Heritability of specific cognitive functions and associations with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using CANTAB: a nation-wide twin study

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Cecilie K. Lemvigh ◽  
Rachel M. Brouwer ◽  
Christos Pantelis ◽  
Maria H. Jensen ◽  
Rikke W. Hilker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Movement Time ◽  
Set Shifting ◽  
Adult Intelligence Scale ◽  
Verbal Iq ◽  
Spatial Span ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum

Abstract Background Many cognitive functions are under strong genetic control and twin studies have demonstrated genetic overlap between some aspects of cognition and schizophrenia. How the genetic relationship between specific cognitive functions and schizophrenia is influenced by IQ is currently unknown. Methods We applied selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to examine the heritability of specific cognitive functions and associations with schizophrenia liability. Verbal and performance IQ were estimated using The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and the Danish Adult Reading Test. In total, 214 twins including monozygotic (MZ = 32) and dizygotic (DZ = 22) pairs concordant or discordant for a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and healthy control pairs (MZ = 29, DZ = 20) were recruited through the Danish national registers. Additionally, eight twins from affected pairs participated without their sibling. Results Significant heritability was observed for planning/spatial span (h2 = 25%), self-ordered spatial working memory (h2 = 64%), sustained attention (h2 = 56%), and movement time (h2 = 47%), whereas only unique environmental factors contributed to set-shifting, reflection impulsivity, and thinking time. Schizophrenia liability was associated with planning/spatial span (rph = −0.34), self-ordered spatial working memory (rph = −0.24), sustained attention (rph = −0.23), and set-shifting (rph = −0.21). The association with planning/spatial span was not driven by either performance or verbal IQ. The remaining associations were shared with performance, but not verbal IQ. Conclusions This study provides further evidence that some cognitive functions are heritable and associated with schizophrenia, suggesting a partially shared genetic etiology. These functions may constitute endophenotypes for the disorder and provide a basis to explore genes common to cognition and schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of single-dose guanfacine in unilateral neglect following stroke

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin S Dalmaijer ◽  
Korina M S Li ◽  
Nikos Gorgoraptis ◽  
Alexander P Leff ◽  
David L Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Single Dose ◽  
Crossover Study ◽  
Functional Outcome ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Unilateral Neglect ◽  
Directional Bias ◽  
Double Blind Placebo

ObjectiveUnilateral neglect is a poststroke disorder that impacts negatively on functional outcome and lacks established, effective treatment. This multicomponent syndrome is characterised by a directional bias of attention away from contralesional space, together with impairments in several cognitive domains, including sustained attention and spatial working memory. This study aimed to test the effects of guanfacine, a noradrenergic alpha-2A agonist, on ameliorating aspects of neglect.MethodsThirteen right hemisphere stroke patients with leftward neglect were included in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled proof-of-concept crossover study that examined the effects of a single dose of guanfacine. Patients were tested on a computerised, time-limited cancellation paradigm, as well as tasks that independently assessed sustained attention and spatial working memory.ResultsOn guanfacine, there was a statistically significant improvement in the total number of targets found on the cancellation task when compared with placebo (mean improvement of 5, out of a possible 64). However, there was no evidence of a change in neglect patients’ directional attention bias. Furthermore, Bayesian statistical analysis revealed reliable evidence against any effects of guanfacine on search organisation and performance on our sustained attention and spatial working memory tasks.ConclusionsGuanfacine improves search in neglect by boosting the number of targets found but had no effects on directional bias or search organisation, nor did it improve sustained attention or working memory on independent tasks. Further work is necessary to determine whether longer term treatment with guanfacine may be effective for some neglect patients and whether it affects functional outcome measures.Trial registration numberNCT00955253.

scholarly journals Sustained Attention in Developmental Language Disorder and Its Relation to Working Memory and Language

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 4096-4108
Author(s):  
Erin Smolak ◽  
Karla K. McGregor ◽  
Tim Arbisi-Kelm ◽  
Nichole Eden
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
Language Ability ◽  
Developmental Language Disorder ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Visual Spatial ◽  
Visual Spatial Working Memory

Purpose Based on evidence of deficits in domain-general cognitive abilities associated with developmental language disorder (DLD), the current study examined sustained attention performance in children with DLD compared to children with typical language development (TLD) and the interrelations between visual–spatial sustained attention, visual–spatial working memory, and language abilities across groups. Method Participants included 67 children at 7 years of age: 25 children with DLD (13 girls and 12 boys) and 42 children with TLD (23 girls and 19 boys). We assessed children's visual–spatial sustained attention, visual–spatial working memory, and language ability on a test of narrative language. Result Children with DLD scored significantly below their peers on a measure of visual–spatial sustained attention. Significant intercorrelations were observed between sustained attention, working memory, and language ability within the DLD group, but no correlations were observed between these measures in the TLD group. Conclusion Children with DLD have domain-general deficits in sustained attention, and correlational results have implications for whether and how language abilities are supported by domain-general cognition in both typical and disordered development.

Verbal and visual-spatial working memory performance in Arabic monolingual and English/Arabic bilingual Kuwaiti children

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S369-S369
Author(s):  
F. Khashawi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Spatial Span ◽  
Visual Spatial ◽  
Visual Spatial Working Memory

IntroductionResearch in psycholinguistics focusing on cognitive processing in bilinguals and the role played by working memory about cognitive processing indicated that Working Memory (WM) was instrumental in cognitive processing in bilinguals, but that its role was different and generally more complex than it was in monolinguals. However, the specific manner in which the use of WM differed between monolinguals and bilinguals was not always clear.ObjectivesThis research explored the verbal and visual-spatial WM performance in an Arabic monolingual group and a bilingual English/Arabic group.MethodsThe participants were 396 Kuwaiti (198 monolingual aged 7.99 ± 1.97 years and 198 bilingual aged 8.03 ± 1.92) with no significant age differences (t = 0.23, P > 0.05). The two groups were compared on how they performed in the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA), to measure a verbal and visual-spatial WM tasks. The tasks were Listening Recall, Counting Recall, Mr. X, Backward Digit Recall, Odd-one-out and Spatial Span. All tasks were internally consistent (Alpha = 0.91, 0.93, 0.87, 0.88, 0.87, and 0.91 respectively). The data was analyzed using Independent Sample t Test.ResultsThe findings showed that there was significant group difference as the monolingual Arabic group (L1) performed better than bilingual English/Arabic group (L2) on both of verbal WM (t = 3.25, P < 0.002) and visuospatial WM (t = 3.04, P < 0.002).ConclusionThe monolingual children obtained higher scores on both verbal and visuospatial WM. These findings were explained in terms of the complexity of the Arabic language and cultural context in which the second language is being practiced. This warrants further investigation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Relationship of behavioural and symptomatic syndromes in schizophrenia to spatial working memory and attentional set-shifting ability

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 693-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. PANTELIS ◽  
C. A. HARVEY ◽  
G. PLANT ◽  
E. FOSSEY ◽  
P. MARUFF ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Behavioural Syndrome ◽  
Set Shifting ◽  
Attentional Set ◽  
Specific Relationship ◽  
Attentional Set Shifting ◽  
Thought Disturbance ◽  
Relationship Of

Background. Behavioural syndromes (thought disturbance, social withdrawal, depressed behaviour and antisocial behaviour) offer a different perspective from that of symptomatic syndromes on the disability that may be associated with schizophrenia. Few studies have assessed their relationship with neuropsychological deficits. We hypothesized that these syndromes may represent behavioural manifestations of frontal-subcortical impairments, previously described in schizophrenia.Method. Long-stay inpatients (n=54) and community patients (n=43) with enduring schizophrenia were assessed, using measures of symptoms and behaviour and tests of executive functioning. The relationship between syndromes and neuropsychological function was assessed using multiple regression and logistic regression analyses.Results. Significant associations were found between performance on the spatial working memory task and the psychomotor poverty symptomatic syndrome, and between attentional set-shifting ability and both disorganization symptoms and the thought disturbance behavioural syndrome. These results were not explained by the effect of premorbid IQ, geographical location, length of illness or antipsychotic medication. Length of illness was an independent predictor of attentional set-shifting ability but not of working memory performance.Conclusion. The specific relationship between negative symptoms and spatial working memory is consistent with involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The associations between difficulty with set-shifting ability and both disorganization symptoms and behaviours may reflect inability to generalize a rule that had been learned and impaired ability to respond flexibly. The specific relationship of illness duration to set-shifting ability may suggest progressive impairment on some executive tasks. The nature of these relationships and their neurobiological and rehabilitation implications are considered.

scholarly journals Spatial working memory performance following acute sport-related concussion

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 205970021879781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara A Whitten ◽  
Cameron S Mang ◽  
Madeline S Cosh ◽  
Stephen H Scott ◽  
Sean P Dukelow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Intraclass Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Response Duration ◽  
Reliable Change Index ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Spatial Span ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

Introduction An important problem in the field of sport-related concussion is the lack of a ‘gold-standard’ clinical assessment tool. Currently, the diagnosis relies heavily on self-reporting of symptoms and observation of clinical signs by medical professionals. To address this, our group has been motivated to develop objective measures of neurological impairment following concussion. Spatial working memory is an important aspect of cognitive function that might be impaired following concussion. In the present study, we measured spatial working memory using a robotic spatial span task. We first assessed test–retest reliability in 82 healthy athletes who underwent baseline testing across two athletic seasons using intraclass correlation coefficients. We then assessed spatial span performance relative to baseline in 47 athletes acutely following sport-related concussion using a reliable change index with 80% confidence limits to define impairment on an individual basis. Results We found good test–retest reliability for the mean span (a measure of spatial working memory span length; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79), and moderate reliability for the response duration (time taken per spatial target; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.64) in healthy athletes. However, only 19% of acutely concussed athletes showed evidence of impairment relative to baseline in mean span, and even fewer (9%) showed evidence of impairment in response duration. Analysis of serial position curves revealed primacy and recency effects for this task, but no group-level differences between concussed and healthy athletes. Analysis of specific types of errors showed a higher rate of substitution errors in the concussed group at baseline, suggesting possible malingering in a small number of athletes. Conclusion Overall, few athletes showed evidence of impaired spatial working memory acutely following concussion, suggesting either that spatial working memory is not commonly impaired acutely post-concussion, or that the present task is not sufficiently demanding.

Individuals with congenital aphantasia show no significant neuropsychological deficits on imagery-related memory tasks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoë Pounder ◽  
Jane Jacob ◽  
Samuel Evans ◽  
Catherine Loveday ◽  
Alison Eardley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Recognition Memory ◽  
Visual Imagery ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Conscious Experience ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Spatial Span

Aphantasia describes the experience of individuals who self-report a lack of voluntary visual imagery. It is not yet known whether individuals with aphantasia show deficits in cognitive and neuropsychological tasks thought to relate to aspects of visual imagery, including Spatial Span, One Touch Stocking of Cambridge, Pattern Recognition Memory, Verbal Recognition Memory and Mental Rotation. Twenty individuals with congenital aphantasia (VVIQ &lt; 25) were identified and matched on measures of age and IQ to twenty individuals with typical imagery (VVIQ &gt; 35). The only group differences found within the neuropsychological and visuo-spatial working memory tests were slower performance in the One Touch Stocking of Cambridge task during trials that had greater working memory load. These results suggest that the cognitive profile of people without imagery does not greatly differ from those with typical imagery when examined by group. However, observed group differences were apparent with increased working memory load. This raises questions about whether or not aphantasia represents a differences cognitive function or in conscious experience.

Exploring the link between character, personality disorder, and neuropsychological function

2003 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 334-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Å.H Bergvall ◽  
T Nilsson ◽  
S Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Neuropsychological Functioning ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Set Shifting ◽  
Attentional Set ◽  
Attentional Set Shifting ◽  
Personality Disordered

AbstractPersonality deviations and deficits in cognitive executive function are common among forensic populations. The present study on incarcerated offenders explored whether there are links between the two domains. Personality was assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Neuropsychological performance, including visual working memory, attentional set-shifting and planning, were tested with the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Subjects with personality disorders scored high on harm avoidance, and low on self-directedness and cooperativeness. Personality disordered offenders did not differ from the comparison groups (offenders without personality disorder, and non-criminal controls) with regard to CANTAB measures of visual working memory (delayed matching to sample, spatial working memory) and planning (Stockings of Cambridge), but they made a larger number of errors on the attentional set-shifting task. Dimensional analysis of the personality and neuropsychological variables revealed significant associations between self-directedness and cooperativeness on the one hand, and attentional set-shifting on the other. Intellectually disabled, non-criminal individuals (marginal mental retardation) who performed poorly on attentional set-shifting also scored low on self-directedness and cooperativeness. The results indicate that poor development of certain personality traits may be associated with deficits in neuropsychological functioning.

scholarly journals Mobile Phone Base Station Tower Settings Adjacent to School Buildings: Impact on Students’ Cognitive Health

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 155798831881691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sultan Ayoub Meo ◽  
Mohammed Almahmoud ◽  
Qasem Alsultan ◽  
Nawaf Alotaibi ◽  
Ibrahim Alnajashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Base Station ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Mobile Phone Base Station ◽  
The Impact

The use of mobile phones has remarkably increased and become a basic need of daily life. Increasing subscriptions of mobile phones boost the installation of mobile phone base station towers (MPBSTs) in crowded commercial and residential areas including near school buildings. This study investigated the impact of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) radiation generated by MPBSTs on cognitive functions. Two hundred and seventeen volunteer male students aged between 13 and 16 registered from two different intermediate schools: 124 students were from School 1 and 93 students were from School 2. The MPBSTs were located within 200 m from the school buildings. In School 1, RF-EMF was 2.010 µW/cm2 with a frequency of 925 MHz and in School 2, RF-EMF was 10.021 µW/cm2 with a frequency of 925 MHz. Students were exposed to EMFR for 6 hr a day, 5 days a week for a total period of 2 years. The Narda Safety Test Solution device SRM-3006 was used to measure RF-EMF in both schools, and cognitive functions tasks were measured by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Significant impairment in Motor Screening Task (MOT; p = .03) and Spatial Working Memory (SWM) task ( p = .04) was identified among the group of students who were exposed to high RF-EMF produced by MPBSTs. High exposure to RF-EMF produced by MPBSTs was associated with delayed fine and gross motor skills, spatial working memory, and attention in school adolescents compared to students who were exposed to low RF-EMF.

Neuronal Activity Throughout the Primate Mediodorsal Nucleus of the Thalamus During Oculomotor Delayed-Responses. I. Cue-, Delay-, and Response-Period Activity

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 1738-1755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumiko Watanabe ◽  
Shintaro Funahashi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Mediodorsal Nucleus ◽  
Response Period ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Oculomotor Responses ◽  
Higher Cognitive Functions

The thalamic mediodorsal nucleus (MD) has strong reciprocal connections with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), suggesting that the MD, like the DLPFC, participates in higher cognitive functions. To examine MD's participation in cognitive functions, we analyzed the characteristics of task-related activities sampled homogeneously from the MD while two monkeys performed a spatial working memory task using oculomotor responses. Of 141 task-related MD neurons, 26, 53, and 84% exhibited cue-, delay-, and response-period activity, respectively. Most of cue- and response-period activities showed phasic excitation, and most of delay-period activity showed tonic sustained activation. Among neurons with response-period activity, 74% exhibited presaccadic activity. Most cue-period, delay-period, and presaccadic activities were directional, whereas most postsaccadic activity was omni-directional. A significant contralateral bias in the best directions was present in cue-period and presaccadic activity. However, such bias was not present in delay-period activity, although most neurons had a best direction toward the contralateral visual field. We compared these characteristics with those observed in DLPFC neurons. Response-period activity was more frequently observed in the MD (84%) than in the DLPFC (56%). The directional selectivity and bias of task-related activities and the ratios of pre- and postsaccadic activities were different between MD and DLPFC. These results indicate that the MD participates in higher cognitive functions such as spatial working memory. However, the manner in which these two structures participate in these processes differs, in that the MD participates more in motor control aspects compared with the DLPFC.

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