Utility of the Cognitive Difficulties Scale and Association With Objective Test Performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 755-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa T. Buelow ◽  
Geoffrey Tremont ◽  
Laura L. Frakey ◽  
Janet Grace ◽  
Brian R. Ott
2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L.L. Larsen ◽  
Ø. Øistensen Holthe ◽  
N.I. Landrø ◽  
T.C. Stiles ◽  
P.C. Borchgrevink

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 251581632095113
Author(s):  
Maria Ana Quadros ◽  
Marta Granadeiro ◽  
Amparo Ruiz-Tagle ◽  
Carolina Maruta ◽  
Raquel Gil-Gouveia ◽  
...  

Migraine patients frequently report cognitive difficulties in the proximity and during migraine attacks. We performed an exploratory comparison of executive functioning across the four stages of the migraine cycle. Consecutive patients with episodic migraine undertook cognitive tests for attention, processing speed, set-shifting, and inhibitory control. Performance was compared between patients in different migraine stages, controlling for attack frequency and prophylactic medication. One hundred forty-three patients (142 women, average age 36.2 ± 9.9 years) were included, 28 preictal (≤48 h before the attack), 21 ictal (during the attack), 18 postictal (≤24 h after attack), and 76 interictal. Test performance (age and literacy adjusted z-scores) was not significantly different across migraine phases, despite a tendency for a decline before the attack. This negative study shows that cognitive performance fluctuates as patients approach the attack. To control for individual variability, this comparison needs to be better characterized longitudinally with a within-patient design.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 959-960
Author(s):  
E Paolillo ◽  
M Hussain ◽  
R Moore ◽  
D Moore ◽  
R Heaton

Abstract Objective Assessing daily activities is important for understanding how cognitive abilities affect everyday functioning. We evaluated a new measure capturing engagement in cognitively-demanding activities among people with and without HIV, and examined associations with neurocognitive test performance and perceived cognitive difficulties. Method Participants included 79 adults (59 HIV+, 20 HIV-) enrolled in studies at UCSD (mean age = 55.1; SD = 13.1). Domain-specific composite scaled scores measured neurocognitive functioning as continuous variables. Demographically-corrected global deficit scores determined neurocognitive impairment. Perceived cognitive difficulties were self-reported via the Everyday Cognition scale (ECog). The newly created, self-report Frequency and Difficulty of Activities Scale (FDAS) measured frequency of engagement in 27 cognitively-demanding activities [0 = Never to 10 = Once a day or more] in the last month. FDAS “total frequency score” sums all frequency ratings. Participants also rated difficulty performing each FDAS activity [0 = Not at all to 10 = Extremely]. FDAS “difficult-activity score” sums frequency ratings only for activities that participants identified as difficult for them (i.e., difficulty rating >75th percentile of sample). Results Higher FDAS total frequency scores correlated with better verbal fluency (r = 0.26, p = 0.019) and processing speed (r = 0.24, p = 0.030). Multiple regression revealed a significant interaction between cognitive impairment and frequency of engagement in difficult activities (b = 0.34, 95%CI = 0.18-0.50, p < 0.001), such that higher FDAS difficult-activity scores related to more perceived cognitive difficulties only among cognitively impaired participants. Conclusion This study explored use of a new measure of complex daily activities to aid neuropsychological interpretation. Results suggest that effects of neurocognitive impairment on perceived cognitive difficulties may only be apparent if individuals are attempting to perform challenging everyday tasks.


Author(s):  
Todd Holder ◽  
James Drasgow ◽  
Richard Pierce

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia A. Honan ◽  
Rhonda F. Brown ◽  
Jennifer Batchelor

AbstractPerceived cognitive difficulties and cognitive impairment are important determinants of employment in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, it is not clear how they are related to adverse work outcomes and whether the relationship is influenced by depressive symptoms. Thus, this study examined perceived and actual general cognitive and prospective memory function, and cognitive appraisal accuracy, in relation to adverse work outcomes. The possible mediating and/or moderating role of depression was also examined. A cross-sectional community-based sample of 111 participants (33 males, 78 females) completed the Multiple Sclerosis Work Difficulties Questionnaire (MSWDQ), Beck Depression Inventory – Fast Screen (BDI-FS), and questions related to their current or past employment. They then underwent cognitive testing using the Screening Examination for Cognitive Impairment, Auditory Consonant Trigrams test, Zoo Map Test, and Cambridge Prospective Memory Test. Perceived general cognitive and prospective memory difficulties in the workplace and performance on the respective cognitive tests were found to predict unemployment and reduced work hours since MS diagnosis due to MS. Depression was also related to reduced work hours, but it did not explain the relationship between perceived cognitive difficulties and the work outcomes. Nor was it related to cognitive test performance. The results highlight a need to address the perceptions of cognitive difficulties together with cognitive impairment and levels of depression in vocational rehabilitation programs in pwMS. (JINS, 2015,21, 156–168)


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