Utilization of the Comprehensive Trail Making Test as a Measure of Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Abstract Objective Among individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), those with depression report greater subjective cognitive complaints than those without depression. In mTBI patients with general cognitive complaints, depression may account for poor performance on objective neuropsychological measures. This study seeks to expand this research by examining depression, subjective executive functioning (EF) complaints, and objective EF performance in Veterans with mTBI. Method Fifty-seven Veterans with deployment-related mTBI (12% female; age M = 42.0, SD = 13.6; years education M = 15.0, SD = 1.8) with (n = 29) or without (n = 28) a chart diagnosis of depression. Participants were administered the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) and objective neuropsychological measures of working memory (i.e., Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV Working Memory Index) and aspects of EF (i.e., Trail Making Test B and Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System (D-KEFS) subtests). Results Principal component analysis identified similar domains of EF to the BRIEF, including: task monitoring (Trail Making Test B, D-KEFS Letter Fluency, and D-KEFS Tower Test, eigenvalue = 1.93) and shifting (D-KEFS: Color-Word Interference Conditions 3 and 4, and Category Switching, eigenvalue = 1.24). Individuals with depression had greater subjective EF complaints in each BRIEF domain than non-depressed individuals (p’s ≤ .01). However, subjective complaints in these domains were not related to objective performance (r’s = −0.17,-0.19, p’s > .05). Moreover, depressed and non-depressed individuals performed similarly on all EF measures (p’s > .05). Conclusions mTBI Veterans with depression report more subjective EF complaints than those without depression. The lack of association between subjective complaints and objective EF performance suggests it is important to treat depression in mTBI patients to remedy perceived cognitive deficits.

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Comprehensive Trail-Making Test: Gender and Ethnic Differences for Ages 8 to 18 Years Old

Applied Neuropsychology Child ◽

10.1080/09084282.2011.643954 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 53-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

David A. Kahn ◽

Cynthia A. Riccio ◽

Cecil R. Reynolds

Keyword(s):

Ethnic Differences ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Trail Making ◽

Comprehensive Trail Making Test

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A-11 Investigating Gene–Gene Interactions by Cognitive Domain in Healthy Older Adults

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acab062.29 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 1051-1051

Author(s):

Kendra L Pizzonia ◽

Andrew M Bryant ◽

Leatha A Clark ◽

Brian C Clark ◽

Julie A Suhr

Keyword(s):

Executive Functioning ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Verbal Fluency ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Gene Interactions ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Semantic Fluency ◽

Immediate Memory ◽

Trail Making ◽

Main Effects

Abstract Objective ApoE is a well-known gene carrying risk for Alzheimer’s disease and is associated with memory performance while the COMT gene is associated with executive functioning but is understudied. The present study investigated these gene interactions across cognitive domains. Method A larger study on gait and aging recruited 89 healthy community-dwelling adults over the age of 60. The primary analyses included 82 participants (67% female, mean age = 74.61, SD = 6.71). The analyses on executive functioning included 72 participants (65% female, mean age = 73.02, SD = 4.99) who completed all measures of interest. ApoE status was defined as presence/absence of Ɛ4. The rs4680 gene on the COMT allele was classified into Val/Met, Val/Val, and Met/Met genotypes. Biological sex was included as a binary term (i.e., male/female). Index variables and age corrected standard scores on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, verbal fluency, and Trail Making Test were included. Results Gene–gene interactions were found for overall cognitive functioning, immediate memory, and semantic fluency. There were main effects of sex for overall cognitive functioning, immediate memory, delayed memory, and semantic fluency. There were main effects for COMT for delayed memory and a main effect for both COMT and ApoE for visuospatial functioning, coding, and verbal fluency (all p’s < 0.05). There were no ApoE x COMT x Sex interactions and Trail Making Test B was not related to either gene or sex. Conclusion(s) Our findings suggest that both COMT and ApoE (and their interaction) influence cognition. Future research should investigate gene–gene interactions in larger samples with more comprehensive cognitive batteries.

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QEEG correlates of cognitive processing speed in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injuries

Applied Neuropsychology Child ◽

10.1080/21622965.2019.1675523 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Joseph Ferraracci ◽

Christopher Anzalone ◽

Rachel M. Bridges ◽

R. Davis Moore ◽

Scott L. Decker

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Brain Injuries ◽

Traumatic Brain Injuries ◽

Cognitive Processing Speed

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A-166 The Role of Apathy on Executive Functioning After Stroke

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acaa068.166 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 960-960

Author(s):

Lopez A ◽

Lopez Palacios D ◽

Quintana A ◽

Gibson D ◽

Arguelles-Borge S

Keyword(s):

Executive Functioning ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Data Set ◽

Test Part ◽

Trail Making

Abstract Objective This study examined the role of apathy on performance of an executive functioning task. Method The data for this study was derived from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center’s Uniform Data Set containing neuropsychological information for stroke patients (n = 317) who completed the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q) and the Trail Making Test (Part B). The sample was divided into two groups. One which endorsed feelings of apathy in the last month (n = 102; mean age = 84,SD = 8.33) and a second group which denied feelings of apathy within the last month (n = 215; mean age = 86, SD = 8.02). Results After controlling for depression [as measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)], age, gender, and motor impairment, the results of an ANCOVA showed that those who reported apathy performed significantly slower on the Trail Making Test—Part B than those who did not report it [F(1,312 = 6.01, p = .02]. Conclusions It has previously been found that cognitive performance can be impacted by depression on stroke patients. However, recently, it has been identified that apathy specifically, can have an effect on cognitive domains such as verbal learning, short-term, and long-term memory. The present study further supports that apathy may play a role in overall cognitive performance. Therefore, even if patients do not meet criteria for depression, the presence of apathy should still be taken into account. Future research should examine other possible contributing factors such as processing speed should be taken into account as they could be affecting the scores. Finally, researchers should utilize additional measures of executive functioning as only one was available for this study.

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