Moderate Exercise Improves Brain Efficiency for Executive Functions in Young Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 782-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huijin Song ◽  
Jin Gu Kim ◽  
Kyung Eun Jang ◽  
Hyunsil Cha ◽  
Sechang Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Behavioral Performance ◽  
Moderate Exercise ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Added Benefit ◽  
Sorting Test ◽  
Function Network

This study investigates how moderate and addictive exercise influence the executive function network of the brain using fMRI. Sixty-five healthy participants performed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. Participants were divided into three groups, according to the Korean exercise addiction scale (K-EAS): addictive exercise (AE), moderate exercise (ME), and no exercise (NE). We compared the extracted volumes of activity from the fMRI data between groups and analyzed the correlation between the volumes and the behavioral data. The activated area in the executive function network was significantly smaller in the AE and ME groups than in the NE group. In contrast, there was no difference between the AE and the ME group in the size of the activated area of the executive function network. The groups did not differ in behavioral performance. There was no significant correlation between the behavioral measurements and the activation volumes. A focused reorganization of the executive brain network through exercise may suggest improved neural efficiency for executive functions, and exercise may be helpful in maintaining executive functions and behavioral performance levels. Addictive exercise did not show an added benefit for the efficiency of executive functions.

scholarly journals Comparison of Executive Function of Brain between Drug-dependent, in Abstinences and Normal Individuals in Tehran

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Zahra Sadghi ◽  
Abouzar Nouri Talemi ◽  
Shahrbanoo Ghahari ◽  
Ali Asghar Asgharnejadfarid
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Drug User ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Normal Individuals ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting ◽  
Drug Dependent ◽  
Sorting Test

Aim: Drug addiction causes many of brain dysfunctions and intellectual abnormalities so that its problem should be addressed. Hence, this study is aimed  at comparing executive functions among drug-dependent, in abstinence, and normal individuals in Tehran. Methodology: Research method is descriptive-comparative. Studied samples consisted of men chosen from addiction treatment centers in Tehran, using random sampling method. Members of normal groups consisted of 25 normal people without any experience of opiates use; drug user group consisted of 25 drug-dependent patients; and group of in abstinence individuals consisted of 25 members who had been drug abusers before but were under treatment during this study. To compare executive functions of the brain of these three groups, Letter-Number Sequence Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were used. Results: Drug users had lower function compared with normal but had a better function compared with in-abstinence groups in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. in Letters-Digits Sequence Test, normal group have better performance than two other groups significantly; whereas, among two drug user and in-abstinence groups, drug users significantly performed better than in-abstinence group. Also. this current study showed that there is a relationship between substance use duration and low executive functions of brain (P<0.01). Conclusion: Drug users have lower function compared with normal and in-abstinence groups in Wisconsin Card Sorting and Letters-Digits Sequence test. Moreover, short-term deprivation from drugs correlate with lower executive function of brain in cognitive tasks.

Dopaminergic Genes Polymorphisms and Prefrontal Cortex Efficiency Among Obese People - Whether Gender is a Differentiating Factor?

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 405-418
Author(s):  
Maciej Bieliński ◽  
Natalia Lesiewska ◽  
Roman Junik ◽  
Anna Kamińska ◽  
Andrzej Tretyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Tandem Repeats ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Variable Number ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Obese People ◽  
Perseverative Errors ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting ◽  
Sorting Test

Background:Obesity is a chronic condition associated with poorer cognitive functioning. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a useful tool for evaluating executive functions. In this study, we assessed the association between dopaminergic gene polymorphisms: DAT1 (SLC6A3), COMTVal158Met, DRD4 (48-bp variable number of tandem repeats - VNTR) and WCST parameters to investigate the functions of the frontal lobes in obese individuals.Objective:To find the significant correlations between polymorphisms of DAT1, COMTVal158Met, DRD4 and executive functions in obese subjects.Methods:The analysis of the frequency of individual alleles was performed in 248 obese patients (179 women, 69 men). Evaluation of the prefrontal cortex function (operating memory and executive functions) was measured with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Separate analyzes were performed in age subgroups to determine different activities and regulation of genes in younger and older participants.Results:Scores of WCST parameters were different in the subgroups of women and men and in the age subgroups. Regarding the COMT gene, patients with A/A and G/A polymorphisms showed significantly better WCST results in WCST_P, WCST_CC and WCST_1st. Regarding DAT1 men with L/L and L/S made less non-perseverative errors, which was statistically significant. In DRD4, significantly better WCST_1st results were found only in older women with S allele.Conclusion:Obtained results indicate the involvement of dopaminergic transmission in the regulation of prefrontal cortex function. Data analysis indicates that prefrontal cortex function may ensue, from different elements such as genetic factors, metabolic aspects of obesity, and hormonal activity (estrogen).

scholarly journals Clinical and neuropsychological assessment of executive function in a sample of children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy

2014 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 954-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Bandeira de Lima ◽  
Fernanda Moreira ◽  
Marleide da Mota Gomes ◽  
Heber Maia-Filho
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Idiopathic Epilepsy ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Seizure Type ◽  
Card Sorting

Objective To compare the executive functions of children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy with a control group and to correlate with clinical data, intelligence and academic performance. Method Cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study. Thirty-one cases and thirty-five controls were evaluated by the WCST (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test).The results were compared with clinical data (seizure type and frequency, disease duration and number of antiepileptic drugs used), IQ (WISC-III) and academic performance (APT). Results Patients with epilepsy had poorer executive function scores. There was no positive linear correlation between test scores and epilepsy variables. There was a positive association between academic performance and some executive function results. Conclusion Children with well controlled idiopathic epilepsy may show deficits in executive functions in spite of clinical variables. Those deficits may influence academic performance.

scholarly journals Automatic Intra-/Extra-Dimensional Attentional Set-Shifting Task in Adolescent Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariasole Ciampoli ◽  
Diego Scheggia ◽  
Francesco Papaleo
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Set Shifting ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Attentional Set ◽  
Attentional Set Shifting ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting ◽  
Sorting Test ◽  
Set Shifting Task

Adolescence is a developmental period crucial for the maturation of higher-order cognitive functions. Indeed, adolescence deficits in executive functions are strong predictors of increased vulnerability to several mental disabilities later in life. Here, we tested adolescent mice in a fully-automated attentional set-shifting task equivalent to the humans’ Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Intra-/Extra-Dimensional set-shift task (ID/ED). Compared to an adult, adolescent mice required more time to complete the task (≈16 days), and a higher percentage failed to finish the entire task. Nevertheless, adolescent mice completing this demanding task showed an increased effort in solving the extradimensional shift stage (EDS) compared to previous stages. Moreover, we found that this paradigm can be used to detect early cognitive dysfunctions in adolescent genetically modified mice. Thus, this automatic paradigm provides a further tool to assess attentional control in adolescent mice, and the development of dysfunctional executive functions from adolescence to adulthood.

scholarly journals Relation between executive functions and polymorphisms in COMT, MAO-A, HTTLPR, SLC1A1 and HT2A in a sample of children with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Enrique Avila Campos ◽  
María Cristina Pinto Dussan ◽  
Ángela María Polanco Barreto ◽  
Esneyder Manuel Guerrero ◽  
Rafael Antonio Vásquez Rojas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Mao A ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Sorting Test

AbstractBackgroundObsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has a complex etiology related to multiple neuropsychological factors. OCD is associated with several candidate genes but results are discordant. The objective was to explore the association between five polymorphisms related to neurotransmitters, the risk of an OCD diagnosis and the performance in four executive functions tests done with Colombian patients diagnosed with this condition.Methods63 patients and 65 controls matched by gender and age were genetically analyzed. For the study of the relation between cognitive function and phenotypes, a subsample of 33 patients and 31 controls was used. The Stroop test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Tower of London and Trail Making Test (TMT) for executive function assessment were applied and the SNPs analyzed were: COMT (rs4680), MAO-A (rs6323), HTTLPR (rs25531), HT2A (rs6315) and SLC1A1 (rs301434).ResultsDifferences in the conceptualization of the WCST test (p = 0.023) and Stroop interference score (p = 0.041) between cases and controls were obtained. After analyzing the relationship between genotypes and sub-scores of the tests, associations between the presence of MAO-A, SLAC1A1, HTTLPR and HT2A alleles and tests sub-scores were found.DiscussionThis characterization of children with OCD is a new field of work in Colombia and one of the first works performed in Latin America. The sample size and the number of polymorphisms analyzed in this population should be increased.

scholarly journals Differences in Executive Function Among Patients With Schizophrenia, Their Unaffected First-Degree Relatives, and Healthy Participants

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 731-737
Author(s):  
Yuzuru Kataoka ◽  
Takamitsu Shimada ◽  
Yoko Koide ◽  
Hiroaki Okubo ◽  
Takashi Uehara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Intermediate Phenotype ◽  
Clinical Variable ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
First Degree Relatives ◽  
Duration Of Illness ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Perseverative Errors

Abstract Background Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) display impaired executive functions compared with healthy controls (HCs). Furthermore, unaffected first-degree relatives (FRs) of patients with SCZ independently perform worse executive functions than do HCs. However, few studies have investigated the differences in executive functions assessed among patients with SCZ, FRs, and HCs, and the findings are inconsistent. Methods We investigated diagnostic differences in executive functions, namely (1) numbers of categories achieved (CA), (2) total errors (TE), and (3) percentage of perseverative errors of Nelson types (%PEN), using the Wisconsin card sorting test among patients with SCZ (n = 116), unaffected FRs (n = 62), and HCs (n = 146) at a single institute. Correlations between these executive functions and clinical variables were investigated. Results Significant differences existed in all executive functions among diagnostic groups (CA, F2,319 = 15.5, P = 3.71 × 10–7; TE, F2,319 = 16.2, P = 2.06 × 10–7; and %PEN, F2,319 = 21.3, P = 2.15 × 10–9). Patients with SCZ had fewer CA and more TE and %PEN than those of HCs (CA, Cohen’s d = −0.70, P = 5.49 × 10–8; TE, d = 0.70, P = 5.62 × 10–8; and %PEN, d = 0.82, P = 2.85 × 10−10) and FRs (TE, d = 0.46, P = 3.73 × 10–3 and %PEN, d = 0.38, P = .017). Of the 3 executive functions, CA and %PEN of FRs were intermediately impaired between patients with SCZ and HCs (CA, d = −0.41, P = .011 and %PEN, d = 0.41, P = .012). In contrast, no significant difference in TE existed between FRs and HCs (d = 0.22, P = .18). Although CA and TE were affected by the duration of illness (P &lt; .017), %PEN was not affected by any clinical variable in patients with SCZ (P &gt; .017). Conclusions Executive function, particularly %PEN, could be a useful intermediate phenotype for understanding the genetic mechanisms implicated in SCZ pathophysiology.

scholarly journals Assessment of executive functions in obese individuals with binge eating disorder

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duchesne Monica ◽  
Mattos Paulo ◽  
José Carlos Appolinário ◽  
Silvia Regina de Freitas ◽  
Gabriel Coutinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Binge Eating Disorder ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Program Test ◽  
Sorting Test

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess executive functions of obese individuals with binge eating disorder. METHOD: Thirty-eight obese individuals with binge eating disorder were compared to thirty-eight obese controls without binge eating disorder in terms of their executive functions. All individuals were assessed using the following instruments: Digit Span, Trail Making Tests A and B, Stroop Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. In addition, four subtests from the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome Battery were also used, namely the Zoo Map Test, the Modified Six Elements Test, the Action Program Test and the Rule Shift Cards Test. RESULTS: When compared to obese controls, obese individuals with binge eating disorder presented significant impairment in the following tests: Digit Span backward, Zoo Map Test, Modified Six Elements Test, and Action Program Test. Subjects with binge eating disorder also showed significant more set shifting and perseverative errors in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. In other measures such as the Digit Span Forward, the Trail Making Test, the Stroop Test and the Rule Shift Cards Test, obese subjects with binge eating disorder did not differ significantly from obese subjects without binge eating disorder. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that, in the present sample, obese individuals with binge eating disorder presented executive deficits, especially impairments relating to problem-solving, cognitive flexibility and working memory.

Is executive function distinguishing schizophrenia from bipolar disorder?

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1419-1419
Author(s):  
M.R. Khodaee ◽  
M.K. Derakhshan ◽  
A. Khodabakhshi Kooalee
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Bipolar Type ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting ◽  
Sorting Test

ObjectivesThere is an evidence for differential executive function in bipolar type 1 disorder (B1D) and schizophrenia that may tend different cognitive deficits and abnormalities. The objective of this study was to compare the executive function of B1D and schizophrenic patients.MethodWe studied 50 patients with B1D, and 50 schizophrenic participants. All participants completed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) of the Persian version. The participants were match in three basic variables which had most contributions in cognitive conditions in patients. They were Age, educational status and period of illness.ResultsThe two patient groups had compared performance on the WCST. In the WCST, schizophrenic patients showed impairment executive function more than B1D patients.ConclusionsFindings indicated that schizophrenic patients had more dysfunctions executive function than the Bipolar type 1 disorder patients. Although, both disorders may show the impairment in executive function, but the dysfunction in schizophrenia greater than bipolar type 1disorder patients.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document