A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Cognition and Ultrasound-Based Vascular Strain Indices

Abstract Objective We examine the relationship between variability in the plaque strain distribution estimated using ultrasound with multiple cognitive domains including executive, language, visuospatial reasoning, and memory function. Method Asymptomatic (n = 42) and symptomatic (n = 34) patients with significant (>60%) carotid artery stenosis were studied for plaque instability using ultrasound strain imaging and multiple cognitive domains including executive, language, visuospatial reasoning, and memory function. Correlation and ROC analyses were performed between ultrasound strain indices and cognitive function. Strain indices and cognition scores were also compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients to determine whether there are significant group differences. Results Association of high-strain distributions with dysexecutive function was observed in both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. For memory, visuospatial, and language functions, the correlations between strain and cognition were weaker for the asymptomatic compared to symptomatic group. Conclusions Both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients demonstrate a relationship between vessel strain indices and executive function indicating that silent strokes and micro-emboli could initially contribute to a decline in executive function, whereas strokes and transient ischemic attacks may cause the further decline in other cognitive functions.

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Neurogranin as a predictor of memory and executive function decline in MCI patients

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000005057 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 90 (10) ◽

pp. e887-e895 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Alison Headley ◽

Andres De Leon-Benedetti ◽

Chuanhui Dong ◽

Bonnie Levin ◽

David Loewenstein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Sex Education ◽

Early Stage ◽

Memory Function ◽

Cognitive Measures ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rate Of Decline ◽

Normal Cognition ◽

Poor Memory

ObjectiveTo determine whether high CSF levels of neurogranin (Ng) predict longitudinal decline in memory and executive function during early-stage Alzheimer disease (AD).MethodsBaseline levels of CSF Ng were studied in relation to cross-sectional and longitudinal cognitive performance over 8 years. Data were obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database, and participants with normal cognition (n = 111) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 193) were included.ResultsHigh levels of CSF Ng were associated with poor baseline memory scores (β = −0.21, p < 0.0001). CSF Ng predicted both memory and executive function decline over time (β = −0.0313, p = 0.0068 and β = −0.0346, p = 0.0169, respectively) independently of age, sex, education, and APOE ε4 status. When the rate of decline by tertiles was examined, CSF Ng was a level-dependent predictor of memory function, whereby the group with highest levels of Ng showed the fastest rates of decline in both memory and executive function. When examined separately, elevated Ng was associated with cognitive decline in participants with MCI but not in those with normal cognition. The levels of CSF Ng were not associated with cognitive measures when tau and amyloid 42 (Aβ42) were controlled for in these analyses.ConclusionsHigh CSF Ng associates with poor memory scores in participants with MCI cross-sectionally and with poor memory and executive function longitudinally. The association of Ng with cognitive measures disappears when tau and Aβ42 are included in the statistical models. Our findings suggest that CSF Ng may serve as a biomarker of cognition. Synaptic dysfunction contributes to cognitive impairment in early-stage AD.

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Neuropsychological Profiles of Older Adults with Superior versus Average Episodic Memory: The Northwestern “SuperAger” Cohort

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617721000837 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Amanda Cook Maher ◽

Beth Makowski-Woidan ◽

Alan Kuang ◽

Hui Zhang ◽

Sandra Weintraub ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Memory Function ◽

Neuropsychological Test ◽

Cognitive Mechanisms ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Individual Level ◽

Neuropsychological Profile ◽

Age Range

Abstract Objective: SuperAgers are adults over the age of 80 with superior episodic memory performance and at least average-for-age performance in non-episodic memory domains. This study further characterized the neuropsychological profile of SuperAgers compared to average-for-age episodic memory peers to determine potential cognitive mechanisms contributing to their superior episodic memory performance. Method: Retrospective analysis of neuropsychological test data from 56 SuperAgers and 23 similar-age peers with average episodic memory was conducted. Independent sample t-tests evaluated between-group differences in neuropsychological scores. Multiple linear regression determined the influence of non-episodic memory function on episodic memory scores across participants. Results: As a group, SuperAgers had better scores than their average memory peers on measures of attention, working memory, naming, and speeded set shifting. Scores on tests of processing speed, visuospatial function, verbal fluency, response inhibition, and abstract reasoning did not differ. On an individual level, there was variability among SuperAgers with regard to non-episodic memory performance, with some performing above average-for-age across cognitive domains while others performed in the average-for-age range on non-memory tests. Across all participants, attention and executive function scores explained 20.4% of the variance in episodic memory scores. Conclusions: As a group, SuperAgers outperformed their average memory peers in multiple cognitive domains, however, there was considerable intragroup variability suggesting that SuperAgers’ episodic memory strength is not simply related to globally superior cognitive functioning. Attention and executive function performance explained approximately one-fifth of the variance in episodic memory and maybe areas to target with cognitive interventions.

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Association of gait with global cognitive function and cognitive domains detected by MoCA-J among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-021-02467-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Wen Hao ◽

Wenjing Zhao ◽

Takashi Kimura ◽

Shigekazu Ukawa ◽

Ken Kadoya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Initial Contact ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Global Cognitive Function ◽

Gait Parameters

Abstract Background Gait was proved to be strongly associated with global cognitive function and multiple cognitive domains; however, previous research usually concentrated on individual gait parameters. This study used wearable sensors to measure gait parameters in different aspects and comprehensively explored the association of gait with global cognitive function and cognitive domains. Methods The data of this cross-sectional study were obtained from 236 community-dwelling Japanese older adults (125 men and 111 women) aged 70–81 years. Gait was measured by asking participants to walk a 6-m course and back using the Physilog® sensors (GaiUp®, Switzerland). Global cognitive function and cognitive domains were evaluated by face-to-face interviews using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Twenty gait parameters were summarized as independent gait factors using factor analysis. A generalized linear model and linear regression model were used to explore the relationship of gait with global cognitive function and cognitive domains adjusted for several confounding factors. Results Factor analysis yielded four gait factors: general cycle, initial contact, propulsion, and mid-swing. Among them, general cycle factor was significantly associated with global cognitive function (β = − 0.487, [− 0.890, − 0.085]) and executive function (P = 0.049); initial contact was associated with executive function (P = 0.017). Conclusion General cycle of gait might be the better marker of global cognitive function and gait is most strongly associated with executive function. The longitudinal relationships should be examined in future cohort studies.

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Relationships Between Balance and Cognition in Patients With Subjective Cognitive Impairment, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease

Physical Therapy ◽

10.2522/ptj.20130298 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 94 (8) ◽

pp. 1123-1134 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Gro Gujord Tangen ◽

Knut Engedal ◽

Astrid Bergland ◽

Tron Anders Moger ◽

Anne Marit Mengshoel

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Alzheimer Disease ◽

Balance Control ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Subjective Cognitive Impairment ◽

Postural Responses

Background Balance impairments are common in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), but which aspects of balance are affected, at which stage of cognitive impairment, and their associations with cognitive domains remain unexplored. Objectives The aims of this study were: (1) to explore differences in balance abilities among patients with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild AD, and moderate AD and (2) to examine the relationship between the various aspects of balance and cognitive domains. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods Home-dwelling patients with SCI or MCI (n=33), mild AD (n=99), and moderate AD (n=38) participated in this study. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest), comprising 6 subscales—“Biomechanical Constraints,” “Stability Limits/Verticality,” “Anticipatory Postural Adjustments,” “Postural Responses,” “Sensory Orientation,” and “Stability in Gait”—was used to assess balance. Cognitive domains were assessed using the following measures: Mini-Mental Status Examination, Word-List Learning Test from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Verbal Fluency Test, Clock Drawing Test, and Trail Making Test, parts A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B, respectively). Two-way between-group analyses of variance, adjusted for age, were used to analyze differences among the groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the associations between balance and cognition. Results Differences were found between the groups on all BESTest subscales; the moderate AD group had the worst scores. The TMT-B (measuring executive function) was associated with all of the BESTest subscales after controlling for demographic factors. Limitations The cross-sectional design hampered interpretation of the development of balance impairments. Conclusions The study findings indicate that all aspects of balance control deteriorate with increasing severity of cognitive impairment and that executive function plays an important role in balance control. Physical therapists should pay attention to these findings both in clinical practice and in future research.

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PENGARUH STRES TERHADAP FUNGSI MEMORI PADA PASIEN DIABETES MELITUS DI KOTA DEPOK

Jurnal Riset Kesehatan Nasional ◽

10.37294/jrkn.v2i2.107 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 124

Author(s):

Fathiya Hanisya ◽

Dikha Ayu Kurnia

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Chronic Disease ◽

Digit Span ◽

Memory Function ◽

Early Assessment ◽

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Spearman Rank ◽

Stress Scale ◽

Diabetes Melitus

Diabetes melitus merupakan penyakit kronis yang dapat mempengaruhi sisi psikologi penderitanya. Stres merupakan salah satu akibat dari penyakit kronis. Stres memiliki dampak negatif pada penderita diabetes melitus karena menyebabkan keadaan hiperglikemia. Hiperglikemia merupakan awal mula dari kerusakan fungsi kognitif, salah satunya kerusakan pada fungsi memori. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui hubungan antara stres dengan fungsi memori. Desain penelitian ini adalah analitik korelatif dengan pendekatan cross sectional, menggunakan 85 responden penderita diabetes melitus di Kecamatan Sawangan Depok. Stres dinilai menggunakan Depression, Anxiety, Stress scale 42 khususnya pada subscale stres sebanyak 14 pernyataan. Sedangkan fungsi memori dinilai menggunakan digit span forward and backward. Uji analisis bivariat menggunakan uji Spearman Rank menyatakan bahwa terdapat hubungan yang bermakna antara stres dan fungsi memori pada penderita diabetes melitus di Kota Depok (p<0,05). Penelitian ini merekomendasikan kepada praktisi kesehatan untuk menekankan manajemen stres dalam tatalaksana diabetes melitus dan penilaian awal tingkat stres sebelum dilakukan pendidikan kesehatan pada penderita diabetes melitus. Kata kunci: stres, fungsi memori, diabetes melitus, depok AbstractDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affect psychological side of individual with diabetes. Stress is one of the result of chronic disease. Stress has a negative impact on people with diabetes melitus because it causes a state of hyperglycemia. Hyperglycaemia is the beginning of cognitive function impairment, one of which is damage to memory function. This study aims was to determine the relationship between stress and memory function. The design of this study was correlative analytic with cross sectional approach, using 85 respondents with diabetes mellitus in Kecamatan Sawangan Depok. Stress was assessed using Depression, Anxiety, Stress scale 42 (DASS 42), especially on stress subscales consists of 14 statements. While the memory function was assessed using the forward and backward digit span. Bivariate analysis test using Spearman Rank test stated that there was a significant relationship between stress and memory function in people with diabetes mellitus in Depok City (p <0,05). This study recommends to health practitioners to emphasize stress management in the management of diabetes mellitus and early assessment of stress levels prior to health education in people with diabetes mellitus. Keywords: stress, memory function, diabetes mellitus, depok

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Retinal microvascular signs in COVID-19

British Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-318236 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bjophthalmol-2020-318236

Author(s):

Ralene Sim ◽

Gemmy Cheung ◽

Daniel Ting ◽

Edmund Wong ◽

Tien Yin Wong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical History ◽

Vital Signs ◽

Plexiform Layer ◽

Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽

Inner Plexiform Layer ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Imaging Device ◽

Asymptomatic Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Retinal Microvascular Signs

Background/aimsTo explore if retinal findings are associated with COVID-19 infection.MethodsIn this prospective cross-sectional study, we recruited participants positive for COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal swab, with no medical history. Subjects underwent retinal imaging with an automated imaging device (3D OCT-1 Maestro, Topcon, Tokyo, Japan) to obtain colour fundus photographs (CFP) and optical coherence tomographic (OCT) scans of the macula. Data on personal biodata, medical history and vital signs were collected from electronic medical records.Results108 patients were recruited. Mean age was 36.0±5.4 years. 41 (38.0%) had symptoms of acute respiratory infection (ARI) at presentation. Of 216 eyes, 25 (11.6%) had retinal signs—eight (3.7%) with microhaemorrhages, six (2.8%) with retinal vascular tortuosity and two (0.93%) with cotton wool spots (CWS). 11 eyes (5.1%) had hyper-reflective plaques in the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer layer on OCT, of which two also had retinal signs visible on CFP (CWS and microhaemorrhage, respectively). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of retinal signs in symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients (12 (15.0%) vs 13 (9.6%), p=0.227). Patients with retinal signs were significantly more likely to have transiently elevated blood pressure than those without (p=0.03).ConclusionOne in nine had retinal microvascular signs on ocular imaging. These signs were observed even in asymptomatic patients with normal vital signs. These retinal microvascular signs may be related to underlying cardiovascular and thrombotic alternations associated with COVID-19 infection.

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Use of monoclonal antibody therapy for nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients at high risk for severe COVID-19: experience from a tertiary-care hospital in Germany

Infection ◽

10.1007/s15010-021-01657-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Johanna Koehler ◽

Barbara Ritzer ◽

Simon Weidlich ◽

Friedemann Gebhardt ◽

Chlodwig Kirchhoff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Tertiary Care Hospital ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Antibody Therapy ◽

Additional Treatment ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Asymptomatic Patients

AbstractAdditional treatment options for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are urgently needed, particularly for populations at high risk of severe disease. This cross-sectional, retrospective study characterized the outcomes of 43 patients with nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with and without treatment using monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies (bamlanivimab or casirivimab/imdevimab). Our results indicate that treatment with monoclonal antibodies results in a significant decrease in disease progression and mortality when used for asymptomatic patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Serum sodium in relation to various domains of cognitive function in the elderly US population

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-021-02260-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sohyae Lee ◽

Jin-young Min ◽

Beom Kim ◽

Sang-Won Ha ◽

Jeohng Ho Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Serum Sodium ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

The Elderly ◽

Cognitive Change ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

P Value ◽

Digit Symbol Substitution Test ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background Recent evidence suggests that sodium imbalances may be associated with cognitive impairment; however, the association between specific domains of cognition remains unclear. This study examines the association between serum sodium levels and immediate and delayed verbal memory as measured by the CERAD Word Learning Test (CERAD WLT), executive function as measured by the Animal Fluency test (AFT), and sustained attention, working memory, and processing speed as measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST) in the elderly population of the US aged 60 and older who participated in the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (n = 2,541). Methods Cognitive function tests were performed by trained interviewers and sodium levels were measured using indirect ion selective electrode methodology. Results After adjusting for all covariates, quintiles of CERAD WLT scores showed significant positive associations with log-transformed sodium levels (Immediate recall (IR) β = 4.25 (SE = 1.83, p-value 0.027); Delayed recall (DR) β = 6.54 (SE = 1.82, p-value 0.001)). Compared to normal sodium levels, hyponatremia was significantly associated with lower CERAD WLT-IR (β = -0.34, SE = 0.15, p-value 0.035) and CERAD WLT-DR scores (β -0.48, SE = 0.10, p-value < 0.001) and showed borderline significance with AFT scores (β = = -0.38, SE = 0.19, p-value 0.052). Hypernatremia did not show any significant relationships with cognitive test scores, compared to normal sodium levels. Conclusions Our cross-sectional study showed that lower sodium levels were associated with cognitive change, especially regarding memory and executive function.

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Engagement with daily testing instead of self-isolating in contacts of confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11135-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alex F. Martin ◽

Sarah Denford ◽

Nicola Love ◽

Derren Ready ◽

Isabel Oliver ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Service Evaluation ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Group ◽

Negative Test ◽

The Impact ◽

Close Contacts

Abstract Background In December 2020, Public Health England with NHS Test and Trace initiated a pilot study in which close contacts of people with confirmed COVID-19 were given the option to carryout lateral flow device antigen tests at home, as an alternative to self-isolation for 10–14 days. In this study, we evaluated engagement with daily testing, and assessed levels of adherence to the rules relating to behaviour following positive or negative test results. Methods We conducted a service evaluation of the pilot study, examining survey responses from a subset of those who responded to an evaluation questionnaire. We used an online cross-sectional survey offered to adult contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases who consented to daily testing. We used a comparison group of contacts who were not offered testing and instead self-isolated. Results Acceptability of daily testing was lower among survey respondents who were not offered the option of testing and among people from ethnic minority groups. Overall, 52% of respondents reported being more likely to share details of people that they had been in contact with following a positive test result, if they knew that their contacts would be offered the option of daily testing. Only 2% reported that they would be less likely to provide details of their contacts. On the days that they were trying to self-isolate, 19% of participants reported that they left the house, with no significant group differences. Following a negative test, 13% of respondents reported that they increased their contacts, but most (58%) reported having fewer risky contacts. Conclusions Our data suggest that daily testing is potentially acceptable, may facilitate sharing contact details of close contacts among those who test positive for COVID-19, and promote adherence to self-isolation. A better understanding is needed of how to make this option more acceptable for all households. The impact of receiving a negative test on behaviour remains a risk that needs to be monitored and mitigated by appropriate messaging. Future research should examine attitudes and behaviour in a context where infection levels are lower, testing is more familiar, and restrictions on activity have been reduced.

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EXPRESS: Trajectories of verbal fluency and executive functions in multilingual and monolingual children and adults: A cross-sectional study

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology ◽

10.1177/17470218211026792 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174702182110267

Author(s):

Roberto Filippi ◽

Andrea Ceccolini ◽

Peter Bright

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Executive Function ◽

Verbal Fluency ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Response Times ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Human Cognition ◽

Lexical Retrieval ◽

Cross Sectional

The development of verbal fluency is associated with the maturation of executive function skills, such as the ability to inhibit irrelevant information, shift between tasks and hold information in working memory. Some evidence suggests that multilinguistic upbringing may underpin disadvantages in verbal fluency and lexical retrieval, but can also afford executive function advantages beyond the language system including possible beneficial effects in older age. This study examined the relationship between verbal fluency and executive function in 324 individuals across the lifespan by assessing the developmental trajectories of English monolingual and multilingual children aged 7 to 15 years (N=154) and adults from 18 to 80 years old (N=170). The childhood data indicated patterns of improvement in verbal fluency and executive function skills as a function of age. Multilingual and monolingual children had comparable developmental trajectories in all linguistic and non-linguistic measures used in the study with the exception of planning, for which monolingual children showed a steeper improvement over the studied age range relative to multilingual children. For adults, monolinguals and multilingual participants had comparable performance on all measures with the exception of non-verbal inhibitory control and response times on the Tower of London task: monolinguals showed a steeper decline associated with age. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that verbal fluency was associated with working memory and fluid intelligence in monolingual participants but not in multilinguals. These findings raise the possibility that early acquisition of an additional language may impact on the development of the functional architecture serving high-level human cognition.

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