Cognitive function in ecstasy naive abstinent drug dependants and MDMA users.

PubMed

Potter, Adam; Downey, Luke; Stough, Con

2013-03-01

'Hidden' symptoms, or subtle cognitive deficits and long-term changes in mood, have been linked to the recreational use of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine/MDMA, and are notionally present in non-heavy polydrug users. This study assessed the cognitive functioning and mood profiles of clinically diagnosed drug dependents who had never consumed MDMA, recreational drug users that had previously consumed MDMA, with both groups having not consumed illicit drugs for 6-months, and a control group with limited illicit drug use and no MDMA usage in their past. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerised cognitive assessment system and participants completed the Profile of Mood States and Beck Depression Inventory to assess their current mood and depression. Participants in the clinically diagnosed drug dependent group scored significantly worse on the 'Quality of Working Memory' cognitive factor score than both the MDMA and control group (F (2, 33) = 5.75, p = 0.007). The control and clinical groups also differed on depression scores (U [16] = 13.00, p = 0.016) and Tension/Anxiety scores (U [16] = 16.00, p = 0.034), with the clinical group scoring significantly higher in both cases. The MDMA group did not differ from the control group on the measures of cognition or mood. These results suggest that despite a 6-month prolonged abstinence the cognitive deficits ostensibly caused by 'heavy' usage or the dependence on or abuse of illicit drugs are not reversed by abstinence.

Improvement of postoperative cognitive dysfunction and attention network function of patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease via dexmedetomidine.

PubMed

Zhang, Jingchao; Wang, Guoliang; Zhang, Fangxiang; Zhao, Qian

2018-03-01

The protective effect of dexmedetomidine on cognitive dysfunction and decreased attention network function of patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease after stenting was investigated. Fifty-eight patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease undergoing stenting in Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital were selected and randomly divided into control group (n=29) and dexmedetomidine group (n=29). The dexmedetomidine group was treated with dexmedetomidine before induced anesthesia, while the control group was given the same dose of normal saline; and the normal volunteers of the same age were selected as the normal group (n=29). At 3 days after operation, the levels of serum S100B and nerve growth factor (NGF) in each group were detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was detected via western blotting. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and attention network test (ANT) were performed. Moreover, the cognitive function and attention network function, and the effects of dexmedetomidine on cognitive function and attention network function were evaluated. The concentrations of serum S100B and NGF in dexmedetomidine group was lower than those in control group (P<0.01). The results of western blotting showed that the levels of serum BDNF in control group and dexmedetomidine group were significantly lower than that in normal group (P<0.01), and it was higher in dexmedetomidine group than that in control group (P<0.01). Besides, both MoCA and ANT results revealed that the visual space and executive function scores, attention scores, delayed memory scores, targeted network efficiency and executive control network efficiency in dexmedetomidine group were obviously higher than those in control group (P<0.01). The cognitive function and attention network function of patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease have a certain degree of damage, and the preoperative administration of dexmedetomidine can effectively improve the patient's cognitive dysfunction and attention network function after operation.

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia across age groups: a case-control study.

PubMed

Mosiołek, Anna; Gierus, Jacek; Koweszko, Tytus; Szulc, Agata

2016-02-24

The potential dynamics of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is discussed in the literature of the field. Recent publications suggest modest changes in level of cognitive impairment after first psychotic episode. Present article attempts to explore cognitive differences between patients and controls across age groups and differences between age groups in clinical group. One hundred and twenty-eight hospitalized patients with schizophrenia (64 women and 64 men) and 68 individuals from the control group (32 women and 32 men) aged 18-55 years were examined. The patients were divided into age groups (18-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55). Both groups were examined using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Trail Making Test (A and B), Stroop Test, verbal fluency test and Wechsler digit span. Patients with schizophrenia obtained significantly lower scores versus the control group in regard to all the measured cognitive functions (Mann-Whitney U; p < 0.05. Most deficits were present in all age groups, however, statistically important impairment in executive functions (WCST) were present only in "older" groups. Patients with schizophrenia obtained less favourable results than the control group in all age groups. Deficits regarding executive functions do not seem to be at a significant level among the youngest group, whereas they are more noticeable in the group of 46-55-year-olds. Executive functions are significantly lowered in the group aged 36-45 in comparison to the "younger" groups. The level of cognitive functions shows a mild exacerbation in connection with age, whereas cognitive rigidity proved to be related to the number of years spent without hospital treatment.

Effects of combined fine motor skill and cognitive therapy to cognition, degree of dementia, depression, and activities of daily living in the elderly with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Lee, Jin; Lee, ByoungHee; Park, YuHyung; Kim, Yumi

2015-10-01

[Purpose] This study evaluated the effects of combined fine motor skill and cognitive therapies on cognition, depression, and activities of daily living in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-six participants comprised 2 groups. The experimental group (n=13) received combined fine motor skill and cognitive therapy, and the control group (n=13) received only general medical care. [Results] The experimental group showed improvements in cognition, degree of dementia, depression, and activities of daily living compared to the control group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups. [Conclusion] These results suggest that combined fine motor skill and cognitive therapy improves cognition, degree of dementia, depression, and daily living in elderly patients with AD. These therapies would therefore be effective as general medical care strategies.

Control Group Paradigms in Studies Investigating Acute Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Performance-An Experiment on Expectation-Driven Placebo Effects.

PubMed

Oberste, Max; Hartig, Philipp; Bloch, Wilhelm; Elsner, Benjamin; Predel, Hans-Georg; Ernst, Bernhard; Zimmer, Philipp

2017-01-01

Introduction: Many studies report improvements in cognitive performance following acute endurance exercise compared to control group treatment. These cognitive benefits are interpreted as a result of a physiological response to exercise. However, it was also hypothesized that expectation-driven placebo effects account for these positive effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute endurance exercise and multiple control group treatments. Methods: Healthy individuals ( N = 247, 24.26 ± 3.88 years) were randomized to eight different groups watching videos of a moderate, a vigorous exercise treatment or one control group treatment (waiting, reading, video-watching, stretching, myofascial release workout, and very light exercise). Then, they were introduced to three commonly used cognitive test procedures in acute exercise-cognition research (Stroop-test, Trail-Making-test, Free-recall-task). Participants rated the effect they would expect on their performance in those tasks, if they had received the treatment shortly before the task, on an 11-point Likert scale. Results: No significantly different expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute moderate exercise and control group treatments could be revealed. Participants expected significantly worse performance following vigorous exercise compared to following waiting and stretching for all cognitive tests. Significantly worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to after very light exercise was expected for Stroop and Free-recall. For Free-recall, participants expected worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to myofascial release training as well. Conclusion: Our results indicate that expectation-driven placebo effects are unlikely to cause the reported greater cognitive improvements following acute moderate and vigorous endurance exercise compared to following common control group treatments.

Control Group Paradigms in Studies Investigating Acute Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Performance–An Experiment on Expectation-Driven Placebo Effects

PubMed Central

Oberste, Max; Hartig, Philipp; Bloch, Wilhelm; Elsner, Benjamin; Predel, Hans-Georg; Ernst, Bernhard; Zimmer, Philipp

2017-01-01

Introduction: Many studies report improvements in cognitive performance following acute endurance exercise compared to control group treatment. These cognitive benefits are interpreted as a result of a physiological response to exercise. However, it was also hypothesized that expectation-driven placebo effects account for these positive effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute endurance exercise and multiple control group treatments. Methods: Healthy individuals (N = 247, 24.26 ± 3.88 years) were randomized to eight different groups watching videos of a moderate, a vigorous exercise treatment or one control group treatment (waiting, reading, video-watching, stretching, myofascial release workout, and very light exercise). Then, they were introduced to three commonly used cognitive test procedures in acute exercise-cognition research (Stroop-test, Trail-Making-test, Free-recall-task). Participants rated the effect they would expect on their performance in those tasks, if they had received the treatment shortly before the task, on an 11-point Likert scale. Results: No significantly different expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute moderate exercise and control group treatments could be revealed. Participants expected significantly worse performance following vigorous exercise compared to following waiting and stretching for all cognitive tests. Significantly worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to after very light exercise was expected for Stroop and Free-recall. For Free-recall, participants expected worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to myofascial release training as well. Conclusion: Our results indicate that expectation-driven placebo effects are unlikely to cause the reported greater cognitive improvements following acute moderate and vigorous endurance exercise compared to following common control group treatments. PMID:29276483

Feasibility and effectiveness of a cognitive remediation programme with original computerised cognitive training and group intervention for schizophrenia: a multicentre randomised trial.

PubMed

Matsuda, Yasuhiro; Morimoto, Tsubasa; Furukawa, Shunichi; Sato, Sayaka; Hatsuse, Norifumi; Iwata, Kazuhiko; Kimura, Mieko; Kishimoto, Toshifumi; Ikebuchi, Emi

2018-04-01

Devising new methods to improve neurocognitive impairment through cognitive remediation is an important research goal. We developed an original computer programme termed the Japanese Cognitive Rehabilitation Programme for Schizophrenia (JCORES) that provides cognitive practice across a broad range of abilities. The current study examined for the first time whether a cognitive remediation programme, including both computerised cognitive training using JCORES and group intervention such as enhancing meta-cognition and teaching strategies, is more effective than treatment as usual for improving neurocognitive and social functioning. Sixty-two outpatients with schizophrenia were randomised to either a cognitive remediation group or a control group. Participants engaged in two computerised cognitive training sessions and one group meeting per week for 12 weeks. The average number of total sessions attended (computerised cognitive practice + group intervention) was 32.3 (89.7%). The cognitive remediation group showed significantly more improvements in verbal memory, composite score of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia, Japanese version (BACS-J), and general psychopathology on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) than the control group. These findings demonstrate that a cognitive remediation programme is feasible in Japan and is a more effective way to improve neurocognitive functioning and psychiatric symptoms.

Effectiveness of teaching cognitive-behavioral techniques on locus of control in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Mehrtak, Mohammad; Habibzadeh, Shahram; Farzaneh, Esmaeil; Rjaei-Khiavi, Abdollah

2017-10-01

Many of the cognitive behavioral models and therapeutic protocols developed so far for psychological disorders and chronic diseases have proved effective through clinical research. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of teaching cognitive-behavioral techniques on locus of control in hemodialysis patients. This controlled clinical trial study was conducted in 2015 with 76 patients selected by census and treated with a hemodialysis machine in the dialysis department of Vali-Asr Hospital in the city of Meshkinshahr. A total of four patients were excluded because of their critical conditions while the rest, who were recruited, were randomly divided into two equal groups of 36 patients as the intervention and control groups. First, the locus of control was measured in both groups through a pretest, and cognitive-behavioral techniques were then taught to the intervention group during eight 45 to 90-minute sessions. The locus of control in patients of both groups was finally re-measured through a posttest. Data were collected using Rotter's Locus of Control Inventory. The Wilcoxon test and Mann-Whitney U test were respectively used in SPSS18 for data analysis. In the pretest and posttest stages respectively, 4.8% and 14.3% of samples in the control group as well as 14.3% and 33.3% of samples in the intervention group enjoyed internal locus of control. The difference between the pretest and posttest scores of internal locus of control in the intervention group was significant (p=0.004), which indicates the positive effect of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic intervention on internalization of locus of control in this group. Given the external locus of control in most of the study patients and also the positive significant effect of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy on internalization of locus of control in this group of patients, it appears necessary to have a psychology resident present in the hemodialysis department to teach the necessary cognitive-behavioral techniques to internalize the locus of control. The trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.clinicaltrials.in.th) with the TCTID: TCTR20170707003. The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Screening for Alzheimer's Disease: Cognitive Impairment in Self-Referred and Memory Clinic-Referred Patients.

PubMed

Kirsebom, Bjørn-Eivind; Espenes, Ragna; Waterloo, Knut; Hessen, Erik; Johnsen, Stein Harald; Bråthen, Geir; Aarsland, Dag; Fladby, Tormod

2017-01-01

Cognitive assessment is essential in tracking disease progression in AD. Presently, cohorts including preclinical at-risk participants are recruited by different means, which may bias cognitive and clinical features. We compared recruitment strategies to levels of cognitive functioning. We investigate recruitment source biases in self-referred and memory clinic-referred patient cohorts to reveal potential differences in cognitive performance and demographics among at-risk participants. We included 431 participants 40-80 years old. Participants were classified as controls (n = 132) or symptom group (n = 299). The symptom group comprised of subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n = 163) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 136). We compared cognitive performance and demographics in memory clinic-referrals (n = 86) to self-referred participants responding to advertisements and news bulletins (n = 179). Participants recruited by other means were excluded from analysis (n = 34). At symptom group level, we found significant reductions in cognitive performance in memory clinic-referrals compared to self-referrals. However, here reductions were only found within the MCI group. We found no differences in cognitive performance due to recruitment within the SCD group. The MCI group was significantly impaired compared to controls on all measures. Significant reductions in learning, and executive functions were also found for the SCD group. Regardless of recruitment method, both the SCD and MCI groups showed reductions in cognitive performance compared to controls. We found differences in cognitive impairment for memory clinic-referrals compared to self-referrals only within the MCI group, SCD-cases being equally affected irrespective of referral type.

The Role of Executive Functions in Social Cognition among Children with Down Syndrome: Relationship Patterns

PubMed Central

Amadó, Anna; Serrat, Elisabet; Vallès-Majoral, Eduard

2016-01-01

Many studies show a link between social cognition, a set of cognitive and emotional abilities applied to social situations, and executive functions in typical developing children. Children with Down syndrome (DS) show deficits both in social cognition and in some subcomponents of executive functions. However this link has barely been studied in this population. The aim of this study is to investigate the links between social cognition and executive functions among children with DS. We administered a battery of social cognition and executive function tasks (six theory of mind tasks, a test of emotion comprehension, and three executive function tasks) to a group of 30 participants with DS between 4 and 12 years of age. The same tasks were administered to a chronological-age control group and to a control group with the same linguistic development level. Results showed that apart from deficits in social cognition and executive function abilities, children with DS displayed a slight improvement with increasing chronological age and language development in those abilities. Correlational analysis suggested that working memory was the only component that remained constant in the relation patterns of the three groups of participants, being the relation patterns similar among participants with DS and the language development control group. A multiple linear regression showed that working memory explained above 50% of the variability of social cognition in DS participants and in language development control group, whereas in the chronological-age control group this component only explained 31% of the variability. These findings, and specifically the link between working memory and social cognition, are discussed on the basis of their theoretical and practical implications for children with DS. We discuss the possibility to use a working memory training to improve social cognition in this population. PMID:27679588

A 12-Week Physical and Cognitive Exercise Program Can Improve Cognitive Function and Neural Efficiency in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Nishiguchi, Shu; Yamada, Minoru; Tanigawa, Takanori; Sekiyama, Kaoru; Kawagoe, Toshikazu; Suzuki, Maki; Yoshikawa, Sakiko; Abe, Nobuhito; Otsuka, Yuki; Nakai, Ryusuke; Aoyama, Tomoki; Tsuboyama, Tadao

2015-07-01

To investigate whether a 12-week physical and cognitive exercise program can improve cognitive function and brain activation efficiency in community-dwelling older adults. Randomized controlled trial. Kyoto, Japan. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 48) were randomized into an exercise group (n = 24) and a control group (n = 24). Exercise group participants received a weekly dual task-based multimodal exercise class in combination with pedometer-based daily walking exercise during the 12-week intervention phase. Control group participants did not receive any intervention and were instructed to spend their time as usual during the intervention phase. The outcome measures were global cognitive function, memory function, executive function, and brain activation (measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging) associated with visual short-term memory. Exercise group participants had significantly greater postintervention improvement in memory and executive functions than the control group (P < .05). In addition, after the intervention, less activation was found in several brain regions associated with visual short-term memory, including the prefrontal cortex, in the exercise group (P < .001, uncorrected). A 12-week physical and cognitive exercise program can improve the efficiency of brain activation during cognitive tasks in older adults, which is associated with improvements in memory and executive function. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

Effect of virtual reality on cognition in stroke patients.

PubMed

Kim, Bo Ryun; Chun, Min Ho; Kim, Lee Suk; Park, Ji Young

2011-08-01

To investigate the effect of virtual reality on the recovery of cognitive impairment in stroke patients. Twenty-eight patients (11 males and 17 females, mean age 64.2) with cognitive impairment following stroke were recruited for this study. All patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups, the virtual reality (VR) group (n=15) or the control group (n=13). The VR group received both virtual reality training and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation, whereas the control group received only computer-based cognitive rehabilitation. To measure, activity of daily living cognitive and motor functions, the following assessment tools were used: computerized neuropsychological test and the Tower of London (TOL) test for cognitive function assessment, Korean-Modified Barthel index (K-MBI) for functional status evaluation, and the motricity index (MI) for motor function assessment. All recruited patients underwent these evaluations before rehabilitation and four weeks after rehabilitation. The VR group showed significant improvement in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPT), forward digit span test (DST), forward and backward visual span tests (VST), visual and verbal learning tests, TOL, K-MBI, and MI scores, while the control group showed significant improvement in the K-MMSE, forward DST, visual and verbal learning tests, trail-making test-type A, TOL, K-MBI, and MI scores after rehabilitation. The changes in the visual CPT and backward VST in the VR group after rehabilitation were significantly higher than those in the control group. Our findings suggest that virtual reality training combined with computer-based cognitive rehabilitation may be of additional benefit for treating cognitive impairment in stroke patients.

Mindfulness in the Maintenance of Cognitive Capacities in Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Quintana-Hernández, Domingo J; Miró-Barrachina, María T; Ibáñez-Fernández, Ignacio J; Pino, Angelo Santana-Del; Quintana-Montesdeoca, María P; Rodríguez-de Vera, Bienvenida; Morales-Casanova, David; Pérez-Vieitez, María Del Carmen; Rodríguez-García, Javier; Bravo-Caraduje, Noelia

2016-01-01

The Canary Islands longitudinal study on non-pharmacological treatments showed the overall effectiveness of mindfulness in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no specific data on the maintenance of cognitive capacities were presented. To determine whether the practice of mindfulness modifies the course of cognitive impairment in AD. Longitudinal, non-inferiority and equivalence, randomized clinical trial, repeated-measures design, with three experimental groups and one control group. Patients with AD who voluntarily attended the Lidia García Foundation (n = 502). Only those who were treated with donepezil and MMSE ≥18 were included (n = 120). Over a two-year period, each group carried out three weekly sessions of stimulation based on mindfulness, cognitive stimulation therapy, and progressive muscle relaxation. Cognitive assessment CAMDEX-R (MMSE and CAMCOG). Repeated-measures ANOVA (p <  0.05) and the effect size Cohen's d were performed. The mindfulness group showed significant scores compared with the control and muscle relaxation groups (p <  0.05), while mindfulness and cognitive stimulation therapy were equivalent (p≥0.05). Group cognitive stimulation evolved better than the control (p <  0.05) group but not better than the muscle relaxation group (p≥0.05). The effect size compared over two years was large for the mindfulness group (p≥0.80), moderate for the relaxation group (p≥0.50), and low for the cognitive stimulation group (p≥0.20). The practice of mindfulness maintained cognitive function over a period of two years. This longitudinal study suggests that mindfulness can be used as a non-pharmacological treatment to slow cognitive impairment in AD.

Prior cognitive activity implicitly modulates subsequent emotional responses to subliminally presented emotional stimuli.

PubMed

Iida, Saea; Nakao, Takashi; Ohira, Hideki

2012-06-01

It has been reported that engagement in several kinds of cognitive activity can successfully inhibit unpleasant emotions. In this study, we tried to replicate the previous finding that cognitive activity can modulate subsequent psychological and physiological emotional processes and to investigate whether prior cognitive activity can attenuate implicit emotional processes triggered by subliminal emotional stimuli. Sixty students were randomly divided into three groups (cognitive task group, noncognitive task group, control group). The cognitive task group was asked to engage in an n-back task, while the control group was asked to stay calm. The noncognitive task group was asked to do a handgrip-squeezing task. All participants then engaged in a version of a subliminal affective priming task where they were unconsciously exposed to affectively negative pictures. The cognitive task group showed lower negative experiences after the subliminal affective priming task and a substantial reduction in their heart rate responses, as compared with the other groups. These results provide evidence that engagement in cognitive activity can attenuate emotional processes in an automatic and unconscious manner.

Effectiveness of cognitive training for Chinese elderly in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Kwok, Timothy; Wong, Anita; Chan, Grace; Shiu, YY; Lam, Ko-Chuen; Young, Daniel; Ho, Daniel WH; Ho, Florence

2013-01-01

In Hong Kong, the evidence for cognitive-training programs in fighting against memory complaints is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Active Mind cognitive-training program in improving the cognitive function and quality of life (QoL) for local community-dwelling Chinese older adults. A total of 200 subjects were recruited from 20 different district elderly community centers (DECCs). Centers were randomly assigned into either the intervention group or control group. The intervention group underwent eight 1-hour sessions of cognitive training, while the control group were included in the usual group activities provided by the DECCs. Standardized neuropsychological tests (the Chinese version of Mattis Dementia Rating Scale [CDRS] and the Cantonese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) and the QoL questionnaire SF12 were used to assess participants’ cognitive function and QoL before and after the trial. A total of 176 subjects completed the study. The intervention group showed greater improvement in the cognitive function measured by total CDRS score (treatment: 12.24 ± 11.57 vs control: 4.37 ± 7.99; P < 0.001) and QoL measured by total SF12 score (treatment: 7.82 ± 13.19 vs control: 3.18 ± 11.61; P = 0.014). Subjects with lower education level were associated with better cognitive response to the cognitive-training program. The current findings indicated that the Active Mind cognitive-training program was effective in improving the cognitive function and QoL for community-dwelling Chinese older adults in Hong Kong. PMID:23440076

The influence of computer-based cognitive flexibility training on subjective cognitive well-being after stroke: A multi-center randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Murre, Jaap M. J.; Buitenweg, Jessika I. V.; Veltman, Dick J.; Aaronson, Justine A.; Nijboer, Tanja C. W.; Kruiper-Doesborgh, Suzanne J. C.; van Bennekom, Coen A. M.; Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; Schmand, Ben

2017-01-01

Background Stroke can result in cognitive complaints that can have a large impact on quality of life long after its occurrence. A number of computer-based training programs have been developed with the aim to improve cognitive functioning. Most studies investigating their efficacy used only objective outcome measures, whereas a reduction of subjective cognitive complaints may be equally important for improving quality of life. A few studies used subjective outcome measures but were inconclusive, partly due to methodological shortcomings such as lack of proper active and passive control groups. Objective The aim of the current study was to investigate whether computer-based cognitive flexibility training can improve subjective cognitive functioning and quality of life after stroke. Methods We performed a randomized controlled double blind trial (RCT). Adults (30–80 years old) who had a stroke 3 months to 5 years ago, were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 38), an active control group (i.e., mock training; n = 35), or a waiting list control group (n = 24). The intervention and mock training consisted of 58 half-hour sessions within 12 weeks. The primary subjective outcome measures were cognitive functioning (Cognitive Failure Questionnaire), executive functioning (Dysexecutive Functioning Questionnaire), quality of life (Short Form Health Survey), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL; Lawton & Brody IADL scale), and participation in society (Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation). Secondary subjective outcome measures were recovery after stroke, depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale—depression subscale), fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength—Fatigue subscale), and subjective cognitive improvement (exit list). Finally, a proxy of the participant rated the training effects in subjective cognitive functioning, subjective executive functioning, and IADL. Results and conclusions All groups improved on the two measures of subjective cognitive functioning and subjective executive functioning, but not on the other measures. These cognitive and executive improvements remained stable 4 weeks after training completion. However, the intervention group did not improve more than the two control groups. This suggests that improvement was due to training-unspecific effects. The proxies did not report any improvements. We, therefore, conclude that the computer-based cognitive flexibility training did not improve subjective cognitive functioning or quality of life after stroke. PMID:29145410

The influence of computer-based cognitive flexibility training on subjective cognitive well-being after stroke: A multi-center randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

van de Ven, Renate M; Murre, Jaap M J; Buitenweg, Jessika I V; Veltman, Dick J; Aaronson, Justine A; Nijboer, Tanja C W; Kruiper-Doesborgh, Suzanne J C; van Bennekom, Coen A M; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; Schmand, Ben

2017-01-01

Stroke can result in cognitive complaints that can have a large impact on quality of life long after its occurrence. A number of computer-based training programs have been developed with the aim to improve cognitive functioning. Most studies investigating their efficacy used only objective outcome measures, whereas a reduction of subjective cognitive complaints may be equally important for improving quality of life. A few studies used subjective outcome measures but were inconclusive, partly due to methodological shortcomings such as lack of proper active and passive control groups. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether computer-based cognitive flexibility training can improve subjective cognitive functioning and quality of life after stroke. We performed a randomized controlled double blind trial (RCT). Adults (30-80 years old) who had a stroke 3 months to 5 years ago, were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 38), an active control group (i.e., mock training; n = 35), or a waiting list control group (n = 24). The intervention and mock training consisted of 58 half-hour sessions within 12 weeks. The primary subjective outcome measures were cognitive functioning (Cognitive Failure Questionnaire), executive functioning (Dysexecutive Functioning Questionnaire), quality of life (Short Form Health Survey), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL; Lawton & Brody IADL scale), and participation in society (Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation). Secondary subjective outcome measures were recovery after stroke, depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale-depression subscale), fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength-Fatigue subscale), and subjective cognitive improvement (exit list). Finally, a proxy of the participant rated the training effects in subjective cognitive functioning, subjective executive functioning, and IADL. All groups improved on the two measures of subjective cognitive functioning and subjective executive functioning, but not on the other measures. These cognitive and executive improvements remained stable 4 weeks after training completion. However, the intervention group did not improve more than the two control groups. This suggests that improvement was due to training-unspecific effects. The proxies did not report any improvements. We, therefore, conclude that the computer-based cognitive flexibility training did not improve subjective cognitive functioning or quality of life after stroke.

Effects of a Sedentary Intervention on Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Edwards, Meghan K; Loprinzi, Paul D

2018-03-01

To examine the effects of a free-living, sedentary-inducing intervention on cognitive function. Randomized controlled, parallel group intervention. University campus. Thirty-three young adults (n = 23 intervention; n = 10 control). The intervention group was asked to eliminate all exercise and minimize steps to ≤5000 steps/day for 1 week, whereas the control group was asked to continue normal physical activity (PA) levels for 1 week. Both groups completed a series of 8 cognitive function assessments (assessing multiple parameters of cognition) preintervention and immediately postintervention. The intervention group was asked to resume normal PA levels for 1 week postintervention and completed the cognitive assessments for a third time at 2 weeks postintervention. Split-plot repeated-measures analysis of variance. The results of our statistical analyses showed that the group × time interaction effect was not significant ( P > .05) for any of the evaluated cognitive parameters. These findings demonstrate the need for future experimental investigations of sedentary behavior to better understand its effects on cognitive function. However, although previous work has demonstrated favorable effects of acute and chronic PA on cognitive function, our findings suggest that a 1-week period of reduced PA does not detrimentally affect cognitive function, which may have encouraging implications for individuals going through a temporary relapse in PA.

Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognition in Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

Kim, Bo Ryun; Kim, Lee Suk; Park, Ji Young

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate the effect of virtual reality on the recovery of cognitive impairment in stroke patients. Method Twenty-eight patients (11 males and 17 females, mean age 64.2) with cognitive impairment following stroke were recruited for this study. All patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups, the virtual reality (VR) group (n=15) or the control group (n=13). The VR group received both virtual reality training and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation, whereas the control group received only computer-based cognitive rehabilitation. To measure, activity of daily living cognitive and motor functions, the following assessment tools were used: computerized neuropsychological test and the Tower of London (TOL) test for cognitive function assessment, Korean-Modified Barthel index (K-MBI) for functional status evaluation, and the motricity index (MI) for motor function assessment. All recruited patients underwent these evaluations before rehabilitation and four weeks after rehabilitation. Results The VR group showed significant improvement in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPT), forward digit span test (DST), forward and backward visual span tests (VST), visual and verbal learning tests, TOL, K-MBI, and MI scores, while the control group showed significant improvement in the K-MMSE, forward DST, visual and verbal learning tests, trail-making test-type A, TOL, K-MBI, and MI scores after rehabilitation. The changes in the visual CPT and backward VST in the VR group after rehabilitation were significantly higher than those in the control group. Conclusion Our findings suggest that virtual reality training combined with computer-based cognitive rehabilitation may be of additional benefit for treating cognitive impairment in stroke patients. PMID:22506159

The impact of different definitions and reference groups on the prevalence of cognitive impairment: a study in postmenopausal breast cancer patients before the start of adjuvant systemic therapy.

PubMed

Schilder, Christina M; Seynaeve, Caroline; Linn, Sabine C; Boogerd, Willem; Gundy, Chad M; Beex, Louk V; van Dam, Frits S; Schagen, Sanne B

2010-04-01

Several prospective studies into the effects of adjuvant systemic therapy on cognitive functioning suggest that a proportion of breast cancer patients show cognitive deficits already before the start of systemic therapy. Owing to, among others, methodological inconsistency, studies report different rates of this pre-treatment cognitive impairment. We examined the impact of four different criteria of cognitive impairment and two types of reference groups (a study-specific healthy reference group versus published normative data) on the prevalence of cognitive impairment. Two hundred and five postmenopausal breast cancer patients underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests before the start of endocrine therapy, 124 healthy subjects underwent the same tests. Proportions of cognitive impaired patients were calculated for each of four criteria for cognitive impairment, using (1) study-specific healthy controls and (2) published norms of healthy controls as reference groups. The prevalence of cognitive impairment varied greatly with the strictness of the criterion, as expected, but also was dependent on the reference group used. Cognitive impairment, relative to published norms, ranged from 1% for the strictest to 36.6% for the less strict criterion, cognitive impairment relative to study-specific healthy controls, ranged from 13.7 to 45.4% for the same criteria. This study highlights contrasting proportions of cognitive impairment by using different criteria for cognitive impairment and different reference groups. (Dis)advantages of the methods using a criterion for cognitive impairment, and of the use of published norms versus a study-specific reference group are discussed. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cognitive-Behavioral and Response-Prevention Treatments for Bulimia Nervosa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agras, W. Stewart; And Others

1989-01-01

Assessed treatment for bulimia nervosa among 77 female patients assigned to wait-list control, self-monitoring of caloric intake and purging behaviors, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and cognitive-behavioral treatment plus response prevention of vomiting. All treatment groups showed significant improvement; control group did not.…

Cognitive control level of action for analyzing verbal reports in educative clinical simulation situations.

PubMed

Morineau, Thierry; Meineri, Sebastien; Chapelain, Pascal

2017-03-01

Several methods and theoretical frameworks have been proposed for efficient debriefing after clinical simulation sessions. In these studies, however, the cognitive processes underlying the debriefing stage are not directly addressed. Cognitive control constitutes a conceptual link between behavior and reflection on behavior to apprehend debriefing cognitively. Our goal was to analyze cognitive control from verbal reports using the Skill-Rule-Knowledge model. This model considers different cognitive control levels from skill-based to rule-based and knowledge-based control. An experiment was conducted with teams of nursing students who were confronted with emergency scenarios during high-fidelity simulation sessions. Participants' descriptions of their actions were asked in the course of the simulation scenarios or during the debriefing stage. 52 nursing students working in 26 pairs participated in this study. Participants were divided into two groups: an "in situ" group in which they had to describe their actions at different moments of a deteriorating patient scenario, and a "debriefing" group, in which, at the same moments, they had to describe their actions displayed on a video recording. In addition to a cognitive analysis, the teams' clinical performance was measured. The cognitive control level in the debriefing group was generally higher than in the in situ group. Good team performance was associated with a high level of cognitive control after a patient's significant state deterioration. These findings are in conformity with the "Skill-Rule-Knowledge" model. The debriefing stage allows a deeper reflection on action compared with the in situ condition. If an abnormal event occurs as an adverse event, then participants' mental processes tend to migrate towards knowledge-based control. This migration particularly concerns students with the best clinical performance. Thus, this cognitive framework can help to strengthen the analysis of verbal reports. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of virtual reality on cognitive dysfunction in patients with brain tumor.

PubMed

Yang, Seoyon; Chun, Min Ho; Son, Yu Ri

2014-12-01

To investigate whether virtual reality (VR) training will help the recovery of cognitive function in brain tumor patients. Thirty-eight brain tumor patients (19 men and 19 women) with cognitive impairment recruited for this study were assigned to either VR group (n=19, IREX system) or control group (n=19). Both VR training (30 minutes a day for 3 times a week) and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 2 times) for 4 weeks were given to the VR group. The control group was given only the computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week) for 4 weeks. Computerized neuropsychological tests (CNTs), Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were used to evaluate cognitive function and functional status. The VR group showed improvements in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPTs), forward and backward digit span tests (DSTs), forward and backward visual span test (VSTs), visual and verbal learning tests, Trail Making Test type A (TMT-A), and K-MBI. The VR group showed significantly (p<0.05) better improvements than the control group in visual and auditory CPTs, backward DST and VST, and TMT-A after treatment. VR training can have beneficial effects on cognitive improvement when it is combined with computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation. Further randomized controlled studies with large samples according to brain tumor type and location are needed to investigate how VR training improves cognitive impairment.

Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With Brain Tumor

PubMed Central

Yang, Seoyon; Son, Yu Ri

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate whether virtual reality (VR) training will help the recovery of cognitive function in brain tumor patients. Methods Thirty-eight brain tumor patients (19 men and 19 women) with cognitive impairment recruited for this study were assigned to either VR group (n=19, IREX system) or control group (n=19). Both VR training (30 minutes a day for 3 times a week) and computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 2 times) for 4 weeks were given to the VR group. The control group was given only the computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week) for 4 weeks. Computerized neuropsychological tests (CNTs), Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were used to evaluate cognitive function and functional status. Results The VR group showed improvements in the K-MMSE, visual and auditory continuous performance tests (CPTs), forward and backward digit span tests (DSTs), forward and backward visual span test (VSTs), visual and verbal learning tests, Trail Making Test type A (TMT-A), and K-MBI. The VR group showed significantly (p<0.05) better improvements than the control group in visual and auditory CPTs, backward DST and VST, and TMT-A after treatment. Conclusion VR training can have beneficial effects on cognitive improvement when it is combined with computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation. Further randomized controlled studies with large samples according to brain tumor type and location are needed to investigate how VR training improves cognitive impairment. PMID:25566470

Pupillary Response to Cognitive Demand in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Kahya, Melike; Moon, Sanghee; Lyons, Kelly E.; Pahwa, Rajesh; Akinwuntan, Abiodun E.; Devos, Hannes

2018-01-01

Previous studies have shown that pupillary response, a physiological measure of cognitive workload, reflects cognitive demand in healthy younger and older adults. However, the relationship between cognitive workload and cognitive demand in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains unclear. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the pupillary response to cognitive demand in a letter-number sequencing (LNS) task between 16 non-demented individuals with PD (age, median (Q1–Q3): 68 (62–72); 10 males) and 10 control participants (age: 63 (59–67); 2 males), matched for age, education, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) scores. A mixed model analysis was employed to investigate cognitive workload changes as a result of incremental cognitive demand for both groups. As expected, no differences were found in cognitive scores on the LNS between groups. Cognitive workload, exemplified by greater pupil dilation, increased with incremental cognitive demand in both groups (p = 0.003). No significant between-group (p = 0.23) or interaction effects were found (p = 0.45). In addition, individuals who achieved to complete the task at higher letter-number (LN) load responded differently to increased cognitive demand compared with those who completed at lower LN load (p < 0.001), regardless of disease status. Overall, the findings indicated that pupillary response reflects incremental cognitive demand in non-demented people with PD and healthy controls. Further research is needed to investigate the pupillary response to incremental cognitive demand of PD patients with dementia compared to non-demented PD and healthy controls. Highlights -Pupillary response reflects cognitive demand in both non-demented people with PD and healthy controls-Although not significant due to insufficient power, non-demented individuals with PD had increased cognitive workload compared to the healthy controls throughout the testing-Pupillary response may be a valid measure of cognitive demand in non-demented individuals with PD-In future, pupillary response might be used to detect cognitive impairment in individuals with PD PMID:29692720

The use of an android–based-game in the team assisted individualization to improve students’ creativity and cognitive achievement in chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyarto, K. H.; Ikhsan, J.; Lukman, I. R.

2018-05-01

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in learning process resulted in positive impact to students’ output. This research investigated the difference of improvement of students’ creativity and cognitive achievement due to the use of android-based games on Chemistry Nomenclature in learning method of team-assisted individualization (TAI) into the improvement of students’ creativity and cognitive achievement. This was an quasi experiment research with non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design involving 2 groups of students of X grade of a senior high school in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, SMAN 1 Seyegan, Sleman. The groups were experiment and control which were chosen randomly, involving 32 students in each group. The difference of learning model in the two groups were the use of android-based games within learning model of TAI in the experiment group, but it was only the use of TAI model in control group. The android-based games were developed and validated previously in this investigation, and were excellent in quality for the use in Chemistry learning process, and were reported separately. The data of both students’ creativity and cognitive achievement were measured before and after learning process. Data of students’ creativity were collected with the instruments of questionnaire and observation sheets, and the data of cognitive achievement were collected with a set of test. Statistical analysis of MANOVA was used to analyze data to measure the difference of the improvement of students’ creativity and cognitive achievement between experiment and control groups. The results showed that the improvement of creativity and cognitive achievement of students in the experiment group was higher significantly than that in control group.

Effectiveness of teaching cognitive-behavioral techniques on locus of control in hemodialysis patients

PubMed Central

Mehrtak, Mohammad; Habibzadeh, Shahram; Farzaneh, Esmaeil; Rjaei-Khiavi, Abdollah

2017-01-01

Background Many of the cognitive behavioral models and therapeutic protocols developed so far for psychological disorders and chronic diseases have proved effective through clinical research. Objective This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of teaching cognitive-behavioral techniques on locus of control in hemodialysis patients. Methods This controlled clinical trial study was conducted in 2015 with 76 patients selected by census and treated with a hemodialysis machine in the dialysis department of Vali-Asr Hospital in the city of Meshkinshahr. A total of four patients were excluded because of their critical conditions while the rest, who were recruited, were randomly divided into two equal groups of 36 patients as the intervention and control groups. First, the locus of control was measured in both groups through a pretest, and cognitive-behavioral techniques were then taught to the intervention group during eight 45 to 90-minute sessions. The locus of control in patients of both groups was finally re-measured through a posttest. Data were collected using Rotter’s Locus of Control Inventory. The Wilcoxon test and Mann–Whitney U test were respectively used in SPSS18 for data analysis. Results In the pretest and posttest stages respectively, 4.8% and 14.3% of samples in the control group as well as 14.3% and 33.3% of samples in the intervention group enjoyed internal locus of control. The difference between the pretest and posttest scores of internal locus of control in the intervention group was significant (p=0.004), which indicates the positive effect of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic intervention on internalization of locus of control in this group. Conclusions Given the external locus of control in most of the study patients and also the positive significant effect of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy on internalization of locus of control in this group of patients, it appears necessary to have a psychology resident present in the hemodialysis department to teach the necessary cognitive-behavioral techniques to internalize the locus of control. Trial registration The trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.clinicaltrials.in.th) with the TCTID: TCTR20170707003. Funding The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. PMID:29238508

Structural Brain Changes after Traditional and Robot-Assisted Multi-Domain Cognitive Training in Community-Dwelling Healthy Elderly

PubMed Central

Kim, Geon Ha; Jeon, Seun; Im, Kiho; Kwon, Hunki; Lee, Byung Hwa; Kim, Ga Young; Jeong, Hana; Han, Noh Eul; Seo, Sang Won; Cho, Hanna; Noh, Young; Park, Sang Eon; Kim, Hojeong; Hwang, Jung Won; Yoon, Cindy W.; Kim, Hee Jin; Ye, Byoung Seok; Chin, Ju Hee; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Suh, Mee Kyung; Lee, Jong Min; Kim, Sung Tae; Choi, Mun-Taek; Kim, Mun Sang; Heilman, Kenneth M; Jeong, Jee Hyang; Na, Duk L.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate if multi-domain cognitive training, especially robot-assisted training, alters cortical thickness in the brains of elderly participants. A controlled trial was conducted with 85 volunteers without cognitive impairment who were 60 years old or older. Participants were first randomized into two groups. One group consisted of 48 participants who would receive cognitive training and 37 who would not receive training. The cognitive training group was randomly divided into two groups, 24 who received traditional cognitive training and 24 who received robot-assisted cognitive training. The training for both groups consisted of daily 90-min-session, five days a week for a total of 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the changes in cortical thickness. When compared to the control group, both groups who underwent cognitive training demonstrated attenuation of age related cortical thinning in the frontotemporal association cortices. When the robot and the traditional interventions were directly compared, the robot group showed less cortical thinning in the anterior cingulate cortices. Our results suggest that cognitive training can mitigate age-associated structural brain changes in the elderly. Trial Registration ClnicalTrials.gov NCT01596205 PMID:25898367

Enhancing Cognitive Abilities with Comprehensive Training: A Large, Online, Randomized, Active-Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Hardy, Joseph L.; Nelson, Rolf A.; Thomason, Moriah E.; Sternberg, Daniel A.; Katovich, Kiefer; Farzin, Faraz; Scanlon, Michael

2015-01-01

Background A variety of studies have demonstrated gains in cognitive ability following cognitive training interventions. However, other studies have not shown such gains, and questions remain regarding the efficacy of specific cognitive training interventions. Cognitive training research often involves programs made up of just one or a few exercises, targeting limited and specific cognitive endpoints. In addition, cognitive training studies typically involve small samples that may be insufficient for reliable measurement of change. Other studies have utilized training periods that were too short to generate reliable gains in cognitive performance. Methods The present study evaluated an online cognitive training program comprised of 49 exercises targeting a variety of cognitive capacities. The cognitive training program was compared to an active control condition in which participants completed crossword puzzles. All participants were recruited, trained, and tested online (N = 4,715 fully evaluable participants). Participants in both groups were instructed to complete one approximately 15-minute session at least 5 days per week for 10 weeks. Results Participants randomly assigned to the treatment group improved significantly more on the primary outcome measure, an aggregate measure of neuropsychological performance, than did the active control group (Cohen’s d effect size = 0.255; 95% confidence interval = [0.198, 0.312]). Treatment participants showed greater improvements than controls on speed of processing, short-term memory, working memory, problem solving, and fluid reasoning assessments. Participants in the treatment group also showed greater improvements on self-reported measures of cognitive functioning, particularly on those items related to concentration compared to the control group (Cohen’s d = 0.249; 95% confidence interval = [0.191, 0.306]). Conclusion Taken together, these results indicate that a varied training program composed of a number of tasks targeted to different cognitive functions can show transfer to a wide range of untrained measures of cognitive performance. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT-02367898 PMID:26333022

Cognitive Training Using a Novel Memory Game on an iPad in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI)

PubMed Central

Savulich, George; Piercy, Thomas; Fox, Chris; Suckling, John; Rowe, James B; O’Brien, John T

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Cognitive training is effective in patients with mild cognitive impairment but does not typically address the motivational deficits associated with older populations with memory difficulties. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial of cognitive training using a novel memory game on an iPad in 42 patients with a diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment assigned to either the cognitive training (n=21; 8 hours of gameplay over 4 weeks) or control (n=21; clinic visits as usual) groups. Results Significant time-by-pattern-by-group interactions were found for cognitive performance in terms of the number of errors made and trials needed on the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Paired Associates Learning task (P=.044; P=.027). Significant time-by-group interactions were also found for the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Paired Associates Learning first trial memory score (P=.002), Mini-Mental State Examination (P=.036), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (P=.032), and the Apathy Evaluation Scale (P=.026). Within-group comparisons revealed highly specific effects of cognitive training on episodic memory. The cognitive training group maintained high levels of enjoyment and motivation to continue after each hour of gameplay, with self-confidence and self-rated memory ability improving over time. Conclusions Episodic memory robustly improved in the cognitive training group. “Gamified” cognitive training may also enhance visuospatial abilities in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Gamification maximizes engagement with cognitive training by increasing motivation and could complement pharmacological treatments for amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease. Larger, more controlled trials are needed to replicate and extend these findings. PMID:28898959

Cognitive Training Using a Novel Memory Game on an iPad in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI).

PubMed

Savulich, George; Piercy, Thomas; Fox, Chris; Suckling, John; Rowe, James B; O'Brien, John T; Sahakian, Barbara J

2017-08-01

Cognitive training is effective in patients with mild cognitive impairment but does not typically address the motivational deficits associated with older populations with memory difficulties. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of cognitive training using a novel memory game on an iPad in 42 patients with a diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment assigned to either the cognitive training (n=21; 8 hours of gameplay over 4 weeks) or control (n=21; clinic visits as usual) groups. Significant time-by-pattern-by-group interactions were found for cognitive performance in terms of the number of errors made and trials needed on the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Paired Associates Learning task (P=.044; P=.027). Significant time-by-group interactions were also found for the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Paired Associates Learning first trial memory score (P=.002), Mini-Mental State Examination (P=.036), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (P=.032), and the Apathy Evaluation Scale (P=.026). Within-group comparisons revealed highly specific effects of cognitive training on episodic memory. The cognitive training group maintained high levels of enjoyment and motivation to continue after each hour of gameplay, with self-confidence and self-rated memory ability improving over time. Episodic memory robustly improved in the cognitive training group. "Gamified" cognitive training may also enhance visuospatial abilities in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Gamification maximizes engagement with cognitive training by increasing motivation and could complement pharmacological treatments for amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease. Larger, more controlled trials are needed to replicate and extend these findings. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of piano training on cognitive and psychosocial outcomes.

PubMed

Bugos, Jennifer

2018-05-09

Age-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment represent the fastest growing health epidemic worldwide among those over 60. There is a critical need to identify effective and novel complex cognitive interventions to promote successful aging. Since piano training engages cognitive and bimanual sensorimotor processing, we hypothesize that piano training may serve as an effective cognitive intervention, as it requires sustained attention and engages an executive network that supports generalized cognition and emotional control. Here, I describe the protocol of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of piano training on cognitive performance in adulthood, a period associated with decreased neuroplasticity. In this cluster RCT, healthy older adults (age 60-80) were recruited and screened to control for confounding variables. Eligible participants completed an initial 3-h assessment of standardized cognitive and psychosocial measures. Participants were stratified by age, education, and estimate of intelligence and randomly assigned to one of three groups: piano training, computer brain training, or a no-treatment control group. Computer brain training consisted of progressively difficult auditory cognitive exercises (Brain HQ; Posit Science, 2010). Participants assigned to training groups completed a 16-week program that met twice a week for 90 minutes. Upon program completion and at a 3-month follow-up, training participants and no-treatment controls completed a posttest visit lasting 2.5 hours. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Short-term improvement in oral self-care of adolescents with social-cognitive theory-guided intervention.

PubMed

Hall-Scullin, Emma P

2015-12-01

Cluster randomised controlled trial. Clusters of adolescents (classrooms of 15- to 16-year-olds) in each school were allocated either into a control group or into an intervention group. The interventions consisted of peer cooperation (peer support) and peer interactive learning (observational learning) facilitated through feedback from a dentist (professional support). Three intervention sessions with preselected pairs of adolescents were delivered in the first three weeks. Gender, family socio-economic status (baseline) and different social-cognitive domain variables (baseline, six, and 12 months) were assessed using a questionnaire. Dental plaque levels were the primary outcome measure and they were measured at baseline, after the intervention measured only in the social-cognitive theory-guided group, at six and 12 months. At the six-month follow-up there was a statistically significant difference in means ± SD between the social-cognitive intervention group (27.4 ± 19.4) and the control group (35.1 ± 20.0). At the 12-month follow-up, there was no statistically significant difference in means ± SD between the social-cognitive intervention group (27.4 ± 18.5) and the control group (31.9 ± 17.8). Variations in dental plaque levels at different time periods were explained by the following predictors: family's socio-economic status, social-cognitive domain variables, group affiliation and baseline plaque levels. Social-cognitive theory-guided interventions improved oral self-care of adolescents in the short term. This improvement lasted only for five months after the intervention was discontinued.

The Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Motivation for Health Improvement on Anthropometric Measurements in High Risk Individuals

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

participants that underwent the cognitive- behavioral motivation treatment received a one as their designator , whereas the control group received a...77 Figure 20 Locus of Control at Time 1 and Time 3 with Groups ...................................... 78 xi...treatment. With the use of this research design any differences exhibited between the two groups are caused by either the cognitive-behavioral motivation

Long-term treatment with antioxidants and a program of behavioral enrichment reduces age-dependent impairment in discrimination and reversal learning in beagle dogs.

PubMed

Milgram, Norton W; Head, Elizabeth; Zicker, Steven C; Ikeda-Douglas, Candace; Murphey, Heather; Muggenberg, Bruce A; Siwak, Christina T; Tapp, P Dwight; Lowry, Stephen R; Cotman, Carl W

2004-05-01

The effects of long-term treatment with both antioxidants and a program of behavioral enrichment were studied as part of a longitudinal investigation of cognitive aging in beagle dogs. Baseline performance on a battery of cognitive tests was used to assign 48 aged dogs (9-12 years) into four cognitively equivalent groups, of 12 animals per group: Group CC (control food-control environment), group CE (control food-enriched environment); Group AC (antioxidant fortified food-control environment); Group AE (fortified food-enriched environment). We also tested a group of young dogs fed the control food and a second group fed the fortified food. Both groups of young dogs received a program of behavioral enrichment. To evaluate the effects of the interventions on cognition after 1 year, the dogs were tested on a size discrimination learning task and subsequently on a size discrimination reversal learning task. Both tasks showed age-sensitivity, with old dogs performing more poorly than young dogs. Both tasks were also improved by both the fortified food and the behavioral enrichment. However, in both instances the treatment effects largely reflected improved performance in the combined treatment group. These results suggest that the effectiveness of antioxidants in attenuating age-dependent cognitive decline is dependent on behavioral and environmental experience.

Does cognitive behavioral therapy alter mental defeat and cognitive flexibility in patients with panic disorder?

PubMed

Nagata, Shinobu; Seki, Yoichi; Shibuya, Takayuki; Yokoo, Mizue; Murata, Tomokazu; Hiramatsu, Yoichi; Yamada, Fuminori; Ibuki, Hanae; Minamitani, Noriko; Yoshinaga, Naoki; Kusunoki, Muga; Inada, Yasushi; Kawasoe, Nobuko; Adachi, Soichiro; Oshiro, Keiko; Matsuzawa, Daisuke; Hirano, Yoshiyuki; Yoshimura, Kensuke; Nakazato, Michiko; Iyo, Masaomi; Nakagawa, Akiko; Shimizu, Eiji

2018-01-12

Mental defeat and cognitive flexibility have been studied as explanatory factors for depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. This study examined mental defeat and cognitive flexibility scores in patients with panic disorder (PD) before and after cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and compared them to those of a gender- and age-matched healthy control group. Patients with PD (n = 15) received 16 weekly individual CBT sessions, and the control group (n = 35) received no treatment. Patients completed the Mental Defeat Scale and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale before the intervention, following eight CBT sessions, and following 16 CBT sessions, while the control group did so only prior to receiving CBT (baseline). The patients' pre-CBT Mental Defeat and Cognitive Flexibility Scale scores were significantly higher on the Mental Defeat Scale and lower on the Cognitive Flexibility Scale than those of the control group participants were. In addition, the average Mental Defeat Scale scores of the patients decreased significantly, from 22.2 to 12.4, while their average Cognitive Flexibility Scale scores increased significantly, from 42.8 to 49.5. These results suggest that CBT can reduce mental defeat and increase cognitive flexibility in patients with PD Trial registration The study was registered retrospectively in the national UMIN Clinical Trials Registry on June 10, 2016 (registration ID: UMIN000022693).

[Study on early intervention of compound nutrition for cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease].

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Xie, Wei; Zhu, Jinfeng; Dang, Rui; Wang, Decai

2014-01-01

To observe the early prevention effect of the compound nutrients recipe for cognitive dysfunction of Alzheimer' s disease model-APP-PSN transgenic mouse. 36 APP-PSN transgenic mice aged two months randomly were divided into the intervention group supplied with compound recipe in the diet and the control group fed based feed, the former had high dose and low dose, 12 APP-PSN transgenic negative mice aged two months as the negative control were fed based feed. After 3 months' intervention, four groups' cognitive functions were evaluated using the Morris water maze, active avoidance experiment and jumping stair experiment. There was not statistically different between all the four groups for the weight and food intake. Compared with the control group, Morris water maze's incubation period of the intervention group was lower obviously, and jumping stair experiment's incubation period of the intervention group was higher obviously. In the active avoidance experiment, the high and low dose intervention group' s conditioned response accounted about 46.67% and 45.00% respectively, and the control group's conditioned response accounted about 20.83%. The differences of the three behavioral experiments between control group and intervention group had the statistical significance (P < 0.05), so the same as between control group and negative control group (P < 0.05). And there was no difference between intervention group and negative control group for the three behavioral experiments. The early supplementation with compound nutrition could postpone the occurrence and development of Alzheimer' s disease mice model's cognitive dysfunction.

The Influence of Negative Emotion on Cognitive and Emotional Control Remains Intact in Aging

PubMed Central

Zinchenko, Artyom; Obermeier, Christian; Kanske, Philipp; Schröger, Erich; Villringer, Arno; Kotz, Sonja A.

2017-01-01

Healthy aging is characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive control and inhibition of interferences, while emotional control is either preserved or facilitated. Emotional control regulates the processing of emotional conflicts such as in irony in speech, and cognitive control resolves conflict between non-affective tendencies. While negative emotion can trigger control processes and speed up resolution of both cognitive and emotional conflicts, we know little about how aging affects the interaction of emotion and control. In two EEG experiments, we compared the influence of negative emotion on cognitive and emotional conflict processing in groups of younger adults (mean age = 25.2 years) and older adults (69.4 years). Participants viewed short video clips and either categorized spoken vowels (cognitive conflict) or their emotional valence (emotional conflict), while the visual facial information was congruent or incongruent. Results show that negative emotion modulates both cognitive and emotional conflict processing in younger and older adults as indicated in reduced response times and/or enhanced event-related potentials (ERPs). In emotional conflict processing, we observed a valence-specific N100 ERP component in both age groups. In cognitive conflict processing, we observed an interaction of emotion by congruence in the N100 responses in both age groups, and a main effect of congruence in the P200 and N200. Thus, the influence of emotion on conflict processing remains intact in aging, despite a marked decline in cognitive control. Older adults may prioritize emotional wellbeing and preserve the role of emotion in cognitive and emotional control. PMID:29163132

The Influence of Negative Emotion on Cognitive and Emotional Control Remains Intact in Aging.

PubMed

Zinchenko, Artyom; Obermeier, Christian; Kanske, Philipp; Schröger, Erich; Villringer, Arno; Kotz, Sonja A

2017-01-01

Healthy aging is characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive control and inhibition of interferences, while emotional control is either preserved or facilitated. Emotional control regulates the processing of emotional conflicts such as in irony in speech, and cognitive control resolves conflict between non-affective tendencies. While negative emotion can trigger control processes and speed up resolution of both cognitive and emotional conflicts, we know little about how aging affects the interaction of emotion and control. In two EEG experiments, we compared the influence of negative emotion on cognitive and emotional conflict processing in groups of younger adults (mean age = 25.2 years) and older adults (69.4 years). Participants viewed short video clips and either categorized spoken vowels (cognitive conflict) or their emotional valence (emotional conflict), while the visual facial information was congruent or incongruent. Results show that negative emotion modulates both cognitive and emotional conflict processing in younger and older adults as indicated in reduced response times and/or enhanced event-related potentials (ERPs). In emotional conflict processing, we observed a valence-specific N100 ERP component in both age groups. In cognitive conflict processing, we observed an interaction of emotion by congruence in the N100 responses in both age groups, and a main effect of congruence in the P200 and N200. Thus, the influence of emotion on conflict processing remains intact in aging, despite a marked decline in cognitive control. Older adults may prioritize emotional wellbeing and preserve the role of emotion in cognitive and emotional control.

Unravelling the influence of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) on cognitive-linguistic processing: a comparative group analysis.

PubMed

Barwood, Caroline H S; Murdoch, Bruce E

2013-06-01

Cognitive-linguistic deficits often accompany traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can negatively impact communicative competency. The linguistic sequelae underpinning mild TBI (MTBI) remain largely unexplored in contemporary literature. The present research methods aim to provide group evidence pertaining to the influence of MTBI on linguistic and higher-level language processing. Extrapolating on the findings of recent case reports, it is hypothesized that performance of the MTBI patients will be significantly reduced compared to normal controls performance on the employed high-level linguistic tasks. Sixteen patients with MTBI and 16 age- and education-matched normal control participants were assessed using a comprehensive battery of cognitive-linguistic assessments. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences between MTBI and normal control group performance across a number of higher-level linguistic, general cognitive and general language tasks. MTBI group performance was significantly lower than the normal control group on tasks requiring complex lexical semantic operations and memory demands, including: Recall, organization, making inferences, naming and perception/discrimination. These outcomes confer that post-MTBI, cognitive, high-level language and isolated general language performance (e.g. naming) is significantly reduced in MTBI patients, compared to normal controls. Furthermore, the detailed cognitive-linguistic profile offered provides a necessary direction for the identification of areas of linguistic decline in MTBI and targets for therapeutic intervention of impaired cognitive-linguistic processes to ultimately improve communicative outcomes in MTBI.

Extending the Administration Time of the Letter Fluency Test Increases Sensitivity to Cognitive Status in Aging

PubMed Central

Holtzer, R.; Goldin, Y.; Donovick, P.J.

2010-01-01

We examined whether extending the administration time of letter fluency from one minute per letter trial (standard administration) to two minutes increased the sensitivity of this test to cognitive status in aging. Participants (mean age = 84.6) were assigned to cognitive impairment (n=20) and control (n=40) groups. Pearson correlations and scatter plot analyses showed that associations between the Dementia Rating Scale scores and letter fluency were higher and less variable when performance on the latter was extended to two minutes. ANOVA showed that the cognitive impairment group generated fewer words in the second minute of the letter fluency task compared to the control group. Finally, discriminant function analyses revealed that extending the letter fluency trials to two minutes increased discrimination between the control and cognitive impairment groups. PMID:19449244

Brain training with non-action video games enhances aspects of cognition in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Soledad; Prieto, Antonio; Mayas, Julia; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Ponce de León, Laura; Reales, José M; Waterworth, John

2014-01-01

Age-related cognitive and brain declines can result in functional deterioration in many cognitive domains, dependency, and dementia. A major goal of aging research is to investigate methods that help to maintain brain health, cognition, independent living and wellbeing in older adults. This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of 20 1-h non-action video game training sessions with games selected from a commercially available package (Lumosity) on a series of age-declined cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study, the experimental group who received the training and the control group who attended three meetings with the research team along the study. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. All participants were assessed individually before and after the intervention, or a similar period of time, using neuropsychological tests and laboratory tasks to investigate possible transfer effects. The results showed significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group, in processing speed (choice reaction time), attention (reduction of distraction and increase of alertness), immediate and delayed visual recognition memory, as well as a trend to improve in Affection and Assertivity, two dimensions of the Wellbeing Scale. Visuospatial working memory (WM) and executive control (shifting strategy) did not improve. Overall, the current results support the idea that training healthy older adults with non-action video games will enhance some cognitive abilities but not others.

Brain training with non-action video games enhances aspects of cognition in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Ballesteros, Soledad; Prieto, Antonio; Mayas, Julia; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Ponce de León, Laura; Reales, José M.; Waterworth, John

2014-01-01

Age-related cognitive and brain declines can result in functional deterioration in many cognitive domains, dependency, and dementia. A major goal of aging research is to investigate methods that help to maintain brain health, cognition, independent living and wellbeing in older adults. This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of 20 1-h non-action video game training sessions with games selected from a commercially available package (Lumosity) on a series of age-declined cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study, the experimental group who received the training and the control group who attended three meetings with the research team along the study. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. All participants were assessed individually before and after the intervention, or a similar period of time, using neuropsychological tests and laboratory tasks to investigate possible transfer effects. The results showed significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group, in processing speed (choice reaction time), attention (reduction of distraction and increase of alertness), immediate and delayed visual recognition memory, as well as a trend to improve in Affection and Assertivity, two dimensions of the Wellbeing Scale. Visuospatial working memory (WM) and executive control (shifting strategy) did not improve. Overall, the current results support the idea that training healthy older adults with non-action video games will enhance some cognitive abilities but not others. PMID:25352805

External locus of control contributes to racial disparities in memory and reasoning training gains in ACTIVE

PubMed Central

Zahodne, Laura B.; Meyer, Oanh L.; Choi, Eunhee; Thomas, Michael L.; Willis, Sherry L.; Marsiske, Michael; Gross, Alden L.; Rebok, George W.; Parisi, Jeanine M.

2015-01-01

Racial disparities in cognitive outcomes may be partly explained by differences in locus of control. African Americans report more external locus of control than non-Hispanic Whites, and external locus of control is associated with poorer health and cognition. The aims of this study were to compare cognitive training gains between African American and non-Hispanic White participants in the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study and determine whether racial differences in training gains are mediated by locus of control. The sample comprised 2,062 (26% African American) adults aged 65 and older who participated in memory, reasoning, or speed training. Latent growth curve models evaluated predictors of 10-year cognitive trajectories separately by training group. Multiple group modeling examined associations between training gains and locus of control across racial groups. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans evidenced less improvement in memory and reasoning performance after training. These effects were partially mediated by locus of control, controlling for age, sex, education, health, depression, testing site, and initial cognitive ability. African Americans reported more external locus of control, which was associated with smaller training gains. External locus of control also had a stronger negative association with reasoning training gain for African Americans than for Whites. No racial difference in training gain was identified for speed training. Future intervention research with African Americans should test whether explicitly targeting external locus of control leads to greater cognitive improvement following cognitive training. PMID:26237116

ERP and Behavioral Effects of Physical and Cognitive Training on Working Memory in Aging: A Randomized Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Falkenstein, Michael

2018-01-01

Working memory (WM) performance decreases with age. A promising method to improve WM is physical or cognitive training. The present randomized controlled study is aimed at evaluating the effects of different training methods on WM. A sample of 141 healthy older adults (mean age 70 years) was assigned to one of four groups: physical training, cognitive training, a social control group, and a no-contact control group. The participants trained for four months. Before and after the training, n-back task during an EEG recording was applied. The results show that cognitive training enhanced the target detection rate in the 2-back task. This was corroborated by an increased number of repeated digits in the backward digit-span test but not in other memory tests. The improvement of WM was supported by an increased P3a prior to a correct target and an increased P3b both in nontarget and target trials. No ERP effects in the physical and no-contact control groups were found, while a reduction of P3a and P3b was found in the social control group. Thus, cognitive training enhances frontal and parietal processing related to the maintenance of a stored stimulus for subsequent matching with an upcoming stimulus and increases allocation of cognitive resources. These results indicate that multidomain cognitive training may increase WM capacity and neuronal activity in older age. PMID:29796016

Cognitive style, personality and vulnerability to postnatal depression.

PubMed

Jones, Lisa; Scott, Jan; Cooper, Caroline; Forty, Liz; Smith, Katherine Gordon; Sham, Pak; Farmer, Anne; McGuffin, Peter; Craddock, Nick; Jones, Ian

2010-03-01

Only some women with recurrent major depressive disorder experience postnatal episodes. Personality and/or cognitive styles might increase the likelihood of experiencing postnatal depression. To establish whether personality and cognitive style predicts vulnerability to postnatal episodes over and above their known relationship to depression in general. We compared personality and cognitive style in women with recurrent major depressive disorder who had experienced one or more postnatal episodes (postnatal depression (PND) group, n=143) with healthy female controls (control group, n=173). We also examined parous women with recurrent major depressive disorder who experienced no perinatal episodes (non-postnatal depression (NPND) group, n=131). The PND group had higher levels of neuroticism and dysfunctional beliefs, and lower self-esteem than the control group. However, there were no significant differences between the PND and NPND groups. Established personality and cognitive vulnerabilities for depression were reported by women with a history of postnatal depression, but there was no evidence that any of these traits or styles confer a specific risk for the postnatal onset of episodes.

A randomized, controlled, single-blind, 6-month pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of MS-Line!: a cognitive rehabilitation programme for patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Gich, Jordi; Freixanet, Jordi; García, Rafael; Vilanova, Joan Carles; Genís, David; Silva, Yolanda; Montalban, Xavier; Ramió-Torrentà, Lluís

2015-09-01

MS-Line! was created to provide an effective treatment for cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To assess the efficacy of MS-Line!. A randomized, controlled, single-blind, 6-month pilot study. Patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (cognitive rehabilitation with the programme) or to a control group (no cognitive rehabilitation). Randomization was stratified by cognitive impairment level. Cognitive assessment included: selective reminding test, 10/36 spatial recall test (10/36 SPART), symbol digit modalities test, paced auditory serial addition test, word list generation (WLG), FAS test, subtests of WAIS-III, Boston naming test (BNT), and trail making test (TMT). Forty-three patients (22 in the experimental group, 21 in the control group) were analyzed. Covariance analysis showed significant differences in 10/36 SPART (P=0.0002), 10/36 SPART delayed recall (P=0.0021), WLG (P=0.0123), LNS (P=0.0413), BNT (P=0.0007) and TMT-A (P=0.010) scores between groups. The study showed a significant improvement related to learning and visual memory, executive functions, attention and information processing speed, and naming ability in those patients who received cognitive rehabilitation. The results suggest that MS-Line! is effective in improving cognitive impairment in MS patients. © The Author(s), 2015.

Efficacy of group cognitive rehabilitation therapy in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Mani, A; Chohedri, E; Ravanfar, P; Mowla, A; Nikseresht, A

2018-06-01

Cognitive impairment occurs in 40%-65% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Several techniques for cognitive rehabilitation (CR) in these patients have been evaluated; however, the results have been controversial. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of group compensatory CR in patients with MS-related cognitive impairment. Thirty-four female patients with diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS and evidence of impaired cognitive function were included and randomized to intervention (n = 17) and control (n = 17) groups. CR intervention consisted of eight 2-hour sessions of comprehensive group CR over a 4-week period that focused on improvement of memory, attention, and executive function. As placebo, the control group received the same number of non-therapeutic group sessions. Assessment of cognitive function was performed before intervention (pretest), at the end of intervention (post-test), and 3 months later (follow-up). The study population included 34 patients with a mean age of 35.5 years. Statistical comparison of memory assessments at 3-month follow-up showed significantly higher scores in the CR group than in the control group (93.33 vs 86.40 for Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination test and 16.58 vs 12.00 for visual memory, 19.32 vs 14.05 for verbal memory, and 51.28 vs 44.41 for general scores on the Memory Functioning Questionnaire test, respectively). Wisconsin card sorting test score comparison showed significantly lower total time consumption in the CR group than in the control group (308.1 vs 340.8 seconds, respectively). Behavior rating inventory of executive function-adult scores in all four subtests were significantly higher in the CR group than in the control group (40.25 vs 55.4 for behavioral regulation index, 51.16 vs 68.6 for metacognition index, and 97.41 vs 124.00 for global executive composite, respectively). Attention was the only domain in which we did not observe any significant variation between groups in terms of post-test and follow-up scores. This study supports the efficacy of group CR in the improvement of cognitive function in patients with MS. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social cognitive markers of short-term clinical outcome in first-episode psychosis.

PubMed

Montreuil, Tina; Bodnar, Michael; Bertrand, Marie-Claude; Malla, Ashok K; Joober, Ridha; Lepage, Martin

2010-07-01

In psychotic disorders, impairments in cognition have been associated with both clinical and functional outcome, while deficits in social cognition have been associated with functional outcome. As an extension to a recent report on neurocognition and short-term clinical outcome in first-episode psychosis (FEP), the current study explored whether social cognitive deficits could also identify poor short-term clinical outcome among FEP patients. We defined the social-cognition domain based on the scores from the Hinting Task and the Four Factor Tests of Social Intelligence. Data were collected in 45 FEP patients and 26 healthy controls. The patients were divided into good- and poor-outcome groups based on clinical data at six months following initiation of treatment. Social cognition was compared among 27 poor-outcome, 18 good-outcome, and 26 healthy-control participants. Outcome groups significantly differed in the social cognition domain (z-scores: poor outcome=-2.0 [SD=1.4]; good outcome=-1.0 [SD=1.0]; p=0.005), with both groups scoring significantly lower than the control group (p<0.003). Moreover, outcome groups differed significantly only on the Cartoon Predictions subtest (z-scores: poor outcome=-2.7 [SD=2.7]; good outcome=-0.7 [SD=1.8]; p=0.001) among the five subtests used. Overall, social cognition appears to be compromised in all FEP patients compared to healthy controls. More interestingly, significant differences in social cognitive impairments exist between good and poor short-term clinical outcome groups, with the largest effect found in the Cartoon Predictions subtest.

A Newly Designed Mobile-Based Computerized Cognitive Addiction Therapy App for the Improvement of Cognition Impairments and Risk Decision Making in Methamphetamine Use Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Zhu, Youwei; Jiang, Haifeng; Su, Hang; Zhong, Na; Li, Runji; Li, Xiaotong; Chen, Tianzhen; Tan, Haoye; Du, Jiang; Xu, Ding; Yan, Huan; Xu, Dawen; Zhao, Min

2018-06-20

Cognitive rehabilitation therapy has been found to improve cognitive deficits and impulse control problems in methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). However, there is limited research regarding this therapy's feasibility when using mobile-based health technologies in supporting recovery from MUD in China. The main aim of this study was to test whether 4 weeks of a newly designed computerized cognitive addiction therapy (CCAT) app can improve cognitive impairments, eliminate drug-related attention bias, and attenuate risk decision-making behaviors in participants with MUD. Forty MUD participants were assigned randomly to either the CCAT group (n=20), who received 4 weeks of CCAT plus regular detoxification treatment as usual, or the control group (n=20), who only received the regular detoxification treatment as usual, in drug rehabilitation centers in Shanghai. The CCAT was designed by combine methamphetamine use-related picture stimuli with cognitive training with the aim of improving cognitive function and eliminating drug-related attention bias. The CogState Battery, Delay Discounting Task (DDT), Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), and Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) were administered face-to-face to all participants before and after CCAT interventions. Forty male patients were recruited. The mean age was 32.70 (SD 5.27) years in the CCAT group and mean 35.05 (SD 8.02) years in the control group. Compared to the control group, CCAT improved working memory in the CCAT group (P=.01). Group×time interactions were observed among DDT, IGT, and BART tasks, with rates of discounting delayed rewards, IGT, and BART scores (P<.001) being reduced among those who received CCAT, whereas no changes were found in the control group. The newly designed CCAT can help to improve cognitive impairment and impulsive control in MUD. Further study is needed to understand the underlying brain mechanisms of the cognitive therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03318081; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03318081 (Archived by WebCite at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03318081). ©Youwei Zhu, Haifeng Jiang, Hang Su, Na Zhong, Runji Li, Xiaotong Li, Tianzhen Chen, Haoye Tan, Jiang Du, Ding Xu, Huan Yan, Dawen Xu, Min Zhao. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 20.06.2018.

Cognitive Impairment and Tramadol Dependence.

PubMed

Bassiony, Medhat M; Youssef, Usama M; Hassan, Mervat S; Salah El-Deen, Ghada M; El-Gohari, Hayam; Abdelghani, Mohamed; Abdalla, Ahmed; Ibrahim, Dalia H

2017-02-01

Cognitive impairment is one of the consequences of substance abuse. Tramadol abuse is a public health problem in Egypt. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment among tramadol-abuse patients and control subjects. This study included 100 patients with tramadol abuse and 100 control subjects (matched for age, sex, and education) who were recruited from Zagazig University Hospital, Egypt. Patients were divided into 2 groups: patients who used tramadol only (tramadol-alone group) and patients who used tramadol and other substances (polysubstance group). The participants were interviewed using Montreal Cognitive Assessment test and had urine screening for drugs. Twenty-four percent of the cases used tramadol alone, whereas the remaining used tramadol and other substances, mainly cannabis (66%) and benzodiazepines (27%). Tramadol-abuse patients were about 3 times more likely to have cognitive impairment than control subjects (81% vs 28%). Tramadol-alone patients were more than 2 times more likely to have cognitive impairment than control subjects (67% vs 28%). Cognitive impairment was significantly associated with polysubstance abuse. There was no association between cognitive impairment and sociodemographic or clinical factors. Cognitive impairment occurs commonly among tramadol-abuse patients. Memory impairment is the most common cognitive domain to be affected. There is a significant association between cognitive impairment and polysubstance abuse.

[Dyslexia as a disfunction in successive processing].

PubMed

Pérez-Alvarez, F; Timoneda-Gallart, C

We present a study on reading and writing difficulties after normal instruction during a year. Verifying if these patients showed a specific pattern of PASS (Planning, Attention, Sequential and Simultaneous) cognitive processing; if so, it allows us a rapid diagnosis and a useful cognitive remediation according to the PASS theory of intelligence. Thirty patients were selected from neuropediatric patients because of learning disability. They were selected according to their performance on several tests of phonological aware and a test of writing to discover errors in spelling. Patients with verbal language problems, as in dysphasia, and patients with learning difficulty not determined by reading or writing were ruled out. A control group of 300 scholars was used. The translated DN:CAS battery was administered to the study group and the control group for assessing the PASS cognitive processing. Statistical factorial analysis of the control group was performed as a validity confirmation to discriminate the four PASS cognitive processes. Cluster analysis of the study group was performed to discriminate its homogeneity. Differences between means were tested with the t-Student. The four PASS cognitive processes were identified in the control group. The study group scored less than minus 1 SD in successive processing, the rest of the processes being clearly higher than minus 1 SD, and the mean of study group was inferior to control group (p = 0.001). A kind of dyslexia may be defined by disfunction in PASS successive processing.

The utility of the Dementia Severity Rating Scale in differentiating mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease from controls.

PubMed

Mitchell, Joel C; Dick, Malcolm B; Wood, Amanda E; Tapp, Andre M; Ziegler, Raphael

2015-01-01

The current study investigated the utility of the Dementia Severity Rating Scale (DSRS) total score to identify individuals at the earliest stage of impairment (ie, mild cognitive impairment/MCI). In addition, the authors sought to investigate how well the measure correlates with an expanded battery of cognitive tests and other measures of functional abilities. Of the 320 participants included in this study, 85 were normal controls, 96 had single-domain or multiple-domain amnestic MCI, and 139 had possible or probable Alzheimer disease (AD). Each participant underwent a thorough cognitive, neurological, and physical examination. Results from this study indicated that the DSRS total scores differed significantly between the 3 groups (P<0.001) and accurately identified 81% of the control group, 60% of the MCI group, and 78% of the AD group in a post hoc discriminant analysis. When combined with a brief cognitive measure (ie, Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word List 5 min recall test), the DSRS accurately identified 98% of the control group, 76% of the MCI group, and 82% of the AD group. Implications for clinical practice and proposed areas of future research are discussed.

Cognitive rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hanssen, K T; Beiske, A G; Landrø, N I; Hofoss, D; Hessen, E

2016-01-01

The evidence base in cognitive rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS) is still sparse. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive and executive coping, psychological well-being and psychological aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with MS. One hundred and twenty patients with cognitive complaints, taking part in a 4-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation, were randomized to an intervention group (n = 60) and a control group (n = 60). Both groups underwent neuropsychological assessment with subsequent feedback and took part in general multidisciplinary MS rehabilitation. Additionally, the intervention group participated in cognitive group sessions as well as individual sessions. The main focus was to formulate Goal Attainment Scaling goals for coping with cognitive challenges. For 3 months past rehabilitation, the intervention group received biweekly telephone follow-up, focusing on goal attainment. Executive functioning improved significantly from baseline to four and 7 months in both groups. Improvements in psychological well-being and psychological aspects of HRQoL occurred only in the intervention group. Multicomponent cognitive rehabilitation administered within the context of multidisciplinary rehabilitation can improve psychological well-being and psychological aspects of HRQoL. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cortical Thickness of Neural Substrates Supporting Cognitive Empathy in Individuals with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Massey, Suena H.; Stern, Daniel; Alden, Eva C.; Petersen, Julie E.; Cobia, Derin J.; Wang, Lei; Csernansky, John G.; Smith, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Background Cognitive empathy is supported by the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC), insula (INS), supplementary motor area (SMA), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and precuneus (PREC). In healthy controls, cortical thickness in these regions has been linked to cognitive empathy. As cognitive empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, we examined whether reduced cortical thickness in these regions was associated with poorer cognitive empathy in this population. Methods 41 clinically-stable community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia and 46 healthy controls group-matched on demographic variables completed self-report empathy questionnaires, a cognitive empathy task, and structural magnetic resonance imaging. We examined between-group differences in study variables using t-tests and analyses of variance. Next, we used Pearson correlations to evaluate the relationship between cognitive empathy and cortical thickness in the mPFC, IFG, aMCC, INS, SMA, TPJ, and PREC in both groups. Results Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated cortical thinning in the IFG, INS, SMA, TPJ, and PREC (all p<0.05) and impaired cognitive empathy across all measures (all p<0.01) relative to controls. While cortical thickness in the mPFC, IFC, aMCC, and INS (all p<0.05) was related to cognitive empathy in controls, we did not observe these relationships in individuals with schizophrenia (all p>0.10). Conclusions Individuals with schizophrenia have reduced cortical thickness in empathy-related neural regions and significant impairments in cognitive empathy. Interestingly, cortical thickness was related to cognitive empathy in controls but not in the schizophrenia group. We discuss other mechanisms that may account for cognitive empathy impairment in schizophrenia. PMID:27665257

Cortical thickness of neural substrates supporting cognitive empathy in individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Massey, Suena H; Stern, Daniel; Alden, Eva C; Petersen, Julie E; Cobia, Derin J; Wang, Lei; Csernansky, John G; Smith, Matthew J

2017-01-01

Cognitive empathy is supported by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC), insula (INS), supplementary motor area (SMA), right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and precuneus (PREC). In healthy controls, cortical thickness in these regions has been linked to cognitive empathy. As cognitive empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, we examined whether reduced cortical thickness in these regions was associated with poorer cognitive empathy in this population. 41 clinically-stable community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia and 46 healthy controls group-matched on demographic variables completed self-report empathy questionnaires, a cognitive empathy task, and structural magnetic resonance imaging. We examined between-group differences in study variables using t-tests and analyses of variance. Next, we used Pearson correlations to evaluate the relationship between cognitive empathy and cortical thickness in the mPFC, IFG, aMCC, INS, SMA, TPJ, and PREC in both groups. Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated cortical thinning in the IFG, INS, SMA, TPJ, and PREC (all p<0.05) and impaired cognitive empathy across all measures (all p<0.01) relative to controls. While cortical thickness in the mPFC, IFC, aMCC, and INS (all p<0.05) was related to cognitive empathy in controls, we did not observe these relationships in individuals with schizophrenia (all p>0.10). Individuals with schizophrenia have reduced cortical thickness in empathy-related neural regions and significant impairments in cognitive empathy. Interestingly, cortical thickness was related to cognitive empathy in controls but not in the schizophrenia group. We discuss other mechanisms that may account for cognitive empathy impairment in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Randomised Controlled Trial of Efficacy of Cognitive Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cognitive, Behavioural, and MRI Study.

PubMed

Campbell, J; Langdon, D; Cercignani, M; Rashid, W

2016-01-01

Aim. To explore the efficacy of home-based, computerised, cognitive rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis using neuropsychological assessment and advanced structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods. 38 patients with MS and cognitive impairment on the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) were enrolled. Patients were randomised to undergo 45 minutes of computerised cognitive rehabilitation using RehaCom software ( n = 19) three times weekly for six weeks or to a control condition ( n = 19). Neuropsychological and MRI data were obtained at baseline (time 1), following the 6-week intervention (time 2), and after a further twelve weeks (time 3). Cortical activations were explored using fMRI and microstructural changes were explored using quantitative magnetisation transfer (QMT) imaging. Results. The treatment group showed a greater improvement in SDMT gain scores between baseline and time 2 compared to the control group ( p = 0.005). The treatment group exhibited increased activation in the bilateral prefrontal cortex and right temporoparietal regions relative to control group at time 3 ( p < 0.05 FWE  corrected ). No significant changes were observed on QMT. Conclusion. This study supports the hypothesis that home-based, computerised, cognitive rehabilitation may be effective in improving cognitive performance in patients with MS. Clinical trials registration is ISRCTN54901925.

The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Function of Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

PubMed

Yang, Si-Yu; Shan, Chun-Lei; Qing, He; Wang, Wei; Zhu, Yi; Yin, Meng-Mei; Machado, Sergio; Yuan, Ti-Fei; Wu, Ting

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effect of moderate intensity of aerobic exercise on elderly people with mild Alzheimer's disease, we recruited fifty volunteers aged 50 years to 80 years with cognitive impairment. They were randomized into two groups: aerobic group (n=25) or control group (n=25). The aerobic group was treated with cycling training at 70% of maximal intensity for 40 min/d, 3 d/wk for 3 months. The control group was only treated with heath education. Both groups were received cognitive evaluation, laboratory examination before and after 3 months. The results showed that the Minimum Mental State Examination score, Quality of Life Alzheimer's Disease score and the plasma Apo-a1 level was significantly increased (P<0.05), the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognition score, Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire score was significantly decreased.(P<0.05) in aerobic group before and after 3 months in aerobic group. For the control group, there was no significant difference in scores of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognition, Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, Quality of Life Alzheimer's Disease, Apo-a1 (P>0.05), while Minimum Mental State Examination scores decreased significantly after 3 months (P<0.05). In conclusion, moderate intensity of aerobic exercise can improve cognitive function in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Cognitive rehabilitation in patients with gliomas: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Gehring, Karin; Sitskoorn, Margriet M; Gundy, Chad M; Sikkes, Sietske A M; Klein, Martin; Postma, Tjeerd J; van den Bent, Martin J; Beute, Guus N; Enting, Roelien H; Kappelle, Arnoud C; Boogerd, Willem; Veninga, Theo; Twijnstra, Albert; Boerman, Dolf H; Taphoorn, Martin J B; Aaronson, Neil K

2009-08-01

Patients with gliomas often experience cognitive deficits, including problems with attention and memory. This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the effects of a multifaceted cognitive rehabilitation program (CRP) on cognitive functioning and selected quality-of-life domains in patients with gliomas. One hundred forty adult patients with low-grade and anaplastic gliomas, favorable prognostic factors, and both subjective cognitive symptoms and objective cognitive deficits were recruited from 11 hospitals in the Netherlands. Patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group or to a waiting-list control group. The intervention incorporated both computer-based attention retraining and compensatory skills training of attention, memory, and executive functioning. Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological (NP) tests and self-report questionnaires on cognitive functioning, fatigue, mental health-related quality of life, and community integration at baseline, after completion of the CRP, and at 6-month follow-up. At the immediate post-treatment evaluation, statistically significant intervention effects were observed for measures of subjective cognitive functioning and its perceived burden but not for the objective NP outcomes or for any of the other self-report measures. At the 6-month follow-up, the CRP group performed significantly better than the control group on NP tests of attention and verbal memory and reported less mental fatigue. Group differences in other subjective outcomes were not significant at 6 months. The CRP has a salutary effect on short-term cognitive complaints and on longer-term cognitive performance and mental fatigue. Additional research is needed to identify which elements of the intervention are most effective.

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

Artificial Gravity as a Multi-System Countermeasure: Effects on Cognitive Function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sipes, Walter E.; Seaton, Kim; Slack, Kellely; Bowie, Kendra

2007-01-01

The Space Flight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) is a medical requirement on the International Space Station, and its purpose is to evaluate cognitive functioning after physical insult (e.g., head trauma, decompression sickness, exposure to toxic gases, medication side effects). The current objective is to assess cognitive functioning in a long duration space mission analog environment where Artificial Gravity is being applied as a countermeasure in a Bed Rest study. Methods: Fifteen male subjects (8 treatment and 7 control) who participated in 21 days of -6 degree head-down bed rest were assessed. Three practice and three baseline WinSCAT test sessions were administered during the pre-bed rest phase of study participation. During the bed rest phase, the WinSCAT test was scheduled every other day, following the centrifuge, for a total of 10 test sessions. (The treatment group received 60 minutes of centrifugation each day during the 21 days of bed rest. The control subjects were strapped to the centrifuge for the same length of time as the treatment group but were not spun.) During the post-bed rest (reconditioning) phase, the test was administered 4 times. Results: Individual differences were found both within and between the treatment and control groups. After controlling for the number of subjects in each group, the treatment group accounted for more off-nominal WinSCAT scores than the control group. Conclusions:There is some preliminary evidence that centrifuge spinning might negatively impact cognitive functioning. However, due to sample size limitations, it cannot be ascertained whether there were significant differences in cognitive performance between the treatment and control groups. If centrifugation had a negative effect on cognitive functioning, consistent decrements would be expected to be found with all treatment subjects across time. Individual differences in underlying cognitive ability and motivation level are other possible explanations for the results found in this study.

Social priming improves cognitive control in elderly adults--evidence from the Simon task.

PubMed

Aisenberg, Daniela; Cohen, Noga; Pick, Hadas; Tressman, Iris; Rappaport, Michal; Shenberg, Tal; Henik, Avishai

2015-01-01

We examined whether social priming of cognitive states affects the inhibitory process in elderly adults, as aging is related to deficits in inhibitory control. Forty-eight elderly adults and 45 young adults were assigned to three groups and performed a cognitive control task (Simon task), which was followed by 3 different manipulations of social priming (i.e., thinking about an 82 year-old person): 1) negative--characterized by poor cognitive abilities, 2) neutral--characterized by acts irrelevant to cognitive abilities, and 3) positive--excellent cognitive abilities. After the manipulation, the Simon task was performed again. Results showed improvement in cognitive control effects in seniors after the positive manipulation, indicated by a significant decrease in the magnitude of the Simon and interference effects, but not after the neutral and negative manipulations. Furthermore, a healthy pattern of sequential effect (Gratton) that was absent before the manipulation in all 3 groups appeared after the positive manipulation. Namely, the Simon effect was only present after congruent but not after incongruent trials for the positive manipulation group. No influence of manipulations was found in young adults. These meaningful results were replicated in a second experiment and suggest a decrease in conflict interference resulting from positive cognitive state priming. Our study provides evidence that an implicit social concept of a positive cognitive condition in old age can affect the control process of the elderly and improve cognitive abilities.

Social Priming Improves Cognitive Control in Elderly Adults—Evidence from the Simon Task

PubMed Central

Aisenberg, Daniela; Cohen, Noga; Pick, Hadas; Tressman, Iris; Rappaport, Michal; Shenberg, Tal; Henik, Avishai

2015-01-01

We examined whether social priming of cognitive states affects the inhibitory process in elderly adults, as aging is related to deficits in inhibitory control. Forty-eight elderly adults and 45 young adults were assigned to three groups and performed a cognitive control task (Simon task), which was followed by 3 different manipulations of social priming (i.e., thinking about an 82 year-old person): 1) negative—characterized by poor cognitive abilities, 2) neutral—characterized by acts irrelevant to cognitive abilities, and 3) positive—excellent cognitive abilities. After the manipulation, the Simon task was performed again. Results showed improvement in cognitive control effects in seniors after the positive manipulation, indicated by a significant decrease in the magnitude of the Simon and interference effects, but not after the neutral and negative manipulations. Furthermore, a healthy pattern of sequential effect (Gratton) that was absent before the manipulation in all 3 groups appeared after the positive manipulation. Namely, the Simon effect was only present after congruent but not after incongruent trials for the positive manipulation group. No influence of manipulations was found in young adults. These meaningful results were replicated in a second experiment and suggest a decrease in conflict interference resulting from positive cognitive state priming. Our study provides evidence that an implicit social concept of a positive cognitive condition in old age can affect the control process of the elderly and improve cognitive abilities. PMID:25635946

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the GO Game Intervention on Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Iizuka, Ai; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Susumu; Kobayashi-Cuya, Kimi Estela; Kobayashi, Momoko; Takebayashi, Toru; Fujiwara, Yoshinori

2018-05-01

This study investigated the effects of an intervention using the game "GO" on cognitive function in nursing home residents and evaluated the acquisition of GO according to each stage of dementia. Participants were randomly assigned to either the GO intervention group or a control group, and the intervention was performed once weekly for 15 weeks. Cognitive tests were conducted before and after intervention, and 17 participants were included in the final analysis. Analysis of covariance demonstrated that in the intervention group, the digit span total score significantly improved and the digit span backward score was maintained, whereas these scores decreased in the control group. All participants, including those who had moderate dementia, acquired the rules of the game, and participants with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia could play the game successfully. This study indicates that GO might improve the cognitive function of residents living in nursing homes.

The effect of cognitive education on the performance of students with neurological developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Jepsen, Ruthanne H; VonThaden, Karen

2002-01-01

A cognitive education program was developed to facilitate acquisition of cognitive skills and address the learning deficits of adolescent students with neurological, developmental disabilities, and autism. This study examined the outcomes of incorporating mediated cognitive education into special education classrooms. Cognitive education provided cognitive training utilizing REHABIT materials through mediated teaching. Following a matched pair model, forty-six students were assigned to either a treatment or a control group. All students received weekly instruction in Individual Educational Program (IEP) goals. Curriculum areas included IEP objectives in reading, math, social skills, health, science and social studies. Students in the control group received regular classroom instruction. Students in the treatment group participated in cognitive educated one hour per week replacing thirty minutes of reading and thirty minutes of math. Pre and posttest comparisons on measures of intelligence, achievement and adaptive behavior showed those students in the treatment group attained higher scores across measures.

[Effects of COPD on cognitive functions: a case control study].

PubMed

Sarınç Ulaşlı, Sevinç; Oruç, Serdar; Günay, Ersin; Aktaş, Orçun; Akar, Olcay; Koyuncu, Tülay; Ünlü, Mehmet

2013-01-01

Assessment of disease severity, effects of disease on health status and future events should be considered to direct treatment strategies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. Although extrapulmonary effects of COPD are well known, effects of COPD on cognitive functions have not been evaluated sufficiently. therefore we aimed to determine cognitive functions of copd patients in the present study. 112 COPD patients with moderate, severe and very severe irreversible airway obstruction and 44 age matched healthy subjects without COPD and systemic diseases as control group were enrolled to the study. Mini mental state examination (MMSE) was performed to evaluate cognitive functions. MMSE results were compared between patient and control groups. Moreover relationship between exacerbation frequency and cognitive functions was evaluated. Total 156 subjects as 112 COPD patients and 44 healthy subjects were included to the study. Mean age of COPD patients was 65.03 ± 7.63 years, and mean age of control group was 63.63 ± 8.96 years (p= 0.364). Mean score of MMSE in COPD patients was 23.8 ± 4.39, and mean score of MMSE in control group was 26.7 ± 2.88. We determined a significant difference in terms of MMSE scores betweeen patient and control group (p< 0.0001). MMSE scores and FEV1 values were significantly different among patients with moderate, sevre and very severe airflow obstruction (p= 0.001; p< 0.0001 respectively). We found a significant negative correlation between MMSE results and exacerbation frequency during last year (p= 0.003; r= -0.239). Lower MMSE scores of COPD patients than subjects in control group indicates the impairment of cognitive functions in COPD patients. Moreover a negative relationship between MMSE scores with exacerbation frequency during last year suggests that prevention from exacerbation can decrease cognitive impairment in COPD patients. We believe that assessment of cognitive functions and preventive strategies should be considered in COPD management.

Combining social cognitive treatment, cognitive remediation, and functional skills training in schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Peña, Javier; Ibarretxe-Bilbao, Naroa; Sánchez, Pedro; Iriarte, Maria B; Elizagarate, Edorta; Garay, Maria A; Gutiérrez, Miguel; Iribarren, Aránzazu; Ojeda, Natalia

2016-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of an integrative cognitive remediation program (REHACOP) in improving cognition and functional outcome in patients with schizophrenia. The program combines cognitive remediation, social cognitive intervention, and functional skills training. Few studies have attempted this approach. One hundred and eleven patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to either the cognitive remediation group (REHACOP) or an active control group (occupational activities) for 4 months (three sessions per week, 90 min). Primary outcomes were change on general neurocognitive performance and social cognition, including theory of mind (ToM), emotion perception (EP), attributional style, and social perception (SP). Secondary outcomes included changes on clinical symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and functional outcome (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment and the Global Assessment of Functioning). The trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02796417). No baseline group differences were found. Significant differences were found in the mean change between the REHACOP group and control group in neurocognition (ηp2=0.138), SP (ηp2=0.082), ToM (ηp2=0.148), EP (ηp2=0.071), negative symptoms (ηp2=0.082), emotional distress (ηp2=0.136), Global Assessment of Functioning (ηp2=0.081), and UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (ηp2=0.154). The combination of cognitive remediation, social cognitive intervention, and functional skills training demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes in neurocognition, social cognition, negative, and functional disability. PMID:27868083

Effects of cognitive stimulation therapy Japanese version (CST-J) for people with dementia: a single-blind, controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

Yamanaka, Katsuo; Kawano, Yoshiyuki; Noguchi, Dai; Nakaaki, Shutaro; Watanabe, Norio; Amano, Takashi; Spector, Aimee

2013-01-01

Objectives Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) has shown to have significant benefits in improving the cognitive function and quality of life (QOL) in people with mild-to-moderate dementia in a UK randomized controlled trial (RCT). We developed and examined the Japanese version of group CST (CST-J) in a single-blind, controlled clinical trial. Method CST-J consisting of 14 sessions was administered to a treatment group (n = 26) twice a week for 7 weeks. The treatment group was compared with a control group (n = 30). Based on single-blindness, cognition was evaluated by a researcher, and QOL and mood were rated by the participants themselves. Additionally, QOL and mood of participants were rated by care workers who were not blind but who observed them most directly in their daily life (important for social validity). Results A linear mixed model was used for analyses of cognition and QOL. There were significant improvements in cognition [COGNISTAT (Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination) and MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination)] for the treatment group compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Regarding QOL, the EQ-5D was significant (p = 0.019) and the QoL-AD (Quality of Life – Alzheimer's Disease) showed a positive trend (p = 0.06) when rated by care workers, although not when rated by the participants themselves. Using a nonparametrical analysis, there were significant improvements in the face scale for mood when rated by both the participants (p < 0.01) and the care workers (p = 0.017). Conclusion The CST-J shows promising improvements in cognition, mood, and aspects of QOL for people with dementia in Japanese care settings. A large RCT is now needed. PMID:23550665

Cognitive inhibition in students with and without dyslexia and dyscalculia.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Chih; Tasi, Hung-Ju; Yang, Hsien-Ming

2012-01-01

The present study presents a comparison of the cognitive inhibition abilities of dyslexic, dyscalculic, and control students. The participants were 45 dyslexic students, 45 dyscalculic students, and 45 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched control students. The major evaluation tools included six cognitive inhibition tasks which were restructured during principal component analysis into three categories: graph inhibition, number inhibition, and word inhibition. Comparisons of the 3 groups of students revealed that in graph inhibition, dyscalculic students performed worst of the 3 groups, with dyslexic students also performing worse than control students in this category. For number inhibition, the control students' performances were equal to those of dyslexic students, with both groups performing better than dyscalculic students. For word inhibition, control students' performances were equal to those of dyscalculic students; both groups had shorter response times and lower incorrect rates than dyslexic students. These results suggest the complexity of the different cognitive inhibition abilities displayed by dyslexic, dyscalculic, and control students. However, some regular patterns occurred. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Exercise with Multicomponent Cognitive Intervention for Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease: A 6-Month Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Kim, Min-Ji; Han, Chang-Wan; Min, Kyoung-Youn; Cho, Chae-Yoon; Lee, Chae-Won; Ogawa, Yoshiko; Mori, Etsuro; Kohzuki, Masahiro

2016-01-01

Aims This study aimed to investigate the effect of 6-month physical exercise with a multicomponent cognitive program (MCP) on the cognitive function of older adults with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods We included 33 participants with AD in a 6-month randomized controlled trial. The intervention group participated in physical exercise and received a MCP. The control group received only the MCP. Before and after the intervention, cognitive outcomes were assessed using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-cog), Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Clock Drawing Test. Physical performance was evaluated by exercise time, the number of pedal rotation, total load, grip strength, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Results In all cognitive measures, there were no significant improvements between the two groups after 6 months in the baseline value-adjusted primary analysis. However, the ADAS-cog score was significantly lower between the two groups in secondary analysis adjusted for baseline value, age, sex, and education years. All physical outcomes were significantly higher in the intervention group except for total load compared with baseline measurements. Conclusion This study indicates that it is possible to improve cognitive function in older adults with moderate to severe AD through 6-month physical exercise with a multicomponent cognitive intervention. PMID:27403134

Effects of Combined Physical and Cognitive Exercises on Cognition and Mobility in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Shimada, Hiroyuki; Makizako, Hyuma; Doi, Takehiko; Park, Hyuntae; Tsutsumimoto, Kota; Verghese, Joe; Suzuki, Takao

2017-11-17

Although participation in physical and cognitive activities is encouraged to reduce the risk of dementia, the preventive efficacy of these activities for patients with mild cognitive impairment is unestablished. To compare the cognitive and mobility effects of a 40-week program of combined cognitive and physical activity with those of a health education program. A randomized, parallel, single-blind controlled trial. A population-based study of participants recruited from Obu, a residential suburb of Nagoya, Japan. Between August 2011 and February 2012, we evaluated 945 adults 65 years or older with mild cognitive impairment, enrolled 308, and randomly assigned them to the combined activity group (n = 154) or the health education control group (n = 154). The combined activity program involved weekly 90-minute sessions for 40 weeks focused on physical and cognitive activities. The control group attended 90-minute health promotion classes thrice during the 40-week trial period. The outcome measures were assessed at the study's beginning and end by personnel blinded to mild cognitive impairment subtype and group. The primary endpoints were postintervention changes in scores on (1) the Mini-Mental State Examination as a measure of general cognitive status and memory, (2) the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised-Logical Memory II, and (3) the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. We applied mobility assessments and assessed brain atrophy with magnetic resonance imaging. Compared with the control group, the combined activity group showed significantly greater scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (difference = 0.8 points, P = .012) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised-Logical Memory II (difference = 1.0, P = .004), significant improvements in mobility and the nonmemory domains and reduced left medial temporal lobe atrophy in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (Z-score difference = -31.3, P < .05). Combined physical and cognitive activity improves or maintains cognitive and physical performance in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, especially the amnestic type. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

External locus of control contributes to racial disparities in memory and reasoning training gains in ACTIVE.

PubMed

Zahodne, Laura B; Meyer, Oanh L; Choi, Eunhee; Thomas, Michael L; Willis, Sherry L; Marsiske, Michael; Gross, Alden L; Rebok, George W; Parisi, Jeanine M

2015-09-01

Racial disparities in cognitive outcomes may be partly explained by differences in locus of control. African Americans report more external locus of control than non-Hispanic Whites, and external locus of control is associated with poorer health and cognition. The aims of this study were to compare cognitive training gains between African American and non-Hispanic White participants in the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study and determine whether racial differences in training gains are mediated by locus of control. The sample comprised 2,062 (26% African American) adults aged 65 and older who participated in memory, reasoning, or speed training. Latent growth curve models evaluated predictors of 10-year cognitive trajectories separately by training group. Multiple group modeling examined associations between training gains and locus of control across racial groups. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans evidenced less improvement in memory and reasoning performance after training. These effects were partially mediated by locus of control, controlling for age, sex, education, health, depression, testing site, and initial cognitive ability. African Americans reported more external locus of control, which was associated with smaller training gains. External locus of control also had a stronger negative association with reasoning training gain for African Americans than for Whites. No racial difference in training gain was identified for speed training. Future intervention research with African Americans should test whether explicitly targeting external locus of control leads to greater cognitive improvement following cognitive training. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Artificial gravity as a multi-system countermeasure: effects on cognitive function.

PubMed

Seaton, Kimberly A; Slack, Kelley J; Sipes, Walter; Bowie, Kendra

2007-07-01

The Space Flight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) is used on the International Space Station to evaluate cognitive functioning after physical insult or trauma. The current study uses WinSCAT to assess cognitive functioning in a space flight analog (bed rest) environment where intermittent artificial gravity (AG) is being tested as a countermeasure. Fifteen male subjects (8 treatment, 7 control), who participated in 21 days of 6 degree head-down tilt bed rest, were assessed during the acclimatization phase, bed rest phase, and recovery phase. Individual differences were found within both the treatment and control groups. The treatment group accounted for more off-nominal WinSCAT scores than the control group. The length of time spent in bed rest was not associated with a change in cognitive function. Individual differences in underlying cognitive ability and motivation level are other possible explanations for the current findings.

Exercise and Cognitive Functioning in People With Chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Controlled Laboratory Study.

PubMed

Ickmans, Kelly; Meeus, Mira; De Kooning, Margot; De Backer, Annabelle; Kooremans, Daniëlle; Hubloue, Ives; Schmitz, Tom; Van Loo, Michel; Nijs, Jo

2016-02-01

Controlled laboratory study. In addition to persistent pain, people with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) commonly deal with cognitive dysfunctions. In healthy individuals, aerobic exercise has a positive effect on cognitive performance, and preliminary evidence in other chronic pain conditions reveals promising results as well. However, there is evidence that people with chronic WAD may show a worsening of the symptom complex following physical exertion. To examine postexercise cognitive performance in people with chronic WAD. People with chronic WAD (n = 27) and healthy, inactive, sex- and age-matched controls (n = 27) performed a single bout of an incremental submaximal cycling exercise. Before and after the exercise, participants completed 2 performance-based cognitive tests assessing selective and sustained attention, cognitive inhibition, and simple and choice reaction time. At baseline, people with chronic WAD displayed significantly lower scores on sustained attention and simple reaction time (P<.001), but not on selective attention, cognitive inhibition, and choice reaction time (P>.05), compared with healthy controls. Postexercise, both groups showed significantly improved selective attention and choice reaction time (chronic WAD, P = .001; control, P<.001), while simple reaction time significantly increased (P = .037) only in the control group. In both groups, no other significant changes in sustained attention, cognitive inhibition, pain, and fatigue were observed (P>.05). In the short term, postexercise cognitive functioning, pain, and fatigue were not aggravated in people with chronic WAD. However, randomized controlled trials are required to study the longer-term and isolated effects of exercise on cognitive functioning.

[Timing and effectiveness of Brenner's IPT cognitive training in early psychosis. A pilot study].

PubMed

Borriello, Adriana; Balbi, Andrea; Menichincheri, Renato Maria; Mirabella, Fiorino

2015-01-01

The present study evaluates the outcome of cognitive training as part of Brenner's Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) in two groups of individuals with a schizophrenic spectrum disorder (F20-F24 ICD-10). 28 participants were divided into either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group was composed of 13 individuals (46%) with a mean age of 21.2 years and a mean duration of illness (since their first episode of psychosis FEP) of 15.6 months. The control group included 15 individuals (54%) with a mean age of 25.6 years and a mean duration of illness of 74.4 months (beyond the critical period). Participants underwent an assessment of cognitive functioning which focused on attention, memory, executive functioning and cognitive flexibility as measured by the WCST (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test). Each individual was tested pre- and 6-month post-intervention. The original IPT method was altered by reducing the frequency of sessions to once a week and by limiting our sessions to 2-3 individuals per group. Cognitive flexibility (p<0.01) and long-term memory (p<0.01) improved only in the experimental group. These former skills worsened in the control group (p<0.01). Selective attention, short-term memory and verbal fluency improved in both groups (from p<0.05 to p<0.01). IPT cognitive training, when delivered in the early stages of psychosis (within 18 months from FEP), seems to be particularly effective in improving cognitive flexibility and long-term memory. We did not see improvements in those who had a longer duration of illness who also underwent the same treatment. Cognitive flexibility is linked to clinical insight and social cognition. Therefore, improving this function may lead to a better outcome for patients.

[Cognitive plasticity in Alzheimer's disease patients receiving cognitive stimulation programs].

PubMed

Zamarrón Cassinello, Ma Dolores; Tárraga Mestre, Luis; Fernández-Ballesteros, Rocío

2008-08-01

The main purpose of this article is to examine whether cognitive plasticity increases after cognitive training in Alzheimer's disease patients. Twenty six patients participated in this study, all of them diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's disease, 17 of them received a cognitive training program during 6 months, and the other 9 were assigned to the control group. Participants were assigned to experimental or control conditions for clinical reasons. In order to assess cognitive plasticity, all patients were assessed before and after treatment with three subtests from the "Bateria de Evaluación de Potencial de Aprendizaje en Demencias" [Assessment Battery of Learning Potential in Dementia] (BEPAD). After treatment, Alzheimer's disease patients improved their performance in all the tasks assessing cognitive plasticity: viso-spatial memory, audio-verbal memory and verbal fluency. However, the cognitive plasticity scores of the patients in the control group decreased. In conclusion, this study showed that cognitive stimulation programs can improve cognitive functioning in mildly demented patients, and patients who do not receive any cognitive interventions may reduce their cognitive functioning.

Cognitive stimulation in healthy older adults: a cognitive stimulation program using leisure activities compared to a conventional cognitive stimulation program.

PubMed

Grimaud, Élisabeth; Taconnat, Laurence; Clarys, David

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare two methods of cognitive stimulation for the cognitive functions. The first method used an usual approach, the second used leisure activities in order to assess their benefits on cognitive functions (speed of processing; working memory capacity and executive functions) and psychoaffective measures (memory span and self esteem). 67 participants over 60 years old took part in the experiment. They were divided into three groups: 1 group followed a program of conventional cognitive stimulation, 1 group a program of cognitive stimulation using leisure activities and 1 control group. The different measures have been evaluated before and after the training program. Results show that the cognitive stimulation program using leisure activities is as effective on memory span, updating and memory self-perception as the program using conventional cognitive stimulation, and more effective on self-esteem than the conventional program. There is no difference between the two stimulated groups and the control group on speed of processing. Neither of the two cognitive stimulation programs provides a benefit over shifting and inhibition. These results indicate that it seems to be possible to enhance working memory and to observe far transfer benefits over self-perception (self-esteem and memory self-perception) when using leisure activities as a tool for cognitive stimulation.

A 24-Week Multi-Modality Exercise Program Improves Executive Control in Older Adults with a Self-Reported Cognitive Complaint: Evidence from the Antisaccade Task.

PubMed

Heath, Matthew; Shellington, Erin; Titheridge, Sam; Gill, Dawn P; Petrella, Robert J

2017-01-01

Exercise programs involving aerobic and resistance training (i.e., multiple-modality) have shown promise in improving cognition and executive control in older adults at risk, or experiencing, cognitive decline. It is, however, unclear whether cognitive training within a multiple-modality program elicits an additive benefit to executive/cognitive processes. This is an important question to resolve in order to identify optimal training programs that delay, or ameliorate, executive deficits in persons at risk for further cognitive decline. In the present study, individuals with a self-reported cognitive complaint (SCC) participated in a 24-week multiple-modality (i.e., the M2 group) exercise intervention program. In addition, a separate group of individuals with a SCC completed the same aerobic and resistance training as the M2 group but also completed a cognitive-based stepping task (i.e., multiple-modality, mind-motor intervention: M4 group). Notably, pre- and post-intervention executive control was examined via the antisaccade task (i.e., eye movement mirror-symmetrical to a target). Antisaccades are an ideal tool for the study of individuals with subtle executive deficits because of its hands- and language-free nature and because the task's neural mechanisms are linked to neuropathology in cognitive decline (i.e., prefrontal cortex). Results showed that M2 and M4 group antisaccade reaction times reliably decreased from pre- to post-intervention and the magnitude of the decrease was consistent across groups. Thus, multi-modality exercise training improved executive performance in persons with a SCC independent of mind-motor training. Accordingly, we propose that multiple-modality training provides a sufficient intervention to improve executive control in persons with a SCC.

[Characteristics of cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease].

PubMed

Homenko, Ju G; Susin, D S; Kataeva, G V; Irishina, Ju A; Zavolokov, I G

To study the relationship between early cognitive impairment symptoms and cerebral glucose metabolism in different brain regions (according to the positron emission tomography (PET) data) in Parkinson's disease (PD) in order to increase the diagnostic and treatment efficacy. Two groups of patients with PD (stage I-III), including 11 patients without cognitive disorders and 13 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), were examined. The control group included 10 age-matched people with normal cognition. To evaluate cognitive state, the Mini mental state examination (MMSE), the Frontal assessment battery (FAB) and the 'clock drawing test' were used. The regional cerebral glucose metabolism rate (CMRglu) was assessed using PET with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). In PD patients, CMRglu were decreased in the frontal (Brodmann areas (BA) 9, 10, 11, 46, 47), occipital (BA 19) and parietal (BA 39), temporal (BA 20, 37), and cingulate cortex (BA 32) compared to the control group. Cerebral glucose metabolism was decreased in the frontal (BA 8, 9, 10, 45, 46, 47), parietal (BA 7, 39, 40) and cingulate cortex (BA 23, 24, 31, 32) in the group of PD patients with MCI compared to PD patients with normal cognition. Hypometabolism in BA 7, 8, 23, 24, 31, 40 was revealed only in comparison of PD and PD-MCI groups, and did not appear in case of comparison of cognitively normal PD patients with the control group. It is possible to suggest that the mentioned above brain areas were associated with cognitive impairment. The revealed glucose hypometabolism pattern possibly has the diagnostic value for the early and preclinical diagnosis of MCI in PD and control of treatment efficacy.

Cognitive Functions, Personality Traits, and Social Values in Heavy Marihuana Smokers and Nonsmoker Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weckowicz, Thaddeus E.; Janssen, Doug V.

1973-01-01

To determine the effect of chronic marihuana smoking on cognitive functions, personality traits, and social values, a group of heavy marihuana smokers was compared with a matched control group. (Author)

Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) Enhanced Cognitive Function and Prevented Cognitive Impairment by Increasing VGLUT2 Immunodensity in Prefrontal Cortex of Sub-Chronic Phencyclidine Rat Model of Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Piyabhan, Pritsana; Wetchateng, Thanitsara

2015-04-01

Glutamatergic hypofunction is affected in schizophrenia. The decrement ofpresynaptic glutamatergic marker remarkably vesicular glutamate transporter type 1 (VGLUT1) indicates the deficit ofglutamatergic and cognitive function in schizophrenic brain. However there have been afew studies in VGLUT2. Brahmi, a traditional herbal medicine, might be a new frontier of cognitive deficit treatment and prevention in schizophrenia by changing cerebral VGLUT2 density. To study cognitive enhancement- and neuroprotective-effects of Brahmi on novel object recognition task and cerebral VGLUT2 immunodensity in sub-chronic phencyclidine (PCP) rat model of schizophrenia. Cognitive enhancement effect study; rats were assigned to three groups; Group-1: Control, Group-2: PCP administration and Group-3: PCP + Brahmi. Neuroprotective effect study; rats were assigned to three groups; Group-1: Control, Group-2: PCP administration and Group-3: Brahmi + PCP Discrimination ratio (DR) representing cognitive ability was obtained from novel object recognition task. VGLUT2 immunodensity was measured in prefrontal cortex, striatum, cornu ammonis fields 1 (CA1) and 2/3 (CA2/3) of hippocampus using immunohistochemistry. DR was significantly reduced in PCP group compared with control. This occurred alongside VGLUT2 reduction in prefrontal cortex, but not in striatum, CA1 or CA2/3. Both PCP + Brahmi and Brahmi + PCP groups showed an increased DR score up to normal, which occurred alongside a significantly increased VGLUT2 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex, compared with PCP group. The decrement of VGLUT2 density in prefrontal cortex resulted in cognitive deficit in rats receiving PCP. Interestingly, receiving Brahmi after PCP administration can restore this cognitive deficit by increasing VGLUT2 density in prefrontal cortex. This investigation is defined as Brahmi's cognitive enhancement effect. Additionally, receiving Brahmi before PCP administration can also prevent cognitive impairment by elevating VGLUT2 density in prefrontal cortex. This observation indicates neuroprotective effect of Brahmi. Therefore, Brahmi could be a new frontier of restoration and prevention of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia.

Fighting Depression: Action Video Game Play May Reduce Rumination and Increase Subjective and Objective Cognition in Depressed Patients

PubMed Central

Kühn, Simone; Berna, Fabrice; Lüdtke, Thies; Gallinat, Jürgen; Moritz, Steffen

2018-01-01

Cognitive deficits are common in depression and may persist following the resolution of affective symptoms. However, therapeutic strategies that successfully target cognitive impairments are lacking. Recent work has demonstrated that playing action video games leads to improvements in cognition, in particular executive function, in healthy individuals. We therefore set out to test whether playing video games can reduce symptoms associated with depression. We focussed on depressive symptoms and on rumination, since rumination is a good predictor of depression and may contribute to triggering depression. We recruited 68 clinically depressed individuals (mean age: 46 years, 47 females) that were randomized into the training group playing a fast paced action video game for 6 weeks or a waitlist control group. Before and after training participants completed online questionnaires and a neuropsychological test battery. Only participants who actually played the game were included in the analysis. The final sample consisted of n = 21 training group and n = 29 waitlist control group. The training group showed significantly higher subjective cognitive ability, as well as lower self-reported rumination at posttest in contrast to the control group (although these findings do not survive Bonferroni correction). On a subsample with cognitive performance data (n = 19) we detected an improvement in executive function (Trail Making Task A and B) in the training compared with the control group. The results show that the fast paced action video game employed in the present study improved Trail Making performance and may reduce rumination and enhance subjective cognitive ability. Future research may focus on the investigation of the precise cognitive profile of effects. PMID:29483888

Fighting Depression: Action Video Game Play May Reduce Rumination and Increase Subjective and Objective Cognition in Depressed Patients.

PubMed

Kühn, Simone; Berna, Fabrice; Lüdtke, Thies; Gallinat, Jürgen; Moritz, Steffen

2018-01-01

Cognitive deficits are common in depression and may persist following the resolution of affective symptoms. However, therapeutic strategies that successfully target cognitive impairments are lacking. Recent work has demonstrated that playing action video games leads to improvements in cognition, in particular executive function, in healthy individuals. We therefore set out to test whether playing video games can reduce symptoms associated with depression. We focussed on depressive symptoms and on rumination, since rumination is a good predictor of depression and may contribute to triggering depression. We recruited 68 clinically depressed individuals (mean age: 46 years, 47 females) that were randomized into the training group playing a fast paced action video game for 6 weeks or a waitlist control group. Before and after training participants completed online questionnaires and a neuropsychological test battery. Only participants who actually played the game were included in the analysis. The final sample consisted of n = 21 training group and n = 29 waitlist control group. The training group showed significantly higher subjective cognitive ability, as well as lower self-reported rumination at posttest in contrast to the control group (although these findings do not survive Bonferroni correction). On a subsample with cognitive performance data ( n = 19) we detected an improvement in executive function (Trail Making Task A and B) in the training compared with the control group. The results show that the fast paced action video game employed in the present study improved Trail Making performance and may reduce rumination and enhance subjective cognitive ability. Future research may focus on the investigation of the precise cognitive profile of effects.

Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in a community-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme: A controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Luk, Edwin K; Gorelik, Alexandra; Irving, Louis; Khan, Fary

2017-03-06

To investigate whether the use of cognitive behavioural therapy in pulmonary rehabilitation addresses the depression and anxiety burden and thereby improves rehabilitation outcomes. Prospective controlled clinical trial. A total of 70 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were referred to a community centre for pulmonary rehabilitation. Patients were allocated to either the control group, consisting of pulmonary rehabilitation alone, or to the treatment group, receiving pulmonary rehabilitation and an additional 6 sessions of group-based cognitive behavioural therapy. Assessments consisting of questionnaires and walk tests were conducted pre- and post-pulmonary rehabilitation. A total of 28 patients were enrolled. The cognitive behavioural therapy group had significant improvements in exercise capacity following pulmonary rehabilitation (mean change 32.9 m, p = 0.043), which was maintained at 3 months post-pulmonary rehabilitation (mean change 23.4 m, p = 0.045). Patients in the cognitive behavioural therapy group showed significant short-term improvements in fatigue, stress and depression (mean change 2.4, p = 0.016, 3.9, p = 0.024 and 4.3, p = 0.047, respectively) and a 3-month post-pulmonary rehabilitation improvement in anxiety score (mean change 3.1, p = 0.01). No significant changes were seen in the control group. The addition of cognitive behavioural therapy improved patients' physical, psychological and quality of life results. Cognitive behavioural therapy should be considered for inclusion in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme to enhance outcomes.

Clinical (but not cognitive) recovery in schizophrenia through the experience of fictional cinema.

PubMed

Peña, J; Sánchez, P; Elizagárate, E; Ibarretxe-Bilbao, N; Ezcurra, J; Caballero, L; Magariños, M; García Del Castillo, I; Gutiérrez, M; Ojeda, N

2015-12-01

One of the criticisms of rehabilitation techniques is their limited application to the patient's daily life. In the past, cinema has been used as a psychiatric rehabilitation tool, with the primary objective of facilitating training in social abilities and communication. In this study, we consider the use of film not only as a clinical recovery tool but also as a novel cognitive recovery tool for additional rehabilitation not only for communication and social abilities but also for all of the basic cognitive and social cognition processes. In this randomized clinical trial, 48 patients with schizophrenia were assigned to an experimental or control group. Both of the groups received treatment sessions that included viewing episodes of the television series The Sopranos . Next, the experimental group participated in a structured cognitive training session that featured questions and exercises based on the episodes. The control group participated in an idea-sharing session (of the same duration and frequency) about what the group members saw in the episode. At the end of the treatment, both the positive and negative clinical symptoms of the experimental group improved significantly compared with the control group. However, this improvement was not observed in basic or social cognitive functions. A brief intervention based on transforming the activities of daily life can be an effective tool for psychiatric rehabilitation. However, the study's current characteristics and sample did not produce benefits in cognitive parameters.

Increased cognitive problem reporting after information about chemotherapy-induced cognitive decline: The moderating role of stigma consciousness.

PubMed

Jacobs, W; Das, E; Schagen, S B

2017-01-01

Information about treatment side effects can increase their occurrence; breast cancer (BC) patients showed increased cognitive problem reporting (CPR) and decreased memory performance after information about cognitive side effects. The current study extends previous research on adverse information effects (AIE) by investigating (a) risk factors, (b) underlying mechanisms and (c) an intervention to reduce AIE. In an online experiment, 175 female BC patients were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. In the two experimental groups, patients were informed about the possible occurrence of cognitive problems after chemotherapy with (intervention group) or without (experimental group) reassuring information that 'there are still patients who score well on memory tests'. In the control group, no reference to chemotherapy-related cognitive problems was made. Main dependent measure was CPR. Four moderating and five mediating processes were examined. CPR increased with higher levels of stigma consciousness in the two experimental groups, but not in the no-information control group. Merely informing patients about cognitive side effects may increase their occurrence, especially among individuals vulnerable to patient stereotypes. Adding reassuring information is not sufficient to reduce AIE.

Attitudes and lifestyle changes following Jog your Mind: results from a multi-factorial community-based program promoting cognitive vitality among seniors

PubMed Central

Laforest, Sophie; Lorthios-Guilledroit, Agathe; Nour, Kareen; Parisien, Manon; Fournier, Michel; Ellemberg, Dave; Guay, Danielle; Desgagn�s-Cyr, Charles-�mile; Bier, Nathalie

2017-01-01

Abstract This study examined the effects on attitudes and lifestyle behavior of Jog your Mind, a multi-factorial community-based program promoting cognitive vitality among seniors with no known cognitive impairment. A quasi-experimental study was conducted. Twenty-three community organizations were assigned either to the experimental group (offering the program) or to the control group (creating a waiting list). They recruited 294 community-dwelling seniors. The aims of the study were to verify the effects of the program on attitudes and behaviors related to cognitive vitality and to explore its effects on cognitive vitality. Data was collected at baseline and after the program. Regression analyses revealed that, following their participation in the program, experimental group participants reported: (i) in terms of attitudes, having a greater feeling of control concerning their cognitive capacities, (ii) in terms of behaviors, using significantly more memory strategies and practicing more physical activity and stimulating activities than control group participants. However, the program had no significant effects on measures of cognitive vitality. This study supports the fact that a multi-factorial community-based program can have significant effects on seniors’ attitudes and lifestyle behaviors related to cognitive vitality but at short term, no effects on cognitive vitality it-self were found. PMID:28334988

Increased engagement of the cognitive control network associated with music training in children during an fMRI Stroop task.

PubMed

Sachs, Matthew; Kaplan, Jonas; Der Sarkissian, Alissa; Habibi, Assal

2017-01-01

Playing a musical instrument engages various sensorimotor processes and draws on cognitive capacities collectively termed executive functions. However, while music training is believed to associated with enhancements in certain cognitive and language abilities, studies that have explored the specific relationship between music and executive function have yielded conflicting results. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we investigated the effects of music training on executive function using fMRI and several behavioral tasks, including the Color-Word Stroop task. Children involved in ongoing music training (N = 14, mean age = 8.67) were compared with two groups of comparable general cognitive abilities and socioeconomic status, one involved in sports ("sports" group, N = 13, mean age = 8.85) and another not involved in music or sports ("control" group, N = 17, mean age = 9.05). During the Color-Word Stroop task, children with music training showed significantly greater bilateral activation in the pre-SMA/SMA, ACC, IFG, and insula in trials that required cognitive control compared to the control group, despite no differences in performance on behavioral measures of executive function. No significant differences in brain activation or in task performance were found between the music and sports groups. The results suggest that systematic extracurricular training, particularly music-based training, is associated with changes in the cognitive control network in the brain even in the absence of changes in behavioral performance.

Aerobic Exercise Improves Mood, Cognition, and Language Function in Parkinson's Disease: Results of a Controlled Study.

PubMed

Altmann, Lori J P; Stegemöller, Elizabeth; Hazamy, Audrey A; Wilson, Jonathan P; Bowers, Dawn; Okun, Michael S; Hass, Chris J

2016-10-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) results in a range of non-motor deficits that can affect mood, cognition, and language, and many of these issues are unresponsive to pharmacological intervention. Aerobic exercise can improve mood and cognition in healthy older adults, although only a few studies have examined exercise effects on these domains in PD. The current study assesses the effects of aerobic exercise on aspects of cognition, mood, and language production in people with PD. This study compares the effects of aerobic exercise to stretch-balance training and a no-contact control group in participants with idiopathic PD. The aerobic and stretch-balance groups trained three times a week for 16 weeks, while controls continued normal activities. Outcome measures included disease severity, mood, cognition (speed of processing, memory, and executive function), and language production (picture descriptions). Cognition and language were assessed in single and dual task conditions. Depressive symptoms increased only in the control group (p<.02). Executive function improved in the aerobic exercise group only in the single task (p=.007) and declined in controls in the dual task. Completeness of picture descriptions improved significantly more in the aerobic group than in the stretch-balance group (p<.02). Aerobic exercise is a viable intervention for PD that can be protective against increased depressive symptoms, and can improve several non-motor domains, including executive dysfunction and related aspects of language production. (JINS, 2016, 22, 878-889).

Sex-sensitive cognitive performance in untreated patients with early onset gender identity disorder.

PubMed

Haraldsen, I R; Opjordsmoen, S; Egeland, T; Finset, A

2003-10-01

We explored whether the cognitive performance of gender identity disorder patients (GID) was comparable to that of their biological sex or skewed towards that of their gender identity. We tested four potentially sex-sensitive cognitive factors (rotation, visualization, perception, and verbalization) as well as two neutral factors (logic and arithmetic) in GID patients from Norway (GID-N, n = 33) or the USA (GID-US, n = 19) and in a control group (C, n = 29). The testing was undertaken prior to cross sex hormone treatment. Four-way ANOVA was applied in the final analysis of the cognitive performance and its dependency on different predictors (age, biological sex, education, group). In both GID groups as well as in the control group (C) males excelled in visualization and rotation, also when controlling for potential confounders (biological sex, group, age and education). No female advantage was detected. Furthermore, no interaction between biological sex and group assignment was revealed in the samples. In this study the cognitive pattern of GID patients is consistent with that of their biological sex and not that of their gender identity.

Mathematical learning disabilities and attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder: A study of the cognitive processes involved in arithmetic problem solving.

PubMed

Iglesias-Sarmiento, Valentín; Deaño, Manuel; Alfonso, Sonia; Conde, Ángeles

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of cognitive functioning to arithmetic problem solving and to explore the cognitive profiles of children with attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD). The sample was made up of a total of 90 students of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade organized in three: ADHD (n=30), MLD (n=30) and typically achieving control (TA; n=30) group. Assessment was conducted in two sessions in which the PASS processes and arithmetic problem solving were evaluated. The ADHD group's performance in planning and attention was worse than that of the control group. Children with MLD obtained poorer results than the control group in planning and simultaneous and successive processing. Executive processes predicted arithmetic problem solving in the ADHD group whereas simultaneous processing was the unique predictor in the MLD sample. Children with ADHD and with MLD showed characteristic cognitive profiles. Groups' problem-solving performance can be predicted from their cognitive functioning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Musical dual-task training in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Ling; Pei, Yu-Cheng

2018-01-01

Dual-task training may improve dual-task gait performance, balance, and cognition in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Although music has been widely utilized in dementia management, there are no existing protocols for music-based dual-task training. This randomized controlled study developed a Musical Dual-Task Training (MDTT) protocol that patients with dementia can use to practice walking and making music simultaneously, to enhance attention control in patients during dual-tasking. Twenty-eight adults diagnosed with mild-to-moderate dementia were assigned to the MDTT (n=15) or control groups (n=13). The MDTT group received MDTT, while the control group participated in non-musical cognitive and walking activities. The effects of MDTT were evaluated through the primary outcome of attention control, and secondary outcomes of dual-task performance, balance, falls efficacy, and agitation. The MDTT group showed a significant improvement in attention control, while the control group did not ( P <0.001). A significant effect favored MDTT over control treatment for the secondary outcome of falls efficacy ( P =0.02) and agitation ( P <0.01). MDTT, a music therapy intervention that demands a high level of cognitive processing, enhances attention control, falls efficacy, and helps alleviate agitation in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia.

Musical dual-task training in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Ling; Pei, Yu-Cheng

2018-01-01

Background/aims Dual-task training may improve dual-task gait performance, balance, and cognition in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Although music has been widely utilized in dementia management, there are no existing protocols for music-based dual-task training. This randomized controlled study developed a Musical Dual-Task Training (MDTT) protocol that patients with dementia can use to practice walking and making music simultaneously, to enhance attention control in patients during dual-tasking. Methods Twenty-eight adults diagnosed with mild-to-moderate dementia were assigned to the MDTT (n=15) or control groups (n=13). The MDTT group received MDTT, while the control group participated in non-musical cognitive and walking activities. The effects of MDTT were evaluated through the primary outcome of attention control, and secondary outcomes of dual-task performance, balance, falls efficacy, and agitation. Results The MDTT group showed a significant improvement in attention control, while the control group did not (P<0.001). A significant effect favored MDTT over control treatment for the secondary outcome of falls efficacy (P=0.02) and agitation (P<0.01). Conclusion MDTT, a music therapy intervention that demands a high level of cognitive processing, enhances attention control, falls efficacy, and helps alleviate agitation in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia. PMID:29881275

Effect of episodic and working memory impairments on semantic and cognitive procedural learning at alcohol treatment entry.

PubMed

Pitel, Anne Lise; Witkowski, Thomas; Vabret, François; Guillery-Girard, Bérengère; Desgranges, Béatrice; Eustache, Francis; Beaunieux, Hélène

2007-02-01

Chronic alcoholism is known to impair the functioning of episodic and working memory, which may consequently reduce the ability to learn complex novel information. Nevertheless, semantic and cognitive procedural learning have not been properly explored at alcohol treatment entry, despite its potential clinical relevance. The goal of the present study was therefore to determine whether alcoholic patients, immediately after the weaning phase, are cognitively able to acquire complex new knowledge, given their episodic and working memory deficits. Twenty alcoholic inpatients with episodic memory and working memory deficits at alcohol treatment entry and a control group of 20 healthy subjects underwent a protocol of semantic acquisition and cognitive procedural learning. The semantic learning task consisted of the acquisition of 10 novel concepts, while subjects were administered the Tower of Toronto task to measure cognitive procedural learning. Analyses showed that although alcoholic subjects were able to acquire the category and features of the semantic concepts, albeit slowly, they presented impaired label learning. In the control group, executive functions and episodic memory predicted semantic learning in the first and second halves of the protocol, respectively. In addition to the cognitive processes involved in the learning strategies invoked by controls, alcoholic subjects seem to attempt to compensate for their impaired cognitive functions, invoking capacities of short-term passive storage. Regarding cognitive procedural learning, although the patients eventually achieved the same results as the controls, they failed to automate the procedure. Contrary to the control group, the alcoholic groups' learning performance was predicted by controlled cognitive functions throughout the protocol. At alcohol treatment entry, alcoholic patients with neuropsychological deficits have difficulty acquiring novel semantic and cognitive procedural knowledge. Compared with controls, they seem to use more costly learning strategies, which are nonetheless less efficient. These learning disabilities need to be considered when treatment requiring the acquisition of complex novel information is envisaged.

Effects of Group-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Coaching Program on Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of Inmates in a Nigerian Prison.

PubMed

Eseadi, Chiedu; Obidoa, Mabel A; Ogbuabor, Shulamite E; Ikechukwu-Ilomuanya, Amaka B

2018-05-01

This study investigated the effects that a group-focused cognitive-behavioral coaching program had on depressive symptoms of a sample of inmates from Nsukka Prisons, Enugu State, Nigeria. The design of the study was pretest-posttest control group . The participants were 30 male inmates, experiencing high levels of depressive symptoms, and randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The primary outcome measure was depression symptoms as measured using Beck's Depression Inventory. Repeated-measures ANOVA and the Mann-Whitney U Test were used for data analysis. Results show that exposing inmates to the group-focused cognitive-behavioral coaching program significantly reduced the depressive symptoms of inmates in the treatment group compared with those in the control group. Our results support the use of cognitive-behavioral coaching interventions designed to assist the severely depressed inmates in Nigeria. Further studies should be conducted both in other states of Nigeria and in other countries.

Effects of cognitive behavioral coaching on depressive symptoms in a sample of type 2 diabetic inpatients in Nigeria.

PubMed

Onyechi, Kay Chinonyelum Nwamaka; Eseadi, Chiedu; Okere, Anthony U; Onuigbo, Liziana N; Umoke, Prince C I; Anyaegbunam, Ngozi Joannes; Otu, Mkpoikanke Sunday; Ugorji, Ngozi Juliet

2016-08-01

Depression is one of the mental health problems confronting those with diabetes mellitus and may result from self-defeating thoughts and lifestyles. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive behavioral coaching (CBC) program on depressive symptoms in a sample of the Type 2 diabetic inpatients in Onitsha metropolis of Anambra State, Nigeria. The design of the study was pretest-post-test randomized control group design. The participants were 80 Type 2 diabetic inpatients randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups. The primary outcome measures were Beck's Depression Inventory-II and a Diabetic Inpatient's Depressive Symptoms Observation Checklist. Mean, standard deviation, repeated measures analysis of covariance, and partial eta squared were used for data analysis. The results revealed that the baseline of depressive symptoms was similar between the control and treatment groups of the Type 2 diabetic inpatients. But, exposing the Type 2 diabetic inpatients to a cognitive behavioral coaching program significantly reduced the depressive symptoms in the treatment group compared to those in the control group at the end of the intervention. The effects of cognitive behavioral coaching program on the depressive symptoms of those in the treatment group remained consistent at a 6 month follow-up meetings compared to the control group. Given the potential benefits of a cognitive behavioral coaching program, clinicians and mental health professionals are urged to support and implement evidence-based cognitive-behavioral coaching interventions aimed at promoting diabetic inpatients' wellbeing in the Nigerian hospitals.

Benefits of multimodal exercise intervention for postural control and frontal cognitive functions in individuals with Alzheimer's disease: a controlled trial.

PubMed

de Andrade, Larissa P; Gobbi, Lilian T B; Coelho, Flávia G M; Christofoletti, Gustavo; Costa, José L Riani; Stella, Florindo

2013-11-01

To verify the effects of a systematized multimodal exercise intervention program on frontal cognitive function, postural control, and functional capacity components of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nonrandomized controlled trial with pre- and posttraining tests in a training group and a control group. Kinesiotherapy program for seniors with AD, São Paulo State University. Convenience sample of older adults with AD (n = 30) were assigned to a training (n = 14; aged 78.6 ± 7.1) and a control (n = 16; aged 77.0 ± 6.3) group. The intervention program was structured with the aim of simultaneously promoting better balance and frontal cognitive capacity. The participants attended a 1-hour session three times a week for 16 weeks, whereas the control group did not participate in any activity during the same period. Frontal cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Clock Drawing Test, the Frontal Assessment Battery, and the Symbol Search Subtest. Postural control (center of pressure area) was analyzed under four dual-task conditions. Functional capacity components were analyzed using the Timed Up and Go Test, the 30-second sit-to-stand test, the sit-and-reach test, and the Berg Functional Balance Scale. Intervention group participants showed a significant increase in frontal cognitive function (P < .001, partial η(2) = 0.838), with less body sway (P = .04, partial η(2) = 0.04) during the dual tasks, and greater functional capacity (P = .001, partial η(2) = 0.676) after the 16-week period. Intervention participants performed better on dual-task activities and had better postural balance and greater functional capacity than controls. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

Reducing juvenile recidivism with cognitive training and a cell phone follow-up: an evaluation of the realvictory program.

PubMed

Burraston, Bert O; Cherrington, David J; Bahr, Stephen J

2012-02-01

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of a cognitive training and cell phone intervention on the recidivism of 70 juvenile offenders. Median days to rearrest were 106 for the control group, 191 for the class-only group, and 278 for the class plus cell phone group. Using rearrest as the survival criterion, the survival ratios of the class-only and class plus cell phone groups were 2.64 and 2.94 times longer than the control group, respectively. After controlling for gender, prior arrests, and risk score, the Poisson regression indicated that the class-only and class plus cell phone groups were 51% lower in total arrests than the control group. These results suggest that cognitive training supplemented with a cell phone coach is an effective and cost-efficient intervention for reducing recidivism.

[Mindfulness-based stimulation in advanced Alzheimer's disease: A comparative, non-inferiority, clinical pilot study].

PubMed

Quintana Hernández, Domingo Jesús; Miró Barrachina, María Teresa; Ibáñez Fernández, Ignacio; Santana del Pino, Angelo; Rojas Hernández, Jaime; Rodríguez García, Javier; Quintana Montesdeoca, María del Pino

2015-01-01

A longitudinal study was conducted in order to analyze the feasibility, safety, and effects of the practice of mindfulness, relaxation and cognitive stimulation on the evolution of Alzheimer's disease, with the aim of testing the equivalence of these interventions. There were a total of 168 participants with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) treated with donepezil. In the present article, the 21 participants with advanced AD who completed a follow-up period of 24 months are presented. The participants were grouped into three experimental groups (mindfulness, relaxation, and cognitive stimulation) and one control group. Each group carried out three weekly sessions with bi-annual follow-up measurements (cognition: CAMCOG and MMSE; functionality: RDRS; psychopathology: NPI). Non-parametric analyses were performed. The cognitive function and functionality scores showed no significant differences between the groups. However, the scores in cognitive function of the mindfulness group and the cognitive stimulation group did not decrease in an intra-group analysis. In NPI, there were significant differences between the mindfulness group and the control group by the end of the study (P<.017). The data showed that the treatment with donepezil in combination with mindfulness or cognitive stimulation presented a better clinical evolution than the pharmacological treatment alone or combined with relaxation. These data suggest that these therapeutic alternatives should be investigated further, and that the non-pharmacological treatments should be recommended in clinical practice in order to control the evolution of AD in the long term. In order to confirm these findings, a larger study is necessary. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Effects of cognitive-motor dual-task training combined with auditory motor synchronization training on cognitive functioning in individuals with chronic stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Park, Myoung-Ok; Lee, Sang-Heon

2018-06-01

Preservation and enhancement of cognitive function are essential for the restoration of functional abilities and independence following stroke. While cognitive-motor dual-task training (CMDT) has been utilized in rehabilitation settings, many patients with stroke experience impairments in cognitive function that can interfere with dual-task performance. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CMDT combined with auditory motor synchronization training (AMST) utilizing rhythmic cues on cognitive function in patients with stroke. The present randomized controlled trial was conducted at a single rehabilitation hospital. Thirty patients with chronic stroke were randomly divided an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received 3 CMDT + AMST sessions per week for 6 weeks, whereas the control group received CMDT only 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Changes in cognitive function were evaluated using the trail making test (TMT), digit span test (DST), and stroop test (ST). Significant differences in TMT-A and B (P = .001, P = .001), DST-forward (P = .001, P = .001), DST-backward (P = .000, P = .001), ST-word (P = .001, P = .001), and ST-color (P = .002, P = .001) scores were observed in both the control and experimental groups, respectively. Significant differences in TMT-A (P = .001), DST-forward (P = .027), DST-backward (P = .002), and ST-word (P = .025) scores were observed between the 2 groups. Performance speed on the TMT-A was faster in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CMDT group. Moreover, DST-forward and DST-backward scores were higher in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CDMT group. Although ST-color results were similar in the 2 groups, ST-word scores were higher in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CMDT group. This finding indicates that the combined therapy CMDT and AMST can be used to increase attention, memory, and executive function for people with stroke.

Effects of vision and cognitive load on static postural control in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome.

PubMed

Zeinalzadeh, Afsaneh; Talebian, Saeed; Naghdi, Soofia; Salavati, Mahyar; Nazary-Moghadam, Salman; Zeynalzadeh Ghoochani, Bahareh

2018-04-01

To compare the effects of vision and cognitive load on static postural control in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Twenty-eight PFPS patients and 28 controls participated in the study. Postural control was assessed in isolation as well as with visual manipulation and cognitive loading on symptomatic limb. The outcome measures of postural control were quantified in terms of area, anterior-posterior (AP), medial-lateral (ML), and mean velocity (MV) of the displacements of center of pressure (COP). In addition, cognitive performance (auditory Stroop task) was measured in the forms of average reaction time and error ratio in baseline (sitting) and different postural conditions. PFPS subjects showed greater increases in area (p = 0.01), AP (p = 0.01), and ML (p = 0.05) displacements of COP in the blindfolded tasks as compared to control group. However, cognitive load did not differently affect postural control in the two groups. Although PFPS and control group had similar reaction times in the sitting position (p = 0.29), PFPS subjects had longer reaction times than healthy subjects in dual task conditions (p = 0.04). Visual inputs seem to be essential for discriminating postural control between PFPS and healthy individuals. PFPS patients biased toward decreasing cognitive performance more than healthy subjects when they perform the single leg stance and cognitive task concurrently.

General physical activity levels influence positive and negative priming effects in young adults.

PubMed

Kamijo, Keita; Takeda, Yuji

2009-03-01

To investigate the relationship between general physical activity level and the cognitive functions of executive control in young adults using behavioral measures and event-related brain potentials. Forty young adults (mean age=21.1 yrs; 19 females) were differentiated on the basis of their regular physical activity level into two groups: active and sedentary. They performed a spatial priming task consisting of three conditions: control, positive, and negative priming. Spatial priming effects, which are related to executive control and occur automatically, were assessed as indicators of cognitive functioning. Negative priming effects on reaction time and P3 latency in the active group were larger than in the sedentary group. By contrast, positive priming effects were only observed in the sedentary group. The cognitive effects of regular physical activity could be observed using a relatively simple paradigm. The results indicate that regular physical activity has a beneficial effect on the cognitive processes on executive control in young adults. The present study provides additional evidence of the beneficial effects of regular physical activity on cognitive functioning in young adults.

Cognitive outcomes of TMS treatment in bipolar depression: Safety data from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Myczkowski, Martin L; Fernandes, Adriano; Moreno, Marina; Valiengo, Leandro; Lafer, Beny; Moreno, Ricardo A; Padberg, Frank; Gattaz, Wagner; Brunoni, Andre R

2018-08-01

Bipolar depression (BD) is a highly prevalent condition associated with marked cognitive deficits that persist even in the euthymic phase of the illness. Pharmacological treatments for BD might further aggravate cognitive impairment, highlighting the need of developing interventions that present cognitive safety. In this study, we evaluated the cognitive effects of H1-coil (deep) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression. Fourty-three patients were randomized to receive 20 sessions of active (55 trains, 18 Hz, 120% resting motor threshold intensity) or sham rTMS within a double-blind, sham-controlled trial. A battery of 20 neuropsychological assessments, grouped in 6 domains (attention and processing speed, working memory and executive function, inhibitory control, language, immediate verbal memory, and long-term verbal memory) was performed at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of trial onset. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Cognitive improvement was shown for all cognitive domains. It occurred regardless of intervention group and depression improvement. For the language domain, greater improvement was observed in the sham group over time. No correlations between depression (at baseline or during treatment) and cognitive improvement were found. Absence of healthy control group. The results of this exploratory study provide evidence on the cognitive safety of H1-coil TMS for BD patients. Putative pro-cognitive effects of rTMS in BD were not observed and thus should be further investigated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The effect of lavender aromatherapy on cognitive function, emotion, and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia].

PubMed

Lee, Sun-Young

2005-04-01

This study was to develop an aromatherapy hand massage program, and to evaluate the effects of lavender aromatherapy on cognitive function, emotion, and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia of the Alzheimer's type. The Research design was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized quasiexperimental study. Lavender aromatherapy was administrated to experimental group I for 2 weeks, jojoba oil massage was administrated to experimental group II for 2 weeks, and no treatment was administrated to the control group for 2 weeks. Data was analyzed using the chi(2)-test, ANOVA, repeated measures of ANCOVA and ANCOVA in the SPSS program package. 1. Experimental group I did not show significant differences in cognitive function in relation to the experimental group II and control group. 2. Experimental group I showed significant differences in emotion and aggressive behavior in relation to the experimental group II and control group. A Lavender aromatherapy hand massage program is effective on emotions and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

Widespread Volumetric Reductions in Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Patients Displaying Compromised Cognitive Abilities.

PubMed

Van Rheenen, Tamsyn E; Cropley, Vanessa; Zalesky, Andrew; Bousman, Chad; Wells, Ruth; Bruggemann, Jason; Sundram, Suresh; Weinberg, Danielle; Lenroot, Roshel K; Pereira, Avril; Shannon Weickert, Cynthia; Weickert, Thomas W; Pantelis, Christos

2018-04-06

Progress toward understanding brain mechanisms in psychosis is hampered by failures to account for within-group heterogeneity that exists across neuropsychological domains. We recently identified distinct cognitive subgroups that might assist in identifying more biologically meaningful subtypes of psychosis. In the present study, we examined whether underlying structural brain abnormalities differentiate these cognitively derived subgroups. 1.5T T1 weighted structural scans were acquired for 168 healthy controls and 220 patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Based on previous work, 47 patients were categorized as being cognitively compromised (impaired premorbid and current IQ), 100 as cognitively deteriorated (normal premorbid IQ, impaired current IQ), and 73 as putatively cognitively preserved (premorbid and current IQ within 1 SD of controls). Global, subcortical and cortical volume, thickness, and surface area measures were compared among groups. Whole cortex, subcortical, and regional volume and thickness reductions were evident in all subgroups compared to controls, with the largest effect sizes in the compromised group. This subgroup also showed abnormalities in regions not seen in the other patient groups, including smaller left superior and middle frontal areas, left anterior and inferior temporal areas and right lateral medial and inferior frontal, occipital lobe and superior temporal areas. This pattern of more prominent brain structural abnormalities in the group with the most marked cognitive impairments-both currently and putatively prior to illness onset, is consistent with the concept of schizophrenia as a progressive neurodevelopmental disorder. In this group, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative factors may be important for cognitive function.

We can work it out: Group decision-making builds social identity and enhances the cognitive performance of care residents.

PubMed

Haslam, Catherine; Alexander Haslam, S; Knight, Craig; Gleibs, Ilka; Ysseldyk, Renate; McCloskey, Lauren-Grace

2014-02-01

Group-based interventions have been argued to slow the cognitive decline of older people residing in care by building social identification and thereby increasing motivation and engagement. The present study explored the identity-cognition association further by investigating the impact of a group decision-making intervention on cognition. Thirty-six care home residents were assigned to one of three conditions: an Intervention in which they made decisions about lounge refurbishment as a group, a Comparison condition in which staff made these decisions, or a no-treatment Control. Cognitive function, social identification, home satisfaction, and lounge use were measured before and after the intervention. Participants in the Intervention condition showed significant increases on all measures, and greater improvement than participants in both Comparison and Control conditions. Consistent with social identity theorizing, these findings point to the role of group activity and social identification in promoting cognitive integrity and well-being among care residents. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Program of arithmetic improvement by means of cognitive enhancement: an intervention in children with special educational needs.

PubMed

Deaño, Manuel Deaño; Alfonso, Sonia; Das, Jagannath Prasad

2015-03-01

This study reports the cognitive and arithmetic improvement of a mathematical model based on the program PASS Remedial Program (PREP), which aims to improve specific cognitive processes underlying academic skills such as arithmetic. For this purpose, a group of 20 students from the last four grades of Primary Education was divided into two groups. One group (n=10) received training in the program and the other served as control. Students were assessed at pre and post intervention in the PASS cognitive processes (planning, attention, simultaneous and successive processing), general level of intelligence, and arithmetic performance in calculus and solving problems. Performance of children from the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group in cognitive process and arithmetic. This joint enhancement of cognitive and arithmetic processes was a result of the operationalization of training that promotes the encoding task, attention and planning, and learning by induction, mediation and verbalization. The implications of this are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of a Cognitive Behavioral Self-Help Program on Emotional Problems for People with Acquired Hearing Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garnefski, Nadia; Kraaij, Vivian

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine whether a cognitive-behavioral self-help program was effective in improving depressed mood and anxiety in people with acquired deafness. Participants were 45 persons with acquired deafness, randomly allocated to the Cognitive-Behavioral Self-help (CBS) group or the Waiting List Control (WLC) group. Depression…

Subjective cognitive function in hoarding disorder.

PubMed

Tolin, David F; Hallion, Lauren S; Wootton, Bethany M; Levy, Hannah C; Billingsley, Amber L; Das, Akanksha; Katz, Benjamin W; Stevens, Michael C

2018-07-01

The aim of the present study was to examine subjective cognitive impairment among adult patients with hoarding disorder (HD). Eighty-three patients with HD and 46 age- and gender-matched healthy control (HC) participants received a diagnostic interview and completed measures of subjective cognitive functioning and motivations for saving behavior, as well as measures of hoarding severity, depression, anxiety, stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. The HD group reported more impairment than did the HC group in domains of memory, distractibility, blunders, memory for names, and inattention. These differences generally remained significant when controlling for comorbid symptoms. In the HD group, the degree of cognitive impairment was significantly correlated with severity of saving and acquiring behaviors, although results were attenuated when controlling for comorbid symptoms (overall HD severity, but not saving behavior specifically, remained significantly correlated with cognitive impairment). Subjective cognitive impairment was further associated with a desire to save possessions in order to avoid forgetting, and these results remained significant when controlling for comorbid symptoms. These results comport with current behavioral models of HD that emphasize decision-making deficits, as well as clinician observations suggestive of impaired cognitive function, and complement a growing body of neuropsychological testing studies. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Impact of a Cognitive Behavioral Pain Management Program on Sleep in Patients with Chronic Pain: Results of a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Blake, Catherine; Cunningham, Jennifer; Power, Camillus K; Horan, Sheila; Spencer, Orla; Fullen, Brona M

2016-02-01

To determine the impact of a cognitive behavioral pain management program on sleep in patients with chronic pain. Prospective nonrandomized controlled pilot study with evaluations at baseline and 12 weeks. Out-patient multidisciplinary cognitive behavioral pain management program in a university teaching hospital. Patients with chronic pain who fulfilled the criteria for participation in a cognitive behavioral pain management program. Patients assigned to the intervention group (n = 24) completed a 4 week cognitive behavioral pain management program, and were compared with a waiting list control group (n = 22). Assessments for both groups occurred at baseline and two months post cognitive behavioral pain management program. Outcome measures included self-report (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and objective (actigraphy) sleep measures, pain and quality of life measures. Both groups were comparable at baseline, and all had sleep disturbance. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index correlated with only two of the seven objective sleep measures (fragmentation index r = 0.34, P = 0.02, and sleep efficiency percentage r = -0.31, P = 0.04). There was a large treatment effect for cognitive behavioral pain management program group in mean number of wake bouts (d = 0.76), where a significant group*time interaction was also found (P = 0.016), showing that the CBT-PMP group improved significantly more than controls in this sleep variable. Patients attending a cognitive behavioral pain management program have high prevalence of sleep disturbance, and actigraphy technology was well tolerated by the patients. Preliminary analysis of the impact of a cognitive behavioral pain management program on sleep is promising, and warrants further investigation.

Cognitive control dysfunction in emotion dysregulation and psychopathology of major depression (MD): Evidence from transcranial brain stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

PubMed

Salehinejad, Mohammad Ali; Ghanavai, Elham; Rostami, Reza; Nejati, Vahid

2017-03-01

Previous studies showed that MD is associated with a variety of cognitive deficits and executive dysfunctions which can persist even in remitted states. However, the role of cognitive impairments in MD psychopathology and treatment is not fully understood. This article aims to discuss how executive functions central components (e.g., Working memory and attention) mediate MD psychopathology considering the role of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dLPFC) and present findings of a brain stimulation experiment to support this notion. The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the dLPFC on enhancing cognitive control functions was investigated. Twenty-four patients with MD (Experimental group=12, Control group=12) received 10 sessions of tDCS (2mA for 30min) over 10 consecutive days. The experimental group received active stimulation and the control group received sham stimulation. Participant's performance on cognitive functions (PAL, SRM, RVP and CRT from CANTAB) and their depression scores were assessed before and after tDCS. Results showed that brain stimulation of the dLPFC improved executive dysfunction in patients and a significant improvement on depression scores was also observed suggesting that cognitive control dysfunction may be a mediator in emotional dysregulation and psychopathology of MD. No follow-up investigation was done in this study which does not allow to infer long-term effect of tDCS. Low-focality of tDCS might have stimulated adjacent areas too. Cognitive components, namely cognitive control dysfunction, play role in MD psychopathology as they are involved in emotion dysregulation in MD. The amount of contribution of cognitive components in MD psychopathology is however, an open question. tDCS can be used as an intervention to improve cognitive dysfunction in MD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of the adapted Virtual Reality cognitive training program among Chinese older adults with chronic schizophrenia: a pilot study.

PubMed

Chan, Christopher L F; Ngai, Elena K Y; Leung, Paul K H; Wong, Stephen

2010-06-01

To examine the effect of the adapted virtual reality cognitive training program in older adults with chronic schizophrenia. Older adults with chronic schizophrenia were recruited from a long-stay care setting and were randomly assigned into intervention (n = 12) and control group (n = 15). The intervention group received 10-session of VR program that consisted of 2 VR activities using IREX. The control group attended the usual programs in the setting. After the 10-session intervention, older adults with chronic schizophrenia preformed significantly better than control in overall cognitive function (p .000), and in two cognitive subscales: repetition (p .001) and memory (p .040). These participants engaged in the VR activities volitionally. No problem of cybersickness was observed. The results of the current study indicate that engaging in the adapted virtual reality cognitive training program offers the potential for significant gains in cognitive function of the older adults with chronic schizophrenia.

Semantic memory and depressive symptoms in patients with subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Lehrner, J; Coutinho, G; Mattos, P; Moser, D; Pflüger, M; Gleiss, A; Auff, E; Dal-Bianco, P; Pusswald, G; Stögmann, E

2017-07-01

Semantic memory may be impaired in clinically recognized states of cognitive impairment. We investigated the relationship between semantic memory and depressive symptoms (DS) in patients with cognitive impairment. 323 cognitively healthy controls and 848 patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia were included. Semantic knowledge for famous faces, world capitals, and word vocabulary was investigated. Compared to healthy controls, we found a statistically significant difference of semantic knowledge in the MCI groups and the AD group, respectively. Results of the SCD group were mixed. However, two of the three semantic memory measures (world capitals and word vocabulary) showed a significant association with DS. We found a difference in semantic memory performance in MCI and AD as well as an association with DS. Results suggest that the difference in semantic memory is due to a storage loss rather than to a retrieval problem.

Cognitive training in Parkinson disease: cognition-specific vs nonspecific computer training.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Ronan; Gschwandtner, Ute; Benz, Nina; Hatz, Florian; Schindler, Christian; Taub, Ethan; Fuhr, Peter

2014-04-08

In this study, we compared a cognition-specific computer-based cognitive training program with a motion-controlled computer sports game that is not cognition-specific for their ability to enhance cognitive performance in various cognitive domains in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). Patients with PD were trained with either a computer program designed to enhance cognition (CogniPlus, 19 patients) or a computer sports game with motion-capturing controllers (Nintendo Wii, 20 patients). The effect of training in 5 cognitive domains was measured by neuropsychological testing at baseline and after training. Group differences over all variables were assessed with multivariate analysis of variance, and group differences in single variables were assessed with 95% confidence intervals of mean difference. The groups were similar regarding age, sex, and educational level. Patients with PD who were trained with Wii for 4 weeks performed better in attention (95% confidence interval: -1.49 to -0.11) than patients trained with CogniPlus. In our study, patients with PD derived at least the same degree of cognitive benefit from non-cognition-specific training involving movement as from cognition-specific computerized training. For patients with PD, game consoles may be a less expensive and more entertaining alternative to computer programs specifically designed for cognitive training. This study provides Class III evidence that, in patients with PD, cognition-specific computer-based training is not superior to a motion-controlled computer game in improving cognitive performance.

Cannabis abstinence during treatment and one-year follow-up: relationship to neural activity in men.

PubMed

Kober, Hedy; DeVito, Elise E; DeLeone, Cameron M; Carroll, Kathleen M; Potenza, Marc N

2014-09-01

Cannabis is among the most frequently abused substances in the United States. Cognitive control is a contributory factor in the maintenance of substance-use disorders and may relate to treatment response. Therefore, we assessed whether cognitive-control-related neural activity before treatment differs between treatment-seeking cannabis-dependent and healthy individuals and relates to cannabis-abstinence measures during treatment and 1-year follow-up. Cannabis-dependent males (N=20) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) cognitive-control (Stroop) task before a 12-week randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or contingency management. A healthy-comparison group (N=20) also completed the fMRI task. Cannabis use was assessed by urine toxicology and self-report during treatment, and by self-report across a 1-year follow-up period (N=18). The cannabis-dependent group displayed diminished Stroop-related neural activity relative to the healthy-comparison group in multiple regions, including those strongly implicated in cognitive-control and addiction-related processes (eg, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum). The groups did not differ significantly in response times (cannabis-dependent, N=12; healthy-comparison, N=14). Within the cannabis-dependent group, greater Stroop-related activity in regions including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was associated with less cannabis use during treatment. Greater activity in regions including the ventral striatum was associated with less cannabis use during 1-year posttreatment follow-up. These data suggest that lower cognitive-control-related neural activity in classic 'control' regions (eg, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate) and classic 'salience/reward/learning' regions (eg, ventral striatum) differentiates cannabis-dependent individuals from healthy individuals and relates to less abstinence within-treatment and during long-term follow-up. Clinically, results suggest that treatment development efforts that focus on enhancing cognitive control in addition to abstinence may improve treatment outcomes in cannabis dependence.

Does Multimedia Support Individual Differences?--EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension and Cognitive Load

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Hui-Yu

2014-01-01

The present study examines how display model, English proficiency and cognitive preference affect English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' listening comprehension of authentic videos and cognitive load degree. EFL learners were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The control group received single coding and the experimental group received…

Aging of theory of mind: the influence of educational level and cognitive processing.

PubMed

Li, Xiaoming; Wang, Kai; Wang, Fan; Tao, Qian; Xie, Yu; Cheng, Qi

2013-01-01

Previous studies of theory of mind (ToM) in old age have provided mixed results. We predicted that educational level and cognitive processing are two factors influencing the pattern of the aging of ToM. To test this hypothesis, a younger group who received higher education (mean age 20.46 years), an older group with an education level equal to that of the young group (mean age 76.29 years), and an older group with less education (mean age 73.52 years) were recruited. ToM tasks included the following tests: the second-order false-belief task, the faux-pas task, the eyes test, and tests of fundamental aspects of cognitive function that included two background tests (memory span and processing speed) and three subcomponents of executive function (inhibition, updating, and shifting). We found that the younger group and the older group with equally high education outperformed the older group with less education in false-belief and faux-pas tasks. However, there was no significant difference between the two former groups. The three groups of participants performed equivalently in the eyes test as well as in control tasks (false-belief control question, faux-pas control question, faux-pas control story, and Eyes Test control task). The younger group outperformed the other two groups in the cognitive processing tasks. Mediation analyses showed that difficulties in inhibition, memory span, and processing speed mediated the age differences in false-belief reasoning. Also, the variables of inhibition, updating, memory span, and processing speed mediated age-related variance in faux-pas. Discussion focused on the links between ToM aging, educational level, and cognitive processing. Supported by Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (number: 30870766) and Anhui Province Natural Science Foundation (number: 11040606M166).

Theory of Mind in Schizophrenia: Associations With Clinical and Cognitive Insight Controlling for Levels of Psychopathology.

PubMed

Popolo, Raffaele; Dimaggio, Giancarlo; Luther, Lauren; Vinci, Giancarlo; Salvatore, Giampaolo; Lysaker, Paul H

2016-03-01

Poor insight in schizophrenia is a risk factor for both poor outcomes and treatment adherence. Accordingly, interest in identifying causes of poor insight has increased. This study explored whether theory of mind (ToM) impairments are linked to poor clinical and cognitive insight independent of psychopathology. Participants with schizophrenia (n = 37) and control subjects (n = 40) completed assessments of ToM with the Hinting Task and the Brüne Picture Sequencing Task, clinical insight and psychopathology with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and cognitive insight with the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale. Results indicated that the schizophrenia group had greater impairments in ToM relative to control subjects. In the schizophrenia group, the Hinting Task performance was related to both cognitive and clinical insight, with only the relationship with cognitive insight persisting after controlling for psychopathology. Picture Sequencing Task performance was related to cognitive insight only. Future research directions and clinical implications are discussed.

Stop of loss of cognitive performance during rehabilitation after total hip arthroplasty-prospective controlled study.

PubMed

Brem, Matthias H; Lehrl, Siegfried; Rein, Anna K; Massute, Sylvia; Schulz-Drost, Stefan; Gelse, Kolja; Schlechtweg, Phillip M; Hennig, Friedrich F; Olk, Alexander; Jacob, Harald J; Gusinde, Johannes

2010-01-01

Prolonged hospitalization is known to be associated with a loss of cognitive performance. Does playing video games (VGs) developed to improve cognitive properties delay this loss or even lead to an increase in cognitive performance? We performed a 10-day longitudinal study of patients who received total hip arthroplasty. We compared 16 patients (6 male) aged 66 ± 9 years (mean ± standard deviation) who played Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo; Redmond, Washington) on a Nintendo DS handheld console with 16 control patients (6 male) aged 69 ± 14 years. We measured cognitive performance 1 day preoperation, as well as on days 2 and 9 postoperation. With the daily exercise of a specific VG by the play group, the patients' fluid intelligence (median intelligence quotient 99-106), working memory capacity, and rate of information processing significantly improved over the course of 7 postoperative days. The cognitive performance of the control group did not increase. However, the memory spans of both groups did not systematically change. Exercise with VGs can prevent the loss of cognitive performance during prolonged hospitalization.

[Acupuncture at Baihui(GV 20) and Shenting(GV 24) combined with basic treatment and regular rehabilitation for post-stroke cognitive impairment:a randomized controlled trial].

PubMed

Zhan, Jie; Pan, Ruihuan; Guo, Youhua; Zhan, Lechang; He, Mingfeng; Wang, Qiuchun; Chen, Hongxia

2016-08-12

To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture at Baihui(GV 20) and Shenting(GV 24) combined with rehabilitation for post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI). Fifty patients with PSCI were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group,25 cases in each one. In the control group,basic treatment and regular rehabilitation were applied. In the observation group,acupuncture at Baihui(GV 20) and Shenting(GV 24) and the same therapies as the control group were used for continuous four weeks,once a day and five times a week. Mini-mental state examination(MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA) were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. After treatment,the scores of MMSE and MoCA were improved apparently(both P <0.05),with better results in the observation group(both P <0.05). Acupuncture at Baihui(GV 20) and Shenting(GV 24) combined with basic treatment and regular rehabilitation can obviously improve the cognitive function of PSCI,and the effect is superior to that of basic treatment and regular rehabilitation.

Cognitive function did not improve after initiation of natalizumab treatment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. A prospective one-year dual control group study.

PubMed

Sundgren, M; Piehl, Fredrik; Wahlin, Åke; Brismar, Tom

2016-11-01

Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) is common and has severe implications. Natalizumab (NZ) has documented effects on relapse rate and radiological disease activity in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) but studies regarding its specific effects on cognitive functioning are few. Previous studies have reported improvement, however, often lacking relevant control groups. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cognitive effects of NZ treatment, compared to patients on stable first-line treatment and healthy control subjects. MS patients starting NZ (MS-NZ), MS controls with stable interferon beta therapy (MS-C) and healthy control subjects (HC) were evaluated twice with one year interval, using a cognitive test battery covering six cognitive domains. The effects of NZ on levels of self-reported depression, fatigue, daytime sleepiness and perceived health were also examined. MS patients (MS-NZ and MS-C) had significantly lower baseline cognitive performance compared to HC (global score, p=0.002), but there were no significant differences between MS-NZ and MS-C. At follow-up, both MS-NZ and MS-C had improved significantly in four and five cognitive domains, respectively, and in global score (p=0.013 and p<0.001, respectively). HC improved significantly in three cognitive domains but not in global score. A regression analysis including baseline cognitive z-score and z-score change showed that participants with lower baseline scores had a significantly greater improvement, compared to those with better initial performance (p=0.021). There were no significant changes in depression, fatigue, daytime sleepiness or perceived health in MS-NZ or MS-C. Initiation of NZ therapy did not result in true cognitive improvement over one year. Presumably, the increased test performance in both MS groups was artificial and due to retest effects that were stronger in patients with lower baseline performance. Adequate control groups are essential when evaluating cognitive functioning in intervention trials among RRMS patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influences of Aerobic Dance on Cognitive Performance in Adults with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Chen, Ming-De; Kuo, Yu-Hsin; Chang, Yen-Ching; Hsu, Su-Ting; Kuo, Chang-Chih; Chang, Jyh-Jong

2016-12-01

Cognitive impairment is one of the core features of schizophrenia. This study examined the influences of an aerobic dance programme on the cognitive functions of people with schizophrenia. A quasi-experimental matched-control design was applied. The experimental group (n = 17) participated in a 60-minute aerobic dance group class three times a week for 3 months. The control group (n = 19) participated in colouring and handwriting activities. Cognitive functions were measured before and after the interventions for both groups. The intervention group experienced significant improvements in processing speed, memory and executive function, whereas no significant changes were noted in any measures in the control group. While there were no significant between-group differences, the data showed approximately medium effect sizes that favoured the intervention group in regard to processing speed (Cohen's d = 0.51), memory (d = 0.35-0.41) and the spontaneity and fluency aspects of executive function (d = 0.51). While the small sample size and lack of randomization were the primary methodological shortcomings, this study provides preliminary results supporting aerobic dance as an adjunct activity-based intervention to improve cognitive functions in people with schizophrenia. More rigorous studies are needed to validate the findings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reducing misinformation effects in older adults with cognitive interview mnemonics.

PubMed

Holliday, Robyn E; Humphries, Joyce E; Milne, Rebecca; Memon, Amina; Houlder, Lucy; Lyons, Amy; Bull, Ray

2012-12-01

We examined the effect of a prior Modified Cognitive Interview on young and older adults' recall of a short film of a staged crime and subsequent reporting of misinformation. Participants viewed the film followed the next day by misinformation presented in a postevent summary. They were then interviewed with either a Modified Cognitive Interview or a control interview followed by a recognition memory test. A Modified Cognitive Interview elicited more correct details and improved overall accuracy compared to a control interview in both age groups, although the young adults recollected three times more correct information in a Modified Cognitive Interview than the older adults. In both age groups, correct recollections of person and action details were higher in a Modified Cognitive Interview than a control interview. Importantly, older adults who were interviewed with a Modified Cognitive Interview were not susceptible to misinformation effects. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Impact of Working Memory Load on Cognitive Control in Trait Anxiety: An ERP Study

PubMed Central

Qi, Senqing; Zeng, Qinghong; Luo, Yangmei; Duan, Haijun; Ding, Cody; Hu, Weiping; Li, Hong

2014-01-01

Whether trait anxiety is associated with a general impairment of cognitive control is a matter of debate. This study investigated whether and how experimentally manipulated working memory (WM) load modulates the relation between trait anxiety and cognitive control. This question was investigated using a dual-task design in combination with event-related potentials. Participants were required to remember either one (low WM load) or six letters (high WM load) while performing a flanker task. Our results showed that a high WM load disrupted participants' ability to overcome distractor interference and this effect was exacerbated for the high trait-anxious (HTA) group. This exacerbation was reflected by larger interference effects (i.e., incongruent minus congruent) on reaction times (RTs) and N2 amplitudes for the HTA group than for the low trait-anxious group under high WM load. The two groups, however, did not differ in their ability to inhibit task-irrelevant distractors under low WM load, as indicated by both RTs and N2 amplitudes. These findings underscore the significance of WM-related cognitive demand in contributing to the presence (or absence) of a general cognitive control deficit in trait anxiety. Furthermore, our findings show that when limited WM resources are depleted by high WM load, HTA individuals exhibit less efficient recruitments of cognitive control required for the inhibition of distractors, therefore resulting in a greater degree of response conflict. PMID:25369121

Impact of working memory load on cognitive control in trait anxiety: an ERP study.

PubMed

Qi, Senqing; Zeng, Qinghong; Luo, Yangmei; Duan, Haijun; Ding, Cody; Hu, Weiping; Li, Hong

2014-01-01

Whether trait anxiety is associated with a general impairment of cognitive control is a matter of debate. This study investigated whether and how experimentally manipulated working memory (WM) load modulates the relation between trait anxiety and cognitive control. This question was investigated using a dual-task design in combination with event-related potentials. Participants were required to remember either one (low WM load) or six letters (high WM load) while performing a flanker task. Our results showed that a high WM load disrupted participants' ability to overcome distractor interference and this effect was exacerbated for the high trait-anxious (HTA) group. This exacerbation was reflected by larger interference effects (i.e., incongruent minus congruent) on reaction times (RTs) and N2 amplitudes for the HTA group than for the low trait-anxious group under high WM load. The two groups, however, did not differ in their ability to inhibit task-irrelevant distractors under low WM load, as indicated by both RTs and N2 amplitudes. These findings underscore the significance of WM-related cognitive demand in contributing to the presence (or absence) of a general cognitive control deficit in trait anxiety. Furthermore, our findings show that when limited WM resources are depleted by high WM load, HTA individuals exhibit less efficient recruitments of cognitive control required for the inhibition of distractors, therefore resulting in a greater degree of response conflict.

Change of Peripheral Blood Treg/Thl7 in Cognitive Impairment with Chronic Renal Failure Patients.

PubMed

Wang, Jie; Li, Xue-Bin; Huang, Peng; Huang, Mei-Ying; Gu, Xian-Jun

2018-01-01

To investigate the changes in peripheral blood Treg/Th17 cell balance and its significance in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and cognitive impairment. A total of 71 patients with CRF were enrolled as a study group. The patients were divided into a cognitive impairment group and a normal cognitive function group according to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Peripheral blood Treg and Th17 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and their relevant cytokines (IL-17, IL-10 and TGF-β) and other biochemical indicators, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6, were determined by ELISA. Thepatients with both CRF and cognitive impairment were older than the cognitive normal groups. Peripheral blood Treg cells by Flow cytometry (the CRF cognitive impairment group 5.57±1.3%, CRF group with normal cognitive function 7.5 ± 0.9% and normal control group 9.7 ± 1.7%,P<0.05) and its related cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) by ELISA detection were lower in the group with cognitive impairment than in the group without cognitive impairment ( IL-10, 7.4±4.2 pg/mL, 13.8±3.9 pg/mL, 18.3±3.2 pg/mL; TGF-β 335.6±175.3 pg/mL, 512.7 ± 114.6 pg/mL, 953.8±373.4 pg/mL P < 0.05, respectively).However, Th17 cell numbers (the CRF cognitive impairment group 3.3 ± 0.7%, CRF group with normal cognitive function2.2 ± 0.5% and normal control group 1.5 ± 0.3%),and cytokine levels (IL-17, IL-6 and CRP) were higher in the group with cognitive impairment IL-6 (21.3 ± 5.1 pg/mL), IL-17 (18.5 ± 4.2 pg/mL) and CRP (20.3 ± 5.9 mg/L) in the CRF group with cognitive impairment when compared with the CRF group and normal cognitive function (12.2 ± 4.5 pg/mL, 12.1 ± 3.7 pg/mL and 13.5 ± 4.6 mg/L, respectively) or the normal control group (9.2 ± 5.8 pg/mL, 7.4 ± 2.6 pg/mL and 3.2 ± 1.3 mg/L, respectively, P<0.05). The frequencies of Treg in patients with CRF were positively correlated with the MMSE scores ((r = 0.518, P < 0.05), but the Th17 numbers were negatively correlated (r = -0.435, P < 0.05). An imbalance of peripheral blood Treg/Th17 cells is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with CRF. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

The relationship between social cognition and executive function in Major Depressive Disorder in high-functioning adolescents and young adults.

PubMed

Förster, Katharina; Jörgens, Silke; Air, Tracy M; Bürger, Christian; Enneking, Verena; Redlich, Ronny; Zaremba, Dario; Grotegerd, Dominik; Dohm, Katharina; Meinert, Susanne; Leehr, Elisabeth J; Böhnlein, Joscha; Repple, Jonathan; Opel, Nils; Kavakbasi, Erhan; Arolt, Volker; Zwitserlood, Pienie; Dannlowski, Udo; Baune, Bernhard T

2018-05-01

To understand how cognitive dysfunction contributes to social cognitive deficits in depression, we investigated the relationship between executive function and social cognitive performance in adolescents and young adults during current and remitted depression, compared to healthy controls. Social cognition and executive function were measured in 179 students (61 healthy controls and 118 patients with depression; M age = 20.60 years; SD age = 3.82 years). Hierarchical regression models were employed within each group (healthy controls, remitted depression, current depression) to examine the nature of associations between cognitive measures. Social cognitive and executive function did not significantly differ overall between depressed patients and healthy controls. There was no association between executive function and social cognitive function in healthy controls or in remitted patients. However, in patients with a current state of depression, lower cognitive flexibility was associated with lower performance in facial-affect recognition, theory-of-mind tasks and overall affect recognition. In this group, better planning abilities were associated with decreased performance in facial affect recognition and overall social cognitive performance. While we infer that less cognitive flexibility might lead to a more rigid interpretation of ambiguous social stimuli, we interpret the counterintuitive negative correlation of planning ability and social cognition as a compensatory mechanism. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults participating in synchronized swimming-exercise.

PubMed

Maeshima, Etsuko; Okumura, Yuka; Tatsumi, Juri; Tomokane, Sayaka; Ikeshima, Akiko

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults regularly engaging in synchronized swimming-exercise. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-three female synchronized swimmers ranging in age from 49 to 85 years were recruited for the present study. The duration of synchronized swimming experience ranged from 1 to 39 years. The control group consisted of 36 age- and gender-matched community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults (age range: 49 to 77 years). Cognitive function was evaluated using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J) and compared between the synchronized swimmers and control participants. [Results] No significant differences in mean total MoCA-J scores were observed between the synchronized swimmers and control participants (23.2 ± 3.1 and 22.2 ± 3.6, respectively). Twenty-nine subjects in the control group and 17 in the synchronized swimming group scored below 26 on the MoCA-J, indicative of mild cognitive impairment. Significant differences in delayed recall-but not in visuospatial/executive function, naming, attention, language, abstraction, or orientation-were also observed between the two groups. [Conclusion] The results of the present study suggest that synchronized swimming has beneficial effects on cognitive function, particularly with regard to recent memory.

Protocol for Fit Bodies, Fine Minds: a randomized controlled trial on the affect of exercise and cognitive training on cognitive functioning in older adults

PubMed Central

O'Dwyer, Siobhan T; Burton, Nicola W; Pachana, Nancy A; Brown, Wendy J

2007-01-01

Background Declines in cognitive functioning are a normal part of aging that can affect daily functioning and quality of life. This study will examine the impact of an exercise training program, and a combined exercise and cognitive training program, on the cognitive and physical functioning of older adults. Methods/Design Fit Bodies, Fine Minds is a randomized, controlled trial. Community-dwelling adults, aged between 65 and 75 years, are randomly allocated to one of three groups for 16 weeks. The exercise-only group do three 60-minute exercise sessions per week. The exercise and cognitive training group do two 60-minute exercise sessions and one 60-minute cognitive training session per week. A no-training control group is contacted every 4 weeks. Measures of cognitive functioning, physical fitness and psychological well-being are taken at baseline (0 weeks), post-test (16 weeks) and 6-month follop (40 weeks). Qualitative responses to the program are taken at post-test. Discussion With an increasingly aged population, interventions to improve the functioning and quality of life of older adults are particularly important. Exercise training, either alone or in combination with cognitive training, may be an effective means of optimizing cognitive functioning in older adults. This study will add to the growing evidence base on the effectiveness of these interventions. Trial Registration Australian Clinical Trials Register: ACTRN012607000151437 PMID:17915035

A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER): a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Ngandu, Tiia; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Solomon, Alina; Levälahti, Esko; Ahtiluoto, Satu; Antikainen, Riitta; Bäckman, Lars; Hänninen, Tuomo; Jula, Antti; Laatikainen, Tiina; Lindström, Jaana; Mangialasche, Francesca; Paajanen, Teemu; Pajala, Satu; Peltonen, Markku; Rauramaa, Rainer; Stigsdotter-Neely, Anna; Strandberg, Timo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Kivipelto, Miia

2015-06-06

Modifiable vascular and lifestyle-related risk factors have been associated with dementia risk in observational studies. In the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), a proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial, we aimed to assess a multidomain approach to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people from the general population. In a double-blind randomised controlled trial we enrolled individuals aged 60-77 years recruited from previous national surveys. Inclusion criteria were CAIDE (Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia) Dementia Risk Score of at least 6 points and cognition at mean level or slightly lower than expected for age. We randomly assigned participants in a 1:1 ratio to a 2 year multidomain intervention (diet, exercise, cognitive training, vascular risk monitoring), or a control group (general health advice). Computer-generated allocation was done in blocks of four (two individuals randomly allocated to each group) at each site. Group allocation was not actively disclosed to participants and outcome assessors were masked to group allocation. The primary outcome was change in cognition as measured through comprehensive neuropsychological test battery (NTB) Z score. Analysis was by modified intention to treat (all participants with at least one post-baseline observation). This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01041989. Between Sept 7, 2009, and Nov 24, 2011, we screened 2654 individuals and randomly assigned 1260 to the intervention group (n=631) or control group (n=629). 591 (94%) participants in the intervention group and 599 (95%) in the control group had at least one post-baseline assessment and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. Estimated mean change in NTB total Z score at 2 years was 0·20 (SE 0·02, SD 0·51) in the intervention group and 0·16 (0·01, 0·51) in the control group. Between-group difference in the change of NTB total score per year was 0·022 (95% CI 0·002-0·042, p=0·030). 153 (12%) individuals dropped out overall. Adverse events occurred in 46 (7%) participants in the intervention group compared with six (1%) participants in the control group; the most common adverse event was musculoskeletal pain (32 [5%] individuals for intervention vs no individuals for control). Findings from this large, long-term, randomised controlled trial suggest that a multidomain intervention could improve or maintain cognitive functioning in at-risk elderly people from the general population. Academy of Finland, La Carita Foundation, Alzheimer Association, Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, Juho Vainio Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Finnish Social Insurance Institution, Ministry of Education and Culture, Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, Axa Research Fund, EVO funding for University Hospitals of Kuopio, Oulu, and Turku and for Seinäjoki Central Hospital and Oulu City Hospital, Swedish Research Council, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, and af Jochnick Foundation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A randomized controlled trial of brain training with non-action video games in older adults: results of the 3-month follow-up

PubMed Central

Ballesteros, Soledad; Mayas, Julia; Prieto, Antonio; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Laura, Ponce de León; Reales, José M.; Waterworth, John A.

2015-01-01

This randomized controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616) investigated the maintenance of training effects of 20 1-hr non-action video game training sessions with selected games from a commercial package on several age-declining cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing after a 3-month no-contact period. Two groups of cognitively normal older adults participated in both the post-training (posttest) and the present follow-up study, the experimental group who received training and the control group who attended several meetings with the research team during the study but did not receive training. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. Significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group had been previously found at posttest, in processing speed, attention and visual recognition memory, as well as in two dimensions of subjective wellbeing. In the current study, improvement from baseline to 3 months follow-up was found only in wellbeing (Affection and Assertivity dimensions) in the trained group whereas there was no change in the control group. Previous significant improvements in processing speed, attention and spatial memory become non-significant after the 3-month interval. Training older adults with non-action video games enhanced aspects of cognition just after training but this effect disappeared after a 3-month no-contact follow-up period. Cognitive plasticity can be induced in older adults by training, but to maintain the benefits periodic boosting sessions would be necessary. PMID:25926790

A randomized controlled trial of brain training with non-action video games in older adults: results of the 3-month follow-up.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Soledad; Mayas, Julia; Prieto, Antonio; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Laura, Ponce de León; Reales, José M; Waterworth, John A

2015-01-01

This randomized controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616) investigated the maintenance of training effects of 20 1-hr non-action video game training sessions with selected games from a commercial package on several age-declining cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing after a 3-month no-contact period. Two groups of cognitively normal older adults participated in both the post-training (posttest) and the present follow-up study, the experimental group who received training and the control group who attended several meetings with the research team during the study but did not receive training. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. Significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group had been previously found at posttest, in processing speed, attention and visual recognition memory, as well as in two dimensions of subjective wellbeing. In the current study, improvement from baseline to 3 months follow-up was found only in wellbeing (Affection and Assertivity dimensions) in the trained group whereas there was no change in the control group. Previous significant improvements in processing speed, attention and spatial memory become non-significant after the 3-month interval. Training older adults with non-action video games enhanced aspects of cognition just after training but this effect disappeared after a 3-month no-contact follow-up period. Cognitive plasticity can be induced in older adults by training, but to maintain the benefits periodic boosting sessions would be necessary.

The effect of implementing cognitive load theory-based design principles in virtual reality simulation training of surgical skills: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Andersen, Steven Arild Wuyts; Mikkelsen, Peter Trier; Konge, Lars; Cayé-Thomasen, Per; Sørensen, Mads Sølvsten

2016-01-01

Cognitive overload can inhibit learning, and cognitive load theory-based instructional design principles can be used to optimize learning situations. This study aims to investigate the effect of implementing cognitive load theory-based design principles in virtual reality simulation training of mastoidectomy. Eighteen novice medical students received 1 h of self-directed virtual reality simulation training of the mastoidectomy procedure randomized for standard instructions (control) or cognitive load theory-based instructions with a worked example followed by a problem completion exercise (intervention). Participants then completed two post-training virtual procedures for assessment and comparison. Cognitive load during the post-training procedures was estimated by reaction time testing on an integrated secondary task. Final-product analysis by two blinded expert raters was used to assess the virtual mastoidectomy performances. Participants in the intervention group had a significantly increased cognitive load during the post-training procedures compared with the control group (52 vs. 41 %, p  = 0.02). This was also reflected in the final-product performance: the intervention group had a significantly lower final-product score than the control group (13.0 vs. 15.4, p  < 0.005). Initial instruction using worked examples followed by a problem completion exercise did not reduce the cognitive load or improve the performance of the following procedures in novices. Increased cognitive load when part tasks needed to be integrated in the post-training procedures could be a possible explanation for this. Other instructional designs and methods are needed to lower the cognitive load and improve the performance in virtual reality surgical simulation training of novices.

Hospitalized children drawing their pain: the contents and cognitive and emotional characteristics of pain drawings.

PubMed

Kortesluoma, Riitta-Liisa; Punamäki, Raija-Leena; Nikkonen, Merja

2008-12-01

Describing pain is difficult. Children like to draw, and through their drawing they reveal worrying issues. This study aimed to examine how hospitalized children express pain through drawings, and was carried out by examining children's thematic drawings of pain. A comparison was made between hospitalized children and healthy control groups with respect to the thematic contents and cognitive and emotional characteristics of pain drawings. The drawings were sorted in categories on the basis of content, and cognitive competence and emotional disturbances by the Draw-a-Person procedure. The hospitalized children showed a lower level of cognitive capacity than their healthy controls. The control group children revealed a higher level of emotional disturbance than the hospitalized children. The groups differed in the contents of their drawings. The drawings of the hospitalized children frequently depicted medical procedures, whereas the drawings of the healthy controls depicted more consoling human and family relations.

Therapeutic and prophylactic utility of the memory-enhancing drug donepezil hydrochloride on cognition of patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Prakash, Jyoti; Kotwal, Atul; Prabhu, Hra

2006-09-01

Substantial progress has been made in identifying how the treatment parameters used in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) impact its cognitive side effects. However, there is limited information regarding the role of memory enhancers in post-ECT cognitive disturbances. We evaluated the therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of the memory-enhancing drug donepezil hydrochloride on cognition of patients undergoing ECT. A triple blind (the study subjects, clinician assessing the cognition, and the data analyst were unaware of subject allocation for trial assessment) randomized controlled trial was carried out in a General Hospital Psychiatry Unit. Subjects were randomized into 2 groups. One group received ECT with placebo, whereas the other group received ECT and donepezil (a memory-enhancing drug). Study participants were assessed in post-ECT period to analyze cognitive deficits and to compare the differences in 2 groups, as regards recovery of various aspects of cognition. The post-ECT recovery of various components of cognition was more rapid in patients using donepezil as compared to those not given donepezil (P < 0.05). This significant improvement in recovery time among patients receiving donepezil bears therapeutic implication in immediate post-ECT cognitive deficits.

A Multicenter, Rater-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Study of Auditory Processing-Focused Cognitive Remediation Combined With Open-Label Lurasidone in Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder.

PubMed

Kantrowitz, Joshua T; Sharif, Zafar; Medalia, Alice; Keefe, Richard S E; Harvey, Philip; Bruder, Gerard; Barch, Deanna M; Choo, Tse; Lee, Seonjoo; Lieberman, Jeffrey A

2016-06-01

Small-scale studies of auditory processing cognitive remediation programs have demonstrated efficacy in schizophrenia. We describe a multicenter, rater-blinded, randomized, controlled study of auditory-focused cognitive remediation, conducted from June 24, 2010, to June 14, 2013, and approved by the local institutional review board at all sites. Prior to randomization, participants with schizophrenia (DSM-IV-TR) were stabilized on a standardized antipsychotic regimen (lurasidone [40-160 mg/d]), followed by randomization to adjunctive cognitive remediation: auditory focused (Brain Fitness) versus control (nonspecific video games), administered 1-2 times weekly for 30 sessions. Coprimary outcome measures included MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and the University of California, San Diego, Performance-Based Skills Assessment-Brief scale. 120 participants were randomized and completed at least 1 auditory-focused cognitive remediation (n = 56) or video game control session (n = 64). 74 participants completed ≥ 25 sessions and postrandomization assessments. At study completion, the change from prestabilization was statistically significant for MCCB composite score (d = 0.42, P < .0001) across groups. Participants randomized to auditory-focused cognitive remediation had a trend-level higher mean MCCB composite score compared to participants randomized to control cognitive remediation (P = .08). After controlling for scores at the time of randomization, there were no significant between-treatment group differences at study completion. Auditory processing cognitive remediation combined with lurasidone did not lead to differential improvement over nonspecific video games. Across-group improvement from prestabilization baseline to study completion was observed, but since all participants were receiving lurasidone open label, it is difficult to interpret the source of these effects. Future studies comparing both pharmacologic and behavioral cognitive enhancers should consider a 2 × 2 design, using a control for both the medication and the cognitive remediation. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01173874. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

The Aging Well through Interaction and Scientific Education (AgeWISE) Program.

PubMed

O'Connor, Maureen K; Kraft, Malissa L; Daley, Ryan; Sugarman, Michael A; Clark, Erika L; Scoglio, Arielle A J; Shirk, Steven D

2017-12-08

We conducted a randomized controlled trial of the Aging Well through Interaction and Scientific Education (AgeWISE) program, a 12-week manualized cognitive rehabilitation program designed to provide psychoeducation to older adults about the aging brain, lifestyle factors associated with successful brain aging, and strategies to compensate for age related cognitive decline. Forty-nine cognitively intact participants ≥ 60 years old were randomly assigned to the AgeWISE program (n = 25) or a no-treatment control group (n = 24). Questionnaire data were collected prior to group assignment and post intervention. Two-factor repeated-measures analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to compare group outcomes. Upon completion, participants in the AgeWISE program reported increases in memory contentment and their sense of control in improving memory; no significant changes were observed in the control group. Surprisingly, participation in the group was not associated with significant changes in knowledge of memory aging, perception of memory ability, or greater use of strategies. The AgeWISE program was successfully implemented and increased participants' memory contentment and their sense of control in improving memory in advancing age. This study supports the use of AgeWISE to improve perspectives on healthy cognitive aging.

Training-induced improvement of response selection and error detection in aging assessed by task switching: effects of cognitive, physical, and relaxation training.

PubMed

Gajewski, Patrick D; Falkenstein, Michael

2012-01-01

Cognitive control functions decline with increasing age. The present study examines if different types of group-based and trainer-guided training effectively enhance performance of older adults in a task switching task, and how this expected enhancement is reflected in changes of cognitive functions, as measured in electrophysiological brain activity (event-related potentials). One hundred forty-one healthy participants aged 65 years and older were randomly assigned to one of four groups: physical training (combined aerobic and strength training), cognitive training (paper-pencil and computer-aided), relaxation and wellness (social control group), and a control group that did not receive any intervention. Training sessions took place twice a week for 90 min for a period of 4 months. The results showed a greater improvement of performance for attendants of the cognitive training group compared to the other groups. This improvement was evident in a reduction of mixing costs in accuracy and intraindividual variability of speed, indexing improved maintenance of multiple task sets in working memory, and an enhanced coherence of neuronal processing. These findings were supported by event-related brain potentials which showed higher amplitudes in a number of potentials associated with response selection (N2), allocation of cognitive resources (P3b), and error detection (Ne). Taken together, our findings suggest neurocognitive plasticity of aging brains which can be stimulated by broad and multilayered cognitive training and assessed in detail by electrophysiological methods.

Training-Induced Improvement of Response Selection and Error Detection in Aging Assessed by Task Switching: Effects of Cognitive, Physical, and Relaxation Training

PubMed Central

Gajewski, Patrick D.; Falkenstein, Michael

2012-01-01

Cognitive control functions decline with increasing age. The present study examines if different types of group-based and trainer-guided training effectively enhance performance of older adults in a task switching task, and how this expected enhancement is reflected in changes of cognitive functions, as measured in electrophysiological brain activity (event-related potentials). One hundred forty-one healthy participants aged 65 years and older were randomly assigned to one of four groups: physical training (combined aerobic and strength training), cognitive training (paper–pencil and computer-aided), relaxation and wellness (social control group), and a control group that did not receive any intervention. Training sessions took place twice a week for 90 min for a period of 4 months. The results showed a greater improvement of performance for attendants of the cognitive training group compared to the other groups. This improvement was evident in a reduction of mixing costs in accuracy and intraindividual variability of speed, indexing improved maintenance of multiple task sets in working memory, and an enhanced coherence of neuronal processing. These findings were supported by event-related brain potentials which showed higher amplitudes in a number of potentials associated with response selection (N2), allocation of cognitive resources (P3b), and error detection (Ne). Taken together, our findings suggest neurocognitive plasticity of aging brains which can be stimulated by broad and multilayered cognitive training and assessed in detail by electrophysiological methods. PMID:22593740

Racial and ethnic differences in cognitive function among older adults in the USA

PubMed Central

Díaz-Venegas, Carlos; Downer, Brian; Langa, Kenneth M.; Wong, Rebeca

2016-01-01

Objective Examine differences in cognition between Hispanic, non-Hispanic black (NHB), and non-Hispanic white (NHW) older adults in the United States. Data/Methods The final sample includes 18 982 participants aged 51 or older who received a modified version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status during the 2010 Health and Retirement Study follow-up. Ordinary least squares will be used to examine differences in overall cognition according to race/ethnicity. Results Hispanics and NHB had lower cognition than NHW for all age groups (51–59, 60–69, 70–79, 80+). Hispanics had higher cognition than NHB for all age groups but these differences were all within one point. The lower cognition among NHB compared to NHW remained significant after controlling for age, gender, and education, whereas the differences in cognition between Hispanics and NHW were no longer significant after controlling for these covariates. Cognitive scores increased with greater educational attainment for all race/ethnic groups, but Hispanics exhibited the least benefit. Discussion Our results highlight the role of education in race/ethnic differences in cognitive function during old age. Education seems beneficial for cognition in old age for all race/ethnic groups, but Hispanics appear to receive a lower benefit compared to other race/ethnic groups. Further research is needed on the racial and ethnic differences in the pathways of the benefits of educational attainment for late-life cognitive function. PMID:26766788

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Women with Lifelong Vaginismus: A Randomized Waiting-List Controlled Trial of Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Lankveld, Jacques J. D. M.; ter Kuile, Moniek M.; de Groot, H. Ellen; Melles, Reinhilde; Nefs, Janneke; Zandbergen, Maartje

2006-01-01

Women with lifelong vaginismus (N = 117) were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral group therapy, cognitive-behavioral bibliotherapy, or a waiting list. Manualized treatment comprised sexual education, relaxation exercises, gradual exposure, cognitive therapy, and sensate focus therapy. Group therapy consisted of ten 2-hr sessions with 6 to 9…

A review of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the reduction of body image concern in patients with breast cancer.

PubMed

Faraji, J; Mahdavi, A; Samkhaniyan, E; Asadi, S H; Dezhkam, N

2015-01-01

Objective: Taking the appropriate psychological actions to boost the mental health of patients with breast cancer is critical. This research was performed with the aim of examining the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on reducing body image concerns in patients with breast cancer. Methodology: TThe method used was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest plan and control group. Therefore, 40 patients with breast cancer who had referred to the oncology and radiotherapy department of Imam Hossein Hospital of Tehran were selected by convenience sampling method and organized into two groups: experimental and control group. Both groups were pretested by using demographic and body image concern questionnaires. Then the experimental group received cognitive-behavioral group therapy training for eight sessions and the control group did not receive any intervention. Afterwards, both groups were post-tested, and the data were analyzed by using SPSS software with descriptive and inferential statistics methods. Findings: The findings showed that the cognitive-behavioral group therapy training significantly contributed to the reduction of body image concern in patients with cancer (p < 0.001). Conclusions: It was concluded from this research that cognitive-behavioral group therapy training is an effective strategy to help patients with breast cancer who suffer from the concern about body image due to its high efficiency, especially when it was held in groups, it had low cost, and it was acceptable by the patients.

Cognitive Impairment among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Compared to Normal Individuals.

PubMed

Samareh Fekri, Mitra; Hashemi-Bajgani, Seyed-Mehdi; Naghibzadeh-Tahami, Ahmad; Arabnejad, Fateme

2017-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The complications of COPD are numerous, and cognitive impairment is one of the most common complications that relates to mortality and morbidity directly. The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the prevalence of cognitive impairment in patients with COPD in comparison to normal individuals. In this case-control study, 87 patients with COPD, whose diagnoses were confirmed by a pulmonologist based on the spirometry test findings, were included. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) questionnaire was administered for assessing the cognitive impairment. Arterial oxygen saturation was measured. The MMSE questionnaires were administered to 60 healthy, age-and-sex-matched individuals without a history of myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular infarction, and their arterial oxygen saturations were measured. The data were analyzed using the SPSS (version 20) software. In the case group, 42 patients (48.27%) had no cognitive impairment, 39 (44.82%) had mild, and 6 (6.89%) had moderate cognitive impairment. In the control group, 38 (63.33%) had no cognitive impairment, 20 (33.33%) mild and 2 (3.33 %) moderate cognitive impairment. There were significant relationships between the cognitive impairment and arterial oxygen saturation, severity of COPD, and higher age. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 51.71% in the case group and 36.66% in the control group. According the results of the present study, COPD increased the risk of cognitive impairment significantly and is related to the severity of COPD, arterial oxygen saturation, and higher age.

Memory rehabilitation for the working memory of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

PubMed

Mousavi, Shokoufeh; Zare, Hossein; Etemadifar, Masoud; Taher Neshatdoost, Hamid

2018-05-01

The main cognitive impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) affect the working memory, processing speed, and performances that are in close interaction with one another. Cognitive problems in MS are influenced to a lesser degree by disease recovery medications or treatments,but cognitive rehabilitation is considered one of the promising methods for cure. There is evidence regarding the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for MS patients in various stages of the disease. Since the impairment in working memory is one of the main MS deficits, a particular training that affects this cognitive domain can be of a great value. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of memory rehabilitation on the working memory performance of MS patients. Sixty MS patients with cognitive impairment and similar in terms of demographic characteristics, duration of disease, neurological problems, and mental health were randomly assigned to three groups: namely, experimental, placebo, and control. Patients' cognitive evaluation incorporated baseline assessments immediately post-intervention and 5 weeks post-intervention. The experimental group received a cognitive rehabilitation program in one-hour sessions on a weekly basis for 8 weeks. The placebo group received relaxation techniques on a weekly basis; the control group received no intervention. The results of this study showed that the cognitive rehabilitation program had a positive effect on the working memory performance of patients with MS in the experimental group. These results were achieved in immediate evaluation (post-test) and follow-up 5 weeks after intervention. There was no significant difference in working memory performance between the placebo group and the control group. According to the study, there is evidence for the effectiveness of a memory rehabilitation program for the working memory of patients with MS. Cognitive rehabilitation can improve working memory disorders and have a positive effect on the working memory performance of these patients.

Cognitive Task Analysis of Prioritization in Air Traffic Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redding, Richard E.; And Others

A cognitive task analysis was performed to analyze the key cognitive components of the en route air traffic controllers' jobs. The goals were to ascertain expert mental models and decision-making strategies and to identify important differences in controller knowledge, skills, and mental models as a function of expertise. Four groups of…

Cognitive aid for neonatal resuscitation: a prospective single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bould, M D; Hayter, M A; Campbell, D M; Chandra, D B; Joo, H S; Naik, V N

2009-10-01

Retention of skills and knowledge after neonatal resuscitation courses (NRP) is known to be problematic. The use of cognitive aids is mandatory in industries such as aviation, to avoid dependence on memory when decision-making in critical situations. We aimed to prospectively investigate the effect of a cognitive aid on the performance of simulated neonatal resuscitation. Thirty-two anaesthesia residents were recruited. The intervention group had a poster detailing the NRP algorithm and the control group did not. Video recordings of each of the performances were analysed using a previously validated checklist by a peer, an expert anaesthetist, and an expert neonatologist. The median (IQR) checklist score in the control group [18.2 (15.0-20.5)] was not significantly different from that in the intervention group [20.3 (18.3-21.3)] (P=0.08). When evaluated by the neonatologist, none of the subjects correctly performed all life-saving interventions necessary to pass the checklist. A minority of the intervention group used the cognitive aid frequently. Retention of skills after NRP training is poor. The infrequent use of the cognitive aid may be the reason that it did not improve performance. Further research is required to investigate whether cognitive aids can be useful if their use is incorporated into the NRP training.

Neural substrates of the influence of emotional cues on cognitive control in risk-taking adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Nikki C; Weeda, Wouter D; Insel, Catherine; Somerville, Leah H; Krabbendam, Lydia; Huizinga, Mariëtte

2018-06-01

Adolescence is a period characterised by increases in risk-taking. This behaviour has been associated with an imbalance in the integration of the networks involved in cognitive control and motivational processes. We examined whether the influence of emotional cues on cognitive control differs between adolescents who show high or low levels of risk-taking behaviour. Participants who scored especially high or low on a risky decision task were subsequently administered an emotional go/no-go fMRI task comprising angry, happy and calm faces. Both groups showed decreased cognitive control when confronted with appetitive and aversive emotional cues. Activation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) increased in line with the cognitive control demands of the task. Though the risk taking groups did not differ in their behavioural performance, functional connectivity analyses revealed the dorsal striatum plays a more central role in the processing of cognitive control in high than low risk-takers. Overall, these findings suggest that variance in fronto-striatal circuitry may underlie individual differences in risk-taking behaviour. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Ventral striatal hyperconnectivity during rewarded interference control in adolescents with ADHD.

PubMed

Ma, Ili; van Holstein, Mieke; Mies, Gabry W; Mennes, Maarten; Buitelaar, Jan; Cools, Roshan; Cillessen, Antonius H N; Krebs, Ruth M; Scheres, Anouk

2016-09-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by cognitive deficits (e.g., interference control) and altered reward processing. Cognitive control is influenced by incentive motivation and according to current theoretical models, ADHD is associated with abnormal interactions between incentive motivation and cognitive control. However, the neural mechanisms by which reward modulates cognitive control in individuals with ADHD are unknown. We used event-related functional resonance imaging (fMRI) to study neural responses during a rewarded Stroop color-word task in adolescents (14-17 years) with ADHD (n = 25; 19 boys) and healthy controls (n = 33; 22 boys). Adolescents with ADHD showed increased reward signaling within the superior frontal gyrus and ventral striatum (VS) relative to controls. Importantly, functional connectivity analyses revealed a hyperconnectivity between VS and motor control regions in the ADHD group, as a function of reward-cognitive control integration. Connectivity was associated with performance improvement in controls but not in the ADHD group, suggesting inefficient connectivity. Adolescents with ADHD show increased neural sensitivity to rewards and its interactions with interference control in VS and motor regions, respectively. The findings support theoretical models of altered reward-cognitive control integration in individuals with ADHD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of simultaneously performed cognitive and physical training in older adults

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background While many studies confirm the positive effect of cognitive and physical training on cognitive performance of older adults, only little is known about the effects of simultaneously performed cognitive and physical training. In the current study, older adults simultaneously performed a verbal working memory and a cardiovascular training to improve cognitive and motor-cognitive dual task performance. Twenty training sessions of 30 minutes each were conducted over a period of ten weeks, with a test session before, in the middle, and after the training. Training gains were tested in measures of selective attention, paired-associates learning, executive control, reasoning, memory span, information processing speed, and motor-cognitive dual task performance in the form of walking and simultaneously performing a working memory task. Results Sixty-three participants with a mean age of 71.8 ± 4.9 years (range 65 to 84) either performed the simultaneous training (N = 21), performed a single working memory training (N = 16), or attended no training at all (N = 26). The results indicate similar training progress and larger improvements in the executive control task for both training groups when compared to the passive control group. In addition, the simultaneous training resulted in larger improvements compared to the single cognitive training in the paired-associates task and was able to reduce the step-to-step variability during the motor-cognitive dual task when compared to the single cognitive training and the passive control group. Conclusions The simultaneous training of cognitive and physical abilities presents a promising training concept to improve cognitive and motor-cognitive dual task performance, offering greater potential on daily life functioning, which usually involves the recruitment of multiple abilities and resources rather than a single one. PMID:24053148

Efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation using computer software with individuals living with schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial in Japan.

PubMed

Iwata, Kazuhiko; Matsuda, Yasuhiro; Sato, Sayaka; Furukawa, Shunichi; Watanabe, Yukako; Hatsuse, Norifumi; Ikebuchi, Emi

2017-03-01

Cognitive impairment is common in schizophrenia, and is associated with poor psychosocial functioning. Previous studies had inconsistently shown improvement in cognitive functions with cognitive remediation therapy. This study examined whether cognitive remediation is effective in improving both cognitive and social functions in schizophrenia in outpatient settings that provide learning-based psychiatric rehabilitation. This study is the first randomized controlled trial of cognitive remediation in Japan. Study participants were individuals with schizophrenia from 6 outpatient psychiatric medical facilities who were randomly assigned either a cognitive remediation program or treatment as usual. The cognitive remediation intervention includes Cognitive training using computer software (CogPack; Japanese version) administered twice a week and a weekly group over 12 weeks and was based on the Thinking Skills for Work program. Most study participants were attending day treatment services where social skills training, psychoeducation for knowledge about schizophrenia, group activities such as recreation and sport, and other psychosocial treatment were offered. Cognitive and social functioning were assessed using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and Life Assessment Scale for Mentally Ill (LASMI) at pre- and postintervention. Of the 60 people with schizophrenia enrolled, 29 were allocated to the cognitive remediation group and 31 were allocated to the treatment as usual group. Processing speed, executive function, and the composite score of the BACS showed significantly greater improvement for the cognitive remediation group than the treatment as usual group. In addition, there was significant improvement in interpersonal relationships and work skills on the LASMI for the cognitive remediation group compared with the treatment as usual group. Changes from pretreatment to posttreatment in verbal fluency and interpersonal relationships were significantly correlated, as well as changes in attention and work skills. The present findings showed that providing cognitive remediation on addition to psychiatric rehabilitation contributed to greater improvement in both cognitive and social functioning than psychiatric rehabilitation alone. Cognitive remediation may enhance the efficacy of psychiatric rehabilitation improving social functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Development of the Neural Substrates of Cognitive Control in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Solomon, Marjorie; Yoon, Jong; Ragland, J. Daniel; Niendam, Tara; Lesh, Tyler A.; Fairbrother, Wonja; Carter, Cameron S.

2013-01-01

Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) involve impairments in cognitive control. In typical development (TYP), neural systems underlying cognitive control undergo substantial maturation during adolescence. Development is delayed in adolescents with ASD. Little is known about the neural substrates of this delay. Method We used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a cognitive control task involving overcoming a prepotent response tendency to examine the development of cognitive control in young (ages 12–15; n = 13 with ASD and n = 13 with TYP) and older (ages 16–18; n= 14 with ASD and n = 14 with TYP) adolescents with whole-brain voxel-wise univariate and task-related functional connectivity analyses. Results Older ASD and TYP showed reduced activation in sensory and premotor areas relative to younger ones. The older ASD group showed reduced left parietal activation relative to TYP. Functional connectivity analyses showed a significant age by group interaction with the older ASD group exhibiting increased functional connectivity strength between the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), bilaterally. This functional connectivity strength was related to task performance in ASD, whereas that between DLPFC and parietal cortex (BA 9 and BA 40) was related to task performance in TYP. Conclusions Adolescents with ASD rely more on “reactive” cognitive control, involving last minute conflict detection and control implementation by the ACC and VLPFC, versus “proactive” cognitive control requiring processing by DLPFC and parietal cortex. Findings await replication in larger longitudinal studies that examine their functional consequences and amenability to intervention. PMID:24209777

Piracetam improves children's memory after general anaesthesia.

PubMed

Fesenko, Ułbołgan A

2009-01-01

Surgery and anaesthesia may account for postoperative complications including cognitive impairment. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of general anaesthetics on children's memory and effectiveness of piracetam for prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The study included patients receiving different kinds of anaesthesia for various surgical procedures, randomly allocated to two groups. According to immediate postoperative treatment, the study group received intravenous piracetam 30 mg kg(-1) and the control group--placebo. The cognitive functions were examined preoperatively and within 10 consecutive postoperative days using the ten-word memory test. The study group consisted of 123 children, the control one--of 127. Declines in memory indexes were observed in all anaesthetized patients. The most injured function was long-term memory. The intravenous administration of piracetam improved this cognitive function. The study results confirm that general anaesthesia affects the memory function in children. Piracetam is effective for prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction after anaesthesia.

MAXCOG-Maximizing Cognition: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Goal-Oriented Cognitive Rehabilitation for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer Disease.

PubMed

Regan, Bridget; Wells, Yvonne; Farrow, Maree; O'Halloran, Paul; Workman, Barbara

2017-03-01

To review the efficacy of a home-based four-session individualized face-to-face cognitive rehabilitation (MAXCOG) intervention for clients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia and their close supporters. Randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention group (MAXCOG) with treatment as usual (control). A total of 55 client-supporter dyads were enrolled in the study and 40 completed; 25 client-supporter dyads completed MAXCOG and 15 completed treatment as usual. Both MAXCOG and control groups included more MCI cases than dementia (22 versus 3 and 12 versus 3, respectively). Four weekly individual sessions of MAXCOG consisting of personalized interventions to address individually relevant goals, supported by the provision of the MAXCOG information resource. The primary outcomes were goal performance and satisfaction, assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Questionnaires assessing mood, illness adjustment, quality of life, and carer burden were also administered. The intervention group displayed significantly higher performance and satisfaction with primary goals on the COPM post-intervention than the control group, using a per-protocol analysis. The MAXCOG intervention is effective in improving goal performance and satisfaction in clients with MCI and early dementia. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

Cognitive deficits in Korean women treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer.

PubMed

Jung, Mi Sook; Cimprich, Bernadine

2014-01-01

Cognitive deficits have been reported as detrimental side effects in chemotherapy-treated breast cancer patients and survivors. Korean women treated for breast cancer may experience unrecognized cognitive deficits related to their treatment. However, no research has examined cognitive test performance in chemotherapy-treated Korean breast cancer survivors. The objectives of this study were 2-fold: (1) to examine differences in occurrence and severity of cognitive deficits in Korean women treated with adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer as compared with a control group of women without breast cancer and (2) to examine the relationship of selected demographic and cultural factors with cognitive test performance. Sixty-four Korean women, 32 women treated for localized breast cancer and 32 healthy controls, were enrolled. Breast cancer participants were assessed with established cognitive measures within 4 months after chemotherapy, and healthy controls, within 6 months after negative screening mammography. The breast cancer group showed a significantly higher occurrence and greater severity of cognitive deficits than controls did. Importantly, older age, less education, greater collectivist tendency, and greater childrearing burden were reliably associated with poorer attention and working memory test performance. Cognitive deficits were found in chemotherapy-treated Korean women with moderate to large effect sizes compared with controls. Cultural characteristics contributed to worse cognitive performance. Healthcare providers should recognize that Korean women may be highly vulnerable to cognitive deficits. Cultural factors also need to be considered when assessing cognitive function and designing therapeutic interventions to counteract negative cognitive outcomes.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy as Treatments for Academic Procrastination: A Randomized Controlled Group Session

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Shuo; Zhou, Ya; Yu, Shi; Ran, Li-Wen; Liu, Xiang-Ping; Chen, Yu-Fei

2017-01-01

Objective: This study tested the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compared with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), in alleviating academic procrastination. Method: A total of 60 (53.3% male) undergraduates suffering from academic procrastination were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (ACT and CBT) and a control group.…

Cognitive Behavioral Principles Within Group Mentoring: A Randomized Pilot Study

PubMed Central

JENT, JASON F.; NIEC, LARISSA N.

2010-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a group mentoring program that included components of empirically supported mentoring and cognitive behavioral techniques for children served at a community mental health center. Eighty-six 8- to 12-year-old children were randomly assigned to either group mentoring or a wait-list control group. Group mentoring significantly increased children’s reported social problem-solving skills and decreased parent-reported child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems after controlling for other concurrent mental health services. Attrition from the group mentoring program was notably low (7%) for children. The integration of a cognitive behavioral group mentoring program into children’s existing community mental health services may result in additional reductions in externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. PMID:20582243

Role of inflammatory markers in Elderly Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Hosny, Salwa S; Bahaaeldin, Ahmed M; Khater, Mohamed S; Bekhet, Meram M; Hebah, Hayam A; Hasanin, Ghada A

2018-04-22

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. The etiology of cognitive impairment in people with T2DM is uncertain but, chronic hyperglycemia, cerebral micro vascular disease, severe hypoglycemia, and increased prevalence of macro vascular disease are implicated. to determine the serum levels of soluble vascular adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in elderly type 2 diabetics with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our study was conducted on 90 elderly subjects (aged 60 years old or more). They were divided into Group І, 30 patients with T2DM and mild cognitive impairment, group ІІ, 30 patients with T2DM without cognitive impairment and group III, 30 healthy subjects as a control group. They were subjected to history taking, full clinical examination, anthropometric measurement, the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE---III 2012), Fasting plasma glucose, 2 hours plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, protein/creatinine ratio, serum sVCAM-1 and hs-CRP. Serum levels of sVCAM-1 in diabetic elderly patients with MCI were significantly higher (946.7 ± 162.01 ng/ml) than diabetic elderly patients without cognitive impairment (479.06 ± 65.27 ng/ml) and control (263.7 ± 72.05 ng/ml) with (P=0.002). Serum levels of Hs-CRP in diabetic elderly patients with MCI were significantly higher than as diabetic elderly patients without cognitive impairment and control with (P=0.005). Elderly diabetic patients with mild cognitive impairment, have higher levels of soluble adhesion molecules and markers of low-grade systemic inflammation than other groups. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Intelligence May Moderate the Cognitive Profile of Patients with ASD.

PubMed

Rommelse, Nanda; Langerak, Ilse; van der Meer, Jolanda; de Bruijn, Yvette; Staal, Wouter; Oerlemans, Anoek; Buitelaar, Jan

2015-01-01

The intelligence of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) varies considerably. The pattern of cognitive deficits associated with ASD may differ depending on intelligence. We aimed to study the absolute and relative severity of cognitive deficits in participants with ASD in relation to IQ. A total of 274 children (M age = 12.1, 68.6% boys) participated: 30 ASD and 22 controls in the below average Intelligence Quotient (IQ) group (IQ<85), 57 ASD and 54 controls in the average IQ group (85115). Matching for age, sex, Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), Verbal IQ (VIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ) and VIQ-PIQ difference was performed. Speed and accuracy of social cognition, executive functioning, visual pattern recognition and basic processing speed were examined per domain and as a composite score. The composite score revealed a trend significant IQ by ASD interaction (significant when excluding the average IQ group). In absolute terms, participants with below average IQs performed poorest (regardless of diagnosis). However, in relative terms, above average intelligent participants with ASD showed the most substantial cognitive problems (particularly for social cognition, visual pattern recognition and verbal working memory) since this group differed significantly from the IQ-matched control group (p < .001), whereas this was not the case for below-average intelligence participants with ASD (p = .57). In relative terms, cognitive deficits appear somewhat more severe in individuals with ASD and above average IQs compared to the below average IQ patients with ASD. Even though high IQ ASD individuals enjoy a certain protection from their higher IQ, they clearly demonstrate cognitive impairments that may be targeted in clinical assessment and treatment. Conversely, even though in absolute terms ASD patients with below average IQs were clearly more impaired than ASD patients with average to above average IQs, the differences in cognitive functioning between participants with and without ASD on the lower end of the IQ spectrum were less pronounced. Clinically this may imply that cognitive assessment and training of cognitive skills in below average intelligent children with ASD may be a less fruitful endeavour. These findings tentatively suggest that intelligence may act as a moderator in the cognitive presentation of ASD, with qualitatively different cognitive processes affected in patients at the high and low end of the IQ spectrum.

Intelligence May Moderate the Cognitive Profile of Patients with ASD

PubMed Central

Rommelse, Nanda; Langerak, Ilse; van der Meer, Jolanda; de Bruijn, Yvette; Staal, Wouter; Oerlemans, Anoek; Buitelaar, Jan

2015-01-01

Background The intelligence of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) varies considerably. The pattern of cognitive deficits associated with ASD may differ depending on intelligence. We aimed to study the absolute and relative severity of cognitive deficits in participants with ASD in relation to IQ. Methods A total of 274 children (M age = 12.1, 68.6% boys) participated: 30 ASD and 22 controls in the below average Intelligence Quotient (IQ) group (IQ<85), 57 ASD and 54 controls in the average IQ group (85115). Matching for age, sex, Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), Verbal IQ (VIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ) and VIQ-PIQ difference was performed. Speed and accuracy of social cognition, executive functioning, visual pattern recognition and basic processing speed were examined per domain and as a composite score. Results The composite score revealed a trend significant IQ by ASD interaction (significant when excluding the average IQ group). In absolute terms, participants with below average IQs performed poorest (regardless of diagnosis). However, in relative terms, above average intelligent participants with ASD showed the most substantial cognitive problems (particularly for social cognition, visual pattern recognition and verbal working memory) since this group differed significantly from the IQ-matched control group (p < .001), whereas this was not the case for below-average intelligence participants with ASD (p = .57). Conclusions In relative terms, cognitive deficits appear somewhat more severe in individuals with ASD and above average IQs compared to the below average IQ patients with ASD. Even though high IQ ASD individuals enjoy a certain protection from their higher IQ, they clearly demonstrate cognitive impairments that may be targeted in clinical assessment and treatment. Conversely, even though in absolute terms ASD patients with below average IQs were clearly more impaired than ASD patients with average to above average IQs, the differences in cognitive functioning between participants with and without ASD on the lower end of the IQ spectrum were less pronounced. Clinically this may imply that cognitive assessment and training of cognitive skills in below average intelligent children with ASD may be a less fruitful endeavour. These findings tentatively suggest that intelligence may act as a moderator in the cognitive presentation of ASD, with qualitatively different cognitive processes affected in patients at the high and low end of the IQ spectrum. PMID:26444877

The Associations between Regional Gray Matter Structural Changes and Changes of Cognitive Performance in Control Groups of Intervention Studies.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Hikaru; Taki, Yasuyuki; Sassa, Yuko; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Nagase, Tomomi; Nouchi, Rui; Fukushima, Ai; Kawashima, Ryuta

2015-01-01

In intervention studies of cognitive training, the challenging cognitive tests, which were used as outcome measures, are generally completed in more than a few hours. Here, utilizing the control groups' data from three 1-week intervention studies in which young healthy adult subjects underwent a wide range of cognitive tests and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after the intervention period, we investigated how regional gray matter (GM) density (rGMD) of the subjects changed through voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Statistically significant increases in rGMD were observed in the anatomical cluster that mainly spread around the bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the right superior frontal gyrus (rSFG). Moreover, mean rGMD within this cluster changes were significantly and positively correlated with performance changes in the Stroop task, and tended to positively correlate with performance changes in a divergent thinking task. Affected regions are considered to be associated with performance monitoring (dACC) and manipulation of the maintained information including generating associations (rSFG), and both are relevant to the cognitive functions measured in the cognitive tests. Thus, the results suggest that even in the groups of the typical "control group" in intervention studies including those of the passive one, experimental or non-experimental factors can result in an increase in the regional GM structure and form the association between such neural changes and improvements related to these cognitive tests. These results suggest caution toward the experimental study designs without control groups.

Enhancing Innovation and Underlying Neural Mechanisms Via Cognitive Training in Healthy Older Adults

PubMed Central

Chapman, Sandra B.; Spence, Jeffrey S.; Aslan, Sina; Keebler, Molly W.

2017-01-01

Non-invasive interventions, such as cognitive training (CT) and physical exercise, are gaining momentum as ways to augment both cognitive and brain function throughout life. One of the most fundamental yet little studied aspects of human cognition is innovative thinking, especially in older adults. In this study, we utilize a measure of innovative cognition that examines both the quantity and quality of abstracted interpretations. This randomized pilot trial in cognitively normal adults (56–75 years) compared the effect of cognitive reasoning training (SMART) on innovative cognition as measured by Multiple Interpretations Measure (MIM). We also examined brain changes in relation to MIM using two MRI-based measurement of arterial spin labeling (ASL) to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) and functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) to measure default mode and central executive network (CEN) synchrony at rest. Participants (N = 58) were randomized to the CT, physical exercise (physical training, PT) or control (CN) group where CT and PT groups received training for 3 h/week over 12 weeks. They were assessed at baseline-, mid- and post-training using innovative cognition and MRI measures. First, the CT group showed significant gains pre- to post-training on the innovation measure whereas the physical exercise and control groups failed to show significant gains. Next, the CT group showed increased CBF in medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), two nodes within the Default Mode Network (DMN) compared to physical exercise and control groups. Last, significant correlations were found between innovation performance and connectivity of two major networks: CEN (positive correlation) and DMN (negative correlation). These results support the view that both the CEN and DMN are important for enhancement of innovative cognition. We propose that neural mechanisms in healthy older adults can be modified through reasoning training to better subserve enhanced innovative cognition. PMID:29062276

Executive Functioning in Alcoholics Following an mHealth Cognitive Stimulation Program: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Jorge; Lopes, Paulo; Brito, Rodrigo; Morais, Diogo; Silva, Diana; Silva, Ana; Rebelo, Sara; Bastos, Marta; Deus, Alberto

2014-01-01

Background The consequences of alcohol dependence are severe and may range from physical disease to neuropsychological deficits in several cognitive domains. Alcohol abuse has also been related to brain dysfunction specifically in the prefrontal cortex. Conventional neuropsychological interventions (paper-and-pencil cognitive stimulation training) have a positive effect but are time-consuming, costly, and not motivating for patients. Objective Our goal was to test the cognitive effects of a novel approach to neuropsychological intervention, using mobile technology and serious games, on patients with alcohol dependence. Methods The trial design consisted of a two-arm study assessing the cognitive outcomes of neuropsychological intervention with mobile serious games (mHealth) versus control (treatment-as-usual with no neuropsychological intervention) in patients undergoing treatment for alcohol dependence syndrome. Sixty-eight patients were recruited from an alcohol-rehab clinic and randomly assigned to the mHealth (n=33) or control condition (n=35). The intervention on the experimental group consisted of a therapist-assisted cognitive stimulation therapy for 4 weeks on a 2-3 days/week basis. Results Fourteen patients dropped out of the study. The results of the neuropsychological assessments with the remaining 54 patients showed an overall increase (P<.05) of general cognitive abilities, mental flexibility, psychomotor processing speed, and attentional ability in both experimental (n=26) and control groups (n=28). However, there was a more pronounced improvement (P=.01) specifically in frontal lobe functions from baseline (mean 13.89, SE 0.58) to follow-up (mean 15.50, SE 0.46) in the experimental group but not in the control group. Conclusions The overall increase in general cognitive function for both experimental and control groups supports the beneficial role of existing alcohol treatment protocols aimed at minimizing withdrawal symptoms, but the differential improvements observed in frontal lobe functioning supports the use of mobile serious games for neuropsychological stimulation to overcome executive dysfunction in patients with alcohol dependence. This trial was negative on two neuropsychological/cognitive tests, and positive on one. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01942954; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01942954 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6OYDqHLwB). PMID:24742381

[Noopept in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment in patients with stroke].

PubMed

Amelin, A V; Iliukhina, A Iu; Shmonin, A A

2011-01-01

Noopept is a neuroprotector and nootropics. Literature data revealed the treatment effect of noopept on mild cognitive impairment in patients with discirculatory encephalopathy. The present open prospective study included 60 patients with stroke treated with noopept during 12 months. Cognitive functions were assessed before and after treatment using neuropsychological tests. An analysis of MMSE scores and lateral and categorical associations revealed the significant improvement of cognitive functions after 2 months in patients of the main group compared to the controls. The global assessment of efficacy revealed the mild improvement in the main group while no changes were found in the control group. The results have demonstrated that noopept, used in dose 20 mg daily during 2 months, improves cognitive functions in stroke patients and has a high level of safety.

Inhibitory control gains from higher-order cognitive strategy training.

PubMed

Motes, Michael A; Gamino, Jacquelyn F; Chapman, Sandra B; Rao, Neena K; Maguire, Mandy J; Brier, Matthew R; Kraut, Michael A; Hart, John

2014-02-01

The present study examined the transfer of higher-order cognitive strategy training to inhibitory control. Middle school students enrolled in a comprehension- and reasoning-focused cognitive strategy training program and passive controls participated. The training program taught students a set of steps for inferring essential gist or themes from materials. Both before and after training or a comparable duration in the case of the passive controls, participants completed a semantically cued Go/No-Go task that was designed to assess the effects of depth of semantic processing on response inhibition and components of event-related potentials (ERP) related to response inhibition. Depth of semantic processing was manipulated by varying the level of semantic categorization required for response selection and inhibition. The SMART-trained group showed inhibitory control gains and changes in fronto-central P3 ERP amplitudes on inhibition trials; whereas, the control group did not. The results provide evidence of the transfer of higher-order cognitive strategy training to inhibitory control and modulation of ERPs associated with semantically cued inhibitory control. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for cognitive strategy training, models of cognitive abilities, and education. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Impairment of cognitive functioning during Sunitinib or Sorafenib treatment in cancer patients: a cross sectional study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Impairment of cognitive functioning has been reported in several studies in patients treated with chemotherapy. So far, no studies have been published on the effects of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors on cognitive functioning. We investigated the objective and subjective cognitive function of patients during treatment with VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR TKI). Methods Three groups of participants, matched on age, sex and education, were enrolled; 1. metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) or GIST patients treated with sunitinib or sorafenib (VEGFR TKI patients n = 30); 2. patients with mRCC not receiving systemic treatment (patient controls n = 20); 3. healthy controls (n = 30). Sixteen neuropsychological tests examining the main cognitive domains (intelligence, memory, attention and concentration, executive functions and abstract reasoning) were administered by a neuropsychologist. Four questionnaires were used to assess subjective cognitive complaints, mood, fatigue and psychological wellbeing. Results No significant differences in mean age, sex distribution, education level or IQ were found between the three groups. Both patient groups performed significantly worse on the cognitive domains Learning & Memory and Executive Functions (Response Generation and Problem Solving) compared to healthy controls. However only the VEGFR TKI patients showed impairments on the Executive subdomain Response Generation. Effect sizes of cognitive dysfunction in patients using VEGFR TKI were larger on the domains Learning & Memory and Executive Functions, compared to patient controls. Both patients groups performed on the domain Attention & Concentration the same as the healthy controls. Longer duration of treatment on VEGFR TKI was associated with a worse score on Working Memory tasks. Conclusions Our data suggest that treatment with VEGFR TKI has a negative impact on cognitive functioning, specifically on Learning & Memory, and Executive Functioning. We propose that patients who are treated with VEGFR TKI are monitored and informed for possible signs or symptoms associated with cognitive impairment. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01246843. PMID:24661373

Group Counseling for Overweight and Depressed College Women: A Comparative Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Kathleen

1989-01-01

Behavioral and cognitive-behavioral group programs for weight control were effective among 32 college women in reducing weight and alleviating depressed mood, fear of negative evaluations, and social avoidance and distress. Addition of cognitive restructuring component failed to improve efficacy of behavioral weight control program even on…

Mental exercises for cognitive function: clinical evidence.

PubMed

Kawashima, Ryuta

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the beneficial effects of a new cognitive intervention program designed for the care and prevention of dementia, namely Learning Therapy. The training program used systematized basic problems in arithmetic and Japanese language as training tasks. In study 1, 16 individuals in the experimental group and 16 in the control group were recruited from a nursing home. In both groups, all individuals were clinically diagnosed with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. In study 2, we performed a single-blind, randomized controlled trial in our cognitive intervention program of 124 community-dwelling seniors. In both studies, the daily training program using reading and arithmetic tasks was carried out approximately 5 days a week, for 15 to 20 minutes a day in the intervention groups. Neuropsychological measures were determined simultaneously in the groups both prior to and after six months of the intervention. The results of our investigations indicate that our cognitive intervention using reading and arithmetic problems demonstrated a transfer effect and they provide convincing evidence that cognitive training maintains and improves the cognitive functions of dementia patients and healthy seniors.

Effectiveness of a home-based cognitive behavioral program to manage concerns about falls in community-dwelling, frail older people: results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dorresteijn, Tanja A C; Zijlstra, G A Rixt; Ambergen, Antonius W; Delbaere, Kim; Vlaeyen, Johan W S; Kempen, Gertrudis I J M

2016-01-06

Concerns about falls are common among older people. These concerns, also referred to as fear of falling, can have serious physical and psychosocial consequences, such as functional decline, increased risk of falls, activity restriction, and lower social participation. Although cognitive behavioral group programs to reduce concerns about falls are available, no home-based approaches for older people with health problems, who may not be able to attend such group programs are available yet. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a home-based cognitive behavioral program on concerns about falls, in frail, older people living in the community. In a randomized controlled trial in the Netherlands, 389 people aged 70 years and older, in fair or poor perceived health, who reported at least some concerns about falls and related activity avoidance were allocated to a control (n = 195) or intervention group (n = 194). The intervention was a home-based, cognitive behavioral program consisting of seven sessions including three home visits and four telephone contacts. The program aims to instill adaptive and realistic views about fall risks via cognitive restructuring and to increase activity and safe behavior using goal setting and action planning and was facilitated by community nurses. Control group participants received usual care. Outcomes at 5 and 12 months follow-up were concerns about falls, activity avoidance due to concerns about falls, disability and falls. At 12 months, the intervention group showed significant lower levels of concerns about falls compared to the control group. Furthermore, significant reductions in activity avoidance, disability and indoor falls were identified in the intervention group compared with the control group. Effect sizes were small to medium. No significant difference in total number of falls was noted between the groups. The home-based, cognitive behavioral program significantly reduces concerns about falls, related activity avoidance, disability and indoor falls in community-living, frail older people. The program may prolong independent living and provides an alternative for those people who are not able or willing to attend group programs. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01358032. Registered 17 May 2011.

Baseline Telomere Length and Effects of a Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention on Cognition: The FINGER Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Sindi, Shireen; Ngandu, Tiia; Hovatta, Iiris; Kåreholt, Ingemar; Antikainen, Riitta; Hänninen, Tuomo; Levälahti, Esko; Laatikainen, Tiina; Lindström, Jaana; Paajanen, Teemu; Peltonen, Markku; Khalsa, Dharma Singh; Wolozin, Benjamin; Strandberg, Timo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Kivipelto, Miia; Solomon, Alina

2017-01-01

Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of aging, and it is associated with lifestyle. It is currently unknown whether LTL is associated with the response to lifestyle interventions. The goal is to assess whether baseline LTL modified the cognitive benefits of a 2-year multidomain lifestyle intervention (exploratory analyses). The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) was a 2-year randomized controlled trial including 1,260 people at risk of cognitive decline, aged 60–77 years identified from the general population. Participants were randomly assigned to the lifestyle intervention (diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk management) and control (general health advice) groups. Primary outcome was change in cognition (comprehensive neuropsychological test battery). Secondary outcomes were changes in cognitive domains: memory, executive functioning, and processing speed. 775 participants (392 control, 383 intervention) had baseline LTL (peripheral blood DNA). Mixed effects regression models with maximum likelihood estimation were used to analyze change in cognition as a function of randomization group, time, baseline LTL, and their interaction. Intervention and control groups did not significantly differ at baseline. Shorter LTL was related to less healthy baseline lifestyle. Intervention benefits on executive functioning were more pronounced among those with shorter baseline LTL (p-value for interaction was 0.010 adjusted for age and sex, and 0.007 additionally adjusted for baseline lifestyle factors). The FINGER intervention cognitive benefits were more pronounced with shorter baseline LTL, particularly for executive functioning, indicating that the multidomain lifestyle intervention was especially beneficial among higher-risk individuals. PMID:28777749

Baseline Telomere Length and Effects of a Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention on Cognition: The FINGER Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Sindi, Shireen; Ngandu, Tiia; Hovatta, Iiris; Kåreholt, Ingemar; Antikainen, Riitta; Hänninen, Tuomo; Levälahti, Esko; Laatikainen, Tiina; Lindström, Jaana; Paajanen, Teemu; Peltonen, Markku; Khalsa, Dharma Singh; Wolozin, Benjamin; Strandberg, Timo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Kivipelto, Miia; Solomon, Alina

2017-01-01

Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of aging, and it is associated with lifestyle. It is currently unknown whether LTL is associated with the response to lifestyle interventions. The goal is to assess whether baseline LTL modified the cognitive benefits of a 2-year multidomain lifestyle intervention (exploratory analyses). The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) was a 2-year randomized controlled trial including 1,260 people at risk of cognitive decline, aged 60-77 years identified from the general population. Participants were randomly assigned to the lifestyle intervention (diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk management) and control (general health advice) groups. Primary outcome was change in cognition (comprehensive neuropsychological test battery). Secondary outcomes were changes in cognitive domains: memory, executive functioning, and processing speed. 775 participants (392 control, 383 intervention) had baseline LTL (peripheral blood DNA). Mixed effects regression models with maximum likelihood estimation were used to analyze change in cognition as a function of randomization group, time, baseline LTL, and their interaction. Intervention and control groups did not significantly differ at baseline. Shorter LTL was related to less healthy baseline lifestyle. Intervention benefits on executive functioning were more pronounced among those with shorter baseline LTL (p-value for interaction was 0.010 adjusted for age and sex, and 0.007 additionally adjusted for baseline lifestyle factors). The FINGER intervention cognitive benefits were more pronounced with shorter baseline LTL, particularly for executive functioning, indicating that the multidomain lifestyle intervention was especially beneficial among higher-risk individuals.

Social cognition and metacognition in obsessive-compulsive disorder: an explorative pilot study.

PubMed

Mavrogiorgou, Paraskevi; Bethge, Mareike; Luksnat, Stefanie; Nalato, Fabio; Juckel, Georg; Brüne, Martin

2016-04-01

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe psychiatric condition that is, among other features, characterized by marked impairment in social functioning. Although theoretically plausible with regard to neurobiological underpinnings of OCD, there is little research about possible impairments in social cognitive and meta-cognitive abilities and their connections with social functioning in patients with OCD. Accordingly, we sought to examine social cognitive skills and metacognition in OCD. Twenty OCD patients and age-, sex-, and education-matched 20 healthy controls were assessed using neurocognitive and diverse social cognitive skills including the Ekman 60 Faces test, the Hinting Task, the faux pas test, and a proverb test. In addition, the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 was administered to both the OCD and the control groups. Social functioning was measured using the Personal and Social Performance Scale. Symptom severity in patients was determined by the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory. No group differences emerged in basic social cognitive abilities. In contrast, compared to controls, OCD patients scored higher on all MCQ dimensions, particularly negative beliefs about worry, uncontrollability, and danger; beliefs about need to control thoughts; and cognitive self-consciousness. There were no significant correlations between social or metacognitive parameters and OCD symptom severity. However, in the patient group, depression and metacognition predicted social functioning. OCD patients show normal basal social cognitive abilities, but dysfunctional metacognitive profiles, which may contribute to their psychosocial impairment.

Impact of Motivation on Cognitive Control in the Context of Vigilance Lowering: An ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonnefond, Anne; Doignon-Camus, Nadege; Hoeft, Alain; Dufour, Andre

2011-01-01

We assessed the effects of time-on-task on cognitive control expressed by the CRN/Nc and the extent to which motivation modulates this relationship. We utilized two groups of participants, who were told that their performance would (evaluation condition) or would not (control condition) be evaluated online. Both groups performed a version of the…

Effectiveness of resilience training versus cognitive therapy on reduction of depression in female Iranian college students.

PubMed

Zamirinejad, Somayeh; Hojjat, Seyed Kaveh; Golzari, Mahmoud; Borjali, Ahmad; Akaberi, Arash

2014-06-01

Depression is the most common mental illness among women. Its prevalence in women is two to three times that of men. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of resilience training on the reduction of depression in female college students. This semi-empirical study was carried out with two experimental groups and one control group. The research sample was women with symptoms of depression who were 18-22 years of age and living in a college dormitory. One experimental group was given eight 90-minute resilience training sessions, while the other received eight 90-minute cognitive therapy sessions. The control group didn't receive any interventions. The three groups under study were evaluated using the Beck II depression inventory before and after the interventions and two months after the treatment had ended. The three groups didn't have significant differences in age, marital status, or depression scores on the pretest. The resilience training group and cognitive therapy group showed a significant decrease in the average depression score from pretest to posttest and from pretest to follow-up. The main effect of groups, stage, and interaction between groups and stage also were significant (all were p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between effectiveness of resilience training and cognitive therapy on depression but there was a significant difference between these two treatment groups and the control group. The effectiveness of resilience training was just as good as the effectiveness of cognitive therapy. The effects of resilience training on depression remained stable from the posttest to the follow-up, like that of cognitive therapy.

The Mental Activity and eXercise (MAX) trial: a randomized controlled trial to enhance cognitive function in older adults.

PubMed

Barnes, Deborah E; Santos-Modesitt, Wendy; Poelke, Gina; Kramer, Arthur F; Castro, Cynthia; Middleton, Laura E; Yaffe, Kristine

2013-05-13

The prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia are projected to rise dramatically during the next 40 years, and strategies for maintaining cognitive function with age are critically needed. Physical or mental activity alone result in relatively small, domain-specific improvements in cognitive function in older adults; combined interventions may have more global effects. To examine the combined effects of physical plus mental activity on cognitive function in older adults. Randomized controlled trial with a factorial design. San Francisco, California. A total of 126 inactive, community-residing older adults with cognitive complaints. All participants engaged in home-based mental activity (1 h/d, 3 d/wk) plus class-based physical activity (1 h/d, 3 d/wk) for 12 weeks and were randomized to either mental activity intervention (MA-I; intensive computer) or mental activity control (MA-C; educational DVDs) plus exercise intervention (EX-I; aerobic) or exercise control (EX-C; stretching and toning); a 2 × 2 factorial design was used so that there were 4 groups: MA-I/EX-I, MA-I/EX-C, MA-C/EX-1, and MA-C/EX-C. Global cognitive change based on a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Participants had a mean age of 73.4 years; 62.7% were women, and 34.9% were Hispanic or nonwhite. There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline. Global cognitive scores improved significantly over time (mean, 0.16 SD; P < .001) but did not differ between groups in the comparison between MA-I and MA-C (ignoring exercise, P = .17), the comparison between EX-I and EX-C (ignoring mental activity, P = .74), or across all 4 randomization groups (P = .26). In inactive older adults with cognitive complaints, 12 weeks of physical plus mental activity was associated with significant improvements in global cognitive function with no evidence of difference between intervention and active control groups. These findings may reflect practice effects or may suggest that the amount of activity is more important than the type in this subject population. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00522899.

[Effectiveness of a programme based on a virtual reality game for cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia].

PubMed

López-Martín, Olga; Segura Fragoso, Antonio; Rodríguez Hernández, Marta; Dimbwadyo Terrer, Iris; Polonio-López, Begoña

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a programme based on a virtual reality game to improve cognitive domains in patients with schizophrenia. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 40 patients with schizophrenia, 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. The experimental group received 10 sessions with Nintendo Wii(®) for 5 weeks, 50 minutes/session, 2 days/week in addition to conventional treatment. The control group received conventional treatment only. Statistically significant differences in the T-Score were found in 5 of the 6 cognitive domains assessed: processing speed (F=12.04, p=0.001), attention/vigilance (F=12.75, p=0.001), working memory (F=18.86, p <0.01), verbal learning (F=7.6, p=0.009), visual learning (F=3.6, p=0.064), and reasoning and problem solving (F=11.08, p=0.002). Participation in virtual reality interventions aimed at cognitive training have great potential for significant gains in different cognitive domains assessed in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Theory of mind in a first-episode psychosis population using the Hinting Task.

PubMed

Lindgren, Maija; Torniainen-Holm, Minna; Heiskanen, Inkeri; Voutilainen, Greta; Pulkkinen, Ulla; Mehtälä, Tuukka; Jokela, Markus; Kieseppä, Tuula; Suvisaari, Jaana; Therman, Sebastian

2018-05-01

Deficiencies in theory of mind (ToM) are common in psychosis and may largely explain impaired social functioning. Currently, it is unclear whether impairments in ToM are explained by the more general cognitive deficits related to psychosis or whether ToM is impaired in psychosis independently of other cognitive deficits. This study examined ToM using the Hinting Task in young adults (n = 66) with first-episode psychosis and matched controls (n = 62). The participants were administered a broad neuropsychological assessment. Participants with psychosis performed worse than controls on the Hinting Task. However, 75% of the variance between the groups was explained by general cognitive deficits, especially impaired processing speed and episodic memory. Hinting Task performance of the best functioning patient group did not differ from that of the control group. When the psychosis group was divided according to diagnosis, the Hinting Task difference between individuals with schizophrenia and controls remained significant even when general cognitive performance was controlled for, suggesting specific verbal ToM deficits in schizophrenia. In contrast, those with other psychotic disorders did not differ from controls. Our results suggest that ToM deficits can be seen in early phases of psychotic disorders, schizophrenia in particular, and are partly independent of other cognitive functions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Context matters: Social cognition task performance in psychometric schizotypes.

PubMed

Pflum, Madeline J; Gooding, Diane C

2018-06-01

Patients with schizophrenia show performance deficits on tasks requiring empathy-related social cognition. The extent to which empathy impairments are observed in psychometric schizotypy is unclear. We compared accuracy and reaction time in three groups of individuals characterized by positive schizotypy (n = 79), negative schizotypy (n = 123), or low schizotypy group (n = 137). On a social cognition task that provided context, namely, the Emotion Perspective Taking Task, the positive schizotypes showed poorer performance than the negative schizotypy and control groups. These results suggest that some schizotypes differ in their ability to make use of context (e.g., social cues from the environment) to affect their social cognitive performance. However, on the Affective Responsiveness Task, in which no context was given, both groups of psychometric schizotypes displayed lower performance than the controls. These findings highlight the importance of assessing multiple groups of schizotypes as well as the value of including several social cognition tasks in order to reveal relative performance deficits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a community-based multidomain cognitive intervention program in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Kim, Hee-Jin; Yang, YoungSoon; Oh, Jeong-Gun; Oh, Seongil; Choi, Hojin; Kim, Kyoung Hee; Kim, Seung Hyun

2016-02-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a multidomain program in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). A total of 53 patients with probable AD participated in the present study. The participants were classified to a cognitive programming group (n = 32) and control group (n = 21). Participants in the cognitive intervention program received multidomain cognitive stimulation including art, music, recollection and horticultural therapy, each period of intervention lasting 1 h. This program was repeated five times per week over a period of 6 months at the Seongdong-gu Center for Dementia. The Mini-Mental State Examination, the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease, Clinical dementia rating scales, and the Korean version of the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease were used to evaluate cognitive ability at baseline and after intervention. After 6 months, cognitive abilities were compared between patients actively participating in cognitive intervention and the pharmacotherapy only group. Patients receiving cognitive intervention showed significant cognitive improvement in the word-list recognition and recall test scores versus the control. There was no change in the overall Clinical dementia rating score, but the domain of community affairs showed a significant improvement in the cognitive intervention group. Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease of caregivers was slightly improved in the cognitive intervention group after 6 months. Multidomain cognitive intervention by regional dementia centers has great potential in helping to maintain cognitive function in patients with dementia, increase their social activity and reduce depression, while enhancing the quality of life of caregivers. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Does Exercise Improve Cognitive Performance? A Conservative Message from Lord's Paradox.

PubMed

Liu, Sicong; Lebeau, Jean-Charles; Tenenbaum, Gershon

2016-01-01

Although extant meta-analyses support the notion that exercise results in cognitive performance enhancement, methodology shortcomings are noted among primary evidence. The present study examined relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the past 20 years (1996-2015) for methodological concerns arise from Lord's paradox. Our analysis revealed that RCTs supporting the positive effect of exercise on cognition are likely to include Type I Error(s). This result can be attributed to the use of gain score analysis on pretest-posttest data as well as the presence of control group superiority over the exercise group on baseline cognitive measures. To improve accuracy of causal inferences in this area, analysis of covariance on pretest-posttest data is recommended under the assumption of group equivalence. Important experimental procedures are discussed to maintain group equivalence.

A comparative study of the effect of student and instructor cognitive mapping on student achievement and attitudes in introductory college biology for nonmajors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dardis, Deborah J. Athas

Within a single research design, this investigation compared the effects of student and instructor cognitive mapping on student achievement and attitudes in introductory college biology for nonmajors. Subjects self-selected into either a Control Group that experienced no cognitive mapping, an Experimental Group 1 that experienced instructor cognitive mapping, or an Experimental Group 2 in which students constructed cognitive maps. Data were collected by a Students' Opinions of Teaching Poll and instructor prepared tests that included objective questions representing all levels of the cognitive domain. An ANCOVA revealed no significant differences in the academic achievement of students in the control and experimental groups. The academic performance of males and females was similar among all three groups of students and data confirmed a lack of interaction between gender and instructional strategy. This investigation confirmed that cognitive mapping will not disrupt a gender-neutral classroom environment. Students' opinions of teaching were overwhelmingly positive. A Kruskal Wallis analysis, followed by a nonparametric Tukey-type multiple comparison, revealed that students who experienced no mapping consistently rated the instructor with higher scores than did students who experienced instructor mapping. Students who cooperatively constructed cognitive maps reported the lowest scores on the opinion polls.

Frontotemporal white matter changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Abrahams, Sharon; Goldstein, Laura H; Suckling, John; Ng, Virginia; Simmons, Andy; Chitnis, Xavier; Atkins, Louise; Williams, Steve C R; Leigh, P N

2005-03-01

Cognitive dysfunction can occur in some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who are not suffering from dementia. The most striking and consistent cognitive deficit has been found using tests of verbal fluency. ALS patients with verbal fluency deficits have shown functional imaging abnormalities predominantly in frontotemporal regions using positron emission tomography (PET). This study used automated volumetric voxel-based analysis of grey and white matter densities of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to explore the underlying pattern of structural cerebral change in nondemented ALS patients with verbal fluency deficits. Two groups of ALS patients, defined by the presence or absence of cognitive impairment on the basis of the Written Verbal Fluency Test (ALSi, cognitively impaired, n=11; ALSu, cognitively unimpaired n=12) were compared with healthy age matched controls (n=12). A comparison of the ALSi group with controls revealed significantly (p<0.002) reduced white matter volume in extensive motor and non-motor regions, including regions corresponding to frontotemporal association fibres. These patients demonstrated a corresponding cognitive profile of executive and memory dysfunction. Less extensive white matter reductions were revealed in the comparison of the ALSu and control groups in regions corresponding to frontal association fibres. White matter volumes were also found to correlate with performance on memory tests. There were no significant reductions in grey matter volume in the comparison of either patient group with controls. The structural white matter abnormalities in frontal and temporal regions revealed here may underlie the cognitive and functional imaging abnormalities previously reported in non-demented ALS patients. The results also suggest that extra-motor structural abnormalities may be present in ALS patients with no evidence of cognitive change. The findings support the hypothesis of a continuum of extra-motor cerebral and cognitive change in this disorder.

On the role of the amygdala for experiencing fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Hanken, Katrin; Francis, Yoselin; Kastrup, Andreas; Eling, Paul; Klein, Jan; Hildebrandt, Helmut

2018-02-01

Recently, we proposed a model explaining the origin of fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This model assumes that the feeling of fatigue results from inflammation-induced information processing within interoceptive brain areas. To investigate the association between self-reported cognitive fatigue and structural integrity of interoceptive brain areas in MS patients. 95 MS patients and 28 healthy controls participated in this study. All participants underwent diffusion tensor MRI and fractional anisotropy data were calculated for the amygdala, the stria terminalis and the corpus callosum, a non-interoceptive brain area. Based on the cognitive fatigue score of the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognition, patients were divided into moderately cognitively fatigued (cognitive fatigue score ≥ 28) and cognitively non-fatigued (cognitive fatigue score < 28) MS patients. Healthy controls were recruited as a third group. Repeated measures analyses of covariance, controlling for age, depression and brain atrophy, were performed to investigate whether the factor Group had a significant effect on the fractional anisotropy data. A significant effect of Group was observed for the amygdala (F = 3.389, p = 0.037). MS patients without cognitive fatigue presented lower values of the amygdala than MS patients with cognitive fatigue and healthy controls. For the stria terminalis and the corpus callosum, no main effect of Group was observed. The structural integrity of the amygdala in non-fatigued MS patients appears to be reduced. According to our model this might indicate that the absence of fatigue in non-fatigued MS patients might result from disturbed inflammation-induced information processing in the amygdala. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The normalities and abnormalities associated with speech in psychometrically-defined schizotypy.

PubMed

Cohen, Alex S; Auster, Tracey L; McGovern, Jessica E; MacAulay, Rebecca K

2014-12-01

Speech deficits are thought to be an important feature of schizotypy--defined as the personality organization reflecting a putative liability for schizophrenia. There is reason to suspect that these deficits manifest as a function of limited cognitive resources. To evaluate this idea, we examined speech from individuals with psychometrically-defined schizotypy during a low cognitively-demanding task versus a relatively high cognitively-demanding task. A range of objective, computer-based measures of speech tapping speech production (silence, number and length of pauses, number and length of utterances), speech variability (global and local intonation and emphasis) and speech content (word fillers, idea density) were employed. Data for control (n=37) and schizotypy (n=39) groups were examined. Results did not confirm our hypotheses. While the cognitive-load task reduced speech expressivity for subjects as a group for most variables, the schizotypy group was not more pathological in speech characteristics compared to the control group. Interestingly, some aspects of speech in schizotypal versus control subjects were healthier under high cognitive load. Moreover, schizotypal subjects performed better, at a trend level, than controls on the cognitively demanding task. These findings hold important implications for our understanding of the neurocognitive architecture associated with the schizophrenia-spectrum. Of particular note concerns the apparent mismatch between self-reported schizotypal traits and objective performance, and the resiliency of speech under cognitive stress in persons with high levels of schizotypy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multimodal exercise intervention improves frontal cognitive functions and gait in Alzheimer's disease: a controlled trial.

PubMed

Coelho, Flávia Gomes de Melo; Andrade, Larissa Pires; Pedroso, Renata Valle; Santos-Galduroz, Ruth Ferreira; Gobbi, Sebastião; Costa, José Luiz Riani; Gobbi, Lilian Teresa Bucken

2013-01-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of a multimodal exercise intervention on frontal cognitive functions and kinematic gait parameters in patients with Alzheimer's disease. A sample of elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease (n=27) were assigned to a training group (n=14; aged 78.0±7.3 years) and a control group (n=13; aged 77.1±7.4 years). Multimodal exercise intervention includes motor activities and cognitive tasks simultaneously. The participants attended a 1-h session three times a week for 16 weeks, and the control participants maintained their regular daily activities during the same period. The frontal cognitive functions were evaluated using the Frontal Assessment Battery, the Clock Drawing Test and the Symbol Search Subtest. The kinematic parameters of gait-cadence, stride length and stride speed were analyzed under two conditions: (i) free gait (single task); and (ii) gait with frontal cognitive task (walking and counting down from 20--dual task). The patients in the intervention group significantly increased the scores in frontal cognitive variables, Frontal Assessment Battery (P<0.001) and Symbol Search Subtest (P<0.001) after the 16-week period. The control group decreased the scores in the Clock Drawing Test (P=0.001) and increased the number of counting errors during the dual task (P=0.008) after the same period. The multimodal exercise intervention improved the frontal cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease. © 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Increased engagement of the cognitive control network associated with music training in children during an fMRI Stroop task

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Playing a musical instrument engages various sensorimotor processes and draws on cognitive capacities collectively termed executive functions. However, while music training is believed to associated with enhancements in certain cognitive and language abilities, studies that have explored the specific relationship between music and executive function have yielded conflicting results. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we investigated the effects of music training on executive function using fMRI and several behavioral tasks, including the Color-Word Stroop task. Children involved in ongoing music training (N = 14, mean age = 8.67) were compared with two groups of comparable general cognitive abilities and socioeconomic status, one involved in sports (“sports” group, N = 13, mean age = 8.85) and another not involved in music or sports (“control” group, N = 17, mean age = 9.05). During the Color-Word Stroop task, children with music training showed significantly greater bilateral activation in the pre-SMA/SMA, ACC, IFG, and insula in trials that required cognitive control compared to the control group, despite no differences in performance on behavioral measures of executive function. No significant differences in brain activation or in task performance were found between the music and sports groups. The results suggest that systematic extracurricular training, particularly music-based training, is associated with changes in the cognitive control network in the brain even in the absence of changes in behavioral performance. PMID:29084283

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for body dysmorphic disorder: a review of its efficacy

PubMed Central

Prazeres, Angélica M; Nascimento, Antônio L; Fontenelle, Leonardo F

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to review the efficacy of different methods of cognitive and/or behavioral therapies used to treat body dysmorphic disorder. We evaluated all case series, open studies, controlled trials, and meta-analyses of cognitive and/or behavioral treatment approaches to body dysmorphic disorder published up to July 2012, identified through a search in the PubMed/Medline, PsycINFO, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus databases. Our findings indicate that individual and group cognitive behavioral therapies are superior to waiting list for the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder. While the efficacy of cognitive therapy is supported by one controlled trial, utility of behavioral therapy is suggested by one open study and one controlled relapse prevention follow-up study. There is a pressing need to conduct head-to-head studies, with appropriate, active, control treatment groups, in order to examine further the efficacy of cognitive and/or behavioral therapies for body dysmorphic disorder. PMID:23467711

Effects of online cognitive treatment for problematic anger: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Howie, Amanda J; Malouff, John M

2014-01-01

Problematic anger, which is common, has been associated with a wide range of negative interpersonal and intrapersonal consequences, including violent behaviour, relationship damage, health problems and low self-esteem. This article reports the results of the first randomized controlled trial of brief online cognitive treatment for anger. The sample included 75 adults who were randomly assigned to cognitive treatment or a waiting list control. The analyses with the 59 participants who completed the post-intervention assessment at four weeks after the beginning of the intervention showed that individuals who received the intervention reported significantly lower anger levels than the control group at post-assessment. The treatment group showed a substantial decrease in anger from pre to post. The results suggest that brief online cognitive treatment can be effective for reducing problematic anger in adults. These findings provide an initial support for the development of internet-based cognitive treatment for problematic anger.

Aerobic Physical Exercise Improved the Cognitive Function of Elderly Males but Did Not Modify Their Blood Homocysteine Levels

PubMed Central

Antunes, Hanna Karen M.; De Mello, Marco Túlio; de Aquino Lemos, Valdir; Santos-Galduróz, Ruth Ferreira; Camargo Galdieri, Luciano; Amodeo Bueno, Orlando Francisco; Tufik, Sergio; D'Almeida, Vânia

2015-01-01

Background Physical exercise influences homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations, cognitive function and the metabolic profile. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of regular physical exercise on Hcy levels, the metabolic profile and cognitive function in healthy elderly males before and after an endurance exercise program. Methods Forty-five healthy and sedentary volunteers were randomized into 2 groups: (1) a control group asked not to change their normal everyday activities and not to start any regular physical exercise program and (2) an experimental group trained at a heart rate intensity corresponding to ventilatory threshold 1 (VT-1) for 60 min/day 3 times weekly on alternate days for 6 months using a cycle ergometer. All volunteers underwent cognitive evaluations, blood sample analyses and ergospirometric assessments. Results A significant improvement in cognitive function was observed in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). No significant changes in Hcy levels were observed in the experimental group (p > 0.05), but there was a significant increase in peak oxygen consumption and workload at VT-1 as well as a significant improvement in cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, urea, T3, T4 and prostate-specific antigen compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion The data suggest that a physical exercise program does not reduce Hcy levels in healthy elderly males, although it improves the cardiovascular and metabolic profile as well as cognitive function. PMID:25759715

A Randomized Controlled ERP Study on the Effects of Multi-Domain Cognitive Training and Task Difficulty on Task Switching Performance in Older Adults.

PubMed

Küper, Kristina; Gajewski, Patrick D; Frieg, Claudia; Falkenstein, Michael

2017-01-01

Executive functions are subject to a marked age-related decline, but have been shown to benefit from cognitive training interventions. As of yet, it is, however, still relatively unclear which neural mechanism can mediate training-related performance gains. In the present electrophysiological study, we examined the effects of multi-domain cognitive training on performance in an untrained cue-based task switch paradigm featuring Stroop color words: participants either had to indicate the word meaning of Stroop stimuli (word task) or perform the more difficult task of color naming (color task). One-hundred and three older adults (>65 years old) were randomly assigned to a training group receiving a 4-month multi-domain cognitive training, a passive no-contact control group or an active (social) control group receiving a 4-month relaxation training. For all groups, we recorded performance and EEG measures before and after the intervention. For the cognitive training group, but not for the two control groups, we observed an increase in response accuracy at posttest, irrespective of task and trial type. No training-related effects on reaction times were found. Cognitive training was also associated with an overall increase in N2 amplitude and a decrease of P2 latency on single trials. Training-related performance gains were thus likely mediated by an enhancement of response selection and improved access to relevant stimulus-response mappings. Additionally, cognitive training was associated with an amplitude decrease in the time window of the target-locked P3 at fronto-central electrodes. An increase in the switch positivity during advance task preparation emerged after both cognitive and relaxation training. Training-related behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) effects were not modulated by task difficulty. The data suggest that cognitive training increased slow negative potentials during target processing which enhanced the N2 and reduced a subsequent P3-like component on both switch and non-switch trials and irrespective of task difficulty. Our findings further corroborate the effectiveness of multi-domain cognitive training in older adults and indicate that ERPs can be instrumental in uncovering the neural processes underlying training-related performance gains.

Exploring the cognitive features in children with autism spectrum disorder, their co-twins, and typically developing children within a population-based sample.

PubMed

Brunsdon, Victoria E A; Colvert, Emma; Ames, Catherine; Garnett, Tracy; Gillan, Nicola; Hallett, Victoria; Lietz, Stephanie; Woodhouse, Emma; Bolton, Patrick; Happé, Francesca

2015-08-01

The behavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are thought to reflect underlying cognitive deficits/differences. The findings in the literature are somewhat mixed regarding the cognitive features of ASD. This study attempted to address this issue by investigating a range of cognitive deficits and the prevalence of multiple cognitive atypicalities in a large population-based sample comprising children with ASD, their unaffected co-twins, and typically developing comparison children. Participants included families from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) where one or both children met diagnostic criteria for ASD. Overall, 181 adolescents with a diagnosis of ASD and 73 unaffected co-twins were included, plus an additional 160 comparison control participants. An extensive cognitive battery was administered to measure IQ, central coherence, executive function, and theory of mind ability. Differences between groups (ASD, co-twin, control) are reported on tasks assessing theory of mind, executive function, and central coherence. The ASD group performed atypically in significantly more cognitive tasks than the unaffected co-twin and control groups. Nearly a third of the ASD group presented with multiple cognitive atypicalities. Multiple cognitive atypicalities appear to be a characteristic, but not universal feature, of ASD. Further work is needed to investigate whether specific cognitive atypicalities, either alone or together, are related to specific behaviours characteristic of ASD. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The effect of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) on cognitive function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): a prospective study

PubMed Central

Newsom-Davis, I; Lyall, R; Leigh, P; Moxham, J; Goldstein, L

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—Neuropsychological investigations have shown a degree of cognitive dysfunction in a proportion of non-demented patients with ALS. Respiratory muscle weakness in ALS can lead to nocturnal hypoventilation, resulting in sleep disturbance and daytime somnolence. Sleep deprivation of this type may cause impairments in cognitive function, but this has not been formally evaluated in ALS.
METHODS—Cognitive functioning was evaluated in nine patients with ALS with sleep disturbance caused by nocturnal hypoventilation (NIPPV group), and in a comparison group of 10 similar patients without ventilation problems (control group). The NIPPV group then started non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) at night. After about 6 weeks, change in cognitive function was evaluated.
RESULTS—Statistically significant improvement in scores on two of the seven cognitive tests was demonstrated in the NIPPV group postventilation, and a trend towards significant improvement was found for two further tests. Scores in the control group did not improve significantly for these four tests, although an improvement was found on one other test.
CONCLUSIONS—Nocturnal hypoventilation and sleep disturbance may cause cognitive dysfunction in ALS. These deficits may be partially improved by NIPPV over a 6 week period. This has important implications for investigations of both cognitive dysfunction in non-demented patients with ALS, and the effect of ventilation on quality of life.

 PMID:11561031

Randomized trial of the effects of cholesterol-lowering dietary treatment on psychological function.

PubMed

Wardle, J; Rogers, P; Judd, P; Taylor, M A; Rapoport, L; Green, M; Nicholson Perry, K

2000-05-01

Epidemiological studies have suggested that cholesterol lowering could affect psychological functioning. This study was designed to test whether cholesterol-lowering diets adversely affect mood and cognitive function.5.2 mM [198 mg/dL]) to either a low-fat diet, a Mediterranean diet, or a waiting-list control. Cholesterol levels, psychological well-being (depression, anxiety, hostility), and cognitive function were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Total serum cholesterol levels fell significantly more in the intervention groups (8.2% reduction) than in the control group (P <0.001). All three groups showed a modest improvement in psychological well-being during the 12-week treatment period, but there were no differences among the groups. There were no between-group differences on three measures of cognitive function, but for a fourth measure, which involved the task with the greatest processing load, the two intervention groups did significantly worse (P <0.001) than the control group. The change in performance was correlated with the change in total serum cholesterol level (r = 0. 21, P = 0.01). Two dietary interventions that successfully lowered serum cholesterol levels had no adverse effect on mood. There was some evidence for a relative impairment in cognitive function in the treated groups in one of four cognitive tests, but additional studies will be required to determine the relevance of this finding.

Verbal short-term memory in individuals with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion: specific deficit in serial order retention capacities?

PubMed

Majerus, Steve; Van der Linden, Martial; Braissand, Vérane; Eliez, Stephan

2007-03-01

Many researchers have recently explored the cognitive profile of velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS), a neurodevelopmental disorder linked to a 22q11.2 deletion. However, verbal short-term memory has not yet been systematically investigated. We explored verbal short-term memory abilities in a group of 11 children and adults presenting with VCFS and two control groups, matched on either CA or vocabulary knowledge, by distinguishing short-term memory for serial order and item information. The VCFS group showed impaired performance on the serial order short-term memory tasks compared to both control groups. Relative to the vocabulary-matched control group, item short-term memory was preserved. The implication of serial order short-term memory deficits on other aspects of cognitive development in VCFS (e.g., language development, numerical cognition) is discussed.

Long-term follow-up effects of the HomeStyles randomized controlled trial in families with preschool children on social cognitive theory constructs associated with physical activity cognitions and behaviors.

PubMed

Quick, Virginia; Martin-Biggers, Jennifer; Povis, Gayle Alleman; Worobey, John; Hongu, Nobuko; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

2018-05-01

This study examined long-term follow-up effects of participation in the HomeStyles RCT, using Social Cognitive Theory constructs, on physical activity cognitions, home environment, and lifestyle behavioral practices of families with preschool children (ages 2 to 5 years). Parents were systematically randomized to experimental or attention control group at baseline. Those completing all surveys that comprised of valid, reliable measures were the analytic sample (n = 61 experimental, n = 63 control; mean age 32.8 ± 5.9SD years). Repeated measures ANCOVA, controlling for prognostic variables (e.g., parent sex) revealed that variables assessing modeling of physical activity for children increased significantly (P ≤ .01) in both groups with no significant time by group effects. Paired t-tests indicated the experimental group's self-efficacy for keeping children's weight healthy and performing health promoting behaviors increased significantly over time whereas the control group did not but with no significant time by group effects. Self-regulation paired t-test findings indicated that total screentime the experimental group allowed children decreased significantly over time with no significant time by group effect. The value parents placed on physical activity for children increased over time in both groups with a significant time effect. The experimental group over time had significantly greater increases in the availability of physical activity space and supports inside the home than the control group. Improvements noted have the potential to help protect children and parents from excess weight gain, yet findings indicate considerable opportunity for continued improvement as well as elucidation of factors affecting concomitant changes in both study groups. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection of Subtle Cognitive Changes after mTBI Using a Novel Tablet-Based Task.

PubMed

Fischer, Tara D; Red, Stuart D; Chuang, Alice Z; Jones, Elizabeth B; McCarthy, James J; Patel, Saumil S; Sereno, Anne B

2016-07-01

This study examined the potential for novel tablet-based tasks, modeled after eye tracking techniques, to detect subtle sensorimotor and cognitive deficits after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Specifically, we examined whether performance on these tablet-based tasks (Pro-point and Anti-point) was able to correctly categorize concussed versus non-concussed participants, compared with performance on other standardized tests for concussion. Patients admitted to the emergency department with mTBI were tested on the Pro-point and Anti-point tasks, a current standard cognitive screening test (i.e., the Standard Assessment of Concussion [SAC]), and another eye movement-based tablet test, the King-Devick(®) (KD). Within hours after injury, mTBI patients showed significant slowing in response times, compared with both orthopedic and age-matched control groups, in the Pro-point task, demonstrating deficits in sensorimotor function. Mild TBI patients also showed significant slowing, compared with both control groups, on the Anti-point task, even when controlling for sensorimotor slowing, indicating deficits in cognitive function. Performance on the SAC test revealed similar deficits of cognitive function in the mTBI group, compared with the age-matched control group; however, the KD test showed no evidence of cognitive slowing in mTBI patients, compared with either control group. Further, measuring the sensitivity and specificity of these tasks to accurately predict mTBI with receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that the Anti-point and Pro-point tasks reached excellent levels of accuracy and fared better than current standardized tools for assessment of concussion. Our findings suggest that these rapid tablet-based tasks are able to reliably detect and measure functional impairment in cognitive and sensorimotor control within hours after mTBI. These tasks may provide a more sensitive diagnostic measure for functional deficits that could prove key to earlier detection of concussion, evaluation of interventions, or even prediction of persistent symptoms.

Detection of Subtle Cognitive Changes after mTBI Using a Novel Tablet-Based Task

PubMed Central

Red, Stuart D.; Chuang, Alice Z.; Jones, Elizabeth B.; McCarthy, James J.; Patel, Saumil S.; Sereno, Anne B.

2016-01-01

Abstract This study examined the potential for novel tablet-based tasks, modeled after eye tracking techniques, to detect subtle sensorimotor and cognitive deficits after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Specifically, we examined whether performance on these tablet-based tasks (Pro-point and Anti-point) was able to correctly categorize concussed versus non-concussed participants, compared with performance on other standardized tests for concussion. Patients admitted to the emergency department with mTBI were tested on the Pro-point and Anti-point tasks, a current standard cognitive screening test (i.e., the Standard Assessment of Concussion [SAC]), and another eye movement–based tablet test, the King-Devick® (KD). Within hours after injury, mTBI patients showed significant slowing in response times, compared with both orthopedic and age-matched control groups, in the Pro-point task, demonstrating deficits in sensorimotor function. Mild TBI patients also showed significant slowing, compared with both control groups, on the Anti-point task, even when controlling for sensorimotor slowing, indicating deficits in cognitive function. Performance on the SAC test revealed similar deficits of cognitive function in the mTBI group, compared with the age-matched control group; however, the KD test showed no evidence of cognitive slowing in mTBI patients, compared with either control group. Further, measuring the sensitivity and specificity of these tasks to accurately predict mTBI with receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that the Anti-point and Pro-point tasks reached excellent levels of accuracy and fared better than current standardized tools for assessment of concussion. Our findings suggest that these rapid tablet-based tasks are able to reliably detect and measure functional impairment in cognitive and sensorimotor control within hours after mTBI. These tasks may provide a more sensitive diagnostic measure for functional deficits that could prove key to earlier detection of concussion, evaluation of interventions, or even prediction of persistent symptoms. PMID:26398492

Working memory span in mild cognitive impairment. Influence of processing speed and cognitive reserve.

PubMed

Facal, David; Juncos-Rabadán, Onésimo; Pereiro, Arturo X; Lojo-Seoane, Cristina

2014-04-01

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) often includes episodic memory impairment, but can also involve other types of cognitive decline. Although previous studies have shown poorer performance of MCI patients in working memory (WM) span tasks, different MCI subgroups were not studied. In the present exploratory study, 145 participants underwent extensive cognitive evaluation, which included three different WM span tasks, and were classified into the following groups: multiple-domain amnestic MCI (mda-MCI), single-domain amnestic MCI (sda-MCI), and controls. General linear model was conducted by considering the WM span tasks as the within-subject factor; the group (mda-MCI, sda-MCI, and controls) as the inter-subject factor; and processing speed, vocabulary and age as covariates. Multiple linear regression models were also used to test the influence of processing speed, vocabulary, and other cognitive reserve (CR) proxies. Results indicate different levels of impairment of WM, with more severe impairment in mda-MCI patients. The differences were still present when processing resources and CR were controlled. Between-group differences can be understood as a manifestation of the greater severity and widespread memory impairment in mda-MCI patients and may contribute to a better understanding of continuum from normal controls to mda-MCI patients. Processing speed and CR have a limited influence on WM scores, reducing but not removing differences between groups.

Effects of oral iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex supplementation on hemoglobin increase, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance of adolescents with varying iron status: a single centre prospective placebo controlled study.

PubMed

Devaki, Pallaki Baby; Chandra, Ranjit K; Geisser, Peter

2009-01-01

To assess the effects of iron supplementation on iron status, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance in adolescents with varying iron status. Adolescents of both sexes with varying iron status were allocated to four treatment groups by using inclusion criteria. Three of the four groups (iron deficient anemic, iron deficient and control supplement) received iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex (IPC, Maltofer) containing 100 mg of elemental iron 6 days a week for 8 months, while the fourth group (control placebo) was given a placebo. Hematological parameters, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance were assessed at baseline, 4 months and 8 months of supplementation. Cognitive and scholastic performance test scores for the three supplemented groups increased from baseline to 4 months and from 4 months to 8 months (with concomitant increases in hematological parameters), whereas no increase was observed in the placebo group. No increase was seen in affective behavior scores for any of the groups during or after supplementation. IPC supplementation for eight months yielded significant improvements in cognitive function and scholastic performance in Indian adolescents with and without iron deficiency and anemia.

Involuntary autobiographical memories are relatively more often reported during high cognitive load tasks.

PubMed

Barzykowski, Krystian; Niedźwieńska, Agnieszka

2018-01-01

Recent studies on involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) in daily life have shown that they are most frequently reported during daily routines (e.g. while ironing). Such studies have suggested that reporting IAMs may be influenced by the level of the ongoing task demands and availability of cognitive resources. In two studies, we investigated the effects of cognitive load on reporting IAMs. To examine the presumed cognitive load dependency of IAMs, we utilised an often-employed experimental paradigm (Schlagman & Kvavilashvili, 2008) to elicit IAMs under conditions that differed in cognitive load. When performing a vigilance task, participants had to interrupt the task each time they experienced any spontaneous mental contents and write them down. We manipulated the level of cognitive load by either instructing (cognitive load group) or not instructing (control group) participants to perform an additional demanding task. We compared the groups on the number of IAMs and other mental contents (non-IAM contents) recorded, as well as on the frequency of IAMs that was calculated as a proportion of IAMs in all mental contents reported by the participant. We expected that if reporting IAMs depends on the level of cognitive demands, then we should observe lower frequency of IAMs in the cognitive load group compared to the control group. Consistently across studies, we observed a lower number of IAMs and non-IAM contents in the cognitive load group. However, IAMs unexpectedly constituted a higher percentage of all mental contents when participants were cognitively loaded. Further implications of the cognitive load effects for IAMs research and experimental methodology are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Cognitive impairment in earthquake brain injury treated with comprehensive program of acupuncture and rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial].

PubMed

Zhou, Jian-Wei; Zhang, An-Ren; Qiu, Ling; Huang, Shu; Wang, Wen-Chun; Hu, Yong-He; Zhang, Zhao; Xie, Hui-Jun; Zhao, Jing-Jing; Zhai, Jia-Li; Jiang, Yue; Tian, Tian; Liu, Di; Zheng, Xu; Wang, Min

2014-02-01

To explore the comprehensive program of integrated Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of cognitive impairment in earthquake brain injury. The multi-central randomized controlled trial was adopted. The qualified subjects were randomized into an acupuncture + rehabilitation group (38 cases) and a rehabilitation group (35 cases). In the acupuncture + rehabilitation group, acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and cognitive rehabilitation training were combined as the comprehensive program of integrated Chinese and western medicine in the treatment. In the rehabilitation group, HBO and cognitive rehabilitation training were adopted. The efficacy and safety were assessed. (1) After treatment of 2 months, the intelligent state, cognitive function and activity of daily life of patients were improved in the both groups (all P < 0.01). (2) After treatment of 2 months, the score of MMSE and the score of activity of daily life were (24.11 +/- 4.08) and (75.45 +/- 13.95) in the acupuncture + rehabilitation group, which were more significant as compared with (17.05 +/- 43.84), (66.06 +/- 12.75) in the rehabilitation group, respectively (both P < 0.01). In 6-month follow-up visit after treatment, the cognitive function and activity of daily life were improved continuously in the acupuncture + rehabilitation group, which was more significant as compared with the rehabilitation group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The integrated Chinese and western medicine of acupuncture, HBO and cognitive rehabilitation training is safe and effective in the treatment of cognitive impairment in earthquake brain injury. The therapeutic effect is more advantageous as compared with the simple rehabilitation program of western medicine.

Development and Standardization of a New Cognitive Assessment Test Battery for Chinese Aphasic Patients: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Wu, Ji-Bao; Lyu, Zhi-Hong; Liu, Xiao-Jia; Li, Hai-Peng; Wang, Qi

2017-10-05

Nonlinguistic cognitive impairment has become an important issue for aphasic patients, but currently there are few neuropsychological cognitive assessment tests for it. To get more information on cognitive impairment of aphasic patients, this study aimed to develop a new cognitive assessment test battery for aphasic patients, the Non-language-based Cognitive Assessment (NLCA), and evaluate its utility in Chinese-speaking patients with aphasia. The NLCA consists of five nonverbal tests, which could assess five nonlinguistic cognitive domains such as visuospatial functions, attention test, memory, reasoning, and executive functions of aphasic patients. All tests are modified from the nonverbal items of the current existed tests with some changes to the characteristics of Chinese culture. The NLCA was tested in 157 participants (including 57 aphasic patients, 50 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, and 50 normal controls), and was compared with other well-established relative neuropsychological tests on the reliability, validity, and utility. The NLCA was fully applicable in the MCI patients and the normal controls, almost working in the aphasic patients (57/62 patients, 91.9%). The NLCA scores were 66.70 ± 6.30, 48.67 ± 15.04, and 77.58 ± 2.56 for the MCI group, the aphasic group, and the control group, respectively , and a significant difference was found among three groups (F = 118.446, P < 0.001). The Cronbach's alpha of the NLCA as an index of internal consistency was 0.805, and the test-retest and interrater reliability was adequate (r=0.977 and r= 0.970, respectively). The correlations of the cognitive subtests and their validation instruments were between 0.540 and 0.670 (all P < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analysis indicated that the coefficient of internal consistency of each subtest itself was higher than other subtests. When choosing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of <26 as the diagnostic criteria of cognitive impairment, the area under the curve for all participants in the control and MCI groups was 0.942 (95% confidence interval: 0.895-0.989), and an optimal cutoff point of 75.00 seemed to provide the best balance between sensitivity and specificity. Age (r = -0.406, P < 0.001) was the main influence factor for the NLCA. The NLCA could efficiently differentiate the cognitive impairment patients from the normal controls and is a reliable and valid cognitive assessment test battery to specially find nonlinguistic cognitive function for aphasic patients.

[Cognitive disturbances observed in chronic hepatitis C patients during pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin therapy].

PubMed

Pawełczyk, Tomasz; Pawełczyk, Agnieszka; Białkowska, Jolanta; Jabłkowski, Maciej; Strzelecki, Dominik; Dworniak, Daniela; Rabe-Jabłońska, Jolanta

2008-01-01

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with peg-interferon alpha and ribavirin (peg-IFNalpha/RBV) complain of irritability, attention and memory disturbances which may indicate cognitive impairment associated with treatment. Assessment of the probable connection between peg-IFNalpha/RBV treatment and the development of cognitive disturbances in CHC patients. 47 CHC patients were divided into two groups: experimental (n=26) and control (n=21). The experimental group patients were given peg-IFNalpha2a (n=18) or peg-IFNalpha2b (n=8) plus RBV in standard doses as recommended by the manufacturers. Control group patients did not receive the above treatment. Both groups underwent a neuropsychological examination consisting of R. Brickenkamp d2 test, Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Hooper Visual Organization Test at the beginning (t=0) and after 12 weeks of treatment or observation (t=1). The experimental group patients showed significant deterioration in all the measured cognitive functions in t=1 comparing to t=0. Cognitive decline was not seen in the control group. The observed cognitive performance changes could not be correlated sufficiently enough with the presence of organic affective disorders diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria. The findings suggest that peg-IFNalpha/RBV therapy of CHC patients is connected with the deterioration in cognitive functioning including attention, auditory verbal memory and visuo-spatial skills. These changes may be the effect of peg-IFNalpha-induced neurotransmission abnormalities in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus and parieto-orbital cortical regions and can impair patients' ability to drive a motor vehicle, operate machinery, or their engagement in hazardous activities requiring attention and coordination. Medical professionals should thoroughly inform patients about the possibility of cognitive decline associated with peg-IFNalpha/RBV therapy.

Ground Kayak Paddling Exercise Improves Postural Balance, Muscle Performance, and Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Choi, Wonjae; Lee, Seungwon

2018-06-10

BACKGROUND Kayaking is an interesting and posturally challenging activity; however, kayaking may be limited by safety issues in older adults. The aim of this study was to determine whether ground kayak paddling (GKP) exercise can improve postural balance, muscle performance, and cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty participants were randomly allocated to a GKP group (n=30; mean age, 74 years) or a control group (n=30; mean age, 74 years). GKP exercise consisted 5 types of exercise protocols, including paddling and multi-directional reaching with repetitive trunk and upper-extremities movements, which was performed for 60 min twice a week for 6 weeks. The outcome measures included the Timed Up and Go Test, the Functional Reach Test, the Berg Balance Scale, the Arm Curl Test, handgrip strength, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. RESULTS In this study, adherence to the regimen was 96% in the GKP group. Postural balance, muscle performance, and cognitive function were significantly improved after intervention (p<0.05), and all the values in the GKP group, except for the Berg Balance Scale scores, were significantly decreased or increased compared to the control group. Differences between the 2 groups were Timed Up and Go Test -0.74 s; Functional Reach Test +7.20 cm; Arm Curl Test +5.56 repetitions; right handgrip strength +3.57 kg; left handgrip strength +3.08 kg; and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, +3.46 score (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS GKP exercise improves the physical and psychological ability of older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

The Beneficial Effects of Cognitive Training With Simple Calculation and Reading Aloud (SCRA) in the Elderly Postoperative Population: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kulason, Kay; Nouchi, Rui; Hoshikawa, Yasushi; Noda, Masafumi; Okada, Yoshinori; Kawashima, Ryuta

2018-01-01

Background: There has been little research conducted regarding cognitive treatments for the elderly postsurgical population. Patients aged ≥60 years have an increased risk of postoperative cognitive decline, a condition in which cognitive functions are negatively affected. This cognitive decline can lead to a decline in quality of life. In order to maintain a high quality of life, the elderly postsurgical population may benefit from treatment to maintain and/or improve their cognitive functions. This pilot study investigates the effect of simple calculation and reading aloud (SCRA) cognitive training in elderly Japanese postsurgical patients. Methods: Elderly patients undergoing non-cardiovascular thoracic surgery under general anesthesia were recruited ( n = 12). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups-one that receives 12 weeks of SCRA intervention, and a waitlisted control group. Before and after the intervention, we measured cognitive function [Mini-Mental Status Exam-Japanese (MMSE-J), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), computerized Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB)] and emotional state [General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Quality of Life Scale-5 (QOL-5)]. Results: Group difference analyses using ANCOVA with permutation test showed that the intervention SCRA group had a significant improvement in FAB motor programming sub-score, GDS, and QOL-5 compared to the control group. Within-group analyses using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare baseline and follow-up showed that the SCRA intervention group total FAB scores, FAB motor programming sub-scores, and QOL-5 scores were significantly improved. Discussion: This pilot study showed that there are important implications for the beneficial effects of SCRA intervention on cognitive function and emotional state in the postoperative elderly population; however, further investigations are necessary to reach any conclusions. Trial registration: This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000019832).

The effect of cognitive-motor dual-task training on cognitive function and plasma amyloid β peptide 42/40 ratio in healthy elderly persons: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Hisayo; Okazaki, Kazunobu; Imai, Daiki; Yamashina, Yoshihiro; Takeda, Ryosuke; Naghavi, Nooshin; Ota, Akemi; Hirasawa, Yoshikazu; Miyagawa, Toshiaki

2015-05-28

Physical activity reduces the incidence and progression of cognitive impairment. Cognitive-motor dual-task training, which requires dividing attention between cognitive tasks and exercise, may improve various cognitive domains; therefore, we examined the effect of dual-task training on the executive functions and on plasma amyloid β peptide (Aβ) 42/40 ratio, a potent biomarker of Alzheimer's disease, in healthy elderly people. Twenty-seven sedentary elderly people participated in a 12-week randomized, controlled trial. The subjects assigned to the dual-task training (DT) group underwent a specific cognitive-motor dual-task training, and then the clinical outcomes, including cognitive functions by the Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) examination and the Trail-Making Test (TMT), and the plasma Aβ 42/40 ratio following the intervention were compared with those of the control single-task training (ST) group by unpaired t-test. Among 27 participants, 25 completed the study. The total scores in the 3MS examination as well as the muscular strength of quadriceps were equally improved in both groups after the training. The specific cognitive domains, "registration & recall", "attention", "verbal fluency & understanding", and "visuospatial skills" were significantly improved only in the DT group. Higher scores in "attention", "verbal fluency & understanding", and "similarities" were found in the DT group than in the ST group at post-intervention. The absolute changes in the total (8.5 ± 1.6 vs 2.4 ± 0.9, p = 0.004, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.75-3.39) and in the scores of "attention" (1.9 ± 0.5 vs -0.2 ± 0.4, p = 0.004, 95 % CI 2.25-9.98) were greater in the DT group than in the ST group. We found no changes in the TMT results in either group. Plasma Aβ 42/40 ratio decreased in both groups following the training (ST group: 0.63 ± 0.13 to 0.16 ± 0.03, p = 0.001; DT group: 0.60 ± 0.12 to 0.25 ± 0.06, p = 0.044), although the pre- and post-intervention values were not different between the groups for either measure. Cognitive-motor dual-task training was more beneficial than single-task training alone in improving broader domains of cognitive functions of elderly persons, and the improvement was not directly due to modulating Aβ metabolism.

Cannabis Abstinence During Treatment and One-Year Follow-Up: Relationship to Neural Activity in Men

PubMed Central

Kober, Hedy; DeVito, Elise E; DeLeone, Cameron M; Carroll, Kathleen M; Potenza, Marc N

2014-01-01

Cannabis is among the most frequently abused substances in the United States. Cognitive control is a contributory factor in the maintenance of substance-use disorders and may relate to treatment response. Therefore, we assessed whether cognitive-control-related neural activity before treatment differs between treatment-seeking cannabis-dependent and healthy individuals and relates to cannabis-abstinence measures during treatment and 1-year follow-up. Cannabis-dependent males (N=20) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) cognitive-control (Stroop) task before a 12-week randomized controlled trial of cognitive–behavioral therapy and/or contingency management. A healthy-comparison group (N=20) also completed the fMRI task. Cannabis use was assessed by urine toxicology and self-report during treatment, and by self-report across a 1-year follow-up period (N=18). The cannabis-dependent group displayed diminished Stroop-related neural activity relative to the healthy-comparison group in multiple regions, including those strongly implicated in cognitive-control and addiction-related processes (eg, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum). The groups did not differ significantly in response times (cannabis-dependent, N=12; healthy-comparison, N=14). Within the cannabis-dependent group, greater Stroop-related activity in regions including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was associated with less cannabis use during treatment. Greater activity in regions including the ventral striatum was associated with less cannabis use during 1-year posttreatment follow-up. These data suggest that lower cognitive-control-related neural activity in classic ‘control' regions (eg, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate) and classic ‘salience/reward/learning' regions (eg, ventral striatum) differentiates cannabis-dependent individuals from healthy individuals and relates to less abstinence within-treatment and during long-term follow-up. Clinically, results suggest that treatment development efforts that focus on enhancing cognitive control in addition to abstinence may improve treatment outcomes in cannabis dependence. PMID:24705568

Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment on Quality of Life in Panic Disorder Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telch, Michael J.; And Others

1995-01-01

Patients (n=156) meeting criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia were randomly assigned to group cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) or a delayed-treatment control. Compared with the control group, CBT-treated patients showed significant reductions in impairment that were maintained at follow-up. Anxiety and phobic avoidance were…

Affective and cognitive reactivity to mood induction in chronic depression.

PubMed

Guhn, Anne; Sterzer, Philipp; Haack, Friderike H; Köhler, Stephan

2018-03-15

Chronic depression (CD) is strongly associated with childhood maltreatment, which has been proposed to lead to inefficient coping styles that are characterized by abnormal affective responsiveness and dysfunctional cognitive attitudes. However, while this notion forms an important basis for psychotherapeutic strategies in the treatment of CD, there is still little direct empirical evidence for a role of altered affective and cognitive reactivity in CD. The present study therefore experimentally investigated affective and cognitive reactivity to two forms of negative mood induction in CD patients versus a healthy control sample (HC). For the general mood induction procedure, a combination of sad pictures and sad music was used, while for individualized mood induction, negative mood was induced by individualized scripts with autobiographical content. Both experiments included n = 15 CD patients versus n = 15 HC, respectively. Interactions between affective or cognitive reactivity and group were analyzed by repeated measurements ANOVAs. General mood induction neither revealed affective nor cognitive reactivity in the patient group while the control group reported the expected decrease of positive affect [interaction (IA) affective reactivity x group: p = .011, cognitive reactivity x group: n.s.]. In contrast, individualized mood induction specifically increased affective reactivity (IA: p = .037) as well as the amount of dysfunctional cognitions in patients versus controls (IA: p = .014). The experiments were not balanced in a crossover design, causal conclusions are thus limited. Additionally, the differences to non-chronic forms of depression are still outstanding. The results suggest that in patients with CD, specific emotional activation through autobiographical memories is a key factor in dysfunctional coping styles. Psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at modifying affective and cognitive reactivity are thus of high relevance in the treatment of CD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The characteristics of patients with uncertain/mild cognitive impairment on the Alzheimer disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale.

PubMed

Pyo, Geunyeong; Elble, Rodger J; Ala, Thomas; Markwell, Stephen J

2006-01-01

The performances of the uncertain/mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients on the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) subscale were compared with those of normal controls, Alzheimer disease patients with CDR 0.5, and Alzheimer disease patients with CDR 1.0. The Uncertain/MCI group was significantly different from normal controls and Alzheimer disease CDR 0.5 or 1.0 groups on the ADAS-Cog except on a few non-memory subtests. Age was significantly correlated with total error score in the normal group, but there was no significant correlation between age and ADAS-Cog scores in the patient groups. Education was not significantly correlated with the ADAS-Cog scores in any group. Regardless of age and educational level, there were clear differences between the normal group and the Uncertain/MCI group, especially on the total error scores. We found that the total error score of the ADAS-Cog was the most reliable variable in detecting patients with mild cognitive impairment. The present study demonstrated that the ADAS-Cog is a promising tool for detecting and studying patients with mild cognitive impairment. The results also indicated that demographic variables such as age and education do not play a significant role in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impaired patients based on the ADAS-Cog scores.

Beneficial effects of reading aloud and solving simple arithmetic calculations (learning therapy) on a wide range of cognitive functions in the healthy elderly: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Almost all cognitive functions decline with age. Results of previous studies have shown that cognitive training related to everyday life (reading aloud and solving simple arithmetic calculations), namely learning therapy, can improve two cognitive function (executive functions and processing speed) in elderly people. However, it remains unclear whether learning therapy engenders improvement of various cognitive functions or not. We investigate the impact of learning therapy on various cognitive functions (executive functions, episodic memory, short-term memory, working memory, attention, reading ability, and processing speed) in healthy older adults. Methods We use a single-blinded intervention with two parallel groups (a learning therapy group and a waiting list control group). Testers are blind to the study hypothesis and the group membership of participants. Through an advertisement in local newspaper, 64 healthy older adults are recruited. They will be assigned randomly to a learning therapy group or a waiting list control group. In the learning therapy group, participants are required to perform two cognitive tasks for 6 months: reading Japanese aloud and solving simple calculations. The waiting list group does not participate in the intervention. The primary outcome measure is the Stroop test score: a measure of executive function. Secondary outcome measures are assessments including the following: verbal fluency task, logical memory, first and second names, digit span forward, digit span backward, Japanese reading test, digit cancellation task, digit symbol coding, and symbol search. We assess these outcome measures before and after the intervention. Discussion This report is the first study which investigates the beneficial effects of learning therapy on a wide range of cognitive functions of elderly people. Our study provides sufficient evidence of learning therapy effectiveness. Most cognitive functions, which are correlated strongly with daily life activities, decrease with age. These study results can elucidate effects of cognitive training on elderly people. Trial registration This trial was registered in The University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (No. UMIN000006998). PMID:22483196

Beneficial effects of reading aloud and solving simple arithmetic calculations (learning therapy) on a wide range of cognitive functions in the healthy elderly: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Nozawa, Takayuki; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2012-04-06

Almost all cognitive functions decline with age. Results of previous studies have shown that cognitive training related to everyday life (reading aloud and solving simple arithmetic calculations), namely learning therapy, can improve two cognitive function (executive functions and processing speed) in elderly people. However, it remains unclear whether learning therapy engenders improvement of various cognitive functions or not. We investigate the impact of learning therapy on various cognitive functions (executive functions, episodic memory, short-term memory, working memory, attention, reading ability, and processing speed) in healthy older adults. We use a single-blinded intervention with two parallel groups (a learning therapy group and a waiting list control group). Testers are blind to the study hypothesis and the group membership of participants. Through an advertisement in local newspaper, 64 healthy older adults are recruited. They will be assigned randomly to a learning therapy group or a waiting list control group. In the learning therapy group, participants are required to perform two cognitive tasks for 6 months: reading Japanese aloud and solving simple calculations. The waiting list group does not participate in the intervention. The primary outcome measure is the Stroop test score: a measure of executive function. Secondary outcome measures are assessments including the following: verbal fluency task, logical memory, first and second names, digit span forward, digit span backward, Japanese reading test, digit cancellation task, digit symbol coding, and symbol search. We assess these outcome measures before and after the intervention. This report is the first study which investigates the beneficial effects of learning therapy on a wide range of cognitive functions of elderly people. Our study provides sufficient evidence of learning therapy effectiveness. Most cognitive functions, which are correlated strongly with daily life activities, decrease with age. These study results can elucidate effects of cognitive training on elderly people. This trial was registered in The University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (No. UMIN000006998).

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, ascending-dose, randomized study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and effects on cognition of AL-108 after 12 weeks of intranasal administration in subjects with mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Morimoto, Bruce H; Schmechel, Don; Hirman, Joe; Blackwell, Andrew; Keith, Julian; Gold, Michael

2013-01-01

AL-108-211 was a placebo-controlled, ascending-dose study that explored the safety, tolerability and efficacy of 12 weeks of treatment with AL-108 in subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. A total of 144 subjects were randomized in a 2:1 drug:placebo ratio. Subjects were enrolled into the low-dose group or placebo and then to the high-dose group or placebo. Pooling of the placebo groups yielded 3 groups (approx. 48/group) whose baseline demographics and disease characteristics were well matched. AL-108 was generally safe and well tolerated. Analyses of efficacy data failed to detect a statistically significant difference between the treatment groups on the composite cognitive memory score. Analyses of the individual cognitive tasks identified signals of potential efficacy in 2 tests of memory and attention. These data suggest that AL-108 was generally safe, well tolerated and merits additional investigation as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Impairment of cognitive abilities and decision making after chronic use of alcohol: the impact of multiple detoxifications.

PubMed

Loeber, Sabine; Duka, Theodora; Welzel, Helga; Nakovics, Helmut; Heinz, Andreas; Flor, Herta; Mann, Karl

2009-01-01

In the present study, the effect of previous detoxifications on prefrontal function and decision making was examined in alcohol-dependent patients. Further, we examined whether the length of abstinence affects cognitive function. Forty-eight alcohol-dependent patients were recruited from an inpatient detoxification treatment facility and cognitive function was compared to a control group of 36 healthy controls. The patient population was then divided into a group of patients with less than two previous detoxifications (LO-detox group, n = 27) and a group of patients with two or more previous detoxifications (HI-detox group, n = 21) and cognitive function was compared. In addition, cognitive function of recently (i.e. less than 16 days; median split) and longer abstinent patients was compared. We assessed prefrontal function, memory function and intelligence. Alcoholics, when compared to healthy controls, performed worse with regard to the performance index Attention/Executive function. Cognitive impairment in these tasks was pronounced in recently abstinent patients. We found no significant differences between HI-detox and LO-detox patients with regard to the Attention/Executive function. However, in the IOWA gambling Task, the HI-detox group seemed to be less able to learn to choose cards from the more advantageous decks over time. Our results provide additional evidence for cognitive impairment of alcohol-dependent patients with regard to tasks sensitive to frontal lobe function and underline the importance of abstinence for these impairments to recover. We found only little evidence for the impairing effects of repeated withdrawal on prefrontal function and we suggest that executive function is affected earlier in dependence.

The neuropsychology of male adults with high-functioning autism or asperger syndrome.

PubMed

Wilson, C Ellie; Happé, Francesca; Wheelwright, Sally J; Ecker, Christine; Lombardo, Michael V; Johnston, Patrick; Daly, Eileen; Murphy, Clodagh M; Spain, Debbie; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Sauter, Disa A; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Murphy, Declan G M

2014-10-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is diagnosed on the basis of behavioral symptoms, but cognitive abilities may also be useful in characterizing individuals with ASD. One hundred seventy-eight high-functioning male adults, half with ASD and half without, completed tasks assessing IQ, a broad range of cognitive skills, and autistic and comorbid symptomatology. The aims of the study were, first, to determine whether significant differences existed between cases and controls on cognitive tasks, and whether cognitive profiles, derived using a multivariate classification method with data from multiple cognitive tasks, could distinguish between the two groups. Second, to establish whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of autistic symptom severity, and third, whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of comorbid psychopathology. Fourth, cognitive characteristics of individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared. After controlling for IQ, ASD and control groups scored significantly differently on tasks of social cognition, motor performance, and executive function (P's < 0.05). To investigate cognitive profiles, 12 variables were entered into a support vector machine (SVM), which achieved good classification accuracy (81%) at a level significantly better than chance (P < 0.0001). After correcting for multiple correlations, there were no significant associations between cognitive performance and severity of either autistic or comorbid symptomatology. There were no significant differences between AS and HFA groups on the cognitive tasks. Cognitive classification models could be a useful aid to the diagnostic process when used in conjunction with other data sources-including clinical history. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison between group and personal rehabilitation for dementia in a geriatric health service facility: single-blinded randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Tanaka, Shigeya; Honda, Shin; Nakano, Hajime; Sato, Yuko; Araya, Kazufumi; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of rehabilitation involving group and personal sessions on demented participants. This single-blinded randomized controlled trial included 60 elderly participants with dementia in a geriatric health service facility, or R oken. Staff members, who did not participate in the intervention, examined cognitive function, mood, communication ability, severity of dementia, objective quality of life, vitality, and daily behaviour. After a baseline assessment, participants were randomly divided into three groups: (i) group intervention; (ii) personal intervention; and (iii) control. The 1-h group intervention (3-5 subjects) and 20-min personal intervention (one staff member per participant) were performed twice a week for 12 weeks (24 total sessions). The cognitive rehabilitation programme consisted of reminiscence, reality orientation, and physical exercise, and it was based on five principles of brain-activating rehabilitation; (i) pleasant atmosphere; (ii) communication; (iii) social roles; (iv) praising; and (v) errorless support. Data were analyzed after the second assessment. Outcome measures were analyzed in 43 participants-14 in the control group, 13 in group intervention, and 16 in personal intervention. Repeated measure ancova showed a significant interaction for cognitive function score (Mini-Mental State Examination) between group intervention and controls ( F  = 5.535, P = 0.029). In the post-hoc analysis, group intervention showed significant improvement (P = 0.016). Global severity of dementia tended to improve (P = 0.094) in group intervention compared to control (Mann-Whitney U -test). There were no significant interactions or improvements for other measurements. Group rehabilitation for dementia is more effective for improving cognitive function and global severity of dementia than personal rehabilitation in Roken. © 2016 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

An experimental study on the effects of a simulation game on students' clinical cognitive skills and motivation.

PubMed

Dankbaar, Mary E W; Alsma, Jelmer; Jansen, Els E H; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J G; van Saase, Jan L C M; Schuit, Stephanie C E

2016-08-01

Simulation games are becoming increasingly popular in education, but more insight in their critical design features is needed. This study investigated the effects of fidelity of open patient cases in adjunct to an instructional e-module on students' cognitive skills and motivation. We set up a three-group randomized post-test-only design: a control group working on an e-module; a cases group, combining the e-module with low-fidelity text-based patient cases, and a game group, combining the e-module with a high-fidelity simulation game with the same cases. Participants completed questionnaires on cognitive load and motivation. After a 4-week study period, blinded assessors rated students' cognitive emergency care skills in two mannequin-based scenarios. In total 61 students participated and were assessed; 16 control group students, 20 cases students and 25 game students. Learning time was 2 h longer for the cases and game groups than for the control group. Acquired cognitive skills did not differ between groups. The game group experienced higher intrinsic and germane cognitive load than the cases group (p = 0.03 and 0.01) and felt more engaged (p < 0.001). Students did not profit from working on open cases (in adjunct to an e-module), which nonetheless challenged them to study longer. The e-module appeared to be very effective, while the high-fidelity game, although engaging, probably distracted students and impeded learning. Medical educators designing motivating and effective skills training for novices should align case complexity and fidelity with students' proficiency level. The relation between case-fidelity, motivation and skills development is an important field for further study.

The drive-wise project: driving simulator training increases real driving performance in healthy older drivers

PubMed Central

Casutt, Gianclaudio; Theill, Nathan; Martin, Mike; Keller, Martin; Jäncke, Lutz

2014-01-01

Background: Age-related cognitive decline is often associated with unsafe driving behavior. We hypothesized that 10 active training sessions in a driving simulator increase cognitive and on-road driving performance. In addition, driving simulator training should outperform cognitive training. Methods: Ninety-one healthy active drivers (62–87 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a driving simulator training group, (2) an attention training group (vigilance and selective attention), or (3) a control group. The main outcome variables were on-road driving and cognitive performance. Seventy-seven participants (85%) completed the training and were included in the analyses. Training gains were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with planned orthogonal comparisons. Results: The driving simulator-training group showed an improvement in on-road driving performance compared to the attention-training group. In addition, both training groups increased cognitive performance compared to the control group. Conclusion: Driving simulator training offers the potential to enhance driving skills in older drivers. Compared to the attention training, the simulator training seems to be a more powerful program for increasing older drivers' safety on the road. PMID:24860497

The effect of cognitive-motor dual task training with the biorescue force platform on cognition, balance and dual task performance in institutionalized older adults: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Delbroek, Tom; Vermeylen, Wietse; Spildooren, Joke

2017-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigates whether cognition, balance and dual task performance in institutionalized older adults improves by a virtual reality dual task training. [Subjects and Methods] Randomized controlled trial; Twenty institutionalized older adults with mild cognitive impairment (13 female, 7 male; average age, 87.2 ± 5.96 years) were randomized to the intervention (i.e. Virtual reality dual-task training using the BioRescue) or control group (no additional training). The intervention group took part in a 6-week training program while the elderly in the control group maintained their daily activities. Balance was measured with the Instrumented Timed Up-and-Go Test with and without a cognitive task. The Observed Emotion Rating Scale and Intrinsic Motivation Inventory were administered to evaluate the emotions and motivation regarding the exergaming program. [Results] The intervention group improved significantly on the total Timed Up-and-Go duration and the turn-to-sit duration during single-task walking in comparison to the control group who received no additional training. Participants found the virtual reality dual task training pleasant and useful for their concentration, memory and balance. Pleasure and alertness were the two emotions which were mostly seen during the intervention. [Conclusion] The BioRescue is a pleasant and interesting treatment method, well suited for institutionalized older adults in need of lifelong physical therapy. PMID:28744033

Effects of a process-based cognitive training intervention for patients with stress-related exhaustion.

PubMed

Gavelin, Hanna Malmberg; Boraxbekk, Carl-Johan; Stenlund, Therese; Järvholm, Lisbeth Slunga; Neely, Anna Stigsdotter

2015-08-13

Stress-related exhaustion has been linked to a pattern of selective cognitive impairments, mainly affecting executive functioning, attention and episodic memory. Little is known about potential treatments of these cognitive deficits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a process-based cognitive training intervention, designed to target the specific cognitive impairments associated with stress-related exhaustion. To this end, patients diagnosed with exhaustion disorder (ED) were randomized to either a multimodal stress rehabilitation program with the addition of a process-based cognitive training intervention (training group, n = 27) or a treatment-as-usual control condition, consisting of multimodal stress rehabilitation with no additional training (control group, n = 32). Treatment effects were evaluated through an extensive cognitive test battery, assessing both near and far transfer effects, as well as self-report forms regarding subjective cognitive complaints and burnout levels. Results showed pronounced training-related improvements on the criterion updating task (p < 0.001). Further, evidence was found of selective near transfer effects to updating (p = 0.01) and episodic memory (p = 0.04). Also, the trained group reported less subjective memory complaints (p = 0.02) and levels of burnout decreased for both groups, but more so for the trained group (p = 0.04), following the intervention. These findings suggest that process-based cognitive training may be a viable method to address the cognitive impairments associated with ED.

Effects of a process-based cognitive training intervention for patients with stress-related exhaustion.

PubMed

Gavelin, Hanna Malmberg; Boraxbekk, Carl-Johan; Stenlund, Therese; Järvholm, Lisbeth Slunga; Neely, Anna Stigsdotter

2015-01-01

Stress-related exhaustion has been linked to a pattern of selective cognitive impairments, mainly affecting executive functioning, attention and episodic memory. Little is known about potential treatments of these cognitive deficits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a process-based cognitive training intervention, designed to target the specific cognitive impairments associated with stress-related exhaustion. To this end, patients diagnosed with exhaustion disorder (ED) were randomized to either a multimodal stress rehabilitation program with the addition of a process-based cognitive training intervention (training group, n = 27) or a treatment-as-usual control condition, consisting of multimodal stress rehabilitation with no additional training (control group, n = 32). Treatment effects were evaluated through an extensive cognitive test battery, assessing both near and far transfer effects, as well as self-report forms regarding subjective cognitive complaints and burnout levels. Results showed pronounced training-related improvements on the criterion updating task (p < 0.001). Further, evidence was found of selective near transfer effects to updating (p = 0.01) and episodic memory (p = 0.04). Also, the trained group reported less subjective memory complaints (p = 0.02) and levels of burnout decreased for both groups, but more so for the trained group (p = 0.04), following the intervention. These findings suggest that process-based cognitive training may be a viable method to address the cognitive impairments associated with ED.

A randomized controlled trial of multicomponent exercise in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Suzuki, Takao; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Makizako, Hyuma; Doi, Takehiko; Yoshida, Daisuke; Ito, Kengo; Shimokata, Hiroshi; Washimi, Yukihiko; Endo, Hidetoshi; Kato, Takashi

2013-01-01

To examine the effect of multicomponent exercise program on memory function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and identify biomarkers associated with improvement of cognitive functions. Subjects were 100 older adults (mean age, 75 years) with MCI. The subjects were classified to an amnestic MCI group (n = 50) with neuroimaging measures, and other MCI group (n = 50) before the randomization. Subjects in each group were randomized to either a multicomponent exercise or an education control group using a ratio of 1∶1. The exercise group exercised for 90 min/d, 2 d/wk, 40 times for 6 months. The exercise program was conducted under multitask conditions to stimulate attention and memory. The control group attended two education classes. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that no group × time interactions on the cognitive tests and brain atrophy in MCI patients. A sub-analysis of amnestic MCI patients for group × time interactions revealed that the exercise group exhibited significantly better Mini-Mental State Examination (p = .04) and logical memory scores (p = .04), and reducing whole brain cortical atrophy (p<.05) compared to the control group. Low total cholesterol levels before the intervention were associated with an improvement of logical memory scores (p<.05), and a higher level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was significantly related to improved ADAS-cog scores (p<.05). The results suggested that an exercise intervention is beneficial for improving logical memory and maintaining general cognitive function and reducing whole brain cortical atrophy in older adults with amnestic MCI. Low total cholesterol and higher brain-derived neurotrophic factor may predict improvement of cognitive functions in older adults with MCI. Further studies are required to determine the positive effects of exercise on cognitive function in older adults with MCI. UMIN-CTR UMIN000003662 ctr.cgi?function = brows&action = brows&type = summary&recptno = R000004436&language = J.

Cognitive Stimulation of Elderly Residents in Social Protection Centers in Cartagena, 2014.

PubMed

Melguizo Herrera, Estela; Bertel De La Hoz, Anyel; Paternina Osorio, Diego; Felfle Fuentes, Yurani; Porto Osorio, Leidy

To determine the effectiveness of a program of cognitive stimulation of the elderly residents in Social Protection Centers in Cartagena, 2014. Quasi-experimental study with pre and post tests in control and experimental groups. A sample of 37 elderly residents in Social Protection Centers participated: 23 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group. A survey and a mental evaluation test (Pfeiffer) were applied. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of cognitive stimulation. The paired t-test showed statistically significant differences in the Pfeiffer test, pre and post intervention, compared to the experimental group (P=.0005). The unpaired t-test showed statistically significant differences in Pfeiffer test results to the experimental and control groups (P=.0450). The analysis of the main components showed that more interrelated variables were: age, diseases, number of errors and test results; which were grouped around the disease variable, with a negative association. The intervention demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in cognitive functionality of the elderly. Nursing can lead this type of intervention. It should be studied further to strengthen and clarify these results. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Learning ability in aged beagle dogs is preserved by behavioral enrichment and dietary fortification: a two-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Milgram, N W; Head, E; Zicker, S C; Ikeda-Douglas, C J; Murphey, H; Muggenburg, B; Siwak, C; Tapp, D; Cotman, C W

2005-01-01

The effectiveness of two interventions, dietary fortification with antioxidants and a program of behavioral enrichment, was assessed in a longitudinal study of cognitive aging in beagle dogs. A baseline protocol of cognitive testing was used to select four cognitively equivalent groups: control food-control experience (C-C), control food-enriched experience (C-E), antioxidant fortified food-control experience (A-C), and antioxidant fortified food-enriched experience(A-E). We also included two groups of young behaviorally enriched dogs, one receiving the control food and the other the fortified food. Discrimination learning and reversal was assessed after one year of treatment with a size discrimination task, and again after two years with a black/white discrimination task. The four aged groups were comparable at baseline. At one and two years, the aged combined treatment group showed more accurate learning than the other aged groups. Discrimination learning was significantly improved by behavioral enrichment. Reversal learning was improved by both behavioral enrichment and dietary fortification. By contrast, the fortified food had no effect on the young dogs. These results suggest that behavioral enrichment or dietary fortification with antioxidants over a long-duration can slow age-dependent cognitive decline, and that the two treatments together are more effective than either alone in older dogs.

Strength Training Decreases Inflammation and Increases Cognition and Physical Fitness in Older Women with Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Chupel, Matheus U; Direito, Fábio; Furtado, Guilherme E; Minuzzi, Luciéle G; Pedrosa, Filipa M; Colado, Juan C; Ferreira, José P; Filaire, Edith; Teixeira, Ana M

2017-01-01

Introduction: Cognitive impairment that affects older adults is commonly associated with an inflammatory imbalance, resulting in decreased physical fitness. Exercise has been pointed to mitigate immunosenescence and cognitive impairment associated with aging, while increase in physical fitness. However, few studies explored the relationship between changes in cytokine concentration and improvement on cognition due to elastic band strength training. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of strength training on pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines, hematological markers and physical fitness of older women with cognitive impairment. Methods: Thirty-three women (82.7 ± 5.7 years old) participated in the study and were divided in two groups: strength exercise training group (ST; n = 16) and Control Group (CG; n = 17) and were evaluated before and after 28 weeks of the exercise program. The CG did not undergo any type of exercise programs. Data for IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), white blood counts (WBC), red blood counts (RBC), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and physical fitness tests were analyzed in both moments. Results: IL-10 increased in the ST group without changes in CG. TNF-α and CRP increased in the control group while no changes were observed for IFN-γ in both groups. Strength training decreased leukocyte and lymphocyte counts and increase hemoglobin, mean cell volume and mean cell hemoglobin concentration. The MMSE score increased in strength training group but remained unchanged in the control group. A correlation between the variation of granulocyte counts and the MMSE scores was also observed within the total sample. An improvement in physical fitness was observed with strength training. Conclusion: Resistance exercise promoted better anti-inflammatory balance and physical performance simultaneously with an increase in cognitive profile in older women with cognitive impairment.

Cognitive Effects of Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Gunlusoy, Bulent; Ceylan, Yasin; Koskderelioglu, Aslı; Gedizlioglu, Muhtesem; Degirmenci, Tansu; Ortan, Pınar; Kozacioglu, Zafer

2017-05-01

To evaluate the prostate cancer effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) by using a systematic set of methods to calculate specific cognitive functions in men with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer. From April 2014 to February 2016, a prospective, comparative study was done to evaluate the cognitive effects of hormone therapy. Group 1 consisted of 78 patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who received complete ADT treatment continuously for 12 months and group 2 (control group) consisted of 78 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy without any additional treatment. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) test with Turkish language version were used to evaluate multiple domains of cognitive function. Post-treatment results of both tests revealed that patients in group 1 achieved lower mean total scores than group 2. In MoCA test, the deficits were especially prominent in the areas of language ability and short-term memory capacity (P < .05 and P < .05). No significant differences could be identified between groups in respect to attention, executive functions, visuospatial abilities, abstract thinking, calculating abilities, and orientation. In FAB test, the deficits were especially prominent in the areas of mental flexibility and inhibitory control (P < .05 and P < .05). No significant differences could be identified between groups in conceptualization, motor series, conflicting instructions, and environmental autonomy. ADT affects cognitive functions such as language ability, short-term memory capacity, mental flexibility, and inhibitory control. Urologists should keep in mind these side effects and inform the patients and their families for the early symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gait termination in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Roeing, Kathleen L; Wajda, Douglas A; Motl, Robert W; Sosnoff, Jacob J

2015-09-01

Despite the ubiquitous nature of gait impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS), there is limited information concerning the control of gait termination in individuals with MS. The purpose of this investigation was to examine planned gait termination in individuals with MS and healthy controls with and without cognitive distractors. Individuals with MS and age matched controls completed a series of gait termination tasks over a pressure sensitive walkway under non-distracting and cognitively distracting conditions. As expected the MS group had a lower velocity (89.9±33.3 cm/s) than controls (142.8±22.4 cm/s) and there was a significant reduction in velocity in both groups under the cognitive distracting conditions (MS: 73.9±30.7 cm/s; control: 120.0±25.9 cm/s). Although individuals with MS walked slower, there was no difference between groups in the rate a participant failed to stop at the target (i.e. failure rate). Overall failure rate had a 10-fold increase in the cognitively distracting condition across groups. Individuals with MS were more unstable during termination. Future research examining the neuromuscular mechanisms contributing to gait termination is warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Psychiatric, Cognitive and Emotional Profile in Ex-combatants of Illegal Armed Groups in Colombia].

PubMed

Tobón, Carlos; Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel Camilo; Velilla, Lina; Duque, Jon; Ramos, Claudia Patricia; Pineda, David

2016-01-01

Exposure to armed conflict produces biological adaptations oriented to handle the highly stressful conditions in war environments. The special features of The Colombian armed create a special scenario to evaluate the human behavior. In this study, psychiatric, cognitive and emotional processing characteristics of a group of Colombian armed illegal forces of ex-combatants are described. Sixty-three ex combatants and 22 controls were assessed with WAIS (IQ), INECO frontal screening (executive functions), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathy), emotional features recognition and MINI (psychiatric profile). When compared to the control group, ex-combatants showed higher frequency of antisocial personality disorder (P=.031) and behavioral dissocial disorder (P=.017). In cognitive profile, the ex-combatants showed a lower score in the executive function test (Me=18.50; RQ=4.00), control (Me=23.00; RQ=5.25), with a poor personal distress in emphatic profile (Me=10.00; RQ=5.00) compared to control group (Me=37.00; RQ=7.25). We found differences in cognitive and psychiatric profile in ex-combatants in comparison with controls. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Effect of Worked Examples and Cognitive Tutor Training on Constructing Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Stephen K.; Corbett, Albert; Hoffman, Bob; Wagner, Angela; MacLaren, Ben

2013-01-01

Algebra students studied either static-table, static-graphics, or interactive-graphics instructional worked examples that alternated with Algebra Cognitive Tutor practice problems. A control group did not study worked examples but solved both the instructional and practice problems on the Cognitive Tutor (CT). Students in the control group…

Transdermal rivastigmine for HIV-associated cognitive impairment: A randomized pilot study.

PubMed

Muñoz-Moreno, Jose A; Prats, Anna; Moltó, José; Garolera, Maite; Pérez-Álvarez, Núria; Díez-Quevedo, Crisanto; Miranda, Cristina; Fumaz, Carmina R; Ferrer, Maria J; Clotet, Bonaventura

2017-01-01

To assess the efficacy and safety of transdermal rivastigmine for the treatment of HIV-associated cognitive impairment. We recruited HIV-infected patients with cognitive impairment on stable antiretroviral therapy in a randomized controlled pilot trial with a 48-week follow-up. An additional assessment was held at 12 weeks. Participants received transdermal rivastigmine (9.5 mg daily), lithium (400 mg twice daily, titrated progressively), or remained in a control group (no new medication). The primary efficacy endpoint was change in a global cognitive score (NPZ-7). Secondary endpoints included change in specific cognitive measures, domains, and functional parameters. Safety covered the frequency of adverse events and changes in laboratory results. Seventy-six subjects were screened, and 29 were finally enrolled. Better cognitive outcomes were observed in all groups, although there were no significant differences between the arms (mean NPZ-7 change [SD]): rivastigmine, 0.35 (0.14); lithium, 0.25 (0.40); control, 0.20 (0.44) (p = 0.78). The rivastigmine group showed the highest positive trend (mean NPZ-7 [SD], baseline vs week 48): rivastigmine, -0.47 (0.22) vs -0.11 (0.29), p = 0.06; lithium, -0.50 (0.40) vs -0.26 (0.21), p = 0.22; control, -0.52 (0.34) vs -0.32 (0.52), p = 0.44. The cognitive domains with the highest positive trends were information processing speed at week 12 and executive function at week 48 (rivastigmine vs control): information processing speed, 0.35 (0.64) vs -0.13 (0.25), p = 0.17, d = 0.96; and executive functioning, 0.73 (0.33) vs 0.03 (0.74), p = 0.09, d = 1.18. No relevant changes were observed regarding functional outcomes. A total of 12 (41%) individuals dropped out of the study: 2 (20%) were due to medication-related effects in the rivastigmine group and 4 (36%) in the lithium group. No severe adverse events were reported. The results from this small randomized trial indicate that transdermal rivastigmine did not provide significant cognitive benefits in people with HAND on stable antiretroviral therapy, even though positive trends were found in specific cognitive domains. Relevant tolerability issues were not observed.

The effect of an interactive cycling training on cognitive functioning in older adults with mild dementia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Karssemeijer, E G A; Bossers, W J R; Aaronson, J A; Kessels, R P C; Olde Rikkert, M G M

2017-03-21

To date there is no cure or an effective disease-modifying drug to treat dementia. Available acetylcholine-esterase inhibiting drugs or memantine only produce small benefits on cognitive and behavioural functioning and their clinical relevance remains controversial. Combined cognitive-aerobic interventions are an appealing alternative or add-on to current pharmacological treatments. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of a combined cognitive-aerobic training and a single aerobic training compared to an active control group in older adults with mild dementia. We expect to find a beneficial effect on executive functioning in both training regimes, compared to the control intervention, with the largest effect in the combined cognitive-aerobic group. Secondary, intervention effects on cognitive functioning in other domains, physical functioning, physical activity levels, activities of daily living, frailty and quality of life are studied. The design is a single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three groups: a combined cognitive-aerobic bicycle training (interactive cycling), a single aerobic bicycle training and a control intervention, which consists of stretching and toning exercises. Older adults with mild dementia follow a 12-week training program consisting of three training sessions of 30-40 min per week. The primary study outcome is objective executive functioning measured with a neuropsychological assessment. Secondary measures are objective cognitive functioning in other domains, physical functioning, physical activity levels, activities of daily living, frailty, mood and quality of life. The three groups are compared at baseline, after 6 and 12 weeks of training, and at 24-week follow-up. This study will provide novel information on the effects of an interactive cycling training on executive function in older adults with mild dementia. Furthermore, since this study has both a combined cognitive-aerobic training and a single aerobic training group the effectiveness of the different components of the intervention can be identified. The results of this study may be used for physical and mental activity recommendations in older adults with dementia. The Netherlands National Trial Register NTR5581 . Registered 14 February 2016.

Cognitive control training for emotion-related impulsivity.

PubMed

Peckham, Andrew D; Johnson, Sheri L

2018-06-01

Many forms of psychopathology are tied to a heightened tendency to respond impulsively to strong emotions, and this tendency, in turn, is closely tied to problems with cognitive control. The goal of the present study was to test whether a two-week, six-session cognitive control training program is efficacious in reducing emotion-related impulsivity. Participants (N = 52) reporting elevated scores on an emotion-related impulsivity measure completed cognitive control training targeting working memory and response inhibition. A subset of participants were randomized to a waitlist control group. Impulsivity, emotion regulation, and performance on near and far-transfer cognitive tasks were assessed at baseline and after completion of training. Emotion-related impulsivity declined significantly from pre-training to post-training and at two-week follow-up; improvements were not observed in the waitlist control group. A decrease in brooding rumination and an increase in reappraisal were also observed. Participants showed significant improvements on trained versions of the working memory and inhibition tasks as well as improvements on an inhibition transfer task. In sum, these preliminary findings show that cognitive training appears to be well-tolerated for people with significant emotion-driven impulsivity. Results provide preliminary support for the efficacy of cognitive training interventions as a way to reduce emotion-related impulsivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) improved novel object recognition task and increased cerebral vesicular glutamate transporter type 3 in sub-chronic phencyclidine rat model of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Piyabhan, Pritsana; Wannasiri, Supaporn; Naowaboot, Jarinyaporn

2016-12-01

Reduced vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) and 2 (VGLUT2) indicate glutamatergic hypofunction leading to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. However, VGLUT3 involvement in cognitive dysfunction has not been reported in schizophrenia. Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) might be a new treatment and prevention for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia by acting on cerebral VGLUT3 density. We aimed to study cognitive enhancement- and neuroprotective-effects of Brahmi on novel object recognition and cerebral VGLUT3 immunodensity in sub-chronic (2 mg/kg, Bid, ip) phencyclidine (PCP) rat model of schizophrenia. Rats were assigned to three groups for cognitive enhancement effect study: Group 1, Control; Group 2, PCP administration; Group 3, PCP+Brahmi. A neuroprotective-effect study was also carried out. Rats were again assigned to three groups: Group 1, Control; Group 2, PCP administration; Group 3, Brahmi+PCP. Discrimination ratio (DR) representing cognitive ability was obtained from a novel object recognition task. VGLUT3 immunodensity was measured in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and cornu ammonis fields 1-3 (CA1-3) using immunohistochemistry. We found reduced DR in the PCP group, which occurred alongside VGLUT3 reduction in all brain areas. PCP+Brahmi showed higher DR score with increased VGLUT3 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. Brahmi+PCP group showed a higher DR score with increased VGLUT3 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and CA1-3. We concluded that reduced cerebral VGLUT3 was involved in cognitive deficit in PCP-administrated rats. Receiving Brahmi after PCP restored cognitive deficit by increasing VGLUT3 in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. Receiving Brahmi before PCP prevented cognitive impairment by elevating VGLUT3 in prefrontal cortex, striatum and CA1-3. Therefore, Brahmi could be a new frontier of restoration and prevention of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Computerised training improves cognitive performance in chronic pain: a participant-blinded randomised active-controlled trial with remote supervision.

PubMed

Baker, Katharine S; Georgiou-Karistianis, Nellie; Lampit, Amit; Valenzuela, Michael; Gibson, Stephen J; Giummarra, Melita J

2018-04-01

Chronic pain is associated with reduced efficiency of cognitive performance, and few studies have investigated methods of remediation. We trialled a computerised cognitive training protocol to determine whether it could attenuate cognitive difficulties in a chronic pain sample. Thirty-nine adults with chronic pain (mean age = 43.3, 61.5% females) were randomised to an 8-week online course (3 sessions/week from home) of game-like cognitive training exercises, or an active control involving watching documentary videos. Participants received weekly supervision by video call. Primary outcomes were a global neurocognitive composite (tests of attention, speed, and executive function) and self-reported cognition. Secondary outcomes were pain (intensity; interference), mood symptoms (depression; anxiety), and coping with pain (catastrophising; self-efficacy). Thirty participants (15 training and 15 control) completed the trial. Mixed model intention-to-treat analyses revealed significant effects of training on the global neurocognitive composite (net effect size [ES] = 0.43, P = 0.017), driven by improved executive function performance (attention switching and working memory). The control group reported improvement in pain intensity (net ES = 0.65, P = 0.022). Both groups reported subjective improvements in cognition (ES = 0.28, P = 0.033) and catastrophising (ES = 0.55, P = 0.006). Depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, and pain interference showed no change in either group. This study provides preliminary evidence that supervised cognitive training may be a viable method for enhancing cognitive skills in persons with chronic pain, but transfer to functional and clinical outcomes remains to be demonstrated. Active control results suggest that activities perceived as relaxing or enjoyable contribute to improved perception of well-being. Weekly contact was pivotal to successful program completion.

Behavioral Assessment of Emotion Discrimination, Emotion Regulation, and Cognitive Control in Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood

PubMed Central

Tottenham, Nim; Hare, Todd A.; Casey, B. J.

2011-01-01

Emotion discrimination, emotion regulation, and cognitive control are three related, yet separable processes that emerge over the course of development. The current study tested 100 children, adolescents, and adults on an Emotional Go/Nogo task, illustrating the ability of this paradigm to identify the unique developmental patterns for each of these three processes in the context of both positive (happy) and negative emotions (fear, sad, and anger), across three different age groups. Consistent with previous literature, our findings show that emotion discrimination and regulatory abilities (both cognitive control and emotion regulation) improve steadily for each age group, with each age group showing unique patterns of performance. The findings suggest that emotion regulation is constructed from basic cognition control and emotion discrimination skills. The patterns of behavior from the Emotional Go/Nogo task provide normative benchmark data across a wide range of emotions that can be used for future behavioral and neuroimaging studies that examine the developmental construction of emotion regulatory processes. PMID:21716604

Effect of pre-emptive analgesia by continuous femoral nerve block on early postoperative cognitive function following total knee arthroplasty in elderly patients

PubMed Central

Deng, Li-Qin; Hou, Lei-Na; Song, Feng-Xiang; Zhu, Han-Yue; Zhao, Hai-Ying; Chen, Gang; Li, Jing-Jing

2017-01-01

To the best of our knowledge, the effect of pre-emptively blocking pain transmission on acute postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) has not yet been assessed. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of pre-emptive analgesia via a continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) on postoperative pain and early cognitive function following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery in elderly patients. CFNB was performed prior to TKA surgery in the pre-emptive analgesia group (n=30) and following TKA surgery in the control group (n=30). POCD was defined as a two-point reduction in the postoperative score compared with the preoperative score in the mini-mental state examination. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the intensity of pain at rest and during exercise. The intraoperative dose of remifentanil in the pre-emptive analgesia group was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.01). In the preemptive analgesia group, VAS scores at three days post-surgery were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). The incidence of POCD on the third postoperative day was slightly lower in the pre-emptive analgesia group compared with the control group. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that pre-emptive analgesia by CFNB may promote the recovery of early cognitive function following TKA in elderly patients. PMID:28413514

Effect of pre-emptive analgesia by continuous femoral nerve block on early postoperative cognitive function following total knee arthroplasty in elderly patients.

PubMed

Deng, Li-Qin; Hou, Lei-Na; Song, Feng-Xiang; Zhu, Han-Yue; Zhao, Hai-Ying; Chen, Gang; Li, Jing-Jing

2017-04-01

To the best of our knowledge, the effect of pre-emptively blocking pain transmission on acute postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) has not yet been assessed. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of pre-emptive analgesia via a continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) on postoperative pain and early cognitive function following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery in elderly patients. CFNB was performed prior to TKA surgery in the pre-emptive analgesia group (n=30) and following TKA surgery in the control group (n=30). POCD was defined as a two-point reduction in the postoperative score compared with the preoperative score in the mini-mental state examination. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the intensity of pain at rest and during exercise. The intraoperative dose of remifentanil in the pre-emptive analgesia group was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.01). In the preemptive analgesia group, VAS scores at three days post-surgery were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). The incidence of POCD on the third postoperative day was slightly lower in the pre-emptive analgesia group compared with the control group. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that pre-emptive analgesia by CFNB may promote the recovery of early cognitive function following TKA in elderly patients.

Social Meta-Cognition: The Efficacy of Cognitive Training for Social Adjustment of Learning Disabled Delinquents. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Katherine A.; Gerber, Michael M.

The study tests the efficacy of social meta-cognitive training for enhancing social competence in 34 learning disabled (LD) and 35 non LD low achieving incarcerated delinquents. Ss were randomly assigned to treatment, attention control and test-only control groups. Overt social behavior measures were examined in a pretest-posttest control group…

A compound herbal preparation (CHP) in the treatment of children with ADHD: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Katz, M; Levine, A Adar; Kol-Degani, H; Kav-Venaki, L

2010-11-01

Evaluation of the efficacy of a patented, compound herbal preparation (CHP) in improving attention, cognition, and impulse control in children with ADHD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. University-affiliated tertiary medical center. 120 children newly diagnosed with ADHD, meeting DSM-IV criteria. Random assignment to the herbal treatment group (n = 80) or control group (placebo; n = 40); 73 patients in the treatment group (91%) and 19 in the control group (48%) completed the 4-month trial. Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) administered before and after the treatment period; overall score and 4 subscales. The treatment group showed substantial, statistically significant improvement in the 4 subscales and overall TOVA scores, compared with no improvement in the control group, which persisted in an intention-to-treat analysis. The well-tolerated CHP demonstrated improved attention, cognition, and impulse control in the intervention group, indicating promise for ADHD treatment in children.

Self-Reported Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Dissociative Identity Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and How They Relate to Cognitive Failures and Fantasy Proneness

PubMed Central

van Heugten – van der Kloet, Dalena; Huntjens, Rafaele; Giesbrecht, Timo; Merckelbach, Harald

2014-01-01

Sleep disturbances, fantasy proneness, cognitive failures, and dissociative symptoms are related to each other. However, the co-occurrence of these phenomena has been primarily studied in non-clinical samples. We investigated the correlations between these phenomena in dissociative identity disorder (DID) patients, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, and healthy controls. Both patient groups reported more sleep problems and lower sleep quality and displayed higher levels of fantasy proneness and cognitive failures than controls. However, the two patient groups did not differ with regard to these variables. Moreover, a higher level of unusual sleep experiences tended to predict participants belonging to the DID group, while specifically a lower sleep quality and more cognitive failures tended to predict participants belonging to the PTSD group. PMID:24600412

Self-reported sleep disturbances in patients with dissociative identity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and how they relate to cognitive failures and fantasy proneness.

PubMed

van Heugten-van der Kloet, Dalena; Huntjens, Rafaele; Giesbrecht, Timo; Merckelbach, Harald

2014-01-01

Sleep disturbances, fantasy proneness, cognitive failures, and dissociative symptoms are related to each other. However, the co-occurrence of these phenomena has been primarily studied in non-clinical samples. We investigated the correlations between these phenomena in dissociative identity disorder (DID) patients, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, and healthy controls. Both patient groups reported more sleep problems and lower sleep quality and displayed higher levels of fantasy proneness and cognitive failures than controls. However, the two patient groups did not differ with regard to these variables. Moreover, a higher level of unusual sleep experiences tended to predict participants belonging to the DID group, while specifically a lower sleep quality and more cognitive failures tended to predict participants belonging to the PTSD group.

Does Exercise Improve Cognitive Performance? A Conservative Message from Lord's Paradox

PubMed Central

Liu, Sicong; Lebeau, Jean-Charles; Tenenbaum, Gershon

2016-01-01

Although extant meta-analyses support the notion that exercise results in cognitive performance enhancement, methodology shortcomings are noted among primary evidence. The present study examined relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the past 20 years (1996–2015) for methodological concerns arise from Lord's paradox. Our analysis revealed that RCTs supporting the positive effect of exercise on cognition are likely to include Type I Error(s). This result can be attributed to the use of gain score analysis on pretest-posttest data as well as the presence of control group superiority over the exercise group on baseline cognitive measures. To improve accuracy of causal inferences in this area, analysis of covariance on pretest-posttest data is recommended under the assumption of group equivalence. Important experimental procedures are discussed to maintain group equivalence. PMID:27493637

Combined Cognitive-Motor Rehabilitation in Virtual Reality Improves Motor Outcomes in Chronic Stroke - A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Faria, Ana L; Cameirão, Mónica S; Couras, Joana F; Aguiar, Joana R O; Costa, Gabriel M; Bermúdez I Badia, Sergi

2018-01-01

Stroke is one of the most common causes of acquired disability, leaving numerous adults with cognitive and motor impairments, and affecting patients' capability to live independently. Virtual Reality (VR) based methods for stroke rehabilitation have mainly focused on motor rehabilitation but there is increasing interest toward the integration of cognitive training for providing more effective solutions. Here we investigate the feasibility for stroke recovery of a virtual cognitive-motor task, the Reh@Task, which combines adapted arm reaching, and attention and memory training. 24 participants in the chronic stage of stroke, with cognitive and motor deficits, were allocated to one of two groups (VR, Control). Both groups were enrolled in conventional occupational therapy, which mostly involves motor training. Additionally, the VR group underwent training with the Reh@Task and the control group performed time-matched conventional occupational therapy. Motor and cognitive competences were assessed at baseline, end of treatment (1 month) and at a 1-month follow-up through the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Single Letter Cancelation, Digit Cancelation, Bells Test, Fugl-Meyer Assessment Test, Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory, Modified Ashworth Scale, and Barthel Index. Our results show that both groups improved in motor function over time, but the Reh@Task group displayed significantly higher between-group outcomes in the arm subpart of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Test. Improvements in cognitive function were significant and similar in both groups. Overall, these results are supportive of the viability of VR tools that combine motor and cognitive training, such as the Reh@Task. Trial Registration: This trial was not registered because it is a small clinical study that addresses the feasibility of a prototype device.

A controlled clinical trial on the effects of motor intervention on balance and cognition in institutionalized elderly patients with dementia.

PubMed

Christofoletti, Gustavo; Oliani, Merlyn Mércia; Gobbi, Sebastião; Stella, Florindo; Bucken Gobbi, Lilian Teresa; Renato Canineu, Paulo

2008-07-01

To analyse the effects of two interventions on the cognition and balance of institutionalized elderly people with mixed dementia. Fifty-four participants were allocated into three groups. Group 1 was assisted by an interdisciplinary programme comprising physiotherapy, occupational therapy and physical education. A physiotherapist alone carried out the intervention in group 2. Group 3 was considered as control. Assessors were blinded to guarantee the absence of bias. Cognitive functions were analysed with the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery. Balance was assessed with the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Get-Up-and-Go Test. Multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to test possible main effects of the interventions. The results showed benefits on the balance of subjects in both groups 1 (F=3.9, P<0.05) and 2 (F=3.1, P<0.05), compared with group 3. MANOVA did not indicate benefits on the cognitive functions between groups 1 and 3 (F=1.1, P>0.05) and groups 2 and 3 (F=1.6, P>0.05). However, univariate analysis indicated some benefits of the interdisciplinary intervention on two specific domains measured by the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (F=26.5, P<0.05; F=4.4, P<0.05). Six months of multidisciplinary or physiotherapeutic intervention were able to improve a person's balance. Although global cognition did not improve through treatment, when the intervention was carried out on a multidisciplinary basis we observed an attenuation in the decline of global cognition on two specific cognitive domains. Exercises applied in different contexts may have positive outcomes for people with dementia.

Combined Cognitive-Motor Rehabilitation in Virtual Reality Improves Motor Outcomes in Chronic Stroke – A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Faria, Ana L.; Cameirão, Mónica S.; Couras, Joana F.; Aguiar, Joana R. O.; Costa, Gabriel M.; Bermúdez i Badia, Sergi

2018-01-01

Stroke is one of the most common causes of acquired disability, leaving numerous adults with cognitive and motor impairments, and affecting patients’ capability to live independently. Virtual Reality (VR) based methods for stroke rehabilitation have mainly focused on motor rehabilitation but there is increasing interest toward the integration of cognitive training for providing more effective solutions. Here we investigate the feasibility for stroke recovery of a virtual cognitive-motor task, the Reh@Task, which combines adapted arm reaching, and attention and memory training. 24 participants in the chronic stage of stroke, with cognitive and motor deficits, were allocated to one of two groups (VR, Control). Both groups were enrolled in conventional occupational therapy, which mostly involves motor training. Additionally, the VR group underwent training with the Reh@Task and the control group performed time-matched conventional occupational therapy. Motor and cognitive competences were assessed at baseline, end of treatment (1 month) and at a 1-month follow-up through the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Single Letter Cancelation, Digit Cancelation, Bells Test, Fugl-Meyer Assessment Test, Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory, Modified Ashworth Scale, and Barthel Index. Our results show that both groups improved in motor function over time, but the Reh@Task group displayed significantly higher between-group outcomes in the arm subpart of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Test. Improvements in cognitive function were significant and similar in both groups. Overall, these results are supportive of the viability of VR tools that combine motor and cognitive training, such as the Reh@Task. Trial Registration: This trial was not registered because it is a small clinical study that addresses the feasibility of a prototype device. PMID:29899719

The Parkin'Play study: protocol of a phase II randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of a health game on cognition in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

van de Weijer, Sjors C F; Duits, Annelien A; Bloem, Bastiaan R; Kessels, Roy P; Jansen, Jacobus F A; Köhler, Sebastian; Tissingh, Gerrit; Kuijf, Mark L

2016-11-03

In Parkinson's disease (PD), cognitive impairment is an important non-motor symptom heralding the development of dementia. Effective treatments to slow down the rate of cognitive decline in PD patients with mild cognitive impairment are lacking. Here, we describe the design of the Parkin'Play study, which assesses the effects of a cognitive health game intervention on cognition in PD. This study is a multicentre, phase-II, open-randomized clinical trial that aims to recruit 222 PD patients with mild cognitive impairment. Eligible patients have PD, Hoehn & Yahr stages I-III, are aged between 40 and 75 years, and have cognitive impairment but no dementia. The intervention group (n = 111) will be trained using a web-based health game targeting multiple cognitive domains. The control group (n = 111) will be placed on a waiting list. In order to increase compliance the health game adapts to the subjects' performance, is enjoyable, and can be played at home. From each group, 20 patients will undergo fMRI to test for potential functional brain changes underlying treatment. The primary outcome after 12 weeks of training is cognitive function, as assessed by a standard neuropsychological assessment battery and an online cognitive assessment. The neuropsychological assessment battery covers the following domains: executive function, memory, visual perception, visuoconstruction and language. A compound score for overall cognitive function will be calculated as the mean score of all test Z-scores based on the distribution of scores for both groups taken together. Secondary outcomes at follow-up visits up to 24 weeks include various motor and non-motor symptoms, compliance, and biological endpoints (fMRI). This study aims at evaluating whether a cognitive intervention among PD patients leads to an increased cognitive performance on targeted domains. Strengths of this study are a unique web-based health game intervention, the large sample size, a control group without intervention and innovations designed to increase compliance. NTR5637 on 7-jan-2016.

Effects of Noise Level and Cognitive Function on Speech Perception in Normal Elderly and Elderly with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Lee, Soo Jung; Park, Kyung Won; Kim, Lee-Suk; Kim, HyangHee

2016-06-01

Along with auditory function, cognitive function contributes to speech perception in the presence of background noise. Older adults with cognitive impairment might, therefore, have more difficulty perceiving speech-in-noise than their peers who have normal cognitive function. We compared the effects of noise level and cognitive function on speech perception in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), cognitively normal older adults, and cognitively normal younger adults. We studied 14 patients with aMCI and 14 age-, education-, and hearing threshold-matched cognitively intact older adults as experimental groups, and 14 younger adults as a control group. We assessed speech perception with monosyllabic word and sentence recognition tests at four noise levels: quiet condition and signal-to-noise ratio +5 dB, 0 dB, and -5 dB. We also evaluated the aMCI group with a neuropsychological assessment. Controlling for hearing thresholds, we found that the aMCI group scored significantly lower than both the older adults and the younger adults only when the noise level was high (signal-to-noise ratio -5 dB). At signal-to-noise ratio -5 dB, both older groups had significantly lower scores than the younger adults on the sentence recognition test. The aMCI group's sentence recognition performance was related to their executive function scores. Our findings suggest that patients with aMCI have more problems communicating in noisy situations in daily life than do their cognitively healthy peers and that older listeners with more difficulties understanding speech in noise should be considered for testing of neuropsychological function as well as hearing.

Lower cognitive performance among long-term type 1 diabetes survivors: A case-control study.

PubMed

Awad, Anna; Lundqvist, Robert; Rolandsson, Olov; Sundström, Anna; Eliasson, Mats

2017-08-01

Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction. The cognitive decrement is believed to depend on macro- and microvascular complications and long disease duration. Some patients do not develop these complications, but still report cognitive symptoms. We examined if long-standing T1D without complications is associated with lower cognitive performance. A group of patients (n=43) with long-standing T1D (>30years) without micro- or macro vascular complications was compared with a non-diabetic control group (n=86) on six cognitive tests which probed episodic memory, semantic memory, episodic short-term memory, visual attention and psychomotor speed. Each patient was matched with two controls regarding age, gender and education. A linear mixed effect model was used to analyze the data. The mean age was 57years and mean duration was 41years. Patients with diabetes had lower diastolic blood pressure but BMI, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and smoking did not differ between groups. Patients had lower results than non-diabetic controls in episodic short-term memory (p<0.001) and also lower values on a test that mirrors visual attention and psychomotor speed (p=0.019). Long-standing T1D was associated with lower cognitive performance, regardless of other diabetes-related complications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Amygdala functional connectivity is associated with locus of control in the context of cognitive aging

PubMed Central

Ren, Ping; Anthony, Mia; Chapman, Benjamin P.; Heffner, Kathi; Lin, Feng

2017-01-01

Locus of control (LOC) measures the extent to which individuals perceive control over their lives. Those with a more “internal” LOC feel self-sufficient and able to determine important aspects of their own future, while those with a more “external” LOC feel that their lives are governed by events beyond their control. Reduced internal LOC and increased external LOC have been found in cognitive disorders, but the neural substrates of these control perceptions are yet unknown. In the present study, we explored the relationship between amygdala functional connectivity and LOC in 18 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and age-, sex-, and education-matched, 22 cognitively healthy controls (HC). Participants completed cognitive challenge tasks (Stroop Word Color task and Dual 1-back) for 20 minutes, and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging immediately before and after the tasks. We found significantly lower internal LOC and higher external LOC in the MCI group than the HC group. Compared to HC, MCI group showed significantly stronger positive associations between internal LOC and baseline right amygdala connections (including right middle frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex), and stronger negative associations between internal LOC and change of these right amygdala connections. Across all participants, external LOC explained the relationships between associations of another set of right amygdala connections (including middle cingulate cortex and right superior frontal gyrus), both at baseline and for change, and performance in the cognitive challenge tasks. Our findings indicate that the right amygdala networks might be critical in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying LOC’s role in cognitive aging. PMID:28315366

Examining the interaction between cognitive control and reward sensitivity in substance use dependence.

PubMed

Charles-Walsh, Kathleen; Upton, Daniel J; Hester, Robert

2016-09-01

Drug dependence is characterized by altered reward processing and poor cognitive control, expressed as a preference for immediate rewards and impaired inhibitory control, respectively. To examine the interaction between reward processing (via the presence or absence of reward) and mechanisms of inhibitory control in drug dependence, the current study used the Monetary Incentive Control Task (MICT) to examine whether a group of opiate dependent persons demonstrated greater difficulty exerting control over immediate rewards compared to neutral stimuli. The MICT is a Go/Stop paradigm that examines inhibitory control over immediate rewards. Performance of 32 opiate dependent individuals was compared to 29 healthy controls. Opiate users demonstrated poorer inhibitory performance than controls, irrespective of cues signaling immediate reward. Whereas control participants' responses were modulated by probability cues, the opiate group did not show a capacity to up-regulate their cognitive control performance. The present results suggest a general decrease in cognitive control in opiate dependence, accompanied by a reduced ability to optimally modulate behavior in accordance with external cues. Opiate users and controls did not differ in the interaction between cognitive control and reward. The study highlights important issues for future research to consider when further examining this interaction in drug dependence. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of an Exercise Protocol for Improving Handgrip Strength and Walking Speed on Cognitive Function in Patients with Chronic Stroke.

PubMed

Kim, Jaeeun; Yim, Jongeun

2017-11-13

BACKGROUND Handgrip strength and walking speed predict and influence cognitive function. We aimed to investigate an exercise protocol for improving handgrip strength and walking speed, applied to patients with chronic stroke who had cognitive function disorder. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-nine patients with cognitive function disorder participated in this study, and were randomly divided into one of two groups: exercise group (n=14) and control group (n=15). Both groups underwent conventional physical therapy for 60 minutes per day. Additionally, the exercise group followed an exercise protocol for handgrip using the hand exerciser, power web exerciser, Digi-Flex (15 minutes); and treadmill-based weight loading training on their less-affected leg (15 minutes) using a sandbag for 30 minutes, three times per day, for six weeks. Outcomes, including cognitive function and gait ability, were measured before and after the training. RESULTS The Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (K-MoCA), Stroop test (both simple and interference), Trail Making-B, Timed Up and Go, and 10-Meter Walk tests (p<0.05) yielded improved results for the exercise group compared with the control group. Importantly, the K-MoCA, Timed Up and Go, and 10-Meter Walk test results were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The exercise protocol for improving handgrip strength and walking speed had positive effects on cognitive function in patients with chronic stroke.

A combination of physical activity and computerized brain training improves verbal memory and increases cerebral glucose metabolism in the elderly.

PubMed

Shah, T; Verdile, G; Sohrabi, H; Campbell, A; Putland, E; Cheetham, C; Dhaliwal, S; Weinborn, M; Maruff, P; Darby, D; Martins, R N

2014-12-02

Physical exercise interventions and cognitive training programs have individually been reported to improve cognition in the healthy elderly population; however, the clinical significance of using a combined approach is currently lacking. This study evaluated whether physical activity (PA), computerized cognitive training and/or a combination of both could improve cognition. In this nonrandomized study, 224 healthy community-dwelling older adults (60-85 years) were assigned to 16 weeks home-based PA (n=64), computerized cognitive stimulation (n=62), a combination of both (combined, n=51) or a control group (n=47). Cognition was assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test and the CogState computerized battery at baseline, 8 and 16 weeks post intervention. Physical fitness assessments were performed at all time points. A subset (total n=45) of participants underwent [(18)F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans at 16 weeks (post-intervention). One hundred and ninety-one participants completed the study and the data of 172 participants were included in the final analysis. Compared with the control group, the combined group showed improved verbal episodic memory and significantly higher brain glucose metabolism in the left sensorimotor cortex after controlling for age, sex, premorbid IQ, apolipoprotein E (APOE) status and history of head injury. The higher cerebral glucose metabolism in this brain region was positively associated with improved verbal memory seen in the combined group only. Our study provides evidence that a specific combination of physical and mental exercises for 16 weeks can improve cognition and increase cerebral glucose metabolism in cognitively intact healthy older adults.

A combination of physical activity and computerized brain training improves verbal memory and increases cerebral glucose metabolism in the elderly

PubMed Central

Shah, T; Verdile, G; Sohrabi, H; Campbell, A; Putland, E; Cheetham, C; Dhaliwal, S; Weinborn, M; Maruff, P; Darby, D; Martins, R N

2014-01-01

Physical exercise interventions and cognitive training programs have individually been reported to improve cognition in the healthy elderly population; however, the clinical significance of using a combined approach is currently lacking. This study evaluated whether physical activity (PA), computerized cognitive training and/or a combination of both could improve cognition. In this nonrandomized study, 224 healthy community-dwelling older adults (60–85 years) were assigned to 16 weeks home-based PA (n=64), computerized cognitive stimulation (n=62), a combination of both (combined, n=51) or a control group (n=47). Cognition was assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test and the CogState computerized battery at baseline, 8 and 16 weeks post intervention. Physical fitness assessments were performed at all time points. A subset (total n=45) of participants underwent [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans at 16 weeks (post-intervention). One hundred and ninety-one participants completed the study and the data of 172 participants were included in the final analysis. Compared with the control group, the combined group showed improved verbal episodic memory and significantly higher brain glucose metabolism in the left sensorimotor cortex after controlling for age, sex, premorbid IQ, apolipoprotein E (APOE) status and history of head injury. The higher cerebral glucose metabolism in this brain region was positively associated with improved verbal memory seen in the combined group only. Our study provides evidence that a specific combination of physical and mental exercises for 16 weeks can improve cognition and increase cerebral glucose metabolism in cognitively intact healthy older adults. PMID:25463973

Individually tailored internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for older adults with anxiety and depression: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Silfvernagel, Kristin; Westlinder, Anna; Andersson, Stina; Bergman, Kajsa; Diaz Hernandez, Rosario; Fallhagen, Line; Lundqvist, Ida; Masri, Nicole; Viberg, Linda; Forsberg, Marie-Louise; Lind, Maria; Berger, Thomas; Carlbring, Per; Andersson, Gerhard

2018-07-01

Mixed anxiety and depression is common among older adults. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of an eight-week-long tailored internet-supported cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) programme and to compare against the provision of weekly general support. A second aim was to investigate if pre-treatment cognitive flexibility and self-reported cognitive problems would predict outcome. We included 66 older adults (aged over 60 years) with mixed anxiety/depression following media recruitment and randomised them into treatment and control groups. We also included a one-year follow-up. As a measure of executive function, we used the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (perseverative errors) and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire during the pre-treatment phase. Results showed a moderate between-group effect on the main outcome measure, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (d= .50), favouring the treatment group. Nearly half (45.5%) of that group were classified as responders. One person (3%) in the treatment group deteriorated. There were significant correlations between perseverative errors and outcome (on the BAI r = -.45), but not among self-reported cognitive function. We conclude that guided, tailored ICBT may be effective for some older adults and that the role of cognitive function needs to be investigated further.

Role of sleep continuity and total sleep time in executive function across the adult lifespan.

PubMed

Wilckens, Kristine A; Woo, Sarah G; Kirk, Afton R; Erickson, Kirk I; Wheeler, Mark E

2014-09-01

The importance of sleep for cognition in young adults is well established, but the role of habitual sleep behavior in cognition across the adult life span remains unknown. We examined the relationship between sleep continuity and total sleep time as assessed with a sleep-detection device, and cognitive performance using a battery of tasks in young (n = 59, mean age = 23.05) and older (n = 53, mean age = 62.68) adults. Across age groups, higher sleep continuity was associated with better cognitive performance. In the younger group, higher sleep continuity was associated with better working memory and inhibitory control. In the older group, higher sleep continuity was associated with better inhibitory control, memory recall, and verbal fluency. Very short and very long total sleep time was associated with poorer working memory and verbal fluency, specifically in the younger group. Total sleep time was not associated with cognitive performance in any domains for the older group. These findings reveal that sleep continuity is important for executive function in both young and older adults, but total sleep time may be more important for cognition in young adults. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Examination of Cognitive Function During Six Months of Calorie Restriction: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Martin, Corby K.; Anton, Stephen D.; Han, Hongmei; York-Crowe, Emily; Redman, Leanne M.; Ravussin, Eric; Williamson, Donald A.

2009-01-01

Background Calorie restriction increases longevity in many organisms, and calorie restriction or its mimetic might increase longevity in humans. It is unclear if calorie restriction/dieting contributes to cognitive impairment. During this randomized controlled trial, the effect of 6 months of calorie restriction on cognitive functioning was tested. Methods Participants (n = 48) were randomized to one of four groups: (1) control (weight maintenance), (2) calorie restriction (CR; 25% restriction), (3) CR plus structured exercise (CR + EX, 12.5% restriction plus 12.5% increased energy expenditure via exercise), or (4) low-calorie diet (LCD; 890 kcal/d diet until 15% weight loss, followed by weight maintenance). Cognitive tests (verbal memory, visual memory, attention/concentration) were conducted at baseline and months 3 and 6. Mixed linear models tested if cognitive function changed significantly from baseline to months 3 and 6, and if this change differed by group. Correlation analysis was used to determine if average daily energy deficit (quantified from change in body energy stores) was associated with change in cognitive test performance for the three dieting groups combined. Results No consistent pattern of verbal memory, visual retention/memory, or attention/concentration deficits emerged during the trial. Daily energy deficit was not significantly associated with change in cognitive test performance. Conclusions This randomized controlled trial suggests that calorie restriction/dieting was not associated with a consistent pattern of cognitive impairment. These conclusions must be interpreted in the context of study limitations, namely small sample size and limited statistical power. Previous reports of cognitive impairment might reflect sampling biases or information processing biases. PMID:17518698

Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of an Evidence-Based iPad-App for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Patients with Primary Brain Tumors.

PubMed

van der Linden, Sophie Dorothee; Sitskoorn, Margriet Maria; Rutten, Geert-Jan Maria; Gehring, Karin

2018-06-16

Many patients with primary brain tumors suffer from cognitive deficits, which negatively impact their quality of life. However, cognitive rehabilitation programs for these patients are scarce. We developed an iPad-based cognitive rehabilitation program for brain tumor patients, which was based on our effective face-to-face cognitive rehabilitation program. After successful completion of a feasibility study, a randomized controlled trial has been started. To evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of the iPad-based program on cognitive performance and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients with primary brain tumors in an early stage of the disease. Prior to surgery, patients with presumed low-grade glioma and meningioma are included. Before surgery and 3 mo after surgery, neuropsychological assessments are conducted. After the second neuropsychological assessment, patients are assigned to the intervention group or waiting-list control group. The intervention consists of psychoeducation, compensation training, and retraining. Patients are advised to spend 3 h per week on the program for 10 wk. Immediately after completion of the program and a half-year thereafter, postintervention assessments take place. Patients in the control group are offered the opportunity to follow the program after all study assessments. We expect that early cognitive rehabilitation has beneficial effects on cognitive performance and PROMs in brain tumor patients. The iPad-based program allows brain tumor patients to follow a cognitive rehabilitation program from their homes. Forthcoming results may contribute to further improvement of supportive care for brain tumor patients.

Dynamics of the cognitive procedural learning in alcoholics with Korsakoff's syndrome.

PubMed

Beaunieux, Hélène; Pitel, Anne L; Witkowski, Thomas; Vabret, François; Viader, Fausto; Eustache, Francis

2013-06-01

While procedures acquired before the development of amnesia are likely to be preserved in alcoholic patients with Korsakoff's syndrome, the ability of Korsakoff patients (KS) to learn new cognitive procedures is called in question. According to the Adaptive Control of Thoughts model, learning a new cognitive procedure requires highly controlled processes in the initial cognitive phase, which may be difficult for KS with episodic and working memory deficits. The goals of the present study were to examine the learning dynamics of KS compared with uncomplicated alcoholic patients (AL) and control subjects (CS) and to determine the contribution of episodic and working memory abilities in cognitive procedural learning performance. Fourteen KS, 15 AL, and 15 CS were submitted to 40 trials (4 daily learning sessions) of the Tower of Toronto task (disk-transfer task similar to the tower of Hanoi task) as well as episodic and working memory tasks. The 10 KS who were able to perform the cognitive procedural learning task obtained lower results than both CS and AL. The cognitive phase was longer in the Korsakoff's syndrome group than in the other 2 groups but did not differ between the 3 groups any more when episodic memory abilities were controlled. Our results indicate that KS have impaired cognitive procedural learning abilities compared with both AL and CS. Episodic memory deficits observed in KS result in a delayed transition from the cognitive learning phase to more advanced learning phases and, as a consequence, in an absence of automation of the procedure within 40 trials. Copyright © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Neurocognitive performance, psychopathology and social functioning in individuals at high risk for schizophrenia or psychotic bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Gkintoni, Evgenia; Pallis, Eleftherios G; Bitsios, Panos; Giakoumaki, Stella G

2017-01-15

Although cognitive deficits are consistent endophenotypes of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, findings in psychotic bipolar disorder (BDP) are inconsistent. In this study we compared adult unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia and BDP patients on cognition, psychopathology, social functioning and quality of life. Sixty-six unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients (SUnR), 36 unaffected first-degree relatives of BDP patients (BDPUnR) and 102 controls participated in the study. Between-group differences were examined and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) predicted group membership. Visual memory, control inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility and abstract reasoning were linearly impaired in the relatives' groups. Poorer verbal fluency and processing speed were evident only in the SUnR group. The SUnR group had higher depressive and somatization symptoms while the BDPUnR group had higher anxiety and lower social functioning compared with the controls. Individuals with superior cognition were more likely to be classified as controls; those with higher social functioning, prolonged processing speed and lower anxiety were more likely to be classified as SUnR. The relatives' sample is quite heterogeneous; the effects of genetic or environmental risk-factors were not examined. Cognitive functions mediated by a fronto-parietal network, show linear impairments in unaffected relatives of BDP and schizophrenia patients; processing speed and verbal fluency impairments were evident only in schizophrenia relatives. Self-perceived symptomatology and social functioning also differ between schizophrenia and BDP relatives. The continuum seen in patients in several indices was also seen in the cognitive impairments in unaffected relatives of schizophrenia and BDP patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does a multicomponent exercise program improve dual-task performance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment? A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Makizako, Hyuma; Doi, Takehiko; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Daisuke; Tsutsumimoto, Kota; Uemura, Kazuki; Suzuki, Takao

2012-12-01

There has been much interest in exercise interventions as a primary behavioral prevention strategy against cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent exercise program on physical and dual-task performances in community-dwelling older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Fifty older adults (23 women) with aMCI (mean age, 76 years) were randomized to an intervention (n=25) or a control group (n=25). The intervention group received a multicomponent exercise program for 90 minutes/day, 2 days/week, or 40 times over six months. The multicomponent exercises included aerobic exercise, muscle strength training and postural balance retraining, which was conducted under multi-task conditions to stimulate attention and memory. Participants in the control group attended two health promotion education classes within six months. Physical and dual-task performances were measured before randomization and after six months. Dual-task performances using reaction times with balance and cognitive demands were measured. The improvement effects on dual-task performances with both balance and cognitive demands were not statistically significant: reaction time with balance demand F1,45=3.3, p=0.07, and cognitive demand F1,45=2.6, p=0.12. However, there was a significant group-by-time interaction on maximal walking speed, which decreased significantly in the control group (F1,45=5.9, p=0.02). This six-month multicomponent exercise program improved maximal walking speed in older adults with aMCI; however, it did not improve dual-task performances assessed by reaction times.

Cognitive deficits of executive functions and decision-making in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Dittrich, Winand H; Johansen, Thomas

2013-10-01

The nature of cognitive deficits in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by contradictory findings in terms of specific neuropsychological deficits. Selective impairments have been suggested to involve visuospatial memory, set shifting, decision-making and response inhibition. The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive deficits in decision-making and executive functioning in OCD. It was hypothesized that the OCD patients would be less accurate in their responses compared to the healthy controls in rational decision-making on a version of the Cambridge gambling task (CGT) and on the color-word interference test and on a version of the Tower of Hanoi test (tower test) of executive functioning. Thirteen participants with OCD were compared to a group of healthy controls (n = 13) matched for age, gender, education and verbal IQ. Results revealed significant differences between the OCD group and the healthy control group on quality of decision-making on the CGT and for achievement score on the tower test. On these two tasks the OCD group performed worse than the healthy control group. The symptom-dimension analysis revealed performance differences where safety checking patients were impaired on the tower test compared to contamination patients. Results are discussed in the framework of cognition and emotion processing and findings implicate that OCD models should address, specifically, the interaction between cognition and emotion. Here the emotional disruption hypothesis is forwarded to account for the dysfunctional behaviors in OCD. Further implications regarding methodological and inhibitory factors affecting cognitive information processing are highlighted. © 2013 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

A New Approach to Improve Cognition, Muscle Strength, and Postural Balance in Community-Dwelling Elderly with a 3-D Virtual Reality Kayak Program.

PubMed

Park, Junhyuck; Yim, JongEun

2016-01-01

Aging is usually accompanied with deterioration of physical abilities, such as muscular strength, sensory sensitivity, and functional capacity. Recently, intervention methods with virtual reality have been introduced, providing an enjoyable therapy for elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a 3-D virtual reality kayak program could improve the cognitive function, muscle strength, and balance of community-dwelling elderly. Importantly, kayaking involves most of the upper body musculature and needs the balance control. Seventy-two participants were randomly allocated into the kayak program group (n = 36) and the control group (n = 36). The two groups were well matched with respect to general characteristics at baseline. The participants in both groups performed a conventional exercise program for 30 min, and then the 3-D virtual reality kayak program was performed in the kayak program group for 20 min, two times a week for 6 weeks. Cognitive function was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Muscle strength was measured using the arm curl and handgrip strength tests. Standing and sitting balance was measured using the Good Balance system. The post-test was performed in the same manner as the pre-test; the overall outcomes such as cognitive function (p < 0.05), muscle strength (p < 0.05), and balance (standing and sitting balance, p < 0.05) were significantly improved in kayak program group compared to the control group. We propose that the 3-D virtual reality kayak program is a promising intervention method for improving the cognitive function, muscle strength, and balance of elderly.

Application and validation of the barrow neurological institute screen for higher cerebral functions in a control population and in patient groups commonly seen in neurorehabilitation.

PubMed

Hofgren, Caisa; Esbjörnsson, Eva; Aniansson, Hans; Sunnerhagen, Katharina Stibrant

2007-09-01

To determine whether the Barrow Neurological Institute Screen for Higher Cerebral Functions (BNIS) can differentiate brain-dysfunctional patients from controls. A case-control study. A total of 92 controls and 120 patients from a neuro-rehabilitation clinic with a diagnosis of: right and left hemisphere stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease or anoxic brain damage. The BNIS has a maximum total score of 50 points, < 47 indicates cognitive dysfunction. Group comparisons and exploration of variables influencing the BNIS total score were made. A significant difference was found between the control group and the total patient group for the BNIS total score and for the subscales (p < 0.0005). Sensitivity was 88% and specificity 78%. Presence of disease and educational level had the greatest influence on the results of the BNIS. Patients with Parkinson's disease were shown to be the least cognitively affected and those with anoxic brain damage the most affected. The BNIS has potential value as a screening instrument for cognitive functions and is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate brain-dysfunctional patients from a control population. It appears to be applicable in a neurological rehabilitation setting, and can be used early in the process, giving a baseline cognitive functional level.

Neurocognitive findings in Prader-Willi syndrome and early-onset morbid obesity.

PubMed

Miller, Jennifer; Kranzler, John; Liu, Yijun; Schmalfuss, Ilona; Theriaque, Douglas W; Shuster, Jonathan J; Hatfield, Ann; Mueller, O Thomas; Goldstone, Anthony P; Sahoo, Trilochan; Beaudet, Arthur L; Driscoll, Daniel J

2006-08-01

To examine whether early-onset morbid obesity is associated with cognitive impairment, neuropathologic changes, and behavioral problems. This case-control study compared head MRI scans and cognitive, achievement, and behavioral evaluations of subjects with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), early-onset morbid obesity (EMO), and normal-weight sibling control subjects from both groups. Head MRI was done on 17 PWS, 18 EMO, and 21 siblings, and cognitive, achievement, and behavioral evaluations were done on 19 PWS, 17 EMO, and 24 siblings. The mean General Intellectual Ability score of the EMO group was 77.4 +/- 17.8; PWS, 63.3 +/- 14.2; and control subjects, 106.4 +/- 13.0. Achievement scores for the three groups were EMO, 78.7 +/- 18.8; PWS, 71.2 +/- 17.0; and control subjects, 104.8 +/- 17.0. Significant negative behaviors and poor adaptive skills were found in the EMO group. White matter lesions were noted on brain MRI in 6 subjects with PWS and 5 with EMO. None of the normal-weight control subjects had these findings. Individuals with EMO have significantly lower cognitive function and more behavioral problems than control subjects with no history of childhood obesity. Both EMO and PWS subjects have white matter lesions on brain MRI that have not previously been described.

First step in managing bulimia nervosa: controlled trial of therapeutic manual.

PubMed Central

Treasure, J.; Schmidt, U.; Troop, N.; Tiller, J.; Todd, G.; Keilen, M.; Dodge, E.

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To test the short term efficacy of a self directed treatment manual for bulimia nervosa. DESIGN--Randomised controlled trial of the manual against cognitive behavioural therapy and a waiting list. SETTING--Tertiary referral centre. SUBJECTS--81 consecutive referrals presenting with bulimia nervosa or atypical bulimia nervosa. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Frequency of binge eating, vomiting, and other behaviours to control weight as well as abstinence from these behaviours. RESULTS--Cognitive behavioural treatment produced a significant reduction in the frequency of binge eating, vomiting, and other behaviours to control weight. The manual significantly reduced frequency of binge eating and weight control behaviours other than vomiting, and there was no change in the group on the waiting list. Full remission was achieved in five (24%) of the group assigned to cognitive behavioural treatment, nine (22%) of the group who used the manual, and two (11%) of the group on the waiting list. CONCLUSIONS--A self directed treatment manual may be a useful first intervention in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. PMID:8142791

Virtual reality-based cognitive training for drug abusers: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Man, David W K

2018-05-08

Non-pharmacological means are being developed to enhance cognitive abilities in drug abusers. This study evaluated virtual reality (VR) as an intervention tool for enhancing cognitive and vocational outcomes in 90 young ketamine users (KU) randomly assigned to a treatment group (virtual reality group, VRG; tutor-administered group, TAG) or wait-listed control group (CG). Two training programmes with similar content but different delivery modes (VR-based and manual-based) were applied using a virtual boutique as a training scenario. Outcome assessments comprised the Digit Vigilance Test, Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test, Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test, work-site test and self-efficacy pre- and post-test and during 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The VRG exhibited significant improvements in attention and improvements in memory that were maintained after 3 months. Both the VRG and TAG exhibited significantly improved vocational skills after training which were maintained during follow-up, and improved self-efficacy. VR-based cognitive training might target cognitive problems in KU.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for women with lifelong vaginismus: a randomized waiting-list controlled trial of efficacy.

PubMed

van Lankveld, Jacques J D M; ter Kuile, Moniek M; de Groot, H Ellen; Melles, Reinhilde; Nefs, Janneke; Zandbergen, Maartje

2006-02-01

Women with lifelong vaginismus (N=117) were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral group therapy, cognitive-behavioral bibliotherapy, or a waiting list. Manualized treatment comprised sexual education, relaxation exercises, gradual exposure, cognitive therapy, and sensate focus therapy. Group therapy consisted of ten 2-hr sessions with 6 to 9 participants per group. Assistance with minimal-contact bibliotherapy consisted of 6 biweekly, 15-min telephone contacts. Twenty-one percent of the participants left the study before posttreatment assessment. Intent-to-treat analysis revealed that successful intercourse at posttreatment was reported by 14% of the treated participants compared with none of the participants in the control condition. At the 12-month follow-up 21% of the group therapy participants and 15% of the bibliotherapy participants, respectively, reported successful intercourse. Cognitive-behavioral treatment of lifelong vaginismus was thus found to be efficacious, but the small effect size of the treatment warrants future efforts to improve the treatment. Copyright (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

Psychological Intervention for Improving Cognitive Function in Cancer Survivors: A Literature Review and Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

King, Summer; Green, Heather Joy

2015-01-01

Although the impact of cancer and associated treatments on cognitive functioning is becoming an increasingly recognized problem, there are few published studies that have investigated psychological interventions to address this issue. A waitlist randomized controlled trial methodology was used to assess the efficacy of a group cognitive rehabilitation intervention (“ReCog”) that successfully targeted cancer-related cognitive decline in previously published pilot research. Participants were 29 cancer survivors who were randomly allocated to either the intervention group or a waitlist group who received the intervention at a later date, and 16 demographically matched community volunteers with no history of cancer (trial registration ACTRN12615000009516, available at http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12615000009516.aspx). The study was the first to include an adapted version of the Traumatic Brain Injury Self-Efficacy Scale to assess cognitive self-efficacy (CSE) in people who have experienced cancer. Results revealed participating in the intervention was associated with significantly faster performance on one objective cognitive task that measures processing speed and visual scanning. Significantly larger improvements for the intervention group were also found on measures of perceived cognitive impairments and CSE. There was some evidence to support the roles of CSE and illness perceptions as potential mechanisms of change for the intervention. Overall, the study provided additional evidence of feasibility and efficacy of group psychological intervention for targeting cancer-related cognitive decline. PMID:25859431

Effects of Cognitive, Motor, and Karate Training on Cognitive Functioning and Emotional Well-Being of Elderly People

PubMed Central

Jansen, Petra; Dahmen-Zimmer, Katharina

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the influence of cognitive, motor, and Karate (accordingly the guidelines of the German-Karate-Federation, DKV) training on the cognitive functioning and mental state of older people between 67 and 93 years of age. The three training groups each consisted of 12 elderly participants; the waiting control group included 9 participants. Before the training, participants were evaluated with cognitive measurements (cognitive speed: number-connection test, number–symbol test; memory performance: digit-span test, blocking-tapping test, figure test) and a measurement of emotional well-being. After this pre-testing they participated the specific training in on average sixteen 1-h training sessions. The cognitive training exercised inductive thinking ability, the motor training worked on easy stretching and mobilization techniques, and the Karate training taught tasks of self-defense, partner training, and Katas. After completion of the training sessions, all tests were applied again. The results show no significant difference in cognitive improvement dependent on group between the three training conditions. However a significant improvement was found in the emotional mental state measurement for the Karate group compared to the waiting control group. This result suggests that the integrated involvement in Karate leads to a feeling of self-worth and that, even in elderly people, integration of new sports helps to improve quality of life. PMID:22363311

Gray matter morphological anomalies in the cerebellar vermis in first-episode schizophrenia patients with cognitive deficits.

PubMed

Wang, Jingjuan; Zhou, Li; Cui, Chunlei; Liu, Zhening; Lu, Jie

2017-11-22

Cognitive deficits are a core feature of early schizophrenia. However, the pathological foundations underlying cognitive deficits are still unknown. The present study examined the association between gray matter density and cognitive deficits in first-episode schizophrenia. Structural magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was performed in 34 first-episode schizophrenia patients and 21 healthy controls. Patients were divided into two subgroups according to working memory task performance. The three groups were well matched for age, gender, and education, and the two patient groups were also further matched for diagnosis, duration of illness, and antipsychotic treatment. Voxel-based morphometric analysis was performed to estimate changes in gray matter density in first-episode schizophrenia patients with cognitive deficits. The relationships between gray matter density and clinical outcomes were explored. Patients with cognitive deficits were found to have reduced gray matter density in the vermis and tonsil of cerebellum compared with patients without cognitive deficits and healthy controls, decreased gray matter density in left supplementary motor area, bilateral precentral gyrus compared with patients without cognitive deficits. Classifier results showed GMD in cerebellar vermis tonsil cluster could differentiate SZ-CD from controls, left supplementary motor area cluster could differentiate SZ-CD from SZ-NCD. Gray matter density values of the cerebellar vermis cluster in patients groups were positively correlated with cognitive severity. Decreased gray matter density in the vermis and tonsil of cerebellum may underlie early psychosis and serve as a candidate biomarker for schizophrenia with cognitive deficits.

Subliminal trauma reminders impact neural processing of cognitive control in adults with developmental earthquake trauma: a preliminary report.

PubMed

Du, Xue; Li, Yu; Ran, Qian; Kim, Pilyoung; Ganzel, Barbara L; Liang, GuangSheng; Hao, Lei; Zhang, Qinglin; Meng, Huaqing; Qiu, Jiang

2016-03-01

Little is known about the effects of developmental trauma on the neural basis of cognitive control among adults who do not have posttraumatic stress disorder. To examine this question, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare the effect of subliminal priming with earthquake-related images on attentional control during a Stroop task in survivors of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China (survivor group, survivors were adolescents at the time of the earthquake) and in matched controls (control group). We found that the survivor group showed greater activation in the left ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) and the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus during the congruent versus incongruent condition, as compared to the control group. Depressive symptoms were positively correlated with left vACC activation during the congruent condition. Moreover, psychophysiological interaction results showed that the survivor group had stronger functional connectivity between the left parahippocampal gyrus and the left vACC than the control group under the congruent-incongruent condition. These results suggested that trauma-related information was linked to abnormal activity in brain networks associated with cognitive control (e.g., vACC-parahippocampal gyrus). This may be a potential biomarker for depression following developmental trauma, and it may also provide a mechanism linking trauma reminders with depression.

White matter fiber integrity of the saccadic eye movement network differs between schizophrenia and healthy groups.

PubMed

Schaeffer, David J; Rodrigue, Amanda L; Burton, Courtney R; Pierce, Jordan E; Murphy, Megan N; Clementz, Brett A; McDowell, Jennifer E

2017-12-01

Recent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies suggest that altered white matter fiber integrity is a pathophysiological feature of schizophrenia. Lower white matter integrity is associated with poor cognitive control, a characteristic of schizophrenia that can be measured using antisaccade tasks. Although the functional neural correlates of poor antisaccade performance have been well documented, fewer studies have investigated the extent to which white matter fibers connecting the functional nodes of this network contribute to antisaccade performance. The aim of the present study was to assess the white matter structural integrity of fibers connecting two functional nodes (putamen and medial frontal eye fields) of the saccadic eye movement network implicated in poor antisaccade performance in schizophrenia. To evaluate white matter integrity, DTI was acquired on subjects with schizophrenia and two comparison groups: (a) behaviorally matched healthy comparison subjects with low levels of cognitive control (LCC group), and (b) healthy subjects with high levels of cognitive control (HCC group). White matter fibers were tracked between functional regions of interest generated from antisaccade fMRI activation maps, and measures of diffusivity were quantified. The results demonstrated lower white matter integrity in the schizophrenia group than in the HCC group, but not the LCC group who showed similarly poor cognitive control performance. Overall, the results suggest that these alterations are not specific to the disease process of schizophrenia, but may rather be a function of uncontrolled cognitive factors that are concomitant with the disease but also observed in some healthy people. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Music listening enhances cognitive recovery and mood after middle cerebral artery stroke.

PubMed

Särkämö, Teppo; Tervaniemi, Mari; Laitinen, Sari; Forsblom, Anita; Soinila, Seppo; Mikkonen, Mikko; Autti, Taina; Silvennoinen, Heli M; Erkkilä, Jaakko; Laine, Matti; Peretz, Isabelle; Hietanen, Marja

2008-03-01

We know from animal studies that a stimulating and enriched environment can enhance recovery after stroke, but little is known about the effects of an enriched sound environment on recovery from neural damage in humans. In humans, music listening activates a wide-spread bilateral network of brain regions related to attention, semantic processing, memory, motor functions, and emotional processing. Music exposure also enhances emotional and cognitive functioning in healthy subjects and in various clinical patient groups. The potential role of music in neurological rehabilitation, however, has not been systematically investigated. This single-blind, randomized, and controlled trial was designed to determine whether everyday music listening can facilitate the recovery of cognitive functions and mood after stroke. In the acute recovery phase, 60 patients with a left or right hemisphere middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke were randomly assigned to a music group, a language group, or a control group. During the following two months, the music and language groups listened daily to self-selected music or audio books, respectively, while the control group received no listening material. In addition, all patients received standard medical care and rehabilitation. All patients underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment, which included a wide range of cognitive tests as well as mood and quality of life questionnaires, one week (baseline), 3 months, and 6 months after the stroke. Fifty-four patients completed the study. Results showed that recovery in the domains of verbal memory and focused attention improved significantly more in the music group than in the language and control groups. The music group also experienced less depressed and confused mood than the control group. These findings demonstrate for the first time that music listening during the early post-stroke stage can enhance cognitive recovery and prevent negative mood. The neural mechanisms potentially underlying these effects are discussed.

Cognitive distortions and gambling near-misses in Internet Gaming Disorder: A preliminary study

PubMed Central

Sescousse, Guillaume; Yu, Hongbo; Clark, Luke; Li, Hong

2018-01-01

Increased cognitive distortions (i.e. biased processing of chance, probability and skill) are a key psychopathological process in disordered gambling. The present study investigated state and trait aspects of cognitive distortions in 22 individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and 22 healthy controls. Participants completed the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale as a trait measure of cognitive distortions, and played a slot machine task delivering wins, near-misses and full-misses. Ratings of pleasure (“liking”) and motivation to play (“wanting”) were taken following the different outcomes, and gambling persistence was measured after a mandatory phase. IGD was associated with elevated trait cognitive distortions, in particular skill-oriented cognitions. On the slot machine task, the IGD group showed increased “wanting” ratings compared with control participants, while the two groups did not differ regarding their “liking” of the game. The IGD group displayed increased persistence on the slot machine task. Near-miss outcomes did not elicit stronger motivation to play compared to full-miss outcomes overall, and there was no group difference on this measure. However, a near-miss position effect was observed, such that near-misses stopping before the payline were rated as more motivating than near-misses that stopped after the payline, and this differentiation was attenuated in the IGD group, suggesting possible counterfactual thinking deficits in this group. These data provide preliminary evidence for increased incentive motivation and cognitive distortions in IGD, at least in the context of a chance-based gambling environment. PMID:29346434

Cognitive distortions and gambling near-misses in Internet Gaming Disorder: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Wu, Yin; Sescousse, Guillaume; Yu, Hongbo; Clark, Luke; Li, Hong

2018-01-01

Increased cognitive distortions (i.e. biased processing of chance, probability and skill) are a key psychopathological process in disordered gambling. The present study investigated state and trait aspects of cognitive distortions in 22 individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and 22 healthy controls. Participants completed the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale as a trait measure of cognitive distortions, and played a slot machine task delivering wins, near-misses and full-misses. Ratings of pleasure ("liking") and motivation to play ("wanting") were taken following the different outcomes, and gambling persistence was measured after a mandatory phase. IGD was associated with elevated trait cognitive distortions, in particular skill-oriented cognitions. On the slot machine task, the IGD group showed increased "wanting" ratings compared with control participants, while the two groups did not differ regarding their "liking" of the game. The IGD group displayed increased persistence on the slot machine task. Near-miss outcomes did not elicit stronger motivation to play compared to full-miss outcomes overall, and there was no group difference on this measure. However, a near-miss position effect was observed, such that near-misses stopping before the payline were rated as more motivating than near-misses that stopped after the payline, and this differentiation was attenuated in the IGD group, suggesting possible counterfactual thinking deficits in this group. These data provide preliminary evidence for increased incentive motivation and cognitive distortions in IGD, at least in the context of a chance-based gambling environment.

The Beneficial Effects of Cognitive Training With Simple Calculation and Reading Aloud (SCRA) in the Elderly Postoperative Population: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Kulason, Kay; Nouchi, Rui; Hoshikawa, Yasushi; Noda, Masafumi; Okada, Yoshinori; Kawashima, Ryuta

2018-01-01

Background: There has been little research conducted regarding cognitive treatments for the elderly postsurgical population. Patients aged ≥60 years have an increased risk of postoperative cognitive decline, a condition in which cognitive functions are negatively affected. This cognitive decline can lead to a decline in quality of life. In order to maintain a high quality of life, the elderly postsurgical population may benefit from treatment to maintain and/or improve their cognitive functions. This pilot study investigates the effect of simple calculation and reading aloud (SCRA) cognitive training in elderly Japanese postsurgical patients. Methods: Elderly patients undergoing non-cardiovascular thoracic surgery under general anesthesia were recruited (n = 12). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups—one that receives 12 weeks of SCRA intervention, and a waitlisted control group. Before and after the intervention, we measured cognitive function [Mini-Mental Status Exam-Japanese (MMSE-J), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), computerized Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB)] and emotional state [General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Quality of Life Scale-5 (QOL-5)]. Results: Group difference analyses using ANCOVA with permutation test showed that the intervention SCRA group had a significant improvement in FAB motor programming sub-score, GDS, and QOL-5 compared to the control group. Within-group analyses using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare baseline and follow-up showed that the SCRA intervention group total FAB scores, FAB motor programming sub-scores, and QOL-5 scores were significantly improved. Discussion: This pilot study showed that there are important implications for the beneficial effects of SCRA intervention on cognitive function and emotional state in the postoperative elderly population; however, further investigations are necessary to reach any conclusions. Trial registration: This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000019832). PMID:29643802

Group cognitive remediation therapy for chronic schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tan, Shuping; Zou, Yizhuang; Wykes, Til; Reeder, Clare; Zhu, Xiaolin; Yang, Fude; Zhao, Yanli; Tan, Yunlong; Fan, Fengmei; Zhou, Dongfeng

2016-07-28

Individual-level cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) has been shown to be effective for cognitive improvement and social function amelioration. Here, we aimed to test the efficacy of group-based CRT in Chinese subjects with schizophrenia. One-hundred and four inpatients were randomly assigned to either 40 sessions of small-group CRT therapy or therapeutic contact-matched Musical and Dancing Therapy (MDT). Cognitive and social functioning, as well as clinical symptoms, were evaluated over the course of treatment. Specifically, cognitive function was evaluated using a battery of cognitive measurements, clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and social function was evaluated using the Nurse's Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation-30. All patients were evaluated pre- and post-treatment. Forty-four individuals in the CRT group and 46 in the MDT group completed all of the planned treatments and analyses. Cognitive functions, especially cognitive flexibility and memory, showed significant improvement in the CRT group over the course of the study. The MDT group also showed improvement in several cognitive flexibility assessments, but the degree of improvement was significantly greater in the CRT group. Several social-function factors exhibited a significant improvement in the CRT group, but not in the MDT group. Cognitive function improvement correlated positively with social function without predicting social function change. We conclude that group-based CRT is an effective and promising therapy. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

A Comparison of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation and Computerized Cognitive Behavior Therapy

PubMed Central

Bowler, Jennifer O.; Mackintosh, Bundy; Dunn, Barnaby D.; Mathews, Andrew; Dalgleish, Tim; Hoppitt, Laura

2012-01-01

Objective: Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) and cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) both have demonstrated efficacy in alleviating social anxiety, but how they compare with each other has not been investigated. The present study tested the prediction that both interventions would reduce anxiety relative to a no-intervention comparison condition, but CBM-I would be particularly effective at modifying threat-related cognitive bias under high mental load. Method: Sixty-three primarily Caucasian adults (mean age = 22.7, SD = 5.87; 68.3% female) with high social anxiety, randomly allocated to 3 groups: CBM-I (n = 21), cCBT (n = 21), and a no-intervention control group (n = 21) provided complete data for analysis. Pre- and postintervention (4 sessions lasting 2 weeks, control participants only attended the pre–post sessions) self-report measures of anxiety, depression, attentional control, and threat-related interpretive bias were completed. In addition, interpretive bias under high versus low cognitive load was measured using the Scrambled Sentences Test. Results: Both CBM-I and cCBT groups reported significantly reduced levels of social anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression and improved attentional control, relative to the control group, with no clear superiority of either active intervention. Although both active conditions reduced negative bias on the Scrambled Sentences Test completed under mental load, CBM-I was significantly more effective at doing so. Conclusions: The results suggest that although not differing in therapeutic efficacy, CBM-I and cCBT might differ in the resilience of their effects when under mental load. PMID:22963595

Differences in the use of everyday technology among persons with MCI, SCI and older adults without known cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Malinowsky, Camilla; Kottorp, Anders; Wallin, Anders; Nordlund, Arto; Björklund, Eva; Melin, Ilse; Pernevik, Anette; Rosenberg, Lena; Nygård, Louise

2017-07-01

To use valid subjective reports sensible to cognitive decline is vital to identify very early signs of dementia development. Use of everyday technology (ET) has been shown to be sensitive to differentiate adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from controls, but the group with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) has not yet been examined. This study aims to investigate and compare self-perceived ability in ET use and number of ETs reported as actually used in a sample of older adults with SCI, MCI, and older adults with no known cognitive impairment, i.e. Older adults with MCI (n = 29), SCI ( n = 26), and controls (n = 30) were interviewed with the short version of the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (S-ETUQ) to capture self-perceived ability in ET use and number of ETs used. To generate individual measures of ability to use ET, Rasch analysis was used. The measures were then compared group-wise using ANCOVA. The numbers of ETs used were compared group-wise with ANOVA. Controls versus SCI and MCI differed significantly regarding ETs reported as used, but not SCI versus MCI. Similarly, in ability to use ET, controls versus SCI and MCI differed significantly but not SCI versus MCI. The significantly lower numbers of ETs reported as actually used and the lower ability in SCI and MCI groups compared to controls suggest that ET use is affected already in very minor cognitive decline. This indicates that self-reported ET use based on the S-ETUQ is sensitive to detect changes already in SCI.

Longitudinal cognitive development of children born to mothers with opioid and polysubstance use.

PubMed

Nygaard, Egil; Moe, Vibeke; Slinning, Kari; Walhovd, Kristine B

2015-09-01

Previous studies indicate an increased risk for neuropsychological difficulties in young children prenatally exposed to opioids and polysubstances, but longitudinal information is scarce. The present longitudinal study investigated whether these waned, persisted, or increased over time. The cognitive functioning of 72 children with prenatal opioid and polysubstance exposure and 58 children without any established prenatal risk was assessed at 1, 2, 3, 4½, and 8½ y. The exposed boys had significantly and stably lower levels of cognitive functioning than the control group, whereas there were increasing differences over time for the girls. The exposed group had significantly lower IQ scores than the control group on Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised at 8½ y after controlling for earlier cognitive abilities, and for children who were permanently placed in adoptive/foster homes before 1 y of age and whose mothers used heroin as their main drug during pregnancy (B = 17.04, 95% CI 8.69-25.38, P < 0.001). While effects of prenatal substance exposure cannot be isolated, group effects on cognition rather increased than waned over time, even in adoptive/foster children with minimal postnatal risk.

Memory and language improvements following cognitive control training.

PubMed

Hussey, Erika K; Harbison, J Isaiah; Teubner-Rhodes, Susan E; Mishler, Alan; Velnoskey, Kayla; Novick, Jared M

2017-01-01

Cognitive control refers to adjusting thoughts and actions when confronted with conflict during information processing. We tested whether this ability is causally linked to performance on certain language and memory tasks by using cognitive control training to systematically modulate people's ability to resolve information-conflict across domains. Different groups of subjects trained on 1 of 3 minimally different versions of an n-back task: n-back-with-lures (High-Conflict), n-back-without-lures (Low-Conflict), or 3-back-without-lures (3-Back). Subjects completed a battery of recognition memory and language processing tasks that comprised both high- and low-conflict conditions before and after training. We compared the transfer profiles of (a) the High- versus Low-Conflict groups to test how conflict resolution training contributes to transfer effects, and (b) the 3-Back versus Low-Conflict groups to test for differences not involving cognitive control. High-Conflict training-but not Low-Conflict training-produced discernable benefits on several untrained transfer tasks, but only under selective conditions requiring cognitive control. This suggests that the conflict-focused intervention influenced functioning on ostensibly different outcome measures across memory and language domains. 3-Back training resulted in occasional improvements on the outcome measures, but these were not selective for conditions involving conflict resolution. We conclude that domain-general cognitive control mechanisms are plastic, at least temporarily, and may play a causal role in linguistic and nonlinguistic performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Characterizing cognitive heterogeneity on the schizophrenia-bipolar disorder spectrum.

PubMed

Van Rheenen, T E; Lewandowski, K E; Tan, E J; Ospina, L H; Ongur, D; Neill, E; Gurvich, C; Pantelis, C; Malhotra, A K; Rossell, S L; Burdick, K E

2017-07-01

Current group-average analysis suggests quantitative but not qualitative cognitive differences between schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). There is increasing recognition that cognitive within-group heterogeneity exists in both disorders, but it remains unclear as to whether between-group comparisons of performance in cognitive subgroups emerging from within each of these nosological categories uphold group-average findings. We addressed this by identifying cognitive subgroups in large samples of SZ and BD patients independently, and comparing their cognitive profiles. The utility of a cross-diagnostic clustering approach to understanding cognitive heterogeneity in these patients was also explored. Hierarchical clustering analyses were conducted using cognitive data from 1541 participants (SZ n = 564, BD n = 402, healthy control n = 575). Three qualitatively and quantitatively similar clusters emerged within each clinical group: a severely impaired cluster, a mild-moderately impaired cluster and a relatively intact cognitive cluster. A cross-diagnostic clustering solution also resulted in three subgroups and was superior in reducing cognitive heterogeneity compared with disorder clustering independently. Quantitative SZ-BD cognitive differences commonly seen using group averages did not hold when cognitive heterogeneity was factored into our sample. Members of each corresponding subgroup, irrespective of diagnosis, might be manifesting the outcome of differences in shared cognitive risk factors.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for reducing fatigue in post-polio syndrome and in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy: A comparison.

PubMed

Koopman, Fieke S; Brehm, Merel A; Beelen, Anita; Voet, Nicole; Bleijenberg, Gijs; Geurts, Alexander; Nollet, Frans

2017-07-07

Cognitive behavioural therapy does not reduce fatigue in post-polio syndrome, but is effective in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy. This difference in efficacy might be explained by a different role of cognitions in these conditions. To compare fatigue-related cognitions between patients with post-polio syndrome and facio-scapulohumeral dystrophy. Patients with post-polio syndrome (n = 21) and facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (n = 24) allocated to a cognitive behavioural therapy intervention in 2 identical trials. Assessed cognitions included: sense of control over fatigue; catastrophizing; acceptance; focusing on fatigue; and perceived social support. Group differences in cognitions (independent t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests) and group differences in the association of cognitions with fatigue (linear regression models) were studied. No differences in cognitions were found between the 2 groups (p > 0.18). Furthermore, there were no cognition-by-group interaction effects, except for "perceived social support", for which a different association with fatigue was found between the 2 groups (p = 0.01). However, univariate models revealed no associations per group. Fatigue-related cognitions in severely fatigued patients with post-polio syndrome are not clearly different from that in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy. Thus, the lack of efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy in post-polio syndrome cannot be attributed to unique cognitive characteristics of this population.

Comparison of brain connectivity between Internet gambling disorder and Internet gaming disorder: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Bae, Sujin; Han, Doug Hyun; Jung, Jaebum; Nam, Ki Chun; Renshaw, Perry F

2017-12-01

Background and aims Given the similarities in clinical symptoms, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is thought to be diagnostically similar to Internet-based gambling disorder (ibGD). However, cognitive enhancement and educational use of Internet gaming suggest that the two disorders derive from different neurobiological mechanisms. The goal of this study was to compare subjects with ibGD to those with IGD. Methods Fifteen patients with IGD, 14 patients with ibGD, and 15 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data for all participants were acquired using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner (Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Seed-based analyses, the three brain networks of default mode, cognitive control, and reward circuitry, were performed. Results Both IGD and ibGD groups demonstrated decreased functional connectivity (FC) within the default-mode network (DMN) (family-wise error p < .001) compared with healthy control subjects. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both the ibGD (p < .01) and healthy control groups (p < .01). In contrast, the ibGD group demonstrated increased FC within the reward circuitry compared with both IGD (p < .01) and healthy control subjects (p < .01). Discussion and conclusions The IGD and ibGD groups shared the characteristic of decreased FC in the DMN. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both ibGD and healthy comparison groups.

Effect of yoga on cognitive abilities in schoolchildren from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Chaya, Mayasandra S; Nagendra, Hongasandra; Selvam, Sumithra; Kurpad, Anura; Srinivasan, Krishnamachari

2012-12-01

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of yoga, compared to physical activity on the cognitive performance in 7-9 year-old schoolchildren from a socioeconomic disadvantaged background. Two hundred (200) schoolchildren from Bangalore, India, after baseline assessment of cognitive functioning were randomly allocated to either a yoga or a physical-activity group. Cognitive functions (attention and concentration, visuo-spatial abilities, verbal ability, and abstract thinking) were assessed using an Indian adaptation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children at baseline, after 3 months of intervention, and later at a 3-month follow-up. Of the 200 subjects, 193 were assessed at 3 months after the study, and then 180 were assessed at the 3-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in cognitive performance between the two study groups (yoga versus physical activity) at postintervention, after controlling for grade levels. Improvement in the mean scores of cognitive tests following intervention varied from 0.5 (Arithmetic) to 1.4 (Coding) for the yoga group and 0.7 (Arithmetic) to 1.6 (Vocabulary) in the physical-activity group. Yoga was as effective as physical activity in improving cognitive performance in 7-9 year old schoolchildren. Further studies are needed to examine the dose-response relationship between yoga and cognitive performance.

Cognitive Effects of Mindfulness Training: Results of a Pilot Study Based on a Theory Driven Approach

PubMed Central

Wimmer, Lena; Bellingrath, Silja; von Stockhausen, Lisa

2016-01-01

The present paper reports a pilot study which tested cognitive effects of mindfulness practice in a theory-driven approach. Thirty-four fifth graders received either a mindfulness training which was based on the mindfulness-based stress reduction approach (experimental group), a concentration training (active control group), or no treatment (passive control group). Based on the operational definition of mindfulness by Bishop et al. (2004), effects on sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, cognitive inhibition, and data-driven as opposed to schema-based information processing were predicted. These abilities were assessed in a pre-post design by means of a vigilance test, a reversible figures test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a Stroop test, a visual search task, and a recognition task of prototypical faces. Results suggest that the mindfulness training specifically improved cognitive inhibition and data-driven information processing. PMID:27462287

Cognitive Effects of Mindfulness Training: Results of a Pilot Study Based on a Theory Driven Approach.

PubMed

Wimmer, Lena; Bellingrath, Silja; von Stockhausen, Lisa

2016-01-01

The present paper reports a pilot study which tested cognitive effects of mindfulness practice in a theory-driven approach. Thirty-four fifth graders received either a mindfulness training which was based on the mindfulness-based stress reduction approach (experimental group), a concentration training (active control group), or no treatment (passive control group). Based on the operational definition of mindfulness by Bishop et al. (2004), effects on sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, cognitive inhibition, and data-driven as opposed to schema-based information processing were predicted. These abilities were assessed in a pre-post design by means of a vigilance test, a reversible figures test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a Stroop test, a visual search task, and a recognition task of prototypical faces. Results suggest that the mindfulness training specifically improved cognitive inhibition and data-driven information processing.

Cognitive function of children with cystic fibrosis: deleterious effect of early malnutrition.

PubMed

Koscik, Rebecca L; Farrell, Philip M; Kosorok, Michael R; Zaremba, Kathleen M; Laxova, Anita; Lai, Hui-Chuan; Douglas, Jeff A; Rock, Michael J; Splaingard, Mark L

2004-06-01

Patients who have cystic fibrosis (CF) and experience delayed diagnosis by traditional methods have greater nutritional insult compared with peers diagnosed via neonatal screening. The objective of this study was to evaluate cognitive function in children with CF and the influence of both early diagnosis through neonatal screening and the potential effect of early malnutrition. Cognitive assessment data were obtained for 89 CF patients (aged 7.3-17 years) during routine clinic visits. Patients had been enrolled in either the screened (N = 42) or traditional diagnosis (control) group (N = 47) of the Wisconsin CF Neonatal Screening Project. The Test of Cognitive Skills, Second Edition was administered to generate the Cognitive Skills Index (CSI) and cognitive factor scores (Verbal, Nonverbal, and Memory). Cognitive scores in the overall study population were similar to normative data (CSI mean [standard deviation]: 102.5 [16.6]; 95% confidence interval: 99.1-105.9). The mean (standard deviation) CSI scores for the screened and control groups were 104.4 (14.4) and 99.8 (18.5), respectively. Significantly lower cognitive scores correlated with indicators of malnutrition and unfavorable family factors such as single parents, lower socioeconomic status, and less parental education. Our analyses revealed lower cognitive scores in patients with low plasma alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) levels at diagnosis. In addition, patients in the control group who also had vitamin E deficiency at diagnosis (alpha-T < 300 microg/dl) showed significantly lower CSI scores in comparison with alpha-T-sufficient control subjects and both deficient and sufficient alpha-T subsets of screened patients. Results suggest that prevention of prolonged malnutrition by early diagnosis and nutritional therapy, particularly minimizing the duration of vitamin E deficiency, is associated with better cognitive functioning in children with CF.

Social cognition in patients with schizophrenia, their unaffected first degree relatives and healthy controls. Comparison between groups and analysis of associated clinical and sociodemographic variables.

PubMed

Rodríguez Sosa, Juana Teresa; Gil Santiago, Hiurma; Trujillo Cubas, Angel; Winter Navarro, Marta; León Pérez, Petra; Guerra Cazorla, Luz Marina; Martín Jiménez, José María

2013-01-01

To evaluate and compare the social cognition in patients with schizophrenia, healthy first-degree relatives and controls, by studying the relationship between social cognition and nonsocial cognition, psychopathology, and other clinical and sociodemographic variables. The total sample was comprised of patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (N = 29), healthy first-degree relatives (N = 21) and controls (N = 28). All groups were assessed with an ad hoc questionnaire and a Social Cognition Scale, which assessed the domains: emotional processing, social perception and attributional style in a Spanish population. The patient group was also assessed with the Scale for the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Mini-mental state examination. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 15.0. Patients scored significantly worse in all domains of social cognition assessed, compared with controls, and mastery attributional style, compared with relatives. The type of psychopathology correlated negatively and statistically significantly with different domains of social cognition: negative symptoms with emotional processing and attributional style, and positive symptoms with social perception. Basic cognition scores correlated positively and statistically significantly with the domains social perception and attributional style. Social cognition has become an interesting object of study, especially in how it relates to non-social cognition, psychopathology and global functioning of patients, bringing new elements to be considered in the early detection, comprehensive treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation of patients. Its conceptualization as trait variable, the consideration of the existence of a continuum between patients and relatives are plausible hypotheses that require further research. Copyright © 2012 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Cognitive control processes in paranoia: the impact of threat induction on strategic cognition and self-focused attention.

PubMed

Flower, Laura; Newman-Taylor, Katherine; Stopa, Lusia

2015-01-01

Current clinical models emphasize certain cognitive processes in the maintenance of distressing paranoia. While a number of these processes have been examined in detail, the role of strategic cognition and self-focused attention remain under-researched. This study examined the deployment of cognitive strategies and self-focused attention in people with non-clinical paranoia. An experimental design was used to examine the impact of a threat activation task on these processes, in participants with high and low non-clinical paranoia. Twenty-eight people were recruited to each group, and completed measures of anxiety, paranoid cognition, strategic cognition and self-focused attention. The threat activation task was effective in increasing anxiety in people with high and low non-clinical paranoia. The high paranoia group experienced more paranoid cognitions following threat activation. This group also reported greater use of thought suppression, punishment and worry, and less use of social control strategies when under threat. No differences were found between the groups on measures of self-focused attention. This study shows that the threat activation task increased anxiety in people with high non-clinical paranoia, leading to increased paranoid thinking. The use of strategic cognition following threat activation varied dependent on level of non-clinical paranoia. If these differences are replicated in clinical groups, the strategies may be implicated in the maintenance of distressing psychosis, and may therefore be a valuable target for therapeutic intervention.

Examining neural correlates of skill acquisition in a complex videogame training program.

PubMed

Prakash, Ruchika S; De Leon, Angeline A; Mourany, Lyla; Lee, Hyunkyu; Voss, Michelle W; Boot, Walter R; Basak, Chandramallika; Fabiani, Monica; Gratton, Gabriele; Kramer, Arthur F

2012-01-01

Acquisition of complex skills is a universal feature of human behavior that has been conceptualized as a process that starts with intense resource dependency, requires effortful cognitive control, and ends in relative automaticity on the multi-faceted task. The present study examined the effects of different theoretically based training strategies on cortical recruitment during acquisition of complex video game skills. Seventy-five participants were recruited and assigned to one of three training groups: (1) Fixed Emphasis Training (FET), in which participants practiced the game, (2) Hybrid Variable-Priority Training (HVT), in which participants practiced using a combination of part-task training and variable priority training, or (3) a Control group that received limited game play. After 30 h of training, game data indicated a significant advantage for the two training groups relative to the control group. The HVT group demonstrated enhanced benefits of training, as indexed by an improvement in overall game score and a reduction in cortical recruitment post-training. Specifically, while both groups demonstrated a significant reduction of activation in attentional control areas, namely the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, participants in the control group continued to engage these areas post-training, suggesting a sustained reliance on attentional regions during challenging task demands. The HVT group showed a further reduction in neural resources post-training compared to the FET group in these cognitive control regions, along with reduced activation in the motor and sensory cortices and the posteromedial cortex. Findings suggest that training, specifically one that emphasizes cognitive flexibility can reduce the attentional demands of a complex cognitive task, along with reduced reliance on the motor network.

Examining neural correlates of skill acquisition in a complex videogame training program

PubMed Central

Prakash, Ruchika S.; De Leon, Angeline A.; Mourany, Lyla; Lee, Hyunkyu; Voss, Michelle W.; Boot, Walter R.; Basak, Chandramallika; Fabiani, Monica; Gratton, Gabriele; Kramer, Arthur F.

2012-01-01

Acquisition of complex skills is a universal feature of human behavior that has been conceptualized as a process that starts with intense resource dependency, requires effortful cognitive control, and ends in relative automaticity on the multi-faceted task. The present study examined the effects of different theoretically based training strategies on cortical recruitment during acquisition of complex video game skills. Seventy-five participants were recruited and assigned to one of three training groups: (1) Fixed Emphasis Training (FET), in which participants practiced the game, (2) Hybrid Variable-Priority Training (HVT), in which participants practiced using a combination of part-task training and variable priority training, or (3) a Control group that received limited game play. After 30 h of training, game data indicated a significant advantage for the two training groups relative to the control group. The HVT group demonstrated enhanced benefits of training, as indexed by an improvement in overall game score and a reduction in cortical recruitment post-training. Specifically, while both groups demonstrated a significant reduction of activation in attentional control areas, namely the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, participants in the control group continued to engage these areas post-training, suggesting a sustained reliance on attentional regions during challenging task demands. The HVT group showed a further reduction in neural resources post-training compared to the FET group in these cognitive control regions, along with reduced activation in the motor and sensory cortices and the posteromedial cortex. Findings suggest that training, specifically one that emphasizes cognitive flexibility can reduce the attentional demands of a complex cognitive task, along with reduced reliance on the motor network. PMID:22615690

Differences in cognitive ability and hippocampal volume between Alzheimer's disease, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and healthy control groups, and their correlation.

PubMed

Choi, Mi-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Sik; Gim, Seon-Young; Kim, Woo-Ram; Mun, Kyung-Ryul; Tack, Gye-Rae; Lee, Bongsoo; Choi, Young Chil; Kim, Hyun-Jun; Hong, Seung Hwa; Lim, Dae-Woon; Chung, Soon-Cheol

2016-05-04

The study investigated differences in cognitive ability and hippocampal volume between groups of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and healthy control (HC) subjects, and explored the relationship between cognitive ability and hippocampal volume. Among the sub-tests of Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), the Boston naming test score decreased in the order HC, aMCI, and AD. The hippocampal volumes of subjects with AD and aMCI were relatively smaller than those of HC individuals. There were strongly positive correlations between hippocampal volume and the scores for the Boston naming test. Discriminant analysis identified the Boston naming test as having the highest level of discrimination among the variables used to differentiate the three groups (89.9%). In conclusion, the Boston naming test accurately differentiated the three groups and was correlated with hippocampal volume. These results will be helpful for choosing an accurate and economically feasible test method that efficiently differentiates the three groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential impairment of social cognition factors in bipolar disorder with and without psychotic features and schizophrenia.

PubMed

Thaler, Nicholas S; Allen, Daniel N; Sutton, Griffin P; Vertinski, Mary; Ringdahl, Erik N

2013-12-01

While it is well-established that patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder exhibit deficits in social cognition, few studies have separately examined bipolar disorder with and without psychotic features. The current study addressed this gap by comparing patients with bipolar disorder with (BD+) and without (BD-) psychotic features, patients with schizophrenia (SZ), and healthy controls (NC) across social cognitive measures. Principal factor analysis on five social cognition tasks extracted a two-factor structure comprised of social/emotional processing and theory of mind. Factor scores were compared among the four groups. Results identified differential patterns of impairment between the BD+ and BD- group on the social/emotional processing factor while all clinical groups performed poorer than controls on the theory of mind factor. This provides evidence that a history of psychosis should be taken into account while evaluating social cognition in patients with bipolar disorder and also raises hypotheses about the relationship between social cognition and psychosis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social comparisons with media images are cognitively inefficient even for women who say they feel pressure from the media.

PubMed

Want, Stephen C; Saiphoo, Alyssa

2017-03-01

The present study investigated whether social comparisons with media images are cognitively efficient (demanding minimal mental effort) or cognitively effortful processes, in a sample of female undergraduate students (N=151) who reported feeling pressure from the media regarding their appearance. Two groups were shown 12 images of thin and attractive female models. One group was asked to memorize a complex 8-digit number during exposure to the images (Cognitively Busy condition), while the other memorized a much simpler number (Free View condition). A third group (Control condition) viewed images without people. Participants in the Free View condition demonstrated significantly increased negative mood and lowered appearance satisfaction from before to after exposure, while participants in the Cognitively Busy and Control conditions did not. We argue that these results suggest social comparisons with media images are at least somewhat cognitively effortful even among women who say they feel pressure from the media. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online games training aging brains: limited transfer to cognitive control functions.

PubMed

van Muijden, Jesse; Band, Guido P H; Hommel, Bernhard

2012-01-01

The prevalence of age-related cognitive decline will increase due to graying of the global population. The goal of the present study was to test whether playing online cognitive training games can improve cognitive control (CC) in healthy older adults. Fifty-four older adults (age 60-77) played five different cognitive training games online for 30 min a day over a period of seven weeks (game group). Another group of 20 older adults (age 61-73) instead answered quiz questions about documentaries online (documentary group). Transfer was assessed by means of a cognitive test battery administered before and after the intervention. The test battery included measures of working memory updating, set shifting, response inhibition, attention, and inductive reasoning. Compared with the documentary group, the game group showed larger improvement of inhibition (Stop-Signal task) and inductive reasoning (Raven-SPM), whereas the documentary group showed more improvement in selective attention (UFoV-3). These effects qualify as transfer effects, because response inhibition, inductive reasoning and selective attention were not targeted by the interventions. However, because seven other indicators of CC did not show benefits of game training and some of those that did suffered from potential baseline differences, the study as a whole provides only modest support for the potential of videogame training to improve CC in healthy older adults.

Improving Recovery and Outcomes Every Day after the ICU (IMPROVE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wang, Sophia; Hammes, Jessica; Khan, Sikandar; Gao, Sujuan; Harrawood, Amanda; Martinez, Stephanie; Moser, Lyndsi; Perkins, Anthony; Unverzagt, Frederick W; Clark, Daniel O; Boustani, Malaz; Khan, Babar

2018-03-27

Delirium affects nearly 70% of older adults hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU), and many of those will be left with persistent cognitive impairment or dementia. There are no effective and scalable recovery models to remediate ICU-acquired cognitive impairment and its attendant elevated risk for dementia or Alzheimer disease (AD). The Improving Recovery and Outcomes Every Day after the ICU (IMPROVE) trial is an ongoing clinical trial which evaluates the efficacy of a combined physical exercise and cognitive training on cognitive function among ICU survivors 50 years and older who experienced delirium during an ICU stay. This article describes the study protocol for IMPROVE. IMPROVE is a four-arm, randomized controlled trial. Subjects will be randomized to one of four arms: cognitive training and physical exercise; cognitive control and physical exercise; cognitive training and physical exercise control; and cognitive control and physical exercise control. Facilitators administer the physical exercise and exercise control interventions in individual and small group formats by using Internet-enabled videoconference. Cognitive training and control interventions are also facilitator led using Posit Science, Inc. online modules delivered in individual and small group format directly into the participants' homes. Subjects complete cognitive assessment, mood questionnaires, physical performance batteries, and quality of life scales at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Blood samples will also be taken at baseline and 3 months to measure pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase reactants; neurotrophic factors; and markers of glial dysfunction and astrocyte activation. This study is the first clinical trial to examine the efficacy of combined physical and cognitive exercise on cognitive function in older ICU survivors with delirium. The results will provide information about potential synergistic effects of a combined intervention on a range of outcomes and mechanisms of action. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03095417 . Registered on 23 March 2017. Last updated on 15 May 2017.

The effects of an extensive exercise programme on the progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Devenney, Kate E; Sanders, Marit L; Lawlor, Brian; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Schneider, Stefan

2017-03-22

Exercise interventions to prevent dementia and delay cognitive decline have gained considerable attention in recent years. Human and animal studies have demonstrated that regular physical activity targets brain function by increasing cognitive reserve. There is also evidence of structural changes caused by exercise in preventing or delaying the genesis of neurodegeneration. Although initial studies indicate enhanced cognitive performance in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) following an exercise intervention, little is known about the effect of an extensive, controlled and regular exercise regimen on the neuropathology of patients with MCI. This study aims to determine the effects of an extensive exercise programme on the progression of MCI. This randomised controlled clinical intervention study will take place across three European sites. Seventy-five previously sedentary patients with a clinical diagnosis of MCI will be recruited at each site. Participants will be randomised to one of three groups. One group will receive a standardised 1-year extensive aerobic exercise intervention (3 units of 45 min/week). The second group will complete stretching and toning (non-aerobic) exercise (3 units of 45 min/week) and the third group will act as the control group. Change in all outcomes will be measured at baseline (T0), after six months (T1) and after 12 months (T2). The primary outcome, cognitive performance, will be determined by a neuropsychological test battery (CogState battery, Trail Making Test and Verbal fluency). Secondary outcomes include Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), cardiovascular fitness, physical activity, structural changes of the brain, quality of life measures and measures of frailty. Furthermore, outcome variables will be related to genetic variations on genes related to neurogenesis and epigenetic changes in these genes caused by the exercise intervention programme. The results will add new insights into the prevailing notion that exercise may slow the rate of cognitive decline in MCI. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02913053.

Assessing Cognitive Ability and Simulator-Based Driving Performance in Poststroke Adults

PubMed Central

Falkmer, Torbjörn; Willstrand, Tania Dukic

2017-01-01

Driving is an important activity of daily living, which is increasingly relied upon as the population ages. It has been well-established that cognitive processes decline following a stroke and these processes may influence driving performance. There is much debate on the use of off-road neurological assessments and driving simulators as tools to predict driving performance; however, the majority of research uses unlicensed poststroke drivers, making the comparability of poststroke adults to that of a control group difficult. It stands to reason that in order to determine whether simulators and cognitive assessments can accurately assess driving performance, the baseline should be set by licenced drivers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess differences in cognitive ability and driving simulator performance in licensed community-dwelling poststroke drivers and controls. Two groups of licensed drivers (37 poststroke and 43 controls) were assessed using several cognitive tasks and using a driving simulator. The poststroke adults exhibited poorer cognitive ability; however, there were no differences in simulator performance between groups except that the poststroke drivers demonstrated less variability in driver headway. The application of these results as a prescreening toolbox for poststroke drivers is discussed. PMID:28559646

Cognitive Behavioral Principles within Group Mentoring: A Randomized Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jent, Jason F.; Niec, Larissa N.

2009-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a group mentoring program that included components of empirically supported mentoring and cognitive behavioral techniques for children served at a community mental health center. Eighty-six 8- to 12-year-old children were randomly assigned to either group mentoring or a wait-list control group. Group…

The Neuropsychology of Male Adults With High-Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome†

PubMed Central

Wilson, C Ellie; Happé, Francesca; Wheelwright, Sally J; Ecker, Christine; Lombardo, Michael V; Johnston, Patrick; Daly, Eileen; Murphy, Clodagh M; Spain, Debbie; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Sauter, Disa A; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Murphy, Declan G M

2014-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is diagnosed on the basis of behavioral symptoms, but cognitive abilities may also be useful in characterizing individuals with ASD. One hundred seventy-eight high-functioning male adults, half with ASD and half without, completed tasks assessing IQ, a broad range of cognitive skills, and autistic and comorbid symptomatology. The aims of the study were, first, to determine whether significant differences existed between cases and controls on cognitive tasks, and whether cognitive profiles, derived using a multivariate classification method with data from multiple cognitive tasks, could distinguish between the two groups. Second, to establish whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of autistic symptom severity, and third, whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of comorbid psychopathology. Fourth, cognitive characteristics of individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared. After controlling for IQ, ASD and control groups scored significantly differently on tasks of social cognition, motor performance, and executive function (P's < 0.05). To investigate cognitive profiles, 12 variables were entered into a support vector machine (SVM), which achieved good classification accuracy (81%) at a level significantly better than chance (P < 0.0001). After correcting for multiple correlations, there were no significant associations between cognitive performance and severity of either autistic or comorbid symptomatology. There were no significant differences between AS and HFA groups on the cognitive tasks. Cognitive classification models could be a useful aid to the diagnostic process when used in conjunction with other data sources—including clinical history. Autism Res 2014, 7: 568–581. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:24903974

Effects of Combining a Brief Cognitive Intervention with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Pain Tolerance: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

PubMed

Powers, Abigail; Madan, Alok; Hilbert, Megan; Reeves, Scott T; George, Mark; Nash, Michael R; Borckardt, Jeffrey J

2018-04-01

Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective for treating chronic pain, and a growing literature shows the potential analgesic effects of minimally invasive brain stimulation. However, few studies have systematically investigated the potential benefits associated with combining approaches. The goal of this pilot laboratory study was to investigate the combination of a brief cognitive restructuring intervention and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in affecting pain tolerance. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled laboratory pilot. Medical University of South Carolina. A total of 79 healthy adult volunteers. Subjects were randomized into one of six groups: 1) anodal tDCS plus a brief cognitive intervention (BCI); 2) anodal tDCS plus pain education; 3) cathodal tDCS plus BCI; 4) cathodal tDCS plus pain education; 5) sham tDCS plus BCI; and 6) sham tDCS plus pain education. Participants underwent thermal pain tolerance testing pre- and postintervention using the Method of Limits. A significant main effect for time (pre-post intervention) was found, as well as for baseline thermal pain tolerance (covariate) in the model. A significant time × group interaction effect was found on thermal pain tolerance. Each of the five groups that received at least one active intervention outperformed the group receiving sham tDCS and pain education only (i.e., control group), with the exception of the anodal tDCS + education-only group. Cathodal tDCS combined with the BCI produced the largest analgesic effect. Combining cathodal tDCS with BCI yielded the largest analgesic effect of all the conditions tested. Future research might find stronger interactive effects of combined tDCS and a cognitive intervention with larger doses of each intervention. Because this controlled laboratory pilot employed an acute pain analogue and the cognitive intervention did not authentically represent cognitive behavioral therapy per se, the implications of the findings on chronic pain management remain unclear.

Effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of a group-based cognitive behavioural therapy-based indicative prevention program for children with elevated anxiety levels.

PubMed

van Starrenburg, Manon L A; Kuijpers, Rowella C W M; Hutschemaekers, Giel J M; Engels, Rutger C M E

2013-07-05

Anxiety is a problem for many children, particularly because of its negative consequences not only on the wellbeing of the child, but also on society. Adequate prevention and treatment might be the key in tackling this problem. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found effective for treating anxiety disorders. "Coping Cat" is one of the few evidence-based CBT programs designed to treat anxiety symptoms in children. The main aim of this project is to conduct a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of a Dutch version of Coping Cat as an indicative group-based prevention program. The second aim is to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying its effectiveness. Coping Cat will be tested in Dutch primary school children grades five through eight (ages 7 to 13) with elevated levels of anxiety. This RCT has two conditions: 130 children will be randomly assigned to the experimental (N=65, Coping Cat) and control groups (N=65, no program). All children and their mothers will be asked to complete baseline, post intervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments. In addition, children in both the experimental and control group will be asked to complete 12 weekly questionnaires matched to the treatment sessions. Main outcome measure will be the child's anxiety symptoms level (SCAS). Four potential mediators will be examined, namely active coping, positive cognitive restructuring, self efficacy and cognitions about ones coping ability (from now on coping cognitions). It is hypothesized that children in the experimental condition will experience reduced levels of anxiety in comparison with the control group. Further, active coping, positive cognitive restructuring, and coping cognitions are expected to mediate program effectiveness. If Coping Cat proves effective as a prevention program and working mechanisms can be found, this group-based approach might lead to the development of a cost-effective program suitable for prevention purposes that would be easily implemented on a large scale. Nederlands Trial Register NTR3818.

[Social cognition disorders in Klinefelter syndrome: A specific phenotype? (KS)].

PubMed

Babinet, M-N; Rigard, C; Peyroux, É; Dragomir, A-R; Plotton, I; Lejeune, H; Demily, C

2017-10-01

The Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is a genetic condition characterized by an X supernumerary sex chromosome in males. The syndrome is frequently associated with cognitive impairment. Indeed, the different areas of the executive sphere can be affected such as inhibition, cognitive flexibility but also attentional and visual-spatial domain. Social cognition disorders, predominantly on emotional recognition processes, have also been documented. In addition, the syndrome may be associated with psychiatric symptoms. Our study aims to characterize of the various components of social cognition in the SK: facial emotional recognition, theory of mind and attributional style. For this two groups (SK group versus control group) of participants (n=16) matched for age and sociocultural level were recruited. Participants with intellectual disabilities, psychiatric or neurological disorders were excluded. Three social cognition tests were available: the TREF, the MASC, the AIHQ. Neurocognitive functions were assessed by the fNart, the subtest "logical memory" of the MEM-III, the subtests of the two VOSP battery, the d2, the TMT and the Stroop test. The SK group had specific social cognition disorders in comparison to the control group. Two emotions in particular were less well recognized: fear and contempt. In addition, the SK group had significantly lower results in theory of mind. Regarding the hostile attribution bias, no significant difference was found. Finally, the results showed correlations between specific attentional disorders and facial emotional recognition. Our study emphasizes social cognition disorders in SK. These disorders could be considered as a phenotypic trait in the syndrome. The interest of better characterizing the cognitive phenotype of genetic disorders that can affect the neurodevelopment is to offer specific cognitive remediation strategies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Tai Ji Quan and global cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment: a pilot study.

PubMed

Li, Fuzhong; Harmer, Peter; Liu, Yu; Chou, Li-Shan

2014-01-01

This study evaluated whether Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB) could improve global cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment. Using a nonrandomized control group pretest-posttest design, participants aged ≥65 years who scored between 20 and 25 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were allocated into either a 14-week TJQMBB program (n=22) or a control group (n=24). The primary outcome was MMSE as a measure of global cognitive function with secondary outcomes of 50-ft speed walk, Timed Up&Go, and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale. At 14 weeks, Tai Ji Quan participants showed significant improvement on MMSE (mean=2.26, p<0.001) compared to controls (mean=0.63, p=0.08). Similarly, Tai Ji Quan participants performed significantly better compared to the controls in both physical performance and balance efficacy measures (p<0.05). Improvement in cognition as measured by MMSE was related to improved physical performance and balance efficacy. These results provide preliminary evidence of the utility of the TJQMBB program to promote cognitive function in older adults in addition to physical benefits. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Function and Heat Shock Protein 70 in Children With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

PubMed

Oraby, Azza M; Raouf, Ehab R Abdol; El-Saied, Mostafa M; Abou-Khadra, Maha K; Helal, Suzette I; Hashish, Adel F

2017-01-01

We conducted the present study to examine cognitive function and serum heat shock protein 70 levels among children with temporal lobe epilepsy. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test was carried out to examine cognitive function in 30 children with temporal lobe epilepsy and 30 controls. Serum heat shock protein 70 levels were determined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The epilepsy group had significantly lower cognitive function testing scores and significantly higher serum heat shock protein 70 levels than the control group; there were significant negative correlations between serum heat shock protein 70 levels and short-term memory and composite scores. Children with uncontrolled seizures had significantly lower verbal reasoning scores and significantly higher serum heat shock protein 70 levels than children with controlled seizures. Children with temporal lobe epilepsy have cognitive dysfunction and elevated levels of serum heat shock protein 70, which may be considered a stress biomarker.

Treadmill training as an augmentation treatment for Alzheimer's disease: a pilot randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Arcoverde, Cynthia; Deslandes, Andrea; Moraes, Helena; Almeida, Cloyra; Araujo, Narahyana Bom de; Vasques, Paulo Eduardo; Silveira, Heitor; Laks, Jerson

2014-03-01

To assess the effect of aerobic exercise on the cognition and functional capacity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Elderly (n=20) with mild dementia (NINCDS-ADRDA/CDR1) were randomly assigned to an exercise group (EG) on a treadmill (30 minutes, twice a week and moderate intensity of 60% VO₂max) and control group (GC) 10 patients. The primary outcome measure was the cognitive function using Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG). Specifics instruments were also applied to evaluate executive function, memory, attention and concentration, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control and functional capacity. After 16 weeks, the EG showed improvement in cognition CAMCOG whereas the CG declined. Compared to the CG, the EG presented significant improvement on the functional capacity. The analysis of the effect size has shown a favorable response to the physical exercise in all dependent variables. Walking on treadmill may be recommended as an augmentation treatment for patients with AD.

Can the CAMCOG be a good cognitive test for patients with Alzheimer's disease with low levels of education?

PubMed

Aprahamian, Ivan; Martinelli, José Eduardo; Cecato, Juliana; Izbicki, Rafael; Yassuda, Mônica Sanches

2011-02-01

The Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG) is a useful test in screening for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the interpretation of CAMCOG cut-off scores is problematic and reference values are needed for different educational strata. Given the importance of earlier diagnoses of mild dementia, new cut-off values are required which take into account patients with low levels of education. This study aims to evaluate whether the CAMCOG can be used as an accurate screening test among AD patients and normal controls with different educational levels. Cross-sectional assessment was undertaken of 113 AD and 208 elderly controls with heterogeneous educational levels (group 1: 1-4 years; group 2: 5-8 years; and group 3: ≥ 9 years) from a geriatric clinic. submitted to a thorough diagnostic evaluation for AD including the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of the Elderly (CAMDEX). Controls had no cognitive or mood complaints. Sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) for the CAMCOG in each educational group was assessed with receiver-operator-characteristic (ROC) curves. CAMCOG mean values were lower when education was reduced in both diagnostic groups (controls - group 1: 87; group 2: 91; group 3: 96; AD - group 1: 63; group 2: 62; group 3: 77). Cut-off scores for the three education groups were 79, 80 and 90, respectively. SE and SP varied among the groups (group 1: 88.1% and 83.5%; group 2: 84.6% and 96%; group 3: 70.8% and 90%). The CAMCOG can be used as a cognitive test for patients with low educational level with good accuracy. Patients with higher education showed lower scores than previously reported.

Lower-extremity function in cognitively healthy aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Eggermont, Laura H; Gavett, Brandon E; Volkers, Karin M; Blankevoort, Christiaan G; Scherder, Erik J; Jefferson, Angela L; Steinberg, Eric; Nair, Anil; Green, Robert C; Stern, Robert A

2010-04-01

To examine differences in lower-extremity function in cognitive healthy older persons, older persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and older persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Descriptive study. University Alzheimer's disease clinical and research program. Older persons (N=66) were studied (mean age, 76.7y); 22 were cognitively normal, 22 were diagnosed with probable MCI, 22 were diagnosed with probable AD. Not applicable. Lower-extremity function was assessed by the four-meter walk test (4MWT), Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, and sit-to-stand (STS) test. Analysis of variance, adjusting for covariates, revealed that performance on the 4MWT was significantly lower in the MCI and AD groups as compared with controls. TUG test performance was worse in the AD group compared with controls. No significant group differences were found for STS performance. These results suggest an association between cognitive impairment and lower-limb function in older persons. Walking speed could be evaluated for its possible utility in screening older persons at risk for cognitive impairment and falls. Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exercise improves cognitive function in aging patients

PubMed Central

Hu, Jian-Ping; Guo, Yan-Hua; Wang, Feng; Zhao, Xin-Ping; Zhang, Quan-Hai; Song, Qing-Hua

2014-01-01

A decline in cognitive ability commonly occurs among older individuals. This study sought to explore the restorative effects of exercise in older patients with existing cognitive disabilities. Ninety-six patients with mild cognitive impairment were placed in an exercise program for six months. Following completion of the program, participants were assessed via the Chinese Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Activity of Daily Living (ADL) assessment, and body movement testing and compared to a control group of patients with mild cognitive impairment who did not participate in the exercise program (N = 102). Statistical analyses were performed using the Student’s t-test and chi-square test to compare results between groups. Compared with control group, patients who exercised showed improved cognitive function in immediate memory (p < 0.001) and delayed recall (p = 0.004) function. In addition, activities associated with daily living showed improvement (p < 0.001), as did body movement (p < 0.05), arm stability (p < 0.001), and the appearance of rotation (p < 0.05). Based on these results, we conclude that participation in an exercise program can improve patients’ cognitive function, physical abilities, and body movement capacity. PMID:25419345

Do fibromyalgia patients benefit from cognitive restructuring and acceptance? An experimental study.

PubMed

Kohl, Annika; Rief, Winfried; Glombiewski, Julia Anna

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to clarify mechanisms of psychological fibromyalgia treatment by experimentally examining the effectiveness of its core elements. We assessed the effects of cognitive restructuring and acceptance on experimentally-induced heat and cold pain tolerance and pain intensity in fibromyalgia patients. Cold and heat pain were induced in a sample of 60 fibromyalgia patients using a thermode. We conducted ANCOVAs to examine group differences in posttest scores, co-varying for pretest scores. The between-groups factor was the type of instruction provided (acceptance, cognitive restructuring, and a control condition). In addition, we controlled for pain sensitivity, age, and depression. We found that acceptance and cognitive restructuring were superior to the control condition in increasing heat pain tolerance, but did not differ from one another. With respect to cold pain tolerance, cognitive restructuring was associated with increases in cold pain tolerance compared to the control condition, while acceptance did not differ either from the control condition or from cognitive restructuring. Further experimental research on chronic pain treatment mechanisms is needed, particularly research on individually tailoring treatment strategies according to patients characteristics. Results show that both, cognitive restructuring and acceptance instructions, enhance pain tolerance in fibromyalgia patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Effects of Acute Exercise and Meditation on Parameters of Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Edwards, Meghan K; Loprinzi, Paul D

2018-05-29

Single bouts of aerobic exercise and meditation have been shown to improve cognitive function. Yet to be examined in the literature, we sought to examine the effects of a combination of acute bouts of aerobic exercise and meditation on cognitive function among young adults. Participants ( n = 66, mean (SD) age = 21 (2)) were randomly assigned to walk then meditate, meditate then walk, or to sit (inactive control). All walking and meditation bouts were 10 min in duration. Participants' cognition was monitored before and after the intervention using Identification, Set Shifting, Stroop, and Trail Making tasks. Additionally, a subjective assessment of cognitive function was implemented before and after the intervention. Significant group by time interaction effects were observed when examining the Stroop congruent trials ( P = 0.05). Post hoc paired t -tests revealed that reaction time significantly decreased from baseline to post-intervention in both combination groups ( P < 0.001 for both), but not in the control group ( P = 0.09). Regarding all other cognitive assessments, there were no significant group by time interaction effects ( P > 0.05). Cognitive function was not substantially affected by a combination of brief meditation and exercise, though there is evidence to suggest that this combination may have beneficial effects on certain aspects of cognition. Future work should be conducted to evaluate the influences of different doses of exercise and meditation on cognitive functioning.

Age-related changes in the cerebral substrates of cognitive procedural learning.

PubMed

Hubert, Valérie; Beaunieux, Hélène; Chételat, Gaël; Platel, Hervé; Landeau, Brigitte; Viader, Fausto; Desgranges, Béatrice; Eustache, Francis

2009-04-01

Cognitive procedural learning occurs in three qualitatively different phases (cognitive, associative, and autonomous). At the beginning of this process, numerous cognitive functions are involved, subtended by distinct brain structures such as the prefrontal and parietal cortex and the cerebellum. As the learning progresses, these cognitive components are gradually replaced by psychomotor abilities, reflected by the increasing involvement of the cerebellum, thalamus, and occipital regions. In elderly subjects, although cognitive studies have revealed a learning effect, performance levels differ during the acquisition of a procedure. The effects of age on the learning of a cognitive procedure have not yet been examined using functional imaging. The aim of this study was therefore to characterize the cerebral substrates involved in the learning of a cognitive procedure, comparing a group of older subjects with young controls. For this purpose, we performed a positron emission tomography activation study using the Tower of Toronto task. A direct comparison of the two groups revealed the involvement of a similar network of brain regions at the beginning of learning (cognitive phase). However, the engagement of frontal and cingulate regions persisted in the older group as learning continued, whereas it ceased in the younger controls. We assume that this additional activation in the older group during the associative and autonomous phases reflected compensatory processes and the fact that some older subjects failed to fully automate the procedure. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Healthy Mind, Healthy Mobility Trial: A Novel Exercise Program for Older Adults.

PubMed

Gill, Dawn P; Gregory, Michael A; Zou, Guangyong; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa; Shigematsu, Ryosuke; Hachinski, Vladimir; Fitzgerald, Clara; Petrella, Robert J

2016-02-01

More evidence is needed to conclude that a specific program of exercise and/or cognitive training warrants prescription for the prevention of cognitive decline. We examined the effect of a group-based standard exercise program for older adults, with and without dual-task training, on cognitive function in older adults without dementia. We conducted a proof-of-concept, single-blinded, 26-wk randomized controlled trial whereby participants recruited from preexisting exercise classes at the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging in London, Ontario, were randomized to the intervention group (exercise + dual-task [EDT]) or the control group (exercise only [EO]). Each week (2 or 3 d · wk(-1)), both groups accumulated a minimum of 50 min of aerobic exercise (target 75 min) from standard group classes and completed 45 min of beginner-level square-stepping exercise. The EDT group was also required to answer cognitively challenging questions while doing beginner-level square-stepping exercise (i.e., dual-task training). The effect of interventions on standardized global cognitive function (GCF) scores at 26 wk was compared between the groups using the linear mixed effects model approach. Participants (n = 44; 68% female; mean [SD] age: 73.5 [7.2] yr) had on average, objective evidence of cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores, mean [SD]: 24.9 [1.9]) but not dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination scores, mean [SD]: 28.8 [1.2]). After 26 wk, the EDT group showed greater improvement in GCF scores compared with the EO group (difference between groups in mean change [95% CI]: 0.20 SD [0.01-0.39], P = 0.04). A 26-wk group-based exercise program combined with dual-task training improved GCF in community-dwelling older adults without dementia.

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

Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management on psychological stress and glycemic control in gestational diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zaheri, Hamideh; Najar, Shahnaz; Abbaspoor, Zahra

2017-06-01

This study was conducted to determine the effect of cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBT) on reducing psychological stress in diabetic pregnant women. This randomized controlled trial applied through pretest and post-test with control group was conducted on 88 eligible women with gestational diabetes. Women who had a stress score more than 15, randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Intervention group received stress management training within six two-hour sessions for three weeks. Stress and FBS were measured before intervention and two weeks after the last session. Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 19.0. Results were analyzed using chi-square, paired t test and independent sample t test. In CBT training group, stress significantly decreased two weeks after the training (p < 0.001). In the control group, the stress scores were significantly different before and after the intervention and women had a significant increase in the stress scores (p = 0.028). There was a significant difference between two groups in stress scores, two weeks after intervention (p = 0.001). Cognitive-behavioral stress management reduces stress in women with gestational diabetes and reducing stress may also improve the pregnancy outcomes, especially whose glycemic along with stress is not adequately controlled by medication.

Cognitive Performance, Sleepiness, and Mood in Partially Sleep Deprived Adolescents: The Need for Sleep Study.

PubMed

Lo, June C; Ong, Ju Lynn; Leong, Ruth L F; Gooley, Joshua J; Chee, Michael W L

2016-03-01

To investigate the effects of sleep restriction (7 nights of 5 h time in bed [TIB]) on cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood in adolescents. A parallel-group design was adopted in the Need for Sleep Study. Fifty-six healthy adolescents (25 males, age = 15-19 y) who studied in top high schools and were not habitual short sleepers were randomly assigned to Sleep Restriction (SR) or Control groups. Participants underwent a 2-w protocol consisting of 3 baseline nights (TIB = 9 h), 7 nights of sleep opportunity manipulation (TIB = 5 h for the SR and 9 h for the control groups), and 3 nights of recovery sleep (TIB = 9 h) at a boarding school. A cognitive test battery was administered three times each day. During the manipulation period, the SR group demonstrated incremental deterioration in sustained attention, working memory and executive function, increase in subjective sleepiness, and decrease in positive mood. Subjective sleepiness and sustained attention did not return to baseline levels even after 2 recovery nights. In contrast, the control group maintained baseline levels of cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood throughout the study. Incremental improvement in speed of processing, as a result of repeated testing and learning, was observed in the control group but was attenuated in the sleep-restricted participants, who, despite two recovery sleep episodes, continued to perform worse than the control participants. A week of partial sleep deprivation impairs a wide range of cognitive functions, subjective alertness, and mood even in high-performing high school adolescents. Some measures do not recover fully even after 2 nights of recovery sleep. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 497. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Are all models susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image? The moderating role of personality styles.

PubMed

Blasczyk-Schiep, Sybilla; Sokoła, Kaja; Fila-Witecka, Karolina; Kazén, Miguel

2016-06-01

We investigated dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image in relation to personality styles in a group of professional models. Dysfunctional cognitions in professional models (n = 43) and a control group (n = 43) were assessed with the 'Eating Disorder Cognition Questionnaire' (EDCQ), eating attitudes with the 'Eating Attitudes Test' (EAT), and personality with the 'Personality Styles and Disorders Inventory' (PSDI-S). Models had higher scores than controls on the EDCQ and EAT and on nine scales of the PSDI-S. Moderation analyses showed significant interactions between groups and personality styles in predicting EDCQ scales: The ambitious/narcissistic style was related to "negative body and self-esteem", the conscientious/compulsive style to "dietary restraint", and the spontaneous/borderline style to "loss of control in eating". The results indicate that not all models are susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image. Models are at a higher risk of developing negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional assumptions relating to body size, shape and weight, especially if they have high scores on the above personality styles.

Suspected non-AD pathology in Mild Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Wisse, Laura E.M.; Butala, Nirali; Das, Sandhitsu R.; Davatzikos, Christos; Dickerson, Bradford C.; Vaishnavi, Sanjeev N.; Yushkevich, Paul A.; Wolk, David A.

2015-01-01

We aim to better characterize Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients with suspected non-Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology (SNAP) based on their longitudinal outcome, cognition, biofluid and neuroimaging profile. MCI participants (n=361) from ADNI-GO/2 were designated ‘amyloid positive’ with abnormal Aβ42 levels (AMY+) and ‘neurodegeneration positive’ (NEU+) with abnormal hippocampal volume or hypometabolism using FDG-PET. SNAP was compared with the other MCI groups and with AMY− controls. AMY−NEU+/SNAP, 16.6%, were older than the NEU− groups, but not AMY− controls. They had a lower conversion rate to AD after 24 months than AMY+NEU+ MCI participants. SNAP MCI participants had similar Aβ42 levels, florbetapir and tau levels, but larger white matter hyperintensity volumes than AMY− controls and AMY−NEU− MCI participants. SNAP participants performed worse on all memory domains and on other cognitive domains, than AMY−NEU− participants, but less so than AMY+NEU+ participants. Subthreshold levels of cerebral amyloidosis are unlikely to play a role in SNAP MCI, but pathologies involving the hippocampus and cerebrovascular disease may underlie the neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in this group. PMID:26422359

Cognitive Performance, Sleepiness, and Mood in Partially Sleep Deprived Adolescents: The Need for Sleep Study

PubMed Central

Lo, June C.; Ong, Ju Lynn; Leong, Ruth L.F.; Gooley, Joshua J.; Chee, Michael W.L.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate the effects of sleep restriction (7 nights of 5 h time in bed [TIB]) on cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood in adolescents. Methods: A parallel-group design was adopted in the Need for Sleep Study. Fifty-six healthy adolescents (25 males, age = 15–19 y) who studied in top high schools and were not habitual short sleepers were randomly assigned to Sleep Restriction (SR) or Control groups. Participants underwent a 2-w protocol consisting of 3 baseline nights (TIB = 9 h), 7 nights of sleep opportunity manipulation (TIB = 5 h for the SR and 9 h for the control groups), and 3 nights of recovery sleep (TIB = 9 h) at a boarding school. A cognitive test battery was administered three times each day. Results: During the manipulation period, the SR group demonstrated incremental deterioration in sustained attention, working memory and executive function, increase in subjective sleepiness, and decrease in positive mood. Subjective sleepiness and sustained attention did not return to baseline levels even after 2 recovery nights. In contrast, the control group maintained baseline levels of cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood throughout the study. Incremental improvement in speed of processing, as a result of repeated testing and learning, was observed in the control group but was attenuated in the sleep-restricted participants, who, despite two recovery sleep episodes, continued to perform worse than the control participants. Conclusions: A week of partial sleep deprivation impairs a wide range of cognitive functions, subjective alertness, and mood even in high-performing high school adolescents. Some measures do not recover fully even after 2 nights of recovery sleep. Commentary: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 497. Citation: Lo JC, Ong JL, Leong RL, Gooley JJ, Chee MW. Cognitive performance, sleepiness, and mood in partially sleep deprived adolescents: the need for sleep study. SLEEP 2016;39(3):687–698. PMID:26612392

A Randomized Controlled ERP Study on the Effects of Multi-Domain Cognitive Training and Task Difficulty on Task Switching Performance in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Küper, Kristina; Gajewski, Patrick D.; Frieg, Claudia; Falkenstein, Michael

2017-01-01

Executive functions are subject to a marked age-related decline, but have been shown to benefit from cognitive training interventions. As of yet, it is, however, still relatively unclear which neural mechanism can mediate training-related performance gains. In the present electrophysiological study, we examined the effects of multi-domain cognitive training on performance in an untrained cue-based task switch paradigm featuring Stroop color words: participants either had to indicate the word meaning of Stroop stimuli (word task) or perform the more difficult task of color naming (color task). One-hundred and three older adults (>65 years old) were randomly assigned to a training group receiving a 4-month multi-domain cognitive training, a passive no-contact control group or an active (social) control group receiving a 4-month relaxation training. For all groups, we recorded performance and EEG measures before and after the intervention. For the cognitive training group, but not for the two control groups, we observed an increase in response accuracy at posttest, irrespective of task and trial type. No training-related effects on reaction times were found. Cognitive training was also associated with an overall increase in N2 amplitude and a decrease of P2 latency on single trials. Training-related performance gains were thus likely mediated by an enhancement of response selection and improved access to relevant stimulus-response mappings. Additionally, cognitive training was associated with an amplitude decrease in the time window of the target-locked P3 at fronto-central electrodes. An increase in the switch positivity during advance task preparation emerged after both cognitive and relaxation training. Training-related behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) effects were not modulated by task difficulty. The data suggest that cognitive training increased slow negative potentials during target processing which enhanced the N2 and reduced a subsequent P3-like component on both switch and non-switch trials and irrespective of task difficulty. Our findings further corroborate the effectiveness of multi-domain cognitive training in older adults and indicate that ERPs can be instrumental in uncovering the neural processes underlying training-related performance gains. PMID:28446870

Incentive-related modulation of cognitive control in healthy, anxious, and depressed adolescents: development and psychopathology related differences.

PubMed

Hardin, Michael G; Schroth, Elizabeth; Pine, Daniel S; Ernst, Monique

2007-05-01

Developmental changes in cognitive and affective processes contribute to adolescent risk-taking behavior, emotional intensification, and psychopathology. The current study examined adolescent development of cognitive control processes and their modulation by incentive, in health and psychopathology. Predictions include 1) better cognitive control in adults than adolescents, and in healthy adolescents than anxious and depressed adolescents, and 2) a stronger influence of incentives in adolescents than adults, and in healthy adolescents than their depressed and anxious counterparts. Antisaccadic eye movement parameters, which provide a measure of cognitive control, were collected during a reward antisaccade task that included parameterized incentive levels. Participants were 20 healthy adults, 30 healthy adolescents, 16 adolescents with an anxiety disorder, and 11 adolescents with major depression. Performance accuracy and saccade latency were analyzed to test both developmental and psychopathology hypotheses. Development and psychopathology group differences in cognitive control were found. Specifically, adults performed better than healthy adolescents, and healthy adolescents than anxious and depressed adolescents. Incentive improved accuracy for all groups; however, incremental increases were not sufficiently large to further modulate performance. Incentives also affected saccade latencies, pushing healthy adolescent latencies to adult levels, while being less effective in adolescents with depression or anxiety. This latter effect was partially mediated by anxiety symptom severity. Current findings evidence the modulation of cognitive control processes by incentives. While seen in both healthy adults and healthy adolescents, this modulatory effect was stronger in youth. While anxious and depressed adolescents exhibited improved cognitive control under incentives, this effect was smaller than that in healthy adolescents. These findings suggest differential incentive and/or cognitive control processing in anxiety and depression, and across development. Differences could result from disorder specific, or combined developmental and pathological mechanisms.

Incentive-related modulation of cognitive control in healthy, anxious, and depressed adolescents

PubMed Central

Hardin, Michael G.; Schroth, Elizabeth; Pine, Daniel S.; Ernst, Monique

2009-01-01

Background Developmental changes in cognitive and affective processes contribute to adolescent risk-taking behavior, emotional intensification, and psychopathology. The current study examined adolescent development of cognitive control processes and their modulation by incentive, in health and psychopathology. Predictions include 1) better cognitive control in adults than adolescents, and in healthy adolescents than anxious and depressed adolescents, and 2) a stronger influence of incentives in adolescents than adults, and in healthy adolescents than their depressed and anxious counterparts. Methods Antisaccadic eye movement parameters, which provide a measure of cognitive control, were collected during a reward antisaccade task that included parameterized incentive levels. Participants were 20 healthy adults, 30 healthy adolescents, 16 adolescents with an anxiety disorder, and 11 adolescents with major depression. Performance accuracy and saccade latency were analyzed to test both developmental and psychopathology hypotheses. Results Development and psychopathology group differences in cognitive control were found. Specifically, adults performed better than healthy adolescents, and healthy adolescents than anxious and depressed adolescents. Incentive improved accuracy for all groups; however, incremental increases were not sufficiently large to further modulate performance. Incentives also affected saccade latencies, pushing healthy adolescent latencies to adult levels, while being less effective in adolescents with depression or anxiety. This latter effect was partially mediated by anxiety symptom severity. Conclusions Current findings evidence the modulation of cognitive control processes by incentives. While seen in both healthy adults and healthy adolescents, this modulatory effect was stronger in youth. While anxious and depressed adolescents exhibited improved cognitive control under incentives, this effect was smaller than that in healthy adolescents. These findings suggest differential incentive and/or cognitive control processing in anxiety and depression, and across development. Differences could result from disorder specific, or combined developmental and pathological mechanisms. PMID:17501725

Combining brain stimulation and video game to promote long-term transfer of learning and cognitive enhancement

PubMed Central

Looi, Chung Yen; Duta, Mihaela; Brem, Anna-Katharine; Huber, Stefan; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2016-01-01

Cognitive training offers the potential for individualised learning, prevention of cognitive decline, and rehabilitation. However, key research challenges include ecological validity (training design), transfer of learning and long-term effects. Given that cognitive training and neuromodulation affect neuroplasticity, their combination could promote greater, synergistic effects. We investigated whether combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with cognitive training could further enhance cognitive performance compared to training alone, and promote transfer within a short period of time. Healthy adults received real or sham tDCS over their dorsolateral prefrontal cortices during two 30-minute mathematics training sessions involving body movements. To examine the role of training, an active control group received tDCS during a non-mathematical task. Those who received real tDCS performed significantly better in the game than the sham group, and showed transfer effects to working memory, a related but non-numerical cognitive domain. This transfer effect was absent in active and sham control groups. Furthermore, training gains were more pronounced amongst those with lower baseline cognitive abilities, suggesting the potential for reducing cognitive inequalities. All effects associated with real tDCS remained 2 months post-training. Our study demonstrates the potential benefit of this approach for long-term enhancement of human learning and cognition. PMID:26902664

Combining brain stimulation and video game to promote long-term transfer of learning and cognitive enhancement.

PubMed

Looi, Chung Yen; Duta, Mihaela; Brem, Anna-Katharine; Huber, Stefan; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2016-02-23

Cognitive training offers the potential for individualised learning, prevention of cognitive decline, and rehabilitation. However, key research challenges include ecological validity (training design), transfer of learning and long-term effects. Given that cognitive training and neuromodulation affect neuroplasticity, their combination could promote greater, synergistic effects. We investigated whether combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with cognitive training could further enhance cognitive performance compared to training alone, and promote transfer within a short period of time. Healthy adults received real or sham tDCS over their dorsolateral prefrontal cortices during two 30-minute mathematics training sessions involving body movements. To examine the role of training, an active control group received tDCS during a non-mathematical task. Those who received real tDCS performed significantly better in the game than the sham group, and showed transfer effects to working memory, a related but non-numerical cognitive domain. This transfer effect was absent in active and sham control groups. Furthermore, training gains were more pronounced amongst those with lower baseline cognitive abilities, suggesting the potential for reducing cognitive inequalities. All effects associated with real tDCS remained 2 months post-training. Our study demonstrates the potential benefit of this approach for long-term enhancement of human learning and cognition.

Control groups in paediatric epilepsy research: do first-degree cousins show familial effects?

PubMed

Hanson, Melissa; Morrison, Blaise; Jones, Jana E; Jackson, Daren C; Almane, Dace; Seidenberg, Michael; Zhao, Qianqian; Rathouz, Paul J; Hermann, Bruce P

2017-03-01

To determine whether first-degree cousins of children with idiopathic focal and genetic generalized epilepsies show any association across measures of cognition, behaviour, and brain structure. The presence/absence of associations addresses the question of whether and to what extent first-degree cousins may serve as unbiased controls in research addressing the cognitive, psychiatric, and neuroimaging features of paediatric epilepsies. Participants were children (aged 8-18) with epilepsy who had at least one first-degree cousin control enrolled in the study (n=37) and all enrolled cousin controls (n=100). Participants underwent neuropsychological assessment and brain imaging (cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar volumes), and parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Data (based on 42 outcome measures) from cousin controls were regressed on the corresponding epilepsy cognitive, behavioural, and imaging measures in a linear mixed model and case/control correlations were examined. Of the 42 uncorrected correlations involving cognitive, behavioural, and neuroimaging measures, only two were significant (p<0.05). The median correlation was 0.06. A test for whether the distribution of p values deviated from the null distribution under no association was not significant (p>0.25). Similar results held for the cognition/behaviour and brain imaging measures separately. Given the lack of association between cases and first-degree cousin performances on measures of cognition, behaviour, and neuroimaging, the results suggest a non-significant genetic influence on control group performance. First-degree cousins appear to be unbiased controls for cognitive, behavioural, and neuroimaging research in paediatric epilepsy.

Social-cognitive risk factors for violence in psychosis: A discriminant function analysis.

PubMed

de Jong, Steven; van Donkersgoed, Rozanne; Renard, Selwyn; Carter, Sarah; Bokern, Hein; Lysaker, Paul; van der Gaag, Mark; Aleman, André; Pijnenborg, Gerdina Hendrika Maria

2018-04-14

It has been proposed that mixed findings in studies investigating social cognition as a risk factor for violence in psychosis may be explained by utilizing a framework distinguishing between social-cognitive tests which measure relatively more basic operations (e.g. facial affect recognition) and measures of more complex operations (mentalizing, metacognition). The current study investigated which social cognitive and metacognitive processes are related to a violent history over and above illness-related deficits. Data from control participants (n = 33), patients with a psychotic disorder and no violent history (n = 27), and patients with a psychotic disorder in a forensic clinic (n = 23) were analyzed utilizing discriminant analysis. Metacognition and associative learning emerged as significant factors in predicting group membership between the three groups. In a follow-up analysis between only the patient groups, metacognitive Self-Reflectivity and Empathic Accuracy emerged as statistically significant predictors of group membership. The control group presented with higher levels of social cognitive and metacognitive capacity than patient groups, and the forensic patient group had lower levels than the non-forensic patient group. Our findings support previous research findings implying impaired metacognitive Self-Reflectivity in particular as a risk factor for violence. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Web-based cognitive rehabilitation for survivors of adult cancer: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Mihuta, Mary E; Green, Heather J; Shum, David H K

2018-04-01

Cognitive dysfunction associated with cancer is frequently reported and can reduce quality of life. This study evaluated a Web-based cognitive rehabilitation therapy program (eReCog) in cancer survivors compared with a waitlist control group. Adult cancer survivors with self-reported cognitive symptoms who had completed primary treatment at least 6 months prior were recruited. Participants completed telephone screening and were randomly allocated to the 4-week online intervention or waitlist. Primary outcome was perceived cognitive impairment assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function version 3. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of subjective cognitive functioning, objective cognitive functioning, and psychosocial variables. Seventy-six women were allocated to the intervention (n = 40) or waitlist (n = 36). A significant interaction was found on the instrumental activities of daily living measure of self-reported prospective memory whereby the intervention group reported a greater reduction in prospective memory failures than the waitlist group. Interaction trends were noted on perceived cognitive impairments (P = .089) and executive functioning (P = .074). No significant interactions were observed on other measures of objective cognitive functioning or psychosocial variables. The Web-based intervention shows promise for improving self-reported cognitive functioning in adult cancer survivors. Further research is warranted to better understand the mechanisms by which the intervention might contribute to improved self-reported cognition. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Differences in and correlations between cognitive abilities and brain volumes in healthy control, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease groups.

PubMed

Chung, Soon-Cheol; Choi, Mi-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Sik; Lee, Jung-Chul; Park, Sung-Jun; Jeong, Ul-Ho; Baek, Ji-Hye; Gim, Seon-Young; Choi, Young Chil; Lee, Beob-Yi; Lim, Dae-Woon; Kim, Boseong

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in and correlations between cognitive abilities and brain volumes in healthy control (HC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) groups. The Korean Version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), which is used to diagnose AD, was used to measure the cognitive abilities of the study subjects, and the volumes of typical brain components related to AD diagnosis-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), gray matter (GM), and white matter (WM)-were acquired. Of the CERAD-K subtests, the Boston Naming Test distinguished significantly among the HC, MCI, and AD groups. GM and WM volumes differed significantly among the three groups. There was a significant positive correlation between Boston Naming Test scores and GM and WM volumes. In conclusion, the Boston Naming Test and GM and WM brain volumes differentiated the three tested groups accurately, and there were strong correlations between Boston Naming Test scores and GM and WM volumes. These results will help to establish a test method that differentiates the three groups accurately and is economically feasible. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Affective context interferes with cognitive control in unipolar depression: An fMRI investigation

PubMed Central

Dichter, Gabriel S.; Felder, Jennifer N.; Smoski, Moria J.

2009-01-01

Background Unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by aberrant amygdala responses to sad stimuli and poor cognitive control, but the interactive effects of these impairments are poorly understood. Aim To evaluate brain activation in MDD in response to cognitive control stimuli embedded within sad and neutral contexts. Method Fourteen adults with MDD and fifteen matched controls participated in a mixed block/event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task that presented oddball target stimuli embedded within blocks of sad or neutral images. Results Target events activated similar prefrontal brain regions in both groups. However, responses to target events embedded within blocks of emotional images revealed a clear group dissociation. During neutral blocks, the control group demonstrated greater activation to targets in the midfrontal gyrus and anterior cingulate relative to the MDD group, replicating previous findings of prefrontal hypo-activation in MDD samples to cognitive control stimuli. However, during sad blocks, the MDD group demonstrated greater activation in a number of prefrontal regions, including the mid-, inferior, and orbito-frontal gyri and the anterior cingulate, suggesting that relatively more prefrontal brain activation was required to disengage from the sad images to respond to the target events. Limitations A larger sample size would have provided greater statistical power, and more standardized stimuli would have increased external validity. Conclusions This double dissociation of prefrontal responses to target events embedded within neutral and sad context suggests that MDD impacts not only responses to affective events, but extends to other cognitive processes carried out in the context of affective engagement. This implies that emotional reactivity to sad events in MDD may impact functioning more broadly than previously understood. PMID:18706701

Neurocognitive Function in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: 3-Year Follow-Up Shows Cognitive Development Lagging behind Healthy Youths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavuluri, Mani N.; West, Amy; Hill, Kristian; Jindal, Kittu; Sweeney, John A.

2009-01-01

The comparison of the neurocognitive functioning of people with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) with a control group shows that the developmental progress in executive functions and verbal memory of those with PBD was significantly less than those in the control group. The results were seen after comparing data from baseline cognitive tests and a…

Efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy by general practitioners for unexplained fatigue among employees: Randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Huibers, Marcus J H; Beurskens, Anna J H M; Van Schayck, Constant P; Bazelmans, Ellen; Metsemakers, Job F M; Knottnerus, J Andre; Bleijenberg, Gijs

2004-03-01

Fatigue is a common complaint that may lead to long-term sick leave and work disability. To assess the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy by general practitioners for unexplained, persistent fatigue among employees. A randomised controlled trial, using a pre-randomisation design in primary care, investigated 151 employees on sick leave with fatigue. Participants in the experimental group were offered five to seven 30 min sessions of cognitive-behavioural therapy by a general practitioner; those in the control group were offered no treatment. Main outcome measures (fatigue severity, self-reported absenteeism, registered absenteeism and clinical recovery) were assessed at 4 months, 8 months and 12 months. At baseline, 44% of the patients already met research criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome. There was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group on primary or secondary outcomes at any point. Cognitive-behavioural therapy by general practitioners for unexplained, persistent fatigue did not prove to be an effective intervention. Since these doctors were unable to deliver this therapy effectively under ideal circumstances, it is unlikely that doctors in routine practice would be more successful in doing so.

Magical ideation associated social cognition in adolescents: signs of a negative facial affect recognition deficit.

PubMed

Canli, Derya; Ozdemir, Hatice; Kocak, Orhan Murat

2015-08-01

Studies provide evidence for impaired social cognition in schizotypy and its association with negative symptoms. Cognitive features related to magical ideation - a component of the positive dimension of schizotypy - have been less investigated. We aimed to assess social cognitive functioning among adolescents with high magical ideation scores, mainly focusing on face and emotion recognition. 22 subjects with magical ideation scale scores above the cut off level and 22 controls with lowest scores from among 250 students screened with this scale were included in the study. A face and emotion recognition n-back test, the empathy quotient, theory of mind tests and the Physical Anhedonia Scale were applied to both magical ideation and control groups. The magical ideation group performed significantly worse than controls on both face and emotion recognition tests. Emotion recognition performance was found to be affected by memory load, with sadness, among emotions, revealing a difference between the two groups. Empathy and theory of mind tests did not distinguish the magical ideation group from controls. Our findings provide evidence for a deficit in negative emotion recognition affected by memory load associated with magical ideation in adolescents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Operator selection for unmanned aerial systems: comparing video game players and pilots.

PubMed

McKinley, R Andy; McIntire, Lindsey K; Funke, Margaret A

2011-06-01

Popular unmanned aerial system (UAS) platforms such as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper have experienced accelerated operations tempos that have outpaced current operator training regimens, leading to a shortage of qualified UAS operators. To find a surrogate to replace pilots of manned aircraft as UAS operators, this study evaluated video game players (VGPs), pilots, and a control group on a set of UAS operation relevant cognitive tasks. There were 30 participants who volunteered for this study and were divided into 3 groups: experienced pilots (P), experienced VGPs, and a control group (C). Each was trained on eight cognitive performance tasks relevant to unmanned flight tasks. The results indicated that pilots significantly outperform the VGP and control groups on multi-attribute cognitive tasks (Tank mean: VGP = 465 +/- 1.046 vs. P = 203 +/- 0.237 vs. C = 351 +/- 0.601). However, the VGPs outperformed pilots on cognitive tests related to visually acquiring, identifying, and tracking targets (final score: VGP = 594.28 +/- 8.708 vs. P = 563.33 +/- 8.787 vs. C = 568.21 +/- 8.224). Likewise, both VGPs and pilots performed similarly on the UAS landing task, but outperformed the control group (glide slope: VGP = 40.982 +/- 3.244 vs. P = 30.461 +/- 2.251 vs. C = 57.060 +/- 4.407). Cognitive skills learned in video game play may transfer to novel environments and improve performance in UAS tasks over individuals with no video game experience.

Pilot study of cognition in children with unilateral hearing loss.

PubMed

Ead, Banan; Hale, Sandra; DeAlwis, Duneesha; Lieu, Judith E C

2013-11-01

The objective of this study was to obtain preliminary data on the cognitive function of children with unilateral hearing loss in order to identify, quantify, and interpret differences in cognitive and language functions between children with unilateral hearing loss and with normal hearing. Fourteen children ages 9-14 years old (7 with severe-to-profound sensorineural unilateral hearing loss and 7 sibling controls with normal hearing) were administered five tests that assessed cognitive functions of working memory, processing speed, attention, and phonological processing. Mean composite scores for phonological processing were significantly lower for the group with unilateral hearing loss than for controls on one composite and four subtests. The unilateral hearing loss group trended toward worse performance on one additional composite and on two additional phonological processing subtests. The unilateral hearing loss group also performed worse than the control group on the complex letter span task. Analysis examining performance on the two levels of task difficulty revealed a significant main effect of task difficulty and an interaction between task difficulty and group. Cognitive function and phonological processing test results suggest two related deficits associated with unilateral hearing loss: (1) reduced accuracy and efficiency associated with phonological processing, and (2) impaired executive control function when engaged in maintaining verbal information in the face of processing incoming, irrelevant verbal information. These results provide a possible explanation for the educational difficulties experienced by children with unilateral hearing loss. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory factor analysis reveals a latent cognitive structure common to bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and normal controls.

PubMed

Schretlen, David J; Peña, Javier; Aretouli, Eleni; Orue, Izaskun; Cascella, Nicola G; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Ojeda, Natalia

2013-06-01

We sought to determine whether a single hypothesized latent factor structure would characterize cognitive functioning in three distinct groups. We assessed 576 adults (340 community controls, 126 adults with bipolar disorder, and 110 adults with schizophrenia) using 15 measures derived from nine cognitive tests. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the fit of a hypothesized six-factor model. The hypothesized factors included attention, psychomotor speed, verbal memory, visual memory, ideational fluency, and executive functioning. The six-factor model provided an excellent fit for all three groups [for community controls, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) <0.048 and comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.99; for adults with bipolar disorder, RMSEA = 0.071 and CFI = 0.99; and for adults with schizophrenia, RMSEA = 0.06 and CFI = 0.98]. Alternate models that combined fluency with processing speed or verbal and visual memory reduced the goodness of fit. Multi-group CFA results supported factor invariance across the three groups. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a single six-factor structure of cognitive functioning among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and community controls. While the three groups clearly differ in level of performance, they share a common underlying architecture of information processing abilities. These cognitive factors could provide useful targets for clinical trials of treatments that aim to enhance information processing in persons with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance and conventional occupational therapy on occupational performance in individuals with stroke: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ahn, Si-Nae; Yoo, Eun-Young; Jung, Min-Ye; Park, Hae-Yean; Lee, Ji-Yeon; Choi, Yoo-Im

2017-01-01

Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach based on cognitive strategy in occupational therapy. To investigate the effects of CO-OP approach on occupational performance in individuals with hemiparetic stroke. This study was designed as a 5-week, randomized, single-blind. Forty-three participants who had a diagnosis of first stroke were enrolled in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 20) or the control group (n = 23). The experimental group conducted CO-OP approach while the control group conducted conventional occupational therapy based on occupational performance components. This study measured Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS). Outcome measurements were performed at baseline and post-intervention. After training, the scores of COPM and PQRS in trained task were significantly higher for the score in the experimental group than the control group. In addition, the non-trained task was significantly higher for the score in the experimental group than the control group in COPM and the PQRS. This study suggests that the CO-OP approach is beneficial effects on the occupational performance to improvement in individuals with hemiparetic stroke, and have positive effects on generalization and transfer of acquired skills.

Cognitive Functioning in Chiari Malformation Type I Without Posterior Fossa Surgery.

PubMed

García, Maitane; Lázaro, Esther; López-Paz, Juan Francisco; Martínez, Oscar; Pérez, Manuel; Berrocoso, Sarah; Al-Rashaida, Mohammad; Amayra, Imanol

2018-05-15

Chiari Malformation type I (CM-I) is a neurological disorder characterized by a displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum into the spinal canal. Most research has focused on physical symptomatology but few studies include neuropsychological examinations. Moreover, although current research highlights the involvement of the cerebellum on higher cognitive functions, little is known about cognitive consequences associated with CM-I. The aim of this study is to analyze cognitive functioning between 39 CM-I patients and 39 healthy controls, matched by gender, age and years of education. Participants have been examined on a large battery of neuropsychological tests, including executive functioning, verbal fluency, spatial cognition, language, verbal memory, processing speed, facial recognition and theory of mind. Results show a poorer performance of the clinical group compared to the control group, even after controlling the effect of physical pain and anxious-depressive symptomatology. The findings suggest the presence of a generalized cognitive deficit associated with CM-I, which makes it necessary to focus attention not only on physical consequences, but also on cognitive ones.

Influence of Intradialytic Aerobic Training in Cerebral Blood Flow and Cognitive Function in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Stringuetta Belik, Fernanda; Oliveira E Silva, Viviana Rugolo; Braga, Gabriel Pereira; Bazan, Rodrigo; Perez Vogt, Barbara; Costa Teixeira Caramori, Jacqueline; Barretti, Pasqual; de Souza Gonçalves, Renato; Fortes Villas Bôas, Paulo José; Hueb, João Carlos; Martin, Luis Cuadrado; da Silva Franco, Roberto Jorge

2018-06-07

Changes in cerebral blood flow may play an important role in cognitive impairment among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Physical activity has a promising role in delaying cognitive impairment in general population, but there are only a few studies in HD to confirm this finding. We aimed to evaluate the effects of intradialytic aerobic training on cerebral blood flow and cognitive impairment in HD. This is a pilot, controlled, randomized trial. Fifteen patients underwent intradialytic aerobic training 3 times a week for 4 months. The control group was comprised of another 15 patients. Trained patients had a statistically significant improvement of cognitive impairment and basilar maximum blood flow velocity. The proportion of arteries with increased flow velocity was statistically significant between groups. Intradialytic aerobic training improves cognitive impairment and cerebral blood flow of patients in HD, suggesting a possible mechanism improving cognitive impairment by physical training in HD. These data still need to be confirmed by major trials. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Progression of cognitive impairment in stroke/TIA patients over 3 years.

PubMed

Sachdev, Perminder S; Lipnicki, Darren M; Crawford, John D; Wen, Wei; Brodaty, Henry

2014-12-01

To examine how cognitive deficits progress in the years following a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). A follow-up study, with neuropsychological and MRI assessments undertaken 3 years after baseline assessments made 3-6 months poststroke in 183 stroke/TIA patients and 97 healthy controls participating in the Sydney Stroke Study. Additional measures included cardiovascular risk factors and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Stroke/TIA patients had poorer cognitive function and more vascular risk factors than controls at baseline, but did not show greater decline in cognitive function over 3 years except for verbal memory. Patients with a subsequent stroke/TIA showed greater decline in global cognitive function and a number of domains. Rates of incident dementia were 5.9% per year in patients and 0.4% in controls. Both groups showed increased atrophy of the hippocampus, amygdala and whole brain, and an increase in white matter hyperintensities over 3 years; whole brain atrophy was greater in patients. Cognitive decline was greater in women and in those with smaller hippocampi at baseline. For patients without a subsequent stroke/TIA, those with smaller hippocampi or the APOE ε4 allele had greater global cognitive and verbal memory decline. In poststroke patients, cognitive decline was not greater than in comparison subjects, except for verbal memory, unless they had another stroke/TIA. However, dementia incidence was higher in patients, as might be expected from their poorer baseline cognitive functioning. Smaller hippocampi were associated with an increased risk of decline in memory, and APOE ε4 was a risk factor in those without a subsequent stroke/TIA. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

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.

A randomised controlled trial of cognitive aids for emergency airway equipment preparation in a Paediatric Emergency Department.

PubMed

Long, Elliot; Fitzpatrick, Patrick; Cincotta, Domenic R; Grindlay, Joanne; Barrett, Michael Joseph

2016-01-27

Safety of emergency intubation may be improved by standardising equipment preparation; the efficacy of cognitive aids is unknown. This randomised controlled trial compared no cognitive aid (control) with the use of a checklist or picture template for emergency airway equipment preparation in the Emergency Department of The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Sixty-three participants were recruited, 21 randomised to each group. Equal numbers of nursing, junior medical, and senior medical staff were included in each group. Compared to controls, the checklist or template group had significantly lower equipment omission rates (median 30% IQR 20-40% control, median 10% IQR 5-10 % checklist, median 10% IQR 5-20% template; p < 0.05). The combined omission rate and sizing error rate was lower using a checklist or template (median 35 % IQR 30-45 % control, median 15% IQR 10-20% checklist, median 15% IQR 10-30% template; p < 0.05). The template group had less variation in equipment location compared to checklist or controls. There was no significant difference in preparation time in controls (mean 3 min 14 s sd 56 s) compared to checklist (mean 3 min 46 s sd 1 min 15 s) or template (mean 3 min 6 s sd 49 s; p = 0.06). Template use reduces variation in airway equipment location during preparation foremergency intubation, with an equivalent reduction in equipment omission rate to the use of a checklist. The use of a template for equipment preparation and a checklist for team, patient, and monitoring preparation may provide the best combination of both cognitive aids. The use of a cognitive aid for emergency airway equipment preparation reduces errors of omission. Template utilisation reduces variation in equipment location. Australian and New Zealand Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000541505).

Task-Specific and General Cognitive Effects in Chiari Malformation Type I

PubMed Central

Allen, Philip A.; Houston, James R.; Pollock, Joshua W.; Buzzelli, Christopher; Li, Xuan; Harrington, A. Katherine; Martin, Bryn A.; Loth, Francis; Lien, Mei-Ching; Maleki, Jahangir; Luciano, Mark G.

2014-01-01

Objective Our objective was to use episodic memory and executive function tests to determine whether or not Chiari Malformation Type I (CM) patients experience cognitive dysfunction. Background CM is a neurological syndrome in which the cerebellum descends into the cervical spine causing neural compression, severe headaches, neck pain, and number of other physical symptoms. While primarily a disorder of the cervico-medullary junction, both clinicians and researchers have suspected deficits in higher-level cognitive function. Design and Methods We tested 24 CM patients who had undergone decompression neurosurgery and 24 age- and education-matched controls on measures of immediate and delayed episodic memory, as well as three measures of executive function. Results The CM group showed performance decrements relative to the controls in response inhibition (Stroop interference), working memory computational speed (Ospan), and processing speed (automated digit symbol substitution task), but group differences in recall did not reach statistical significance. After statistical control for depression and anxiety scores, the group effects for working memory and processing speed were eliminated, but not for response inhibition. This response inhibition difference was not due to overall general slowing for the CM group, either, because when controls' data were transformed using the linear function fit to all of the reaction time tasks, the interaction with group remained statistically significant. Furthermore, there was a multivariate group effect for all of the response time measures and immediate and delayed recall after statistical control of depression and anxiety scores. Conclusion These results suggest that CM patients with decompression surgery exhibit cognitive dysfunction compared to age- and education-matched controls. While some of these results may be related to anxiety and depression (likely proxies for chronic pain), response inhibition effects, in particular, as well as a general cognitive deficit persisted even after control for anxiety and decompression. PMID:24736676

Reduced prefrontal activation during working and long-term memory tasks and impaired patient-reported cognition among cancer survivors postchemotherapy compared with healthy controls.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Apple, Alexandra C; Schroeder, Matthew P; Ryals, Anthony J; Voss, Joel L; Gitelman, Darren; Sweet, Jerry J; Butt, Zeeshan A; Cella, David; Wagner, Lynne I

2016-01-15

Patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy have reported cognitive impairments that may last for years after the completion of treatment. Working memory-related and long-term memory-related changes in this population are not well understood. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that cancer-related cognitive impairments are associated with the under recruitment of brain regions involved in working and recognition memory compared with controls. Oncology patients (n = 15) who were receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and had evidence of cognitive impairment according to neuropsychological testing and self-report and a group of age-matched, education group-matched, cognitively normal control participants (n = 14) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants performed a nonverbal n-back working memory task and a visual recognition task. On the working memory task, when 1-back and 2-back data were averaged and contrasted with 0-back data, significantly reduced activation was observed in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for oncology patients versus controls. On the recognition task, oncology patients displayed decreased activity of the left-middle hippocampus compared with controls. Neuroimaging results were not associated with patient-reported cognition. Decreased recruitment of brain regions associated with the encoding of working memory and recognition memory was observed in the oncology patients compared with the control group. These results suggest that there is a reduction in neural functioning postchemotherapy and corroborate patient-reported cognitive difficulties after cancer treatment, although a direct association was not observed. Cancer 2016;122:258-268. © 2015 American Cancer Society. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Amygdala functional connectivity is associated with locus of control in the context of cognitive aging.

PubMed

Ren, Ping; Anthony, Mia; Chapman, Benjamin P; Heffner, Kathi; Lin, Feng

2017-05-01

Locus of control (LOC) measures the extent to which individuals perceive control over their lives. Those with a more "internal" LOC feel self-sufficient and able to determine important aspects of their own future, while those with a more "external" LOC feel that their lives are governed by events beyond their control. Reduced internal LOC and increased external LOC have been found in cognitive disorders, but the neural substrates of these control perceptions are yet unknown. In the present study, we explored the relationship between amygdala functional connectivity and LOC in 18 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and age-, sex-, and education-matched, 22 cognitively healthy controls (HC). Participants completed cognitive challenge tasks (Stroop Word Color task and Dual 1-back) for 20min, and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging immediately before and after the tasks. We found significantly lower internal LOC and higher external LOC in the MCI group than the HC group. Compared to HC, MCI group showed significantly stronger positive associations between internal LOC and baseline right amygdala connections (including right middle frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex), and stronger negative associations between internal LOC and change of these right amygdala connections. Across all participants, external LOC explained the relationships between associations of another set of right amygdala connections (including middle cingulate cortex and right superior frontal gyrus), both at baseline and for change, and performance in the cognitive challenge tasks. Our findings indicate that the right amygdala networks might be critical in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying LOC's role in cognitive aging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in Self-Perception During Treatment of Social Phobia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofmann, Stefan G.; Moscovitch, David A.; Kim, Hyo-Jin; Taylor, Andrea N.

2004-01-01

Ninety individuals with social phobia were randomly assigned to a waitlist control group, a cognitive-behavioral therapy group, or an exposure therapy group without explicit cognitive intervention. Two independent raters classified more than 2,000 thoughts that were reported by participants while anticipating socially stressful situations at…

Protective effect of treatment with black cumin oil on spatial cognitive functions of rats that suffered global cerebrovascular hypoperfusion.

PubMed

Azzubaidi, Marwan Saad; Saxena, Anil Kumar; Talib, Norlelawati Abi; Ahmed, Qamar Uddin; Dogarai, Bashar Bello

2012-01-01

The fixed oil of black cumin seeds, Nigella sativa L. (NSO), has shown considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its subsequent cognitive impairment in which oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are the principal culprits. Cerebrovascular hypoperfusion was experimentally achieved by bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (2VO) in rats. Morris water maze (MWM) test was employed to assess the effects of NSO on spatial cognitive function before and after 2VO intervention. Rats were divided into long-term memory (LTM) and short-term memory (STM) groups, each was further subdivided into 3 subgroups: sham control, untreated 2VO and NSO treated 2VO group. All subgroups were tested with MWM at the tenth postoperative week. Working memory test results for both sham control and NSO treated groups showed significantly lower escape latency time and total distance travelled than untreated 2VO group. Similarly, LTM and STM MWM tests for sham control and NSO treated groups revealed significantly better maze test performance as compared to untreated 2VO group. Sham control and NSO treated 2VO groups demonstrated superior probe memory test performance as compared to untreated 2VO group. The fixed oil of Nigella sativa seeds has demonstrated noticeable spatial cognitive preservation in rats challenged with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion which indicates a promising prospective neuroprotective effect.

Speech Deficits in Serious mental Illness: A Cognitive Resource Issue?

PubMed Central

Cohen, Alex S.; McGovern, Jessica E.; Dinzeo, Thomas J.; Covington, Michael A.

2014-01-01

Speech deficits, notably those involved in psychomotor retardation, blunted affect, alogia and poverty of content of speech, are pronounced in a wide range of serious mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, unipolar depression, bipolar disorders). The present project evaluated the degree to which these deficits manifest as a function of cognitive resource limitations. We examined natural speech from 52 patients meeting criteria for serious mental illnesses (i.e., severe functional deficits with a concomitant diagnosis of schizophrenia, unipolar and/or bipolar affective disorders) and 30 non-psychiatric controls using a range of objective, computer-based measures tapping speech production (“alogia”), variability (“blunted vocal affect”) and content (“poverty of content of speech”). Subjects produced natural speech during a baseline condition and while engaging in an experimentally-manipulated cognitively-effortful task. For correlational analysis, cognitive ability was measured using a standardized battery. Generally speaking, speech deficits did not differ as a function of SMI diagnosis. However, every speech production and content measure was significantly abnormal in SMI versus control groups. Speech variability measures generally did not differ between groups. For both patients and controls as a group, speech during the cognitively-effortful task was sparser and less rich in content. Relative to controls, patients were abnormal under cognitive load with respect only to average pause length. Correlations between the speech variables and cognitive ability were only significant for this same variable: average pause length. Results suggest that certain speech deficits, notably involving pause length, may manifest as a function of cognitive resource limitations. Implications for treatment, research and assessment are discussed. PMID:25464920

Speech deficits in serious mental illness: a cognitive resource issue?

PubMed

Cohen, Alex S; McGovern, Jessica E; Dinzeo, Thomas J; Covington, Michael A

2014-12-01

Speech deficits, notably those involved in psychomotor retardation, blunted affect, alogia and poverty of content of speech, are pronounced in a wide range of serious mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, unipolar depression, bipolar disorders). The present project evaluated the degree to which these deficits manifest as a function of cognitive resource limitations. We examined natural speech from 52 patients meeting criteria for serious mental illnesses (i.e., severe functional deficits with a concomitant diagnosis of schizophrenia, unipolar and/or bipolar affective disorders) and 30 non-psychiatric controls using a range of objective, computer-based measures tapping speech production ("alogia"), variability ("blunted vocal affect") and content ("poverty of content of speech"). Subjects produced natural speech during a baseline condition and while engaging in an experimentally-manipulated cognitively-effortful task. For correlational analysis, cognitive ability was measured using a standardized battery. Generally speaking, speech deficits did not differ as a function of SMI diagnosis. However, every speech production and content measure was significantly abnormal in SMI versus control groups. Speech variability measures generally did not differ between groups. For both patients and controls as a group, speech during the cognitively-effortful task was sparser and less rich in content. Relative to controls, patients were abnormal under cognitive load with respect only to average pause length. Correlations between the speech variables and cognitive ability were only significant for this same variable: average pause length. Results suggest that certain speech deficits, notably involving pause length, may manifest as a function of cognitive resource limitations. Implications for treatment, research and assessment are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relation of cognitive load and pupillary unrest.

PubMed

Müller, Andreas; Petru, Raluca; Seitz, Lucia; Englmann, Ines; Angerer, Peter

2011-06-01

This study examines the relationship between pupillary unrest (PU) and cognitive load. PU represents a measure of reduced central nervous tonic arousal (sleepiness). A loss of tonic arousal can be associated with difficulties in maintaining the required level of performance. Thus, the measurement of tonic arousal in occupational contexts can help to prevent overload or errors. We compared a group with high cognitive load (30 apron controllers of an international airport) with a control group with low cognitive load (63 healthy people during their free time) in a non-randomized experimental design with pre- and post-test assessment of PU. PU was scanned by an infrared sensor with a frequency of 25 Hz and a resolution of .05 mm. To control for circadian effects, measurements for both groups were taken at the same time of the day. High PU at the start of the shift correlated with high perceived load during the shift. There were no indications of reverse effects. Analyses of group x time effects with generalized linear models (repeated measures) revealed that cognitive load did in no way affected PU. Initially low tonic arousal (indicated by high PU) may predict subsequent workload, but being exposed to high cognitive load does not influence tonic arousal after the end of the shift. With that, the study contributes to valid interpretations of pupillary unrest measurements in occupational contexts.

Educating preschoolers about sun safety.

PubMed Central

Loescher, L J; Emerson, J; Taylor, A; Christensen, D H; McKinney, M

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVES. This feasibility study examined whether a sun safety curriculum designed for and administered to preschoolers affects their cognition (knowledge, comprehension, application) regarding sun safety. METHODS. Twelve classes of 4- to 5-year-olds were recruited from local preschools and randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received an investigator-developed sun safety curriculum; the control group did not. Children in both groups were tested at the beginning of the study about their cognition related to sun safety. They then received posttests 2 and 7 weeks following the pretest. RESULTS. The curriculum had a significant effect on the knowledge (P = .01) and comprehension (P = .006) components of cognition. The application component of cognition was not significantly changed by the curriculum. CONCLUSIONS. A structured curriculum was found to be an efficacious means of enhancing knowledge and comprehension of sun safety in preschool children. At the preoperational developmental stage, however, children may not be able to apply such knowledge and comprehension. PMID:7604917

International Ballroom Dancing Against Neurodegeneration: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Greek Community-Dwelling Elders With Mild Cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Lazarou, Ioulietta; Parastatidis, Themis; Tsolaki, Anthoula; Gkioka, Mara; Karakostas, Anastasios; Douka, Stella; Tsolaki, Magda

2017-12-01

Many studies have highlighted the positive effects of dance in people with neurodegenerative diseases. To explore the effects of International Ballroom Dancing on cognitive function in elders with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). One-hundred twenty-nine elderly patients with aMCI diagnosis (mean age 66.8 ± 10.1 years) were randomly assigned into 2 groups: intervention group (IG, n = 66) and control group (CG, n = 63). The IG exercised systematically for 10 months, and both groups were submitted to extensive neuropsychological assessment prior and after the 10-month period. According to the independent sample t test at the follow-up, significant differences between groups were found in benefit of the IG while the CG showed worse performance in the majority of neuropsychological tests. According to the Student t test, better performance is detected in IG in contrast with CG, which had worse performance almost in all scales. Dance may be an important nonpharmacological approach that can benefit cognitive functions.

Characterizing “fibrofog”: Subjective appraisal, objective performance, and task-related brain activity during a working memory task

PubMed Central

Walitt, Brian; Čeko, Marta; Khatiwada, Manish; Gracely, John L.; Rayhan, Rakib; VanMeter, John W.; Gracely, Richard H.

2016-01-01

The subjective experience of cognitive dysfunction (“fibrofog”) is common in fibromyalgia. This study investigated the relation between subjective appraisal of cognitive function, objective cognitive task performance, and brain activity during a cognitive task using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Sixteen fibromyalgia patients and 13 healthy pain-free controls completed a battery of questionnaires, including the Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire (MASQ), a measure of self-perceived cognitive difficulties. Participants were evaluated for working memory performance using a modified N-back working memory task while undergoing Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI measurements. Fibromyalgia patients and controls did not differ in working memory performance. Subjective appraisal of cognitive function was associated with better performance (accuracy) on the working memory task in healthy controls but not in fibromyalgia patients. In fibromyalgia patients, increased perceived cognitive difficulty was positively correlated with the severity of their symptoms. BOLD response during the working memory task did not differ between the groups. BOLD response correlated with task accuracy in control subjects but not in fibromyalgia patients. Increased subjective cognitive impairment correlated with decreased BOLD response in both groups but in different anatomic regions. In conclusion, “fibrofog” appears to be better characterized by subjective rather than objective impairment. Neurologic correlates of this subjective experience of impairment might be separate from those involved in the performance of cognitive tasks. PMID:26955513

Characterizing "fibrofog": Subjective appraisal, objective performance, and task-related brain activity during a working memory task.

PubMed

Walitt, Brian; Čeko, Marta; Khatiwada, Manish; Gracely, John L; Rayhan, Rakib; VanMeter, John W; Gracely, Richard H

2016-01-01

The subjective experience of cognitive dysfunction ("fibrofog") is common in fibromyalgia. This study investigated the relation between subjective appraisal of cognitive function, objective cognitive task performance, and brain activity during a cognitive task using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Sixteen fibromyalgia patients and 13 healthy pain-free controls completed a battery of questionnaires, including the Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire (MASQ), a measure of self-perceived cognitive difficulties. Participants were evaluated for working memory performance using a modified N-back working memory task while undergoing Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI measurements. Fibromyalgia patients and controls did not differ in working memory performance. Subjective appraisal of cognitive function was associated with better performance (accuracy) on the working memory task in healthy controls but not in fibromyalgia patients. In fibromyalgia patients, increased perceived cognitive difficulty was positively correlated with the severity of their symptoms. BOLD response during the working memory task did not differ between the groups. BOLD response correlated with task accuracy in control subjects but not in fibromyalgia patients. Increased subjective cognitive impairment correlated with decreased BOLD response in both groups but in different anatomic regions. In conclusion, "fibrofog" appears to be better characterized by subjective rather than objective impairment. Neurologic correlates of this subjective experience of impairment might be separate from those involved in the performance of cognitive tasks.

Relationship between Parenting and Cognitive Schemas in a Group of Male Adult Offenders.

PubMed

Pellerone, Monica; Craparo, Giuseppe; Tornabuoni, Ylenia

2016-01-01

This work analyzes the correlation of retrospective ratings on parental binding with cognitive patterns in the inmates for property crimes. The participant group comprehended 248 adults men, including 130 marked out as offenders (the target group), aged between 19 and 70, currently serving sentences in the Cavadonna prison in Siracusa, and 118 marked out as non-offenders (the control group), aged between 20 and 70, living in Siracusa (Sicily). The instruments used were the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and the Young Schema Questionnaire-3 (YSQ). The preliminary analysis showed a high percentage of offenders who experienced an affectionate constraint parenting. Offenders scored significantly higher than the non-offenders on the level of paternal control and the YSQ subscales. The study underlines the influence of maternal care on most of the cognitive schemas, and the role of father's control on the tendency to social isolation and defectiveness in the offenders.

Knee Arthroscopy Simulation: A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Imperial Knee Arthroscopy Cognitive Task Analysis (IKACTA) Tool.

PubMed

Bhattacharyya, Rahul; Davidson, Donald J; Sugand, Kapil; Bartlett, Matthew J; Bhattacharya, Rajarshi; Gupte, Chinmay M

2017-10-04

Virtual-reality and cadaveric simulations are expensive and not readily accessible. Innovative and accessible training adjuncts are required to help to meet training needs. Cognitive task analysis has been used extensively to train pilots and in other surgical specialties. However, the use of cognitive task analyses within orthopaedics is in its infancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel cognitive task analysis tool to train novice surgeons in diagnostic knee arthroscopy in high-fidelity, phantom-limb simulation. Three expert knee surgeons were interviewed independently to generate a list of technical steps, decision points, and errors for diagnostic knee arthroscopy. A modified Delphi technique was used to generate the final cognitive task analysis. A video and a voiceover were recorded for each phase of this procedure. These were combined to produce the Imperial Knee Arthroscopy Cognitive Task Analysis (IKACTA) tool that utilizes written and audiovisual stimuli to describe each phase of a diagnostic knee arthroscopy. In this double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, a power calculation was performed prior to recruitment. Sixteen novice orthopaedic trainees who performed ≤10 diagnostic knee arthroscopies were randomized into 2 equal groups. The intervention group (IKACTA group) was given the IKACTA tool and the control group had no additional learning material. They were assessed objectively (validated Arthroscopic Surgical Skill Evaluation Tool [ASSET] global rating scale) on a high-fidelity, phantom-knee simulator. All participants, using the Likert rating scale, subjectively rated the tool. The mean ASSET score (and standard deviation) was 19.5 ± 3.7 points in the IKACTA group and 10.6 ± 2.3 points in the control group, resulting in an improvement of 8.9 points (95% confidence interval, 7.6 to 10.1 points; p = 0.002); the score was determined as 51.3% (19.5 of 38) for the IKACTA group, 27.9% (10.6 of 38) for the control group, and 23.4% (8.9 of 38) for the improvement. All participants agreed that the cognitive task analysis learning tool was a useful training adjunct to learning in the operating room. To our knowledge, this is the first cognitive task analysis in diagnostic knee arthroscopy that is user-friendly and inexpensive and has demonstrated significant benefits in training. The IKACTA will provide trainees with a demonstrably strong foundation in diagnostic knee arthroscopy that will flatten learning curves in both technical skills and decision-making.

Comparing Relaxation Training and Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Women with Breast Cancer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Miri; Fried, Georgeta

2007-01-01

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior (CB) group intervention versus relaxation and guided imagery (RGI) group training. Method: A total of 114 early-stage breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to CB, RGI, or control groups, and instruments were completed at pre- and postintervention and 4 months later. Results:…

The Effectiveness of a Nurse-Led Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on the Quality of Life, Self-Esteem and Mood Among Filipino Patients Living With Heart Failure: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Cajanding, Ruff Joseph Macale

2016-08-01

The diagnosis and complications associated with heart failure (HF) have been very well established to adversely impact an individual's physical and psychosocial well-being, and interventions such as cognitive-behavioral techniques have demonstrated potential positive benefits among patients with HF. However, the effects of such interventions among Filipino HF patients have not been studied. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a nurse-led cognitive-behavioral intervention program on the quality of life, self-esteem and mood among Filipino patients with HF. A randomized control two-group design with repeated measures and collected data before and after the intervention was used in this study. Participants were assigned to either the control (n=48) or the intervention group (n=52). Control group participants received traditional care. Intervention participants underwent a 12-week nurse-led cognitive-behavioral intervention program focusing on patient education, self-monitoring, skills training, cognitive restructuring and spiritual development. Measures of quality of life, self-esteem and mood were obtained at baseline and after the intervention. At baseline, participants in both groups have poor quality of life, low self-esteem, and moderate depressive symptom scores. After the 12-week intervention period, participants in the intervention group had significant improvement in their quality of life, self-esteem and mood scores compared with those who received only standard care. Nurse-led cognitive-behavioral intervention is an effective strategy in improving the quality of life, self-esteem and mood among Filipino patients living with HF. It is recommended that this intervention be incorporated in the optimal care of patients with this cardiac condition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building research in diet and cognition: The BRIDGE randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tussing-Humphreys, Lisa; Lamar, Melissa; Blumenthal, James A; Babyak, Michael; Fantuzzi, Giamila; Blumstein, Lara; Schiffer, Linda; Fitzgibbon, Marian L

2017-08-01

Obesity has been linked to cognitive impairment, cognitive decline and dementia. Given that 38.5% of U.S. adults 60years and older are obese and these numbers are rapidly increasing, strategies to decouple obesity from cognitive decline are needed. Innovative lifestyle strategies that may postpone the onset of subclinical symptoms or even arrest the transition to overt dementia in at-risk individuals are critically needed. Poor diet is central to the development of obesity and diet may affect cognition. Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Furthermore, weight loss through caloric restriction improves cognitive function. This paper describes the Building Research in Diet and CoGnition (BRIDGE) study, a randomized trial examining the effect of the MedDiet, with and without weight loss, on cognitive functioning in obese older adults. Obese (BMI≥30 and ≤50kg/m 2 ) older adults (≥55years) (n=180) will be randomized in a 2:2:1 allocation scheme to: Typical Diet Control; MedDiet alone, without weight loss; or MedDiet lifestyle intervention to promote weight loss and weight loss maintenance. Both MedDiet intervention groups will meet for one individual session and 27 group sessions over an 8-month period. Individuals in the control group will not receive instruction on changing lifestyle habits. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 8 and 14months. The primary outcome is cognitive functioning; secondary outcomes will include changes in body weight, diet, cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory biomarkers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults.

PubMed

Anguera, J A; Boccanfuso, J; Rintoul, J L; Al-Hashimi, O; Faraji, F; Janowich, J; Kong, E; Larraburo, Y; Rolle, C; Johnston, E; Gazzaley, A

2013-09-05

Cognitive control is defined by a set of neural processes that allow us to interact with our complex environment in a goal-directed manner. Humans regularly challenge these control processes when attempting to simultaneously accomplish multiple goals (multitasking), generating interference as the result of fundamental information processing limitations. It is clear that multitasking behaviour has become ubiquitous in today's technologically dense world, and substantial evidence has accrued regarding multitasking difficulties and cognitive control deficits in our ageing population. Here we show that multitasking performance, as assessed with a custom-designed three-dimensional video game (NeuroRacer), exhibits a linear age-related decline from 20 to 79 years of age. By playing an adaptive version of NeuroRacer in multitasking training mode, older adults (60 to 85 years old) reduced multitasking costs compared to both an active control group and a no-contact control group, attaining levels beyond those achieved by untrained 20-year-old participants, with gains persisting for 6 months. Furthermore, age-related deficits in neural signatures of cognitive control, as measured with electroencephalography, were remediated by multitasking training (enhanced midline frontal theta power and frontal-posterior theta coherence). Critically, this training resulted in performance benefits that extended to untrained cognitive control abilities (enhanced sustained attention and working memory), with an increase in midline frontal theta power predicting the training-induced boost in sustained attention and preservation of multitasking improvement 6 months later. These findings highlight the robust plasticity of the prefrontal cognitive control system in the ageing brain, and provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, of how a custom-designed video game can be used to assess cognitive abilities across the lifespan, evaluate underlying neural mechanisms, and serve as a powerful tool for cognitive enhancement.

Emotion-cognition interaction in people at familial high risk for schizophrenia: the impact of sex differences.

PubMed

Phillips, Laura K; Giuliano, Anthony J; Lee, Erica H; Faraone, Stephen V; Tsuang, Ming T; Seidman, Larry J

2011-11-01

Cognitive deficits are fundamental to schizophrenia, and research suggests that negative emotion abnormally interferes with certain cognitive processes in those with the illness. To a lesser extent, cognitive impairment is found in persons at risk for schizophrenia, but there is limited research on the impact of emotion on cognitive processing in at-risk groups. It is unknown whether interference of negative emotion precedes illness and contributes to vulnerability for the disorder. We studied the extent to which negative emotional information interferes with working memory in 21 adolescent and young adult first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia and 22 community controls. Groups were comparable in age, sex, education, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Primary measures were n-back tasks varying in cognitive load (1-back, 2-back, 3-back) with emotional faces (neutral, happy, fearful) as stimuli. The control group's response times (RTs) and the women's RTs, regardless of group, differed depending on the emotion condition. In contrast, the RTs of the relatives and of the men, regardless of group, did not differ by emotion. This study is the first to examine emotion-cognition interactions in relatives of individuals with schizophrenia. Reduced efficiency in processing emotional information may contribute to a greater vulnerability for schizophrenia that may be heightened in men. Additional research with larger samples of men and women is needed to test these preliminary findings.

The impact of group music therapy on depression and cognition in elderly persons with dementia: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Chu, Hsin; Yang, Chyn-Yng; Lin, Yu; Ou, Keng-Liang; Lee, Tso-Ying; O'Brien, Anthony Paul; Chou, Kuei-Ru

2014-04-01

The aims of this study were to determine the effectiveness of group music therapy for improving depression and delaying the deterioration of cognitive functions in elderly persons with dementia. The study had a prospective, parallel-group design with permuted-block randomization. Older persons with dementia (N = 104) were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group received 12 sessions of group music therapy (two 30-min sessions per week for 6 weeks), and the control group received usual care. Data were collected 4 times: (1) 1 week before the intervention, (2) the 6th session of the intervention, (3) the 12th session of the intervention, and (4) 1 month after the final session. Group music therapy reduced depression in persons with dementia. Improvements in depression occurred immediately after music therapy and were apparent throughout the course of therapy. The cortisol level did not significantly decrease after the group music therapy. Cognitive function significantly improved slightly at the 6th session, the 12th session, and 1 month after the sessions ended; in particular, short-term recall function improved. The group music therapy intervention had the greatest impact in subjects with mild and moderate dementia. The group music intervention is a noninvasive and inexpensive therapy that appeared to reduce elders' depression. It also delayed the deterioration of cognitive functions, particularly short-term recall function. Group music therapy may be an appropriate intervention among elderly persons with mild and moderate dementia.

Executive functions in mild cognitive impairment: emergence and breakdown of neural plasticity.

PubMed

Clément, Francis; Gauthier, Serge; Belleville, Sylvie

2013-05-01

Our goal was to test the effect of disease severity on the brain activation associated with two executive processes: manipulation and divided attention. This was achieved by administrating a manipulation task and a divided attention task using functional magnetic resonance imaging to 24 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 14 healthy controls matched for age, sex and education. The Mattis Dementia Rating Scale was used to divide persons with MCI into those with better and worse cognitive performances. Both tasks were associated with more brain activation in the MCI group with higher cognition than in healthy controls, particularly in the left frontal areas. Correlational analyses indicated that greater activation in a frontostriatal network hyperactivated by the higher-cognition group was related with better task performance, suggesting that these activations may support functional reorganization of a compensatory nature. By contrast, the lower-cognition group failed to show greater cerebral hyperactivation than controls during the divided attention task and, during the manipulation task, and showed less brain activation than controls in the left ventrolateral cortex, a region commonly hypoactivated in patients with Alzheimer's disease. These findings indicate that, during the early phase of MCI, executive functioning benefits from neural reorganization, but that a breakdown of this brain plasticity characterizes the late stages of MCI. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of true and false memory in mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Sweeney-Reed, Catherine M; Riddell, Patricia M; Ellis, Judi A; Freeman, Jayne E; Nasuto, Slawomir J

2012-01-01

The goal of this research was to investigate the changes in neural processing in mild cognitive impairment. We measured phase synchrony, amplitudes, and event-related potentials in veridical and false memory to determine whether these differed in participants with mild cognitive impairment compared with typical, age-matched controls. Empirical mode decomposition phase locking analysis was used to assess synchrony, which is the first time this analysis technique has been applied in a complex cognitive task such as memory processing. The technique allowed assessment of changes in frontal and parietal cortex connectivity over time during a memory task, without a priori selection of frequency ranges, which has been shown previously to influence synchrony detection. Phase synchrony differed significantly in its timing and degree between participant groups in the theta and alpha frequency ranges. Timing differences suggested greater dependence on gist memory in the presence of mild cognitive impairment. The group with mild cognitive impairment had significantly more frontal theta phase locking than the controls in the absence of a significant behavioural difference in the task, providing new evidence for compensatory processing in the former group. Both groups showed greater frontal phase locking during false than true memory, suggesting increased searching when no actual memory trace was found. Significant inter-group differences in frontal alpha phase locking provided support for a role for lower and upper alpha oscillations in memory processing. Finally, fronto-parietal interaction was significantly reduced in the group with mild cognitive impairment, supporting the notion that mild cognitive impairment could represent an early stage in Alzheimer's disease, which has been described as a 'disconnection syndrome'.

Psychotherapy Augmentation through Preconscious Priming

PubMed Central

Borgeat, François; O’Connor, Kieron; Amado, Danielle; St-Pierre-Delorme, Marie-Ève

2013-01-01

Objective: To test the hypothesis that repeated preconscious (masked) priming of personalized positive cognitions could augment cognitive change and facilitate achievement of patients’ goals following a therapy. Methods: Twenty social phobic patients (13 women) completed a 36-weeks study beginning by 12 weeks of group behavioral therapy. After the therapy, they received 6 weeks of preconscious priming and 6 weeks of a control procedure in a randomized cross-over design. The Priming condition involved listening twice daily with a passive attitude to a recording of individualized formulations of appropriate cognitions and attitudes masked by music. The Control condition involved listening to an indistinguishable recording where the formulations had been replaced by random numbers. Changes in social cognitions were measured by the Social Interaction Self Statements Test (SISST). Results: Patients improved following therapy. The Priming procedure was associated with increased positive cognitions and decreased negative cognitions on the SISST while the Control procedure was not. The Priming procedure induced more cognitive change when applied immediately after the group therapy. Conclusion: An effect of priming was observed on social phobia related cognitions in the expected direction. This self administered addition to a therapy could be seen as an augmentation strategy. PMID:23508724

Moderate-to-High Intensity Physical Exercise in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Kristine; Sobol, Nanna A; Frederiksen, Kristian S; Beyer, Nina; Vogel, Asmus; Vestergaard, Karsten; Brændgaard, Hans; Gottrup, Hanne; Lolk, Annette; Wermuth, Lene; Jacobsen, Søren; Laugesen, Lars P; Gergelyffy, Robert G; Høgh, Peter; Bjerregaard, Eva; Andersen, Birgitte B; Siersma, Volkert; Johannsen, Peter; Cotman, Carl W; Waldemar, Gunhild; Hasselbalch, Steen G

2016-01-01

Studies of physical exercise in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are few and results have been inconsistent. To assess the effects of a moderate-to-high intensity aerobic exercise program in patients with mild AD. In a randomized controlled trial, we recruited 200 patients with mild AD to a supervised exercise group (60-min sessions three times a week for 16 weeks) or to a control group. Primary outcome was changed from baseline in cognitive performance estimated by Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) group. Secondary outcomes included changes in quality of life, ability to perform activities of daily living, and in neuropsychiatric and depressive symptoms. The ITT analysis showed no significant differences between intervention and control groups in change from baseline of SDMT, other cognitive tests, quality of life, or activities of daily living. The change from baseline in Neuropsychiatric Inventory differed significantly in favor of the intervention group (mean: -3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.8 to -1.3, p = 0.002). In subjects who adhered to the protocol, we found a significant effect on change from baseline in SDMT as compared with the control group (mean: 4.2, 95% CI 0.5 to 7.9, p = 0.028), suggesting a dose-response relationship between exercise and cognition. This is the first randomized controlled trial with supervised moderate-to-high intensity exercise in patients with mild AD. Exercise reduced neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with mild AD, with possible additional benefits of preserved cognition in a subgroup of patients exercising with high attendance and intensity.

Plasticity of attentional functions in older adults after non-action video game training: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mayas, Julia; Parmentier, Fabrice B R; Andrés, Pilar; Ballesteros, Soledad

2014-01-01

A major goal of recent research in aging has been to examine cognitive plasticity in older adults and its capacity to counteract cognitive decline. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether older adults could benefit from brain training with video games in a cross-modal oddball task designed to assess distraction and alertness. Twenty-seven healthy older adults participated in the study (15 in the experimental group, 12 in the control group. The experimental group received 20 1-hr video game training sessions using a commercially available brain-training package (Lumosity) involving problem solving, mental calculation, working memory and attention tasks. The control group did not practice this package and, instead, attended meetings with the other members of the study several times along the course of the study. Both groups were evaluated before and after the intervention using a cross-modal oddball task measuring alertness and distraction. The results showed a significant reduction of distraction and an increase of alertness in the experimental group and no variation in the control group. These results suggest neurocognitive plasticity in the old human brain as training enhanced cognitive performance on attentional functions. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616.

Relationships between balance and cognition in patients with subjective cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Tangen, Gro Gujord; Engedal, Knut; Bergland, Astrid; Moger, Tron Anders; Mengshoel, Anne Marit

2014-08-01

Balance impairments are common in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), but which aspects of balance are affected, at which stage of cognitive impairment, and their associations with cognitive domains remain unexplored. The aims of this study were: (1) to explore differences in balance abilities among patients with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild AD, and moderate AD and (2) to examine the relationship between the various aspects of balance and cognitive domains. This was a cross-sectional study. Home-dwelling patients with SCI or MCI (n=33), mild AD (n=99), and moderate AD (n=38) participated in this study. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest), comprising 6 subscales-"Biomechanical Constraints," "Stability Limits/Verticality," "Anticipatory Postural Adjustments," "Postural Responses," "Sensory Orientation," and "Stability in Gait"-was used to assess balance. Cognitive domains were assessed using the following measures: Mini-Mental Status Examination, Word-List Learning Test from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Verbal Fluency Test, Clock Drawing Test, and Trail Making Test, parts A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B, respectively). Two-way between-group analyses of variance, adjusted for age, were used to analyze differences among the groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the associations between balance and cognition. Differences were found between the groups on all BESTest subscales; the moderate AD group had the worst scores. The TMT-B (measuring executive function) was associated with all of the BESTest subscales after controlling for demographic factors. The cross-sectional design hampered interpretation of the development of balance impairments. The study findings indicate that all aspects of balance control deteriorate with increasing severity of cognitive impairment and that executive function plays an important role in balance control. Physical therapists should pay attention to these findings both in clinical practice and in future research. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

The influence of cognitive dysfunction on benefit from learning and memory rehabilitation in MS: A sub-analysis of the MEMREHAB trial.

PubMed

Chiaravalloti, Nancy D; DeLuca, John

2015-10-01

This study examined the influence of processing speed (PS) on benefit from treatment with the modified Story Memory Technique(©) (mSMT), a behavioral intervention shown to improve new learning and memory in multiple sclerosis (MS). This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial included 85 participants with clinically definite MS, 45 assigned to the treatment group and 40 to the placebo-control group. Participants completed baseline and follow-up neuropsychological assessment. The present study represents a post-hoc analysis to examine the role of PS on treatment efficacy. The treatment group showed a significantly improved CVLT learning slope relative to the placebo group post-treatment, after co-varying PS performance. SDMT performance was a significant predictor of benefit from mSMT treatment, beyond group assignment. Post-hoc analysis indicated a significant correlation between the SDMT and overall cognition, indicating that the SDMT may be serving as a proxy for overall cognitive impairment. Performance on measures of cognitive dysfunction aside from learning and memory impact the benefit of mSMT treatment. While the current study focused on PS as a critical factor, PS may be serving as a marker for generalized cognitive dysfunction. Implications for cognitive rehabilitation in MS are discussed. © The Author(s), 2015.

The Influence of Functional Fitness and Cognitive Training of Physical Disabilities of Institutions

PubMed Central

Yeh, I-Chen; Chang, Chia-Ming; Chen, Ko-Chia; Hong, Wei-Chin; Lu, Yu-Hsiung

2015-01-01

According to an investigation done by Taiwan Ministry of the Interior in 2013, there was more than 90% of the disability care institutions mainly based on life care. Previous studies have shown that individuals can effectively improve physical and cognitive training, improved in independent living and everyday competence. The purpose of the study was to investigate influence of the intervention program applying functional fitness and cognitive training to disabled residents in the institution. The subjects were disabled persons of a care institution in southern Taiwan and were randomly divided into training and control groups, both having 17 subjects. The age of the subjects was between 56 and 98 years with a mean age of 79.08 ± 10.04 years; the subjects of training group implemented 12 weeks of training on physical and cognitive training, while the control group subjects did not have any training program. The results revealed that subjects of the training group have significantly improved their functional shoulder rotation flexibility of left and right anterior hip muscle group flexibility of right, sitting functional balance of left and right, naming, attention, delayed recall, orientation, and Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA). The study suggested developing physical fitness programs and physical and cognitive prescriptions for the disabled people of the institutions. PMID:25756064

The influence of functional fitness and cognitive training of physical disabilities of institutions.

PubMed

Yeh, I-Chen; Chang, Chia-Ming; Chen, Ko-Chia; Hong, Wei-Chin; Lu, Yu-Hsiung

2015-01-01

According to an investigation done by Taiwan Ministry of the Interior in 2013, there was more than 90% of the disability care institutions mainly based on life care. Previous studies have shown that individuals can effectively improve physical and cognitive training, improved in independent living and everyday competence. The purpose of the study was to investigate influence of the intervention program applying functional fitness and cognitive training to disabled residents in the institution. The subjects were disabled persons of a care institution in southern Taiwan and were randomly divided into training and control groups, both having 17 subjects. The age of the subjects was between 56 and 98 years with a mean age of 79.08 ± 10.04 years; the subjects of training group implemented 12 weeks of training on physical and cognitive training, while the control group subjects did not have any training program. The results revealed that subjects of the training group have significantly improved their functional shoulder rotation flexibility of left and right anterior hip muscle group flexibility of right, sitting functional balance of left and right, naming, attention, delayed recall, orientation, and Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA). The study suggested developing physical fitness programs and physical and cognitive prescriptions for the disabled people of the institutions.

Could schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder be distinguishable using cognitive profiles?

PubMed

Chen, Chih-Ken; Lee, Chun-Yi; Lee, Yu; Hung, Chi-Fa; Huang, Yu-Chi; Lee, Sheng-Yu; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Chen, Yi-Chih; Wang, Liang-Jen

2018-05-24

This study seeks to determine whether the cognition profiles of patients with schizoaffective disorder (SAD), schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder (BD) are distinguishable. A total of 227 participants, comprising 88 healthy control subjects, 50 patients with SAD, 48 patients with schizophrenia and 41 patients with BD, were recruited. The participants' cognitive functions were evaluated using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). A discriminant functions analysis (DFA) was conducted to determine whether using cognitive performance can be used to distinguish these participant groups. Relative to healthy control subjects, patients with SAD, schizophrenia and BD exhibited significant deficits in all cognitive domains (verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, verbal fluency, attention and processing speed, executive function and a composite BACS score). Among the three patient groups, the schizophrenia group exhibited particularly impaired motor speed, and the BD group performed best in attention, processing speed, executive function and the composite BACS score. The classification accuracy rates of patients with SAD, schizophrenia and BD in the DFA model were 38%, 47.9% and 46.3%, respectively. These findings suggest that the impairments of some cognitive domains were less severe in patients with BD than in patients with schizophrenia or SAD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A randomized controlled trial of Kundalini yoga in mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Eyre, Harris A; Siddarth, Prabha; Acevedo, Bianca; Van Dyk, Kathleen; Paholpak, Pattharee; Ercoli, Linda; St Cyr, Natalie; Yang, Hongyu; Khalsa, Dharma S; Lavretsky, Helen

2017-04-01

Global population aging will result in increasing rates of cognitive decline and dementia. Thus, effective, low-cost, and low side-effect interventions for the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline are urgently needed. Our study is the first to investigate the effects of Kundalini yoga (KY) training on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Older participants (≥55 years of age) with MCI were randomized to either a 12-week KY intervention or memory enhancement training (MET; gold-standard, active control). Cognitive (i.e. memory and executive functioning) and mood (i.e. depression, apathy, and resilience) assessments were administered at baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. At baseline, 81 participants had no significant baseline group differences in clinical or demographic characteristics. At 12 weeks and 24 weeks, both KY and MET groups showed significant improvement in memory; however, only KY showed significant improvement in executive functioning. Only the KY group showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms and resilience at week 12. KY group showed short- and long-term improvements in executive functioning as compared to MET, and broader effects on depressed mood and resilience. This observation should be confirmed in future clinical trials of yoga intervention for treatment and prevention of cognitive decline (NCT01983930).

Theory of Mind and Selective Attention, Response Inhibition, Cognitive Flexibility in Patients with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Eşsizoğlu, Altan; Köşger, Ferdi; Akarsu, Ferdane Özlem; Özaydin, Özer; Güleç, Gülcan

2017-06-01

The aims of the current study are to investigate the relationship between selective attention, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility that are among executive functions and sociocognitive and socioperceptual theory of mind (ToM) functions and also to investigate whether selective attention, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility are predictive factors for ToM functions in patients with schizophrenia. Forty-seven patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and a control group consisting of 42 individuals were administered demographic information form, Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), Stroop test, Eye test, Hinting test. Positive and negative syndrome scale was applied to the schizophrenia group. In comparison to the control group, the schizophrenia group performed significantly worse on Eyes test and Hinting test. Eyes Test score and age, WCST perseverative error scores were significantly negatively correlated; education and WCST categories achieved scores were significantly positively correlated in patients with schizophrenia. Age and cognitive flexibility were found to predict the Eyes test score in patients with schizophrenia. ToM functions that are important in maintaining socioperceptual functioning are closely related with cognitive flexibility, and impairment in cognitive flexibility may predict the ToM functions in patients with schizophrenia.

Higher-order cognitive training effects on processing speed-related neural activity: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Motes, Michael A; Yezhuvath, Uma S; Aslan, Sina; Spence, Jeffrey S; Rypma, Bart; Chapman, Sandra B

2018-02-01

Higher-order cognitive training has shown to enhance performance in older adults, but the neural mechanisms underlying performance enhancement have yet to be fully disambiguated. This randomized trial examined changes in processing speed and processing speed-related neural activity in older participants (57-71 years of age) who underwent cognitive training (CT, N = 12) compared with wait-listed (WLC, N = 15) or exercise-training active (AC, N = 14) controls. The cognitive training taught cognitive control functions of strategic attention, integrative reasoning, and innovation over 12 weeks. All 3 groups worked through a functional magnetic resonance imaging processing speed task during 3 sessions (baseline, mid-training, and post-training). Although all groups showed faster reaction times (RTs) across sessions, the CT group showed a significant increase, and the WLC and AC groups showed significant decreases across sessions in the association between RT and BOLD signal change within the left prefrontal cortex (PFC). Thus, cognitive training led to a change in processing speed-related neural activity where faster processing speed was associated with reduced PFC activation, fitting previously identified neural efficiency profiles. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The transfer of skills from cognitive and physical training to activities of daily living: a randomised controlled study.

PubMed

Hagovska, Magdalena; Nagyova, Iveta

2017-06-01

Ageing is associated with the deterioration of all cognitive functions, including attention, memory and psychomotor speed. It has not yet been clearly confirmed whether the effects of cognitive and physical interventions can improve activities of daily living (ADL). This study compared the effectiveness of cognitive and physical training on cognitive functions and the transfer to ADL. Eighty older people with mild cognitive impairment (mean age 67.07 ± 4.3 years) were randomly divided into an experimental group ( n  = 40) and a control group ( n  = 40). Data were collected in an outpatient psychiatric clinic in a randomised controlled trial. Primary outcome measures included the following: cognitive functions were evaluated using the mini mental state examination, the AVLT-Auditory verbal learning test, the Stroop test, the TMT-trail making test, the DRT-disjunctive reaction time and the NHPT-nine hole peg test. Secondary outcome measure was the Bristol activities of daily living scale. The experimental group underwent a CogniPlus and physical training; consisting of 20 training sessions over 10 weeks. Both groups went through 30 min of daily physical training for 10 weeks. After the training, significant differences in favour of the experimental group were found in almost all the tests. In memory (AVLT) (p ≤ 0.0001, effect size (ES) η 2  = 0.218. In reduction of the response time on attention tasks (Stroop tasks) ( p  ≤ 0.006, ES = 0.092-0.115). In lower error rates in all tests: Stroop tasks, DRT, TMT, NHPT ( p  ≤ 0.02-0.001, ES = 0.062-0.176). In ADL ( p  ≤ 0.0001, ES = 0.176). The combined cognitive and physical training had better efficacy for most cognitive functions and for ADL when compared with the physical training only.

Training on Working Memory and Inhibitory Control in Young Adults

PubMed Central

Maraver, Maria J.; Bajo, M. Teresa; Gomez-Ariza, Carlos J.

2016-01-01

Different types of interventions have focused on trying to improve Executive Functions (EFs) due to their essential role in human cognition and behavior regulation. Although EFs are thought to be diverse, most training studies have targeted cognitive processes related to working memory (WM), and fewer have focused on training other control mechanisms, such as inhibitory control (IC). In the present study, we aimed to investigate the differential impact of training WM and IC as compared with control conditions performing non-executive control activities. Young adults were divided into two training (WM/IC) and two (active/passive) control conditions. Over six sessions, the training groups engaged in three different computer-based adaptive activities (WM or IC), whereas the active control group completed a program with low control-demanding activities that mainly involved processing speed. In addition, motivation and engagement were monitored through the training. The WM-training activities required maintenance, updating and memory search processes, while those from the IC group engaged response inhibition and interference control. All participants were pre- and post-tested in criterion tasks (n-back and Stroop), near transfer measures of WM (Operation Span) and IC (Stop-Signal). Non-trained far transfer outcome measures included an abstract reasoning test (Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices) and a well-validated experimental task (AX-CPT) that provides indices of cognitive flexibility considering proactive/reactive control. Training results revealed that strongly motivated participants reached higher levels of training improvements. Regarding transfer effects, results showed specific patterns of near transfer effects depending on the type of training. Interestingly, it was only the IC training group that showed far transfer to reasoning. Finally, all trained participants showed a shift toward a more proactive mode of cognitive control, highlighting a general effect of training on cognitive flexibility. The present results reveal specific and general modulations of executive control mechanisms after brief training intervention targeting either WM or IC. PMID:27917117

Cognitive Group Therapy Based on Schema-Focused Approach for Reducing Depression in Prisoners Living With HIV.

PubMed

Jalali, Farzad; Hasani, Alireza; Hashemi, Seyedeh Fatemeh; Kimiaei, Seyed Ali; Babaei, Ali

2018-06-01

Depression is one the most common mental disorders in prisons. People living with HIV are more likely to develop psychological difficulties when compared with the general population. This study aims to determine the efficacy of cognitive group therapy based on schema-focused approach in reducing depression in prisoners living with HIV. The design of this study was between-groups (or "independent measures"). It was conducted with pretest, posttest, and waiting list control group. The research population comprised all prisoners living with HIV in a men's prison in Iran. Based on voluntary desire, screening, and inclusion criteria, 42 prisoners living with HIV participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to an experimental group (21 prisoners) and waiting list control group (21 prisoners). The experimental group received 11 sessions of schema-focused cognitive group therapy, while the waiting list control group received the treatment after the completion of the study. The various groups were evaluated in terms of depression. ANCOVA models were employed to test the study hypotheses. Collated results indicated that depression was reduced among prisoners in the experimental group. Schema therapy (ST) could reduce depression among prisoners living with HIV/AIDS.

Effects of task-irrelevant emotional stimuli on working memory processes in mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Berger, Christoph; Erbe, Anna-Katharina; Ehlers, Inga; Marx, Ivo; Hauenstein, Karlheinz; Teipel, Stefan

2015-01-01

Research suggests generally impaired cognitive control functions in working memory (WM) processes in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and incipient Alzheimer's disease (AD). Little is known how emotional salience of task-irrelevant stimuli may modulate cognitive control of WM performance and neurofunctional activation in MCI and AD individuals. We investigated the impact of emotional task-irrelevant visual stimuli on cortical activation during verbal WM. Twelve AD/MCI individuals and 12 age-matched healthy individuals performed a verbal WM (nback-) task with task-irrelevant emotionally neutral and emotionally negative background pictures during fMRI measurement. AD/MCI individuals showed decreased WM performance compared with controls; both AD/MCI and control groups reacted slower during presentation of negative pictures, regardless of WM difficulty. The AD/MCI group showed increased activation in the left hemispheric prefrontal network, higher amygdala and less cerebellar activation with increasing WM task difficulty compared to healthy controls. Correlation analysis between neurofunctional activation and WM performance revealed a negative correlation between task sensitivity and activation in the dorsal anterior cingulum for the healthy controls but not for the AD/MCI group. Our data suggest compensatory activation in prefrontal cortex and amygdala, but also dysfunctional inhibition of distracting information in the AD/MCI group during higher WM task difficulty. Additionally, attentional processes affecting the correlation between WM performance and neurofunctional activation seem to be different between incipient AD and healthy aging.

Functional neuroimaging of Social and Nonsocial Cognitive Control in Autism

PubMed Central

Sabatino, Antoinette; Rittenberg, Alison; Sasson, Noah J.; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Bodfish, James W.; Dichter, Gabriel S.

2013-01-01

This study investigated cognitive control of social and nonsocial information in autism using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and a neurotypical control group completed an oddball target detection task where target stimuli were either faces or nonsocial objects previously shown to be related to circumscribed interests in autism. The ASD group demonstrated relatively increased activation to social targets in right insular cortex and in left superior frontal gyrus and relatively decreased activation to nonsocial targets related to circumscribed interests in multiple frontostriatal brain regions. Findings suggest that frontostriatal recruitment during cognitive control in ASD is contingent on stimulus type, with increased activation for social stimuli and decreased activation for nonsocial stimuli related to circumscribed interests. PMID:23636715

Transdermal rivastigmine for HIV-associated cognitive impairment: A randomized pilot study

PubMed Central

Moltó, José; Garolera, Maite; Pérez-Álvarez, Núria; Díez-Quevedo, Crisanto; Miranda, Cristina; Fumaz, Carmina R.; Ferrer, Maria J.; Clotet, Bonaventura

2017-01-01

Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of transdermal rivastigmine for the treatment of HIV-associated cognitive impairment. Methods We recruited HIV-infected patients with cognitive impairment on stable antiretroviral therapy in a randomized controlled pilot trial with a 48-week follow-up. An additional assessment was held at 12 weeks. Participants received transdermal rivastigmine (9.5 mg daily), lithium (400 mg twice daily, titrated progressively), or remained in a control group (no new medication). The primary efficacy endpoint was change in a global cognitive score (NPZ-7). Secondary endpoints included change in specific cognitive measures, domains, and functional parameters. Safety covered the frequency of adverse events and changes in laboratory results. Results Seventy-six subjects were screened, and 29 were finally enrolled. Better cognitive outcomes were observed in all groups, although there were no significant differences between the arms (mean NPZ-7 change [SD]): rivastigmine, 0.35 (0.14); lithium, 0.25 (0.40); control, 0.20 (0.44) (p = 0.78). The rivastigmine group showed the highest positive trend (mean NPZ-7 [SD], baseline vs week 48): rivastigmine, –0.47 (0.22) vs –0.11 (0.29), p = 0.06; lithium, –0.50 (0.40) vs –0.26 (0.21), p = 0.22; control, –0.52 (0.34) vs –0.32 (0.52), p = 0.44. The cognitive domains with the highest positive trends were information processing speed at week 12 and executive function at week 48 (rivastigmine vs control): information processing speed, 0.35 (0.64) vs –0.13 (0.25), p = 0.17, d = 0.96; and executive functioning, 0.73 (0.33) vs 0.03 (0.74), p = 0.09, d = 1.18. No relevant changes were observed regarding functional outcomes. A total of 12 (41%) individuals dropped out of the study: 2 (20%) were due to medication-related effects in the rivastigmine group and 4 (36%) in the lithium group. No severe adverse events were reported. Conclusions The results from this small randomized trial indicate that transdermal rivastigmine did not provide significant cognitive benefits in people with HAND on stable antiretroviral therapy, even though positive trends were found in specific cognitive domains. Relevant tolerability issues were not observed. PMID:28854283

Long-Term Effects of an Extensive Cognitive Training on Personality Development.

PubMed

Sander, Julia; Schmiedek, Florian; Brose, Annette; Wagner, Gert G; Specht, Jule

2017-08-01

Previous research found that cognitive training increases the Big Five personality trait Openness to Experience during and some weeks after the intervention. The present study investigated whether long-term changes happen in Openness to Experience and other personality traits after an extensive cognitive training of memory and perceptual speed. The intervention group consisted of 204 adults (20-31 years and 65-80 years; 50% female) who received daily 1-hour cognitive training sessions for about 100 days. The control group consisted of 86 adults (21-29 years and 65-82 years; 51% female) who received no cognitive training. All participants answered the NEO Five-Factor Inventory before and 2 years after the cognitive training. Latent change models were applied that controlled for age group (young vs. old) and gender. In the long run, the cognitive training did not affect changes in any facet of Openness to Experience. This was true for young and old participants as well as for men and women. Instead, the cognitive training lowered the general increase of Conscientiousness. Even an extensive cognitive training on memory and perceptual speed does not serve as a sufficient intervention for enduring changes in Openness to Experiences or one of its facets. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Acute Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Flexibility and Task-Related Heart Rate Variability in Children With ADHD and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Ludyga, Sebastian; Gerber, Markus; Mücke, Manuel; Brand, Serge; Weber, Peter; Brotzmann, Mark; Pühse, Uwe

2018-02-01

To investigate cognitive flexibility and task-related heart rate variability following moderately intense aerobic exercise and after watching a video in both children with ADHD and healthy controls. Using a cross-over design, participants completed cognitive assessments following exercise and a physically inactive control condition. Behavioral performance was assessed using the Alternate Uses task. Heart rate variability was recorded via electrocardiography during the cognitive task. The statistical analysis revealed that in comparison with the control condition, both groups showed higher cognitive flexibility following aerobic exercise. Moreover, decreased low frequency and high frequency power was observed in the exercise condition. The findings suggest that exercise elicits similar benefits for cognitive flexibility in children with ADHD and healthy controls, partly due to an increase in arousal induced by parasympathetic withdrawal.

The Impact of Control Belief and Learning Disorientation on Cognitive Load: The Mediating Effect of Academic Emotions in Two Types of Hypermedia Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunawan; Xiong, Junmei

2017-01-01

The present study tested the influence of control belief, learning disorientation, and academic emotions on cognitive load in two types of concept-map structures within hypermedia learning environment. Four hundred and eighty-five students were randomly assigned to two groups: 245 students in the hierarchical group and 240 students in the…

The Effects of the Marriage Enrichment Program Based on the Cognitive-Behavioral Approach on the Marital Adjustment of Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalkan, Melek; Ersanli, Ercumend

2008-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the marriage enrichment program based on the cognitive-behavioral approach on levels of marital adjustment of individuals. The experimental and control group of this research was totally composed of 30 individuals. A pre-test post-test research model with control group was used in this…

Early childhood obesity is associated with compromised cerebellar development.

PubMed

Miller, Jennifer L; Couch, Jessica; Schwenk, Krista; Long, Michelle; Towler, Stephen; Theriaque, Douglas W; He, Guojun; Liu, Yijun; Driscoll, Daniel J; Leonard, Christiana M

2009-01-01

As part of a study investigating commonalities between Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS-a genetic imprinting disorder) and early-onset obesity of unknown etiology (EMO) we measured total cerebral and cerebellar volume on volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. Individuals with PWS (N = 16) and EMO (N = 12) had smaller cerebellar volumes than a control group of 15 siblings (p = .02 control vs. EMO; p = .0005 control vs. PWS), although there was no difference among the groups in cerebral volume. Individuals with PWS and EMO also had impaired cognitive function: general intellectual ability (GIA): PWS 65 +/- 25; EMO 81 +/- 19; and Controls 112 +/- 13 (p < .0001 controls vs. PWS and controls vs. EMO). As both conditions are characterized by early-onset obesity and slowed cognitive development, these results raise the possibility that early childhood obesity retards both cerebellar and cognitive development.

Effect of cognitive behavioral group therapy for recovery of self-esteem on community-living individuals with mental illness: Non-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kunikata, Hiroko; Yoshinaga, Naoki; Nakajima, Kazuo

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine over a 12-month post-intervention period whether the participation of community-living individuals with mental illness in cognitive behavioral group therapy for recovery of self-esteem (CBGTRS) resulted in improved outcomes. This was a non-randomized controlled trial. The participants were persons with mental illness who resided in communities in the Chugoku region of Japan. In total, 41 were assigned to an experimental group (CBGTRS intervention, 12 group sessions), and 21 to a control group. Outcome indices (self-esteem, moods, cognition, subjective well-being, psychiatric symptoms) were measured for the experimental group prior to intervention (T0), immediately post-intervention (T1), and at 3 (T2) and 12 (T3) months post-intervention. The control group was measured at the same intervals. For the experimental group, self-esteem scores at T1, T2, and T3 were significantly higher than at T0. Moods and cognition scores remained significantly low until T2. Scores for Inadequate Mental Mastery in the subjective well-being index had not decreased by T3. Confidence in Coping remained significantly high until T2. Psychiatric symptoms scores at T0, T1, T2, and T3 were significantly lower than at T0. The means and standard errors for self-esteem and Inadequate Mental Mastery increased until T3, and those for Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, and Confusion decreased until T2. From within-group trends and between-group differences in self-esteem, we conclude that CBGTRS may have a relatively long-term effect on self-esteem recovery. T2 is the turning point for moods and cognition; thus, follow-up is needed 3 months following the initial program. © 2016 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2016 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Online games training aging brains: limited transfer to cognitive control functions

PubMed Central

van Muijden, Jesse; Band, Guido P. H.; Hommel, Bernhard

2011-01-01

The prevalence of age-related cognitive decline will increase due to graying of the global population. The goal of the present study was to test whether playing online cognitive training games can improve cognitive control (CC) in healthy older adults. Fifty-four older adults (age 60–77) played five different cognitive training games online for 30 min a day over a period of seven weeks (game group). Another group of 20 older adults (age 61–73) instead answered quiz questions about documentaries online (documentary group). Transfer was assessed by means of a cognitive test battery administered before and after the intervention. The test battery included measures of working memory updating, set shifting, response inhibition, attention, and inductive reasoning. Compared with the documentary group, the game group showed larger improvement of inhibition (Stop-Signal task) and inductive reasoning (Raven-SPM), whereas the documentary group showed more improvement in selective attention (UFoV-3). These effects qualify as transfer effects, because response inhibition, inductive reasoning and selective attention were not targeted by the interventions. However, because seven other indicators of CC did not show benefits of game training and some of those that did suffered from potential baseline differences, the study as a whole provides only modest support for the potential of videogame training to improve CC in healthy older adults. PMID:22912609

Meat supplementation improves growth, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in Kenyan children.

PubMed

Neumann, Charlotte G; Murphy, Suzanne P; Gewa, Connie; Grillenberger, Monika; Bwibo, Nimrod O

2007-04-01

A randomized, controlled school feeding study was conducted in rural Embu District, Kenya to test for a causal link between animal-source food intake and changes in micronutrient nutrition and growth, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes. Twelve primary schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Children in Standard I classes received the local plant-based dish githeri as a midmorning school snack supplemented with meat, milk, or fat added to equalize energy content in all feedings. The Control children received no feedings but participated in data collection. Main outcome measures assessed at baseline and longitudinally were 24-h food intake recall, anthropometry, cognitive function, physical activity, and behaviors during school free play. For cognitive function, the Meat group showed the steepest rate of increase on Raven's Progressive Matrices scores and in zone-wide school end-term total and arithmetic test scores. The Plain githeri and Meat groups performed better over time than the Milk and Control groups (P < 0.02-0.03) on arithmetic tests. The Meat group showed the greatest increase in percentage time in high levels of physical activity and in initiative and leadership behaviors compared with all other groups. For growth, in the Milk group only younger and stunted children showed a greater rate of gain in height. The Meat group showed near doubling of upper midarm muscle area, and the Milk group a smaller degree of increase. This is the first randomized, controlled feeding study to examine the effect of meat- vs. milk- vs. plant-based snacks on functional outcomes in children.

Brain volume and cognitive function in patients with revascularized coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Ottens, Thomas H; Hendrikse, Jeroen; Nathoe, Hendrik M; Biessels, Geert Jan; van Dijk, Diederik

2017-03-01

The pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction in patients with CAD remains unclear. CAD is associated with brain atrophy and specific lesions. Detailed knowledge about the association of brain volume measured with MRI, and cognitive function in patients with CAD is lacking. We therefore investigated brain volume and cognitive function in patients with revascularized coronary artery disease (CAD), and controls without CAD. Brain MRI scans and cognitive tests from patients with CAD were compared with data from control subjects without CAD. Cognitive performance was assessed with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning (short term memory) and Trailmaking (divided attention) tests. Multivariable regression analysis was used to study associations between CAD, brain volume and cognitive function. A total of 102 patients with CAD and 48 control subjects were included. Level of education and age were comparable between the groups. Compared with controls, patients with CAD had smaller total brain volume (expressed as fraction of intracranial volume) [%ICV, mean (SD), 0.78 (0.03) vs 0.80 (0.02), P=0.001] and larger volume of non-ventricular cerebrospinal fluid [%ICV, median (IQR) 0.19 (0.18 to 0.21) vs 0.18 (0.17 to 0.20), P=0.001]. Patients in the CAD group had poorer cognitive function [mean (SD) Z-score -0.16 (0.72) vs 0.41 (0.69), P<0.01]. Multivariable regression showed that CAD, higher age, lower level of education and greater cerebrospinal fluid volume were independent predictors of poorer cognitive function. CAD patients had a smaller total brain volume and poorer cognitive function than controls. Greater volume of cerebrospinal fluid was an independent predictor of poorer cognitive function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactive effects of sex hormones and gender stereotypes on cognitive sex differences--a psychobiosocial approach.

PubMed

Hausmann, Markus; Schoofs, Daniela; Rosenthal, Harriet E S; Jordan, Kirsten

2009-04-01

Biological and social factors have been shown to affect cognitive sex differences. For example, several studies have found that sex hormones have activating effects on sex-sensitive tasks. On the other hand, it has been shown that gender stereotypes can influence the cognitive performance of (gender-) stereotyped individuals. However, few studies have investigated the combined effects of both factors. The present study investigated the interaction between sex hormones and gender stereotypes within a psychobiosocial approach. One hundred and fourteen participants (59 women) performed a battery of sex-sensitive cognitive tasks, including mental rotation, verbal fluency, and perceptual speed. Saliva samples were taken immediately after cognitive testing. Levels of testosterone (T) were analysed using chemiluminescence immunoassay (LIA). To activate gender stereotypes, a questionnaire was applied to the experimental group that referred to the cognitive tasks used. The control group received an identical questionnaire but with a gender-neutral content. As expected, significant sex differences favouring males and females appeared for mental rotation and verbal fluency tasks, respectively. The results revealed no sex difference in perceptual speed. The male superiority in the Revised Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Tests (MRT-3D) was mainly driven by the stereotype-active group. No significant sex difference in MRT-3D appeared in the control group. The MRT-3D was also the task in which a strong gender-stereotype favouring males was present for both males and females. Interestingly, T levels of the stereotype-activated group were 60% higher than that of male controls. The results suggest that sex hormones mediate the effects of gender stereotypes on specific cognitive abilities.

Brief cognitive behavioral therapy for depression among patients with alcohol dependence in Thailand.

PubMed

Thapinta, Darawan; Skulphan, Sombat; Kittrattanapaiboon, Phunnapa

2014-09-01

This study evaluated the short-term efficacy of brief cognitive behavioral therapy for reducing depression among Thai general hospital patients with alcohol dependence. A quasi-experimental design was used with a control group and pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessments. Participants were patients with alcohol dependence and depression who were recruited from district and provincial hospitals in northern Thailand. Eighty (N = 80) eligible participants were purposively selected and enrolled, and then randomly assigned into two groups. One group received three weeks of brief six-session cognitive behavioral therapy as the intervention, and the other group received usual care as their treatment. Data were collected at Week 0 (pretest), Week 3 (posttest), and Week 7 (one month follow-up) and included a nine-item depression scale, with analysis through descriptive statistics and t-test. Findings indicated that the mean depression scores decreased significantly (p < .01) in both the experimental (n = 33) and control groups (n = 27) at the one month follow-up (Week 7). However, only the experimental group showed significant differences in their mean depression scores between pre- and posttest. At Week 7, the experimental group showed significantly lower mean depression scores than the control group (p < .05). In summary, the brief six-session cognitive behavioral therapy intervention yielded promising results and may benefit patients with alcohol dependence and depression who are seen in general hospital settings.

Functional Neuroimaging of Social and Nonsocial Cognitive Control in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabatino, Antoinette; Rittenberg, Alison; Sasson, Noah J.; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Bodfish, James W.; Dichter, Gabriel S.

2013-01-01

This study investigated cognitive control of social and nonsocial information in autism using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and a neurotypical control group completed an oddball target detection task where target stimuli were either faces or nonsocial objects previously shown to be related…

Cognitive rehabilitation for individuals with opioid use disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Rezapour, Tara; Hatami, Javad; Farhoudian, Ali; Sofuoglu, Mehmet; Noroozi, Alireza; Daneshmand, Reza; Samiei, Ahmadreza; Ekhtiari, Hamed

2017-11-21

To examine the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation treatment (CRT) for people with opioid use disorder who were recruited into a methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programme. 120 male subjects were randomly assigned to (1) MMT plus CRT in two months or (2) MMT plus a control intervention. Subjects were assessed at the beginning, mid-point and post-intervention as well as at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up time points. Analysis with repeated measure ANOVA showed that the CRT group performed significantly better in tests of learning, switching, processing speed, working memory and memory span. Moreover, the CRT group had significantly lower opiate use over the control group during 3-months follow-up. Analysis including only those with a history of methamphetamine use showed that the CRT group had significantly lower amphetamine use. No group differences were observed for treatment retention. Our findings provide evidence that adding CRT as an adjunct intervention to MMT can improve cognitive performance as well as abstinence from both opiates and stimulants.

[Efficacy and tolerability of choline alphoscerate (cereton) in patients with Parkinson's disease with cognitive disorders].

PubMed

Levin, O S; Batukaeva, L A; Anikina, M A; Iunishchenko, N A

2009-01-01

An open 10-day study of treatment effect of cereton in comparison to piracetam has been conducted. Cereton was used in 40 patients (main group) in dosage 1000 mg, piracetam - in 20 patients (control group) in dosage 2000 mg. Both drugs were used intravenous in drops in 200 ml of physiologic saline along with antiparkinsonian medications. Patient's state was assessed with a battery of psychometric scales and neuropsychological tests as well as with instruments for measuring intensity of parkinsonian symptoms, side-effects and quality of life. Marked and moderate improvement of cognitive functions was found in patients of the main group compared to the control one (40% and 25%, respectively, p<0,05). Deterioration of cognitive functions was seen less often in the main group than in the control group (5% and 15%, respectively, p<0,05). Cereton was well-tolerated by patients. Side effects (brief and short-term) were found only in 6 (15%) patients.

Cognitive stimulation therapy in the Italian context: its efficacy in cognitive and non-cognitive measures in older adults with dementia.

PubMed

Capotosto, Emanuela; Belacchi, Carmen; Gardini, Simona; Faggian, Silvia; Piras, Federica; Mantoan, Vanessa; Salvalaio, Elisa; Pradelli, Samantha; Borella, Erika

2017-03-01

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) has been shown to have significant benefits in enhancing cognitive functioning and improving the quality of life of people with mild to moderate dementia. The present study examines the efficacy of the Italian version of the therapy (CST-IT). Older adults with mild to moderate dementia (n = 39) were randomly assigned to two programs: one group participated in the CST-IT, consisting of 14 sessions (twice a week for 7 weeks) and the active control group took part in alternative general activities. The outcome measures were cognitive functioning (measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination-MMSE-, the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment scale-cognitive subscale, the backward digit span test, and a narrative language test); quality of life (Quality of life--Alzheimer's Disease scale); mood (Cornell scale for depression in dementia and the social and emotional loneliness scale); functional activities in daily living (Disability Assessment for Dementia); and behavior (neuropsychiatric inventory). After the intervention, only the CST-IT group maintained its MMSE score, while the control group displayed deterioration. The CST-IT group also performed better in some of the cognitive measures (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale and narrative language), mood measures (Cornell scale, social and emotional loneliness scale with a decrease in reported loneliness), and the Quality of life--Alzheimer's Disease scale. No other treatment effect was observed. The findings confirm the efficacy, at least in the short term, of the CST in sustaining cognitive functions and perceived quality of life in older adults with dementia in the Italian care setting as well. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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.

Effects of the Addition of a Dual Task to a Supervised Physical Exercise Program on Older Adults' Cognitive Performance.

PubMed

Ansai, Juliana Hotta; de Andrade, Larissa Pires; de Souza Buto, Marcele Stephanie; de Vassimon Barroso, Verena; Farche, Ana Claudia Silva; Rossi, Paulo Giusti; de Medeiros Takahashi, Anielle Cristhine

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the addition of a dual task to multicomponent training on cognition of active older adults. Eighty physically active older adults were divided into an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). Both groups performed multicomponent training over 12 weeks. The IG simultaneously performed exercises and cognitive tasks. The Mini-Mental State Examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Clock Drawing Test were used for cognitive assessments. The Timed Up and Go Test associated with a cognitive task was used for dual-task assessment. Significant interactions were not observed between groups in terms of the cognitive variables or the dual-task performance. An interaction was observed only for Timed Up and Go Test performance, which was better in the CG than in the IG. Active older adults showed no improvement in cognition following the addition of the dual task to the multicomponent training.

[Cognitive training combined with aerobic exercises in multiple sclerosis patients: a pilot study].

PubMed

Jimenez-Morales, R M; Herrera-Jimenez, L F; Macias-Delgado, Y; Perez-Medinilla, Y T; Diaz-Diaz, S M; Forn, C

2017-06-01

The scientific evidences associated to the effectiveness of different techniques of cognitive rehabilitation are still contradictory. To compare a program of combined training (physical and cognitive) in front of a program of physical training and to observe their effectiveness about the optimization of the cognitive functions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). It was carried out an experimental study in 32 patients with MS. The patients were distributed in two groups: 16 to the experimental group (combined cognitive training with aerobic exercises) and 16 patients to the control group (aerobic exercises). The intervention was planned for six weeks combining cognitive tasks by means of a game of dynamic board of cubes and signs (TaDiCS ®) and a program of aerobic exercises. The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Test and the Stroop Test were applied to evaluate the cognitive yield. Also, the Beck Depression Inventory was administered. There were found significant differences in the intergrupal analysis after the intervention in the variable learning and visuoespacial long term memory (p = 0.000), attention (p = 0.026) and inhibitory control (p = 0.007). Also, in the intragroup analysis there were found significant differences in these variables and information processing speed in the group that received the combined training. These patients also showed a significant improvement in the emotional state (p = 0.043). The cognitive training combined with the aerobic exercises is effective to improve the cognitive performance.

Repetition-lag training to improve recollection memory in older people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Finn, Maurice; McDonald, Skye

2015-01-01

The results of a randomized controlled trial of repetition-lag training in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are reported. A modified repetition-lag training procedure with extended encoding time and strategy choice was used. The training required discriminating studied words from non-studied lures that were repeated at varying intervals during the test phase. Participants were assessed pre/post using untrained measures of cognition and self-report questionnaires. Primary outcome measures were recall of unrelated word pairs both immediately following presentation and following a delay. Secondary outcomes were a measure of attention, cognitive flexibility, and visual working memory. Participants were also asked to report on the frequency of cognitive failures and mood before and after training. Participants (N = 31) were randomized into either the treatment or a no-contact control group and attended the clinic twice per week over a four week period. Twenty-four participants completed the study (twelve in each group). Results indicated that the training group improved at recalling unrelated word pairs after a delay. There were no significant effects of training on other outcomes, self-reported cognitive failures or mood. The results are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on depression, anger, and self-control for Korean soldiers.

PubMed

Hyun, Myung-Sun; Chung, Hyang-In C; De Gagne, Jennie C; Kang, Hee Sun

2014-02-01

This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to control depression, anger, and self-control in soldiers from South Korea. Using a pretest-posttest design, the sample was composed of an experimental group (n = 16) and a control group (n = 12). The experimental group participated in four sessions of CBT. No significant differences were found between the groups with regard to demographic characteristics. Changes in the variables after the intervention were analyzed using Wilcoxon's signed-rank sum test. The depression scores decreased significantly after the intervention (z = -3.05, p = 0.002); whereas, the scores of state-trait anger and self-control did not change. In the control group, none of the outcome variable scores changed significantly. The results indicate that the developed CBT program might be an effective modality to decrease the depression of soldiers who are in military service. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Self-Efficacy, Planning, or a Combination of Both? A Longitudinal Experimental Study Comparing Effects of Three Interventions on Adolescents' Body Fat.

PubMed

Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Hagger, Martin S; Banik, Anna; Horodyska, Karolina; Knoll, Nina; Scholz, Urte

2016-01-01

The superiority of an intervention combining two sets of theory-based behavior change techniques targeting planning and self-efficacy over an intervention targeting planning only or self-efficacy only has rarely been investigated. We compared the influence of self-efficacy, planning, and self-efficacy+planning interventions with an education-based control condition on adolescents' body fat, assuming mediating effects of respective social cognitive variables and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The moderating role of the built environment was examined. Participants (N = 1217, aged 14-18 years) were randomly assigned to four conditions: planning (n = 270), self-efficacy (n = 311), self-efficacy+planning (n = 351), and control (n = 285). The measurement was conducted at baseline (T1), two-month follow-up (T2), and fourteen-month follow-up (T3). Interventions/control group procedures were delivered at T1 and T2. Percent of body fat tissue (measured at T1 and T3) was the main outcome. Social cognitive mediators (self-efficacy and planning) were assessed at T1 and T2. The behavioral mediator (MVPA) and the presence of built MVPA facilities (the moderator) were evaluated at T1 and T3. Similar small increases of body fat were found across the three intervention groups, but the increment of body fat was significantly larger in the control group. On average, differences between control and intervention groups translated to approximately 1% of body fat. Effects of the interventions on body fat were mediated by relevant social cognitive variables and MVPA. A lower increase of body fat was found among intervention group participants who had access to newly-built MVPA facilities. We found no superiority of an intervention targeting two social cognitive variables over the intervention targeting one cognition only.

An investigation of mental imagery in bipolar disorder: Exploring "the mind's eye".

PubMed

Di Simplicio, Martina; Renner, Fritz; Blackwell, Simon E; Mitchell, Heather; Stratford, Hannah J; Watson, Peter; Myers, Nick; Nobre, Anna C; Lau-Zhu, Alex; Holmes, Emily A

2016-12-01

Mental imagery abnormalities occur across psychopathologies and are hypothesized to drive emotional difficulties in bipolar disorder (BD). A comprehensive assessment of mental imagery in BD is lacking. We aimed to test whether (i) mental imagery abnormalities (abnormalities in cognitive stages and subjective domains) occur in BD relative to non-clinical controls; and (ii) to determine the specificity of any abnormalities in BD relative to depression and anxiety disorders. Participants included 54 subjects in the BD group (depressed/euthymic; n=27 in each subgroup), subjects with unipolar depression (n=26), subjects with anxiety disorders (n=25), and non-clinical controls (n=27) matched for age, gender, ethnicity, education, and premorbid IQ. Experimental tasks assessed cognitive (non-emotional) measures of mental imagery (cognitive stages). Questionnaires, experimental tasks, and a phenomenological interview assessed subjective domains including spontaneous imagery use, interpretation bias, and emotional mental imagery. (i) Compared to non-clinical controls, the BD combined group reported a greater impact of intrusive prospective imagery in daily life, more vivid and "real" negative images (prospective imagery task), and higher self-involvement (picture-word task). The BD combined group showed no clear abnormalities in cognitive stages of mental imagery. (ii) When depressed individuals with BD were compared to the depressed or anxious clinical control groups, no significant differences remained-across all groups, imagery differences were associated with affective lability and anxiety. Compared to non-clinical controls, BD is characterized by abnormalities in aspects of emotional mental imagery within the context of otherwise normal cognitive aspects. When matched for depression and anxiety, these abnormalities are not specific to BD-rather, imagery may reflect a transdiagnostic marker of emotional psychopathology. © 2016 Medical Research Council. Bipolar Disorders Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Influence of empathetic pain processing on cognition in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Hu, Kesong; Lijffijt, Marijn; Beauchaine, Theodore P; Fan, Zhiwei; Shi, Hui; He, Shuchang

2015-10-01

Deficits in both empathy and cognition have been reported widely in patients with schizophrenia. However, little is known about how these deficits interact among such patients. In the present study, we used pain portraying pictures preceding a color-word Stroop task to investigate the effect of empathetic pain observation on cognition among patients with schizophrenia. Twenty patients with schizophrenia and twenty healthy controls were included. The control group showed increased Stroop facilitation and decreased interference during the empathetic pain condition compared with the non-empathetic condition. Although patients with schizophrenia exhibited deficits in cognition, they demonstrated a similar empathy effect to controls on Stroop facilitation, but a somewhat larger empathy effect on Stroop interference (a more decreased effect). In particular, the groups did not differ in either automatic or controlled processing during the non-empathetic condition, suggesting general rather than specific cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Together, we interpret our findings in terms of two opposing effects of empathy on cognition in schizophrenia, with possible neuromodulatory mechanism. Whereas prior studies showed empathy to be impaired, our outcomes indicate that at least some components of empathetic pain processing are preserved in such patients.

The effects of cognitive rehabilitation on social knowledge in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Matsui, Mié; Arai, Hirofumi; Yonezawa, Mineo; Sumiyoshi, Tomiki; Suzuki, Michio; Kurachi, Masayoshi

2009-07-01

This study examined the extent to which cognitive rehabilitation alleviates cognitive deficits in schizophrenia compared to treatment as usual, and explored the mediating and moderating effects on cognitive improvement. Two groups who received cognitive rehabilitation and treatment as usual were assessed at baseline, three months (immediately post-intervention) and at follow-up (three months post-intervention). Cognitive rehabilitation focused on deficits in social knowledge and was conducted once a week for three months. The principles of errorless leaning and scaffolding informed the intervention. Outcomes were assessed using Script Test measures of social cognition. Other cognitive functions (executive functions and memory) and clinical symptoms were also assessed. Script Test for social knowledge and Rule Shift Test for cognitive flexibility scores were significantly better post-intervention in the cognitive rehabilitation group, while in the control group only free recall Script Test scores improved. Cognitive rehabilitation focused on social knowledge deficits can contribute to improvements in the social cognitive abilities of schizophrenic patients. Improvements in social cognitive functioning were durable at three-month follow-up. Cognitive rehabilitation can clearly benefit schizophrenic patients, at least when combined with atypical antipsychotic medication.

Intraindividual variability as a marker of neurological dysfunction: a comparison of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Burton, Catherine L; Strauss, Esther; Hultsch, David F; Moll, Alex; Hunter, Michael A

2006-01-01

Individuals with certain neurological conditions may demonstrate greater inconsistency (i.e., intraindividual variability) on cognitive tasks compared to healthy controls. Several researchers have suggested that intraindividual variability may be a behavioral marker of compromised neurobiological mechanisms associated with aging, disease, or injury. The present study sought to investigate whether intraindividual variability is associated with general nervous system compromise, or rather, with certain types of neurological disturbances by comparing healthy adults, adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). Participants were assessed on four separate occasions using measures of reaction time and memory. Results indicated that inconsistency was correlated with indices of severity of impairment suggesting a dose-response relationship between cognitive disturbance and intraindividual variability: the more severe the cognitive disturbance, the greater the inconsistency. However, participants with AD were more inconsistent than those with PD, with both groups being more variable than the healthy group, even when controlling for group differences in overall severity of cognitive impairment or cognitive decline. Consequently, intraindividual variability may index both the severity of cognitive impairment and the nature of the neurological disturbance.

Benefits of physical exercise training on cognition and quality of life in frail older adults.

PubMed

Langlois, Francis; Vu, Thien Tuong Minh; Chassé, Kathleen; Dupuis, Gilles; Kergoat, Marie-Jeanne; Bherer, Louis

2013-05-01

Frailty is a state of vulnerability associated with increased risks of fall, hospitalization, cognitive deficits, and psychological distress. Studies with healthy senior suggest that physical exercise can help improve cognition and quality of life. Whether frail older adults can show such benefits remains to be documented. A total of 83 participants aged 61-89 years were assigned to an exercise-training group (3 times a week for 12 weeks) or a control group (waiting list). Frailty was determined by a complete geriatric examination using specific criteria. Pre- and post-test measures assessed physical capacity, cognitive performance, and quality of life. Compared with controls, the intervention group showed significant improvement in physical capacity (functional capacities and physical endurance), cognitive performance (executive functions, processing speed, and working memory), and quality of life (global quality of life, leisure activities, physical capacity, social/family relationships, and physical health). Benefits were overall equivalent between frail and nonfrail participants. Physical exercise training leads to improved cognitive functioning and psychological well-being in frail older adults.

First-degree relatives of suicide completers may have impaired decision-making but functional cognitive control.

PubMed

Hoehne, A; Richard-Devantoy, S; Ding, Y; Turecki, G; Jollant, F

2015-09-01

The heritability of suicide is well established. Transmission of risk appears to follow traits more than disorders like depression. In the present project, we aimed at investigating the potential for transmission of cognitive deficits previously observed in suicide attempters, specifically impaired decision-making and cognitive control. Seventeen healthy first-degree relatives of suicide completers with no personal history of suicidal act were compared to 18 first-degree relatives of individuals with major depressive disorder but no family history of suicidal act, and 19 healthy controls. Decision-making was assessed with the Iowa Gambling Task, and cognitive control with the Stroop Task, the Hayling Sentence Completion Test, and the Trail-Making Test. Both suicide and depressed relatives showed lower gambling task net scores than healthy controls. However, there were trends toward lower learning abilities in suicide than depressed relatives (interaction: p = 0.07), with more risky choices at the end of the test. Suicide relatives also showed a higher number of self-corrected errors relative to the total number of errors in the Stroop colour test compared to both control groups, with no difference in interference scores. There was no group-difference for any other cognitive tests. Our findings suggest that decision-making impairment may be found in healthy relatives of suicides and represent a cognitive endophenotype of suicidal behaviour. Normal cognitive control (or self-corrected deficits) may protect relatives against suicidal acts. Impairments in value-based and control processes may, therefore, be part of the suicide vulnerability and represent potential targets of preventative interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive-behavioral group therapy is an effective treatment for major depression in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Duarte, Priscila Silveira; Miyazaki, Maria Cristina; Blay, Sergio Luís; Sesso, Ricardo

2009-08-01

Depression is an important target of psychological assessment in patients with end-stage renal disease because it predicts their morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. We assessed the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in chronic hemodialysis patients diagnosed with major depression by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). In a randomized trial conducted in Brazil, an intervention group of 41 patients was given 12 weekly sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy led by a trained psychologist over 3 months while a control group of 44 patients received the usual treatment offered in the dialysis unit. In both groups, the Beck Depression Inventory, the MINI, and the Kidney Disease and Quality of Life-Short Form questionnaires were administered at baseline, after 3 months of intervention or usual treatment, and after 9 months of follow-up. The intervention group had significant improvements, compared to the control group, in the average scores of the Beck Depression Inventory overall scale, MINI scores, and in quality-of-life dimensions that included the burden of renal disease, sleep, quality of social interaction, overall health, and the mental component summary. We conclude that cognitive-behavioral group therapy is an effective treatment of depression in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Long-Term Cognitive Functioning in Testicular Germ-Cell Tumor Survivors.

PubMed

Chovanec, Michal; Vasilkova, Lucia; Setteyova, Lucia; Obertova, Jana; Palacka, Patrik; Rejlekova, Katarina; Sycova-Mila, Zuzana; Kalavska, Katarina; Svetlovska, Daniela; Cingelova, Silvia; Mladosievicova, Beata; Mardiak, Jozef; Mego, Michal

2018-05-01

Treatment for cancer may lead to development of cognitive difficulties in cancer survivors. This study aimed to evaluate long-term cognitive functioning (CogF) in germ-cell tumor (GCT) survivors. GCT survivors ( n  = 155) from the National Cancer Institute of Slovakia completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function at a median of 10 years of follow-up (range: 5-32). The study group consisted of survivors receiving a cisplatin-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes, or both, whereas the control group included survivors treated with orchiectomy only. Of the total survivors, 138 received treatment beyond orchiectomy and 17 controls had orchiectomy alone. Any treatment resulted in significantly greater cognitive difficulties on the overall cognitive function score. Treatment with radiotherapy was associated with cognitive declines in overall cognitive functioning and in subscales for perceived cognitive impairment and cognitive impairment perceived by others (both p  < .05). The burden of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy or radiotherapy versus controls resulted in the impairment in all cognitive functioning domains (all p  < .05). Overall long-term cognitive impairment was independent of age in the multivariable analysis. This prospective study shows that GCT survivors suffer from a long-term CogF impairment. These results may help guide clinicians' decisions in treatment and follow-up of GCTs. In this study, long-term survivors of germ-cell tumors have reported cognitive impairment after curative treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy compared with controls who had treatment with orchiectomy only. These data provide an argument against the use of adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I seminoma. Unnecessary overtreatment with chemotherapy and additional radiotherapy after chemotherapy should be avoided. © AlphaMed Press 2018.

Effectiveness of a School-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Cognitive Performance in Danish Adolescents: LCoMotion—Learning, Cognition and Motion – A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Froberg, Karsten; Hillman, Charles H.; Andersen, Lars Bo; Bugge, Anna

2016-01-01

Background Physical activity is associated not only with health-related parameters, but also with cognitive and academic performance. However, no large scale school-based physical activity interventions have investigated effects on cognitive performance in adolescents. The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention in enhancing cognitive performance in 12–14 years old adolescents. Methods A 20 week cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted including seven intervention and seven control schools. A total of 632 students (mean (SD) age: 12.9 (0.6) years) completed the trial with baseline and follow-up data on primary or secondary outcomes (74% of randomized subjects). The intervention targeted physical activity during academic subjects, recess, school transportation and leisure-time. Cognitive performance was assessed using an executive functions test of inhibition (flanker task) with the primary outcomes being accuracy and reaction time on congruent and incongruent trials. Secondary outcomes included mathematics performance, physical activity levels, body-mass index, waist-circumference and cardiorespiratory fitness. Results No significant difference in change, comparing the intervention group to the control group, was observed on the primary outcomes (p’s>0.05) or mathematics skills (p>0.05). An intervention effect was found for cardiorespiratory fitness in girls (21 meters (95% CI: 4.4–38.6) and body-mass index in boys (-0.22 kg/m2 (95% CI: -0.39–0.05). Contrary to our predictions, a significantly larger change in interference control for reaction time was found in favor of the control group (5.0 milliseconds (95% CI: 0–9). Baseline to mid-intervention changes in physical activity levels did not differ significantly between groups (all p’s>0.05). Conclusions No evidence was found for effectiveness of a 20-week multi-faceted school-based physical activity intervention for enhancing executive functioning or mathematics skills compared to a control group, but low implementation fidelity precludes interpretation of the causal relationship. Trial Registration www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02012881 PMID:27341346

Effectiveness of a School-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Cognitive Performance in Danish Adolescents: LCoMotion-Learning, Cognition and Motion - A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Tarp, Jakob; Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Froberg, Karsten; Hillman, Charles H; Andersen, Lars Bo; Bugge, Anna

2016-01-01

Physical activity is associated not only with health-related parameters, but also with cognitive and academic performance. However, no large scale school-based physical activity interventions have investigated effects on cognitive performance in adolescents. The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention in enhancing cognitive performance in 12-14 years old adolescents. A 20 week cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted including seven intervention and seven control schools. A total of 632 students (mean (SD) age: 12.9 (0.6) years) completed the trial with baseline and follow-up data on primary or secondary outcomes (74% of randomized subjects). The intervention targeted physical activity during academic subjects, recess, school transportation and leisure-time. Cognitive performance was assessed using an executive functions test of inhibition (flanker task) with the primary outcomes being accuracy and reaction time on congruent and incongruent trials. Secondary outcomes included mathematics performance, physical activity levels, body-mass index, waist-circumference and cardiorespiratory fitness. No significant difference in change, comparing the intervention group to the control group, was observed on the primary outcomes (p's>0.05) or mathematics skills (p>0.05). An intervention effect was found for cardiorespiratory fitness in girls (21 meters (95% CI: 4.4-38.6) and body-mass index in boys (-0.22 kg/m2 (95% CI: -0.39-0.05). Contrary to our predictions, a significantly larger change in interference control for reaction time was found in favor of the control group (5.0 milliseconds (95% CI: 0-9). Baseline to mid-intervention changes in physical activity levels did not differ significantly between groups (all p's>0.05). No evidence was found for effectiveness of a 20-week multi-faceted school-based physical activity intervention for enhancing executive functioning or mathematics skills compared to a control group, but low implementation fidelity precludes interpretation of the causal relationship. www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02012881.

Effects of Karate Training Versus Mindfulness Training on Emotional Well-Being and Cognitive Performance in Later Life.

PubMed

Jansen, Petra; Dahmen-Zimmer, Katharina; Kudielka, Brigitte M; Schulz, Anja

2017-12-01

In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effects of karate versus a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on well-being and cognitive functioning in older adults. Fifty-five adults (52-81 years old) participated in twice-weekly karate versus MBSR sessions or no training for 8 weeks. In pre- and postassessments, subjective well-being, health, cognitive functioning, and chronic stress were measured. Preassessment hair cortisol served as physiological stress marker. The results showed an improvement for the karate group, but not the MBSR and control group, in subjective mental health and anxiety as well as cognitive processing speed. The MBSR group showed by trend as a decrease in stress. No significant correlation between preassessment hair cortisol and postassessment outcomes could be established. But the higher the level of baseline self-reported perceived stress, the higher the increase in depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. Generally, it can be assumed that karate and MBSR showed only small training effects concerning the assessed emotional and cognitive parameters.

The role of striatal dopamine D2/3 receptors in cognitive performance in drug-free patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Veselinović, Tanja; Vernaleken, Ingo; Janouschek, Hildegard; Cumming, Paul; Paulzen, Michael; Mottaghy, Felix M; Gründer, Gerhard

2018-05-01

A considerable body of research links cognitive function to dopaminergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex, but less is known about cognition in relation to striatal dopamine D 2/3 receptors in unmedicated patients with psychosis. We investigated this association by obtaining PET recordings with the high-affinity D 2/3 antagonist ligand [ 18 F] fallypride in 15 medication-free patients with schizophrenia and 11 healthy controls. On the day of PET scanning, we undertook comprehensive neuropsychological testing and assessment of psychopathology using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The patients' performance in cognitive tests was significantly impaired in almost all domains. Irrespective of medication history, the mean [ 18 F] fallypride binding potential (BP ND ) in the patient group tended to be globally 5-10% higher than that of the control group, but without reaching significance in any brain region. There were significant positive correlations between individual patient performance in the Trail Making Test (TMT(A) and TMT(B)) and Digit-Symbol-Substitution-Test with regional [ 18 F] fallypride BP ND , which remained significant after Bonferroni correction for the TMT(A) in caudate nucleus (CN) and for the TMT(B) in CN and putamen. No such correlations were evident in the control group. The association between better cognitive performance and greater BP ND in schizophrenia patients may imply that relatively lower receptor occupancy by endogenous dopamine favors better sparing of cognitive function. Absence of comparable correlations in healthy controls could indicate a greater involvement of signaling at dopamine D 2/3 receptors in certain cognitive functions in schizophrenia patients than in healthy controls.

Nutritional, Physical, Cognitive, and Combination Interventions and Frailty Reversal Among Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Ng, Tze Pin; Feng, Liang; Nyunt, Ma Shwe Zin; Feng, Lei; Niti, Mathew; Tan, Boon Yeow; Chan, Gribson; Khoo, Sue Anne; Chan, Sue Mei; Yap, Philip; Yap, Keng Bee

2015-11-01

It is important to establish whether frailty among older individuals is reversible with nutritional, physical, or cognitive interventions, singly or in combination. We compared the effects of 6-month-duration interventions with nutritional supplementation, physical training, cognitive training, and combination treatment vs control in reducing frailty among community-dwelling prefrail and frail older persons. We conducted a parallel group, randomized controlled trial in community-living prefrail and frail old adults in Singapore. The participants' mean age was 70.0 years, and 61.4% (n = 151) were female. Five different 6-month interventions included nutritional supplementation (n = 49), cognitive training (n = 50), physical training (n = 48), combination treatment (n = 49), and usual care control (n = 50). Frailty score, body mass index, knee extension strength, gait speed, energy/vitality, and physical activity levels and secondary outcomes (activities of daily living dependency, hospitalization, and falls) were assessed at 0 months, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Frailty score and status over 12 months were reduced in all groups, including control (15%), but were significantly higher (35.6% to 47.8%) in the nutritional (odds ratio [OR] 2.98), cognition (OR 2.89), and physical (OR 4.05) and combination (OR 5.00) intervention groups. Beneficial effects were observed at 3 months and 6 months, and persisted at 12 months. Improvements in physical frailty domains (associated with interventions) were most evident for knee strength (physical, cognitive, and combination treatment), physical activity (nutritional intervention), gait speed (physical intervention), and energy (combination intervention). There were no major differences with respect to the small numbers of secondary outcomes. Physical, nutritional, and cognitive interventional approaches were effective in reversing frailty among community-living older persons. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Cognitive Demand on Functional Visual Field Performance in Senior Drivers with Glaucoma

PubMed Central

Gangeddula, Viswa; Ranchet, Maud; Akinwuntan, Abiodun E.; Bollinger, Kathryn; Devos, Hannes

2017-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the effect of cognitive demand on functional visual field performance in drivers with glaucoma. Method: This study included 20 drivers with open-angle glaucoma and 13 age- and sex-matched controls. Visual field performance was evaluated under different degrees of cognitive demand: a static visual field condition (C1), dynamic visual field condition (C2), and dynamic visual field condition with active driving (C3) using an interactive, desktop driving simulator. The number of correct responses (accuracy) and response times on the visual field task were compared between groups and between conditions using Kruskal–Wallis tests. General linear models were employed to compare cognitive workload, recorded in real-time through pupillometry, between groups and conditions. Results: Adding cognitive demand (C2 and C3) to the static visual field test (C1) adversely affected accuracy and response times, in both groups (p < 0.05). However, drivers with glaucoma performed worse than did control drivers when the static condition changed to a dynamic condition [C2 vs. C1 accuracy; glaucoma: median difference (Q1–Q3) 3 (2–6.50) vs. controls: 2 (0.50–2.50); p = 0.05] and to a dynamic condition with active driving [C3 vs. C1 accuracy; glaucoma: 2 (2–6) vs. controls: 1 (0.50–2); p = 0.02]. Overall, drivers with glaucoma exhibited greater cognitive workload than controls (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Cognitive demand disproportionately affects functional visual field performance in drivers with glaucoma. Our results may inform the development of a performance-based visual field test for drivers with glaucoma. PMID:28912712

Association Between Dental Student-Developed Exam Questions and Learning at Higher Cognitive Levels.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Cabezas, Carlos; Anderson, Olivia S; Wright, Mary C; Fontana, Margherita

2015-11-01

New dental accreditation standards emphasize that graduates must be competent in the use of critical thinking (a high cognitive-level skill). Despite this new standard, most written assessments in dental school courses are still based on low cognitive-level questions. The aim of this study was to determine if an exercise that allows students to collaboratively write exam questions would help cultivate higher cognitive levels of learning. To evaluate this exercise at one U.S. dental school, the cognitive level (according to Bloom's taxonomy) of multiple-choice exam questions and students' scores across two cohorts in a cariology course were compared. This evaluation took place using a control group in which questions were instructor-generated and an intervention group in which students worked in groups to develop questions. All students in one first-year class participated in the intervention group (n=104); all students in the first-year class two years earlier served as the control group (n=106). Among students in the intervention group, the response rate to a post-intervention survey measuring students' attitudes about the experience was 70% (N=73). The results showed that the students generating their own assessments developed higher cognitive-level exam questions than the instructor-generated assessments. The intervention group (with student-generated assessments) also performed as well or better on tests compared to the control group (with instructor-generated assessments). In the intervention group survey, the vast majority of students agreed that the exercise was helpful for their overall learning experience, but working in teams was said to be the least valuable component of the activity for their learning. This study suggests that student-driven, collaborative assessments can be an important tool for building critical thinking skills in dental classrooms and that it may be worthwhile to expand this type of exercise into other courses.

Drug abusers have impaired cerebral oxygenation and cognition during exercise

PubMed Central

Soares Rachetti, Vanessa; Quirino Alves da Silva, Weslley; Aranha Rego Cabral, Daniel; Gomes da Silva Machado, Daniel; Caldas Costa, Eduardo; Forti, Rodrigo Menezes; Mesquita, Rickson Coelho; Elsangedy, Hassan Mohamed; Hideki Okano, Alexandre; Bodnariuc Fontes, Eduardo

2017-01-01

Background Individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) have lower baseline metabolic activity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) associated with impairment of cognitive functions in decision-making and inhibitory control. Aerobic exercise has shown to improve PFC function and cognitive performance, however, its effects on SUD individuals remain unclear. Purpose To verify the cognitive performance and oxygenation of the PFC during an incremental exercise in SUD individuals. Methods Fourteen individuals under SUD treatment performed a maximum graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer with continuous measurements of oxygen consumption, PFC oxygenation, and inhibitory control (Stroop test) every two minutes of exercise at different intensities. Fifteen non-SUD individuals performed the same protocol and were used as control group. Results Exercise increased oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) and total hemoglobin (tHb) by 9% and 7%, respectively. However, when compared to a non-SUD group, this increase was lower at high intensities (p<0.001), and the inhibitory cognitive control was lower at rest and during exercise (p<0.007). In addition, PFC hemodynamics during exercise was inversely correlated with inhibitory cognitive performance (reaction time) (r = -0.62, p = 0.001), and a lower craving perception for the specific abused substance (p = 0.0189) was reported immediately after exercise. Conclusion Despite SUD individuals having their PFC cerebral oxygenation increased during exercise, they presented lower cognition and oxygenation when compared to controls, especially at elevated intensities. These results may reinforce the role of exercise as an adjuvant treatment to improve PFC function and cognitive control in individuals with SUD. PMID:29125875

Nutrient intake and dietary changes during a 2-year multi-domain lifestyle intervention among older adults: secondary analysis of the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Lehtisalo, Jenni; Ngandu, Tiia; Valve, Päivi; Antikainen, Riitta; Laatikainen, Tiina; Strandberg, Timo; Soininen, Hilkka; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Kivipelto, Miia; Lindström, Jaana

2017-08-01

Advancing age increases the risk for diseases and health concerns like cognitive decline, constituting a major public health challenge. Lifestyle, especially healthy diet, affects many risk factors related to chronic diseases, and thus lifestyle interventions among older adults may be beneficial in promoting successful ageing. We completed a randomised 2-year multi-domain lifestyle intervention trial aiming at prevention of cognitive decline among 631 participants in the intervention and 629 in the control group, aged 60-77 years at baseline. Dietary counselling was one of the intervention domains together with strength exercise, cognitive training and management of CVD risk factors. The aim of this paper was to describe success of the intervention - that is, how an intervention based on national dietary recommendations affected dietary habits as a part of multi-intervention. Composite dietary intervention adherence score comprising nine distinct goals (range 0-9 points from none to achieving all goals) was 5·0 at baseline, and increased in the intervention group after the 1st (P<0·001) and 2nd (P=0·005) year. The difference in change compared with the control group was significant at both years (P<0·001 and P=0·018). Intake of several vitamins and minerals decreased in the control group but remained unchanged or increased in the intervention group during the 2 years. Well-targeted dietary counselling may prevent age-related decline in diet quality and help in preventing cognitive decline.

[Neurocognitive and behavioral disturbances after adenotonsillectomy in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

PubMed

Esteller, E; Barceló, M; Segarra, F; Estivill, E; Girabent-Farrés, M

2014-04-01

Adenotonsillectomy is an effective treatment for sleep-disordered breathing in children, but its ability to resolve neurocognitive issues, is not clear. To analyze the outcomes of cognitive and behavioral disorders after one year of adenotonsillectomy. We studied the behavioral and cognitive abnormalities in 45 children with obstructive sleep apnea and 30 healthy controls, aged 3 to 13 years. Psychological tests were performed in both groups at baseline and at 12 months. Preoperatively, all cognitive and behavioral disturbances were higher in the study group than in the control group: attention in 46.7% of cases in the study group versus 20% in the control group (P=.016), anxiety 60.9% versus 40.9% (not significant); memory 55.6% versus 36.7% (P=.019), spatial structuring 64.4% versus 36.7% (P=.017), hyperactivity 42.9% versus 12.5% (P=.016), and attention deficit 46.4% versus 8.3% (P=.003). After one year we observed more disturbances in all variables in the study group. However, significant differences remained only in spatial structure (31.3% versus 3.3%, P=.017), and attention deficit (40.5% versus 16.7%, P=.031). The percentages of patients that improved in one year were not significantly different between both groups. Behavioral and cognitive disturbances in children with sleep apnea were partially resolved following adenotonsillectomy. Improvements in the cognitive and behavioral variables did not differ significantly from those the normal evolution of the individual, and were independent of the resolution of respiratory disorders. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Different types of exercise in Multiple Sclerosis: Aerobic exercise or Pilates, a single-blind clinical study.

PubMed

Kara, Bilge; Küçük, Fadime; Poyraz, Esra Coşkuner; Tomruk, Melda Soysal; İdıman, Egemen

2017-01-01

The aim of our study is to examine effects of aerobic and Pilates exercises on disability, cognition, physical performance, balance, depression and fatigue in relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients as compared to healthy controls. The subjects were divided as aerobic exercise (n = 26), Pilates (n = 9), and the healthy control group (n = 21). We used MSFC, physical performance, Berg balance scale, Beck depression scale, fatigue impact scale. All evaluations were performed before and after exercise training. There are statistically meaningful differences between Nine hole testing, PASAT 3, physical performance and fatique impact scale before and after aerobic exercise. Also we found significant difference for physical performance in the Pilates group. There are no significant differences in measures of fatique impact scale and depression between aerobic exercise group and the healthy controls after exercise. We found significant differences between Pilates and control group's after measurements except depression. There were significant differences between the Pilates and aerobic group for cognitive tests in favor of the Pilates group. Aerobic exercise and clinical Pilates exercises revealed moderate changes in levels of cognitive, physical performance, balance, depression, fatigue in MS patients.

Staff training and outreach support for Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and its implementation in practice: a cluster randomised trial.

PubMed

Streater, Amy; Spector, Aimee; Hoare, Zoe; Aguirre, Elisa; Russell, Ian; Orrell, Martin

2017-12-01

There is evidence that Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy are effective in mild to moderate dementia. There is, however, little evidence available for its implementation in practice and the impact of outreach support on the sustainability of the programme. Two hundred and forty-one staff members were randomised from 63 dementia care settings between outreach support including an online forum, email, and telephone support, compared to usual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy control group. The primary outcome was average number of attendees to the Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy programmes. There was no difference in average number of attendees between the intervention and usual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy control groups for the Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (p = 0.82) or the maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy programme (p = 0.97). Outreach support does not affect the average number of people with dementia attending the Cognitive Stimulation Therapy or maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy programme. Irrespective of outreach support, the programmes remain widely implemented and yield perceived benefits for people with dementia. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Malva Sylvestris Attenuates Cognitive Deficits in a Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Rat Model by Reducing Neuronal Degeneration and Astrocytosis in the Hippocampus

PubMed Central

Qin, Hailin; Qin, Jie; Hu, Junmin; Huang, He; Ma, Lianting

2017-01-01

Background The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of Malva sylvestris (MS) on cognitive dysfunction in a repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Material/Methods MTBI was induced in all the study animals by hitting a metallic pendulum near the parietal-occipital area of the skull three times a day for ten days. Animals were treated with MS (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) intragastrically per day for seven consecutive days. Cognitive function was estimated by the Morris water maze (MWM) method. Histopathology studies were performed on the hippocampal region by Nissl staining and anti GFAP staining. Concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and oxidative parameters including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (LPO), and inflammatory cytokines in the brain tissues were measured. Result Treatment with MS significantly improved cognitive function compared to the negative control. Histopathology studies suggested that treatment with MS significantly decreased (p<0.01) the count of neurodegenerative cells and induction of astrocytosis in the MTBI treated group compared to the negative control group. However, the concentrations of ROS and LPO, and the activities of SOD and CAT were significantly decreased in the MS treated groups of MTBI rats compared to the negative control group. Inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL6, and TNF-α were significantly decreased (p<0.01) in the brain tissues of the MTBI treated group compared to the control group of rats. Conclusions This study concluded that treatment with MS significantly improved cognitive dysfunction by reducing neurodegeneration and astrocytosis in brain tissues via decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation in neuronal cells. PMID:29276216

A Preliminary Report of Short-Term Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Inpatients With Personality Disorders

PubMed Central

SPRINGER, TAMAR; LOHR, NAOMI E.; BUCHTEL, HENRY A.; SILK, KENNETH R.

1996-01-01

A randomized, controlled study evaluated the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral therapy group, based on Linehan’s dialectical behavior therapy, for inpatients with personality disorders. The treatment, a problem-solving skills group focused on parasuicidality, was compared with a discussion control group. Change was assessed by self-report measures and behavioral observations on the unit. Subjects in both groups improved significantly on most change measures, although no significant between-group differences were found. However, the treatment group patients viewed the intervention as more beneficial to them in their lives outside the hospital. The usefulness of this type of group on a short-term unit is discussed. PMID:22700265

Writing Impairments in Japanese Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and with Mild Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Hayashi, Atsuko; Nomura, Hiroshi; Mochizuki, Ruriko; Ohnuma, Ayumu; Kimpara, Teiko; Suzuki, Kyoko; Mori, Etsuro

2015-01-01

We investigated writing abilities in patients with the amnestic type of mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). To examine the earliest changes in writing function, we used writing tests for both words and sentences with different types of Japanese characters (Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji). A total of 25 aMCI patients, 38 AD patients, and 22 healthy controls performed writing to dictation for Kana and Kanji words, copied Kanji words, and wrote in response to a picture story task. Analysis of variance was used to test the subject group effects on the scores in the above writing tasks. For the written Kanji words, the mild AD group performed worse than the aMCI group and the controls, but there was no difference between the aMCI group and the controls. For the picture story writing task, the mild AD and aMCI groups performed worse than the controls, but the difference between the AD and the aMCI groups was not significant. The mild AD group showed defects in writing Kanji characters, and the aMCI group showed impairments in narrative writing. Our study suggests that narrative writing, which demands complex integration of multiple cognitive functions, can be used to detect the subtle writing deficits in aMCI patients.

Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavioral Program on Pain and Fear in School-aged Children Undergoing Intravenous Placement.

PubMed

Hsieh, Yi-Chuan; Cheng, Su-Fen; Tsay, Pei-Kwei; Su, Wen-Jen; Cho, Yen-Hua; Chen, Chi-Wen

2017-12-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive-behavioral program on pain and medical fear in hospitalized school-aged children receiving intravenous (IV) placement. This study used an quasi-experimental design. Thirty-five participants were assigned to the experimental group and 33 to the control group in the acute internal medicine ward of a children's hospital. The cognitive-behavioral program entailed having the patients read an educational photo book about IV placement before the procedure and having them watch their favorite music video during the procedure. The outcome measures were numeric rating scales for pain intensity and fear during the procedure. After applying the cognitive-behavioral program, the mean scores on pain and fear decreased in the experimental group. However, the difference in pain intensity between these two groups was nonsignificant. The intensity of fear in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group. In this study, the cognitive-behavioral program used with school-aged hospitalized children promoted less fear during IV placement. The results of this study can serve as a reference for empirical nursing care and as care guidance for clinical IV injections involving children. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cognitive impairment in agricultural workers and nearby residents exposed to pesticides in the Coquimbo Region of Chile.

PubMed

Corral, Sebastián A; de Angel, Valeria; Salas, Natalia; Zúñiga-Venegas, Liliana; Gaspar, Pablo A; Pancetti, Floria

2017-07-01

Chronic exposure to organophosphate pesticides is a worldwide public health concern associated with several psychiatric disorders and dementia. Most existing studies on the effects of pesticides only evaluate agricultural workers. Therefore, this study sought to establish if individuals indirectly exposed to pesticides, such as residents in agricultural areas, also suffer cognitive impairments. Neuropsychological evaluations were carried out on three groups (n=102): agricultural workers directly exposed to pesticides (n=32), individuals living in agricultural areas indirectly (i.e. environmentally) exposed to pesticides (n=32), and an unexposed control group (n=38). The assessed cognitive processes included memory, executive functions, attention, language praxis, and visuoconstruction. The direct exposure group performed significantly lower in executive function, verbal fluency, and visual and auditory memory tests than the indirect exposure group, which, in turn, performed worse than the unexposed group. Even after adjusting for age, gender, and educational level, both exposure groups showed higher rates of cognitive deficit than control individuals. In conclusion, both direct and indirect chronic exposure to pesticides affects cognitive functioning in adults and, consequently, actions should be taken to protect the health of not only agricultural workers, but also of residents in agricultural areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive and physical rehabilitation of intensive care unit survivors: results of the RETURN randomized controlled pilot investigation.

PubMed

Jackson, James C; Ely, E Wesley; Morey, Miriam C; Anderson, Venice M; Denne, Laural B; Clune, Jennifer; Siebert, Carol S; Archer, Kristin R; Torres, Renee; Janz, David; Schiro, Elena; Jones, Julie; Shintani, Ayumi K; Levine, Brian; Pun, Brenda T; Thompson, Jennifer; Brummel, Nathan E; Hoenig, Helen

2012-04-01

Millions of patients who survive medical and surgical general intensive care unit care every year experience newly acquired long-term cognitive impairment and profound physical and functional disabilities. To overcome the current reality in which patients receive inadequate rehabilitation, we devised a multifaceted, in-home, telerehabilitation program implemented using social workers and psychology technicians with the goal of improving cognitive and functional outcomes. This was a single-site, feasibility, pilot, randomized trial of 21 general medical/surgical intensive care unit survivors (8 controls and 13 intervention patients) with either cognitive or functional impairment at hospital discharge. After discharge, study controls received usual care (sporadic rehabilitation), whereas intervention patients received a combination of in-home cognitive, physical, and functional rehabilitation over a 3-month period via a social worker or master's level psychology technician utilizing telemedicine to allow specialized multidisciplinary treatment. Interventions over 12 wks included six in-person visits for cognitive rehabilitation and six televisits for physical/functional rehabilitation. Outcomes were measured at the completion of the rehabilitation program (i.e., at 3 months), with cognitive functioning as the primary outcome. Analyses were conducted using linear regression to examine differences in 3-month outcomes between treatment groups while adjusting for baseline scores. Patients tolerated the program with only one adverse event reported. At baseline both groups were well-matched. At 3-month follow-up, intervention group patients demonstrated significantly improved cognitive executive functioning on the widely used and well-normed Tower test (for planning and strategic thinking) vs. controls (median [interquartile range], 13.0 [11.5-14.0] vs. 7.5 [4.0-8.5]; adjusted p < .01). Intervention group patients also reported better performance (i.e., lower score) on one of the most frequently used measures of functional status (Functional Activities Questionnaire at 3 months vs. controls, 1.0 [0.0 -3.0] vs. 8.0 [6.0-11.8], adjusted p = .04). A multicomponent rehabilitation program for intensive care unit survivors combining cognitive, physical, and functional training appears feasible and possibly effective in improving cognitive performance and functional outcomes in just 3 months. Future investigations with a larger sample size should be conducted to build on this pilot feasibility program and to confirm these results, as well as to elucidate the elements of rehabilitation contributing most to improved outcomes.

Handedness, functional cerebral hemispheric lateralization, and cognition in male-to-female transsexuals receiving cross-sex hormone treatment.

PubMed

Wisniewski, Amy B; Prendeville, Mary T; Dobs, Adrian S

2005-04-01

This study examined the impact of sex hormones on functional cerebral hemispheric lateralization and cognition in a group of male-to-female transsexuals receiving cross-sex hormone therapy compared to eugonadal men with a male gender identity. Cerebral lateralization was measured with a handedness questionnaire and a visual-split-field paradigm and cognitive tests sensitive to sex hormone exposure (identical pictures, 3-D mental rotation, building memory) were also administered. Endocrine measures on the day of participation for transsexual and control subjects included total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, gonadotropins, and sex hormone binding globulin concentrations. Compared to controls, male-to-female transsexuals had elevated estradiol and sex hormone binding globulin concentrations and suppressed testosterone concentrations. Transsexual subjects showed a trend toward less exclusive right-handedness than controls. No group differences were observed on the visual-split-field or cognitive tasks. No direct associations were observed between endocrine measures and the laterality measures and cognitive performance. Previous observations of female-typical patterns in cerebral lateralization and cognitive performance in male-to-female transsexuals were not found in the current study.

Are malnutrition and stress risk factors for accelerated cognitive decline? A prisoner of war study.

PubMed

Sulway, M R; Broe, G A; Creasey, H; Dent, O F; Jorm, A F; Kos, S C; Tennant, C C

1996-03-01

We set out to test the hypothesis that severe malnutrition and stress experienced by prisoners of war (POWs) are associated with cognitive deficits later in life. We assessed 101 former Australian POWs of the Japanese and 108 veteran control subjects using a battery of neuropsychological tests, a depression scale, a clinical examination for dementia, and CT. We divided the POWs into high weight loss (>35%) and low weight loss groups (<35%). We found no significant differences in cognitive performance between the POWs and control subjects or between high and low weight loss groups on any of the tests or in the prevalence of dementia. Scores on the depression scale showed that the former POWs had more depressive symptoms than the control subjects a decade previous, but the difference had diminished over time. This study does not support the hypothesis that malnutrition is a risk factor for accelerated cognitive decline nor the theory that severe stress can lead to hippocampal neuronal loss and cognitive deficits. Cognitive deficits in earlier studies of former POWs may have been associated with concurrent depression.

The Effect of a Six-Month Dancing Program on Motor-Cognitive Dual-Task Performance in Older Adults.

PubMed

Hamacher, Dennis; Hamacher, Daniel; Rehfeld, Kathrin; Hökelmann, Anita; Schega, Lutz

2015-10-01

Dancing is a complex sensorimotor activity involving physical and mental elements which have positive effects on cognitive functions and motor control. The present randomized controlled trial aims to analyze the effects of a dancing program on the performance on a motor-cognitive dual task. Data of 35 older adults, who were assigned to a dancing group or a health-related exercise group, are presented in the study. In pretest and posttest, we assessed cognitive performance and variability of minimum foot clearance, stride time, and stride length while walking. Regarding the cognitive performance and the stride-to-stride variability of minimum foot clearance, interaction effects have been found, indicating that dancing lowers gait variability to a higher extent than conventional health-related exercise. The data show that dancing improves minimum foot clearance variability and cognitive performance in a dual-task situation. Multi-task exercises (like dancing) might be a powerful tool to improve motor-cognitive dual-task performance.

Neurocognitive functions and brain atrophy after proven neuroborreliosis: a case-control study.

PubMed

Schmidt, Holger; Djukic, Marija; Jung, Klaus; Holzgraefe, Manfred; Dechent, Peter; von Steinbüchel, Nicole; Blocher, Joachim; Eiffert, Helmut; Schmidt-Samoa, Carsten

2015-08-19

Patients often report neurocognitive difficulties after neuroborreliosis (NB). The frequency and extent of cognitive problems in European patients have been studied incompletely. Sixty patients received a neurological and neuropsychological work-up 6 months or longer after treatment for proven NB. Quality of life, psychiatric symptom load, and brain atrophy were measured. All results were compared with a group of 30 healthy control persons adapted for age, gender and education being serologically negative for Borrelia burgdorferi senso latu. A cognitive sum score and a global sum score including cognitive, psychological results and quality of life data was calculated for both groups. Patients after NB showed a lower (i.e. more impaired) score on the Scripps Neurological rating scale (SNRS), but the observed neurological deficits were generally mild (mean ± SD: 97.1 ± 4.7 vs. 99.1 ± 2.4, p = 0.02). The mean neuropsychological domain results of the NB group were all within the normal range. However, a lower performance was found for the frontal executive function z-values (mean ± SD -0.29 ± 0.60 vs. 0.09 ± 0.60; p = 0.0059) of NB patients. Comparing the global sum score (mean ± SD 11.3 ± 4.2 NB vs. 14.3 ± 2.9 control , p = 0.001) and the cognitive sum score of the NB group with those of the control group (mean ± SD -0.15 ± 0.42 NB vs. 0.08 ± 0.31 control , p = 0.0079), both differences were statistically different. The frequencies of impaired global sum scores and those of the pathological cognitive sum scores (p = 0.07) did not differ statistically. No significant differences were found for health-related quality of life (hrQoL), sleep, psychiatric symptom load, or brain atrophy. The mean cognitive functions of patients after proven NB were in the normal range. However, we were able to demonstrate a lower performance for the domain of frontal executive functions, for the mean cognitive sum score and the global sum score as a sign of subtle but measurable sequelae of neuroborreliosis. Brain atrophy is not a common consequence of neuroborreliosis.

Suspected non-AD pathology in mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Wisse, Laura E M; Butala, Nirali; Das, Sandhitsu R; Davatzikos, Christos; Dickerson, Bradford C; Vaishnavi, Sanjeev N; Yushkevich, Paul A; Wolk, David A

2015-12-01

We aim to better characterize mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients with suspected non-Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology (SNAP) based on their longitudinal outcome, cognition, biofluid, and neuroimaging profile. MCI participants (n = 361) from ADNI-GO/2 were designated "amyloid positive" with abnormal amyloid-beta 42 levels (AMY+) and "neurodegeneration positive" (NEU+) with abnormal hippocampal volume or hypometabolism using fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. SNAP was compared with the other MCI groups and with AMY- controls. AMY-NEU+/SNAP, 16.6%, were older than the NEU- groups but not AMY- controls. They had a lower conversion rate to AD after 24 months than AMY+NEU+ MCI participants. SNAP-MCI participants had similar amyloid-beta 42 levels, florbetapir and tau levels, but larger white matter hyperintensity volumes than AMY- controls and AMY-NEU- MCI participants. SNAP participants performed worse on all memory domains and on other cognitive domains, than AMY-NEU- participants but less so than AMY+NEU+ participants. Subthreshold levels of cerebral amyloidosis are unlikely to play a role in SNAP-MCI, but pathologies involving the hippocampus and cerebrovascular disease may underlie the neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in this group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting middle school students’ abstract-thinking ability through cognitive apprenticeship instruction in mathematics learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusepa, B. G. P.; Kusumah, Y. S.; Kartasasmita, B. G.

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to get an in-depth understanding of students’ abstract-thinking ability in mathematics learning. This study was an experimental research with pre-test and post-test control group design. The subject of this study was eighth-grade students from two junior high schools in Bandung. In each schools, two parallel groups were selected and assigned into control and experimental groups. The experimental group was exposed to Cognitive Apprenticeship Instruction (CAI) treatment, whereas the control group was exposed to conventional learning. The results showed that abstract-thinking ability of students in experimental group was better than that of those in control group in which it could be observed from the overall and school level. It could be concluded that CAI could be a good alternative learning model to enhance students’ abstract-thinking ability.

[Effect of modified huanglian wendan decoction in treating senile patients with mild cognitive impairment of turbid-phlegm blocking orifice syndrome].

PubMed

Guo, Ren-zhen; Zhou, Wen-quan; Luo, Zeng-gang

2010-01-01

To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Huanglian Wendan Decoction (HWD) in treating senile mild cognitive impairment (MCI) of turbid-phlegm blocking orifice syndrome. With a block randomized, double-blinded and controlled design adopted, the 64 patients of MCI selected from December 2007 to February 2009 were randomly and equally assigned to two groups. The treatment group was treated with HWD in dose of 200 mL, twice a day; the control group was given Aniracetam 0.2 g (for patients over 70-years-old, 0.1 g) three times a day. And the illusive medicine in dosage-form of capsule/decoction simulated to that used in the opposite group was applied. The medication and observation lasted for three months. Chinese medicine syndrome, cognition capacity (by MMSE), laboratory indexes [acetylcholine (Ach), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA)] and safety related indexes in patients were observed. After treatment, MMSE score increased in both groups, but the increment in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.01); Chinese medicine syndrome estimated by scoring showed that after treatment, all scores of syndromes, excepting the expectoration, were improved in the treatment group with the post-treatment scores significantly lower than those in the control group respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01); while in the control group, lowering of scores only showed in some symptoms such as poor memory, heavy head or dizziness, and heavy sensation in limbs and body. Serum levels of Ach and SOD decreased and MDA increased in both groups after treatment, but the change of Ach was more significant in the treatment group (P<0.01). No obvious adverse reactions were found during the treatment. For treatment of MCI, HWD shows effects in improving patients' symptoms, cognition capacity and elevating serum Ach content better than that of Aniracetam; and with effects for raising SOD activity and reducing MDA level similar to those of Aniracetam.

Effect of a dual-task net-step exercise on cognitive and gait function in older adults.

PubMed

Kitazawa, Kazutoshi; Showa, Satoko; Hiraoka, Akira; Fushiki, Yasuhiro; Sakauchi, Humio; Mori, Mitsuru

2015-01-01

Participation in generally recommended aerobics or strength exercises may be challenging for older adults. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the types and levels of physical activities suited for them to improve their cognitive and gait function and adherence to exercise programs. This has prompted efforts to identify exercises that require less physical strength and frequency of performance, while still offering cognitive and health benefits. Here, we aimed to assess the effect of a novel dual-task net-step exercise (NSE) performed once a week for 8 consecutive weeks on improvements in cognitive performance and gait function in an older population. In this pretest/posttest experimental case control study, 60 healthy older adults (mean age 76.4 years) were recruited from community-dwelling people and separated randomly into 2 groups: a dual-task NSE group and a control group. The NSE group was asked to walk across a net without stepping on the ropes or being caught in the net. Two computer panel-type cognitive functional assessments, the Touch-M and Touch Panel-Type Dementia Assessment Scale, were administered at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention to determine the effects of NSE. Improvements in gait function were also evaluated using Timed Up and Go test scores. Mixed-effect models with repeated measures (group × time) (analysis of variance, F test) were used to test the effects of NSE. Adjustments were made for covariates including age and sex (analysis of covariance). The NSE group showed significant improvement in cognitive performance (6.8% change; total Touch-M score 5.4 points; P = .04) and gait performance (11.5% change; Timed Up and Go time -0.98 second; P < .001) over the 8-week period. In the control group, there was no significant improvement. This study shows that dual-task NSE is capable of improving cognitive and gait performance in healthy older adults. Our results indicate that NSE offers an option for a large segment of the older population who need an easier way to maintain their cognitive health and gait function.

The ROSAS Cohort: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study of Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease. Strategy, Methods and Initial Results.

PubMed

de Mauléon, A; Soto, M; Kiyasova, V; Delrieu, J; Guignot, I; Galtier, S; Lilamand, M; Cantet, C; Lala, F; Sastre, N; Andrieu, S; Pueyo, M; Ousset, P J; Vellas, B

2017-01-01

The aims of the Research Of biomarkers in Alzheimer's diseaSe (ROSAS) study were to determine the biofluid and imaging biomarkers permitting an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and better characterisation of cognitive and behavioural course of the pathology. This paper outlines the overall strategy, methodology of the study, baseline characteristics of the population and first longitudinal results from the ROSAS cohort. Longitudinal prospective monocentric observational study performed at the Alzheimer's disease Research centre in Toulouse. A total of 387 patients were studied and analyzed in 3 groups: 184 patients with dementia of Alzheimer's type, 96 patients with memory disorders without dementia (Mild Cognitive Impairment) and 107 patients without abnormal memory tests (control group), and were followed up during 4 years. Patient's sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors, medical conditions, previous and current medications, neuropsychological assessment and overall cognitive status were recorded. Blood and urine samples were collected at every year, Magnetic Resonance Imaging were performed at inclusion, after one year of follow-up and at the end of the study. At baseline, three different groups of the cohort differed interestingly in age, level of education, and in percentage of ApoEε4 carriers whereas the history of cardiovascular and endocrine pathologies were similar among the groups. During the follow-up period (3-4 years) 42 mild cognitive impairment patients (43.8%) progressed to dementia, 7 controls progressed into mild cognitive impairment and 1 patient in the control group converted from mild cognitive impairment group to dementia of Alzheimer's type group. During the first year of follow up, the incidence of progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia of Alzheimer's type was 12.7 per 100, during the second year 33.9 per 100 and 46.7 per 100 for the third year. This paper presents the baseline characteristics of the unique French prospective monocenter study in which the natural course of dementia of Alzheimer's type was evaluated. Future analysis of blood and urine samples collection from the ROSAS study will permit to identify possible biofluid biomarkers predicting the early stages of the dementia of Alzheimer's type and risk of progression from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's disease.

Multiple cognitive capabilities/deficits in children with an autism spectrum disorder: "weak" central coherence and its relationship to theory of mind and executive control.

PubMed

Pellicano, Elizabeth; Maybery, Murray; Durkin, Kevin; Maley, Alana

2006-01-01

This study examined the validity of "weak" central coherence (CC) in the context of multiple cognitive capabilities/deficits in autism. Children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and matched typically developing children were administered tasks tapping visuospatial coherence, false-belief understanding and aspects of executive control. Significant group differences were found in all three cognitive domains. Evidence of local processing on coherence tasks was widespread in the ASD group, but difficulties in attributing false beliefs and in components of executive functioning were present in fewer of the children with ASD. This cognitive profile was generally similar for younger and older children with ASD. Furthermore, weak CC was unrelated to false-belief understanding, but aspects of coherence (related to integration) were associated with aspects of executive control. Few associations were found between cognitive variables and indices of autistic symptomatology. Implications for CC theory are discussed.

Improving cognitive control in adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PubMed

Schweizer, Susanne; Samimi, Zobair; Hasani, Jafar; Moradi, Alireza; Mirdoraghi, Fatemeh; Khaleghi, Mohammad

2017-06-01

The adverse impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the developing mind in adolescence can extend well into adulthood. The developmental malleability of cognitive control capacity in this age group, however, may hold particular promise for cognitive training interventions. The present study investigated the effects of affective working memory (aWMT) compared to placebo-training on cognitive and affective functioning in adolescents with PTSD. 30 treatment-seeking adolescents trained for 20 days on either an affective dual n-back task (aWMT; n = 15) or a feature match task (placebo; n = 15). The aWMT group showed greater pre-to post-training increases in cognitive control as measured by the GoNogo task as well as improvements in symptoms of PTSD and increased use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies. These preliminary findings are promising given the potential for free and easy dissemination of the aWMT in schools and online. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The synergistic effect of acupuncture and computer-based cognitive training on post-stroke cognitive dysfunction: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of 2 × 2 factorial design.

PubMed

Yang, Shanli; Ye, Haicheng; Huang, Jia; Tao, Jing; Jiang, Cai; Lin, Zhicheng; Zheng, Guohua; Chen, Lidian

2014-08-07

Stroke is one of the most common causes of cognitive impairment. Up to 75% of stroke survivors may be considered to have cognitive impairment, which severely limit individual autonomy for successful reintegration into family, work and social life. The clinical efficacy of acupuncture with Baihui (DU20) and Shenting (DU24) in stroke and post-stroke cognitive impairment has been previously demonstrated. Computer-assisted cognitive training is part of conventional cognitive rehabilitation and has also shown to be effective in improvement of cognitive function of affected patients. However, the cognitive impairment after stroke is so complexity that one single treatment cannot resolve effectively. Besides, the effects of acupuncture and RehaCom cognitive training have not been systematically compared, nor has the possibility of a synergistic effect of combination of the two therapeutic modalities been evaluated. Our primary aim of this trial is to evaluate the synergistic effect of acupuncture and RehaCom cognitive training on cognitive dysfunction after stroke. A randomized controlled trial of 2 × 2 factorial design will be conducted in the Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A total of 240 patients with cognitive dysfunction after stroke who meet the eligibility criteria will be recruited and randomized into RehaCom training group, acupuncture group, a combination of both or control group in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. All patients will receive conventional treatment. The interventions will last for 12 weeks (30 min per day, Monday to Friday every week). Evaluations will be conducted by blinded assessors at baseline and again at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Outcome measurements include mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessments (MoCA), functional independence measure scale (FIM) and adverse events. The results of this trial are expected to clarify the synergistic effect of acupuncture and RehaCom cognitive training on cognitive dysfunction after stroke. Furthermore, to confirm whether combined or alone of acupuncture and RehaCom cognitive training, is more effective than conventional treatment in the management of post-stroke cognitive dysfunction. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-13003704.

Working memory training shows immediate and long-term effects on cognitive performance in children

PubMed Central

Pugin, Fiona; Metz, Andreas J.; Stauffer, Madlaina; Wolf, Martin; Jenni, Oskar G.; Huber, Reto

2014-01-01

Working memory is important for mental reasoning and learning processes. Several studies in adults and school-age children have shown performance improvement in cognitive tests after working memory training. Our aim was to examine not only immediate but also long-term effects of intensive working memory training on cognitive performance tests in children. Fourteen healthy male subjects between 10 and 16 years trained a visuospatial n-back task over 3 weeks (30 min daily), while 15 individuals of the same age range served as a passive control group. Significant differences in immediate (after 3 weeks of training) and long-term effects (after 2-6 months) in an auditory n-back task were observed compared to controls (2.5 fold immediate and 4.7 fold long-term increase in the training group compared to the controls). The improvement was more pronounced in subjects who improved their performance during the training. Other cognitive functions (matrices test and Stroop task) did not change when comparing the training group to the control group. We conclude that visuospatial working memory training in children boosts performance in similar memory tasks such as the auditory n-back task. The sustained performance improvement several months after the training supports the effectiveness of the training. PMID:25671082

Serum interleukin-6 is related to lower cognitive functioning in elderly patients with major depression.

PubMed

Ali, Nehad Samir; Hashem, Abdel Hamid Hashem; Hassan, Akmal Mostafa; Saleh, Alia Adel; El-Baz, Heba Nabil

2018-05-01

There is an increased evidence of an association between inflammatory mediators, particularly serum IL-6, depression and cognitive impairment in the elderly. This study aims at exploring the relation of peripheral IL-6 to cognitive functions in elderly patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). (1) Assessment of serum IL-6 levels and cognitive functions in elderly patients suffering from major depression and comparing them to healthy age-matched control subjects; (2) correlation between serum IL-6 levels and clinical characteristics of depression and cognitive functions in these patients. The study is an observational, case-control study. It consisted of 80 subjects, 40 with the diagnosis of MDD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) with early onset (first episode before the age of 60) and 40 community-dwelling subjects. They were subjected to the Structured Clinical Interview according to DSM-IV, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and serum IL-6 assay using ELISA. In the depression group, subjects had lower scores in cognitive testing, than the control group (p = 0.001). Serum IL-6 was found to have a negative correlation with cognitive testing in these patients even after controlling for the severity of depressive status and Body Mass Index (BMI) (p = 0.025). MDD in elderly subjects is associated with decline in cognitive functions that may be related to peripheral IL-6 levels.

Dissociation between controlled and automatic processes in the behavioral variant of fronto-temporal dementia.

PubMed

Collette, Fabienne; Van der Linden, Martial; Salmon, Eric

2010-01-01

A decline of cognitive functioning affecting several cognitive domains was frequently reported in patients with frontotemporal dementia. We were interested in determining if these deficits can be interpreted as reflecting an impairment of controlled cognitive processes by using an assessment tool specifically developed to explore the distinction between automatic and controlled processes, namely the process dissociation procedure (PDP) developed by Jacoby. The PDP was applied to a word stem completion task to determine the contribution of automatic and controlled processes to episodic memory performance and was administered to a group of 12 patients with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD) and 20 control subjects (CS). Bv-FTD patients obtained a lower performance than CS for the estimates of controlled processes, but no group differences was observed for estimates of automatic processes. The between-groups comparison of the estimates of controlled and automatic processes showed a larger contribution of automatic processes to performance in bv-FTD, while a slightly more important contribution of controlled processes was observed in control subjects. These results are clearly indicative of an alteration of controlled memory processes in bv-FTD.

Childhood adversity and cognitive function in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and healthy controls: evidence for an association between neglect and social cognition.

PubMed

Kilian, S; Asmal, L; Chiliza, B; Olivier, M R; Phahladira, L; Scheffler, F; Seedat, S; Marder, S R; Green, M F; Emsley, R

2017-12-22

Childhood adversity is associated with cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. However, findings to date are inconsistent and little is known about the relationship between social cognition and childhood trauma. We investigated the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect and cognitive function in patients with a first-episode of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder (n = 56) and matched healthy controls (n = 52). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study assessing this relationship in patients and controls exposed to similarly high levels of trauma. Pearson correlational coefficients were used to assess correlations between Childhood Trauma Questionnaire abuse and neglect scores and cognition. For the MCCB domains displaying significant (p < 0.05) correlations, within group hierarchical linear regression, was done to assess whether abuse and neglect were significant predictors of cognition after controlling for the effect of education. Patients and controls reported similarly high levels of abuse and neglect. Cognitive performance was poorer for patients compared with controls for all cognitive domains except working memory and social cognition. After controlling for education, exposure to childhood neglect remained a significant predictor of impairment in social cognition in both patients and controls. Neglect was also a significant predictor of poorer verbal learning in patients and of attention/vigilance in controls. However, childhood abuse did not significantly predict cognitive impairments in either patients or controls. These findings are cross sectional and do not infer causality. Nonetheless, they indicate that associations between one type of childhood adversity (i.e. neglect) and social cognition are present and are not illness-specific.

Neural Correlates of True and False Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Sweeney-Reed, Catherine M.; Riddell, Patricia M.; Ellis, Judi A.; Freeman, Jayne E.; Nasuto, Slawomir J.

2012-01-01

The goal of this research was to investigate the changes in neural processing in mild cognitive impairment. We measured phase synchrony, amplitudes, and event-related potentials in veridical and false memory to determine whether these differed in participants with mild cognitive impairment compared with typical, age-matched controls. Empirical mode decomposition phase locking analysis was used to assess synchrony, which is the first time this analysis technique has been applied in a complex cognitive task such as memory processing. The technique allowed assessment of changes in frontal and parietal cortex connectivity over time during a memory task, without a priori selection of frequency ranges, which has been shown previously to influence synchrony detection. Phase synchrony differed significantly in its timing and degree between participant groups in the theta and alpha frequency ranges. Timing differences suggested greater dependence on gist memory in the presence of mild cognitive impairment. The group with mild cognitive impairment had significantly more frontal theta phase locking than the controls in the absence of a significant behavioural difference in the task, providing new evidence for compensatory processing in the former group. Both groups showed greater frontal phase locking during false than true memory, suggesting increased searching when no actual memory trace was found. Significant inter-group differences in frontal alpha phase locking provided support for a role for lower and upper alpha oscillations in memory processing. Finally, fronto-parietal interaction was significantly reduced in the group with mild cognitive impairment, supporting the notion that mild cognitive impairment could represent an early stage in Alzheimer’s disease, which has been described as a ‘disconnection syndrome’. PMID:23118992

The Cognitive and Motivation Intervention Program in Youth Female Volleyball Players.

PubMed

Claver, Fernando; Jiménez, Ruth; Gil-Arias, Alexander; Moreno, Alberto; Moreno, M Perla

2017-10-01

This study, grounded in Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985, 2002) was aimed to determine the influence of a cognitive-motivational intervention program, to improve the basic psychological need satisfaction of autonomy and competence, autonomous motivation, procedural knowledge, perceived performance and sport commitment, in youth volleyball players. Participants included 34 Under-19 female volleyball players. A quasi-experimental design was carried out with an experimental group (n = 16; M = 17.45; SD = .45) and a control group (n = 18; M = 16.64; SD = .70). The experimental group followed a multidimensional intervention program comprised of 24 sessions held over three months (two training sessions per week). It was based on two strategies: giving athletes the possibility of choice in specific training tasks (proposing training situations with several action alternatives) and questioning (cognitively involving players through tactical questions). A repeated-measures MANOVA 2 (group: experimental and control) x 2 (time: pre-test and post-test) was used to analyse the effect of Group x Time interaction. The results of the inter-group analysis showed significant differences in the post-test measurement between the experimental group and the control group (in favour of the experimental group) in the variables: basic psychological need satisfaction of autonomy and competence, autonomous motivation, procedural knowledge, perceived performance and sport commitment. Given the relevance of the cognitive-motivational processes, not only for performance but also for sport commitment, this intervention has important implications for sport coaching.

Effects of Stress and Relaxation on Central Pain Modulation in Chronic Whiplash and Fibromyalgia Patients Compared to Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Coppieters, Iris; Cagnie, Barbara; Nijs, Jo; van Oosterwijck, Jessica; Danneels, Lieven; De Pauw, Robby; Meeus, Mira

2016-03-01

Compelling evidence has demonstrated that impaired central pain modulation contributes to persistent pain in patients with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD) and fibromyalgia (FM). However, there is limited research concerning the influence of stress and relaxation on central pain modulation in patients with chronic WAD and FM. The present study aims to investigate the effects of acute cognitive stress and relaxation on central pain modulation in chronic WAD and FM patients compared to healthy individuals. A randomized crossover design was employed. The present study took place at the University of Brussels, the University Hospital Brussels, and the University of Antwerp. Fifty-nine participants (16 chronic WAD patients, 21 FM, 22 pain-free controls) were enrolled and subjected to various pain measurements. Temporal summation (TS) of pain and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) were evaluated. Subsequently, participants were randomly allocated to either a group that received progressive relaxation therapy or a group that performed a battery of cognitive tests (= cognitive stressor). Afterwards, all pain measurements were repeated. One week later participant groups were switched. A significant difference was found between the groups in the change in TS in response to relaxation (P = 0.008) and cognitive stress (P = 0.003). TS decreased in response to relaxation and cognitive stress in chronic WAD patients and controls. In contrast, TS increased after both interventions in FM patients. CPM efficacy decreased in all 3 groups in response to relaxation (P = 0.002) and cognitive stress (P = 0.001). The obtained results only apply for a single session of muscle relaxation therapy and cognitive stress, whereby no conclusions can be made for effects on pain perception and modulation of chronic cognitive stress and long-term relaxation therapies. A single relaxation session as well as cognitive stress may have negative acute effects on pain modulation in patients with FM, while cognitive stress and relaxation did not worsen bottom-up sensitization in chronic WAD patients and healthy persons. However, endogenous pain inhibition, assessed using a CPM paradigm, worsened in chronic WAD and FM patients, as well as in healthy people following both interventions.

Evolving methods to combine cognitive and physical training for individuals with mild cognitive impairment: study protocol for a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Lee, Ya-Yun; Wu, Ching-Yi; Teng, Ching-Hung; Hsu, Wen-Chuin; Chang, Ku-Chou; Chen, Poyu

2016-10-28

Nonpharmacologic interventions, such as cognitive training or physical exercise, are effective in improving cognitive functions for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Some researchers have proposed that combining physical exercise with cognitive training may augment the benefits of cognition. However, strong evidence is lacking regarding whether a combined therapy is superior to a single type of training for older adults with MCI. Moreover, which combination approach - combining physical exercise with cognitive training sequentially or simultaneously - is more advantageous for cognitive improvement is not yet clear. This proposed study is designed to clarify these questions. This study is a single-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Eighty individuals with MCI will be recruited and randomly assigned to cognitive training (COG), physical exercise training (PE), sequential training (SEQ), and dual-task training (DUAL) groups. The intervention programs will be 90 min/day, 2-3 days/week, for a total of 36 training sessions. The participants in the SEQ group will first perform 45 min of physical exercise followed by 45 min of cognitive training, whereas those in the DUAL group will perform physical exercise and cognitive training simultaneously. Participants will be assessed at baseline, after the intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. The primary cognitive outcome tests will include the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the color-naming Stroop test. Other outcomes will include assessments that evaluate the cognitive, physical, and daily functions of older adults with MCI. The results of this proposed study will provide important information regarding the feasibility and intervention effects of combining physical exercise and cognitive training for older individuals with MCI. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02512627 , registered on 20 July 2015.

Neuroplastic changes in patients with schizophrenia undergoing cognitive remediation: triple-blind trial

PubMed Central

Ramsay, Ian S.; Nienow, Tasha M.; Marggraf, Matthew P.; MacDonald, Angus W.

2017-01-01

Background Patients with schizophrenia have shown cognitive improvements following cognitive remediation, but the neuroplastic changes that support these processes are not fully understood. Aims To use a triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine neural activation before and after cognitive remediation or a computer skills training (CST) placebo (trial registration: NCT00995553)). Method Twenty-seven participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after being randomised to either cognitive remediation intervention or CST. Participants completed two variants of the N-back task during scanning and were assessed on measures of cognition, functional capacity, community functioning and symptoms. Results We observed a group × time interaction in the left prefrontal cortex, wherein the cognitive remediation group showed increased activation. These changes correlated with improved task accuracy within the cognitive remediation group, whereas there was no relationship between changes in activation in untrained cognitive measures. Significant changes were not observed in other hypothesised areas for the cognitive remediation group. Conclusions We replicated the finding that cognitive remediation increases left lateral prefrontal activation during a working memory task in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting this may be an important neural target for these types of interventions. PMID:28153927

Neuroplastic changes in patients with schizophrenia undergoing cognitive remediation: triple-blind trial.

PubMed

Ramsay, Ian S; Nienow, Tasha M; Marggraf, Matthew P; MacDonald, Angus W

2017-03-01

Background Patients with schizophrenia have shown cognitive improvements following cognitive remediation, but the neuroplastic changes that support these processes are not fully understood. Aims To use a triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine neural activation before and after cognitive remediation or a computer skills training (CST) placebo (trial registration: NCT00995553)). Method Twenty-seven participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after being randomised to either cognitive remediation intervention or CST. Participants completed two variants of the N-back task during scanning and were assessed on measures of cognition, functional capacity, community functioning and symptoms. Results We observed a group × time interaction in the left prefrontal cortex, wherein the cognitive remediation group showed increased activation. These changes correlated with improved task accuracy within the cognitive remediation group, whereas there was no relationship between changes in activation in untrained cognitive measures. Significant changes were not observed in other hypothesised areas for the cognitive remediation group. Conclusions We replicated the finding that cognitive remediation increases left lateral prefrontal activation during a working memory task in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting this may be an important neural target for these types of interventions. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.

A practice-based intervention to improve primary care for falls, urinary incontinence, and dementia.

PubMed

Wenger, Neil S; Roth, Carol P; Shekelle, Paul G; Young, Roy T; Solomon, David H; Kamberg, Caren J; Chang, John T; Louie, Rachel; Higashi, Takahiro; MacLean, Catherine H; Adams, John; Min, Lillian C; Ransohoff, Kurt; Hoffing, Marc; Reuben, David B

2009-03-01

To determine whether a practice-based intervention can improve care for falls, urinary incontinence, and cognitive impairment. Controlled trial. Two community medical groups. Community-dwelling patients (357 at intervention sites and 287 at control sites) aged 75 and older identified as having difficulty with falls, incontinence, or cognitive impairment. Intervention and control practices received condition case-finding, but only intervention practices received a multicomponent practice-change intervention. Percentage of quality indicators satisfied measured using a 13-month medical record abstraction. Before the intervention, the quality of care was the same in intervention and control groups. Screening tripled the number of patients identified as needing care for falls, incontinence, or cognitive impairment. During the intervention, overall care for the three conditions was better in the intervention than the control group (41%, 95% confidence interval (CI)=35-46% vs 25%, 95% CI=20-30%, P<.001). Intervention group patients received better care for falls (44% vs 23%, P<.001) and incontinence (37% vs 22%, P<.001) but not for cognitive impairment (44% vs 41%, P=.67) than control group patients. The intervention was more effective for conditions identified by screening than for conditions identified through usual care. A practice-based intervention integrated into usual clinical care can improve primary care for falls and urinary incontinence, although even with the intervention, less than half of the recommended care for these conditions was provided. More-intensive interventions, such as embedding intervention components into an electronic medical record, will be needed to adequately improve care for falls and incontinence.

Shutting down sensorimotor interference unblocks the networks for stimulus processing: an SMR neurofeedback training study.

PubMed

Kober, Silvia Erika; Witte, Matthias; Stangl, Matthias; Väljamäe, Aleksander; Neuper, Christa; Wood, Guilherme

2015-01-01

In the present study, we investigated how the electrical activity in the sensorimotor cortex contributes to improved cognitive processing capabilities and how SMR (sensorimotor rhythm, 12-15Hz) neurofeedback training modulates it. Previous evidence indicates that higher levels of SMR activity reduce sensorimotor interference and thereby promote cognitive processing. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups, one experimental (N=10) group receiving SMR neurofeedback training, in which they learned to voluntarily increase SMR, and one control group (N=10) receiving sham feedback. Multiple cognitive functions and electrophysiological correlates of cognitive processing were assessed before and after 10 neurofeedback training sessions. The experimental group but not the control group showed linear increases in SMR power over training runs, which was associated with behavioural improvements in memory and attentional performance. Additionally, increasing SMR led to a more salient stimulus processing as indicated by increased N1 and P3 event-related potential amplitudes after the training as compared to the pre-test. Finally, functional brain connectivity between motor areas and visual processing areas was reduced after SMR training indicating reduced sensorimotor interference. These results indicate that SMR neurofeedback improves stimulus processing capabilities and consequently leads to improvements in cognitive performance. The present findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying SMR neurofeedback training and cognitive processing and implicate that SMR neurofeedback might be an effective cognitive training tool. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary evidence of improved cognitive performance following vestibular rehabilitation in children with combined ADHD (cADHD) and concurrent vestibular impairment.

PubMed

Lotfi, Younes; Rezazadeh, Nima; Moossavi, Abdollah; Haghgoo, Hojjat Allah; Rostami, Reza; Bakhshi, Enayatollah; Badfar, Faride; Moghadam, Sedigheh Farokhi; Sadeghi-Firoozabadi, Vahid; Khodabandelou, Yousef

2017-12-01

Balance function has been reported to be worse in ADHD children than in their normal peers. The present study hypothesized that an improvement in balance could result in better cognitive performance in children with ADHD and concurrent vestibular impairment. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of comprehensive vestibular rehabilitation therapy on the cognitive performance of children with combined ADHD and concurrent vestibular impairment. Subject were 54 children with combined ADHD. Those with severe vestibular impairment (n=33) were randomly assigned to two groups that were matched for age. A rehabilitation program comprising overall balance and gate, postural stability, and eye movement exercises was assigned to the intervention group. Subjects in the control group received no intervention for the same time period. Intervention was administered twice weekly for 12 weeks. Choice reaction time (CRT) and spatial working memory (SWM) subtypes of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were completed pre- and post-intervention to determine the effects of vestibular rehabilitation on the cognitive performance of the subjects with ADHD and concurrent vestibular impairment. ANCOVA was used to compare the test results of the intervention and control group post-test. The percentage of correct trial scores for the CRT achieved by the intervention group post-test increased significantly compared to those of the control group (p=0.029). The CRT mean latency scores were significantly prolonged in the intervention group following intervention (p=0.007) compared to the control group. No significant change was found in spatial functioning of the subjects with ADHD following 12 weeks of intervention (p>0.05). The study highlights the effect of vestibular rehabilitation on the cognitive performance of children with combined ADHD and concurrent vestibular disorder. The findings indicate that attention can be affected by early vestibular rehabilitation, which is a basic program for improving memory function in such children. Appropriate vestibular rehabilitation programs based on the type of vestibular impairment of children can improve their cognitive ability to some extent in children with ADHD and concurrent vestibular impairment (p>0.05). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impaired processing speed and attention in first-episode drug naive schizophrenia with deficit syndrome.

PubMed

Chen, Ce; Jiang, Wenhui; Zhong, Na; Wu, Jin; Jiang, Haifeng; Du, Jiang; Li, Ye; Ma, Xiancang; Zhao, Min; Hashimoto, Kenji; Gao, Chengge

2014-11-01

Although first-episode drug naive patients with schizophrenia are known to show cognitive impairment, the cognitive performances of these patients, who suffer deficit syndrome, compared with those who suffer non-deficit syndrome is undetermined. The aim of this study was to compare cognitive performances in first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia with deficit syndrome or non-deficit syndrome. First-episode drug naive patients (n=49) and medicated patients (n=108) with schizophrenia, and age, sex, and education matched healthy controls (n=57 for the first-episode group, and n=128 for the medicated group) were enrolled. Patients were divided into deficit or non-deficit syndrome groups, using the Schedule for Deficit Syndrome. Cognitive performance was assessed using the CogState computerized cognitive battery. All cognitive domains in first-episode drug naive and medicated patients showed significant impairment compared with their respective control groups. Furthermore, cognitive performance in first-episode drug naive patients was significantly worse than in medicated patients. Interestingly, the cognitive performance markers of processing speed and attention, in first-episode drug naive patients with deficit syndrome, were both significantly worse than in equivalent patients without deficit syndrome. In contrast, no differences in cognitive performance were found between the two groups of medicated patients. In conclusion, this study found that first-episode drug naive schizophrenia with deficit syndrome showed significantly impaired processing speed and attention, compared with patients with non-deficit syndrome. These findings highlight processing speed and attention as potential targets for pharmacological and psychosocial interventions in first-episode schizophrenia with deficit syndrome, since these domains are associated with social outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introducing MASC: a movie for the assessment of social cognition.

PubMed

Dziobek, Isabel; Fleck, Stefan; Kalbe, Elke; Rogers, Kimberley; Hassenstab, Jason; Brand, Matthias; Kessler, Josef; Woike, Jan K; Wolf, Oliver T; Convit, Antonio

2006-07-01

In the present study we introduce a sensitive video-based test for the evaluation of subtle mindreading difficulties: the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). This new mindreading tool involves watching a short film and answering questions referring to the actors' mental states. A group of adults with Asperger syndrome (n = 19) and well-matched control subjects (n = 20) were administered the MASC and three other mindreading tools as part of a broader neuropsychological testing session. Compared to control subjects, Asperger individuals exhibited marked and selective difficulties in social cognition. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis for the mindreading tests identified the MASC as discriminating the diagnostic groups most accurately. Issues pertaining to the multidimensionality of the social cognition construct are discussed.

Parathyroid Hormone Levels and Cognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burnett, J.; Smith, S.M.; Aung, K.; Dyer, C.

2009-01-01

Hyperparathyroidism is a well-recognized cause of impaired cognition due to hypercalcemia. However, recent studies have suggested that perhaps parathyroid hormone itself plays a role in cognition, especially executive dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of parathyroid hormone levels in a study cohort of elders with impaied cognition. Methods: Sixty community-living adults, 65 years of age and older, reported to Adult Protective Services for self-neglect and 55 controls matched (on age, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status) consented and participated in this study. The research team conducted in-home comprehensive geriatric assessments which included the Mini-mental state exam (MMSE), the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS) , the Wolf-Klein clock test and a comprehensive nutritional panel, which included parathyroid hormone and ionized calcium. Students t tests and linear regression analyses were performed to assess for bivariate associations. Results: Self-neglecters (M = 73.73, sd=48.4) had significantly higher PTH levels compared to controls (M =47.59, sd=28.7; t=3.59, df=98.94, p<.01). There was no significant group difference in ionized calcium levels. Overall, PTH was correlated with the MMSE (r=-.323, p=.001). Individual regression analyses revealed a statistically significant correlation between PTH and MMSE in the self-neglect group (r=-.298, p=.024) and this remained significant after controlling for ionized calcium levels in the regression. No significant associations were revealed in the control group or among any of the other cognitive measures. Conclusion: Parathyroid hormone may be associated with cognitive performance.

To Switch or Not to Switch: Role of Cognitive Control in Working Memory Training in Older Adults.

PubMed

Basak, Chandramallika; O'Connell, Margaret A

2016-01-01

It is currently not known what are the best working memory training strategies to offset the age-related declines in fluid cognitive abilities. In this randomized clinical double-blind trial, older adults were randomly assigned to one of two types of working memory training - one group was trained on a predictable memory updating task (PT) and another group was trained on a novel, unpredictable memory updating task (UT). Unpredictable memory updating, compared to predictable, requires greater demands on cognitive control (Basak and Verhaeghen, 2011a). Therefore, the current study allowed us to evaluate the role of cognitive control in working memory training. All participants were assessed on a set of near and far transfer tasks at three different testing sessions - before training, immediately after the training, and 1.5 months after completing the training. Additionally, individual learning rates for a comparison working memory task (performed by both groups) and the trained task were computed. Training on unpredictable memory updating, compared to predictable, significantly enhanced performance on a measure of episodic memory, immediately after the training. Moreover, individuals with faster learning rates showed greater gains in this episodic memory task and another new working memory task; this effect was specific to UT. We propose that the unpredictable memory updating training, compared to predictable memory updating training, may a better strategy to improve selective cognitive abilities in older adults, and future studies could further investigate the role of cognitive control in working memory training.

The effect of group-based exercise on cognitive performance and mood in seniors residing in intermediate care and self-care retirement facilities: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Brown, A K; Liu-Ambrose, T; Tate, R; Lord, S R

2009-08-01

To determine the effect of a general group-based exercise programme on cognitive performance and mood among seniors without dementia living in retirement villages. Randomised controlled trial. Four intermediate care and four self-care retirement village sites in Sydney, Australia. 154 seniors (19 men, 135 women; age range 62 to 95 years), who were residents of intermediate care and self-care retirement facilities. Participants were randomised to one of three experimental groups: (1) a general group-based exercise (GE) programme composed of resistance training and balance training exercises; (2) a flexibility exercise and relaxation technique (FR) programme; or (3) no-exercise control (NEC). The intervention groups (GE and FR) participated in 1-hour exercise classes twice a week for a total period of 6 months. Using standard neuropsychological tests, we assessed cognitive performance at baseline and at 6-month re-test in three domains: (1) fluid intelligence; (2) visual, verbal and working memory; and (3) executive functioning. We also assessed mood using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The GE programme significantly improved cognitive performance of fluid intelligence compared with FR or NEC. There were also significant improvements in the positive PANAS scale within both the GE and FR groups and an indication that the two exercise programmes reduced depression in those with initially high GDS scores. Our GE programme significantly improved cognitive performance of fluid intelligence in seniors residing in retirement villages compared with our FR programme and the NEC group. Furthermore, both group-based exercise programmes were beneficial for certain aspects of mood within the 6-month intervention period.

Cognitive computer training in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) versus no intervention: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bikic, Aida; Leckman, James F; Lindschou, Jane; Christensen, Torben Ø; Dalsgaard, Søren

2015-10-24

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention and impulsivity and/or hyperactivity and a range of cognitive dysfunctions. Pharmacological treatment may be beneficial; however, many affected individuals continue to have difficulties with cognitive functions despite medical treatment, and up to 30 % do not respond to pharmacological treatment. Inadequate medical compliance and the long-term effects of treatment make it necessary to explore nonpharmacological and supplementary treatments for ADHD. Treatment of cognitive dysfunctions may prove particularly important because of the impact of these dysfunctions on the ability to cope with everyday life. Lately, several trials have shown promising results for cognitive computer training, often referred to as cognitive training, which focuses on particular parts of cognition, mostly on the working memory or attention but with poor generalization of training on other cognitive functions and functional outcome. Children with ADHD have a variety of cognitive dysfunctions, and it is important that cognitive training target multiple cognitive functions. This multicenter randomized clinical superiority trial aims to investigate the effect of "ACTIVATE™," a computer program designed to improve a range of cognitive skills and ADHD symptoms. A total of 122 children with ADHD, aged 6 to 13 years, will be randomized to an intervention or a control group. The intervention group will be asked to use ACTIVATE™ at home 40 minutes per day, 6 days per week for 8 weeks. Both intervention and control group will receive treatment as usual. Outcome measures will assess cognitive functions, symptoms, and behavioral and functional measures before and after the 8 weeks of training and in a 12- and 24-week follow-up. Results of this trial will provide useful information on the effectiveness of computer training focusing on several cognitive functions. Cognitive training has the potential to reduce cognitive dysfunctions and to become a new treatment option, which can promote a more normal neural development in young children with ADHD and thus reduce cognitive dysfunctions and symptoms. This could help children with ADHD to perform better in everyday life and school. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01752530 , date of registration: 10 December 2012.

A Comparative Study of Mindfulness Efficiency Based on Islamic-Spiritual Schemes and Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Reduction of Anxiety and Depression in Pregnant Women.

PubMed

Aslami, Elahe; Alipour, Ahmad; Najib, Fatemeh Sadat; Aghayosefi, Alireza

2017-04-01

Anxiety and depression during the pregnancy period are among the factors affecting the pregnancy undesirable outcomes and delivery. One way of controlling anxiety and depression is mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of mindfulness based on the Islamic-spiritual schemas and group cognitive behavioral therapy on reduction of anxiety and depression in pregnant women. The research design was semi-experimental in the form of pretest-posttest using a control group. Among the pregnant women in the 16th to 32nd weeks of pregnancy who referred to the health center, 30 pregnant women with high anxiety level and 30 pregnant women with high depression participated in the research. Randomly 15 participants with high depression and 15 participants with high anxiety were considered in the intervention group under the treatment of mindfulness based on Islamic-spiritual schemes. In addition, 15 participants with high scores regarding depression and 15 with high scores in anxiety were considered in the other group. .The control group consisted of 15 pregnant women with high anxiety and depression. Beck anxiety-depression questionnaire was used in two steps of pre-test and post-test. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 20, and P≤0.05 was considered as significant. The results of multivariate analysis of variance test and tracking Tokey test showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of anxiety and depression in the two groups of mindfulness based on spiritual- Islamic scheme (P<0.001) and the group of cognitive behavioral therapy with each other (P<0.001) and with the control group(P<0.001). The mean of anxiety and depression scores decreased in the intervention group, but it increased in the control group. Both therapy methods were effective in reduction of anxiety and depression of pregnant women, but the effect of mindfulness based on spiritual- Islamic schemes was more.

Enrichment and Training Improve Cognition in Rats with Cortical Malformations

PubMed Central

Jenks, Kyle R.; Lucas, Marcella M.; Duffy, Ben A.; Robbins, Ashlee A.; Gimi, Barjor; Barry, Jeremy M.; Scott, Rod C.

2013-01-01

Children with malformations of cortical development (MCD) frequently have associated cognitive impairments which reduce quality of life. We hypothesized that cognitive deficits associated with MCD can be improved with environmental manipulation or additional training. The E17 methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) exposure model bears many anatomical hallmarks seen in human MCDs as well as similar behavioral and cognitive deficits. We divided control and MAM exposed Sprague-Dawley rats into enriched and non-enriched groups and tested performance in the Morris water maze. Another group similarly divided underwent sociability testing and also underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans pre and post enrichment. A third group of control and MAM rats without enrichment were trained until they reached criterion on the place avoidance task. MAM rats had impaired performance on spatial tasks and enrichment improved performance of both control and MAM animals. Although MAM rats did not have a deficit in sociability they showed similar improvement with enrichment as controls. MRI revealed a whole brain volume decrease with MAM exposure, and an increase in both MAM and control enriched volumes in comparison to non-enriched animals. In the place avoidance task, MAM rats required approximately 3 times as long to reach criterion as control animals, but with additional training were able to reach control performance. Environmental manipulation and additional training can improve cognition in a rodent MCD model. We therefore suggest that patients with MCD may benefit from appropriate alterations in educational strategies, social interaction and environment. These factors should be considered in therapeutic strategies. PMID:24358362

V-TIME: a treadmill training program augmented by virtual reality to decrease fall risk in older adults: study design of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mirelman, Anat; Rochester, Lynn; Reelick, Miriam; Nieuwhof, Freek; Pelosin, Elisa; Abbruzzese, Giovanni; Dockx, Kim; Nieuwboer, Alice; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M

2013-02-06

Recent work has demonstrated that fall risk can be attributed to cognitive as well as motor deficits. Indeed, everyday walking in complex environments utilizes executive function, dual tasking, planning and scanning, all while walking forward. Pilot studies suggest that a multi-modal intervention that combines treadmill training to target motor function and a virtual reality obstacle course to address the cognitive components of fall risk may be used to successfully address the motor-cognitive interactions that are fundamental for fall risk reduction. The proposed randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effects of treadmill training augmented with virtual reality on fall risk. Three hundred older adults with a history of falls will be recruited to participate in this study. This will include older adults (n=100), patients with mild cognitive impairment (n=100), and patients with Parkinson's disease (n=100). These three sub-groups will be recruited in order to evaluate the effects of the intervention in people with a range of motor and cognitive deficits. Subjects will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (treadmill training with virtual reality) or to the active-control group (treadmill training without virtual reality). Each person will participate in a training program set in an outpatient setting 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Assessments will take place before, after, and 1 month and 6 months after the completion of the training. A falls calendar will be kept by each participant for 6 months after completing the training to assess fall incidence (i.e., the number of falls, multiple falls and falls rate). In addition, we will measure gait under usual and dual task conditions, balance, community mobility, health related quality of life, user satisfaction and cognitive function. This randomized controlled trial will demonstrate the extent to which an intervention that combines treadmill training augmented by virtual reality reduces fall risk, improves mobility and enhances cognitive function in a diverse group of older adults. In addition, the comparison to an active control group that undergoes treadmill training without virtual reality will provide evidence as to the added value of addressing motor cognitive interactions as an integrated unit. (NIH)-NCT01732653.

V-TIME: a treadmill training program augmented by virtual reality to decrease fall risk in older adults: study design of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Recent work has demonstrated that fall risk can be attributed to cognitive as well as motor deficits. Indeed, everyday walking in complex environments utilizes executive function, dual tasking, planning and scanning, all while walking forward. Pilot studies suggest that a multi-modal intervention that combines treadmill training to target motor function and a virtual reality obstacle course to address the cognitive components of fall risk may be used to successfully address the motor-cognitive interactions that are fundamental for fall risk reduction. The proposed randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effects of treadmill training augmented with virtual reality on fall risk. Methods/Design Three hundred older adults with a history of falls will be recruited to participate in this study. This will include older adults (n=100), patients with mild cognitive impairment (n=100), and patients with Parkinson’s disease (n=100). These three sub-groups will be recruited in order to evaluate the effects of the intervention in people with a range of motor and cognitive deficits. Subjects will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (treadmill training with virtual reality) or to the active-control group (treadmill training without virtual reality). Each person will participate in a training program set in an outpatient setting 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Assessments will take place before, after, and 1 month and 6 months after the completion of the training. A falls calendar will be kept by each participant for 6 months after completing the training to assess fall incidence (i.e., the number of falls, multiple falls and falls rate). In addition, we will measure gait under usual and dual task conditions, balance, community mobility, health related quality of life, user satisfaction and cognitive function. Discussion This randomized controlled trial will demonstrate the extent to which an intervention that combines treadmill training augmented by virtual reality reduces fall risk, improves mobility and enhances cognitive function in a diverse group of older adults. In addition, the comparison to an active control group that undergoes treadmill training without virtual reality will provide evidence as to the added value of addressing motor cognitive interactions as an integrated unit. Trial Registration (NIH)–NCT01732653 PMID:23388087

Effects of the FITKids randomized controlled trial on executive control and brain function.

PubMed

Hillman, Charles H; Pontifex, Matthew B; Castelli, Darla M; Khan, Naiman A; Raine, Lauren B; Scudder, Mark R; Drollette, Eric S; Moore, Robert D; Wu, Chien-Ting; Kamijo, Keita

2014-10-01

To assess the effect of a physical activity (PA) intervention on brain and behavioral indices of executive control in preadolescent children. Two hundred twenty-one children (7-9 years) were randomly assigned to a 9-month afterschool PA program or a wait-list control. In addition to changes in fitness (maximal oxygen consumption), electrical activity in the brain (P3-ERP) and behavioral measures (accuracy, reaction time) of executive control were collected by using tasks that modulated attentional inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Fitness improved more among intervention participants from pretest to posttest compared with the wait-list control (1.3 mL/kg per minute, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.3 to 2.4; d = 0.34 for group difference in pre-to-post change score). Intervention participants exhibited greater improvements from pretest to posttest in inhibition (3.2%, 95% CI: 0.0 to 6.5; d = 0.27) and cognitive flexibility (4.8%, 95% CI: 1.1 to 8.4; d = 0.35 for group difference in pre-to-post change score) compared with control. Only the intervention group increased attentional resources from pretest to posttest during tasks requiring increased inhibition (1.4 µV, 95% CI: 0.3 to 2.6; d = 0.34) and cognitive flexibility (1.5 µV, 95% CI: 0.6 to 2.5; d = 0.43). Finally, improvements in brain function on the inhibition task (r = 0.22) and performance on the flexibility task correlated with intervention attendance (r = 0.24). The intervention enhanced cognitive performance and brain function during tasks requiring greater executive control. These findings demonstrate a causal effect of a PA program on executive control, and provide support for PA for improving childhood cognition and brain health. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Imagining a brighter future: the effect of positive imagery training on mood, prospective mental imagery and emotional bias in older adults.

PubMed

Murphy, Susannah E; Clare O'Donoghue, M; Drazich, Erin H S; Blackwell, Simon E; Christina Nobre, Anna; Holmes, Emily A

2015-11-30

Positive affect and optimism play an important role in healthy ageing and are associated with improved physical and cognitive health outcomes. This study investigated whether it is possible to boost positive affect and associated positive biases in this age group using cognitive training. The effect of computerised imagery-based cognitive bias modification on positive affect, vividness of positive prospective imagery and interpretation biases in older adults was measured. 77 older adults received 4 weeks (12 sessions) of imagery cognitive bias modification or a control condition. They were assessed at baseline, post-training and at a one-month follow-up. Both groups reported decreased negative affect and trait anxiety, and increased optimism across the three assessments. Imagery cognitive bias modification significantly increased the vividness of positive prospective imagery post-training, compared with the control training. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no difference between the training groups in negative interpretation bias. This is a useful demonstration that it is possible to successfully engage older adults in computer-based cognitive training and to enhance the vividness of positive imagery about the future in this group. Future studies are needed to assess the longer-term consequences of such training and the impact on affect and wellbeing in more vulnerable groups. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Effect of aluminum exposure on cognitive function in electrolytic workers and its influential factors].

PubMed

Lu, Xiao-ting; Liang, Rui-feng; Jia, Zhi-jian; Wang, Hao; Song, Wen-fei; Li, Qiu-ying; Niu, Qiao

2013-02-01

To clarify the effect of aluminum exposure on the cognitive function in electrolytic workers and the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among them by prevalence survey, and to investigate its influential factors. Sixty-six retired workers from the electrolysis workshop of an electrolytic aluminum plant were selected as an aluminum exposure group, while 70 retired workers from a flour mill in the same region were selected as a control group. MCI patients were screened out by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); the blood aluminum level was measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry; multivariate statistical analysis was used to investigate the influential factors for MMSE scores and the correlation between blood aluminum level and MCI prevalence. The aluminum exposure group showed a significantly higher blood aluminum level than the control group (25.18 ± 2.65 µg/L vs 9.97 ± 2.83 µg/L, P < 0.01). The total MMSE score of the aluminum exposure group (26.13 ± 2.57) was significantly lower than that of the control group (27.89 ± 1.91) (P < 0.05), particularly the scores on time and place orientation, short-term memory, calculation ability, and language skill (P < 0.05). The detection rate of MCI was significantly higher in the aluminum exposure group (18.2%) than in the control group (5.7%) (P < 0.01). The main influential factors for MMSE scores were gender, age, education level, and blood aluminum level. The logistic regression analysis indicated that the MCI prevalence was significantly correlated with blood aluminum level in the study population (OR = 1.168, P < 0.01). Long-term exposure to aluminum can cause cognitive disorders in electrolytic workers and may be one of the risk factors for MCI. Advanced age, male, low education level, and high blood aluminum level may be high-risk factors for cognitive impairment.

A comparison of cognitive performance decreases during acute, progressive fatigue arising from different concurrent stressors.

PubMed

Fogt, Donovan L; Kalns, John E; Michael, Darren J

2010-12-01

Fatigue is known to impair cognitive performance, but it remains unclear whether concurrent common stressors affect cognitive performance similarly. We used the Stroop Color-Word Conflict Test to assess cognitive performance over 24 hours for four groups: control, sleep-deprived (SD), SD + energy deficit, and SD + energy deficit + fluid restricted. Fatigue levels were quantified using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) survey. Linear mixed-effects (LME) models allowed for testing of group-specific differences in cognitive performance while accounting for subject-level variation. Starting fatigue levels were similar among all groups, while 24-hour fatigue levels differed significantly. For each cognitive performance test, results were modeled separately. The simplest LME model contained a significant fixed-effects term for slope and intercept. Moreover, the simplest LME model used a single slope coefficient to fit data from all four groups, suggesting that loss in cognitive performance over a 24-hour duty cycle with respect to fatigue level is similar regardless of the cause.

Multimodal Cognitive Enhancement Therapy for Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia: A Multi- Center, Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind, Crossover Trial.

PubMed

Han, Ji Won; Lee, Hyeonggon; Hong, Jong Woo; Kim, Kayoung; Kim, Taehyun; Byun, Hye Jin; Ko, Ji Won; Youn, Jong Chul; Ryu, Seung-Ho; Lee, Nam-Jin; Pae, Chi-Un; Kim, Ki Woong

2017-01-01

We developed and evaluated the effect of Multimodal Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (MCET) consisting of cognitive training, cognitive stimulations, reality orientation, physical therapy, reminiscence therapy, and music therapy in combination in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia. This study was a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, two-period cross-over study (two 8-week treatment phases separated by a 4-week wash-out period). Sixty-four participants with MCI or dementia whose Clinical Dementia Rating was 0.5 or 1 were randomized to the MCET group or the mock-therapy (placebo) group. Outcomes were measured at baseline, week 9, and week 21. Fifty-five patients completed the study. Mini-Mental State Examination (effect size = 0.47, p = 0.013) and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (effect size = 0.35, p = 0.045) scores were significantly improved in the MCET compared with mock-therapy group. Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist frequency (effect size = 0.38, p = 0.046) and self-rated Quality of Life - Alzheimer's Disease (effect size = 0.39, p = 0.047) scores were significantly improved in the MCET compared with mock-therapy. MCET improved cognition, behavior, and quality of life in people with MCI or mild dementia more effectively than conventional cognitive enhancing activities did.

Cognitive Outcomes for Extremely Preterm/Extremely Low Birth Weight Children in Kindergarten

PubMed Central

Orchinik, Leah J.; Taylor, H. Gerry; Espy, Kimberly Andrews; Minich, Nori; Klein, Nancy; Sheffield, Tiffany; Hack, Maureen

2012-01-01

Our objectives were to examine cognitive outcomes for extremely preterm/extremely low birth weight (EPT/ELBW, gestational age <28 weeks and/or birth weight <1000 g) children in kindergarten and the associations of these outcomes with neonatal factors, early childhood neurodevelopmental impairment, and socioeconomic status (SES). The sample comprised a hospital-based 2001-2003 birth cohort of 148 EPT/ELBW children (mean birth weight 818 g; mean gestational age 26 weeks) and a comparison group of 111 term-born normal birth weight (NBW) classmate controls. Controlling for background factors, the EPT/ELBW group had pervasive deficits relative to the NBW group on a comprehensive test battery, with rates of cognitive deficits that were 3 to 6 times higher in the EPT/ELBW group. Deficits on a measure of response inhibition were found in 48% versus 10%, OR (95% CI) = 7.32 (3.32, 16.16), p <.001. Deficits on measures of executive function and motor and perceptual-motor abilities were found even when controlling for acquired verbal knowledge. Neonatal risk factors, early neurodevelopmental impairment, and lower SES were associated with higher rates of deficits within the EPT/ELBW group. The findings document both global and selective cognitive deficits in EPT/ELBW children at school entry and justify efforts at early identification and intervention. PMID:21923973

Acquisition of Linguistic and Cognitive Skills by Children with Cleft Palate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broen, Patricia A.; Devers, Monica C.; Doyle, Shirley S.; Prouty, Jo McCauley; Moller, Karlind T.

1998-01-01

This study compared cognitive and linguistic development of young children with (N=28) and without (N=29) cleft palate. Children with cleft palate, although well within the normal range, performed significantly below the control group on cognitive and linguistic tests. Cognitive differences were linguistic in nature and were related to hearing…

An Exploration of Cognitive Agility as Quantified by Attention Allocation in a Complex Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

quantified by eye-tracking data collected while subjects played a military-relevant cognitive agility computer game (Make Goal), to determine whether...subjects played a military-relevant cognitive agility computer game (Make Goal), to determine whether certain patterns are associated with effective...Group and Control Group on Eye Tracking and Game Performance .....................36 3. Comparison between High and Low Performers on Eye tracking and

Continuous infusion of low-dose unfractionated heparin after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a preliminary study of cognitive outcomes.

PubMed

James, Robert F; Khattar, Nicolas K; Aljuboori, Zaid S; Page, Paul S; Shao, Elaine Y; Carter, Lacey M; Meyer, Kimberly S; Daniels, Michael W; Craycroft, John; Gaughen, John R; Chaudry, M Imran; Rai, Shesh N; Everhart, D Erik; Simard, J Marc

2018-05-11

OBJECTIVE Cognitive dysfunction occurs in up to 70% of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) survivors. Low-dose intravenous heparin (LDIVH) infusion using the Maryland protocol was recently shown to reduce clinical vasospasm and vasospasm-related infarction. In this study, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to evaluate cognitive changes in aSAH patients treated with the Maryland LDIVH protocol compared with controls. METHODS A retrospective analysis of all patients treated for aSAH between July 2009 and April 2014 was conducted. Beginning in 2012, aSAH patients were treated with LDIVH in the postprocedural period. The MoCA was administered to all aSAH survivors prospectively during routine follow-up visits, at least 3 months after aSAH, by trained staff blinded to treatment status. Mean MoCA scores were compared between groups, and regression analyses were performed for relevant factors. RESULTS No significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed between groups. The mean MoCA score for the LDIVH group (n = 25) was 26.4 compared with 22.7 in controls (n = 22) (p = 0.013). Serious cognitive impairment (MoCA ≤ 20) was observed in 32% of controls compared with 0% in the LDIVH group (p = 0.008). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that only LDIVH was associated with a positive influence on MoCA scores (β = 3.68, p =0.019), whereas anterior communicating artery aneurysms and fevers were negatively associated with MoCA scores. Multivariable linear regression analysis resulted in all 3 factors maintaining significance. There were no treatment complications. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study suggests that the Maryland LDIVH protocol may improve cognitive outcomes in aSAH patients. A randomized controlled trial is needed to determine the safety and potential benefit of unfractionated heparin in aSAH patients.

Investigating cognitive ability and self-reported driving performance of post-stroke adults in a driving simulator.

PubMed

Blane, Alison; Falkmer, Torbjörn; Lee, Hoe C; Dukic Willstrand, Tania

2018-01-01

Background Safe driving is a complex activity that requires calibration. This means the driver can accurately assess the level of task demand required for task completion and can accurately evaluate their driving capability. There is much debate on the calibration ability of post-stroke drivers. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the cognition, self-rated performance, and estimation of task demand in a driving simulator with post-stroke drivers and controls. Methods A between-groups study design was employed, which included a post-stroke driver group and a group of similarly aged older control drivers. Both groups were observed driving in two simulator-based driving scenarios and asked to complete the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) to assess their perceived task demand and self-rate their driving performance. Participants also completed a battery of psychometric tasks to assess attention and executive function, which was used to determine whether post-stroke cognitive impairment impacted on calibration. Results There was no difference in the amount of perceived task demand required to complete the driving task. Despite impairments in cognition, the post-stroke drivers were not more likely to over-estimate their driving abilities than controls. On average, the post-stroke drivers self-rated themselves more poorly than the controls and this rating was related to cognitive ability. Conclusion This study suggests that post-stroke drivers may be aware of their deficits and adjust their driving behavior. Furthermore, using self-performance measures alongside a driving simulator and cognitive assessments may provide complementary fitness-to-drive assessments, as well as rehabilitation tools during post-stroke recovery.

The effects of a concurrent task on walking in persons with transfemoral amputation compared to persons without limb loss.

PubMed

Morgan, Sara J; Hafner, Brian J; Kelly, Valerie E

2016-08-01

Many people with lower limb loss report the need to concentrate on walking. This may indicate increased reliance on cognitive resources when walking compared to individuals without limb loss. This study quantified changes in walking associated with addition of a concurrent cognitive task in persons with transfemoral amputation using microprocessor knees compared to age- and sex-matched controls. Observational, cross-sectional study. Quantitative motion analysis was used to assess walking under both single-task (walking alone) and dual-task (walking while performing a cognitive task) conditions. Primary outcomes were walking speed, step width, step time asymmetry, and cognitive task response latency and accuracy. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of task (single-task and dual-task) and group (transfemoral amputation and control) for each outcome. No significant interactions between task and group were observed (all p > 0.11) indicating that a cognitive task did not differentially affect walking between groups. However, walking was slower with wider steps and more asymmetry in people with transfemoral amputation compared to controls under both conditions. Although there were significant differences in walking between people with transfemoral amputation and matched controls, the effects of a concurrent cognitive task on walking were similar between groups. The addition of a concurrent task did not differentially affect walking outcomes in people with and without transfemoral amputation. However, compared to people without limb loss, people with transfemoral amputation adopted a conservative walking strategy. This strategy may reduce the need to concentrate on walking but also contributed to notable gait deviations. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2015.

A randomized controlled trial of Kundalini yoga in mild cognitive impairment

PubMed Central

Eyre, Harris A.; Siddarth, Prabha; Acevedo, Bianca; Van Dyk, Kathleen; Paholpak, Pattharee; Ercoli, Linda; Cyr, Natalie St.; Yang, Hongyu; Khalsa, Dharma S.; Lavretsky, Helen

2017-01-01

Background Global population aging will result in increasing rates of cognitive decline and dementia. Thus, effective, low-cost, and low side-effect interventions for the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline are urgently needed. Our study is the first to investigate the effects of Kundalini yoga (KY) training on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods Older participants (≥55 years of age) with MCI were randomized to either a 12-week KY intervention or memory enhancement training (MET; gold-standard, active control). Cognitive (i.e. memory and executive functioning) and mood (i.e. depression, apathy, and resilience) assessments were administered at baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. Results At baseline, 81 participants had no significant baseline group differences in clinical or demographic characteristics. At 12 weeks and 24 weeks, both KY and MET groups showed significant improvement in memory; however, only KY showed significant improvement in executive functioning. Only the KY group showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms and resilience at week 12. Conclusion KY group showed short- and long-term improvements in executive functioning as compared to MET, and broader effects on depressed mood and resilience. This observation should be confirmed in future clinical trials of yoga intervention for treatment and prevention of cognitive decline (NCT01983930). PMID:28088925

Medium-Chain Triglycerides in Combination with Leucine and Vitamin D Benefit Cognition in Frail Elderly Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Abe, Sakiko; Ezaki, Osamu; Suzuki, Motohisa

2017-01-01

The combined supplementation of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), L-leucine-rich amino acids, and cholecalciferol (vitamin D 3 ) increase muscle strength and function in frail elderly individuals. However, their effects on cognition are unknown. We enrolled 38 elderly nursing home residents (mean age±SD, 86.6±4.8 y) in a 3-mo randomized, controlled, parallel group trial. The participants were randomly allocated to 3 groups: the first group received a L-leucine (1.2 g)- and cholecalciferol (20 μg)-enriched supplement with 6 g of MCT (LD+MCT); the second group received the same supplement with 6 g of long-chain triglycerides (LD+LCT); and the third group did not receive any supplements (control). Cognition was assessed at baseline and after the 3-mo intervention. The difference in changes among the groups was assessed with ANCOVA, adjusting for age and the baseline value as covariates. After 3 mo, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score in the LD+MCT group increased by 10.6% (from 16.6 to 18.4 points, p<0.05). After 3 mo, the Nishimura geriatric rating scale for mental status (NM scale) score in the LD+MCT group increased by 30.6% (from 24.6 to 32.2 points, p<0.001), whereas that in the LD+LCT and control groups decreased by 11.2% (from 31.2 to 27.7 points, p<0.05) and 26.1% (from 27.2 to 20.1 points, p<0.001), respectively. The combined supplementation of MCTs (6 g), L-leucine-rich amino acids, and cholecalciferol may improve cognitive function in frail elderly individuals.

Analysis of the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Kwon, Jin Young; Yang, Ji Ho; Han, Ji Sang; Kim, Do Gyun

2017-12-01

To compare the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) as well as the macula volume and thickness in the eyes of age-matched healthy controls with no cognitive disabilities with those of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer disease (AD). We used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to determine the effectiveness of the above quantities for early diagnosis of MCI or AD. Ninety eyes were considered in this study, split between 30 normal eyes, 30 eyes from patients with MCI, and 30eyes from patients with AD. All subjects underwent ophthalmologic and cognitive examinations, and measurements of the RNFL thickness as well as macular volume and thickness were taken for all patients using OCT. The mean RNFL thickness upon OCT was significantly thinner in the AD group than in the MCI group (p = 0.01). The RNFL was thinner in the superior quadrant in patients with AD when compared to the healthy controls (p = 0.03). The RNFL thicknesses in the inferior, nasal, and temporal quadrants did not differ significantly between the groups. Measurements in the 12 clock-hour zones revealed that zone 11 had a significantly thinner RNFL in the AD group as compared with the healthy control group (p = 0.02). In zone 2, the MCI group had a significantly thinner RNFL than the AD group (p = 0.03). Our OCT findings revealed a neuroanatomic difference in the RNFL thickness among the three groups, i.e., the AD, MCI, and healthy control groups. This suggests that a change in average RNFL thickness could be a meaningful index for diagnosing early AD. © 2017 The Korean Ophthalmological Society

Plasticity of Attentional Functions in Older Adults after Non-Action Video Game Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Mayas, Julia; Parmentier, Fabrice B. R.; Andrés, Pilar; Ballesteros, Soledad

2014-01-01

A major goal of recent research in aging has been to examine cognitive plasticity in older adults and its capacity to counteract cognitive decline. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether older adults could benefit from brain training with video games in a cross-modal oddball task designed to assess distraction and alertness. Twenty-seven healthy older adults participated in the study (15 in the experimental group, 12 in the control group. The experimental group received 20 1-hr video game training sessions using a commercially available brain-training package (Lumosity) involving problem solving, mental calculation, working memory and attention tasks. The control group did not practice this package and, instead, attended meetings with the other members of the study several times along the course of the study. Both groups were evaluated before and after the intervention using a cross-modal oddball task measuring alertness and distraction. The results showed a significant reduction of distraction and an increase of alertness in the experimental group and no variation in the control group. These results suggest neurocognitive plasticity in the old human brain as training enhanced cognitive performance on attentional functions. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616 PMID:24647551

CHAMP: Cognitive behaviour therapy for health anxiety in medical patients, a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Abnormal health anxiety, also called hypochondriasis, has been successfully treated by cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in patients recruited from primary care, but only one pilot trial has been carried out among those attending secondary medical clinics where health anxiety is likely to be more common and have a greater impact on services. The CHAMP study extends this work to examine both the clinical and cost effectiveness of CBT in this population. Method/Design The study is a randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms and equal randomization of 466 eligible patients (assuming a 20% drop-out) to an active treatment group of 5-10 sessions of cognitive behaviour therapy and to a control group. The aim at baseline, after completion of all assessments but before randomization, was to give a standard simple explanation of the nature of health anxiety for all participants. Subsequently the control group was to receive whatever care might usually be available in the clinics, which is normally a combination of clinical assessment, appropriate tests and reassurance. Those allocated to the active treatment group were planned to receive between 5 and 10 sessions of an adapted form of cognitive behaviour therapy based on the Salkovskis/Warwick model, in which a set of treatment strategies are chosen aimed at helping patients understand the factors that drive and maintain health anxiety. The therapy was planned to be given by graduate research workers, nurses or other health professionals trained for this intervention whom would also have their competence assessed independently during the course of treatment. The primary outcome is reduction in health anxiety symptoms after one year and the main secondary outcome is the cost of care after two years. Discussion This represents the first trial of adapted cognitive behaviour therapy in health anxiety that is large enough to test not only the clinical benefits of treatment but also whether the cost of treatment is offset by savings from reduced use of other health services in comparison to the control group. Cognitive behaviour therapy for Health Anxiety in Medical Patients (CHAMP) Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN14565822 PMID:21672205

Effects of mineralocorticoid receptor blockade on empathy in patients with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Wingenfeld, Katja; Kuehl, Linn K; Dziobek, Isabel; Roepke, Stefan; Otte, Christian; Hinkelmann, Kim

2016-10-01

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is highly expressed in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex and is involved in social cognition. We recently found that pharmacological stimulation of the MR enhances emotional empathy but does not affect cognitive empathy. In the current study, we examined whether blockade of the MR impairs empathy in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy individuals. In a placebo-controlled study, we randomized 28 patients with MDD without psychotropic medication and 43 healthy individuals to either placebo or 300 mg spironolactone, a MR antagonist. Subsequently, all participants underwent two tests of social cognition, the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET) and the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC), measuring cognitive and emotional facets of empathy. In the MET, we found no significant main effect of treatment or main effect of group for cognitive empathy but a highly significant treatment by group interaction (p < 0.01). Patients had higher cognitive empathy scores compared to controls in the placebo condition but not after spironolactone. Furthermore, in the spironolactone condition reduced cognitive empathy was seen in MDD patients but not in controls. Emotional empathy was not affected by MR blockade. In the MASC, no effect of spironolactone could be revealed. Depressed patients appear to exhibit greater cognitive empathy compared to healthy individuals. Blockade of MR reduced cognitive empathy in MDD patients to the level of healthy individuals. Future studies should further clarify the impact of MR functioning on different domains of social cognition in psychiatric patients.

Virtual Reality Training with Cognitive Load Improves Walking Function in Chronic Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Cho, Ki Hun; Kim, Min Kyu; Lee, Hwang-Jae; Lee, Wan Hee

2015-08-01

Virtual reality training is considered as an effective intervention method of stroke patients, and the virtual reality system for therapeutic rehabilitation has emphasized the cognitive factors to improve walking function. The purpose of current study was to investigate the effect of virtual reality training with cognitive load (VRTCL) on walking function of chronic stroke. Chronic stroke patients were randomly assigned to the VRTCL group (11 patients, including 5 men; mean age, 60.0 years; post-stroke duration, 273.9 days) or control group (11 patients, including 2 men; mean age, 58.6 years; post-stroke duration, 263.9 days). All subjects participated in the standard rehabilitation program that consisted of physical and occupational therapies. In addition, VRTCL group participated in the VRTCL for 4 weeks (30 min per day and five times a week), while those in the control group participated in virtual reality treadmill training. Walking function under single (walking alone) and dual task (walking with cognitive tasks) conditions was assessed using an electrical walkway system. After the 4-week intervention, under both single and dual task conditions, significant improvement on walking function was observed in VRTCL and control groups (P < 0.05). In addition, in the dual task condition, greater improvement on walking function was observed in the VRTCL group, compared with the control group (P < 0.05). These findings demonstrated the efficacy of VRTCL on the walking function under the dual task condition. Therefore, we suggest that VRTCL may be an effective method for the achievement of independent walking in chronic stroke patients.