Applied Neuropsychology-Adult最新文献

Introduction: Social Cognition (SC) involves the cognitive processes enabling individuals to perceive, interpret, and respond to social information. Stroke often results in deficits in SC and nonsocial cognition (NSC). While cognitive effects have been noted, research on the relationship between SC and NSC remains limited.

Objective: To examine the relationship between SC and NSC measures in stroke patients, assessing their dependence or independence. Method: A SC battery and a NSC battery were administered to 19 stroke patients. The SC battery included: International Affective Picture System (IAPS); Facial Expressions of Emotion Stimuli (FEEST); Moving Shapes Paradigm (MSP); Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test-Revised Version (RMET); and Social Decision-Making Task (SDMT). NSC battery included Digit Span Forward (DSF) and Backward (DSB); Trail Making Test (Part A); Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT); Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS); and verbal fluency test (PMR).

Results: MSP, IAPS, FEEST, and RMET showed significant correlations with working memory measures. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a bifactorial structure grouping both cognitions independently with a convergence point on an executive function measure (LNS).

Conclusion: Stroke subjects' performance on SC measures is partially linked to working memory (LNS), suggesting both domains are distinct yet interrelated.

Objective: To demonstrate the utility of a simple rating of the corpus callosum in dementia patients.

Methods: Multiple visual rating scales were applied to MRI data in a sample of 393 people with dementia, including Scheltens Rating scales and a visual rating system of the corpus callosum using a four-point scale. Participants also underwent standard neuropsychological assessment. Correlations were calculated to describe the association between these variables. Analysis of variance was applied to compare corpus callosum ratings against other visual rating methods and cognition.

Results: Corpus callosum ratings were associated with the Scheltens Rating scores, with small but significant correlations. Additionally, stratified groups based on corpus callosum ratings significantly differed on several measures of Scheltens Ratings, with greater corpus callosum atrophy related to greater white matter burden and temporal lobe atrophy. The corpus callosum ratings were predictive of mental status, language, and processing speed.

Conclusion: The current findings support the clinical utility of a visual rating of the corpus callosum in prediction of brain atrophy, white matter burden, and cognition among those with dementia. The ease with which this rating system can be applied suggests it has important clinical practicality.

Picture naming performance, including accuracy and reaction time (RT) for living and nonliving objects, may provide sensitive markers of cognitive and functional status in older adults. The authors examined whether naming measures differentiate individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from healthy older adults (HOAs) and relate to global cognition and daily functioning. Twenty-three participants with MCI and twenty-five HOAs completed a 120-item picture naming task and assessments including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), and Geriatric Depression Scale. Participants with MCI were significantly slower and less accurate than HOAs, with both groups showing better performance for nonliving items. Logistic regression classified 89.1% of participants correctly. In the MCI group, accuracy for living items predicted MoCA scores, whereas RT for living items predicted MoCA scores in HOAs. Partial correlations in the MCI group further indicated that slower RTs for living items and lower accuracy for nonliving items were associated with reduced IADL scores. The authors showed that picture naming, particularly accuracy and speed for living items, provides clinically meaningful information about cognitive integrity and subtle functional decline. The authors showed that naming measures may enhance the early detection of MCI.

Objective: The Community Outreach Subcommittee (COS) of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division 40 (Society for Clinical Neuropsychology, SCN) is a new committee created to support neuropsychologists in community outreach practices and public education. To understand the needs of constituents, the committee conducted a survey to identify current practices.

Method: An online survey of neuropsychologists was conducted to assess current practices, gaps, and needs for providing community outreach and public education in the field of neuropsychology.

Results: 112 neuropsychologists responded to the survey. Results highlighted the growing need for resources in a wide variety of languages to meet the needs of communities rich in cultural diversity. Respondents expressed a desire to educate the public and other members of the healthcare field not only about the purpose and utility of neuropsychological evaluation, but in brain-behavior relationships more broadly. Finally, respondents identified several misconceptions and misunderstandings shared by the public and referral sources, which may be targets for educational opportunities.

Conclusions: The findings of this survey will be used to guide future projects and address needs expressed by fellow neuropsychologists in their clinical and community practices. Practical recommendations are provided for neuropsychologists interested in initiating outreach projects and practices in their community.

This review aimed to identify and characterize computerized neuropsychological instruments used for executive function (EF) assessment, with a focus on digital games. Guided by the PRISMA-ScR protocol, the review included studies from multiple databases without time restrictions, resulting in the selection of 312 studies from an initial pool of 3,347. Most studies were published between 2020 and 2022, predominantly in North America and Europe. While computerized tests (n = 283) were widely used and more established, digital games (n = 29) were less common and mainly in exploratory stages. The most frequently assessed EF components were core domains such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. Children and adolescents were underrepresented among the study populations. The analysis revealed wide variation in game terminology, technology, and outcome indicators, reflecting a lack of standardization. Overall, computerized tests dominate the field in both research and clinical practice. Although digital games hold significant potential for EF assessment, especially due to their engaging nature, more research is needed to standardize these tools and establish their psychometric validity. The review contributes to mapping the current landscape and identifying critical gaps for future development and implementation of digital tools in neuropsychological assessment.

We determined WASI-II reliability for 100 outpatients with neurological, psychiatric, or developmental disorders. Means for age and education were 47.95 years (SD = 17.86) and 13.57 years (SD = 2.39). The design involved a total sample divided into neurological (n = 41) and psychiatric (n = 53) subgroups. Developmental disorders were included only in the total sample analyses (n = 6). Subtest split-half reliabilities ranged from .95 for Matrix Reasoning to .83 for Similarities. VCI, PRI, and FSIQ coefficients ranged from .91 to .97, .95 to .97, and .95 to .97. Omega (h) statistics, after controlling a general factor, were .408 and .365 for VCI and PRI. Support for WASI-II construct validity were also presented.

Hearing loss (HL) can adversely affect both Speech in Noise (SIN) performance and cognitive functions. However, the impact of technologies used to compensate for hearing impairment on these abilities remains unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of HL on cognitive functions and SIN perception, and to investigate whether he use of hearing aids (HA) and/or cochlear implants (CI) modifies these potential effects. The study sample consisted of 14 unaided patients with HL in the Unaided Group (UaG, 21.5%), 18 individuals in the Aided Group (AG, 27.7%)-including 9 hearing aid users and 9 cochlear implant users-and 33 individuals with normal hearing in the Control Group (50.8%). All participants were assessed using the Stroop test, the digit span forward (DSF), and the digit span backward (DSB) test. SIN performance was evaluated using monosyllabic and trisyllabic word lists presented at a + 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio in the presence of white noise. As a result of the analysis, significant differences were observed between control and other groups in the Stroop and DSB results (p < 0.05). Significant correlations were found between Stroop scores and SIN performance (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was observed between digit span tests and SIN (p > 0.05). Stroop and DSB scores were significantly correlated with the HL severity (p < 0.05). According to these results, HL is linked to declines in executive function and working memory, with these deficits associated with poorer speech-in-noise perception. The findings underscore the need for interventions addressing both auditory and cognitive aspects in affected individuals.

This study will provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of post-stroke aphasia with transcranial direct current Stimulation(tDCS) by observing the efficacy of combining speech training with transcranial direct current Stimulation on patients with non-fluent aphasia after stroke. Thirty four patients with post-stroke non-fluent aphasia who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. All patients were informed of the trial and signed informed consent. Patients were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each consisting of 17 patients. Linear regression models were used to assess within-person differences within conditions for each outcome. Post-test scores were considered as dependent variables explained by condition and pretest scores as the independent variables. Results showed that participants in the speech training with tDCS experimental condition reported significant changes in The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB), The Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE), Arabic Version of the Communication Checklist (CCC2)scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention.

Executive functions are crucial cognitive abilities that enable individuals to consciously regulate their behavior and mental processes. In the university setting, these functions are pivotal for students to engage in executive learning and assess the effectiveness of their learning behaviors. This research introduces an innovative explanatory model wherein executive functions interact to elucidate the capacity to evaluate learning behaviors. The study encompassed 2,465 university students (26.9% Chilean, 28.8% Ecuadorian, and 44.3% Cuban), aged between 17 and 33 years. The proposed model demonstrated adequate reliability, correlations, and was assessed using structural equation modeling, yielding favorable fit indices (CFI = .91, RMSEA = .04 [.04-.05], SRMR = .04). This theoretical framework enhances understanding of executive functions within university contexts, suggesting avenues for future research to intervene in these functions to improve university student's ability to evaluate their learning behaviors.