Disturbance of spatial working memory and its neurophysiological correlates in alcohol dependence

Введение. У пациентов с алкогольной зависимостью наблюдаются нарушения в широком диапазоне когнитивных функций. Это приводит к неспособности контролировать употребление алкоголя, рецидивированию или постоянному употреблению алкоголя, несмотря на негативные физические, психологические и социальные последствия. Исполнительный контроль относится к группе когнитивных функций, который позволяют людям самостоятельно регулировать свое поведение и выбирать соответствующие действия в зависимости от долгосрочных целей. При этом рабочая память является одной из главных составляющих исполнительного контроля. Цель исследования - изучение пространственной рабочей памяти у пациентов с синдромом алкогольной зависимости с использованием метода количественной ЭЭГ и компьютерного теста Corsi. Методика. Обследовано 50 пациентов с диагнозом алкогольной зависимости (F10.2 по МКБ-10) после детоксикации. Группу контроля составили 30 психически и соматически здоровых лиц, сопоставимых по возрасту. Исследование пространственной рабочей памяти осуществляли с помощью компьютерного теста Корси (Corsi Block-Tapping). Регистрировали 16-канальную ЭЭГ: фон с открытыми глазами и во время выполнения теста Corsi. Анализировали абсолютные значения спектральной мощности θ-, α- и β-ритмов. Результаты. Согласно результатам теста Corsi, при алкогольной зависимости наблюдается выраженное снижение объема рабочей памяти относительно здоровой группы контроля. Изменения ЭЭГ в процессе выполнения теста Corsi у пациентов с синдромом алкогольной зависимости сопровождались десинхронизацией альфа-ритма в префронтальной коре мозга и левом височном локусе, что не выявлялось у обследуемых здоровой группы контроля. Было обнаружено снижение бета-ритма в центральной и теменной коре у пациентов с синдромом алкогольной зависимости в ответ на когнитивный стимул. У пациентов с синдромом алкогольной зависимости существенно повышалась тета-мощность в затылочной коре в ответ на когнитивный стимул, а также регистрировалась статистически значимо большая тета-активность в правом височном локусе. Заключение. Полученные результаты могут служить дополнительными диагностическими критериями когнитивных нарушений у пациентов с синдромом зависимости от алкоголя. Patients with alcohol dependence have disorders of multiple cognitive functions. This leads to inability to control alcohol consumption, relapse or continued use of alcohol despite negative physical, psychological, and social consequences. Executive control refers to a group of cognitive functions that allow people to regulate independently their behavior and to choose appropriate actions depending on their long-term goals. Working memory (WM) is one of the main components of the executive control. The aim of the study was to evaluate indexes of spatial working memory in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome using the quantitative EEG method and the Corsi computer test. Methods. 50 patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence (F10.2 on MKB-10) were evaluated after detoxification. The control group consisted of 30 mentally and somatically healthy, age-matched subjects. The study of spatial working memory was performed by a Corsi computer test (Corsi Block-Tapping). 16-channel EEGs were recorded at background with open eyes and during the Corsi test. Spectral power absolute values of θ -, α - and β - rhythms were analyzed. Results. According to the Corsi test in alcohol dependence, the WM volume was markedly decreased compared to the healthy control group. Changes in EEG during the Corsi test in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome were associated with alpha-rhythm desynchronization in the prefrontal cortex and left temporal locus, which was not observed in the healthy control group. Decreased beta rhythm was observed in the central and parietal cortex of patients with alcohol dependence syndrome in response to a cognitive stimulus. In patients with alcohol dependence syndrome, theta power was significantly increased in the occipital cortex in response to a cognitive stimulus, and theta activity was significantly greater in the right temporal locus. Conclusion. The results of this study may serve as additional diagnostic criteria for cognitive disorders in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome.

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A Simple Spatial Working Memory and Attention Test on Paired Symbols Shows Developmental Deficits in Schizophrenia Patients

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2013/130642 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Wei Song ◽

Kai Zhang ◽

Jinhua Sun ◽

Lina Ma ◽

Forrest Fabian Jesse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Reaction Time ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Neuropsychiatric Disorders ◽

Efficiency Score ◽

Control Group ◽

Developmental Trend ◽

Memory And Attention ◽

Healthy Control ◽

Age Range

People with neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia often display deficits in spatial working memory and attention. Evaluating working memory and attention in schizophrenia patients is usually based on traditional tasks and the interviewer’s judgment. We developed a simple Spatial Working Memory and Attention Test on Paired Symbols (SWAPS). It takes only several minutes to complete, comprising 101 trials for each subject. In this study, we tested 72 schizophrenia patients and 188 healthy volunteers in China. In a healthy control group with ages ranging from 12 to 60, the efficiency score (accuracy divided by reaction time) reached a peak in the 20–27 age range and then declined with increasing age. Importantly, schizophrenia patients failed to display this developmental trend in the same age range and adults had significant deficits compared to the control group. Our data suggests that this simple Spatial Working Memory and Attention Test on Paired Symbols can be a useful tool for studies of spatial working memory and attention in neuropsychiatric disorders.

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Association study of the Ile349val polymorphism of the gene ADH1C and alcohol dependence

Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/s0047-20852011000100002 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 7-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

André Soares Rebello ◽

Rodrigo Moura-Neto ◽

Maria da Glória da Costa Carvalho

Keyword(s):

Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Alcohol Dehydrogenase ◽

Alcohol Dependence ◽

Alcoholics Anonymous ◽

Control Group ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Alcohol Dependence Syndrome ◽

Genotype Difference ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Janeiro City

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the polymorphism Ile349Val of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase ADH1C gene among individuals with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings. METHODS: A total of 120 subjects residing in Rio de Janeiro city participated in this study. Subjects were divided into two groups: a group consisting of 54 individuals from the ADS group and 66 individuals that declared not having any alcohol dependence (control group). DNA was extracted from mouth epithelial cells by phenol-chloroform method and further submitted to amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Our results did not show differences between the genotypes of control individuals and ADS subjects. Nevertheless, we found increased rates of alcoholism in families of ADS subjects as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results did not show any genotype difference on the ADH1C gene when control and AA genotypes are compared.

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Heritability of specific cognitive functions and associations with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using CANTAB: a nation-wide twin study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720002858 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Cecilie K. Lemvigh ◽

Rachel M. Brouwer ◽

Christos Pantelis ◽

Maria H. Jensen ◽

Rikke W. Hilker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Sustained Attention ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Movement Time ◽

Set Shifting ◽

Adult Intelligence Scale ◽

Verbal Iq ◽

Spatial Span ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum

Abstract Background Many cognitive functions are under strong genetic control and twin studies have demonstrated genetic overlap between some aspects of cognition and schizophrenia. How the genetic relationship between specific cognitive functions and schizophrenia is influenced by IQ is currently unknown. Methods We applied selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to examine the heritability of specific cognitive functions and associations with schizophrenia liability. Verbal and performance IQ were estimated using The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and the Danish Adult Reading Test. In total, 214 twins including monozygotic (MZ = 32) and dizygotic (DZ = 22) pairs concordant or discordant for a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and healthy control pairs (MZ = 29, DZ = 20) were recruited through the Danish national registers. Additionally, eight twins from affected pairs participated without their sibling. Results Significant heritability was observed for planning/spatial span (h2 = 25%), self-ordered spatial working memory (h2 = 64%), sustained attention (h2 = 56%), and movement time (h2 = 47%), whereas only unique environmental factors contributed to set-shifting, reflection impulsivity, and thinking time. Schizophrenia liability was associated with planning/spatial span (rph = −0.34), self-ordered spatial working memory (rph = −0.24), sustained attention (rph = −0.23), and set-shifting (rph = −0.21). The association with planning/spatial span was not driven by either performance or verbal IQ. The remaining associations were shared with performance, but not verbal IQ. Conclusions This study provides further evidence that some cognitive functions are heritable and associated with schizophrenia, suggesting a partially shared genetic etiology. These functions may constitute endophenotypes for the disorder and provide a basis to explore genes common to cognition and schizophrenia.

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(Lack of) Effects of noradrenergic stimulation on human working memory performance

Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1007/s00213-020-05590-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 237 (10) ◽

pp. 3033-3046

Author(s):

Nadine Wanke ◽

Jana Christina Müller ◽

Klaus Wiedemann ◽

Lars Schwabe

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Interactive Effect ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Human ◽

Double Blind ◽

Healthy Humans ◽

Before And After ◽

Human Participants

Abstract Rationale Working memory depends on prefrontal cortex functioning, which is particularly sensitive to levels of noradrenaline. Studies in non-human primates have shown that modest levels of noradrenaline improve working memory, and that higher levels of noradrenaline impair working memory performance. However, research in humans provided inconsistent findings concerning noradrenergic effects on working memory. Objective The present study aimed at assessing dose-dependent effects of yohimbine, an alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist, on working memory performance in healthy humans. We further aimed to explore a potential interactive effect between noradrenergic arousal and lack of control over aversive events on working memory performance. Methods We used a double-blind, fully crossed, placebo-controlled, between-subject design. Participants (N = 121) performed an adaptive n-back task before and after oral administration of either a placebo, 20 mg, or 40 mg yohimbine and a manipulation of controllability, during which participants could either learn to avoid electric shocks (controllability groups), had no instrumental control over shock administration (uncontrollability groups), or did not receive any shocks (no-shock control group). Results While no significant results of noradrenergic stimulation through yohimbine were obtained using conventional frequentist analyses, additional Bayesian analyses provided strong evidence for the absence of an association between pharmacological treatment and working memory performance. We further observed no effect of controllability and no interaction between noradrenergic stimulation and the manipulation of controllability. Conclusions Our results suggest that noradrenergic stimulation through yohimbine does not affect (non-spatial) working memory in healthy human participants.

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The INECO Frontal Screening tool differentiates behavioral variant - frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD) from major depression

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/s1980-57642013dn70100006 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 33-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Natalia Fiorentino ◽

Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht ◽

María Roca ◽

Marcelo Cetkovich ◽

Facundo Manes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Differential Diagnosis ◽

Major Depression ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Unipolar Depression ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Verbal Working Memory ◽

Control Group ◽

Clinical Conditions

ABSTRACT Executive dysfunction may result from prefrontal circuitry involvement occurring in both neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Moreover, multiple neuropsychiatric conditions, may present with overlapping behavioral and cognitive symptoms, making differential diagnosis challenging, especially during earlier stages. In this sense, cognitive assessment may contribute to the differential diagnosis by providing an objective and quantifiable set of measures that has the potential to distinguish clinical conditions otherwise perceived in everyday clinical settings as quite similar. Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the utility of the INECO Frontal Screening (IFS) for differentiating bv-FTD patients from patients with Major Depression. Methods: We studied 49 patients with bv-FTD diagnosis and 30 patients diagnosed with unipolar depression compared to a control group of 26 healthy controls using the INECO Frontal Screening (IFS), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R). Results: Patient groups differed significantly on the motor inhibitory control (U=437.0, p<0.01), verbal working memory (U=298.0, p<0.001), spatial working memory (U=300.5, p<0.001), proverbs (U=341.5, p<0.001) and verbal inhibitory control (U=316.0, p<0.001) subtests, with bv-FTD patients scoring significantly lower than patients with depression. Conclusion: Our results suggest the IFS can be considered a useful tool for detecting executive dysfunction in both depression and bv-FTD patients and, perhaps more importantly, that it has the potential to help differentiate these two conditions.

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Cognitive Dysfunctions in Patients with Alcohol Dependence

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(09)70679-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (S1) ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

K. Nowakowska ◽

K. Jabłkowska ◽

G. Adamiak ◽

A. Borkowska

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Alcohol Dependence ◽

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽

Alcohol Addiction ◽

Control Group ◽

Card Sorting ◽

Short Term ◽

Logical Concept ◽

One Year

Background and aim:Alcohol dependence is a chronic disease connected with disorders of the brain. The aim of this study was to assess cognitive frontal cortex functions in patients with alcohol dependence after discontinuation of alcohol use and after at least, one year of abstinence.Methods:106 patients (28 females, 78 males), aged 26 - 57 (mean 43±7,5) years with alcohol dependence were evaluated. In 53 subjects, an assessment was performed seven to ten days after discontinuation of alcohol drinking and in 53 subjects after at least one-year of abstinence. The control group consisted of 53 healthy persons, matched for age, sex and education to patients from the experimental group. The intensity of alcohol addiction was assessed, using SADD and MAST scales. Neuropsychological assessment included frontal tests: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), N-back Test, TMT A&B, Stroop Test 1&2 and Verbal Fluency Test (FAS).Results:Significant disturbances of working memory and executive functions were noted in patients with alcohol dependence (with short-term and long-term abstinence), in comparison to healthy subjects. No significant differences were observed between the patients with short-term and long-term abstinence on the performance on neuropsychological tests, except better results of TMT B, WCST- the percent of non-perseverance errors and WCST - the percent of reactions compliant with logical concept obtained by the patients with long-term abstinence.Conclusions:The results obtained indicate core and enduring working memory deficits, connected with prefrontal cortex impairment in patients with alcohol addiction, independent from the duration of the abstinence.Acknowledgements:This research was supported by grant 502-16-685 Medical University of Lodz.

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Lack of direct involvement of a diazepam long-term treatment in the occurrence of irreversible cognitive impairment: a pre-clinical approach

Translational Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41398-021-01718-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Louise Carton ◽

Candice Niot ◽

Maéva Kyheng ◽

Maud Petrault ◽

Charlotte Laloux ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Term Treatment ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Control Group ◽

Clinical Approach ◽

Maze Test ◽

Long Term Treatment

AbstractSeveral observational studies have found a link between the long-term use of benzodiazepines and dementia, which remains controversial. Our study was designed to assess (i) whether the long-term use of benzodiazepines, at two different doses, has an irreversible effect on cognition, (ii) and whether there is an age-dependent effect. One hundred and five C57Bl/6 male mice were randomly assigned to the 15 mg/kg/day, the 30 mg/kg/day diazepam-supplemented pellets, or the control group. Each group comprised mice aged 6 or 12 months at the beginning of the experiments and treated for 16 weeks. Two sessions of behavioral assessment were conducted: after 8 weeks of treatment and after treatment completion following a 1-week wash-out period. The mid-treatment test battery included the elevated plus maze test, the Y maze spontaneous alternation test, and the open field test. The post-treatment battery was upgraded with three additional tests: the novel object recognition task, the Barnes maze test, and the touchscreen-based paired-associated learning task. At mid-treatment, working memory was impaired in the 15 mg/kg diazepam group compared to the control group (p = 0.005). No age effect was evidenced. The post-treatment assessment of cognitive functions (working memory, visual recognition memory, spatial reference learning and memory, and visuospatial memory) did not significantly differ between groups. Despite a cognitive impact during treatment, the lack of cognitive impairment after long-term treatment discontinuation suggests that benzodiazepines alone do not cause irreversible deleterious effects on cognitive functions and supports the interest of discontinuation in chronically treated patients.

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Working memory and phonological awareness in children with rolandic epilepsy

Universitas Psychologica ◽

10.11144/javeriana.upsy15-5.wmpa ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Daniele Caroline Leôncio ◽

Laura Aragão ◽

Maria Anna Cassiano ◽

Priscila Andrade ◽

Thais Mayara De Medeiros ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Working Memory ◽

Phonological Awareness ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Rolandic Epilepsy ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Clinical Subgroup

This study investigated how the difficulties in language in children with Rolandic Epilepsy (RE) could be related to alterations in their development of phonological awareness and/or working memory. We evaluated fourty-two children aged 6 to 13 years old. From these, twenty-one children were diagnosed with RE and formed the experimental group; and twenty-one children without RE, paired with the experimental group by sex, age, education and socioeconomic status, formed the control group. The results showed significant differences in the performances of children with RE and healthy children in the tests that evaluated working memory and phonological awareness. Also, positive and high significant correlations were found between working memory and phonological awareness in the RE clinical subgroup. Generally, the results suggest that compromises in both cognitive functions might be associated to loss of language capabilities in children with RE, and also point that the development of working memory and phonological awareness are interconnected.

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A case-control association study of COMT rs4680 Polymorphism with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Cognitive Functions: The role of sex

10.21203/rs.3.rs-34240/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

sajedeh hamidian ◽

Abbas Pourshahbaz ◽

atefeh moradkhani ◽

Behrooz Dolatshahi ◽

Esmaeil Shahsavand Ananloo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Total Sample ◽

Control Group ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Genetic Components

Abstract Background Previous studies have emphasized the role of genetic components in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and cognitive functions. One of the most controversial markers in this area is the COMT rs4680 polymorphism. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of rs4680 on susceptibility to OCD and cognitive functions with respect to the moderating role of sex. Methods The subjects included 127 patients with OCD and 145 healthy controls. Genotyping was carried out by ARMS-PCR. The subjects underwent cognitive evaluations using the Wechsler Memory Scale-III. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 and R package software. Results The results showed a significantly higher frequency of the AA genotype in the OCD group than in the healthy control group. Cognitive assessments showed weaker Immediate Memory and General Memory performance in the patients with OCD than in the control group. No significant association was found between rs4680 and memory dimensions in the total sample, whereas analysis by sex revealed a significant association of rs4680 with Working Memory only in females. Conclusions The results of this study confirm previous findings about the association of the AA genotype with OCD. These findings also corroborate previous assumptions about impaired episodic memory in patients with OCD. Moreover, the association of rs4680 with Working Memory only in females endorses the hypothesis of the sexual dimorphism of the effects of this COMT gene polymorphism.

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Combined physical and cognitive exercises impact on the power of slow brainwaves of elderly with mild cognitive commitment (MCC)

10.25242/8868113820212388 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amanda Rodrigues Leite ◽

Shayane Pereira Gonçalves ◽

Anderson Pontes Morales ◽

Bruna Carvalho Pelliciari ◽

Mauricio Rocha Calomeni

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Visual Processing ◽

Emotional Processing ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Population Aging ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Memory Training ◽

Control Group ◽

Electrode Impedance ◽

Theta Wave

Population aging is a global phenomenon, the passage from an aging state that is healthy to a process of loss of cognitive functions is mediated by the installation of a state of Mild Cognitive Commitment (MCC), which may or may not evolve into dementia. . In the early stages of dementia there is an increase in Theta activity and the more advanced stages there is an increase in Delta activity. The study verified the effect of the association of physical and cognitive stimuli on the power of Theta and Delta brain waves of elderly people with MCC. 18 elderly of both genders,aged over 60 years, diagnosed with CCL were divided into Control Group (CG, n=8); Experimental Group (GE, n=10). Brainwave power was determined via EEG with electrodes positioned according to the international 10/20 system. Asepsis of the checkpoints was performed with cotton and a 70º alcohol solution. For data collection, it was verified if the electrode impedance rate was below 20 (KΩ). Brain activity was monitored for 3 minutes to determine a baseline. The points of interest were points F7 which is related to visual and auditory working memory, selective and divided attention, F8 related to visual and spatial working memory, emotional processing and attention maintenance, and finally points P3 and P4 related to problem-solving, attention, and association, visual processing and non-verbal association. In addition to these, points A1 and A2 were used as a reference and another point as ground. The CG continued to attend memory training meetings. The GE went through training sessions that combined physical and cognitive exercises. Weekly 40-minute sessions were held for 7 weeks. Test T was used in all comparisons. It was found that the GC registered Theta increase in the parietal areas and Delta in both the parietal and frontal areas. The GE had a decrease in theta wave power in the parietal and frontal areas. None of the comparisons between groups proved to be statistically significant. It is concluded that the association of physical and cognitive stimuli applied in weekly sessions of 40 minutes for 7 weekswas not sufficient to produce statistically significant results. However, the observed results are qualitatively similar to those of other studies that indicate the efficiency of this type of training when used during longer intervention periods.

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