scholarly journals Great-tailed grackle research reveals need for researchers to consider their own flexibility and test limitations in cognitive test batteries

Author(s):  
Aliza Le Roux
Keyword(s):  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almut Carolus ◽  
Petia Popova ◽  
Brigitte Rockstroh

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Kognitive Funktionseinschränkungen sind zentrales Merkmal schizophrener Erkrankungen und werden entsprechend im Behandlungskonzept berücksichtigt. Kognitive Remediationsprogramme gelten als wirksam, Effektstärken als moderat. Trainingsvarianten werden zur Effektoptimierung erprobt. Fragestellung: Ist gezieltes Funktionstraining in neuroplastizitäts-orientiertem Lernkontext effektiver als breitgefächertes Behandlungsprogramm und werden Effekte durch das Erkrankungsstadium moduliert? Methode: Bei 59 chronisch und 31 ersthospitalisierten schizophren Erkrankten wurden kognitive Defizite über Testleistungen der MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Test Battery gegenüber 25 gesunder Kontrollpersonen erfasst. Testleistungen vor, nach 4-wöchiger Interventionsphase mit zwei spezifischen Trainings oder Standardbehandlung und 3-monatiger Katamnese prüften den Einfluss von Interventionstypus und Erkrankungsstadium auf Leistungsverbesserung. Ergebnisse: Sowohl chronische wie erstmals behandelte Patienten aller Behandlungsgruppen verbesserten sich signifikant über die Messzeitpunkte, obwohl Defizite relativ zu Kontrollen fortbestanden. Schlussfolgerungen: Spezifisches Training verbessert kognitive Funktionen nicht über Zeit/Remissionseffekte hinaus.


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan W. Blankenship ◽  
Jerrell C. Cassady ◽  
Eric E. Pierson ◽  
Michael Starling

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlin B. Cowan ◽  
Julianne M. Edwards ◽  
Jerrell C. Cassady ◽  
Jocelyn Bolin

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Setlhomo Keaikitse ◽  
Holmes Finch ◽  
Jerrell C. Cassady

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fariha Azalea

This article exposes how STEM-based learning is applied in science class to give students meaningful learning experience in the topic of Pascal Law. This study is motivated by the demand of 21st century skill which expect people to have 4C skills; critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. In this study, STEM-based learning is conducted at a private secondary school located in Bandung with 28 students of grade 8 as the subjects. Students are provided a problem related to the application of Pascal Law namely hydraulic bridge. They are challenged to design their own hydraulic bridge which can be lifted with maximum angle but in minimum time. A descriptive study is taken where all the data is obtained through direct observation and students’ interview. Based on cognitive test, there is difference on pre-test and post-test score that resulting in the number of gain. Based on direct observation, none of students just sitting on their seat without activities and all are on collaboration to reach their goal. Students’ interview indicates they enjoy learning process as it is their first experience accomplishing a project and it makes them more understand the concept through the real application. Overall of the study, STEM-based learning through hydraulic bridge project stimulates students to be able to think critically, to be creative, to collaborate, and to communicate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 20200154
Author(s):  
Ann Wenzel ◽  
Louise Hauge Matzen ◽  
Rubens Spin-Neto ◽  
Lars Schropp

Objectives: To assess dental students’ ability to recognize head positioning errors in panoramic (PAN) images after individual learning via computer-assisted-learning (CAL) and in a simulation clinic (SIM). Both cognitive skills and performance in patient examination were assessed. Methods and materials: 60 students (mean age 23.25 years) participated in lectures on the relation between PAN-image errors and patient’s head position. Immediately after they took a test, based on which they were randomized to three groups: control (CON) group, CAL group, and SIM group (both CAL and training in a simulation clinic with a phantom). 4–5 weeks after intervention/no intervention, all students individually examined a patient with PAN-exposure. A blinded rater, not knowing group allocation, supervised patient exposure and assessed student’s performance (correct/incorrect head position in three planes). 1–2 weeks after, the students scored positioning errors in 40 PAN-images. Differences in cognitive test scores between groups were evaluated by ANOVA and in patient examination by χ2 tests, and within-group differences by sign-tests. Results: No statistically significant difference in cognitive test scores was seen between the SIM and CAL group, while the CON group scored lower (p < 0.003). In all groups, several students positioned the patient incorrectly in the Frankfort horizontal plane. All students performed well in the sagittal plane. Students in SIM group positioned the patient more correctly in the coronal plane. Conclusions: Training with CAL increased students’ cognitive skills compared with a control group. Simulated patient exposure with a phantom increased to some extent their performance skills in examination of patients.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 859
Author(s):  
Maria Seidel ◽  
Helen Brooker ◽  
Kamilla Lauenborg ◽  
Keith Wesnes ◽  
Magnus Sjögren

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a severe and often enduring disorder characterized by restriction of food intake, low body weight, fear of weight gain, and distorted body image. Investigations on cognition performance in AN patients have yielded conflicting results. Using an established and sensitive computerized cognitive test battery, we aimed to assess core aspects of cognitive function, including attention span, information processing, reasoning, working and episodic memory, in AN patients and controls. Patients were recruited from the Danish Prospective Longitudinal all-comer inclusion study in Eating Disorders (PROLED). Included were 26 individuals with AN and 36 healthy volunteers (HV). All were tested with CogTrack (an online cognitive assessment system) at baseline, and AN patients were tested again at a follow-up time point after weight increase (n = 13). At baseline, AN patients showed faster reaction times in the attention tasks, as well as increased accuracy in grammatical reasoning compared to HV. There were no differences in cognitive function between AN patients and HV in the other cognitive domains measured (sustained attention, working and episodic memory, speed of retrieval, and speed of grammatical reasoning). No differences were visible in the AN sample between baseline and follow-up. Performance did not correlate with any clinical variables in the AN sample. These findings supplement results from other studies suggesting increased concentration and reasoning accuracy in patients suffering from AN, who showed increased performance in cognitive tasks despite their illness.


Author(s):  
Gregory Fedorchak ◽  
Aakanksha Rangnekar ◽  
Cayce Onks ◽  
Andrea C. Loeffert ◽  
Jayson Loeffert ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective The goals of this study were to assess the ability of salivary non-coding RNA (ncRNA) levels to predict post-concussion symptoms lasting ≥ 21 days, and to examine the ability of ncRNAs to identify recovery compared to cognition and balance. Methods RNA sequencing was performed on 505 saliva samples obtained longitudinally from 112 individuals (8–24-years-old) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Initial samples were obtained ≤ 14 days post-injury, and follow-up samples were obtained ≥ 21 days post-injury. Computerized balance and cognitive test performance were assessed at initial and follow-up time-points. Machine learning was used to define: (1) a model employing initial ncRNA levels to predict persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) ≥ 21 days post-injury; and (2) a model employing follow-up ncRNA levels to identify symptom recovery. Performance of the models was compared against a validated clinical prediction rule, and balance/cognitive test performance, respectively. Results An algorithm using age and 16 ncRNAs predicted PPCS with greater accuracy than the validated clinical tool and demonstrated additive combined utility (area under the curve (AUC) 0.86; 95% CI 0.84–0.88). Initial balance and cognitive test performance did not differ between PPCS and non-PPCS groups (p > 0.05). Follow-up balance and cognitive test performance identified symptom recovery with similar accuracy to a model using 11 ncRNAs and age. A combined model (ncRNAs, balance, cognition) most accurately identified recovery (AUC 0.86; 95% CI 0.83–0.89). Conclusions ncRNA biomarkers show promise for tracking recovery from mTBI, and for predicting who will have prolonged symptoms. They could provide accurate expectations for recovery, stratify need for intervention, and guide safe return-to-activities.


Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110206
Author(s):  
Vanessa H Bal ◽  
Ellen Wilkinson ◽  
Megan Fok

It is essential to recognize the strengths and talents of autistic individuals. Previous studies of extraordinary talents (i.e. skills that stand out relative to the general population) have combined individuals with different skills (e.g. calendrical calculation, drawing) into one group. There has been limited investigation of talents in specific areas and even less consideration of personal strengths (i.e. skills that stand out relative to that person’s other abilities, but not the general population). We extend this literature by examining the relationship between parent-reported talents and strengths and performance on standardized cognitive tests in 1470 children (4–18 years) from the Simons Simplex Collection with autism and IQ above 70. Almost half (46%) had at least one parent-reported talent and an additional 23% without extraordinary talents had at least one personal strength. Children with parent-reported talents and strengths had different cognitive profiles than children with no reported skill in visuospatial, drawing, computation, or music. Those highlighted for their memory abilities had somewhat more even verbal and nonverbal abilities, relative to children whose memory was not emphasized as a special skill. These results emphasize the importance of exploring strengths separately by domain and a need for more research in this area. Lay abstract Previous research has suggested that focusing on impairments can be detrimental to the well-being of autistic individuals, yet little research has focused on strengths and positive qualities in autism. Some studies explored “savant skills” (herein referred to as “extraordinary talents”), that is, skills that stand out compared to the general population. These often group everyone who has a specific talent, rather than exploring subgroups with strengths in specific areas. There has been even less research focused on personal strengths (i.e. skills that stand out relative to the individual’s other abilities, but not the general population). To expand this research, we use a sample of 1470 children (ages 4–18 years) from the Simons Simplex Collection without cognitive impairment to examine the relationship between having a parent-reported skill in a specific area and performance on a standardized cognitive test. Almost half (46%) had at least one parent-reported talent and an additional 23% without extraordinary talents had at least one personal strength. Children with these parent-reported skills had different patterns of performance on these standardized tests than children without skills in that area (i.e. visuospatial, drawing, computation, reading, and memory). Specific skills in computation or reading were associated with higher overall performance on the standardized tests. These results emphasize the importance of considering strengths separately by area, rather than combining individuals with different types of strengths. The high number of children with skills in this study underscores the need for more research in this area, particularly using instruments focused on understanding the nuances of these strengths. It is important for future studies to consider these skills in children with cognitive impairment.


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