O4-03-04: Computer mouse movements are related to cognitive status and cognitive test performance in healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment

The frequency of ADHD in the aging population and its relationship to late-life cognitive decline has not been studied previously. To address this gap in our understanding, the Wender-Utah ADHD Rating scale (WURS) was administered to 310 geriatric subjects with cognitive status ranging from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment to overt dementia. The frequency of WURS-positive ADHD in this sample was 4.4%. WURS scores were not related to cognitive diagnoses, but did show nonlinear associations with tasks requiring sustained attention. The frequency of ADHD appears stable across generations and does not appear to be associated with MCI or dementia diagnoses. The association of attentional processing deficits and WURS scores in geriatric subjects could suggest that such traits remain stable throughout life. Caution should be considered when interpreting cognitive test profiles in the aging population that exhibit signs and symptoms of ADHD, as attentional deficits may not necessarily imply the existence of an underlying neurodegenerative disease state.

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What Am I Measuring? Disentangling Cognitive Status From Sensory Impairment

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2997 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 822-822

Author(s):

Emma Nichols ◽

Bonnielin Swenor ◽

Jennifer Deal ◽

Alison Abraham ◽

Michelle Carlson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Impairment ◽

Test Performance ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Vision Impairment ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Sensory Impairment ◽

Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities ◽

Item Functioning ◽

Baltimore Longitudinal Study ◽

Cognitive Test Performance

Abstract Some studies have shown sensory impairment is associated with impaired cognitive test performance, however tests rely to varying degrees on hearing and vision. We hypothesized scores for cognitive tests whose administration depends on vision or hearing are biased among those with vision or hearing impairment, respectively, after controlling for underlying cognitive performance. We used item response theory methods to test for differential item functioning (DIF) by hearing and vision impairment in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (ARIC). We identified DIF by hearing impairment for tests that do not rely on hearing and DIF by vision impairment for tests that do not rely on vision. We found no clinically meaningful differences between unadjusted and DIF-adjusted measures of cognition. Our finding that DIF by sensory domain was independent of administration modality suggests cognitive load may play a larger role than previously acknowledged.

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Mild cognitive impairment: historical development and summary of research

Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience ◽

10.31887/dcns.2004.6.4/jgolomb ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 351-367

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Test Performance ◽

Historical Development ◽

Molecular Genetic ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

The Elderly ◽

Global Scale ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Cross Sectional

This review article broadly traces the historical development, diagnostic criteria, clinical and neuropathological characteristics, and treatment strategies related to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), The concept of MCI is considered in the context of other terms that have been developed to characterize the elderly with varying degrees of cognitive impairment Criteria based on clinical global scale ratings, cognitive test performance, and performance on other domains of functioning are discussed. Approaches employing clinical, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, biological, and molecular genetic methodology used in the validation of MCI are considered, including results from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and postmortem investigations. Results of recent drug treatment studies of MCI and related methodological issues are also addressed.

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Disease-modifying treatments and cognition in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000009522 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 94 (22) ◽

pp. e2373-e2383 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Nils C. Landmeyer ◽

Paul-Christian Bürkner ◽

Heinz Wiendl ◽

Tobias Ruck ◽

Hans-Peter Hartung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Test Performance ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

Disease Modifying ◽

Cognitive Test Performance

ObjectiveDisease-modifying treatments (DMTs) are the gold standard for slowing disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), but their effects on cognitive impairment, a key symptom of the disease, are mostly unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the differential effects of DMTs on cognitive test performance in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).MethodsPubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies reporting longitudinal cognitive performance data related to all major DMTs. The standardized mean difference (Hedges g) between baseline and follow-up cognitive assessment was used as the main effect size measure.ResultsForty-four studies, including 55 distinct MS patient samples, were found eligible for the systematic review. Twenty-five studies were related to platform therapies (mainly β-interferon [n = 17] and glatiramer acetate [n = 4]), whereas 22 studies were related to escalation therapies (mainly natalizumab [n = 14] and fingolimod [n = 6]). Reported data were mostly confined to the cognitive domain processing speed. A meta-analysis including 41 studies and 7,131 patients revealed a small to moderate positive effect on cognitive test performance of DMTs in general (g = 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.21–0.33]), but no statistically significant differences between platform (g = 0.27, 95% CI = [0.18–0.35]) and escalation therapies (g = 0.28, 95% CI = [0.19–0.37]) or between any single DMT and β-interferon.ConclusionsDMTs are effective in improving cognitive test performance in RRMS, but a treatment escalation mainly to amend cognition is not supported by the current evidence. Given the multitude of DMTs and their widespread use, the available data regarding differential treatment effects on cognitive impairment are remarkably scant. Clinical drug trials that use more extensive cognitive outcome measures are urgently needed.

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P.843 An exploration of practice effects on cognitive test performance in a clinical trial of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia

European Neuropsychopharmacology ◽

10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.09.706 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. S561

Author(s):

P. Kalinowski ◽

A. Schembri ◽

J. Jaeger ◽

P. Maruff ◽

C. Edgar

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Test Performance ◽

Practice Effects ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Cognitive Test Performance

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Cognitive Phenotypes, Brain Morphometry and the Detection of Cognitive Decline in Preclinical AD

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/2009/617312 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 21 (1-2) ◽

pp. 29-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mark W. Jacobson ◽

Linda K. McEvoy ◽

Anders Dale ◽

Christine Fennema-Notestine

Keyword(s):

Test Performance ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Brain Morphometry ◽

Preclinical Phase ◽

Preclinical Ad ◽

Cognitive Test Performance

Identifying a preclinical phase of Alzheimer’s Disease (PCAD) that is distinct from cognitive changes in healthy aging continues to be a major research focus. Combining neuropsychological and neuroimaging methodologies should improve our ability to differentiate healthy from pathological aging, although studies that utilize both methods often result in equivocal findings, possibly due to variability in cognitive test performance that may be capturing distinct phenotypes. One method of capturing this cognitive variability is to utilize contrasting neuropsychological tests to identify subgroups representative of distinct cognitive phenotypes, and determine whether differences in brain morphometry support these classifications. We review several approaches to defining cognitive subgroups, and we consider the possibility that cognitive asymmetry might provide one means of identifying both functional and structural changes associated with aging and dementia.

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Perceived Cognitive Difficulties and Cognitive Test Performance as Predictors of Employment Outcomes in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617715000053 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 156-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Cynthia A. Honan ◽

Rhonda F. Brown ◽

Jennifer Batchelor

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Prospective Memory ◽

Test Performance ◽

Work Hours ◽

Work Outcomes ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Cognitive Difficulties ◽

Cognitive Test Performance ◽

The Relationship

AbstractPerceived cognitive difficulties and cognitive impairment are important determinants of employment in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, it is not clear how they are related to adverse work outcomes and whether the relationship is influenced by depressive symptoms. Thus, this study examined perceived and actual general cognitive and prospective memory function, and cognitive appraisal accuracy, in relation to adverse work outcomes. The possible mediating and/or moderating role of depression was also examined. A cross-sectional community-based sample of 111 participants (33 males, 78 females) completed the Multiple Sclerosis Work Difficulties Questionnaire (MSWDQ), Beck Depression Inventory – Fast Screen (BDI-FS), and questions related to their current or past employment. They then underwent cognitive testing using the Screening Examination for Cognitive Impairment, Auditory Consonant Trigrams test, Zoo Map Test, and Cambridge Prospective Memory Test. Perceived general cognitive and prospective memory difficulties in the workplace and performance on the respective cognitive tests were found to predict unemployment and reduced work hours since MS diagnosis due to MS. Depression was also related to reduced work hours, but it did not explain the relationship between perceived cognitive difficulties and the work outcomes. Nor was it related to cognitive test performance. The results highlight a need to address the perceptions of cognitive difficulties together with cognitive impairment and levels of depression in vocational rehabilitation programs in pwMS. (JINS, 2015,21, 156–168)

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Fitness to drive in older drivers with cognitive impairment

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617700644065 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 480-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 80

Author(s):

FREDERIEC K. WITHAAR ◽

WIEBO H. BROUWER ◽

ADRIAAN H. VAN ZOMEREN

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Test Performance ◽

Traffic Accidents ◽

Neuropsychological Test ◽

Driving Performance ◽

Older Drivers ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Cognitively Impaired ◽

Fitness To Drive ◽

Cognitive Test Performance

This paper is a literature review on assessment of fitness to drive in older drivers with cognitive impairment. Early studies on dementia and driving generally failed to distinguish between safe and unsafe drivers on the basis of cognitive test performance. Predictive studies demonstrated that cognitively impaired persons as a group perform significantly worse than controls on both neuropsychological and driving measures. A high prevalence of cognitive impairment was found in groups of older drivers involved in traffic accidents and crashes. However, a large range in neuropsychological test scores has been found. Low to moderate correlations could be established between neuropsychological test results and on-road driving performance, making it difficult to discriminate between cognitively impaired subjects who are fit or unfit to drive. The review concludes with a discussion of methodological difficulties in the field of dementia and driving, including participant selection, the choice of neuropsychological tests, and the operationalization of driving performance. (JINS, 2000, 6, 480–490.)

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