Working Memory Impairment as an Endophenotypic Marker in Patients with Schizophrenia: Failures in Encoding or Maintenance?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ana Elisa Rodríguez-Martínez ◽  
Nancy Monroy-Jaramillo ◽  
Yaneth Rodríguez-Agudelo ◽  
Rodolfo Solís-Vivanco
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Delayed Response ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Spatial Span ◽  
Span Test ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Stable Feature

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Although working memory (WM) dysfunction has been proposed as a schizophrenia (SZ) endophenotype, the specific impaired component (encoding or maintenance) in patients and unaffected relatives remains inconclusive. We compared auditory-verbal and visuospatial WM in patients with SZ, unaffected siblings (USs), and healthy controls under 2 response conditions: immediate (encoding condition) and delayed (maintenance condition). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We included 22 participants per group, similar in age and gender. Three WM tests (Spatial Span, Backward Digit Span, and Letter-Number Span) were administered under both conditions in a counterbalanced manner to all participants. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Poorer performance was found in the SZ group for all tests (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). USs showed a better performance than patients, but worse than controls (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05), except for the Backward Digit Span test, in which their performance was similar to that of the SZ group. The effect of the delayed response in all tasks was not significant in any group. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our results indicate that WM impairment, including auditory-verbal and visuospatial modalities, corresponds to a stable feature of the disease as it is present in USs, thus confirming its potential endophenotypic property in SZ patients. No effect of the delayed response was observed, suggesting failures in encoding in both patients and USs.

scholarly journals Working Memory Impairment in Euthymic State of Bipolar Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-54
Author(s):  
A Jha ◽  
D Joshi ◽  
P Kattel ◽  
P Koirala
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Case Group ◽  
Clinical Variables ◽  
Digit Span Test ◽  
Span Test ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Bipolar Patients

Introduction: Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders persist after the subsidence of active symptoms. This study was carried out to assess the working memory of patients with bipolar disorder in euthymic state. Material And Method: Forty euthymic bipolar patients attending a tertiary care mental hospital with equal number of matched controls in terms of age, sex and education were included in the study. Working memory assessments was done using WAIS-III digit span subtest. Results: The mean of total digit span test for case group was 8.48±2.04 similarly it was 10.33±2.32 for the controls. The result showed that the mean digit span of cases and control groups are significantly different (p value of < 0.01). The Pearsons correlation between the clinical variables and working memory test in euthymic bipolar patients (case group) was found that the total score for digit span test was negatively correlated with all other clinical variables However, this correlation was found to be non-significant. Conclusion: The working memory impairment persists in remitted bipolar disorder patients and this may represent underlying trait abnormality not the state abnormality.

scholarly journals How do we measure attention? Using factor analysis to establish construct validity of neuropsychological tests

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Treviño ◽  
Xiaoshu Zhu ◽  
Yi Yi Lu ◽  
Luke S. Scheuer ◽  
Eliza Passell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Visual Search ◽  
Object Tracking ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Neuropsychological Tests ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Digit Symbol ◽  
Attentional Capacity ◽  
Spatial Span

AbstractWe investigated whether standardized neuropsychological tests and experimental cognitive paradigms measure the same cognitive faculties. Specifically, do neuropsychological tests commonly used to assess attention measure the same construct as attention paradigms used in cognitive psychology and neuroscience? We built on the “general attention factor”, comprising several widely used experimental paradigms (Huang et al., 2012). Participants (n = 636) completed an on-line battery (TestMyBrain.org) of six experimental tests [Multiple Object Tracking, Flanker Interference, Visual Working Memory, Approximate Number Sense, Spatial Configuration Visual Search, and Gradual Onset Continuous Performance Task (Grad CPT)] and eight neuropsychological tests [Trail Making Test versions A & B (TMT-A, TMT-B), Digit Symbol Coding, Forward and Backward Digit Span, Letter Cancellation, Spatial Span, and Arithmetic]. Exploratory factor analysis in a subset of 357 participants identified a five-factor structure: (1) attentional capacity (Multiple Object Tracking, Visual Working Memory, Digit Symbol Coding, Spatial Span), (2) search (Visual Search, TMT-A, TMT-B, Letter Cancellation); (3) Digit Span; (4) Arithmetic; and (5) Sustained Attention (GradCPT). Confirmatory analysis in 279 held-out participants showed that this model fit better than competing models. A hierarchical model where a general cognitive factor was imposed above the five specific factors fit as well as the model without the general factor. We conclude that Digit Span and Arithmetic tests should not be classified as attention tests. Digit Symbol Coding and Spatial Span tap attentional capacity, while TMT-A, TMT-B, and Letter Cancellation tap search (or attention-shifting) ability. These five tests can be classified as attention tests.

scholarly journals Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients and Healthy Controls: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1978
Author(s):  
Tjaša Filipčič ◽  
Špela Bogataj ◽  
Jernej Pajek ◽  
Maja Pajek
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Habitual Physical Activity ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Comorbidity Score ◽  
Sf 36 ◽  
And Gender

Hemodialysis (HD) patients have lower functional abilities compared to healthy people, and this is associated with lower physical activity in everyday life. This may affect their quality of life, but research on this topic is limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between habitual physical activity and quality of life in HD patients and healthy controls. Ninety-three HD patients and 140 controls participated in the study. Quality of life was assessed using a 36-item medical outcomes study short-form health survey (SF-36). Human Activity Profile (HAP) was used to assess habitual physical activity. The adjusted activity score (AAS) from HAP, age, gender, fat tissue index (FTI), lean tissue index (LTI), and Davies comorbidity score were analyzed as possible predictors of the Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-36. Three sequential linear models were used to model PCS. In Model 1, PCS was regressed by gender and age; in Model 2 the LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity scores were added. Model 3 also included AAS. After controlling for age and gender (ModelHD 1: p = 0.056), LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity score effects (ModelHD 2: p = 0.181), the AAS accounted for 32% of the variation in PCS of HD patients (ModelHD 3: p < 0.001). Consequently, the PCS of HD patients would increase by 0.431 points if the AAS increased by one point. However, in healthy controls, AAS had a lower impact than in the HD sample (B = 0.359 vs. 0.431), while the corresponding effects of age and gender (ModelH 1: p < 0.001), LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity score (ModelH 2: p < 0.001) were adjusted for. The proportion of variation in PCS attributed to AAS was 14.9% (ModelH 3: p < 0.001). The current study results showed that physical activity in everyday life as measured by the HAP questionnaire is associated to a higher degree with the quality of life of HD patients than in healthy subjects. Routine physical activity programs are therefore highly justified, and the nephrology community should play a leading role in this effort.

scholarly journals Respiratory changes in Parkinson's disease may be unrelated to dopaminergic dysfunction

2012 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 847-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Ulhôa Guedes ◽  
Juliana Melo Rodrigues ◽  
Aline Andrioni Fernandes ◽  
Francisco E. Cardoso ◽  
Verônica Franco Parreira
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Maximal Inspiratory Pressure ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Dopaminergic Dysfunction ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Student’S T ◽  
Student’S T Test

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) during the on and off periods of levodopa and to compare with healthy controls. METHODS: Twenty-six patients were analyzed with Hoehn and Yahr scores (2-3) and 26 age and gender matched-controls. Statistical analysis was performed with Student's t-test for paired and independent samples. RESULTS: MIP and MEP values in patients were significantly lower than the values obtained in controls both for off and on stages -excepted for MIP in women (p=0.28). For patients with PD, the studied parameters did not differ between stages on and off, with the exception of MEP in women (p=0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PD have respiratory pressure lower than controls, even in early stages of the disease, and dopamine replacement has little impact over these respiratory pressures. These findings suggest that respiratory changes in PD may be unrelated to dopaminergic dysfunction.

Visual versus Verbal Working Memory in Statistically Determined Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: On behalf of the Consortium for Clinical and Epidemiological Neuropsychological Data Analysis (CENDA)

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1001-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheina Emrani ◽  
Victor Wasserman ◽  
Emily Matusz ◽  
David Miller ◽  
Melissa Lamar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Intracranial Volume ◽  
Adult Intelligence Scale

AbstractObjective:Previous research in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) suggests that visual episodic memory impairment may emerge before analogous verbal episodic memory impairment. The current study examined working memory (WM) test performance in MCI to assess whether patients present with greater visual versus verbal WM impairment. WM performance was also assessed in relation to hippocampal occupancy (HO), a ratio of hippocampal volume to ventricular dilation adjusted for demographic variables and intracranial volume.Methods:Jak et al. (2009) (The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17, 368–375) and Edmonds, Delano-Wood, Galasko, Salmon, & Bondi (2015) (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 47(1), 231–242) criteria classify patients into four groups: little to no cognitive impairment (non-MCI); subtle cognitive impairment (SCI); amnestic MCI (aMCI); and a combined mixed/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dys MCI). WM was assessed using co-normed Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) Digit Span Backwards and Wechsler Memory Scale-IV (WMS-IV) Symbol Span Z-scores.Results:Between-group analyses found worse WMS-IV Symbol Span and WAIS-IV Digit Span Backwards performance for mixed/dys MCI compared to non-MCI patients. Within-group analyses found no differences for non-MCI patients; however, all other groups scored lower on WMS-IV Symbol Span than WAIS-IV Digit Span Backwards. Regression analysis with HO as the dependent variable was statistically significant for WMS-IV Symbol Span performance. WAIS-IV Digit Span Backwards performance failed to reach statistical significance.Conclusions:Worse WMS-IV Symbol Span performance was observed in patient groups with measurable neuropsychological impairment and better WMS-IV Symbol Span performance was associated with higher HO ratios. These results suggest that visual WM may be particularly sensitive to emergent illness compared to analogous verbal WM tests.

scholarly journals Pre-attention and Working Memory in ADHD: A 25-Year Follow-Up Study

2019 ◽  
pp. 108705471987949
Author(s):  
Bendik Rund Torgalsbøen ◽  
Pål Zeiner ◽  
Merete Glenne Øie
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Adhd Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Backward Masking ◽  
Attentional Processing ◽  
Diagnostic Measures

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the development of working memory and preliminary stages of attentional processing in individuals with ADHD over a 23- to 25-year period. Method: Individuals with ADHD ( n = 19) and healthy controls ( n = 26) were followed up after 13 years (T2) and 23 to 25 years (T3) after initial assessment (T1). They were reassessed with diagnostic measures and the Backward masking task (pre-attention) and the Digit span distractibility test with and without distraction conditions (working memory). Results: The ADHD group performed below the healthy controls on all time points on the Digit span distractibility test. On the distractibility condition, we found a selective decline in performance from T2 to T3 for the ADHD group. Conclusion: The results highlight that ADHD individuals continue to display working memory deficits, also in adulthood, thus creating an imperative for cognitive rehabilitation techniques to help address attention difficulties.

scholarly journals Changes in the concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Chen ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
Mingming Zhao ◽  
Lemin Zheng ◽  
Dongsheng Fan
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Metabolic Pathway ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Als Patients ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract To compare the plasma concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, their spouses and healthy controls and to find associations between gut microbiota metabolites and ALS. ALS patients were recruited at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. Information was collected from their spouses at the same time. Age and gender matched healthy controls were recruited from individuals who visited the physical examination center for health checkups. Blood samples were collected after at least 4 h of fasting. Concentrations of the metabolites were quantified using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Group differences were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests, as appropriate. In this study, 160 patients with ALS were recruited. In these patients, 63 were compared with their spouses, 148 were compared with age and gender matched controls, and 60 were compared with both their spouses and heathy controls in the same time. The carnitine concentration was significantly higher in patients than in their spouses, while there were no significant differences in the concentrations of other metabolites. The carnitine and betaine concentrations were higher, while the choline, TMAO and butyrobetaine concentrations were lower in ALS than in healthy controls. The concentrations of the metabolites in the spouses were more similar to the ALS patients rather than to the healthy controls. In the ALS group, the plasma concentrations of carnitine, betaine, choline and TMAO were inversely related to the severity of upper motor neuron impairment. The TMAO metabolic pathway of the gut microbiota is disturbed in both ALS patients and their spouses, which might suggest that the changes in the gut microbiota occurred before disease onset. The negative correlations between the involvement of UMNs and the concentrations of the metabolites might suggest that the inhibition of this metabolic pathway might lead to a better prognosis in ALS patients.

An Investigation of Executive Functioning, Attention and Working Memory in Compulsive Hoarding

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 610-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra G. McMillan ◽  
Clare S. Rees ◽  
Carmela Pestell
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Compulsive Hoarding ◽  
Spatial Span ◽  
Memory And Attention ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Sorting Tests

Background: Compulsive Hoarding involves the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value, cluttered living spaces and significant distress or impairment in functioning (Frost and Hartl, 1996). The problem is multifaceted and appears best explained by a cognitive-behavioural framework. Aims: This study set out to test one aspect of Frost and Hartl's (1996) cognitive-behavioural model of compulsive hoarding by investigating theorized cognitive deficits in executive functioning, such as working memory and attention. Method: 24 participants with compulsive hoarding were tested on the Digit Span, Spatial Span and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests (WCST). Results: On the WCST, the hoarding group had a significantly higher number of perseveration errors (t = 1.67, p = .005) and significantly lower numbers of categories completed (t = −2.47, p = .001) than test norms. Only “failure to maintain set” was significantly correlated with hoarding severity (r = .435, p < .05). Conclusions: These findings lend support to the theory that people who compulsively hoard have executive dysfunction, which impacts on their ability to process information. Deficits relate to difficulties in forming effective strategies, inadequate feedback response, problems in concept formation, and impulsivity. Difficulties in sustained attention also appeared to be a factor in hoarding severity. These findings are important in directing more targeted clinical interventions.

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