Jos IM Egger1–3,5 1Centre of Excellence for Neuropsychiatry, Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, The Netherlands; 2Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; 3Centre of Excellence for Korsakoff and Alcohol-Related Cognitive Disorders, Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, The Netherlands; 4Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; 5Stevig Specialized and Forensic Care for Patients with Intellectual Disabilities, Dichterbij, Oostrum, The Netherlands Purpose: Noonan syndrome (NS) is a genetic disorder that is associated with social cognitive problems. While treatment aimed at the improvement of social cognition is available for other neuropsychiatric disorders, no such interventions yet exist for NS patients. In this study, the development of the first social cognitive training for NS patients is described and its applicability and feasibility evaluated. Methods: Eleven adult patients with NS participated in this controlled proof-of-principle study. Six patients were included in the treatment group and five in the control group. Neuropsychological testing was performed in both groups at baseline and posttreatment. Social cognition was a primary outcome measure and nonsocial cognition and psychopathology secondary outcome measures. Differences between pre- and posttest were investigated with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and a process evaluation was performed to aid interpretation of the results. Results: Both groups were comparable with regard to age, estimated intelligence, and baseline performance. Although no significant differences were found between pre- and posttest scores on primary and secondary outcome measures in either group, a medium–large effect size was found on emotion recognition in the treatment group. Also, the process evaluation demonstrated the feasibility of the training. Conclusion: This first social cognitive training for adult patients with NS has proven to be feasible for this population and showed some encouraging results regarding emotion recognition, although the training protocol could be optimized. Further investigation is required using a randomized controlled design in a larger sample, in order to substantiate the overall effectiveness of the training. Keywords: social cognition, alexithymia, cognition, social cognitive intervention, genetic syndrome

The myriad of neuropsychiatric manifestations reported in myotonic dystrophy type 1 may have its origin in alterations of complex brain network interactions at the structural level. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that altered white matter microstructural integrity and network organisation were present in a cohort of individuals with DM1 compared to unaffected controls, which was expected to be associated with CNS related disease manifestations of DM1. We performed a cross-sectional neuropsychological assessment and brain MRI in 25 myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) patients and 26 age, sex and educational level matched unaffected controls. Patients were recruited from the Dutch cohort of the OPTIMISTIC study, a concluded trial which had included ambulant, genetically confirmed DM1 patients who were severely fatigued. We applied graph theoretical analysis on structural networks derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data and deterministic tractography to determine global and local network properties and performed group-wise comparisons. Furthermore, we analysed the following variables from structural MRI imaging: semi-quantitative white matter hyperintensity load andwhite matter tract integrity using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Structural white matter networks in DM1 were characterised by reduced global efficiency, local efficiency and strength, while the network density was compatible to controls. Other findings included increased white matter hyperintensity load, and diffuse alterations of white matter microstructure in projection, association and commissural fibres. DTI and network measures were associated (partial correlations coefficients ranging from 0.46 to 0.55) with attention (d2 Test), motor skill (Purdue Pegboard test) and visual-constructional ability and memory (copy subtest of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test). DTI and network measures were not associated with clinical measures of fatigue (checklist individual strength, fatigue subscale) or apathy (apathy evaluation scale – clinician version). In conclusion, our study supports the view of brain involvement in DM1 as a complex network disorder, characterised by white matter network alterations that may have relevant neuropsychological correlations. This work was supported by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013; grant agreement n° 305,697) and the Marigold Foundation., Highlights • Structural white matter networks in DM1 display diffuse alterations in connectivity in comparison with unaffected controls • Networks are characterised by decreased strenght, local and global efficiency, at a comparable density • In this study, network parameters were slightly associated with measures of neuropsychological performance

Supplemental material, Supplement_material for Probing the “Default Network Interference Hypothesis” With EEG: An RDoC Approach Focused on Attention by Berrie Gerrits, Madelon A. Vollebregt, Sebastian Olbrich, Hanneke van Dijk, Donna Palmer, Evian Gordon, Roberto Pascual-Marqui, Roy P. C. Kessels and Martijn Arns in Clinical EEG and Neuroscience

Supplemental Material, Appendix_revised for Determinants of Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Health-Related Quality of Life in Memory Clinic Patients Without Dementia by Leonie C. P. Banning, Eveline P. C. J. Janssen, Renske E. G. Hamel, Marjolein de Vugt, Sebastian Köhler, Claire A. G. Wolfs, Saskia M. Oosterveld, Rene J. F. Melis, Marcel G. M. Olde Rikkert, Roy P. C. Kessels, Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg, Ted Koene, Wiesje M. van der Flier, Philip Scheltens, Pieter Jelle Visser, Frans R. J. Verhey, Pauline Aalten and Inez H. G. B. Ramakers in Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology

Contains fulltext : 121151.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Psychopathy is often linked to disturbed reinforcement-guided adaptation of behavior in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Recent work suggests that these disturbances might be due to a deficit in actively using information to guide changes in behavior. However, how much information is actually used to guide behavior is difficult to observe directly. Therefore, we used a computational model to estimate the use of information during learning. Thirty-six female subjects were recruited based on their total scores on the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI), a self-report psychopathy list, and performed a task involving simultaneous learning of reward-based and social information. A Bayesian reinforcement-learning model was used to parameterize the use of each source of information during learning. Subsequently, we used the subscales of the PPI to assess psychopathy-related traits, and the traits that were strongly related to the model's parameters were isolated through a formal variable selection procedure. Finally, we assessed how these covaried with model parameters. We succeeded in isolating key personality traits believed to be relevant for psychopathy that can be related to model-based descriptions of subject behavior. Use of reward-history information was negatively related to levels of trait anxiety and fearlessness, whereas use of social advice decreased as the perceived ability to manipulate others and lack of anxiety increased. These results corroborate previous findings suggesting that sub-optimal use of different types of information might be implicated in psychopathy. They also further highlight the importance of considering the potential of computational modeling to understand the role of latent variables, such as the weight people give to various sources of information during goal-directed behavior, when conducting research on psychopathy-related traits and in the field of forensic psychiatry. 11 p.

BACKGROUND Errorless learning (EL) is a method for optimizing learning, which uses feed-forward instructions in order to prevent people from making mistakes during the learning process. The majority of previous studies on EL taught patients with dementia artificial tasks of little or no relevance for their daily lives. Furthermore, only a few controlled studies on EL have so far been performed and just a handful of studies have examined the long-term effects of EL. Tasks were not always trained in the patients' natural or home environment, limiting the external validity of these studies. This multicenter parallel randomized controlled trial examines the effects of EL compared with trial and error learning (TEL) on the performance of activities of daily living in persons with Alzheimer's or mixed-type dementia living at home. METHODS Patients received nine 1-hour task training sessions over eight weeks using EL or TEL. Task performance was measured using video observations at week 16. Secondary outcome measures were task performance measured at week 26, satisfaction with treatment, need for assistance, challenging behavior, adverse events, resource utilization and treatment costs. RESULTS A total of 161 participants were randomized, of whom 71 completed the EL and 74 the TEL arm at week 11. Sixty-nine EL patients and 71 TEL patients were assessed at the 16-week follow-up (the primary measurement endpoint). Intention-to-treat analysis showed a significantly improved task performance in both groups. No significant differences between the treatment groups were found for primary or secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Structured relearning improved the performance of activities of daily living. Improvements were maintained for 6 months. EL had no additional effect over TEL. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Register of Clinical Trials DRKS00003117 . Registered 31 May 2011.

Dementia is a disorder, which is characterized by a deterioration in cognitive functioning and the inability to function independently in daily life, and is mainly caused by a neurodegenerative disease. A dementia diagnosis has a huge impact on both the patient and family, which emphasizes the need for high-quality diagnostic assessment and disclosure. One of the most frequently used diagnostic tools in the diagnosis of cognitive decline due to a neurodegenerative disease is a neuropsychological assessment. The main aim of the first part of this thesis was to gain more insight into the development of memory clinics in the Netherlands and characteristics of the neuropsychological assessment within these clinics. The aim of the second part is to investigate the literature on neuropsychological feedback and to develop a web-based visual tool to improve the communication about neuropsychological test results in feedback sessions