Metacognitive Performance on Memory and Visuospatial Tasks in Functional Cognitive Disorder

Functional Cognitive Disorder (FCD) is a common diagnosis at the memory clinic. FCD is characterised by significant self-reported cognitive symptoms in the absence of external evidence of cognitive dysfunction. A potential explanation for this is a deficit in metacognition, the process by which we internally judge our own abilities. Here we investigated differences in accuracy, confidence, and metacognition between people with FCD (N = 20), neurodegenerative mild cognitive impairment (nMCI; N = 14), and healthy controls (N = 23). The groups were assessed on forced choice memory and perceptual tasks, with trial by trial confidence ratings. FCD and nMCI participants showed lower accuracy on the memory task (means FCD 63.65%, nMCI 63.96%, HC 71.22%), with a significant difference between the FCD and HC groups after controlling for age and sex. There were no between-group differences in memory task confidence (means FCD 3.19, nMCI 3.59, HC 3.71). The FCD group showed greater confidence when longer time was allowed on the memory task. No between group differences in perceptual task accuracy (means FCD 63.97%, nMCI 64.50%, FCD 65.86%) or confidence (means FCD 3.71, nMCI 3.43, HC 3.88) were found. No differences in metacognitive efficacy emerged between the groups, either on the memory or perceptual task (Memory Meta-d’/d’:FCD 0.63, nMCI 0.94 HC 0.85; Perceptual Meta-d’,d’: FCD 0.50, nMCI 0.51, HC 0.72). Participants showed greater metacognitive efficacy on the memory task compared to the perceptual task. The difficulties experienced by people with FCD do not appear to be due to metacognitive deficits. Their performance was similar to people with nMCI over aspects of the memory tasks, which suggests that the primary issue may lie with memory encoding or retrieval, rather than with their judgement of performance accuracy.

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Role of MicroRNA Genes miR-1000 and miR-375 in Forming Olfactory Conditional Memory in Drosophila melanogaster

MicroRNA ◽

10.2174/2211536609666200204113403 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 09 ◽

Author(s):

Sadniman Rahman ◽

Chaity Modak ◽

Mousumi Akter ◽

Mohammad Shamimul Alam

Keyword(s):

Learning And Memory ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Loss ◽

Memory Formation ◽

Neural Integration ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Locomotion Speed ◽

Microrna Genes ◽

With Memory

Background: Learning and memory is basic aspects in neurogenetics as most of the neurological disorders start with dementia or memory loss. Several genes associated with memory formation have been discovered. MicroRNA genes miR-1000 and miR-375 were reported to be associated with neural integration and glucose homeostasis in some insects and vertebrates. However, neuronal function of these genes is yet to be established in D. melanogaster. Objective: Possible role of miR-1000 and miR-375 in learning and memory formation in this fly has been explored in the present study. Methods: Both appetitive and aversive olfactory conditional learning were tested in the miR-1000 and miR-375 knockout (KO) strains and compared with wild one. Five days old third instar larvae were trained by allowing them to be associated with an odor with reward (fructose) or punishment (salt). Then, the larvae were tested to calculate their preferences to the odor trained with. Learning index (LI) values and larval locomotion speed were calculated for all strains. Results: No significant difference was observed for larval locomotion speed in mutant strains. Knockout strain of miR-1000 showed significant deficiency in both appetitive and aversive memory formation whereas miR-375 KO strain showed a significantly lower response only in appetitive one. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate important role played by these two genes in forming short-term memory in D. melanogaster.

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Effects of a Rehabilitation Programme Using a Nasal Inspiratory Restriction Device in COPD

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084207 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4207

Author(s):

Jose L. Gonzalez-Montesinos ◽

Jorge R. Fernandez-Santos ◽

Carmen Vaz-Pardal ◽

Jesus G. Ponce-Gonzalez ◽

Alberto Marin-Galindo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Rehabilitation ◽

Rehabilitation Programme ◽

Group Differences ◽

Control Group ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Maximum Value ◽

Copd Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme ◽

Positive Increment

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are characterised for presenting dyspnea, which reduces their physical capacity and tolerance to physical exercise. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of adding a Feel-Breathe (FB) device for inspiratory muscle training (IMT) to an 8-week pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Twenty patients were randomised into three groups: breathing with FB (FBG), oronasal breathing without FB (ONBG) and control group (CG). FBG and ONBG carried out the same training programme with resistance, strength and respiratory exercises for 8 weeks. CG did not perform any pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Regarding intra group differences in the value obtained in the post-training test at the time when the maximum value in the pre-training test was obtained (PostPRE), FBG obtained lower values in oxygen consumption (VO2, mean = −435.6 mL/min, Bayes Factor (BF10) > 100), minute ventilation (VE, −8.5 L/min, BF10 = 25), respiratory rate (RR, −3.3 breaths/min, BF10 = 2), heart rate (HR, −13.7 beats/min, BF10 > 100) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2, −183.0 L/min, BF10 = 50), and a greater value in expiratory time (Tex, 0.22 s, BF10 = 12.5). At the maximum value recorded in the post-training test (PostFINAL), FBG showed higher values in the total time of the test (Tt, 4.3 min, BF10 = 50) and respiratory exchange rate (RER, 0.05, BF10 = 1.3). Regarding inter group differences at PrePOST, FBG obtained a greater negative increment than ONBG in the ventilatory equivalent of CO2 (EqCO2, −3.8 L/min, BF10 = 1.1) and compared to CG in VE (−8.3 L/min, BF10 = 3.6), VCO2 (−215.9 L/min, BF10 = 3.0), EqCO2 (−3.7 L/min, BF10 = 1.1) and HR (−12.9 beats/min, BF10 = 3.4). FBG also showed a greater PrePOST positive increment in Tex (0.21 s, BF10 = 1.4) with respect to CG. At PreFINAL, FBG presented a greater positive increment compared to CG in Tt (4.4 min, BF10 = 3.2) and negative in VE/VCO2 intercept (−4.7, BF10 = 1.1). The use of FB added to a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in COPD patients could improve tolerance in the incremental exercise test and energy efficiency. However, there is only a statically significant difference between FBG and ONBG in EqCO2. Therefore, more studies are necessary to reach a definitive conclusion about including FB in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme.

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POS1189 THE IMPACT OF TELEMEDICINE AND COVID-19 ON A TERTIARY RHEUMATOLOGY SERVICE: A RETROSPECTIVE AUDIT

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.1497 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 876-877

Author(s):

W. Zhu ◽

T. De Silva ◽

L. Eades ◽

S. Morton ◽

S. Ayoub ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immunosuppressive Therapy ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Diagnostic Delay ◽

Cohort Differences ◽

Phone Calls ◽

Retrospective Audit ◽

Common Diagnosis ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Background:Telemedicine was widely utilised to complement face-to-face (F2F) care in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the impact of this on patient care is poorly understood.Objectives:To investigate the impact of telemedicine during COVID-19 on outpatient rheumatology services.Methods:We retrospectively audited patient electronic medical records from rheumatology outpatient clinics in an urban tertiary rheumatology centre between April-May 2020 (telemedicine cohort) and April-May 2019 (comparator cohort). Differences in age, sex, primary diagnosis, medications, and proportion of new/review appointments were assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests. Univariate analysis was used to estimate associations between telemedicine usage and the ability to assign a diagnosis in patients without a prior rheumatological diagnosis, the frequency of changes to immunosuppression, subsequent F2F review, planned admissions or procedures, follow-up phone calls, and time to next appointment.Results:3,040 outpatient appointments were audited: 1,443 from 2019 and 1,597 from 2020. There was no statistically significant difference in the age, sex, proportion of new/review appointments, or frequency of immunosuppression use between the cohorts. Inflammatory arthritis (IA) was a more common diagnosis in the 2020 cohort (35.1% vs 31%, p=0.024). 96.7% (n=1,444) of patients seen in the 2020 cohort were reviewed via telemedicine. In patients without an existing rheumatological diagnosis, the odds of making a diagnosis at the appointment were significantly lower in 2020 (28.6% vs 57.4%; OR 0.30 [95% CI 0.16-0.53]; p<0.001). Clinicians were also less likely to change immunosuppressive therapy in 2020 (22.6% vs 27.4%; OR 0.78 [95% CI 0.65-0.92]; p=0.004). This was mostly driven by less de-escalation in therapy (10% vs 12.6%; OR 0.75 [95% CI 0.59-0.95]; p=0.019) as there was no statistically significant difference in the escalation or switching of immunosuppressive therapies. There was no significant difference in frequency of follow-up phone calls, however, patients seen in 2020 required earlier follow-up appointments (p<0.001). There was also no difference in unplanned rheumatological presentations but significantly fewer planned admissions and procedures in 2020 (1% vs 2.6%, p=0.002). Appointment non-attendance reduced in 2020 to 6.5% from 10.9% in 2019 (OR 0.57 [95% CI 0.44-0.74]; p<0.001), however the odds of discharging a patient from care were significantly lower in 2020 (3.9% vs 6%; OR 0.64 [95% CI 0.46-0.89]; p=0.008), although there was no significance when patients who failed to attend were excluded. Amongst patients seen via telemedicine in 2020, a subsequent F2F appointment was required in 9.4%. The predictors of needing a F2F review were being a new patient (OR 6.28 [95% CI 4.10-9.64]; p<0.001), not having a prior rheumatological diagnosis (OR 18.43 [95% CI: 2.35-144.63]; p=0.006), or having a diagnosis of IA (OR 2.85 [95% CI: 1.40-5.80]; p=0.004) or connective tissue disease (OR 3.22 [95% CI: 1.11-9.32]; p=0.031).Conclusion:Most patients in the 2020 cohort were seen via telemedicine. Telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with reduced clinic non-attendance, but with diagnostic delay, reduced likelihood of changing existing immunosuppressive therapy, earlier requirement for review, and lower likelihood of discharge. While the effects of telemedicine cannot be differentiated from changes in practice related to other aspects of the pandemic, they suggest that telemedicine may have a negative impact on the timeliness of management of rheumatology patients.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.

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The neural timecourse of American English vowel discrimination by Japanese, Russian and Spanish second-language learners of English

Bilingualism Language and Cognition ◽

10.1017/s1366728921000201 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Valerie L. Shafer ◽

Sarah Kresh ◽

Kikuyo Ito ◽

Miwako Hisagi ◽

Nancy Vidal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Adult Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

Second Language Learners ◽

American English ◽

First Language ◽

Perceptual Task ◽

Temporal Contrast ◽

Asymmetrical Pattern ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract This study investigated the influence of first language (L1) phoneme features and phonetic salience on discrimination of second language (L2) American English (AE) vowels. On a perceptual task, L2 adult learners of English with Spanish, Japanese or Russian as an L1 showed poorer discrimination of the spectral-only difference between /æ:/ as the oddball (deviant) among frequent /ɑ:/ stimuli compared to AE controls. The Spanish listeners showed a significant difference from the controls for the spectral-temporal contrast between /ɑ:/ and /ʌ/ for both perception and the neural Mismatch Negativity (MMN), but only for deviant /ɑ:/ versus /ʌ/ (duration decrement). For deviant /ʌ/ versus /ɑ:/, and for deviant /æ:/ versus /ʌ/ or /ɑ:/, all participants showed equivalent MMN amplitude. The asymmetrical pattern for /ɑ:/ and /ʌ/ suggested that L2 phonetic detail was maintained only for the deviant. These findings indicated that discrimination was more strongly influenced by L1 phonology than phonetic salience.

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Delayed recall memory impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/s1980-5764-2016dn1003006 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 204-209 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Arthur Oscar Schelp ◽

Cristiane Lara Mendes-Chiloff ◽

Vanessa Cristina Paduan ◽

José Eduardo Corrente ◽

Fabrício Diniz de Lima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Memory Impairment ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Demographic Variables ◽

Delayed Recall ◽

Recall Memory ◽

Significant Difference ◽

With Memory

ABSTRACT Age is one of the risk factors for dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PDD). Distinct cognitive syndromes of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been identified in previous studies. Questions about the role of such cognitive disorders in PD outcomes, especially memory dysfunction, in patients with PD remain unanswered. Objective: To establish possible correlations between delayed recall memory (episodic memory), age, and other demographic variables in patients with PD. Methods: A two-stage protocol was applied. Patients with delayed recall memory compromise, selected based on a brief battery of tests (BBRC-Edu), were classified as dementia cases and submitted to the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS). Data from patients with memory disturbances were compared against individuals without episodic memory impairment, and correlated with age and demographic variables. Results: Except for identification and naming, all subtests in the screening battery showed a significant difference (p≤0.0001) between the memory-compromised group (case) and the group without memory impairment (no case). The results also correlated negatively with age (p≤0.0001) and positively with level of education (p=0.0874) in patients with PD. Conclusion: The analysis showed a significant relationship between age and dementia characterized by impaired episodic memory. The findings support reports of a wide spectrum of neuropsychological performance impairment in PD with age, particularly dementia associated with memory deterioration. No correlations between disease duration and cognitive dysfunction were evident.

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What colour is the car? Implicit memory for colour information in children

The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A ◽

10.1080/713756006 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 54 (4) ◽

pp. 1069-1086 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Silvia Mecklenbräuker ◽

Almut Hupbach ◽

Werner Wippich

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Developmental Change ◽

Memory Task ◽

Choice Task ◽

Preschool Age ◽

School Age Children ◽

Perceptual Task ◽

Line Drawings ◽

Elementary School Age ◽

Age Related

Three experiments were conducted to examine age-related differences in colour memory. In Experiment 1, preschool age and elementary school age children were given a conceptual test of implicit colour memory (a colour-choice task). They were presented with the names or achromatic versions of previously studied coloured line drawings and asked to select an appropriate colour. Significant priming could be demonstrated: The children chose the previously seen colours more often than was expected by chance. Equivalent priming was found for both versions (pictorial and verbal) suggesting that colour priming may be conceptually mediated. Moreover, colour priming proved to be age invariant. Experiment 2 replicated and extended this finding by using a wider age group (preschool, elementary school, and young adults) and by giving a perceptual implicit task (picture identification) in addition to a verbal colour-choice task. Colour did not affect priming in the perceptual task. Whereas priming showed no developmental change, age related improvements were observed on an explicit colour memory task that differed only in the test instructions from the implicit colour-choice task (Experiments 2 and 3). Taken together, the results suggest that implicit colour memory may be mediated by conceptual processes that are age invariant.

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Using dual-calibrated functional MRI to map brain oxygen supply and consumption in multiple sclerosis

10.1101/2021.01.07.425819 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hannah L Chandler ◽

Rachael C Stickland ◽

Michael Germuska ◽

Eleonora Patitucci ◽

Catherine Foster ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Oxygen Consumption ◽

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Oxygen Supply ◽

Oxygen Extraction Fraction ◽

Oxygen Extraction ◽

Group Differences ◽

Lesion Volume ◽

Brain Physiology ◽

Significant Difference

Evidence suggests that cerebrovascular function and oxygen consumption are altered in multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we quantified the vascular and oxygen metabolic MRI burden in patients with MS (PwMS) and assessed the relationship between these MRI measures of and metrics of damage and disability. In PwMS and in matched healthy volunteers, we applied a newly developed dual-calibrated fMRI method of acquisition and analysis to map grey matter (GM) cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO2) and effective oxygen diffusivity of the capillary network (DC). We also quantified physical and cognitive function in PwMS and controls. There was no significant difference in GM volume between 22 PwMS and 20 healthy controls (p=0.302). Significant differences in CBF (PwMS vs. controls: 44.91 +/- 6.10 vs. 48.90 +/- 5.87 ml/100g/min, p=0.010), CMRO2 (117.69 +/- 17.31 vs. 136.49 +/- 14.48 μmol/100g/min p<0.001) and DC (2.70 +/- 0.51 vs. 3.18 +/- 0.41 μmol/100g/mmHg/min, p=0.002) were observed in the PwMS. No significant between-group differences were observed for OEF (PwMS vs. controls: 0.38 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.39 +/- 0.02, p=0.358). Regional analysis showed widespread reductions in CMRO2 and DC for PwMS compared to healthy volunteers. There was a significant correlation between physiological measures and T2 lesion volume, but no association with current clinical disability. Our findings demonstrate concurrent reductions in oxygen supply and consumption in the absence of an alteration in oxygen extraction that may be indicative of a reduced demand for oxygen (O2), an impaired transfer of O2 from capillaries to mitochondria, and/or a reduced ability to utilise O2 that is available at the mitochondria. With no between-group differences in GM volume, our results suggest that changes in brain physiology may precede MRI-detectable GM loss and thus may be one of the pathological drivers of neurodegeneration and disease progression.

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Cyanotic congenital heart disease: Impact on growth and endocrine functions.

The Professional Medical Journal ◽

10.29309/tpmj/2021.28.10.5471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (10) ◽

pp. 1477-1483

Author(s):

Muhammad Sohail Arshad ◽

Waqas Imran Khan ◽

Arif Zulqarnain ◽

Hafiz Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq ◽

Mudasser Adnan

Keyword(s):

Congenital Heart Disease ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Pulmonary Stenosis ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease ◽

P Value ◽

Common Diagnosis ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Objective: To find out the impact of Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) on growth and endocrine functions at a tertiary care child healthcare facility of South Punjab. Study Design: Case Control study. Setting: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Institute of Child’s Health (ICH), Multan, Pakistan. Period: December 2018 to March 2020. Material & Methods: During the study period, a total of 53 cases of Echocardiography confirmed CCHD were registered. Along with 53 cases, 50 controls during the study period were also enrolled. Height, weight, body mass index (BMI) along with hormonal and biochemical laboratory investigations were done. Results: There was no significant difference between gender and age among cases and controls (p value>0.05). Most common diagnosis of CCHD among cases, 24 (45.3%) were Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) followed by 9 (17.0%) transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) with Pulmonary Stenosis (PS). Mean weight of CCHD cases was significantly lower in comparison to controls (21.19+6.24 kg vs. 26.48+8.1 kg, p value=0.0003). Blood glucose was significantly lower among cases in comparison to controls (77.58+14.58 mg/dl vs. 87.25+11.82 mg/dl, p value=0.0004). No significant difference was found in between cases and controls in terms of various hormone levels studied (p value>0.05) except Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) levels (p value<0.0001). Conclusion: Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease seem to have negative effects on nutrition and growth. Change in pituitary-adrenal axis is suspected while pituitary-thyroid axis seemed to be working fine among CCHD cases. Serum glucose and IGF-1 levels were significantly decreased among CCHD cases.

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Can a simple, short-term memory task help to screen dyslexia?

Current Psychology ◽

10.1007/s12144-019-00568-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Nick Perham ◽

Toni Howell ◽

Andy Watt

Keyword(s):

High Frequency ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Task ◽

Compulsory Education ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Order ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Support Students

AbstractFunding to support students with dyslexia in post-compulsory education is under pressure and more efficient assessments may offset some of this shortfall. We tested potential tasks for screening dyslexia: recall of adjective-noun, compared to noun-adjective, pairings (syntax) and recall of high versus low frequency letter pairings (bigrams). Students who reported themselves as dyslexic failed to show a normal syntax effect (greater recall of adjective-noun compared to noun-adjective pairings) and no significant difference in recall between the two types of bigrams whereas students who were not dyslexic showed the syntax effect and a bias towards recalling high frequency bigrams. Findings are consistent with recent explanations of dyslexia suggesting that those affected find it difficult to learn and utilise sequential long-term order information (Szmalec et al. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition, 37(5) ,1270-1279, 2011). Further, ROC curve analyses revealed both tasks showed acceptable diagnostic properties as they were able to discriminate between the two groups of participants.

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Comparison of Treatment Effects with Modified C-Palatal Plates vs Greenfield Molar Distalizer Appliances in Adolescents

Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry ◽

10.17796/1053-4625-44.3.12 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 202-208

Author(s):

Mohammed Alfaifi ◽

Jae Hyun Park ◽

Kiyoshi Tai ◽

Ja Hyeong Ku ◽

Nikhilesh R Vaid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Treatment Effects ◽

Group Differences ◽

Class Ii Malocclusion ◽

Molar Distalization ◽

Skeletal Changes ◽

Lateral Cephalograms ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Maxillary Molar ◽

The Mean ◽

Maxillary Incisors

Objectives: The aim of study was to evaluate skeletodental and soft tissue treatment effects and the amount of maxillary molar distalization with modified C-palatal plates vs. Greenfield molar distalizer appliances in adolescents. Study design: The samples consisted of pre- and posttreatment lateral cephalograms collected from 39 patients with Class II malocclusion. The MCPP group was comprised of 21 patients (mean age: 11.7 ± 1.3 years) treated with MCPP appliances while the GMD group included 18 patients (mean age: 11.2 ± 0.9 years) treated with GMD. Fixed orthodontic treatment started with the distalization process in both groups. From each cephalograpm, twenty-nine variables were measured for analysis and then the two groups were compared. Descriptive statistics, a paired t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance were performed to compare the treatment effects within and between the groups. Results: There was significant treatmentrelated change in the sagittal position of the maxilla and the mandible within each group. However, there were no statistically significant inter-group differences. The mean maxillary first molar distalization was 3.96 mm in the MCPP group vs. 2.85 mm in the GMD group. Both groups showed minimal distal tipping, but the maxillary incisors were significantly extruded by 3.04 ± 0.89 mm (P < .001) in GMD group. There was no significant difference in treatment duration between the groups. Conclusions: The maxillary first molars of both the MCPP and GMD groups were effectively distalized and there were significant skeletal changes in the maxilla. However, the maxillary incisors were significantly extruded in the GMD group.

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