scholarly journals Speech Discrimination Tasks: A Sensitive Sensory and Cognitive Measure in Early and Mild Multiple Sclerosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pippa Iva ◽  
Joanne Fielding ◽  
Meaghan Clough ◽  
Owen White ◽  
Branislava Godic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Functional Scores

There is a need for reliable and objective measures of early and mild symptomology in multiple sclerosis (MS), as deficits can be subtle and difficult to quantify objectively in patients without overt physical deficits. We hypothesized that a speech-in-noise (SiN) task would be sensitive to demyelinating effects on precise neural timing and diffuse higher-level networks required for speech intelligibility, and therefore be a useful tool for monitoring sensory and cognitive changes in early MS. The objective of this study was to develop a SiN task for clinical use that sensitively monitors disease activity in early (<5 years) and late (>10 years) stages of MS subjects with mild severity [Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score < 3]. Pre-recorded Bamford-Kowal-Bench sentences and isolated keywords were presented at five signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) in one of two background noises: speech-weighted noise and eight-talker babble. All speech and noise were presented via headphones to controls (n = 38), early MS (n = 23), and late MS (n = 12) who were required to verbally repeat the target speech. MS subjects also completed extensive neuropsychological testing which included: Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test, Digit Span Test, and California Verbal Learning Test. Despite normal hearing thresholds, subjects with early and late mild MS displayed speech discrimination deficits when sentences and words were presented in babble – but not speech-weighted noise. Significant correlations between SiN performance and standardized neuropsychological assessments indicated that MS subjects with lower functional scores also had poorer speech discrimination. Furthermore, a quick 5-min task with words and keywords presented in multi-talker babble at an SNR of −1 dB was 82% accurate in discriminating mildly impaired MS individuals (median EDSS = 0) from healthy controls. Quantifying functional deficits in mild MS will help clinicians to maximize the opportunities to preserve neurological reserve in patients with appropriate therapeutic management, particularly in the earliest stages. Given that physical assessments are not informative in this fully ambulatory cohort, a quick 5-min task with words and keywords presented in multi-talker babble at a single SNR could serve as a complementary test for clinical use due to its ease of use and speed.

scholarly journals Teleneuropsychology: Evidence for Video Teleconference-Based Neuropsychological Assessment

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1028-1033 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Munro Cullum ◽  
L.S. Hynan ◽  
M. Grosch ◽  
M. Parikh ◽  
M.F. Weiner
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Neuropsychological Assessment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Testing Medium

AbstractThe use of videoconference technology to deliver health care diagnostics and treatment continues to grow at a rapid pace. Telepsychiatry and telepsychology applications are well-accepted by patients and providers, and both diagnostic and treatment outcomes have generally been similar to traditional face-to-face interactions. Preliminary applications of videoconference-based neuropsychological assessment (teleneuropsychology) have yielded promising results in the feasibility and reliability of several standard tests, although large-scale studies are lacking. This investigation was conducted to determine the reliability of video teleconference (VTC) - based neuropsychological assessment using a brief battery of standard neuropsychological tests commonly used in the evaluation of known or suspected dementia. Tests included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, Digit Span forward and backward, short form Boston Naming Test, Letter and Category Fluency, and Clock Drawing. Tests were administered via VTC and in-person to subjects, counterbalanced using alternate test forms and standard instructions. Two hundred two adult subjects were tested in both rural and urban settings, including 83 with cognitive impairment and 119 healthy controls. We found highly similar results across VTC and in-person conditions, with significant intraclass correlations (mean=.74; range: 0.55–0.91) between test scores. Findings remained consistent in subjects with or without cognitive impairment and in persons with MMSE scores as low as 15. VTC-based neuropsychological testing is a valid and reliable alternative to traditional face-to-face assessment using selected measures. More VTC-based studies using additional tests in different populations are needed to fully explore the utility of this new testing medium. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–6)

Working Memory Mediates the Relationship between Intellectual Enrichment and Long-Term Memory in Multiple Sclerosis: An Exploratory Analysis of Cognitive Reserve

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 868-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Sandry ◽  
James F. Sumowski
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Reserve ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractSome individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) show decrements in long-term memory (LTM) while other individuals do not. The theory of cognitive reserve suggests that individuals with greater pre-morbid intellectual enrichment are protected from disease-related cognitive decline. How intellectual enrichment affords this benefit remains poorly understood. The present study tested an exploratory meditational hypothesis whereby working memory (WM) capacity may mediate the relationship between intellectual enrichment and verbal LTM decline in MS. Intellectual enrichment, verbal LTM, and WM capacity were estimated with the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, delayed recall of the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised and Logical Memory of the Wechsler Memory Scale, and Digit Span Total, respectively. Intellectual enrichment predicted LTM (B=.54;p=.003) and predicted WM capacity (B=.91;p<.001). WM capacity predicted LTM, (B=.44;p<.001) and fully mediated the relationship between intellectual enrichment (B=.24;p=.27) and LTM (B=.33,p=.03), Sobel test,Z=3.31,p<.001. These findings implicate WM capacity as an underlying mechanism of cognitive reserve and are an initial first step in understanding the relationship between intellectual enrichment, WM, and LTM in MS. (JINS, 2014,20, 1–5)

scholarly journals Detecting Cognitive Impairment in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Using Ocular Motor and Neuropsychological Testing

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Wang ◽  
Meaghan Clough ◽  
Owen White ◽  
Neil Shuey ◽  
Anneke Van Der Walt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Intracranial Hypertension ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer ◽  
Ocular Motor ◽  
Cognitive Changes

Objective: To determine whether cognitive impairments in patients with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) are correlated with changes in visual processing, weight, waist circumference, mood or headache, and whether they change over time.Methods: Twenty-two newly diagnosed IIH patients participated, with a subset assessed longitudinally at 3 and 6 months. Both conventional and novel ocular motor tests of cognition were included: Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Stroop Colour and Word Test (SCWT), Digit Span, California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), prosaccade (PS) task, antisaccade (AS) task, interleaved antisaccade-prosaccade (AS-PS) task. Patients also completed headache, mood, and visual functioning questionnaires.Results: IIH patients performed more poorly than controls on the SDMT (p&lt; 0.001), SCWT (p = 0.021), Digit Span test (p&lt; 0.001) and CVLT (p = 0.004) at baseline, and generated a higher proportion of AS errors in both the AS (p&lt; 0.001) and AS-PS tasks (p = 0.007). Further, IIH patients exhibited prolonged latencies on the cognitively complex AS-PS task (p = 0.034). While weight, waist circumference, headache and mood did not predict performance on any experimental measure, increased retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) was associated with AS error rate on both the block [F(3, 19)=3.22, B = 0.30, p = 0.022] and AS-PS task [F(3, 20) = 2.65, B = 0.363, p = 0.013]. Unlike ocular motor changes, impairments revealed on conventional tests of cognition persisted up to 6 months.Conclusion: We found multi-domain cognitive impairments in IIH patients that were unrelated to clinical characteristics. Marked ocular motor inhibitory control deficits were predicted by RNFL thickness but remained distinct from other cognitive changes, underscoring the significance of visual processing changes in IIH.

scholarly journals Relationship Between Anxiety and Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 151-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas A. Vissicchio ◽  
Caroline Altaras ◽  
Amanda Parker ◽  
Shonna Schneider ◽  
Jeffrey G. Portnoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Record Review ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract Background: Anxiety, which is very prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS) but understudied, has been shown to negatively affect cognition in many different populations. Slowed information processing speed underlies most cognitive impairments in MS, including verbal learning. The aim of this study was to look at how anxiety influences cognition—specifically processing speed and verbal learning—in MS. Methods: Eligibility criteria were adults (≥18 years) who had a diagnosis of clinically definite MS and had participated in neuropsychological research projects. A retrospective medical record review was conducted on the neuropsychological testing data. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to determine the unique contributions of processing speed and anxiety on verbal learning in MS, after adjusting for demographic and disability variables. Two separate mediation analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between processing speed, verbal learning, and anxiety. Results: Participants (N = 141) ranged in age from 18–91 years. Based on the multiple regression analyses, processing speed (β = 0.55, ΔR2 = 0.27, P &lt; .001) and anxiety (β = −0.34, ΔR2 = 0.11, P &lt; .001) were uniquely significant predictors of verbal learning. Based on the mediation analyses, there was a significant indirect effect of anxiety on verbal learning through processing speed (ab = −0.31, 95% CI = −0.60 to −0.09). There was also a significant indirect effect of processing speed on verbal learning through anxiety (ab = −0.05, 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.12). Conclusions: Results suggest a bidirectional relationship of anxiety and processing speed on verbal learning in MS. Anxiety has a significant effect on cognition and should not be overlooked. Interventions targeting anxiety may improve cognition in MS.

scholarly journals Brief Cognitive Monitoring in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Latvia / Kognitīvo Funkciju Monitorings Multiplās Sklerozes Pacientiem Latvijā

2015 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 228-231
Author(s):  
Līga Mekša ◽  
Guntis Karelis ◽  
Lana Vainšteine ◽  
Sandra Svilpe ◽  
Gundega Gulbe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Expert Committee ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Expert Analysis ◽  
Trained Staff ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Cognitive Monitoring

Abstract Cognitive changes are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The neuropsychological testing requires specialised trained staff, time-consuming expert analysis and complicated test result interpretation. An expert committee recommended the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), which is optimised for small centres. We conducted the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT), for which the results were comparable with similar results in literature. Most MS patients showed decreased attention and processing speed, while visual memory was generally normal. Cognitive impairment occurrence is not strongly related to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score.

Validation of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in the Russian Population

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Evgeniy Evdoshenko ◽  
Kristina Laskova ◽  
Maria Shumilina ◽  
Ekaterina Nekrashevich ◽  
Maria Andreeva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Russian Population ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Valid Instrument ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

Abstract Objective: Cognitive dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS). The Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) battery of tests has been suggested as a measure for the evaluation of the cognitive status of MS patients. This study aims to validate the BICAMS battery in the Russian population of MS patients. Methods: Age- and sex-matched MS patients (n = 98) and healthy individuals (n = 86) were included in the study. Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), California Verbal Learning Test, 2nd edition (CVLT-II) and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test – Revised (BVMT-R) were administered to all participants. The battery was readministered 1 month later to 44 MS patients to investigate the test–retest reliability. Results: MS patients exhibited a significantly lower performance in testing with BICAMS than the control group in all three neuropsychological tests. Test–retest reliability was good for SDMT and CVLT-II (r = .82 and r = .85, respectively) and adequate for BVMT-R (r = .70). Based on the proposed criterion for impairment as z score below 1.5 SD the mean of the control group, we found that 34/98 (35%) of MS patients were found impaired at least in one cognitive domain. Patients with Expanded Disability Status Scale score ≥3.5 performed significantly worse than controls (SDMT, p < .0001; CVLT–II, p = .03; BVMT-R, p = .0004), while those with ≤3.0 scores did not. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the BICAMS battery is a valid instrument to identify cognitive impairment in MS patients and it can be recommended for routine use in the Russian Federation.

scholarly journals Differential Cognitive Performance in Females and Males with Regular Cannabis Use

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 570-580
Author(s):  
Ashley M. Schnakenberg Martin ◽  
Deepak Cyril D’Souza ◽  
Sharlene D. Newman ◽  
William P. Hetrick ◽  
Brian F. O’Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Neurocognitive Deficits ◽  
Psychomotor Speed ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Cognitive Measures ◽  
Biological Sex ◽  
Learning Test

AbstractObjectives:Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that males and females may be differentially affected by cannabis use. This study evaluated the interaction of cannabis use and biological sex on cognition, and the association between observed cognitive deficits and features of cannabis use.Methods:Cognitive measures were assessed in those with regular, ongoing, cannabis use (N = 40; 22 female) and non-using peers (N = 40; 23 female). Intelligence, psychomotor speed, and verbal working memory were measured with the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Digit Symbol Test, and Digit Span and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, respectively. Associations between cognitive measures and cannabis use features (e.g., lifetime cannabis use, age of initiation, time since last use of cannabis, recent high-concentration tetrahydrocannabinoid exposure) were also evaluated.Results:No main effects of group were observed across measures. Significant interactions between group and biological sex were observed on measures of intelligence, psychomotor speed, and verbal learning, with greatest group differences observed between males with and without regular cannabis use. Psychomotor performance was negatively correlated with lifetime cannabis exposure. Female and male cannabis use groups did not differ in features of cannabis use.Conclusions:Findings suggest that biological sex influences the relationship between cannabis and cognition, with males potentially being more vulnerable to the neurocognitive deficits related to cannabis use.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of Bacopa monnieri (Linn.) Wettst. as a nootropic, neuroprotective, or antidepressant supplement: analysis of the available clinical data

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Brimson ◽  
Sirikalaya Brimson ◽  
Mani Iyer Prasanth ◽  
Premrutai Thitilertdecha ◽  
Dicson Sheeja Malar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Extracts ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Inspection Time ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects

AbstractBacopamonnieri (Linn.) Wettst. has been used in traditional medicine as a drug to enhance and improve memory. In this regard, this study aims to provide B. monnieri's efficacy as a neuroprotective drug and as a nootropic against various neurological diseases. Literatures were collected, following Prisma guidelines, from databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct and were scrutinized using a quality scoring system. Means, standard deviations and ‘n’ numbers were extracted from the metrics and analyzed. Jamovi computer software for Mac was used to carry out the meta-analysis. The selected studies suggested that the plant extracts were able to show some improvements in healthy subjects which were determined in Auditory Verbal Learning Task, digit span-reverse test, inspection time task and working memory, even though it was not significant, as no two studies found statistically significant changes in the same two tests. B. monnieri was able to express modest improvements in subjects with memory loss, wherein only a few of the neuropsychological tests showed statistical significance. B. monnieri in a cocktail with other plant extracts were able to significantly reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, and depression which cannot be solely credited as the effect of B. monnieri. Although in one study B. monnieri was able to potentiate the beneficial effects of citalopram; on the whole, currently, there are only limited studies to establish the memory-enhancing and neuroprotective effects of B. monnieri. More studies have to be done in the future by comparing the effect with standard drugs, in order to establish these effects clinically in the plant and corroborate the preclinical data.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document