scholarly journals Validation of T-MoCA in the screening of mild cognitive impairment in Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiwei Lai ◽  
Chao Jiang ◽  
Xin Du ◽  
Zhiyan Wang ◽  
Jingrui Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with high risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. However, feasible and simple instruments that facilitates regular assessment of cognitive status in AF patients remain underdeveloped. Methods: Cognitive function of 136 AF patients was first evaluated using T-MoCA. Cognitive function of 101 patients was then assessed through in-person interview by physicians who are blinded to telephone interview results, using both Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and Mini-Mental Status Evaluation (MMSE). Using CDR=0.5 as a reference standard, the ability of T-MoCA and MMSE to discriminate cognitive dysfunction, stratified by education level, was tested by receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis. Net reclassification index was calculated for comparison between the performance of T-MoCA and MMSE. Results: Thirty-five MCI patients were identified as MCI using the criteria of CDR=0.5. The areas under the ROC curve of T-MoCA were 0.80 (0.71-0.89), 0.83 (0.71-0.95), and 0.85 (0.64-0.92) for all patients, patients with high educational level, and patients with low education level, respectively. The optimal threshold was achieved at 16/17 with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 69.7% in overall patients, 15/16 with a sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 64.5% in the low educational level patients, and 16/17 with a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 87.9% in the high educational level patients. Compared to the criterion MMSE≤27 and MMSE norms for the Chinese community elderly, stratified T-MoCA threshold improves correct classification by 23.7% (p=0.033) and 30.3% (p=0.020) respectively. Conclusion: T-MoCA is a feasible and effective method for MCI screening in patients with AF.

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M. Chenderes ◽  
D.M. Podea ◽  
P.D. Nanu ◽  
C. Mila

Objective:The aim of this study is to identify the correlation between mild cognitive impairment (MCI), educational status and intellectual activity in elderly patients.Material and methods:The study comprises 40 elderly patients diagnosed with MCI. the diagnosis of MCI was established applying to all patients MMSE (Mini Mental State Evaluation). Also a Clock Drawing Test (CDT) was applied. A MMSE score between 28-21points was considered as MCI.We consider that a patient has intellectual activities if he performs at least one of the following: reading a book or a newspaper, solving puzzles or mind games.The exclusion criteria were: patients with moderate and severe cognitive impairment and patients with no educational level.Results and discussions:The average of age was 69.65 years. the average of MMSE score was 24.65 points. the correlation between MMSE and CDT is significant at the 0.01 level. the MMSE and CDT scores are smaller as the educational level is lower. 3 subjects have fourth grade education, 17 subjects have eighth grade education, 16 subjects have high-school education and 4subjects have college education. the patients with small scores at cognitive evaluation have no intellectual activity in the present. the intellectual activity is in direct relationship with high educational level; patients with high-school and college education are performing intellectual activities in the present.Conclusions:Patients with actual intellectual activity have the highest MMSE and CDT scores.Intellectual activities are protective factors against cognitive impairment.This paper represents the screening part of a grant PNCDI2 41-057/2007 from the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 265-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Poptsi ◽  
Despina Moraitou ◽  
Marina Eleftheriou ◽  
Fotini Kounti-Zafeiropoulou ◽  
Chrysa Papasozomenou ◽  
...  

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is among the most commonly used screening tools worldwide. Objective: The aim of the study was to provide normative data for the MoCA in a Greek cohort of people older than 60 years who meet criteria for subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia in order to optimize cutoff scores for each diagnostic group. Method: Seven hundred forty-six community-dwelling older adults, visitors of the Day Center of Alzheimer Hellas were randomly chosen. Three hundred seventy-nine of them met the criteria for dementia, 245 for MCI and 122 for SCD. Results: Initial statistical analyses showed that the total MoCA score is not affected by gender ( P = .164), or age ( P = .144) but is affected by educational level ( P < .001). A cutoff score of 23 for low educational level (≤6 years) can distinguish people with SCD from MCI (sensitivity 71.4%, specificity 84.2%), while 26 is the cutoff score for middle educational level (7-12 years; sensitivity 73.2%, specificity 67.0%) and high educational level (≥13 years; sensitivity 77.6%, specificity 74.7%). Montreal Cognitive Assessment can discriminate older adults with SCD from dementia, with a cutoff score of 20 for low educational level (sensitivity 100%, specificity 92.3%) and a cutoff score 23 for middle educational level (sensitivity 97.6%, specificity 92.7%) and high educational level (sensitivity 98.5%, specificity 100%). Conclusion: Montreal Cognitive Assessment is not affected by age or gender but is affected by the educational level. The discriminant potential of MoCA between SCD and MCI is good, while the discrimination of SCD from dementia is excellent.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 556-565
Author(s):  
Yujie Guo ◽  
Pengfei Li ◽  
Xiaojun Ma ◽  
Xiaochen Huang ◽  
Zhuoheng Liu ◽  
...  

Background: The present study was designed to examine the association of circulating cholesterol with cognitive function in non-demented community aging adults. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including 1754 Chinese adults aged 55-80 years. The association between serum cholesterol levels and cognitive function was examined. Participants were categorized into four groups according to the quartile of circulating TC (total cholesterol), High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-c), Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-c) levels and HDLc/ LDL-c ratio. The difference in cognitive performance among the groups was compared. Logistic regression model was used to determine the association of circulating cholesterol level with the risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Results: Mild increase of serum LDL-c level correlated with better visual and executive, language, memory and delayed recall abilities. Higher circulating TC and HDL-c levels were found to be associated with poorer cognitive function, especially in aging female subjects. Higher circulating TC, HDL-c and HDL/LDL ratio indicated an increased risk of MCI, especially in female subjects. Conclusion: Slight increase in circulating LDL-c level might benefit cognitive function in aging adults. However, higher circulating TC and HDL-c levels might indicate a decline of cognitive function, especially in aging female subjects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 1309-1315
Author(s):  
Peilin An ◽  
Xuan Zhou ◽  
Yue Du ◽  
Jiangang Zhao ◽  
Aili Song ◽  
...  

Background: Inflammation plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in previous studies. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a reliable measure of systemic inflammation. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between NLR and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and further to explore the diagnostic potential of the inflammatory markers NLR for the diagnosis of MCI in elderly Chinese individuals. Methods: 186 MCI subjects and 153 subjects with normal cognitive function were evaluated consecutively in this study. Neutrophil (NEUT) count and Lymphocyte (LYM) count were measured in fasting blood samples. The NLR was calculated by dividing the absolute NEUT count by the absolute LYM count. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the potential association between NLR and MCI. NLR for predicting MCI was analyzed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The NLR of MCI group was significantly higher than that of subjects with normal cognitive function (2.39 ± 0.55 vs. 1.94 ± 0.51, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that higher NLR was an independent risk factor for MCI (OR: 4.549, 95% CI: 2.623-7.889, P < 0.001). ROC analysis suggested that the optimum NLR cut-off point for MCI was 2.07 with 73.66% sensitivity, 69.28% specificity, 74.48% Positive Predictive Values (PPV) and 68.36% negative predictive values (NPV). Subjects with NLR ≥ 2.07 showed higher risk relative to NLR < 2.07 (OR: 5.933, 95% CI: 3.467-10.155, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The elevated NLR is significantly associated with increased risk of MCI. In particular, NLR level higher than the threshold of 2.07 was significantly associated with the probability of MCI.


Author(s):  
Min-Ki Jeong ◽  
Kyung-Won Park ◽  
Je-Kwang Ryu ◽  
Gwon-Min Kim ◽  
Hyun-Hun Jung ◽  
...  

Age-related dementia refers to a state in which someone experiences multiple cognitive function impairment due to degenerative brain disease, and which causes difficulties in their daily life or social life. Dementia is the most common and serious obstacle in later life. Early intervention in the case of patients who are in the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage among the high-risk group can maintain and improve their cognitive function. The purpose of the current trial is aimed at investigating the association between a multi-component (exercise with cognitive) intervention program and habitual physical activity parameters on cognitive functions in MCI patients. Neuropsychological cognitive and depression assessments were performed by neuropsychologists according to normalized methods, including the Korean mini-mental State examination (K-MMSE) and modified Alzheimer’s disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) and cognitive assessment tool (attention, processing speed), and the Korean version of the geriatric depression scale (SGDS-K), both at baseline and at a 12 weeks follow-up. The 12-week multi-component intervention improved cognitive function and habitual physical activity parameters in patients with MCI relative to controls. A multi-component intervention program for patients with MCI is considered to be an effective method of dementia prevention by improving global (ADAS-Cog) and frontal (trail-making test, digit symbol substitution test) cognition and habitual physical activity parameters such as moderate to vigorous physical activity and step count. In addition, it is important to encourage habitual physical activities to ensure that exercise intervention strategies are carried out at the duration and intensity required for improving physical and cognitive wellbeing and obtaining health benefits.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Maugeri ◽  
M Barchitta ◽  
G Favara ◽  
C La Mastra ◽  
MC La Rosa ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Social disadvantage and unhealthy lifestyles may induce molecular changes associated with aging and age-related diseases. For instance, previous studies reported socioeconomic difference in DNA methylation, which in turn led to aberrant gene expression and genome instability. Socioeconomic status (SES) alone, however, does not completely explain this difference, and further studies are needed to unveil what factors contribute to it. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on 349 Italian women, aged 25-64 years, to assess SES differences in LINE-1 methylation level - a surrogate marker of global DNA methylation - and to examine the mediating effect of lifestyles (i.e. diet, smoking habits, physical activity, and weight status). Educational level was used as SES indicator. The adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD) was assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Leukocyte LINE-1 methylation was assessed by pyrosequencing. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro for the SPSS software. Results We first observed that women with high educational level were more likely to be normal weight (p &lt; 0.001) and to adhere to MD (p = 0.018), and less likely to perform physical activity (p = 0.012) than their less educated counterpart. Moreover, age-adjusted linear regression demonstrated that LINE-1 methylation level increased with increasing educational level (β = 0.016; SE = 0.003; p &lt; 0.001). In line, mediation analysis demonstrated an indirect effect of high educational level on LINE-1 methylation through the adherence to MD (β = 0.003; 95%CI=0.001-0.006). Specifically, the mediator could account for 9.5% of the total effect. None of the other lifestyles, instead, exhibited a significant mediating effect. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the mediation of diet in the relationship between SES and DNA methylation. Thus, our findings add even more value to the promotion of healthy dietary habits among social disadvantaged people. Key messages Social disadvantage is associated with epigenetic changes related to aging and age-related diseases. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet might mediate the association between socioeconomic status and DNA methylation.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Dong Bai ◽  
Junting Fan ◽  
Mengyue Li ◽  
Cuixia Dong ◽  
Yiming Gao ◽  
...  

Background: The neuroprotective benefits of combined folic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cognitive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients are suggested but unconfirmed. Objective: To explore the effects of 6-month folic acid + DHA on cognitive function in patients with MCI. Methods: Our randomized controlled trial (trial number ChiCTR-IOR-16008351) was conducted in Tianjin, China. We divided 160 MCI patients aged >  60 years into four regimen groups randomly: folic acid (0.8 mg/day) + DHA (800 mg/day), folic acid (0.8 mg/day), DHA (800 mg/day), and placebo, for 6 months. Cognitive function and blood amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) biomarker levels were measured at baseline and 6 months. Cognitive function was also measured at 12 months. Results: A total of 138 patients completed this trial. Folic acid improved the full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ), arithmetic, and picture complement scores; DHA improved the FSIQ, information, arithmetic, and digit span scores; folic acid + DHA improved the arithmetic (difference 1.67, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.31) and digital span (1.33, 0.24 to 2.43) scores compared to placebo. At 12 months, all scores declined in the intervention groups. Folic acid and folic acid + DHA increased blood folate (folic acid + DHA: 7.70, 3.81 to 11.59) and S-adenosylmethionine (23.93, 1.86 to 46.00) levels and reduced homocysteine levels (–6.51, –10.57 to –2.45) compared to placebo. DHA lower the Aβ40 levels (–40.57, –79.79 to –1.35) compared to placebo (p <  0.05), and folic acid + DHA reduced the Aβ42 (–95.59, –150.76 to –40.43) and Aβ40 levels (–45.75, –84.67 to –6.84) more than DHA (p <  0.05). Conclusion: Folic acid and DHA improve cognitive function and reduce blood Aβ production in MCI patients. Combination therapy may be more beneficial in reducing blood Aβ-related biomarkers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 598-598
Author(s):  
Ruixue Zhaoyang ◽  
Stacey Scott ◽  
Eric Cerino ◽  
Martin Sliwinski

Abstract Social relationships play an important role in cognitive health and aging. However, it is unclear how older adult’s cognitive function affects their everyday social interactions, especially for those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study examined whether older adults with intact cognition vs. MCI differed in their daily social interactions. Community-dwelling older adults from the Einstein Aging Study (N=244, 70-91 yrs) reported their social interactions five times daily for 14 consecutive days using smartphones. Compared to those with normal cognitive function, older adults with MCI reported less frequent positive social interactions (p=0.012) and in-person social activities (p=0.006) on a daily basis. These two groups, however, did not show significant differences in their social relationships assessed by a conventional global questionnaire. The results support that, relative to global social relationships, daily social interactions are more sensitive, ecologically valid social markers that can facilitate the early detection of MCI.


Author(s):  
Zahra Ayati ◽  
Guoyan Yang ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Ayati ◽  
Seyed Ahmad Emami ◽  
Dennis Chang

Abstract Background Saffron (stigma of Crocus sativus L.) from Iridaceae family is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that has been used for hundreds of years to treat several diseases such as depressive mood, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Recently, anti-dementia property of saffron has been indicated. However, the effects of saffron for the management of dementia remain controversial. The aim of the present study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of saffron in treating mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods An electronic database search of some major English and Chinese databases was conducted until 31st May 2019 to identify relevant randomised clinical trials (RCT). The primary outcome was cognitive function and the secondary outcomes included daily living function, global clinical assessment, quality of life (QoL), psychiatric assessment and safety. Rev-Man 5.3 software was applied to perform the meta-analyses. Results A total of four RCTs were included in this review. The analysis revealed that saffron significantly improves cognitive function measured by the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sums of Boxes (CDR-SB), compared to placebo groups. In addition, there was no significant difference between saffron and conventional medicine, as measured by cognitive scales such as ADAS-cog and CDR-SB. Saffron improved daily living function, but the changes were not statistically significant. No serious adverse events were reported in the included studies. Conclusions Saffron may have the potential to improve cognitive function and activities of daily living in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, due to limited high-quality studies there is insufficient evidence to make any recommendations for clinical use. Further clinical trials on larger sample sizes are warranted to shed more light on its efficacy and safety.


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