scholarly journals Comment on “Semantic memory impairment across the schizophrenia continuum: a meta-analysis of category fluency performance” by Tan et al.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petar Gabrić
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Psychosis Continuum ◽  
Category Fluency ◽  
Clustering Data

I read with great interest the study by Tan et al. (2020) who conducted a meta-analysis of semantic fluency in people across the psychosis continuum. Among other analyses, the authors provide the first meta-analysis of clustering and switching on semantic fluency in patients with chronic schizophrenia, reporting that patients display significantly smaller “mean cluster sizes” compared to healthy subjects. I argue that there are serious concerns about the compatibility of the clustering data used in the meta-analysis.

scholarly journals Continued methodological imprecisions, nontransparency, and misinterpretation in a meta-analysis of semantic fluency in schizophrenia: a comment on “Corrigendum to: Semantic memory impairment across the schizophrenia continuum: a meta-analysis of category fluency performance” by Tan et al.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petar Gabrić
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Category Fluency

Even after issuing a corrigendum, Tan et al.’s [2020 (Schizophr Bull Open 1(1), sgaa054)] clustering meta-analysis contains serious methodological imprecisions, it remains methodologically nontransparent, and the interpretations are not backed by the conventional ontology of semantic fluency.

Confabulation in schizophrenia and its relationship to clinical and neuropsychological features of the disorder

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 1403-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. LORENTE-ROVIRA ◽  
E. POMAROL-CLOTET ◽  
R. A. McCARTHY ◽  
G. E. BERRIOS ◽  
P. J. McKENNA
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Recall Task ◽  
Thought Disorder ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Intellectual Impairment ◽  
Neurological Patients ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Executive Impairment

ABSTRACTBackgroundA form of confabulation has been documented in schizophrenia and appears to be related to the symptom of thought disorder. It is unclear whether it is associated with the same pattern of neuropsychological deficits as confabulation in neurological patients.MethodThirty-four patients with chronic schizophrenia, including those with and without thought disorder, and 17 healthy controls were given a fable recall task to elicit confabulation. They were also examined on a range of executive, episodic and semantic memory tests.ResultsConfabulation was seen at a significantly higher rate in the schizophrenic patients than the controls, and predominated in those with thought disorder. Neuropsychologically, it was not a function of general intellectual impairment, and was not clearly related to episodic memory or executive impairment. However, there were indications of an association with semantic memory impairment.ConclusionsThe findings support the existence of a form of confabulation in schizophrenia that is related to thought disorder and has a different neuropsychological signature to the neurological form of the symptom.

scholarly journals Verbal fluency deficits in Parkinson's disease: A meta-analysis

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 608-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
JULIE D. HENRY ◽  
JOHN R. CRAWFORD
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Relative Magnitude ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Confrontation Naming ◽  
Cognitive Speed ◽  
Differential Deficit

A meta-analysis of 68 studies with a total of 4644 participants was conducted to investigate the sensitivity of tests of verbal fluency to the presence of Parkinson's disease (PD) relative to healthy controls. Both phonemic and semantic fluency were moderately impaired but neither deficit qualified as a differential deficit relative to verbal intelligence or psychomotor speed. However, PD patients were significantly more impaired on semantic relative to phonemic fluency (rs = .37vs..33, respectively), and confrontation naming, a test of semantic memory that imposes only minimal demands upon cognitive speed and effortful retrieval, was associated with a deficit that was of a comparable magnitude to the deficits upon each of these types of fluency. Thus, the disorder appears to be associated with particular problems with semantic memory. Tests that impose heavy demands upon switching may also be disproportionately affected. Demented and non-demented PD patients differ quantitatively but not qualitatively in terms of the relative prominence of deficits on tests of phonemic and semantic fluency. However, patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type and demented PD patients can be differentiated from one another by the relative magnitude of deficits upon these two measures. (JINS, 2004,10, 608–622.)

scholarly journals C-31 A Meta-analysis Examining Fluency Measures in Depressed Elderly

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1060-1060
Author(s):  
B Barlet ◽  
A Hauson ◽  
E Connors ◽  
A Colonna-Moseley ◽  
K Reszegi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Effect Size ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Semantic Networks ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Language Fluency ◽  
Late Life Depression ◽  
Verbal Responses ◽  
Category Fluency

Abstract Objective Late-life depression (LLD) has been associated with cognitive impairments in domains such as memory, processing speed, and executive functions (e.g., initiation). However, it is unclear whether or not LLD is associated with language fluency difficulties that are often seen in some forms of dementia. Broadly, letter fluency is often observed to be associated with frontal deficits while category fluency is thought to be linked to temporal lobe dysfunction. Both tests are commonly used to assess language in older adults. The current meta-analysis examined potential differences between letter and category fluency in LLD and the robustness of previous findings in this population. Data Selection Investigators searched eight databases including PubMed and PsycINFO using terms such as “neuropsychol*,” “late-life,” and “depression.” Studies were excluded if participants were diagnosed with severe mental illness, neurological or other medical conditions that impact neurocognition. Data Synthesis Independent coders extracted data from 27 studies (k = 10 letter fluency, k = 17 semantic fluency). The effect size for semantic fluency was g = 0.64 (p < 0.001) with significant heterogeneity I² = 73.53% (Q = 60.45, df = 16, p < 0.001). The effect size for letter fluency was g = 0.49 (p < 0.001) also with significant heterogeneity I² = 52.08% (Q = 18.78, df = 9, p < 0.027). Conclusions Depressed individuals exhibited poorer performance on both category and letter fluency when compared to controls. This may indicate that depressed elderly individuals have difficulty with initiating verbal responses regardless of whether these responses rely on semantic networks or executive control.

scholarly journals Critical appraisal and meta-analysis of biological variation studies on glycosylated albumin, glucose and HbA1c

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Ricós ◽  
Pilar Fernández-Calle ◽  
Elisabet Gonzalez-Lao ◽  
Margarida Simón ◽  
Jorge Díaz-Garzón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Biological Variation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
Variation Data ◽  
Global Estimates ◽  
Systematic Literature Searches

AbstractObjectivesNumerous biological variation (BV) studies have been performed over the years, but the quality of these studies vary. The objectives of this study were to perform a systematic review and critical appraisal of BV studies on glycosylated albumin and to deliver updated BV estimates for glucose and HbA1c, including recently published high-quality studies such as the European Biological Variation study (EuBIVAS).MethodsSystematic literature searches were performed to identify BV studies. Nine publications not included in a previous review were identified; four for glycosylated albumin, three for glucose, and three for HbA1c. Relevant studies were appraised by the Biological Variation Data Critical Appraisal Checklist (BIVAC). Global BV estimates were derived by meta-analysis of BIVAC-compliant studies in healthy subjects with similar study design.ResultsOne study received BIVAC grade A, 2B, and 6C. In most cases, the C-grade was associated with deficiencies in statistical analysis. BV estimates for glycosylated albumin were: CVI=1.4% (1.2–2.1) and CVG=5.7% (4.7–10.6), whereas estimates for HbA1c, CVI=1.2% (0.3–2.5), CVG=5.4% (3.3–7.3), and glucose, CVI=5.0% (4.1–12.0), CVG=8.1% (2.7–10.8) did not differ from previously published global estimates.ConclusionsThe critical appraisal and rating of BV studies according to their methodological quality, followed by a meta-analysis, generate robust, and reliable BV estimates. This study delivers updated and evidence-based BV estimates for glycosylated albumin, glucose and HbA1c.

scholarly journals An Examination of Semantic Impairment in Amnestic MCI and AD: What Can We Learn From Verbal Fluency?

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
M -J Chasles ◽  
A Tremblay ◽  
F Escudier ◽  
A Lajeunesse ◽  
S Benoit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Amnestic Mci ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Subject Factor ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract Introduction The Verbal Fluency Test (VF) is commonly used in neuropsychology. Some studies have demonstrated a marked impairment of semantic VF compared to phonemic VF in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) is associated with increased risk of conversion to incident AD, it is relevant to examine whether a similar impairment is observed in this population. The objective of the present empirical study is to compare VF performance of aMCI patients to those of AD and elderly controls matched one-to-one for age and education. Method Ninety-six participants divided into three equal groups (N = 32: AD, aMCI and Controls) were included in this study. Participants in each group were, on average, 76 years of age and had 13 years of education. A repeated measures ANOVA with the Group (AD, aMCI, NC) as between-subject factor and the Fluency condition (“P” and “animals”) as within-subject factor was performed. T-tests and simple ANOVAs were also conducted to examine the interaction. Results There was a significant interaction between the groups and the verbal fluency condition. In AD, significantly fewer words were produced in both conditions. In contrast, participants with aMCI demonstrated a pattern similar to controls in the phonemic condition, but generated significantly fewer words in the semantic condition. Conclusion These results indicate a semantic memory impairment in aMCI revealed by a simple, commonly-used neuropsychological test. Future studies are needed to investigate if semantic fluency deficits can help predict future conversion to AD.

The Semantic Memory Impairment of Alzheimer's Disease: Category-Specific?

Cortex ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynette J. Tippett ◽  
Murray Grossman ◽  
Martha J. Farah
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Disease Category

scholarly journals Effect of Acupuncture on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne W. Y. Chung ◽  
Vincent C. M. Yan ◽  
Hongwei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Control Group

Aim.To summarize all relevant trials and critically evaluate the effect of acupuncture on heart rate variability (HRV).Method.This was a systematic review with meta-analysis. Keyword search was conducted in 7 databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data extraction and risk of bias were done.Results.Fourteen included studies showed a decreasing effect of acupuncture on low frequency (LF) and low frequency to high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) of HRV for nonhealthy subjects and on normalized low frequency (LF norm) for healthy subjects. The overall effect was in favour of the sham/control group for high frequency (HF) in nonhealthy subjects and for normalized high frequency (HF norm) in healthy subjects. Significant decreasing effect on HF and LF/HF ratio of HRV when acupuncture was performed on ST36 among healthy subjects and PC6 among both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, respectively.Discussion.This study partially supports the possible effect of acupuncture in modulating the LF of HRV in both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, while previous review reported that acupuncture did not have any convincing effect on HRV in healthy subjects. More published work is needed in this area to determine if HRV can be an indicator of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.

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