Rehabilitation of Frontal/Executive Impairments in Schizophrenia

Objective: A relatively high prevalence of deficits in cognitive flexibility, working memory and planning ability has been reported in schizophrenia patients. The objective was to develop a rehabilitation training program in an attempt to improve these specific cognitive functions. Method: The deficits in cognitive flexibility, working memory and planning ability were interpreted as reflecting executive cognitive processing impairments secondary to prefrontal neural system dysfunction. Following the ‘process specific’ approach, it was considered important to develop tasks that hypothesised the exercise of these cognitive abilities and the more molecular information processes thought to be fundamental to these abilities. Care was taken to ensure that all tasks involved the practice of processes thought to activate frontal/prefrontal neural systems. Attentional, visual, verbal, conceptual, motor and fine motor tasks were considered important for each process area in order to involve as many functional modalities as possible. Results: A program comprising cognitive shift, working memory and planning modules was developed. Conducted over 11 weeks, four modules were of 2 weeks' duration, and the fifth of 3 weeks' duration. Four individual 1 hour training sessions were conducted each week. Core elements of the modules are described. Conclusion: Consisting predominantly of pencil and paper information processing exercises, all of the training exercises are presented in the volumes of the Frontal/Executive Program. The program appears to be user-friendly with therapists now successfully delivering the program, in its entirety, to schizophrenia patients. Should future studies replicate preliminary findings of improved neurocognitive performance following training with the program, such findings would have important implications for the treatment of schizophrenia.

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No Spearman’s Law of Diminishing Returns for the working memory and intelligence relationship

Polish Psychological Bulletin ◽

10.1515/ppb-2016-0008 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 73-80

Author(s):

Bartłomiej Kroczek ◽

Michał Ociepka ◽

Adam Chuderski

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Large Data ◽

Memory Storage ◽

High Ability ◽

Data Set ◽

Crystallized Intelligence ◽

Diminishing Returns

AbstractSpearman’s Law of Diminishing Returns (SLODR) holds that correlation between general (g)/fluid (Gf) intelligence factor and other cognitive abilities weakens with increasing ability level. Thus, cognitive processing in low ability people is most strongly saturated by g/Gf, whereas processing in high ability people depends less on g/Gf. Numerous studies demonstrated that low g is more strongly correlated with crystallized intelligence/creativity/processing speed than is high g, however no study tested an analogous effect in the case of working memory (WM). Our aim was to investigate SLODR for the relationship between Gf and WM capacity, using a large data set from our own previous studies. We tested alternative regression models separately for three types of WM tasks that tapped short-term memory storage, attention control, and relational integration, respectively. No significant SLODR effect was found for any of these tasks. Each task shared with Gf virtually the same amount of variance in the case of low- and high-ability people. This result suggests that Gf and WM rely on one and the same (neuro)cognitive mechanism.

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A-114 Neurocognitive Correlates of Persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome in Youth

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acab062.132 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 1163-1164

Author(s):

Christopher Anzalone ◽

Rachel M Bridges ◽

Jessica C Luedke ◽

Scott L Decker

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Cognitive Testing ◽

Control Group ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Post Concussion Syndrome ◽

Patients Experience ◽

Future Work

Abstract Objective In the U.S., youths account for most annual mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) cases. Often mTBI patients experience impairing symptoms that affect several domains of functioning, typically these symptoms remit within a month though many patients will experience impairing symptoms that persist for greater than three months. Due to the current difficulties in diagnosing this condition in a standardized way, the current study aims to clarify the cognitive profiles of persistent post-concussion syndrome (PPCS) in youth patients. Method 30 youths between the ages of 8 and 18 years participated. 15 youths with mTBI symptoms for greater than three months were recruited from a mTBI treatment clinic. An additional 15 youths without a mTBI history were recruited as a control group. All participants underwent cognitive testing using the standard Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities battery. Logistic regression analyses explored the importance of cognitive processing speed and working memory for identifying youth patients with PPCS. Further exploratory analyses were conducted to clarify additional cognitive domains that may be impacted by PPCS. Results Findings suggest processing speed and working memory abilities alone are not adequate for identifying patients with PPCS and measures of processing speed, fluid reasoning, working memory, and long-term retrieval may be important to consider when differentially diagnosing PPCS. Conclusions More research is needed to appropriately identify and validate diagnostic practices for PPCS in youth. Our findings provide a basis for future work and suggests neuropsychological batteries that include measures for these four cognitive domains may be valuable for identifying PPCS in youth patients.

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Mathematics, Reading, and Selected Cognitive Abilities at the Beginning of Kindergarten

Journal of Educational & Psychological Research ◽

10.33140/jepr.03.01.03 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Factor Analysis ◽

Early Literacy ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Small Contribution ◽

Formal Schooling ◽

Number Series ◽

Early Mathematics ◽

And Mathematics

Cognitive abilities, executive functions (EFs) and patterning, and simple measures of early literacy and mathematics were measured for 275 kindergartners during the second and third month of formal schooling. An exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors. The first was a literacy factor, to which a number series scale made a small contribution. The second was primarily a mathematics scale, but also reflected early literacy. The ability to recognize patterns, working memory, and inhibition also contributed to this factor. A third factor involved cognitive flexibility, patterning, and literacy. Finally, there was a factor that essentially involved phonics. These results indicate that two EFs and patterning are related to early mathematics at the beginning of kindergarten when children have experienced little formal schooling. In addition, very early in kindergarten, there is a general achievement factor that does not reflect any of the cognitive abilities tested here.

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Working Memory and Cognitive Flexibility Mediates Visuoconstructional Abilities in Older Adults with Heterogeneous Cognitive Ability

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s135561771500034x ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 392-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rafaela T. Ávila ◽

Jonas J. de Paula ◽

Maria A. Bicalho ◽

Edgar N. Moraes ◽

Rodrigo Nicolato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Mediation Effect ◽

Multiple Mediation ◽

Planning Ability ◽

The Relationship

AbstractPrevious studies suggest that executive functions influence the performance on visuoconstructional tasks. This study aims to investigate whether the relationship between planning ability and the copy of complex figures is mediated by distinct components of executive functions (i.e., working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility). We included a 129 older adults with Alzheimer’s disease (n=36, AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n=67), and with no evidence of cognitive impairment (controls, n=26). We evaluated the mediation effect of planning abilities, working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control on visuoconstructional tasks using a multiple mediation models. We found a significant direct effect of planning on visuoconstructional abilities and a partial mediation effect of working memory and cognitive flexibility on visuoconstructional abilities. The present results indicate that the performance on visuoconstructional task is mediated by multiple interrelated executive functions components, in particular working memory and cognitive flexibility. (JINS, 2015, 21, 392–398)

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Duration judgements in patients with schizophrenia

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291703008122 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 33 (7) ◽

pp. 1249-1261 ◽

Cited By ~ 90

Author(s):

B. ELVEVÅG ◽

T. McCORMACK ◽

A. GILBERT ◽

G. D. A. BROWN ◽

D. R. WEINBERGER ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Digit Span ◽

Time Estimation ◽

Standard Duration ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

Intelligence Scores ◽

Temporal Bisection Task ◽

Timing Processes

Background. The ability to encode time cues underlies many cognitive processes. In the light of schizophrenic patients' compromised cognitive abilities in a variety of domains, it is noteworthy that there are numerous reports of these patients displaying impaired timing abilities. However, the timing intervals that patients have been evaluated on in prior studies vary considerably in magnitude (e.g. 1 s, 1 min, 1 h etc.).Method. In order to obviate differences in abilities in chronometric counting and place minimal demands on cognitive processing, we chose tasks that involve making judgements about brief durations of time (<1 s).Results. On a temporal generalization task, patients were less accurate than controls at recognizing a standard duration. The performance of patients was also significantly different from controls on a temporal bisection task, in which participants categorized durations as short or long. Although time estimation may be closely intertwined with working memory, patients' working memory as measured by the digit span task did not correlate significantly with their performance on the duration judgement tasks. Moreover, lowered intelligence scores could not completely account for the findings.Conclusions. We take these results to suggest that patients with schizophrenia are less accurate at estimating brief time periods. These deficits may reflect dysfunction of biopsychological timing processes.

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Cognitive Abilities Predict Safety Performance: A Study Examining High-Speed Railway Dispatchers

Journal of Advanced Transportation ◽

10.1155/2021/5538320 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Shi Lei ◽

Zizheng Guo ◽

Xi Tan ◽

Xi Chen ◽

Chengen Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

High Speed ◽

Memory Task ◽

Safety Evaluation ◽

Safety Performance ◽

High Speed Railway ◽

Multiobject Tracking ◽

And Training

Cognitive abilities are good predictors of safety performance in many occupations. However, this correlation has not been studied from the perspective of high-speed railway (HSR) dispatchers who play a vital role in ensuring the safety and punctuality of HSR transportation system. Therefore, studying factors affecting HSR dispatchers’ safety performance is not only of great importance in filling the theoretical gap, but also conducive to the selection and training of dispatchers, contributing to the reduction of human errors and the prevention of railway accidents. In this study, a total of 118 HSR dispatchers from a branch of China Railway were recruited to complete the tests that examined their cognitive abilities related to the dispatching job, including logical reasoning, visual multiobject tracking, working memory, task switching, and cognitive flexibility. Safety performance, including both the safety evaluation score obtained from the dispatchers’ monthly safety performance record of the Railway Bureau and the emergency disposal performance indicated by train delay time, was evaluated with a dispatch simulator. The results suggested that better abilities in visual multiobject tracking, working memory, task switching, and cognitive flexibility were correlated with higher safety evaluation score (reflecting daily safety performance) and shorter train delay time (reflecting safety and efficiency in emergency disposal). No significant correlation was found in logical reasoning. These findings support the recommendation that cognitive abilities investigated as predictors of safety performance could be useful for the selection and training of HSR dispatchers.

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The Developing Relationship Among Cognition, Amplification, and Aural Rehabilitation

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/persp1.sig6.46 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (6) ◽

pp. 47-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeffrey J. DiGiovanni ◽

Travis L. Riffle

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Best Practices ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Hearing Aid ◽

Hearing Aid Fitting ◽

Aural Rehabilitation ◽

Basic Concepts ◽

And Function

The search for best practices in hearing aid fittings and aural rehabilitation has generally used the audiogram and function stemming from peripheral sensitivity. In recent years, however, we have learned that individuals respond differently to various hearing aid and aural rehabilitation techniques based on cognitive abilities. In this paper, we review basic concepts of working memory and the literature driving our knowledge in newer concepts of hearing aid fitting and aural rehabilitation.

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Skipping Breakfast Affects the Early Steps of Cognitive Processing

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000214 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 109-118

Author(s):

Andrés Antonio González-Garrido ◽

Jacobo José Brofman-Epelbaum ◽

Fabiola Reveca Gómez-Velázquez ◽

Sebastián Agustín Balart-Sánchez ◽

Julieta Ramos-Loyo

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Brain Potentials ◽

Brain Functioning ◽

Attentional Processes ◽

Electrical Brain Activity ◽

Skipping Breakfast

Abstract. It has been generally accepted that skipping breakfast adversely affects cognition, mainly disturbing the attentional processes. However, the effects of short-term fasting upon brain functioning are still unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of skipping breakfast on cognitive processing by studying the electrical brain activity of young healthy individuals while performing several working memory tasks. Accordingly, the behavioral results and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) of 20 healthy university students (10 males) were obtained and compared through analysis of variances (ANOVAs), during the performance of three n-back working memory (WM) tasks in two morning sessions on both normal (after breakfast) and 12-hour fasting conditions. Significantly fewer correct responses were achieved during fasting, mainly affecting the higher WM load task. In addition, there were prolonged reaction times with increased task difficulty, regardless of breakfast intake. ERP showed a significant voltage decrement for N200 and P300 during fasting, while the amplitude of P200 notably increased. The results suggest skipping breakfast disturbs earlier cognitive processing steps, particularly attention allocation, early decoding in working memory, and stimulus evaluation, and this effect increases with task difficulty.

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