scholarly journals Hemoglobin A1c Relates to Poorer Scores on a Test of Executive Function

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 926-926
Author(s):  
Aaron Smith ◽  
Xing Song ◽  
Matthew Taylor ◽  
Debra Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Hemoglobin A1c ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Data Repository ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objectives Poor glycemic control (GC) is associated with poorer executive function. However, data looking at the relationship between GC and cognition is limited. This study aimed to assess the relationship between GC and various cognitive tests using electronic medical record data (EMR). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was the main predictor variable. Methods De-identified data were gathered from an midwestern academic medical center's EMR in an i2b2 based clinical data repository. Participants were seen at the hospital's memory clinic with a HbA1c lab value (CPT Code: 83,036) on record. 566 participants were used in the final analysis. The most recent cognitive score from the following cognitive tests were used as the response variables, Trail Marking Part A and B and Verbal Fluency. The median value was derived from each participant's three most recent HbA1c values. We constructed ordinary least squares regression models to assess HbA1c's relationship with individual cognitive tests. The model included race, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's Disease, income, and age as covariates. Statistical analyses were performed using R (v. 3.6.2; R Foundation, Vienna, Austria). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Participants were 54% male and had a mean age of 75 ± 9.2 years. Mean HbA1c value was 6.14 ± 1.2. Higher HbA1c values were related to poorer performance on the Trail Making Part A test (β = –0.02, p < 0.01). HbA1c was not related to other individual cognitive tests: Trail Making Part B (β = –0.019, P = 0.70), Verbal Fluency (β = 0.30, P = 0.13). Conclusions There was a strong relationship between HbA1c and performance on the Trail Making Part A test, a sensitive test for executive function. This study adds to the literature that poor GC worsens executive function. Consequently, maintaining GC with healthy lifestyle choices may be important for healthy aging. There was no significant relationship between HbA1c and other cognitive tests. Future analyses with more robust statistical modeling will be more informative for understanding the relationship between HbA1c and cognitive tests. Funding Sources Clinical and Translational Science Awards.

scholarly journals Self-Rated Health Status as a Predictor of Executive Function in Older Latinos

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 331-332
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Guzman ◽  
Yuliana Soto ◽  
David Marquez ◽  
Susan Aguinaga
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Excellent Health ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Fair Poor ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Latinos have high risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Self-rated health (SRH) has been used to predict cognitive decline. Early detection of executive function changes may help identify those at higher risk of cognitive decline. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between SRH and executive function in Latinos. Latinos (N=333, 84.4% female, Mage= 64.9 ± 7.08) from the BAILA randomized controlled trial self-rated their health as 1) poor/fair, 2) good, and 3) very good/excellent. Executive function was assessed by the Trail-making B, Verbal Fluency, Stroop C & CW, and the Digit Modality tests and stratified by SRH. One-way analysis of variance showed that the effect of SRH was significant for Trails B, F(2,298)=4.01, p=.019 and Stroop CW, F(2,298)=3.07, p=.048. Tukey’s test indicated that participants who rated their health as fair/poor took longer to complete Trails B (M=196.78±83.0 seconds) compared to those who rated their health as good (M=185.25 ± 85.1 seconds) and very good/excellent (M=149.25±95.3 seconds). Stroop CW results demonstrated that those in the fair/poor health category scored lower (M=17.22±6.6) than those in good (M=19.70±8.5 words/minutes) and very good/excellent health categories (M=18.73±8.2 words/minute). In sum, the results suggest SRH is related to executive function such that lower categories of SRH are indicative of poorer executive function. SRH might be used as a proxy for executive function and as a tool that community leaders can use to identify individuals at high risk of ADRD in need of behavioral interventions.

Trail Making Test, Stroop, and Verbal Fluency: Regression-Based Norms for the Icelandic Population

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
BB Magnusdottir ◽  
HM Haraldsson ◽  
E Sigurdsson
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Trail Making Test ◽  
Gender And Education ◽  
Icelandic Population ◽  
Function Test ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Final Equation

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to construct regression-based norms for 3 executive-function tests: the Trail Making Test, Stroop, and Verbal Fluency. Method A sample of 1,034 healthy Icelandic adults (18–64 years) was used to calculate predicted scores for test measures from all 3 tests, controlled for the effects of age, gender, and education, as well as the interaction between these variables. Results The 3 demographic variables showed significant effects on most test measures and were included in the final equation for estimating predicted scores. An older age and less education predicted worse cognitive performances in most cases, and women tended to outperform men. Conclusion These results highlight the importance of adjusting for age, gender, and educational level when constructing normative data. Controlling for age alone may be insufficient or misleading in clinical-practice settings. A simple, user-friendly program for predicting executive-function test scores is provided.

scholarly journals Acute effects of coffee on neurocognitive function: an electroencephalography network analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayom Kim ◽  
Sung Hoon Kang ◽  
Soon Ho Kim ◽  
Seong Hwan Kim ◽  
Jihyeon Hwang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Coffee Consumption ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Network Properties ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the mechanisms underlying effects of coffee on cognition in the context of brain networks. Here we investigated functional connectivity before and after drinking coffee using graph theoretical analysis of electroencephalography (EEG). Twenty-one healthy adults voluntarily participated in this study. The neuropsychological tests were consecutively performed at the start of the EEG recording and 30 min after coffee consumption. Graph analyses were performed and compared before and after coffee consumption. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between changes in graph measures and those in cognitive function tests. FC was reorganized toward more efficient network properties after coffee consumption. Performance in Digit Span tests and Trail Making Test Part B improved after coffee consumption, and the improved performance in executive function was correlated with changes in graph measures, reflecting a shift toward efficient network properties. The beneficial effects of coffee on cognitive function might be attributed to the reorganization of FC toward more efficient network properties. Based on our findings, the patterns of network reorganization could be used as quantitative markers to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of coffee on cognition, especially executive function.

Written Discourse Task Helps to Identify Progression from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Dementia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Hana Kim ◽  
Alex Walker ◽  
Jennifer Shea ◽  
Argye E. Hillis
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Written Discourse ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Group A ◽  
Multivariable Regression ◽  
Description Task ◽  
The Relationship

<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> We aimed to investigate: (1) the clinical, diagnostic value of a written discourse task, and (2) the relationship between executive functions and written discourse within the spectrum of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). <b><i>Method:</i></b> To determine whether written discourse performance predicts clinical course among individuals with MCI, we retrospectively classified individuals with MCI as converters (<i>N</i> = 26) who were later diagnosed with dementia or as a stable MCI group (<i>N</i> = 45). We quantified core word measures from written discourse samples obtained from the Cookie Theft picture description task. <b><i>Result:</i></b> Written discourse measures differentiated converters from the stable MCI group. Converters produced a fewer number of core words than the stable MCI group. A measure of executive function significantly predicted performance on the production of core words in written discourse for the converters. In a multivariable regression, production of core words remained the only explanatory variable closely associated with the progression to dementia in MCI. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Written discourse tasks can predict the likelihood of MCI progressing to dementia, independently of recall and an executive function measure. Correlational results suggest that written discourse performance was associated with executive function as measured by the Trail Making Test. Our findings emphasize the usefulness of including written discourse tasks in language assessment batteries targeting preclinical dementia populations.

scholarly journals Enterprise risk management and firm value within China’s insurance industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuying Li ◽  
Yue Wu ◽  
Udechukwu Ojiako ◽  
Alasdair Marshall ◽  
Maxwell Chipulu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Enterprise Risk Management ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Regression Modelling ◽  
Enterprise Risk ◽  
The Relationship

Orientation: The article discusses the relationship between enterprise risk management (ERM) and firm value.Research purpose: The purpose of the study is to empirically examine the relationship between ERM and firm value. The study is undertaken within the context of the Chinese insurance industry.Motivation for the study: Recent attempts to link ERM with firm value have been undertaken primarily in the USA and Europe and have produced ambiguous and inconclusive findings.Research design, approach and method: Data was obtained from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, a government body responsible for regulating insurance products and services in China. The data sample consisted of 135 insurance companies operating in China (in 2010). Regression modelling is employed to analyse the data.Main findings: The results show the relationship between ERM and firm value at first appears statistically significant within a Pearson correlation matrix but then falls below statistical significance on closer scrutiny through regression analysis. Accordingly, it is recommended that insurers in China should not look to aggressive investment in ERM as a strategy for producing quick gains in firm value.Practical/managerial implications: Risk managers should plan ERM development from a risk management maturity perspective, which equates the highest level of ERM development with ERM’s capacity to improve firm resilience to the unknown and serve as a mechanism for strategic decision-making.Contribution/value-add: The study employed return on equity as a proxy for firm value, utilising ordinary least squares regression modelling to test propositions of the relationships between variables.

scholarly journals Cognitive or Cognitive-Motor Executive Function Tasks? Evaluating Verbal Fluency Measures in People with Parkinson’s Disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Ferreira Barbosa ◽  
Mariana Callil Voos ◽  
Janini Chen ◽  
Debora Cristina Valente Francato ◽  
Carolina de Oliveira Souza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Phonological Processing ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Semantic Verbal Fluency ◽  
Trail Making

Introduction. Executive function deficits are observed in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) from early stages and have great impact on daily living activities. Verbal fluency and oral diadochokinesia involve phonarticulatory coordination, response inhibition, and phonological processing and may also be affected in people with PD. This study aimed to describe the performance of PD patients and an age- and education-matched control group on executive function, verbal fluency, and oral diadochokinesia tests and to investigate possible relationships between them. Methods. Forty people with PD and forty controls were evaluated with Trail Making Test (TMT, executive function) and phonemic/semantic verbal fluency and oral diadochokinesia (/pataka/) tests. Groups were compared by ANOVA and relationships were investigated by Pearson tests. Results. People with PD showed longer times in parts A and B of TMT. They also said fewer words in phonemic/semantic verbal fluency tests and less syllables in the diadochokinesia test. Oral diadochokinesia strongly correlated to parts A and B of TMT and to phonemic verbal fluency. Conclusion. Oral diadochokinesia was correlated to executive function and verbal fluency. The cognitive-motor interaction in verbal fluency and oral diadochokinesia must be considered not to overestimate the cognitive or motor impairments in people with PD.

scholarly journals EXECUTIVE FUNCTION PERFORMANCE OF A BRAZILIAN SAMPLE OF MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND HEALTHY ELDERLY

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geise Silva ◽  
Isabella Avolio ◽  
Camila Dias ◽  
Maíra Oliveira ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Brazilian Sample ◽  
Part C ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Multiple Domains

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with cognitive alterations, usually related to memory, but can affect other domains such as executive functions (EFs), which are less explored in the literature. It is an intermediate condition between healthy aging and dementia and does not significantly affect an individual’s activities of daily living (ADL). Objectives: This study aimed to investigate executive function performance of a Brazilian sample of elderly people with multiple domains MCI (mdMCI) compared to healthy controls (HC) using EFs tasks. Methods: We included 54 subjects, 36 mdMCI and 18 HC. The EFs tasks were extracted from a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment (CAPpesq 11264) and involved the Trail Making Test (TMT), Stroop Test part C (ST), Phonemic Verbal Fluency (FAS), Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF). Results: We observed significant differences between the groups (p <0.05) in the following task: SVF (t(25.7)= -2.582; p 0.016). Conclusions: mdMCI patients obtained a lower cognitive performance in EFs related to SVF task which is usually implicated in the cognitive fenotype of Alzheimer’s Disease continuum. These findings corroborate the international literature in mdMCI patients.

Reading ability mediates the relationship between education and executive function tasks

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
AMANDA SCHAFER JOHNSON ◽  
LISA J. FLICKER ◽  
PETER A. LICHTENBERG
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Educational Quality ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Dementia Screening ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
The Relationship

Neuropsychological test results are affected by multiple factors, but usually age and education are the only variables by which norms are stratified. Some authors have questioned whether these variables alone are sufficient (e.g., Marcopulos et al., 1997; Manly et al., 2002), since such norms have lead to problems, such as poor specificity for African Americans on dementia screening devices (Fillenbaum et al., 1990). Recent research has shown that reading ability, a measure of educational quality, attenuated racial differences in test performance (Manly et al., 2002). We specifically examined whether reading ability would account for a greater amount of variance than education in executive function tests in a population traditionally subject to poor educational quality. Results determined that reading ability accounted for a significantly greater amount of variance than years of education for Letter-Number Sequencing, Similarities, COWA, Trail Making Test, and Coloured Progressive Matrices. Reading ability was found to significantly mediate the relationship between each of these tests and education. Animal naming appears to be least affected by educational quality or quantity. These findings hold implications for the interpretation of neuropsychological test results, especially in those exposed to substandard educational quality, and for the way that test norms are constructed. (JINS, 2006, 12, 64–71.)

scholarly journals Cognitive Reserve, Executive Function, and Memory in Parkinson’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 992
Author(s):  
Andrea M. Loftus ◽  
Natalie Gasson ◽  
Nicole Lopez ◽  
Michelle Sellner ◽  
Carly Reid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Cognitive Reserve ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Delayed Recall ◽  
Immediate Recall ◽  
The Relationship

Cognitive impairment is acknowledged as a feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and the most common cognitive declines are in executive function (EF) and memory. Cognitive reserve (CR) may offer some protection against cognitive dysfunction in PD. The present study used two proxies of CR (years of education, premorbid IQ) to examine the relationship between CR and (i) EF (ii) memory in a large PD sample (n = 334). Two aspects of EF were examined, including verbal fluency and planning skills. Two aspects of verbal memory were examined, including immediate recall and delayed recall. For EF, both CR proxies significantly predicted verbal fluency, but only years of education predicted planning skills. Years of education significantly predicted immediate recall, but premorbid IQ did not. Neither CR proxy predicted delayed recall. These findings suggest that CR, in particular years of education, may contribute to EF and memory function in those with PD. A key finding of this study is the varying contribution of CR proxies to different aspects of the same cognitive domain. The findings indicate that using only one proxy has the potential to be misleading and suggest that when testing the relationship between CR and cognition, studies should include tasks that measure different aspects of the cognitive domain(s) of interest.

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