Crowdsourced estimation of cognitive decline and resilience in Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Allen, Genevera I; Amoroso, Nicola; Anghel, Catalina; Balagurusamy, Venkat; Bare, Christopher J; Beaton, Derek; Bellotti, Roberto; Bennett, David A; Boehme, Kevin; Boutros, Paul C; Caberlotto, Laura; Caloian, Cristian; Campbell, Frederick; Neto, Elias Chaibub; Chang, Yu-Chuan; Chen, Beibei; Chen, Chien-Yu; Chien, Ting-Ying; Clark, Tim; Das, Sudeshna; Davatzikos, Christos; Deng, Jieyao; Dillenberger, Donna; Dobson, Richard JB; Dong, Qilin; Doshi, Jimit; Duma, Denise; Errico, Rosangela; Erus, Guray; Everett, Evan; Fardo, David W; Friend, Stephen H; Fröhlich, Holger; Gan, Jessica; St George-Hyslop, Peter; Ghosh, Satrajit S; Glaab, Enrico; Green, Robert C; Guan, Yuanfang; Hong, Ming-Yi; Huang, Chao; Hwang, Jinseub; Ibrahim, Joseph; Inglese, Paolo; Jiang, Qijia; Katsumata, Yuriko; Kong, Dehan; Krause, Roland; Lalonde, Emilie; Lauria, Mario; Lee, Eunjee; Lin, Xihui; Liu, Zhandong; Livingstone, Julie; Logsdon, Benjamin A; Lovestone, Simon; Lyappan, Anandhi; Ma, Michelle; Malhotra, Ashutosh; Maxwell, Taylor J; Merrill, Emily; Nagorski, John; Namasivayam, Aishwarya; Narayan, Manjari; Naz, Mufassra; Newhouse, Stephen J; Norman, Thea C; Nurtdinov, Ramil N; Oyang, Yen-Jen; Pawitan, Yudi; Peng, Shengwen; Piccolo, Stephen R; Praveen, Paurush; Priami, Corrado; Sabelnykova, Veronica Y; Senger, Philipp; Shen, Xia; Simmons, Andrew; Sotiras, Aristeidis; Stolovitzky, Gustavo; Tangaro, Sabina; Tateo, Andrea; Tung, Yi-An; Tustison, Nicholas J; Varol, Erdem; Vradenburg, George; Weiner, Michael W; Xiao, Guanghua; Xie, Lei; Xie, Yang; Xu, Jia; Yang, Hojin; Zhan, Xiaowei; Zhou, Yunyun; Zhu, Fan; Zhu, Hongtu; Zhu, Shanfeng

2017-01-01

Identifying accurate biomarkers of cognitive decline is essential for advancing early diagnosis and prevention therapies in Alzheimer’s Disease. The Alzheimer’s Disease DREAM Challenge was designed as a computational crowdsourced project to benchmark the current state-of-the-art in predicting cognitive outcomes in Alzheimer’s Disease based on high-dimensional, publicly available genetic and structural imaging data. This meta-analysis failed to identify a meaningful predictor developed from either data modality, suggesting that alternate approaches should be considered for to prediction of cognitive performance. PMID:27079753

Processing deficits in monitoring analog and digital displays: Implications for attentional theory and mental-state estimation research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Payne, David G.; Gunther, Virginia A. L.

1988-01-01

Subjects performed short term memory tasks, involving both spatial and verbal components, and a visual monitoring task involving either analog or digital display formats. These two tasks (memory vs. monitoring) were performed both singly and in conjunction. Contrary to expectations derived from multiple resource theories of attentional processes, there was no evidence that when the two tasks involved the same cognitive codes (i.e., either both spatial or both verbal/linguistics) there was more of a dual task performance decrement than when the two tasks employed different cognitive codes/processes. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for theories of attentional processes and also for research in mental state estimation.

On the Capacity of Attention: Its Estimation and Its Role in Working Memory and Cognitive Aptitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, N.; Elliott, E.M.; Scott Saults, J.; Morey, C.C.; Mattox, S.; Hismjatullina, A.; Conway, A.R.A.

2005-01-01

Working memory (WM) is the set of mental processes holding limited information in a temporarily accessible state in service of cognition. We provide a theoretical framework to understand the relation between WM and aptitude measures. The WM measures that have yielded high correlations with aptitudes include separate storage-and-processing task…

Estimating Premorbid Cognitive Abilities in Low-Educated Populations

PubMed Central

Apolinario, Daniel; Brucki, Sonia Maria Dozzi; Ferretti, Renata Eloah de Lucena; Farfel, José Marcelo; Magaldi, Regina Miksian; Busse, Alexandre Leopold; Jacob-Filho, Wilson

2013-01-01

Objective To develop an informant-based instrument that would provide a valid estimate of premorbid cognitive abilities in low-educated populations. Methods A questionnaire was drafted by focusing on the premorbid period with a 10-year time frame. The initial pool of items was submitted to classical test theory and a factorial analysis. The resulting instrument, named the Premorbid Cognitive Abilities Scale (PCAS), is composed of questions addressing educational attainment, major lifetime occupation, reading abilities, reading habits, writing abilities, calculation abilities, use of widely available technology, and the ability to search for specific information. The validation sample was composed of 132 older Brazilian adults from the following three demographically matched groups: normal cognitive aging (n = 72), mild cognitive impairment (n = 33), and mild dementia (n = 27). The scores of a reading test and a neuropsychological battery were adopted as construct criteria. Post-mortem inter-informant reliability was tested in a sub-study with two relatives from each deceased individual. Results All items presented good discriminative power, with corrected item-total correlation varying from 0.35 to 0.74. The summed score of the instrument presented high correlation coefficients with global cognitive function (r = 0.73) and reading skills (r = 0.82). Cronbach's alpha was 0.90, showing optimal internal consistency without redundancy. The scores did not decrease across the progressive levels of cognitive impairment, suggesting that the goal of evaluating the premorbid state was achieved. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.96, indicating excellent inter-informant reliability. Conclusion The instrument developed in this study has shown good properties and can be used as a valid estimate of premorbid cognitive abilities in low-educated populations. The applicability of the PCAS, both as an estimate of premorbid intelligence and cognitive reserve, is discussed. PMID:23555894

Internal Models, Vestibular Cognition, and Mental Imagery: Conceptual Considerations.

PubMed

Mast, Fred W; Ellis, Andrew W

2015-01-01

Vestibular cognition has recently gained attention. Despite numerous experimental and clinical demonstrations, it is not yet clear what vestibular cognition really is. For future research in vestibular cognition, adopting a computational approach will make it easier to explore the underlying mechanisms. Indeed, most modeling approaches in vestibular science include a top-down or a priori component. We review recent Bayesian optimal observer models, and discuss in detail the conceptual value of prior assumptions, likelihood and posterior estimates for research in vestibular cognition. We then consider forward models in vestibular processing, which are required in order to distinguish between sensory input that is induced by active self-motion, and sensory input that is due to passive self-motion. We suggest that forward models are used not only in the service of estimating sensory states but they can also be drawn upon in an offline mode (e.g., spatial perspective transformations), in which interaction with sensory input is not desired. A computational approach to vestibular cognition will help to discover connections across studies, and it will provide a more coherent framework for investigating vestibular cognition.

The effect of adult children living in the United States on the likelihood of cognitive impairment for older parents living in Mexico.

PubMed

Downer, Brian; González-González, Cesar; Goldman, Noreen; Pebley, Anne R; Wong, Rebeca

2018-01-01

The increased risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes for older parents in Mexico who have an adult child living in the United States may contribute to an increased risk for cognitive impairment in this population. The objective of this study was to examine if older adults in Mexico who have one or more adult children living in the United States are more or less likely to develop cognitive impairment over an 11-year period compared to older adults who do not have any adult children living in the United States. Data for this study came from Wave I (2001) and Wave III (2012) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. The final sample included 2609 participants aged 60 and over who were not cognitively impaired in 2001 and had one or more adult children (age ≥15). Participants were matched using a propensity score that was estimated with a multivariable logistic regression model that included sociodemographic characteristics and migration history of the older parents. Having one or more adult children living in the United States is associated with lower socioeconomic status and higher number of depressive symptoms, but greater social engagement for older parents living in Mexico. No significant differences in the odds for developing cognitive impairment according to having one or more adult children living in the United States were detected. In summary, having one or more adult children living in the United States was associated with characteristics that may increase and decrease the risk for cognitive impairment. This may contribute to the non-significant relationship between migration status of adult children and likelihood for cognitive impairment for older parents living in Mexico.

Crowdsourced estimation of cognitive decline and resilience in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Allen, Genevera I; Amoroso, Nicola; Anghel, Catalina; Balagurusamy, Venkat; Bare, Christopher J; Beaton, Derek; Bellotti, Roberto; Bennett, David A; Boehme, Kevin L; Boutros, Paul C; Caberlotto, Laura; Caloian, Cristian; Campbell, Frederick; Chaibub Neto, Elias; Chang, Yu-Chuan; Chen, Beibei; Chen, Chien-Yu; Chien, Ting-Ying; Clark, Tim; Das, Sudeshna; Davatzikos, Christos; Deng, Jieyao; Dillenberger, Donna; Dobson, Richard J B; Dong, Qilin; Doshi, Jimit; Duma, Denise; Errico, Rosangela; Erus, Guray; Everett, Evan; Fardo, David W; Friend, Stephen H; Fröhlich, Holger; Gan, Jessica; St George-Hyslop, Peter; Ghosh, Satrajit S; Glaab, Enrico; Green, Robert C; Guan, Yuanfang; Hong, Ming-Yi; Huang, Chao; Hwang, Jinseub; Ibrahim, Joseph; Inglese, Paolo; Iyappan, Anandhi; Jiang, Qijia; Katsumata, Yuriko; Kauwe, John S K; Klein, Arno; Kong, Dehan; Krause, Roland; Lalonde, Emilie; Lauria, Mario; Lee, Eunjee; Lin, Xihui; Liu, Zhandong; Livingstone, Julie; Logsdon, Benjamin A; Lovestone, Simon; Ma, Tsung-Wei; Malhotra, Ashutosh; Mangravite, Lara M; Maxwell, Taylor J; Merrill, Emily; Nagorski, John; Namasivayam, Aishwarya; Narayan, Manjari; Naz, Mufassra; Newhouse, Stephen J; Norman, Thea C; Nurtdinov, Ramil N; Oyang, Yen-Jen; Pawitan, Yudi; Peng, Shengwen; Peters, Mette A; Piccolo, Stephen R; Praveen, Paurush; Priami, Corrado; Sabelnykova, Veronica Y; Senger, Philipp; Shen, Xia; Simmons, Andrew; Sotiras, Aristeidis; Stolovitzky, Gustavo; Tangaro, Sabina; Tateo, Andrea; Tung, Yi-An; Tustison, Nicholas J; Varol, Erdem; Vradenburg, George; Weiner, Michael W; Xiao, Guanghua; Xie, Lei; Xie, Yang; Xu, Jia; Yang, Hojin; Zhan, Xiaowei; Zhou, Yunyun; Zhu, Fan; Zhu, Hongtu; Zhu, Shanfeng

2016-06-01

Identifying accurate biomarkers of cognitive decline is essential for advancing early diagnosis and prevention therapies in Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's disease DREAM Challenge was designed as a computational crowdsourced project to benchmark the current state-of-the-art in predicting cognitive outcomes in Alzheimer's disease based on high dimensional, publicly available genetic and structural imaging data. This meta-analysis failed to identify a meaningful predictor developed from either data modality, suggesting that alternate approaches should be considered for prediction of cognitive performance. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EVENT PREDICTION AND AFFECTIVE FORECASTING IN DEPRESSIVE COGNITION: USING EMOTION AS INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUTURE

PubMed Central

MARROQUÍN, BRETT; NOLEN-HOEKSEMA, SUSAN

2015-01-01

Depression is characterized by a bleak view of the future, but the mechanisms through which depressed mood is integrated into basic processes of future-oriented cognition are unclear. We hypothesized that dysphoric individuals’ predictions of what will happen in the future (likelihood estimation) and how the future will feel (affective forecasting) are attributable to individual differences in incorporating present emotion as judgment-relevant information. Dysphoric individuals (n = 77) made pessimistic likelihood estimates and blunted positive affective forecasts relative to controls (n = 84). These differences were mediated by dysphoric individuals’ tendencies to rely on negative emotion as information more than controls—and on positive emotion less—independent of anhedonia. These findings suggest that (1) blunted positive affective forecasting is a distinctive component of depressive future-oriented cognition, and (2) future-oriented cognitive processes are linked not just to current emotional state, but also to individual variation in using that emotion as information. This role of individual differences elucidates basic mechanisms in future-oriented cognition, and suggests routes for intervention on interrelated cognitive and affective processes in depression. PMID:26146452

EVENT PREDICTION AND AFFECTIVE FORECASTING IN DEPRESSIVE COGNITION: USING EMOTION AS INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUTURE.

PubMed

Marroquín, Brett; Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan

2015-02-01

Depression is characterized by a bleak view of the future, but the mechanisms through which depressed mood is integrated into basic processes of future-oriented cognition are unclear. We hypothesized that dysphoric individuals' predictions of what will happen in the future ( likelihood estimation ) and how the future will feel ( affective forecasting ) are attributable to individual differences in incorporating present emotion as judgment-relevant information. Dysphoric individuals ( n = 77) made pessimistic likelihood estimates and blunted positive affective forecasts relative to controls ( n = 84). These differences were mediated by dysphoric individuals' tendencies to rely on negative emotion as information more than controls-and on positive emotion less-independent of anhedonia. These findings suggest that (1) blunted positive affective forecasting is a distinctive component of depressive future-oriented cognition, and (2) future-oriented cognitive processes are linked not just to current emotional state, but also to individual variation in using that emotion as information. This role of individual differences elucidates basic mechanisms in future-oriented cognition, and suggests routes for intervention on interrelated cognitive and affective processes in depression.

Does childhood schooling affect old age memory or mental status? Using state schooling laws as natural experiments.

PubMed

Glymour, M M; Kawachi, I; Jencks, C S; Berkman, L F

2008-06-01

The association between schooling and old age cognitive outcomes such as memory disorders is well documented but, because of the threat of reverse causation, controversy persists over whether education affects old age cognition. Changes in state compulsory schooling laws (CSL) are treated as natural experiments (instruments) for estimating the effect of education on memory and mental status among the elderly. Changes in CSL predict changes in average years of schooling completed by children who are affected by the new laws. These educational differences are presumably independent of innate individual characteristics such as IQ. CSL-induced changes in education were used to obtain instrumental variable (IV) estimates of education's effect on memory (n = 10,694) and mental status (n = 9751) for white, non-Hispanic US-born Health and Retirement Survey participants born between 1900 and 1947 who did not attend college. After adjustment for sex, birth year, state of birth and state characteristics, IV estimates of education's effect on memory were large and statistically significant. IV estimates for mental status had very wide confidence intervals, so it was not possible to draw meaningful conclusions about the effect of education on this outcome. Increases in mandatory schooling lead to improvements in performance on memory tests many decades after school completion. These analyses condition on individual states, so differences in memory outcomes associated with CSL changes cannot be attributed to differences between states. Although unmeasured state characteristics that changed contemporaneously with CSL might account for these results, unobserved genetic variation is unlikely to do so.

Does childhood schooling affect old age memory or mental status? Using state schooling laws as natural experiments

PubMed Central

Glymour, M M; Kawachi, I; Jencks, C S; Berkman, L F

2009-01-01

Background The association between schooling and old age cognitive outcomes such as memory disorders is well documented but, because of the threat of reverse causation, controversy persists over whether education affects old age cognition. Changes in state compulsory schooling laws (CSL) are treated as natural experiments (instruments) for estimating the effect of education on memory and mental status among the elderly. Changes in CSL predict changes in average years of schooling completed by children who are affected by the new laws. These educational differences are presumably independent of innate individual characteristics such as IQ. Methods CSL-induced changes in education were used to obtain instrumental variable (IV) estimates of education’s effect on memory (n = 10 694) and mental status (n = 9751) for white, non-Hispanic US-born Health and Retirement Survey participants born between 1900 and 1947 who did not attend college. Results After adjustment for sex, birth year, state of birth and state characteristics, IV estimates of education’s effect on memory were large and statistically significant. IV estimates for mental status had very wide confidence intervals, so it was not possible to draw meaningful conclusions about the effect of education on this outcome. Conclusions Increases in mandatory schooling lead to improvements in performance on memory tests many decades after school completion. These analyses condition on individual states, so differences in memory outcomes associated with CSL changes cannot be attributed to differences between states. Although unmeasured state characteristics that changed contemporaneously with CSL might account for these results, unobserved genetic variation is unlikely to do so. PMID:18477752

Cognitive decline, mortality, and organophosphorus exposure in aging Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Paul, Kimberly C; Ling, Chenxiao; Lee, Anne; To, Tu My; Cockburn, Myles; Haan, Mary; Ritz, Beate

2018-01-01

Cognitive impairment is a major health concern among older Mexican Americans, associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and may be influenced by environmental exposures. To investigate whether agricultural based ambient organophosphorus (OP) exposure influences 1) the rate of cognitive decline and mortality and 2) whether these associations are mediated through metabolic or inflammatory biomarkers. In a subset of older Mexican Americans from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (n = 430), who completed modified mini-mental state exams (3MSE) up to 7 times (1998-2007), we examined the relationship between estimated ambient OP exposures and cognitive decline (linear repeated measures model) and time to dementia or being cognitively impaired but not demented (CIND) and time to mortality (cox proportional hazards model). We then explored metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers as potential mediators of these relationships (additive hazards mediation). OP exposures at residential addresses were estimated with a geographic information system (GIS) based exposure assessment tool. Participants with high OP exposure in the five years prior to baseline experienced faster cognitive decline (β = 0.038, p = 0.02) and higher mortality over follow-up (HR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.12, 3.26). The direct effect of OP exposure was estimated at 241 (95% CI = 27-455) additional deaths per 100,000 person-years, and the proportion mediated through the metabolic hormone adiponectin was estimated to be 4% 1.5-19.2). No other biomarkers were associated with OP exposure. Our study provides support for the involvement of OP pesticides in cognitive decline and mortality among older Mexican Americans, possibly through biologic pathways involving adiponectin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thinner cortex in patients with subjective cognitive decline is associated with steeper decline of memory.

PubMed

Verfaillie, Sander C J; Slot, Rosalinde E; Tijms, Betty M; Bouwman, Femke; Benedictus, Marije R; Overbeek, Jozefien M; Koene, Teddy; Vrenken, Hugo; Scheltens, Philip; Barkhof, Frederik; van der Flier, Wiesje M

2018-01-01

We aimed to investigate associations between regional cortical thickness and rate of decline over time in 4 cognitive domains in patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). We included 233 SCD patients with the total number of 654 neuropsychological assessments (median = 3, range = 2-8) and available baseline magnetic resonance imaging from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort (125 males, age: 63 ± 9, Mini-Mental State Examination score: 28 ± 2). We assessed longitudinal cognitive functioning at baseline and follow-up in 4 cognitive domains (composite Z-scores): memory, attention, executive function, and language. Thickness (millimeter) was estimated using FreeSurfer for frontal, temporal, parietal, cingulate, and occipital cortices. We used linear mixed models to estimate effects of cortical thickness on cognitive performance (dependent variables). There were no associations between cortical thickness and baseline cognition, but a faster subsequent rate of memory loss was associated with thinner cortex of the frontal [β (SE) = 0.20 (0.07)], temporal [β (SE) = 0.18 (0.07)], and occipital [β (SE) = 0.22 (0.09)] cortices (all p < 0.05 FDR ). These findings illustrate that early cortical changes, particularly in the temporal cortex, herald incipient cognitive decline related to neurodegenerative diseases, most prominently Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Describing the Sequence of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Results from an Observational Study.

PubMed

Henneges, Carsten; Reed, Catherine; Chen, Yun-Fei; Dell'Agnello, Grazia; Lebrec, Jeremie

2016-01-01

Improved understanding of the pattern of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) would be useful to assist primary care physicians in explaining AD progression to patients and caregivers. To identify the sequence in which cognitive abilities decline in community-dwelling patients with AD. Baseline data were analyzed from 1,495 patients diagnosed with probable AD and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≤ 26 enrolled in the 18-month observational GERAS study. Proportional odds logistic regression models were applied to model MMSE subscores (orientation, registration, attention and concentration, recall, language, and drawing) and the corresponding subscores of the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog), using MMSE total score as the index of disease progression. Probabilities of impairment start and full impairment were estimated at each MMSE total score level. From the estimated probabilities for each MMSE subscore as a function of the MMSE total score, the first aspect of cognition to start being impaired was recall, followed by orientation in time, attention and concentration, orientation in place, language, drawing, and registration. For full impairment in subscores, the sequence was recall, drawing, attention and concentration, orientation in time, orientation in place, registration, and language. The sequence of cognitive decline for the corresponding ADAS-cog subscores was remarkably consistent with this pattern. The sequence of cognitive decline in AD can be visualized in an animation using probability estimates for key aspects of cognition. This might be useful for clinicians to set expectations on disease progression for patients and caregivers.

Sequential inference as a mode of cognition and its correlates in fronto-parietal and hippocampal brain regions

PubMed Central

Friston, Karl J.; Dolan, Raymond J.

2017-01-01

Normative models of human cognition often appeal to Bayesian filtering, which provides optimal online estimates of unknown or hidden states of the world, based on previous observations. However, in many cases it is necessary to optimise beliefs about sequences of states rather than just the current state. Importantly, Bayesian filtering and sequential inference strategies make different predictions about beliefs and subsequent choices, rendering them behaviourally dissociable. Taking data from a probabilistic reversal task we show that subjects’ choices provide strong evidence that they are representing short sequences of states. Between-subject measures of this implicit sequential inference strategy had a neurobiological underpinning and correlated with grey matter density in prefrontal and parietal cortex, as well as the hippocampus. Our findings provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence for sequential inference in human cognition, and by exploiting between-subject variation in this measure we provide pointers to its neuronal substrates. PMID:28486504

Cognitive Workload and Psychophysiological Parameters During Multitask Activity in Helicopter Pilots.

PubMed

Gaetan, Sophie; Dousset, Erick; Marqueste, Tanguy; Bringoux, Lionel; Bourdin, Christophe; Vercher, Jean-Louis; Besson, Patricia

2015-12-01

Helicopter pilots are involved in a complex multitask activity, implying overuse of cognitive resources, which may result in piloting task impairment or in decision-making failure. Studies usually investigate this phenomenon in well-controlled, poorly ecological situations by focusing on the correlation between physiological values and either cognitive workload or emotional state. This study aimed at jointly exploring workload induced by a realistic simulated helicopter flight mission and emotional state, as well as physiological markers. The experiment took place in the helicopter full flight dynamic simulator. Six participants had to fly on two missions. Workload level, skin conductance, RMS-EMG, and emotional state were assessed. Joint analysis of psychological and physiological parameters associated with workload estimation revealed particular dynamics in each of three profiles. 1) Expert pilots showed a slight increase of measured physiological parameters associated with the increase in difficulty level. Workload estimates never reached the highest level and the emotional state for this profile only referred to positive emotions with low emotional intensity. 2) Non-Expert pilots showed increasing physiological values as the perceived workload increased. However, their emotional state referred to either positive or negative emotions, with a greater variability in emotional intensity. 3) Intermediate pilots were similar to Expert pilots regarding emotional states and similar to Non-Expert pilots regarding physiological patterns. Overall, high interindividual variability of these results highlight the complex link between physiological and psychological parameters with workload, and question whether physiology alone could predict a pilot's inability to make the right decision at the right time.

A Mendelian randomization study of testosterone and cognition in men

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jie V.; Lam, Tai Hing; Jiang, Chaoqiang; Cherny, Stacey S.; Liu, Bin; Cheng, Kar Keung; Zhang, Weisen; Leung, Gabriel M.; Schooling, C Mary

2016-01-01

Testosterone replacement for older men is increasingly common, with some observations suggesting a protective effect on cognitive function. We examined the association of endogenous testosterone with cognitive function among older men in a Mendelian randomization study using a separate-sample instrumental variable (SSIV) analysis estimator to minimize confounding and reverse causality. A genetic score predicting testosterone was developed in 289 young Chinese men from Hong Kong, based on selected testosterone-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs10046, rs1008805 and rs1256031). The association of genetically predicted testosterone with delayed 10-word recall score and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was assessed at baseline and follow-up using generalized estimating equation among 4,212 older Chinese men from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. Predicted testosterone was not associated with delayed 10-word recall score (−0.02 per nmol/L testosterone, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.06–0.02) or MMSE score (0.06, 95% CI −0.002–0.12). These estimates were similar after additional adjustment for age, education, smoking, use of alcohol, body mass index and the Framingham score. Our findings do not corroborate observed protective effects of testosterone on cognitive function among older men. PMID:26864717

[Cognitive and emotional feeling states and controllability: effects on judgment contents and processing style].

PubMed

Lantermann, E D; Otto, J H

1994-01-01

Reviews summarizing experiments on the interaction of emotional and cognitive processes generally conclude that moods or feelings influence memory, decision-making, and learning processes. The congruency effects observed concern the content or quality of cognition involved as well as the style of information processing. This experiment aimed to further differentiate the conditions of the congruency effects. Therefore, with a 3-factorial design, the influence of (1) positive and negative feelings, (2) a detached and vivid mode of experiencing, and (3) cognitive control on two aspects of probability estimates concerning future events were investigated. 194 female and male subjects (M = 22.58, SD = 4.85 years of age) participated. The feeling states were induced by an autobiographical recollection procedure, and the modality and control conditions were manipulated by means of instructions. 3-way interactions for the content and style of judgments as dependent variables support the expected mood-congruency effects. Three factors quality these effects. First, the mood-congruity effect as described in the literature can be interpreted as being composed of two different parts, a strong emotional and a weak cognitive mood-congruency effect, the latter being an artifact, if real emotion-cognition relationships are concerned. Second, the influence of feelings on information processing style can only be replicated under conditions of "hot" cognition, and so is a truly emotional phenomenon. Third, the interactions of mood, control, and modality point towards different control strategies being implicit in various feeling states. Positive mood is ruled by "compensation" control, whereas negative mood states are governed by "congruency" control if future life events are evaluated.

Quantitative EEG and its Correlation with Cardiovascular, Cognition and mood State: an Integrated Study in Simulated Microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jianyuan; Hu, Bin; Chen, Wenjuan; Moore, Philip; Xu, Tingting; Dong, Qunxi; Liu, Zhenyu; Luo, Yuejia; Chen, Shanguang

2014-12-01

The focus of the study is the estimation of the effects of microgravity on the central nervous activity and its underlying influencing mechanisms. To validate the microgravity-induced physiological and psychological effects on EEG, quantitative EEG features, cardiovascular indicators, mood state, and cognitive performances data collection was achieved during a 45 day period using a -6°head-down bed rest (HDBR) integrated approach. The results demonstrated significant differences in EEG data, as an increased Theta wave, a decreased Beta wave and a reduced complexity of brain, accompanied with an increased heart rate and pulse rate, decreased positive emotion, and degraded emotion conflict monitoring performance. The canonical correlation analysis (CCA) based cardiovascular and cognitive related EEG model showed the cardiovascular effect on EEG mainly affected bilateral temporal region and the cognitive effect impacted parietal-occipital and frontal regions. The results obtained in the study support the use of an approach which combines a multi-factor influential mechanism hypothesis. The changes in the EEG data may be influenced by both cardiovascular and cognitive effects.

OCCIPITAL SOURCES OF RESTING STATE ALPHA RHYTHMS ARE RELATED TO LOCAL GRAY MATTER DENSITY IN SUBJECTS WITH AMNESIC MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

PubMed Central

Claudio, Babiloni; Claudio, Del Percio; Marina, Boccardi; Roberta, Lizio; Susanna, Lopez; Filippo, Carducci; Nicola, Marzano; Andrea, Soricelli; Raffaele, Ferri; Ivano, Triggiani Antonio; Annapaola, Prestia; Serenella, Salinari; Rasser Paul, E; Erol, Basar; Francesco, Famà; Flavio, Nobili; Görsev, Yener; Durusu, Emek-Savaş Derya; Gesualdo, Loreto; Ciro, Mundi; Thompson Paul, M; Rossini Paolo, M.; Frisoni Giovanni, B

2014-01-01

Occipital sources of resting state electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha rhythms are abnormal, at the group level, in patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here we evaluated the hypothesis that amplitude of these occipital sources is related to neurodegeneration in occipital lobe as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Resting-state eyes-closed EEG rhythms were recorded in 45 healthy elderly (Nold), 100 MCI, and 90 AD subjects. Neurodegeneration of occipital lobe was indexed by weighted averages of gray matter density (GMD), estimated from structural MRIs. EEG rhythms of interest were alpha 1 (8–10.5 Hz) and alpha 2 (10.5–13 Hz). EEG cortical sources were estimated by low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). Results showed a positive correlation between occipital GMD and amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources in Nold, MCI and AD subjects as a whole group (r=0.3, p=0.000004, N=235). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources and cognitive status as revealed by Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) score across all subjects (r=0.38, p=0.000001, N=235). Finally, amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources allowed a moderate classification of individual Nold and AD subjects (sensitivity: 87.8%; specificity: 66.7%; area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve: 0.81). These results suggest that the amplitude of occipital sources of resting state alpha rhythms is related to AD neurodegeneration in occipital lobe along pathological aging. PMID:25442118

Advanced Physiological Estimation of Cognitive Status. Part 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-24

Neurofeedback Algorithms and Gaze Controller EEG Sensor System g.USBamp *, ** • internal 24-bit ADC and digital signal processor • 16 channels (expandable...SUBJECT TERMS EEG eye-tracking mental state estimation machine learning Leonard J. Trejo Pacific Development and Technology LLC 999 Commercial St. Palo...fatigue, overload) Technology Transfer Opportunity Technology from PDT – Methods to acquire various physiological signals ( EEG , EOG, EMG, ECG, etc

Effect of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Disease on Auditory Steady-State Responses

PubMed Central

Shahmiri, Elaheh; Jafari, Zahra; Noroozian, Maryam; Zendehbad, Azadeh; Haddadzadeh Niri, Hassan; Yoonessi, Ali

2017-01-01

Introduction: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a disorder of the elderly people, is difficult to diagnose and often progresses to Alzheimer Disease (AD). Temporal region is one of the initial areas, which gets impaired in the early stage of AD. Therefore, auditory cortical evoked potential could be a valuable neuromarker for detecting MCI and AD. Methods: In this study, the thresholds of Auditory Steady-State Response (ASSR) to 40 Hz and 80 Hz were compared between Alzheimer Disease (AD), MCI, and control groups. A total of 42 patients (12 with AD, 15 with MCI, and 15 elderly normal controls) were tested for ASSR. Hearing thresholds at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz in both ears with modulation rates of 40 and 80 Hz were obtained. Results: Significant differences in normal subjects were observed in estimated ASSR thresholds with 2 modulation rates in 3 frequencies in both ears. However, the difference was significant only in 500 Hz in the MCI group, and no significant differences were observed in the AD group. In addition, significant differences were observed between the normal subjects and AD patients with regard to the estimated ASSR thresholds with 2 modulation rates and 3 frequencies in both ears. A significant difference was observed between the normal and MCI groups at 2000 Hz, too. An increase in estimated 40 Hz ASSR thresholds in patients with AD and MCI suggests neural changes in auditory cortex compared to that in normal ageing. Conclusion: Auditory threshold estimation with low and high modulation rates by ASSR test could be a potentially helpful test for detecting cognitive impairment. PMID:29158880

Effects of education and income on cognitive functioning among Indians aged 50 years and older: evidence from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1 (2007-2010).

PubMed

Basu, Rashmita

2013-01-01

Relatively little is known about socioeconomic predictors of cognitive health among middle-aged and elderly Indians. The primary objective of this study was to examine the extent to which education and income influence cognitive functioning after adjusting for demographic characteristics, health risk factors and transgenerational factors such as parental education. The study also examined gender disparities in cognitive functioning across geographic regions in India. Using cross-sectional data from the World Health Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1 (2007-2010) in a national sample of adults aged 50 years or older, a generalized linear model was used to examine the impacts of education and per-capita income on overall cognitive functioning. The generalized estimating equation approach was utilized to quantify these impacts on respondents' overall cognitive performance score. This technique accounted for any correlation of responses of individuals within the same household. Respondents with primary or secondary education and those with education above secondary level scored 3.8 and 6 points (P < 0.001) respectively more than respondents who had no formal education. In a similar vein, individuals in higher per-capita income quartiles scored 0.4,1.0 and 1.8 (P < 0.001) more than respondents in the lowest income quartile. Although respondents in northern states scored 1.8 points higher than those from other geographic locations (P < 0.001), females in northern states had the worst cognitive performance (1.9 points lower) compared with females in other Indian states. In addition, early and adult life characteristics such as parental education, physical activity and a history of depression were found to be significant predictors of overall cognitive functioning. Education and income play important roles in influencing overall cognitive performance among middle-aged and elderly Indians. In addition, cognitive performance scores varied across geographic regions, and female disadvantage was observed in northern Indian states. Policies directed towards greater educational opportunities, particularly for women in northern Indian states, or promotion of physical activity programmes, have potential to improve cognitive performance and enhance cognitive health among middle-aged and older adults in India.

Age identity, gender, and perceptions of decline: does feeling older lead to pessimistic dispositions about cognitive aging?

PubMed

Schafer, Markus H; Shippee, Tetyana P

2010-01-01

Drawing on past studies of age identity, this article examined whether feeling older was associated with more pessimistic views about cognitive aging. Using respondents aged 55 years and older in the Midlife Development in the United States study, we estimated a series of linear regression models to predict people's dispositions toward their cognitive aging. The main comparison is whether the effects of age identity on cognitive aging differ for men and women. Beyond the effects of chronological age, older age identities were associated with more pessimistic dispositions about cognitive aging. This relationship, however, was found only among women. Age identity shapes cognitive aging dispositions, though the gendered nature of this relationship remains somewhat unclear. The findings give further evidence about the far-reaching implications of age identity for successful aging and suggest that future work can explicate how subjective aging processes may differ by gender.

Influence of anxiety, depression and looming cognitive style on auditory looming perception.

PubMed

Riskind, John H; Kleiman, Evan M; Seifritz, Erich; Neuhoff, John

2014-01-01

Previous studies show that individuals with an anticipatory auditory looming bias over-estimate the closeness of a sound source that approaches them. Our present study bridges cognitive clinical and perception research, and provides evidence that anxiety symptoms and a particular putative cognitive style that creates vulnerability for anxiety (looming cognitive style, or LCS) are related to how people perceive this ecologically fundamental auditory warning signal. The effects of anxiety symptoms on the anticipatory auditory looming effect synergistically depend on the dimension of perceived personal danger assessed by the LCS (physical or social threat). Depression symptoms, in contrast to anxiety symptoms, predict a diminution of the auditory looming bias. Findings broaden our understanding of the links between cognitive-affective states and auditory perception processes and lend further support to past studies providing evidence that the looming cognitive style is related to bias in threat processing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anxiety, worry and cognitive risk estimate in relation to protective behaviors during the 2009 influenza A/H1N1 pandemic in Hong Kong: ten cross-sectional surveys

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Few studies have investigated associations between psychological and behavioral indices throughout a major epidemic. This study was aimed to compare the strength of associations between different cognitive and affective measures of risk and self-reported protective behaviors in a series of ten cross-sectional surveys conducted throughout the first wave of influenza A/H1N1 pandemic. Methods All surveys were conducted using questionnaire-based telephone interviews, with random digit dialing to recruit adults from the general population. Measures of anxiety and worry (affective) and perceived risk (cognitive) regarding A/H1N1 were made in 10 serial surveys. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the cognitive/affective-behavioral associations in each survey while multilevel logistic models were conducted to estimate the average effects of each cognitive/affective measure on adoption of protective behaviors throughout the ten surveys. Results Excepting state anxiety, other affective measures including “anticipated worry”, “experienced worry” and “current worry” specific to A/H1N1 risk were consistently and strongly associated with adoption of protective behaviors across different survey periods. However, the cognitive-behavioral associations were weaker and inconsistent across the ten surveys. Perceived A/H1N1 severity relative to SARS had stronger associations with adoption of protective behaviors in the late epidemic periods than in the early epidemic periods. Conclusion Risk-specific worries appear to be significantly associated with the adoption of protective behaviors at different epidemic stages, whereas cognitive measures may become more important in understanding people’s behavioral responses later in epidemics. Future epidemic-related psycho-behavioral research should include more affective-loaded measures of risk. PMID:24674239

Bilingualism does not alter cognitive decline or dementia risk among Spanish-speaking immigrants.

PubMed

Zahodne, Laura B; Schofield, Peter W; Farrell, Meagan T; Stern, Yaakov; Manly, Jennifer J

2014-03-01

Clinic-based studies suggest that dementia is diagnosed at older ages in bilinguals compared with monolinguals. The current study sought to test this hypothesis in a large, prospective, community-based study of initially nondemented Hispanic immigrants living in a Spanish-speaking enclave of northern Manhattan. Participants included 1,067 participants in the Washington/Hamilton Heights Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP) who were tested in Spanish and followed at 18-24 month intervals for up to 23 years. Spanish-English bilingualism was estimated via both self-report and an objective measure of English reading level. Multilevel models for change estimated the independent effects of bilingualism on cognitive decline in 4 domains: episodic memory, language, executive function, and speed. Over the course of the study, 282 participants developed dementia. Cox regression was used to estimate the independent effect of bilingualism on dementia conversion. Covariates included country of origin, gender, education, time spent in the United States, recruitment cohort, and age at enrollment. Independent of the covariates, bilingualism was associated with better memory and executive function at baseline. However, bilingualism was not independently associated with rates of cognitive decline or dementia conversion. Results were similar whether bilingualism was measured via self-report or an objective test of reading level. This study does not support a protective effect of bilingualism on age-related cognitive decline or the development of dementia. In this sample of Hispanic immigrants, bilingualism is related to higher initial scores on cognitive tests and higher educational attainment and may not represent a unique source of cognitive reserve. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Bilingualism Does Not Alter Cognitive Decline or Dementia Risk among Spanish-Speaking Immigrants

PubMed Central

Zahodne, Laura B.; Schofield, Peter W.; Farrell, Meagan T.; Stern, Yaakov; Manly, Jennifer J.

2013-01-01

Objective Clinic-based studies suggest that dementia is diagnosed at older ages in bilinguals compared to monolinguals. The current study sought to test this hypothesis in a large, prospective, community-based study of initially non-demented Hispanic immigrants living in a Spanish-speaking enclave of Northern Manhattan. Method Participants included 1,067 participants in the Washington/Hamilton Heights Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP) who were tested in Spanish and followed at 18–24 month intervals for up to 23 years. Spanish-English bilingualism was estimated via both self-report and an objective measure of English reading level. Multilevel models for change estimated the independent effects of bilingualism on cognitive decline in four domains: episodic memory, language, executive function, and speed. Over the course of the study, 282 participants developed dementia. Cox regression was used to estimate the independent effect of bilingualism on dementia conversion. Covariates included country of origin, gender, education, time spent in the United States, recruitment cohort, and age at enrollment. Results Independent of the covariates, bilingualism was associated with better memory and executive function at baseline. However bilingualism was not independently associated with rates of cognitive decline or dementia conversion. Results were similar whether bilingualism was measured via self-report or an objective test of reading level. Conclusions This study does not support a protective effect of bilingualism on age-related cognitive decline or the development of dementia. In this sample of Hispanic immigrants, bilingualism is related to higher initial scores on cognitive tests and higher educational attainment and may not represent a unique source of cognitive reserve. PMID:24188113

Reliability and Validity of Food Frequency Questionnaire and Nutrient Biomarkers in Elders With and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Bowman, Gene L.; Shannon, Jackilen; Ho, Emily; Traber, Maret G.; Frei, Balz; Oken, Barry S.; Kaye, Jeffery A.; Quinn, Joseph F.

2010-01-01

Introduction There is great interest in nutritional strategies for the prevention of age-related cognitive decline, yet the best methods for nutritional assessment in populations at risk for dementia are still evolving. Our study objective was to test the reliability and validity of two common nutritional assessments (plasma nutrient biomarkers and Food Frequency Questionnaire) in people at risk for dementia. Methods Thirty-eight elders, half with amnestic -Mild Cognitive Impairment and half with intact cognition were recruited. Nutritional assessments were collected together at baseline and again at 1 month. Intraclass and Pearson correlation coefficients quantified reliability and validity. Results Twenty-six nutrients were examined and reliability was very good or better for 77% (20/26, ICC ≥ .75) of the plasma nutrient biomarkers and for 88% of the FFQ estimates. Twelve of the plasma nutrient estimates were as reliable as the commonly measured plasma cholesterol (ICC=.92). FFQ and plasma long-chain fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid, r =.39, eicosapentaenoic acid, r = .39) and carotenoids (α-carotene, r =.49; lutein + zeaxanthin, r = .48; β-carotene, r = .43; β-cryptoxanthin, r = .41) were correlated, but no other FFQ estimates correlated with respective nutrient biomarkers. Correlations between FFQ and plasma fatty acids and carotenoids were significantly stronger after removing subjects with MCI. Conclusion The reliability and validity of plasma and FFQ nutrient estimates vary according to the nutrient of interest. Memory deficit attenuates FFQ estimate validity and inflates FFQ estimate reliability. Many plasma nutrient biomarkers have very good reliability over 1-month regardless of memory state. This method can circumvent sources of error seen in other less direct methods of nutritional assessment. PMID:20856100

Spatial Topography of Individual-Specific Cortical Networks Predicts Human Cognition, Personality, and Emotion.

PubMed

Kong, Ru; Li, Jingwei; Orban, Csaba; Sabuncu, Mert R; Liu, Hesheng; Schaefer, Alexander; Sun, Nanbo; Zuo, Xi-Nian; Holmes, Avram J; Eickhoff, Simon B; Yeo, B T Thomas

2018-06-06

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) offers the opportunity to delineate individual-specific brain networks. A major question is whether individual-specific network topography (i.e., location and spatial arrangement) is behaviorally relevant. Here, we propose a multi-session hierarchical Bayesian model (MS-HBM) for estimating individual-specific cortical networks and investigate whether individual-specific network topography can predict human behavior. The multiple layers of the MS-HBM explicitly differentiate intra-subject (within-subject) from inter-subject (between-subject) network variability. By ignoring intra-subject variability, previous network mappings might confuse intra-subject variability for inter-subject differences. Compared with other approaches, MS-HBM parcellations generalized better to new rs-fMRI and task-fMRI data from the same subjects. More specifically, MS-HBM parcellations estimated from a single rs-fMRI session (10 min) showed comparable generalizability as parcellations estimated by 2 state-of-the-art methods using 5 sessions (50 min). We also showed that behavioral phenotypes across cognition, personality, and emotion could be predicted by individual-specific network topography with modest accuracy, comparable to previous reports predicting phenotypes based on connectivity strength. Network topography estimated by MS-HBM was more effective for behavioral prediction than network size, as well as network topography estimated by other parcellation approaches. Thus, similar to connectivity strength, individual-specific network topography might also serve as a fingerprint of human behavior.

Generalized Processing Tree Models: Jointly Modeling Discrete and Continuous Variables.

PubMed

Heck, Daniel W; Erdfelder, Edgar; Kieslich, Pascal J

2018-05-24

Multinomial processing tree models assume that discrete cognitive states determine observed response frequencies. Generalized processing tree (GPT) models extend this conceptual framework to continuous variables such as response times, process-tracing measures, or neurophysiological variables. GPT models assume finite-mixture distributions, with weights determined by a processing tree structure, and continuous components modeled by parameterized distributions such as Gaussians with separate or shared parameters across states. We discuss identifiability, parameter estimation, model testing, a modeling syntax, and the improved precision of GPT estimates. Finally, a GPT version of the feature comparison model of semantic categorization is applied to computer-mouse trajectories.

Acute Brain Dysfunction: Development and Validation of a Daily Prediction Model.

PubMed

Marra, Annachiara; Pandharipande, Pratik P; Shotwell, Matthew S; Chandrasekhar, Rameela; Girard, Timothy D; Shintani, Ayumi K; Peelen, Linda M; Moons, Karl G M; Dittus, Robert S; Ely, E Wesley; Vasilevskis, Eduard E

2018-03-24

The goal of this study was to develop and validate a dynamic risk model to predict daily changes in acute brain dysfunction (ie, delirium and coma), discharge, and mortality in ICU patients. Using data from a multicenter prospective ICU cohort, a daily acute brain dysfunction-prediction model (ABD-pm) was developed by using multinomial logistic regression that estimated 15 transition probabilities (from one of three brain function states [normal, delirious, or comatose] to one of five possible outcomes [normal, delirious, comatose, ICU discharge, or died]) using baseline and daily risk factors. Model discrimination was assessed by using predictive characteristics such as negative predictive value (NPV). Calibration was assessed by plotting empirical vs model-estimated probabilities. Internal validation was performed by using a bootstrap procedure. Data were analyzed from 810 patients (6,711 daily transitions). The ABD-pm included individual risk factors: mental status, age, preexisting cognitive impairment, baseline and daily severity of illness, and daily administration of sedatives. The model yielded very high NPVs for "next day" delirium (NPV: 0.823), coma (NPV: 0.892), normal cognitive state (NPV: 0.875), ICU discharge (NPV: 0.905), and mortality (NPV: 0.981). The model demonstrated outstanding calibration when predicting the total number of patients expected to be in any given state across predicted risk. We developed and internally validated a dynamic risk model that predicts the daily risk for one of three cognitive states, ICU discharge, or mortality. The ABD-pm may be useful for predicting the proportion of patients for each outcome state across entire ICU populations to guide quality, safety, and care delivery activities. Copyright © 2018 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age of Migration Differentials in Life Expectancy with Cognitive Impairment: 20-Year Findings From the Hispanic-EPESE.

PubMed

Garcia, Marc A; Saenz, Joseph L; Downer, Brian; Chiu, Chi-Tsun; Rote, Sunshine; Wong, Rebeca

2017-05-09

To examine differences in life expectancy with cognitive impairment among older Mexican adults according to nativity (U.S.-born/foreign-born) and among immigrants, age of migration to the United States. This study employs 20 years of data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to estimate the proportion of life spent cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired prior to death among older Mexican adults residing in the southwestern United States. We combine age-specific mortality rates with age-specific prevalence of cognitive impairment, defined as a Mini-Mental Status Exam score of less than 21 points to calculate Sullivan-based life table models with and without cognitive impairment in later life. Foreign-born Mexican immigrants have longer total life expectancy and comparable cognitive healthy life expectancy regardless of gender compared to U.S.-born Mexican-Americans. However, the foreign-born spend a greater number of years after age 65 with cognitive impairment relative to their U.S.-born counterparts. Furthermore, we document an advantage in life expectancy with cognitive impairment and proportion of years after age 65 cognitively healthy among mid-life immigrant men and women relative to early- and late-life migrants. The relationship between nativity, age of migration, and life expectancy with cognitive impairment means that the foreign-born are in more need of support and time-intensive care in late life. This issue merits special attention to develop appropriate and targeted screening efforts that reduce cognitive decline for diverse subgroups of older Mexican-origin adults as they age. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of Cognition, Function, and Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms on Medicare Expenditures and Health Care Utilization for Persons With Dementia.

PubMed

Jutkowitz, Eric; Kane, Robert L; Dowd, Bryan; Gaugler, Joseph E; MacLehose, Richard F; Kuntz, Karen M

2017-06-01

Clinical features of dementia (cognition, function, and behavioral/psychological symptoms [BPSD]) may differentially affect Medicare expenditures/health care utilization. We linked cross-sectional data from the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study to Medicare data to evaluate the association between dementia clinical features among those with dementia and Medicare expenditures/health care utilization (n = 234). Cognition was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Function was evaluated as the number of functional limitations (0-10). BPSD was evaluated as the number of symptoms (0-12). Expenditures were estimated with a generalized linear model (log-link and gamma distribution). Number of hospitalizations, institutional outpatient visits, and physician visits were estimated with a negative binomial regression. Medicare covered skilled nursing days were estimated with a zero-inflated negative binomial model. Cognition and BPSD were not associated with expenditures. Among individuals with less than seven functional limitations, one additional limitation was associated with $123 (95% confidence interval: $19-$227) additional monthly Medicare spending. Better cognition and poorer function were associated with more hospitalizations among those with an MMSE less than three and less than six functional limitations, respectively. BPSD had no effect on hospitalizations. Poorer function and fewer BPSD were associated with more skilled nursing among individuals with one to seven functional limitations and more than four symptoms, respectively. Cognition had no effect on skilled nursing care. No clinical feature was associated with institutional outpatient care. Of individuals with an MMSE less than 15, poorer cognition was associated with fewer physician visits. Among those with more than six functional limitations, poorer function was associated with fewer physician visits. Poorer function, not cognition or BPSD, was associated with higher Medicare expenditures. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cognitive Neural Prosthetics

PubMed Central

Andersen, Richard A.; Hwang, Eun Jung; Mulliken, Grant H.

2010-01-01

The cognitive neural prosthetic (CNP) is a very versatile method for assisting paralyzed patients and patients with amputations. The CNP records the cognitive state of the subject, rather than signals strictly related to motor execution or sensation. We review a number of high-level cortical signals and their application for CNPs, including intention, motor imagery, decision making, forward estimation, executive function, attention, learning, and multi-effector movement planning. CNPs are defined by the cognitive function they extract, not the cortical region from which the signals are recorded. However, some cortical areas may be better than others for particular applications. Signals can also be extracted in parallel from multiple cortical areas using multiple implants, which in many circumstances can increase the range of applications of CNPs. The CNP approach relies on scientific understanding of the neural processes involved in cognition, and many of the decoding algorithms it uses also have parallels to underlying neural circuit functions. PMID:19575625

Trajectories of health-related quality of life during the natural history of dementia: a six-wave longitudinal study.

PubMed

Yu, Hongmei; Gao, Caihong; Zhang, Yanbo; He, Runlian; Zhou, Liye; Liang, Ruifeng

2017-09-01

The objective of this study was to explore profiles of quality of life (QoL) trajectories during the natural history of dementia and individual variations contributing to QoL trajectories. We conducted a longitudinal community-based study of 520 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment and 100 healthy people aged 60 years or over. We conducted six waves of assessment between October 2010 and May 2013 in Taiyuan, mainland China. Cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, global impairment, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) were defined as state 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. We assessed health-related QoL (HRQoL) via the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD) Chinese version. We used the latent growth curve model (LGCM) to investigate change in HRQoL over time. Latent growth curve model analysis revealed a mean initial QoL level of 29.865 with substantial variation and a significant mean slope for the whole sample. Multigroup LGCM showed substantial variations across individuals in initial QoL levels for each cognitive state transition group. For the slope factor, we found significant changes and variations for the transition from state 2 to 3 and from state 3 to 4. We estimated mean QoL levels over six assessments based on intercept, slope, and factor loadings for the whole sample and the three cognitive state transition groups. A decline in subjective QoL is not inevitable during the natural history of dementia in community settings, and there is a degree of individual variation in QoL. Future studies should investigate the factors associated with individual variations in QoL trajectories in AD. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A fuzzy integral method based on the ensemble of neural networks to analyze fMRI data for cognitive state classification across multiple subjects.

PubMed

Cacha, L A; Parida, S; Dehuri, S; Cho, S-B; Poznanski, R R

2016-12-01

The huge number of voxels in fMRI over time poses a major challenge to for effective analysis. Fast, accurate, and reliable classifiers are required for estimating the decoding accuracy of brain activities. Although machine-learning classifiers seem promising, individual classifiers have their own limitations. To address this limitation, the present paper proposes a method based on the ensemble of neural networks to analyze fMRI data for cognitive state classification for application across multiple subjects. Similarly, the fuzzy integral (FI) approach has been employed as an efficient tool for combining different classifiers. The FI approach led to the development of a classifiers ensemble technique that performs better than any of the single classifier by reducing the misclassification, the bias, and the variance. The proposed method successfully classified the different cognitive states for multiple subjects with high accuracy of classification. Comparison of the performance improvement, while applying ensemble neural networks method, vs. that of the individual neural network strongly points toward the usefulness of the proposed method.

How does cognition evolve? Phylogenetic comparative psychology

PubMed Central

Matthews, Luke J.; Hare, Brian A.; Nunn, Charles L.; Anderson, Rindy C.; Aureli, Filippo; Brannon, Elizabeth M.; Call, Josep; Drea, Christine M.; Emery, Nathan J.; Haun, Daniel B. M.; Herrmann, Esther; Jacobs, Lucia F.; Platt, Michael L.; Rosati, Alexandra G.; Sandel, Aaron A.; Schroepfer, Kara K.; Seed, Amanda M.; Tan, Jingzhi; van Schaik, Carel P.; Wobber, Victoria

2014-01-01

Now more than ever animal studies have the potential to test hypotheses regarding how cognition evolves. Comparative psychologists have developed new techniques to probe the cognitive mechanisms underlying animal behavior, and they have become increasingly skillful at adapting methodologies to test multiple species. Meanwhile, evolutionary biologists have generated quantitative approaches to investigate the phylogenetic distribution and function of phenotypic traits, including cognition. In particular, phylogenetic methods can quantitatively (1) test whether specific cognitive abilities are correlated with life history (e.g., lifespan), morphology (e.g., brain size), or socio-ecological variables (e.g., social system), (2) measure how strongly phylogenetic relatedness predicts the distribution of cognitive skills across species, and (3) estimate the ancestral state of a given cognitive trait using measures of cognitive performance from extant species. Phylogenetic methods can also be used to guide the selection of species comparisons that offer the strongest tests of a priori predictions of cognitive evolutionary hypotheses (i.e., phylogenetic targeting). Here, we explain how an integration of comparative psychology and evolutionary biology will answer a host of questions regarding the phylogenetic distribution and history of cognitive traits, as well as the evolutionary processes that drove their evolution. PMID:21927850

How does cognition evolve? Phylogenetic comparative psychology.

PubMed

MacLean, Evan L; Matthews, Luke J; Hare, Brian A; Nunn, Charles L; Anderson, Rindy C; Aureli, Filippo; Brannon, Elizabeth M; Call, Josep; Drea, Christine M; Emery, Nathan J; Haun, Daniel B M; Herrmann, Esther; Jacobs, Lucia F; Platt, Michael L; Rosati, Alexandra G; Sandel, Aaron A; Schroepfer, Kara K; Seed, Amanda M; Tan, Jingzhi; van Schaik, Carel P; Wobber, Victoria

2012-03-01

Now more than ever animal studies have the potential to test hypotheses regarding how cognition evolves. Comparative psychologists have developed new techniques to probe the cognitive mechanisms underlying animal behavior, and they have become increasingly skillful at adapting methodologies to test multiple species. Meanwhile, evolutionary biologists have generated quantitative approaches to investigate the phylogenetic distribution and function of phenotypic traits, including cognition. In particular, phylogenetic methods can quantitatively (1) test whether specific cognitive abilities are correlated with life history (e.g., lifespan), morphology (e.g., brain size), or socio-ecological variables (e.g., social system), (2) measure how strongly phylogenetic relatedness predicts the distribution of cognitive skills across species, and (3) estimate the ancestral state of a given cognitive trait using measures of cognitive performance from extant species. Phylogenetic methods can also be used to guide the selection of species comparisons that offer the strongest tests of a priori predictions of cognitive evolutionary hypotheses (i.e., phylogenetic targeting). Here, we explain how an integration of comparative psychology and evolutionary biology will answer a host of questions regarding the phylogenetic distribution and history of cognitive traits, as well as the evolutionary processes that drove their evolution.

Left frontal hub connectivity delays cognitive impairment in autosomal-dominant and sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Franzmeier, Nicolai; Düzel, Emrah; Jessen, Frank; Buerger, Katharina; Levin, Johannes; Duering, Marco; Dichgans, Martin; Haass, Christian; Suárez-Calvet, Marc; Fagan, Anne M; Paumier, Katrina; Benzinger, Tammie; Masters, Colin L; Morris, John C; Perneczky, Robert; Janowitz, Daniel; Catak, Cihan; Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Wagner, Michael; Teipel, Stefan; Kilimann, Ingo; Ramirez, Alfredo; Rossor, Martin; Jucker, Mathias; Chhatwal, Jasmeer; Spottke, Annika; Boecker, Henning; Brosseron, Frederic; Falkai, Peter; Fliessbach, Klaus; Heneka, Michael T; Laske, Christoph; Nestor, Peter; Peters, Oliver; Fuentes, Manuel; Menne, Felix; Priller, Josef; Spruth, Eike J; Franke, Christiana; Schneider, Anja; Kofler, Barbara; Westerteicher, Christine; Speck, Oliver; Wiltfang, Jens; Bartels, Claudia; Araque Caballero, Miguel Ángel; Metzger, Coraline; Bittner, Daniel; Weiner, Michael; Lee, Jae-Hong; Salloway, Stephen; Danek, Adrian; Goate, Alison; Schofield, Peter R; Bateman, Randall J; Ewers, Michael

2018-04-01

Patients with Alzheimer's disease vary in their ability to sustain cognitive abilities in the presence of brain pathology. A major open question is which brain mechanisms may support higher reserve capacity, i.e. relatively high cognitive performance at a given level of Alzheimer's pathology. Higher functional MRI-assessed functional connectivity of a hub in the left frontal cortex is a core candidate brain mechanism underlying reserve as it is associated with education (i.e. a protective factor often associated with higher reserve) and attenuated cognitive impairment in prodromal Alzheimer's disease. However, no study has yet assessed whether such hub connectivity of the left frontal cortex supports reserve throughout the evolution of pathological brain changes in Alzheimer's disease, including the presymptomatic stage when cognitive decline is subtle. To address this research gap, we obtained cross-sectional resting state functional MRI in 74 participants with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease, 55 controls from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network and 75 amyloid-positive elderly participants, as well as 41 amyloid-negative cognitively normal elderly subjects from the German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases multicentre study on biomarkers in sporadic Alzheimer's disease. For each participant, global left frontal cortex connectivity was computed as the average resting state functional connectivity between the left frontal cortex (seed) and each voxel in the grey matter. As a marker of disease stage, we applied estimated years from symptom onset in autosomal dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease and cerebrospinal fluid tau levels in sporadic Alzheimer's disease cases. In both autosomal dominant and sporadic Alzheimer's disease patients, higher levels of left frontal cortex connectivity were correlated with greater education. For autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease, a significant left frontal cortex connectivity × estimated years of onset interaction was found, indicating slower decline of memory and global cognition at higher levels of connectivity. Similarly, in sporadic amyloid-positive elderly subjects, the effect of tau on cognition was attenuated at higher levels of left frontal cortex connectivity. Polynomial regression analysis showed that the trajectory of cognitive decline was shifted towards a later stage of Alzheimer's disease in patients with higher levels of left frontal cortex connectivity. Together, our findings suggest that higher resilience against the development of cognitive impairment throughout the early stages of Alzheimer's disease is at least partially attributable to higher left frontal cortex-hub connectivity.

Is there information contained within the sentence-writing component of the mini mental state examination? A retrospective study of community dwelling older people.

PubMed

Shenkin, Susan D; Starr, John M; Dunn, Joanne M; Carter, Samantha; Deary, Ian J

2008-12-01

To investigate the relationship between features of the MMSE written sentence and cognitive function, depression and disability. MMSE sentences from 191 community dwelling individuals without dementia from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 (LBC1921) study were: (a) photocopied and (b) typed as written. Sentences were rated for objective criteria: word number and frequency, first person usage, time orientation, and letter case. Twenty healthy raters (50% male, age 20-26 years), blind to all other data, rated each handwritten and typed sentence for subjective criteria: legibility, 'emotional' tone (positive to negative), estimated age, health, and intelligence. As part of the LBC1921 volunteers had results available for cognitive ability tests (from which we extracted a general cognitive ability factor, g), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), and Townsend disability scores. 43.5% of subjects were male, mean age 78.6, SD 0.43 years. There was no significant association between the objective sentence criteria, legibility or tone and measured cognitive ability or physical disability. However, estimates of intelligence from the MMSE written sentence correlated significantly with current cognitive ability (r = 0.29, p < 0.001). There was a trend towards sentences with a negative tone being associated with a higher HADS-depression score (rho = -0.12, p = 0.09). In community dwelling people aged around 80 years, despite no association between objectively rated features of the MMSE sentence and intelligence or disability, raters were able to make better-than-chance estimates of subjects' intelligence test scores. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Increased sensitivity to age-related differences in brain functional connectivity during continuous multiple object tracking compared to resting-state.

PubMed

Dørum, Erlend S; Kaufmann, Tobias; Alnæs, Dag; Andreassen, Ole A; Richard, Geneviève; Kolskår, Knut K; Nordvik, Jan Egil; Westlye, Lars T

2017-03-01

Age-related differences in cognitive agility vary greatly between individuals and cognitive functions. This heterogeneity is partly mirrored in individual differences in brain network connectivity as revealed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), suggesting potential imaging biomarkers for age-related cognitive decline. However, although convenient in its simplicity, the resting state is essentially an unconstrained paradigm with minimal experimental control. Here, based on the conception that the magnitude and characteristics of age-related differences in brain connectivity is dependent on cognitive context and effort, we tested the hypothesis that experimentally increasing cognitive load boosts the sensitivity to age and changes the discriminative network configurations. To this end, we obtained fMRI data from younger (n=25, mean age 24.16±5.11) and older (n=22, mean age 65.09±7.53) healthy adults during rest and two load levels of continuous multiple object tracking (MOT). Brain network nodes and their time-series were estimated using independent component analysis (ICA) and dual regression, and the edges in the brain networks were defined as the regularized partial temporal correlations between each of the node pairs at the individual level. Using machine learning based on a cross-validated regularized linear discriminant analysis (rLDA) we attempted to classify groups and cognitive load from the full set of edge-wise functional connectivity indices. While group classification using resting-state data was highly above chance (approx. 70% accuracy), functional connectivity (FC) obtained during MOT strongly increased classification performance, with 82% accuracy for the young and 95% accuracy for the old group at the highest load level. Further, machine learning revealed stronger differentiation between rest and task in young compared to older individuals, supporting the notion of network dedifferentiation in cognitive aging. Task-modulation in edgewise FC was primarily observed between attention- and sensorimotor networks; with decreased negative correlations between attention- and default mode networks in older adults. These results demonstrate that the magnitude and configuration of age-related differences in brain functional connectivity are partly dependent on cognitive context and load, which emphasizes the importance of assessing brain connectivity differences across a range of cognitive contexts beyond the resting-state. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two Mechanisms: The Role of Social Capital and Industrial Pollution Exposure in Explaining Racial Disparities in Self-Rated Health

PubMed Central

Ard, Kerry; Colen, Cynthia; Becerra, Marisol; Velez, Thelma

2016-01-01

This study provides an empirical test of two mechanisms (social capital and exposure to air pollution) that are theorized to mediate the effect of neighborhood on health and contribute to racial disparities in health outcomes. To this end, we utilize the Social Capital Benchmark Study, a national survey of individuals nested within communities in the United States, to estimate how multiple dimensions of social capital and exposure to air pollution, explain racial disparities in self-rated health. Our main findings show that when controlling for individual-confounders, and nesting within communities, our indicator of cognitive bridging, generalized trust, decreases the gap in self-rated health between African Americans and Whites by 84%, and the gap between Hispanics and Whites by 54%. Our other indicator of cognitive social capital, cognitive linking as represented by engagement in politics, decreases the gap in health between Hispanics and Whites by 32%, but has little impact on African Americans. We also assessed whether the gap in health was explained by respondents’ estimated exposure to toxicity-weighted air pollutants from large industrial facilities over the previous year. Our results show that accounting for exposure to these toxins has no effect on the racial gap in self-rated health in these data. This paper contributes to the neighborhood effects literature by examining the impact that estimated annual industrial air pollution, and multiple measures of social capital, have on explaining the racial gap in health in a sample of individuals nested within communities across the United States. PMID:27775582

Two Mechanisms: The Role of Social Capital and Industrial Pollution Exposure in Explaining Racial Disparities in Self-Rated Health.

PubMed

Ard, Kerry; Colen, Cynthia; Becerra, Marisol; Velez, Thelma

2016-10-19

This study provides an empirical test of two mechanisms (social capital and exposure to air pollution) that are theorized to mediate the effect of neighborhood on health and contribute to racial disparities in health outcomes. To this end, we utilize the Social Capital Benchmark Study, a national survey of individuals nested within communities in the United States, to estimate how multiple dimensions of social capital and exposure to air pollution, explain racial disparities in self-rated health. Our main findings show that when controlling for individual-confounders, and nesting within communities, our indicator of cognitive bridging, generalized trust, decreases the gap in self-rated health between African Americans and Whites by 84%, and the gap between Hispanics and Whites by 54%. Our other indicator of cognitive social capital, cognitive linking as represented by engagement in politics, decreases the gap in health between Hispanics and Whites by 32%, but has little impact on African Americans. We also assessed whether the gap in health was explained by respondents' estimated exposure to toxicity-weighted air pollutants from large industrial facilities over the previous year. Our results show that accounting for exposure to these toxins has no effect on the racial gap in self-rated health in these data. This paper contributes to the neighborhood effects literature by examining the impact that estimated annual industrial air pollution, and multiple measures of social capital, have on explaining the racial gap in health in a sample of individuals nested within communities across the United States.

Two-day fasting evokes stress, but does not affect mood, brain activity, cognitive, psychomotor, and motor performance in overweight women.

PubMed

Solianik, Rima; Sujeta, Artūras

2018-02-15

The physiological, cognitive state, and motor behavior changes that occur during acute fasting are not completely understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate the effect of 2-day total fasting on evoked stress, mood, brain activity, and cognitive, psychomotor, and motor function in overweight women. Eleven overweight women (body mass index above 25kg/m 2 ) aged 20-30 years were tested under two conditions allocated randomly: 2-day zero-calorie diet with water provided ad libitum and 2-day usual diet. One week before the experiment, aerobic fitness was evaluated. Subjective stress ratings in relation to the diet, autonomic function, prefrontal cortex activity, cognitive performance, psychomotor coordination, and grip strength were evaluated before and after each diet. The study demonstrated that fasting decreased log-transformed high-frequency (HF) power, without affecting heart rate. The relative maximum oxygen uptake was negatively correlated with subjective stress rating and changes in log-transformed HF. Fasting did not affect mood, brain activity, and cognitive, motor, and psychomotor performance. Thus, 2-day total fasting evoked moderate stress with a shift of the autonomic nervous system balance toward sympathetic activity in overweight women. Better aerobic endurance is likely to facilitate the capacity for dealing with acute fasting. Regardless of the evoked stress, cognitive state and motor behavior remained intact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three estimates of the association between linear growth failure and cognitive ability.

PubMed

Cheung, Y B; Lam, K F

2009-09-01

To compare three estimators of association between growth stunting as measured by height-for-age Z-score and cognitive ability in children, and to examine the extent statistical adjustment for covariates is useful for removing confounding due to socio-economic status. Three estimators, namely random-effects, within- and between-cluster estimators, for panel data were used to estimate the association in a survey of 1105 pairs of siblings who were assessed for anthropometry and cognition. Furthermore, a 'combined' model was formulated to simultaneously provide the within- and between-cluster estimates. Random-effects and between-cluster estimators showed strong association between linear growth and cognitive ability, even after adjustment for a range of socio-economic variables. In contrast, the within-cluster estimator showed a much more modest association: For every increase of one Z-score in linear growth, cognitive ability increased by about 0.08 standard deviation (P < 0.001). The combined model verified that the between-cluster estimate was significantly larger than the within-cluster estimate (P = 0.004). Residual confounding by socio-economic situations may explain a substantial proportion of the observed association between linear growth and cognition in studies that attempt to control the confounding by means of multivariable regression analysis. The within-cluster estimator provides more convincing and modest results about the strength of association.

Intellectual enrichment lessens the effect of brain atrophy on learning and memory in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Sumowski, James F; Wylie, Glenn R; Chiaravalloti, Nancy; DeLuca, John

2010-06-15

Learning and memory impairments are prevalent among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, such deficits are only weakly associated with MS disease severity (brain atrophy). The cognitive reserve hypothesis states that greater lifetime intellectual enrichment lessens the negative impact of brain disease on cognition, thereby helping to explain the incomplete relationship between brain disease and cognitive status in neurologic populations. The literature on cognitive reserve has focused mainly on Alzheimer disease. The current research examines whether greater intellectual enrichment lessens the negative effect of brain atrophy on learning and memory in patients with MS. Forty-four persons with MS completed neuropsychological measures of verbal learning and memory, and a vocabulary-based estimate of lifetime intellectual enrichment. Brain atrophy was estimated with third ventricle width measured from 3-T magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo MRIs. Hierarchical regression was used to predict learning and memory with brain atrophy, intellectual enrichment, and the interaction between brain atrophy and intellectual enrichment. Brain atrophy predicted worse learning and memory, and intellectual enrichment predicted better learning; however, these effects were moderated by interactions between brain atrophy and intellectual enrichment. Specifically, higher intellectual enrichment lessened the negative impact of brain atrophy on both learning and memory. These findings help to explain the incomplete relationship between multiple sclerosis disease severity and cognition, as the effect of disease on cognition is attenuated among patients with higher intellectual enrichment. As such, intellectual enrichment is supported as a protective factor against disease-related cognitive impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Statistical sensor fusion of ECG data using automotive-grade sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koenig, A.; Rehg, T.; Rasshofer, R.

2015-11-01

Driver states such as fatigue, stress, aggression, distraction or even medical emergencies continue to be yield to severe mistakes in driving and promote accidents. A pathway towards improving driver state assessment can be found in psycho-physiological measures to directly quantify the driver's state from physiological recordings. Although heart rate is a well-established physiological variable that reflects cognitive stress, obtaining heart rate contactless and reliably is a challenging task in an automotive environment. Our aim was to investigate, how sensory fusion of two automotive grade sensors would influence the accuracy of automatic classification of cognitive stress levels. We induced cognitive stress in subjects and estimated levels from their heart rate signals, acquired from automotive ready ECG sensors. Using signal quality indices and Kalman filters, we were able to decrease Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of heart rate recordings by 10 beats per minute. We then trained a neural network to classify the cognitive workload state of subjects from heart rate and compared classification performance for ground truth, the individual sensors and the fused heart rate signal. We obtained an increase of 5 % higher correct classification by fusing signals as compared to individual sensors, staying only 4 % below the maximally possible classification accuracy from ground truth. These results are a first step towards real world applications of psycho-physiological measurements in vehicle settings. Future implementations of driver state modeling will be able to draw from a larger pool of data sources, such as additional physiological values or vehicle related data, which can be expected to drive classification to significantly higher values.

Falls and cognitive decline in Mexican Americans 75 years and older

PubMed Central

Padubidri, Anokha; Al Snih, Soham; Samper-Ternent, Rafael; Markides, Kyriakos S; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J; Raji, Mukaila A

2014-01-01

Background Little is known about long-term emotional and cognitive consequences of falls. We examined the association between falls and subsequent cognitive decline, and tested the hypothesis that depression would mediate any falls–cognition association among cognitively intact Hispanic Elders. Methods We used data from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly to examine change in Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores over the 6-year period according to number of falls. All participants (N=1,119) had MMSE scores ≥21 and complete data on Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale, social and demographic factors, medical conditions (diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and hypertension), and hand grip muscle strength. Results At baseline, participants’ mean age was 80.8 years (range, 74–109), mean education was 6.3 years (range, 0–17), and mean MMSE was 25.2 (range, 21–30). Of the 1,119 participants, 15.8% experienced one fall and 14.4% had two or more falls. In mixed model analyses, having two or more falls was associated with greater decline in MMSE score (estimate =−0.81, standard error =0.19, P<0.0001) compared to having no fall, after adjusting for age, sex, marital status, and education. The magnitude of the association decreased (estimate =−0.65, standard error =0.19, P=0.0007) when adjustment was made for high depressive symptoms, suggesting a possible mediating effect of depression on the falls–cognition association. Female sex, high level of education, and high performance in hand grip muscle strength were associated with a slower decline in MMSE scores. Conclusion Having two or more falls was independently associated with steeper decline in cognition over 6 years, with a possible mediating effect of depression on the falls–cognition association. PMID:24790424

Cross-Participant EEG-Based Assessment of Cognitive Workload Using Multi-Path Convolutional Recurrent Neural Networks.

PubMed

Hefron, Ryan; Borghetti, Brett; Schubert Kabban, Christine; Christensen, James; Estepp, Justin

2018-04-26

Applying deep learning methods to electroencephalograph (EEG) data for cognitive state assessment has yielded improvements over previous modeling methods. However, research focused on cross-participant cognitive workload modeling using these techniques is underrepresented. We study the problem of cross-participant state estimation in a non-stimulus-locked task environment, where a trained model is used to make workload estimates on a new participant who is not represented in the training set. Using experimental data from the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) environment, a variety of deep neural network models are evaluated in the trade-space of computational efficiency, model accuracy, variance and temporal specificity yielding three important contributions: (1) The performance of ensembles of individually-trained models is statistically indistinguishable from group-trained methods at most sequence lengths. These ensembles can be trained for a fraction of the computational cost compared to group-trained methods and enable simpler model updates. (2) While increasing temporal sequence length improves mean accuracy, it is not sufficient to overcome distributional dissimilarities between individuals’ EEG data, as it results in statistically significant increases in cross-participant variance. (3) Compared to all other networks evaluated, a novel convolutional-recurrent model using multi-path subnetworks and bi-directional, residual recurrent layers resulted in statistically significant increases in predictive accuracy and decreases in cross-participant variance.

Cross-Participant EEG-Based Assessment of Cognitive Workload Using Multi-Path Convolutional Recurrent Neural Networks

PubMed Central

Hefron, Ryan; Borghetti, Brett; Schubert Kabban, Christine; Christensen, James; Estepp, Justin

2018-01-01

Applying deep learning methods to electroencephalograph (EEG) data for cognitive state assessment has yielded improvements over previous modeling methods. However, research focused on cross-participant cognitive workload modeling using these techniques is underrepresented. We study the problem of cross-participant state estimation in a non-stimulus-locked task environment, where a trained model is used to make workload estimates on a new participant who is not represented in the training set. Using experimental data from the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) environment, a variety of deep neural network models are evaluated in the trade-space of computational efficiency, model accuracy, variance and temporal specificity yielding three important contributions: (1) The performance of ensembles of individually-trained models is statistically indistinguishable from group-trained methods at most sequence lengths. These ensembles can be trained for a fraction of the computational cost compared to group-trained methods and enable simpler model updates. (2) While increasing temporal sequence length improves mean accuracy, it is not sufficient to overcome distributional dissimilarities between individuals’ EEG data, as it results in statistically significant increases in cross-participant variance. (3) Compared to all other networks evaluated, a novel convolutional-recurrent model using multi-path subnetworks and bi-directional, residual recurrent layers resulted in statistically significant increases in predictive accuracy and decreases in cross-participant variance. PMID:29701668

Multiple Brain Markers are Linked to Age-Related Variation in Cognition

PubMed Central

Hedden, Trey; Schultz, Aaron P.; Rieckmann, Anna; Mormino, Elizabeth C.; Johnson, Keith A.; Sperling, Reisa A.; Buckner, Randy L.

2016-01-01

Age-related alterations in brain structure and function have been challenging to link to cognition due to potential overlapping influences of multiple neurobiological cascades. We examined multiple brain markers associated with age-related variation in cognition. Clinically normal older humans aged 65–90 from the Harvard Aging Brain Study (N = 186) were characterized on a priori magnetic resonance imaging markers of gray matter thickness and volume, white matter hyperintensities, fractional anisotropy (FA), resting-state functional connectivity, positron emission tomography markers of glucose metabolism and amyloid burden, and cognitive factors of processing speed, executive function, and episodic memory. Partial correlation and mediation analyses estimated age-related variance in cognition shared with individual brain markers and unique to each marker. The largest relationships linked FA and striatum volume to processing speed and executive function, and hippocampal volume to episodic memory. Of the age-related variance in cognition, 70–80% was accounted for by combining all brain markers (but only ∼20% of total variance). Age had significant indirect effects on cognition via brain markers, with significant markers varying across cognitive domains. These results suggest that most age-related variation in cognition is shared among multiple brain markers, but potential specificity between some brain markers and cognitive domains motivates additional study of age-related markers of neural health. PMID:25316342

Jump, Hop, or Skip: Modeling Practice Effects in Studies of Determinants of Cognitive Change in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Vivot, Alexandre; Power, Melinda C.; Glymour, M. Maria; Mayeda, Elizabeth R.; Benitez, Andreana; Spiro, Avron; Manly, Jennifer J.; Proust-Lima, Cécile; Dufouil, Carole; Gross, Alden L.

2016-01-01

Improvements in cognitive test scores upon repeated assessment due to practice effects (PEs) are well documented, but there is no empirical evidence on whether alternative specifications of PEs result in different estimated associations between exposure and rate of cognitive change. If alternative PE specifications produce different estimates of association between an exposure and rate of cognitive change, this would be a challenge for nearly all longitudinal research on determinants of cognitive aging. Using data from 3 cohort studies—the Three-City Study–Dijon (Dijon, France, 1999–2010), the Normative Aging Study (Greater Boston, Massachusetts, 1993–2007), and the Washington Heights-Inwood Community Aging Project (New York, New York, 1999–2012)—for 2 exposures (diabetes and depression) and 3 cognitive outcomes, we compared results from longitudinal models using alternative PE specifications: no PEs; use of an indicator for the first cognitive visit; number of prior testing occasions; and square root of the number of prior testing occasions. Alternative specifications led to large differences in the estimated rates of cognitive change but minimal differences in estimated associations of exposure with cognitive level or change. Based on model fit, using an indicator for the first visit was often (but not always) the preferred model. PE specification can lead to substantial differences in estimated rates of cognitive change, but in these diverse examples and study samples it did not substantively affect estimated associations of risk factors with change. PMID:26825924

Toward Studying Music Cognition with Information Retrieval Techniques: Lessons Learned from the OpenMIIR Initiative.

PubMed

Stober, Sebastian

2017-01-01

As an emerging sub-field of music information retrieval (MIR), music imagery information retrieval (MIIR) aims to retrieve information from brain activity recorded during music cognition-such as listening to or imagining music pieces. This is a highly inter-disciplinary endeavor that requires expertise in MIR as well as cognitive neuroscience and psychology. The OpenMIIR initiative strives to foster collaborations between these fields to advance the state of the art in MIIR. As a first step, electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of music perception and imagination have been made publicly available, enabling MIR researchers to easily test and adapt their existing approaches for music analysis like fingerprinting, beat tracking or tempo estimation on this new kind of data. This paper reports on first results of MIIR experiments using these OpenMIIR datasets and points out how these findings could drive new research in cognitive neuroscience.

Capturing a Commander's decision making style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Eugene; Nguyen, Hien; Russell, Jacob; Kim, Keumjoo; Veenhuis, Luke; Boparai, Ramnjit; Stautland, Thomas Kristoffer

2017-05-01

A Commander's decision making style represents how he weighs his choices and evaluates possible solutions with regards to his goals. Specifically, in the naval warfare domain, it relates the way he processes a large amount of information in dynamic, uncertain environments, allocates resources, and chooses appropriate actions to pursue. In this paper, we describe an approach to capture a Commander's decision style by creating a cognitive model that captures his decisionmaking process and evaluate this model using a set of scenarios using an online naval warfare simulation game. In this model, we use the Commander's past behaviors and generalize Commander's actions across multiple problems and multiple decision making sequences in order to recommend actions to a Commander in a manner that he may have taken. Our approach builds upon the Double Transition Model to represent the Commander's focus and beliefs to estimate his cognitive state. Each cognitive state reflects a stage in a Commander's decision making process, each action reflects the tasks that he has taken to move himself closer to a final decision, and the reward reflects how close he is to achieving his goal. We then use inverse reinforcement learning to compute a reward for each of the Commander's actions. These rewards and cognitive states are used to compare between different styles of decision making. We construct a set of scenarios in the game where rational, intuitive and spontaneous decision making styles will be evaluated.

How restrained eaters perceive the amount they eat.

PubMed

Jansen, A

1996-09-01

The cognitive model of binge eating states that it is the awareness of a broken diet that disinhibits the restrained eater. It is, according to that model, the perception of having overeaten that triggers disinhibited eating. However, although the perception of the amount eaten plays a central role in cognitive restraint theory, it has never directly been tested how restrained subjects perceive the amount of food they eat. In the present studies, participants were given ad libitum access to large amounts of palatable food and both their perception of the amount eaten and their estimated caloric intake were compared with the amount they actually ate. The restrained participants in these studies ate more than the unrestrained participants. In the first and second studies, the restrained participants consumed 571 and 372 'forbidden' calories respectively, without having the feeling that they had eaten very much, let alone too much. Moreover in both studies, the restrained eaters underestimated their caloric intake, whereas unrestrained eaters estimated their caloric intake quite well. The potential implications of the present findings for the cognitive restraint model are discussed.

Instrumental variable approaches to identifying the causal effect of educational attainment on dementia risk

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thu T.; Tchetgen Tchetgen, Eric J.; Kawachi, Ichiro; Gilman, Stephen E.; Walter, Stefan; Liu, Sze Y.; Manly, Jennifer; Glymour, M. Maria

2015-01-01

Purpose Education is an established correlate of cognitive status in older adulthood, but whether expanding educational opportunities would improve cognitive functioning remains unclear given limitations of prior studies for causal inference. Therefore, we conducted instrumental variable (IV) analyses of the association between education and dementia risk, using for the first time in this area, genetic variants as instruments as well as state-level school policies. Methods IV analyses in the Health and Retirement Study cohort (1998–2010) used two sets of instruments: 1) a genetic risk score constructed from three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (n=8,054); and 2) compulsory schooling laws (CSLs) and state school characteristics (term length, student teacher ratios, and expenditures) (n=13,167). Results Employing the genetic risk score as an IV, there was a 1.1% reduction in dementia risk per year of schooling (95% CI: −2.4, 0.02). Leveraging compulsory schooling laws and state school characteristics as IVs, there was a substantially larger protective effect (−9.5%; 95% CI: −14.8, −4.2). Analyses evaluating the plausibility of the IV assumptions indicated estimates derived from analyses relying on CSLs provide the best estimates of the causal effect of education. Conclusion IV analyses suggest education is protective against risk of dementia in older adulthood. PMID:26633592

Soy food and isoflavone intake reduces the risk of cognitive impairment in elderly Japanese women.

PubMed

Nakamoto, Mariko; Otsuka, Rei; Nishita, Yukiko; Tange, Chikako; Tomida, Makiko; Kato, Yuki; Imai, Tomoko; Sakai, Tohru; Ando, Fujiko; Shimokata, Hiroshi

2018-01-18

Data were derived from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging. Subjects comprised 403 men and 373 women aged 60-81 years at baseline who participated in the follow-up study at least once. Bean, soy product and soy isoflavone intake was assessed using a 3-day dietary record at baseline. Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MMSE scores of ≤23 were used to define cognitive impairment. The relationship between bean, soy product and soy isoflavone intake and cognitive impairment was assessed using a generalized estimating equation. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for cognitive impairment with a 1 s.d. increase in total bean, total soybean and total soy isoflavone intakes were 0.48 (0.28-0.81; p = 0.006), 0.51 (0.32-0.83; p = 0.007), and 0.55 (0.32-0.93; p = 0.026), respectively, in women. Total soybean and soy isoflavone intake might decrease the risk of cognitive impairment in elderly Japanese women.

Cognitive cooperation groups mediated by computers and internet present significant improvement of cognitive status in older adults with memory complaints: a controlled prospective study.

PubMed

Krug, Rodrigo de Rosso; Silva, Anna Quialheiro Abreu da; Schneider, Ione Jayce Ceola; Ramos, Luiz Roberto; d'Orsi, Eleonora; Xavier, André Junqueira

2017-04-01

To estimate the effect of participating in cognitive cooperation groups, mediated by computers and the internet, on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) percent variation of outpatients with memory complaints attending two memory clinics. A prospective controlled intervention study carried out from 2006 to 2013 with 293 elders. The intervention group (n = 160) attended a cognitive cooperation group (20 sessions of 1.5 hours each). The control group (n = 133) received routine medical care. Outcome was the percent variation in the MMSE. Control variables included gender, age, marital status, schooling, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypothyroidism, depression, vascular diseases, polymedication, use of benzodiazepines, exposure to tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and functional capacity. The final model was obtained by multivariate linear regression. The intervention group obtained an independent positive variation of 24.39% (CI 95% = 14.86/33.91) in the MMSE compared to the control group. The results suggested that cognitive cooperation groups, mediated by computers and the internet, are associated with cognitive status improvement of older adults in memory clinics.

Cognitive Function as a Trans-Diagnostic Treatment Target in Stimulant Use Disorders

PubMed Central

Sofuoglu, Mehmet; DeVito, Elise E.; Waters, Andrew J.; Carroll, Kathleen M.

2016-01-01

Stimulant use disorder is an important public health problem, with an estimated 2.1 million current users in the United States alone. No pharmacological treatments are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for stimulant use disorder and behavioral treatments have variable efficacy and limited availability. Most individuals with stimulant use disorder have other comorbidities, most with overlapping symptoms and cognitive impairments. The goal of this article is to present a rationale for cognition as a treatment target in stimulant use disorder, and to outline potential treatment approaches. Rates of lifetime comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with stimulant use disorders are estimated at 65% - 73%, with the most common being mood disorders (13% - 64%) and anxiety disorders (21% - 50%), as well as non-substance induced psychotic disorders (under 10%). There are several models of addictive behavior, but the dual process model particularly highlights the relevance of cognitive impairments and biases to the development and maintenance of addiction. This model explains addictive behavior as a balance between automatic processes and executive control, which in turn are related to individual (genetics, comorbid disorders, psychosocial factors) and other (craving, triggers, drug use) factors. Certain cognitive impairments, such as attentional bias and approach bias, are most relevant to automatic processes, while sustained attention, response inhibition, and working memory are primarily related to executive control. These cognitive impairments and biases are also common in disorders frequently comorbid with stimulant use disorder, and predict poor treatment retention and clinical outcomes. As such, they may serve as feasible trans-diagnostic treatment targets. There are promising pharmacological, cognitive, and behavioral approaches that aim to enhance cognitive function. Pharmacotherapies target cognitive impairments associated with executive control and include cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., galantamine, rivastigmine) and monoamine transporter inhibitors (e.g., modafinil, methylphenidate). Cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive rehabilitation also enhance executive control, while cognitive bias modification targets impairments associated with automatic processes. Cognitive enhancements to improve treatment outcomes is a novel and promising strategy, but its clinical value for the treatment of stimulant use disorder, with or without other psychiatric comorbidities, remains to be determined in future studies. PMID:26828702

Estimated maximal and current brain volume predict cognitive ability in old age

PubMed Central

Royle, Natalie A.; Booth, Tom; Valdés Hernández, Maria C.; Penke, Lars; Murray, Catherine; Gow, Alan J.; Maniega, Susana Muñoz; Starr, John; Bastin, Mark E.; Deary, Ian J.; Wardlaw, Joanna M.

2013-01-01

Brain tissue deterioration is a significant contributor to lower cognitive ability in later life; however, few studies have appropriate data to establish how much influence prior brain volume and prior cognitive performance have on this association. We investigated the associations between structural brain imaging biomarkers, including an estimate of maximal brain volume, and detailed measures of cognitive ability at age 73 years in a large (N = 620), generally healthy, community-dwelling population. Cognitive ability data were available from age 11 years. We found positive associations (r) between general cognitive ability and estimated brain volume in youth (male, 0.28; females, 0.12), and in measured brain volume in later life (males, 0.27; females, 0.26). Our findings show that cognitive ability in youth is a strong predictor of estimated prior and measured current brain volume in old age but that these effects were the same for both white and gray matter. As 1 of the largest studies of associations between brain volume and cognitive ability with normal aging, this work contributes to the wider understanding of how some early-life factors influence cognitive aging. PMID:23850342

Left frontal hub connectivity delays cognitive impairment in autosomal-dominant and sporadic Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Franzmeier, Nicolai; Düzel, Emrah; Jessen, Frank; Buerger, Katharina; Levin, Johannes; Duering, Marco; Dichgans, Martin; Haass, Christian; Suárez-Calvet, Marc; Fagan, Anne M; Paumier, Katrina; Benzinger, Tammie; Masters, Colin L; Morris, John C; Perneczky, Robert; Janowitz, Daniel; Catak, Cihan; Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Wagner, Michael; Teipel, Stefan; Kilimann, Ingo; Ramirez, Alfredo; Rossor, Martin; Jucker, Mathias; Chhatwal, Jasmeer; Spottke, Annika; Boecker, Henning; Brosseron, Frederic; Falkai, Peter; Fliessbach, Klaus; Heneka, Michael T; Laske, Christoph; Nestor, Peter; Peters, Oliver; Fuentes, Manuel; Menne, Felix; Priller, Josef; Spruth, Eike J; Franke, Christiana; Schneider, Anja; Kofler, Barbara; Westerteicher, Christine; Speck, Oliver; Wiltfang, Jens; Bartels, Claudia; Araque Caballero, Miguel Ángel; Metzger, Coraline; Bittner, Daniel; Weiner, Michael; Lee, Jae-Hong; Salloway, Stephen; Danek, Adrian; Goate, Alison; Schofield, Peter R; Bateman, Randall J; Ewers, Michael

2018-01-01

Abstract Patients with Alzheimer’s disease vary in their ability to sustain cognitive abilities in the presence of brain pathology. A major open question is which brain mechanisms may support higher reserve capacity, i.e. relatively high cognitive performance at a given level of Alzheimer’s pathology. Higher functional MRI-assessed functional connectivity of a hub in the left frontal cortex is a core candidate brain mechanism underlying reserve as it is associated with education (i.e. a protective factor often associated with higher reserve) and attenuated cognitive impairment in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. However, no study has yet assessed whether such hub connectivity of the left frontal cortex supports reserve throughout the evolution of pathological brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease, including the presymptomatic stage when cognitive decline is subtle. To address this research gap, we obtained cross-sectional resting state functional MRI in 74 participants with autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease, 55 controls from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network and 75 amyloid-positive elderly participants, as well as 41 amyloid-negative cognitively normal elderly subjects from the German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases multicentre study on biomarkers in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. For each participant, global left frontal cortex connectivity was computed as the average resting state functional connectivity between the left frontal cortex (seed) and each voxel in the grey matter. As a marker of disease stage, we applied estimated years from symptom onset in autosomal dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrospinal fluid tau levels in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease cases. In both autosomal dominant and sporadic Alzheimer’s disease patients, higher levels of left frontal cortex connectivity were correlated with greater education. For autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease, a significant left frontal cortex connectivity × estimated years of onset interaction was found, indicating slower decline of memory and global cognition at higher levels of connectivity. Similarly, in sporadic amyloid-positive elderly subjects, the effect of tau on cognition was attenuated at higher levels of left frontal cortex connectivity. Polynomial regression analysis showed that the trajectory of cognitive decline was shifted towards a later stage of Alzheimer’s disease in patients with higher levels of left frontal cortex connectivity. Together, our findings suggest that higher resilience against the development of cognitive impairment throughout the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease is at least partially attributable to higher left frontal cortex-hub connectivity. PMID:29462334

Memory Age Identity as a predictor of cognitive function in the elderly: A 2-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Chang, Ki Jung; Hong, Chang Hyung; Lee, Yun Hwan; Chung, Young Ki; Lim, Ki Young; Noh, Jai Sung; Kim, Jin-Ju; Kim, Haena; Kim, Hyun-Chung; Son, Sang Joon

2018-01-01

There is a growing interest in finding psychosocial predictors related to cognitive function. In our previous research, we conducted a cross-sectional study on memory age identity (MAI) and found that MAI might be associated with objective cognitive performance in non-cognitively impaired elderly. A longitudinal study was conducted to better understand the importance of MAI as a psychosocial predictor related to objective cognitive function. Data obtained from 1345 Korean subjects aged 60 years and above were analyzed. During the two-year follow-up, subjective memory age was assessed on three occasions using the following question: How old do you feel based on your memory? Discrepancy between subjective memory age and chronological age was then calculated. We defined this value as 'memory age identity (MAI)'. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was then obtained to demonstrate the relationship between MAI and Korean version-Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score over the 2 years of study. MAI was found to significantly (β=-0.03, p< 0.0001) predict objective cognitive performance in the non-cognitively impaired elderly. MAI may be a potential psychosocial predictor related to objective cognitive performance in the non-cognitively impaired elderly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Cross-Sectional Relationship Between Body Mass Index, Waist-Hip Ratio and Cognitive Performance in Postmenopausal Women Enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI)

PubMed Central

Kerwin, Diana R.; Zhang, Yinghua; Kotchen, Jane Morley; Espeland, Mark A.; Van Horn, Linda; McTigue, Kathleen M.; Robinson, Jennifer G.; Powell, Lynda; Kooperberg, Charles; Coker, Laura H.; Hoffmann, Raymond

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVES To determine if body weight (BMI) is independently associated with cognitive function in postmenopausal women and the relationship between body fat distribution as estimated by waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and cognitive function. DESIGN Cross-sectional data analysis SETTING Baseline data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone trials. PARTICIPANTS 8745 postmenopausal women aged 65–79 years, free of clinical evidence of dementia and completed baseline evaluation in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone trials. MEASUREMENTS Participants completed a Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE), health and lifestyle questionnaires, and standardized measurements of height, weight, body circumferences and blood pressure. Statistical analysis of associations between 3MSE scores, BMI and WHR after controlling for known confounders. RESULTS With the exception of smoking and exercise, vascular disease risk factors, including hypertension, waist measurement, heart disease and diabetes, were significantly associated with 3MSE score and were included as co-variables in subsequent analyses. BMI was inversely related to 3MSE scores, for every 1 unit increase in BMI, 3MSE decrease 0.988 (p=.0001) after adjusting for age, education and vascular disease risk factors. BMI had the most pronounced association with poorer cognitive functioning scores among women with smaller waist measurements. Among women with the highest WHR, cognitive scores increased with BMI. CONCLUSION Increasing BMI is associated with poorer cognitive function in women with smaller WHR. Higher WHR, estimating central fat mass, is associated with higher cognitive function in this cross-sectional study. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanism for this association. PMID:20646100

Intellectual enrichment lessens the effect of brain atrophy on learning and memory in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Sumowski, James F.; Wylie, Glenn R.; Chiaravalloti, Nancy; DeLuca, John

2010-01-01

Objective: Learning and memory impairments are prevalent among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, such deficits are only weakly associated with MS disease severity (brain atrophy). The cognitive reserve hypothesis states that greater lifetime intellectual enrichment lessens the negative impact of brain disease on cognition, thereby helping to explain the incomplete relationship between brain disease and cognitive status in neurologic populations. The literature on cognitive reserve has focused mainly on Alzheimer disease. The current research examines whether greater intellectual enrichment lessens the negative effect of brain atrophy on learning and memory in patients with MS. Methods: Forty-four persons with MS completed neuropsychological measures of verbal learning and memory, and a vocabulary-based estimate of lifetime intellectual enrichment. Brain atrophy was estimated with third ventricle width measured from 3-T magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo MRIs. Hierarchical regression was used to predict learning and memory with brain atrophy, intellectual enrichment, and the interaction between brain atrophy and intellectual enrichment. Results: Brain atrophy predicted worse learning and memory, and intellectual enrichment predicted better learning; however, these effects were moderated by interactions between brain atrophy and intellectual enrichment. Specifically, higher intellectual enrichment lessened the negative impact of brain atrophy on both learning and memory. Conclusion: These findings help to explain the incomplete relationship between multiple sclerosis disease severity and cognition, as the effect of disease on cognition is attenuated among patients with higher intellectual enrichment. As such, intellectual enrichment is supported as a protective factor against disease-related cognitive impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis. GLOSSARY AD = Alzheimer disease; ANOVA = analysis of variance; MPRAGE = magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo; MS = multiple sclerosis; SRT = Selective Reminding Test; TVW = third ventricle width; WASI = Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. PMID:20548040

Do U.S. states' socioeconomic and policy contexts shape adult disability?

PubMed

Montez, Jennifer Karas; Hayward, Mark D; Wolf, Douglas A

2017-04-01

Growing disparities in adult mortality across U.S. states point to the importance of assessing disparities in other domains of health. Here, we estimate state-level differences in disability, and draw on the WHO socio-ecological framework to assess the role of ecological factors in explaining these differences. Our study is based on data from 5.5 million adults aged 25-94 years in the 2010-2014 waves of the American Community Survey. Disability is defined as difficulty with mobility, independent living, self-care, vision, hearing, or cognition. We first provide estimates of age-standardized and age-specific disability prevalence by state. We then estimate multilevel models to assess how states' socioeconomic and policy contexts shape the probability of having a disability. Age-standardized disability prevalence differs markedly by state, from 12.9% in North Dakota and Minnesota to 23.5% in West Virginia. Disability was lower in states with stronger economic output, more income equality, longer histories of tax credits for low-income workers, and higher cigarette taxes (for middle-age women), net of individuals' socio-demographic characteristics. States' socioeconomic and policy contexts appear particularly important for older adults. Findings underscore the importance of socio-ecological influences on disability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MMSE and MoCA in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies: a multicenter 1-year follow-up study

PubMed Central

Weis, L.; Bostantjopoulou, S.; Stefanova, E.; Falup-Pecurariu, C.; Kramberger, M. G.; Geurtsen, G. J.; Antonini, A.; Weintraub, D.; Aarsland, D.

2016-01-01

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) are the most commonly used scales to test cognitive impairment in Lewy body disease (LBD), but there is no consensus on which is best suited to assess cognition in clinical practice and most sensitive to cognitive decline. Retrospective cohort study of 265 LBD patients [Parkinson’s disease (PD) without dementia (PDnD, N = 197), PD with dementia (PDD, N = 40), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB, N = 28)] from an international consortium who completed both the MMSE and MoCA at baseline and 1-year follow-up (N = 153). Percentage of relative standard deviation (RSD%) at baseline was the measure of inter-individual variance, and estimation of change (Cohen’s d) over time was calculated. RSD% for the MoCA (21 %) was greater than for the MMSE (13 %) (p = 0.03) in the whole group. This difference was significant only in PDnD (11 vs. 5 %, p < 0.01), but not in PDD (30 vs. 19 %, p = 0.37) or DLB (15 vs. 14 %, p = 0.78). In contrast, the 1-year estimation of change did not differ between the two tests in any of the groups (Cohen’s effect <0.20 in each group). MMSE and MoCA are equal in measuring the rate of cognitive changes over time in LBD. However, in PDnD, the MoCA is a better measure of cognitive status as it lacks both ceiling and floor effects. PMID:26852137

Dietary diversity decreases the risk of cognitive decline among Japanese older adults.

PubMed

Otsuka, Rei; Nishita, Yukiko; Tange, Chikako; Tomida, Makiko; Kato, Yuki; Nakamoto, Mariko; Imai, Tomoko; Ando, Fujiko; Shimokata, Hiroshi

2017-06-01

To clarify the effectiveness of dietary diversity, calculated by dietary records, on cognitive decline. Data were derived from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences - Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants comprised 298 men and 272 women aged 60-81 years at baseline (second wave) who participated in the follow-up study (third to seventh wave) at least once. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination in all study waves. Dietary diversity was determined using the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity based on a 3-day dietary record in the second wave. Cumulative data among participants with a Mini-Mental State Examination score >27 in the second wave were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≤27 in each study wave according to a 1 standard deviation (increase), or quartiles of the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity at baseline, were adjusted for sex, age, follow-up time, baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score, education, body mass index, annual household income, current smoking status, energy intake and disease history. Multivariate adjusted odds ratio for a decline in Mini-Mental State Examination score was 0.79 (95% CI 0.70-0.89; P < 0.001) with a 1 SD increase in dietary diversity score, or 1.00 (reference), 0.99 (95% CI 0.70-1.43), 0.68 (95% CI 0.46-0.99) and 0.56 (95% CI 0.38-0.83) according to the lowest through highest quartiles of dietary diversity score, respectively (trend P = 0.001). Daily intake of various kinds of food might be a protective factor against cognitive decline in community-dwelling Japanese older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 937-944. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Temporal Prediction Errors Affect Short-Term Memory Scanning Response Time.

PubMed

Limongi, Roberto; Silva, Angélica M

2016-11-01

The Sternberg short-term memory scanning task has been used to unveil cognitive operations involved in time perception. Participants produce time intervals during the task, and the researcher explores how task performance affects interval production - where time estimation error is the dependent variable of interest. The perspective of predictive behavior regards time estimation error as a temporal prediction error (PE), an independent variable that controls cognition, behavior, and learning. Based on this perspective, we investigated whether temporal PEs affect short-term memory scanning. Participants performed temporal predictions while they maintained information in memory. Model inference revealed that PEs affected memory scanning response time independently of the memory-set size effect. We discuss the results within the context of formal and mechanistic models of short-term memory scanning and predictive coding, a Bayes-based theory of brain function. We state the hypothesis that our finding could be associated with weak frontostriatal connections and weak striatal activity.

The influence of smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity on cognitive impairment-free life expectancy.

PubMed

Anstey, Kaarin Jane; Kingston, Andrew; Kiely, Kim Matthew; Luszcz, Mary Alice; Mitchell, Paul; Jagger, Carol

2014-12-01

Smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity are risk factors for mortality and dementia. However, their impact on cognitive impairment-free life expectancy (CIFLE)has not previously been estimated. Data were drawn from the DYNOPTA dataset which was derived by harmonizing and pooling common measures from five longitudinal ageing studies. Participants for whom the Mini-Mental State Examination was available were included (N¼8111,48.6% men). Data on education, sex, body mass index, smoking and sedentary lifestyle were collected and mortality data were obtained from Government Records via data linkage.Total life expectancy (LE), CIFLE and years spent with cognitive impairment (CILE)were estimated for each risk factor and total burden of risk factors. CILE was approximately 2 years for men and 3 years for women, regardless of age. For men and women respectively, reduced LE associated with smoking was 3.82and 5.88 years, associated with obesity was 0.62 and 1.72 years and associated with being sedentary was 2.50 and 2.89 years. Absence of each risk factor was associated with longer LE and CIFLE, but also longer CILE for smoking in women and being sedentary in both sexes. Compared with participants with no risk factors, those with 2þ had shorter CIFLE of up to 3.5 years depending on gender and education level. Population level reductions in smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity increase longevity and number of years lived without cognitive impairment. Years lived with cognitive impairment may also increase.

Estimated maximal and current brain volume predict cognitive ability in old age.

PubMed

Royle, Natalie A; Booth, Tom; Valdés Hernández, Maria C; Penke, Lars; Murray, Catherine; Gow, Alan J; Maniega, Susana Muñoz; Starr, John; Bastin, Mark E; Deary, Ian J; Wardlaw, Joanna M

2013-12-01

Brain tissue deterioration is a significant contributor to lower cognitive ability in later life; however, few studies have appropriate data to establish how much influence prior brain volume and prior cognitive performance have on this association. We investigated the associations between structural brain imaging biomarkers, including an estimate of maximal brain volume, and detailed measures of cognitive ability at age 73 years in a large (N = 620), generally healthy, community-dwelling population. Cognitive ability data were available from age 11 years. We found positive associations (r) between general cognitive ability and estimated brain volume in youth (male, 0.28; females, 0.12), and in measured brain volume in later life (males, 0.27; females, 0.26). Our findings show that cognitive ability in youth is a strong predictor of estimated prior and measured current brain volume in old age but that these effects were the same for both white and gray matter. As 1 of the largest studies of associations between brain volume and cognitive ability with normal aging, this work contributes to the wider understanding of how some early-life factors influence cognitive aging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Amplitude modulation of steady-state visual evoked potentials by event-related potentials in a working memory task

PubMed Central

Yao, Dezhong; Tang, Yu; Huang, Yilan; Su, Sheng

2009-01-01

Previous studies have shown that the amplitude and phase of the steady-state visual-evoked potential (SSVEP) can be influenced by a cognitive task, yet the mechanism of this influence has not been understood. As the event-related potential (ERP) is the direct neural electric response to a cognitive task, studying the relationship between the SSVEP and ERP would be meaningful in understanding this underlying mechanism. In this work, the traditional average method was applied to extract the ERP directly, following the stimulus of a working memory task, while a technique named steady-state probe topography was utilized to estimate the SSVEP under the simultaneous stimulus of an 8.3-Hz flicker and a working memory task; a comparison between the ERP and SSVEP was completed. The results show that the ERP can modulate the SSVEP amplitude, and for regions where both SSVEP and ERP are strong, the modulation depth is large. PMID:19960240

Do U.S. States’ Socioeconomic and Policy Contexts Shape Adult Disability?

PubMed Central

Hayward, Mark D.; Wolf, Douglas A.

2017-01-01

Growing disparities in adult mortality across U.S. states point to the importance of assessing disparities in other domains of health. Here, we estimate state-level differences in disability, and draw on the WHO socio-ecological framework to assess the role of ecological factors in explaining these differences. Our study is based on data from 5.5 million adults aged 25–94 years in the 2010–2014 waves of the American Community Survey. Disability is defined as difficulty with mobility, independent living, self-care, vision, hearing, or cognition. We first provide estimates of age-standardized and age-specific disability prevalence by state. We then estimate multilevel models to assess how states’ socioeconomic and policy contexts shape the probability of having a disability. Age-standardized disability prevalence differs markedly by state, from 12.9% in North Dakota and Minnesota to 23.5% in West Virginia. Disability was lower in states with stronger economic output, more income equality, longer histories of tax credits for low-income workers, and higher cigarette taxes (for middle-age women), net of individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics. States’ socioeconomic and policy contexts appear particularly important for older adults. Findings underscore the importance of socio-ecological influences on disability. PMID:28219027

Neurodegenerative disease and cognitive retest learning.

PubMed

Wilson, Robert S; Capuano, Ana W; Yu, Lei; Yang, Jingyun; Kim, Namhee; Leurgans, Sue E; Lamar, Melissa; Schneider, Julie A; Bennett, David A; Boyle, Patricia A

2018-06-01

Retest learning impacts estimates of cognitive aging, but its bases are uncertain. Here, we test the hypothesis that dementia-related neurodegeneration impairs retest learning. Older persons without cognitive impairment at enrollment (n = 567) had annual cognitive testing for a mean of 11 years, died, and had a neuropathologic examination to quantify 5 neurodegenerative pathologies. Change point models were used to divide cognitive trajectories into an early retest sensitive component and a later component less sensitive to retest. Performance on a global cognitive measure (baseline mean = 0.227, standard deviation = 0.382) increased an estimated mean of 0.142-unit per year for a mean of 1.5 years and declined an estimated mean of 0.123-unit per year thereafter. No pathologic marker was related to cognitive change before the change point; each was related to cognitive decline after the change point. Results were comparable in analyses that used specific cognitive outcomes, included 220 individuals with mild cognitive impairment at enrollment, or allowed a longer retest learning period. The findings suggest that neurodegeneration does not impact cognitive retest learning. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conceptualizing women's attitudes toward condom use with the tripartite model.

PubMed

Hood, Kristina B; Shook, Natalie J

2013-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) estimated that women represent 24% of HIV diagnoses in the United States, with most infections resulting from heterosexual contact. However, consistent condom use is highly effective in preventing the spread of HIV. The current study examined women's attitudes toward condom use and potential inconsistencies related to the conceptualization and measurement of attitudes. Data were collected from October 2009 through March 2010. Researchers included 556 female undergraduate students from the Southeast region of the United States. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to determine whether women's condom use attitudes were composed of an affective and a cognitive component. Evidence for a two-factor model of condom use attitudes consisting of an affective and cognitive component was found, with participants reporting slightly negative feelings toward condom use but favorable beliefs about using condoms. Affect accounted for more variance (42%) than cognition (8%) in condom use attitudes. Notably, affect and cognition were differentially associated with past behavior and intentions to use condoms. Understanding the structure of women's attitudes toward using condoms can aid in the creation of appropriate HIV prevention and condom use messaging targeted toward promoting positive attitudes and normative change. Changing women's attitudes in this manner could enhance the effectiveness of condom use interventions.

Encoding the local connectivity patterns of fMRI for cognitive task and state classification.

PubMed

Onal Ertugrul, Itir; Ozay, Mete; Yarman Vural, Fatos T

2018-06-15

In this work, we propose a novel framework to encode the local connectivity patterns of brain, using Fisher vectors (FV), vector of locally aggregated descriptors (VLAD) and bag-of-words (BoW) methods. We first obtain local descriptors, called mesh arc descriptors (MADs) from fMRI data, by forming local meshes around anatomical regions, and estimating their relationship within a neighborhood. Then, we extract a dictionary of relationships, called brain connectivity dictionary by fitting a generative Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to a set of MADs, and selecting codewords at the mean of each component of the mixture. Codewords represent connectivity patterns among anatomical regions. We also encode MADs by VLAD and BoW methods using k-Means clustering. We classify cognitive tasks using the Human Connectome Project (HCP) task fMRI dataset and cognitive states using the Emotional Memory Retrieval (EMR). We train support vector machines (SVMs) using the encoded MADs. Results demonstrate that, FV encoding of MADs can be successfully employed for classification of cognitive tasks, and outperform VLAD and BoW representations. Moreover, we identify the significant Gaussians in mixture models by computing energy of their corresponding FV parts, and analyze their effect on classification accuracy. Finally, we suggest a new method to visualize the codewords of the learned brain connectivity dictionary.

Epidemiology of apathy in older adults: the Cache County Study.

PubMed

Onyike, Chiadi U; Sheppard, Jeannie-Marie E; Tschanz, JoAnn T; Norton, Maria C; Green, Robert C; Steinberg, Martin; Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A; Breitner, John C; Lyketsos, Constantine G

2007-05-01

The objectives of this study are to describe the distribution of apathy in community-based older adults and to investigate its relationships with cognition and day-to-day functioning. Data from the Cache County Study on Memory, Health and Aging were used to estimate the frequency of apathy in groups of elders defined by demographic, cognitive, and functional status and to examine the associations of apathy with impairments of cognition and day-to-day functioning. Apathy was measured with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Clinical apathy (Neuropsychiatric Inventory score > or = 4) was found in 1.4% of individuals classified as cognitively normal, 3.1% of those with a mild cognitive syndrome, and 17.3% of those with dementia. Apathy status was associated with cognitive and functional impairments and higher levels of stress experienced by caregivers. Among participants with normal cognition, apathy was associated with worse performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Boston Naming and Animal Fluency tests, and the Trail Making Test-Part B. The association of apathy with cognitive impairment was independent of its association with Neuropsychiatric Inventory depression. In a cohort of community-based older adults, the frequency and severity of apathy is positively correlated with the severity of cognitive impairment. In addition, apathy is associated with cognitive and functional impairments in elders adjudged to have normal cognition. The results suggest that apathy is an early sign of cognitive decline and that delineating phenotypes in which apathy and a mild cognitive syndrome co-occur may facilitate earlier identification of individuals at risk for dementia.

The cross-sectional relationship between body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative.

PubMed

Kerwin, Diana R; Zhang, Yinghua; Kotchen, Jane Morley; Espeland, Mark A; Van Horn, Linda; McTigue, Kathleen M; Robinson, Jennifer G; Powell, Lynda; Kooperberg, Charles; Coker, Laura H; Hoffmann, Raymond

2010-08-01

To determine whether body mass index (BMI) is independently associated with cognitive function in postmenopausal women and the relationship between body fat distribution as estimated by waist-hip ratio (WHR). Cross-sectional data analysis. Baseline data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone trials. Eight thousand seven hundred forty-five postmenopausal women aged 65 to 79 free of clinical evidence of dementia who completed the baseline evaluation in the WHI hormone trials. Participants completed a Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE), health and lifestyle questionnaires, and standardized measurements of height, weight, body circumference, and blood pressure. Statistical analysis was performed of associations between 3MSE score, BMI, and WHR after controlling for known confounders. With the exception of smoking and exercise, vascular disease risk factors, including hypertension, waist measurement, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus, were significantly associated with 3MSE score and were included as covariables in subsequent analyses. BMI was inversely related to 3MSE score; for every 1-unit increase in BMI, 3MSE score decreased 0.988 points (P<.001) after adjusting for age, education, and vascular disease risk factors. BMI had the most pronounced association with poorer cognitive functioning scores in women with smaller waist measurements. In women with the highest WHR, cognitive scores increased with BMI. Higher BMI was associated with poorer cognitive function in women with smaller WHR. Higher WHR, estimating central fat mass, was associated with higher cognitive function in this cross-sectional study. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanism for this association. © 2010, Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2010, No claim to original US government works.

Normative values of cognitive and physical function in older adults: findings from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

PubMed

Kenny, Rose Anne; Coen, Robert F; Frewen, John; Donoghue, Orna A; Cronin, Hilary; Savva, George M

2013-05-01

To provide normative values of tests of cognitive and physical function based on a large sample representative of the population of Ireland aged 50 and older. Data were used from the first wave of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a prospective cohort study that includes a comprehensive health assessment. Health assessment was undertaken at one of two dedicated health assessment centers or in the study participant's home if travel was not practicable. Five thousand eight hundred ninety-seven members of a nationally representative sample of the community-living population of Ireland aged 50 and older. Those with severe cognitive impairment, dementia, or Parkinson's disease were excluded. Measurements included height and weight, normal walking speed, Timed Up-and-Go, handgrip strength, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Color Trails Test, and bone mineral density. Normative values were estimated using generalized additive models for location shape and scale (GAMLSS) and are presented as percentiles, means, and standard deviations. Generalized additive models for location shape and scale fit the observed data well for each measure, leading to reliable estimates of normative values. Performance on all tasks decreased with age. Educational attainment was a strong determinant of performance on all cognitive tests. Tests of walking speed were dependent on height. Distribution of body mass index did not change with age, owing to simultaneous declines in weight and height. Normative values were found for tests of many aspects of cognitive and physical function based on a representative sample of the general older Irish population. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

Effectiveness of Part C Early Intervention Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Services for Preterm or Low Birth Weight Infants in Wisconsin, United States

PubMed Central

McManus, Beth M.; Carle, Adam C.; Poehlmann, Julie

2013-01-01

Objective To determine the effectiveness of policy-driven therapy (ie, Part C early intervention [EI]) in the context of varying maternal supports among preterm infants in Wisconsin. Methods A longitudinal study of mother–infant dyads recruited from 3 newborn intensive care units in southeastern Wisconsin. Participation in EI-based therapy was collected at 36 months via parent-report. Cognitive function was measured at 16 months by use of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Mental Developmental Index), 2nd edition and at 24 and 36 months postterm via use of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence scale, 5th edition. Maternal support was measured at 4 months with the Maternal Support Scale. Propensity score matching was used to reduce selection bias. Latent growth models of matched pairs estimated the effect of EI therapy on cognitive function trajectories. Ordinary least squares regression estimated the differential effect of EI therapy on cognitive function at 16, 24, and 36 months postterm for mothers reporting more maternal supports. Results Of the 128 infants, 41 received EI therapy and, of those, 32 (78%) were successfully matched with controls. The results of the matched analysis (n = 64) reveal that 1) receipt of therapy is inversely associated with cognitive function baseline (P = .04) and positively associated with trajectories (P =.03), 2) the number of maternal supports is positively associated with cognitive function for families receiving Part C early intervention, at 16 months (P = .05), 24 months (P <.01), and 36 months (P = .05) postterm. Conclusions Participation in EI therapy may be associated with more optimal cognitive function trajectories. Among preterm children whose mothers have more supports, receiving therapy appears particularly beneficial. PMID:22230187

Resting-state abnormalities in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lau, W K W; Leung, M-K; Lee, T M C; Law, A C K

2016-04-26

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As no effective drug can cure AD, early diagnosis and intervention for aMCI are urgently needed. The standard diagnostic procedure for aMCI primarily relies on subjective neuropsychological examinations that require the judgment of experienced clinicians. The development of other objective and reliable aMCI markers, such as neural markers, is therefore required. Previous neuroimaging findings revealed various abnormalities in resting-state activity in MCI patients, but the findings have been inconsistent. The current study provides an updated activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data on aMCI. The authors searched on the MEDLINE/PubMed databases for whole-brain resting-state fMRI studies on aMCI published until March 2015. We included 21 whole-brain resting-state fMRI studies that reported a total of 156 distinct foci. Significant regional resting-state differences were consistently found in aMCI patients relative to controls, including the posterior cingulate cortex, right angular gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, left supramarginal gyrus and bilateral middle temporal gyri. Our findings support that abnormalities in resting-state activities of these regions may serve as neuroimaging markers for aMCI.

Cognitive deficits in problematic drinkers with and without mild to borderline intellectual disability.

PubMed

van Duijvenbode, Neomi; Didden, Robert; VanDerNagel, Joanne El; Korzilius, Hubert Plm; Engels, Rutger Cme

2018-03-01

We examined cognitive deficits in problematic drinkers with and without mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID). Problematic drinkers were expected to show a significantly lower estimated performance IQ (PIQ), but not a lower estimated verbal IQ (VIQ), compared to light drinkers. Participants ( N = 474) were divided into four groups based on IQ and severity of alcohol use-related problems. IQ was estimated using (a short form of) the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale third edition. Severity of alcohol use-related problems was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Overall, there were no significant differences between light and problematic drinkers on estimated VIQ. Within the group without MBID, estimated PIQ was significantly lower. Estimated PIQ was not lower in problematic drinkers with MBID compared to light drinkers with MBID. The results are indicative of cognitive deficits in problematic drinkers without MBID. Screening for cognitive deficits with additional instruments is advised.

Is objective and accurate cognitive assessment across the menstrual cycle possible? A feasibility study

PubMed Central

Neill, Jo; Scally, Andy; Tuffnell, Derek; Marshall, Kay

2015-01-01

Objectives: Variation in plasma hormone levels influences the neurobiology of brain regions involved in cognition and emotion processing. Fluctuations in hormone levels across the menstrual cycle could therefore alter cognitive performance and wellbeing; reports have provided conflicting results, however. The aim of this study was to assess whether objective assessment of cognitive performance and self-reported wellbeing during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle is feasible and investigate the possible reasons for variation in effects previously reported. Methods: The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were used to assess the cognitive performance and wellbeing of 12 women. Data were analysed by self-reported and hormone-estimated phases of the menstrual cycle. Results: Recruitment to the study and assessment of cognition and wellbeing was without issue. Plasma hormone and peptide estimation showed substantial individual variation and suggests inaccuracy in self-reported menstrual phase estimation. Conclusion: Objective assessment of cognitive performance and self-assessed wellbeing across the menstrual cycle is feasible. Grouping data by hormonal profile rather by self-reported phase estimation may influence phase-mediated results. Future studies should use plasma hormone and peptide profiles to estimate cycle phase and group data for analyses. PMID:26770760

Association of telomere length with general cognitive trajectories: a meta-analysis of four prospective cohort studies.

PubMed

Zhan, Yiqiang; Clements, Mark S; Roberts, Rosebud O; Vassilaki, Maria; Druliner, Brooke R; Boardman, Lisa A; Petersen, Ronald C; Reynolds, Chandra A; Pedersen, Nancy L; Hägg, Sara

2018-06-02

To investigate the association of telomere length (TL) with trajectories of general cognitive abilities, we used data on 5955 participants from the Sex Differences in Health and Aging Study and the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging in Sweden, and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, and the Health and Retirement Study in the United States. TL was measured at baseline, while general cognitive ability was assessed repeatedly up to 7 occasions. Latent growth curve models were used to examine the associations. One standard deviation increase of TL was associated with 0.021 unit increase (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001, 0.042) of standardized mean general cognitive ability. After controlling for sex, the point estimate remained similar (0.019) with a wider CI (95% CI: -0.002, 0.039). The association was attenuated with adjustment for educational attainment (0.009, 95% CI: -0.009, 0.028). No strong evidence was observed for the association of TL and decline in general cognitive ability. Longer TL was associated with higher general cognitive ability levels in the age-adjusted models but not in the models including all covariates, nor with cognitive decline. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chocolate Consumption is Associated with a Lower Risk of Cognitive Decline.

PubMed

Moreira, Afonso; Diógenes, Maria José; de Mendonça, Alexandre; Lunet, Nuno; Barros, Henrique

2016-05-06

Cocoa-related products like chocolate have taken an important place in our food habits and culture. In this work, we aim to examine the relationship between chocolate consumption and cognitive decline in an elderly cognitively healthy population. In the present longitudinal prospective study, a cohort of 531 participants aged 65 and over with normal Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; median 28) was selected. The median follow-up was 48 months. Dietary habits were evaluated at baseline. The MMSE was used to assess global cognitive function at baseline and at follow-up. Cognitive decline was defined by a decrease ≥ 2 points in the MMSE score between evaluations. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) estimates were adjusted for age, education, smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes. Chocolate intake was associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline (RR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.92). This protective effect was observed only among subjects with an average daily consumption of caffeine lower than 75 mg (69% of the participants; RR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.31-0.82). To our knowledge, this is the first prospective cohort study to show an inverse association between regular long-term chocolate consumption and cognitive decline in humans.

APOE epsilon 4 allele predicts faster cognitive decline in mild Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Cosentino, S; Scarmeas, N; Helzner, E; Glymour, M M; Brandt, J; Albert, M; Blacker, D; Stern, Y

2008-05-06

To determine whether APOE epsilon 4 predicts rate of cognitive change in incident and prevalent Alzheimer disease (AD). Individuals were recruited from two longitudinal cohort studies-the Washington Heights and Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP; population-based) and the Predictors Study (clinic-based)--and were followed for an average of 4 years. Three samples of participants diagnosed with AD, with diverse demographic characteristics and baseline cognitive functioning, were studied: 1) 199 (48%) of the incident WHICAP cases; 2) 215 (54%) of the prevalent WHICAP cases; and 3) 156 (71%) of the individuals diagnosed with AD in the Predictors Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to test whether rate of cognitive change, measured using a composite cognitive score in WHICAP and the Mini-Mental State Examination in Predictors, varied as a function of epsilon 4 status in each sample. The presence of at least one epsilon 4 allele was associated with faster cognitive decline in the incident population-based AD group (p = 0.01). Parallel results were produced for the two prevalent dementia samples only when adjusting for disease severity or excluding the most impaired participants from the analyses. APOE epsilon 4 may influence rate of cognitive decline most significantly in the earliest stages of Alzheimer disease.

The Mapping Model: A Cognitive Theory of Quantitative Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Helversen, Bettina; Rieskamp, Jorg

2008-01-01

How do people make quantitative estimations, such as estimating a car's selling price? Traditionally, linear-regression-type models have been used to answer this question. These models assume that people weight and integrate all information available to estimate a criterion. The authors propose an alternative cognitive theory for quantitative…

Air Force Research Laboratory Resident Associateship Program Continuation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-04

2011-7/17/2012 United States Received Veremyev, Alexander Fedorovich Pasiliao, Eduardo Lewis 8/1/2012-7/31/2013 Russia Sensors Directorate Aga...mass and damping on their modal characteristics. 5 Aerodynamic loads were estimated from the wind -tunnel test data, where the angle of attack of the... Wireless Networks; Throughput Optimization for Cognitive Radio Network with Slowly Varying Channels. 2 Capacity Optimization of MIMO Links with

State estimation bias induced by optimization under uncertainty and error cost asymmetry is likely reflected in perception.

PubMed

Shimansky, Y P

2011-05-01

It is well known from numerous studies that perception can be significantly affected by intended action in many everyday situations, indicating that perception and related decision-making is not a simple, one-way sequence, but a complex iterative cognitive process. However, the underlying functional mechanisms are yet unclear. Based on an optimality approach, a quantitative computational model of one such mechanism has been developed in this study. It is assumed in the model that significant uncertainty about task-related parameters of the environment results in parameter estimation errors and an optimal control system should minimize the cost of such errors in terms of the optimality criterion. It is demonstrated that, if the cost of a parameter estimation error is significantly asymmetrical with respect to error direction, the tendency to minimize error cost creates a systematic deviation of the optimal parameter estimate from its maximum likelihood value. Consequently, optimization of parameter estimate and optimization of control action cannot be performed separately from each other under parameter uncertainty combined with asymmetry of estimation error cost, thus making the certainty equivalence principle non-applicable under those conditions. A hypothesis that not only the action, but also perception itself is biased by the above deviation of parameter estimate is supported by ample experimental evidence. The results provide important insights into the cognitive mechanisms of interaction between sensory perception and planning an action under realistic conditions. Implications for understanding related functional mechanisms of optimal control in the CNS are discussed.

Cerebral amyloidosis associated with cognitive decline in autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease

PubMed Central

Wang, Fen; Gordon, Brian A.; Ryman, Davis C.; Ma, Shengmei; Xiong, Chengjie; Hassenstab, Jason; Goate, Alison; Fagan, Anne M.; Cairns, Nigel J.; Marcus, Daniel S.; McDade, Eric; Ringman, John M.; Graff-Radford, Neill R.; Ghetti, Bernardino; Farlow, Martin R.; Sperling, Reisa; Salloway, Steve; Schofield, Peter R.; Masters, Colin L.; Martins, Ralph N.; Rossor, Martin N.; Jucker, Mathias; Danek, Adrian; Förster, Stefan; Lane, Christopher A.S.; Morris, John C.; Bateman, Randall J.

2015-01-01

Objective: To investigate the associations of cerebral amyloidosis with concurrent cognitive performance and with longitudinal cognitive decline in asymptomatic and symptomatic stages of autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD). Methods: Two hundred sixty-three participants enrolled in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network observational study underwent neuropsychological evaluation as well as PET scans with Pittsburgh compound B. One hundred twenty-one participants completed at least 1 follow-up neuropsychological evaluation. Four composite cognitive measures representing global cognition, episodic memory, language, and working memory were generated using z scores from a battery of 13 standard neuropsychological tests. General linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the relationship between baseline cerebral amyloidosis and baseline cognitive performance and whether baseline cerebral amyloidosis predicts cognitive change over time (mean follow-up 2.32 years ± 0.92, range 0.89–4.19) after controlling for estimated years from expected symptom onset, APOE ε4 allelic status, and education. Results: In asymptomatic mutation carriers, amyloid burden was not associated with baseline cognitive functioning but was significantly predictive of longitudinal decline in episodic memory. In symptomatic mutation carriers, cerebral amyloidosis was correlated with worse baseline performance in multiple cognitive composites and predicted greater decline over time in global cognition, working memory, and Mini-Mental State Examination. Conclusions: Cerebral amyloidosis predicts longitudinal episodic memory decline in presymptomatic ADAD and multidomain cognitive decline in symptomatic ADAD. These findings imply that amyloidosis in the brain is an indicator of early cognitive decline and provides a useful outcome measure for early assessment and prevention treatment trials. PMID:26245925

Cerebral amyloidosis associated with cognitive decline in autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Wang, Fen; Gordon, Brian A; Ryman, Davis C; Ma, Shengmei; Xiong, Chengjie; Hassenstab, Jason; Goate, Alison; Fagan, Anne M; Cairns, Nigel J; Marcus, Daniel S; McDade, Eric; Ringman, John M; Graff-Radford, Neill R; Ghetti, Bernardino; Farlow, Martin R; Sperling, Reisa; Salloway, Steve; Schofield, Peter R; Masters, Colin L; Martins, Ralph N; Rossor, Martin N; Jucker, Mathias; Danek, Adrian; Förster, Stefan; Lane, Christopher A S; Morris, John C; Benzinger, Tammie L S; Bateman, Randall J

2015-09-01

To investigate the associations of cerebral amyloidosis with concurrent cognitive performance and with longitudinal cognitive decline in asymptomatic and symptomatic stages of autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD). Two hundred sixty-three participants enrolled in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network observational study underwent neuropsychological evaluation as well as PET scans with Pittsburgh compound B. One hundred twenty-one participants completed at least 1 follow-up neuropsychological evaluation. Four composite cognitive measures representing global cognition, episodic memory, language, and working memory were generated using z scores from a battery of 13 standard neuropsychological tests. General linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the relationship between baseline cerebral amyloidosis and baseline cognitive performance and whether baseline cerebral amyloidosis predicts cognitive change over time (mean follow-up 2.32 years ± 0.92, range 0.89-4.19) after controlling for estimated years from expected symptom onset, APOE ε4 allelic status, and education. In asymptomatic mutation carriers, amyloid burden was not associated with baseline cognitive functioning but was significantly predictive of longitudinal decline in episodic memory. In symptomatic mutation carriers, cerebral amyloidosis was correlated with worse baseline performance in multiple cognitive composites and predicted greater decline over time in global cognition, working memory, and Mini-Mental State Examination. Cerebral amyloidosis predicts longitudinal episodic memory decline in presymptomatic ADAD and multidomain cognitive decline in symptomatic ADAD. These findings imply that amyloidosis in the brain is an indicator of early cognitive decline and provides a useful outcome measure for early assessment and prevention treatment trials. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Cognitively-Impaired-Not-Demented Status Moderates the Time-Varying Association between Finger Tapping Inconsistency and Executive Performance.

PubMed

Halliday, Drew W R; Stawski, Robert S; MacDonald, Stuart W S

2017-02-01

Response time inconsistency (RTI) in cognitive performance predicts deleterious health outcomes in late-life; however, RTI estimates are often confounded by additional influences (e.g., individual differences in learning). Finger tapping is a basic sensorimotor measure largely independent of higher-order cognition that may circumvent such confounds of RTI estimates. We examined the within-person coupling of finger-tapping mean and RTI on working memory, and the moderation of these associations by cognitive status. A total of 262 older adults were recruited and classified as controls, cognitively-impaired-not-demented (CIND) unstable or CIND stable. Participants completed finger-tapping and working-memory tasks during multiple weekly assessments, repeated annually for 4 years. Within-person coupling estimates from multilevel models indicated that on occasions when RTI was greater, working-memory response latency was slower for the CIND-stable, but not for the CIND-unstable or control individuals. The finger-tapping task shows potential for minimizing confounds on RTI estimates, and for yielding RTI estimates sensitive to central nervous system function and cognitive status. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dietary Vitamin K Intake Is Associated with Cognition and Behaviour among Geriatric Patients: The CLIP Study.

PubMed

Chouet, Justine; Ferland, Guylaine; Féart, Catherine; Rolland, Yves; Presse, Nancy; Boucher, Kariane; Barberger-Gateau, Pascale; Beauchet, Olivier; Annweiler, Cedric

2015-08-12

Our objective was to determine whether dietary vitamin K intake was associated with cognition and behavior among older adults. 192 consecutive participants ≥65 years, recruited in the cross-sectional CLIP (Cognition and LIPophilic vitamins) study, were separated into two groups according to the tertiles of dietary phylloquinone intake (i.e., lowest third below 207 µg/day versus the other two thirds combined). Daily dietary phylloquinone intake was estimated from 50-item interviewer-administered food frequency questionnaire. Cognition was assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); behaviour with Frontotemporal Behavioral Rating Scale (FBRS). Age, gender, social problems, education, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, history of stroke, use vitamin K antagonists, inadequate fatty fish intake, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), vitamin B12, albumin, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were used as confounders. Compared to participants in the lowest third of dietary phylloquinone intake (n = 64), those with higher intake had higher (i.e., better) mean MMSE score (22.0 ± 5.7 versus 19.9 ± 6.2, p = 0.024) and lower (i.e., better) FBRS score (1.5 ± 1.2 versus 1.9 ± 1.3, p = 0.042). In multivariate linear regressions, log dietary phylloquinone intake was positively associated with MMSE score (adjusted β = 1.66, p = 0.013) and inversely associated with FBRS score (adjusted β = -0.33, p = 0.037). Specifically, log dietary phylloquinone intake correlated negatively with FBRS subscore of physical neglect (r = -0.24, p = 0.001). Higher dietary phylloquinone intake was associated with better cognition and behavior among older adults.

Cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis: Protective effects of education.

PubMed

Martins Da Silva, Ana; Cavaco, Sara; Moreira, Inês; Bettencourt, Andreia; Santos, Ernestina; Pinto, Cláudia; Gonçalves, Alexandra; Coutinho, Ester; Samões, Raquel; Dias, Cláudia C; Teixeira-Pinto, Armando; Da Silva, Berta Martins; Montalban, Xavier

2015-09-01

Recent data suggest that cognitive reserve modulates the adverse effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology on cognitive functioning; however, the protective effects of education in MS are still unclear. To explore education as an indicator of cognitive reserve, while controlling for demographic, clinical and genetic features. A total of 419 MS patients and 159 healthy comparison (HC) subjects underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological (NP) assessment, and answered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Based on the HC data, MS patients' NP scores were adjusted for sex, age and education; and the estimated 5(th) percentile (or 95(th) percentile, when appropriate) was used to identify any deficits. Patients also performed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); and their human leucocyte antigen HLA-DRB1 and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotypes were investigated. Patients with higher education were less likely (p < 0.05) to have cognitive deficits than those with lower education, even when controlling for other covariates. Other significant predictors of cognitive deficit were: age, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS), and a progressive course. No significant association was found with the HLA-DRB1*15:01 or ApoE ε4 alleles. These results provide support to the use of education as a proxy of cognitive reserve in MS and stress the need to take into account education when approaching cognition in MS. © The Author(s), 2015.

Family size, cognitive outcomes, and familial interaction in stable, two-parent families: United States, 1997-2002.

PubMed

Sandberg, John; Rafail, Patrick

2014-10-01

Measures of children's time use, particularly with parents and siblings, are used to evaluate three hypotheses in relation to the vocabulary and mathematical skills development: (1) the resource dilution hypothesis, which argues that parental and household resources are diluted in larger families; (2) the confluence hypothesis, which suggests that the intellectual milieu of families is lowered with additional children; and (3) the admixture ("no effect") hypothesis, which suggests that the negative relationship between family size and achievement is an artifact of cross-sectional research resulting from unobserved heterogeneity. Each hypothesis is tested using within-child estimates of change in cognitive scores over time with the addition of new children to families.

State-space model with deep learning for functional dynamics estimation in resting-state fMRI.

PubMed

Suk, Heung-Il; Wee, Chong-Yaw; Lee, Seong-Whan; Shen, Dinggang

2016-04-01

Studies on resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) have shown that different brain regions still actively interact with each other while a subject is at rest, and such functional interaction is not stationary but changes over time. In terms of a large-scale brain network, in this paper, we focus on time-varying patterns of functional networks, i.e., functional dynamics, inherent in rs-fMRI, which is one of the emerging issues along with the network modelling. Specifically, we propose a novel methodological architecture that combines deep learning and state-space modelling, and apply it to rs-fMRI based Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) diagnosis. We first devise a Deep Auto-Encoder (DAE) to discover hierarchical non-linear functional relations among regions, by which we transform the regional features into an embedding space, whose bases are complex functional networks. Given the embedded functional features, we then use a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to estimate dynamic characteristics of functional networks inherent in rs-fMRI via internal states, which are unobservable but can be inferred from observations statistically. By building a generative model with an HMM, we estimate the likelihood of the input features of rs-fMRI as belonging to the corresponding status, i.e., MCI or normal healthy control, based on which we identify the clinical label of a testing subject. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we performed experiments on two different datasets and compared with state-of-the-art methods in the literature. We also analyzed the functional networks learned by DAE, estimated the functional connectivities by decoding hidden states in HMM, and investigated the estimated functional connectivities by means of a graph-theoretic approach. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

State-space model with deep learning for functional dynamics estimation in resting-state fMRI

PubMed Central

Suk, Heung-Il; Wee, Chong-Yaw; Lee, Seong-Whan; Shen, Dinggang

2017-01-01

Studies on resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) have shown that different brain regions still actively interact with each other while a subject is at rest, and such functional interaction is not stationary but changes over time. In terms of a large-scale brain network, in this paper, we focus on time-varying patterns of functional networks, i.e., functional dynamics, inherent in rs-fMRI, which is one of the emerging issues along with the network modelling. Specifically, we propose a novel methodological architecture that combines deep learning and state-space modelling, and apply it to rs-fMRI based Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) diagnosis. We first devise a Deep Auto-Encoder (DAE) to discover hierarchical non-linear functional relations among regions, by which we transform the regional features into an embedding space, whose bases are complex functional networks. Given the embedded functional features, we then use a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to estimate dynamic characteristics of functional networks inherent in rs-fMRI via internal states, which are unobservable but can be inferred from observations statistically. By building a generative model with an HMM, we estimate the likelihood of the input features of rs-fMRI as belonging to the corresponding status, i.e., MCI or normal healthy control, based on which we identify the clinical label of a testing subject. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we performed experiments on two different datasets and compared with state-of-the-art methods in the literature. We also analyzed the functional networks learned by DAE, estimated the functional connectivities by decoding hidden states in HMM, and investigated the estimated functional connectivities by means of a graph-theoretic approach. PMID:26774612

Pupillary transient responses to within-task cognitive load variation.

PubMed

Wong, Hoe Kin; Epps, Julien

2016-12-01

Changes in physiological signals due to task evoked cognitive load have been reported extensively. However, pupil size based approaches for estimating cognitive load on a moment-to-moment basis are not as well understood as estimating cognitive load on a task-to-task basis, despite the appeal these approaches have for continuous load estimation. In particular, the pupillary transient response to instantaneous changes in induced load has not been experimentally quantified, and the within-task changes in pupil dilation have not been investigated in a manner that allows their consistency to be quantified with a view to biomedical system design. In this paper, a variation of the digit span task is developed which reliably induces rapid changes of cognitive load to generate task-evoked pupillary responses (TEPRs) associated with large, within-task load changes. Linear modelling and one-way ANOVA reveals that increasing the rate of cognitive loading, while keeping task demands constant, results in a steeper pupillary response. Instantaneous drops in cognitive load are shown to produce statistically significantly different transient pupillary responses relative to sustained load, and when characterised using an exponential decay response, the task-evoked pupillary response time constant is in the order of 1-5 s. Within-task test-retest analysis confirms the reliability of the moment-to-moment measurements. Based on these results, estimates of pupil diameter can be employed with considerably more confidence in moment-to-moment cognitive load estimation systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward Studying Music Cognition with Information Retrieval Techniques: Lessons Learned from the OpenMIIR Initiative

PubMed Central

Stober, Sebastian

2017-01-01

As an emerging sub-field of music information retrieval (MIR), music imagery information retrieval (MIIR) aims to retrieve information from brain activity recorded during music cognition–such as listening to or imagining music pieces. This is a highly inter-disciplinary endeavor that requires expertise in MIR as well as cognitive neuroscience and psychology. The OpenMIIR initiative strives to foster collaborations between these fields to advance the state of the art in MIIR. As a first step, electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of music perception and imagination have been made publicly available, enabling MIR researchers to easily test and adapt their existing approaches for music analysis like fingerprinting, beat tracking or tempo estimation on this new kind of data. This paper reports on first results of MIIR experiments using these OpenMIIR datasets and points out how these findings could drive new research in cognitive neuroscience. PMID:28824478

The Alzheimer's prevention initiative composite cognitive test score: sample size estimates for the evaluation of preclinical Alzheimer's disease treatments in presenilin 1 E280A mutation carriers.

PubMed

Ayutyanont, Napatkamon; Langbaum, Jessica B S; Hendrix, Suzanne B; Chen, Kewei; Fleisher, Adam S; Friesenhahn, Michel; Ward, Michael; Aguirre, Camilo; Acosta-Baena, Natalia; Madrigal, Lucìa; Muñoz, Claudia; Tirado, Victoria; Moreno, Sonia; Tariot, Pierre N; Lopera, Francisco; Reiman, Eric M

2014-06-01

To identify a cognitive composite that is sensitive to tracking preclinical Alzheimer's disease decline to be used as a primary end point in treatment trials. We capitalized on longitudinal data collected from 1995 to 2010 from cognitively unimpaired presenilin 1 (PSEN1) E280A mutation carriers from the world's largest known early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease kindred to identify a composite cognitive test with the greatest statistical power to track preclinical Alzheimer's disease decline and estimate the number of carriers age 30 years and older needed to detect a treatment effect in the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative's (API) preclinical Alzheimer's disease treatment trial. The mean-to-standard-deviation ratios (MSDRs) of change over time were calculated in a search for the optimal combination of 1 to 7 cognitive tests/subtests drawn from the neuropsychological test battery in cognitively unimpaired mutation carriers during a 2- and 5-year follow-up period (n = 78 and 57), using data from noncarriers (n = 31 and 56) during the same time period to correct for aging and practice effects. Combinations that performed well were then evaluated for robustness across follow-up years, occurrence of selected items within top-performing combinations, and representation of relevant cognitive domains. The optimal test combination included Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) Word List Recall, CERAD Boston Naming Test (high frequency items), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Orientation to Time, CERAD Constructional Praxis, and Raven's Progressive Matrices (Set A), with an MSDR of 1.62. This composite is more sensitive than using either the CERAD Word List Recall (MSDR = 0.38) or the entire CERAD-Col battery (MSDR = 0.76). A sample size of 75 cognitively normal PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers aged 30 years and older per treatment arm allows for a detectable treatment effect of 29% in a 60-month trial (80% power, P = .05). We have identified a composite cognitive test score representing multiple cognitive domains that, compared to the most sensitive single test item, has improved power to track preclinical Alzheimer's disease decline in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease mutation carriers and to evaluate preclinical Alzheimer's disease treatments. This API composite cognitive test score will be used as the primary end point in the first API trial in cognitively unimpaired autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease carriers within 15 years of their estimated age at clinical onset. We have independently confirmed our findings in a separate cohort of cognitively healthy older adults who progressed to the clinical stages of late-onset Alzheimer's disease, described in a separate report, and continue to refine the composite in independent cohorts and compared with other analytic approaches. © Copyright 2014 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Physical and cognitive doping in university students using the unrelated question model (UQM): Assessing the influence of the probability of receiving the sensitive question on prevalence estimation.

PubMed

Dietz, Pavel; Quermann, Anne; van Poppel, Mireille Nicoline Maria; Striegel, Heiko; Schröter, Hannes; Ulrich, Rolf; Simon, Perikles

2018-01-01

In order to increase the value of randomized response techniques (RRTs) as tools for studying sensitive issues, the present study investigated whether the prevalence estimate for a sensitive item [Formula: see text] assessed with the unrelated questionnaire method (UQM) is influenced by changing the probability of receiving the sensitive question p. A short paper-and-pencil questionnaire was distributed to 1.243 university students assessing the 12-month prevalence of physical and cognitive doping using two versions of the UQM with different probabilities for receiving the sensitive question (p ≈ 1/3 and p ≈ 2/3). Likelihood ratio tests were used to assess whether the prevalence estimates for physical and cognitive doping differed significantly between p ≈ 1/3 and p ≈ 2/3. The order of questions (physical doping and cognitive doping) as well as the probability of receiving the sensitive question (p ≈ 1/3 or p ≈ 2/3) were counterbalanced across participants. Statistical power analyses were performed to determine sample size. The prevalence estimate for physical doping with p ≈ 1/3 was 22.5% (95% CI: 10.8-34.1), and 12.8% (95% CI: 7.6-18.0) with p ≈ 2/3. For cognitive doping with p ≈ 1/3, the estimated prevalence was 22.5% (95% CI: 11.0-34.1), whereas it was 18.0% (95% CI: 12.5-23.5) with p ≈ 2/3. Likelihood-ratio tests revealed that prevalence estimates for both physical and cognitive doping, respectively, did not differ significantly under p ≈ 1/3 and p ≈ 2/3 (physical doping: χ2 = 2.25, df = 1, p = 0.13; cognitive doping: χ2 = 0.49, df = 1, p = 0.48). Bayes factors computed with the Savage-Dickey method favored the null ("the prevalence estimates are identical under p ≈ 1/3 and p ≈ 2/3") over the alternative ("the prevalence estimates differ under p ≈ 1/3 and p ≈ 2/3") hypothesis for both physical doping (BF = 2.3) and cognitive doping (BF = 5.3). The present results suggest that prevalence estimates for physical and cognitive doping assessed by the UQM are largely unaffected by the probability for receiving the sensitive question p.

Association of Source of Memory Complaints and Increased Risk of Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Decline: A Community-Based Study.

PubMed

Qi, Xue-Mei; Gu, Lin; Tang, Hui-Dong; Chen, Sheng-Di; Ma, Jian-Fang

2018-04-20

Memory complaint is common in the elderly. Recently, it was shown that self-report memory complaint was predictive of cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the source of memory complaints on the risk of cognitive impairment and cognitive decline in a community-based cohort. Data on memory complaints and cognitive function were collected among 1840 Chinese participants (aged ≥55 years old) in an urban community at baseline interview and 5-year follow-up. Incident cognitive impairment was identified based on education-adjusted Mini-Mental State Examination score. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between the source of memory complaints and risk of cognitive impairment conversion and cognitive decline, after adjusting for covariates. A total of 1840 participants were included into this study including 1713 normal participants and 127 cognitive impairment participants in 2009. Among 1713 normal participants in 2009, 130 participants were converted to cognitive impairment after 5 years of follow-up. In 2014, 606 participants were identified as cognitive decline. Both self- and informant-reported memory complaints were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-2.48) and cognitive decline (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01-1.68). Furthermore, this association was more significant in males (OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.04-4.24 for cognitive impairment and OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.20-2.99 for cognitive decline) and in higher education level (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.02-3.15 for cognitive impairment and OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.02-1.91 for cognitive decline). Both self- and informant-reported memory complaints were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment conversion and cognitive decline, especially in persons with male gender and high educational background.

Predictive factors for dementia and cognitive impairment among residents living in the veterans' retirement communities in Taiwan: Implications for cognitive health promotion activities.

PubMed

Chen, Liang-Yu; Wu, Yi-Hui; Huang, Chung-Yu; Liu, Li-Kuo; Hwang, An-Chun; Peng, Li-Ning; Lin, Ming-Hsieh; Chen, Liang-Kung

2017-04-01

To identify potentially modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline among veterans' home residents in Taiwan METHODS: The present retrospective cohort study was part of the Veteran Affairs-Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment study that retrieved data of the comprehensive geriatric assessment for 946 residents living at four veterans' homes in Taiwan. The study participants were interviewed every 3-6 months from January 2012 and December 2014. Demographic characteristics,multimorbidity by Charlson's Comorbidities Index, physical function by the Barthel Index, cognition by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), depression by the five-item Geriatric Depression Scale and nutritional status by the Mini-Nutrition Assessment-Short Form were collected for analysis. A generalized estimating equation model was used after it was adjusted for age, educational level, five-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and problem of communication difficulty to identify potential modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline. The mean age of the participants was 85.7 ± 5.2 years, with a mean follow-up period of 41 ± 21.6 weeks. The prevalence of cognitive impairment (defined by MMSE <24) was 65.6%, whereas 34% of the study participants were positive for depressive symptoms. Approximately one-fifth of the study participants were using psychotropic agents, which was higher among participants with cognitive impairment (23.6% vs 15.6%, P < 0.05) than those without. In the generalized estimating equation model, physical function, nutritional status, depressive symptoms, ex-drinker, multimorbidity and stool incontinence were positively correlated with MMSE score; whereas advanced age, low educational level (<6 years), presence of communication difficulty and use of psychotropic agents were inversely associated with the MMSE score. Physical function and nutritional status were positively associated with the MMSE score, and use of psychotropic agents was negatively correlated with cognitive function. Further intervention study is required to improve the cognitive health of older adults living in the veterans' retirement communities. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017: 17 (Suppl. 1): 7-13. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Associations between Physical and Cognitive Doping – A Cross-Sectional Study in 2.997 Triathletes

PubMed Central

Dietz, Pavel; Ulrich, Rolf; Dalaker, Robert; Striegel, Heiko; Franke, Andreas G.; Lieb, Klaus; Simon, Perikles

2013-01-01

Purpose This study assessed, for the first time, prevalence estimates for physical and cognitive doping within a single collective of athletes using the randomized response technique (RRT). Furthermore, associations between the use of legal and freely available substances to improve physical and cognitive performance (enhancement) and illicit or banned substances to improve physical and cognitive performance (doping) were examined. Methods An anonymous questionnaire using the unrelated question RRT was used to survey 2,997 recreational triathletes in three sports events (Frankfurt, Regensburg, and Wiesbaden) in Germany. Prior to the survey, statistical power analyses were performed to determine sample size. Logistic regression was used to predict physical and cognitive enhancement and the bootstrap method was used to evaluate differences between the estimated prevalences of physical and cognitive doping. Results 2,987 questionnaires were returned (99.7%). 12-month prevalences for physical and cognitive doping were 13.0% and 15.1%, respectively. The prevalence estimate for physical doping was significantly higher in athletes who also used physical enhancers, as well as in athletes who took part in the European Championship in Frankfurt compared to those who did not. The prevalence estimate for cognitive doping was significantly higher in athletes who also used physical and cognitive enhancers. Moreover, the use of physical and cognitive enhancers were significantly associated and also the use of physical and cognitive doping. Discussion The use of substances to improve physical and cognitive performance was associated on both levels of legality (enhancement vs. doping) suggesting that athletes do not use substances for a specific goal but may have a general propensity to enhance. This finding is important for understanding why people use such substances. Consequently, more effective prevention programs against substance abuse and doping could be developed. PMID:24236038

A new mode of fear expression: perceptual bias in height fear.

PubMed

Teachman, Bethany A; Stefanucci, Jeanine K; Clerkin, Elise M; Cody, Meghan W; Proffitt, Dennis R

2008-04-01

Emotion and psychopathology researchers have described the fear response as consisting of four main components--subjective affect, physiology, cognition, and behavior. The current study provides evidence for an additional component in the domain of height fear (perception) and shows that it is distinct from measures of cognitive processing. Individuals High (N = 35) and Low (N = 36) in acrophobic symptoms looked over a two-story balcony ledge and estimated its vertical extent using a direct height estimation task (visual matching), and an indirect task (size estimation); the latter task seems to exhibit little influence from cognitive factors. In addition, implicit and explicit measures of cognitive processing were obtained. Results indicated that, as expected, the High Fear group showed greater relative, implicit height fear associations and explicit threat cognitions. Of primary interest, the High (compared to Low) Fear group estimated the vertical extent to be higher, and judged target sizes to be greater, even when controlling for the cognitive bias measures. These results suggest that emotional factors such as fear are related to perception. (Copyright) 2008 APA.

Perceived Discrimination and Cognition in Older African Americans

PubMed Central

Barnes, L.L.; Lewis, T.T.; Begeny, C.T.; Yu, L.; Bennett, D.A.; Wilson, R.S.

2012-01-01

Existing evidence suggests that psychosocial stress is associated with cognitive impairment in older adults. Perceived discrimination is a persistent stressor in African Americans that has been associated with several adverse mental and physical health outcomes. To our knowledge, the association of discrimination with cognition in older African Americans has not been examined. In a cohort of 407 older African Americans without dementia (mean age = 72.9; SD = 6.4), we found that a higher level of perceived discrimination was related to poorer cognitive test performance, particularly episodic memory (estimate = −0.03; SE = .013; p < .05) and perceptual speed tests (estimate = −0.04; SE = .015; p < .05). The associations were unchanged after adjusting for demographics and vascular risk factors, but were attenuated after adjustment for depressive symptoms (Episodic memory estimate = −0.02; SE = 0.01; Perceptual speed estimate = −0.03; SE = 0.02; both p’s = .06). The association between discrimination and several cognitive domains was modified by level of neuroticism. The results suggest that perceived discrimination may be associated with poorer cognitive function, but does not appear to be independent of depressive symptoms. PMID:22595035

Estimate of survival of patients admitted to a palliative care unit: a prospective study.

PubMed

Bruera, E; Miller, M J; Kuehn, N; MacEachern, T; Hanson, J

1992-02-01

In a prospective open study, 61 consecutive patients with advanced cancer admitted to a Palliative Care Unit underwent survival estimation by two independent physicians after a complete medical exam performed during the first day of admission. An independent research nurse also assessed each patient during the first day of admission. The assessment included activity, pain, nausea, depression, anxiety, anorexia, dry mouth, dyspnea, dysphagia, weight loss, and cognitive status. After the assessment was completed, patients were followed until discharge or death. In 47 evaluable patients, logistic regression showed a significant correlation between survival and dysphagia, cognitive failure, and weight loss. Accordingly, an "indicator of poor prognosis" was considered to exist in any patient who demonstrated weight loss of 10 kg or more plus cognitive failure (Mini-Mental State Questionnaire less than 24) plus dysphagia to solids or liquids. This indicator had a similar level of sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy, and a higher level of significance as compared with the assessment by physician #1 and physician #2, respectively. Our data suggest that three simple determinations, which may be performed by a nurse, can predict survival more or less than 4 wk as well as the assessments of two skilled physicians. These results need to be confirmed in other trials with large numbers of patients. Perhaps confirmation of these results and identification of other prognostic factors will result in staging systems for survival estimation of terminally ill cancer patients.

A Closed-Loop Model of Operator Visual Attention, Situation Awareness, and Performance Across Automation Mode Transitions.

PubMed

Johnson, Aaron W; Duda, Kevin R; Sheridan, Thomas B; Oman, Charles M

2017-03-01

This article describes a closed-loop, integrated human-vehicle model designed to help understand the underlying cognitive processes that influenced changes in subject visual attention, mental workload, and situation awareness across control mode transitions in a simulated human-in-the-loop lunar landing experiment. Control mode transitions from autopilot to manual flight may cause total attentional demands to exceed operator capacity. Attentional resources must be reallocated and reprioritized, which can increase the average uncertainty in the operator's estimates of low-priority system states. We define this increase in uncertainty as a reduction in situation awareness. We present a model built upon the optimal control model for state estimation, the crossover model for manual control, and the SEEV (salience, effort, expectancy, value) model for visual attention. We modify the SEEV attention executive to direct visual attention based, in part, on the uncertainty in the operator's estimates of system states. The model was validated using the simulated lunar landing experimental data, demonstrating an average difference in the percentage of attention ≤3.6% for all simulator instruments. The model's predictions of mental workload and situation awareness, measured by task performance and system state uncertainty, also mimicked the experimental data. Our model supports the hypothesis that visual attention is influenced by the uncertainty in system state estimates. Conceptualizing situation awareness around the metric of system state uncertainty is a valuable way for system designers to understand and predict how reallocations in the operator's visual attention during control mode transitions can produce reallocations in situation awareness of certain states.

Diagnostic accuracy of the MMSE in detecting probable and possible Alzheimer's disease in ethnically diverse highly educated individuals: an analysis of the NACC database.

PubMed

Spering, Cynthia C; Hobson, Valerie; Lucas, John A; Menon, Chloe V; Hall, James R; O'Bryant, Sid E

2012-08-01

To validate and extend the findings of a raised cut score of O'Bryant and colleagues (O'Bryant SE, Humphreys JD, Smith GE, et al. Detecting dementia with the mini-mental state examination in highly educated individuals. Arch Neurol. 2008;65(7):963-967.) for the Mini-Mental State Examination in detecting cognitive dysfunction in a bilingual sample of highly educated ethnically diverse individuals. Archival data were reviewed from participants enrolled in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center minimum data set. Data on 7,093 individuals with 16 or more years of education were analyzed, including 2,337 cases with probable and possible Alzheimer's disease, 1,418 mild cognitive impairment patients, and 3,088 nondemented controls. Ethnic composition was characterized as follows: 6,296 Caucasians, 581 African Americans, 4 American Indians or Alaska natives, 2 native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders, 149 Asians, 43 "Other," and 18 of unknown origin. Diagnostic accuracy estimates (sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio) of Mini-Mental State Examination cut scores in detecting probable and possible Alzheimer's disease were examined. A standard Mini-Mental State Examination cut score of 24 (≤23) yielded a sensitivity of 0.58 and a specificity of 0.98 in detecting probable and possible Alzheimer's disease across ethnicities. A cut score of 27 (≤26) resulted in an improved balance of sensitivity and specificity (0.79 and 0.90, respectively). In the cognitively impaired group (mild cognitive impairment and probable and possible Alzheimer's disease), the standard cut score yielded a sensitivity of 0.38 and a specificity of 1.00 while raising the cut score to 27 resulted in an improved balance of 0.59 and 0.96 of sensitivity and specificity, respectively. These findings cross-validate our previous work and extend them to an ethnically diverse cohort. A higher cut score is needed to maximize diagnostic accuracy of the Mini-Mental State Examination in individuals with college degrees.

Safety evaluation of driver cognitive failures and driving errors on right-turn filtering movement at signalized road intersections based on Fuzzy Cellular Automata (FCA) model.

PubMed

Chai, Chen; Wong, Yiik Diew; Wang, Xuesong

2017-07-01

This paper proposes a simulation-based approach to estimate safety impact of driver cognitive failures and driving errors. Fuzzy Logic, which involves linguistic terms and uncertainty, is incorporated with Cellular Automata model to simulate decision-making process of right-turn filtering movement at signalized intersections. Simulation experiments are conducted to estimate the relationships between cognitive failures and driving errors with safety performance. Simulation results show Different types of cognitive failures are found to have varied relationship with driving errors and safety performance. For right-turn filtering movement, cognitive failures are more likely to result in driving errors with denser conflicting traffic stream. Moreover, different driving errors are found to have different safety impacts. The study serves to provide a novel approach to linguistically assess cognitions and replicate decision-making procedures of the individual driver. Compare to crash analysis, the proposed FCA model allows quantitative estimation of particular cognitive failures, and the impact of cognitions on driving errors and safety performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing case ascertainment costs in U.S. population studies of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and cognitive impairment-Part 2.

PubMed

Evans, Denis A; Grodstein, Francine; Loewenstein, David; Kaye, Jeffrey; Weintraub, Sandra

2011-01-01

Dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) is a major public health threat in developed countries where longevity has been extended to the eighth decade of life. Estimates of prevalence and incidence of DAT vary with what is measured, be it change from a baseline cognitive state or a clinical diagnostic endpoint, such as Alzheimer's disease. Judgment of what is psychometrically "normal" at the age of 80 years implicitly condones a decline from what is normal at the age of 30. However, because cognitive aging is very heterogeneous, it is reasonable to ask "Is 'normal for age' good enough to screen for DAT or its earlier precursors of cognitive impairment?" Cost containment and accessibility of ascertainment methods are enhanced by well-validated and reliable methods such as screening for cognitive impairment by telephone interviews. However, focused assessment of episodic memory, the key symptom associated with DAT, might be more effective at distinguishing normal from abnormal cognitive aging trajectories. Alternatively, the futuristic "Smart Home," outfitted with unobtrusive sensors and data storage devices, permits the moment-to-moment recording of activities so that changes that constitute risk for DAT can be identified before the emergence of symptoms. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Association of GA/HbA1c ratio and cognitive impairment in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Tomoe; Shimoda, Masashi; Sanada, Junpei; Fushimi, Yoshiro; Hirata, Yurie; Irie, Shintaro; Tanabe, Akihito; Obata, Atsushi; Kimura, Tomohiko; Hirukawa, Hidenori; Kohara, Kenji; Tatsumi, Fuminori; Kamei, Shinji; Nakanishi, Shuhei; Mune, Tomoatsu; Kaku, Kohei; Kaneto, Hideaki

The aim of this study was to search for factors influencing cognitive impairment and to clarify the association between the fluctuation of blood glucose levels and cognitive impairment in elderly Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes. We recruited 88 relatively elderly subjects (≥65years old) with type 2 diabetes who were hospitalized in Kawasaki Medical School from January 2014 to December 2015. We evaluated the fluctuation of blood glucose levels with glycoalbumin (GA)/hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ratio, and estimated cognitive impairment with Hasegawa dementia scale-revised (HDS-R) score and mini mental state examination (MMSE) score. Multivariate analyses showed that GA/HbA1c ratio and urinary albumin excretion, but not hypoglycemia, were independent determinant factors for cognitive impairment in elderly Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes. The fluctuation of blood glucose levels per se is closely associated with cognitive impairment in elderly subjects with type 2 diabetes even when hypoglycemia is not accompanied. Since it is very easy to calculate GA/HbA1c ratio, we should check this ratio so that we can reduce the fluctuation of blood glucose levels especially in elderly subjects with type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lower circulating insulin-like growth factor-I is associated with better cognition in females with exceptional longevity without compromise to muscle mass and function.

PubMed

Perice, Leland; Barzilai, Nir; Verghese, Joe; Weiss, Erica F; Holtzer, Roee; Cohen, Pinchas; Milman, Sofiya

2016-10-14

Mutations that reduce somatotropic signaling result in improved lifespan and health-span in model organisms and humans. However, whether reduced circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) level is detrimental to cognitive and muscle function in older adults remains understudied. A cross-sectional analysis was performed in Ashkenazi Jews with exceptional longevity (age ≥95 years). Cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and muscle function with the chair rise test, grip-strength, and gait speed. Muscle mass was estimated using the skeletal muscle index. Serum IGF-I was measured with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. In gender stratified age-adjusted logistic regression analysis, females with IGF-I levels in the first tertile had lower odds of being cognitively impaired compared to females with IGF-I levels within the upper two tertiles, OR (95% CI) 0.39 (0.19-0.82). The result remained significant after adjustment for multiple parameters. No significant association was identified in males between IGF-I and cognition. No relationship was found between IGF-I tertiles and muscle function and muscle mass in females or males. Lower circulating IGF-I is associated with better cognitive function in females with exceptional longevity, with no detriment to skeletal muscle mass and function.

The narcoleptic cognitive pupillary response.

PubMed

O'Neill, W D; Trick, K P

2001-09-01

It has been reported that narcoleptics exhibit deficits in short-term memory, list recall, and stimulus frequency estimation compared with control subjects. It is also well-known that pupil dilation during cognitive tasks is a measure of subject attention state. Here we present results from six narcoleptics and six controls, a total of 360 experimental records in which pupillograms were made during cognitive tests, which indicate that narcoleptics begin pupillary dilations at a smaller diameter, begin dilating earlier poststimulus, attain higher pupillary diameter velocities, yet achieve the same equilibrium dilation diameter as controls. These findings are derived from statistical tests performed on the parameters of a nonlinear regression model of pupillary cognitive dilation as a function of time. In our experiments, the standard 1-s interdigit time between cognitive stimuli was increased to 2.3 s, which yielded pupillographic time records showing that the process of short-term memory overload sets in gradually at about four memory digits for controls and three memory digits for narcoleptics. We suggest our results can be partially explained by a narcoleptic stimulus-encoding deficit, which limits the time available for subjects to rehearse cognitive tasks. However, we also report the unexpected finding that the inferred encoding deficit is a transient one in that repeated tasks at the same memory load elicit a near normal naroleptic pupillary dilation.

Effect of 48 h Fasting on Autonomic Function, Brain Activity, Cognition, and Mood in Amateur Weight Lifters.

PubMed

Solianik, Rima; Sujeta, Artūras; Terentjevienė, Asta; Skurvydas, Albertas

2016-01-01

Objectives. The acute fasting-induced cardiovascular autonomic response and its effect on cognition and mood remain debatable. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of a 48 h, zero-calorie diet on autonomic function, brain activity, cognition, and mood in amateur weight lifters. Methods. Nine participants completed a 48 h, zero-calorie diet program. Cardiovascular autonomic function, resting frontal brain activity, cognitive performance, and mood were evaluated before and after fasting. Results. Fasting decreased ( p < 0.05) weight, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure, whereas no changes were evident regarding any of the measured heart rate variability indices. Fasting decreased ( p < 0.05) the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin and improved ( p < 0.05) mental flexibility and shifting set, whereas no changes were observed in working memory, visuospatial discrimination, and spatial orientation ability. Fasting also increased ( p < 0.05) anger, whereas other mood states were not affected by it. Conclusions. 48 h fasting resulted in higher parasympathetic activity and decreased resting frontal brain activity, increased anger, and improved prefrontal-cortex-related cognitive functions, such as mental flexibility and set shifting, in amateur weight lifters. In contrast, hippocampus-related cognitive functions were not affected by it.

Effect of 48 h Fasting on Autonomic Function, Brain Activity, Cognition, and Mood in Amateur Weight Lifters

PubMed Central

Skurvydas, Albertas

2016-01-01

Objectives. The acute fasting-induced cardiovascular autonomic response and its effect on cognition and mood remain debatable. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of a 48 h, zero-calorie diet on autonomic function, brain activity, cognition, and mood in amateur weight lifters. Methods. Nine participants completed a 48 h, zero-calorie diet program. Cardiovascular autonomic function, resting frontal brain activity, cognitive performance, and mood were evaluated before and after fasting. Results. Fasting decreased (p < 0.05) weight, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure, whereas no changes were evident regarding any of the measured heart rate variability indices. Fasting decreased (p < 0.05) the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin and improved (p < 0.05) mental flexibility and shifting set, whereas no changes were observed in working memory, visuospatial discrimination, and spatial orientation ability. Fasting also increased (p < 0.05) anger, whereas other mood states were not affected by it. Conclusions. 48 h fasting resulted in higher parasympathetic activity and decreased resting frontal brain activity, increased anger, and improved prefrontal-cortex-related cognitive functions, such as mental flexibility and set shifting, in amateur weight lifters. In contrast, hippocampus-related cognitive functions were not affected by it. PMID:28025637

Reducing case ascertainment costs in U.S. population studies of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and cognitive impairment—Part 2

PubMed Central

Evans, Denis A.; Grodstein, Francine; Loewensteine, David; Kaye, Jeffrey; Weintraub, Sandra

2011-01-01

Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (DAT) is a major public health threat in developed countries where longevity has been extended to the eighth decade of life. Estimates of prevalence and incidence ofDAT vary with what is measured, be it change from a baseline cognitive state or a clinical diagnostic endpoint, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Judgment of what is psychometrically “normal” at the age of 80 years implicitly condones a decline from what is normal at the age of 30. However, because cognitive aging is very heterogeneous, it is reasonable to ask “Is ‘normal for age’ good enough to screen forDAT or its earlier precursors of cognitive impairment?” Cost containment and accessibility of ascertainment methods are enhanced by well-validated and reliable methods such as screening for cognitive impairment by telephone interviews. However, focused assessment of episodic memory, the key symptom associated with DAT, might be more effective at distinguishing normal from abnormal cognitive aging trajectories. Alternatively, the futuristic “Smart Home,” outfitted with unobtrusive sensors and data storage devices, permits the moment-to-moment recording of activities so that changes that constitute risk for DAT can be identified before the emergence of symptoms. PMID:21255748

Simulations in Cyber-Security: A Review of Cognitive Modeling of Network Attackers, Defenders, and Users.

PubMed

Veksler, Vladislav D; Buchler, Norbou; Hoffman, Blaine E; Cassenti, Daniel N; Sample, Char; Sugrim, Shridat

2018-01-01

Computational models of cognitive processes may be employed in cyber-security tools, experiments, and simulations to address human agency and effective decision-making in keeping computational networks secure. Cognitive modeling can addresses multi-disciplinary cyber-security challenges requiring cross-cutting approaches over the human and computational sciences such as the following: (a) adversarial reasoning and behavioral game theory to predict attacker subjective utilities and decision likelihood distributions, (b) human factors of cyber tools to address human system integration challenges, estimation of defender cognitive states, and opportunities for automation, (c) dynamic simulations involving attacker, defender, and user models to enhance studies of cyber epidemiology and cyber hygiene, and (d) training effectiveness research and training scenarios to address human cyber-security performance, maturation of cyber-security skill sets, and effective decision-making. Models may be initially constructed at the group-level based on mean tendencies of each subject's subgroup, based on known statistics such as specific skill proficiencies, demographic characteristics, and cultural factors. For more precise and accurate predictions, cognitive models may be fine-tuned to each individual attacker, defender, or user profile, and updated over time (based on recorded behavior) via techniques such as model tracing and dynamic parameter fitting.

Test Experience Effects in Longitudinal Comparisons of Adult Cognitive Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salthouse, Timothy

2015-01-01

It is widely recognized that experience with cognitive tests can influence estimates of cognitive change. Prior research has estimated experience effects at the level of groups by comparing the performance of a group of participants tested for the second time with the performance of a different group of participants at the same age tested for the…

EEG Estimates of Cognitive Workload and Engagement Predict Math Problem Solving Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beal, Carole R.; Galan, Federico Cirett

2012-01-01

In the present study, the authors focused on the use of electroencephalography (EEG) data about cognitive workload and sustained attention to predict math problem solving outcomes. EEG data were recorded as students solved a series of easy and difficult math problems. Sequences of attention and cognitive workload estimates derived from the EEG…

Memory complaints and APOE-epsilon4 accelerate cognitive decline in cognitively normal elderly.

PubMed

Dik, M G; Jonker, C; Comijs, H C; Bouter, L M; Twisk, J W; van Kamp, G J; Deeg, D J

2001-12-26

To investigate to what extent subjective memory complaints and APOE-epsilon4 allele carriage predict future cognitive decline in cognitively intact elderly persons, by evaluating both their separate and combined effects. We selected 1,168 subjects from the population-based Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam who were 62 to 85 years of age and had no obvious cognitive impairment at baseline (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score, > or =27). Memory complaints and APOE phenotypes were assessed at baseline. MMSE, the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (memory: immediate recall and delayed recall), and the Alphabet Coding Task-15 (information processing speed) were used to study cognitive decline. Follow-up data were collected after 3 and 6 years. Data were analyzed with generalized estimating equations, adjusted for age, sex, education, and depression. Baseline memory complaints were reported by 25.5% of the cognitively intact elderly persons. Overall, 25.3% of the subjects were carriers of at least one APOE-epsilon4 allele. Memory complaints were associated with a greater rate of decline in all cognitive measures, except immediate recall. In addition, APOE-epsilon4 allele carriers had a greater rate of cognitive decline shown by MMSE scores and slower information processing speeds after 6 years. The effects of both memory complaints and APOE-epsilon4 allele carriage were additive: subjects with both factors had a two times higher cognitive decline than did subjects without both factors. Both memory complaints and APOE-epsilon4 allele carriage predict cognitive decline at an early stage. This finding highlights the importance of subjective memory complaints, which are important even at an early stage when objective tests are still unable to detect cognitive deficits and are especially important for elderly carriers of the APOE-epsilon4 allele because they have an additional risk.

Intelligence and education as predictors of cognitive state in late life: a 50-year follow-up.

PubMed

Plassman, B L; Welsh, K A; Helms, M; Brandt, J; Page, W F; Breitner, J C

1995-08-01

We evaluated the relation of education and intelligence in early adult life to cognitive function in a group of elderly male twins. The Army General Classification Test (AGCT) was administered to US armed forces inductees in the early 1940s. Fifty years later, as part of a study of dementia in twins, we tested the cognitive status of 930 of these men using the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m). TICS-m scores obtained in later life were correlated with AGCT scores (r = 0.457) and with years of education (r = 0.408). Thus, in univariate analyses, the AGCT score accounted for 20.6% and education accounted for 16.7% of variance in cognitive status. However, these two effects were not fully independent. A multivariable model using AGCT score, education, and the interaction of the two variables as predictors of the TICS-m score explained 24.8% of the variance, a slightly but significantly greater proportion than was explained by either factor alone. In a separate analysis based on 604 pairs of twins who took the AGCT, heritability of intelligence (estimated by AGCT score) was 0.503. Although this study does not address the issue of education and premorbid IQ as risk factors for dementia, the findings suggest that basic cognitive abilities in late life are related to cognitive performance measures from early adult life (ie, education and IQ).

A meta-analysis of neurofunctional imaging studies of emotion and cognition in major depression.

PubMed

Diener, Carsten; Kuehner, Christine; Brusniak, Wencke; Ubl, Bettina; Wessa, Michèle; Flor, Herta

2012-07-02

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by altered emotional and cognitive functioning. We performed a voxel-based whole-brain meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging data on altered emotion and cognition in MDD. Forty peer-reviewed studies in English-language published between 1998 and 2010 were included, which used functional neuroimaging during cognitive-emotional challenge in adult individuals with MDD and healthy controls. All studies reported between-groups differences for whole-brain analyses in standardized neuroanatomical space and were subjected to Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) of brain cluster showing altered responsivity in MDD. ALE resulted in thresholded and false discovery rate corrected hypo- and hyperactive brain regions. Against the background of a complex neural activation pattern, studies converged in predominantly hypoactive cluster in the anterior insular and rostral anterior cingulate cortex linked to affectively biased information processing and poor cognitive control. Frontal areas showed not only similar under- but also over-activation during cognitive-emotional challenge. On the subcortical level, we identified activation alterations in the thalamus and striatum which were involved in biased valence processing of emotional stimuli in MDD. These results for active conditions extend findings from ALE meta-analyses of resting state and antidepressant treatment studies and emphasize the key role of the anterior insular and rostral anterior cingulate cortex for altered emotion and cognition in MDD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Depth of Cognitive Processing as the Basis for Potential User-State Adaptation

PubMed Central

Nicolae, Irina-Emilia; Acqualagna, Laura; Blankertz, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Objective: Decoding neurocognitive processes on a single-trial basis with Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) techniques can reveal the user's internal interpretation of the current situation. Such information can potentially be exploited to make devices and interfaces more user aware. In this line of research, we took a further step by studying neural correlates of different levels of cognitive processes and developing a method that allows to quantify how deeply presented information is processed in the brain. Methods/Approach: Seventeen participants took part in an EEG study in which we evaluated different levels of cognitive processing (no processing, shallow, and deep processing) within three distinct domains (memory, language, and visual imagination). Our investigations showed gradual differences in the amplitudes of event-related potentials (ERPs) and in the extend and duration of event-related desynchronization (ERD) which both correlate with task difficulty. We performed multi-modal classification to map the measured correlates of neurocognitive processing to the corresponding level of processing. Results: Successful classification of the neural components was achieved, which reflects the level of cognitive processing performed by the participants. The results show performances above chance level for each participant and a mean performance of 70–90% for all conditions and classification pairs. Significance: The successful estimation of the level of cognition on a single-trial basis supports the feasibility of user-state adaptation based on ongoing neural activity. There is a variety of potential use cases such as: a user-friendly adaptive design of an interface or the development of assistance systems in safety critical workplaces. PMID:29046625

Assessing the Depth of Cognitive Processing as the Basis for Potential User-State Adaptation.

PubMed

Nicolae, Irina-Emilia; Acqualagna, Laura; Blankertz, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Objective: Decoding neurocognitive processes on a single-trial basis with Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) techniques can reveal the user's internal interpretation of the current situation. Such information can potentially be exploited to make devices and interfaces more user aware. In this line of research, we took a further step by studying neural correlates of different levels of cognitive processes and developing a method that allows to quantify how deeply presented information is processed in the brain. Methods/Approach: Seventeen participants took part in an EEG study in which we evaluated different levels of cognitive processing (no processing, shallow, and deep processing) within three distinct domains (memory, language, and visual imagination). Our investigations showed gradual differences in the amplitudes of event-related potentials (ERPs) and in the extend and duration of event-related desynchronization (ERD) which both correlate with task difficulty. We performed multi-modal classification to map the measured correlates of neurocognitive processing to the corresponding level of processing. Results: Successful classification of the neural components was achieved, which reflects the level of cognitive processing performed by the participants. The results show performances above chance level for each participant and a mean performance of 70-90% for all conditions and classification pairs. Significance: The successful estimation of the level of cognition on a single-trial basis supports the feasibility of user-state adaptation based on ongoing neural activity. There is a variety of potential use cases such as: a user-friendly adaptive design of an interface or the development of assistance systems in safety critical workplaces.

Comparison between artificial neural network and multilinear regression models in an evaluation of cognitive workload in a flight simulator.

PubMed

Hannula, Manne; Huttunen, Kerttu; Koskelo, Jukka; Laitinen, Tomi; Leino, Tuomo

2008-01-01

In this study, the performances of artificial neural network (ANN) analysis and multilinear regression (MLR) model-based estimation of heart rate were compared in an evaluation of individual cognitive workload. The data comprised electrocardiography (ECG) measurements and an evaluation of cognitive load that induces psychophysiological stress (PPS), collected from 14 interceptor fighter pilots during complex simulated F/A-18 Hornet air battles. In our data, the mean absolute error of the ANN estimate was 11.4 as a visual analog scale score, being 13-23% better than the mean absolute error of the MLR model in the estimation of cognitive workload.

Education attenuates the negative impact of traumatic brain injury on cognitive status.

PubMed

Sumowski, James F; Chiaravalloti, Nancy; Krch, Denise; Paxton, Jessica; Deluca, John

2013-12-01

To investigate whether the cognitive reserve hypothesis helps to explain differential cognitive impairment among survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), whereby survivors with greater intellectual enrichment (estimated with education) are less vulnerable to cognitive impairment. Cross-sectional study. Medical rehabilitation research center. Survivors of moderate or severe TBI (n=44) and healthy controls (n=36). Not applicable. Intellectual enrichment was estimated with educational attainment. Group was defined as TBI or healthy control. Current cognitive status (processing speed, working memory, episodic memory) was evaluated with neuropsychological tasks. TBI survivors exhibited worse cognitive status than healthy persons (P<.001), and education was positively correlated with cognitive status in TBI survivors (r=.54, P<.001). Most importantly, regression analysis revealed an interaction between group and education (R(2) change=.036, P=.004), whereas higher education attenuated the negative impact of TBI on cognitive status. TBI survivors with lower education performed much worse than matched healthy persons, but this TBI-related performance discrepancy was attenuated at higher levels of education. Higher intellectual enrichment (estimated with education) reduces the negative effect of TBI on cognitive outcomes, thereby supporting the cognitive reserve hypothesis in persons with TBI. Future work is necessary to investigate whether intellectual enrichment can build cognitive reserve as a rehabilitative intervention in survivors of TBI. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social stress reactivity alters reward and punishment learning

PubMed Central

Frank, Michael J.; Allen, John J. B.

2011-01-01

To examine how stress affects cognitive functioning, individual differences in trait vulnerability (punishment sensitivity) and state reactivity (negative affect) to social evaluative threat were examined during concurrent reinforcement learning. Lower trait-level punishment sensitivity predicted better reward learning and poorer punishment learning; the opposite pattern was found in more punishment sensitive individuals. Increasing state-level negative affect was directly related to punishment learning accuracy in highly punishment sensitive individuals, but these measures were inversely related in less sensitive individuals. Combined electrophysiological measurement, performance accuracy and computational estimations of learning parameters suggest that trait and state vulnerability to stress alter cortico-striatal functioning during reinforcement learning, possibly mediated via medio-frontal cortical systems. PMID:20453038

Social stress reactivity alters reward and punishment learning.

PubMed

Cavanagh, James F; Frank, Michael J; Allen, John J B

2011-06-01

To examine how stress affects cognitive functioning, individual differences in trait vulnerability (punishment sensitivity) and state reactivity (negative affect) to social evaluative threat were examined during concurrent reinforcement learning. Lower trait-level punishment sensitivity predicted better reward learning and poorer punishment learning; the opposite pattern was found in more punishment sensitive individuals. Increasing state-level negative affect was directly related to punishment learning accuracy in highly punishment sensitive individuals, but these measures were inversely related in less sensitive individuals. Combined electrophysiological measurement, performance accuracy and computational estimations of learning parameters suggest that trait and state vulnerability to stress alter cortico-striatal functioning during reinforcement learning, possibly mediated via medio-frontal cortical systems.

Neural activity underlying motor-action preparation and cognitive narrowing in approach-motivated goal states.

PubMed

Gable, Philip A; Threadgill, A Hunter; Adams, David L

2016-02-01

High-approach-motivated (pre-goal) positive affect states encourage tenacious goal pursuit and narrow cognitive scope. As such, high approach-motivated states likely enhance the neural correlates of motor-action preparation to aid in goal acquisition. These neural correlates may also relate to the cognitive narrowing associated with high approach-motivated states. In the present study, we investigated motor-action preparation during pre-goal and post-goal states using an index of beta suppression over the motor cortex. The results revealed that beta suppression was greatest in pre-goal positive states, suggesting that higher levels of motor-action preparation occur during high approach-motivated positive states. Furthermore, beta and alpha suppression in the high approach-motivated positive states predicted greater cognitive narrowing. These results suggest that approach-motivated pre-goal states engage the neural substrates of motor-action preparation and cognitive narrowing. Individual differences in motor-action preparation relate to the degree of cognitive narrowing.

Kidney function and cognitive decline in an oldest-old Chinese population.

PubMed

Bai, Kunhao; Pan, Yujing; Lu, Fanghong; Zhao, Yingxin; Wang, Jinwei; Zhang, Luxia

2017-01-01

Early-stage chronic kidney disease has been suggested to be correlated with cognitive decline, but the association has rarely been explored in the oldest old. This prospective study included 284 Chinese participants aged 80 years or older with serum creatinine levels <150 µmol/L. The median follow-up time was 3.3 years, and 247 (87.0%) participants provided valid data at their last visit. Kidney function was evaluated by measuring the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline, and cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at both baseline and annual visits. A reliable decrease in the MMSE score over the follow-up period was observed based on a Reliable Change Index of 1.645 (equivalent to a 90% confidence interval [CI]), which was used to define cognitive decline. Poisson regression models were built to analyze the association between baseline kidney function and cognitive decline. A total of 18 (7.3%) cases of incident cognitive decline were observed during the follow-up period. After adjusting for potential confounders, the relative risk of developing cognitive decline was 4.03 (95% CI 1.09-13.81) among participants with an eGFR of 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m 2 compared to participants with an eGFR of ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . Early-stage chronic kidney disease was correlated with cognitive decline in an oldest-old Chinese population.

Combining computer adaptive testing technology with cognitively diagnostic assessment.

PubMed

McGlohen, Meghan; Chang, Hua-Hua

2008-08-01

A major advantage of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is that it allows the test to home in on an examinee's ability level in an interactive manner. The aim of the new area of cognitive diagnosis is to provide information about specific content areas in which an examinee needs help. The goal of this study was to combine the benefit of specific feedback from cognitively diagnostic assessment with the advantages of CAT. In this study, three approaches to combining these were investigated: (1) item selection based on the traditional ability level estimate (theta), (2) item selection based on the attribute mastery feedback provided by cognitively diagnostic assessment (alpha), and (3) item selection based on both the traditional ability level estimate (theta) and the attribute mastery feedback provided by cognitively diagnostic assessment (alpha). The results from these three approaches were compared for theta estimation accuracy, attribute mastery estimation accuracy, and item exposure control. The theta- and alpha-based condition outperformed the alpha-based condition regarding theta estimation, attribute mastery pattern estimation, and item exposure control. Both the theta-based condition and the theta- and alpha-based condition performed similarly with regard to theta estimation, attribute mastery estimation, and item exposure control, but the theta- and alpha-based condition has an additional advantage in that it uses the shadow test method, which allows the administrator to incorporate additional constraints in the item selection process, such as content balancing, item type constraints, and so forth, and also to select items on the basis of both the current theta and alpha estimates, which can be built on top of existing 3PL testing programs.

Functional Trajectories, Cognition, and Subclinical Cerebrovascular Disease.

PubMed

Dhamoon, Mandip S; Cheung, Ying-Kuen; Gutierrez, Jose; Moon, Yeseon P; Sacco, Ralph L; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Wright, Clinton B

2018-03-01

Cognition and education influence functional trajectories, but whether associations differ with subclinical brain infarcts (SBI) or white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) is unknown. We hypothesized that SBI and WMHV moderated relationships between cognitive performance and education and functional trajectories. A total of 1290 stroke-free individuals underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and were followed for 7.3 years (mean) with annual functional assessments with the Barthel index (range, 0-100). Magnetic resonance imaging measurements included pathology-informed SBI (PI-SBI) and WMHV (% total cranial volume). Generalized estimating equation models tested associations between magnetic resonance imaging variables and baseline Barthel index and change in Barthel index, adjusting for demographic, vascular, cognitive, and social risk factors, and stroke and myocardial infarction during follow-up. We tested interactions among education level, baseline cognitive performance (Mini-Mental State score), and functional trajectories and ran models stratified by levels of magnetic resonance imaging variables. Mean age was 70.6 (SD, 9.0) years; 19% had PI-SBI, and mean WMHV was 0.68%. Education did not modify associations between cognition and functional trajectories. PI-SBI modified associations between cognition and functional trajectories ( P =0.04) with a significant protective effect of better cognition on functional decline seen only in those without PI-SBI. There was no significant interaction for WMHV ( P =0.8). PI-SBI, and greater WMHV, were associated with 2- to 3-fold steeper functional decline, holding cognition constant. PI-SBI moderated the association between cognition and functional trajectories, with 3-fold greater decline among those with PI-SBI (compared with no PI-SBI) and normal baseline cognition. This highlights the strong and independent association between subclinical markers and patient-centered trajectories over time. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

PubMed

Northey, Joseph Michael; Cherbuin, Nicolas; Pumpa, Kate Louise; Smee, Disa Jane; Rattray, Ben

2018-02-01

Physical exercise is seen as a promising intervention to prevent or delay cognitive decline in individuals aged 50 years and older, yet the evidence from reviews is not conclusive. To determine if physical exercise is effective in improving cognitive function in this population. Systematic review with multilevel meta-analysis. Electronic databases Medline (PubMed), EMBASE (Scopus), PsychINFO and CENTRAL (Cochrane) from inception to November 2016. Randomised controlled trials of physical exercise interventions in community-dwelling adults older than 50 years, with an outcome measure of cognitive function. The search returned 12 820 records, of which 39 studies were included in the systematic review. Analysis of 333 dependent effect sizes from 36 studies showed that physical exercise improved cognitive function (0.29; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.41; p<0.01). Interventions of aerobic exercise, resistance training, multicomponent training and tai chi, all had significant point estimates. When exercise prescription was examined, a duration of 45-60 min per session and at least moderate intensity, were associated with benefits to cognition. The results of the meta-analysis were consistent and independent of the cognitive domain tested or the cognitive status of the participants. Physical exercise improved cognitive function in the over 50s, regardless of the cognitive status of participants. To improve cognitive function, this meta-analysis provides clinicians with evidence to recommend that patients obtain both aerobic and resistance exercise of at least moderate intensity on as many days of the week as feasible, in line with current exercise guidelines. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Association between age associated cognitive decline and health related quality of life among Iranian older individuals.

PubMed

Kazazi, Leila; Foroughan, Mahshid; Nejati, Vahid; Shati, Mohsen

2018-04-01

Age associated cognitive decline or normal cognitive aging is related with lower levels of functioning in real life, and may interfere with maintaining independence and health related quality of life (HRQL). In this study, health related quality of life and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults were evaluated with the aim of exploring the association between them by adjusting for potential confounders. This cross-sectional study, was implemented on 425 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and over, between August 2016 and October 2016 in health centers of the municipality of Tehran, Iran, using Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) to assess cognitive function and Short Form-36 scales (SF-36) to assess HRQL. The relation between HRQL and cognitive function was evaluated by Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the impact of cognitive function on HRQL adjusted for potential confounders was estimated by linear regression model. All analyses were done using SPSS, version 22.0. A positive significant correlation between cognitive function and quality of life (r=0.434; p<0.001) and its dimensions was observed. Two variables of educational level (B=2.704; 95% CI: 2.09 to 3.30; p<0.001) and depression (B=2.554; 95% CI: 2.00 to 3.10; p<0.001) were assumed as potential confounder by changing effect measure after entering the model. After adjusting for potential confounders in regression model, the association between MMSE scores and quality of life persisted (B=2.417; 95% CI: 1.86 to 2.96; p<0.001). The results indicate that cognitive function was associated with HRQL in older adults with age associated cognitive function. Two variables of educational level and depression can affect the relation between cognitive decline and HRQL.

Washington State CARE Project: downstream cost changes associated with the provision of cognitive services by pharmacists.

PubMed

Smith, D H; Fassett, W E; Christensen, D B

1999-01-01

To determine the changes in drug costs associated with drug therapy changes resulting from pharmacists' cognitive services (CS) provided to Medicaid recipients during a 1-year period following the documented CS. A study-control group analysis of documented pharmacists' CS interventions linked to Medicaid prescription claims. Each CS resulting in a drug therapy change was linked to an index prescription claim and all refills for the same drug within 365 days. The drug cost change associated with the CS was calculated as the difference between the estimated cost of the prescription as originally written less the actual cost to Medicaid for the stream of refills dispensed. Pharmacies serving ambulatory Medicaid patients in the state of Washington, excluding staff-model health maintenance organization pharmacies and pharmacies predominantly serving long-term care residents. Approximately 200 community pharmacies participating in the Washington State Cognitive Activities and Reimbursement Effectiveness (CARE) Project. Pharmacies were randomly assigned to a group that was paid a fee for each CS provided or a group that was not paid. Payment for CS. Downstream drug costs associated with CS resulting in a drug therapy change. CS resulting in drug therapy changes accounted for 5,417 out of 20,240 (27%) documented CS in the CARE Project. Of the 2,002 CS records analyzed in this study, 76% indicated a change in the prescribed drug or drug regimen, 9% indicated that a drug was added, 5% indicated that a current drug was discontinued, and 10% indicated that an originally prescribed drug was never dispensed. Only 9% involved generic substitution; all other changes would have necessitated prior prescriber approval. Overall, CS resulting in a drug therapy change generated a mean drug cost savings of $13.05 per CS intervention. There were no significant differences in average savings per intervention between the paid and nonpaid groups. For all result categories except "add drug therapy," the extrapolated cost savings in the paid group exceeded the savings estimated from the nonpaid group, sometimes by a considerable amount. At the payment rate used in this study, paying for CS that result in a drug therapy change (except add drug therapy) is estimated to save an additional $10 per 1,000 prescriptions dispensed. Those CS that result in addition of drug therapy are estimated to add an incremental cost of about $13 per 1,000 prescriptions. A sensitivity analysis revealed that a higher intervention rate would lead to a higher potential savings. This finding suggests that efforts to encourage CS interventions may lead to greater savings.

Stroke survivors over-estimate their medication self-administration (MSA) ability, predicting memory loss.

PubMed

Barrett, A M; Galletta, Elizabeth E; Zhang, Jun; Masmela, Jenny R; Adler, Uri S

2014-01-01

Medication self-administration (MSA) may be cognitively challenging after stroke, but guidelines are currently lacking for identifying high-functioning stroke survivors who may have difficulty with this task. Complicating this matter, stroke survivors may not be aware of their cognitive problems (cognitive anosognosia) and may over-estimate their MSA competence. The authors wished to evaluate medication self-administration and MSA self-awareness in 24 consecutive acute stroke survivors undergoing inpatient rehabilitation, to determine if they would over-estimate their medication self-administration and if this predicted memory disorder. Stroke survivors were tested on the Hopkins Medication Schedule and also their memory, naming mood and dexterity were evaluated, comparing their performance to 17 matched controls. The anosognosia ratio indicated MSA over-estimation in stroke survivors compared with controls--no other over-estimation errors were noted relative to controls. A strong correlation was observed between over-estimation of MSA ability and verbal memory deficit, suggesting that formally assessing MSA and MSA self-awareness may help detect cognitive deficits. Assessing medication self-administration and MSA self-awareness may be useful in rehabilitation and successful community-return after stroke.

Temporal Comparison Between NIRS and EEG Signals During a Mental Arithmetic Task Evaluated with Self-Organizing Maps.

PubMed

Oyama, Katsunori; Sakatani, Kaoru

2016-01-01

Simultaneous monitoring of brain activity with near-infrared spectroscopy and electroencephalography allows spatiotemporal reconstruction of the hemodynamic response regarding the concentration changes in oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin that are associated with recorded brain activity such as cognitive functions. However, the accuracy of state estimation during mental arithmetic tasks is often different depending on the length of the segment for sampling of NIRS and EEG signals. This study compared the results of a self-organizing map and ANOVA, which were both used to assess the accuracy of state estimation. We conducted an experiment with a mental arithmetic task performed by 10 participants. The lengths of the segment in each time frame for observation of NIRS and EEG signals were compared with the 30-s, 1-min, and 2-min segment lengths. The optimal segment lengths were different for NIRS and EEG signals in the case of classification of feature vectors into the states of performing a mental arithmetic task and being at rest.

Long-term cumulative depressive symptom burden and risk of cognitive decline and dementia among very old women.

PubMed

Zeki Al Hazzouri, Adina; Vittinghoff, Eric; Byers, Amy; Covinsky, Ken; Blazer, Dan; Diem, Susan; Ensrud, Kristine E; Yaffe, Kristine

2014-05-01

Depressive symptoms and cognitive outcomes are strongly interrelated. Despite that rates of depressive symptoms fluctuate during late life, little is known about the impact of long-term cumulative depressive symptom burden on cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. This study examines the association of nearly 20 years of cumulative depressive symptoms with cognitive outcomes in a cohort of older women. We assessed depressive symptoms in 7,240 women using the Geriatric Depression scale (GDS) at serial visits. We used a Poisson model with random slopes to estimate GDS trajectories for each participant from baseline to death or end of follow-up, and then characterized depressive symptom burden by quartile of the area under the curve. We assessed cognitive outcomes using repeated measures of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Trails B score over 20 years, Year-20 neuropsychological test battery, and adjudicated dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Adjusting for potential confounders, compared with women in the lowest quartile of cumulative depressive symptoms burden, women in the highest quartile had 21% more MMSE errors over time (95% CI = 17%, 26%), 20% worse Trails B score over time (95% CI = 17%, 23%), worse scores on most of the Year-20 cognitive tests, and a twofold greater likelihood of developing dementia or MCI (95% CI = 1.48, 3.11). Long-term cumulative depressive symptom burden was associated with cognitive decline and risk of dementia or MCI. Older adults with a history of depression should be closely monitored for recurrent episodes or unresolved depressive symptoms as well as any cognitive deficits.

Cognitive and Emotion Regulation Change Processes in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder.

PubMed

O'Toole, Mia S; Mennin, Douglas S; Hougaard, Esben; Zachariae, Robert; Rosenberg, Nicole K

2015-01-01

The objective of the study was to investigate variables, derived from both cognitive and emotion regulation conceptualizations of social anxiety disorder (SAD), as possible change processes in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for SAD. Several proposed change processes were investigated: estimated probability, estimated cost, safety behaviours, acceptance of emotions, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Participants were 50 patients with SAD, receiving a standard manualized CBT program, conducted in groups or individually. All variables were measured pre-therapy, mid-therapy and post-therapy. Lower level mediation models revealed that while a change in most process measures significantly predicted clinical improvement, only changes in estimated probability and cost and acceptance of emotions showed significant indirect effects of CBT for SAD. The results are in accordance with previous studies supporting the mediating role of changes in cognitive distortions in CBT for SAD. In addition, acceptance of emotions may also be a critical component to clinical improvement in SAD during CBT, although more research is needed on which elements of acceptance are most helpful for individuals with SAD. The study's lack of a control condition limits any conclusion regarding the specificity of the findings to CBT. Change in estimated probability and cost, and acceptance of emotions showed an indirect effect of CBT for SAD. Cognitive distortions appear relevant to target with cognitive restructuring techniques. Finding acceptance to have an indirect effect could be interpreted as support for contemporary CBT approaches that include acceptance-based strategies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Supporting Multiple Cognitive Processing Styles Using Tailored Support Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuan Q. Tran; Karen M. Feigh; Amy R. Pritchett

According to theories of cognitive processing style or cognitive control mode, human performance is more effective when an individual’s cognitive state (e.g., intuition/scramble vs. deliberate/strategic) matches his/her ecological constraints or context (e.g., utilize intuition to strive for a "good-enough" response instead of deliberating for the "best" response under high time pressure). Ill-mapping between cognitive state and ecological constraints are believed to lead to degraded task performance. Consequently, incorporating support systems which are designed to specifically address multiple cognitive and functional states e.g., high workload, stress, boredom, and initiate appropriate mitigation strategies (e.g., reduce information load) is essential to reduce plantmore » risk. Utilizing the concept of Cognitive Control Models, this paper will discuss the importance of tailoring support systems to match an operator's cognitive state, and will further discuss the importance of these ecological constraints in selecting and implementing mitigation strategies for safe and effective system performance. An example from the nuclear power plant industry illustrating how a support system might be tailored to support different cognitive states is included.« less

Brain properties predict proximity to symptom onset in sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Vogel, Jacob W; Vachon-Presseau, Etienne; Pichet Binette, Alexa; Tam, Angela; Orban, Pierre; La Joie, Renaud; Savard, Mélissa; Picard, Cynthia; Poirier, Judes; Bellec, Pierre; Breitner, John C S; Villeneuve, Sylvia

2018-06-01

See Tijms and Visser (doi:10.1093/brain/awy113) for a scientific commentary on this article.Alzheimer's disease is preceded by a lengthy 'preclinical' stage spanning many years, during which subtle brain changes occur in the absence of overt cognitive symptoms. Predicting when the onset of disease symptoms will occur is an unsolved challenge in individuals with sporadic Alzheimer's disease. In individuals with autosomal dominant genetic Alzheimer's disease, the age of symptom onset is similar across generations, allowing the prediction of individual onset times with some accuracy. We extend this concept to persons with a parental history of sporadic Alzheimer's disease to test whether an individual's symptom onset age can be informed by the onset age of their affected parent, and whether this estimated onset age can be predicted using only MRI. Structural and functional MRIs were acquired from 255 ageing cognitively healthy subjects with a parental history of sporadic Alzheimer's disease from the PREVENT-AD cohort. Years to estimated symptom onset was calculated as participant age minus age of parental symptom onset. Grey matter volume was extracted from T1-weighted images and whole-brain resting state functional connectivity was evaluated using degree count. Both modalities were summarized using a 444-region cortical-subcortical atlas. The entire sample was divided into training (n = 138) and testing (n = 68) sets. Within the training set, individuals closer to or beyond their parent's symptom onset demonstrated reduced grey matter volume and altered functional connectivity, specifically in regions known to be vulnerable in Alzheimer's disease. Machine learning was used to identify a weighted set of imaging features trained to predict years to estimated symptom onset. This feature set alone significantly predicted years to estimated symptom onset in the unseen testing data. This model, using only neuroimaging features, significantly outperformed a similar model instead trained with cognitive, genetic, imaging and demographic features used in a traditional clinical setting. We next tested if these brain properties could be generalized to predict time to clinical progression in a subgroup of 26 individuals from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, who eventually converted either to mild cognitive impairment or to Alzheimer's dementia. The feature set trained on years to estimated symptom onset in the PREVENT-AD predicted variance in time to clinical conversion in this separate longitudinal dataset. Adjusting for participant age did not impact any of the results. These findings demonstrate that years to estimated symptom onset or similar measures can be predicted from brain features and may help estimate presymptomatic disease progression in at-risk individuals.

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Brain Network Connectivity Maintains Cognition across the Lifespan Despite Accelerated Decay of Regional Brain Activation.

PubMed

Tsvetanov, Kamen A; Henson, Richard N A; Tyler, Lorraine K; Razi, Adeel; Geerligs, Linda; Ham, Timothy E; Rowe, James B

2016-03-16

The maintenance of wellbeing across the lifespan depends on the preservation of cognitive function. We propose that successful cognitive aging is determined by interactions both within and between large-scale functional brain networks. Such connectivity can be estimated from task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), also known as resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). However, common correlational methods are confounded by age-related changes in the neurovascular signaling. To estimate network interactions at the neuronal rather than vascular level, we used generative models that specified both the neural interactions and a flexible neurovascular forward model. The networks' parameters were optimized to explain the spectral dynamics of rs-fMRI data in 602 healthy human adults from population-based cohorts who were approximately uniformly distributed between 18 and 88 years (www.cam-can.com). We assessed directed connectivity within and between three key large-scale networks: the salience network, dorsal attention network, and default mode network. We found that age influences connectivity both within and between these networks, over and above the effects on neurovascular coupling. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that the relationship between network connectivity and cognitive function was age-dependent: cognitive performance relied on neural dynamics more strongly in older adults. These effects were driven partly by reduced stability of neural activity within all networks, as expressed by an accelerated decay of neural information. Our findings suggest that the balance of excitatory connectivity between networks, and the stability of intrinsic neural representations within networks, changes with age. The cognitive function of older adults becomes increasingly dependent on these factors. Maintaining cognitive function is critical to successful aging. To study the neural basis of cognitive function across the lifespan, we studied a large population-based cohort (n = 602, 18-88 years), separating neural connectivity from vascular components of fMRI signals. Cognitive ability was influenced by the strength of connection within and between functional brain networks, and this positive relationship increased with age. In older adults, there was more rapid decay of intrinsic neuronal activity in multiple regions of the brain networks, which related to cognitive performance. Our data demonstrate increased reliance on network flexibility to maintain cognitive function, in the presence of more rapid decay of neural activity. These insights will facilitate the development of new strategies to maintain cognitive ability. Copyright © 2016 Tsvetanov et al.

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Brain Network Connectivity Maintains Cognition across the Lifespan Despite Accelerated Decay of Regional Brain Activation

PubMed Central

Henson, Richard N.A.; Tyler, Lorraine K.; Razi, Adeel; Geerligs, Linda; Ham, Timothy E.; Rowe, James B.

2016-01-01

The maintenance of wellbeing across the lifespan depends on the preservation of cognitive function. We propose that successful cognitive aging is determined by interactions both within and between large-scale functional brain networks. Such connectivity can be estimated from task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), also known as resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). However, common correlational methods are confounded by age-related changes in the neurovascular signaling. To estimate network interactions at the neuronal rather than vascular level, we used generative models that specified both the neural interactions and a flexible neurovascular forward model. The networks' parameters were optimized to explain the spectral dynamics of rs-fMRI data in 602 healthy human adults from population-based cohorts who were approximately uniformly distributed between 18 and 88 years (www.cam-can.com). We assessed directed connectivity within and between three key large-scale networks: the salience network, dorsal attention network, and default mode network. We found that age influences connectivity both within and between these networks, over and above the effects on neurovascular coupling. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that the relationship between network connectivity and cognitive function was age-dependent: cognitive performance relied on neural dynamics more strongly in older adults. These effects were driven partly by reduced stability of neural activity within all networks, as expressed by an accelerated decay of neural information. Our findings suggest that the balance of excitatory connectivity between networks, and the stability of intrinsic neural representations within networks, changes with age. The cognitive function of older adults becomes increasingly dependent on these factors. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Maintaining cognitive function is critical to successful aging. To study the neural basis of cognitive function across the lifespan, we studied a large population-based cohort (n = 602, 18–88 years), separating neural connectivity from vascular components of fMRI signals. Cognitive ability was influenced by the strength of connection within and between functional brain networks, and this positive relationship increased with age. In older adults, there was more rapid decay of intrinsic neuronal activity in multiple regions of the brain networks, which related to cognitive performance. Our data demonstrate increased reliance on network flexibility to maintain cognitive function, in the presence of more rapid decay of neural activity. These insights will facilitate the development of new strategies to maintain cognitive ability. PMID:26985024

Differences in Resting State Functional Connectivity between Young Adult Endurance Athletes and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Raichlen, David A.; Bharadwaj, Pradyumna K.; Fitzhugh, Megan C.; Haws, Kari A.; Torre, Gabrielle-Ann; Trouard, Theodore P.; Alexander, Gene E.

2016-01-01

Expertise and training in fine motor skills has been associated with changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity. Fewer studies have explored the neural effects of athletic activities that do not seem to rely on precise fine motor control (e.g., distance running). Here, we compared resting-state functional connectivity in a sample of adult male collegiate distance runners (n = 11; age = 21.3 ± 2.5) and a group of healthy age-matched non-athlete male controls (n = 11; age = 20.6 ± 1.1), to test the hypothesis that expertise in sustained aerobic motor behaviors affects resting state functional connectivity in young adults. Although generally considered an automated repetitive task, locomotion, especially at an elite level, likely engages multiple cognitive actions including planning, inhibition, monitoring, attentional switching and multi-tasking, and motor control. Here, we examined connectivity in three resting-state networks that link such executive functions with motor control: the default mode network (DMN), the frontoparietal network (FPN), and the motor network (MN). We found two key patterns of significant between-group differences in connectivity that are consistent with the hypothesized cognitive demands of elite endurance running. First, enhanced connectivity between the FPN and brain regions often associated with aspects of working memory and other executive functions (frontal cortex), suggest endurance running may stress executive cognitive functions in ways that increase connectivity in associated networks. Second, we found significant anti-correlations between the DMN and regions associated with motor control (paracentral area), somatosensory functions (post-central region), and visual association abilities (occipital cortex). DMN deactivation with task-positive regions has been shown to be generally beneficial for cognitive performance, suggesting anti-correlated regions observed here are engaged during running. For all between-group differences, there were significant associations between connectivity, self-reported physical activity, and estimates of maximum aerobic capacity, suggesting a dose-response relationship between engagement in endurance running and connectivity strength. Together these results suggest that differences in experience with endurance running are associated with differences in functional brain connectivity. High intensity aerobic activity that requires sustained, repetitive locomotor and navigational skills may stress cognitive domains in ways that lead to altered brain connectivity, which in turn has implications for understanding the beneficial role of exercise for brain and cognitive function over the lifespan. PMID:28018192

Validation of the Chinese version of the CogState computerised cognitive assessment battery in Taiwanese patients with heart failure.

PubMed

Chou, Cheng-Chen; Pressler, Susan J; Giordani, Bruno; Fetzer, Susan Jane

2015-11-01

To evaluate the validity of the Chinese version of the CogState battery, a computerised cognitive testing among patients with heart failure in Taiwan. Cognitive deficits are common in patients with heart failure and a validated Chinese measurement is required for assessing cognitive change for this population. The CogState computerised battery is a measurement of cognitive function and has been validated in many languages, but not Chinese. A cross-sectional study. A convenience sample consisted of 76 women with heart failure and 64 healthy women in northern Taiwan. Women completed the Chinese version of the CogState battery and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Construct validity of the Chinese version of the battery was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis and known-group comparisons. Convergent validity of the CogState tasks was examined by Pearson correlation coefficients. Principal components factor analysis with promax rotation showed two factors reflecting the speed and memory dimensions of the tests. Scores for CogState battery tasks showed significant differences between the heart failure and healthy control group. Examination of convergent validity of the CogState found a significant association with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The Chinese CogState Battery has satisfactory construct and convergent validity to measure cognitive deficits in patients with heart failure in Taiwan. The Chinese CogState battery is a valid instrument for detecting cognitive deficits that may be subtle in the early stages, and identifying changes that provide insights into patients' abilities to implement treatment accurately and consistently. Better interventions tailored to the needs of the cognitive impaired population can be developed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Diagnostic transitions in mild cognitive impairment subtypes.

PubMed

Forlenza, Orestes Vicente; Diniz, Breno Satler; Nunes, Paula Villela; Memória, Claudia Maia; Yassuda, Monica Sanches; Gattaz, Wagner Farid

2009-12-01

At least for a subset of patients, the clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may represent an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia. Nevertheless, the patterns of transition of cognitive states between normal cognitive aging and MCI to dementia are not well established. In this study we address the pattern of transitions between cognitive states in patients with MCI and healthy controls, prior to the conversion to dementia. 139 subjects (78% women, mean age, 68.5 +/- 6.1 years; mean educational level, 11.7 +/- 5.4 years) were consecutively assessed in a memory clinic with a standardized clinical and neuropsychological protocol, and classified as cognitively healthy (normal controls) or with MCI (including subtypes) at baseline. These subjects underwent annual reassessments (mean duration of follow-up: 2.7 +/- 1.1 years), in which cognitive state was ascertained independently of prior diagnoses. The pattern of transitions of the cognitive state was determined by Markov chain analysis. The transitions from one cognitive state to another varied substantially between MCI subtypes. Single-domain MCI (amnestic and non-amnestic) more frequently returned to normal cognitive state upon follow-up (22.5% and 21%, respectively). Among subjects who progressed to Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common diagnosis immediately prior conversion was multiple-domain MCI (85%). The clinical diagnosis of MCI and its subtypes yields groups of patients with heterogeneous patterns of transitions between one given cognitive state to another. The presence of more severe and widespread cognitive deficits, as indicated by the group of multiple-domain amnestic MCI may be a better predictor of AD than single-domain amnestic or non-amnestic deficits. These higher-risk individuals could probably be the best candidates for the development of preventive strategies and early treatment for the disease.

The Role of Personality in a Regular Cognitive Monitoring Program.

PubMed

Sadeq, Nasreen A; Valdes, Elise G; Harrison Bush, Aryn L; Andel, Ross

2018-02-20

This study examines the role of personality in cognitive performance, adherence, and satisfaction with regular cognitive self-monitoring. One hundred fifty-seven cognitively healthy older adults, age 55+, completed the 44-item Big-Five Inventory and were subsequently engaged in online monthly cognitive monitoring using the Cogstate Brief Battery for up to 35 months (M=14 mo, SD=7 mo). The test measures speed and accuracy in reaction time, visual learning, and working memory tasks. Neuroticism, although not related to cognitive performance overall (P>0.05), was related to a greater increase in accuracy (estimate=0.07, P=0.04) and speed (estimate=-0.09, P=0.03) on One Card Learning. Greater conscientiousness was related to faster overall speed on Detection (estimate=-1.62, P=0.02) and a significant rate of improvement in speed on One Card Learning (estimate=-0.10, P<0.03). No differences in satisfaction or adherence to monthly monitoring as a function of neuroticism or conscientiousness were observed. Participants volunteering for regular cognitive monitoring may be quite uniform in terms of personality traits, with personality traits playing a relatively minor role in adherence and satisfaction. The more neurotic may exhibit better accuracy and improve in speed with time, whereas the more conscientious may perform faster overall and improve in speed on some tasks, but the effects appear small.

Prevalence of Dementia and Cognitive Complaints in the Context of High Cognitive Reserve: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Perquin, Magali; Diederich, Nico; Pastore, Jessica; Lair, Marie-Lise; Stranges, Saverio; Vaillant, Michel

2015-01-01

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dementia and cognitive complaints in a cross-sectional sample of Luxembourg seniors, and to discuss the results in the societal context of high cognitive reserve resulting from multilingualism. A population sample of 1,377 people representative of Luxembourg residents aged over 64 years was initially identified via the national social insurance register. There were three different levels of contribution: full participation in the study, partial participation, and non-participation. We examined the profiles of these three different samples so that we could infer the prevalence estimates in the Luxembourgish senior population as a whole using the prevalence estimates obtained in this study. After careful attention to the potential bias and of the possibility of underestimation, we considered the obtained prevalence estimates of 3.8% for dementia (with corresponding 95% confidence limits (CL) of 2.8% and 4.8%) and 26.1% for cognitive complaints (CL = [17.8-34.3]) as trustworthy. Based on these findings, we postulate that high cognitive reserve may result in surprisingly low prevalence estimates of cognitive complaints and dementia in adults over the age of 64 years, which thereby corroborates the longer disability-free life expectancy observed in the Luxembourg population. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report such Luxembourgish public health data.

Prevalence of Dementia and Cognitive Complaints in the Context of High Cognitive Reserve: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Perquin, Magali; Diederich, Nico; Pastore, Jessica; Lair, Marie-Lise; Stranges, Saverio; Vaillant, Michel

2015-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dementia and cognitive complaints in a cross-sectional sample of Luxembourg seniors, and to discuss the results in the societal context of high cognitive reserve resulting from multilingualism. Methods A population sample of 1,377 people representative of Luxembourg residents aged over 64 years was initially identified via the national social insurance register. There were three different levels of contribution: full participation in the study, partial participation, and non-participation. We examined the profiles of these three different samples so that we could infer the prevalence estimates in the Luxembourgish senior population as a whole using the prevalence estimates obtained in this study. Results After careful attention to the potential bias and of the possibility of underestimation, we considered the obtained prevalence estimates of 3.8% for dementia (with corresponding 95% confidence limits (CL) of 2.8% and 4.8%) and 26.1% for cognitive complaints (CL = [17.8–34.3]) as trustworthy. Conclusion Based on these findings, we postulate that high cognitive reserve may result in surprisingly low prevalence estimates of cognitive complaints and dementia in adults over the age of 64 years, which thereby corroborates the longer disability-free life expectancy observed in the Luxembourg population. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report such Luxembourgish public health data. PMID:26390288

PAD-MAC: Primary User Activity-Aware Distributed MAC for Multi-Channel Cognitive Radio Networks

PubMed Central

Ali, Amjad; Piran, Md. Jalil; Kim, Hansoo; Yun, Jihyeok; Suh, Doug Young

2015-01-01

Cognitive radio (CR) has emerged as a promising technology to solve problems related to spectrum scarcity and provides a ubiquitous wireless access environment. CR-enabled secondary users (SUs) exploit spectrum white spaces opportunistically and immediately vacate the acquired licensed channels as primary users (PUs) arrive. Accessing the licensed channels without the prior knowledge of PU traffic patterns causes severe throughput degradation due to excessive channel switching and PU-to-SU collisions. Therefore, it is significantly important to design a PU activity-aware medium access control (MAC) protocol for cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In this paper, we first propose a licensed channel usage pattern identification scheme, based on a two-state Markov model, and then estimate the future idle slots using previous observations of the channels. Furthermore, based on these past observations, we compute the rank of each available licensed channel that gives SU transmission success assessment during the estimated idle slot. Secondly, we propose a PU activity-aware distributed MAC (PAD-MAC) protocol for heterogeneous multi-channel CRNs that selects the best channel for each SU to enhance its throughput. PAD-MAC controls SU activities by allowing them to exploit the licensed channels only for the duration of estimated idle slots and enables predictive and fast channel switching. To evaluate the performance of the proposed PAD-MAC, we compare it with the distributed QoS-aware MAC (QC-MAC) and listen-before-talk MAC schemes. Extensive numerical results show the significant improvements of the PAD-MAC in terms of the SU throughput, SU channel switching rate and PU-to-SU collision rate. PMID:25831084

Performance Costs when Emotion Tunes Inappropriate Cognitive Abilities: Implications for Mental Resources and Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storbeck, Justin

2012-01-01

Emotion tunes cognition, such that approach-motivated positive states promote verbal cognition, whereas withdrawal-motivated negative states promote spatial cognition (Gray, 2001). The current research examined whether self-control resources become depleted and influence subsequent behavior when emotion tunes an inappropriate cognitive tendency.…

Emotion, Cognition, and Mental State Representation in Amygdala and Prefrontal Cortex

PubMed Central

Salzman, C. Daniel; Fusi, Stefano

2011-01-01

Neuroscientists have often described cognition and emotion as separable processes implemented by different regions of the brain, such as the amygdala for emotion and the prefrontal cortex for cognition. In this framework, functional interactions between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex mediate emotional influences on cognitive processes such as decision-making, as well as the cognitive regulation of emotion. However, neurons in these structures often have entangled representations, whereby single neurons encode multiple cognitive and emotional variables. Here we review studies using anatomical, lesion, and neurophysiological approaches to investigate the representation and utilization of cognitive and emotional parameters. We propose that these mental state parameters are inextricably linked and represented in dynamic neural networks composed of interconnected prefrontal and limbic brain structures. Future theoretical and experimental work is required to understand how these mental state representations form and how shifts between mental states occur, a critical feature of adaptive cognitive and emotional behavior. PMID:20331363

Methylphenidate Reduces State Anxiety During a Continuous Performance Test That Distinguishes Adult ADHD Patients From Controls.

PubMed

Bloch, Yuval; Aviram, Shai; Segev, Aviv; Nitzan, Uri; Levkovitz, Yechiel; Braw, Yoram; Mimouni Bloch, Aviva

2017-01-01

We hypothesized that patients with ADHD were typified by distress more than by functional difficulties. Thus, a decline in state anxiety while performing a cognitive task when taking methylphenidate would discriminate between ADHD patients and controls. State anxiety and cognitive performance on a continuous performance test were assessed in ADHD patients and controls with and without taking methylphenidate. State anxiety and cognitive performance improved from baseline in 36 ADHD adults after taking methylphenidate. In 25 controls, cognitive performance improved, but state anxiety did not abate after a recess. In two additional studies, 5 controls were evaluated at baseline and after receiving methylphenidate, and showed improvement in cognitive assessment but not in state anxiety. Five ADHD adults were assessed at baseline and after a recess, and showed no improvement. Our results support the hypothesis that adult ADHD patients are characterized by distress and the relief of this distress under effective therapy as expressed by a decline in state anxiety while they perform a cognitive task.

The Amsterdam Resting-State Questionnaire reveals multiple phenotypes of resting-state cognition

PubMed Central

Diaz, B. Alexander; Van Der Sluis, Sophie; Moens, Sarah; Benjamins, Jeroen S.; Migliorati, Filippo; Stoffers, Diederick; Den Braber, Anouk; Poil, Simon-Shlomo; Hardstone, Richard; Van't Ent, Dennis; Boomsma, Dorret I.; De Geus, Eco; Mansvelder, Huibert D.; Van Someren, Eus J. W.; Linkenkaer-Hansen, Klaus

2013-01-01

Resting-state neuroimaging is a dominant paradigm for studying brain function in health and disease. It is attractive for clinical research because of its simplicity for patients, straightforward standardization, and sensitivity to brain disorders. Importantly, non-sensory experiences like mind wandering may arise from ongoing brain activity. However, little is known about the link between ongoing brain activity and cognition, as phenotypes of resting-state cognition—and tools to quantify them—have been lacking. To facilitate rapid and structured measurements of resting-state cognition we developed a 50-item self-report survey, the Amsterdam Resting-State Questionnaire (ARSQ). Based on ARSQ data from 813 participants assessed after 5 min eyes-closed rest in their home, we identified seven dimensions of resting-state cognition using factor analysis: Discontinuity of Mind, Theory of Mind, Self, Planning, Sleepiness, Comfort, and Somatic Awareness. Further, we showed that the structure of cognition was similar during resting-state fMRI and EEG, and that the test-retest correlations were remarkably high for all dimensions. To explore whether inter-individual variation of resting-state cognition is related to health status, we correlated ARSQ-derived factor scores with psychometric scales measuring depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. Mental health correlated positively with Comfort and negatively with Discontinuity of Mind. Finally, we show that sleepiness may partially explain a resting-state EEG profile previously associated with Alzheimer's disease. These findings indicate that the ARSQ readily provides information about cognitive phenotypes and that it is a promising tool for research on the neural correlates of resting-state cognition in health and disease. PMID:23964225

Simulation of fMRI signals to validate dynamic causal modeling estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anandwala, Mobin; Siadat, Mohamad-Reza; Hadi, Shamil M.

2012-03-01

Through cognitive tasks certain brain areas are activated and also receive increased blood to them. This is modeled through a state system consisting of two separate parts one that deals with the neural node stimulation and the other blood response during that stimulation. The rationale behind using this state system is to validate existing analysis methods such as DCM to see what levels of noise they can handle. Using the forward Euler's method this system was approximated in a series of difference equations. What was obtained was the hemodynamic response for each brain area and this was used to test an analysis tool to estimate functional connectivity between each brain area with a given amount of noise. The importance of modeling this system is to not only have a model for neural response but also to compare to actual data obtained through functional imaging scans.

Arthritis and cognitive impairment in older adults.

PubMed

Baker, Nancy A; Barbour, Kamil E; Helmick, Charles G; Zack, Matthew; Al Snih, Soham

2017-06-01

Adults aged 65 or older with arthritis may be at increased risk for cognitive impairment [cognitive impairment but not dementia (CIND) or dementia]. Studies have found associations between arthritis and cognition impairments; however, none have examined whether persons with arthritis develop cognitive impairments at higher rates than those without arthritis. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimated the prevalence of cognitive impairments in older adults with and without arthritis, and examined associations between arthritis status and cognitive impairments. We calculated incidence density ratios (IDRs) using generalized estimating equations to estimate associations between arthritis and cognitive impairments adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, income, depression, obesity, smoking, the number of chronic conditions, physical activity, and birth cohort. The prevalence of CIND and dementia did not significantly differ between those with and without arthritis (CIND: 20.8%, 95% CI 19.7-21.9 vs. 18.3%, 95% CI 16.8-19.8; dementia: 5.2% 95% CI 4.6-5.8 vs. 5.1% 95% CI 4.3-5.9). After covariate control, older adults with arthritis did not differ significantly from those without arthritis for either cognitive outcome (CIND IDR: 1.6, 95% CI = 0.9-2.9; dementia IDR: 1.1, 95% CI = 0.4-3.3) and developed cognitive impairments at a similar rate to those without arthritis. Older adults with arthritis were not significantly more at risk to develop cognitive impairments and developed cognitive impairments at a similar rate as older adults without arthritis over 6 years.

Arthritis and cognitive impairment in older adults

PubMed Central

Baker, Nancy A.; Barbour, Kamil E.; Helmick, Charles G.; Zack, Matthew; Al Snih, Soham

2017-01-01

Introduction/Objective Adults aged 65 or older with arthritis may be at increased risk for cognitive impairment [cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) or dementia]. Studies have found associations between arthritis and cognition impairments, however, none have examined whether persons with arthritis develop cognitive impairments at higher rates than those without arthritis. Methods Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) we estimated the prevalence of cognitive impairments in older adults with and without arthritis and examined associations between arthritis status and cognitive impairments. We calculated incidence density ratios (IDRs) using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to estimate associations between arthritis and cognitive impairments adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, income, depression, obesity, smoking, chronic conditions, physical activity, and birth cohort. Results The prevalence of CIND and dementia did not significantly differ between those with and without arthritis (CIND: 20.8%, 95% CI 19.7 – 21.9 vs. 18.3%, 95% CI 16.8 – 19.8; dementia: 5.2% 95% CI 4.6 – 5.8 vs. 5.1% 95% CI 4.3 – 5.9). After controlling for covariates, older adults with arthritis did not differ significantly from those without arthritis for either cognitive outcome (CIND IDR: 1.6, 95% CI = 0.9 – 2.9; dementia IDR: 1.1, 95% CI = 0.4 – 3.3) and developed cognitive impairments at a similar rate to those without arthritis. Conclusion Older adults with arthritis were not significantly more at risk to develop cognitive impairments and developed cognitive impairments at a similar rate as older adults without arthritis over six years. PMID:28337526

Flexible modulation of network connectivity related to cognition in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

McLaren, Donald G; Sperling, Reisa A; Atri, Alireza

2014-10-15

Functional neuroimaging tools, such as fMRI methods, may elucidate the neural correlates of clinical, behavioral, and cognitive performance. Most functional imaging studies focus on regional task-related activity or resting state connectivity rather than how changes in functional connectivity across conditions and tasks are related to cognitive and behavioral performance. To investigate the promise of characterizing context-dependent connectivity-behavior relationships, this study applies the method of generalized psychophysiological interactions (gPPI) to assess the patterns of associative-memory-related fMRI hippocampal functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with performance on memory and other cognitively demanding neuropsychological tests and clinical measures. Twenty-four subjects with mild AD dementia (ages 54-82, nine females) participated in a face-name paired-associate encoding memory study. Generalized PPI analysis was used to estimate the connectivity between the hippocampus and the whole brain during encoding. The difference in hippocampal-whole brain connectivity between encoding novel and encoding repeated face-name pairs was used in multiple-regression analyses as an independent predictor for 10 behavioral, neuropsychological and clinical tests. The analysis revealed connectivity-behavior relationships that were distributed, dynamically overlapping, and task-specific within and across intrinsic networks; hippocampal-whole brain connectivity-behavior relationships were not isolated to single networks, but spanned multiple brain networks. Importantly, these spatially distributed performance patterns were unique for each measure. In general, out-of-network behavioral associations with encoding novel greater than repeated face-name pairs hippocampal-connectivity were observed in the default-mode network, while correlations with encoding repeated greater than novel face-name pairs hippocampal-connectivity were observed in the executive control network (p<0.05, cluster corrected). Psychophysiological interactions revealed significantly more extensive and robust associations between paired-associate encoding task-dependent hippocampal-whole brain connectivity and performance on memory and behavioral/clinical measures than previously revealed by standard activity-behavior analysis. Compared to resting state and task-activation methods, gPPI analyses may be more sensitive to reveal additional complementary information regarding subtle within- and between-network relations. The patterns of robust correlations between hippocampal-whole brain connectivity and behavioral measures identified here suggest that there are 'coordinated states' in the brain; that the dynamic range of these states is related to behavior and cognition; and that these states can be observed and quantified, even in individuals with mild AD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Complexity in cognitive assessment of elderly British minority ethnic groups: Cultural perspective.

PubMed

Khan, Farooq; Tadros, George

2014-07-01

To study the influence of cultural believes on the acceptance and accessibility of dementia services by patients from British Minority Ethnic (BME) groups. It is noted that non-White ethnic populations rely more on cultural and religious concepts as coping mechanisms to overcome carer stress. In British Punjabi families, ageing was seen as an accepted reason for withdrawal and isolation, and cognitive impairment was rarely identified. Illiteracy added another complexity, only 35% of older Asians in a UK city could speak English, 21% could read and write English, while 73% could read and write in their first language. False positive results using Mini Mental State Examination was found to be 6% of non-impaired white people and 42% of non-impaired black people. Cognitive assessment tests under-estimate the abilities in BME groups. Wide range of variations among white and non-White population were found, contributors are education, language, literacy and culture-specific references. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Performances on a cognitive theory of mind task: specific decline or general cognitive deficits? Evidence from normal aging.

PubMed

Fliss, Rafika; Lemerre, Marion; Mollard, Audrey

2016-06-01

Compromised theory of mind (ToM) can be explained either by a failure to implement specific representational capacities (mental state representations) or by more general executive selection demands. In older adult populations, evidence supporting affected executive functioning and cognitive ToM in normal aging are reported. However, links between these two functions remain unclear. In the present paper, we address these shortcomings by using a specific task of ToM and classical executive tasks. We studied, using an original cognitive ToM task, the effect of age on ToM performances, in link with the progressive executive decline. 96 elderly participants were recruited. They were asked to perform a cognitive ToM task, and 5 executive tests (Stroop test and Hayling Sentence Completion Test to appreciate inhibitory process, Trail Making Test and Verbal Fluency for shifting assessment and backward span dedicated to estimate working memory capacity). The results show changes in cognitive ToM performance according to executive demands. Correlational studies indicate a significant relationship between ToM performance and the selected executive measures. Regression analyzes demonstrates that level of vocabulary and age as the best predictors of ToM performance. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that ToM deficits are related to age-related domain-general decline rather than as to a breakdown in specialized representational system. The implications of these findings for the nature of social cognition tests in normal aging are also discussed.

The impact of cognitive load on reward evaluation.

PubMed

Krigolson, Olave E; Hassall, Cameron D; Satel, Jason; Klein, Raymond M

2015-11-19

The neural systems that afford our ability to evaluate rewards and punishments are impacted by a variety of external factors. Here, we demonstrate that increased cognitive load reduces the functional efficacy of a reward processing system within the human medial-frontal cortex. In our paradigm, two groups of participants used performance feedback to estimate the exact duration of one second while electroencephalographic (EEG) data was recorded. Prior to performing the time estimation task, both groups were instructed to keep their eyes still and avoid blinking in line with well established EEG protocol. However, during performance of the time-estimation task, one of the two groups was provided with trial-to-trial-feedback about their performance on the time-estimation task and their eye movements to induce a higher level of cognitive load relative to participants in the other group who were solely provided with feedback about the accuracy of their temporal estimates. In line with previous work, we found that the higher level of cognitive load reduced the amplitude of the feedback-related negativity, a component of the human event-related brain potential associated with reward evaluation within the medial-frontal cortex. Importantly, our results provide further support that increased cognitive load reduces the functional efficacy of a neural system associated with reward processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulations in Cyber-Security: A Review of Cognitive Modeling of Network Attackers, Defenders, and Users

PubMed Central

Veksler, Vladislav D.; Buchler, Norbou; Hoffman, Blaine E.; Cassenti, Daniel N.; Sample, Char; Sugrim, Shridat

2018-01-01

Computational models of cognitive processes may be employed in cyber-security tools, experiments, and simulations to address human agency and effective decision-making in keeping computational networks secure. Cognitive modeling can addresses multi-disciplinary cyber-security challenges requiring cross-cutting approaches over the human and computational sciences such as the following: (a) adversarial reasoning and behavioral game theory to predict attacker subjective utilities and decision likelihood distributions, (b) human factors of cyber tools to address human system integration challenges, estimation of defender cognitive states, and opportunities for automation, (c) dynamic simulations involving attacker, defender, and user models to enhance studies of cyber epidemiology and cyber hygiene, and (d) training effectiveness research and training scenarios to address human cyber-security performance, maturation of cyber-security skill sets, and effective decision-making. Models may be initially constructed at the group-level based on mean tendencies of each subject's subgroup, based on known statistics such as specific skill proficiencies, demographic characteristics, and cultural factors. For more precise and accurate predictions, cognitive models may be fine-tuned to each individual attacker, defender, or user profile, and updated over time (based on recorded behavior) via techniques such as model tracing and dynamic parameter fitting. PMID:29867661

Antioxidant intake and cognitive function of elderly men and women: the Cache County Study.

PubMed

Wengreen, H J; Munger, R G; Corcoran, C D; Zandi, P; Hayden, K M; Fotuhi, M; Skoog, I; Norton, M C; Tschanz, J; Breitner, J C S; Welsh-Bohmer, K A

2007-01-01

We prospectively examined associations between intakes of antioxidants (vitamins C, vitamin E, and carotene) and cognitive function and decline among elderly men and women of the Cache County Study on Memory and Aging in Utah. In 1995, 3831 residents 65 years of age or older completed a baseline survey that included a food frequency questionnaire and cognitive assessment. Cognitive function was assessed using an adapted version of the Modified Mini-Mental State examination (3MS) at baseline and at three subsequent follow-up interviews spanning approximately 7 years. Multivariable-mixed models were used to estimate antioxidant nutrient effects on average 3MS score over time. Increasing quartiles of vitamin C intake alone and combined with vitamin E were associated with higher baseline average 3MS scores (p-trend = 0.013 and 0.02 respectively); this association appeared stronger for food sources compared to supplement or food and supplement sources combined. Study participants with lower levels of intake of vitamin C, vitamin E and carotene had a greater acceleration of the rate of 3MS decline over time compared to those with higher levels of intake. High antioxidant intake from food and supplement sources of vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotene may delay cognitive decline in the elderly.

Disease progression model for Clinical Dementia Rating–Sum of Boxes in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s subjects from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

PubMed Central

Samtani, Mahesh N; Raghavan, Nandini; Novak, Gerald; Nandy, Partha; Narayan, Vaibhav A

2014-01-01

Background The objective of this analysis was to develop a nonlinear disease progression model, using an expanded set of covariates that captures the longitudinal Clinical Dementia Rating Scale–Sum of Boxes (CDR–SB) scores. These were derived from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative ADNI-1 study, of 301 Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment patients who were followed for 2–3 years. Methods The model describes progression rate and baseline disease score as a function of covariates. The covariates that were tested fell into five groups: a) hippocampal volume; b) serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers; c) demographics and apolipoprotein Epsilon 4 (ApoE4) allele status; d) baseline cognitive tests; and e) disease state and comedications. Results Covariates associated with baseline disease severity were disease state, hippocampal volume, and comedication use. Disease progression rate was influenced by baseline CSF biomarkers, Trail-Making Test part A score, delayed logical memory test score, and current level of impairment as measured by CDR–SB. The rate of disease progression was dependent on disease severity, with intermediate scores around the inflection point score of 10 exhibiting high disease progression rate. The CDR–SB disease progression rate in a typical patient, with late mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease, was estimated to be approximately 0.5 and 1.4 points/year, respectively. Conclusions In conclusion, this model describes disease progression in terms of CDR–SB changes in patients and its dependency on novel covariates. The CSF biomarkers included in the model discriminate mild cognitive impairment subjects as progressors and nonprogressors. Therefore, the model may be utilized for optimizing study designs, through patient population enrichment and clinical trial simulations. PMID:24926196

Clinical Trials of Blood Pressure Lowering and Antihypertensive Medication: Is Cognitive Measurement State-of-the-Art?

PubMed

Elias, Merrill F; Torres, Rachael V; Davey, Adam

2018-05-07

Randomized controlled trials of blood pressure (BP) lowering and antihypertensive medication use on cognitive outcomes have often been disappointing, reporting mixed findings and small effect sizes. We evaluate the extent to which cognitive assessment protocols used in these trials approach state-of-the-art. Overall, we find that a primary focus on cognition and the systematic selection of cognitive outcomes across trials take a backseat to other trial goals. Twelve trials investigating change in cognitive functioning were examined and none met criteria for state-of-the-art assessment, including use of at least 4 tests indexing 2 cognitive domains. Four trials investigating incident dementia were also examined. Each trial used state-of-the-art diagnostic criteria to assess dementia, although follow-up periods were relatively short, with only 2 trials lasting for at least 3 years. Weaknesses in each trial may act to obscure or weaken the positive effects of BP lowering on cognitive functioning. Improving trial designs in terms of cognitive outcomes selected and length of follow-up periods employed could lead to more promising findings. We offer logical steps to achieve state-of-the-art assessment protocols, with examples, in hopes of improving future trials.

On the Capacity of Attention: Its Estimation and Its Role in Working Memory and Cognitive Aptitudes

PubMed Central

Cowan, Nelson; Elliott, Emily M.; Saults, J. Scott; Morey, Candice C.; Mattox, Sam; Hismjatullina, Anna; Conway, Andrew R.A.

2008-01-01

Working memory (WM) is the set of mental processes holding limited information in a temporarily accessible state in service of cognition. We provide a theoretical framework to understand the relation between WM and aptitude measures. The WM measures that have yielded high correlations with aptitudes include separate storage and processing task components, on the assumption that WM involves both storage and processing. We argue that the critical aspect of successful WM measures is that rehearsal and grouping processes are prevented, allowing a clearer estimate of how many separate chunks of information the focus of attention circumscribes at once. Storage-and-processing tasks correlate with aptitudes, according to this view, largely because the processing task prevents rehearsal and grouping of items to be recalled. In a developmental study, we document that several scope-of-attention measures that do not include a separate processing component, but nevertheless prevent efficient rehearsal or grouping, also correlate well with aptitudes and with storage-and-processing measures. So does digit span in children too young to rehearse. PMID:16039935

Formulating, Identifying and Estimating the Technology of Cognitive and Noncognitive Skill Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunha, Flavio; Heckman, James J.

2008-01-01

This paper estimates models of the evolution of cognitive and noncognitive skills and explores the role of family environments in shaping these skills at different stages of the life cycle of the child. Central to this analysis is identification of the technology of skill formation. We estimate a dynamic factor model to solve the problem of…

Efficacy of Cognitive Training in Older Adults with and without Subjective Cognitive Decline Is Associated with Inhibition Efficiency and Working Memory Span, Not with Cognitive Reserve.

PubMed

López-Higes, Ramón; Martín-Aragoneses, María T; Rubio-Valdehita, Susana; Delgado-Losada, María L; Montejo, Pedro; Montenegro, Mercedes; Prados, José M; de Frutos-Lucas, Jaisalmer; López-Sanz, David

2018-01-01

The present study explores the role of cognitive reserve, executive functions, and working memory (WM) span, as factors that might explain training outcomes in cognitive status. Eighty-one older adults voluntarily participated in the study, classified either as older adults with subjective cognitive decline or cognitively intact. Each participant underwent a neuropsychological assessment that was conducted both at baseline (entailing cognitive reserve, executive functions, WM span and depressive symptomatology measures, as well as the Mini-Mental State Exam regarding initial cognitive status), and then 6 months later, once each participant had completed the training program (Mini-Mental State Exam at the endpoint). With respect to cognitive status the training program was most beneficial for subjective cognitive decline participants with low efficiency in inhibition at baseline (explaining a 33% of Mini-Mental State Exam total variance), whereas for cognitively intact participants training gains were observed for those who presented lower WM span.

Forward and backward inference in spatial cognition.

PubMed

Penny, Will D; Zeidman, Peter; Burgess, Neil

2013-01-01

This paper shows that the various computations underlying spatial cognition can be implemented using statistical inference in a single probabilistic model. Inference is implemented using a common set of 'lower-level' computations involving forward and backward inference over time. For example, to estimate where you are in a known environment, forward inference is used to optimally combine location estimates from path integration with those from sensory input. To decide which way to turn to reach a goal, forward inference is used to compute the likelihood of reaching that goal under each option. To work out which environment you are in, forward inference is used to compute the likelihood of sensory observations under the different hypotheses. For reaching sensory goals that require a chaining together of decisions, forward inference can be used to compute a state trajectory that will lead to that goal, and backward inference to refine the route and estimate control signals that produce the required trajectory. We propose that these computations are reflected in recent findings of pattern replay in the mammalian brain. Specifically, that theta sequences reflect decision making, theta flickering reflects model selection, and remote replay reflects route and motor planning. We also propose a mapping of the above computational processes onto lateral and medial entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.

Forward and Backward Inference in Spatial Cognition

PubMed Central

Penny, Will D.; Zeidman, Peter; Burgess, Neil

2013-01-01

This paper shows that the various computations underlying spatial cognition can be implemented using statistical inference in a single probabilistic model. Inference is implemented using a common set of ‘lower-level’ computations involving forward and backward inference over time. For example, to estimate where you are in a known environment, forward inference is used to optimally combine location estimates from path integration with those from sensory input. To decide which way to turn to reach a goal, forward inference is used to compute the likelihood of reaching that goal under each option. To work out which environment you are in, forward inference is used to compute the likelihood of sensory observations under the different hypotheses. For reaching sensory goals that require a chaining together of decisions, forward inference can be used to compute a state trajectory that will lead to that goal, and backward inference to refine the route and estimate control signals that produce the required trajectory. We propose that these computations are reflected in recent findings of pattern replay in the mammalian brain. Specifically, that theta sequences reflect decision making, theta flickering reflects model selection, and remote replay reflects route and motor planning. We also propose a mapping of the above computational processes onto lateral and medial entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. PMID:24348230

Resting State Network Estimation in Individual Subjects

PubMed Central

Hacker, Carl D.; Laumann, Timothy O.; Szrama, Nicholas P.; Baldassarre, Antonello; Snyder, Abraham Z.

2014-01-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to study brain networks associated with both normal and pathological cognitive function. The objective of this work is to reliably compute resting state network (RSN) topography in single participants. We trained a supervised classifier (multi-layer perceptron; MLP) to associate blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) correlation maps corresponding to pre-defined seeds with specific RSN identities. Hard classification of maps obtained from a priori seeds was highly reliable across new participants. Interestingly, continuous estimates of RSN membership retained substantial residual error. This result is consistent with the view that RSNs are hierarchically organized, and therefore not fully separable into spatially independent components. After training on a priori seed-based maps, we propagated voxel-wise correlation maps through the MLP to produce estimates of RSN membership throughout the brain. The MLP generated RSN topography estimates in individuals consistent with previous studies, even in brain regions not represented in the training data. This method could be used in future studies to relate RSN topography to other measures of functional brain organization (e.g., task-evoked responses, stimulation mapping, and deficits associated with lesions) in individuals. The multi-layer perceptron was directly compared to two alternative voxel classification procedures, specifically, dual regression and linear discriminant analysis; the perceptron generated more spatially specific RSN maps than either alternative. PMID:23735260

Diagnostic Accuracy of the MMSE in Detecting Probable and Possible Alzheimer's Disease in Ethnically Diverse Highly Educated Individuals: An Analysis of the NACC Database

PubMed Central

Spering, Cynthia C.; Hobson, Valerie; Lucas, John A.; Menon, Chloe V.; Hall, James R.

2012-01-01

Background. To validate and extend the findings of a raised cut score of O’Bryant and colleagues (O’Bryant SE, Humphreys JD, Smith GE, et al. Detecting dementia with the mini-mental state examination in highly educated individuals. Arch Neurol. 2008;65(7):963–967.) for the Mini-Mental State Examination in detecting cognitive dysfunction in a bilingual sample of highly educated ethnically diverse individuals. Methods. Archival data were reviewed from participants enrolled in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center minimum data set. Data on 7,093 individuals with 16 or more years of education were analyzed, including 2,337 cases with probable and possible Alzheimer's disease, 1,418 mild cognitive impairment patients, and 3,088 nondemented controls. Ethnic composition was characterized as follows: 6,296 Caucasians, 581 African Americans, 4 American Indians or Alaska natives, 2 native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders, 149 Asians, 43 “Other,” and 18 of unknown origin. Results. Diagnostic accuracy estimates (sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio) of Mini-Mental State Examination cut scores in detecting probable and possible Alzheimer's disease were examined. A standard Mini-Mental State Examination cut score of 24 (≤23) yielded a sensitivity of 0.58 and a specificity of 0.98 in detecting probable and possible Alzheimer's disease across ethnicities. A cut score of 27 (≤26) resulted in an improved balance of sensitivity and specificity (0.79 and 0.90, respectively). In the cognitively impaired group (mild cognitive impairment and probable and possible Alzheimer's disease), the standard cut score yielded a sensitivity of 0.38 and a specificity of 1.00 while raising the cut score to 27 resulted in an improved balance of 0.59 and 0.96 of sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Conclusions. These findings cross-validate our previous work and extend them to an ethnically diverse cohort. A higher cut score is needed to maximize diagnostic accuracy of the Mini-Mental State Examination in individuals with college degrees. PMID:22396476

The effect of cognitive remediation in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Glenthøj, Louise Birkedal; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Kristensen, Tina Dam; Davidson, Charlie Andrew; Nordentoft, Merete

2017-01-01

Cognitive deficits are prominent features of the ultra-high risk state for psychosis that are known to impact functioning and course of illness. Cognitive remediation appears to be the most promising treatment approach to alleviate the cognitive deficits, which may translate into functional improvements. This study systematically reviewed the evidence on the effectiveness of cognitive remediation in the ultra-high risk population. The electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase were searched using keywords related to cognitive remediation and the UHR state. Studies were included if they were peer-reviewed, written in English, and included a population meeting standardized ultra-high risk criteria. Six original research articles were identified. All the studies provided computerized, bottom-up-based cognitive remediation, predominantly targeting neurocognitive function. Four out of five studies that reported a cognitive outcome found cognitive remediation to improve cognition in the domains of verbal memory, attention, and processing speed. Two out of four studies that reported on functional outcome found cognitive remediation to improve the functional outcome in the domains of social functioning and social adjustment. Zero out of the five studies that reported such an outcome found cognitive remediation to affect the magnitude of clinical symptoms. Research on the effect of cognitive remediation in the ultra-high risk state is still scarce. The current state of evidence indicates an effect of cognitive remediation on cognition and functioning in ultra-high risk individuals. More research on cognitive remediation in ultra-high risk is needed, notably in large-scale trials assessing the effect of neurocognitive and/or social cognitive remediation on multiple outcomes.

Watershed microinfarct pathology and cognition in older persons.

PubMed

Kapasi, Alifiya; Leurgans, Sue E; James, Bryan D; Boyle, Patricia A; Arvanitakis, Zoe; Nag, Sukriti; Bennett, David A; Buchman, Aron S; Schneider, Julie A

2018-05-30

Brain microinfarcts are common in aging and are associated with cognitive impairment. Anterior and posterior watershed border zones lie at the territories of the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries, and are more vulnerable to hypoperfusion than brain regions outside the watershed areas. However, little is known about microinfarcts in these regions and how they relate to cognition in aging. Participants from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a community-based clinical-pathologic study of aging, underwent detailed annual cognitive evaluations. We examined 356 consecutive autopsy cases (mean age-at-death, 91 years [SD = 6.16]; 28% men) for microinfarcts from 3 watershed brain regions (2 anterior and 1 posterior) and 8 brain regions outside the watershed regions. Linear regression models were used to examine the association of cortical watershed microinfarcts with cognition, including global cognition and 5 cognitive domains. Microinfarcts in any region were present in 133 (37%) participants, of which 50 had microinfarcts in watershed regions. Persons with multiple microinfarcts in cortical watershed regions had lower global cognition (estimate = -0.56, standard error (SE) = 0.26, p = 0.03) and lower cognitive function in the specific domains of working memory (estimate = -0.58, SE = 0.27, p = 0.03) and visuospatial abilities (estimate = -0.57, SE = 0.27, p = 0.03), even after controlling for microinfarcts in other brain regions, demographics, and age-related pathologies. Neither the presence nor multiplicity of microinfarcts in brain regions outside the cortical watershed regions were related to global cognition or any of the 5 cognitive domains. These findings suggest that multiple microinfarcts in watershed regions contribute to age-related cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Economics of Cognitive Impairment: Volunteering and Cognitive Function in the HILDA Survey.

PubMed

Hosking, Diane E; Anstey, Kaarin J

2016-01-01

The economic impact of older-age cognitive impairment has been estimated primarily by the direct and indirect costs associated with dementia care. Other potential costs associated with milder cognitive impairment in the community have received little attention. To quantify the cost of nonclinical cognitive impairment in a large population-based sample in order to more fully inform cost-effectiveness evaluations of interventions to maintain cognitive health. Volunteering by seniors has economic value but those with lower cognitive function may contribute fewer hours. Relations between hours volunteering and cognitive impairment were assessed using the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey data. These findings were extrapolated to the Australian population to estimate one potential cost attributable to nonclinical cognitive impairment. In those aged ≥60 years in HILDA (n = 3,127), conservatively defined cognitive impairment was present in 3.8% of the sample. Impairment was defined by performance ≥1 standard deviation below the age- and education-adjusted mean on both the Symbol Digit Modalities Test and Backwards Digit Span test. In fully adjusted binomial regression models, impairment was associated with the probability of undertaking 1 h 9 min less volunteering a week compared to being nonimpaired (β = -1.15, 95% confidence interval -1.82 to -0.47, p = 0.001). In the population, 3.8% impairment equated to probable loss of AUD 302,307,969 per annum estimated by hours of volunteering valued by replacement cost. Nonclinical cognitive impairment in older age impacts upon on the nonmonetary economy via probable loss of volunteering contribution. Valuing loss of contribution provides additional information for cost-effectiveness evaluations of research and action directed toward maintaining older-age cognitive functioning. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Car driving in schizophrenia: can visual memory and organization make a difference?

PubMed

Lipskaya-Velikovsky, Lena; Kotler, Moshe; Weiss, Penina; Kaspi, Maya; Gamzo, Shimrit; Ratzon, Navah

2013-09-01

Driving is a meaningful occupation which is ascribed to functional independence in schizophrenia. Although it is estimated that individuals with schizophrenia have two times more traffic accidents, little research has been done in this field. Present research explores differences in mental status, visual working memory and visual organization between drivers and non-drivers with schizophrenia in comparison to healthy drivers. There were three groups in the study: 20 drivers with schizophrenia, 20 non-driving individuals with schizophrenia and 20 drivers without schizophrenia (DWS). Visual perception was measured with Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test and a general cognitive status with Mini-Mental State Examination. The general cognitive status predicted actual driving situation in people with schizophrenia. No statistically significant differences were found between driving and non-driving persons with schizophrenia on any of the visual parameters tested, although these abilities were significantly lower than those of DWS. The research demonstrates that impairment of visual abilities does not prevent people with schizophrenia from driving and emphasizes the importance of general cognitive status for complex and multidimensional everyday tasks. The findings support the need for further investigation in the field of car driving for this population - a move that will considerably contribute to the participation and well-being. Implication for Rehabilitation Unique approach for driving evaluation in schizophrenia should be designed since direct applications of knowledge and practice acquired from other populations are not reliable. This research demonstrates that visual perception deficits in schizophrenia do not prevent clients from driving, and general cognitive status appeared to be a valid determinant for actual driving. We recommended usage of a general test of cognition such as Mini-Mental State Examination, or conjunction number of cognitive factors such as executive functions (e.g., Trail Making Test) and attention (e.g., Continuous Performance Test) in addition to spatial-visual ability tests (e.g., Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test) for considering driving status in schizophrenia.

Functional Connectivity Estimated from Resting-State fMRI Reveals Selective Alterations in Male Adolescents with Pure Conduct Disorder

PubMed Central

Lu, Feng-Mei; Zhou, Jian-Song; Zhang, Jiang; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Zhang, Jian; Liu, Qi; Wang, Xiao-Ping; Yuan, Zhen

2015-01-01

Conduct disorder (CD) is characterized by a persistent pattern of antisocial behavior and aggression in childhood and adolescence. Previous task-based and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have revealed widespread brain regional abnormalities in adolescents with CD. However, whether the resting-state networks (RSNs) are altered in adolescents with CD remains unknown. In this study, resting-state fMRI data were first acquired from eighteen male adolescents with pure CD and eighteen age- and gender-matched typically developing (TD) individuals. Independent component analysis (ICA) was implemented to extract nine representative RSNs, and the generated RSNs were then compared to show the differences between the CD and TD groups. Interestingly, it was observed from the brain mapping results that compared with the TD group, the CD group manifested decreased functional connectivity in four representative RSNs: the anterior default mode network (left middle frontal gyrus), which is considered to be correlated with impaired social cognition, the somatosensory network (bilateral supplementary motor area and right postcentral gyrus), the lateral visual network (left superior occipital gyrus), and the medial visual network (right fusiform, left lingual gyrus and right calcarine), which are expected to be relevant to the perceptual systems responsible for perceptual dysfunction in male adolescents with CD. Importantly, the novel findings suggested that male adolescents with pure CD were identified to have dysfunctions in both low-level perceptual networks (the somatosensory network and visual network) and a high-order cognitive network (the default mode network). Revealing the changes in the functional connectivity of these RSNs enhances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the modulation of emotion and social cognition and the regulation of perception in adolescents with CD. PMID:26713867

Behavioral, Modeling, and Electrophysiological Evidence for Supramodality in Human Metacognition.

PubMed

Faivre, Nathan; Filevich, Elisa; Solovey, Guillermo; Kühn, Simone; Blanke, Olaf

2018-01-10

Human metacognition, or the capacity to introspect on one's own mental states, has been mostly characterized through confidence reports in visual tasks. A pressing question is to what extent results from visual studies generalize to other domains. Answering this question allows determining whether metacognition operates through shared, supramodal mechanisms or through idiosyncratic, modality-specific mechanisms. Here, we report three new lines of evidence for decisional and postdecisional mechanisms arguing for the supramodality of metacognition. First, metacognitive efficiency correlated among auditory, tactile, visual, and audiovisual tasks. Second, confidence in an audiovisual task was best modeled using supramodal formats based on integrated representations of auditory and visual signals. Third, confidence in correct responses involved similar electrophysiological markers for visual and audiovisual tasks that are associated with motor preparation preceding the perceptual judgment. We conclude that the supramodality of metacognition relies on supramodal confidence estimates and decisional signals that are shared across sensory modalities. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Metacognitive monitoring is the capacity to access, report, and regulate one's own mental states. In perception, this allows rating our confidence in what we have seen, heard, or touched. Although metacognitive monitoring can operate on different cognitive domains, we ignore whether it involves a single supramodal mechanism common to multiple cognitive domains or modality-specific mechanisms idiosyncratic to each domain. Here, we bring evidence in favor of the supramodality hypothesis by showing that participants with high metacognitive performance in one modality are likely to perform well in other modalities. Based on computational modeling and electrophysiology, we propose that supramodality can be explained by the existence of supramodal confidence estimates and by the influence of decisional cues on confidence estimates. Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/380263-15$15.00/0.

The Impact of Emotional States on Cognitive Control Circuitry and Function.

PubMed

Cohen, Alexandra O; Dellarco, Danielle V; Breiner, Kaitlyn; Helion, Chelsea; Heller, Aaron S; Rahdar, Ahrareh; Pedersen, Gloria; Chein, Jason; Dyke, Jonathan P; Galvan, Adriana; Casey, B J

2016-03-01

Typically in the laboratory, cognitive and emotional processes are studied separately or as a stream of fleeting emotional stimuli embedded within a cognitive task. Yet in life, thoughts and actions often occur in more lasting emotional states of arousal. The current study examines the impact of emotions on actions using a novel behavioral paradigm and functional neuroimaging to assess cognitive control under sustained states of threat (anticipation of an aversive noise) and excitement (anticipation of winning money). Thirty-eight healthy adult participants were scanned while performing an emotional go/no-go task with positive (happy faces), negative (fearful faces), and neutral (calm faces) emotional cues, under threat or excitement. Cognitive control performance was enhanced during the excited state relative to a nonarousing control condition. This enhanced performance was paralleled by heightened activity of frontoparietal and frontostriatal circuitry. In contrast, under persistent threat, cognitive control was diminished when the valence of the emotional cue conflicted with the emotional state. Successful task performance in this conflicting emotional condition was associated with increased activity in the posterior cingulate cortex, a default mode network region implicated in complex processes such as processing emotions in the context of self and monitoring performance. This region showed positive coupling with frontoparietal circuitry implicated in cognitive control, providing support for a role of the posterior cingulate cortex in mobilizing cognitive resources to improve performance. These findings suggest that emotional states of arousal differentially modulate cognitive control and point to the potential utility of this paradigm for understanding effects of situational and pathological states of arousal on behavior.

Utility of the Psychoeducational Profile-3 for assessing cognitive and language skills of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Fulton, Mandy L; D'Entremont, Barbara

2013-10-01

The Psychoeducational Profile-3's (PEP-3) ability to estimate cognitive and language skills of 136 children (20-75 months) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) across a range of functioning, and the association between the PEP-3 and ASD symptomatology was examined using retrospective data. PEP-3 cognitive and language measures were positively correlated with similar measures on the Child Development Inventory, the Merrill-Palmer Revised, and the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale-2. The PEP-3 sometimes provided higher or lower estimates than other measures. Significant differences were found between diagnostic groups on PEP-3 cognitive and language measures. PEP-3 cognitive scores correlated positively with scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Findings support the use of the PEP-3 to measure cognition and language in children with ASDs.

Memory, Cognition and the Endogenous Evoked Potentials of the Brain: the Estimation of the Disturbance of Cognitive Functions and Capacity of Working Memory Without the Psychological Testing.

PubMed

Gnezditskiy, V V; Korepina, O S; Chatskaya, A V; Klochkova, O I

2017-01-01

Cognition, cognitive and memory impairments is widely discussed in the literature, especially in the psycho physiological and the neurologic. In essence, this literature is dedicated to the psycho physiological tests, different scales. However, instrument neurophysiologic methods not so widely are used for these purposes. This review is dedicated to the instrument methods of neurophysiology, in particular to the endogenous evoked potentials method Р 300 (by characteristic latency 300 ms), in the estimation of cognitive functions and memory, to their special features dependent on age and to special features to their changes with the pathology. Method cognitive EP - Р 300 is the response of the brain, recorded under the conditions of the identification of the significant distinguishing stimulus, it facilitates the inspection of cognitive functions and memory in the healthy persons and patients with different manifestation of cognitive impairments. In the review it is shown on the basis of literature and our own data, that working (operative) memory and the capacity of the working memory it can be evaluated with the aid of the indices Р 300 within the normal subject and with the pathology. Testing with the estimation of working memory according to latent period of the peak Р 300 can be carried out and when conducting psychological testing is not possible for any reasons. Together with these cognitive EP are used for evidence pharmacotherapy of many neurotropic drugs.

Negative Mood States or Dysfunctional Cognitions: Their Independent and Interactional Effects in Influencing Severity of Gambling Among Chinese Problem Gamblers in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Wong, Daniel Fu Keung; Zhuang, Xiao Yu; Jackson, Alun; Dowling, Nicki; Lo, Herman Hay Ming

2017-09-04

Gambling-related cognitions and negative psychological states have been proposed as major factors in the initiation and maintenance of problem gambling (PG). While there are a substantial number of studies supporting the role of cognitive dysfunctions in the initiation and maintenance of PG, very few empirical studies have explored the specific role of negative psychological states in influencing PG behaviours. In addition, very few studies have examined the interaction effects of cognitive dysfunctions and negative psychological states in exerting influence on PG behaviours. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the main and interaction effects of gambling-related cognitions and psychological states on the gambling severity among a group of problem gamblers in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional research design was adopted. A purposive sample of 177 problem gamblers who sought treatment from a social service organization in Hong Kong completed a battery of standardised questionnaires. While gambling-related cognitions were found to exert significant effects on gambling severity, negative psychological states (i.e. stress) significantly moderated the relationship between gambling cognitions and gambling severity. In essence, those participants who reported a higher level of stress had more stable and serious gambling problems than those who reported a lower level of stress irrespective of the level of gambling-related cognitions. The findings of the moderating role of negative emotions in the relationship between cognitive distortions and severity of gambling provide insight towards developing an integrated intervention model which includes both cognitive-behavioural and emotion regulation strategies in helping people with PG.

Effects of tai chi on cognition and instrumental activities of daily living in community dwelling older people with mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Siu, Mei-Yi; Lee, Diana T F

2018-02-02

Cognitive impairment places older adults at high risk of functional disability in their daily-life activities, and thus affecting their quality of life. This study aimed to examine the effects of Tai Chi on general cognitive functions and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in community-dwelling older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Hong Kong. The study adopted a multi-site nonequivalent control-group pretest-posttest design. 160 community-dwelling older people, aged ≥60, with MCI, from four community elderly centers participated in the study. The intervention group (IG, n = 80) received training in the Yang-style simple form of Tai Chi, at a frequency of two lessons per week for 16 weeks. Each lesson lasted for one hour. The control group (CG, n = 80) had no treatment regime and joined different recreational activity groups in community centers as usual within the study period. Outcome measures included measures of global cognitive status and IADL. The Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) was used for global cognitive assessment. The Hong Kong Chinese version of Lawton's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL-CV) was used to assess the participants' IADL levels. General Estimating Equations (GEE) was used to examine each of the outcome variables for the two groups at the two study time points (the baseline and at the end of the study). Meanwhile, minimum detectable change (MDC) was calculated to estimate the magnitude of changes required to eradicate the possibility of measurement error of outcome measures. Seventy four participants in the IG and 71 participants in the CG completed the study. With adjustments for differences in age, education, marital status and living conditions, the findings revealed that the participants in the IG scored significantly better on the CMMSE test (P = 0.001), and the instrumental ADL questionnaire (P = 0.004). However, those scores changes did not exceed the limits of the respective MDCs in the study, the possibility of measurement variation due to error could not be excluded. Tai Chi may be an effective strategy to enhance cognitive health and maintain functional abilities in instrumental ADL in older people with MCI. NCT03404765 (Retrospectively registered January 19, 2018).

Estimation of cognitive and affective disorders occurrence in patients with Lyme borreliosis.

PubMed

Oczko-Grzesik, Barbara; Kępa, Lucjan; Puszcz-Matlińska, Monika; Pudło, Robert; Żurek, Anna; Badura-Głąbik, Teresa

2017-03-01

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The most common symptoms are related to the skin, musculo-scelatal system, central and peripheral nervous system, rarely to the heart muscle and the eye, and may occur in the multistage course of the disease. LB may additionally be accompanied by psychopathological symptoms. The aim of the study is estimation of the cognitive and affective disorders occurence in patients with LB. The study was carried out in the group of 121 patients (61 females, 60 males) aged 18-65; mean age 46 years. All patients were diagnosed with late-stage of LB: 46 patients (38%) with Lyme arthritis and 75 patients (62%) with neuroborreliosis. Evaluation of the cognitive and affective functioning of patients was performed on the basis of a standardized interview and test methods: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Cognitive disorders occurred statistically significantly more often in patients with neuroborreliosis (14.7%) than in patients with Lyme arthritis (4.3%). A group of females with neuroborreliosis and a group of males with the same diagnosis demonstrated cognitive deficits significantly more often (23.3% and 8.9%, respectively), compared to groups of patients with Lyme arthritis (6.5% in females and no cognitive deficits in males). A significantly higher percentage of depressive disorders was also noted in the group of males and females with neuroborreliosis (50.7%), compared to the group of patients with Lyme arthritis (39.1%). The symptoms of depression were particularly frequent in the females with neuroborreliosis (60%). The severity of depression measured by BDI was mild or moderate in most cases. In the examined groups, more patients with neuroborreliosis (44%), both in females (36.7%) and males (48.9%), demonstrated anxiety disorders. The obtained results showed a higher frequency of affective disorders compared to cognitive deficits, both in patients with Lyme arthritis and neuroborreliosis. An increased frequency of depressive and neurotic disorders was observed in patients with LB, particularly in patients with neuroborreliosis. Neurotic disorders, mainly adaptive, were most common in males with LB, while depressive disorders were more frequent in females. An increased frequency of cognitive deficits was observed in patients with neuroborreliosis, particularly in females.

The impact of premorbid and current intellect in schizophrenia: cognitive, symptom, and functional outcomes

PubMed Central

Wells, Ruth; Swaminathan, Vaidy; Sundram, Suresh; Weinberg, Danielle; Bruggemann, Jason; Jacomb, Isabella; Cropley, Vanessa; Lenroot, Rhoshel; Pereira, Avril M; Zalesky, Andrew; Bousman, Chad; Pantelis, Christos; Weickert, Cynthia Shannon; Weickert, Thomas W

2015-01-01

Background: Cognitive heterogeneity among people with schizophrenia has been defined on the basis of premorbid and current intelligence quotient (IQ) estimates. In a relatively large, community cohort, we aimed to independently replicate and extend cognitive subtyping work by determining the extent of symptom severity and functional deficits in each group. Methods: A total of 635 healthy controls and 534 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited through the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank. Patients were classified into cognitive subgroups on the basis of the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (a premorbid IQ estimate) and current overall cognitive abilities into preserved, deteriorated, and compromised groups using both clinical and empirical (k-means clustering) methods. Additional cognitive, functional, and symptom outcomes were compared among the resulting groups. Results: A total of 157 patients (29%) classified as ‘preserved’ performed within one s.d. of control means in all cognitive domains. Patients classified as ‘deteriorated’ (n=239, 44%) performed more than one s.d. below control means in all cognitive domains except estimated premorbid IQ and current visuospatial abilities. A separate 138 patients (26%), classified as ‘compromised,’ performed more than one s.d. below control means in all cognitive domains and displayed greater impairment than other groups on symptom and functional measures. Conclusions: In the present study, we independently replicated our previous cognitive classifications of people with schizophrenia. In addition, we extended previous work by demonstrating worse functional outcomes and symptom severity in the compromised group. PMID:27336046

Probit vs. semi-nonparametric estimation: examining the role of disability on institutional entry for older adults.

PubMed

Sharma, Andy

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to showcase an advanced methodological approach to model disability and institutional entry. Both of these are important areas to investigate given the on-going aging of the United States population. By 2020, approximately 15% of the population will be 65 years and older. Many of these older adults will experience disability and require formal care. A probit analysis was employed to determine which disabilities were associated with admission into an institution (i.e. long-term care). Since this framework imposes strong distributional assumptions, misspecification leads to inconsistent estimators. To overcome such a short-coming, this analysis extended the probit framework by employing an advanced semi-nonparamertic maximum likelihood estimation utilizing Hermite polynomial expansions. Specification tests show semi-nonparametric estimation is preferred over probit. In terms of the estimates, semi-nonparametric ratios equal 42 for cognitive difficulty, 64 for independent living, and 111 for self-care disability while probit yields much smaller estimates of 19, 30, and 44, respectively. Public health professionals can use these results to better understand why certain interventions have not shown promise. Equally important, healthcare workers can use this research to evaluate which type of treatment plans may delay institutionalization and improve the quality of life for older adults. Implications for rehabilitation With on-going global aging, understanding the association between disability and institutional entry is important in devising successful rehabilitation interventions. Semi-nonparametric is preferred to probit and shows ambulatory and cognitive impairments present high risk for institutional entry (long-term care). Informal caregiving and home-based care require further examination as forms of rehabilitation/therapy for certain types of disabilities.

Accelerating rates of cognitive decline and imaging markers associated with β-amyloid pathology.

PubMed

Insel, Philip S; Mattsson, Niklas; Mackin, R Scott; Schöll, Michael; Nosheny, Rachel L; Tosun, Duygu; Donohue, Michael C; Aisen, Paul S; Jagust, William J; Weiner, Michael W

2016-05-17

To estimate points along the spectrum of β-amyloid pathology at which rates of change of several measures of neuronal injury and cognitive decline begin to accelerate. In 460 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we estimated the points at which rates of florbetapir PET, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, MRI, and cognitive and functional decline begin to accelerate with respect to baseline CSF Aβ42. Points of initial acceleration in rates of decline were estimated using mixed-effects regression. Rates of neuronal injury and cognitive and even functional decline accelerate substantially before the conventional threshold for amyloid positivity, with rates of florbetapir PET and FDG PET accelerating early. Temporal lobe atrophy rates also accelerate prior to the threshold, but not before the acceleration of cognitive and functional decline. A considerable proportion of patients with MCI would not meet inclusion criteria for a trial using the current threshold for amyloid positivity, even though on average, they are experiencing cognitive/functional decline associated with prethreshold levels of CSF Aβ42. Future trials in early Alzheimer disease might consider revising the criteria regarding β-amyloid thresholds to include the range of amyloid associated with the first signs of accelerating rates of decline. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Accelerating rates of cognitive decline and imaging markers associated with β-amyloid pathology

PubMed Central

Mattsson, Niklas; Mackin, R. Scott; Schöll, Michael; Nosheny, Rachel L.; Tosun, Duygu; Donohue, Michael C.; Aisen, Paul S.; Jagust, William J.; Weiner, Michael W.

2016-01-01

Objective: To estimate points along the spectrum of β-amyloid pathology at which rates of change of several measures of neuronal injury and cognitive decline begin to accelerate. Methods: In 460 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we estimated the points at which rates of florbetapir PET, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, MRI, and cognitive and functional decline begin to accelerate with respect to baseline CSF Aβ42. Points of initial acceleration in rates of decline were estimated using mixed-effects regression. Results: Rates of neuronal injury and cognitive and even functional decline accelerate substantially before the conventional threshold for amyloid positivity, with rates of florbetapir PET and FDG PET accelerating early. Temporal lobe atrophy rates also accelerate prior to the threshold, but not before the acceleration of cognitive and functional decline. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of patients with MCI would not meet inclusion criteria for a trial using the current threshold for amyloid positivity, even though on average, they are experiencing cognitive/functional decline associated with prethreshold levels of CSF Aβ42. Future trials in early Alzheimer disease might consider revising the criteria regarding β-amyloid thresholds to include the range of amyloid associated with the first signs of accelerating rates of decline. PMID:27164667

Accelerating rates of cognitive decline and imaging markers associated with β-amyloid pathology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Insel, Philip S.; Mattsson, Niklas; Mackin, R. Scott

Objective: Our objective is to estimate points along the spectrum of β-amyloid pathology at which rates of change of several measures of neuronal injury and cognitive decline begin to accelerate. Methods: In 460 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we estimated the points at which rates of florbetapir PET, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, MRI, and cognitive and functional decline begin to accelerate with respect to baseline CSF Aβ 42. Points of initial acceleration in rates of decline were estimated using mixed-effects regression. Results: Rates of neuronal injury and cognitive and even functional decline accelerate substantially before the conventional threshold for amyloidmore » positivity, with rates of florbetapir PET and FDG PET accelerating early. Temporal lobe atrophy rates also accelerate prior to the threshold, but not before the acceleration of cognitive and functional decline. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of patients with MCI would not meet inclusion criteria for a trial using the current threshold for amyloid positivity, even though on average, they are experiencing cognitive/functional decline associated with prethreshold levels of CSF Aβ 42. Lastly, future trials in early Alzheimer disease might consider revising the criteria regarding β-amyloid thresholds to include the range of amyloid associated with the first signs of accelerating rates of decline.« less

Accelerating rates of cognitive decline and imaging markers associated with β-amyloid pathology

DOE PAGES

Insel, Philip S.; Mattsson, Niklas; Mackin, R. Scott; ...

2016-04-15

Objective: Our objective is to estimate points along the spectrum of β-amyloid pathology at which rates of change of several measures of neuronal injury and cognitive decline begin to accelerate. Methods: In 460 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we estimated the points at which rates of florbetapir PET, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, MRI, and cognitive and functional decline begin to accelerate with respect to baseline CSF Aβ 42. Points of initial acceleration in rates of decline were estimated using mixed-effects regression. Results: Rates of neuronal injury and cognitive and even functional decline accelerate substantially before the conventional threshold for amyloidmore » positivity, with rates of florbetapir PET and FDG PET accelerating early. Temporal lobe atrophy rates also accelerate prior to the threshold, but not before the acceleration of cognitive and functional decline. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of patients with MCI would not meet inclusion criteria for a trial using the current threshold for amyloid positivity, even though on average, they are experiencing cognitive/functional decline associated with prethreshold levels of CSF Aβ 42. Lastly, future trials in early Alzheimer disease might consider revising the criteria regarding β-amyloid thresholds to include the range of amyloid associated with the first signs of accelerating rates of decline.« less

The effect of cognitive training on the subjective perception of well-being in older adults

PubMed Central

Bureš, Vladimír; Mikulecká, Jaroslava; Ponce, Daniela; Kuca, Kamil

2016-01-01

Background There is a growing number of studies indicating the major consequences of the subjective perception of well-being on mental health and healthcare use. However, most of the cognitive training research focuses more on the preservation of cognitive function than on the implications of the state of well-being. This secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial investigated the effects of individualised television-based cognitive training on self-rated well-being using the WHO-5 index while considering gender and education as influencing factors. The effects of cognitive training were compared with leisure activities that the elderly could be engaged in to pass time. Methods Cognitively healthy participants aged 60 years or above screened using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Major Depression Inventory (MDI) were randomly allocated to a cognitive training group or to an active control group in a single-blind controlled two-group design and underwent 24 training sessions. Data acquired from the WHO-5 questionnaire administered before and after intervention were statistically analysed using a mixed design model for repeated measures. The effect of individualised cognitive training was compared with leisure activities while the impact of gender and education was explored using estimated marginal means. Results A total of 81 participants aged 67.9 ± 5.59 [60–84] without cognitive impairments and absent of depression symptoms underwent the study. Participants with leisure time activities declared significantly higher scores compared to participants with cognitive training M = 73.48 ± 2.88, 95% CI [67.74–79.22] vs M = 64.13 ± 3.034, 95% CI [58.09–70.17] WHO-5 score. Gender and education were found to moderate the effect of cognitive training on well-being when compared to leisure activities. Females engaged in leisure activities in the control group reported higher by M = 9.77 ± 5.4, 95% CI [−0.99–20.54] WHO-5 scores than females with the cognitive training regimen. Participants with high school education declared leisure activities to increase WHO-5 scores by M = 14.59 ± 5.39, 95% CI [3.85–25.34] compared to individualised cognitive training. Discussion The findings revealed that individualised cognitive training was not directly associated with improvements in well-being. Changes in the control group indicated that involvement in leisure time activities, in which participants were partly free to choose from, represented more favourable stimulation to a self-perceived sense of well-being than individualised cognitive training. Results also supported the fact that gender and education moderated the effect of cognitive training on well-being. Females and participants with high school education were found to be negatively impacted in well-being when performance connected with cognitive training was expected. PMID:28028465

Parallel recovery of consciousness and sleep in acute traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Duclos, Catherine; Dumont, Marie; Arbour, Caroline; Paquet, Jean; Blais, Hélène; Menon, David K; De Beaumont, Louis; Bernard, Francis; Gosselin, Nadia

2017-01-17

To investigate whether the progressive recuperation of consciousness was associated with the reconsolidation of sleep and wake states in hospitalized patients with acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study comprised 30 hospitalized patients (age 29.1 ± 13.5 years) in the acute phase of moderate or severe TBI. Testing started 21.0 ± 13.7 days postinjury. Consciousness level and cognitive functioning were assessed daily with the Rancho Los Amigos scale of cognitive functioning (RLA). Sleep and wake cycle characteristics were estimated with continuous wrist actigraphy. Mixed model analyses were performed on 233 days with the RLA (fixed effect) and sleep-wake variables (random effects). Linear contrast analyses were performed in order to verify if consolidation of the sleep and wake states improved linearly with increasing RLA score. Associations were found between scores on the consciousness/cognitive functioning scale and measures of sleep-wake cycle consolidation (p < 0.001), nighttime sleep duration (p = 0.018), and nighttime fragmentation index (p < 0.001). These associations showed strong linear relationships (p < 0.01 for all), revealing that consciousness and cognition improved in parallel with sleep-wake quality. Consolidated 24-hour sleep-wake cycle occurred when patients were able to give context-appropriate, goal-directed responses. Our results showed that when the brain has not sufficiently recovered a certain level of consciousness, it is also unable to generate a 24-hour sleep-wake cycle and consolidated nighttime sleep. This study contributes to elucidating the pathophysiology of severe sleep-wake cycle alterations in the acute phase of moderate to severe TBI. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Mediators of the Availability Heuristic in Probability Estimates of Future Events.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levi, Ariel S.; Pryor, John B.

Individuals often estimate the probability of future events by the ease with which they can recall or cognitively construct relevant instances. Previous research has not precisely identified the cognitive processes mediating this "availability heuristic." Two potential mediators (imagery of the event, perceived reasons or causes for the…

On the Estimation of Standard Errors in Cognitive Diagnosis Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philipp, Michel; Strobl, Carolin; de la Torre, Jimmy; Zeileis, Achim

2018-01-01

Cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) are an increasingly popular method to assess mastery or nonmastery of a set of fine-grained abilities in educational or psychological assessments. Several inference techniques are available to quantify the uncertainty of model parameter estimates, to compare different versions of CDMs, or to check model…

Multiple Imputation of Cognitive Performance as a Repeatedly Measured Outcome

PubMed Central

Rawlings, Andreea M.; Sang, Yingying; Sharrett, A. Richey; Coresh, Josef; Griswold, Michael; Kucharska-Newton, Anna M.; Palta, Priya; Wruck, Lisa M.; Gross, Alden L.; Deal, Jennifer A.; Power, Melinda C.; Bandeen-Roche, Karen

2016-01-01

Background Longitudinal studies of cognitive performance are sensitive to dropout, as participants experiencing cognitive deficits are less likely to attend study visits, which may bias estimated associations between exposures of interest and cognitive decline. Multiple imputation is a powerful tool for handling missing data, however its use for missing cognitive outcome measures in longitudinal analyses remains limited. Methods We use multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE) to impute cognitive performance scores of participants who did not attend the 2011-2013 exam of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We examined the validity of imputed scores using observed and simulated data under varying assumptions. We examined differences in the estimated association between diabetes at baseline and 20-year cognitive decline with and without imputed values. Lastly, we discuss how different analytic methods (mixed models and models fit using generalized estimate equations) and choice of for whom to impute result in different estimands. Results Validation using observed data showed MICE produced unbiased imputations. Simulations showed a substantial reduction in the bias of the 20-year association between diabetes and cognitive decline comparing MICE (3-4% bias) to analyses of available data only (16-23% bias) in a construct where missingness was strongly informative but realistic. Associations between diabetes and 20-year cognitive decline were substantially stronger with MICE than in available-case analyses. Conclusions Our study suggests when informative data are available for non-examined participants, MICE can be an effective tool for imputing cognitive performance and improving assessment of cognitive decline, though careful thought should be given to target imputation population and analytic model chosen, as they may yield different estimands. PMID:27619926

Effects of ignoring baseline on modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Tyas, Suzanne L; Snowdon, David A; Kryscio, Richard J

2009-07-01

This paper evaluates the effect of ignoring baseline when modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and global impairment (GI) as intervening cognitive states. Transitions among states are modeled by a discrete-time Markov chain having three transient (intact cognition, MCI, and GI) and two competing absorbing states (death and dementia). Transition probabilities depend on two covariates, age and the presence/absence of an apolipoprotein E-epsilon4 allele, through a multinomial logistic model with shared random effects. Results are illustrated with an application to the Nun Study, a cohort of 678 participants 75+ years of age at baseline and followed longitudinally with up to ten cognitive assessments per nun.

Brain properties predict proximity to symptom onset in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Vogel, Jacob W; Vachon-Presseau, Etienne; Pichet Binette, Alexa; Tam, Angela; Orban, Pierre; La Joie, Renaud; Savard, Mélissa; Picard, Cynthia; Poirier, Judes; Bellec, Pierre; Breitner, John C S; Villeneuve, Sylvia

2018-01-01

Abstract See Tijms and Visser (doi:10.1093/brain/awy113) for a scientific commentary on this article. Alzheimer’s disease is preceded by a lengthy ‘preclinical’ stage spanning many years, during which subtle brain changes occur in the absence of overt cognitive symptoms. Predicting when the onset of disease symptoms will occur is an unsolved challenge in individuals with sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. In individuals with autosomal dominant genetic Alzheimer’s disease, the age of symptom onset is similar across generations, allowing the prediction of individual onset times with some accuracy. We extend this concept to persons with a parental history of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease to test whether an individual’s symptom onset age can be informed by the onset age of their affected parent, and whether this estimated onset age can be predicted using only MRI. Structural and functional MRIs were acquired from 255 ageing cognitively healthy subjects with a parental history of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease from the PREVENT-AD cohort. Years to estimated symptom onset was calculated as participant age minus age of parental symptom onset. Grey matter volume was extracted from T1-weighted images and whole-brain resting state functional connectivity was evaluated using degree count. Both modalities were summarized using a 444-region cortical-subcortical atlas. The entire sample was divided into training (n = 138) and testing (n = 68) sets. Within the training set, individuals closer to or beyond their parent’s symptom onset demonstrated reduced grey matter volume and altered functional connectivity, specifically in regions known to be vulnerable in Alzheimer’s disease. Machine learning was used to identify a weighted set of imaging features trained to predict years to estimated symptom onset. This feature set alone significantly predicted years to estimated symptom onset in the unseen testing data. This model, using only neuroimaging features, significantly outperformed a similar model instead trained with cognitive, genetic, imaging and demographic features used in a traditional clinical setting. We next tested if these brain properties could be generalized to predict time to clinical progression in a subgroup of 26 individuals from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, who eventually converted either to mild cognitive impairment or to Alzheimer’s dementia. The feature set trained on years to estimated symptom onset in the PREVENT-AD predicted variance in time to clinical conversion in this separate longitudinal dataset. Adjusting for participant age did not impact any of the results. These findings demonstrate that years to estimated symptom onset or similar measures can be predicted from brain features and may help estimate presymptomatic disease progression in at-risk individuals. PMID:29688388

Cognitive functioning in children from Nigeria with sickle cell anemia.

PubMed

Oluwole, Olubusola B; Noll, Robert B; Winger, Daniel G; Akinyanju, Olu; Novelli, Enrico M

2016-11-01

Cognitive impairment is a major neurological complication of sickle cell anemia (SCA) in the United States, but there are limited studies of cognitive impairment in Nigeria, the country with the highest SCA burden. We hypothesized that children from Nigeria with SCA have worse cognitive functioning than comparison children and explored the association between lower cognitive functioning and key laboratory demographic and socioeconomic variables among children with SCA. We conducted a cross-sectional survey, supplemented by anthropomorphic and laboratory data, among a convenience sample of children from Nigeria with and without SCA. We administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Version IV. Our primary outcome measures included (1) estimated IQ (Est. IQ), (2) working memory (WM), and (3) processing speed (PS). The sample included 56 children with SCA (mean age 9.20 [SD 2.75], 46.43% girls) and 44 comparison children (mean age 9.41 [SD 2.49], 40.91% girls). Children with SCA performed worse on Est. IQ (84.58 vs. 96.10, P = 0.006) and PS (86.69 vs 96.91, P = 0.009) than comparison children. There was no significant difference in WM between both groups. Factors associated with lower Est. IQ and PS among children with SCA included age, maternal education, weight-for-age Z scores, and height-for age Z scores. In this small sample of children from Nigeria, we found worse cognitive functioning in children with SCA than in comparison children, and that sociodemographic and anthropomorphic factors were correlated with cognitive functioning. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cognitive profiles and heritability estimates in the Old Order Amish.

PubMed

Kuehner, Ryan M; Kochunov, Peter; Nugent, Katie L; Jurius, Deanna E; Savransky, Anya; Gaudiot, Christopher; Bruce, Heather A; Gold, James; Shuldiner, Alan R; Mitchell, Braxton D; Hong, L Elliot

2016-08-01

This study aimed to establish the applicability of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) in the Old Order Amish (OOA) and to assess the genetic contribution toward the RBANS total score and its cognitive domains using a large family-based sample of OOA. RBANS data were collected in 103 OOA individuals from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, including 85 individuals without psychiatric illness and 18 individuals with current psychiatric diagnoses. The RBANS total score and all five cognitive domains of in nonpsychiatric OOA were within half a SD of the normative data of the general population. The RBANS total score was highly heritable (h=0.51, P=0.019). OOA with psychiatric diagnoses had a numerically lower RBANS total score and domain scores compared with the nonpsychiatric participants. The RBANS appears to be a suitable cognitive battery for the OOA population as measurements obtained from the OOA are comparable with normative data in the US population. The heritability estimated from the OOA is in line with heritabilities of other cognitive batteries estimated in other populations. These results support the use of RBANS in cognitive assessment, clinical care, and behavioral genetic studies of neuropsychological functioning in this population.

Physiologic Dysfunction Scores and Cognitive Function Test Performance in United States Adults

PubMed Central

Kobrosly, Roni W; Seplaki, Christopher L; Jones, Courtney M; van Wijngaarden, Edwin

2013-01-01

Objective To investigate the relationship between a measure of cumulative physiologic dysfunction and specific domains of cognitive function. Methods We examined a summary score measuring physiological dysfunction, a multisystem measure of the body’s ability to effectively adapt to physical and psychological demands, in relation to cognitive function deficits in a population of 4511 adults aged 20 to 59 who participated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994). Measures of cognitive function comprised three domains: working memory, visuomotor speed, and perceptual-motor speed. ‘Physiologic dysfunction’ scores summarizing measures of cardiovascular, immunologic, kidney, and liver function were explored. We used multiple linear regression models to estimate associations between cognitive function measures and physiological dysfunction scores, adjusting for socioeconomic factors, test conditions, and self-reported health factors. Results We noted a dose-response relationship between physiologic dysfunction and working memory (coefficient = 0.207, 95% CI = (0.066, 0.348), p < 0.0001) that persisted after adjustment for all covariates (p = 0.03). We did not observe any significant relationships between dysfunction scores and visuomotor (p = 0.37) or perceptual-motor ability (p = 0.33). Conclusions Our findings suggest that multisystem physiologic dysfunction is associated with working memory. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and explore the persistency of this association into later life. We suggest that such studies should incorporate physiologic data, neuroendocrine parameters, and a wide range of specific cognitive domains. PMID:22155941

An assessment of non-stationarity in physiological cognitive state assessment using artificial neural networks.

PubMed

Estepp, Justin R; Klosterman, Samantha L; Christensen, James C

2011-01-01

With increased attention toward physiological cognitive state assessment as a component in the larger field of applied neuroscience, the need to develop methods for robust, stable assessment of cognitive state has been expressed as critical to designing effective augmented human-machine systems. The technique of cognitive state assessment, as well as its benefits, has been demonstrated by many research groups. In an effort to move closer toward a realized system, efforts must now be focused on critical issues that remain unsolved, namely instability of pattern classifiers over the course of hours and days. This work, as part of the Cognitive State Assessment Competition 2011, seeks to explore methods for 'learning' non-stationarity as a mitigation for more generalized patterns that are stable over time courses that are not widely discussed in the literature.

The effect of preferred music on mood and performance in a high-cognitive demand occupation.

PubMed

Lesiuk, Teresa

2010-01-01

Mild positive affect has been shown in the psychological literature to improve cognitive skills of creative problem-solving and systematic thinking. Individual preferred music listening offers opportunity for improved positive affect. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of preferred music listening on state-mood and cognitive performance in a high-cognitive demand occupation. Twenty-four professional computer information systems developers (CISD) from a North American IT company participated in a 3-week study with a music/no music/music weekly design. During the music weeks, participants listened to their preferred music "when they wanted, as they wanted." Self-reports of State Positive Affect, State Negative Affect, and Cognitive Performance were measured throughout the 3 weeks. Results indicate a statistically significant improvement in both state-mood and cognitive performance scores. "High-cognitive demand" is a relative term given that challenges presented to individuals may occur on a cognitive continuum from need for focus and selective attention to systematic analysis and creative problem-solving. The findings and recommendations have important implications for music therapists in their knowledge of the effect of music on emotion and cognition, and, as well, have important implications for music therapy consultation to organizations.

Prevalence of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy in cognitively normal older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Nascimento, C; Di Lorenzo Alho, A T; Bazan Conceição Amaral, C; Leite, R E P; Nitrini, R; Jacob-Filho, W; Pasqualucci, C A; Hokkanen, S R K; Hunter, S; Keage, H; Kovacs, G G; Grinberg, L T; Suemoto, C K

2018-04-01

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy in cognitively normal older adults. We systematically reviewed and performed a meta-analysis on the prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy in older adults with normal cognition, evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination or the Clinical Dementia Rating. We estimated the overall prevalence of TDP-43 using random-effect models, and stratified by age, sex, sample size, study quality, antibody used to assess TDP-43 aggregates, analysed brain regions, Braak stage, Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease score, hippocampal sclerosis and geographic location. A total of 505 articles were identified in the systematic review, and 7 were included in the meta-analysis with 1196 cognitively normal older adults. We found an overall prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy of 24%. Prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy varied widely across geographic location (North America: 37%, Asia: 29%, Europe: 14%, and Latin America: 11%). Estimated prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy also varied according to study quality (quality score >7: 22% vs. quality score <7: 42%), antibody used to assess TDP-43 proteinopathy (native: 18% vs. hyperphosphorylated: 24%) and presence of hippocampal sclerosis (without 24% vs. with hippocampal sclerosis: 48%). Other stratified analyses by age, sex, analysed brain regions, sample size and severity of AD neuropathology showed similar pooled TDP-43 prevalence. Different methodology to access TDP-43, and also differences in lifestyle and genetic factors across different populations could explain our results. Standardization of TDP-43 measurement, and future studies about the impact of genetic and lifestyle characteristics on the development of neurodegenerative diseases are needed. © 2017 British Neuropathological Society.

Cognitive impairment and associated loss in brain white microstructure in aircrew members exposed to engine oil fumes.

PubMed

Reneman, Liesbeth; Schagen, Sanne B; Mulder, Michel; Mutsaerts, Henri J; Hageman, Gerard; de Ruiter, Michiel B

2016-06-01

Cabin air in airplanes can be contaminated with engine oil contaminants. These contaminations may contain organophosphates (OPs) which are known neurotoxins to brain white matter. However, it is currently unknown if brain white matter in aircrew is affected. We investigated whether we could objectify cognitive complaints in aircrew and whether we could find a neurobiological substrate for their complaints. After medical ethical approval from the local institutional review board, informed consent was obtained from 12 aircrew (2 females, on average aged 44.4 years, 8,130 flying hours) with cognitive complaints and 11 well matched control subjects (2 females, 43.4 years, 233 flying hours). Depressive symptoms and self-reported cognitive symptoms were assessed, in addition to a neuropsychological test battery. State of the art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques were administered that assess structural and functional changes, with a focus on white matter integrity. In aircrew we found significantly more self-reported cognitive complaints and depressive symptoms, and a higher number of tests scored in the impaired range compared to the control group. We observed small clusters in the brain in which white matter microstructure was affected. Also, we observed higher cerebral perfusion values in the left occipital cortex, and reduced brain activation on a functional MRI executive function task. The extent of cognitive impairment was strongly associated with white matter integrity, but extent of estimated number of flight hours was not associated with cognitive impairment nor with reductions in white matter microstructure. Defects in brain white matter microstructure and cerebral perfusion are potential neurobiological substrates for cognitive impairments and mood deficits reported in aircrew.

Can We Understand Why Cognitive Function Predicts Mortality? Results from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallacher, John; Bayer, Anthony; Dunstan, Frank; Yarnell, John; Elwood, Peter; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav

2009-01-01

The association between cognitive function and mortality is of increasing interest. We followed 1870 men aged 55-69 years at cognitive assessment for 16 years to establish associations with all case and cause specific mortality. Cognitive assessment included AH4, 4 choice reaction time (used as estimates of mid-life cognition) and the National…

Evolution of Cognitive Function After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

PubMed

Schoenenberger, Andreas W; Zuber, Chantal; Moser, André; Zwahlen, Marcel; Wenaweser, Peter; Windecker, Stephan; Carrel, Thierry; Stuck, Andreas E; Stortecky, Stefan

2016-10-01

This study aimed to assess the evolution of cognitive function after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Previous smaller studies reported conflicting results on the evolution of cognitive function after TAVI. In this prospective cohort, cognitive function was measured in 229 patients ≥70 years using the Mini Mental State Examination before and 6 months after TAVI. Cognitive deterioration or improvement was defined as change of ≥3 points decrease or increase in the Mini Mental State Examination score between baseline and follow-up. Cognitive deterioration was found in 29 patients (12.7%). Predictive analysis using logistic regression did not identify any statistically significant predictor of cognitive deterioration. A review of individual medical records in 8 patients with a major Mini Mental State Examination score decrease of ≥5 points revealed specific causes in 6 cases (postinterventional delirium in 2; postinterventional stroke, progressive renal failure, progressive heart failure, or combination of preexisting cerebrovascular disease and mild cognitive impairment in 1 each). Among 48 patients with impaired baseline cognition (Mini Mental State Examination score <26 points), 18 patients (37.5%) cognitively improved. The preinterventional aortic valve area was lower in patients who cognitively improved (median aortic valve area 0.60 cm 2 ) as compared with patients who did not improve (median aortic valve area 0.70 cm 2 ; P=0.01). This is the first study providing evidence that TAVI results in cognitive improvement among patients who had impaired preprocedural cognitive function, possibly related to hemodynamic improvement in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Our results confirm that some patients experience cognitive deterioration after TAVI. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

The effects of healthy aging, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease on recollection, familiarity and false recognition, estimated by an associative process-dissociation recognition procedure.

PubMed

Pitarque, Alfonso; Meléndez, Juan C; Sales, Alicia; Mayordomo, Teresa; Satorres, Encar; Escudero, Joaquín; Algarabel, Salvador

2016-10-01

Given the uneven experimental results in the literature regarding whether or not familiarity declines with healthy aging and cognitive impairment, we compare four samples (healthy young people, healthy older people, older people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment - aMCI -, and older people with Alzheimer's disease - AD -) on an associative recognition task, which, following the logic of the process-dissociation procedure, allowed us to obtain corrected estimates of recollection, familiarity and false recognition. The results show that familiarity does not decline with healthy aging, but it does with cognitive impairment, whereas false recognition increases with healthy aging, but declines significantly with cognitive impairment. These results support the idea that the deficits detected in recollection, familiarity, or false recognition in older people could be used as early prodromal markers of cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasma homocysteine and cerebral small vessel disease as possible mediators between kidney and cognitive functions in patients with diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Sonoda, Mika; Shoji, Tetsuo; Kuwamura, Yukinobu; Okute, Yujiro; Naganuma, Toshihide; Shima, Hideaki; Motoyama, Koka; Morioka, Tomoaki; Mori, Katsuhito; Fukumoto, Shinya; Shioi, Atsushi; Shimono, Taro; Fujii, Hisako; Kabata, Daijiro; Shintani, Ayumi; Emoto, Masanori; Inaba, Masaaki

2017-06-29

Cognitive impairment is more prevalent in those with decreased kidney function. We tested a hypothesis that an increased homocysteine and/or cerebral small vessel diseases (SVDs) mediate the link between kidney and cognitive functions in a cross-sectional study in 143 type 2 diabetes patients without diagnosis of dementia or prior stroke. The exposure and outcome variables were estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cognitive performance evaluated with Modified Mini-Mental State (3 MS) examination, respectively. The candidate mediators were plasma homocysteine concentration, and SVDs including silent cerebral infarction, cerebral microbleed, periventricular hyperintensity, and deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity by magnetic resonance imaging. In multiple regression models adjusted for 12 potential confounders, eGFR was positively associated with 3 MS score, inversely with homocysteine, but not significantly with the presence of any type of SVD. The association of eGFR with 3 MS remained significant when each of the SVDs was added to the model, whereas it disappeared when homocysteine was included in place of SVD. Mediation analysis indicated nearly significant mediation of homocysteine (P = 0.062) but no meaningful mediations of SVDs (P = 0.842-0.930). Thus, homocysteine, not SVDs, was shown to be the possible mediator between kidney and cognitive functions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Twins and non-twin siblings: different estimates of shared environmental influence in early childhood.

PubMed

Koeppen-Schomerus, Gesina; Spinath, Frank M; Plomin, Robert

2003-04-01

Twin studies typically indicate shared environmental influence for cognitive abilities, especially in early childhood. However, across studies, DZ twin correlations tend to be greater than non-twin sibling correlations, suggesting that twin estimates of shared environment are to some extent specific to twins. We tested this hypothesis in a sample of more than 1800 MZ and 1800 same-sex DZ pairs from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), a study of twins born in England and Wales in 1994 and 1995. For this analysis, we obtained comparable data from more than 130 same-sex younger siblings of the twins. Twins and their younger siblings were assessed for language, cognitive abilities and behavior problems by their parents at 2 and 3 years of age. For language and cognitive measures at both 2 and 3 years, but not for behavior problems, estimates of shared environment were more than twice as large for twins as compared to non-twin siblings. We conclude that about half of twin study estimates of shared environment for cognitive abilities in early childhood are specific to twins. Although many possibilities exist for explaining the special shared environment effect for twins, we suggest that cognitive-relevant experiences that are not shared by siblings are shared by twins because they are exactly the same age.

Cognitive Deficits in Problematic Drinkers with and without Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Duijvenbode, Neomi; Didden, Robert; VanDerNagel, Joanne E. L.; Korzilius, Hubert P. L. M.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.

2018-01-01

We examined cognitive deficits in problematic drinkers with and without mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID). Problematic drinkers were expected to show a significantly lower estimated performance IQ (PIQ), but not a lower estimated verbal IQ (VIQ), compared to light drinkers. Participants (N = 474) were divided into four groups based…

Effects of ignoring baseline on modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia

PubMed Central

Yu, Lei; Tyas, Suzanne L.; Snowdon, David A.; Kryscio, Richard J.

2009-01-01

This paper evaluates the effect of ignoring baseline when modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and global impairment (GI) as intervening cognitive states. Transitions among states are modeled by a discrete-time Markov chain having three transient (intact cognition, MCI, and GI) and two competing absorbing states (death and dementia). Transition probabilities depend on two covariates, age and the presence/absence of an apolipoprotein E-ε4 allele, through a multinomial logistic model with shared random effects. Results are illustrated with an application to the Nun Study, a cohort of 678 participants 75+ years of age at baseline and followed longitudinally with up to ten cognitive assessments per nun. PMID:20161282

The functional implications of motor, cognitive, psychiatric, and social problem-solving states in Huntington's disease.

PubMed

Van Liew, Charles; Gluhm, Shea; Goldstein, Jody; Cronan, Terry A; Corey-Bloom, Jody

2013-01-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric dysfunction. In HD, the inability to solve problems successfully affects not only disease coping, but also interpersonal relationships, judgment, and independent living. The aim of the present study was to examine social problem-solving (SPS) in well-characterized HD and at-risk (AR) individuals and to examine its unique and conjoint effects with motor, cognitive, and psychiatric states on functional ratings. Sixty-three participants, 31 HD and 32 gene-positive AR, were included in the study. Participants completed the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised: Long (SPSI-R:L), a 52-item, reliable, standardized measure of SPS. Items are aggregated under five scales (Positive, Negative, and Rational Problem-Solving; Impulsivity/Carelessness and Avoidance Styles). Participants also completed the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale functional, behavioral, and cognitive assessments, as well as additional neuropsychological examinations and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90R). A structural equation model was used to examine the effects of motor, cognitive, psychiatric, and SPS states on functionality. The multifactor structural model fit well descriptively. Cognitive and motor states uniquely and significantly predicted function in HD; however, neither psychiatric nor SPS states did. SPS was, however, significantly related to motor, cognitive, and psychiatric states, suggesting that it may bridge the correlative gap between psychiatric and cognitive states in HD. SPS may be worth assessing in conjunction with the standard gamut of clinical assessments in HD. Suggestions for future research and implications for patients, families, caregivers, and clinicians are discussed.

Regional specific groundwater arsenic levels and neuropsychological functioning: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Edwards, Melissa; Johnson, Leigh; Mauer, Cortney; Barber, Robert; Hall, James; O'Bryant, Sid

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the link between geographic information system (GIS)-estimated regional specific groundwater levels and neuropsychological functioning in a sample of individuals with and without cognitive impairment. This cross-sectional study design analyzed data from 1390 participants (733 Alzheimer's disease, 127 Mild Cognitive Impairment, and 530 with normal cognition) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium. GISs analyses were used to estimate regional specific groundwater arsenic concentrations using the Environmental Systems Research Institute and arsenic concentrations from the Texas Water Development Board. In the full cohort, regional specific arsenic concentrations were positively associated with language abilities (p = 0.008), but associated with poorer verbal memory, immediate (p = 0.008), and delayed (p < 0.001), as well as poorer visual memory, immediate (p = 0.02), and delayed (p < 0.001). The findings varied by diagnostic category with arsenic being related with cognition most prominently among mild cognitive impairment cases. Overall, estimated regional specific groundwater arsenic levels were negatively associated with neuropsychological performance.

A cognitive characterization of dyscalculia in Turner syndrome.

PubMed

Bruandet, Marie; Molko, Nicolas; Cohen, Laurent; Dehaene, Stanislas

2004-01-01

Current theories of number processing postulate that the human abilities for arithmetic are based on cerebral circuits that are partially laid down under genetic control and later modified by schooling and education. This view predicts the existence of genetic diseases that interfere specifically with components of the number system. Here, we investigate whether Turner syndrome (TS) corresponds to this definition. TS is a genetic disorder which affects one woman in 2500 and is characterized by partial or complete absence of one X chromosome. In addition to well-characterized physical and hormonal dysfunction, TS patients exhibit cognitive deficits including dyscalculia. We tested 12 women with Turner syndrome and 13 control subjects on a cognitive battery including arithmetical tests (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) as well as tests of the understanding of numerosity and quantity (cognitive estimation, estimation, comparison, bisection, subitizing/counting). Impairments were observed in cognitive estimation, subitizing, and calculation. We examine whether these deficits can be attributed to a single source, and discuss the possible implications of hormonal and genetic factors in the neuropsychological profile of TS patients.

Little Relation of Adult Age with Cognition after Controlling General Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salthouse, Timothy A.

2016-01-01

Both general (i.e., shared across different cognitive measures) and specific (i.e., unique to particular cognitive measures) influences can be postulated to contribute to the relations between adult age and measures of cognitive functioning. Estimates of general and specific influences on measures of memory, speed, reasoning, and spatial…

An "Instantaneous" Estimate of a Lifetime's Cognitive Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deary, Ian J.; Whalley, Lawrence J.; Crawford, John R.

2004-01-01

Change in cognitive functioning is an important aspect of human aging and a key outcome in many medical conditions. However, cognitive change can rarely be measured directly, since prior cognitive data do not exist for most people. We examined the criterion validity and one-year stability of the difference between National Adult Reading Test…

Personalized risk prediction of postoperative cognitive impairment - rationale for the EU-funded BioCog project.

PubMed

Winterer, G; Androsova, G; Bender, O; Boraschi, D; Borchers, F; Dschietzig, T B; Feinkohl, I; Fletcher, P; Gallinat, J; Hadzidiakos, D; Haynes, J D; Heppner, F; Hetzer, S; Hendrikse, J; Ittermann, B; Kant, I M J; Kraft, A; Krannich, A; Krause, R; Kühn, S; Lachmann, G; van Montfort, S J T; Müller, A; Nürnberg, P; Ofosu, K; Pietsch, M; Pischon, T; Preller, J; Renzulli, E; Scheurer, K; Schneider, R; Slooter, A J C; Spies, C; Stamatakis, E; Volk, H D; Weber, S; Wolf, A; Yürek, F; Zacharias, N

2018-04-01

Postoperative cognitive impairment is among the most common medical complications associated with surgical interventions - particularly in elderly patients. In our aging society, it is an urgent medical need to determine preoperative individual risk prediction to allow more accurate cost-benefit decisions prior to elective surgeries. So far, risk prediction is mainly based on clinical parameters. However, these parameters only give a rough estimate of the individual risk. At present, there are no molecular or neuroimaging biomarkers available to improve risk prediction and little is known about the etiology and pathophysiology of this clinical condition. In this short review, we summarize the current state of knowledge and briefly present the recently started BioCog project (Biomarker Development for Postoperative Cognitive Impairment in the Elderly), which is funded by the European Union. It is the goal of this research and development (R&D) project, which involves academic and industry partners throughout Europe, to deliver a multivariate algorithm based on clinical assessments as well as molecular and neuroimaging biomarkers to overcome the currently unsatisfying situation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Efficient and robust pupil size and blink estimation from near-field video sequences for human-machine interaction.

PubMed

Chen, Siyuan; Epps, Julien

2014-12-01

Monitoring pupil and blink dynamics has applications in cognitive load measurement during human-machine interaction. However, accurate, efficient, and robust pupil size and blink estimation pose significant challenges to the efficacy of real-time applications due to the variability of eye images, hence to date, require manual intervention for fine tuning of parameters. In this paper, a novel self-tuning threshold method, which is applicable to any infrared-illuminated eye images without a tuning parameter, is proposed for segmenting the pupil from the background images recorded by a low cost webcam placed near the eye. A convex hull and a dual-ellipse fitting method are also proposed to select pupil boundary points and to detect the eyelid occlusion state. Experimental results on a realistic video dataset show that the measurement accuracy using the proposed methods is higher than that of widely used manually tuned parameter methods or fixed parameter methods. Importantly, it demonstrates convenience and robustness for an accurate and fast estimate of eye activity in the presence of variations due to different users, task types, load, and environments. Cognitive load measurement in human-machine interaction can benefit from this computationally efficient implementation without requiring a threshold calibration beforehand. Thus, one can envisage a mini IR camera embedded in a lightweight glasses frame, like Google Glass, for convenient applications of real-time adaptive aiding and task management in the future.

The Faces Symbol Test, a newly developed screening instrument to assess cognitive decline related to multiple sclerosis: first results of the Berlin Multi-Centre FST Validation Study.

PubMed

Scherer, P; Penner, I K; Rohr, A; Boldt, H; Ringel, I; Wilke-Burger, H; Burger-Deinerth, E; Isakowitsch, K; Zimmermann, M; Zahrnt, S; Hauser, R; Hilbert, K; Tiel-Wilck, K; Anvari, K; Behringer, A; Peglau, I; Friedrich, H; Plenio, A; Benesch, G; Ehret, R; Nippert, I; Finke, G; Schulz, I; Bergtholdt, B; Breitkopf, S; Kaskel, P; Reischies, F; Kugler, J

2007-04-01

Reliable, language-independent, short screening instruments to test for cognitive function in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) remain rare, despite the high number of patients affected by cognitive decline. We developed a new, short screening instrument, the Faces Symbol Test (FST), and compared its diagnostic test characteristics with a composite of the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), in 108 MS patients and 33 healthy controls. An Informant-Report Questionnaire, a Self-Report Questionnaire, and a neurologist's estimation of the Every Day Life Cognitive Status were also applied to the MS patients. The statistical analyses comprised of a receiver operating characteristic analysis for test accuracy and for confounding variables. The PASAT and DSST composite score estimated that 36.5% of the MS patients had cognitive impairment. The FST estimated that 40.7% of the MS patients were cognitively impaired (sensitivity 84%; specificity 85%). The FST, DSST and PASAT results were significantly correlated with the patients' physical impairment, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The results suggest that the FST might be a culture-free, sensitive, and practical short screening instrument for the detection of cognitive decline in patients with MS, including those in the early stages.

The DEP-6D, a new preference-based measure to assess health states of dependency.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Míguez, E; Abellán-Perpiñán, J M; Alvarez, X C; González, X M; Sampayo, A R

2016-03-01

In medical literature there are numerous multidimensional scales to measure health states for dependence in activities of daily living. However, these scales are not preference-based and are not able to yield QALYs. On the contrary, the generic preference-based measures are not sensitive enough to measure changes in dependence states. The objective of this paper is to propose a new dependency health state classification system, called DEP-6D, and to estimate its value set in such a way that it can be used in QALY calculations. DEP-6D states are described as a combination of 6 attributes (eat, incontinence, personal care, mobility, housework and cognition problems), with 3-4 levels each. A sample of 312 Spanish citizens was surveyed in 2011 to estimate the DEP-6D preference-scoring algorithm. Each respondent valued six out of the 24 states using time trade-off questions. After excluding those respondents who made two or more inconsistencies (6% out of the sample), each state was valued between 66 and 77 times. The responses present a high internal and external consistency. A random effect model accounting for main effects was the preferred model to estimate the scoring algorithm. The DEP-6D describes, in general, more severe problems than those usually described by means of generic preference-based measures. The minimum score predicted by the DEP-6D algorithm is -0.84, which is considerably lower than the minimum value predicted by the EQ-5D and SF-6D algorithms. The DEP-6D value set is based on community preferences. Therefore it is consistent with the so-called 'societal perspective'. Moreover, DEP-6D preference weights can be used in QALY calculations and cost-utility analysis. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A tensorial approach to access cognitive workload related to mental arithmetic from EEG functional connectivity estimates.

PubMed

Dimitriadis, S I; Sun, Yu; Kwok, K; Laskaris, N A; Bezerianos, A

2013-01-01

The association of functional connectivity patterns with particular cognitive tasks has long been a topic of interest in neuroscience, e.g., studies of functional connectivity have demonstrated its potential use for decoding various brain states. However, the high-dimensionality of the pairwise functional connectivity limits its usefulness in some real-time applications. In the present study, the methodology of tensor subspace analysis (TSA) is used to reduce the initial high-dimensionality of the pairwise coupling in the original functional connectivity network to a space of condensed descriptive power, which would significantly decrease the computational cost and facilitate the differentiation of brain states. We assess the feasibility of the proposed method on EEG recordings when the subject was performing mental arithmetic task which differ only in the difficulty level (easy: 1-digit addition v.s. 3-digit additions). Two different cortical connective networks were detected, and by comparing the functional connectivity networks in different work states, it was found that the task-difficulty is best reflected in the connectivity structure of sub-graphs extending over parietooccipital sites. Incorporating this data-driven information within original TSA methodology, we succeeded in predicting the difficulty level from connectivity patterns in an efficient way that can be implemented so as to work in real-time.

Brain connectivity aberrations in anabolic-androgenic steroid users.

PubMed

Westlye, Lars T; Kaufmann, Tobias; Alnæs, Dag; Hullstein, Ingunn R; Bjørnebekk, Astrid

2017-01-01

Sustained anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use has adverse behavioral consequences, including aggression, violence and impulsivity. Candidate mechanisms include disruptions of brain networks with high concentrations of androgen receptors and critically involved in emotional and cognitive regulation. Here, we tested the effects of AAS on resting-state functional brain connectivity in the largest sample of AAS-users to date. We collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 151 males engaged in heavy resistance strength training. 50 users tested positive for AAS based on the testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio and doping substances in urine. 16 previous users and 59 controls tested negative. We estimated brain network nodes and their time-series using ICA and dual regression and defined connectivity matrices as the between-node partial correlations. In line with the emotional and behavioral consequences of AAS, current users exhibited reduced functional connectivity between key nodes involved in emotional and cognitive regulation, in particular reduced connectivity between the amygdala and default-mode network (DMN) and between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and a frontal node encompassing the superior and inferior frontal gyri (SFG/IFG) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), with further reductions as a function of dependency, lifetime exposure, and cycle state (on/off).

Safety and feasibility evaluation of tourniquets for total knee replacement (SAFE-TKR): study protocol.

PubMed

Wall, Peter Dh; Ahmed, Imran; Metcalfe, Andrew; Price, Andrew J; Seers, Kate; Hutchinson, Charles E; Parsons, Helen; Warwick, Jane; Rahman, Bushra; Brown, Jaclyn; Underwood, Martin

2018-04-10

This study is designed to determine whether a full randomised controlled trial (RCT) examining the clinical effectiveness and safety of total knee replacement surgery with or without a tourniquet is warranted and feasible. Single centre, patient-blinded and assessor-blinded RCT. A computer-generated randomisation service will allocate 50 participants into one of two trial treatments, surgery with or without a tourniquet. The primary objective is to estimate recruitment, crossovers and follow-up of patients. All patients will have an MRI scan of their brain preoperatively and day 1 or 2 postoperatively to identify ischaemic cerebral emboli (primary clinical outcome). Oxford Cognitive Screen, Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination will be evaluated as outcome tools for measuring cognitive impairment at days 1, 2 and 7 postoperatively. Thigh pain, blood transfusion requirements, venous thromboembolism, revision surgery, surgical complications, mortality and Oxford knee and five-level EuroQol-5D scores will be collected over 12 months. Integrated qualitative research study : 30 trial patients and 20 knee surgeons will take part in semistructured interviews. Interviews will capture views regarding the pilot trial and explore barriers and potential solutions to a full trial. Multicentre cohort study : UK National Joint Registry data will be linked to Hospital Episode Statistics to estimate the relationship between tourniquet use and venous thromboembolic event, length of hospital stay, risk of revision surgery and death. The study will conclude with a multidisciplinary workshop to reach a consensus on whether a full trial is warranted and feasible. National Research Ethics Committee (West Midlands-Edgbaston) approved this study on 27 January 2016 (15/WM/0455). The study is sponsored by University of Warwick and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. The results will be disseminated via high-impact peer-reviewed publication. ISRCTN20873088; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Genetic variants associated with altered plasma levels of C-reactive protein are not associated with late-life cognitive ability in four Scottish samples.

PubMed

Marioni, Riccardo E; Deary, Ian J; Murray, Gordon D; Lowe, Gordon D O; Rafnsson, Snorri B; Strachan, Mark W J; Luciano, Michelle; Houlihan, Lorna M; Gow, Alan J; Harris, Sarah E; Stewart, Marlene C; Rumley, Ann; Fowkes, F Gerry R; Price, Jackie F

2010-01-01

It is unknown whether the relationship between raised inflammatory biomarker levels and late-life cognitive ability is causal. We explored this issue by testing the association between genetic regulators of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and cognition. Data were analysed from four cohorts based in central Scotland (Total N = 4,782). Associations were tested between variants in the CRP gene and both plasma CRP levels and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including a vocabulary-based estimate of peak prior cognitive ability and a general (summary) cognitive factor score, or 'g'. CRP levels were associated with a number of variants in the CRP gene (SNPs), including rs1205, rs1130864, rs1800947, and rs1417938 (P range 4.2e-06 to 0.041). Higher CRP levels were also associated with vocabulary-adjusted cognitive ability, used here to estimate lifetime cognitive change (P range 1.7e-04 to 0.038). After correction for multiple testing and adjustment for age and sex, no statistically significant associations were found between the SNPs and cognition. CRP is unlikely to be a causal determinant of late-life cognitive ability.

A Hybrid of Deep Network and Hidden Markov Model for MCI Identification with Resting-State fMRI.

PubMed

Suk, Heung-Il; Lee, Seong-Whan; Shen, Dinggang

2015-10-01

In this paper, we propose a novel method for modelling functional dynamics in resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) identification. Specifically, we devise a hybrid architecture by combining Deep Auto-Encoder (DAE) and Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The roles of DAE and HMM are, respectively, to discover hierarchical non-linear relations among features, by which we transform the original features into a lower dimension space, and to model dynamic characteristics inherent in rs-fMRI, i.e. , internal state changes. By building a generative model with HMMs for each class individually, we estimate the data likelihood of a test subject as MCI or normal healthy control, based on which we identify the clinical label. In our experiments, we achieved the maximal accuracy of 81.08% with the proposed method, outperforming state-of-the-art methods in the literature.

A Hybrid of Deep Network and Hidden Markov Model for MCI Identification with Resting-State fMRI

PubMed Central

Suk, Heung-Il; Lee, Seong-Whan; Shen, Dinggang

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose a novel method for modelling functional dynamics in resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) identification. Specifically, we devise a hybrid architecture by combining Deep Auto-Encoder (DAE) and Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The roles of DAE and HMM are, respectively, to discover hierarchical non-linear relations among features, by which we transform the original features into a lower dimension space, and to model dynamic characteristics inherent in rs-fMRI, i.e., internal state changes. By building a generative model with HMMs for each class individually, we estimate the data likelihood of a test subject as MCI or normal healthy control, based on which we identify the clinical label. In our experiments, we achieved the maximal accuracy of 81.08% with the proposed method, outperforming state-of-the-art methods in the literature. PMID:27054199

A pairwise maximum entropy model accurately describes resting-state human brain networks

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Takamitsu; Hirose, Satoshi; Wada, Hiroyuki; Imai, Yoshio; Machida, Toru; Shirouzu, Ichiro; Konishi, Seiki; Miyashita, Yasushi; Masuda, Naoki

2013-01-01

The resting-state human brain networks underlie fundamental cognitive functions and consist of complex interactions among brain regions. However, the level of complexity of the resting-state networks has not been quantified, which has prevented comprehensive descriptions of the brain activity as an integrative system. Here, we address this issue by demonstrating that a pairwise maximum entropy model, which takes into account region-specific activity rates and pairwise interactions, can be robustly and accurately fitted to resting-state human brain activities obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, to validate the approximation of the resting-state networks by the pairwise maximum entropy model, we show that the functional interactions estimated by the pairwise maximum entropy model reflect anatomical connexions more accurately than the conventional functional connectivity method. These findings indicate that a relatively simple statistical model not only captures the structure of the resting-state networks but also provides a possible method to derive physiological information about various large-scale brain networks. PMID:23340410

Performance costs when emotion tunes inappropriate cognitive abilities: implications for mental resources and behavior.

PubMed

Storbeck, Justin

2012-08-01

Emotion tunes cognition, such that approach-motivated positive states promote verbal cognition, whereas withdrawal-motivated negative states promote spatial cognition (Gray, 2001). The current research examined whether self-control resources become depleted and influence subsequent behavior when emotion tunes an inappropriate cognitive tendency. In 2 experiments, either an approach-motivated positive state or a withdrawal-motivated negative state was induced, and then participants completed a verbal or a spatial working memory task creating conditions of emotion-cognition alignment (e.g., approach/verbal) or misalignment (e.g., approach/spatial). A control condition was also included. To examine behavioral costs due to depleted self-control resources, participants completed either a Stroop task (Stroop, 1935; Experiment 1) or a Black/White implicit association test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998; Experiment 2). Participants in the misalignment conditions performed worse on the Stroop task, and they were worse at controlling their implicit attitude biases on the IAT. Thus, when emotion tunes inappropriate cognitive tendencies for one's current environment, self-control resources become depleted, impairing behavioral control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of Coordination in Time Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiefer, Adam W.; Wallot, Sebastian; Gresham, Lori J.; Kloos, Heidi; Riley, Michael A.; Shockley, Kevin; Van Orden, Guy

2014-01-01

How to best characterize cognitive development? The claim put forward in this article is that development is the improvement of a kind of coordination among a variety of factors. To determine the development of coordination in a cognitive task, children between 4 and 12 years of age and adults participated in a time estimation task: They had to…

Advanced Physiological Estimation of Cognitive Status (APECS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-15

REPORT Advanced Physiological Estimation of Cognitive Status (APECS) Final Report 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: EEG...fitness and transmit data to command and control systems. Some of the signals that the physiological sensors measure are readily interpreted, such as...electroencephalogram (EEG) and other signals requires a complex series of mathematical transformations or algorithms. Overall, research on algorithms

Treating Estimation and Mental Computation as Situated Mathematical Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silver, Edward A.

This paper discusses the central thesis that new research on estimation and mental computation will benefit from more focused attention on the situations in which they are used. In the first section of the paper, a brief discussion of cognitive theory, with special attention to the emerging notion of situated cognition is presented. Three sources…

An Integrated Theory of Prospective Time Interval Estimation: The Role of Cognition, Attention, and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taatgen, Niels A.; van Rijn, Hedderik; Anderson, John

2007-01-01

A theory of prospective time perception is introduced and incorporated as a module in an integrated theory of cognition, thereby extending existing theories and allowing predictions about attention and learning. First, a time perception module is established by fitting existing datasets (interval estimation and bisection and impact of secondary…

Modeling cognitive reserve in healthy middle-aged and older adults: the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project.

PubMed

Ward, David D; Summers, Mathew J; Saunders, Nichole L; Vickers, James C

2015-04-01

Cognitive reserve (CR) is a protective factor that supports cognition by increasing the resilience of an individual's cognitive function to the deleterious effects of cerebral lesions. A single environmental proxy indicator is often used to estimate CR (e.g. education), possibly resulting in a loss of the accuracy and predictive power of the investigation. Furthermore, while estimates of an individual's prior CR can be made, no operational measure exists to estimate dynamic change in CR resulting from exposure to new life experiences. We aimed to develop two latent measures of CR through factor analysis: prior and current, in a sample of 467 healthy older adults. The prior CR measure combined proxy measures traditionally associated with CR, while the current CR measure combined variables that had the potential to reflect dynamic change in CR due to new life experiences. Our main finding was that the analyses uncovered latent variables in hypothesized prior and current models of CR. The prior CR model supports multivariate estimation of pre-existing CR and may be applied to more accurately estimate CR in the absence of neuropathological data. The current CR model may be applied to evaluate and explore the potential benefits of CR-based interventions prior to dementia onset.

Lagged Associations of Metropolitan Statistical Area- and State-Level Income Inequality with Cognitive Function: The Health and Retirement Study.

PubMed

Kim, Daniel; Griffin, Beth Ann; Kabeto, Mohammed; Escarce, José; Langa, Kenneth M; Shih, Regina A

2016-01-01

Much variation in individual-level cognitive function in late life remains unexplained, with little exploration of area-level/contextual factors to date. Income inequality is a contextual factor that may plausibly influence cognitive function. In a nationally-representative cohort of older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined state- and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level income inequality as predictors of individual-level cognitive function measured by the 27-point Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) scale. We modeled latency periods of 8-20 years, and controlled for state-/metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level and individual-level factors. Higher MSA-level income inequality predicted lower cognitive function 16-18 years later. Using a 16-year lag, living in a MSA in the highest income inequality quartile predicted a 0.9-point lower TICS-m score (β = -0.86; 95% CI = -1.41, -0.31), roughly equivalent to the magnitude associated with five years of aging. We observed no associations for state-level income inequality. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses using propensity score methods. Among older Americans, MSA-level income inequality appears to influence cognitive function nearly two decades later. Policies reducing income inequality levels within cities may help address the growing burden of declining cognitive function among older populations within the United States.

Lagged Associations of Metropolitan Statistical Area- and State-Level Income Inequality with Cognitive Function: The Health and Retirement Study

PubMed Central

Kim, Daniel; Griffin, Beth Ann; Kabeto, Mohammed; Escarce, José; Langa, Kenneth M.; Shih, Regina A.

2016-01-01

Purpose Much variation in individual-level cognitive function in late life remains unexplained, with little exploration of area-level/contextual factors to date. Income inequality is a contextual factor that may plausibly influence cognitive function. Methods In a nationally-representative cohort of older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined state- and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level income inequality as predictors of individual-level cognitive function measured by the 27-point Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) scale. We modeled latency periods of 8–20 years, and controlled for state-/metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level and individual-level factors. Results Higher MSA-level income inequality predicted lower cognitive function 16–18 years later. Using a 16-year lag, living in a MSA in the highest income inequality quartile predicted a 0.9-point lower TICS-m score (β = -0.86; 95% CI = -1.41, -0.31), roughly equivalent to the magnitude associated with five years of aging. We observed no associations for state-level income inequality. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses using propensity score methods. Conclusions Among older Americans, MSA-level income inequality appears to influence cognitive function nearly two decades later. Policies reducing income inequality levels within cities may help address the growing burden of declining cognitive function among older populations within the United States. PMID:27332986

Quality, and not just quantity, of education accounts for differences in psychometric performance between african americans and white non-hispanics with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Chin, Alexander L; Negash, Selam; Xie, Sharon; Arnold, Steven E; Hamilton, Roy

2012-03-01

The effect of race on cognitive test performance in the evaluation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains controversial. One factor that may contribute substantially to differences in cognitive test performance in diverse populations is education. The current study examined the extent to which quality of education, even after controlling for formal years of education, accounts for differences in cognitive performance between African Americans and White Non-Hispanics (WNHs). The retrospective cohort included 244 patients diagnosed with AD who self-identified as African Americans (n = 51) or WNHs (n = 193). The Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR) was used as an estimate of quality of education. In an analysis that controlled for traditional demographics, including age, sex, and years of formal education, African Americans scored significantly lower than WNHs on the Mini-Mental State Examination, as well as on neuropsychological tests of memory, attention, and language. However, after also adjusting for reading level, all previously observed differences were significantly attenuated. The attenuating effect remained even after controlling for disease severity, indicating that reading scores are not confounded by severity of dementia. These findings suggest that quality, and not just quantity, of education needs to be taken into account when assessing cognitive performance in African Americans with AD.

Cognitive performance in healthy older adults relates to spontaneous switching between states of functional connectivity during rest.

PubMed

Cabral, Joana; Vidaurre, Diego; Marques, Paulo; Magalhães, Ricardo; Silva Moreira, Pedro; Miguel Soares, José; Deco, Gustavo; Sousa, Nuno; Kringelbach, Morten L

2017-07-11

Growing evidence has shown that brain activity at rest slowly wanders through a repertoire of different states, where whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) temporarily settles into distinct FC patterns. Nevertheless, the functional role of resting-state activity remains unclear. Here, we investigate how the switching behavior of resting-state FC relates with cognitive performance in healthy older adults. We analyse resting-state fMRI data from 98 healthy adults previously categorized as being among the best or among the worst performers in a cohort study of >1000 subjects aged 50+ who underwent neuropsychological assessment. We use a novel approach focusing on the dominant FC pattern captured by the leading eigenvector of dynamic FC matrices. Recurrent FC patterns - or states - are detected and characterized in terms of lifetime, probability of occurrence and switching profiles. We find that poorer cognitive performance is associated with weaker FC temporal similarity together with altered switching between FC states. These results provide new evidence linking the switching dynamics of FC during rest with cognitive performance in later life, reinforcing the functional role of resting-state activity for effective cognitive processing.

Active monitoring as cognitive control of grinders design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flizikowski, Jozef B.; Mrozinski, Adam; Tomporowski, Andrzej

2017-03-01

A general monitoring methodology applicable to plastics recyclates grinding processes development for energy engineering, has been presented in this work. The method includes two beings: mathematical aiding an invention and working of a novelty. The common set is composed of characteristics, structure, relationships of knowledge about states and transformations, effectiveness and progress of the devices and machinery engineering, e.g. breaking up in the energy-materials recycling process. This innovations theory is identified by the valuation, estimation, testing and creative archiving the elaborated character and structure of the invention and grinders construction development.

Emotional modulation of cognitive control: approach-withdrawal states double-dissociate spatial from verbal two-back task performance.

PubMed

Gray, J R

2001-09-01

Emotional states might selectively modulate components of cognitive control. To test this hypothesis, the author randomly assigned 152 undergraduates (equal numbers of men and women) to watch short videos intended to induce emotional states (approach, neutral, or withdrawal). Each video was followed by a computerized 2-back working memory task (spatial or verbal, equated for difficulty and appearance). Spatial 2-back performance was enhanced by a withdrawal state and impaired by an approach state; the opposite pattern held for verbal performance. The double dissociation held more strongly for participants who made more errors than average across conditions. The results suggest that approach-withdrawal states can have selective influences on components of cognitive control, possibly on a hemispheric basis. They support and extend several frameworks for conceptualizing emotion-cognition interactions.

Fluctuations of Attentional Networks and Default Mode Network during the Resting State Reflect Variations in Cognitive States: Evidence from a Novel Resting-state Experience Sampling Method.

PubMed

Van Calster, Laurens; D'Argembeau, Arnaud; Salmon, Eric; Peters, Frédéric; Majerus, Steve

2017-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have revealed the recruitment of a range of neural networks during the resting state, which might reflect a variety of cognitive experiences and processes occurring in an individual's mind. In this study, we focused on the default mode network (DMN) and attentional networks and investigated their association with distinct mental states when participants are not performing an explicit task. To investigate the range of possible cognitive experiences more directly, this study proposes a novel method of resting-state fMRI experience sampling, informed by a phenomenological investigation of the fluctuation of mental states during the resting state. We hypothesized that DMN activity would increase as a function of internal mentation and that the activity of dorsal and ventral networks would indicate states of top-down versus bottom-up attention at rest. Results showed that dorsal attention network activity fluctuated as a function of subjective reports of attentional control, providing evidence that activity of this network reflects the perceived recruitment of controlled attentional processes during spontaneous cognition. Activity of the DMN increased when participants reported to be in a subjective state of internal mentation, but not when they reported to be in a state of perception. This study provides direct evidence for a link between fluctuations of resting-state neural activity and fluctuations in specific cognitive processes.

Mental health surveillance among children--United States, 2005-2011.

PubMed

Perou, Ruth; Bitsko, Rebecca H; Blumberg, Stephen J; Pastor, Patricia; Ghandour, Reem M; Gfroerer, Joseph C; Hedden, Sarra L; Crosby, Alex E; Visser, Susanna N; Schieve, Laura A; Parks, Sharyn E; Hall, Jeffery E; Brody, Debra; Simile, Catherine M; Thompson, William W; Baio, Jon; Avenevoli, Shelli; Kogan, Michael D; Huang, Larke N

2013-05-17

Mental disorders among children are described as "serious deviations from expected cognitive, social, and emotional development" (US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, and National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health; 1999). These disorders are an important public health issue in the United States because of their prevalence, early onset, and impact on the child, family, and community, with an estimated total annual cost of $247 billion. A total of 13%-20% of children living in the United States experience a mental disorder in a given year, and surveillance during 1994-2011 has shown the prevalence of these conditions to be increasing. Suicide, which can result from the interaction of mental disorders and other factors, was the second leading cause of death among children aged 12-17 years in 2010. Surveillance efforts are critical for documenting the impact of mental disorders and for informing policy, prevention, and resource allocation. This report summarizes information about ongoing federal surveillance systems that can provide estimates of the prevalence of mental disorders and indicators of mental health among children living in the United States, presents estimates of childhood mental disorders and indicators from these systems during 2005-2011, explains limitations, and identifies gaps in information while presenting strategies to bridge those gaps.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy for adaptive human-computer interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuksel, Beste F.; Peck, Evan M.; Afergan, Daniel; Hincks, Samuel W.; Shibata, Tomoki; Kainerstorfer, Jana; Tgavalekos, Kristen; Sassaroli, Angelo; Fantini, Sergio; Jacob, Robert J. K.

2015-03-01

We present a brain-computer interface (BCI) that detects, analyzes and responds to user cognitive state in real-time using machine learning classifications of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data. Our work is aimed at increasing the narrow communication bandwidth between the human and computer by implicitly measuring users' cognitive state without any additional effort on the part of the user. Traditionally, BCIs have been designed to explicitly send signals as the primary input. However, such systems are usually designed for people with severe motor disabilities and are too slow and inaccurate for the general population. In this paper, we demonstrate with previous work1 that a BCI that implicitly measures cognitive workload can improve user performance and awareness compared to a control condition by adapting to user cognitive state in real-time. We also discuss some of the other applications we have used in this field to measure and respond to cognitive states such as cognitive workload, multitasking, and user preference.

Guidelines for Cognitive Behavioral Training within Doctoral Psychology Programs in the United States: Report of the Inter-Organizational Task Force on Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology Doctoral Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klepac, Robert K.; Ronan, George F.; Andrasik, Frank; Arnold, Kevin D.; Belar, Cynthia D.; Berry, Sharon L.; Christofff, Karen A.; Craighead, Linda W.; Dougher, Michael J.; Dowd, E. Thomas; Herbert, James D.; McFarr, Lynn M.; Rizvi, Shireen L.; Sauer, Eric M.; Strauman, Timothy J.

2012-01-01

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies initiated an interorganizational task force to develop guidelines for integrated education and training in cognitive and behavioral psychology at the doctoral level in the United States. Fifteen task force members representing 16 professional associations participated in a yearlong series of…

Decline in cognitive function and risk of elder self-neglect: finding from the Chicago Health Aging Project.

PubMed

Dong, XinQi; Simon, Melissa A; Wilson, Robert S; Mendes de Leon, Carlos F; Rajan, K Bharat; Evans, Denis A

2010-12-01

To examine the longitudinal association between decline in cognitive function and risk of elder self-neglect in a community-dwelling population. Prospective population-based study. Geographically defined community in Chicago. Community-dwelling subjects reported to the social services agency from 1993 to 2005 for self-neglect who also participated in the Chicago Health Aging Project (CHAP). Of the 5,519 participants in CHAP, 1,017 were reported to social services agency for suspected elder self-neglect from 1993 to 2005. Social services agency identified reported elder self-neglect. The primary predictor was decline in cognitive function assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (Executive Function), and immediate and delayed recall of the East Boston Memory Test (Episodic Memory). An index of global cognitive function scores was derived by averaging z-scores of all tests. Outcome of interest was elder self-neglect. Logistic and linear regression models were used to assess these longitudinal associations. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, decline in global cognitive function, MMSE score, and episodic memory were not independently associated with greater risk of reported and confirmed elder self-neglect. Decline in executive function was associated with greater risk of reported and confirmed elder self-neglect. Decline in global cognitive function was associated with greater risk of greater self-neglect severity (parameter estimate=0.76, standard error=0.31, P=.01). Decline in executive function was associated with risk of reported and confirmed elder self-neglect. Decline in global cognitive function was associated with risk of greater self-neglect severity. © 2010, Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2010, The American Geriatrics Society.

Using Social Cognitive Theory to Predict Medication Compliance Behavior in Patients with Depression in Southern United States in 2016 in a Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Bennett, Britney; Sharma, Manoj; Bennett, Russell; Mawson, Anthony R; Buxbaum, Sarah G; Sung, Jung Hye

2018-03-01

Introduction: Depression is a major public health issue. One of the concerns in depression research and practice pertains to non-compliance to prescribed medications. The purpose of the study was to predict compliance with medication use for patients with depression using social cognitive theory (SCT). Based on this study it was envisaged that recommendations for interventions to enhance compliance for medication use could be developed for patients with depression. Methods: The study was conducted using cross sectional design (n=148) in southern United States with a convenience sample of clinic-based depression patients with a 37-item valid and reliable questionnaire. Sample size was calculated to be 148 using G*Power (five predictors with a 0.80 power at the 0.05 alpha level and an estimated effect size of 0.10 with an inflation by 10% for missing data). Social cognitive theory constructs of expectations, self-efficacy and self-efficacy in overcoming barriers, self-control, and environment were reified. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Self-control for taking medication for depression (P=0.04), expectations for taking medication for depression (P=0.025), age (P<0.0001) and race (P=0.04) were significantly related to intent for taking medication for depression (Adjusted R 2 = 0.183). In race, Blacks had lower intent to take medication for depression. Conclusion: Social cognitive theory is weakly predictive with low explained variance for taking medication for depression. It needs to be bolstered by newer theories like integrative model or multi-theory model of health behavior change for designing educational interventions aimed at enhancing compliance to medication for depression.

Resource Use and Cost of Alzheimer's Disease in France: 18-Month Results from the GERAS Observational Study.

PubMed

Rapp, Thomas; Andrieu, Sandrine; Chartier, Florence; Deberdt, Walter; Reed, Catherine; Belger, Mark; Vellas, Bruno

2018-03-01

There is little longitudinal data on resource use and costs associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in France. To evaluate resource use and societal costs associated with AD in a French cohort of patients and their caregivers and the effect of patient cognitive decline on costs over an 18-month period. Community-dwelling patients with mild, moderate, or moderately severe/severe AD dementia (n = 419) were followed-up for 18 months. Total societal costs were estimated by applying 2010 unit costs to resource use, including outpatient visits, hospital days, institutionalization, and caregiver hours. Cognitive function was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination scores. Mean cumulative total costs over the 18-month period were €24,140 for patients with mild AD dementia, €34,287 for those with moderate AD dementia, and €44,171 for those with moderately severe/severe AD dementia (P < 0.001; ANOVA comparison between severity groups). The biggest contributor to total societal costs was caregiver informal care (>50% of total costs at all stages of AD dementia). Cognitive decline (≥3-point decrease in Mini-Mental State Examination score or institutionalization) was associated with a 12.5% increase in total costs (P = 0.02). Significant differences were observed across severity groups for caregiver time (P < 0.001); mean monthly caregiver time increased at each time point over the 18 months in each severity group. Increasing severity of AD dementia in France is associated with increased use of resources as well as increased total societal and patient costs; informal care was the greatest cost contributor. Clinically meaningful cognitive decline is associated with significantly increased costs. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gene, environment and cognitive function: a Chinese twin ageing study.

PubMed

Xu, Chunsheng; Sun, Jianping; Duan, Haiping; Ji, Fuling; Tian, Xiaocao; Zhai, Yaoming; Wang, Shaojie; Pang, Zengchang; Zhang, Dongfeng; Zhao, Zhongtang; Li, Shuxia; Gue, Matt Mc; Hjelmborg, Jacob V B; Christensen, Kaare; Tan, Qihua

2015-05-01

the genetic and environmental contributions to cognitive function in the old people have been well addressed for the Western populations using twin modelling showing moderate to high heritability. No similar study has been conducted in the world largest and rapidly ageing Chinese population living under distinct environmental condition as the Western populations. this study aims to explore the genetic and environmental impact on normal cognitive ageing in the Chinese twins. cognitive function was measured on 384 complete twin pairs with median age of 50 years for seven cognitive measurements including visuospatial, linguistic skills, naming, memory, attention, abstraction and orientation abilities. Data were analysed by fitting univariate and bivariate twin models to estimate the genetic and environmental components in the variance and co-variance of the cognitive assessments. intra-pair correlation on cognitive measurements was low to moderate in monozygotic twins (0.23-0.41, overall 0.42) and low in dizygotic twins (0.05-0.30, overall 0.31) with the former higher than the latter for each item. Estimate for heritability was moderate for overall cognitive function (0.44, 95% CI: 0.34-0.53) and low to moderate for visuospatial, naming, attention and orientation abilities ranging from 0.28 to 0.38. No genetic contribution was estimated to linguistic skill, abstraction and memory which instead were under low to moderate control by shared environmental factors accounting for 23-33% of the total variances. In contrast, all cognitive performances showed moderate to high influences by the unique environmental factors. genetic factor and common family environment have a limited contribution to cognitive function in the Chinese adults. Individual unique environment is likely to play a major role in determining the levels of cognitive performance. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Multiple choice questions can be designed or revised to challenge learners' critical thinking.

PubMed

Tractenberg, Rochelle E; Gushta, Matthew M; Mulroney, Susan E; Weissinger, Peggy A

2013-12-01

Multiple choice (MC) questions from a graduate physiology course were evaluated by cognitive-psychology (but not physiology) experts, and analyzed statistically, in order to test the independence of content expertise and cognitive complexity ratings of MC items. Integration of higher order thinking into MC exams is important, but widely known to be challenging-perhaps especially when content experts must think like novices. Expertise in the domain (content) may actually impede the creation of higher-complexity items. Three cognitive psychology experts independently rated cognitive complexity for 252 multiple-choice physiology items using a six-level cognitive complexity matrix that was synthesized from the literature. Rasch modeling estimated item difficulties. The complexity ratings and difficulty estimates were then analyzed together to determine the relative contributions (and independence) of complexity and difficulty to the likelihood of correct answers on each item. Cognitive complexity was found to be statistically independent of difficulty estimates for 88 % of items. Using the complexity matrix, modifications were identified to increase some item complexities by one level, without affecting the item's difficulty. Cognitive complexity can effectively be rated by non-content experts. The six-level complexity matrix, if applied by faculty peer groups trained in cognitive complexity and without domain-specific expertise, could lead to improvements in the complexity targeted with item writing and revision. Targeting higher order thinking with MC questions can be achieved without changing item difficulties or other test characteristics, but this may be less likely if the content expert is left to assess items within their domain of expertise.

The cognitive neuroscience of prehension: recent developments.

PubMed

Grafton, Scott T

2010-08-01

Prehension, the capacity to reach and grasp, is the key behavior that allows humans to change their environment. It continues to serve as a remarkable experimental test case for probing the cognitive architecture of goal-oriented action. This review focuses on recent experimental evidence that enhances or modifies how we might conceptualize the neural substrates of prehension. Emphasis is placed on studies that consider how precision grasps are selected and transformed into motor commands. Then, the mechanisms that extract action relevant information from vision and touch are considered. These include consideration of how parallel perceptual networks within parietal cortex, along with the ventral stream, are connected and share information to achieve common motor goals. On-line control of grasping action is discussed within a state estimation framework. The review ends with a consideration about how prehension fits within larger action repertoires that solve more complex goals and the possible cortical architectures needed to organize these actions.

[Computer game addiction: a psychopathological symptom complex in adolescence].

PubMed

Wölfling, Klaus; Thalemann, Ralf; Grüsser-Sinopoli, Sabine M

2008-07-01

Cases of excessive computer gaming are increasingly reported by practitioners in the psychiatric field. Since there is no standardized definition of this symptom complex, the aim of this study is to access excessive computer gaming in German adolescents as an addictive disorder and its potential negative consequences. Psychopathological computer gaming behavior was diagnosed by applying the adapted diagnostic criteria of substance-related-addictions as defined by the ICD-10. At the same time demographic variables, state of clinical anxiety and underlying cognitive mechanisms were analyzed. 6.3 % of the 221 participating pupils - mostly boys with a low educational background - fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of a behavioral addiction. Clinically diagnosed adolescents exhibited limited cognitive flexibility and were identified to utilize computer gaming as a mood management strategy. These results can be interpreted as a first hint for a prevalence estimation of psychopathological computer gaming in German adolescents.

Item response theory - A first approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunes, Sandra; Oliveira, Teresa; Oliveira, Amílcar

2017-07-01

The Item Response Theory (IRT) has become one of the most popular scoring frameworks for measurement data, frequently used in computerized adaptive testing, cognitively diagnostic assessment and test equating. According to Andrade et al. (2000), IRT can be defined as a set of mathematical models (Item Response Models - IRM) constructed to represent the probability of an individual giving the right answer to an item of a particular test. The number of Item Responsible Models available to measurement analysis has increased considerably in the last fifteen years due to increasing computer power and due to a demand for accuracy and more meaningful inferences grounded in complex data. The developments in modeling with Item Response Theory were related with developments in estimation theory, most remarkably Bayesian estimation with Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms (Patz & Junker, 1999). The popularity of Item Response Theory has also implied numerous overviews in books and journals, and many connections between IRT and other statistical estimation procedures, such as factor analysis and structural equation modeling, have been made repeatedly (Van der Lindem & Hambleton, 1997). As stated before the Item Response Theory covers a variety of measurement models, ranging from basic one-dimensional models for dichotomously and polytomously scored items and their multidimensional analogues to models that incorporate information about cognitive sub-processes which influence the overall item response process. The aim of this work is to introduce the main concepts associated with one-dimensional models of Item Response Theory, to specify the logistic models with one, two and three parameters, to discuss some properties of these models and to present the main estimation procedures.

Negative rumination in social anxiety: A randomised trial investigating the effects of a brief intervention on cognitive processes before, during and after a social situation.

PubMed

Modini, Matthew; Abbott, Maree J

2017-06-01

According to cognitive models of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), negative rumination is a key maintaining factor in the vicious cycle of social anxiety. However, there is a scarcity of research investigating treatment effects on rumination in social anxiety, as well as other key cognitive variables. The current study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a brief intervention on a range of cognitive processes, most notably negative rumination. Additionally, predictors of negative rumination and state anxiety are also investigated. Participants with a diagnosis of SAD were randomly allocated to an intervention (n = 24) or control group (n = 23). Participant's initially completed trait and state based measures with the intervention group also completing a brief cognitive intervention. One-week later participants completed state anxiety and cognitive measures before and after a speech task. Finally, one-week post-speech task participants completed further trait and state based measures. While the brief cognitive intervention had positive effects on some of the cognitive processes measured at different time points of the study, levels of negative rumination remained stable. Predictors of negative rumination and state anxiety were consistent with cognitive models of SAD. The brief nature of the intervention and temporal stance of the intervention (delivered one-week before the speech) may have impacted outcomes. Cognitive technique can potentially impact a range of key processes that maintain SAD, however, more powerful and tailored interventions are needed that address the different processes at play before, during and after a social situation for socially anxious individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disease Progression in Mild Dementia due to Alzheimer Disease in an 18-Month Observational Study (GERAS): The Impact on Costs and Caregiver Outcomes.

PubMed

Jones, Roy W; Lebrec, Jeremie; Kahle-Wrobleski, Kristin; Dell'Agnello, Grazia; Bruno, Giuseppe; Vellas, Bruno; Argimon, Josep M; Dodel, Richard; Haro, Josep Maria; Wimo, Anders; Reed, Catherine

2017-01-01

We assessed whether cognitive and functional decline in community-dwelling patients with mild Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia were associated with increased societal costs and caregiver burden and time outcomes. Cognitive decline was defined as a ≥3-point reduction in the Mini-Mental State Examination and functional decline as a decrease in the ability to perform one or more basic items of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Inventory (ADCS-ADL) or ≥20% of instrumental ADL items. Total societal costs were estimated from resource use and caregiver hours using 2010 costs. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI); caregiver supervision and total hours were collected. Of 566 patients with mild AD enrolled in the GERAS study, 494 were suitable for the current analysis. Mean monthly total societal costs were greater for patients showing functional (+61%) or cognitive decline (+27%) compared with those without decline. In relation to a typical mean monthly cost of approximately EUR 1,400 at baseline, this translated into increases over 18 months to EUR 2,254 and 1,778 for patients with functional and cognitive decline, respectively. The number of patients requiring supervision doubled among patients showing functional or cognitive decline compared with those not showing decline, while caregiver total time increased by 70 and 33%, respectively and ZBI total score by 5.3 and 3.4 points, respectively. Cognitive and, more notably, functional decline were associated with increases in costs and caregiver outcomes in patients with mild AD dementia.

Beta-Band Functional Connectivity is Reorganized in Mild Cognitive Impairment after Combined Computerized Physical and Cognitive Training

PubMed Central

Klados, Manousos A.; Styliadis, Charis; Frantzidis, Christos A.; Paraskevopoulos, Evangelos; Bamidis, Panagiotis D.

2016-01-01

Physical and cognitive idleness constitute significant risk factors for the clinical manifestation of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In contrast, a physically and cognitively active lifestyle may restructure age-declined neuronal networks enhancing neuroplasticity. The present study, investigated the changes of brain's functional network in a group of elderly individuals at risk for dementia that were induced by a combined cognitive and physical intervention scheme. Fifty seniors meeting Petersen's criteria of Mild Cognitive Impairment were equally divided into an experimental (LLM), and an active control (AC) group. Resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) was measured before and after the intervention. Functional networks were estimated by computing the magnitude square coherence between the time series of all available cortical sources as computed by standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). A statistical model was used to form groups' characteristic weighted graphs. The introduced modulation was assessed by networks' density and nodes' strength. Results focused on the beta band (12–30 Hz) in which the difference of the two networks' density is maximum, indicating that the structure of the LLM cortical network changes significantly due to the intervention, in contrast to the network of AC. The node strength of LLM participants in the beta band presents a higher number of bilateral connections in the occipital, parietal, temporal and prefrontal regions after the intervention. Our results show that the combined training scheme reorganizes the beta-band functional connectivity of MCI patients. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02313935 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02313935. PMID:26973445

Brain reserve and cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Rocca, Maria A.; Leavitt, Victoria M.; Riccitelli, Gianna; Comi, Giancarlo; DeLuca, John; Filippi, Massimo

2013-01-01

Objective: We first tested the brain reserve (BR) hypothesis in multiple sclerosis (MS) by examining whether larger maximal lifetime brain volume (MLBV; determined by genetics) protects against disease-related cognitive impairment, and then investigated whether cognitive reserve (CR) gained through life experience (intellectually enriching leisure activities) protects against cognitive decline independently of MLBV (BR). Methods: Sixty-two patients with MS (41 relapsing-remitting MS, 21 secondary progressive MS) received MRIs to estimate BR (MLBV, estimated with intracranial volume [ICV]) and disease burden (T2 lesion load; atrophy of gray matter, white matter, thalamus, and hippocampus). Early-life cognitive leisure was measured as a source of CR. We assessed cognitive status with tasks of cognitive efficiency and memory. Hierarchical regressions were used to investigate whether higher BR (ICV) protects against cognitive impairment, and whether higher CR (leisure) independently protects against cognitive impairment over and above BR. Results: Cognitive status was positively associated with ICV (R2 = 0.066, p = 0.017). An ICV × disease burden interaction (R2 = 0.050, p = 0.030) revealed that larger ICV attenuated the impact of disease burden on cognition. Controlling for BR, higher education (R2 = 0.047, p = 0.030) and leisure (R2 = 0.090, p = 0.001) predicted better cognition. A leisure × disease burden interaction (R2 = 0.037, p = 0.030) showed that leisure independently attenuated the impact of disease burden on cognition. Follow-up analyses revealed that BR protected against cognitive inefficiency, not memory deficits, whereas CR was more protective against memory deficits than cognitive inefficiency. Conclusion: We provide evidence of BR in MS, and show that CR independently protects against disease-related cognitive decline over and above BR. Lifestyle choices protect against cognitive impairment independently of genetic factors outside of one's control. PMID:23667062

On the importance of avoiding shortcuts in applying cognitive models to hierarchical data.

PubMed

Boehm, Udo; Marsman, Maarten; Matzke, Dora; Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan

2018-06-12

Psychological experiments often yield data that are hierarchically structured. A number of popular shortcut strategies in cognitive modeling do not properly accommodate this structure and can result in biased conclusions. To gauge the severity of these biases, we conducted a simulation study for a two-group experiment. We first considered a modeling strategy that ignores the hierarchical data structure. In line with theoretical results, our simulations showed that Bayesian and frequentist methods that rely on this strategy are biased towards the null hypothesis. Secondly, we considered a modeling strategy that takes a two-step approach by first obtaining participant-level estimates from a hierarchical cognitive model and subsequently using these estimates in a follow-up statistical test. Methods that rely on this strategy are biased towards the alternative hypothesis. Only hierarchical models of the multilevel data lead to correct conclusions. Our results are particularly relevant for the use of hierarchical Bayesian parameter estimates in cognitive modeling.

Human behavioral complexity peaks at age 25

PubMed Central

Brugger, Peter

2017-01-01

Random Item Generation tasks (RIG) are commonly used to assess high cognitive abilities such as inhibition or sustained attention. They also draw upon our approximate sense of complexity. A detrimental effect of aging on pseudo-random productions has been demonstrated for some tasks, but little is as yet known about the developmental curve of cognitive complexity over the lifespan. We investigate the complexity trajectory across the lifespan of human responses to five common RIG tasks, using a large sample (n = 3429). Our main finding is that the developmental curve of the estimated algorithmic complexity of responses is similar to what may be expected of a measure of higher cognitive abilities, with a performance peak around 25 and a decline starting around 60, suggesting that RIG tasks yield good estimates of such cognitive abilities. Our study illustrates that very short strings of, i.e., 10 items, are sufficient to have their complexity reliably estimated and to allow the documentation of an age-dependent decline in the approximate sense of complexity. PMID:28406953

Blood-Based Oxidative Stress Markers and Cognitive Performance in Early Old Age: The HAPIEE Study

PubMed Central

Horvat, Pia; Kubinova, Ruzena; Pajak, Andrzej; Tamosiunas, Abdonas; Schöttker, Ben; Pikhart, Hynek; Peasey, Anne; Kozela, Magdalena; Jansen, Eugene; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Bobak, Martin

2016-01-01

Background/Aims Oxidative stress is involved in Alzheimer disease pathology, but its impact on cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults remains unknown. We estimated associations between serum oxidative stress markers and cognitive function in early old age. Methods Subjects aged 45-69 years recruited in urban centers in Central and Eastern Europe had memory, verbal fluency, and processing speed assessed at baseline (2002-2005) and 3 years later. Derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and total thiol levels (TTLs) were measured at baseline in a subsample. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of biomarkers with cognitive test scores cross-sectionally (n = 4,304) and prospectively (n = 2,882). Results Increased d-ROM levels were inversely associated with global cognition and verbal fluency cross-sectionally and in prospective analysis; observed effects corresponded to 3-4 years' higher age. TTL was inconsistently associated with memory. BAP was not related to cognitive function. Conclusion This study found modest evidence for a relationship between serum d-ROMs and cognitive function in a population sample of older adults. PMID:27802435

Hearing Impairment, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.

PubMed

Wei, Jingkai; Hu, Yirui; Zhang, Li; Hao, Qiang; Yang, Ruowei; Lu, Haidong; Zhang, Xuan; Chandrasekar, Eeshwar K

2017-01-01

To estimate a pooled association between hearing impairment and risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for prospective cohort studies that examined the association between hearing impairment and risk of mild cognitive impairment and/or dementia. Random-effects models were fitted to estimate the summary risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs), which represents the pooled association between hearing impairment with risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia, compared to subjects free of hearing impairment. Four studies on hearing impairment with mild cognitive impairment and 7 studies on hearing impairment with dementia were included in the meta-analysis. A total of 15,521 subjects were studied with follow-up periods between 2 and 16.8 years. Hearing impairment was associated with a greater risk of mild cognitive impairment (RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.51) and dementia (RR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.58, 3.61). The meta-analysis showed that hearing impairment is associated with a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia among older adults.

Cognitive problems in patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

PubMed

Boyce-van der Wal, L W; Volker, W G; Vliet Vlieland, T P M; van den Heuvel, D M J; van Exel, H J; Goossens, P H

2015-08-01

Estimate prevalence of cognitive problems due to hypoxic brain injury in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors referred for cardiac rehabilitation and association with quality of life as well as autonomy and participation. Prospective cohort study. Consecutive OHCA patients. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) were administered 4 weeks after the OHCA. Cognitive problems were defined if MMSE <28, CFQ >32 or IQCODE >3.6. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire (IPAQ) (participation/autonomy), the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36) (quality of life) and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) (anxiety/depression) were administered. Correlations between cognitive problems and participation/autonomy and quality of life were calculated. 63 of 77 patients were male (82%), median age 59 years (range 15-84). MMSE median 29 (interquartile range 28-30), CFQ mean 20.9 (SD 9.4) and IQCODE mean 3.1 (SD 0.2). Eighteen patients (23%) scored positive for cognitive problems. Significant correlations were found between MMSE and IPAQ: autonomy inside (r = -0.38), family role (r = -0.26), autonomy outside (r = -0.32), social relations (r = -0.38) and social functioning (r = 0.32). MMSE was related to SF-36: social functioning (r = 0.32). The CFQ was related to IPAQ: autonomy outdoors (r = 0.29) and SF-36: bodily pain (r = -0.37), vitality (r = -0.25), mental health (r = -0.35) and role emotional (r = -0.40). The IQCODE was related to IPAQ: autonomy indoors (r = 0.26) and to SF-36: vitality (r = -0.33) and social functioning (r = -0.41). Twenty-three percent of the patients referred for cardiac rehabilitation showed cognitive problems. Associations were found between cognitive problems and several aspects of participation/autonomy and perceived quality of life. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Domain Specific Changes in Cognition at High Altitude and Its Correlation with Hyperhomocysteinemia

PubMed Central

Sharma, Vijay K.; Das, Saroj K.; Dhar, Priyanka; Hota, Kalpana B.; Mahapatra, Bidhu B.; Vashishtha, Vivek; Kumar, Ashish; Hota, Sunil K.; Norboo, Tsering; Srivastava, Ravi B.

2014-01-01

Though acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia is reported to impair cognitive performance, the effects of prolonged exposure on different cognitive domains have been less studied. The present study aimed at investigating the time dependent changes in cognitive performance on prolonged stay at high altitude and its correlation with electroencephalogram (EEG) and plasma homocysteine. The study was conducted on 761 male volunteers of 25–35 years age who had never been to high altitude and baseline data pertaining to domain specific cognitive performance, EEG and homocysteine was acquired at altitude ≤240 m mean sea level (MSL). The volunteers were inducted to an altitude of 4200–4600 m MSL and longitudinal follow-ups were conducted at durations of 03, 12 and 18 months. Neuropsychological assessment was performed for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), attention, information processing rate, visuo-spatial cognition and executive functioning. Total homocysteine (tHcy), vitamin B12 and folic acid were estimated. Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) showed temporal increase in the percentage prevalence of MCI from 8.17% on 03 months of stay at high altitude to 18.54% on 18 months of stay. Impairment in visuo-spatial executive, attention, delayed recall and procedural memory related cognitive domains were detected following prolonged stay in high altitude. Increase in alpha wave amplitude in the T3, T4 and C3 regions was observed during the follow-ups which was inversely correlated (r = −0.68) to MMSE scores. The tHcy increased proportionately with duration of stay at high altitude and was correlated with MCI. No change in vitamin B12 and folic acid was observed. Our findings suggest that cognitive impairment is progressively associated with duration of stay at high altitude and is correlated with elevated tHcy in the plasma. Moreover, progressive MCI at high altitude occurs despite acclimatization and is independent of vitamin B12 and folic acid. PMID:24988417

Interactive effects of diabetes and impaired kidney function on cognitive performance in old age: a population-based study.

PubMed

Yin, Zhaoxue; Yan, Zhongrui; Liang, Yajun; Jiang, Hui; Cai, Chuanzhu; Song, Aiqin; Feng, Lei; Qiu, Chengxuan

2016-01-12

The interactive effect between diabetes and impaired kidney function on cognitive impairment in older adults has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of diabetes and impaired kidney function with cognitive impairment among Chinese older people living in a rural area. This cross-sectional study included 1,358 participants (age ≥60 years; 60.5% women) in the population-based Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong, China. Data on demographics, lifestyle factors, health history, use of medications, global cognitive function, and kidney function were collected through structured interviews, clinical examinations, and blood tests. We defined diabetes as a fasting plasma glucose level ≥7.0 mmol/l or use of hypoglycemic agents, impaired kidney function as glomerular filtration rate estimated from cystatin C (eGFRcys) <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Cognitive impairment was defined using the education-based cut-off scores of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Data were analyzed using multiple general linear and logistic regression models. Cognitive impairment was defined in 197 (14.5%) persons. The multi-adjusted β coefficient of MMSE score associated with diabetes was -0.06 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.16, 0.03); the corresponding figures associated with eGFRcys <60, 60-89.9, and ≥90 ml/min/1.73 m(2) were -0.15 (-0.28, -0.02), -0.01 (-0.10, 0.08), and 0 (reference) (Ptrend = 0.046), respectively. Diabetes and impaired kidney function showed an interactive effect on cognitive impairment ( interaction = 0.02). Compared with individuals having neither diabetes nor impaired kidney function, those with both conditions had a multi-adjusted odds ratio of 4.23 (95% CI, 2.10-8.49) for cognitive impairment. The relative excess risk due to interaction was 2.74. This study suggests that concurrent presence of diabetes and impaired kidney function is associated with a substantial likelihood for cognitive impairment in older adults.

Cognitive correlates of frontoparietal network connectivity 'at rest' in individuals with differential risk for psychotic disorder.

PubMed

Peeters, S C T; van Bronswijk, S; van de Ven, V; Gronenschild, E H B M; Goebel, R; van Os, J; Marcelis, M

2015-11-01

Altered frontoparietal network functional connectivity (FPN-fc) has been associated with neurocognitive dysfunction in individuals with (risk for) psychotic disorder. Cannabis use is associated with cognitive and FPN-fc alterations in healthy individuals, but it is not known whether cannabis exposure moderates the FPN-fc-cognition association. We studied FPN-fc in relation to psychosis risk, as well as the moderating effects of psychosis risk and cannabis use on the association between FPN-fc and (social) cognition. This was done by collecting resting-state fMRI scans and (social) cognitive test results from 63 patients with psychotic disorder, 73 unaffected siblings and 59 controls. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) seed-based correlation analyses were used to estimate FPN-fc group differences. Additionally, group×FPN-fc and cannabis×FPN-fc interactions in models of cognition were assessed with regression models. Results showed that DLPFC-fc with the left precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule, right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) regions and right insula was decreased in patients compared to controls. Siblings had reduced DLPFC-fc with the right MTG, left middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, IFG regions, and right insula compared to controls, with an intermediate position between patients and controls for DLPFC-IFG/MTG and insula-fc. There were no significant FPN-fc×group or FPN-fc×cannabis interactions in models of cognition. Reduced DLPFC-insula-fc was associated with worse social cognition in the total sample. In conclusion, besides patient- and sibling-specific FPN-fc alterations, there was evidence for trait-related alterations. FPN-fc-cognition associations were not conditional on familial liability or cannabis use. Lower FPN-fc was associated with lower emotion processing in the total group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Predictors of Calculations and Number Line Estimation with Whole Numbers and Fractions among At-Risk Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Namkung, Jessica M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive predictors of calculations and number line estimation with whole numbers and fractions. At-risk 4th-grade students (N = 139) were assessed on 7 domain-general abilities (i.e., working memory, processing speed, concept formation, language, attentive behavior, and nonverbal reasoning) and…

Neural Activation Underlying Cognitive Control in the Context of Neutral and Affectively Charged Pictures in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamm, Connie; White, Lauren K.; McDermott, Jennifer Martin; Fox, Nathan A.

2012-01-01

The neural correlates of cognitive control for typically developing 9-year-old children were examined using dense-array ERPs and estimates of cortical activation (LORETA) during a go/no-go task with two conditions: a neutral picture condition and an affectively charged picture condition. Activation was estimated for the entire cortex after which…

Brief Report: Use of DQ for Estimating Cognitive Ability in Young Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delmolino, Lara M.

2006-01-01

The utility of Developmental Quotients (DQ) from the Psychoeducational Profile--Revised (PEP-R) to estimate cognitive ability in young children with autism was assessed. DQ scores were compared to scores from the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales--Fourth Edition (SB-FE) for 27 preschool students with autism. Overall and domain DQ's on the PEP-R…

Cognitive Predictors of Calculations and Number Line Estimation with Whole Numbers and Fractions among At-Risk Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Namkung, Jessica M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive predictors of calculations and number line estimation with whole numbers and fractions. At-risk 4th-grade students (N = 139) were assessed on 6 domain-general abilities (i.e., working memory, processing speed, concept formation, language, attentive behavior, and nonverbal reasoning) and…

Quality of education and memory test performance in older men: the New York University Paragraph Recall Test normative data.

PubMed

Mathews, Melissa; Abner, Erin; Caban-Holt, Allison; Dennis, Brandon C; Kryscio, Richard; Schmitt, Frederick

2013-09-01

Memory evaluation is a key component in the accurate diagnosis of cognitive disorders.One memory procedure that has shown promise in discriminating disease-related cognitive decline from normal cognitive aging is the New York University Paragraph Recall Test; however, the effects of education have been unexamined as they pertain to one's literacy level. The current study provides normative data stratified by estimated quality of education as indexed by irregular word reading skill. Conventional norms were derived from a sample (N = 385) of cognitively intact elderly men who were initially recruited for participation in the PREADViSE clinical trial. A series of multiple linear regression models were constructed to assess the influence of demographic variables on mean NYU Paragraph Immediate and Delayed Recall scores. Test version, assessment site, and estimated quality of education were significant predictors of performance on the NYU Paragraph Recall Test. Findings indicate that estimated quality of education is a better predictor of memory performance than ethnicity and years of total education. Normative data stratified according to estimated quality of education are presented. The current study provides evidence and support for normativedata stratified by quality of education as opposed to years of education.

Real-time Neuroimaging and Cognitive Monitoring Using Wearable Dry EEG

PubMed Central

Mullen, Tim R.; Kothe, Christian A.E.; Chi, Mike; Ojeda, Alejandro; Kerth, Trevor; Makeig, Scott; Jung, Tzyy-Ping; Cauwenberghs, Gert

2015-01-01

Goal We present and evaluate a wearable high-density dry electrode EEG system and an open-source software framework for online neuroimaging and state classification. Methods The system integrates a 64-channel dry EEG form-factor with wireless data streaming for online analysis. A real-time software framework is applied, including adaptive artifact rejection, cortical source localization, multivariate effective connectivity inference, data visualization, and cognitive state classification from connectivity features using a constrained logistic regression approach (ProxConn). We evaluate the system identification methods on simulated 64-channel EEG data. Then we evaluate system performance, using ProxConn and a benchmark ERP method, in classifying response errors in 9 subjects using the dry EEG system. Results Simulations yielded high accuracy (AUC=0.97±0.021) for real-time cortical connectivity estimation. Response error classification using cortical effective connectivity (sdDTF) was significantly above chance with similar performance (AUC) for cLORETA (0.74±0.09) and LCMV (0.72±0.08) source localization. Cortical ERP-based classification was equivalent to ProxConn for cLORETA (0.74±0.16) but significantly better for LCMV (0.82±0.12). Conclusion We demonstrated the feasibility for real-time cortical connectivity analysis and cognitive state classification from high-density wearable dry EEG. Significance This paper is the first validated application of these methods to 64-channel dry EEG. The work addresses a need for robust real-time measurement and interpretation of complex brain activity in the dynamic environment of the wearable setting. Such advances can have broad impact in research, medicine, and brain-computer interfaces. The pipelines are made freely available in the open-source SIFT and BCILAB toolboxes. PMID:26415149

Multimodality Inferring of Human Cognitive States Based on Integration of Neuro-Fuzzy Network and Information Fusion Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, G.; Lin, Y.; Bhattacharya, P.

2007-12-01

To achieve an effective and safe operation on the machine system where the human interacts with the machine mutually, there is a need for the machine to understand the human state, especially cognitive state, when the human's operation task demands an intensive cognitive activity. Due to a well-known fact with the human being, a highly uncertain cognitive state and behavior as well as expressions or cues, the recent trend to infer the human state is to consider multimodality features of the human operator. In this paper, we present a method for multimodality inferring of human cognitive states by integrating neuro-fuzzy network and information fusion techniques. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, we take the driver fatigue detection as an example. The proposed method has, in particular, the following new features. First, human expressions are classified into four categories: (i) casual or contextual feature, (ii) contact feature, (iii) contactless feature, and (iv) performance feature. Second, the fuzzy neural network technique, in particular Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) model, is employed to cope with uncertain behaviors. Third, the sensor fusion technique, in particular ordered weighted aggregation (OWA), is integrated with the TSK model in such a way that cues are taken as inputs to the TSK model, and then the outputs of the TSK are fused by the OWA which gives outputs corresponding to particular cognitive states under interest (e.g., fatigue). We call this method TSK-OWA. Validation of the TSK-OWA, performed in the Northeastern University vehicle drive simulator, has shown that the proposed method is promising to be a general tool for human cognitive state inferring and a special tool for the driver fatigue detection.

Evolution of the cerebellum as a neuronal machine for Bayesian state estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulin, M. G.

2005-09-01

The cerebellum evolved in association with the electric sense and vestibular sense of the earliest vertebrates. Accurate information provided by these sensory systems would have been essential for precise control of orienting behavior in predation. A simple model shows that individual spikes in electrosensory primary afferent neurons can be interpreted as measurements of prey location. Using this result, I construct a computational neural model in which the spatial distribution of spikes in a secondary electrosensory map forms a Monte Carlo approximation to the Bayesian posterior distribution of prey locations given the sense data. The neural circuit that emerges naturally to perform this task resembles the cerebellar-like hindbrain electrosensory filtering circuitry of sharks and other electrosensory vertebrates. The optimal filtering mechanism can be extended to handle dynamical targets observed from a dynamical platform; that is, to construct an optimal dynamical state estimator using spiking neurons. This may provide a generic model of cerebellar computation. Vertebrate motion-sensing neurons have specific fractional-order dynamical characteristics that allow Bayesian state estimators to be implemented elegantly and efficiently, using simple operations with asynchronous pulses, i.e. spikes. The computational neural models described in this paper represent a novel kind of particle filter, using spikes as particles. The models are specific and make testable predictions about computational mechanisms in cerebellar circuitry, while providing a plausible explanation of cerebellar contributions to aspects of motor control, perception and cognition.

Resting-state slow wave power, healthy aging and cognitive performance.

PubMed

Vlahou, Eleni L; Thurm, Franka; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana; Schlee, Winfried

2014-05-29

Cognitive functions and spontaneous neural activity show significant changes over the life-span, but the interrelations between age, cognition and resting-state brain oscillations are not well understood. Here, we assessed performance on the Trail Making Test and resting-state magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings from 53 healthy adults (18-89 years old) to investigate associations between age-dependent changes in spontaneous oscillatory activity and cognitive performance. Results show that healthy aging is accompanied by a marked and linear decrease of resting-state activity in the slow frequency range (0.5-6.5 Hz). The effects of slow wave power on cognitive performance were expressed as interactions with age: For older (>54 years), but not younger participants, enhanced delta and theta power in temporal and central regions was positively associated with perceptual speed and executive functioning. Consistent with previous work, these findings substantiate further the important role of slow wave oscillations in neurocognitive function during healthy aging.

Adolescents' perceived risk and personal experience with natural disasters: an evaluation of cognitive heuristics.

PubMed

Greening, L; Dollinger, S J; Pitz, G

1996-02-01

Elevated risk judgments for negative life events have been linked to personal experience with events. We tested the hypothesis that cognitive heuristics are the underlying cognitive mechanism for this relation. The availability (i.e., memory for incidents) and simulation (i.e., imagery) heuristics were evaluated as possible mediators for the relation between personal experience and risk estimates for fatal weather events. Adolescents who had experienced weather disasters estimated their personal risk for weather events. Support was obtained for the simulation heuristic (imagery) as a mediator for the relation. Availability for lightning disaster experience was also found to be a mediator for the relation between personal lightning disaster experience and risk estimate for future events. The implications for risk perception research are discussed.

Early Childhood Developmental Status in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: National, Regional, and Global Prevalence Estimates Using Predictive Modeling.

PubMed

McCoy, Dana Charles; Peet, Evan D; Ezzati, Majid; Danaei, Goodarz; Black, Maureen M; Sudfeld, Christopher R; Fawzi, Wafaie; Fink, Günther

2016-06-01

The development of cognitive and socioemotional skills early in life influences later health and well-being. Existing estimates of unmet developmental potential in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are based on either measures of physical growth or proxy measures such as poverty. In this paper we aim to directly estimate the number of children in LMICs who would be reported by their caregivers to show low cognitive and/or socioemotional development. The present paper uses Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) data collected between 2005 and 2015 from 99,222 3- and 4-y-old children living in 35 LMICs as part of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) programs. First, we estimate the prevalence of low cognitive and/or socioemotional ECDI scores within our MICS/DHS sample. Next, we test a series of ordinary least squares regression models predicting low ECDI scores across our MICS/DHS sample countries based on country-level data from the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Nutrition Impact Model Study. We use cross-validation to select the model with the best predictive validity. We then apply this model to all LMICs to generate country-level estimates of the prevalence of low ECDI scores globally, as well as confidence intervals around these estimates. In the pooled MICS and DHS sample, 14.6% of children had low ECDI scores in the cognitive domain, 26.2% had low socioemotional scores, and 36.8% performed poorly in either or both domains. Country-level prevalence of low cognitive and/or socioemotional scores on the ECDI was best represented by a model using the HDI as a predictor. Applying this model to all LMICs, we estimate that 80.8 million children ages 3 and 4 y (95% CI 48.1 million, 113.6 million) in LMICs experienced low cognitive and/or socioemotional development in 2010, with the largest number of affected children in sub-Saharan Africa (29.4.1 million; 43.8% of children ages 3 and 4 y), followed by South Asia (27.7 million; 37.7%) and the East Asia and Pacific region (15.1 million; 25.9%). Positive associations were found between low development scores and stunting, poverty, male sex, rural residence, and lack of cognitive stimulation. Additional research using more detailed developmental assessments across a larger number of LMICs is needed to address the limitations of the present study. The number of children globally failing to reach their developmental potential remains large. Additional research is needed to identify the specific causes of poor developmental outcomes in diverse settings, as well as potential context-specific interventions that might promote children's early cognitive and socioemotional well-being.

Effects of Hormone Therapy on Cognition and Mood in Recently Postmenopausal Women: Findings from the Randomized, Controlled KEEPS-Cognitive and Affective Study.

PubMed

Gleason, Carey E; Dowling, N Maritza; Wharton, Whitney; Manson, JoAnn E; Miller, Virginia M; Atwood, Craig S; Brinton, Eliot A; Cedars, Marcelle I; Lobo, Rogerio A; Merriam, George R; Neal-Perry, Genevieve; Santoro, Nanette F; Taylor, Hugh S; Black, Dennis M; Budoff, Matthew J; Hodis, Howard N; Naftolin, Frederick; Harman, S Mitchell; Asthana, Sanjay

2015-06-01

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) reportedly increases the risk of cognitive decline in women over age 65 y. It is unknown whether similar risks exist for recently postmenopausal women, and whether MHT affects mood in younger women. The ancillary Cognitive and Affective Study (KEEPS-Cog) of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) examined the effects of up to 4 y of MHT on cognition and mood in recently postmenopausal women. KEEPS, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, was conducted at nine US academic centers. Of the 727 women enrolled in KEEPS, 693 (95.3%) participated in the ancillary KEEPS-Cog, with 220 women randomized to receive 4 y of 0.45 mg/d oral conjugated equine estrogens (o-CEE) plus 200 mg/d micronized progesterone (m-P) for the first 12 d of each month, 211 women randomized to receive 50 μg/d transdermal estradiol (t-E2) plus 200 mg/d m-P for the first 12 d of each month, and 262 women randomized to receive placebo pills and patches. Primary outcomes included the Modified Mini-Mental State examination; four cognitive factors: verbal learning/memory, auditory attention/working memory, visual attention/executive function, and speeded language/mental flexibility; and a mood measure, the Profile of Mood States (POMS). MHT effects were analyzed using linear mixed-effects (LME) models, which make full use of all available data from each participant, including those with missing data. Data from those with and without full data were compared to assess for potential biases resulting from missing observations. For statistically significant results, we calculated effect sizes (ESs) to evaluate the magnitude of changes. On average, participants were 52.6 y old, and 1.4 y past their last menstrual period. By month 48, 169 (24.4%) and 158 (22.8%) of the 693 women who consented for ancillary KEEPS-Cog were lost to follow-up for cognitive assessment (3MS and cognitive factors) and mood evaluations (POMS), respectively. However, because LME models make full use all available data, including data from women with missing data, 95.5% of participants were included in the final analysis (n = 662 in cognitive analyses, and n = 661 in mood analyses). To be included in analyses, women must have provided baseline data, and data from at least one post-baseline visit. The mean length of follow-up was 2.85 y (standard deviation [SD] = 0.49) for cognitive outcomes and 2.76 (SD = 0.57) for mood outcomes. No treatment-related benefits were found on cognitive outcomes. For mood, model estimates indicated that women treated with o-CEE showed improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms over the 48 mo of treatment, compared to women on placebo. The model estimate for the depression subscale was -5.36 × 10(-2) (95% CI, -8.27 × 10(-2) to -2.44 × 10(-2); ES = 0.49, p < 0.001) and for the anxiety subscale was -3.01 × 10(-2) (95% CI, -5.09 × 10(-2) to -9.34 × 10(-3); ES = 0.26, p < 0.001). Mood outcomes for women randomized to t-E2 were similar to those for women on placebo. Importantly, the KEEPS-Cog results cannot be extrapolated to treatment longer than 4 y. The KEEPS-Cog findings suggest that for recently postmenopausal women, MHT did not alter cognition as hypothesized. However, beneficial mood effects with small to medium ESs were noted with 4 y of o-CEE, but not with 4 y of t-E2. The generalizability of these findings is limited to recently postmenopausal women with low cardiovascular risk profiles. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00154180 and NCT00623311.

Deviation from expected cognitive ability across psychotic disorders.

PubMed

Hochberger, W C; Combs, T; Reilly, J L; Bishop, J R; Keefe, R S E; Clementz, B A; Keshavan, M S; Pearlson, G D; Tamminga, C A; Hill, S K; Sweeney, J A

2018-02-01

Patients with schizophrenia show a deficit in cognitive ability compared to estimated premorbid and familial intellectual abilities. However, the degree to which this pattern holds across psychotic disorders and is familial is unclear. The present study examined deviation from expected cognitive level in schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic bipolar disorder probands and their first-degree relatives. Using a norm-based regression approach, parental education and WRAT-IV Reading scores (both significant predictors of cognitive level in the healthy control group) were used to predict global neuropsychological function as measured by the composite score from the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) test in probands and relatives. When compared to healthy control group, psychotic probands showed a significant gap between observed and predicted BACS composite scores and a greater likelihood of robust cognitive decline. This effect was not seen in unaffected relatives. While BACS and WRAT-IV Reading scores were themselves highly familial, the decline in cognitive function from expectation had lower estimates of familiality. Thus, illness-related factors such as epigenetic, treatment, or pathophysiological factors may be important causes of illness related decline in cognitive abilities across psychotic disorders. This is consistent with the markedly greater level of cognitive impairment seen in affected individuals compared to their unaffected family members. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Connecting Neural Coding to Number Cognition: A Computational Account

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prather, Richard W.

2012-01-01

The current study presents a series of computational simulations that demonstrate how the neural coding of numerical magnitude may influence number cognition and development. This includes behavioral phenomena cataloged in cognitive literature such as the development of numerical estimation and operational momentum. Though neural research has…

The impact of binaural beats on creativity

PubMed Central

Reedijk, Susan A.; Bolders, Anne; Hommel, Bernhard

2013-01-01

Human creativity relies on a multitude of cognitive processes, some of which are influenced by the neurotransmitter dopamine. This suggests that creativity could be enhanced by interventions that either modulate the production or transmission of dopamine directly, or affect dopamine-driven processes. In the current study we hypothesized that creativity can be influenced by means of binaural beats, an auditory illusion that is considered a form of cognitive entrainment that operates through stimulating neuronal phase locking. We aimed to investigate whether binaural beats affect creative performance at all, whether they affect divergent thinking, convergent thinking, or both, and whether possible effects may be mediated by the individual striatal dopamine level. Binaural beats were presented at alpha and gamma frequency. Participants completed a divergent and a convergent thinking task to assess two important functions of creativity, and filled out the Positive And Negative Affect Scale—mood State questionnaire (PANAS-S) and an affect grid to measure current mood. Dopamine levels in the striatum were estimated using spontaneous eye blink rates (EBRs). Results showed that binaural beats, regardless of the presented frequency, can affect divergent but not convergent thinking. Individuals with low EBRs mostly benefitted from alpha binaural beat stimulation, while individuals with high EBRs were unaffected or even impaired by both alpha and gamma binaural beats. This suggests that binaural beats, and possibly other forms of cognitive entrainment, are not suited for a one-size-fits-all approach, and that individual cognitive-control systems need to be taken into account when studying cognitive enhancement methods. PMID:24294202

The impact of binaural beats on creativity.

PubMed

Reedijk, Susan A; Bolders, Anne; Hommel, Bernhard

2013-01-01

Human creativity relies on a multitude of cognitive processes, some of which are influenced by the neurotransmitter dopamine. This suggests that creativity could be enhanced by interventions that either modulate the production or transmission of dopamine directly, or affect dopamine-driven processes. In the current study we hypothesized that creativity can be influenced by means of binaural beats, an auditory illusion that is considered a form of cognitive entrainment that operates through stimulating neuronal phase locking. We aimed to investigate whether binaural beats affect creative performance at all, whether they affect divergent thinking, convergent thinking, or both, and whether possible effects may be mediated by the individual striatal dopamine level. Binaural beats were presented at alpha and gamma frequency. Participants completed a divergent and a convergent thinking task to assess two important functions of creativity, and filled out the Positive And Negative Affect Scale-mood State questionnaire (PANAS-S) and an affect grid to measure current mood. Dopamine levels in the striatum were estimated using spontaneous eye blink rates (EBRs). Results showed that binaural beats, regardless of the presented frequency, can affect divergent but not convergent thinking. Individuals with low EBRs mostly benefitted from alpha binaural beat stimulation, while individuals with high EBRs were unaffected or even impaired by both alpha and gamma binaural beats. This suggests that binaural beats, and possibly other forms of cognitive entrainment, are not suited for a one-size-fits-all approach, and that individual cognitive-control systems need to be taken into account when studying cognitive enhancement methods.

Modulation of temporally coherent brain networks estimated using ICA at rest and during cognitive tasks.

PubMed

Calhoun, Vince D; Kiehl, Kent A; Pearlson, Godfrey D

2008-07-01

Brain regions which exhibit temporally coherent fluctuations, have been increasingly studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Such networks are often identified in the context of an fMRI scan collected during rest (and thus are called "resting state networks"); however, they are also present during (and modulated by) the performance of a cognitive task. In this article, we will refer to such networks as temporally coherent networks (TCNs). Although there is still some debate over the physiological source of these fluctuations, TCNs are being studied in a variety of ways. Recent studies have examined ways TCNs can be used to identify patterns associated with various brain disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, autism or Alzheimer's disease). Independent component analysis (ICA) is one method being used to identify TCNs. ICA is a data driven approach which is especially useful for decomposing activation during complex cognitive tasks where multiple operations occur simultaneously. In this article we review recent TCN studies with emphasis on those that use ICA. We also present new results showing that TCNs are robust, and can be consistently identified at rest and during performance of a cognitive task in healthy individuals and in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, multiple TCNs show temporal and spatial modulation during the cognitive task versus rest. In summary, TCNs show considerable promise as potential imaging biological markers of brain diseases, though each network needs to be studied in more detail. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Modulation of Temporally Coherent Brain Networks Estimated Using ICA at Rest and During Cognitive Tasks

PubMed Central

Calhoun, Vince D.; Kiehl, Kent A.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.

2009-01-01

Brain regions which exhibit temporally coherent fluctuations, have been increasingly studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Such networks are often identified in the context of an fMRI scan collected during rest (and thus are called “resting state networks”); however, they are also present during (and modulated by) the performance of a cognitive task. In this article, we will refer to such networks as temporally coherent networks (TCNs). Although there is still some debate over the physiological source of these fluctuations, TCNs are being studied in a variety of ways. Recent studies have examined ways TCNs can be used to identify patterns associated with various brain disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, autism or Alzheimer’s disease). Independent component analysis (ICA) is one method being used to identify TCNs. ICA is a data driven approach which is especially useful for decomposing activation during complex cognitive tasks where multiple operations occur simultaneously. In this article we review recent TCN studies with emphasis on those that use ICA. We also present new results showing that TCNs are robust, and can be consistently identified at rest and during performance of a cognitive task in healthy individuals and in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, multiple TCNs show temporal and spatial modulation during the cognitive task versus rest. In summary, TCNs show considerable promise as potential imaging biological markers of brain diseases, though each network needs to be studied in more detail. PMID:18438867

Cognitive Impairment in Non-Dialysis-Dependent CKD and the Transition to Dialysis: Findings From the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study.

PubMed

Harhay, Meera N; Xie, Dawei; Zhang, Xiaoming; Hsu, Chi-Yuan; Vittinghoff, Eric; Go, Alan S; Sozio, Stephen M; Blumenthal, Jacob; Seliger, Stephen; Chen, Jing; Deo, Rajat; Dobre, Mirela; Akkina, Sanjeev; Reese, Peter P; Lash, James P; Yaffe, Kristine; Tamura, Manjula Kurella

2018-05-02

Advanced chronic kidney disease is associated with elevated risk for cognitive impairment. However, it is not known whether and how cognitive impairment is associated with planning and preparation for end-stage renal disease. Retrospective observational study. 630 adults participating in the CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) Study who had cognitive assessments in late-stage CKD, defined as estimated glome-rular filtration rate ≤ 20mL/min/1.73m 2 , and subsequently initiated maintenance dialysis therapy. Predialysis cognitive impairment, defined as a score on the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination lower than previously derived age-based threshold scores. Covariates included age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, comorbid conditions, and health literacy. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) as first dialysis modality, preemptive permanent access placement, venous catheter avoidance at dialysis therapy initiation, and preemptive wait-listing for a kidney transplant. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. Predialysis cognitive impairment was present in 117 (19%) participants. PD was the first dialysis modality among 16% of participants (n=100), 75% had preemptive access placed (n=473), 45% avoided using a venous catheter at dialysis therapy initiation (n=279), and 20% were preemptively wait-listed (n=126). Predialysis cognitive impairment was independently associated with 78% lower odds of PD as the first dialysis modality (adjusted OR [aOR], 0.22; 95% CI, 0.06-0.74; P=0.02) and 42% lower odds of venous catheter avoidance at dialysis therapy initiation (aOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.34-0.98; P=0.04). Predialysis cognitive impairment was not independently associated with preemptive permanent access placement or wait-listing. Potential unmeasured confounders; single measure of cognitive function. Predialysis cognitive impairment is associated with a lower likelihood of PD as a first dialysis modality and of venous catheter avoidance at dialysis therapy initiation. Future studies may consider addressing cognitive function when testing strategies to improve patient transitions to dialysis therapy. Copyright © 2018 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide estimates of inbreeding in unrelated individuals and their association with cognitive ability.

PubMed

Power, Robert A; Nagoshi, Craig; DeFries, John C; Plomin, Robert

2014-03-01

The consequence of reduced cognitive ability from inbreeding has long been investigated, mainly restricted to cousin-cousin marriages. Molecular genetic techniques now allow us to test the relationship between increased ancestral inbreeding and cognitive ability in a population of traditionally unrelated individuals. In a representative UK sample of 2329 individuals, we used genome-wide SNP data to estimate the percentage of the genome covered by runs of homozygous SNPs (ROH). This was tested for association with general cognitive ability, as well as measures of verbal and non-verbal ability. Further, association was tested between these traits and specific ROH. Burden of ROH was not associated with cognitive ability after correction for multiple testing, although burden of ROH was nominally associated with increased non-verbal cognitive ability (P=0.03). Moreover, although no individual ROH was significantly associated with cognitive ability, there was a significant bias towards increased cognitive ability in carriers of ROH (P=0.002). A potential explanation for these results is increased positive assortative mating in spouses with higher cognitive ability, although we found no evidence in support of this hypothesis in a separate sample. Reduced minor allele frequency across the genome was associated with higher cognitive ability, which could contribute to an apparent increase in ROH. This may reflect minor alleles being more likely to be deleterious.

Genome-wide estimates of inbreeding in unrelated individuals and their association with cognitive ability

PubMed Central

Power, Robert A; Nagoshi, Craig; DeFries, John C; Donnelly, Peter; Barroso, Ines; Blackwell, Jenefer M; Bramon, Elvira; Brown, Matthew A; Casas, Juan P; Corvin, Aiden; Deloukas, Panos; Duncanson, Audrey; Jankowski, Janusz; Markus, Hugh S; Mathew, Christopher G; Palmer, Colin NA; Plomin, Robert; Rautanen, Anna; Sawcer, Stephen J; Trembath, Richard C; Viswanathan, Ananth C; Wood, Nicholas W; Spencer, Chris C A; Band, Gavin; Bellenguez, Céline; Freeman, Colin; Hellenthal, Garrett; Giannoulatou, Eleni; Pirinen, Matti; Pearson, Richard; Strange, Amy; Su, Zhan; Vukcevic, Damjan; Donnelly, Peter; Langford, Cordelia; Hunt, Sarah E; Edkins, Sarah; Gwilliam, Rhian; Blackburn, Hannah; Bumpstead, Suzannah J; Dronov, Serge; Gillman, Matthew; Gray, Emma; Hammond, Naomi; Jayakumar, Alagurevathi; McCann, Owen T; Liddle, Jennifer; Potter, Simon C; Ravindrarajah, Radhi; Ricketts, Michelle; Waller, Matthew; Weston, Paul; Widaa, Sara; Whittaker, Pamela; Barroso, Ines; Deloukas, Panos; Mathew, Christopher G; Blackwell, Jenefer M; Brown, Matthew A; Corvin, Aiden; Spencer, Chris C A; Plomin, Robert

2014-01-01

The consequence of reduced cognitive ability from inbreeding has long been investigated, mainly restricted to cousin–cousin marriages. Molecular genetic techniques now allow us to test the relationship between increased ancestral inbreeding and cognitive ability in a population of traditionally unrelated individuals. In a representative UK sample of 2329 individuals, we used genome-wide SNP data to estimate the percentage of the genome covered by runs of homozygous SNPs (ROH). This was tested for association with general cognitive ability, as well as measures of verbal and non-verbal ability. Further, association was tested between these traits and specific ROH. Burden of ROH was not associated with cognitive ability after correction for multiple testing, although burden of ROH was nominally associated with increased non-verbal cognitive ability (P=0.03). Moreover, although no individual ROH was significantly associated with cognitive ability, there was a significant bias towards increased cognitive ability in carriers of ROH (P=0.002). A potential explanation for these results is increased positive assortative mating in spouses with higher cognitive ability, although we found no evidence in support of this hypothesis in a separate sample. Reduced minor allele frequency across the genome was associated with higher cognitive ability, which could contribute to an apparent increase in ROH. This may reflect minor alleles being more likely to be deleterious. PMID:23860046

The effect of limited cognitive resources on communication disturbances in serious mental illness

PubMed Central

Le, Thanh P.; Najolia, Gina M.; Minor, Kyle S.; Cohen, Alex S.

2017-01-01

Semantically incoherent speech is a pernicious clinical feature of serious mental illness (SMI). The precise mechanisms underlying this deficit remain unclear. Prior studies have found that arousal of negative emotion exaggerates the severity of these communication disturbances; this has been coined “affective reactivity”. Recent research suggests that “cognitive reactivity” may also occur, namely reflecting reduced “on-line” cognitive resources in SMI. We tested the hypothesis that communication disturbances manifest as a function of limited cognitive resources in SMI above and beyond that associated with state affectivity. We also investigated individual differences in symptoms, cognitive ability, and trait affect that may be related to cognitive reactivity. We compared individuals with SMI (n=52) to nonpsychiatric controls (n=27) on a behavioral-based coding of communication disturbances during separate baseline and experimentally-manipulated high cognitive-load dual tasks. Controlling for state affective reactivity, a significant interaction was observed such that communication disturbances decreased in the SMI group under high cognitive-load. Furthermore, a reduction in communication disturbances was related to lower trait and state positive affectivity in the SMI group. Contrary to our expectations, limited cognitive resources temporarily relieved language dysfunction. Implications, particularly with respect to interventions, are discussed. PMID:28038440

Testing the Validity of a Cognitive Behavioral Model for Gambling Behavior.

PubMed

Raylu, Namrata; Oei, Tian Po S; Loo, Jasmine M Y; Tsai, Jung-Shun

2016-06-01

Currently, cognitive behavioral therapies appear to be one of the most studied treatments for gambling problems and studies show it is effective in treating gambling problems. However, cognitive behavior models have not been widely tested using statistical means. Thus, the aim of this study was to test the validity of the pathways postulated in the cognitive behavioral theory of gambling behavior using structural equation modeling (AMOS 20). Several questionnaires assessing a range of gambling specific variables (e.g., gambling urges, cognitions and behaviors) and gambling correlates (e.g., psychological states, and coping styles) were distributed to 969 participants from the community. Results showed that negative psychological states (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress) only directly predicted gambling behavior, whereas gambling urges predicted gambling behavior directly as well as indirectly via gambling cognitions. Avoidance coping predicted gambling behavior only indirectly via gambling cognitions. Negative psychological states were significantly related to gambling cognitions as well as avoidance coping. In addition, significant gender differences were also found. The results provided confirmation for the validity of the pathways postulated in the cognitive behavioral theory of gambling behavior. It also highlighted the importance of gender differences in conceptualizing gambling behavior.

Randomized response estimates for the 12-month prevalence of cognitive-enhancing drug use in university students.

PubMed

Dietz, Pavel; Striegel, Heiko; Franke, Andreas G; Lieb, Klaus; Simon, Perikles; Ulrich, Rolf

2013-01-01

To estimate the 12-month prevalence of cognitive-enhancing drug use. Paper-and-pencil questionnaire that used the randomized response technique. University in Mainz, Germany. A total of 2569 university students who completed the questionnaire. An anonymous, specialized questionnaire that used the randomized response technique was distributed to students at the beginning of classes and was collected afterward. From the responses, we calculated the prevalence of students taking drugs only to improve their cognitive performance and not to treat underlying mental disorders such as attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder, depression, and sleep disorders. The estimated 12-month prevalence of using cognitive-enhancing drugs was 20%. Prevalence varied by sex (male 23.7%, female 17.0%), field of study (highest in students studying sports-related fields, 25.4%), and semester (first semester 24.3%, beyond first semester 16.7%). To our knowledge, this is the first time that the randomized response technique has been used to survey students about cognitive-enhancing drug use. Using the randomized response technique, our questionnaire provided data that showed a high 12-month prevalence of cognitive-enhancing drug use in German university students. Our study suggests that other direct survey techniques have underestimated the use of these drugs. Drug prevention programs need to be established at universities to address this issue. © 2013 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Guidelines for cognitive behavioral training within doctoral psychology programs in the United States: report of the Inter-organizational Task Force on Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology Doctoral Education.

PubMed

Klepac, Robert K; Ronan, George F; Andrasik, Frank; Arnold, Kevin D; Belar, Cynthia D; Berry, Sharon L; Christofff, Karen A; Craighead, Linda W; Dougher, Michael J; Dowd, E Thomas; Herbert, James D; McFarr, Lynn M; Rizvi, Shireen L; Sauer, Eric M; Strauman, Timothy J

2012-12-01

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies initiated an interorganizational task force to develop guidelines for integrated education and training in cognitive and behavioral psychology at the doctoral level in the United States. Fifteen task force members representing 16 professional associations participated in a year-long series of conferences, and developed a consensus on optimal doctoral education and training in cognitive and behavioral psychology. The recommendations assume solid foundational training that is typical within applied psychology areas such as clinical and counseling psychology programs located in the United States. This article details the background, assumptions, and resulting recommendations specific to doctoral education and training in cognitive and behavioral psychology, including competencies expected in the areas of ethics, research, and practice. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cognitive Profiles Associated with Responsiveness to Fraction Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krowka, Sarah K.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2017-01-01

This study examined differences in cognitive processing between 4th-grade students who respond adequately, as opposed to inadequately, to intervention on 3 fraction outcomes: number-line estimation, calculation, and word problems. Students were assessed on 7 cognitive processes and on the 3 fraction outcomes. Students were grouped as adequate or…

Brain reserve and cognitive reserve protect against cognitive decline over 4.5 years in MS

PubMed Central

Rocca, Maria A.; Leavitt, Victoria M.; Dackovic, Jelena; Mesaros, Sarlota; Drulovic, Jelena; DeLuca, John; Filippi, Massimo

2014-01-01

Objective: Based on the theories of brain reserve and cognitive reserve, we investigated whether larger maximal lifetime brain growth (MLBG) and/or greater lifetime intellectual enrichment protect against cognitive decline over time. Methods: Forty patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) underwent baseline and 4.5-year follow-up evaluations of cognitive efficiency (Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task) and memory (Selective Reminding Test, Spatial Recall Test). Baseline and follow-up MRIs quantified disease progression: percentage brain volume change (cerebral atrophy), percentage change in T2 lesion volume. MLBG (brain reserve) was estimated with intracranial volume; intellectual enrichment (cognitive reserve) was estimated with vocabulary. We performed repeated-measures analyses of covariance to investigate whether larger MLBG and/or greater intellectual enrichment moderate/attenuate cognitive decline over time, controlling for disease progression. Results: Patients with MS declined in cognitive efficiency and memory (p < 0.001). MLBG moderated decline in cognitive efficiency (p = 0.031, ηp2 = 0.122), with larger MLBG protecting against decline. MLBG did not moderate memory decline (p = 0.234, ηp2 = 0.039). Intellectual enrichment moderated decline in cognitive efficiency (p = 0.031, ηp2 = 0.126) and memory (p = 0.037, ηp2 = 0.115), with greater intellectual enrichment protecting against decline. MS disease progression was more negatively associated with change in cognitive efficiency and memory among patients with lower vs higher MLBG and intellectual enrichment. Conclusion: We provide longitudinal support for theories of brain reserve and cognitive reserve in MS. Larger MLBG protects against decline in cognitive efficiency, and greater intellectual enrichment protects against decline in cognitive efficiency and memory. Consideration of these protective factors should improve prediction of future cognitive decline in patients with MS. PMID:24748670

Functional Connectivity in Frontoparietal Network: Indicator of Preoperative Cognitive Function and Cognitive Outcome Following Surgery in Patients with Glioma.

PubMed

Lang, Stefan; Gaxiola-Valdez, Ismael; Opoku-Darko, Michael; Partlo, Lisa A; Goodyear, Bradley G; Kelly, John J P; Federico, Paolo

2017-09-01

Patients with diffuse glioma are known to have impaired cognitive functions preoperatively. However, the mechanism of these cognitive deficits remains unclear. Resting-state functional connectivity in the frontoparietal network (FPN) is associated with cognitive performance in healthy subjects. For this reason, it was hypothesized that functional connectivity of the FPN would be related to cognitive functioning in patients with glioma. To assess this relationship, preoperative cognitive status was correlated to patient-specific connectivity within the FPN. Further, we assessed whether connectivity could predict neuropsychologic outcome following surgery. Sixteen patients with diffuse glioma underwent neuropsychologic assessment and preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging using task (n-back) and resting-state scans. Thirteen patients had postoperative cognitive assessment. An index of patient-specific functional connectivity in the FPN was derived by averaging connectivity values between 2 prefrontal and 2 parietal cortex regions defined by activation during the n-back task. The relationship of these indices with cognitive performance was assessed. Higher average connectivity within the FPN is associated with lower composite cognitive scores. Higher connectivity of the parietal region of the tumor-affected hemisphere is associated specifically with lower fluid cognition. Lower connectivity of the parietal region of the nontumor hemisphere is associated with worse neuropsychologic outcome 1 month after surgery. Resting-state functional connectivity between key regions of the FPN is associated with cognitive performance in patients with glioma and is related to cognitive outcome following surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic Valuation of Selected Illnesses in Environmental Public Health Tracking.

PubMed

Zhou, Ying; Nurmagambetov, Tursynbek; McCord, Matthew; Hsu, Wan-Hsiang

In benefit-cost analysis of public health programs, health outcomes need to be assigned monetary values so that different health endpoints can be compared and improvement in health can be compared with cost of the program. There are 2 major approaches for estimating economic value of illnesses: willingness to pay (WTP) and cost of illness (COI). In this study, we compared these 2 approaches and summarized valuation estimates for 3 health endpoints included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network-asthma, carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and lead poisoning. First, we compared results of WTP and COI estimates reported in the peer-reviewed literature when these 2 methods were applied to the same study participants. Second, we reviewed the availability and summarized valuations using these 2 approaches for 3 health endpoints. For the same study participants, WTP estimates in the literature were higher than COI estimates for minor and moderate cases. For more severe cases, with substantial portion of the costs paid by the third party, COI could exceed WTP. Annual medical cost of asthma based on COI approach ranged from $800 to $3300 and indirect costs ranged from $90 to $1700. WTP to have no asthma symptoms ranged from $580 to $4200 annually. We found no studies estimating WTP to avoid CO or lead poisoning. Cost of a CO poisoning hospitalization ranged from $14 000 to $17 000. For patients who sustained long-term cognitive sequela, lifetime earnings and quality-of-life losses can significantly exceed hospitalization costs. For lead poisoning, most studies focused on lead exposure and cognitive ability, and its impact on lifetime earnings. For asthma, more WTP studies are needed, particularly studies designed for conditions that involve third-party payers. For CO poisoning and lead poisoning, WTP studies need to be conducted so that more comprehensive economic valuation estimates can be provided. When COI estimates are used alone, it should be clearly stated that COI does not fully capture the nonmarket cost of illness, such as pain and suffering, which highlights the need for WTP estimates.

Estimation of the Level of Cognitive Development of a Preschool Child Using the System of Situations with Mathematical Contents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorev, Pavel M.; Bichurina, Svetlana Y.; Yakupova, Rufiya M.; Khairova, Irina V.

2016-01-01

Cognitive development of personality can be considered as one of the key directions of preschool education presented in the world practice, where preschool programs are educational ones, and preschool education is the first level of the general education. Thereby the purpose of the research is to create a model of reliable estimation of cognitive…

Individual Differences in Time Estimation Related to Cognitive Ability, Speed of Information Processing and Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fink, A.; Neubauer, A. C.

2005-01-01

In experimental time estimation research, it has consistently been found that the more a person is engaged in some kind of demanding cognitive activity within a given period of time, the more experienced duration of this time interval decreases. However, the role of individual differences has been largely ignored in this field of research. In a…

A disease state fingerprint for evaluation of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Mattila, Jussi; Koikkalainen, Juha; Virkki, Arho; Simonsen, Anja; van Gils, Mark; Waldemar, Gunhild; Soininen, Hilkka; Lötjönen, Jyrki

2011-01-01

Diagnostic processes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are evolving. Knowledge about disease-specific biomarkers is constantly increasing and larger volumes of data are being measured from patients. To gain additional benefits from the collected data, a novel statistical modeling and data visualization system is proposed for supporting clinical diagnosis of AD. The proposed system computes an evidence-based estimate of a patient's AD state by comparing his or her heterogeneous neuropsychological, clinical, and biomarker data to previously diagnosed cases. The AD state in this context denotes a patient's degree of similarity to previously diagnosed disease population. A summary of patient data and results of the computation are displayed in a succinct Disease State Fingerprint (DSF) visualization. The visualization clearly discloses how patient data contributes to the AD state, facilitating rapid interpretation of the information. To model the AD state from complex and heterogeneous patient data, a statistical Disease State Index (DSI) method underlying the DSF has been developed. Using baseline data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the ability of the DSI to model disease progression from elderly healthy controls to AD and its ability to predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD were assessed. It was found that the DSI provides well-behaving AD state estimates, corresponding well with the actual diagnoses. For predicting conversion from MCI to AD, the DSI attains performance similar to state-of-the-art reference classifiers. The results suggest that the DSF establishes an effective decision support and data visualization framework for improving AD diagnostics, allowing clinicians to rapidly analyze large quantities of diverse patient data.

Affective problems and decline in cognitive state in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

John, A; Patel, U; Rusted, J; Richards, M; Gaysina, D

2018-05-24

Evidence suggests that affective problems, such as depression and anxiety, increase risk for late-life dementia. However, the extent to which affective problems influence cognitive decline, even many years prior to clinical diagnosis of dementia, is not clear. The present study systematically reviews and synthesises the evidence for the association between affective problems and decline in cognitive state (i.e., decline in non-specific cognitive function) in older adults. An electronic search of PubMed, PsycInfo, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect was conducted to identify studies of the association between depression and anxiety separately and decline in cognitive state. Key inclusion criteria were prospective, longitudinal designs with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment using the STROBE checklist were conducted independently by two raters. A total of 34 studies (n = 71 244) met eligibility criteria, with 32 studies measuring depression (n = 68 793), and five measuring anxiety (n = 4698). A multi-level meta-analysis revealed that depression assessed as a binary predictor (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05-1.76, p = 0.02) or a continuous predictor (B = -0.008, 95% CI -0.015 to -0.002, p = 0.012; OR 0.992, 95% CI 0.985-0.998) was significantly associated with decline in cognitive state. The number of anxiety studies was insufficient for meta-analysis, and they are described in a narrative review. Results of the present study improve current understanding of the temporal nature of the association between affective problems and decline in cognitive state. They also suggest that cognitive function may need to be monitored closely in individuals with affective disorders, as these individuals may be at particular risk of greater cognitive decline.

Monitoring alert and drowsy states by modeling EEG source nonstationarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Sheng-Hsiou; Jung, Tzyy-Ping

2017-10-01

Objective. As a human brain performs various cognitive functions within ever-changing environments, states of the brain characterized by recorded brain activities such as electroencephalogram (EEG) are inevitably nonstationary. The challenges of analyzing the nonstationary EEG signals include finding neurocognitive sources that underlie different brain states and using EEG data to quantitatively assess the state changes. Approach. This study hypothesizes that brain activities under different states, e.g. levels of alertness, can be modeled as distinct compositions of statistically independent sources using independent component analysis (ICA). This study presents a framework to quantitatively assess the EEG source nonstationarity and estimate levels of alertness. The framework was tested against EEG data collected from 10 subjects performing a sustained-attention task in a driving simulator. Main results. Empirical results illustrate that EEG signals under alert versus drowsy states, indexed by reaction speeds to driving challenges, can be characterized by distinct ICA models. By quantifying the goodness-of-fit of each ICA model to the EEG data using the model deviation index (MDI), we found that MDIs were significantly correlated with the reaction speeds (r  =  -0.390 with alertness models and r  =  0.449 with drowsiness models) and the opposite correlations indicated that the two models accounted for sources in the alert and drowsy states, respectively. Based on the observed source nonstationarity, this study also proposes an online framework using a subject-specific ICA model trained with an initial (alert) state to track the level of alertness. For classification of alert against drowsy states, the proposed online framework achieved an averaged area-under-curve of 0.745 and compared favorably with a classic power-based approach. Significance. This ICA-based framework provides a new way to study changes of brain states and can be applied to monitoring cognitive or mental states of human operators in attention-critical settings or in passive brain-computer interfaces.

Heritability of Neuropsychological Measures in Schizophrenia and Nonpsychiatric Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Blokland, Gabriëlla A M; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I; Toulopoulou, Timothea; Del Re, Elisabetta C; Lam, Max; DeLisi, Lynn E; Donohoe, Gary; Walters, James T R; Seidman, Larry J; Petryshen, Tracey L

2017-07-01

Schizophrenia is characterized by neuropsychological deficits across many cognitive domains. Cognitive phenotypes with high heritability and genetic overlap with schizophrenia liability can help elucidate the mechanisms leading from genes to psychopathology. We performed a meta-analysis of 170 published twin and family heritability studies of >800 000 nonpsychiatric and schizophrenia subjects to accurately estimate heritability across many neuropsychological tests and cognitive domains. The proportion of total variance of each phenotype due to additive genetic effects (A), shared environment (C), and unshared environment and error (E), was calculated by averaging A, C, and E estimates across studies and weighting by sample size. Heritability ranged across phenotypes, likely due to differences in genetic and environmental effects, with the highest heritability for General Cognitive Ability (32%-67%), Verbal Ability (43%-72%), Visuospatial Ability (20%-80%), and Attention/Processing Speed (28%-74%), while the lowest heritability was observed for Executive Function (20%-40%). These results confirm that many cognitive phenotypes are under strong genetic influences. Heritability estimates were comparable in nonpsychiatric and schizophrenia samples, suggesting that environmental factors and illness-related moderators (eg, medication) do not substantially decrease heritability in schizophrenia samples, and that genetic studies in schizophrenia samples are informative for elucidating the genetic basis of cognitive deficits. Substantial genetic overlap between cognitive phenotypes and schizophrenia liability (average rg = -.58) in twin studies supports partially shared genetic etiology. It will be important to conduct comparative studies in well-powered samples to determine whether the same or different genes and genetic variants influence cognition in schizophrenia patients and the general population. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cognitive Trajectory Changes Over 20 Years Before Dementia Diagnosis: A Large Cohort Study.

PubMed

Li, Ge; Larson, Eric B; Shofer, Jane B; Crane, Paul K; Gibbons, Laura E; McCormick, Wayne; Bowen, James D; Thompson, Mary Lou

2017-12-01

Longitudinal studies have shown an increase in cognitive decline many years before clinical diagnosis of dementia. We sought to estimate changes, relative to "normal" aging, in the trajectory of scores on a global cognitive function test-the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI). A prospective cohort study. Community-dwelling members of a U.S. health maintenance organization. Individuals aged 65 and older who had no dementia diagnosis at baseline and had at least two visits with valid CASI test score (N = 4,315). Average longitudinal trajectories, including changes in trajectory before clinical diagnosis in those who would be diagnosed with dementia, were estimated for CASI item response theory (IRT) scores. The impact of sex, education level, and APOE genotype on cognitive trajectories was assessed. Increased cognitive decline relative to "normal" aging was evident in CASI IRT at least 10 years before clinical diagnosis. Male gender, lower education, and presence of ≥1 APOE ε4 alleles were associated with lower average IRT scores. In those who would be diagnosed with dementia, a trajectory change point was estimated at an average of 3.1 years (95% confidence interval 3.0-3.2) before clinical diagnosis, after which cognitive decline appeared to accelerate. The change point did not differ by sex, education level, or APOE ε4 genotype. There were subtle differences in trajectory slopes by sex and APOE ε4 genotype, but not by education. Decline in average global cognitive function was evident at least 10 years before clinical diagnosis of dementia. The decline accelerated about 3 years before clinical diagnosis. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

An approach for estimating item sensitivity to within-person change over time: An illustration using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog).

PubMed

Dowling, N Maritza; Bolt, Daniel M; Deng, Sien

2016-12-01

When assessments are primarily used to measure change over time, it is important to evaluate items according to their sensitivity to change, specifically. Items that demonstrate good sensitivity to between-person differences at baseline may not show good sensitivity to change over time, and vice versa. In this study, we applied a longitudinal factor model of change to a widely used cognitive test designed to assess global cognitive status in dementia, and contrasted the relative sensitivity of items to change. Statistically nested models were estimated introducing distinct latent factors related to initial status differences between test-takers and within-person latent change across successive time points of measurement. Models were estimated using all available longitudinal item-level data from the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale, including participants representing the full-spectrum of disease status who were enrolled in the multisite Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Five of the 13 Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive items demonstrated noticeably higher loadings with respect to sensitivity to change. Attending to performance change on only these 5 items yielded a clearer picture of cognitive decline more consistent with theoretical expectations in comparison to the full 13-item scale. Items that show good psychometric properties in cross-sectional studies are not necessarily the best items at measuring change over time, such as cognitive decline. Applications of the methodological approach described and illustrated in this study can advance our understanding regarding the types of items that best detect fine-grained early pathological changes in cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Fine Particulate Matter and Incident Cognitive Impairment in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Cohort

PubMed Central

Loop, Matthew Shane; Kent, Shia T.; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z.; Crosson, William L.; Estes, Sue M.; Estes, Maurice G.; Quattrochi, Dale A.; Hemmings, Sarah N.; Wadley, Virginia G.; McClure, Leslie A.

2013-01-01

Studies of the effect of air pollution on cognitive health are often limited to populations living near cities that have air monitoring stations. Little is known about whether the estimates from such studies can be generalized to the U.S. population, or whether the relationship differs between urban and rural areas. To address these questions, we used a satellite-derived estimate of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration to determine whether PM2.5 was associated with incident cognitive impairment in a geographically diverse, biracial US cohort of men and women (n = 20,150). A 1-year mean baseline PM2.5 concentration was estimated for each participant, and cognitive status at the most recent follow-up was assessed over the telephone using the Six-Item Screener (SIS) in a subsample that was cognitively intact at baseline. Logistic regression was used to determine whether PM2.5 was related to the odds of incident cognitive impairment. A 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration was not reliably associated with an increased odds of incident impairment, after adjusting for temperature, season, incident stroke, and length of follow-up [OR (95% CI): 1.26 (0.97, 1.64)]. The odds ratio was attenuated towards 1 after adding demographic covariates, behavioral factors, and known comorbidities of cognitive impairment. A 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration was slightly associated with incident impairment in urban areas (1.40 [1.06–1.85]), but this relationship was also attenuated after including additional covariates in the model. Evidence is lacking that the effect of PM2.5 on incident cognitive impairment is robust in a heterogeneous US cohort, even in urban areas. PMID:24086422

Graph properties of synchronized cortical networks during visual working memory maintenance.

PubMed

Palva, Satu; Monto, Simo; Palva, J Matias

2010-02-15

Oscillatory synchronization facilitates communication in neuronal networks and is intimately associated with human cognition. Neuronal activity in the human brain can be non-invasively imaged with magneto- (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG), but the large-scale structure of synchronized cortical networks supporting cognitive processing has remained uncharacterized. We combined simultaneous MEG and EEG (MEEG) recordings with minimum-norm-estimate-based inverse modeling to investigate the structure of oscillatory phase synchronized networks that were active during visual working memory (VWM) maintenance. Inter-areal phase-synchrony was quantified as a function of time and frequency by single-trial phase-difference estimates of cortical patches covering the entire cortical surfaces. The resulting networks were characterized with a number of network metrics that were then compared between delta/theta- (3-6 Hz), alpha- (7-13 Hz), beta- (16-25 Hz), and gamma- (30-80 Hz) frequency bands. We found several salient differences between frequency bands. Alpha- and beta-band networks were more clustered and small-world like but had smaller global efficiency than the networks in the delta/theta and gamma bands. Alpha- and beta-band networks also had truncated-power-law degree distributions and high k-core numbers. The data converge on showing that during the VWM-retention period, human cortical alpha- and beta-band networks have a memory-load dependent, scale-free small-world structure with densely connected core-like structures. These data further show that synchronized dynamic networks underlying a specific cognitive state can exhibit distinct frequency-dependent network structures that could support distinct functional roles. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive remediation in large systems of psychiatric care.

PubMed

Medalia, Alice; Saperstein, Alice M; Erlich, Matthew D; Sederer, Lloyd I

2018-05-02

IntroductionWith the increasing enthusiasm to provide cognitive remediation (CR) as an evidence-based practice, questions arise as to what is involved in implementing CR in a large system of care. This article describes the first statewide implementation of CR in the USA, with the goal of documenting the implementation issues that care providers are likely to face when bringing CR services to their patients. In 2014, the New York State Office of Mental Health set up a Cognitive Health Service that could be implemented throughout the state-operated system of care. This service was intended to broadly address cognitive health, to assure that the cognitive deficits commonly associated with psychiatric illnesses are recognized and addressed, and that cognitive health is embedded in the vocabulary of wellness. It involved creating a mechanism to train staff to recognize how cognitive health could be prioritized in treatment planning as well as implementing CR in state-operated adult outpatient psychiatry clinics. By 2017, CR was available at clinics serving people with serious mental illness in 13 of 16 adult Psychiatric Centers, located in rural and urban settings throughout New York state. The embedded quality assurance program evaluation tools indicated that CR was acceptable, sustainable, and effective. Cognitive remediation can be feasibly implemented in large systems of care that provide a multilevel system of supports, a training program that educates broadly about cognitive health and specifically about the delivery of CR, and embedded, ongoing program evaluation that is linked to staff supervision.

Core networks and their reconfiguration patterns across cognitive loads.

PubMed

Zuo, Nianming; Yang, Zhengyi; Liu, Yong; Li, Jin; Jiang, Tianzi

2018-04-20

Different cognitively demanding tasks recruit globally distributed but functionally specific networks. However, the configuration of core networks and their reconfiguration patterns across cognitive loads remain unclear, as does whether these patterns are indicators for the performance of cognitive tasks. In this study, we analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging data of a large cohort of 448 subjects, acquired with the brain at resting state and executing N-back working memory (WM) tasks. We discriminated core networks by functional interaction strength and connection flexibility. Results demonstrated that the frontoparietal network (FPN) and default mode network (DMN) were core networks, but each exhibited different patterns across cognitive loads. The FPN and DMN both showed strengthened internal connections at the low demand state (0-back) compared with the resting state (control level); whereas, from the low (0-back) to high demand state (2-back), some connections to the FPN weakened and were rewired to the DMN (whose connections all remained strong). Of note, more intensive reconfiguration of both the whole brain and core networks (but no other networks) across load levels indicated relatively poor cognitive performance. Collectively these findings indicate that the FPN and DMN have distinct roles and reconfiguration patterns across cognitively demanding loads. This study advances our understanding of the core networks and their reconfiguration patterns across cognitive loads and provides a new feature to evaluate and predict cognitive capability (e.g., WM performance) based on brain networks. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cost-benefit analysis for a lead wheel weight phase-out in Canada.

PubMed

Campbell, P M; Corneau, E; Nishimura, D; Teng, E; Ekoualla, D

2018-05-06

Lead wheel weights (LWWs) have been banned in Europe, and some US States, but they continue to dominate the market in Canada. Exposure to lead is associated with numerous health impacts and can result in multiple and irreversible health problems which include cognitive impairment when exposure occurs during early development. Such impacts incur high individual and social costs. The purpose of this study was to assess the costs and public health benefits of a Risk Management Strategy (RMS) that would result from a LWW phase-out in Canada and compare this to a Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario. The contribution of LWWs to lead concentrations in media including roadway soil/dust, ambient and indoor air, and indoor dust were estimated. The Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic Model for Lead in Children (IEUBK) was used to develop estimates for the blood lead levels (BLLs) in children (μg/dL) associated with the BAU and the RMS. The BLLs estimated via the IEUBK model were then used to assess the IQ decrements associated with the BAU that would be avoided under the RMS. The subsequent overall societal benefits in terms of increased lifetime earning potential and reduced crime rate, were then estimated and compared to industry and government costs. LWWs form 72% of the Canadian wheel weight market and >1500 tonnes of lead as new LWWs attached to vehicles enters Canadian society annually. We estimate that 110-131 tonnes of lead in detached WWs are abraded on roadways in Canada each year. A LWW phase-out was predicted to result in a drop in pre-school BLLs of up to 0.4 μg/dL. The estimated net benefits associated with the RMS based on cognitive decrements avoided and hence increased lifetime earning potential (increased productivity) and reduced crime are expected to be: C$248 million (8% discount rate) to C$1.2 billion (3% discount rate) per year. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attracting Dynamics of Frontal Cortex Ensembles during Memory-Guided Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Seamans, Jeremy K.; Durstewitz, Daniel

2011-01-01

A common theoretical view is that attractor-like properties of neuronal dynamics underlie cognitive processing. However, although often proposed theoretically, direct experimental support for the convergence of neural activity to stable population patterns as a signature of attracting states has been sparse so far, especially in higher cortical areas. Combining state space reconstruction theorems and statistical learning techniques, we were able to resolve details of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) multiple single-unit activity (MSUA) ensemble dynamics during a higher cognitive task which were not accessible previously. The approach worked by constructing high-dimensional state spaces from delays of the original single-unit firing rate variables and the interactions among them, which were then statistically analyzed using kernel methods. We observed cognitive-epoch-specific neural ensemble states in ACC which were stable across many trials (in the sense of being predictive) and depended on behavioral performance. More interestingly, attracting properties of these cognitively defined ensemble states became apparent in high-dimensional expansions of the MSUA spaces due to a proper unfolding of the neural activity flow, with properties common across different animals. These results therefore suggest that ACC networks may process different subcomponents of higher cognitive tasks by transiting among different attracting states. PMID:21625577

The prestimulus default mode network state predicts cognitive task performance levels on a mental rotation task.

PubMed

Kamp, Tabea; Sorger, Bettina; Benjamins, Caroline; Hausfeld, Lars; Goebel, Rainer

2018-06-22

Linking individual task performance to preceding, regional brain activation is an ongoing goal of neuroscientific research. Recently, it could be shown that the activation and connectivity within large-scale brain networks prior to task onset influence performance levels. More specifically, prestimulus default mode network (DMN) effects have been linked to performance levels in sensory near-threshold tasks, as well as cognitive tasks. However, it still remains uncertain how the DMN state preceding cognitive tasks affects performance levels when the period between task trials is long and flexible, allowing participants to engage in different cognitive states. We here investigated whether the prestimulus activation and within-network connectivity of the DMN are predictive of the correctness and speed of task performance levels on a cognitive (match-to-sample) mental rotation task, employing a sparse event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) design. We found that prestimulus activation in the DMN predicted the speed of correct trials, with a higher amplitude preceding correct fast response trials compared to correct slow response trials. Moreover, we found higher connectivity within the DMN before incorrect trials compared to correct trials. These results indicate that pre-existing activation and connectivity states within the DMN influence task performance on cognitive tasks, both effecting the correctness and speed of task execution. The findings support existing theories and empirical work on relating mind-wandering and cognitive task performance to the DMN and expand these by establishing a relationship between the prestimulus DMN state and the speed of cognitive task performance. © 2018 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intergenerational Long-Term Effects of Preschool - Structural Estimates from a Discrete Dynamic Programming Model*

PubMed Central

Heckman, James J.; Raut, Lakshmi K.

2015-01-01

This paper formulates a structural dynamic programming model of preschool investment choices of altruistic parents and then empirically estimates the structural parameters of the model using the NLSY79 data. The paper finds that preschool investment significantly boosts cognitive and non-cognitive skills, which enhance earnings and school outcomes. It also finds that a standard Mincer earnings function, by omitting measures of non-cognitive skills on the right-hand side, overestimates the rate of return to schooling. From the estimated equilibrium Markov process, the paper studies the nature of within generation earnings distribution, intergenerational earnings mobility, and schooling mobility. The paper finds that a tax-financed free preschool program for the children of poor socioeconomic status generates positive net gains to the society in terms of average earnings, higher intergenerational earnings mobility, and schooling mobility. PMID:26709326

Exploring synergistic effects of aerobic exercise and mindfulness training on cognitive function in older adults: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Salmoirago-Blotcher, Elena; DeCosta, Julie; Harris, Kristie; Breault, Christopher; Dunsiger, Shira; Santos, Claudia; Snyder, Peter

2018-05-01

Despite increasing evidence that aerobic exercise and cognitive training improve cognitive function among patients with cognitive impairment and dementia, few studies have focused on the effect of a combination of these approaches. This study will explore whether combining aerobic training (AT) with mindfulness training (MT), an intervention promoting the moment-to-moment awareness of physical sensations, affective states, and thoughts, improves cognitive function in individuals at risk of dementia. The primary objective is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention(s). The secondary objective is to obtain estimates of effect sizes on cognitive function and on possible mediators. Forty participants with at least 2 risk factors for dementia will be randomized (2 × 2 factorial design) to either AT (3 sessions/week for 12 weeks), MT (1 session/week for 8 weeks), both, or usual care. Assessments of cognitive function (attention, executive function, episodic, and working memory); physical activity (accelerometry), aerobic capacity (6-minute walk test), waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and mindfulness (Five Facets of Mindfulness) will be conducted at baseline, end of treatment, and 6-months postbaseline. Rates of retention, attendance, and program satisfaction will be calculated for each of the 4 groups to determine the feasibility and acceptability of each intervention. This study has full ethical approval by The Miriam Hospital Institutional Review Board and adheres to the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials reporting recommendations. If results from this exploratory, proof-of-concept study support our hypotheses, we will conduct a large randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the efficacy of combined MT and AT in improving cognitive function in individuals at risk of dementia. Results from the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. REGISTRATION DETAILS:: http://www.clinicalstrials.gov identifier NCT03289546.

The temporal limits of cognitive change from music therapy in elderly persons with dementia or dementia-like cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bruer, Robert A; Spitznagel, Edward; Cloninger, C Robert

2007-01-01

This study explored the temporal limits of cognitive change from an intention-to-treat with group music therapy. Elderly cognitively-impaired psychiatric inpatients (N = 28) participated in an 8-week randomized control trial using a crossover design. Once a week, subjects were assigned either to music therapy or a control treatment (age-appropriate movie). The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) assessed cognition 3 times every week: prior to the intervention, immediately after the mid-afternoon intervention, and the morning following the intervention. Comparisons between conditions included weekly changes in individual subject's MMSE scores from weekly baseline to both the 2 follow-ups and the following week's baseline. Significant next morning improvements in MMSE scores were found within intent-to-treat music therapy cases as compared to control cases. While all the subjects in this study were cognitively impaired, only 17 had been formally diagnosed with dementia. Based on a Cochrane Collaboration suggestion that music therapy studies within geriatric populations look specifically at the treatment of dementia, a final generalized estimating equation model considered only the change within the 17 dementia-diagnosed subjects. Immediately after the intervention, MMSE scores in the dementia-diagnosed subjects assigned to music therapy improved 2.00 points compared to the dementia-diagnosed subjects assigned to the control group (Z = 1.99, p < .05). Next-day MMSE test scores in the dementia-diagnosed subjects assigned to music therapy showed average improvements of 3.69 points compared to the control subjects (Z = 3.38, p < .001). By the following week, no significant cognitive differences remained between the two groups. It was concluded that a reasonable music therapy intervention facilitated by a trained and accredited music therapist significantly improved next-morning cognitive functioning among dementia patients. With many music therapists working in geriatric settings, more research is justified to both replicate this study and provide better guidance into the effective use of music therapy in the treatment of dementia.

Quality of life declines after first ischemic stroke

PubMed Central

Dhamoon, M.S.; Moon, Y.P.; Paik, M.C.; Boden-Albala, B.; Rundek, T.; Sacco, R.L.; Elkind, M.S.V.

2010-01-01

Objectives: Quality of life (QOL) after stroke is poorly characterized. We sought to determine long-term natural history and predictors of QOL among first ischemic stroke survivors without stroke recurrence or myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: In the population-based, multiethnic Northern Manhattan Study, QOL was prospectively assessed at 6 months and annually for 5 years using the Spitzer QOL index (QLI), a 10-point scale. Functional status was assessed using the Barthel Index (BI) at regular intervals, and cognition using the Mini-Mental State Examination at 1 year. Generalized estimating equations estimated the association between patient characteristics and repeated QOL measures over 5 years. Follow-up was censored at death, recurrent stroke, or MI. Results: There were 525 incident ischemic stroke patients ≥40 years (mean age 68.6 ± 12.4 years). QLI declined after stroke (annual change −0.10, 95% confidence interval −0.17 to −0.04), after adjusting for age, sex, race-ethnicity, education, insurance, depressed mood, stroke severity, bladder continence, and stroke laterality. This decline remained when BI ≥95 was added to the model as a time-dependent covariate, and functional status also predicted QLI. Changes in QLI over time differed by insurance status (p for interaction = 0.0017), with a decline for those with Medicaid/no insurance (p < 0.0001) but not Medicare/private insurance (p = 0.98). Conclusions: In this population-based study, QOL declined annually up to 5 years after stroke among survivors free of recurrence or MI and independently of other risk factors. QLI declined more among Medicaid patients and was associated with age, mood, stroke severity, urinary incontinence, functional status, cognition, and stroke laterality. GLOSSARY BI = Barthel Index; CAD = coronary artery disease; CHF = congestive heart failure; CI = confidence interval; CUMC = Columbia University Medical Center; DM = diabetes mellitus; GEE = generalized estimating equation; HTN = hypertension; MI = myocardial infarction; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; NIHSS = NIH Stroke Scale; NOMAS = Northern Manhattan Study; QOL = quality of life; QLI = quality of life index. PMID:20574034

Quantifying rapid changes in cardiovascular state with a moving ensemble average.

PubMed

Cieslak, Matthew; Ryan, William S; Babenko, Viktoriya; Erro, Hannah; Rathbun, Zoe M; Meiring, Wendy; Kelsey, Robert M; Blascovich, Jim; Grafton, Scott T

2018-04-01

MEAP, the moving ensemble analysis pipeline, is a new open-source tool designed to perform multisubject preprocessing and analysis of cardiovascular data, including electrocardiogram (ECG), impedance cardiogram (ICG), and continuous blood pressure (BP). In addition to traditional ensemble averaging, MEAP implements a moving ensemble averaging method that allows for the continuous estimation of indices related to cardiovascular state, including cardiac output, preejection period, heart rate variability, and total peripheral resistance, among others. Here, we define the moving ensemble technique mathematically, highlighting its differences from fixed-window ensemble averaging. We describe MEAP's interface and features for signal processing, artifact correction, and cardiovascular-based fMRI analysis. We demonstrate the accuracy of MEAP's novel B point detection algorithm on a large collection of hand-labeled ICG waveforms. As a proof of concept, two subjects completed a series of four physical and cognitive tasks (cold pressor, Valsalva maneuver, video game, random dot kinetogram) on 3 separate days while ECG, ICG, and BP were recorded. Critically, the moving ensemble method reliably captures the rapid cyclical cardiovascular changes related to the baroreflex during the Valsalva maneuver and the classic cold pressor response. Cardiovascular measures were seen to vary considerably within repetitions of the same cognitive task for each individual, suggesting that a carefully designed paradigm could be used to capture fast-acting event-related changes in cardiovascular state. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Is adaptation of the word accentuation test of premorbid intelligence necessary for use among older, Spanish-speaking immigrants in the United States?

PubMed

Schrauf, Robert W; Weintraub, Sandra; Navarro, Ellen

2006-05-01

Adaptations of the National Adult Reading Test (NART) for assessing premorbid intelligence in languages other than English requires (a) generating word-items that are rare and do not follow grapheme-to-phoneme mappings common in that language, and (b) subsequent validation against a cognitive battery normed on the population of interest. Such tests exist for Italy, France, Spain, and Argentina, all normed against national versions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Given the varieties of Spanish spoken in the United States, the adaptation of the Spanish Word Accentuation Test (WAT) requires re-validating the original word list, plus possible new items, against a cognitive battery that has been normed on Spanish-speakers from many countries. This study reports the generation of 55 additional words and revalidation in a sample of 80 older, Spanish-dominant immigrants. The Batería Woodcock-Muñoz Revisada (BWM-R), normed on Spanish speakers from six countries and five U.S. states, was used to establish criterion validity. The original WAT word list accounted for 77% of the variance in the BWM-R and 58% of the variance in Ravens Colored Progressive Matrices, suggesting that the unmodified list possesses adequate predictive validity as an indicator of intelligence. Regression equations are provided for estimating BWM-R and Ravens scores from WAT scores.

Subjective cognitive impairment of older adults: a comparison between the US and China.

PubMed

Wu, Qiong

2016-03-01

Subjective assessment may be incomparable across countries due to differences in reporting styles. Based on two nationally representative surveys from the US and China, this study used data from three anchoring vignettes to estimate to what extent the US and Chinese older adults aged 50 and above differed in their reporting styles of subjective cognitive impairment. Cross country differences of subjective cognitive impairment were then estimated, both before and after adjusting for reporting heterogeneity. Directly assessed word recall test scores were analyzed to evaluate whether findings based on subjective cognitive impairment was consistent with objective performance. The results revealed a discrepancy between self-reported subjective cognitive impairment and directly assessed memory function among older adults: while Chinese respondents reported lower severity levels of subjective cognitive impairment, the US respondents demonstrated better performance in immediate word recall tests. By accounting for differences in reporting styles using anchoring vignettes data, Chinese older adults showed higher levels of subjective cognitive impairment than the US older adults, which was consistent with results from direct assessment of memory function. Non-negligible differences are present in reporting styles of subjective cognitive impairment. Cross country comparison needs to take into account such reporting heterogeneity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Neural correlates of the divergence of instrumental probability distributions.

PubMed

Liljeholm, Mimi; Wang, Shuo; Zhang, June; O'Doherty, John P

2013-07-24

Flexible action selection requires knowledge about how alternative actions impact the environment: a "cognitive map" of instrumental contingencies. Reinforcement learning theories formalize this map as a set of stochastic relationships between actions and states, such that for any given action considered in a current state, a probability distribution is specified over possible outcome states. Here, we show that activity in the human inferior parietal lobule correlates with the divergence of such outcome distributions-a measure that reflects whether discrimination between alternative actions increases the controllability of the future-and, further, that this effect is dissociable from those of other information theoretic and motivational variables, such as outcome entropy, action values, and outcome utilities. Our results suggest that, although ultimately combined with reward estimates to generate action values, outcome probability distributions associated with alternative actions may be contrasted independently of valence computations, to narrow the scope of the action selection problem.

Neural Correlates of the Divergence of Instrumental Probability Distributions

PubMed Central

Wang, Shuo; Zhang, June; O'Doherty, John P.

2013-01-01

Flexible action selection requires knowledge about how alternative actions impact the environment: a “cognitive map” of instrumental contingencies. Reinforcement learning theories formalize this map as a set of stochastic relationships between actions and states, such that for any given action considered in a current state, a probability distribution is specified over possible outcome states. Here, we show that activity in the human inferior parietal lobule correlates with the divergence of such outcome distributions–a measure that reflects whether discrimination between alternative actions increases the controllability of the future–and, further, that this effect is dissociable from those of other information theoretic and motivational variables, such as outcome entropy, action values, and outcome utilities. Our results suggest that, although ultimately combined with reward estimates to generate action values, outcome probability distributions associated with alternative actions may be contrasted independently of valence computations, to narrow the scope of the action selection problem. PMID:23884955

Effect of acute hypoxia on cognition: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

PubMed

McMorris, Terry; Hale, Beverley J; Barwood, Martin; Costello, Joseph; Corbett, Jo

2017-03-01

A systematic meta-regression analysis of the effects of acute hypoxia on the performance of central executive and non-executive tasks, and the effects of the moderating variables, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2 ) and hypobaric versus normobaric hypoxia, was undertaken. Studies were included if they were performed on healthy humans; within-subject design was used; data were reported giving the PaO 2 or that allowed the PaO 2 to be estimated (e.g. arterial oxygen saturation and/or altitude); and the duration of being in a hypoxic state prior to cognitive testing was ≤6days. Twenty-two experiments met the criteria for inclusion and demonstrated a moderate, negative mean effect size (g=-0.49, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.34, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between central executive and non-executive, perception/attention and short-term memory, tasks. Low (35-60mmHg) PaO 2 was the key predictor of cognitive performance (R 2 =0.45, p<0.001) and this was independent of whether the exposure was in hypobaric hypoxic or normobaric hypoxic conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social Cognition as Reinforcement Learning: Feedback Modulates Emotion Inference.

PubMed

Zaki, Jamil; Kallman, Seth; Wimmer, G Elliott; Ochsner, Kevin; Shohamy, Daphna

2016-09-01

Neuroscientific studies of social cognition typically employ paradigms in which perceivers draw single-shot inferences about the internal states of strangers. Real-world social inference features much different parameters: People often encounter and learn about particular social targets (e.g., friends) over time and receive feedback about whether their inferences are correct or incorrect. Here, we examined this process and, more broadly, the intersection between social cognition and reinforcement learning. Perceivers were scanned using fMRI while repeatedly encountering three social targets who produced conflicting visual and verbal emotional cues. Perceivers guessed how targets felt and received feedback about whether they had guessed correctly. Visual cues reliably predicted one target's emotion, verbal cues predicted a second target's emotion, and neither reliably predicted the third target's emotion. Perceivers successfully used this information to update their judgments over time. Furthermore, trial-by-trial learning signals-estimated using two reinforcement learning models-tracked activity in ventral striatum and ventromedial pFC, structures associated with reinforcement learning, and regions associated with updating social impressions, including TPJ. These data suggest that learning about others' emotions, like other forms of feedback learning, relies on domain-general reinforcement mechanisms as well as domain-specific social information processing.

Body sway adaptation to addition but not withdrawal of stabilizing visual information is delayed by a concurrent cognitive task.

PubMed

Honeine, Jean-Louis; Crisafulli, Oscar; Schieppati, Marco

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to test the effects of a concurrent cognitive task on the promptness of the sensorimotor integration and reweighting processes following addition and withdrawal of vision. Fourteen subjects stood in tandem while vision was passively added and removed. Subjects performed a cognitive task, consisting of counting backward in steps of three, or were "mentally idle." We estimated the time intervals following addition and withdrawal of vision at which body sway began to change. We also estimated the time constant of the exponential change in body oscillation until the new level of sway was reached, consistent with the current visual state. Under the mentally idle condition, mean latency was 0.67 and 0.46 s and the mean time constant was 1.27 and 0.59 s for vision addition and withdrawal, respectively. Following addition of vision, counting backward delayed the latency by about 300 ms, without affecting the time constant. Following withdrawal, counting backward had no significant effect on either latency or time constant. The extension by counting backward of the time interval to stabilization onset on addition of vision suggests a competition for allocation of cortical resources. Conversely, the absence of cognitive task effect on the rapid onset of destabilization on vision withdrawal, and on the relevant reweighting time course, advocates the intervention of a subcortical process. Diverting attention from a challenging standing task discloses a cortical supervision on the process of sensorimotor integration of new balance-stabilizing information. A subcortical process would instead organize the response to removal of the stabilizing sensory input. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to test the effect of an arithmetic task on the time course of balance readjustment following visual withdrawal or addition. Performing such a cognitive task increases the time delay following addition of vision but has no effect on withdrawal dynamics. This suggests that sensorimotor integration following addition of a stabilizing signal is performed at a cortical level, whereas the response to its withdrawal is "automatic" and accomplished at a subcortical level. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Intellectual Enrichment Is Linked to Cerebral Efficiency in Multiple Sclerosis: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evidence for Cognitive Reserve

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sumowski, James F.; Wylie, Glenn R.; DeLuca, John; Chiaravalloti, Nancy

2010-01-01

The cognitive reserve hypothesis helps to explain the incomplete relationship between brain disease and cognitive status in people with neurologic diseases, including Alzheimer's; disease and multiple sclerosis. Lifetime intellectual enrichment (estimated with education or vocabulary knowledge) lessens the negative impact of brain disease on…

Biomarker progressions explain higher variability in stage-specific cognitive decline than baseline values in Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Dodge, Hiroko H; Zhu, Jian; Harvey, Danielle; Saito, Naomi; Silbert, Lisa C; Kaye, Jeffrey A; Koeppe, Robert A; Albin, Roger L

2014-11-01

It is unknown which commonly used Alzheimer disease (AD) biomarker values-baseline or progression-best predict longitudinal cognitive decline. 526 subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). ADNI composite memory and executive scores were the primary outcomes. Individual-specific slope of the longitudinal trajectory of each biomarker was first estimated. These estimates and observed baseline biomarker values were used as predictors of cognitive declines. Variability in cognitive declines explained by baseline biomarker values was compared with variability explained by biomarker progression values. About 40% of variability in memory and executive function declines was explained by ventricular volume progression among mild cognitive impairment patients. A total of 84% of memory and 65% of executive function declines were explained by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) score progression and ventricular volume progression, respectively, among AD patients. For most biomarkers, biomarker progressions explained higher variability in cognitive decline than biomarker baseline values. This has important implications for clinical trials targeted to modify AD biomarkers. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Cognitive Load on Empathy and Intention in Response to Infant Crying.

PubMed

Hiraoka, Daiki; Nomura, Michio

2016-06-16

Many studies have explored risk factors for child maltreatment, but little research has focused on situational risk factors such as cognitive load, which involves within-individual fluctuation. The current study sought to determine whether cognitive load led to within-individual changes in intention in response to infant crying. The study also sought to ascertain whether state empathy, empathic concern (EC), and personal distress mediated or moderated this relationship. Sixty-six participants completed a memory task (remembering meaningless, two- or eight-letter, English alphabet string), during which they were required to keep these letters in mind while hearing infant crying (or a tone). Subsequently, participants rated questions concerning state empathy and intention in response to the crying (i.e., intentions involving caregiving, neglect, or physical abuse). Results showed that cognitive load reduced caregiving intention and increased intention to perpetrate neglect. In addition, EC mediated the relationship between cognitive load and intention to provide care or perpetrate neglect. Moreover, cognitive load interacted with state empathy to predict intention to provide care or perpetrate neglect. These findings highlighted the importance of focusing on situational cognitive risk factors for child maltreatment and elucidated the role of state empathy as a mediator or moderator in child maltreatment research.

The Influence of Cognitive Load on Empathy and Intention in Response to Infant Crying

PubMed Central

Hiraoka, Daiki; Nomura, Michio

2016-01-01

Many studies have explored risk factors for child maltreatment, but little research has focused on situational risk factors such as cognitive load, which involves within-individual fluctuation. The current study sought to determine whether cognitive load led to within-individual changes in intention in response to infant crying. The study also sought to ascertain whether state empathy, empathic concern (EC), and personal distress mediated or moderated this relationship. Sixty-six participants completed a memory task (remembering meaningless, two- or eight-letter, English alphabet string), during which they were required to keep these letters in mind while hearing infant crying (or a tone). Subsequently, participants rated questions concerning state empathy and intention in response to the crying (i.e., intentions involving caregiving, neglect, or physical abuse). Results showed that cognitive load reduced caregiving intention and increased intention to perpetrate neglect. In addition, EC mediated the relationship between cognitive load and intention to provide care or perpetrate neglect. Moreover, cognitive load interacted with state empathy to predict intention to provide care or perpetrate neglect. These findings highlighted the importance of focusing on situational cognitive risk factors for child maltreatment and elucidated the role of state empathy as a mediator or moderator in child maltreatment research. PMID:27305959

Resting-state beta and gamma activity in Internet addiction.

PubMed

Choi, Jung-Seok; Park, Su Mi; Lee, Jaewon; Hwang, Jae Yeon; Jung, Hee Yeon; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dai Jin; Oh, Sohee; Lee, Jun-Young

2013-09-01

Internet addiction is the inability to control one's use of the Internet and is related to impulsivity. Although a few studies have examined neurophysiological activity as individuals with Internet addiction engage in cognitive processing, no information on spontaneous EEG activity in the eyes-closed resting-state is available. We investigated resting-state EEG activities in beta and gamma bands and examined their relationships with impulsivity among individuals with Internet addiction and healthy controls. Twenty-one drug-naïve patients with Internet addiction (age: 23.33 ± 3.50 years) and 20 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched healthy controls (age: 22.40 ± 2.33 years) were enrolled in this study. Severity of Internet addiction was identified by the total score on Young's Internet Addiction Test. Impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 and a stop-signal task. Resting-state EEG during eyes closed was recorded, and the absolute/relative power of beta and gamma bands was analyzed. The Internet addiction group showed high impulsivity and impaired inhibitory control. The generalized estimating equation showed that the Internet-addiction group showed lower absolute power on the beta band than did the control group (estimate = -3.370, p < 0.01). On the other hand, the Internet-addiction group showed higher absolute power on the gamma band than did the control group (estimate = 0.434, p < 0.01). These EEG activities were significantly associated with the severity of Internet addiction as well as with the extent of impulsivity. The present study suggests that resting-state fast-wave brain activity is related to the impulsivity characterizing Internet addiction. These differences may be neurobiological markers for the pathophysiology of Internet addiction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regional specific groundwater arsenic levels and neuropsychological functioning: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Edwards, Melissa; Johnson, Leigh; Mauer, Cortney; Barber, Robert; Hall, James; O'Bryant, Sid

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of the study was to examine the link between GIS-estimated regional specific groundwater levels and neuropsychological functioning in a sample of individuals with and without cognitive impairment. Methods This cross-sectional study design analyzed data from 1390 participants (733 Alzheimer's disease, 127 Mild Cognitive Impairment, and 530 with normal cognition) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium. Geographic information systems analyses were used to estimate regional specific groundwater arsenic concentrations using the Environmental Systems Research Institute and arsenic concentrations from the Texas Water Development Board. Results In the full cohort, regional specific arsenic concentrations were positively associated with language abilities (p=0.008), but associated with poorer verbal memory, immediate (p=0.008) and delayed (p<0.001) as well as poorer visual memory, immediate (p=0.02) and delayed (p<0.001). The findings varied by diagnostic category with arsenic being related with cognition most prominently among MCI cases. Conclusions Overall, estimated regional specific groundwater arsenic levels were negatively associated with neuropsychological performance. PMID:24506178

Anchoring in Numeric Judgments of Visual Stimuli

PubMed Central

Langeborg, Linda; Eriksson, Mårten

2016-01-01

This article investigates effects of anchoring in age estimation and estimation of quantities, two tasks which to different extents are based on visual stimuli. The results are compared to anchoring in answers to classic general knowledge questions that rely on semantic knowledge. Cognitive load was manipulated to explore possible differences between domains. Effects of source credibility, manipulated by differing instructions regarding the selection of anchor values (no information regarding anchor selection, information that the anchors are randomly generated or information that the anchors are answers from an expert) on anchoring were also investigated. Effects of anchoring were large for all types of judgments but were not affected by cognitive load or by source credibility in either one of the researched domains. A main effect of cognitive load on quantity estimations and main effects of source credibility in the two visually based domains indicate that the manipulations were efficient. Implications for theoretical explanations of anchoring are discussed. In particular, because anchoring did not interact with cognitive load, the results imply that the process behind anchoring in visual tasks is predominantly automatic and unconscious. PMID:26941684

Occupant-vehicle dynamics and the role of the internal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, David J.

2018-05-01

With the increasing need to reduce time and cost of vehicle development there is increasing advantage in simulating mathematically the dynamic interaction of a vehicle and its occupant. The larger design space arising from the introduction of automated vehicles further increases the potential advantage. The aim of the paper is to outline the role of the internal model hypothesis in understanding and modelling occupant-vehicle dynamics, specifically the dynamics associated with direction and speed control of the vehicle. The internal model is the driver's or passenger's understanding of the vehicle dynamics and is thought to be employed in the perception, cognition and action processes of the brain. The internal model aids the estimation of the states of the vehicle from noisy sensory measurements. It can also be used to optimise cognitive control action by predicting the consequence of the action; thus model predictive control (MPC) theory provides a foundation for modelling the cognition process. The stretch reflex of the neuromuscular system also makes use of the prediction of the internal model. Extensions to the MPC approach are described which account for: interaction with an automated vehicle; robust control; intermittent control; and cognitive workload. Further work to extend understanding of occupant-vehicle dynamic interaction is outlined. This paper is based on a keynote presentation given by the author to the 13th International Symposium on Advanced Vehicle Control (AVEC) conference held in Munich, September 2016.

Quality, and not just quantity, of education accounts for differences in psychometric performance between African Americans and White Non-Hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Chin, Alexander L.; Negash, Selam; Xie, Sharon; Arnold, Steven E.; Hamilton, Roy

2013-01-01

The effect of race on cognitive test performance in the evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains controversial. One factor that may contribute substantially to differences in cognitive test performance in diverse populations is education. The current study examined the extent to which quality of education, even after controlling for formal years of education, accounts for differences in cognitive performance between African Americans and White Non-Hispanics (WNHs). The retrospective cohort included 244 patients diagnosed with AD who self-identified as African Americans (n=51) or WNHs (n=193). The Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR) was used as an estimate of quality of education. In an analysis that controlled for traditional demographics, including age, sex, and years of formal education, African Americans scored significantly lower than WNHs on the Mini-Mental State Examination, as well as on neuropsychological tests of memory, attention, and language. However, after also adjusting for reading level, all previously observed differences were significantly attenuated. The attenuating effect remained even after controlling for disease severity, indicating that reading scores are not confounded by severity of dementia. These findings suggest that quality, and not just quantity, of education needs to be taken into account when assessing cognitive performance in African Americans with AD. PMID:22300593

The genetic basis for cognitive ability, memory, and depression symptomatology in middle-aged and elderly chinese twins.

PubMed

Xu, Chunsheng; Sun, Jianping; Ji, Fuling; Tian, Xiaocao; Duan, Haiping; Zhai, Yaoming; Wang, Shaojie; Pang, Zengchang; Zhang, Dongfeng; Zhao, Zhongtang; Li, Shuxia; Hjelmborg, Jacob V B; Christensen, Kaare; Tan, Qihua

2015-02-01

The genetic influences on aging-related phenotypes, including cognition and depression, have been well confirmed in the Western populations. We performed the first twin-based analysis on cognitive performance, memory and depression status in middle-aged and elderly Chinese twins, representing the world's largest and most rapidly aging population. The sample consisted of 384 twin pairs with a median age of 50 years. Cognitive function was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale; memory was assessed using the revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence scale; depression symptomatology was evaluated by the self-reported 30-item Geriatric Depression (GDS-30)scale. Both univariate and multivariate twin models were fitted to the three phenotypes with full and nested models and compared to select the best fitting models. Univariate analysis showed moderate-to-high genetic influences with heritability 0.44 for cognition and 0.56 for memory. Multivariate analysis by the reduced Cholesky model estimated significant genetic (rG = 0.69) and unique environmental (rE = 0.25) correlation between cognitive ability and memory. The model also estimated weak but significant inverse genetic correlation for depression with cognition (-0.31) and memory (-0.28). No significant unique environmental correlation was found for depression with other two phenotypes. In conclusion, there can be a common genetic architecture for cognitive ability and memory that weakly correlates with depression symptomatology, but in the opposite direction.

Tracking ongoing cognition in individuals using brief, whole-brain functional connectivity patterns

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Castillo, Javier; Hoy, Colin W.; Handwerker, Daniel A.; Robinson, Meghan E.; Buchanan, Laura C.; Saad, Ziad S.; Bandettini, Peter A.

2015-01-01

Functional connectivity (FC) patterns in functional MRI exhibit dynamic behavior on the scale of seconds, with rich spatiotemporal structure and limited sets of whole-brain, quasi-stable FC configurations (FC states) recurring across time and subjects. Based on previous evidence linking various aspects of cognition to group-level, minute-to-minute FC changes in localized connections, we hypothesized that whole-brain FC states may reflect the global, orchestrated dynamics of cognitive processing on the scale of seconds. To test this hypothesis, subjects were continuously scanned as they engaged in and transitioned between mental states dictated by tasks. FC states computed within windows as short as 22.5 s permitted robust tracking of cognition in single subjects with near perfect accuracy. Accuracy dropped markedly for subjects with the lowest task performance. Spatially restricting FC information decreased accuracy at short time scales, emphasizing the distributed nature of whole-brain FC dynamics, beyond univariate magnitude changes, as valuable markers of cognition. PMID:26124112

Relative Wave Energy based Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System model for the Estimation of Depth of Anaesthesia.

PubMed

Benzy, V K; Jasmin, E A; Koshy, Rachel Cherian; Amal, Frank; Indiradevi, K P

2018-01-01

The advancement in medical research and intelligent modeling techniques has lead to the developments in anaesthesia management. The present study is targeted to estimate the depth of anaesthesia using cognitive signal processing and intelligent modeling techniques. The neurophysiological signal that reflects cognitive state of anaesthetic drugs is the electroencephalogram signal. The information available on electroencephalogram signals during anaesthesia are drawn by extracting relative wave energy features from the anaesthetic electroencephalogram signals. Discrete wavelet transform is used to decomposes the electroencephalogram signals into four levels and then relative wave energy is computed from approximate and detail coefficients of sub-band signals. Relative wave energy is extracted to find out the degree of importance of different electroencephalogram frequency bands associated with different anaesthetic phases awake, induction, maintenance and recovery. The Kruskal-Wallis statistical test is applied on the relative wave energy features to check the discriminating capability of relative wave energy features as awake, light anaesthesia, moderate anaesthesia and deep anaesthesia. A novel depth of anaesthesia index is generated by implementing a Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system based fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm which uses relative wave energy features as inputs. Finally, the generated depth of anaesthesia index is compared with a commercially available depth of anaesthesia monitor Bispectral index.

Disease Progression in Mild Dementia due to Alzheimer Disease in an 18-Month Observational Study (GERAS): The Impact on Costs and Caregiver Outcomes

PubMed Central

Jones, Roy W.; Lebrec, Jeremie; Kahle-Wrobleski, Kristin; Dell'Agnello, Grazia; Bruno, Giuseppe; Vellas, Bruno; Argimon, Josep M.; Dodel, Richard; Haro, Josep Maria; Wimo, Anders; Reed, Catherine

2017-01-01

Background/Aims We assessed whether cognitive and functional decline in community-dwelling patients with mild Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia were associated with increased societal costs and caregiver burden and time outcomes. Methods Cognitive decline was defined as a ≥3-point reduction in the Mini-Mental State Examination and functional decline as a decrease in the ability to perform one or more basic items of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Inventory (ADCS-ADL) or ≥20% of instrumental ADL items. Total societal costs were estimated from resource use and caregiver hours using 2010 costs. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI); caregiver supervision and total hours were collected. Results Of 566 patients with mild AD enrolled in the GERAS study, 494 were suitable for the current analysis. Mean monthly total societal costs were greater for patients showing functional (+61%) or cognitive decline (+27%) compared with those without decline. In relation to a typical mean monthly cost of approximately EUR 1,400 at baseline, this translated into increases over 18 months to EUR 2,254 and 1,778 for patients with functional and cognitive decline, respectively. The number of patients requiring supervision doubled among patients showing functional or cognitive decline compared with those not showing decline, while caregiver total time increased by 70 and 33%, respectively and ZBI total score by 5.3 and 3.4 points, respectively. Conclusion Cognitive and, more notably, functional decline were associated with increases in costs and caregiver outcomes in patients with mild AD dementia. PMID:28611822

Cognitive behavioral hypnotherapy for dissociative disorders.

PubMed

Fine, Catherine G

2012-04-01

Dissociative disorders (DD) prevail as sequelae to overwhelming experiences in childhood. These readily formed post-traumatic responses and trance states develop in high hypnotizable subjects whose dysregulations become organized into ego states. A cognitive behavioral hypnotherapeutic treatment model will effectively contain, explore, metabolize, and resolve these life-endangering conditions. This article will detail the cognitive hypnotic world of DD patients, the relational spaces of the ego states, and the triphasic treatment mode to successfully resolve the dissociative pathology. Structured and phase appropriate hypnotic interventions will be described.

The effect of limited cognitive resources on communication disturbances in serious mental illness.

PubMed

Le, Thanh P; Najolia, Gina M; Minor, Kyle S; Cohen, Alex S

2017-02-01

Semantically incoherent speech is a pernicious clinical feature of serious mental illness (SMI). The precise mechanisms underlying this deficit remain unclear. Prior studies have found that arousal of negative emotion exaggerates the severity of these communication disturbances; this has been coined "affective reactivity". Recent research suggests that "cognitive reactivity" may also occur, namely reflecting reduced "on-line" cognitive resources in SMI. We tested the hypothesis that communication disturbances manifest as a function of limited cognitive resources in SMI above and beyond that associated with state affectivity. We also investigated individual differences in symptoms, cognitive ability, and trait affect that may be related to cognitive reactivity. We compared individuals with SMI (n=52) to nonpsychiatric controls (n=27) on a behavioral-based coding of communication disturbances during separate baseline and experimentally-manipulated high cognitive-load dual tasks. Controlling for state affective reactivity, a significant interaction was observed such that communication disturbances decreased in the SMI group under high cognitive-load. Furthermore, a reduction in communication disturbances was related to lower trait and state positive affectivity in the SMI group. Contrary to our expectations, limited cognitive resources temporarily relieved language dysfunction. Implications, particularly with respect to interventions, are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term changes in retinal vascular diameter and cognitive impairment in type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Nunley, Karen A; Metti, Andrea L; Klein, Ronald; Klein, Barbara E; Saxton, Judith A; Orchard, Trevor J; Costacou, Tina; Aizenstein, Howard J; Rosano, Caterina

2018-05-01

To assess associations between cognitive impairment and longitudinal changes in retinal microvasculature, over 18 years, in adults with type 1 diabetes. Participants of the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study received ≥3 fundus photographs between baseline (1986-1988) and time of cognitive assessment (2010-2015: N = 119; 52% male; mean age and type 1 diabetes duration 43 and 34 years, respectively). Central retinal arteriolar equivalent and central retinal venular equivalent were estimated via computer-based methods; overall magnitude and speed of narrowing were quantified as cumulative average and slope, respectively. Median regression models estimated associations of central retinal arteriolar equivalent and central retinal venular equivalent measures with cognitive impairment status, adjusted for type 1 diabetes duration. Interactions with HbA1c, proliferative retinopathy and white matter hyperintensities were assessed. Compared with participants without cognitive impairment, those with clinically relevant cognitive impairment experienced 1.8% greater and 31.1% faster central retinal arteriolar equivalent narrowing during prior years (t = -2.93, p = 0.004 and t = -3.97, p < 0.0001, respectively). Interactions with HbA1c, proliferative retinopathy and white matter hyperintensities were not significant. No associations were found between central retinal arteriolar equivalent at baseline, at time of cognitive testing, or any central retinal venular equivalent measures, and cognitive impairment. Long-term arterial retinal changes could indicate type 1 diabetes-related cognitive impairment. Studies examining longitudinal central retinal arteriolar equivalent changes as early biomarkers of cognitive impairment risk are warranted.

The value of Bayes' theorem for interpreting abnormal test scores in cognitively healthy and clinical samples.

PubMed

Gavett, Brandon E

2015-03-01

The base rates of abnormal test scores in cognitively normal samples have been a focus of recent research. The goal of the current study is to illustrate how Bayes' theorem uses these base rates--along with the same base rates in cognitively impaired samples and prevalence rates of cognitive impairment--to yield probability values that are more useful for making judgments about the absence or presence of cognitive impairment. Correlation matrices, means, and standard deviations were obtained from the Wechsler Memory Scale--4th Edition (WMS-IV) Technical and Interpretive Manual and used in Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the base rates of abnormal test scores in the standardization and special groups (mixed clinical) samples. Bayes' theorem was applied to these estimates to identify probabilities of normal cognition based on the number of abnormal test scores observed. Abnormal scores were common in the standardization sample (65.4% scoring below a scaled score of 7 on at least one subtest) and more common in the mixed clinical sample (85.6% scoring below a scaled score of 7 on at least one subtest). Probabilities varied according to the number of abnormal test scores, base rates of normal cognition, and cutoff scores. The results suggest that interpretation of base rates obtained from cognitively healthy samples must also account for data from cognitively impaired samples. Bayes' theorem can help neuropsychologists answer questions about the probability that an individual examinee is cognitively healthy based on the number of abnormal test scores observed.

2009 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures.

PubMed

2009-05-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of all deaths in the United States, and the fifth leading cause of death in Americans aged 65 and older. Whereas other major causes of death have been on the decrease, deaths attributable to AD have been rising dramatically. Between 2000 and 2006, heart-disease deaths decreased nearly 12%, stroke deaths decreased 18%, and prostate cancer-related deaths decreased 14%, whereas deaths attributable to AD increased 47%. An estimated 5.3 million Americans have AD; the approximately 200,000 persons under age 65 years with AD comprise the younger-onset AD population. Every 70 seconds, someone in America develops AD; by 2050, this time is expected to decrease to every 33 seconds. Over the coming decades, the "baby-boom" population is projected to add 10 million people to these numbers. In 2050, the incidence of AD is expected to approach nearly a million people per year, with a total estimated prevalence of 11 to 16 million people. Significant cost implications related to AD and other dementias include an estimated $148 billion annually in direct (Medicare/Medicaid) and indirect (e.g., decreased business productivity) costs. Not included in these figures is the $94 billion in unpaid services to individuals with AD provided annually by an estimated 10 million caregivers. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an important component in the continuum from healthy cognition to dementia. Understanding which individuals with MCI are at highest risk for eventually developing AD is key to our ultimate goal of preventing AD. This report provides information meant to increase an understanding of the public-health impact of AD, including incidence and prevalence, mortality, lifetime risks, costs, and impact on family caregivers. This report also sets the stage for a better understanding of the relationship between MCI and AD.

Controllability of structural brain networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Shi; Pasqualetti, Fabio; Cieslak, Matthew; Telesford, Qawi K.; Yu, Alfred B.; Kahn, Ari E.; Medaglia, John D.; Vettel, Jean M.; Miller, Michael B.; Grafton, Scott T.; Bassett, Danielle S.

2015-10-01

Cognitive function is driven by dynamic interactions between large-scale neural circuits or networks, enabling behaviour. However, fundamental principles constraining these dynamic network processes have remained elusive. Here we use tools from control and network theories to offer a mechanistic explanation for how the brain moves between cognitive states drawn from the network organization of white matter microstructure. Our results suggest that densely connected areas, particularly in the default mode system, facilitate the movement of the brain to many easily reachable states. Weakly connected areas, particularly in cognitive control systems, facilitate the movement of the brain to difficult-to-reach states. Areas located on the boundary between network communities, particularly in attentional control systems, facilitate the integration or segregation of diverse cognitive systems. Our results suggest that structural network differences between cognitive circuits dictate their distinct roles in controlling trajectories of brain network function.

Combined Audience and Video Feedback With Cognitive Review Improves State Anxiety and Self-Perceptions During Speech Tasks in Socially Anxious Individuals.

PubMed

Chen, Junwen; McLean, Jordan E; Kemps, Eva

2018-03-01

This study investigated the effects of combined audience feedback with video feedback plus cognitive preparation, and cognitive review (enabling deeper processing of feedback) on state anxiety and self-perceptions including perception of performance and perceived probability of negative evaluation in socially anxious individuals during a speech performance. One hundred and forty socially anxious students were randomly assigned to four conditions: Cognitive Preparation + Video Feedback + Audience Feedback + Cognitive Review (CP+VF+AF+CR), Cognitive Preparation + Video Feedback + Cognitive Review (CP+VF+CR), Cognitive Preparation + Video Feedback only (CP+VF), and Control. They were asked to deliver two impromptu speeches that were evaluated by confederates. Participants' levels of anxiety and self-perceptions pertaining to the speech task were assessed before and after feedback, and after the second speech. Compared to participants in the other conditions, participants in the CP+VF+AF+CR condition reported a significant decrease in their state anxiety and perceived probability of negative evaluation scores, and a significant increase in their positive perception of speech performance from before to after the feedback. These effects generalized to the second speech. Our results suggest that adding audience feedback to video feedback plus cognitive preparation and cognitive review may improve the effects of existing video feedback procedures in reducing anxiety symptoms and distorted self-representations in socially anxious individuals. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Relationships of Mental States and Intellectual Processes in the Learning Activities of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prokhorov, Alexander O.; Chernov, Albert V.; Yusupov, Mark G.

2016-01-01

Investigation of the interaction of mental states and cognitive processes in the classroom allows us to solve the problem of increasing the effectiveness of training by activating cognitive processes and management of students' mental states. This article is concerned with the most general patterns of interaction between mental state and…

Quality improvement in neurology: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis quality measures: report of the quality measurement and reporting subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

PubMed

Miller, Robert G; Brooks, Benjamin Rix; Swain-Eng, Rebecca J; Basner, Robert C; Carter, Gregory T; Casey, Patricia; Cohen, Adam B; Dubinsky, Richard; Forshew, Dallas; Jackson, Carlayne E; Kasarskis, Ed; Procaccini, Nicholas J; Sanjak, Mohammed; Tolin, Fredrik P

2013-12-10

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons.(1) Patients with ALS lose function in the limbs, speech, swallowing, and breathing muscles. The cause of the disease is still not known for most patients. Approximately 25,000 people in the United States have ALS, and 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS annually in the United States.(1) Most patients die from respiratory failure 2 to 5 years after onset of symptoms. Cognitive dysfunction is seen in 20% to 50% of patients.(2) The disease burden for patients and caregivers is enormous. The average cost of care has been estimated at $50,000 per patient per year.(3.)

Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and Cognitive Impairment After Acute Ischemic Stroke.

PubMed

Zhong, Chongke; Bu, Xiaoqing; Xu, Tan; Guo, Libing; Wang, Xuemei; Zhang, Jintao; Cui, Yong; Li, Dong; Zhang, Jianhui; Ju, Zhong; Chen, Chung-Shiuan; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Yonghong; He, Jiang

2018-01-06

The impact of serum matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) on cognitive impairment after ischemic stroke is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between serum MMP-9 in the short-term acute phase of ischemic stroke and cognitive impairment at 3 months. Our study was based on a subsample from the CATIS (China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke); a total of 558 patients with serum MMP-9 levels from 7 of 26 participating sites of the trial were included in this analysis. Cognitive impairment severity was categorized as severe, mild, or none (Mini-Mental State Examination score, <23, 23-26, or ≥27, respectively; Montreal Cognitive Assessment score, <20, 20-24, or ≥25, respectively). Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of <27 for Mini-Mental State Examination or <25 for Montreal Cognitive Assessment. According to Mini-Mental State Examination score, 143 participants (25.6%) had mild cognitive impairment and 153 (27.4%) had severe cognitive impairment at 3 months. After adjustment for age, National Institutes of Health stroke score, education, and other covariates, the odds ratio for the highest quartile of serum MMP-9 compared with the lowest quartile was 3.20 (95% confidence interval, 1.87-5.49) for cognitive impairment. Multiple-adjusted spline regression model showed a linear association between MMP-9 levels and cognitive impairment ( P <0.001 for linearity). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses further confirmed these results. Similar significant findings were observed when cognitive impairment was defined by Montreal Cognitive Assessment score. Increased serum MMP-9 levels in the short-term phase of ischemic stroke were associated with 3-month cognitive impairment, independently of established risk factors. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Cognitive Function Among Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients in North East Malaysia.

PubMed

Yusop, Che Yusfarina Che; Mohamad, Irfan; Mohammad, Wan Mohd Zahiruddin Wan; Abdullah, Baharudin

2017-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea patients may develop deficits in the cognitive domains of attention, concentration, executive function, verbal and visuospatial memory, constructional abilities, and psychomotor functioning. As cognitive performance will improve with the treatment, early screening for cognitive dysfunction should be done to prevent further deterioration. We aim to evaluate the cognitive function of obstructive sleep apnea patients by using the 'Mini Mental State Examination'. This was a cross sectional study to evaluate the cognitive function of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea patients with age ranged from 18 to 60 old who attended our sleep clinic. These patients were confirmed to have moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea by Type 1 polysomnography (attended full overnight study). The age, gender and ethnicity were noted and other relevant data such as weight, height, body mass index and apnea and hypopnoea index were recorded accordingly. The cognitive function was evaluated using validated Malay version of Mini Mental State Examination which measured 5 areas of cognitive functions comprising orientation, registration, attention and calculation, word recall and language abilities, and visuospatial. A total of 38 patients participated in this study. All 19 patients of moderate group and 14 patients of severe group had normal cognitive function while only 5 patients in severe group had mild cognitive function impairment. There was a statistically significant difference between the moderate group and severe group on cognitive performance (p value = 0.042). Severe obstructive sleep apnea patients may have impaired cognitive function. Mini Mental State Examination is useful in the screening of cognitive function of obstructive sleep apnea patients but in normal score, more sophisticated test batteries are required as it is unable to identify in 'very minimal' or 'extremely severe' cognitive dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

34 CFR 200.1 - State responsibilities for developing challenging academic standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... cognitive disabilities who take an alternate assessment, a State may, through a documented and validated... most significant cognitive disabilities who will be assessed based on alternate academic achievement...

The Role of Disordered-Eating Cognitions and Psychological Flexibility on Distress in Asian American and European American College Females in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masuda, Akihiko; Le, Jane; Cohen, Lindsey L.

2014-01-01

The present study investigated whether different forms of disordered-eating-related cognitions and psychological flexibility were associated with psychological distress among female Asian American and European American college students in the United States. Disordered-eating-related cognitions examined in the present study included thoughts (a)…

A shortened protocol for assessing cognitive bias in rats.

PubMed

Brydges, Nichola M; Hall, Lynsey

2017-07-15

Reliable measurement of affective state in animals is a significant goal of animal welfare. Such measurements would also improve the validity of pre-clinical mental health research which relies on animal models. However, at present, affective states in animals are inaccessible to direct measurement. In humans, changes in cognitive processing can give reliable indications of emotional state. Therefore, similar techniques are increasingly being used to gain proxy measures of affective states in animals. In particular, the 'cognitive bias' assay has gained popularity in recent years. Major disadvantages of this technique include length of time taken for animals to acquire the task (typically several weeks), negative experiences associated with task training, and issues of motivation. Here we present a shortened cognitive bias protocol using only positive reinforcers which must actively be responded to. The protocol took an average of 4days to complete, and produced similar results to previous, longer methods (minimum 30days). Specifically, rats housed in standard laboratory conditions demonstrated negative cognitive biases when presented with ambiguous stimuli, and took longer to make a decision when faced with an ambiguous stimulus. Compared to previous methods, this protocol is significantly shorter (average 4days vs. minimum 30days), utilises only positive reinforcers to avoid inducing negative affective states, and requires active responses to all cues, avoiding potential confounds of motivational state. We have successfully developed a shortened cognitive bias protocol, suitable for use with laboratory rats. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment effects in multiple cognitive domains in Alzheimer’s disease: a two-year cohort study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Despite widespread use of second-generation cholinesterase inhibitors for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), little is known about the long term effects of cholinergic treatment on global cognitive function and potential specific effects in different cognitive domains. The objectives of this study were to determine the association between cholinergic treatment and global cognitive function over one and two years in a cohort of patients with mild or moderate AD and identify potential differences in domain-specific cognitive outcomes within this cohort. Methods A cohort of patients meeting the revised National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria for mild or moderate AD, including patients both on treatment with a cholinesterase inhibitor and untreated controls (treated = 65, untreated = 65), were recruited from the Cognitive Neurology Clinic at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, as part of the Sunnybrook Dementia Study. Patients were followed for one to two years and underwent standardized neuropsychological assessments to evaluate global and domain-specific cognitive function. Associations between cholinesterase inhibitor use and global and domain-specific cognitive outcome measures at one and two years of follow-up were estimated using mixed model linear regression, adjusting for age, education, and baseline mini mental state examination (MMSE). Results At one year, treated patients showed significantly less decline in global cognitive function, and treatment and time effects across tests of executive and visuospatial function. At two years, there was a significant trend towards less decline in global cognition for treated patients. Moreover, treated patients showed significant treatment and time effects across tests of executive functioning, memory, and visuospatial function. Conclusions The present study offers two important contributions to knowledge of the effectiveness of cholinesterase inhibitor treatment in patients with mild-moderate AD: 1) that second-generation cholinesterase inhibitors demonstrate long-term effectiveness for reducing global cognitive decline over one to two years of follow-up, and 2) that decline in function for cognitive domains, including executive function, memory, and visuospatial skill that are primarily mediated by frontal networks and by the cholinergic system, rather than memory, may be slowed by treatment targeting the cholinergic system. PMID:25484926

4C.05: PWV IS AN INDEPENDENT DETERMINANT OF COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION IN CKD PATIENTS.

PubMed

Karasavvidou, D; Pappas, K; Stagikas, D; Makridis, D; Katsinas, C; Kalaitzidis, R

2015-06-01

Cognitive dysfunction has long been recognized as a complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), through several putative mechanisms, including high BP, large and small artery damage. Our study tests the hypothesis that large artery stiffness and microvascular damage are related to brain microcirculation changes as reflected by impaired cognitive function in CKD patients.(Figure is included in full-text article.) : Two hundred seventeen patients (50 with CKD stage 1; 67 stage 2; 53 stage 3; 47 stage 4), with mean age 58.4 years (64.5% males), were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Cognitive function was assessed using Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Full score on the MMSE is 30; cognitive impairment was defined as <26 and cognitive dysfunction as <19. Educational level was categorized as lower versus higher education. Using the Sphygmocor system and an oscillometric device, we directly measured brachial SBP (bSBP) and pulse pressure (bPP), carotid SBP (cSBP) and pulse pressure (cPP) and estimated aortic SBP (aSBP) and pulse pressure (aPP) from the radial pressure waveform. Pulse Pressure Amplification (PPA), augmentation index (AIx) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) were calculated. The risk of cognitive dysfunction increased significantly from CKD stage 3 to 4 (p < 0.01). Table. In univariate analysis, age (p < 0.001), education level (p < 0.001) stages of CKD (p < 0.004), cfPWV (p < 0.029), AIx (p < 0.03), bSBP (p < 0.002), aSBP (p < 0.012), cSBP (p < 0.015) and cPP (p < 0.002) were significantly and negatively associated with MMSE. In multivariate regression analysis, adjusted for CKD stages, the remaining independent factor significantly (p < 0.02) associated with cognitive dysfunction was cfPWV. Carotid-femoral PWV may be a more sensitive marker of cognitive dysfunction than other parameters of central blood pressure. Since high cfPWV is associated with high pressure pulsatility at the cerebrovascular level, these data suggest that the later could play a pathophysiological role in cognitive dysfunction. In clinical practice, measuring aortic stiffness may help predicting the cognitive decline. Whether, the reduction in aortic stiffness following treatment translates into improved cognitive outcomes remains to be determined.

The Myth of Cognitive Consistency: Psychological Theories and Intimate Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horowitz, Sandra V.

Several psychological theories are viable when examining the victims of intimate violence, specifically battered women. Although cognitive consistency models view individuals as striving toward balanced cognitive states, battered women can exist with the cognitive inconsistency of being harmed by men who love them. The theory of cognitive arousal…

Changes in cognitive function in a randomized trial of physical activity: results of the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders pilot study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background. Cognitive impairment is an important contributor to disability. Limited clinical trial evidence exists regarding the impact of physical exercise on cognitive function (CF). We report results of a pilot study to provide estimates of the relative impact of physical activity (PA) on 1-year ...

An Estimation Procedure for the Structural Parameters of the Unified Cognitive/IRT Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Hai; And Others

L. V. DiBello, W. F. Stout, and L. A. Roussos (1993) have developed a new item response model, the Unified Model, which brings together the discrete, deterministic aspects of cognition favored by cognitive scientists, and the continuous, stochastic aspects of test response behavior that underlie item response theory (IRT). The Unified Model blends…

Operationalizing diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive impairment—Part 2*

PubMed Central

Seshadri, Sudha; Beiser, Alexa; Au, Rhoda; Wolf, Philip A.; Evans, Denis A.; Wilson, Robert S.; Petersen, Ronald C.; Knopman, David S.; Rocca, Walter A.; Kawas, Claudia H.; Corrada, Maria M.; Plassman, Brenda L.; Langa, Kenneth M.; Chui, Helena C.

2011-01-01

This article focuses on the effects of operational differences in case ascertainment on estimates of prevalence and incidence of cognitive impairment/dementia of the Alzheimer type. Experience and insights are discussed by investigators from the Framingham Heart Study, the East Boston Senior Health Project, the Chicago Health and Aging Project, the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, and the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study. There is a general consensus that the single most important factor regulating prevalence estimates of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the severity of cognitive impairment used for case ascertainment. Studies that require a level of cognitive impairment in which persons are unable to provide self-care will have much lower estimates than studies aimed at identifying persons in the earliest stages of AD. There is limited autopsy data from the above-mentioned epidemiologic studies to address accuracy in the diagnosis of etiologic subtype, namely the specification of AD alone or in combination with other types of pathology. However, other community-based cohort studies show that many persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) meet pathologic criteria for AD, and a large minority of persons without dementia or MCI also meets pathologic criteria for AD, thereby suggesting that the number of persons who would benefit from an effective secondary prevention intervention is probably higher than the highest published prevalence estimates. Improved accuracy in the clinical diagnosis of AD is anticipated with the addition of molecular and structural biomarkers in the next generation of epidemiologic studies. PMID:21255742

Individual differences in non-symbolic numerical abilities predict mathematical achievements but contradict ATOM.

PubMed

Agrillo, Christian; Piffer, Laura; Adriano, Andrea

2013-07-01

A significant debate surrounds the nature of the cognitive mechanisms involved in non-symbolic number estimation. Several studies have suggested the existence of the same cognitive system for estimation of time, space, and number, called "a theory of magnitude" (ATOM). In addition, researchers have proposed the theory that non-symbolic number abilities might support our mathematical skills. Despite the large number of studies carried out, no firm conclusions can be drawn on either topic. In the present study, we correlated the performance of adults on non-symbolic magnitude estimations and symbolic numerical tasks. Non-symbolic magnitude abilities were assessed by asking participants to estimate which auditory tone lasted longer (time), which line was longer (space), and which group of dots was more numerous (number). To assess symbolic numerical abilities, participants were required to perform mental calculations and mathematical reasoning. We found a positive correlation between non-symbolic and symbolic numerical abilities. On the other hand, no correlation was found among non-symbolic estimations of time, space, and number. Our study supports the idea that mathematical abilities rely on rudimentary numerical skills that predate verbal language. By contrast, the lack of correlation among non-symbolic estimations of time, space, and number is incompatible with the idea that these magnitudes are entirely processed by the same cognitive system.

Association of Cerebral Amyloid-β Aggregation With Cognitive Functioning in Persons Without Dementia.

PubMed

Jansen, Willemijn J; Ossenkoppele, Rik; Tijms, Betty M; Fagan, Anne M; Hansson, Oskar; Klunk, William E; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Villemagne, Victor L; Frisoni, Giovanni B; Fleisher, Adam S; Lleó, Alberto; Mintun, Mark A; Wallin, Anders; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan; Na, Duk L; Chételat, Gäel; Molinuevo, José Luis; Landau, Susan M; Mattsson, Niklas; Kornhuber, Johannes; Sabri, Osama; Rowe, Christopher C; Parnetti, Lucilla; Popp, Julius; Fladby, Tormod; Jagust, William J; Aalten, Pauline; Lee, Dong Young; Vandenberghe, Rik; Resende de Oliveira, Catarina; Kapaki, Elisabeth; Froelich, Lutz; Ivanoiu, Adrian; Gabryelewicz, Tomasz; Verbeek, Marcel M; Sanchez-Juan, Páscual; Hildebrandt, Helmut; Camus, Vincent; Zboch, Marzena; Brooks, David J; Drzezga, Alexander; Rinne, Juha O; Newberg, Andrew; de Mendonça, Alexandre; Sarazin, Marie; Rabinovici, Gil D; Madsen, Karine; Kramberger, Milica G; Nordberg, Agneta; Mok, Vincent; Mroczko, Barbara; Wolk, David A; Meyer, Philipp T; Tsolaki, Magda; Scheltens, Philip; Verhey, Frans R J; Visser, Pieter Jelle; Aarsland, Dag; Alcolea, Daniel; Alexander, Myriam; Almdahl, Ina S; Arnold, Steven E; Baldeiras, Inês; Barthel, Henryk; van Berckel, Bart N M; Blennow, Kaj; van Buchem, Mark A; Cavedo, Enrica; Chen, Kewei; Chipi, Elena; Cohen, Ann D; Förster, Stefan; Fortea, Juan; Frederiksen, Kristian S; Freund-Levi, Yvonne; Gkatzima, Olymbia; Gordon, Mark Forrest; Grimmer, Timo; Hampel, Harald; Hausner, Lucrezia; Hellwig, Sabine; Herukka, Sanna-Kaisa; Johannsen, Peter; Klimkowicz-Mrowiec, Aleksandra; Köhler, Sebastian; Koglin, Norman; van Laere, Koen; de Leon, Mony; Lisetti, Viviana; Maier, Wolfgang; Marcusson, Jan; Meulenbroek, Olga; Møllergård, Hanne M; Morris, John C; Nordlund, Arto; Novak, Gerald P; Paraskevas, George P; Perera, Gayan; Peters, Oliver; Ramakers, Inez H G B; Rami, Lorena; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Eloy; Roe, Catherine M; Rot, Uros; Rüther, Eckart; Santana, Isabel; Schröder, Johannes; Seo, Sang W; Soininen, Hilkka; Spiru, Luiza; Stomrud, Erik; Struyfs, Hanne; Teunissen, Charlotte E; Vos, Stephanie J B; van Waalwijk van Doorn, Linda J C; Waldemar, Gunhild; Wallin, Åsa K; Wiltfang, Jens; Zetterberg, Henrik

2018-01-01

Cerebral amyloid-β aggregation is an early event in Alzheimer disease (AD). Understanding the association between amyloid aggregation and cognitive manifestation in persons without dementia is important for a better understanding of the course of AD and for the design of prevention trials. To investigate whether amyloid-β aggregation is associated with cognitive functioning in persons without dementia. This cross-sectional study included 2908 participants with normal cognition and 4133 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from 53 studies in the multicenter Amyloid Biomarker Study. Normal cognition was defined as having no cognitive concerns for which medical help was sought and scores within the normal range on cognitive tests. Mild cognitive impairment was diagnosed according to published criteria. Study inclusion began in 2013 and is ongoing. Data analysis was performed in January 2017. Global cognitive performance as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and episodic memory performance as assessed by a verbal word learning test. Amyloid aggregation was measured with positron emission tomography or cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and dichotomized as negative (normal) or positive (abnormal) according to study-specific cutoffs. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between amyloid aggregation and low cognitive scores (MMSE score ≤27 or memory z score≤-1.28) and to assess whether this association was moderated by age, sex, educational level, or apolipoprotein E genotype. Among 2908 persons with normal cognition (mean [SD] age, 67.4 [12.8] years), amyloid positivity was associated with low memory scores after age 70 years (mean difference in amyloid positive vs negative, 4% [95% CI, 0%-7%] at 72 years and 21% [95% CI, 10%-33%] at 90 years) but was not associated with low MMSE scores (mean difference, 3% [95% CI, -1% to 6%], P = .16). Among 4133 patients with MCI (mean [SD] age, 70.2 [8.5] years), amyloid positivity was associated with low memory (mean difference, 16% [95% CI, 12%-20%], P < .001) and low MMSE (mean difference, 14% [95% CI, 12%-17%], P < .001) scores, and this association decreased with age. Low cognitive scores had limited utility for screening of amyloid positivity in persons with normal cognition and those with MCI. In persons with normal cognition, the age-related increase in low memory score paralleled the age-related increase in amyloid positivity with an intervening period of 10 to 15 years. Although low memory scores are an early marker of amyloid positivity, their value as a screening measure for early AD among persons without dementia is limited.

Midlife Activity Predicts Risk of Dementia in Older Male Twin Pairs

PubMed Central

Carlson, Michelle C.; Helms, Michael J.; Steffens, David C.; Burke, James R.; Potter, Guy G.; Plassman, Brenda L.

2013-01-01

Background Prospective study of dementia to elucidate mechanisms of disease risk factors amenable to modification and specifically to determine whether midlife cognitive and physical leisure activities are associated with delayed onset or reduced risk of dementia within older male twin pairs. Method Co-twin control design using prospectively collected exposure information to predict risk of dementia 20–40 years later. Setting Community-dwelling and nursing home residents living throughout the continental United States. Participants 147 male twin-pairs who were discordant for dementia or age of dementia onset and were members of the NAS-NRC Twin Registry of World War II veterans and participants in the Duke Twins Study of Memory in Aging. Main Outcome Measure Diagnosed dementia using a two-stage screen and full clinical evaluation. Conditional odds ratios were estimated for the association between midlife leisure activities and late life dementia. Results Greater midlife cognitive activity was associated with a 26% risk reduction for dementia onset. Protective effects were most robust in monozygotic twin-pairs, where genetic and early-life influences were most tightly controlled, and for activities that were often cognitive and social in nature. Cognitive activity was particularly protective among monozygotic twin-pairs carrying the APOE4 allele, with a 30% risk reduction. Midlife physical activity did not modify dementia risk. Conclusions Participation in a range of cognitively and socially engaging activities in midlife reduced risk for dementia and AD in twins discordant for onset, particularly among twin-pairs at elevated genetic risk, and may be indicative of an enriched environment. PMID:18790459

Correlates of Neuropsychological Impairment in Older Adult Pain Clinic Patients

PubMed Central

Karp, Jordan F.; Reynolds, Charles F.; Butters, Meryl; Dew, Mary Amanda; Mazumdar, Sati; Begley, Amy E.; Lenze, Eric; Weiner, Debra K.

2010-01-01

Objective Persistent pain and cognitive impairment are common in older adults. Memory and mental flexibility are cognitive domains which may be vulnerable in the aging brain. We were interested in examining the effects of persistent pain and opioid use on cognition in community dwelling, non-demented older adults. Setting Older Adult Pain Management Program. Design 57 new patients (mean age 76.1) were recruited to describe 1) rates of persistent pain conditions and pain intensity, 2) cognition (memory and mental flexibility), 3) rates and severity of depression, and 4) sleep quality. All patients had non-malignant pain for at least 3 months. Pain intensity was measured with the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Diagnosis of depression was via the Patient Health Questionnaire and depression severity assessed with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Cognition was assessed with: 1) Mini Mental State Examination, 2) number-letter-switching and motor speed trail-making subtests, 3) Digit Symbol Subtest of the WAIS-R, and 4) free and paired recall of the WAIS-R. To determine which variables predicted poorer outcomes on mental flexibility tests, these variables were entered into a multiple regression. Results Pain severity was associated with impaired number-letter switching (r = −0.42, p = 0.002). Multiple regression showed pain severity was associated with impaired mental flexibility (parameter estimate = −0.29 (t = −2.00), p = 0.05). Patients taking opioids had worse memory (t = 2.17, df = 39, p = 0.04). Conclusions In community-dwelling older adults, pain severity is associated with impaired mental flexibility. In addition, opioids may increase memory problems. PMID:17014605

Cognitive load in distributed and massed practice in virtual reality mastoidectomy simulation.

PubMed

Andersen, Steven Arild Wuyts; Mikkelsen, Peter Trier; Konge, Lars; Cayé-Thomasen, Per; Sørensen, Mads Sølvsten

2016-02-01

Cognitive load theory states that working memory is limited. This has implications for learning and suggests that reducing cognitive load (CL) could promote learning and skills acquisition. This study aims to explore the effect of repeated practice and simulator-integrated tutoring on CL in virtual reality (VR) mastoidectomy simulation. Prospective trial. Forty novice medical students performed 12 repeated virtual mastoidectomy procedures in the Visible Ear Simulator: 21 completed distributed practice with practice blocks spaced in time and 19 participants completed massed practice (all practices performed in 1 day). Participants were randomized for tutoring with the simulator-integrated tutor function. Cognitive load was estimated by measuring reaction time in a secondary task. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models for repeated measurements. The mean reaction time increased by 37% during the procedure compared with baseline, demonstrating that the procedure placed substantial cognitive demands. Repeated practice significantly lowered CL in the distributed practice group but not in massed practice group. In addition, CL was found to be further increased by 10.3% in the later and more complex stages of the procedure. The simulator-integrated tutor function did not have an impact on CL. Distributed practice decreased CL in repeated VR mastoidectomy training more consistently than was seen in massed practice. This suggests a possible effect of skills and memory consolidation occurring over time. To optimize technical skills learning, training should be organized as time-distributed practice rather than as a massed block of practice, which is common in skills-training courses. N/A. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

An information theory framework for dynamic functional domain connectivity.

PubMed

Vergara, Victor M; Miller, Robyn; Calhoun, Vince

2017-06-01

Dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analyzes time evolution of coherent activity in the brain. In this technique dynamic changes are considered for the whole brain. This paper proposes an information theory framework to measure information flowing among subsets of functional networks call functional domains. Our method aims at estimating bits of information contained and shared among domains. The succession of dynamic functional states is estimated at the domain level. Information quantity is based on the probabilities of observing each dynamic state. Mutual information measurement is then obtained from probabilities across domains. Thus, we named this value the cross domain mutual information (CDMI). Strong CDMIs were observed in relation to the subcortical domain. Domains related to sensorial input, motor control and cerebellum form another CDMI cluster. Information flow among other domains was seldom found. Other methods of dynamic connectivity focus on whole brain dFNC matrices. In the current framework, information theory is applied to states estimated from pairs of multi-network functional domains. In this context, we apply information theory to measure information flow across functional domains. Identified CDMI clusters point to known information pathways in the basal ganglia and also among areas of sensorial input, patterns found in static functional connectivity. In contrast, CDMI across brain areas of higher level cognitive processing follow a different pattern that indicates scarce information sharing. These findings show that employing information theory to formally measured information flow through brain domains reveals additional features of functional connectivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Cerebral Amyloid Pathology in Persons Without Dementia

PubMed Central

Jansen, Willemijn J.; Ossenkoppele, Rik; Knol, Dirk L.; Tijms, Betty M.; Scheltens, Philip; Verhey, Frans R. J.; Visser, Pieter Jelle

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Cerebral amyloid-β aggregation is an early pathological event in Alzheimer disease (AD), starting decades before dementia onset. Estimates of the prevalence of amyloid pathology in persons without dementia are needed to understand the development of AD and to design prevention studies. OBJECTIVE To use individual participant data meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of amyloid pathology as measured with biomarkers in participants with normal cognition, subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). DATA SOURCES Relevant biomarker studies identified by searching studies published before April 2015 using the MEDLINE and Web of Science databases and through personal communication with investigators. STUDY SELECTION Studies were included if they provided individual participant data for participants without dementia and used an a priori defined cutoff for amyloid positivity. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Individual records were provided for 2914 participants with normal cognition, 697 with SCI, and 3972 with MCI aged 18 to 100 years from 55 studies. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Prevalence of amyloid pathology on positron emission tomography or in cerebrospinal fluid according to AD risk factors (age, apolipoprotein E [APOE] genotype, sex, and education) estimated by generalized estimating equations. RESULTS The prevalence of amyloid pathology increased from age 50 to 90 years from 10% (95% CI, 8%-13%) to 44% (95% CI, 37%-51%) among participants with normal cognition; from 12% (95% CI, 8%-18%) to 43% (95% CI, 32%-55%) among patients with SCI; and from 27% (95% CI, 23%-32%) to 71% (95% CI, 66%-76%) among patients with MCI. APOE-ε4 carriers had 2 to 3 times higher prevalence estimates than noncarriers. The age at which 15% of the participants with normal cognition were amyloid positive was approximately 40 years for APOEε4ε4 carriers, 50 years for ε2ε4 carriers, 55 years for ε3ε4 carriers, 65 years for ε3ε3 carriers, and 95 years for ε2ε3 carriers. Amyloid positivity was more common in highly educated participants but not associated with sex or biomarker modality. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among persons without dementia, the prevalence of cerebral amyloid pathology as determined by positron emission tomography or cerebrospinal fluid findings was associated with age, APOEgenotype, and presence of cognitive impairment. These findings suggest a 20- to 30-year interval between first development of amyloid positivity and onset of dementia. PMID:25988462

State-dependent cognition and its relevance to cultural evolution.

PubMed

Nettle, Daniel

2018-02-05

Individuals cope with their worlds by using information. In humans in particular, an important potential source of information is cultural tradition. Evolutionary models have examined when it is advantageous to use cultural information, and psychological studies have examined the cognitive biases and priorities that may transform cultural traditions over time. However, these studies have not generally incorporated the idea that individuals vary in state. I argue that variation in state is likely to influence the relative payoffs of using cultural information versus gathering personal information; and also that people in different states will have different cognitive biases and priorities, leading them to transform cultural information in different ways. I explore hunger as one example of state variable likely to have consequences for cultural evolution. Variation in state has the potential to explain why cultural traditions and dynamics are so variable between individuals and populations. It offers evolutionarily-grounded links between the ecology in which individuals live, individual-level cognitive processes, and patterns of culture. However, incorporating heterogeneity of state also makes the modelling of cultural evolution more complex, particularly if the distribution of states is itself influenced by the distribution of cultural beliefs and practices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise with cognitive function-An analysis of effect measure modification.

PubMed

Tzivian, Lilian; Jokisch, Martha; Winkler, Angela; Weimar, Christian; Hennig, Frauke; Sugiri, Dorothea; Soppa, Vanessa J; Dragano, Nico; Erbel, Raimund; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Hoffmann, Barbara

2017-06-01

Adverse effects of traffic-related air pollution (AP) and noise on cognitive functions have been proposed, but little is known about their interactions and the combined effect of co-exposure. Cognitive assessment was completed by 4086 participants of the population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall cohort study using five neuropsychological subtests and an additively calculated global cognitive score (GCS). We assessed long-term residential concentrations for size-fractioned particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides with land use regression. Road traffic noise (weighted 24-h (L DEN ) and night-time (L NIGHT ) means) was assessed according to the EU directive 2002/49/EC. Linear regression models adjusted for individual-level characteristics were calculated to estimate effect modification of associations between AP and noise with cognitive function. We used multiplicative interaction terms and categories of single or double high exposure, dichotomizing the potential effect modifier at the median (AP) or at an a priori defined threshold (road traffic noise). In fully adjusted models, high noise exposure increased the association of AP with cognitive function. For example, for an interquartile range increase of PM 2.5 (IQR 1.43), association s with GCS were: estimate (β)=-0.16 [95% confidence interval: -0.33; 0.01] and β=-0.48 [-0.72; -0.23] for low and high L DEN , respectively. The association of noise with GCS was restricted to highly AP-exposed participants. We observed stronger negative associations in those participants with double exposure compared to the addition of effect estimates of each single exposure. Our study suggests that AP and road traffic noise might act synergistically on cognitive function in adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening an elderly hearing impaired population for mild cognitive impairment using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

PubMed

Lim, Magdalene Yeok Leng; Loo, Jenny Hooi Yin

2018-07-01

To determine if there is an association between hearing loss and poorer cognitive scores on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and to determine if poor hearing acuity affects scoring on the cognitive screening tests of MMSE and MoCA. One hundred fourteen elderly patients (Singapore residents) aged between 55 and 86 years were sampled. Participants completed a brief history questionnaire, pure tone audiometry, and 2 cognitive screening tests-the MMSE and MoCA. Average hearing thresholds of the better ear in the frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz were used for data analysis. Hearing loss was significantly associated with poorer cognitive scores in Poisson regression models adjusted for age. Mini-Mental State Examination scores were shown to decrease by 2.8% (P = .029), and MoCA scores by 3.5% (P = .013) for every 10 dB of hearing loss. Analysis of hearing-sensitive components of "Registration" and "Recall" in MMSE and MoCA using chi-square tests showed significantly poorer performance in the hearing loss group as compared to the normal hearing group. Phonetic analysis of target words with high error rates shows that the poor performance was likely contributed by decreased hearing acuity, on top of a possible true deficit in cognition in the hearing impaired. Hearing loss is associated with poorer cognitive scores on MMSE and MoCA, and cognitive scoring is likely confounded by poor hearing ability. This highlights an important, often overlooked aspect of sensory impairment during cognitive screening. Provisions should be made when testing for cognition in the hearing-impaired population to avoid over-referral and subsequent misdiagnoses of cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

On the specificity of face cognition compared with general cognitive functioning across adult age.

PubMed

Hildebrandt, Andrea; Wilhelm, Oliver; Schmiedek, Florian; Herzmann, Grit; Sommer, Werner

2011-09-01

Face cognition is considered a specific human ability, clearly differentiable from general cognitive functioning. Its specificity is primarily supported by cognitive-experimental and neuroimaging research, but recently also from an individual differences perspective. However, no comprehensive behavioral data are available, which would allow estimating lifespan changes of the covariance structure of face-cognition abilities and general cognitive functioning as well as age-differences in face cognition after accounting for interindividual variability in general cognition. The present study aimed to fill this gap. In an age-heterogeneous (18-82 years) sample of 448 adults, we found no factorial dedifferentiation between face cognition and general cognition. Age-related differences in face memory were still salient after taking into account changes in general cognitive functioning. Face cognition thus remains a specific human ability compared with general cognition, even until old age. We discuss implications for models of cognitive aging and suggest that it is necessary to include more explicitly special social abilities in those models.

Is there a cognitive signature for MS-related fatigue?

PubMed

Hanken, Katrin; Eling, Paul; Hildebrandt, Helmut

2015-04-01

The compensatory approach of fatigue argues that it is a state caused by task load. The neuropsychiatric approach argues that fatigue is a trait (like depression), unrelated to environmental challenges. We propose that fatigue is an internal state that can be measured behaviorally only by applying specific cognitive tasks. PubMed was searched for articles concerning the relation between fatigue and cognitive performance or brain atrophy or functional MRI, distinguishing between the following cognitive domains: learning/memory, cognitive speed/selective attention, language, visuospatial processing, working memory, alerting/vigilance. Only tasks assessing alerting/vigilance are strongly related to fatigue. Areas with brain atrophy in fatigue patients overlap with brain regions activated in healthy controls performing alerting/vigilance tasks. Fatigue is not a compensatory state, nor a psychogenic trait. It is a feeling with behavioral effects that seems to be caused by brain atrophy or a neurochemical dysfunction of the alerting/vigilance system. © The Author(s), 2014.

Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres

PubMed Central

Epel, Elissa; Daubenmier, Jennifer; Moskowitz, Judith T.; Folkman, Susan; Blackburn, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

Understanding the malleable determinants of cellular aging is critical to understanding human longevity. Telomeres may provide a pathway for exploring this question. Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. The length of telomeres offers insight into mitotic cell and possibly organismal longevity. Telomere length has now been linked to chronic stress exposure and depression. This raises the question of how might cellular aging be modulated by psychological functioning. We consider two psychological processes or states that are in opposition to one another--threat cognition and mindfulness--and their effects on cellular aging. Psychological stress cognitions, particularly appraisals of threat and ruminative thoughts, can lead to prolonged states of reactivity. In contrast, mindfulness meditation techniques appear to shift cognitive appraisals from threat to challenge, decrease ruminative thought, and reduce stress arousal. Mindfulness may also directly increase positive arousal states. We review data linking telomere length to cognitive stress and stress arousal and present new data linking cognitive appraisal to telomere length. Given the pattern of associations revealed so far, we propose that some forms of meditation may have salutary effects on telomere length by reducing cognitive stress and stress arousal and increasing positive states of mind and hormonal factors that may promote telomere maintenance. Aspects of this model are currently being tested in ongoing trials of mindfulness meditation. PMID:19735238

Cognitive function is associated with risk aversion in community-based older persons.

PubMed

Boyle, Patricia A; Yu, Lei; Buchman, Aron S; Laibson, David I; Bennett, David A

2011-09-11

Emerging data from younger and middle-aged persons suggest that cognitive ability is negatively associated with risk aversion, but this association has not been studied among older persons who are at high risk of experiencing loss of cognitive function. Using data from 369 community-dwelling older persons without dementia from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal epidemiologic study of aging, we examined the correlates of risk aversion and tested the hypothesis that cognition is negatively associated with risk aversion. Global cognition and five specific cognitive abilities were measured via detailed cognitive testing, and risk aversion was measured using standard behavioral economics questions in which participants were asked to choose between a certain monetary payment ($15) versus a gamble in which they could gain more than $15 or gain nothing; potential gamble gains ranged from $21.79 to $151.19 with the gain amounts varied randomly over questions. We first examined the bivariate associations of age, education, sex, income and cognition with risk aversion. Next, we examined the associations between cognition and risk aversion via mixed models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income. Finally, we conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure that our results were not driven by persons with preclinical cognitive impairment. In bivariate analyses, sex, education, income and global cognition were associated with risk aversion. However, in a mixed effect model, only sex (estimate = -1.49, standard error (SE) = 0.39, p < 0.001) and global cognitive function (estimate = -1.05, standard error (SE) = 0.34, p < 0.003) were significantly inversely associated with risk aversion. Thus, a lower level of global cognitive function and female sex were associated with greater risk aversion. Moreover, performance on four out of the five cognitive domains was negatively related to risk aversion (i.e., semantic memory, episodic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed); performance on visuospatial abilities was not. A lower level of cognitive ability and female sex are associated with greater risk aversion in advanced age.

The (virtual) conceptual necessity of quantum probabilities in cognitive psychology.

PubMed

Blutner, Reinhard; beim Graben, Peter

2013-06-01

We propose a way in which Pothos & Busemeyer (P&B) could strengthen their position. Taking a dynamic stance, we consider cognitive tests as functions that transfer a given input state into the state after testing. Under very general conditions, it can be shown that testable properties in cognition form an orthomodular lattice. Gleason's theorem then yields the conceptual necessity of quantum probabilities (QP).

Social cognition in anorexia nervosa: Specific difficulties in decoding emotional but not nonemotional mental states.

PubMed

Brockmeyer, Timo; Pellegrino, Judith; Münch, Hannah; Herzog, Wolfgang; Dziobek, Isabell; Friederich, Hans-Christoph

2016-09-01

Building on recent models of anorexia nervosa (AN) that emphasize the importance of impaired social cognition in the development and maintenance of the disorder, the present study aimed at examining whether women with AN have more difficulties with inferring other people's emotional and nonemotional mental states than healthy women. Social cognition was assessed in 25 adult women with AN and 25 age-matched healthy women. To overcome limitations of previous research on social cognition in AN, the processing of social information was examined in a more complex and ecologically valid manner. The Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) reflects complex real-life social interaction and allows for disentangling emotional and non-emotional mental state inference as well as different types of errors in mentalizing. Women with AN showed poorer emotional mental state inference, whereas non-emotional mental state inference was largely intact. Groups did not differ in undermentalizing (overly simplistic theory of mind) and overmentalizing (overly complex or over-interpretative mental state reasoning). Performance in the MASC was independent of levels of eating disorder psychopathology and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The findings suggest that AN is associated with specific difficulties in emotional mental state inference despite largely intact nonemotional mental state inference. Upon replication in larger samples, these findings advocate a stronger emphasis on socio-emotional processing in AN treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:883-890). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Altered Brain Connectivity in Early Postmenopausal Women with Subjective Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Vega, Jennifer N.; Zurkovsky, Lilia; Albert, Kimberly; Melo, Alyssa; Boyd, Brian; Dumas, Julie; Woodward, Neil; McDonald, Brenna C.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Park, Joon H.; Naylor, Magdalena; Newhouse, Paul A.

2016-01-01

Cognitive changes after menopause are a common complaint, especially as the loss of estradiol at menopause has been hypothesized to contribute to the higher rates of dementia in women. To explore the neural processes related to subjective cognitive complaints, this study examined resting state functional connectivity in 31 postmenopausal women (aged 50–60) in relationship to cognitive complaints following menopause. A cognitive complaint index was calculated using responses to a 120-item questionnaire. Seed regions were identified for resting state brain networks important for higher-order cognitive processes and for areas that have shown differences in volume and functional activity associated with cognitive complaints in prior studies. Results indicated a positive correlation between the executive control network and cognitive complaint score, weaker negative functional connectivity within the frontal cortex, and stronger positive connectivity within the right middle temporal gyrus in postmenopausal women who report more cognitive complaints. While longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis, these data are consistent with previous findings suggesting that high levels of cognitive complaints may reflect changes in brain connectivity and may be a potential marker for the risk of late-life cognitive dysfunction in postmenopausal women with otherwise normal cognitive performance. PMID:27721740

Comparison of cognitive functioning as measured by the Ruff Figural Fluency Test and the CogState computerized battery within the LifeLines Cohort Study.

PubMed

Kuiper, Jisca S; Oude Voshaar, Richard C; Verhoeven, Floor E A; Zuidema, Sytse U; Smidt, Nynke

2017-05-12

The Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT; a pencil and paper test) and the CogState (a computerized cognitive test battery) are well-validated and suitable tests to evaluate cognitive functioning in large observational studies at the population level. The LifeLines Cohort Study includes the RFFT as baseline measurement and incorporated the CogState as replacement for the RFFT at follow-up. It is unknown how these two tests relate to each other. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the correlation between the RFFT and the CogState and the impact of demographic characteristics on this association. A subcohort of the LifeLines Cohort Study, a large population based cohort study, participated in this study. Correlations between the RFFT and six subtasks of the CogState were examined. Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate the influence of age, education, and gender on the results. With sensitivity analyses we investigated the influence of computer experience and (physical) impairments. A total of 509 participants (mean age (SD): 53 years (14.6); range 18-87 years) participated in this study. All correlations between the RFFT and the CogState were statistically significant (except for the correlation between the RFFT error ratio and the CogState One Back Task), ranging from -0.39 to 0.28. Stratifying the analyses for age, education, and gender did not substantially affect our conclusions. Sensitivity analyses showed no substantial influence of level of computer experience or (physical) impairments. Correlations found in the present study were only weak to moderate, indicating that cognitive functioning measured by the RFFT does not measure the same components of cognitive functioning as six subtasks of the CogState. Computerized testing such as the CogState may be very well suited for large cohort studies to assess cognitive functioning in the general population and to identify cognitive changes as early as possible, as it is a less time- and labor intensive tool.

Cognitive-Behavioral Conceptualization and Treatment of Anger

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deffenbacher, Jerry L.

2011-01-01

Anger is conceptualized within a broad cognitive-behavioral (CBT) framework emphasizing triggering events; the person's pre-anger state, including temporary conditions and more enduring cognitive and familial/cultural processes; primary and secondary appraisal processes; the anger experience/response (cognitive, emotional, and physiological…

Do enhanced states exist? Boosting cognitive capacities through an action video-game.

PubMed

Kozhevnikov, Maria; Li, Yahui; Wong, Sabrina; Obana, Takashi; Amihai, Ido

2018-04-01

This research reports the existence of enhanced cognitive states in which dramatic temporary improvements in temporal and spatial aspects of attention were exhibited by participants who played (but not by those who merely observed) action video-games meeting certain criteria. Specifically, Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that the attentional improvements were exhibited only by participants whose skills matched the difficulty level of the video game. Experiment 2 showed that arousal (as reflected by the reduction in parasympathetic activity and increase in sympathetic activity) is a critical physiological condition for enhanced cognitive states and corresponding attentional enhancements. Experiment 3 showed that the cognitive enhancements were transient, and were no longer observed after 30 min of rest following video-gaming. Moreover, the results suggest that the enhancements were specific to tasks requiring visual-spatial focused attention, but not distribution of spatial attention as has been reported to improve significantly and durably as a result of long-term video-game playing. Overall, the results suggest that the observed enhancements cannot be simply due to the activity of video-gaming per se, but might rather represent an enhanced cognitive state resulting from specific conditions (heightened arousal in combination with active engagement and optimal challenge), resonant with what has been described in previous phenomenological literature as "flow" (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975) or "peak experiences" (Maslov, 1962). The findings provide empirical evidence for the existence of the enhanced cognitive states and suggest possibilities for consciously accessing latent resources of our brain to temporarily boost our cognitive capacities upon demand. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Cognitive Factors in Childhood Social Anxiety: Social Threat Thoughts and Social Skills Perception.

PubMed

van Niekerk, Rianne E; Klein, Anke M; Allart-van Dam, Esther; Hudson, Jennifer L; Rinck, Mike; Hutschemaekers, Giel J M; Becker, Eni S

2017-01-01

Models of cognitive processing in anxiety disorders state that socially anxious children display several distorted cognitive processes that maintain their anxiety. The present study investigated the role of social threat thoughts and social skills perception in relation to childhood trait and state social anxiety. In total, 141 children varying in their levels of social anxiety performed a short speech task in front of a camera and filled out self-reports about their trait social anxiety, state anxiety, social skills perception and social threat thoughts. Results showed that social threat thoughts mediated the relationship between trait social anxiety and state anxiety after the speech task, even when controlling for baseline state anxiety. Furthermore, we found that children with higher trait anxiety and more social threat thoughts had a lower perception of their social skills, but did not display a social skills deficit. These results provide evidence for the applicability of the cognitive social anxiety model to children.

Insight into illness and its relationship to illness severity, cognition and estimated antipsychotic dopamine receptor occupancy in schizophrenia: An antipsychotic dose reduction study.

PubMed

Gerretsen, Philip; Takeuchi, Hiroyoshi; Ozzoude, Miracle; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Uchida, Hiroyuki

2017-05-01

Little is known about the influence of D 2 receptor occupancy on impaired insight into illness (III)-a core feature of schizophrenia. III is associated with illness severity and cognitive dysfunction. Comparably, supratherapeutic D 2 receptor occupancy can impair cognition. However, it is unclear how illness severity, cognition, and D 2 receptor occupancy interact to influence III in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of antipsychotic dose reduction on the relationships of illness severity and cognition to III. III was assessed at baseline and 28 weeks post-antipsychotic dose reduction in 16 participants with schizophrenia and plasma antipsychotic concentrations. III was assessed primarily with the Schedule for the Assessment of Insight-Japanese version, and secondarily with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale item G12. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to explore III's relationship to illness severity, cognition, and estimated D 2 receptor occupancy (Est.D 2 ). Cognition and Est.D 2 predicted III at baseline. At 28 weeks post-reduction, illness severity and Est.D 2 predicted III. Our findings suggest a complex relationship may exist among III, illness severity, cognition and Est.D 2 . At higher D 2 receptor occupancies, III is influenced by cognitive dysfunction, whereas, at lower occupancies, illness severity has a stronger effect on III. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening mammography among nursing home residents in the United States: Current guidelines and practice.

PubMed

Mack, Deborah S; Epstein, Mara M; Dubé, Catherine; Clark, Robin E; Lapane, Kate L

2018-06-04

United States (US) guidelines regarding when to stop routine breast cancer screening remain unclear. No national studies to-date have evaluated the use of screening mammography among US long-stay nursing home residents. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify prevalence, predictors, and geographic variation of screening mammography among that population in the context of current US guidelines. Screening mammography prevalence, identified with Physician/Supplier Part B claims and stratified by guideline age classification (65-74, ≥75 years), was estimated for all women aged ≥65 years residing in US Medicare- and Medicaid- certified nursing homes (≥1 year) with an annual Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessment, continuous Medicare Part B enrollment, and no clinical indication for screening mammography as of 2011 (n = 389,821). The associations between resident- and regional- level factors, and screening mammography, were estimated by crude and adjusted prevalence ratios from robust Poisson regressions clustered by facility. Women on average were 85.4 (standard deviation ±8.1) years old, 77.9% were disabled, and 76.3% cognitively impaired. Screening mammography prevalence was 7.1% among those aged 65-74 years (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 6.8%-7.3%) and 1.7% among those ≥75 years (95% CI, 1.7%-1.8%), with geographic variation observed. Predictors of screening in both age groups included race, cognitive impairment, frailty, hospice, and some comorbidities. These results shed light on the current screening mammography practices in US nursing homes. Thoughtful consideration about individual screening recommendations and the implementation of more clear guidelines for this special population are warranted to prevent overscreening. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum Probability -- A New Direction for Modeling in Cognitive Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Sisir

2014-07-01

Human cognition is still a puzzling issue in research and its appropriate modeling. It depends on how the brain behaves at that particular instance and identifies and responds to a signal among myriads of noises that are present in the surroundings (called external noise) as well as in the neurons themselves (called internal noise). Thus it is not surprising to assume that the functionality consists of various uncertainties, possibly a mixture of aleatory and epistemic uncertainties. It is also possible that a complicated pathway consisting of both types of uncertainties in continuum play a major role in human cognition. For more than 200 years mathematicians and philosophers have been using probability theory to describe human cognition. Recently in several experiments with human subjects, violation of traditional probability theory has been clearly revealed in plenty of cases. Literature survey clearly suggests that classical probability theory fails to model human cognition beyond a certain limit. While the Bayesian approach may seem to be a promising candidate to this problem, the complete success story of Bayesian methodology is yet to be written. The major problem seems to be the presence of epistemic uncertainty and its effect on cognition at any given time. Moreover the stochasticity in the model arises due to the unknown path or trajectory (definite state of mind at each time point), a person is following. To this end a generalized version of probability theory borrowing ideas from quantum mechanics may be a plausible approach. A superposition state in quantum theory permits a person to be in an indefinite state at each point of time. Such an indefinite state allows all the states to have the potential to be expressed at each moment. Thus a superposition state appears to be able to represent better, the uncertainty, ambiguity or conflict experienced by a person at any moment demonstrating that mental states follow quantum mechanics during perception and cognition of ambiguous figures.

Information matrix estimation procedures for cognitive diagnostic models.

PubMed

Liu, Yanlou; Xin, Tao; Andersson, Björn; Tian, Wei

2018-03-06

Two new methods to estimate the asymptotic covariance matrix for marginal maximum likelihood estimation of cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs), the inverse of the observed information matrix and the sandwich-type estimator, are introduced. Unlike several previous covariance matrix estimators, the new methods take into account both the item and structural parameters. The relationships between the observed information matrix, the empirical cross-product information matrix, the sandwich-type covariance matrix and the two approaches proposed by de la Torre (2009, J. Educ. Behav. Stat., 34, 115) are discussed. Simulation results show that, for a correctly specified CDM and Q-matrix or with a slightly misspecified probability model, the observed information matrix and the sandwich-type covariance matrix exhibit good performance with respect to providing consistent standard errors of item parameter estimates. However, with substantial model misspecification only the sandwich-type covariance matrix exhibits robust performance. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Estimating the Technology of Cognitive and Noncognitive Skill Formation*

PubMed Central

Cunha, Flavio; Heckman, James; Schennach, Susanne

2009-01-01

This paper formulates and estimates multistage production functions for child cognitive and noncognitive skills. Output is determined by parental environments and investments at different stages of childhood. We estimate the elasticity of substitution between investments in one period and stocks of skills in that period to assess the benefits of early investment in children compared to later remediation. We establish nonparametric identification of a general class of nonlinear factor models. A by-product of our approach is a framework for evaluating childhood interventions that does not rely on arbitrarily scaled test scores as outputs and recognizes the differential effects of skills in different tasks. Using the estimated technology, we determine optimal targeting of interventions to children with different parental and personal birth endowments. Substitutability decreases in later stages of the life cycle for the production of cognitive skills. It increases in later stages of the life cycle for the production of noncognitive skills. This finding has important implications for the design of policies that target the disadvantaged. For some configurations of disadvantage and outcomes, it is optimal to invest relatively more in the later stages of childhood. PMID:20563300

Disrupted Intrinsic Networks Link Amyloid-β Pathology and Impaired Cognition in Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Koch, Kathrin; Myers, Nicholas E; Göttler, Jens; Pasquini, Lorenzo; Grimmer, Timo; Förster, Stefan; Manoliu, Andrei; Neitzel, Julia; Kurz, Alexander; Förstl, Hans; Riedl, Valentin; Wohlschläger, Afra M; Drzezga, Alexander; Sorg, Christian

2015-12-01

Amyloid-β pathology (Aβ) and impaired cognition characterize Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, neural mechanisms that link Aβ-pathology with impaired cognition are incompletely understood. Large-scale intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are potential candidates for this link: Aβ-pathology affects specific networks in early AD, these networks show disrupted connectivity, and they process specific cognitive functions impaired in AD, like memory or attention. We hypothesized that, in AD, regional changes of ICNs, which persist across rest- and cognitive task-states, might link Aβ-pathology with impaired cognition via impaired intrinsic connectivity. Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-positron emission tomography reflecting in vivo Aβ-pathology, resting-state fMRI, task-fMRI, and cognitive testing were used in patients with prodromal AD and healthy controls. In patients, default mode network's (DMN) functional connectivity (FC) was reduced in the medial parietal cortex during rest relative to healthy controls, relatively increased in the same region during an attention-demanding task, and associated with patients' cognitive impairment. Local PiB-uptake correlated negatively with DMN connectivity. Importantly, corresponding results were found for the right lateral parietal region of an attentional network. Finally, structural equation modeling confirmed a direct influence of DMN resting-state FC on the association between Aβ-pathology and cognitive impairment. Data provide evidence that disrupted intrinsic network connectivity links Aβ-pathology with cognitive impairment in early AD. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Problem State: A Cognitive Bottleneck in Multitasking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borst, Jelmer P.; Taatgen, Niels A.; van Rijn, Hedderik

2010-01-01

The main challenge for theories of multitasking is to predict when and how tasks interfere. Here, we focus on interference related to the problem state, a directly accessible intermediate representation of the current state of a task. On the basis of Salvucci and Taatgen's (2008) threaded cognition theory, we predict interference if 2 or more…

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging

PubMed Central

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M.

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains. PMID:29326636

Lower cognitive function in patients with age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Li-Xiao; Sun, Cheng-Lin; Wei, Li-Juan; Gu, Zhi-Min; Lv, Liang; Dang, Yalong

2016-01-01

Objective To investigate the cognitive impairment in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Relevant articles were identified through a search of the following electronic databases through October 2015, without language restriction: 1) PubMed; 2) the Cochrane Library; 3) EMBASE; 4) ScienceDirect. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 12.0 software. Standardized mean differences with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated. All of the included studies met the following four criteria: 1) the study design was a case–control or randomized controlled trial (RCT) study; 2) the study investigated cognitive function in the patient with AMD; 3) the diagnoses of AMD must be provided; 4) there were sufficient scores data to extract for evaluating cognitive function between cases and controls. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale criteria were used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. Results Of the initial 278 literatures, only six case–control and one RCT studies met all of the inclusion criteria. A total of 794 AMD patients and 1,227 controls were included in this study. Five studies were performed with mini-mental state examination (MMSE), two studies with animal fluency, two studies with trail making test (TMT)-A and -B, one study with Mini-Cog. Results of the meta-analysis revealed lower cognitive function test scores in patients with AMD, especially with MMSE and Mini-Cog test (P≤0.001 for all). The results also showed that differences in the TMT-A (except AMD [total] vs controls) and TMT-B test had no statistical significance (P>0.01). The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale score was ≥5 for all of the included studies. Based on the sensitivity analysis, no single study influenced the overall pooled estimates. Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests lower cognitive function test scores in patients with AMD, especially with MMSE and Mini-Cog test. The other cognitive impairment screening tests, such as animal fluency test and TMT, need more studies to assess. PMID:26966358

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging.

PubMed

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer's disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains.

[The role of dosed walking in the combination with elements of cognitive training in the comprehensive treatment of the patients presenting with Alzheimer's disease].

PubMed

Zimushkina, N A; Kosareva, P V; Cherkasova, V G

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dosed physical exercises for the combined treatment of the patients presenting with mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The comprehensive examination involved 41 patients (32 women and 9 men) with the confirmed diagnosis of 'probable' AD with stages 1 and 2 of dementia and 17 healthy volunteers comprising the group of comparison. In all the patients, the neurological examination was supplemented by neuropsychological testing. Two treatment modalities were applied, one being conventional therapy with the use of memantine at the average effective dose, the other with the combination of memantine and dosed physical exercises including elements of cognitive training. In the group of patients treated with memantine alone, changes in cognitive performances among the men did not suggest any statistically significant positive trendency whereas the results of estimation in the women based on the clock drawing test (CDT) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores revealed the significant improvement of cognitive performances. The most pronounced effects were documented in the women who had received combined therapy with the inclusion of dosed physical exercises in the form of walking. The comparison of the results of the treatment with observations of the patients included in the comparison group demonstrated the improvement of frontal cognitive functioning in the patients of both sexes under the influence of the combined treatment which manifested itself as the absence of the statistically significant differences between the results of the evaluation based on the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) scale. The prescription of dosed physical exercises with elements of cognitive training to be applied for the treatment of the patients presenting with dementia of different severity associated with Alzheimer's disease makes it possible to optimize the outcome of the conventional medical treatment and thereby to improve the results of scoring assessments of cognitive performances based on the MMSE, FAB, and CDT scales.

A nonstationary Markov transition model for computing the relative risk of dementia before death

PubMed Central

Yu, Lei; Griffith, William S.; Tyas, Suzanne L.; Snowdon, David A.; Kryscio, Richard J.

2010-01-01

This paper investigates the long-term behavior of the k-step transition probability matrix for a nonstationary discrete time Markov chain in the context of modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and global impairment (GI) as intervening cognitive states. The authors derive formulas for the following absorption statistics: (1) the relative risk of absorption between competing absorbing states, and (2) the mean and variance of the number of visits among the transient states before absorption. Since absorption is not guaranteed, sufficient conditions are discussed to ensure that the substochastic matrix associated with transitions among transient states converges to zero in limit. Results are illustrated with an application to the Nun Study, a cohort of 678 participants, 75 to 107 years of age, followed longitudinally with up to ten cognitive assessments over a fifteen-year period. PMID:20087848

The association between quality of care and quality of life in long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition.

PubMed

Kim, Sun Jung; Park, Eun-Cheol; Kim, Sulgi; Nakagawa, Shunichi; Lung, John; Choi, Jong Bum; Ryu, Woo Sang; Min, Too Jae; Shin, Hyun Phil; Kim, Kyudam; Yoo, Ji Won

2014-03-01

To assess the overall quality of life of long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition, to examine whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service's Nursing Home Compare 5-star quality rating system reflects the overall quality of life of such residents, and to examine whether residents' demographics and clinical characteristics affect their quality of life. Quality of life was measured using the Participant Outcomes and Status Measures-Nursing Facility survey, which has 10 sections and 63 items. Total scores range from 20 (lowest possible quality of life) to 100 (highest). Long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition (n = 316) were interviewed. The average quality- of-life score was 71.4 (SD: 7.6; range: 45.1-93.0). Multilevel regression models revealed that quality of life was associated with physical impairment (parameter estimate = -0.728; P = .04) and depression (parameter estimate = -3.015; P = .01) but not Nursing Home Compare's overall star rating (parameter estimate = 0.683; P = .12) and not pain (parameter estimate = -0.705; P = .47). The 5-star quality rating system did not reflect the quality of life of long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition. Notably, pain was not associated with quality of life, but physical impairment and depression were. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sources of Disconnection in Neurocognitive Aging: Cerebral White Matter Integrity, Resting-state Functional Connectivity, and White Matter Hyperintensity Volume

PubMed Central

Madden, David J.; Parks, Emily L.; Tallman, Catherine W.; Boylan, Maria A.; Hoagey, David A.; Cocjin, Sally B.; Packard, Lauren E.; Johnson, Micah A.; Chou, Ying-hui; Potter, Guy G.; Chen, Nan-kuei; Siciliano, Rachel E.; Monge, Zachary A.; Honig, Jesse A.; Diaz, Michele T.

2017-01-01

Age-related decline in fluid cognition can be characterized as a disconnection among specific brain structures, leading to a decline in functional efficiency. The potential sources of disconnection, however, are unclear. We investigated imaging measures of cerebral white matter integrity, resting-state functional connectivity, and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume as mediators of the relation between age and fluid cognition, in 145 healthy, community-dwelling adults 19–79 years of age. At a general level of analysis, with a single composite measure of fluid cognition and single measures of each of the three imaging modalities, age exhibited an independent influence on the cognitive and imaging measures, and the imaging variables did not mediate the age-cognition relation. At a more specific level of analysis, resting-state functional connectivity of sensorimotor networks was a significant mediator of the age-related decline in executive function. These findings suggest that different levels of analysis lead to different models of neurocognitive disconnection, and that resting-state functional connectivity, in particular, may contribute to age-related decline in executive function. PMID:28389085

Resting-state synchrony between the retrosplenial cortex and anterior medial cortical structures relates to memory complaints in subjective cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Yasuno, Fumihiko; Kazui, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Akihide; Morita, Naomi; Kajimoto, Katsufumi; Ihara, Masafumi; Taguchi, Akihiko; Matsuoka, Kiwamu; Kosaka, Jun; Tanaka, Toshihisa; Kudo, Takashi; Takeda, Masatoshi; Nagatsuka, Kazuyuki; Iida, Hidehiro; Kishimoto, Toshifumi

2015-06-01

Subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) is a clinical state characterized by subjective cognitive deficits without cognitive impairment. To test the hypothesis that this state might involve dysfunction of self-referential processing mediated by cortical midline structures, we investigated abnormalities of functional connectivity in these structures in individuals with SCI using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We performed functional connectivity analysis for 23 individuals with SCI and 30 individuals without SCI. To reveal the pathophysiological basis of the functional connectivity change, we performed magnetic resonance-diffusion tensor imaging. Positron emission tomography-amyloid imaging was conducted in 13 SCI and 15 nonSCI subjects. Individuals with SCI showed reduced functional connectivity in cortical midline structures. Reduction in white matter connections was related to reduced functional connectivity, but we found no amyloid deposition in individuals with SCI. The results do not necessarily contradict the possibility that SCI indicates initial cognitive decrements, but imply that reduced functional connectivity in cortical midline structures contributes to overestimation of the experience of forgetfulness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Training cognitive flexibility in patients with anorexia nervosa: a pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive remediation therapy.

PubMed

Brockmeyer, Timo; Ingenerf, Katrin; Walther, Stephan; Wild, Beate; Hartmann, Mechthild; Herzog, Wolfgang; Bents, Hinrich; Friederich, Hans-Christoph

2014-01-01

Inefficient cognitive flexibility is considered a neurocognitive trait marker involved in the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa (AN). Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is a specific treatment targeting this cognitive style. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and efficacy (by estimating the effect size) of specifically tailored CRT for AN, compared to non-specific cognitive training. A prospective, randomized controlled, superiority pilot trial was conducted. Forty women with AN receiving treatment as usual (TAU) were randomized to receive either CRT or non-specific neurocognitive therapy (NNT) as an add-on. Both conditions comprised 30 sessions of computer-assisted (21 sessions) and face-to-face (9 sessions) training over a 3-week period. CRT focused specifically on cognitive flexibility. NNT was comprised of tasks designed to improve attention and memory. The primary outcome was performance on a neuropsychological post-treatment assessment of cognitive set-shifting. Data available from 25 treatment completers were analyzed. Participants in the CRT condition outperformed participants in the NNT condition in cognitive set-shifting at the end of the treatment (p = 0.027; between-groups effect size d = 0.62). Participants in both conditions showed high treatment acceptance. This study confirms the feasibility of CRT for AN, and provides a first estimate of the effect size that can be achieved using CRT for AN. Furthermore, the present findings corroborate that neurocognitive training for AN should be tailored to the specific cognitive inefficiencies of this patient group. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

How to Build a Functional Connectomic Biomarker for Mild Cognitive Impairment From Source Reconstructed MEG Resting-State Activity: The Combination of ROI Representation and Connectivity Estimator Matters.

PubMed

Dimitriadis, Stavros I; López, María E; Bruña, Ricardo; Cuesta, Pablo; Marcos, Alberto; Maestú, Fernando; Pereda, Ernesto

2018-01-01

Our work aimed to demonstrate the combination of machine learning and graph theory for the designing of a connectomic biomarker for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects using eyes-closed neuromagnetic recordings. The whole analysis based on source-reconstructed neuromagnetic activity. As ROI representation, we employed the principal component analysis (PCA) and centroid approaches. As representative bi-variate connectivity estimators for the estimation of intra and cross-frequency interactions, we adopted the phase locking value (PLV), the imaginary part (iPLV) and the correlation of the envelope (CorrEnv). Both intra and cross-frequency interactions (CFC) have been estimated with the three connectivity estimators within the seven frequency bands (intra-frequency) and in pairs (CFC), correspondingly. We demonstrated how different versions of functional connectivity graphs single-layer (SL-FCG) and multi-layer (ML-FCG) can give us a different view of the functional interactions across the brain areas. Finally, we applied machine learning techniques with main scope to build a reliable connectomic biomarker by analyzing both SL-FCG and ML-FCG in two different options: as a whole unit using a tensorial extraction algorithm and as single pair-wise coupling estimations. We concluded that edge-weighed feature selection strategy outperformed the tensorial treatment of SL-FCG and ML-FCG. The highest classification performance was obtained with the centroid ROI representation and edge-weighted analysis of the SL-FCG reaching the 98% for the CorrEnv in α 1 :α 2 and 94% for the iPLV in α 2 . Classification performance based on the multi-layer participation coefficient, a multiplexity index reached 52% for iPLV and 52% for CorrEnv. Selected functional connections that build the multivariate connectomic biomarker in the edge-weighted scenario are located in default-mode, fronto-parietal, and cingulo-opercular network. Our analysis supports the notion of analyzing FCG simultaneously in intra and cross-frequency whole brain interactions with various connectivity estimators in beamformed recordings.

Parsing trait and state effects of depression severity on neurocognition: Evidence from a 26-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Sarapas, Casey; Shankman, Stewart A; Harrow, Martin; Goldberg, Joseph F

2012-11-01

Cognitive dysfunction in mood disorders falls along a continuum, such that more severe current depression is associated with greater cognitive impairment. It is not clear whether this association reflects transient state effects of current symptoms on cognitive performance, or persistent, trait-like differences in cognition that are related to overall disorder severity. We addressed this question in 42 unipolar and 47 bipolar participants drawn from a 26-year longitudinal study of psychopathology, using measures of attention/psychomotor processing speed, cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, and verbal memory. We assessed (a) the extent to which current symptom severity and past average disorder severity predicted unique variance in cognitive performance; (b) whether cognitive performance covaried with within-individual changes in symptom severity; and (c) the stability of neurocognitive measures over six years. We also tested for differences among unipolar and bipolar groups and published norms. Past average depression severity predicted performance on attention/psychomotor processing speed in both groups, and in cognitive flexibility among unipolar participants, even after controlling for current symptom severity, which did not independently predict cognition. Within-participant state changes in depressive symptoms did not predict change in any cognitive domain. All domains were stable over the course of six years. Both groups showed generalized impairment relative to published norms, and bipolar participants performed more poorly than unipolar participants on attention/psychomotor processing speed. The results suggest a stable relationship between mood disorder severity and cognitive deficits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Cognitive outcomes after sertaline treatment in patients with depression of Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Munro, Cynthia A; Longmire, Crystal Flynn; Drye, Lea T; Martin, Barbara K; Frangakis, Constantine E; Meinert, Curtis L; Mintzer, Jacobo E; Porsteinsson, Anton P; Rabins, Peter V; Rosenberg, Paul B; Schneider, Lon S; Weintraub, Daniel; Lyketsos, Constantine G

2012-12-01

Although many depressed patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) are treated with antidepressants, the effect of such treatment on cognitive performance in these patients is not known. The authors report cognitive outcomes in patients with depression of AD (dAD) after a 24-week trial of sertraline or placebo. Placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial. Outpatient memory clinics at five academic medical centers in the United States. A total of 131 patients with dAD (60 men) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 10-26. Sertraline (n = 67), target dose of 100 mg daily or matching placebo (n = 64). Caregivers received standardized psychosocial intervention throughout the trial. Mini-Mental State Examination, cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, letter fluency, backward digit span, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Finger Tapping Test, administered at baseline, and 8, 16, and 24 weeks following baseline. A series of linear models indicated no effect of treatment or of depression remission on cognitive test performance at 24 weeks. Regardless of treatment condition, very little change in cognitive test performance was noted in general. Treatment with sertraline in patients with dAD is not associated with greater improvement in cognition at week 24 than treatment with placebo.

Resting-state networks associated with cognitive processing show more age-related decline than those associated with emotional processing.

PubMed

Nashiro, Kaoru; Sakaki, Michiko; Braskie, Meredith N; Mather, Mara

2017-06-01

Correlations in activity across disparate brain regions during rest reveal functional networks in the brain. Although previous studies largely agree that there is an age-related decline in the "default mode network," how age affects other resting-state networks, such as emotion-related networks, is still controversial. Here we used a dual-regression approach to investigate age-related alterations in resting-state networks. The results revealed age-related disruptions in functional connectivity in all 5 identified cognitive networks, namely the default mode network, cognitive-auditory, cognitive-speech (or speech-related somatosensory), and right and left frontoparietal networks, whereas such age effects were not observed in the 3 identified emotion networks. In addition, we observed age-related decline in functional connectivity in 3 visual and 3 motor/visuospatial networks. Older adults showed greater functional connectivity in regions outside 4 out of the 5 identified cognitive networks, consistent with the dedifferentiation effect previously observed in task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Both reduced within-network connectivity and increased out-of-network connectivity were correlated with poor cognitive performance, providing potential biomarkers for cognitive aging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alignment of Assessment Objectives with Instructional Objectives Using Revised Bloom's Taxonomy--The Case for Food Science and Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jideani, V. A.; Jideani, I. A.

2012-01-01

Nine food science and technology (FST) subjects were assessed for alignment between the learning outcomes and assessment using revised Bloom's taxonomy (RBT) of cognitive knowledge. Conjoint analysis was used to estimate the utilities of the levels of cognitive, knowledge, and the attribute importance (cognitive process and knowledge dimension)…

Threatening scenes but not threatening faces shorten time-to-contact estimates.

PubMed

DeLucia, Patricia R; Brendel, Esther; Hecht, Heiko; Stacy, Ryan L; Larsen, Jeff T

2014-08-01

We previously reported that time-to-contact (TTC) judgments of threatening scene pictures (e.g., frontal attacks) resulted in shortened estimations and were mediated by cognitive processes, and that judgments of threatening (e.g., angry) face pictures resulted in a smaller effect and did not seem cognitively mediated. In the present study, the effects of threatening scenes and faces were compared in two different tasks. An effect of threatening scene pictures occurred in a prediction-motion task, which putatively requires cognitive motion extrapolation, but not in a relative TTC judgment task, which was designed to be less reliant on cognitive processes. An effect of threatening face pictures did not occur in either task. We propose that an object's explicit potential of threat per se, and not only emotional valence, underlies the effect of threatening scenes on TTC judgments and that such an effect occurs only when the task allows sufficient cognitive processing. Results are consistent with distinctions between predator and social fear systems and different underlying physiological mechanisms. Not all threatening information elicits the same responses, and whether an effect occurs at all may depend on the task and the degree to which the task involves cognitive processes.

Influences of gender role socialization and anxiety on spatial cognitive style.

PubMed

Nori, Raffaella; Mercuri, Noemi; Giusberti, Fiorella; Bensi, Luca; Gambetti, Elisa

2009-01-01

Research on the relationship between personality and social factors in spatial cognitive style is sparse. The present research was conducted to help fill the gap in this domain. We investigated the influence of specific personality traits (masculine/feminine, spatial and trait anxiety), state anxiety, and sex on spatial cognitive style. One hundred forty-two participants completed a battery of spatial tasks in order to assess their spatial cognitive style and filled in questionnaires about the personality traits under examination. Results showed that state anxiety, spatial anxiety, sex, and masculine/feminine trait of personality are predictors of spatial cognitive style. More specifically, it seems that masculine/feminine trait mediates the relationship between sex and spatial cognitive style. Such findings confirm the importance of personality in determining differences in spatial representation.

Measurement of psychological disorders using cognitive diagnosis models.

PubMed

Templin, Jonathan L; Henson, Robert A

2006-09-01

Cognitive diagnosis models are constrained (multiple classification) latent class models that characterize the relationship of questionnaire responses to a set of dichotomous latent variables. Having emanated from educational measurement, several aspects of such models seem well suited to use in psychological assessment and diagnosis. This article presents the development of a new cognitive diagnosis model for use in psychological assessment--the DINO (deterministic input; noisy "or" gate) model--which, as an illustrative example, is applied to evaluate and diagnose pathological gamblers. As part of this example, a demonstration of the estimates obtained by cognitive diagnosis models is provided. Such estimates include the probability an individual meets each of a set of dichotomous Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (text revision [DSM-IV-TR]; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria, resulting in an estimate of the probability an individual meets the DSM-IV-TR definition for being a pathological gambler. Furthermore, a demonstration of how the hypothesized underlying factors contributing to pathological gambling can be measured with the DINO model is presented, through use of a covariance structure model for the tetrachoric correlation matrix of the dichotomous latent variables representing DSM-IV-TR criteria. Copyright 2006 APA

Depression and cognitive impairment among newly admitted nursing home residents in the USA.

PubMed

Ulbricht, Christine M; Rothschild, Anthony J; Hunnicutt, Jacob N; Lapane, Kate L

2017-11-01

The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of depression and cognitive impairment among newly admitted nursing home residents in the USA and to describe the treatment of depression by level of cognitive impairment. We identified 1,088,619 newly admitted older residents between 2011 and 2013 with an active diagnosis of depression documented on the Minimum Data Set 3.0. The prevalence of receiving psychiatric treatment was estimated by cognitive impairment status and depression symptoms. Binary logistic regression using generalized estimating equations provided adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between level of cognitive impairment and receipt of psychiatric treatment, adjusted for clustering of residents within nursing homes and resident characteristics. Twenty-six percent of newly admitted residents had depression; 47% of these residents also had cognitive impairment. Of those who had staff assessments of depression, anhedonia, impaired concentration, psychomotor disturbances, and irritability were more commonly experienced by residents with cognitive impairment than residents without cognitive impairment. Forty-eight percent of all residents with depression did not receive any psychiatric treatment. Approximately one-fifth of residents received a combination of treatment. Residents with severe cognitive impairment were less likely than those with intact cognition to receive psychiatric treatment (adjusted odds ratio = 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.93-0.98). Many newly admitted residents with an active diagnosis of depression are untreated, potentially missing an important window to improve symptoms. The extent of comorbid cognitive impairment and depression and lack of treatment suggest opportunities for improved quality of care in this increasingly important healthcare setting. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Memory Reconsolidation and Computational Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Cooper and H.T. Siegelmann, "Memory Reconsolidation for Natural Language Processing," Cognitive Neurodynamics , 3, 2009: 365-372. M.M. Olsen, N...computerized memories and other state of the art cognitive architectures, our memory system has the ability to process on-line and in real-time as...on both continuous and binary inputs, unlike state of the art methods in case based reasoning and in cognitive architectures, which are bound to

Parenting for Cognitive Development from 1950 to 2000: The Institutionalization of Mass Education and the Social Construction of Parenting in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaub, Maryellen

2010-01-01

Over the second half of the twentieth century, changes occurred in parent reports of their engagement in cognitive activities with their young children in the United States. This article argues that the growing trend of "parenting for cognitive development" in young children in the latter half of the twentieth century is associated with the…

Classifying human operator functional state based on electrophysiological and performance measures and fuzzy clustering method.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian-Hua; Peng, Xiao-Di; Liu, Hua; Raisch, Jörg; Wang, Ru-Bin

2013-12-01

The human operator's ability to perform their tasks can fluctuate over time. Because the cognitive demands of the task can also vary it is possible that the capabilities of the operator are not sufficient to satisfy the job demands. This can lead to serious errors when the operator is overwhelmed by the task demands. Psychophysiological measures, such as heart rate and brain activity, can be used to monitor operator cognitive workload. In this paper, the most influential psychophysiological measures are extracted to characterize Operator Functional State (OFS) in automated tasks under a complex form of human-automation interaction. The fuzzy c-mean (FCM) algorithm is used and tested for its OFS classification performance. The results obtained have shown the feasibility and effectiveness of the FCM algorithm as well as the utility of the selected input features for OFS classification. Besides being able to cope with nonlinearity and fuzzy uncertainty in the psychophysiological data it can provide information about the relative importance of the input features as well as the confidence estimate of the classification results. The OFS pattern classification method developed can be incorporated into an adaptive aiding system in order to enhance the overall performance of a large class of safety-critical human-machine cooperative systems.

Empathy, ToM, and self-other differentiation: an fMRI study of internal states.

PubMed

Reniers, Renate L E P; Völlm, Birgit A; Elliott, Rebecca; Corcoran, Rhiannon

2014-02-01

This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural substrates of empathy, Theory of Mind (ToM), and self-other differentiation involved in the adaptive understanding of people's internal states. Three conditions were distinguished in both sad and neutral (no obvious emotion) contexts. The empathy condition involved imagining what another person is feeling while the more cognitively loaded ToM condition involved imagining what would make another person feel better. The self-reference condition required participants to imagine how they would feel in someone else's situation. Areas previously implicated in empathy, ToM, and self-other differentiation were identified within the different conditions, regardless of emotional context. Specifically, the frontal and temporal poles responded more strongly for ToM than for empathy. The self-reference condition was associated with stronger dorsolateral prefrontal response than the empathy condition, while the reverse comparison revealed a stronger role for right frontal pole. Activations in frontal pole and orbitofrontal cortex were shared between the three conditions. Contrasts of parameter estimates demonstrated modulation by emotional context. The findings of common and differential patterns of responding observed in prefrontal and temporal regions suggest that within the social cognition network empathy, ToM and self-other differentiation have distinct roles that are responsive to context.

Intracranial microprobe for evaluating neuro-hemodynamic coupling in unanesthetized human neocortex

PubMed Central

Keller, Corey J.; Cash, Sydney S.; Narayanan, Suresh; Wang, Chunmao; Kuzniecky, Ruben; Carlson, Chad; Devinsky, Orrin; Thesen, Thomas; Doyle, Werner; Sassaroli, Angelo; Boas, David A.; Ulbert, Istvan; Halgren, Eric

2009-01-01

Measurement of the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response with fMRI has revolutionized cognitive neuroscience and is increasingly important in clinical care. The BOLD response reflects changes in deoxy-hemoglobin concentration, blood volume, and blood flow. These hemodynamic changes ultimately result from neuronal firing and synaptic activity, but the linkage between these domains is complex, poorly understood, and may differ across species, cortical areas, diseases, and cognitive states. We describe here a technique that can measure neural and hemodynamic changes simultaneously from cortical microdomains in waking humans. We utilize a “laminar optode,” a linear array of microelectrodes for electrophysiological measures paired with a micro-optical device for hemodynamic measurements. Optical measurements include laser Doppler to estimate cerebral blood flow as well as point spectroscopy to estimate oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations. The microelectrode array records local field potential gradients (PG) and multi-unit activity (MUA) at 24 locations spanning the cortical depth, permitting estimation of population trans-membrane current flows (Current Source Density, CSD) and population cell firing in each cortical lamina. Comparison of the laminar CSD/MUA profile with the origins and terminations of cortical circuits allows activity in specific neuronal circuits to be inferred and then directly compared to hemodynamics. Access is obtained in epileptic patients during diagnostic evaluation for surgical therapy. Validation tests with relatively well-understood manipulations (EKG, breath-holding, cortical electrical stimulation) demonstrate the expected responses. This device can provide a new and robust means for obtaining detailed, quantitative data for defining neurovascular coupling in awake humans. PMID:19428529

Intracranial microprobe for evaluating neuro-hemodynamic coupling in unanesthetized human neocortex.

PubMed

Keller, Corey J; Cash, Sydney S; Narayanan, Suresh; Wang, Chunmao; Kuzniecky, Ruben; Carlson, Chad; Devinsky, Orrin; Thesen, Thomas; Doyle, Werner; Sassaroli, Angelo; Boas, David A; Ulbert, Istvan; Halgren, Eric

2009-05-15

Measurement of the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response with fMRI has revolutionized cognitive neuroscience and is increasingly important in clinical care. The BOLD response reflects changes in deoxy-hemoglobin concentration, blood volume, and blood flow. These hemodynamic changes ultimately result from neuronal firing and synaptic activity, but the linkage between these domains is complex, poorly understood, and may differ across species, cortical areas, diseases, and cognitive states. We describe here a technique that can measure neural and hemodynamic changes simultaneously from cortical microdomains in waking humans. We utilize a "laminar optode," a linear array of microelectrodes for electrophysiological measures paired with a micro-optical device for hemodynamic measurements. Optical measurements include laser Doppler to estimate cerebral blood flow as well as point spectroscopy to estimate oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations. The microelectrode array records local field potential gradients (PG) and multi-unit activity (MUA) at 24 locations spanning the cortical depth, permitting estimation of population trans-membrane current flows (Current Source Density, CSD) and population cell firing in each cortical lamina. Comparison of the laminar CSD/MUA profile with the origins and terminations of cortical circuits allows activity in specific neuronal circuits to be inferred and then directly compared to hemodynamics. Access is obtained in epileptic patients during diagnostic evaluation for surgical therapy. Validation tests with relatively well-understood manipulations (EKG, breath-holding, cortical electrical stimulation) demonstrate the expected responses. This device can provide a new and robust means for obtaining detailed, quantitative data for defining neurovascular coupling in awake humans.

The Reliability Estimation for the Open Function of Cabin Door Affected by the Imprecise Judgment Corresponding to Distribution Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Z. P.; Yue, Z. F.; Liu, W.

2018-05-01

With the development of artificial intelligence, more and more reliability experts have noticed the roles of subjective information in the reliability design of complex system. Therefore, based on the certain numbers of experiment data and expert judgments, we have divided the reliability estimation based on distribution hypothesis into cognition process and reliability calculation. Consequently, for an illustration of this modification, we have taken the information fusion based on intuitional fuzzy belief functions as the diagnosis model of cognition process, and finished the reliability estimation for the open function of cabin door affected by the imprecise judgment corresponding to distribution hypothesis.

Stochastic Dynamics Underlying Cognitive Stability and Flexibility

PubMed Central

Ueltzhöffer, Kai; Armbruster-Genç, Diana J. N.; Fiebach, Christian J.

2015-01-01

Cognitive stability and flexibility are core functions in the successful pursuit of behavioral goals. While there is evidence for a common frontoparietal network underlying both functions and for a key role of dopamine in the modulation of flexible versus stable behavior, the exact neurocomputational mechanisms underlying those executive functions and their adaptation to environmental demands are still unclear. In this work we study the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying cue based task switching (flexibility) and distractor inhibition (stability) in a paradigm specifically designed to probe both functions. We develop a physiologically plausible, explicit model of neural networks that maintain the currently active task rule in working memory and implement the decision process. We simplify the four-choice decision network to a nonlinear drift-diffusion process that we canonically derive from a generic winner-take-all network model. By fitting our model to the behavioral data of individual subjects, we can reproduce their full behavior in terms of decisions and reaction time distributions in baseline as well as distractor inhibition and switch conditions. Furthermore, we predict the individual hemodynamic response timecourse of the rule-representing network and localize it to a frontoparietal network including the inferior frontal junction area and the intraparietal sulcus, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This refines the understanding of task-switch-related frontoparietal brain activity as reflecting attractor-like working memory representations of task rules. Finally, we estimate the subject-specific stability of the rule-representing attractor states in terms of the minimal action associated with a transition between different rule states in the phase-space of the fitted models. This stability measure correlates with switching-specific thalamocorticostriatal activation, i.e., with a system associated with flexible working memory updating and dopaminergic modulation of cognitive flexibility. These results show that stochastic dynamical systems can implement the basic computations underlying cognitive stability and flexibility and explain neurobiological bases of individual differences. PMID:26068119

Prerequisites for Computer-Aided Cognitive Rehabilitation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legrand, Colette

1989-01-01

This paper describes computer-aided cognitive rehabilitation for mentally deficient persons. It lists motor, cognitive, emotional, and educational prerequisites to such rehabilitation and states advantages and disadvantages in using the prerequisites. (JDD)

Mothers' use of cognitive state verbs in picture-book reading and the development of children's understanding of mind: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Adrián, Juan E; Clemente, Rosa Ana; Villanueva, Lidón

2007-01-01

Mothers read stories to their children (N=41) aged between 3.3 years and 5.11 years old, and children then completed two false-belief tasks. One year later, mothers read a story to 37 of those children who were also given four tasks to assess their advanced understanding of mental states. Mothers' early use of cognitive verbs in picture-book reading correlated with their children's later understanding of mental states. Some pragmatic aspects of maternal input correlated with children's later outcomes. Two different factors in mothers' cognitive discourse were identified, suggesting a zone of proximal development in children's understanding of mental states.

Resting State Correlates of Subdimensions of Anxious Affect

PubMed Central

Bijsterbosch, Janine; Smith, Stephen; Forster, Sophie; John, Oliver P.; Bishop, Sonia J.

2014-01-01

Resting state fMRI may help identify markers of risk for affective disorder. Given the comorbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders and the heterogeneity of these disorders as defined by DSM, an important challenge is to identify alterations in resting state brain connectivity uniquely associated with distinct profiles of negative affect. The current study aimed to address this by identifying differences in brain connectivity specifically linked to cognitive and physiological profiles of anxiety, controlling for depressed affect. We adopted a two-stage multivariate approach. Hierarchical clustering was used to independently identify dimensions of negative affective style and resting state brain networks. Combining the clustering results, we examined individual differences in resting state connectivity uniquely associated with subdimensions of anxious affect, controlling for depressed affect. Physiological and cognitive subdimensions of anxious affect were identified. Physiological anxiety was associated with widespread alterations in insula connectivity, including decreased connectivity between insula subregions and between the insula and other medial frontal and subcortical networks. This is consistent with the insula facilitating communication between medial frontal and subcortical regions to enable control of physiological affective states. Meanwhile, increased connectivity within a frontoparietal–posterior cingulate cortex–precunous network was specifically associated with cognitive anxiety, potentially reflecting increased spontaneous negative cognition (e.g., worry). These findings suggest that physiological and cognitive anxiety comprise subdimensions of anxiety-related affect and reveal associated alterations in brain connectivity. PMID:24168223

Personalized long-term prediction of cognitive function: Using sequential assessments to improve model performance.

PubMed

Chi, Chih-Lin; Zeng, Wenjun; Oh, Wonsuk; Borson, Soo; Lenskaia, Tatiana; Shen, Xinpeng; Tonellato, Peter J

2017-12-01

Prediction of onset and progression of cognitive decline and dementia is important both for understanding the underlying disease processes and for planning health care for populations at risk. Predictors identified in research studies are typically accessed at one point in time. In this manuscript, we argue that an accurate model for predicting cognitive status over relatively long periods requires inclusion of time-varying components that are sequentially assessed at multiple time points (e.g., in multiple follow-up visits). We developed a pilot model to test the feasibility of using either estimated or observed risk factors to predict cognitive status. We developed two models, the first using a sequential estimation of risk factors originally obtained from 8 years prior, then improved by optimization. This model can predict how cognition will change over relatively long time periods. The second model uses observed rather than estimated time-varying risk factors and, as expected, results in better prediction. This model can predict when newly observed data are acquired in a follow-up visit. Performances of both models that are evaluated in10-fold cross-validation and various patient subgroups show supporting evidence for these pilot models. Each model consists of multiple base prediction units (BPUs), which were trained using the same set of data. The difference in usage and function between the two models is the source of input data: either estimated or observed data. In the next step of model refinement, we plan to integrate the two types of data together to flexibly predict dementia status and changes over time, when some time-varying predictors are measured only once and others are measured repeatedly. Computationally, both data provide upper and lower bounds for predictive performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of early and concurrent stunting on cognition.

PubMed

Crookston, Benjamin T; Dearden, Kirk A; Alder, Stephen C; Porucznik, Christina A; Stanford, Joseph B; Merrill, Ray M; Dickerson, Ty T; Penny, Mary E

2011-10-01

Undernutrition is associated with poor cognitive development, late entry into school, decreased years of schooling, reduced productivity and smaller adult stature. We use longitudinal data from 1674 Peruvian children participating in the Young Lives study to assess the relative impact of early stunting (stunted at 6-18 months of age) and concurrent stunting (stunted at 4.5-6 years of age) on cognitive ability. Anthropometric data were longitudinally collected for children at 6-18 months of age and 4.5-6 years of age at which time verbal and quantitative ability were also assessed. We estimate that an increase in concurrent height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) by one standard deviation was associated with an increase in a child's score on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) by 2.35 points [confidence interval (CI): 1.55-3.15] and a 0.16 point increase on the cognitive development assessment (CDA) (CI: 0.05-0.27). Furthermore, we report that the estimate for concurrent HAZ and PPVT is significantly higher than the estimate for early stunting and PPVT. We found no significant difference between early and concurrent estimates for HAZ and CDA. Children from older mothers, children whose mothers had higher education levels, children living in urban areas, children who attended pre-school, children with fewer siblings and children from wealthier backgrounds scored higher on both assessments. Cognitive skills of children entering school were associated with early stunting but the strongest association was found with concurrent stunting suggesting that interventions preventing linear growth faltering should not only focus on the under 2s but include children up to 5 years of age. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Agreement between clients with schizophrenia and mental health workers on clients' social quality of life: The role of social cognition and symptoms.

PubMed

Ofir-Eyal, Shani; Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Bar-Kalifa, Eran; Kravetz, Shlomo; Lysaker, Paul H

2017-06-01

Studies have showed that therapists and mental health workers of persons with schizophrenia tend to estimate their patients' social quality of life (SQoL) as poorer than the clients' own estimation. This study explores the hypothesis that this discrepancy is related to clients' social cognition and symptomatology. Cross-sectional assessment of both clients and their mental health workers. Ninety persons with schizophrenia and 12 persons who were formal care providers participated in the study. All responded to a parallel version (client and clinician) of social quality-of-life scales. Clients' emotion identification, theory of mind and symptoms were also assessed. Low social cognitive abilities of persons with schizophrenia, as well as negative symptomatology and having children, may be related to the negative bias of mental health workers, with regard to their client's SQoL. While more severe levels of negative symptoms and more deficits of social cognition were related to reduced levels of agreement, paradoxically, a relatively normative family life that includes parenting was also related to lower levels of agreement. Attention should be given to low agreement between clients with schizophrenia and clinicians with regard to the client's quality of life, as it is central to alliance and outcome. Clinicians tend to estimate clients' social quality of life as poorer than the clients' own estimation when those clients have low social cognition, high negative symptomatology and children. There is a need to identify additional factors that contribute to agreement and alliance in therapy. Longitudinal assessment during therapy can trace the process of construction of agreement. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Optimization of Biomathematical Model Predictions for Cognitive Performance Impairment in Individuals: Accounting for Unknown Traits and Uncertain States in Homeostatic and Circadian Processes

PubMed Central

Van Dongen, Hans P. A.; Mott, Christopher G.; Huang, Jen-Kuang; Mollicone, Daniel J.; McKenzie, Frederic D.; Dinges, David F.

2007-01-01

Current biomathematical models of fatigue and performance do not accurately predict cognitive performance for individuals with a priori unknown degrees of trait vulnerability to sleep loss, do not predict performance reliably when initial conditions are uncertain, and do not yield statistically valid estimates of prediction accuracy. These limitations diminish their usefulness for predicting the performance of individuals in operational environments. To overcome these 3 limitations, a novel modeling approach was developed, based on the expansion of a statistical technique called Bayesian forecasting. The expanded Bayesian forecasting procedure was implemented in the two-process model of sleep regulation, which has been used to predict performance on the basis of the combination of a sleep homeostatic process and a circadian process. Employing the two-process model with the Bayesian forecasting procedure to predict performance for individual subjects in the face of unknown traits and uncertain states entailed subject-specific optimization of 3 trait parameters (homeostatic build-up rate, circadian amplitude, and basal performance level) and 2 initial state parameters (initial homeostatic state and circadian phase angle). Prior information about the distribution of the trait parameters in the population at large was extracted from psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) performance measurements in 10 subjects who had participated in a laboratory experiment with 88 h of total sleep deprivation. The PVT performance data of 3 additional subjects in this experiment were set aside beforehand for use in prospective computer simulations. The simulations involved updating the subject-specific model parameters every time the next performance measurement became available, and then predicting performance 24 h ahead. Comparison of the predictions to the subjects' actual data revealed that as more data became available for the individuals at hand, the performance predictions became increasingly more accurate and had progressively smaller 95% confidence intervals, as the model parameters converged efficiently to those that best characterized each individual. Even when more challenging simulations were run (mimicking a change in the initial homeostatic state; simulating the data to be sparse), the predictions were still considerably more accurate than would have been achieved by the two-process model alone. Although the work described here is still limited to periods of consolidated wakefulness with stable circadian rhythms, the results obtained thus far indicate that the Bayesian forecasting procedure can successfully overcome some of the major outstanding challenges for biomathematical prediction of cognitive performance in operational settings. Citation: Van Dongen HPA; Mott CG; Huang JK; Mollicone DJ; McKenzie FD; Dinges DF. Optimization of biomathematical model predictions for cognitive performance impairment in individuals: accounting for unknown traits and uncertain states in homeostatic and circadian processes. SLEEP 2007;30(9):1129-1143. PMID:17910385

[Electroencephalographic characteristic of cognitive-specific alerting attention in verbal learning--III: Localized characteristics of EEG spatial synchronization].

PubMed

Dan'ko, S G; Kachalova, L M; Solov'eva, M L

2010-01-01

Electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorder in 19 standard derivations in 88 healthy subjects, while they were in the states: rest with eyes open; memorization (learning) of verbal bilingual semantic pairs (Latin and Russian languages); the retrieval of the rote information from memory (control). We compared estimates of EEG coherence in these states for the frequency bands theta (4-7 Hz), alpha-1 (7-10 Hz), alpha-2 (10-13 Hz), beta-1 (13-18 Hz), beta-2 (18-30 Hz), gamma (30-40 Hz). When compared with the rest most strongly expressed: for memorization a decrease of coherence in the pairs of derivations from frontal and central areas of the cortex in the EEG frequency bands; for retrieval an increase of coherence in interhemispheric derivation pairs of pariental-occipital region in majority of the frequency bands. For the retrieval also increases of coherence in the beta2 and gamma bands, along with coherence decreases at low frequencies take place in pairs formed by derivations from the parieto-occipital region with derivations from the frontal and the central ones. Dynamics of EEG coherence in comparisons of memorization and retrieval from the rest and each are expressed significantly more in the interhemispheric and crosshemispheric pairs of derivations than in the intrahemispheric pairs. Revealed topographic specificity of the dynamics of EEG coherence by changing the states is considered in terms of ideas about cognitive-specific forms of sustained goal-directed mental attention.

A state space approach for piecewise-linear recurrent neural networks for identifying computational dynamics from neural measurements.

PubMed

Durstewitz, Daniel

2017-06-01

The computational and cognitive properties of neural systems are often thought to be implemented in terms of their (stochastic) network dynamics. Hence, recovering the system dynamics from experimentally observed neuronal time series, like multiple single-unit recordings or neuroimaging data, is an important step toward understanding its computations. Ideally, one would not only seek a (lower-dimensional) state space representation of the dynamics, but would wish to have access to its statistical properties and their generative equations for in-depth analysis. Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are a computationally powerful and dynamically universal formal framework which has been extensively studied from both the computational and the dynamical systems perspective. Here we develop a semi-analytical maximum-likelihood estimation scheme for piecewise-linear RNNs (PLRNNs) within the statistical framework of state space models, which accounts for noise in both the underlying latent dynamics and the observation process. The Expectation-Maximization algorithm is used to infer the latent state distribution, through a global Laplace approximation, and the PLRNN parameters iteratively. After validating the procedure on toy examples, and using inference through particle filters for comparison, the approach is applied to multiple single-unit recordings from the rodent anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) obtained during performance of a classical working memory task, delayed alternation. Models estimated from kernel-smoothed spike time data were able to capture the essential computational dynamics underlying task performance, including stimulus-selective delay activity. The estimated models were rarely multi-stable, however, but rather were tuned to exhibit slow dynamics in the vicinity of a bifurcation point. In summary, the present work advances a semi-analytical (thus reasonably fast) maximum-likelihood estimation framework for PLRNNs that may enable to recover relevant aspects of the nonlinear dynamics underlying observed neuronal time series, and directly link these to computational properties.

Predicting Long-Term Cognitive Outcome Following Breast Cancer with Pre-Treatment Resting State fMRI and Random Forest Machine Learning.

PubMed

Kesler, Shelli R; Rao, Arvind; Blayney, Douglas W; Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid A; Karuturi, Meghan; Palesh, Oxana

2017-01-01

We aimed to determine if resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquired at pre-treatment baseline could accurately predict breast cancer-related cognitive impairment at long-term follow-up. We evaluated 31 patients with breast cancer (age 34-65) prior to any treatment, post-chemotherapy and 1 year later. Cognitive testing scores were normalized based on data obtained from 43 healthy female controls and then used to categorize patients as impaired or not based on longitudinal changes. We measured clustering coefficient, a measure of local connectivity, by applying graph theory to baseline resting state fMRI and entered these metrics along with relevant patient-related and medical variables into random forest classification. Incidence of cognitive impairment at 1 year follow-up was 55% and was predicted by classification algorithms with up to 100% accuracy ( p < 0.0001). The neuroimaging-based model was significantly more accurate than a model involving patient-related and medical variables ( p = 0.005). Hub regions belonging to several distinct functional networks were the most important predictors of cognitive outcome. Characteristics of these hubs indicated potential spread of brain injury from default mode to other networks over time. These findings suggest that resting state fMRI is a promising tool for predicting future cognitive impairment associated with breast cancer. This information could inform treatment decision making by identifying patients at highest risk for long-term cognitive impairment.

Predicting Long-Term Cognitive Outcome Following Breast Cancer with Pre-Treatment Resting State fMRI and Random Forest Machine Learning

PubMed Central

Kesler, Shelli R.; Rao, Arvind; Blayney, Douglas W.; Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid A.; Karuturi, Meghan; Palesh, Oxana

2017-01-01

We aimed to determine if resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquired at pre-treatment baseline could accurately predict breast cancer-related cognitive impairment at long-term follow-up. We evaluated 31 patients with breast cancer (age 34–65) prior to any treatment, post-chemotherapy and 1 year later. Cognitive testing scores were normalized based on data obtained from 43 healthy female controls and then used to categorize patients as impaired or not based on longitudinal changes. We measured clustering coefficient, a measure of local connectivity, by applying graph theory to baseline resting state fMRI and entered these metrics along with relevant patient-related and medical variables into random forest classification. Incidence of cognitive impairment at 1 year follow-up was 55% and was predicted by classification algorithms with up to 100% accuracy (p < 0.0001). The neuroimaging-based model was significantly more accurate than a model involving patient-related and medical variables (p = 0.005). Hub regions belonging to several distinct functional networks were the most important predictors of cognitive outcome. Characteristics of these hubs indicated potential spread of brain injury from default mode to other networks over time. These findings suggest that resting state fMRI is a promising tool for predicting future cognitive impairment associated with breast cancer. This information could inform treatment decision making by identifying patients at highest risk for long-term cognitive impairment. PMID:29187817

Gait speed in older people: an easy test for detecting cognitive impairment, functional independence, and health state.

PubMed

Garcia-Pinillos, Felipe; Cozar-Barba, Manuela; Munoz-Jimenez, Marcos; Soto-Hermoso, Victor; Latorre-Roman, Pedro

2016-05-01

With ageing, physical and cognitive functions become impaired. Analyzing and determining the association between both functions can facilitate the prevention and diagnosis of associated problems. Some previous works have proposed batteries of physical performance tests to determine both physical and cognitive functions. However, only a few studies have used the gait speed (GS) test as a tool to evaluate parameters representative of health in the elderly such as functionality, mobility, independence, autonomy, and comorbidity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the association between physical and cognitive functions in older people (over 65 years old) and to detect the most appropriate physical test to assess cognitive impairment, functional independence, comorbidity, and perceived health in this population. One hundred six older adults (38 men, 68 women) participated voluntarily in this cross-sectional study. To assess the physical function handgrip strength, GS, 30-s chair stand tests, and body composition analysis were performed. To evaluate cognitive function, the Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel index, and Charlson index were employed. No significant differences (P ≥ 0.05) between sexes were found. Multiple regression analysis of the Mini-Mental State Examination and physical fitness variables, adjusted for age and sex, indicates that GS is a predictor of Mini-Mental State Examination score (R(2) = 0.138). The results showed that GS is an important predictor of functional capacity (physical and cognitive function) in adults over 65 years old. © 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Dreamlike effects of LSD on waking imagery in humans depend on serotonin 2A receptor activation.

PubMed

Kraehenmann, Rainer; Pokorny, Dan; Vollenweider, Leonie; Preller, Katrin H; Pokorny, Thomas; Seifritz, Erich; Vollenweider, Franz X

2017-07-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that the mixed serotonin and dopamine receptor agonist lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) induces an altered state of consciousness that resembles dreaming. This study aimed to test the hypotheses that LSD produces dreamlike waking imagery and that this imagery depends on 5-HT2A receptor activation and is related to subjective drug effects. Twenty-five healthy subjects performed an audiorecorded guided mental imagery task 7 h after drug administration during three drug conditions: placebo, LSD (100 mcg orally) and LSD together with the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin (40 mg orally). Cognitive bizarreness of guided mental imagery reports was quantified as a standardised formal measure of dream mentation. State of consciousness was evaluated using the Altered State of Consciousness (5D-ASC) questionnaire. LSD, compared with placebo, significantly increased cognitive bizarreness (p < 0.001). The LSD-induced increase in cognitive bizarreness was positively correlated with the LSD-induced loss of self-boundaries and cognitive control (p < 0.05). Both LSD-induced increases in cognitive bizarreness and changes in state of consciousness were fully blocked by ketanserin. LSD produced mental imagery similar to dreaming, primarily via activation of the 5-HT2A receptor and in relation to loss of self-boundaries and cognitive control. Future psychopharmacological studies should assess the differential contribution of the D2/D1 and 5-HT1A receptors to cognitive bizarreness.

State Mindfulness During Meditation Predicts Enhanced Cognitive Reappraisal

PubMed Central

Hanley, Adam; Farb, Norman A.; Froeliger, Brett E.

2013-01-01

Putatively, mindfulness meditation involves generation of a state of “nonappraisal”, yet, little is known about how mindfulness may influence appraisal processes. We investigated whether the state and practice of mindfulness could enhance cognitive reappraisal. Participants (N = 44; M age = 24.44, SD = 4.00, range 19 – 38, 82.2% female) were randomized to either 1) mindfulness, 2) suppression, or 3) mind-wandering induction training conditions. Cognitive reappraisal was assessed with the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) prior to experimental induction, and state mindfulness was assessed immediately following induction using the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS). Participants practiced their assigned strategy for one week and then were reassessed with the ERQ reappraisal subscale. Participants receiving mindfulness training reported significantly higher levels of state mindfulness than participants in the thought suppression and mind wandering conditions. Although brief mindfulness training did not lead to significantly greater increases in reappraisal than the other two conditions, state mindfulness during mindfulness meditation was prospectively associated with increases in reappraisal. Path analysis revealed that the indirect effect between mindfulness training and reappraisal was significant through state mindfulness. Degree of state mindfulness achieved during the act of mindfulness meditation significantly predicted increases in reappraisal over time, suggesting that mindfulness may promote emotion regulation by enhancing cognitive reappraisal. PMID:26085851

Capturing Cognitive Processing Time for Active Authentication

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

cognitive fingerprint for continuous authentication. Its effectiveness has been verified through a campus-wide experiment at Iowa State University...2 3.1 Cognitive Fingerprint Description...brief to capture a “ cognitive fingerprint .” In the current keystroke-authentication commercial market, some products combine the timing information of

Error-associated behaviors and error rates for robotic geology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Robert C.; Thomas, Geb; Wagner, Jacob; Glasgow, Justin

2004-01-01

This study explores human error as a function of the decision-making process. One of many models for human decision-making is Rasmussen's decision ladder [9]. The decision ladder identifies the multiple tasks and states of knowledge involved in decision-making. The tasks and states of knowledge can be classified by the level of cognitive effort required to make the decision, leading to the skill, rule, and knowledge taxonomy (Rasmussen, 1987). Skill based decisions require the least cognitive effort and knowledge based decisions require the greatest cognitive effort. Errors can occur at any of the cognitive levels.

[Influence of occupation on cognitive impairment with no dementia in a sample population over 55 years from Zaragoza].

PubMed

Gracia-Rebled, Ana Cristina; Santabárbara, Javier; Lopez-Anton, Raul; Tomas, Concepción; Lobo, Elena; Marcos, Guillermo; Lobo, Antonio

The prevalence of cognitive impairment with no dementia (CIND) varies between 5.1% and 35.9%, increasing between 65 and 85 years. The CIND increases the risk of dementia. Factors such as education, occupation, and social activities are associated with the risk of cognitive impairment. The main objective of this study was to analyse the association between the main occupation developed throughout life and CIND in a general population sample of over 55 years. In wave I of the ZARADEMP Project, a sample (n=4803) of people over 55 years was interviewed. CIND measurement was obtained through the Mini Mental State Examination. Occupational activity data were recoded into white collar, blue collar, homemakers, and farmers. The association between the occupation variables and CIND was estimated using the odds ratio, and 95% confidence intervals using logistic regression equations. The prevalence of CIND in the sample was 28.2%. As regards white collar workers, the CIND diagnosis odds was 53% higher for blue collar workers, 77% higher for women who were homemakers and almost twice for farmers, after controlling for socio-demographic, behavioural and clinical variables. All results were statistically significant. CIND frequency is influenced by the previous occupation of the subjects. An occupation with higher intellectual requirements can help keep cognitive functions intact for longer. Copyright © 2017 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Deficits as a Mediator of Poor Occupational Function in Remitted Major Depressive Disorder Patients

PubMed Central

Woo, Young Sup; Rosenblat, Joshua D.; Kakar, Ron; Bahk, Won-Myong; McIntyre, Roger S.

2016-01-01

Cognitive deficits in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients have been described in numerous studies. However, few reports have aimed to describe cognitive deficits in the remitted state of MDD and the mediational effect of cognitive deficits on occupational outcome. The aim of the current review is to synthesize the literature on the mediating and moderating effects of specific domains of cognition on occupational impairment among people with remitted MDD. In addition, predictors of cognitive deficits found to be vocationally important will be examined. Upon examination of the extant literature, attention, executive function and verbal memory are areas of consistent impairment in remitted MDD patients. Cognitive domains shown to have considerable impact on vocational functioning include deficits in memory, attention, learning and executive function. Factors that adversely affect cognitive function related to occupational accommodation include higher age, late age at onset, residual depressive symptoms, history of melancholic/psychotic depression, and physical/psychiatric comorbidity, whereas higher levels of education showed a protective effect against cognitive deficit. Cognitive deficits are a principal mediator of occupational impairment in remitted MDD patients. Therapeutic interventions specifically targeting cognitive deficits in MDD are needed, even in the remitted state, to improve functional recovery, especially in patients who have a higher risk of cognitive deficit. PMID:26792035

Effects of Cognitive Training on Resting-State Functional Connectivity of Default Mode, Salience, and Central Executive Networks.

PubMed

Cao, Weifang; Cao, Xinyi; Hou, Changyue; Li, Ting; Cheng, Yan; Jiang, Lijuan; Luo, Cheng; Li, Chunbo; Yao, Dezhong

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have documented that aging can disrupt certain higher cognitive systems such as the default mode network (DMN), the salience network and the central executive network (CEN). The effect of cognitive training on higher cognitive systems remains unclear. This study used a 1-year longitudinal design to explore the cognitive training effect on three higher cognitive networks in healthy older adults. The community-living healthy older adults were divided into two groups: the multi-domain cognitive training group (24 sessions of cognitive training over a 3-months period) and the wait-list control group. All subjects underwent cognitive measurements and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning at baseline and at 1 year after the training ended. We examined training-related changes in functional connectivity (FC) within and between three networks. Compared with the baseline, we observed maintained or increased FC within all three networks after training. The scans after training also showed maintained anti-correlation of FC between the DMN and CEN compared to the baseline. These findings demonstrated that cognitive training maintained or improved the functional integration within networks and the coupling between the DMN and CEN in older adults. Our findings suggested that multi-domain cognitive training can mitigate the aging-related dysfunction of higher cognitive networks.

Effects of Cognitive Training on Resting-State Functional Connectivity of Default Mode, Salience, and Central Executive Networks

PubMed Central

Cao, Weifang; Cao, Xinyi; Hou, Changyue; Li, Ting; Cheng, Yan; Jiang, Lijuan; Luo, Cheng; Li, Chunbo; Yao, Dezhong

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have documented that aging can disrupt certain higher cognitive systems such as the default mode network (DMN), the salience network and the central executive network (CEN). The effect of cognitive training on higher cognitive systems remains unclear. This study used a 1-year longitudinal design to explore the cognitive training effect on three higher cognitive networks in healthy older adults. The community-living healthy older adults were divided into two groups: the multi-domain cognitive training group (24 sessions of cognitive training over a 3-months period) and the wait-list control group. All subjects underwent cognitive measurements and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning at baseline and at 1 year after the training ended. We examined training-related changes in functional connectivity (FC) within and between three networks. Compared with the baseline, we observed maintained or increased FC within all three networks after training. The scans after training also showed maintained anti-correlation of FC between the DMN and CEN compared to the baseline. These findings demonstrated that cognitive training maintained or improved the functional integration within networks and the coupling between the DMN and CEN in older adults. Our findings suggested that multi-domain cognitive training can mitigate the aging-related dysfunction of higher cognitive networks. PMID:27148042

Utility of the Psychoeducational Profile-3 for Assessing Cognitive and Language Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulton, Mandy L.; D'Entremont, Barbara

2013-01-01

The Psychoeducational Profile-3's (PEP-3) ability to estimate cognitive and language skills of 136 children (20-75 months) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) across a range of functioning, and the association between the PEP-3 and ASD symptomatology was examined using retrospective data. PEP-3 cognitive and language measures were positively…

Beyond valence in the perception of likelihood: the role of emotion specificity.

PubMed

DeSteno, D; Petty, R E; Wegener, D T; Rucker, D D

2000-03-01

Positive and negative moods have been shown to increase likelihood estimates of future events matching these states in valence (e.g., E. J. Johnson & A. Tversky, 1983). In the present article, 4 studies provide evidence that this congruency bias (a) is not limited to valence but functions in an emotion-specific manner, (b) derives from the informational value of emotions, and (c) is not the inevitable outcome of likelihood assessment under heightened emotion. Specifically, Study 1 demonstrates that sadness and anger, 2 distinct, negative emotions, differentially bias likelihood estimates of sad and angering events. Studies 2 and 3 replicate this finding in addition to supporting an emotion-as-information (cf. N. Schwarz & G. L. Clore, 1983), as opposed to a memory-based, mediating process for the bias. Finally, Study 4 shows that when the source of the emotion is salient, a reversal of the bias can occur given greater cognitive effort aimed at accuracy.

DS-Connect™: A Promising Tool to Improve Lives and Engage Down Syndrome Communities Worldwide

PubMed Central

Parisi, Melissa A.; Kaeser, Lisa; Bardhan, Sujata; Oster-Granite, MaryLou; Maddox, Yvonne T.

2015-01-01

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in the United States with an estimated birth prevalence of 1:691 births (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/data.html); however, worldwide estimates of the number of individuals with IDDs, including DS, remain speculative. Little is known about the global health impact of DS, such as heart defects, gastrointestinal malformations, and other medical and behavioral issues. Further research is needed to develop the next generation of novel therapies and compounds aimed at improving cognition, reducing dementia and mitigating other manifestations of DS. To address these challenges, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created the first web-based, voluntary registry and data resource called DS-Connect™: The Down Syndrome Registry (https://DSConnect.nih.gov) to collect demographic and health information about individuals with DS. PMID:26271554

Estimating long-term multivariate progression from short-term data.

PubMed

Donohue, Michael C; Jacqmin-Gadda, Hélène; Le Goff, Mélanie; Thomas, Ronald G; Raman, Rema; Gamst, Anthony C; Beckett, Laurel A; Jack, Clifford R; Weiner, Michael W; Dartigues, Jean-François; Aisen, Paul S

2014-10-01

Diseases that progress slowly are often studied by observing cohorts at different stages of disease for short periods of time. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) follows elders with various degrees of cognitive impairment, from normal to impaired. The study includes a rich panel of novel cognitive tests, biomarkers, and brain images collected every 6 months for as long as 6 years. The relative timing of the observations with respect to disease pathology is unknown. We propose a general semiparametric model and iterative estimation procedure to estimate simultaneously the pathological timing and long-term growth curves. The resulting estimates of long-term progression are fine-tuned using cognitive trajectories derived from the long-term "Personnes Agées Quid" study. We demonstrate with simulations that the method can recover long-term disease trends from short-term observations. The method also estimates temporal ordering of individuals with respect to disease pathology, providing subject-specific prognostic estimates of the time until onset of symptoms. When the method is applied to ADNI data, the estimated growth curves are in general agreement with prevailing theories of the Alzheimer's disease cascade. Other data sets with common outcome measures can be combined using the proposed algorithm. Software to fit the model and reproduce results with the statistical software R is available as the grace package. ADNI data can be downloaded from the Laboratory of NeuroImaging. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Resilience and Psychological Responses across a Collegiate Rowing Season.

PubMed

Shields, Morgan R; Brooks, M Alison; Koltyn, Kelli F; Kim, Jee-Seon; Cook, Dane B

2017-11-01

Student-athletes face numerous challenges across their competitive season. Although mood states have been previously studied, little is known about adaptations in other psychological responses, specifically cognition. The purpose of this study was to characterize cognitive function, mood, sleep, and stress responses at select time points of a season in collegiate rowers. It was hypothesized that during baseline, typical training, and recovery, athletes would show positive mental health profiles, in contrast to decreases in cognition with increases in negative mood and measurements of stress during peak training. Male and female Division I rowers (N = 43) and healthy controls (N = 23) were enrolled and assessed at baseline, typical training, peak training, and recovery. At each time point, measures of cognitive performance (Stroop color-naming task), academic and exercise load, perceived cognitive deficits, mood states, sleep, and stress (via self-report and salivary cortisol) were recorded. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant group-time interactions for perceived exercise load, cognitive deficits, mood states, and perceived stress (P < 0.05). For athletes during peak training, the perception of cognitive deficits was positively correlated with mood disturbance (r = 0.54, P < 0.05) and perceived stress (r = 0.55, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with response accuracy during incongruent Stroop trials (r = -0.38, P < 0.05). Cognitive performance did not change over the course of the season for either group. Cortisol and sleepiness changed over the course of the season but no significant interactions were observed. These results demonstrate that various psychological responses change over the course of a season, but they also highlight adaptation indicative of cognitive resilience among student-athletes.

Occupational cognitive requirements and late-life cognitive aging.

PubMed

Pool, Lindsay R; Weuve, Jennifer; Wilson, Robert S; Bültmann, Ute; Evans, Denis A; Mendes de Leon, Carlos F

2016-04-12

To examine whether occupational cognitive requirements, as a marker of adulthood cognitive activity, are associated with late-life cognition and cognitive decline. Main lifetime occupation information for 7,637 participants aged >65 years of the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) was linked with standardized data on worker attributes and job characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Ratings of cognitive processes required in 10 work-related tasks were used to create a summary measure of occupational cognitive requirements (possible range 0-7). Multivariable-adjusted linear mixed models were used to estimate the association of occupational cognitive requirements score (OCRS) with cognitive function and rate of cognitive decline. Higher OCRS corresponded to significantly better late-life cognitive performance at baseline in 1993 (p < 0.001) and to slower decline in global cognitive function over time (p = 0.004). Within a genotyped subsample (n = 4,104), the associations of OCRS with rate of cognitive decline did not differ significantly by APOE ε4 carriership (p = 0.11). Findings suggest that occupational cognitive requirements are associated with better cognition and a slower rate of cognitive decline in older age. Adulthood cognitive activity may contribute to cognitive reserve in late life. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Disrupted global metastability and static and dynamic brain connectivity across individuals in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Córdova-Palomera, Aldo; Kaufmann, Tobias; Persson, Karin; Alnæs, Dag; Doan, Nhat Trung; Moberget, Torgeir; Lund, Martina Jonette; Barca, Maria Lage; Engvig, Andreas; Brækhus, Anne; Engedal, Knut; Andreassen, Ole A.; Selbæk, Geir; Westlye, Lars T.

2017-01-01

As findings on the neuropathological and behavioral components of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) continue to accrue, converging evidence suggests that macroscale brain functional disruptions may mediate their association. Recent developments on theoretical neuroscience indicate that instantaneous patterns of brain connectivity and metastability may be a key mechanism in neural communication underlying cognitive performance. However, the potential significance of these patterns across the AD spectrum remains virtually unexplored. We assessed the clinical sensitivity of static and dynamic functional brain disruptions across the AD spectrum using resting-state fMRI in a sample consisting of AD patients (n = 80) and subjects with either mild (n = 44) or subjective (n = 26) cognitive impairment (MCI, SCI). Spatial maps constituting the nodes in the functional brain network and their associated time-series were estimated using spatial group independent component analysis and dual regression, and whole-brain oscillatory activity was analyzed both globally (metastability) and locally (static and dynamic connectivity). Instantaneous phase metrics showed functional coupling alterations in AD compared to MCI and SCI, both static (putamen, dorsal and default-mode) and dynamic (temporal, frontal-superior and default-mode), along with decreased global metastability. The results suggest that brains of AD patients display altered oscillatory patterns, in agreement with theoretical premises on cognitive dynamics.

A statistical characterization of the finger tapping test: modeling, estimation, and applications.

PubMed

Austin, Daniel; McNames, James; Klein, Krystal; Jimison, Holly; Pavel, Misha

2015-03-01

Sensory-motor performance is indicative of both cognitive and physical function. The Halstead-Reitan finger tapping test is a measure of sensory-motor speed commonly used to assess function as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. Despite the widespread use of this test, the underlying motor and cognitive processes driving tapping behavior during the test are not well characterized or understood. This lack of understanding may make clinical inferences from test results about health or disease state less accurate because important aspects of the task such as variability or fatigue are unmeasured. To overcome these limitations, we enhanced the tapper with a sensor that enables us to more fully characterize all the aspects of tapping. This modification enabled us to decompose the tapping performance into six component phases and represent each phase with a set of parameters having clear functional interpretation. This results in a set of 29 total parameters for each trial, including change in tapping over time, and trial-to-trial and tap-to-tap variability. These parameters can be used to more precisely link different aspects of cognition or motor function to tapping behavior. We demonstrate the benefits of this new instrument with a simple hypothesis-driven trial comparing single and dual-task tapping.

[Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in terms of cognitive behavioral].

PubMed

Kamrowska, Anna; Gmitrowicz, Agnieszka

2016-02-01

Risk of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) within life is estimated at 2.6-5.1%. Amongst etiological factors that affect the development of the disorder are: biological and psychological problems, including cognitive models. There are known several cognitive models: metacognitive, Borkovec'c model and the model developed in Quebec. Key cognitive contents that occur with generalized anxiety disorder are focused on two aspects: metacognitive beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty. A primary purpose of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is the modification of dysfunctional beliefs about worry. Cognitive behavioural therapy is effective in reducing anxiety, makes it easier to operate in the professional sphere and improves the quality of life. © 2016 MEDPRESS.

Resilient Brain Aging: Characterization of Discordance between Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology and Cognition

PubMed Central

Negash, Selam; Wilson, Robert S.; Leurgans, Sue E.; Wolk, David A.; Schneider, Julie A.; Buchman, Aron S.; Bennett, David A.; Arnold, Steven. E.

2014-01-01

Background Although it is now evident that normal cognition can occur despite significant AD pathology, few studies have attempted to characterize this discordance, or examine factors that may contribute to resilient brain aging in the setting of AD pathology. Methods More than 2,000 older persons underwent annual evaluation as part of participation in the Religious Orders Study or Rush Memory Aging Project. A total of 966 subjects who had brain autopsy and comprehensive cognitive testing proximate to death were analyzed. Resilience was quantified as a continuous measure using linear regression modeling, where global cognition was entered as a dependent variable and global pathology was an independent variable. Studentized residuals generated from the model represented the discordance between cognition and pathology, and served as measure of resilience. The relation of resilience index to known risk factors for AD and related variables was examined. Results Multivariate regression models that adjusted for demographic variables revealed significant associations for early life socioeconomic status, reading ability, APOE-ε4 status, and past cognitive activity. A stepwise regression model retained reading level (estimate = 0.10, SE = 0.02; p < 0.0001) and past cognitive activity (estimate = 0.27, SE = 0.09; p = 0.002), suggesting the potential mediating role of these variables for resilience. Conclusions The construct of resilient brain aging can provide a framework for quantifying the discordance between cognition and pathology, and help identify factors that may mediate this relationship. PMID:23919768

Cognition in multiple sclerosis: Between cognitive reserve and brain volume.

PubMed

Fenu, G; Lorefice, L; Arru, M; Sechi, V; Loi, L; Contu, F; Cabras, F; Coghe, G; Frau, J; Fronza, M; Sbrescia, G; Lai, V; Boi, M; Mallus, S; Murru, S; Porcu, A; Barracciu, M A; Marrosu, M G; Cocco, E

2018-03-15

Several correlations between cognitive impairment (CI), radiologic markers and cognitive reserve (CR) have been documented in MS. To evaluate correlation between CI and brain volume (BV) considering CR as possibile mitigating factor. 195 relapsing MS patients underwent a neuropsychological assessment using BICAMS. BV was estimated using SIENAX to obtain normalized volume of brain (NBV), white matter (NWV), gray matter (NGV) and cortical gray matter (CGV). CR was estimated using a previously validated tool. Pearson test showed a correlation between the symbol digit modality test (SDMT) score and NBV (r=0.38; p<0.000) NGV(r=0.31; p<0.000), CGV (r=0.35; p<0.000) and CRI score(r=0.42; p<0.000). Linear regression (dependent variable:SDMT) showed a relationship with CR scores (p=0.000) and NGV(p<0.000). A difference was detected between cognitive impaired and preserved patients regarding mean of NBV(p=0.002), NGV(p=0.007), CGV(p=0.002) and CR Scores (p=0.007). Anova showed a association between the presence of CI (dependent variable) and the interaction term CRIQ × CGV (p=0.004) whit adjustment for age and disability evaluated by EDSS. Our study shows a correlation between cognition and BV, in particular gray matter volume. Cognitive reserve is also confirmed as an important element playing a role in the complex interaction to determine the cognitive functions in MS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A retrospective analysis of the sentence writing component of the Mini Mental State Examination: cognitive and affective aspects.

PubMed

Press, Yan; Velikiy, Natalia; Berzak, Alex; Tandeter, Howard; Peleg, Roni; Freud, Tamar; Punchik, Boris; Dwolatzky, Tzvi

2012-01-01

One of the components of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is the request to write a sentence. We investigated the relationship between the characteristics of the written sentence of the MMSE and the cognitive and affective status of elderly patients. The characteristics of the sentence were compared to the total MMSE score, sociodemographic characteristics, tests evaluating cognition and affective status, and diagnoses. The number of words was significantly associated with the degree of cognitive impairment, whereas the emotional polarity of sentences and concerns about health were associated with depression. Characteristics of the MMSE sentence may provide important additional information regarding both cognition and affect when assessing older people. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Consequences of Learned Helplessness and Recognition of the State of Cognitive Exhaustion in Persons with Mild Intellectual Disability

PubMed Central

Gacek, Michał; Smoleń, Tomasz; Pilecka, Władysława

2017-01-01

Persons with intellectual disability are a group at risk of being exposed to overly demanding problem-solving situations, which may produce learned helplessness. The research was based on the informational model of learned helplessness. The consequences of exposure to an unsolvable task and the ability to recognize the symptoms of cognitive exhaustion were tested in 120 students with mild intellectual disability. After the exposure to the unsolvable task, persons in the experimental group obtained lower results than the control group in the escape/avoidance learning task, but a similar result was found in the divergent thinking fluency task. Also, participants in the experimental group had difficulties recognizing the symptoms of the cognitive exhaustion state. After a week’s time, the difference in escape/avoidance learning performance was still observed. The results indicate that exposure to unsolvable tasks may negatively influence the cognitive performance in persons with intellectual disability, although those persons may not identify the cognitive state related to lowered performance. PMID:28479937

Consequences of Learned Helplessness and Recognition of the State of Cognitive Exhaustion in Persons with Mild Intellectual Disability.

PubMed

Gacek, Michał; Smoleń, Tomasz; Pilecka, Władysława

2017-01-01

Persons with intellectual disability are a group at risk of being exposed to overly demanding problem-solving situations, which may produce learned helplessness . The research was based on the informational model of learned helplessness. The consequences of exposure to an unsolvable task and the ability to recognize the symptoms of cognitive exhaustion were tested in 120 students with mild intellectual disability. After the exposure to the unsolvable task, persons in the experimental group obtained lower results than the control group in the escape/avoidance learning task, but a similar result was found in the divergent thinking fluency task. Also, participants in the experimental group had difficulties recognizing the symptoms of the cognitive exhaustion state. After a week's time, the difference in escape/avoidance learning performance was still observed. The results indicate that exposure to unsolvable tasks may negatively influence the cognitive performance in persons with intellectual disability, although those persons may not identify the cognitive state related to lowered performance.

Serum Bicarbonate Concentration and Cognitive Function in Hypertensive Adults.

PubMed

Dobre, Mirela; Gaussoin, Sarah A; Bates, Jeffrey T; Chonchol, Michel B; Cohen, Debbie L; Hostetter, Thomas H; Raphael, Kalani L; Taylor, Addison A; Lerner, Alan J; Wright, Jackson T; Rahman, Mahboob

2018-04-06

Cognitive function worsens as kidney function declines, but mechanisms contributing to this association are not completely understood. Metabolic acidosis, a common complication of CKD, leads to neural networks overexcitation and is involved in cerebral autoregulation. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum bicarbonate concentration as a measure of metabolic acidosis, and cognitive function in hypertensive adults with and without CKD. Five cognitive summary scores were measured (global cognitive function, executive function, memory, attention/concentration, and language) in 2853 participants in the Systolic BP Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Multivariable linear regression models adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, systolic BP, medications, eGFR and albuminuria evaluated the cross-sectional association between bicarbonate and cognition at SPRINT baseline. In a subset ( n =681) who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging, the models were adjusted for white matter hyperintensity volume, vascular reactivity, and cerebral blood flow. The mean age (SD) was 68 (8.5) years. Global cognitive and executive functions were positively associated with serum bicarbonate (estimate [SEM]: 0.014 [0.006]; P =0.01, and 0.018 [0.006]; P =0.003, respectively). Each 1 mEq/L lower bicarbonate level had a similar association with global cognitive and executive function as being 4.3 and 5.4 months older, respectively. The association with global cognition persisted after magnetic resonance imaging findings adjustment (estimate [SEM]: 0.03 [0.01]; P =0.01). There was no association between serum bicarbonate level and memory, attention/concentration, and language. In a large cohort of hypertensive adults, higher serum bicarbonate levels were independently associated with better global cognitive and executive performance. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01206062). Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

The combined effect of visual impairment and cognitive impairment on disability in older people.

PubMed

Whitson, Heather E; Cousins, Scott W; Burchett, Bruce M; Hybels, Celia F; Pieper, Carl F; Cohen, Harvey J

2007-06-01

To determine the risk of disability in individuals with coexisting visual and cognitive impairment and to compare the magnitude of risk associated with visual impairment, cognitive impairment, or the multimorbidity. Prospective cohort. North Carolina. Three thousand eight hundred seventy-eight participants in the North Carolina Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly with nonmissing visual status, cognitive status, and disability status data at baseline Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (cognitive impairment defined as > or =4 errors), self reported visual acuity (visual impairment defined as inability to see well enough to recognize a friend across the street or to read newspaper print), demographic and health-related variables, disability status (activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), mobility), death, and time to nursing home placement. Participants with coexisting visual and cognitive impairment were at greater risk of IADL disability (odds ratio (OR)=6.50, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.34-9.75), mobility disability (OR=4.04, 95% CI=2.49-6.54), ADL disability (OR=2.84, 95% CI=1.87-4.32), and incident ADL disability (OR=3.66, 95%, CI=2.36-5.65). In each case, the estimated OR associated with the multimorbidity was greater than the estimated OR associated with visual or cognitive impairment alone, a pattern that was not observed for other adverse outcomes assessed. No significant interactions were observed between cognitive impairment and visual impairment as predictors of disability status. Individuals with coexisting visual impairment and cognitive impairment are at high risk of disability, with each condition contributing additively to disability risk. Further study is needed to improve functional trajectories in patients with this prevalent multimorbidity. When visual or cognitive impairment is present, efforts to maximize the other function may be beneficial.

Archaeology Through Computational Linguistics: Inscription Statistics Predict Excavation Sites of Indus Valley Artifacts.

PubMed

Recchia, Gabriel L; Louwerse, Max M

2016-11-01

Computational techniques comparing co-occurrences of city names in texts allow the relative longitudes and latitudes of cities to be estimated algorithmically. However, these techniques have not been applied to estimate the provenance of artifacts with unknown origins. Here, we estimate the geographic origin of artifacts from the Indus Valley Civilization, applying methods commonly used in cognitive science to the Indus script. We show that these methods can accurately predict the relative locations of archeological sites on the basis of artifacts of known provenance, and we further apply these techniques to determine the most probable excavation sites of four sealings of unknown provenance. These findings suggest that inscription statistics reflect historical interactions among locations in the Indus Valley region, and they illustrate how computational methods can help localize inscribed archeological artifacts of unknown origin. The success of this method offers opportunities for the cognitive sciences in general and for computational anthropology specifically. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Working memory maintenance is sufficient to reduce state anxiety.

PubMed

Balderston, Nicholas L; Quispe-Escudero, David; Hale, Elizabeth; Davis, Andrew; O'Connell, Katherine; Ernst, Monique; Grillon, Christian

2016-11-01

According to the attentional control theory (ACT) proposed by Eysenck and colleagues, anxiety interferes with cognitive processing by prioritizing bottom-up attentional processes over top-down attentional processes, leading to competition for access to limited resources in working memory, particularly the central executive (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, & Calvo, ). However, previous research using the n-back working memory task suggests that working memory load also reduces state anxiety. Assuming that similar mechanisms underlie the effect of anxiety on cognition, and the effect of cognition on anxiety, one possible implication of the ACT would suggest that the reduction of state anxiety with increasing working memory load is driven by activation of central executive attentional control processes. We tested this hypothesis using the Sternberg working memory paradigm, where maintenance processes can be isolated from central executive processes (Altamura et al., ; Sternberg, ). Consistent with the n-back results, subjects showed decreased state anxiety during the maintenance period of high-load trials relative to low-load trials, suggesting that maintenance processes alone are sufficient to achieve this state anxiety reduction. Given that the Sternberg task does not require central executive engagement, these results are not consistent with an implication of the ACT where the cognition/anxiety relationship and anxiety/cognition relationship are mediated by similar central executive mechanisms. Instead, we propose an extension of the ACT such that engaging working memory maintenance suppresses state anxiety in a load-dependent manner. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the efficacy of this effect may moderate the effect of trait anxiety on cognition. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Maternal Talk in Cognitive Development: Relations between Psychological Lexicon, Semantic Development, Empathy, and Temperament

PubMed Central

Rollo, Dolores; Sulla, Francesco

2016-01-01

In this study, we investigated the relationship between mothers' psychological lexicon and children's cognitive and socio-emotive development as assessed through conceptual and semantic understanding tasks, in addition to the traditional tasks of theory of mind. Currently, there is considerable evidence to suggest that the frequency of mothers' mental state words used in mother-child picture-book reading is linked with children's theory of mind skills. Furthermore, mothers' use of cognitive terms is more strongly related to children's theory of mind performances than the mothers' references to other mental states, such as desires or emotions (Rollo and Buttiglieri, 2009). Current literature has established that early maternal input is related to later child mental state understanding; however it has not yet clarified which maternal terms are most useful for the socio-emotional and cognitive development of the child, and which aspect of the cognitive development benefits from the mother-child interaction. The present study addresses this issue and focuses on the relationship between mothers' mental state talk and children's behavior in conceptual and semantic tasks, and in a theory of mind task. In this study fifty pairs consisting of mothers and their 3 to 6-year-old children participated in two sessions: (1) The mothers read a picture book to their children. To assess the maternal psychological lexicon, their narrative was codified according to the categories of mental state references used in literature: perceptual, emotional, volitional, cognitive, moral, and communicative. (2) After a few days, the conceptual and semantic skills of the children (tasks of contextualization and classification, memory, and definition of words) and their psychological lexicon were assessed. The results suggest close links between the frequency and variety of mothers' mental state words and some semantic and conceptual skills of children. PMID:27047421

Maternal Talk in Cognitive Development: Relations between Psychological Lexicon, Semantic Development, Empathy, and Temperament.

PubMed

Rollo, Dolores; Sulla, Francesco

2016-01-01

In this study, we investigated the relationship between mothers' psychological lexicon and children's cognitive and socio-emotive development as assessed through conceptual and semantic understanding tasks, in addition to the traditional tasks of theory of mind. Currently, there is considerable evidence to suggest that the frequency of mothers' mental state words used in mother-child picture-book reading is linked with children's theory of mind skills. Furthermore, mothers' use of cognitive terms is more strongly related to children's theory of mind performances than the mothers' references to other mental states, such as desires or emotions (Rollo and Buttiglieri, 2009). Current literature has established that early maternal input is related to later child mental state understanding; however it has not yet clarified which maternal terms are most useful for the socio-emotional and cognitive development of the child, and which aspect of the cognitive development benefits from the mother-child interaction. The present study addresses this issue and focuses on the relationship between mothers' mental state talk and children's behavior in conceptual and semantic tasks, and in a theory of mind task. In this study fifty pairs consisting of mothers and their 3 to 6-year-old children participated in two sessions: (1) The mothers read a picture book to their children. To assess the maternal psychological lexicon, their narrative was codified according to the categories of mental state references used in literature: perceptual, emotional, volitional, cognitive, moral, and communicative. (2) After a few days, the conceptual and semantic skills of the children (tasks of contextualization and classification, memory, and definition of words) and their psychological lexicon were assessed. The results suggest close links between the frequency and variety of mothers' mental state words and some semantic and conceptual skills of children.

Serial MRI and CSF biomarkers in normal aging, MCI, and AD

PubMed Central

Vemuri, P.; Wiste, H.J.; Weigand, S.D.; Knopman, D.S.; Trojanowski, J.Q.; Shaw, L.M.; Bernstein, M.A.; Aisen, P.S.; Weiner, M.; Petersen, R.C; Jack, C.R

2010-01-01

Objective: To compare the annual change in MRI and CSF biomarkers in cognitively normal (CN), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and Alzheimer disease (AD). Comparisons were based on intergroup discrimination, correlation with concurrent cognitive/functional changes, relationships to APOE genotype, and sample sizes for clinical trials. Methods: We used data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study consisting of CN, aMCI, and AD cohorts with both baseline and 12-month follow-up CSF and MRI. The annual change in CSF (total-tau [t-tau], Aβ1-42) and MRI (change in ventricular volume) was obtained in 312 subjects (92 CN, 149 aMCI, 71 AD). Results: There was no significant average annual change in either CSF biomarker in any clinical group except t-tau in CN; moreover, the annual change did not differ by clinical group in pairwise comparisons. In contrast, annual increase in ventricular volume increased in the following order, AD > aMCI > CN, and differences were significant between all clinical groups in pairwise comparisons. Ventricular volume increase correlated with concurrent worsening on cognitive/functional indices in aMCI and AD whereas evidence of a similar correlation with change in CSF measures was unclear. The annual changes in MRI differed by APOE ε4 status overall and among aMCI while annual changes in CSF biomarkers did not. Estimated sample sizes for clinical trials are notably less for MRI than the CSF or clinical measures. Conclusions: Unlike the CSF biomarkers evaluated, changes in serial structural MRI are correlated with concurrent change on general cognitive and functional indices in impaired subjects, track with clinical disease stage, and are influenced by APOE genotype. GLOSSARY AD = Alzheimer disease; ADAS-Cog = Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale–cognitive subscale; ADNI = Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; aMCI = amnestic mild cognitive impairment; AUROC = area under the receiver operator characteristic curve; BSI = boundary shift integral; CDR-SB = Clinical Dementia Rating–sum of boxes; CN = cognitively normal; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; NFT = neurofibrillary tangle; NT = neuropil thread; PiB = Pittsburgh compound B; t-tau = total-tau. PMID:20625167

Telomere Length, Long-Term Black Carbon Exposure, and Cognitive Function in a Cohort of Older Men: The VA Normative Aging Study.

PubMed

Colicino, Elena; Wilson, Ander; Frisardi, Maria Chiara; Prada, Diddier; Power, Melinda C; Hoxha, Mirjam; Dioni, Laura; Spiro, Avron; Vokonas, Pantel S; Weisskopf, Marc G; Schwartz, Joel D; Baccarelli, Andrea A

2017-01-01

Long-term air pollution exposure has been associated with age-related cognitive impairment, possibly because of enhanced inflammation. Leukocytes with longer telomere length (TL) are more responsive to inflammatory stimuli, yet TL has not been evaluated in relation to air pollution and cognition. We assessed whether TL modifies the association of 1-year exposure to black carbon (BC), a marker of traffic-related air pollution, with cognitive function in older men, and we examined whether this modification is independent of age and of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation. Between 1999 and 2007, we conducted 1-3 cognitive examinations of 428 older men in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Normative Aging Study. We used covariate-adjusted repeated-measure logistic regression to estimate associations of 1-year BC exposure with relative odds of being a low scorer (≤ 25) on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which is a proxy of poor cognition. Confounders included age, CRP, and lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. Each doubling in BC level was associated with 1.57 (95% CI: 1.20, 2.05) times higher odds of low MMSE scores. The BC-MMSE association was greater only among individuals with longer blood TL (5th quintile) (OR = 3.23; 95% CI: 1.37, 7.59; p = 0.04 for BC-by-TL-interaction). TL and CRP were associated neither with each other nor with MMSE. However, CRP modified the BC-MMSE relationship, with stronger associations only at higher CRP (5th quintile) and reference TL level (1st quintile) (OR = 2.68; 95% CI: 1.06, 6.79; p = 0.04 for BC-by-CRP-interaction). TL and CRP levels may help predict the impact of BC exposure on cognitive function in older men. Citation: Colicino E, Wilson A, Frisardi MC, Prada D, Power MC, Hoxha M, Dioni L, Spiro A III, Vokonas PS, Weisskopf MG, Schwartz JD, Baccarelli AA. 2017. Telomere length, long-term black carbon exposure, and cognitive function in a cohort of older men: the VA Normative Aging Study. Environ Health Perspect 125:76-81; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP241.

An Exploration Based Cognitive Bias Test for Mice: Effects of Handling Method and Stereotypic Behaviour.

PubMed

Novak, Janja; Bailoo, Jeremy D; Melotti, Luca; Rommen, Jonas; Würbel, Hanno

2015-01-01

Behavioural tests to assess affective states are widely used in human research and have recently been extended to animals. These tests assume that affective state influences cognitive processing, and that animals in a negative affective state interpret ambiguous information as expecting a negative outcome (displaying a negative cognitive bias). Most of these tests however, require long discrimination training. The aim of the study was to validate an exploration based cognitive bias test, using two different handling methods, as previous studies have shown that standard tail handling of mice increases physiological and behavioural measures of anxiety compared to cupped handling. Therefore, we hypothesised that tail handled mice would display a negative cognitive bias. We handled 28 female CD-1 mice for 16 weeks using either tail handling or cupped handling. The mice were then trained in an eight arm radial maze, where two adjacent arms predicted a positive outcome (darkness and food), while the two opposite arms predicted a negative outcome (no food, white noise and light). After six days of training, the mice were also given access to the four previously unavailable intermediate ambiguous arms of the radial maze and tested for cognitive bias. We were unable to validate this test, as mice from both handling groups displayed a similar pattern of exploration. Furthermore, we examined whether maze exploration is affected by the expression of stereotypic behaviour in the home cage. Mice with higher levels of stereotypic behaviour spent more time in positive arms and avoided ambiguous arms, displaying a negative cognitive bias. While this test needs further validation, our results indicate that it may allow the assessment of affective state in mice with minimal training-a major confound in current cognitive bias paradigms.

An Exploration Based Cognitive Bias Test for Mice: Effects of Handling Method and Stereotypic Behaviour

PubMed Central

Novak, Janja; Bailoo, Jeremy D.; Melotti, Luca; Rommen, Jonas; Würbel, Hanno

2015-01-01

Behavioural tests to assess affective states are widely used in human research and have recently been extended to animals. These tests assume that affective state influences cognitive processing, and that animals in a negative affective state interpret ambiguous information as expecting a negative outcome (displaying a negative cognitive bias). Most of these tests however, require long discrimination training. The aim of the study was to validate an exploration based cognitive bias test, using two different handling methods, as previous studies have shown that standard tail handling of mice increases physiological and behavioural measures of anxiety compared to cupped handling. Therefore, we hypothesised that tail handled mice would display a negative cognitive bias. We handled 28 female CD-1 mice for 16 weeks using either tail handling or cupped handling. The mice were then trained in an eight arm radial maze, where two adjacent arms predicted a positive outcome (darkness and food), while the two opposite arms predicted a negative outcome (no food, white noise and light). After six days of training, the mice were also given access to the four previously unavailable intermediate ambiguous arms of the radial maze and tested for cognitive bias. We were unable to validate this test, as mice from both handling groups displayed a similar pattern of exploration. Furthermore, we examined whether maze exploration is affected by the expression of stereotypic behaviour in the home cage. Mice with higher levels of stereotypic behaviour spent more time in positive arms and avoided ambiguous arms, displaying a negative cognitive bias. While this test needs further validation, our results indicate that it may allow the assessment of affective state in mice with minimal training—a major confound in current cognitive bias paradigms. PMID:26154309

Categorial Compositionality: A Category Theory Explanation for the Systematicity of Human Cognition

PubMed Central

Phillips, Steven; Wilson, William H.

2010-01-01

Classical and Connectionist theories of cognitive architecture seek to explain systematicity (i.e., the property of human cognition whereby cognitive capacity comes in groups of related behaviours) as a consequence of syntactically and functionally compositional representations, respectively. However, both theories depend on ad hoc assumptions to exclude specific instances of these forms of compositionality (e.g. grammars, networks) that do not account for systematicity. By analogy with the Ptolemaic (i.e. geocentric) theory of planetary motion, although either theory can be made to be consistent with the data, both nonetheless fail to fully explain it. Category theory, a branch of mathematics, provides an alternative explanation based on the formal concept of adjunction, which relates a pair of structure-preserving maps, called functors. A functor generalizes the notion of a map between representational states to include a map between state transformations (or processes). In a formal sense, systematicity is a necessary consequence of a higher-order theory of cognitive architecture, in contrast to the first-order theories derived from Classicism or Connectionism. Category theory offers a re-conceptualization for cognitive science, analogous to the one that Copernicus provided for astronomy, where representational states are no longer the center of the cognitive universe—replaced by the relationships between the maps that transform them. PMID:20661306

Clinical usefulness of the clock drawing test applying rasch analysis in predicting of cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Yoo, Doo Han; Lee, Jae Shin

2016-07-01

[Purpose] This study examined the clinical usefulness of the clock drawing test applying Rasch analysis for predicting the level of cognitive impairment. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 187 stroke patients with cognitive impairment were enrolled in this study. The 187 patients were evaluated by the clock drawing test developed through Rasch analysis along with the mini-mental state examination of cognitive evaluation tool. An analysis of the variance was performed to examine the significance of the mini-mental state examination and the clock drawing test according to the general characteristics of the subjects. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the cutoff point for cognitive impairment and to calculate the sensitivity and specificity values. [Results] The results of comparison of the clock drawing test with the mini-mental state showed significant differences in according to gender, age, education, and affected side. A total CDT of 10.5, which was selected as the cutoff point to identify cognitive impairement, showed a sensitivity, specificity, Youden index, positive predictive, and negative predicive values of 86.4%, 91.5%, 0.8, 95%, and 88.2%. [Conclusion] The clock drawing test is believed to be useful in assessments and interventions based on its excellent ability to identify cognitive disorders.

Categorial compositionality: a category theory explanation for the systematicity of human cognition.

PubMed

Phillips, Steven; Wilson, William H

2010-07-22

Classical and Connectionist theories of cognitive architecture seek to explain systematicity (i.e., the property of human cognition whereby cognitive capacity comes in groups of related behaviours) as a consequence of syntactically and functionally compositional representations, respectively. However, both theories depend on ad hoc assumptions to exclude specific instances of these forms of compositionality (e.g. grammars, networks) that do not account for systematicity. By analogy with the Ptolemaic (i.e. geocentric) theory of planetary motion, although either theory can be made to be consistent with the data, both nonetheless fail to fully explain it. Category theory, a branch of mathematics, provides an alternative explanation based on the formal concept of adjunction, which relates a pair of structure-preserving maps, called functors. A functor generalizes the notion of a map between representational states to include a map between state transformations (or processes). In a formal sense, systematicity is a necessary consequence of a higher-order theory of cognitive architecture, in contrast to the first-order theories derived from Classicism or Connectionism. Category theory offers a re-conceptualization for cognitive science, analogous to the one that Copernicus provided for astronomy, where representational states are no longer the center of the cognitive universe--replaced by the relationships between the maps that transform them.

Midlife activity predicts risk of dementia in older male twin pairs.

PubMed

Carlson, Michelle C; Helms, Michael J; Steffens, David C; Burke, James R; Potter, Guy G; Plassman, Brenda L

2008-09-01

This was a prospective study of dementia to elucidate mechanisms of disease risk factors amenable to modification and specifically to determine whether midlife cognitive and physical leisure activities are associated with delayed onset or reduced risk of dementia within older male twin pairs. The co-twin control design used prospectively collected exposure information to predict risk of dementia 20 to 40 years later. The subjects were community-dwelling and nursing home residents living throughout the continental United States. We studied 147 male twin-pairs who were discordant for dementia or age of dementia onset and were members of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council Twin Registry of World War II veterans and participants in the Duke Twins Study of Memory in Aging. The main outcome measure was diagnosed dementia by using a two-stage screen and full clinical evaluation. Conditional odds ratios were estimated for the association between midlife leisure activities and late-life dementia. Greater midlife cognitive activity was associated with a 26% risk reduction for dementia onset. Protective effects were most robust in monozygotic twin pairs, where genetic and early-life influences were most tightly controlled, and for activities that were often cognitive and social in nature. Cognitive activity was particularly protective among monozygotic twin pairs carrying the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele, with a 30% risk reduction. Midlife physical activity did not modify dementia risk. Participation in a range of cognitively and socially engaging activities in midlife reduced risk for dementia and AD in twins discordant for onset, particularly among twin pairs at elevated genetic risk, and might be indicative of an enriched environment.

Left Ventricular Mass, Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Cognitive Performance: Results From the Strong Heart Study.

PubMed

Haring, Bernhard; Omidpanah, Adam; Suchy-Dicey, Astrid M; Best, Lyle G; Verney, Steven P; Shibata, Dean K; Cole, Shelley A; Ali, Tauqeer; Howard, Barbara V; Buchwald, Dedra; Devereux, Richard B

2017-11-01

Left ventricular mass (LVM) has been shown to serve as a measure of target organ damage resulting from chronic exposure to several risk factors. Data on the association of midlife LVM with later cognitive performance are sparse. We studied 721 adults (mean age 56 years at baseline) enrolled in the Strong Heart Study (SHS, 1993-1995) and the ancillary CDCAI (Cerebrovascular Disease and Its Consequences in American Indians) Study (2010-2013), a study population with high prevalence of cardiovascular disease. LVM was assessed with transthoracic echocardiography at baseline in 1993 to 1995. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive testing were undertaken between 2010 and 2013. Generalized estimating equations were used to model associations between LVM and later imaging and cognition outcomes. The mean follow-up period was 17 years. A difference of 25 g in higher LVM was associated with marginally lower hippocampal volume (0.01%; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.00; P =0.001) and higher white matter grade (0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.18; P =0.014). Functionally, participants with higher LVM tended to have slightly lower scores on the modified mini-mental state examination (0.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-0.08; P =0.024). The main results persisted after adjusting for blood pressure levels or vascular disease. The small overall effect sizes are partly explained by survival bias because of the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease in our population. Our findings emphasize the role of cardiovascular health in midlife as a target for the prevention of deleterious cognitive and functional outcomes in later life. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Represents a Cognitive Map of State Space.

PubMed

Schuck, Nicolas W; Cai, Ming Bo; Wilson, Robert C; Niv, Yael

2016-09-21

Although the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has been studied intensely for decades, its precise functions have remained elusive. We recently hypothesized that the OFC contains a "cognitive map" of task space in which the current state of the task is represented, and this representation is especially critical for behavior when states are unobservable from sensory input. To test this idea, we apply pattern-classification techniques to neuroimaging data from humans performing a decision-making task with 16 states. We show that unobservable task states can be decoded from activity in OFC, and decoding accuracy is related to task performance and the occurrence of individual behavioral errors. Moreover, similarity between the neural representations of consecutive states correlates with behavioral accuracy in corresponding state transitions. These results support the idea that OFC represents a cognitive map of task space and establish the feasibility of decoding state representations in humans using non-invasive neuroimaging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analyzing How Formalist, Cognitive-Processing, and Literacy Practices Learning Paradigms are Shaping the Implementation of the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beach, Richard

2011-01-01

This paper analyzes the influence of three different learning paradigms for learning literacy--formalist, cognitive-processing, and literacy practices--on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. It argues that the Common Core State Standards are based largely on a formalist paradigm as evident in the emphasis on teaching text…

Rates of transition between amyloid and neurodegeneration biomarker states and to dementia among non-demented individuals: a population-based cohort study

PubMed Central

Jack, Clifford R.; Therneau, Terry M.; Wiste, Heather J.; Weigand, Stephen D.; Knopman, David S.; Lowe, Val J.; Mielke, Michelle M.; Vemuri, Prashanthi; Roberts, Rosebud O.; Machulda, Mary M.; Senjem, Matthew L.; Gunter, Jeffrey L.; Rocca, Walter A.; Petersen, Ronald C.

2016-01-01

Summary Background We previously observed in a cross-sectional analysis that frequencies of amyloid and neurodegeneration biomarker states varied greatly by age among cognitively non-impaired participants, suggesting dynamic within-person processes. Our objective in this longitudinal study was to estimate rates of transitioning from a less- to a more-abnormal biomarker state by age among non-demented individuals, as well as rates of transitioning to dementia by biomarker state. Methods All participants (n=4049) were non-demented at baseline. A subset of 1541 underwent multi-modality imaging. Amyloid PET was used to classify individuals as amyloid positive (A+) or negative (A−). FDG PET and MRI were used to classify individuals as neurodegeneration positive (N+) or negative (N−). All observations from the 4049 individuals were used in a multi-state model to estimate four different age-specific biomarker state transition rates among non-demented individuals: A−N− to A+N−; A−N− to A−N+ (suspected non-Alzheimer pathology, SNAP); A+N− to A+N+; A−N+ (SNAP) to A+N+. We also estimated two age-specific rates to dementia: A+N+ to dementia; and A−N+ (SNAP) to dementia. Using these state-to-state transition rates, we estimated biomarker state frequencies by age. Findings All transition rates were low at age 50 and (with one exception) were well-characterized by an exponential increase with age. The rates per 100-person years at ages 65 versus 85 were 1.6 versus 17.2 for A−N− to A−N+, 6.1 versus 20.8 for A+N− to A+N+, 2.6 versus 13.2 for A−N+ to A+N+, 0.8 versus 7.0 for A+N+ to dementia, and 0.6 versus 1.7 for A−N+ to dementia. The one exception to an exponential increase with age was the transition rate from A−N− to A+N− which increased from 4.0 transitions per 100 person-years at age 65 to approximately 7 transitions per 100 person-years in the 70s and then plateaued beyond that age. Estimated biomarker frequencies by age from the multistate model were similar to cross-sectional biomarker frequencies. Interpretation Dynamic state-to-state transition rates illustrate important measurable aspects of the changing biology underlying brain aging. The biomarker states we describe relate to both AD and non-AD processes. Our transition rates suggest that brain aging can be conceptualized as a nearly inevitable acceleration toward worse biomarker and clinical states. The one exception was that transition to amyloidosis without neurodegeneration was most dynamic from age 60 to 70 and then plateaued beyond that age. We found that simple transition rates can explain complex, highly interdependent biomarker state frequencies in our sample. PMID:26597325

Daily Physical Activity and Cognitive Function Variability in Older Adults.

PubMed

Phillips, Christine B; Edwards, Jerri D; Andel, Ross; Kilpatrick, Marcus

2016-04-01

Physical activity (PA) is believed to preserve cognitive function in older adulthood, though little is known about these relationships within the context of daily life. The present microlongitudinal pilot study explored within- and between-person relationships between daily PA and cognitive function and also examined within-person effect sizes in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. Fifty-one healthy participants (mean age = 70.1 years) wore an accelerometer and completed a cognitive assessment battery for five days. There were no significant associations between cognitive task performance and participants' daily or average PA over the study period. Effect size estimates indicated that PA explained 0-24% of within-person variability in cognitive function, depending on cognitive task and PA dose. Results indicate that PA may have near-term cognitive effects and should be explored as a possible strategy to enhance older adults' ability to perform cognitively complex activities within the context of daily living.

The Effect of Three Cognitive Variables on Students' Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter and its Changes of State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsitsipis, Georgios; Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Papageorgiou, George

2010-05-01

In this study, students' understanding of the structure of matter and its changes of state such as melting, evaporation, boiling, and condensation was investigated in relation to three cognitive variables: logical thinking (LTh), field dependence/independence, and convergence/divergence dimension. The study took place in Greece with the participation of 329 ninth-grade junior high school pupils (age 14-15). A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that all of the above-mentioned cognitive variables were statistically significant predictors of the students' achievement. Among the three predictors, LTh was found to be the most dominant. In addition, students' understanding of the structure of matter, along with the cognitive variables, was shown to have an effect on their understanding of the changes of states and on their competence to interpret these physical changes. Path analyses were implemented to depict these effects. Moreover, a theoretical analysis is provided that associates LTh and cognitive styles with the nature of mental tasks involved when learning the material concerning the particulate nature of matter and its changes of state. Implications for science education are also discussed.

Different Functional and Microstructural Changes Depending on Duration of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Shin, N-Y; Shin, Y S; Lee, P H; Yoon, U; Han, S; Kim, D J; Lee, S-K

2016-05-01

The higher cortical burden of Lewy body and Alzheimer disease-type pathology has been reported to be associated with a faster onset of cognitive impairment of Parkinson disease. So far, there has been a few studies only about the changes of gray matter volume depending on duration of cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the different patterns of structural and functional changes in Parkinson disease with mild cognitive impairment according to the duration of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment. Fifty-nine patients with Parkinson disease with mild cognitive impairment were classified into 2 groups on the basis of shorter (<1 year, n = 16) and longer (≥1 year, n = 43) durations of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment. Fifteen drug-naïve patients with de novo Parkinson disease with intact cognition were included for comparison. Cortical thickness, Tract-Based Spatial Statistics, and seed-based resting-state functional connectivity analyses were performed. Age, sex, years of education, age at onset of parkinsonism, and levodopa-equivalent dose were included as covariates. The group with shorter duration of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment showed decreased fractional anisotropy and increased mean and radial diffusivity values in the frontal areas compared with the group with longer duration of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment (corrected P < .05). The group with shorter duration of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment showed decreased resting-state functional connectivity in the default mode network area when the left or right posterior cingulate was used as a seed, and in the dorsolateral prefrontal areas when the left or right caudate was used as a seed (corrected P < .05). The group with longer duration of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment showed decreased resting-state functional connectivity mainly in the medial prefrontal cortex when the left or right posterior cingulate was used as a seed, and in the parieto-occipital areas when the left or right caudate was used as a seed (corrected P < .05). No differences in cortical thickness were found in all group contrasts. Resting-state functional connectivity and WM alterations might be useful imaging biomarkers for identifying changes in patients with Parkinson disease with mild cognitive impairment according to the duration of parkinsonism before mild cognitive impairment. The functional and microstructural substrates may topographically differ depending on the rate of cognitive decline in these patients. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Exercise Induced Neuroplasticity to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes of Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia: Analyzing the Role of Brai nderived Neurotrophic Factor.

PubMed

Campos, Carlos; Rocha, Nuno B F; Lattari, Eduardo; Nardi, Antonio E; Machado, Sergio

2017-01-01

Cognitive impairment is a major manifestation of schizophrenia and a crucial treatment target as these deficits are closely related to patients' functional outcomes. Cognitive remediation is the gold-standard practice to address cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. There is clear evidence stating that cognitive remediation improves cognitive function and promotes structural neuroplastic changes in patients with schizophrenia, with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression emerging as a potential biomarker for its efficacy. This is particularly important as there is clear evidence relating atypical BDNF expression to cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. Despite the valuable role of cognitive remediation in the management of schizophrenia, there is still a need to develop methods that allow maximizing its efficacy. In this review, we present a hypothesis arguing that cognitive remediation efficacy for patients with schizophrenia can be enhanced by aerobic exercise-induced BDNF upregulation. There have been a few trials reporting that combining aerobic exercise with cognitive training was superior to cognitive training alone to improve cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, there is preliminary evidence suggesting that combined aerobic and cognitive training can increase peripheral BDNF levels. Thereby, engaging in aerobic exercise in close temporal proximity to cognitive remediation may allow achieving a state of neuroplastic readiness in the brain, facilitating cognitive functioning enhancement. Although this hypothesis still lacks evidence, future clinical trials using cognitive remediation for schizophrenia should explore strategies to maximize neuroplasticity and achieve optimal cognitive improvements. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Establishing the resting state default mode network derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging tasks as an endophenotype: A twins study.

PubMed

Korgaonkar, Mayuresh S; Ram, Kaushik; Williams, Leanne M; Gatt, Justine M; Grieve, Stuart M

2014-08-01

The resting state default mode network (DMN) has been shown to characterize a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Evidence suggests an underlying genetic basis for this network and hence could serve as potential endophenotype for these disorders. Heritability is a defining criterion for endophenotypes. The DMN is measured either using a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan or by extracting resting state activity from task-based fMRI. The current study is the first to evaluate heritability of this task-derived resting activity. 250 healthy adult twins (79 monozygotic and 46 dizygotic same sex twin pairs) completed five cognitive and emotion processing fMRI tasks. Resting state DMN functional connectivity was derived from these five fMRI tasks. We validated this approach by comparing connectivity estimates from task-derived resting activity for all five fMRI tasks, with those obtained using a dedicated task-free resting state scan in an independent cohort of 27 healthy individuals. Structural equation modeling using the classic twin design was used to estimate the genetic and environmental contributions to variance for the resting-state DMN functional connectivity. About 9-41% of the variance in functional connectivity between the DMN nodes was attributed to genetic contribution with the greatest heritability found for functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate and right inferior parietal nodes (P<0.001). Our data provide new evidence that functional connectivity measures from the intrinsic DMN derived from task-based fMRI datasets are under genetic control and have the potential to serve as endophenotypes for genetically predisposed psychiatric and neurological disorders. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Can you hear my age? Influences of speech rate and speech spontaneity on estimation of speaker age

PubMed Central

Skoog Waller, Sara; Eriksson, Mårten; Sörqvist, Patrik

2015-01-01

Cognitive hearing science is mainly about the study of how cognitive factors contribute to speech comprehension, but cognitive factors also partake in speech processing to infer non-linguistic information from speech signals, such as the intentions of the talker and the speaker’s age. Here, we report two experiments on age estimation by “naïve” listeners. The aim was to study how speech rate influences estimation of speaker age by comparing the speakers’ natural speech rate with increased or decreased speech rate. In Experiment 1, listeners were presented with audio samples of read speech from three different speaker age groups (young, middle aged, and old adults). They estimated the speakers as younger when speech rate was faster than normal and as older when speech rate was slower than normal. This speech rate effect was slightly greater in magnitude for older (60–65 years) speakers in comparison with younger (20–25 years) speakers, suggesting that speech rate may gain greater importance as a perceptual age cue with increased speaker age. This pattern was more pronounced in Experiment 2, in which listeners estimated age from spontaneous speech. Faster speech rate was associated with lower age estimates, but only for older and middle aged (40–45 years) speakers. Taken together, speakers of all age groups were estimated as older when speech rate decreased, except for the youngest speakers in Experiment 2. The absence of a linear speech rate effect in estimates of younger speakers, for spontaneous speech, implies that listeners use different age estimation strategies or cues (possibly vocabulary) depending on the age of the speaker and the spontaneity of the speech. Potential implications for forensic investigations and other applied domains are discussed. PMID:26236259

Brain waves-based index for workload estimation and mental effort engagement recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zammouri, A.; Chraa-Mesbahi, S.; Ait Moussa, A.; Zerouali, S.; Sahnoun, M.; Tairi, H.; Mahraz, A. M.

2017-10-01

The advent of the communication systems and considering the complexity that some impose in their use, it is necessary to incorporate and equip these systems with a certain intelligence which takes into account the cognitive and mental capacities of the human operator. In this work, we address the issue of estimating the mental effort of an operator according to the cognitive tasks difficulty levels. Based on the Electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements, the proposed approach analyzes the user’s brain activity from different brain regions while performing cognitive tasks with several levels of difficulty. At a first time, we propose a variances comparison-based classifier (VCC) that makes use of the Power Spectral Density (PSD) of the EEG signal. The aim of using such a classifier is to highlight the brain regions that enter into interaction according to the cognitive task difficulty. In a second time, we present and describe a new EEG-based index for the estimation of mental efforts. The designed index is based on information recorded from two EEG channels. Results from the VCC demonstrate that powers of the Theta [4-7 Hz] (θ) and Alpha [8-12 Hz] (α) oscillations decrease while increasing the cognitive task difficulty. These decreases are mainly located in parietal and temporal brain regions. Based on the Kappa coefficients, decisions of the introduced index are compared to those obtained from an existing index. This performance assessment method revealed strong agreements. Hence the efficiency of the introduced index.

Exploring the cognitive load of negative thinking: a novel dual-task experiment.

PubMed

Takano, Keisuke; Iijima, Yudai; Sakamoto, Shinji; Tanno, Yoshihiko

2014-12-01

Females are more likely to engage in the preoccupation of past negative experiences than males, which might contribute to their greater tendency toward depression. However, there is limited understanding regarding the cognitive basis for the negative autobiographical information processing of females. In the present study, we assessed the cognitive resources required for negative thinking, by using a novel dual-task paradigm that combined think-aloud and time-estimation tasks. Fifty-three Japanese undergraduate students were asked to think aloud about personal past or future emotional episodes for a particular duration. In addition, they were asked to estimate the duration of their speech. Their estimates were compared to the actual time taken, and the errors were used as indices of cognitive burden during the speech task. As compared to males, females exhibited greater judgment errors, particularly when thinking about their past negative experiences. This suggests that females allocate more attentional resources toward thinking about the past. Participants could rehearse the task during the time reproduction phase, and the quality of the rehearsal and their memory capacity might have influenced the accuracy of their duration judgment. Females tend to allocate more attentional resources than males to thinking about past negative episodes, which in turn might be associated with reduced availability of resources for central cognitive control processes such as inhibition of and switching away from processing of negative autobiographical information. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive function is associated with risk aversion in community-based older persons

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Emerging data from younger and middle-aged persons suggest that cognitive ability is negatively associated with risk aversion, but this association has not been studied among older persons who are at high risk of experiencing loss of cognitive function. Methods Using data from 369 community-dwelling older persons without dementia from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal epidemiologic study of aging, we examined the correlates of risk aversion and tested the hypothesis that cognition is negatively associated with risk aversion. Global cognition and five specific cognitive abilities were measured via detailed cognitive testing, and risk aversion was measured using standard behavioral economics questions in which participants were asked to choose between a certain monetary payment ($15) versus a gamble in which they could gain more than $15 or gain nothing; potential gamble gains ranged from $21.79 to $151.19 with the gain amounts varied randomly over questions. We first examined the bivariate associations of age, education, sex, income and cognition with risk aversion. Next, we examined the associations between cognition and risk aversion via mixed models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income. Finally, we conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure that our results were not driven by persons with preclinical cognitive impairment. Results In bivariate analyses, sex, education, income and global cognition were associated with risk aversion. However, in a mixed effect model, only sex (estimate = -1.49, standard error (SE) = 0.39, p < 0.001) and global cognitive function (estimate = -1.05, standard error (SE) = 0.34, p < 0.003) were significantly inversely associated with risk aversion. Thus, a lower level of global cognitive function and female sex were associated with greater risk aversion. Moreover, performance on four out of the five cognitive domains was negatively related to risk aversion (i.e., semantic memory, episodic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed); performance on visuospatial abilities was not. Conclusion A lower level of cognitive ability and female sex are associated with greater risk aversion in advanced age. PMID:21906402

Effects of prosocial, neutral, and violent video games on college students' affect.

PubMed

Saleem, Muniba; Anderson, Craig A; Gentile, Douglas A

2012-01-01

Recent research reveals that playing prosocial video games increases prosocial cognitions and helpful behaviors [Gentile el al., 2009; Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2009; 2010; 2011]. These results are consistent with social-cognitive models of social behavior [e.g., the "General Learning Model," Buckley and Anderson, 2006]. The social-cognitive learning models suggest that in addition to influencing cognitions, media content may also influence affect. However, past studies on prosocial video games have failed to find a significant effect on affective measures [Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2010]. The present research examined the effects of prosocial, neutral, and violent video games on state hostility and positive affect. Also examined were moderating effects of trait aggressiveness, trait altruistic helping, and trait egoistic helping. Prosocial games reduced state hostility and increased positive state affect. Violent video games had the opposite effects. These effects were moderated by trait physical aggression. Altruistic participants reported relatively more positive affect and less state hostility. Egoistic participants reported relatively more aggravated and mean feelings. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A hybrid method for classifying cognitive states from fMRI data.

PubMed

Parida, S; Dehuri, S; Cho, S-B; Cacha, L A; Poznanski, R R

2015-09-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) makes it possible to detect brain activities in order to elucidate cognitive-states. The complex nature of fMRI data requires under-standing of the analyses applied to produce possible avenues for developing models of cognitive state classification and improving brain activity prediction. While many models of classification task of fMRI data analysis have been developed, in this paper, we present a novel hybrid technique through combining the best attributes of genetic algorithms (GAs) and ensemble decision tree technique that consistently outperforms all other methods which are being used for cognitive-state classification. Specifically, this paper illustrates the combined effort of decision-trees ensemble and GAs for feature selection through an extensive simulation study and discusses the classification performance with respect to fMRI data. We have shown that our proposed method exhibits significant reduction of the number of features with clear edge classification accuracy over ensemble of decision-trees.

Sleep, Cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Bubu, Omonigho M; Brannick, Michael; Mortimer, James; Umasabor-Bubu, Ogie; Sebastião, Yuri V; Wen, Yi; Schwartz, Skai; Borenstein, Amy R; Wu, Yougui; Morgan, David; Anderson, William M

2017-01-01

Mounting evidence implicates disturbed sleep or lack of sleep as one of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the extent of the risk is uncertain. We conducted a broad systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the effect of sleep problems/disorders on cognitive impairment and AD. Original published literature assessing any association of sleep problems or disorders with cognitive impairment or AD was identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library. Effect estimates of individual studies were pooled and relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random effects models. We also estimated the population attributable risk. Twenty-seven observational studies (n = 69216 participants) that provided 52 RR estimates were included in the meta-analysis. Individuals with sleep problems had a 1.55 (95% CI: 1.25-1.93), 1.65 (95% CI: 1.45-1.86), and 3.78 (95% CI: 2.27-6.30) times higher risk of AD, cognitive impairment, and preclinical AD than individuals without sleep problems, respectively. The overall meta-analysis revealed that individuals with sleep problems had a 1.68 (95% CI: 1.51-1.87) times higher risk for the combined outcome of cognitive impairment and/or AD. Approximately 15% of AD in the population may be attributed to sleep problems. This meta-analysis confirmed the association between sleep and cognitive impairment or AD and, for the first time, consolidated the evidence to provide an "average" magnitude of effect. As sleep problems are of a growing concern in the population, these findings are of interest for potential prevention of AD. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using Lego robots to estimate cognitive ability in children who have severe physical disabilities.

PubMed

Cook, Albert M; Adams, Kim; Volden, Joanne; Harbottle, Norma; Harbottle, Cheryl

2011-01-01

To determine whether low-cost robots provide a means by which children with severe disabilities can demonstrate understanding of cognitive concepts. Ten children, ages 4 to 10, diagnosed with cerebral palsy and related motor conditions, participated. Participants had widely variable motor, cognitive and receptive language skills, but all were non-speaking. A Lego Invention 'roverbot' was used to carry out a range of functional tasks from single-switch replay of pre-stored movements to total control of the movement in two dimensions. The level of sophistication achieved on hierarchically arranged play tasks was used to estimate cognitive skills. The 10 children performed at one of the six hierarchically arranged levels from 'no interaction' through 'simple cause and effect' to 'development and execution of a plan'. Teacher interviews revealed that children were interested in the robot, enjoyed interacting with it and demonstrated changes in behaviour and social and language skills following interaction. Children with severe physical disabilities can control a Lego robot to perform un-structured play tasks. In some cases, they were able to display more sophisticated cognitive skills through manipulating the robot than in traditional standardised tests. Success with the robot could be a proxy measure for children who have cognitive abilities but cannot demonstrate them in standard testing.

Cereal Intake Increases and Dairy Products Decrease Risk of Cognitive Decline among Elderly Female Japanese.

PubMed

Otsuka, R; Kato, Y; Nishita, Y; Tange, C; Nakamoto, M; Tomida, M; Imai, T; Ando, F; Shimokata, H

2014-01-01

If cognitive decline can be prevented through changes in daily diet with no medical intervention, it will be highly significant for dementia prevention. This longitudinal study examined the associations of different food intakes on cognitive decline among Japanese subjects. Prospective cohort study. The National Institute for Longevity Sciences - Longitudinal Study of Aging, a community-based study. Participants included 298 males and 272 females aged 60 to 81 years at baseline who participated in the follow-up study (third to seventh wave) at least one time. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in all study waves. Nutritional intake was assessed using a 3-day dietary record in the second wave. Cumulative data among participants with an MMSE >27 in the second wave were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for an MMSE score ≤27 in each study wave according to a 1 standard deviation (SD) increase of each food intake at baseline were estimated, after adjusting for age, follow-up time, MMSE score at baseline, education, body mass index, annual household income, current smoking status, energy intake, and history of diseases. In men, after adjusting for age, and follow-up period, MMSE score at baseline, the adjusted OR for a decline in MMSE score was 1.20 (95% CI, 1.02-1.42; p=0.032) with a 1-SD increase in cereal intake. After adjusting for education and other confounding variables, the OR for a decrease in MMSE score did not reach statistical significance for this variable. In women, multivariate adjusted OR for MMSE decline was 1.43 (95% CI, 1.15-1.77; p=0.001) with a 1-SD increase in cereal intake and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.65-0.98; p=0.034) with a 1-SD increase in milk and dairy product intake. This study indicates that a 1-SD (108 g/day) decrease in cereal intake and a 1-SD (128 g/day) increase in milk and dairy product intake may have an influence of cognitive decline in community-dwelling Japanese women aged 60 years and older. Further studies are needed in order to explore the potential causal relationship.

Cognitive Offloading Does Not Prevent but Rather Promotes Cognitive Development

PubMed Central

Nolfi, Stefano

2016-01-01

We investigate the relation between the development of reactive and cognitive capabilities. In particular we investigate whether the development of reactive capabilities prevents or promotes the development of cognitive capabilities in a population of evolving robots that have to solve a time-delay navigation task in a double T-Maze environment. Analysis of the experiments reveals that the evolving robots always select reactive strategies that rely on cognitive offloading, i.e., the possibility of acting so as to encode onto the relation between the agent and the environment the states that can be used later to regulate the agent’s behavior. The discovery of these strategies does not prevent, but rather facilitates, the development of cognitive strategies that also rely on the extraction and use of internal states. Detailed analysis of the results obtained in the different experimental conditions provides evidence that helps clarify why, contrary to expectations, reactive and cognitive strategies tend to have synergetic relationships. PMID:27505162

Is there a link between cognitive abilities and environmental awareness? Cross-national evidence.

PubMed

Salahodjaev, Raufhon

2018-06-05

This article explores the effect of cognitive abilities on environmental awareness using data from 119 countries for the period 2005-2015. Our findings provide pioneering confirmation that a facet of human psychology, namely cognitive ability, is positively associated with environmentalism. The empirical estimations indicate that when cognitive abilities increase by one standard deviation, climate change awareness increases by approximately 19% (slightly less than one standard deviation). This positive association remains intact when we control for other determinants of environmentalism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Maps of a Naturalistic Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Robert; And Others

1978-01-01

Distance estimates of locations in a camp setting were obtained from 9- and 10-year-olds and adults. Each subject estimated distance on two tasks: magnitude estimation and reconstruction. Data were analyzed for the effects of certain environmental features such as buildings, trees, and hills. (JMB)

The Dream as a Model for Psychosis: An Experimental Approach Using Bizarreness as a Cognitive Marker

PubMed Central

Scarone, Silvio; Manzone, Maria Laura; Gambini, Orsola; Kantzas, Ilde; Limosani, Ivan; D'Agostino, Armando; Hobson, J. Allan

2008-01-01

Many previous observers have reported some qualitative similarities between the normal mental state of dreaming and the abnormal mental state of psychosis. Recent psychological, tomographic, electrophysiological, and neurochemical data appear to confirm the functional similarities between these 2 states. In this study, the hypothesis of the dreaming brain as a neurobiological model for psychosis was tested by focusing on cognitive bizarreness, a distinctive property of the dreaming mental state defined by discontinuities and incongruities in the dream plot, thoughts, and feelings. Cognitive bizarreness was measured in written reports of dreams and in verbal reports of waking fantasies in 30 schizophrenics and 30 normal controls. Seven pictures of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) were administered as a stimulus to elicit waking fantasies, and all participating subjects were asked to record their dreams upon awakening. A total of 420 waking fantasies plus 244 dream reports were collected to quantify the bizarreness features in the dream and waking state of both subject groups. Two-way analysis of covariance for repeated measures showed that cognitive bizarreness was significantly lower in the TAT stories of normal subjects than in those of schizophrenics and in the dream reports of both groups. The differences between the 2 groups indicated that, under experimental conditions, the waking cognition of schizophrenic subjects shares a common degree of formal cognitive bizarreness with the dream reports of both normal controls and schizophrenics. Though very preliminary, these results support the hypothesis that the dreaming brain could be a useful experimental model for psychosis. PMID:17942480

Electroencephalographic monitoring of complex mental tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guisado, Raul; Montgomery, Richard; Montgomery, Leslie; Hickey, Chris

1992-01-01

Outlined here is the development of neurophysiological procedures to monitor operators during the performance of cognitive tasks. Our approach included the use of electroencepalographic (EEG) and rheoencephalographic (REG) techniques to determine changes in cortical function associated with cognition in the operator's state. A two channel tetrapolar REG, a single channel forearm impedance plethysmograph, a Lead I electrocardiogram (ECG) and a 21 channel EEG were used to measure subject responses to various visual-motor cognitive tasks. Testing, analytical, and display procedures for EEG and REG monitoring were developed that extend the state of the art and provide a valuable tool for the study of cerebral circulatory and neural activity during cognition.

Cognitive reappraisal attenuates the association between depressive symptoms and emotional response to stress during adolescence.

PubMed

Shapero, Benjamin G; Stange, Jonathan P; McArthur, Brae Anne; Abramson, Lyn Y; Alloy, Lauren B

2018-04-11

Depression is associated with increased emotional response to stress. This is especially the case during the developmental period of adolescence. Cognitive reappraisal is an effective emotion regulation strategy that has been shown to reduce the impact of emotional response on psychopathology. However, less is known about whether cognitive reappraisal impacts the relationship between depressive symptoms and emotional responses, and whether its effects are specific to emotional reactivity or emotional recovery. The current study examined whether cognitive reappraisal moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and trait or state measures of emotional reactivity and recovery. A community sample of 127 adolescents (M-age = 15.28; 49% female, 47% Caucasian), at an age of risk for depression, completed self-report measures of trait emotional responding and depressive symptoms. In addition, they completed an in vivo social stress task and were assessed on state emotional reactivity and recovery from the stressor. Findings suggested that cognitive reappraisal was associated with an attenuated impact of depressive symptoms on trait and state emotional recovery. These results provide evidence that cognitive reappraisal may be an effective strategy for improving some aspects of emotional responding in relation to depressive symptoms among adolescents.

Modeling the Impact of Control on the Attractiveness of Risk in a Prospect Theory Framework

PubMed Central

Young, Diana L.; Goodie, Adam S.; Hall, Daniel B.

2010-01-01

Many decisions involve a degree of personal control over event outcomes, which is exerted through one’s knowledge or skill. In three experiments we investigated differences in decision making between prospects based on a) the outcome of random events and b) the outcome of events characterized by control. In Experiment 1, participants estimated certainty equivalents (CEs) for bets based on either random events or the correctness of their answers to U.S. state population questions across the probability spectrum. In Experiment 2, participants estimated CEs for bets based on random events, answers to U.S. state population questions, or answers to questions about 2007 NCAA football game results. Experiment 3 extended the same procedure as Experiment 1 using a within-subjects design. We modeled data from all experiments in a prospect theory framework to establish psychological mechanisms underlying decision behavior. Participants weighted the probabilities associated with bets characterized by control so as to reflect greater risk attractiveness relative to bets based on random events, as evidenced by more elevated weighting functions under conditions of control. This research elucidates possible cognitive mechanisms behind increased risk taking for decisions characterized by control, and implications for various literatures are discussed. PMID:21278906