Association of Cognitive Performance with Frailty in Older Individuals with Cognitive Complaints

AbstractThe Walking While Talking (WWT) dual-task paradigm is a mobility stress test that predicts major outcomes, including falls, frailty, disability, and mortality in aging. Certain personality traits, such as neuroticism, extraversion, and their combination, have been linked to both cognitive and motor outcomes. We examined whether individual differences in personality dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion predicted dual-task performance decrements (both motor and cognitive) on a WWT task in non-demented older adults. We hypothesized that the combined effect of high neuroticism-low extraversion would be related to greater dual-task costs in gait velocity and cognitive performance in non-demented older adults. Participants (N=295; age range,=65–95 years; female=164) completed the Big Five Inventory and WWT task involving concurrent gait and a serial 7’s subtraction task. Gait velocity was obtained using an instrumented walkway. The high neuroticism-low extraversion group incurred greater dual-task costs (i.e., worse performance) in both gait velocity {95% confidence interval (CI) [−17.68 to −3.07]} and cognitive performance (95% CI [−19.34 to −2.44]) compared to the low neuroticism-high extraversion group, suggesting that high neuroticism-low extraversion interferes with the allocation of attentional resources to competing task demands during the WWT task. Older individuals with high neuroticism-low extraversion may be at higher risk for falls, mobility decline and other adverse outcomes in aging. (JINS, 2015, 21, 519–530)

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Evaluating the Efficacy of a Cognitive Skills Training Program for Spanish-Speaking Adults with Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acz029.37 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (7) ◽

pp. 1270-1270

Author(s):

Y Patino ◽

P Sinclair ◽

J Osher ◽

K Torres

Keyword(s):

Training Program ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Cultural Sensitivity ◽

Cognitive Skills ◽

Skills Training ◽

Spanish Version ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Spanish Speaking ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Abstract Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the efficacy of a five-week Spanish cognitive skills training program on 18 participants with subjective cognitive complaints. Participants and Method Eighteen Spanish-speaking participants completed a series of cognitive and emotional measures pre- and post-training, including objective measures of cognitive functioning (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Spanish-version; MoCA), self-reported mood measures (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI; Beck Anxiety Inventory, BAI-Spanish version), and subjective cognitive complaints questionnaire (Subjective Cognitive Decline Questionnaire, Spanish version). Drawing from existing literature on effective interventions for subjective cognitive impairment (Reijnders et al., 2015), this research focused on delivering a five-week intervention program in Spanish, which included psychoeducation on cognition, cognitive strategy training, and applied practice of mindfulness techniques. Furthermore, this intervention incorporated Personalismo and indirect communication, which was applied by engaging with participants in a warm and culturally appropriate manner (Jiménez et al., 2014). Results Participants demonstrated significant improvement in overall MoCA scores. Improvements in subjective cognitive performance, as well as decreases in depression and anxiety (as indicated by the BDI and BAI, respectively) were noted. Results also showed that changes in mood, anxiety, and subjective cognitive performance were not predictive of improvements in MoCA performance, lending support to the hypothesis that skills learned in the program contributed to improved cognitive performance. Conclusions Overall, these results demonstrate that linguistically and culturally tailored psychoeducation regarding cognition, cognitive skills training, and mindfulness, can positively impact subjective and objective cognitive performance, as well as psychological wellbeing among Spanish-speaking adults. References Jiménez, A.L., Alegría, M., Camino-Gaztambide, R.F., & Zayas I, L.V. (2014) Cultural sensitivity: What should we understand about Latinos? In R. Parekh (ed.) The Massachusetts General Hospital Textbook on Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity in Mental Health (pp.61-70). New York, NY: Springer. Rebok, G. W., Ball, K., Guey, L. T., Jones, R. N., Kim, H. Y., King, J. W., … ACTIVE Study Group (2014). Ten-year effects of the advanced cognitive training for independent and vital elderly cognitive training trial on cognition and everyday functioning in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 62(1), 16–24. doi:10.1111/jgs.12607.

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DNA methylation and cognitive functioning in healthy older adults

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114511003576 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 107 (5) ◽

pp. 744-748 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Olga J. G. Schiepers ◽

Martin P. J. van Boxtel ◽

Renate H. M. de Groot ◽

Jelle Jolles ◽

Frans J. Kok ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dna Methylation ◽

Folic Acid ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Global Dna Methylation ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Study Results ◽

The Relationship

Long-term supplementation with folic acid may improve cognitive performance in older individuals. The relationship between folate status and cognitive performance might be mediated by changes in methylation capacity, as methylation reactions are important for normal functioning of the brain. Although aberrant DNA methylation has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, the relationship between DNA methylation status and non-pathological cognitive functioning in human subjects has not yet been investigated. The present study investigated the associations between global DNA methylation and key domains of cognitive functioning in healthy older adults. Global DNA methylation, defined as the percentage of methylated cytosine to total cytosine, was measured in leucocytes by liquid chromatography–MS/MS, in 215 men and women, aged 50–70 years, who participated in the Folic Acid and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (FACIT) study (clinical trial registration number NCT00110604). Cognitive performance was assessed by means of the Visual Verbal Word Learning Task, the Stroop Colour-Word Interference Test, the Concept Shifting Test, the Letter–Digit Substitution Test and the Verbal Fluency Test. Using hierarchical linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, level of education, alcohol consumption, smoking status, physical activity, erythrocyte folate concentration and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677 C → T genotype, we found that global DNA methylation was not related to cognitive performance on any of the domains measured. The present study results do not support the hypothesis that global DNA methylation, as measured in leucocytes, might be associated with cognitive functioning in healthy older individuals.

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Use of benzodiazepines and cognitive performance in primary care patients with first cognitive complaints

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s104161021700223x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 597-601 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

G. Grande ◽

I. Tramacere ◽

D. L. Vetrano ◽

S. Pomati ◽

C. Mariani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Mini Mental State Examination ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Benzodiazepine Use ◽

Primary Care Patients ◽

Long Acting ◽

The Impact ◽

State Examination

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of benzodiazepine use on cognitive performance in primary care patients with first cognitive complaints. The association between the exposition to benzodiazepines (short and long half-life) and cognitive performance, evaluated through the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), was tested through analysis of the covariance and logistic regression models. Within the 4,249 participants (mean age 77.0 ± 8.2, 66.4% women), 732 (17%) were on benzodiazepines. When compared with non-users, short- and long-acting benzodiazepine users presented overlapping adjusted MMSE mean scores (respectively, mean MMSE score: 25.3, 95%CI 25.2–25.5; 25.4, 95%CI 25.1–25.7, and 25.9, 95%CI 25.3–26.4; p = 0.156). When tested according to the logistical regression model, after adjusting for potential confounders, no association was found between short and long acting benzodiazepine use and a MMSE < 24 (respectively, OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.7–1.2; OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.7–1.3) as compared with non-users. In conclusion, according to the results of our study, benzodiazepine use seems not to impact on cognitive performance- as assessed with the MMSE- of primary care patients referring to GPs for first cognitive complaints.

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Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Cognitively Healthy Older Adults and Their Relationship to Cognitive Performance and Depressive Symptoms

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-160970 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 871-881 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Hana Markova ◽

Ross Andel ◽

Hana Stepankova ◽

Miloslav Kopecek ◽

Tomas Nikolai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

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Cognitive complaints in schizophrenia are associated with clinical symptoms and global functioning but not actual cognitive performance

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)73126-1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 1421-1421

Author(s):

D. Kontis ◽

E. Theochari ◽

S. Kleisas ◽

I. Makris ◽

S. Kalogerakou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Performance ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Cognitive Impairments ◽

Neuropsychological Testing ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Global Functioning ◽

Subjective Scale ◽

Positive Correlations

IntroductionAlthough it is well established that patients with schizophrenia demonstrate cognitive impairments, little is known about their complaints concerning their cognition. We investigate the association of these complaints with clinical symptoms, global functioning and cognitive performance.Method93 patients with chronic schizophrenia (mean age = 42,59 years, SD = 9,83; mean illness duration = 18,43 years, SD = 11,84) were recruited from one psychiatric department. Their cognitive complaints (Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia-SSTICS), clinical symptoms (Calgary depression scale-CDS, PANSS, GAF), and neuropsychological performance (7 non-verbal CANTAB tests involving psychomotor speed, attention, memory, and executive function and WAIS-III) were assessed at a time that they were able to cooperate with neuropsychological testing. Correlation analyses were performed between SSTICS scores and measures of symptoms, functioning or cognition, using the SPSS.ResultsSSTICS total score positively correlated with CDS total score (Spearman's rho = 0.311, p = 0.03). Positive correlations were also found between the SSTICS items and CDS total score. Similarly, SSTICS total score positively correlated with PANSS total score (Pearson r = 0,294, p = 0.04). PANSS negative and general psychopathology scores (r = 0,219, p = 0.035 and r = 0.333, p = 0.01, respectively), but not PANSS positive scores accounted for this relationship. SSTICS total score negatively correlated with GAF (rho = −0.251, p = 0.017). No significant associations were revealed between SSTICS total scores and PANSS insight item, PANSS cognitive score, CANTAB or WAIS scores.ConclusionsThe complaints of patients with schizophrenia about their cognitive impairments are mostly related to their depressive, negative, general psychopathological symptoms and global functioning, rather than their actual cognitive deficits.

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The Impact of Egg Consumption on Visual Cognitive Performance in the Nutrition, Vision, and Cognition in Health: Egg (IONHealth-Egg) Study

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab033_003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 3-3

Author(s):

Karen Beathard ◽

Nicos Georghiades ◽

Rosemary Walzem ◽

Susanne Talcott ◽

Stephen Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dietary Intake ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Dietary Intervention ◽

Consumption Pattern ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Egg Consumption ◽

The Impact ◽

Visual Cognitive

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the nutrients in eggs, specifically in the yolk, on the visual cognitive performance (VCP) in generally healthy older individuals. Methods Ninety-nine generally healthy men (36) and women (63) aged 50 to 75 years were assigned randomly to one of five dietary treatment groups: four egg whites; two whole regular eggs; two whole omega-3-fortified eggs; four egg yolks; and a no-egg control. Subjects were asked to maintain their usual dietary intake including the treatment modifications daily for 30 d. VCP was measured using the NeuroTracker™ CORE (NT) 3-Dimensional (3-D) software program (15 training sessions) during the final 2 wk of the study. Extensive secondary information including body composition, cardiovascular measures, sleep and exercise patterns, and general readiness to perform were also collected. Participants recorded food intake during the first 2 wk of treatment and each day they trained on the NT. Food logs were analyzed using Nutribase software. Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS using repeated measures ANOVA including significant covariates when appropriate. Results The dietary intervention was successful at creating distinct dietary intake differences for choline, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol (P < 0.01) between groups and improving VSP in all groups (+37%, P < 0.01). Additionally, men had significantly higher VSP (NTmean = 1.02 ± 0.33) than women (0.88 ± 0.27, P = 0.02), however, no dietary intervention differences were significant (P > 0.05). Conclusions Dietary and cognitive interventions were successful at altering dietary intake and improving cognitive performance respectively but no egg consumption pattern was superior in improving cognitive response. Funding Sources Egg Nutrition Center

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Severity of Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Worries in Older Adults Are Associated With Cerebral Amyloid-β Load

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.675583 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Schwarz ◽

Catharina Lange ◽

Gloria S. Benson ◽

Nora Horn ◽

Katharina Wurdack ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Frontal Cortex ◽

Parietal Cortex ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Cerebral Amyloid ◽

State Worry ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered an early risk stage for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the development of pathological brain changes, such as the aggregation of amyloid-beta (amyloid-β) plaques. This study evaluates the association between specific features of SCD and cerebral amyloid-β load measured by positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-florbetaben in 40 cognitively normal older individuals. Global amyloid-β, as well as regional amyloid-β load for the frontal, temporal, parietal, and cingulate cortex, was quantified. Specific features of SCD, such as subjective cognitive complaints and worry, were assessed using the 39-item Everyday Cognition Scales and the 16-item Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Spearman's rank partial correlation analyses, adjusted for age and apolipoprotein E ε4 status, were conducted to test the associations between specific features of SCD and cerebral amyloid-β load. The severity of subjective cognitive complaints in everyday memory and organization was positively correlated with amyloid-β load in the frontal cortex. In addition, the severity of subjective cognitive complaints in everyday planning was positively correlated with amyloid-β load in the parietal cortex. Higher levels of worry were associated with higher amyloid-β load in the frontal cortex. After correction of the PET data for partial volume effects, these associations were reduced to trend level. In conclusion, the severity of subjective cognitive complaints and the level of trait worry were positively associated with cortical amyloid-β burden, particularly in the frontal and parietal cortex. Further studies are required to elucidate the direction of these associations in order to develop strategies to prevent amyloid deposition and cognitive decline.

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