Assessment of executive functions in older adults: Translation and initial validation of the Swedish version of the Frontal Assessment Battery, FAB-Swe

Objetivo: Validar o Jogo das Mãos TATI enquanto instrumento de avaliação da coordenação motora e das funções executivas, em idosos institucionalizados. Metodologia: Foi recrutada uma amostra de conveniência de 10 idosos institucionalizados (idades entre os 81-92 anos) e cognitivamente preservados (considerando o resultado no Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test -6CIT). O protocolo de implementação incluiu o procedimento do Jogo das Mãos TATI, nas modalidades unilateral e bilateral, a Frontal Asssessment Battery (FAB, para avaliar as funções executivas), o teste de toque em discos da bateria de testes de aptidão física do EUROFIT (para avaliar a coordenação dos membros superiores) e a avaliação da experiência com o jogo. Resultados: Foram obtidas correlações elevadas e estatisticamente significativas entre a pontuação total da FAB e os resultados obtidos no procedimento do Jogo das Mãos TATI (ρ = - 0.74; p < 0.05; e ρ = - 0.77; p < 0.01, para as modalidades unilateral e bilateral, respetivamente) e entre os resultados obtidos no teste de toque de discos da bateria de testes de aptidão física do EUROFIT e no procedimento do Jogo das Mãos TATI (ρ = 0.72; p < 0.05; e ρ = 0.89; p < 0.01, para as modalidades unilateral e bilateral, respetivamente). Os idosos classificaram a experiência como globalmente positiva. Conclusões: Os resultados obtidos evidenciam o potencial do Jogo das Mãos TATI enquanto instrumento de avaliação das funções executivas e da coordenação motora, em idosos institucionalizados. Estudos futuros de validação deverão incluir amostras mais amplas e heterogéneas. Resumen. Objetivo: Validar el Juego de Manos TATI como instrumento para evaluar la coordinación motora y las funciones ejecutivas en ancianos institucionalizados. Metodología: Se reclutó una muestra de conveniencia de 10 ancianos institucionalizados (edades 81-92 años) y conservados cognitivamente (considerando el resultado en Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test - 6CIT). El protocolo de implementación incluyó el el procedimiento del Juego de Manos TATI, en las modalidade unilateral y bilateral, la Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB, para evaluar funciones ejecutivas), la prueba de toque en la batería de pruebas de fitness de EUROFIT (para evaluar la coordinación de miembros superiores) y la evaluación de la experiencia con el juego. Resultados: Se obtuvieron correlaciones altas y estadísticamente significativas entre la puntuación total FAB y los resultados obtenidos en el procedimiento TATI Hand Game (ρ = - 0,74; p <0,05; y ρ = - 0,77; p <0,01, para modalidades unilaterales y bilaterales, respectivamente) y entre los resultados obtenidos en el test de aptitud física EUROFIT test de contacto con el disco de la batería y en el procedimiento TATI Game of Hands (ρ = 0,72; p <0,05; y ρ = 0,89; p <0,01, para modalidades unilaterales y bilaterales, respectivamente ). Los ancianos calificaron la experiencia como globalmente positiva. Conclusiones: Los resultados obtenidos muestran el potencial del Juego de Manos TATI como instrumento para evaluar las funciones ejecutivas y la coordinación motora en ancianos institucionalizados. Los estudios de validación futuros deben incluir muestras más amplias y heterogéneas. Abstract. Aim: To validate the Jogo das Mãos TATI as a motor coordination and executive functions assessment tool in institutionalized older adults. Methods: A convenience sample of 10 institutionalized participants (aged 81-92 years old) and cognitively preserved (according to Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test - 6CIT result) was recruited. The applied protocol included the TATI Hands Game procedure (unilateral and bilateral mode), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB, forexecutive functions assessment), the plate-tapping test of the EUROFIT testing battery (upper-limb coordination assessment), and the assessment of the game-based experience. Results: Large statistically significative correlations were found between the FAB total result and the Jogo das Mãos TATI results (ρ = - 0.74; p < 0.05; ρ = - 0.77; p < 0.01, for the unilateral and the bilateral mode, respectively), and the plate-tapping test of the EUROFIT testing battery results and the Jogo das Mãos TATI results (ρ = 0.72; p < 0.05; and ρ = 0.89; p < 0.01, for the unilateral and the bilateral mode, respectively). The game-based experience was globally classified as positive. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the Jogo das Mãos TATI can be used to assess motor coordination and executive functions in institutionalized older adults. Further studies are needed to replicate the results in larger and more heterogeneous samples.

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Relationship between frontal assessment battery scores and activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living ability in older adults

Journal of Physical Therapy Science ◽

10.1589/jpts.30.1237 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (10) ◽

pp. 1237-1240 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shinya Hisano

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Frontal Assessment Battery ◽

Assessment Battery ◽

Instrumental Activities

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Evaluating Executive Functions in Patients with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy Using Frontal Assessment Battery

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/2020/8710373 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Hossein Sanjari Moghaddam ◽

Masoud Doost Hoseini ◽

Mohammad Reza Khaleghi ◽

Abbas Tafakhori ◽

Mahsa Dolatshahi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Area Under The Curve ◽

Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy ◽

Myoclonic Epilepsy ◽

Frontal Assessment Battery ◽

Clinical Tool ◽

Assessment Battery ◽

Mental Flexibility ◽

History Of Epilepsy

Objective. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the executive profile of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) patients using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) as a bedside screening tool and investigate its association with seizure proximity, family history of epilepsy, and polytherapy/monotherapy with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Background. JME patients have deficits in various aspects of executive functions. FAB has proved to be a useful tool for evaluating executive functions in clinical settings. Methods. Thirty-one JME patients and 110 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this study. The participants were assessed using six subsets of FAB, including conceptualization, mental flexibility, motor programming, sensitivity to interference, inhibitory control, and environmental autonomy. Results. Compared to HCs, JME patients showed lower scores in conceptualization, mental flexibility, programming, sensitivity to interference, and total FAB. The number of AEDs (polytherapy versus monotherapy) and duration of time since the last seizure had no significant effect on FAB scores in JME patients. We found significant associations between disease duration and conceptualization, mental flexibility, inhibitory control, and total FAB score only in JME patients with recent seizure. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed area under the curve (AUC) of 0.971 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.947–0.994) for FAB total score, 0.933 for conceptualization (95% CI: 0.973-894), and 0.836 for mental flexibility (95% CI: 0.921-751). Conclusions. In summary, JME patients had deficits in different aspects of executive functions. FAB is a useful clinical tool for evaluation of executive functions in JME patients.

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Screening for Executive Dysfunction with the Frontal Assessment Battery: Psychometric Properties Analysis and Representative Normative Data for Brazilian Older Adults

Revista Psicologia em Pesquisa ◽

10.5327/z1982-1247201300010010 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 89-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jonas Jardim de Paula ◽

Samara Melo Moura ◽

Matheus Bortolosso Bocardi ◽

Edgar Nunes de Moraes ◽

Leandro Fernandes Malloy-Diniz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Normative Data ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Frontal Assessment Battery ◽

Assessment Battery

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Individual differences in executive functions and retrieval efficacy in older adults.

Psychology and Aging ◽

10.1037/pag0000315 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (8) ◽

pp. 1105-1114 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Fergus I. M. Craik ◽

Eldar Eftekhari ◽

Ellen Bialystok ◽

Nicole D. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Executive Functions

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Executive Dysfunction Mediates the Association Between Older Age and Online Health Information Search Performance

10.31234/osf.io/cjnyu ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Victoria Kordovski ◽

Savanna M. Tierney ◽

Samina Rahman ◽

Luis D. Medina ◽

Michelle A. Babicz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Information Search ◽

Search Task ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Older Age ◽

The Internet ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Related Information ◽

Health Related

Objective: Searching the Internet for health-related information is a complex and dynamic goal-oriented process that places demands on executive functions, which are higher-order cognitive abilities that are known to deteriorate with older age. This study aimed to examine the effects of older age on electronic health (eHealth) search behavior, and to determine whether executive functions played a mediating role in that regard. Method: Fifty younger adults (≤ 35 years) and 41 older adults (≥50 years) completed naturalistic eHealth search tasks involving fact-finding (Fact Search) and symptom diagnosis (Symptom Search), a neurocognitive battery, and a series of questionnaires. Results: Multiple regression models with relevant covariates revealed that older adults were slower and less accurate than younger adults on the eHealth Fact Search task, but not on the eHealth Symptom Search task. Nevertheless, executive functions mediated the relationship between older age and eHealth Fact Search and Symptom Search accuracy. Conclusions: Older adults can experience difficulty searching the Internet for some health-related information, which is at least partly attributable to executive dysfunction. Future studies are needed to determine the benefits of training in the organizational and strategic aspects of Internet search for older adults and whether these findings are applicable to clinical populations with executive dysfunction.

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The role of executive functions in older adults’ affective theory of mind

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics ◽

10.1016/j.archger.2021.104513 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104513

Author(s):

Yuki Otsuka ◽

Miho Shizawa ◽

Ayumi Sato ◽

Shoji Itakura

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Executive Functions

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Fear of Falling and Cognitive Decline in Healthy Aging Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.849 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 265-265

Author(s):

Rebecca Kraut ◽

Roee Holtzer

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Fear Of Falling ◽

Composite Score ◽

Cognitive Measures ◽

Delayed Recall ◽

Memory And Attention ◽

Aging Adults

Abstract Fear of Falling (FOF) is common and associated with poor mobility in aging but whether persistence of FOF endorsement influences cognitive decline has not been reported. Here we determined the effect of FOF, measured dichotomously and after accounting for persistence, on decline in global cognitive function (GCF), memory, and attention/executive functions. Older adults with persistent FOF (n=81; mean age=77.63±6.67 yrs; %female=74.1), transient FOF (n=60; mean age=76.93±6.01 yrs; %female=61.7), and no FOF (n=286; mean age=75.77±6.42 yrs; %female=49.3) were included. FOF was assessed through yes/no responses to “do you have a fear of falling?” at baseline. GCF was assessed using RBANS; memory was assessed using a composite score comprising the immediate and delayed recall index scores from RBANS; attention/executive functions were assessed via a composite score comprising TMT A & B, letter and category fluency tasks, and digit symbol modalities. Cognitive measures were administered annually for up to six years. Linear mixed effects models revealed that persistent FOF was associated with a worse decline in GCF compared to both transient FOF (estimate=0.78, p=.022) and no FOF (estimate=0.75, p=.004). Persistent FOF was also associated with a worse decline in memory compared to those with transient FOF (estimate=0.08, p=.004) and those with no FOF (estimate=0.06, p=.006). Associations between FOF status and decline in attention/executive functions were not significant. These findings demonstrate that persistent FOF is a risk factor for cognitive decline in community-residing older adults.

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Syntactic Comprehension in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/2014/230578 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Kentarou Yoshizawa ◽

Nao Yasuda ◽

Michinari Fukuda ◽

Yumi Yukimoto ◽

Mieko Ogino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Executive Function ◽

Sample Size ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Frontal Assessment Battery ◽

Auditory Comprehension ◽

Assessment Battery ◽

Visuospatial Function ◽

Bulbar Onset ◽

Lateral Sclerosis

Recent neuropsychological studies of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have demonstrated that some patients have aphasic symptoms, including impaired syntactic comprehension. However, it is not known if syntactic comprehension disorder is related to executive and visuospatial dysfunction. In this study, we evaluated syntactic comprehension using the Syntax Test for Aphasia (STA) auditory comprehension task, frontal executive function using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), visuospatial function using Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM), and dementia using the Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised (HDS-R) in 25 patients with ALS. Of the 25 patients, 18 (72%) had syntactic comprehension disorder (STA score < IV), nine (36%) had frontal executive dysfunction (FAB score < 14), six (24%) had visuospatial dysfunction (RCPM score < 24), and none had dementia (HDS-R score < 20). Nine of the 18 patients with syntactic comprehension disorder (50%) passed the FAB and RCPM. Although sample size was small, these patients had a low STA score but normal FAB and RCPM score. All patients with bulbar onset ALS had syntactic comprehension disorder. These results indicate that it might be necessary to assess syntactic comprehension in patients with bulbar onset ALS. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the pathological continuum of ALS.

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