Journal of Neuropsychology最新文献

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite its prevalence, fatigue remains a challenging concept to define and measure. The aim of the present study was to explore potential relationships between self-rated fatigue in patients with TBI and performance on several widely used neuropsychological tests. In a cross-sectional design, patients with TBI (n = 68) and healthy controls (n = 27) underwent a comprehensive battery of commonly used neuropsychological tests and completed two self-assessment fatigue scales, the Fatigue Severity Scale and the Mental Fatigue Scale. Patients with TBI performed worse on neuropsychological tests of short-term memory, processing speed and executive functioning (inhibition) compared to healthy controls. Within the TBI group, only the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and the Stroop—Inhibition task showed significant correlations with measures of fatigue. However, after adjusting for relevant demographic variables, including age, gender, education and TBI severity, only PASAT remained significantly associated with the Mental Fatigue Scale (r = .45, p = .005). Within the healthy control group, no such associations were found. These results highlight an interesting relationship between PASAT performance and self-assessed fatigue. With further research, PASAT, modifications of it or similar measures could potentially help clinicians in evaluating fatigue in patients with TBI.

Up to 45% of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience impulse control disorders (ICDs), characterized by a loss of voluntary control over impulses, drives or temptations. This study aimed to investigate whether previously identified genetic and psychiatric risk factors interact towards the development of ICDs in PD. A total of 278 de novo PD patients (ICD-free at enrollment) were selected from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative database. ICD presence at baseline and yearly follow-up assessments were evaluated via the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders. Symptoms of anxiety and depression at baseline were measured via the State–Trait-Anxiety Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale, respectively. Furthermore, an individual dopamine genetic risk score was calculated according to polymorphisms in genes coding for dopamine (D1, D2 and D3 receptors and catechol-O-methyltransferase), with higher scores reflecting higher central dopamine neurotransmission. In total, 146 participants (47.5%) developed an ICD with an average onset time of 36 months (range 3–96) from baseline. Results from a Cox proportional hazards model showed a trait anxiety × genetics interaction, suggesting that individuals with both higher baseline trait anxiety scores and higher dopamine genetic risk scores were at increased risk of ICD development. This interaction remained significant after controlling for age, sex and motor symptom severity. Our findings suggest that genetic and psychiatric predictors of impulsivity in PD interact and jointly yield increased ICD risk during the course of the disorder. This implies that early screening of anxiety symptoms in combination with genotyping can be useful to identify those at risk for ICD.

In 1941, André Rey published the Rey Complex Figure, a widely used test for assessing visual-constructional ability and visual memory. It consists of two parts: copy and recall. Evaluating the copy portion presents challenges, as it requires the administrator to focus on both the process and outcome. The assessor must systematically track how the patient copies the figure in real-time to evaluate their planning, organisation and executive abilities. This ‘clinician's copy’ serves as a record of the patient's approach, aiding later judgements about their cognitive skills. To ensure accuracy, clinicians need a method to record this process for later review or colleague consultation. This paper revisits Rey's suggestion of using different coloured pencils to observe the copy sequence, proposing an alternative. Instead of providing coloured pencils to the patient, we recommend that the administrator use them to record the copy sequence. This method aligns with test norms, reducing potential distractions for the patient while enabling both experienced and novice administrators to easily track and document the sequence of copying.

This study aims to demonstrate that children and adolescents diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who exhibit autism traits have a more severe clinical profile in terms of emotion regulation, clinical features related to ADHD, and functionality, compared to those diagnosed with ADHD without these traits. 50 patients with and 64 patients without autism traits between the ages of 8–16 were recruited for the study among the children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version, DSM-5-2016-Turkish Adaptation (K-SADS-PL-DSM-5-T) was used to exclude the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and detect comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. The Social Reciprocity Scale (SRS) was completed by parents to determine groups based on autism traits. Children completed the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) and the Affective Reactivity Index (ARI). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Affective Reactivity Index-Parent Report (ARI-P) and Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale-Parent Report (WFIRS-P) were completed by the parents. We found that the group with autism traits had significantly more hyperactivity/inattention, conduct problems, emotional problems, and peer problems and significantly more irritability and frequent separation anxiety disorder. Although there was no significant impairment in functionality in either group, the level of impairment was significantly higher in the group with autism traits. Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder who exhibit autism traits experience higher levels of irritability and separation anxiety disorder, as well as greater impairment in functionality, compared to those without these traits.

In recognising emotions expressed by others, one can make use of both embodied cognition and mechanisms that do not necessarily require activation of the limbic system, such as evoking from memory the meaning of morphological features of the observed face. Instead, we believe that the recognition of the authenticity of an emotional expression is primarily based on embodied cognition, for which the mirror system would play a significant role. To verify this hypothesis, we submitted 20 parkinsonian patients and 20 healthy control subjects to the Emotional Authenticity Recognition test, a novel test using dynamic stimuli to evaluate the ability to recognise emotions and their authenticity. Analysis of variance of the test scores shows that Parkinsonian patients perform worse than controls when they had to recognise the authenticity of emotions, although they are able to identify them. Our results confirm a deficit in the recognition of the authenticity of emotions in patients with Parkinson's disease attributable to the disruption of extrapiramidal limbic circuit between ventral striatum and orbitomesial-prefrontal cortex.

Understanding the relative contribution of various factors influencing initial severity of aphasia and recovery after a stroke is essential for optimising neurorehabilitation programmes. We investigated how various significant sociodemographic, cognitive, clinical, stroke-related and rehabilitation-related factors modulate aphasia severity and language recovery following left-hemispheric stroke. Employing an innovative method, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 96 stroke participants to explore the combined impact of these factors. The initial severity of aphasia was categorised into severe, mild/moderate and no aphasia based on the severity of their language deficits in the subacute phase (Aphasia Severity Rating Scale, ASRS). To assess speech-and-language recovery, we classified 53/96 patients with aphasia into high and poor recovery categories using a gain score formula (ASRS_discharge—ASRS_admission)/ASRS_admission. Subsequently, we performed statistical analyses (univariate analyses and forward stepwise logistic regression combined with bootstrap) to identify the determinants of the initial severity of aphasia and the degree of recovery. Our analyses unveiled that more severe aphasia initially was correlated with a more severe stroke (Odds Ratio, OR = .90, p = .041), moderate/severe executive dysfunction (OR = .068, p < .001) and larger lesion size (OR = .068, p < .001). Furthermore, the degree of recovery was associated with the intensity of speech-and-language therapy (OR = 1.47, p = .043). These findings enrich our understanding of the determinants of aphasia severity and language recovery, employing an original methodology to scrutinise the collective effect of multiple variables in a retrospective analysis of stroke participants. A better knowledge of these factors may help implement personalised language rehabilitation programmes to maximise speech-and-language recovery.

Stroke causes severe long-term disabilities with a significant reduction in quality of life. This study aims to explore the predictive value of cognitive screening in the acute phase of mild stroke on patients' functional outcome after discharge. A total of 110 patients with mild stroke were recruited. Patients were included in the study if they were discharged directly home from the acute units. The cognitive profile of patients was assessed with the Oxford Cognitive Screen (OCS). The OCS was administered 3–10 days after stroke, providing a five domain-specific cognitive profile. Long-term functional outcomes were evaluated by the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 (SIS 3.0), a self-reported questionnaire that includes physical, cognitive, emotional and social participation dimensions. All patients completed the survey online on average 10 months after stroke. Our results show that OCS is positively associated with physical and cognitive dimensions, after adjusting for age and stroke severity measured by NIHSS at admission. In conclusion, OCS in acute mild stroke seems to be an independent predictor of long-term functional outcomes and could help clinicians in the long-term management of patients.

Decision-making has been suggested as an endophenotype candidate for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, few studies have examined whether decision-making under ambiguity is an endophenotype of OCD. This study aimed to investigate decision-making under ambiguity, as assessed by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), in patients with OCD and unaffected first-degree relatives (UFDR). Forty-seven non-medicated, non-co-morbid patients with OCD, 30 UFDR, and 47 healthy controls (HC) were compared in terms of decision-making using the IGT. The correlation between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and IGT performance was also investigated. Patients with OCD and UFDR performed worse than HC on the IGT. No correlation was found between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and IGT performance. A deficit in decision-making under ambiguity may be a trait and an endophenotype candidate for OCD.