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Background: Performing cognitive–motor dual tasks (DTs) may result in reduced walking speed and cognitive performance. The effect in persons with progressive multiple sclerosis (pwPMS) having cognitive dysfunction is unknown. Objective: To profile DT-performance during walking in cognitively impaired pwPMS and examine DT-performance by disability level. Methods: Secondary analyses were conducted on baseline data from the CogEx-study. Participants, enrolled with Symbol Digit Modalities Test 1.282 standard deviations below normative value, performed a cognitive single task ([ST], alternating alphabet), motor ST (walking) and DT (both). Outcomes were number of correct answers on the alternating alphabet task, walking speed, and DT-cost (DTC: decline in performance relative to the ST). Outcomes were compared between EDSS subgroups (≤ 4, 4.5–5.5, ≥ 6). Spearman correlations were conducted between the DTCmotor with clinical measures. Adjusted significance level was 0.01. Results: Overall, participants (n = 307) walked slower and had fewer correct answers on the DT versus ST (both p < 0.001), with a DTCmotor of 15.8% and DTCcognitive of 2.7%. All three subgroups walked slower during the DT versus ST, with DTCmotor different from zero (p’s < 0.001). Only the EDSS ≥ 6 group had fewer correct answers on the DT versus ST (p < 0.001), but the DTCcognitive did not differ from zero for any of the groups (p ≥ 0.039). Conclusion: Dual tasking substantially affects walking performance in cognitively impaired pwPMS, to a similar degree for EDSS subgroups.

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (MS-TBI) commonly causes disruption in aspects of attention due to its diffuse nature and injury to frontotemporal and midbrain reticular activating systems. Attentional impairments are a common focus of cognitive rehabilitation, and increased awareness of evidence is needed to facilitate informed clinical practice.An expert panel of clinicians/researchers (known as INCOG) reviewed evidence published from 2014 and developed updated guidelines for the management of attention in adults, as well as a decision-making algorithm, and an audit tool for review of clinical practice.This update incorporated 27 studies and made 11 recommendations. Two new recommendations regarding transcranial stimulation and an herbal supplement were made. Five were updated from INCOG 2014 and 4 were unchanged. The team recommends screening for and addressing factors contributing to attentional problems, including hearing, vision, fatigue, sleep-wake disturbance, anxiety, depression, pain, substance use, and medication. Metacognitive strategy training focused on everyday activities is recommended for individuals with mild-moderate attentional impairments. Practice on de-contextualized computer-based attentional tasks is not recommended because of lack of evidence of generalization, but direct training on everyday tasks, including dual tasks or dealing with background noise, may lead to gains for performance of those tasks. Potential usefulness of environmental modifications is also discussed. There is insufficient evidence to support mindfulness-based meditation, periodic alerting, or noninvasive brain stimulation for alleviating attentional impairments. Of pharmacological interventions, methylphenidate is recommended to improve information processing speed. Amantadine may facilitate arousal in comatose or vegetative patients but does not enhance performance on attentional measures over the longer term. The antioxidant Chinese herbal supplement MLC901 (NeuroAiD IITM) may enhance selective attention in individuals with mild-moderate TBI.Evidence for interventions to improve attention after TBI is slowly growing. However, more controlled trials are needed, especially evaluating behavioral or nonpharmacological interventions for attention.

BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that plays an important role in regulating synaptic activity and plasticity.ObjectiveGiven that type-2 diabetes (T2DM) increases the risk of cognitive decline, and studies have suggested lower BDNF levels may be a risk factor of diabetic neurovascular complications, we sought to investigate total white matter hyperintensities (WMH) as a moderator of the effect of BDNF on hippocampal volume and cognition.MethodsOlder adults without dementia from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (N = 454 including 49 with T2DM and 405 without diabetes) underwent neuropsychological evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging to quantify hippocampal and WMH volumes, and blood draw to assess BDNF.ResultsAdjusting for age, sex, and APOE ɛ4 carrier status, there was a significant interaction between total WMH and BDNF on bilateral hippocampal volume in the non-T2DM group (t = 2.63, p = 0.009). Examination of main effect models with a dichotomous high/low BNDF group revealed a significant main effect for low BDNF (t = -4.98, p

Validity evaluation is fundamental in neuropsychological assessment in adults, with increasing interest among pediatric neuropsychologists. Although some measures exist, given time constraints placed on clinicians, and children's limited sustained attention, development of less time-consuming measures is beneficial. We explored the use of the Temporal Memory Sequence Test (TMST), a new performance validity test, in clinically referred children. One minor adaptation included reading the instructions and labels to non-fluent readers. Participants were 68 consecutive clinically referred children and adolescents, aged 6-18 years, with neurological (

BackgroundPsychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are risk factors for the development of psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, particularly if associated with distress. As PLEs have been related to alterations in both white matter and cognition, we investigated whether cognition (g-factor and processing speed) mediates the relationship between white matter and PLEs.MethodsWe investigated two independent samples (6170 and 19 891) from the UK Biobank, through path analysis. For both samples, measures of whole-brain fractional anisotropy (gFA) and mean diffusivity (gMD), as indications of white matter microstructure, were derived from probabilistic tractography. For the smaller sample, variables whole-brain white matter network efficiency and microstructure were also derived from structural connectome data.ResultsThe mediation of cognition on the relationships between white matter properties and PLEs was non-significant. However, lower gFA was associated with having PLEs in combination with distress in the full available sample (standardized β = −0.053, p = 0.011). Additionally, lower gFA/higher gMD was associated with lower g-factor (standardized β = 0.049, p < 0.001; standardized β = −0.027, p = 0.003), and partially mediated by processing speed with a proportion mediated of 7% (p = < 0.001) for gFA and 11% (p < 0.001) for gMD.ConclusionsWe show that lower global white matter microstructure is associated with having PLEs in combination with distress, which suggests a direction of future research that could help clarify how and why individuals progress from subclinical to clinical psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, we replicated that processing speed mediates the relationship between white matter microstructure and g-factor.

There is a lack of evidence of cognitive involvement in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and, the reports about the involvement of the brain and central nervous system (CNS) are few and controversial. The Five Digit Test (FDT) evaluates processing speed (PS) and executive functions orally. To evaluate the performance on the FDT of CIDP patients with and without CNS (brain/cerebellum) alterations observed on brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, to assess neuropsychiatry symptoms), the Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (R-ODS; to assess disability), and the FDT (to assess cognition) were applied to 14 CIDP patients and 24 age-matched healthy control subjects. The patients were submitted to routine brain MRI and, according to the results, they were divided into two groups: those with abnormalities on the MRI (CIDPabnl) and those with normal parameters on the MRI (CIDPnl). The FDT data of five CIDPnl patients and nine CIDPabnl subjects were analyzed. Comparisons between the groups were performed for each task of the FDT. We found statistical differences for both groups of CIDP patients in terms of PS, for the patients spent more time performing the PS tasks than the controls. The PS measures were negatively associated with disability scores ( Our data suggested the presence of PS impairment in CIDP patients. Disability was associated with slow PS. Faltam evidências de envolvimento cognitivo na polineuropatia inflamatória desmielinizante crônica (PIDC), e há poucos e controversos estudos que tratam do envolvimento cerebral e do sistema nervoso central (SNC). O Teste dos Cinco Dígitos (Five Digit Test, FDT, em inglês) avalia a velocidade de processamento (VP) e as funções executivas oralmente. Avaliar o desempenho no FDT de pacientes com PIDC com e sem alterações no SNC (cérebro/cerebelo) de acordo com o exame de imagem cerebral por ressonância magnética (RM). MéTODOS: Ao todo, 14 pacientes e 24 controles saudáveis pareados por idade responderam a Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão (que avalia sintomas neuropsiquiátricos), a Escala de Incapacidade Geral elaborada pelo método Rasch (que avalia a incapacidade) e o FDT (que avalia a cognição). Os pacientes foram submetidos a RM cerebral e, de acordo com os resultados, divididos em dois grupos: aqueles com anormalidades (PIDCabnl) e aqueles sem alterações (PIDCnl) na RM. Cinco pacientes PIDCnl e nove PIDCabnl tiveram os dados analisados. Comparações entre os grupos foram realizadas para cada parte do FDT. Os dois grupos de pacientes foram estatisticamente mais lentos nas tarefas de VP comparados ao grupo controle. As medidas de VP foram negativamente associadas às pontuações de incapacidade (

IntroductionThe present study explored age effects and the coupling of sensorimotor and cognitive functions in a stratified sample of 96 middle-aged and older adults (age 45-86 years) with no indication of mild cognitive decline. In our sensorimotor tasks, we had an emphasis on listening in noise and postural control, but we also assessed functional mobility and tactile sensitivity.MethodsOur cognitive measures comprised processing speed and assessments of core cognitive control processes (executive functions), notably inhibition, task switching, and working memory updating. We explored whether our measures of sensorimotor functioning mediated age differences in cognitive variables and compared their effect to processing speed. Subsequently, we examined whether individuals who had poorer (or better) than median cognitive performance for their age group also performed relatively poorer (or better) on sensorimotor tasks. Moreover, we examined whether the link between cognitive and sensorimotor functions becomes more pronounced in older age groups.ResultsExcept for tactile sensitivity, we observed substantial age-related differences in all sensorimotor and cognitive variables from middle age onward. Processing speed and functional mobility were reliable mediators of age in task switching and inhibitory control. Regarding coupling between sensorimotor and cognition, we observed that individuals with poor cognitive control do not necessarily have poor listening in noise skills or poor postural control.DiscussionAs most conditions do not show an interdependency between sensorimotor and cognitive performance, other domain-specific factors that were not accounted for must also play a role. These need to be researched in order to gain a better understanding of how rehabilitation may impact cognitive functioning in aging persons.

ObjectiveChronic inflammation and vascular dysfunction (e.g., chronic endothelial activation) are related yet dissociable mechanisms of HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (NCI), even among those on antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, how these mechanisms differentially contribute to domain-specific deficits in people with and without HIV (PWH, PWoH) is unclear. We empirically-derived profiles of NCI and examined relationships with peripheral inflammatory and vascular biomarkers.MethodsParticipants were 84 virally-suppressed PWH and 126 PWoH who underwent neuropsychological testing and blood draw. Cluster analysis identified subgroups based on domain deficit scores. ANOVAs examined HIV serostatus and cluster group differences in composite plasma biomarker z-scores of inflammation (IL-6, CXCL10/IP-10, CCL2/MCP-1) and vascular injury (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, uPAR). Confirmatory regressions examined the interaction of HIV and biomarker z-scores on domain-specific T-scores, controlling for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and psychosocial factors.ResultsCluster analysis identified three groups: Unimpaired (n=129), Learning/Recall (n=52, isolated learning/recall deficits), Dysexecutive/Slow (n=29, executive function, working memory, processing speed, and motor deficits). PWH had higher odds of Dysexecutive/Slow membership, which related to CVD risk and higher vascular dysfunction, but not inflammation, in PWH. Vascular biomarkers moderated adverse HIV effects on executive function, processing speed, and working memory such that PWH had lower T-scores only when vascular dysfunction was high.ConclusionsIn PWH with controlled disease, peripheral markers of endothelial dysfunction and vascular permeability are selectively associated with an empirically-derived subgroup that exhibits domain deficits commonly impacted by cerebrovascular disease. Findings support the presence of a vascular NCI subgroup of PWH who may benefit from interventions that directly target the neurovascular unit.

With the aim of solving the problem of coal congestion caused by big coal blocks in underground mine scraper conveyors, in this paper we proposed the use of a YOLO-BS (YOLO-Big Size) algorithm to detect the abnormal phenomenon of coal blocks on scraper conveyors. Given the scale of the big coal block targets, the YOLO-BS algorithm replaces the last layer of the YOLOv4 algorithm feature extraction backbone network with the transform module. The YOLO-BS algorithm also deletes the redundant branch which detects small targets in the PAnet module, which reduces the overall number of parameters in the YOLO-BS algorithm. As the up-sampling and down-sampling operations in the PAnet module of the YOLO algorithm can easily cause feature loss, YOLO-BS improves the problem of feature loss and enhances the convergence performance of the model by adding the SimAM space and channel attention mechanism. In addition, to solve the problem of sample imbalance in big coal block data, in this paper, it was shown that the YOLO-BS algorithm selects focal loss as the loss function. In view of the problem that the same lump coal in different locations on the scraper conveyor led to different congestion rates, we conducted research and proposed a formula to calculate the congestion rate. Finally, we collected 12,000 image datasets of coal blocks on the underground scraper conveyor in Daliuta Coal Mine, China, and verified the performance of the method proposed in this paper. The results show that the processing speed of the proposed method can reach 80 fps, and the correct alarm rate can reach 93%. This method meets the real-time and accuracy requirements for the detection of abnormal phenomena in scraper conveyors.

Psychotic experiences are usually associated with major psychiatric disorders, but they also occur in about 5 % of the general healthy population. Because healthy people who have psychotic-like experiences (PLE) are at heightened risk of developing mental disorders, it is important to understand the cause of these symptoms. The present study aims to find support for the framework that abnormalities in connections of the brain (white matter) cause cognitive deficits, which in turn cause a proneness to PLE. To this end, we will look at the mediating quality of general intelligence and processing speed on the relationship between white matter and PLE (research question 1). The second goal of this study is to find out whether any specific white matter abnormalities are associated with PLE (research question 2). To investigate these questions, we will analyse the structural connectomes of 8185 participants sampled by the UK biobank using a cross-sectional design.

The worst performance rule (WPR) states that when reaction times are ranked from fastest to slowest and then correlated with intelligence test scores, the slowest reaction times predict participants' intelligence better than the mean or best reaction times. Previous research suggests that the size of the WPR effect may be moderated by the difficulty or g-loading of RT tasks. Because there is substantial variation in sample size, sample characteristics and trial numbers across the different studies, we aim to replicate the WPR in a large, heterogenous sample using a variety of RT task. Our main aim is to replicate that the size of the WPR effect varies systematically with the difficulty or g-loading of tasks.

This projects aims to investigating the interrelations between memory span and updating in working memory. It contains the code for the experiment as well as R scripts for data preparation and analysis. A summary of the results will be added later on.

This study aims to examine the underlying mechanism of the survival processing effect by manipulating processing duration.

This is a description and all the materials associated with the experiment comparing speed of language processing in older and younger adults. The manuscript was accepted for publication in Psychology and Aging journal. The experimental design, method, hypothesis, and analysis plan were pre-registered, see the Registrations tab on the top panel.

Both working memory capacity (WMC) and processing speed (PS) have been discussed as important covariates of individual differences in intelligence. Recent results indicated that especially latencies of ERP components associated with higher-order processing (P2, N2, and P3) may share up to 80% of variance with individual differences in intelligence. WMC has a similar predictive power and thus these two processes cannot explain individual differences in intelligence independently. The current study explores in how far individual differences in executive functions (EFs) may bridge the gap between WMC and PS as predictors of intelligence. We recruited 101 participants who completed three EF tasks – one for each of the three executive functions shifting, updating, and inhibition – while an EEG was recorded. Additionally, we assessed participants’ intelligence, WMC, and PS. Results showed that only variance of behavioral RTs consistent across manipulations in the EF tasks was related to WMC, PS, and intelligence. While P3 latencies were not associated with intelligence, they showed significant correlation with WMC and PS, and N1 latencies showed no correlation with any of the three covariates. The variance specific to the manipulations in EF tasks was small for both behavioral RTs and ERP latencies and showed no consistent correlations with each other or with any of the three covariates. We thus concluded that EF tasks capture mostly manipulation unspecific cognitive processes and thus EF related to the specific experimental manipulations cannot explain why WMC and PS are related predictors of individual differences in intelligence.

The ability to solve novel complex problems predicts success in a wide range of areas. Recent research suggests that the ability to cognitively segment complex problems into smaller parts constrains nonverbal reasoning in adults. This study aimed to test whether cognitively segmenting problems improves nonverbal reasoning performance for children as it does for adults. A total of 115 children aged 6–10 years completed two versions of a modified traditional matrix reasoning task in which demands on working memory, integration, and processing speed were minimised, such that the only significant requirement was to break each problem into its constituent parts. In one version of the task, participants were presented with a traditional 2×2 Matrix and asked to draw the missing matrix item into a response box below. In a second version, the problem was broken down into its component features across three separate cells, reducing the need for participants to segment the problem. As with adults, performance was better in the condition in which the problems were separated into component parts. Children with lower fluid intelligence did not benefit more in the separated condition than children with higher fluid intelligence, and there was no evidence that segmenting problems was more beneficial for younger than older children. This study demonstrates that cognitive segmentation is a critical component of complex problem-solving for children, as it is for adults. By forcing children to focus their attention on separate parts of a complex visual problem, their performance can be dramatically improved.

Characteristics of the neighbourhood environment, including the built and natural environment, area-level socio-economic status (SES) and air pollution, have been linked to cognitive health. However, most studies have focused on single neighbourhood characteristics and have not considered the extent to which the effects of environmental factors may interact. We examined the associations of measures of the neighbourhood built and natural environment, area-level SES and traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) with two cognitive function domains (memory and processing speed), and the extent to which area-level SES and TRAP moderated the associations. We used cross-sectional data from the AusDiab3 study, an Australian cohort study of adults (mean age: 61 years) in 2011–12 (N = 4141) for which geocoded residential addresses were available. Spatial data were used to create composite indices of built environment complexity (population density, intersection density, non-commercial land use mix, commercial land use) and natural environment (parkland and blue spaces). Area-level SES was obtained from national census indices and TRAP was based on estimates of annual average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Confounder-adjusted generalised additive mixed models were used to estimate the independent associations of the environmental measures with cognitive function and the moderating effects of area-level SES and TRAP. The positive associations between built environment complexity and memory were stronger in those living in areas with higher SES and lower NO2 concentrations. A positive association between the natural environment and memory was found only in those living in areas with lower NO2 concentrations and average or below-average SES. Built environment complexity and the natural environment were positively related to processing speed. Complex urban environments and access to nature may benefit cognitive health in ageing populations. For higher-order cognitive abilities, such as memory, these positive effects may be stronger in areas with lower levels of TRAP.

Background The management of cognitive impairment is an important goal in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). While cognitive rehabilitation has been proven to be effective in improving cognitive performance in MS, research in the elderly indicates a higher effectiveness of combined cognitive-motor rehabilitation. Here, we present the protocol of a randomised controlled clinical trial to assess whether a combined cognitive-motor telerehabilitation programme is more effective in improving working memory than only cognitive or motor training. Methods/design The CoMoTeMS-trial is a two-centre, randomised, controlled and blinded clinical trial. A total of 90 patients with MS will receive 12 weeks of either a combined cognitive-motor telerehabilitation programme or only cognitive or motor training. The primary outcome is a change in the digit span backwards. Secondary outcomes are other cognitive changes (Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis and Backward Corsi), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), 6-Min Walk Test, 25-Foot Walk Test, 9-Hole Peg Test, anxiety and depression, fatigue, quality of life, cognitive and physical activity level, electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Discussion We hypothesise that the improvement in digit span backwards after 12 weeks of treatment will be significantly higher in the group treated with the combined cognitive-motor telerehabilitation programme, compared to the groups receiving only cognitive and only motor training. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05355389. Registered on 2 May 2022.

Recently, computer vision technology has become essential for the automatic, accurate, and fast classification of fruits. Actually, there are many challenges in separating the types of fruits that are somewhat similar, such as apples, pears, and peaches. However, the challenges become more difficult if the separation is on different varieties of the same fruit. While the difficulty doubles if the classification takes place with a large number of different varieties of the same fruit. Most of the literature which is presented in this regard, and which is relied on the use of machine learning techniques lacked the following: first; the focus was on certain technologies such as k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM) without looking at many other machine learning techniques. Second; the literature was concerned only with measuring the accuracy of the techniques that are used, without looking at the relationship between the accuracy and processing speed (computation times). This manuscript aims to study and analyze the results of measuring accuracy and computation times for ten machine-learning techniques in order to identify and classify thirteen types of apples. After studying and analyzing the results, many observations were made, which will be referred to in the results section.

ObjectiveThis study examined rates of objective cognitive and functional impairments and associations between cognitive performance and performance-based functional capacity in a well-characterized sample of adults experiencing homelessness.MethodsOne hundred participants completed a brief neuropsychological and functional capacity assessment and self-report questionnaires. Cognitive impairment rates were determined by comparing mean scores with published normative data, as well as by examining frequency of scores >1 SD below the mean. Pearson correlations were used to examine associations between cognitive and functional capacities.ResultsOverall, 65% of the study participants had scores in the cognitively impaired range on a brief cognitive screening test, 30% had impaired processing speed, and 11% met cognitive criteria for intellectual disability. Furthermore, 48% of the sample met functional impairment criteria, and poorer cognitive performance was strongly associated with poorer performance-based functional capacity (p

This research has two interrelated aims. The first aim of the research is to present the relationship between the Speed Based Verbal Reasoning (SBVR) subtest, which calculates reasoning speed by adjusting the Anadolu-Sak Intelligence Scale (ASIS) Verbal Reasoning (VR) subtest, and the CAS 2 intelligence scale and RIAS-2 intelligence scale speed subtests. The second aim of the research is to examine the reliability of the SBVR subtest, the item-total correlations and its relationship to the ASIS index scores. The research employed a correlational survey model and the study sample consisted of 211 students aged 6 to 7. The reliability of the SBVR subtest was found to be high (α =.84). However, we found that there is a small level relationship between SBVR and speed variables (rHDSAM-SPS =-.16, rHDSAM-PNM =.18, rHDSAM-ND =.21 and rHDSAM-SNT =.20), a moderate level (r =.35) relationship with the memory capacity index, and a moderate level (r=.31) and significant relationship with the nonverbal potential index. The research demonstrates the discrepancy between the reasoning speed and the perceptual speed., Bu çalışma birbiri ile bağlantılı iki amaca hizmet etmektedir. Araştırmanın ilk amacı, Anadolu-Sak Zekâ Ölçeği (ASİS) Sözel Analojik Muhakeme (SAM) alt testi puanlama yönteminin değiştirilmesiyle oluşturulan ve muhakeme hızını ölçen HDSAM alt testi ile CAS 2 zekâ ölçeği ve RIAS-2 zekâ ölçeğinin algı hızını ölçen alt testleri arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymaktır. Araştırmanın ikinci amacı, HDSAM alt testinin güvenirliğini, madde-toplam korelasyonunu ve ASİS endeks puanlarıyla olan ilişkisini incelemektir. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modeliyle desenlenmiş ve araştırmanın örneklemini 6 ile 7 yaş arasındaki 211 öğrenci oluşturmuştur. Araştırma bulgularına göre HDSAM alt testinin güvenirliğinin yüksek (α=.84) olduğu görülmüştür. Diğer taraftan HDSAM ile hız değişkenleri arasında küçük (rHDSAM-SPS=-.16, rHDSAM-PNM=.18, rHDSAM-ND=.21 ve rHDSAM-SNT=.20), bellek kapasitesi endeksi ile orta (r=.35), görsel potansiyel endeksi ile orta (r=.31) düzeyde anlamlı ilişki olduğu bulunmuştur. Sonuç olarak araştırma, muhakeme hızıyla algı hızının farklılaştığını literatürdeki korelasyon araştırmaları çerçevesinde desteklemektedir.

We examined the joint effects of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)) and systemic inflammation (plasma C-reactive protein (CRP)) on longitudinal profiles of neurocognition in a cohort of 143 people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy. Global neurocognition, processing speed, motor skills, and attention/working memory all worsened as CRP increased but only among PWH who, on average, exhibited moderate to severe depressive symptoms (BDI-II>22). Findings suggest that some PWH with chronically elevated depressive symptoms may have an inflammatory subtype of depression and a particular vulnerability to neurocognitive changes that may respond to drugs targeting inflammation or its neural sequelae.

Objective:To further investigate objective measures of cognitive fatigue (CF), defined as the inability to sustain performance over time, in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, by conducting a performance analysis on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) based on the type of errors (omissions vs. incorrect responses) committed.Method:Sixty-two newly diagnosed patients with MS (pwMS) and 41 healthy controls (HC) completed the PASAT. Analysis of the change in performance during the test was performed by comparing the number of correct responses, incorrect responses, and omissions in the 1st versus the 3rd tertile of the PASAT.Results:A significant decline in accuracy over time was observed to be related to an increment in the number of omissions, significantly more pronounced in pwMS than in HC. No change in the number of incorrect responses throughout the PASAT was observed for either group.Conclusions:CF can be detected even in newly diagnosed pwMS and might objectively manifest as a progressive increase in omissions during a sustained highly demanding task (i.e., PASAT). This pattern may reflect slowed processing speed and increased fatigue in pwMS. Focusing on omissions on the PASAT instead of correct responses only may improve its specificity as an objective measure of CF.

IntroductionProcessing speed and executive functioning are often impaired after stroke and in typical aging. However, there are no reliable neurological markers of these cognitive impairments. The trail making test (TMT) is a common index of processing speed and executive function. Here, we tested candidate MRI markers of TMT performance in a cohort of older adults and individuals with chronic stroke.MethodsIn 61 older adults and 32 individuals with chronic stroke, we indexed white matter structure with region-specific lesion load (WMH and stroke lesions) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) from four regions related to TMT performance: the anterior thalamic radiations (ATR), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), forceps minor, and cholinergic pathways. Regression modelling was used to identify the marker(s) that best predicted TMT performance.ResultsDTI metrics of the ATR predicted processing speed in both the older adult (TMT A: β=-3.431, padjustedR2=0.438, pConclusionsIn this comprehensive assessment of candidate imaging markers, we demonstrate an association between ATR microstructure and processing speed and executive function performance. Regional DTI metrics provided better predictors of cognitive performance than whole-brain lesion volumes or regional lesion load, emphasizing the importance of lesion location in understanding cognition. We propose ATR DTI metrics as novel candidate imaging biomarker of post-stroke cognitive impairment.

Visual working memory for features and bindings is susceptible to age-related decline. Two experiments were used to examine whether older adults are able to strategically prioritise more valuable information in working memory and whether this could reduce age-related impairments. Younger (18–33 years) and older (60–90 years) adults were presented with coloured shapes and, following a brief delay, asked to recall the feature that had accompanied the probe item. In Experiment 1, participants were either asked to prioritise a more valuable object in the array (serial position 1, 2, or 3) or to treat them all equally. Older adults exhibited worse overall memory performance but were as able as younger adults to prioritise objects. In both groups, this ability was particularly apparent at the middle serial position. Experiment 2 then explored whether younger and older adults’ prioritisation is affected by presentation time. Replicating Experiment 1, older adults were able to prioritise the more valuable object in working memory, showing equivalent benefits and costs as younger adults. However, processing speed, as indexed by presentation time, was shown not to limit strategic prioritisation in either age group. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that, although older adults have poorer visual working memory overall, the ability to strategically direct attention to more valuable items in working memory is preserved across ageing.

Gray matter networks (GMn) provide essential information on the intrinsic organization of the brain and appear to be disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 represents the major genetic risk factor for AD, yet the association between APOE-ε4 and GMn has remained unexplored. Here, we determine the impact of APOE-ε4 on GMn in a large sample of cognitively unimpaired individuals, which was enriched for the genetic risk of AD. We used independent component analysis to retrieve sources of structural covariance and analyzed APOE group differences within and between networks. Analyses were repeated in a subsample of amyloid-negative subjects. Compared with noncarriers and heterozygotes, APOE-ε4 homozygotes showed increased covariance in one network including primarily right-lateralized, parietal, inferior frontal, as well as inferior and middle temporal regions, which mirrored the formerly described AD-signature. This result was confirmed in a subsample of amyloid-negative individuals. APOE-ε4 carriers showed reduced covariance between two networks encompassing frontal and temporal regions, which constitute preferential target of amyloid deposition. Our data indicate that, in asymptomatic individuals, APOE-ε4 shapes the cerebral organization in a way that recapitulates focal morphometric alterations observed in AD patients, even in absence of amyloid pathology. This suggests that structural vulnerability in neuronal networks associated with APOE-ε4 may be an early event in AD pathogenesis, possibly upstream of amyloid deposition.

Background The ageing process is characterized by declines in physical and cognitive function. However, the relationship between these trajectories remains a topic of investigation. Methods Using four data waves collected triennially between ages 70 and 79, we tested for associations between multiple cognitive ability domains (verbal memory, processing speed, and visuospatial ability) and physical functions (walking speed, grip strength, and lung function). We first tested for associations between linear declines in physical and cognitive functions over the entire 9-year study period, and then, for lead-lag coupling effects between 3-year changes in cognitive and physical functions. Results Steeper linear decline in walking speed was moderately correlated with steeper linear declines in each cognitive domain. Steeper linear decline in grip strength was moderately correlated with steeper linear declines in verbal memory and processing speed. Lead-lag coupling models showed that decline in verbal memory was preceded by declines in walking speed and grip strength. By contrast, decline in grip strength was preceded by declines in processing speed and visuospatial ability, and decline in walking speed was preceded by decline in visuospatial ability. Following additional adjustment for covariates, only coupling effects from earlier decline in processing speed to later decline in grip strength remained significant (β = 0.545, p = .006). Conclusion Our findings provide further evidence of an association between cognitive and physical declines and point to the potential order in which these changes occur. Decline in processing speed in particular may serve as a unique early marker of declining upper body strength.

Background The decline of cognitive processing speed (CPS) is a common dysfunction in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) is widely used to formally quantify CPS. We implemented a variant of the SDMT in MS sherpa, a smartphone app for persons with MS. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the construct validity and test-retest reliability of the MS sherpa smartphone variant of the SDMT (sSDMT). Methods We performed a validation study with 25 persons with relapsing-remitting MS and 79 healthy control (HC) subjects. In the HC group, 21 subjects were matched to the persons with MS with regard to age, gender, and education and they followed the same assessment schedule as the persons with MS (the “HC matched” group) and 58 subjects had a less intense assessment schedule to determine reference values (the “HC normative” group). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were determined between the paper-and-pencil SDMT and its smartphone variant (sSDMT) on 2 occasions, 4 weeks apart. Other ICCs were determined for test-retest reliability, which were derived from 10 smartphone tests per study participant, with 3 days in between each test. Seven study participants with MS were interviewed regarding their experiences with the sSDMT. Results The SDMT scores were on average 12.06% higher than the sSDMT scores, with a standard deviation of 10.68%. An ICC of 0.838 was found for the construct validity of the sSDMT in the combined analysis of persons with MS and HC subjects. Average ICCs for test-retest reliability of the sSDMT for persons with MS, the HC matched group, and the HC normative group were 0.874, 0.857, and 0.867, respectively. The practice effect was significant between the first and the second test of the persons with MS and the HC matched group and trivial for all other test-retests. The interviewed study participants expressed a positive attitude toward the sSDMT, but they also discussed the importance of adapting a smartphone cognition test in accordance with the needs of the individual persons with MS. Conclusions The high correlation between sSDMT and the conventional SDMT scores indicates a very good construct validity. Similarly, high correlations underpin a very good test-retest reliability of the sSDMT. We conclude that the sSDMT has the potential to be used as a tool to monitor CPS in persons with MS, both in clinical studies and in clinical practice.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are characterized by impairments in flexibly acquiring and maintaining new information, as well as in applying learned information for problem solving. However, the neural mechanism underpinning such impairments remains unclear. This study investigated the flexibility in the acquisition and application of visual information in ASD (aged 14–21) when they performed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Behavioral data including response accuracy and latency, and prefrontal hemodynamic data measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), were collected when individuals performed WCST. Canonical general linear model and functional connectivity analyses were performed to examine the prefrontal activation and synchronization patterns, respectively. Results showed that although ASD individuals (n = 29) achieved comparable accuracy rates when compared with age- and intelligence quotient (IQ)-matched typically developing (TD; n = 26) individuals (F1,53 = 3.15, p = 0.082), ASD individuals needed significantly more time to acquire and apply WCST card sorting rules (F1,53 = 17.92, p < 0.001). Moreover, ASD individuals showed significantly lower prefrontal functional connectivity than TD individuals during WCST (F1,42 = 9.99, p = 0.003). The hypoconnectivity in ASD individuals was highly significant in the right lateral PFC in the acquisition condition (p = 0.005) and in the bilateral lateral PFC in the application condition (ps = 0.006). Furthermore, slower WCST reaction time was correlated with lower bilateral lateral PFC functional connectivity only in the application condition (ps = 0.003) but not the acquisition condition. Impairment in information acquisition and application is evident in ASD individuals and is mediated by processing speed, which is associated with lower functional connectivity in the bilateral lateral PFC when these individuals apply learned rules to solve novel problems.

Meta-analytic study of the relations between human personality traits and cognitive abilities.

Markers of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) have previously been associated with age-related cognitive decline. Using longitudinal data of cognitively healthy, older adults (N = 216, mean age at baseline = 70.9 years), we investigated baseline status and change in white matter hyperintensities (WMH) (total, periventricular, deep), normal appearing white matter (NAWM), brain parenchyma volume (BPV) and processing speed over seven years as well as the impact of different covariates by applying latent growth curve (LGC) models. Generally, we revealed a complex pattern of associations between the different CSVD markers. More specifically, we observed that changes of deep WMH (dWMH), as compared to periventricular WMH (pWMH), were more strongly related to the changes of other CSVD markers and also to baseline processing speed performance. Further, the number of lacunes rather than their volume reflected the severity of CSVD. With respect to the studied covariates, we revealed that higher education had a protective effect on subsequent total WMH, pWMH, lacunar number, NAWM volume, and processing speed performance. The indication of antihypertensive drugs was associated with lower lacunar number and volume at baseline and the indication of antihypercholesterolemic drugs came along with higher processing speed performance at baseline. In summary, our results confirm previous findings, and extend them by providing information on true within-person changes, relationships between the different CSVD markers and brain-behavior associations. The moderate to strong associations between changes of the different CSVD markers indicate a common pathological relationship and, thus, support multidimensional treatment strategies.

Background Two-dimensional (2D) measures have been proposed as potential proxies for whole-brain volume in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective To verify whether 2D measurements by routine MRI are useful in predicting brain volume or disability in MS. Methods In this cross-sectional analysis, eighty-five consecutive Japanese MS patients—relapsing-remitting MS (81%) and progressive MS (19%)—underwent 1.5 Tesla T1-weighted 3D MRI examinations to measure whole-brain and grey matter volume. 2D measurements, namely, third ventricle width, lateral ventricle width (LVW), brain width, bicaudate ratio, and corpus callosum index (CCI), were obtained from each scan. Correlations between 2D measurements and 3D measurements, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), or processing speed were analysed. Results The third and lateral ventricle widths were well-correlated with the whole-brain volume ( p Conclusion Ventricle width correlated well with brain volumes, while the CCI correlated well with age-independent (i.e. disease-induced) disability.

Aims Although attenuated psychotic symptoms in the psychosis clinical high-risk state (CHR-P) almost always occur in the context of a non-psychotic disorder (NPD), NPD is considered an undesired ‘comorbidity’ epiphenomenon rather than an integral part of CHR-P itself. Prospective work, however, indicates that much more of the clinical psychosis incidence is attributable to prior mood and drug use disorders than to psychosis clinical high-risk states per se. In order to examine this conundrum, we analysed to what degree the ‘risk’ in CHR-P is indexed by co-present NPD rather than attenuated psychosis per se. Methods We examined the incidence of early psychotic experiences (PE) with and without NPD (mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol/drug use disorders), in a prospective general population cohort (n = 6123 at risk of incident PE at baseline). Four interview waves were conducted between 2007 and 2018 (NEMESIS-2). The incidence of PE, alone (PE-only) or with NPD (PE + NPD) was calculated, as were differential associations with schizophrenia polygenic risk score (PRS-Sz), environmental, demographical, clinical and cognitive factors. Results The incidence of PE + NPD (0.37%) was lower than the incidence of PE-only (1.04%), representing around a third of the total yearly incidence of PE. Incident PE + NPD was, in comparison with PE-only, differentially characterised by poor functioning, environmental risks, PRS-Sz, positive family history, prescription of antipsychotic medication and (mental) health service use. Conclusions The risk in ‘clinical high risk’ states is mediated not by attenuated psychosis per se but specifically the combination of attenuated psychosis and NPD. CHR-P/APS research should be reconceptualised from a focus on attenuated psychotic symptoms with exclusion of non-psychotic DSM-disorders, as the ‘pure' representation of a supposedly homotypic psychosis risk state, towards a focus on poor-outcome NPDs, characterised by a degree of psychosis admixture, on the pathway to psychotic disorder outcomes.

Background: Eye movement parameters are often used during cognitive functioning assessments of patients with psychotic spectrum disorders. It is interesting to compare these oculomotor parameters with cognitive functions, as assessed using psychometric cognitive tests. A network analysis is preferable for understanding complex systems; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the multidimensional relationships that exist between oculomotor reactions and neurocognition in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Materials and Methods: A total of 134 subjects (93 inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (ICD-10) and 41 healthy volunteers) participated in this study. Psychiatric symptom severity was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, and the Young Mania Rating Scale. Extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed using the Simpson-Angus Scale, and akathisia was assessed using the Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale. Eye movements were recorded using an eye-tracker SMI RED 500, and cognitive function was assessed using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. The statistical analyses were conducted using Minitab 17 Statistical Software, version 17.2.1. Data visualization and additional analyses were performed in the R 4.0.3 environment, using RStudio V 1.3.1093 software.Results: A network model of neurocognitive and oculomotor functions was constructed for the patients. In the full network (which includes all correlations) the median antisaccade latency value is the central element of the oculomotor domain, and the Symbol Coding test, the Digit Sequencing test, and the Verbal Fluency test are central elements in the neurocognitive domain. Additionally, there were connections between other cognitive and oculomotor functions, except for the antisaccade error latency in the oculomotor domain and the Token Motor Task in the neurocognitive domain.Conclusion: Network analysis provides measurable criteria for the assessment of neurophysiological and neurocognitive abnormalities in patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders and allows to select key targets for their management and cognitive remediation.

Objective Processing Speed (PS) is an important domain in cognitive aging that is characterized by multiple related but nonidentical abilities. Few studies have directly investigated the relationships among PS measures, and none have used genetically informed methods. In this study, we examined the relationship between measures of PS at up to two time points during middle age. Method We examined data from 1,262 middle-aged men when the sample was at a mean age of 56 and a mean age 62 years. Participants completed 6 measures of PS from three different cognitive tests. We used a genetically informative, confirmatory factor analytic approach to evaluate the phenotypic and genetic relationships cross-sectionally at both single time points and across time. Results A higher-order common PS factor accounted for the covariance among three test-specific factors, and each test-specific factor accounted for the covariance between two observed measures. The general PS factor was explained primarily by genetic influences at both time points (a²age56 = .75, a²age62 = .64), and all test-specific factors were heritable (a² range: .45 to .65). Factor loadings from the test-specific factors to the general PS factor varied from λ = .46 to .82. The model was stable over time, although there were differing rates of phenotypic change among latent factors (.20 SD to .44 SD). Cross-time genetic correlations were near unity for all latent factors. Conclusion These results suggest that PS is highly heritable when considered at a latent variable level, and that there are different rates of change in tests of PS within this sample. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is associated with impairment of multiple aspects of cognition which adversely affect the individual's everyday functioning. However, little is known about how these impairments are intertwined. This study explores whether impairments in basic processes (processing speed and distractibility) in adults with ADHD explain impairments in higher order functions, namely executive functions, memory, and complex attention. Furthermore, it is explored whether pharmacological treatment with methylphenidate (MPH) affects basic processes and higher order functions. A between-subjects design compared patients with ADHD without stimulant drug treatment (N = 55) and patients with ADHD treated with MPH (N = 31) with a healthy control group (N = 80). A neuropsychological test battery assessing basic processes and higher order functions was administered. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the contribution of basic processes to impairments in higher order functions. Patients with ADHD not treated with MPH showed impairments in basic processes and higher order functions compared to controls. The impairments in basic processes explained 41-43% of impairments in executive functions, 27-29% in memory, and 56-74% in complex attention. In patients with ADHD treated with MPH, basic processes were not impaired and did not contribute significantly to impairments of higher order functions. Basic processes may constitute part of the foundation of cognitive impairments in adult ADHD. MPH may improve cognitive performance, presumably through improving basic processes. Applying this information could optimize neuropsychological assessments and inform treatment strategies by targeting basic processes.

WOS: 000469105500001, OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the order of improvement in response inhibition, interference capacity, and processing speed in the Stroop test after starting methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD. METHODS: This study included a total of 52 children aged 7-16 years who were diagnosed with combined-type ADHD for the first time and who began to use methylphenidate treatment. The Stroop test was applied to each subject at least 3 times (before treatment and at the first and second months of treatment) in the follow-up visits. RESULTS: The participants completed the fifth section of the Stroop test at a median duration of42.09 sec (quartiles: 35.58-54.0 sec) before treatment, while the median duration was 34.49 sec (quartiles: 27.43-34.48 sec) at the first month of treatment and 32.18 sec (quartiles: 26.97-32.18 sec) at the second month of treatment. The task completion duration showed a statistically significant improvement from the first month of treatment (p < 0.001). When the participants were compared in terms of the number of errors and corrections they made in the fifth section of the Stroop test, there was no significant difference between pretreatment measurements and post-treatment first month measurements (p > 0.05). The number of errors and corrections were statistically significantly lower in the second month of treatment compared to pretreatment and 1st mont of the treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that processing speed, response inhibition, and interference capacity assessed by the Stroop test improved with methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD. This study is the first study to show that these improvements occur in a certain order over time.

Background In the U.S. 3.8 million people have a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) each year. Rapid brain training exercises to improve cognitive function after a mild TBI are needed. Objective This study determines whether cognitive remediation by discriminating the direction a test pattern moves relative to a stationary background (movement figure-ground discrimination) improves the vision and cognitive deficits that result from a TBI, providing a paradigm shift in treatment methods. Methods Movement-discrimination neurotraining was used to remediate low-level visual timing deficits in the dorsal stream to determine whether it improved high-level cognitive functions, such as processing speed, reading fluency, and the executive control functions of attention and working memory in four men with a TBI between the ages of 15-68. Standardized tests, as well as Magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain imaging, were administered at the beginning and end of 8-16 weeks of intervention training to evaluate improvements in cognitive skills. Results Movement-discrimination cognitive neurotraining remediated both low-level visual timing deficits and high-level cognitive functioning, including selective and sustained attention, reading fluency, processing speed, and working memory for all TBI patients we studied. MEG brain imaging, using the Fast-VESTAL procedure, showed that this movement-discrimination training improved time-locked activity in the dorsal stream, attention, and executive control networks. Conclusions Remediating visual timing deficits in the dorsal stream revealed the causal role of visual movement discrimination training in improving high-level cognitive functions such as focusing and switching attention, working memory, processing speed, and reading. This study found that movement-discrimination training was very rapid and effective in remediating cognitive deficits, providing a new approach that is very beneficial for treating a mild TBI.

Background and purpose Information on the prevalence and course of post‐stroke cognitive impairment in young stroke patients is limited. The aim was to assess a consecutive sample of acute young ischaemic stroke patients (18–55 years) for the presence and development of neuropsychological deficits. Methods Patients prospectively underwent a comprehensive clinical and cognitive assessment, examining general cognitive function, processing speed, attention, flexibility/executive function and word fluency within the first 3 weeks after hospital admission (median assessment at day 6) and at a 3 months’ follow‐up (FU). Cognitive dysfunction was defined in comparison to age‐standardized published norms. Results At baseline (N = 114), deficits were highly prevalent in processing speed (56.0%), flexibility/executive function (49.5%), attention (46.4%) and general cognitive function (42.1%). These frequencies were comparable for those with FU assessment (N = 87). In most domains, cognitive performance improved within 3 months, except for word fluency. However, in about one‐third of patients, cognitive deficits (as defined by 1.5 standard deviations below the standardized mean) were still present 3 months after stroke. At FU, 44.0% were impaired in the domain flexibility/executive function, 35.0% in processing speed and 30.0% in attention. Conclusions The high prevalence of cognitive deficits in acute young patients with ischaemic stroke highlights the importance of early post‐stroke cognitive assessment to capture a patient's dysfunction in a comprehensive manner and to offer adequate rehabilitation. The role of factors which promote neuropsychological deficits needs further exploration.

Background: There is a poor understanding of the dose-response relationship between years of physical activity and motor and cognitive function. We determined the dose-response effects of physical activity duration in years on motor and cognitive function and their relationship in healthy old females.Objectives: To determine the dose-effects of physical activity duration in years on motor and cognitive function and their relationship in health aging adults.Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study with 201 old (age 69 years; SD = 5.9) and 12 young (mean age 21 years; SD = 1.9) females, with sub-groups based on number of years of self-reported physical activity. Aerobic capacity, mobility, functional reach, standing balance, global cognition, episodic memory, executive function, and processing speed were assessed with performance-based tests. We analyzed sub-group differences quantitatively and qualitatively and performed regression and mediation analyses to determine predictors and mediators of physical activity effects.Results: Based on physical activity of minimal (0.3 y, n= 29), short (2.4 y, n=77), moderate (6.2 y, n= 36) and long (16.6 y, n=59) duration, physical activity for at least 2.4 years affords old adults benefits in body mass index with peak dose-effects present in aerobic capacity and mobility at 6.2 years without additional benefits after 16.6 years of physical activity. Physical activity for any duration had no effects on functional reach, balance, executive function, episodic memory, and processing speed. Although weakly mobility predicted global cognition and executive function.Conclusion: Performing physical activity up to 6.2 years on average had favorable effects on body mass index, aerobic capacity and mobility. The data strengthen current recommendations for an active lifestyle in adulthood to prevent aging-related motor and cognitive decline.

The neural factors that account for the visual processing-speed reduction in aging are incompletely understood. Based on previous reports of age-related decreases in the intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) within the cingulo-opercular network and its relevance for processing speed, we hypothesized that these decreases are associated with age-related reductions in visual processing speed. We used a whole-report task and modeling based on Bundesen’s ‘theory of visual attention’ to parameterize visual processing speed in 91 healthy participants from 20 to 77 years old. iFC was estimated using independent-component analysis of resting-state fMRI data. From the clusters within the cingulo-opercular network exhibiting age-related decreased iFC, we found a cluster in the left insula to be particularly associated with visual processing speed and to mediate the age effect on visual speed. This mediation was not observed for age-related decreased iFC in other networks or for other attentional parameters. Our results point to the iFC in the cingulo-opercular network, represented by the left insula, as being a relevant marker for visual processing-speed changes in aging.

Objective: Considerable evidence has shown that facial expression recognition ability and cognitive function are impaired in patients with depression. We aimed to investigate the relationship between facial expression recognition and cognitive function in patients with depression.Methods: A total of 51 participants (i.e., 31 patients with depression and 20 healthy control subjects) underwent facial expression recognition tests, measuring anger, fear, disgust, sadness, happiness, and surprise. The Chinese version of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), which assesses seven cognitive domains, was used.Results: When compared with a control group, there were differences in the recognition of the expressions of sadness (p = 0.036), happiness (p = 0.041), and disgust (p = 0.030) in a depression group. In terms of cognitive function, the scores of patients with depression in the Trail Making Test (TMT; p < 0.001), symbol coding (p < 0.001), spatial span (p < 0.001), mazes (p = 0.007), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT; p = 0.001), category fluency (p = 0.029), and continuous performance test (p = 0.001) were lower than those of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. The accuracy of sadness and disgust expression recognition in patients with depression was significantly positively correlated with cognitive function scores. The deficits in sadness expression recognition were significantly correlated with the TMT (p = 0.001, r = 0.561), symbol coding (p = 0.001, r = 0.596), maze (p = 0.015, r = 0.439), and the BVMT (p = 0.044, r = 0.370). The deficits in disgust expression recognition were significantly correlated with impairments in the TMT (p = 0.005, r = 0.501) and symbol coding (p = 0.001, r = 0.560).Conclusion: Since cognitive function is impaired in patients with depression, the ability to recognize negative facial expressions declines, which is mainly reflected in processing speed, reasoning, problem-solving, and memory.

ObjectivesThe relationship between wisdom and fluid intelligence (Gf) is poorly understood, particularly in older adults. We empirically tested the magnitude of the correlation between wisdom and Gf to help determine the extent of overlap between these two constructs.DesignCross-sectional study with preregistered hypotheses and well-powered analytic plan (https://osf.io/h3pjx).SettingMemory and Aging Center at the University of California San Francisco, located in the USA.Participants141 healthy older adults (mean age = 76 years; 56% female).MeasurementsWisdom was quantified using a well-validated self-report-based scale (San Diego Wisdom Scale or SD-WISE). Gf was assessed via composite measures of processing speed (Gf-PS) and executive functioning (Gf-EF). The relationships of SD-WISE scores to Gf-PS and Gf-EF were tested in bivariate correlational analyses and multiple regression models adjusted for demographics (age, sex, and education). Exploratory analyses evaluated the relationships between SD-WISE and age, episodic memory performance, and dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortical volumes on magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsWisdom showed a small, positive association with Gf-EF (r = 0.181 [95% CI 0.016, 0.336], p = .031), which was reduced to nonsignificance upon controlling for demographics, and no association with Gf-PS (r = 0.019 [95% CI -0.179, 0.216], p = .854). Wisdom demonstrated a small, negative correlation with age (r = -0.197 [95% CI -0.351, -0.033], p = .019), but was not significantly related to episodic memory or prefrontal volumes.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that most of the variance in wisdom (>95%) is unaccounted for by Gf. The independence of wisdom from cognitive functions that reliably show age-associated declines suggests that it may hold unique potential to bolster decision-making, interpersonal functioning, and other everyday activities in older adults.

Reduced forms such as the pronoun he provide little information about their intended meaning compared to more elaborate descriptions such as the lead singer of Coldplay. Listeners must therefore use contextual information to recover their meaning. Across languages, there appears to be a trade-off between the informativity of a form and the prominence of its referent. For example, Italian adults generally interpret informationally empty null pronouns as in the sentence Corre (meaning “He/She/It runs”) as referring to the most prominent referent in the discourse, and more informative overt pronouns (e.g., lui in Lui corre, “He runs”) as referring to less prominent referents. Although children acquiring Italian are known to experience difficulties interpreting pronouns, it is unclear how they acquire this division of pragmatic labor between null and overt subject pronouns, and how this relates to the development of their cognitive capacities. Here we show that cognitive development can account for the general interpretation patterns displayed by Italian-speaking children and adults. Using experimental studies and computational simulations in a framework modeling bounded-rational behavior, we argue that null pronoun interpretation is influenced by working memory capacity and thus appears to depend on discourse context, whereas overt pronoun interpretation is influenced by processing speed, suggesting that listeners must reason about the speaker's choices. Our results demonstrate that cognitive capacities may constrain the acquisition of linguistic forms and their meanings in various ways. The novel predictions generated by the computational simulations point out several directions for future research.

There are consistent associations between physical activity and self-perceived health. However, it is not clear whether associations between self-perceived health and participation in physical activity could be accounted for by associations with cognitive function. In the present study, we examined whether associations between physical activity and cognitive functioning could explain the variability between physical activity and self-perceived health. A sample of 204 older adults performed three cognitive tests selected from the Vienna test system battery: The Determination, Cognitrone, and Visual Memory tests. These tests measure general processing speed, attention, and visual memory, respectively. Participants also completed the 12-item Short Form Health Questionnaire SF-12 to measure perceived health, and the Physical Activity Survey for the Elderly to measure physical activity. Linear regressions and the PROCESS macro for SPSS were used to test our hypotheses. Consistent with our hypotheses, processing speed accounted for significant variance in the relationship between physical activity and self-perceived health. This suggests that cognitive processing speed might be an indirect path by which physical activity relates to enhanced health perceptions. The results demonstrate that associations between physical activity and self-perceptions of health are related to a fundamental cognitive process.

Processing speed on cognitive tasks relies upon efficient communication between widespread regions of the brain. Recently, novel methods of quantifying network communication like ‘navigation efficiency’ have emerged, which aim to be more biologically plausible compared to traditional shortest path length-based measures. However, it is still unclear whether there is a direct link between these communication measures and processing speed. We tested this relationship in forty-five healthy adults (27 females), where processing speed was defined as decision-making time and measured using drift rate from the hierarchical drift diffusion model. Communication measures were calculated from a graph theoretical analysis of the whole-brain structural connectome and of a task-relevant fronto-parietal structural subnetwork, using the large-scale Desikan–Killiany atlas. We found that faster processing speed on trials that require greater cognitive control are correlated with higher navigation efficiency (of both the whole-brain and the task-relevant subnetwork). In contrast, faster processing speed on trials that require more automatic processing are correlated with shorter path length within the task-relevant subnetwork. Our findings reveal that differences in the way communication is modelled between shortest path length and navigation may be sensitive to processing of automatic and controlled responses, respectively. Further, our findings suggest that there is a relationship between the speed of cognitive processing and the structural constraints of the human brain network.

Hintergrund: Eine altersbezogene Schwerhörigkeit verursacht für Betroffene weitreichende Konsequenzen. Aufgrund der eingeschränkten Kommunikationsfähigkeit resultiert ein Geflecht aus sozialer Isolation, Depressivität und der Einschränkung kognitiver Funktionen. Darüber hinaus stellt jedes dieser Defizite einen potentiellen Risikofaktor für die Entwicklung einer Demenz dar, deren Inzidenz weltweit jährlich steigt. Eine Hörrehabilitation mittels Cochlea-Implantat (CI) könnte hinsichtlich der Risikoreduktion einen protektiven Effekt haben. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war dahingehend die audiologische und psychometrische Evaluation des Versorgungserfolges nach unilateraler CI-Operation älterer Patienten unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Kognition. Methodik: In diese prospektive Arbeit wurden 33 postlingual an Taubheit grenzend schwerhörige Patienten von mindestens 65 Jahren (76,10 ± 4,98 Jahre) einbezogen, die an der Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin eine unilaterale CI-Versorgung erhielten. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte präoperativ sowie im Follow-Up über 6 und 12 Monate und umfasste neben sprachaudiometrischen Testverfahren (Freiburger Einsilbertest, Oldenburger Satztest) auch ein kognitives Assessment (Wechsler Intelligenz Skala, 4. Edition) zur Messung des Arbeitsgedächtnisses und der Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit. Zudem erfolgte die Evaluation der Lebensqualität (NCIQ), Depressivität (ADS-L) und des subjektiven Hörvermögens (OI) über ein standardisiertes Fragebogeninventar. Ergebnisse: Eine postoperative, signifikante Verbesserung konnte hinsichtlich der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit (Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit: p < 0,01), des subjektiven Hörvermögens (p < 0,01) sowie des Sprachverstehens (p < 0,01 bzw. p < 0,05) ermittelt werden. Die gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität wurde sowohl prä-, als auch postoperativ konstant hoch eingeschätzt. Eine depressive Symptomatik fand sich konstant auf niedrigem Niveau. Signifikante, positive Korrelationen ergaben sich postoperativ zudem zwischen dem subjektiven Hörvermögen und der Lebensqualität (p < 0,01) und zwischen der Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit und einem verbesserten Sprachverstehen im Störgeräusch (p < 0,05). Weiterhin korrelierte die präoperative soziale Aktivität signifikant mit der postoperativen Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit (p < 0,05). Das verbesserte Hörvermögen korrelierte signifikant mit niedrigeren Scores für eine depressive Symptomatik (p < 0,05). Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse objektivieren den CI-Versorgungserfolg im Alter. Die Patienten profitieren insbesondere von verbesserten kognitiven Fähigkeiten nach Implantation, wobei die Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit hier möglicherweise als sensitiver kognitiver Marker einer Hörverbesserung fungiert. Eine hohe Aktivität im sozialen Bereich scheint zudem als Prädiktor für den CI-Versorgungserfolg zu wirken. Weitere Langzeituntersuchungen sind notwendig, um die Nachhaltigkeit der gemessenen kognitiven Verbesserungen zu reproduzieren und um ein Assessment im Hinblick auf Risikodetektion und -reduktion einer Demenzerkrankung bei Ertaubten zu etablieren., Background: Age-related hearing loss can cause multiple health restrictions such as social isolation, depression and cognitive impairment intensified by low-level speech perception. As consequence, recent studies showed an increased risk of dementia in hearing-impaired elderly. Cochlear Implantation might reduce the risk of cognitive decline by increasing recipient´s hearing ability. The aim of this thesis was to examine the audiological and psychometric outcome after unilateral cochlear implantation in the elderly by using a multimodal assessment particularly focusing on cognitive function. Patients and Methods: In this prospective study, 33 post-lingual deafened, at least 65-year-old (76,10 ± 4,98 years) patients were included which underwent unilateral cochlear implantation at Charité Berlin. The outcome of patients was measured prior to implantation and over a follow-up period of 6 and 12 months by using speech comprehension tests (Freiburg Monosyllabic, German Oldenburg Sentence Test) and a cognitive assessment providing information on working memory and processing speed (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4. Ed.). In addition, standardized questionnaires to investigate health-related quality of life (NCIQ), rate of depression (ADS-L) and the subjective valuation of the hearing ability (OI) were used. Results: Postoperatively, a significant improvement of cognitive abilities (processing speed: p < 0,01), subjective valuation of hearing ability (p < 0,01) and speech comprehension (p < 0,01 or p < 0,05) was found out. Health-related quality of life was constantly rated on a high level. The rate of depression was on a continuous low level. Furthermore, there were significant correlations between processing speed and speech perception (German Oldenburg Sentence Test, p < 0,05). Besides, a high social activity prior to implantation could found as predictive value of processing speed. An increased hearing ability correlated significantly with a lower rate of depression after implantation (p < 0,05). Conclusion: The results affirm that Cochlear implantation is a promising opportunity in the elderly, especially due to improving cognitive abilities. Processing speed could be considered as a sensitive cognitive marker in hearing improvement. In this context, high social activity could be a predictive value in Cochlear implantation. There are further long-term studies necessary to re-evaluate the sustainability of cognitive improvement and to extend a multimodal assessment to investigate dementia´s risk after cochlear implantation.

En la literatura, la mayoría de los programas de intervención para funciones ejecutivas que aparecen, se centran en la capacidad de resolución de problemas, es por ello, por lo que en este estudio se propone un programa que estimule cognitivamente las funciones de velocidad de procesamiento, control inhibitorio y control atencional. De esta forma, se busca proponer una alternativa para la rehabilitación y entrenamiento de pacientes con deterioro cognitivo leve o en fase inicial de Alzheimer, mejorando estas habilidades a través de actividades específicas para ello., In the literature, most of the intervention programs for executive functions that appear are focus on the skill to solve problems, that´s why this study proposes a program that cognitively stimulates the processing speed, inhibitory control and attentional control. In this way, it seeks to propose an alternative for the rehabilitation and training of patients with mild cognitive impairment or in the initial phase of Alzheimer's, improving these skills through specific activities for it., Máster Universitario en Psicología General Sanitaria (M169)

[Background] Substantial evidence supports the existence of neurocognitive endophenotypes in bipolar disorder (BD), but very few longitudinal studies have included unaffected relatives. In a 5-year, follow-up, family study, we have recently suggested that deficits in manual motor speed and visual memory could be endophenotype candidates for BD. We aimed to explore whether this also applies to processing speed., [Methods] A sample of 348 individuals, including 163 BD patients, 65 unaffected first-degree relatives (BD-Rel) and 120 genetically unrelated healthy controls (HC), was assessed with the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) on two occasions over a 2-year period (T1, T2). DSST values were controlled for age, years of education, occupational status, and subsyndromic mood symptoms. Differences between groups were evaluated with ANCOVAs., [Results] At T1 BD performed significantly worse than HC (p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 1.38) and BD-Rel (p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.82). BD-Rel showed an intermediate performance with significant differences with HC (p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.50). Similarly, at T2 BD performed significantly worse than HC (p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 1.44) and BD-Rel (p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.51). BD-Rel performance was intermediate and significantly lower than that of HC (p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.97). A Repeated Measures ANOVA revealed no significant between-group differences in performance over time (p > 0.05)., [Conclusions] The results of this longitudinal, family study suggest that impaired processing speed may represent a suitable cognitive endophenotype for BD. Further research on the field is required to confirm these preliminary findings., Dr Vicent Balanzá-Martínez acknowledges the support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI16/1770, PROBILIFE Study).

INTRODUCTIONWhite matter (WM) energy supply is crucial for axonal function and myelin maintenance. Providing ketones, the brain’s alternative fuel to glucose, is a therapeutic strategy to bypass the brain’s glucose-specific energy deficit in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). How an additional supply of ketones affects glucose or ketone uptake in specific WM fascicles in MCI has not previously been described.METHODSThis 6-month interventional study included MCI participants randomized to a placebo (n = 16) or ketogenic medium chain triglyceride (kMCT; n = 17) drink. A neurocognitive battery and brain imaging were performed pre- and post-intervention. WM fascicle uptake of ketone and glucose and structural properties were assessed using positron emission tomography and diffusion imaging, respectively.RESULTSKetone uptake was increased by 2.5 to 3.2-fold in nine fascicles of interest (P < 0.001) only in the kMCT group, an effect seen both in deep WM and in fascicle cortical endpoints. Improvement in processing speed was associated with WM ketone uptake globally and in individual fascicles, most importantly the fornix (r = +0.61; P = 0.014).DISCUSSIONA 6-month ketogenic supplementation in MCI improved WM energy supply globally. The significant positive association with processing speed suggests that ketones may have a role in myelin integrity in MCI.