Cardiovascular risk moderates the effect of aerobic exercise on executive functions in older adults with subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment

AbstractAerobic training (AT) can promote cognitive function in adults with Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Cognitive Impairment (SIVCI) by modifying cardiovascular risk factors. However, pre-existing cardiovascular health may attenuate the benefits of AT on cognitive outcomes in SIVCI. We examined whether baseline cardiovascular risk moderates the effect of a 6-month progressive AT program on executive functions with a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial in 71 adults, who were randomized to either: (1) 3×/week progressive AT; or (2) education program (CON). Three executive processes were measured: (1) response inhibition by Stroop Test; (2) working memory by digits backward test; and (3) set shifting by the Trail Making Test. Baseline cardiovascular risk was calculated using the Framingham cardiovascular disease (CVD) Risk Score (FCRS), and participants were classified as either low risk (< 20% FCRS score; LCVR) or high risk (≥ 20% FCRS score; HCVR). A complete case analysis (n = 58) was conducted using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to evaluate between-group differences in the three executive processes. A significant interaction was found between cardiovascular risk group and intervention group (AT or CON) for the digit span backward and the Trail Making Test. AT improved performance compared with CON in those with LCVR, while in those with HCVR, AT did not improve performance compared with CON. Baseline cardiovascular risk significantly moderates the efficacy of AT on cognition. Our findings highlight the importance of intervening early in the disease course of SIVCI, when cardiovascular risk may be lower, to reap maximum benefits of aerobic exercise.

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Memory-for-Designs, Bender-Gestalt, Trail Making Test, and Wisc-R Performance of Retarded and Adequate Readers

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1978.46.2.443 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 443-450 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Donald L. McManis ◽

Craig Figley ◽

Marc Richert ◽

Ted Fabre

Keyword(s):

Short Term Memory ◽

Digit Span ◽

Intellectual Ability ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Chi Square ◽

Reading Groups ◽

Test Part ◽

Trail Making ◽

Disabled Readers

12 reading-disabled and 12 nondisabled boys, of average intellectual ability, in Grades 3 to 6 were compared on the Memory-For-Designs, Bender-Gestalt, Trail Making Test, and the 11 WISC-R subtests. Analysis of covariance showed that the reading groups were not significantly different on the Memory-For-Designs, the Bender-Gestalt, or Trail Making Test Part A, but that disabled readers scored significantly worse on Trail Making Test Part B and A + B ( ps < .005). Chi-square analyses of ratings for perceptual dysfunction of the two groups on these three tests similarly showed that only Trail Making Part B and A + B differentiated between the groups in the predicted direction ( ps < .05). Analysis of variance of the WISC-R subtests for the two groups showed significantly lower performance by disabled than nondisabled readers on all verbal subtests but only on Coding among the performance subtests ( ps < .05). Within group comparisons showed a cluster of three significantly low subtests (Arithmetic, Digit Span, and Coding) for the retarded readers. Rather than having perceptual dysfunction, the retarded readers displayed short-term memory deficits and difficulties in utilizing encoded information to guide sequential motor responses.

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Cognitive impairment in recipients of liver transplantation and relation to hepatic encephalopathy

Middle East Current Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s43045-022-00175-3 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ahmad Saad Mohamed ◽

Mahmoud Ahmed Elmeteini ◽

Ghada Abd Elrazek Mohamed ◽

Doha Mostafa Elserafy ◽

Alaa Adel Elmadani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Transplantation ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Digit Span ◽

Organ Transplant ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

History Of ◽

Trail Making

Abstract Background Liver transplantation (LT) helped to save the life of end stage liver disease (ESLD) patients; however, there is a debate on the persistence of cognitive impairment. The study aimed to evaluate cognitive functions in patients with ESLD before and after liver transplantation and to assess its relation to hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Thirty recipients 47.6 ± 11 years undergone living donor liver transplantation at the transplantation center of both Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplant and Egypt air organ transplant unit were prospectively assessed by Trail Making Test, Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised, Benton Visual Retention—for the evaluation of cognitive functions before and 3 months after transplantation. Results The mean age of the patients was 47.6 ± 11 years, 17 males and 13 females. Eight out of 30 (26.7%) had past history of hepatic encephalopathy. The study reported significant improvement in the post-operative 3 months scores of Trail Making Test part (A), the digit span forward test, digit span backward test and the correct score difference of the Benton Visual Retention, as p value was (0.02), (0.01) (0.02), and (0.01) respectively, compared to the pre-operative scores. However, there was no difference in the scores of part (B), verbal association I, II, information subtest of WMS. Cognitive performance showed no significant difference between patients with or without history of HE. Conclusions Patients with ESLD have significant cognitive impairment that showed improvement after LT; HE did not correlate with cognitive function. Hence, transplantation has a favorable outcome on the cognitive impairment.

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Cardiovascular risk moderates aerobic exercise efficacy on executive function in subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1002/alz.054095 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (S10) ◽

Author(s):

Teresa Liu‐Ambrose ◽

Cindy K Barha ◽

Elizabeth Dao ◽

Ging‐Yuek Robin Hsiung ◽

Lauren Marcotte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Vascular Cognitive Impairment

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Latent Structure of a Brief Clinical Battery of Neuropsychological Tests Administered In-Home Via Telephone

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acaa111 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anastasia Matchanova ◽

Michelle A Babicz ◽

Luis D Medina ◽

Samina Rahman ◽

Briana Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Factor Model ◽

Digit Span ◽

Neuropsychological Battery ◽

Memory And Attention ◽

Sociodemographic Correlates ◽

List Learning ◽

Trail Making

Abstract Objective To examine the factor structure and sociodemographic correlates of a battery of clinical neuropsychological tests administered in-home and via telephone. Method Participants included 280 healthy adults who completed a 35–40 min battery consisting of seven auditory-verbal neuropsychological tests (i.e., 10 variables) that included digit span, list learning and memory, prospective memory, verbal fluency, and oral trail making. Results After removing oral trail making part A, a three-factor model comprised of executive functions, memory and attention demonstrated the best fit to the data. Nevertheless, the shared variance between the nine remaining neuropsychological variables was also adequately explained by a single-factor model and a two-factor model comprised of executive functions and memory. Factor scores were variably associated with education, race/ethnicity, and IQ, but not with sex or age. Conclusions Findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility and factor structure and sociodemographic correlates of a brief telephone-based screening neuropsychological battery comprised mostly of commonly administered clinical measures. Future studies are needed to determine the test–retest reliability, sensitivity, and ecological relevance of this battery, as well as equivalency to in-person assessment.

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Structural and functional changes related to memory deficit in non-demential elderly individuals

Medicina (Ribeirao Preto Online) ◽

10.11606/issn.2176-7262.v49i6p533-548 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 49 (6) ◽

pp. 533

Author(s):

Nísea De A. Corrêa ◽

Maria P. Foss ◽

Paula R. B. Diniz

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Digit Span ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Memory Deficit ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Elderly Individuals ◽

Functional Changes ◽

Wechsler Memory Scale ◽

Trail Making

Objetivo: Verificar as alterações estruturais e funcionais, evidenciadas através da imagem por ressonância magnética, relacionadas aos déficits de memória identificados em idosos normais, quando comparados a adultos jovens. Metodologia: Procedeu-se à revisão sistemática, cujo protocolo obedeceu ao fluxograma do Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Foram investigadas as bases de dados PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, utilizando o gerenciador de referências JabRef, na versão 2.10, e o Web of Science, pelo website. Foram incluídos artigos de estudos quase experimentais, transversais, em coorte ou tipo caso-controle, publicados entre 2005 e 2014, em periódicos indexados nacionais e internacionais, cuja amostra incluísse idosos a partir de 60 anos, não dementes, submetidos à investigação de alterações estruturais e funcionais do sistema nervoso central, por ressonância magnética e sua associação com déficits de memória avaliados por testes neuropsicológicos. Resultados: Quanto à técnica de imagem empregada, identificaram-se dois estudos com imagem por ressonância magnética estrutural, seis estudos com utilização de imagem por ressonância magnética funcional, e quatro estudos que empregaram ambas as técnicas. Nos 12 estudos foi identificado o emprego de 38 testes neuropsicológicos distintos, com uma média de cinco testes por estudo, com variação de um a 12 testes. Dentre os testes mais usados, estiveram o WAIS Digit Span Backwards (em sete estudos), o Trail Making Test A and B (em quatro estudos) e o Wechsler Memory Scale (em quatro estudos). Conclusão: Os estudos demonstraram que no envelhecimento normal, ocorre redução do volume de substância branca para-hipocampal, do volume do hipocampo e do córtex entorrinal com redução de memória verbal, possivelmente por desmielinização das fibras; redução das vias que ligam o lobo temporal e frontal, contribuindo para a redução da memória episódica, da memória de trabalho e da fluência verbal; redução da supressão de informações irrelevantes, o que contribui para menor registro de informação; alterações das áreas frontal e parietal que comprometem a memória de reconhecimento; modificações na atividade e na conectividade do default mode network; reorganização das funções cognitivas, bem como alentecimento de resposta por provável redução de ativação do córtex pré- frontal

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Diagnostic Efficiency of the Trail Making Test as a Function of Cut-off Score, Diagnosis, and Age

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1978.47.1.191 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 191-195 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Norman G. Gordon

Keyword(s):

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Veterans Administration ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Diagnostic Efficiency ◽

Male Veterans ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Trail Making ◽

Administration Hospital ◽

Cutoff Scores ◽

The Brain

This study is a reinvestigation of the effectiveness of the Trail Making Test in discriminating between brain-damaged ( n = 51) and pseudoneurologic ( n = 72) subjects. All subjects were hospitalized male veterans at the Allen Park Veterans Administration Hospital. An analysis of covariance showed that the pseudoneurologic subjects performed at a significantly higher level than the brain-damaged subjects. Further analysis with two different cutoff scores exhibited unequal discriminatory power throughout the whole range of Trail Making Test scores. These results suggested diagnosing only when the scores were 9 or lower and 13 or higher. This use of extreme scores resulted in an over-all hit rate of 87% in the study. Comparisons with five major subgroupings of the pseudoneurologic subjects yielded only one significant difference: more accurate discrimination with the 12 cut-off score between 10 general-medical and peripheral nerve-damaged subjects (100% correct) and 18 psychotic subjects (39% accuracy).

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Alteração na atenção e o tratamento da dor do câncer

Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP ◽

10.1590/s0080-62342008000100019 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 143-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Geana Paula Kurita ◽

Cibele Andrucioli de Mattos Pimenta ◽

José Oswaldo de Oliveira Júnior ◽

Ricardo Caponeiro

Keyword(s):

Digit Span ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Digit Span Test ◽

Span Test ◽

Trail Making

Os danos à vida diária que a alteração cognitiva pode provocar motivaram a elaboração deste estudo, cujo objetivo foi analisar o impacto do tratamento da dor com opióides sobre a atenção. Os doentes foram divididos em grupos que recebiam (n=14) e não recebiam opióides (n=12). Foram feitas três entrevistas, utilizando-se o Trail Making Test e o Digit Span Test, que avaliam a atenção. Os grupos foram homogêneos nas variáveis sociodemográficas, dor e depressão; não foram homogêneos no índice de Karnofsky e no recebimento de analgésicos adjuvantes. Os doentes sem opióides tiveram melhor desempenho no Digit Span Test - ordem inversa, na segunda avaliação (p=0,29) e não foram observadas diferenças no Trail Making Test. As alterações observadas foram limitadas, mas, enquanto novos estudos não confirmem os achados, doentes, profissionais e cuidadores devem ser alertados dos possíveis efeitos deletérios dos opióides sobre a função cognitiva.

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Prevalence and Pattern of Neurocognitive Impairment in Nigerians with Stages 3 to 5 Chronic Kidney Disease

ISRN Neurology ◽

10.1155/2013/374890 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

U. E. Williams ◽

M. O. Owolabi ◽

A. Ogunniyi ◽

E. O. Ezunu

Keyword(s):

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Community Screening ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Gault Formula ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Trail Making ◽

Multiple Domains

Background. Cognitive impairment with its negative effect on quality of life has been reported in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The paucity of the literature on cognitive impairment in Africans with CKD prompted this study. Objectives. To determine the frequency and pattern of cognitive impairment in patients with stages 3 to 5 CKD. Methods. We studied 79 consecutive consenting adults with a National Kidney Foundation (NKF) stage 3 to 5 CKD based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate using the Cockcroft-Gault formula. The controls consisted of healthy demographically matched subjects. Community screening instrument for dementia (CSI’D), trail making test A (TMTA), and trail making test B (TMTB) were used for cognitive assessment. Results. More CKD patients had cognitive impairment compared with controls using CSI’D (51.9% versus 2.5%, P<0.001); TMTA (53.2% versus 0%, P<0.001); and TMTB (40% versus 0%, P<0.001). The odds of having cognitive impairment increased in the presence of CKD when assessed using CSI’D (OR = 2.026; CI = 1.607–2.555); TMTA (OR = 3.13; CI = 2.40–4.09) and TMTB (OR = 3.22; CI = 2.42–4.25). CKD patients performed poorer on tests of executive function TMTA (P<0.001) and TMTB (P<0.001) while CSI’D showed significantly lower scores on multiple cognitive domains. Conclusions. Significant cognitive impairment in multiple domains exists among Nigerians with CKD.

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Applicability of the Test of Variables of Attention – T.O.V.A in Brazilian adults

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/1980-57642018dn12-040009 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 394-401 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Cláudia M. Memória ◽

Henrique C.S. Muela ◽

Natália C. Moraes ◽

Valéria A. Costa-Hong ◽

Michel F. Machado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Performance Test ◽

Digit Span ◽

Screening Tests ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Digit Symbol ◽

Cognitive Screening ◽

Or Education ◽

Attentional Processes ◽

Trail Making ◽

State Examination

ABSTRACT The functioning of attention is complex, a primordial function in several cognitive processes and of great interest to neuropsychology. The Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A) is a continuous computerized performance test that evaluates some attention components such as response time to a stimulus and errors due to inattention and impulsivity. Objective: 1) To evaluate the applicability of T.O.V.A in Brazilian adults; 2) To analyze the differences in performance between genders, age ranges, and levels of education; 3) To examine the association between T.O.V.A variables and other attention and cognitive screening tests. Methods: The T.O.V.A was applied to 63 healthy adults (24 to 78 years of age) who also underwent the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Span and Digit Symbol (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults – WAIS-III) and the Trail Making Test. Results: the T.O.V.A was little influenced by age or education, but was influenced by gender. The correlations between some T.O.V.A variables and the Digit Symbol and Trail Making test were weak (r-values between 0.2 and 0.4), but significant (p<0.05). There was no correlation with the Digit Span test. Conclusion: The T.O.V.A showed good applicability and proved adequate for evaluating attentional processes in adults.

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