Funciones ejecutivas y rendimiento futbolístico. Diseño y evaluación de un programa de intervención (Executive functions and football performance. Design and evaluation of an intervention program)

Es conocida la relación entre variables neuropsicológicas y destrezas en el ámbito deportivo. Dado que el fútbol es uno de los deportes más practicados en el mundo, es importante analizar el estudio de estas variables en dicho deporte, así como desarrollar intervenciones que contribuyan a mejorar la habilidad deportiva de forma indirecta. La presente investigación tuvo por objetivo averiguar los efectos de un programa de intervención en el que se trabajaron las funciones ejecutivas (FEs) con la finalidad de mejorar el rendimiento en el fútbol. Se llevó a cabo una intervención en la que participaron un total de 29 sujetos de edades comprendidas entre ocho y diez años, que practicaban fútbol de forma habitual. Se realizó una evaluación final para la medición de las funciones ejecutivas, a través del cuestionario para la Evaluación Conductual de la Función Ejecutiva-2 (BRIEF-2). Los resultados apuntan a una relación positiva entre las funciones ejecutiva y el rendimiento en el fútbol. Abstract. The relationship between neuropsychological variables and skills in the sports field is known. Taken into account that soccer is one of the most practiced sports in the world, it is important to analyze the study of these variables in this sport, as well as to develop interventions that indirectly contribute to improve sports ability. The present research aimed to find out the effects of an intervention program in which the executive functions were trained in order to improve soccer performance. An intervention program was developed with a total of 29 participants between eight to ten years old, who regularly practice soccer. The executive functions measurement test was carried out through the BRIEF-2 questionnaire. The results point to a positive relationship between executive function and soccer performance.

A-241 Five Point Test: Reliability, Validity, and Test Performance in Cognitively Intact Adults

Objective Reliability and validity evidence related to the Five Point Test (FPT) scores is severely limited. The primary purpose of this study was to examine psychometric evidence related to two commonly used FPT scores (number of unique designs (UD), percentage of repetitions (PR)) using one-week test–retest reliability, correlations with demographic and neuropsychological variables, and convergent validity in line with a regression-based explanation-focused view of validity. Methods The sample consisted of 86 cognitively intact, non-depressed adult men and women ages 21–82 years (M = 52.7, SD = 17.7) with 7–21 years of education (M = 14.2, SD = 3.13) recruited from the general community and tested individually. Results UD ranged from 8–60 (M = 35.4) and PR ranged from 0–45% (M = 6.9%). Test–retest coefficients were .83 for UD but only .43 for PR. Age was significantly correlated with UD (r = −.59) and PR (r = .23). Education was significantly correlated with UD (r = .26) but not PR (r = −.10). There were no gender differences. UD showed significant bivariate correlations with WAIS-III Block Design, Trail-Making Test (TMT) A, TMT-B, Bicycle Drawing Test, and FAS Verbal Fluency but, together in a regression, only age and TMT-B remained significant. PR scores did not correlate significantly with any neuropsychological variables. Conclusion UD showed strong test–retest reliability. UD performance tends to be poorer with older age and less education. The meaning and interpretation of UD performance using a regression-based explanation-focused view of validity will be discussed. PR reliability is poor even over a short interval and attenuates subsequent statistical findings. Use of PR is not recommended in research or practice.

T27. COGNITIVE RESERVE IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT OFFSPRING OF PATIENTS DIANOSED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA OR BIPOLAR DISORDER

Background Cognitive Reserve (CR) is defined as the ability of the brain to cope and deal with physiological or pathological brain injuries. In the field of psychiatry, higher levels of CR have been associated with lower levels of psychotic symptoms, higher psycho-social functioning and higher cognitive performance, suggesting that CR should be considered as a protective factor (Barnett et al., 2006; Amoretti et al., 2016). This study aims to compare CR levels in a sample of adolescents and young adult offspring of patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who are at high risk of developing these disorders (HR) and compared them with a group of healthy controls (HC). We also assess the utility of CR in predicting clinical and cognitive variables. Methods Participants were 85 HR and 45 HC. A CR proxy was calculated based on premorbid IQ, socio-occupational attainment and social activities. Clinical assessment included: the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Neuropsychological assessment included: Working Memory, Processing Speed, Verbal Memory, attention and executive functioning. A factorial analysis was conducted in order to obtain a single CR measure. Differences between groups in CR were assessed via MANCOVA and linear regressions were conducted to check the effectiveness of CR in predicting clinical and neuropsychological variables. Results No significant differences were observed in age or gender between HR and HC groups. Socioeconomic status was lower in HR subjects (F=8.100, p=0.005).CR was significantly lower in the HR group than in the HC group (F=17.522; p<0.001). Moreover, the CR proxy was able to correctly classify 72.7% of the sample as either HR or HC. Our proxy was able to predict the following clinical variables in the HR group: negative (F=9.269; p=0.002), and total (F=7.290; p=0.009) prodromal symptoms, the YMRS (F=11.597; P<0.001) and the HDRS (F=12.761; p<0.001). In terms of neuropsychological variables, RC predicted WM (F=9.738; p=0.003), PS (F=4.557; p=0.037) and verbal memory [immediate (F=6.999; p=0.010) and delayed recall (F=10.990; P=0.002)] in the HR sample. Discussion HR subjects have lower CR than controls. CR is associated with clinical and neuropsychological variables. To our knowledge no previous studies have assessed CR in high risk samples. Nevertheless, studies conducted in adult first episode psychotic samples have shown an association between CR and the severity of symptoms.

Cognitive and affective Theory of Mind in adolescence: developmental aspects and associated neuropsychological variables

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to represent and attribute mental states to oneself and others. So far, research regarding ToM processing across adolescence is scarce. Existing studies either yield inconsistent results or did not or not thoroughly investigate aspects like higher order ToM and associated neuropsychological variables which the current study tried to address. 643 typically developing early, middle, and late adolescents (age groups 13–14; 15–16; 17–18) performed cognitive and affective ToM tasks as well as neuropsychological tasks tapping the cognitive or affective domain. Regarding both ToM types, 15- to 16-year-olds and 17- to 18-year-olds outperformed 13- to 14-year-olds, whereas females were superior regarding cognitive ToM. Across adolescence, cognitive and affective ToM correlated with attention and affective intelligence, whereas working memory, language comprehension, and figural intelligence additionally correlated with cognitive ToM. In early adolescence, attention correlated with both ToM types, whereas cognitive ToM further correlated with language comprehension and affective ToM with verbal intelligence, verbal fluency, and verbal flexibility. In middle and late adolescence, affective intelligence correlated with both ToM types, whereas cognitive ToM additionally correlated with working memory, language comprehension, and figural intelligence. The current study shows a developmental step regarding cognitive and affective ToM in middle adolescence as well as gender differences in cognitive ToM processing. Associations between neuropsychological variables and ToM processing were shown across adolescence and within age groups. Results give new insights into social cognition in adolescence and are well supported by neuroscientific and neurobiological studies regarding ToM and the integration of cognitive and affective processes. Graphic abstract

Treatment in Anorexia Nervosa: The Role of Neuropsychological Features in Predicting Response

IntroductionNeuropsychological impairments in anorexia nervosa (AN) have been considered both as putative risk factors and as a target for treatment. However, the role of neuropsychological variables as predictors of outcome is not clear.AimsOur aim is to investigate the role of neuropsychological variables as predictors of response to treatment in a group of individuals affected by AN.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 144 patients diagnosed with acute AN, according to the DSM-5 criteria, referred to the Eating Unit of the Hospital of Padova, Italy. All participants were assessed by means of a neuropsychological and clinical test battery at intake and followed during outpatient treatment for an average of 531 days. Eighty-three percent of the patients underwent cognitive behavioral therapy, the families of 75% of the patients were included in the treatment and 48% of the patients took antidepressants (SSRI).ResultsBoth body mass index at assessment and illness duration appeared to be independent factors significantly affecting the outcome. The role of neuropsychological variables was explored including cognitive performance in a multivariate analysis including BMI at intake, duration of illness and diagnostic subtype. The inclusion in the model of the Wisconsin Sorting Card Task performance and the central coherence index (calculated by the Rey Figure Test) significantly increased the prediction ability of the model for full remission at the end of treatment.ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that neuropsychological characteristics may predict treatment response in AN. These data support the implementation of cognitive remediation techniques in the treatment of AN.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

VARIABILIDAD DEL PERFIL COGNITIVO EN ESCOLARES Y ADULTOS CON SÍNDROME DE DOWN

VARIABILITY COGNITIVE PROFILE IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME. A NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL STUDYIntroduction: Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal disorder that has a specific and highly complex cognitive and behavioral phenotype. Objectives: To study the degree of variability cognitvo profile through neuropsychological diagnostic tests into two distinct developmental ages : aulta school age and older . Participants and Methods: 105 subjects aged child and adult , 43 with and 62 without SD SD were studied. Neuropsychological variables were assessed . Comparative study of different neuropsychological variables between SD and comparison groups was performed , and between groups of children and adults. Results: Children and adult SD neuropsychological performance groups had significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the control groups . 84% of the neuropsychological variables studied in child SD group showed a significant degree of variability ( p < 0.05 ) in the SD group showed adult 44% of the studied variables with a significant degree of variability. Conclusions: The neuropsychological performance in all cognitive deficit in study areas with different levels of representation according to cognitive function, and with a high degree of cognitive variability, especially in childhood.Keywords: Down syndrome , neuropsychology , cognitive variability , intellectual disability, childhood , adulthood.Resumen:Introducción: El síndrome de Down (SD) es una alteración cromosómica que presenta un fenotipo cognitivo y conductual específico y de una gran complejidad. Objetivos: estudiar el grado de variabilidad del perfil cognitvo a través de pruebas de diagnóstico neuropsicológico en dos edades claramente diferenciadas del desarrollo: edad escolar y edad aulta. Participantes y métodos: Se estudiaron 105 sujetos de edad infantil y adulta, 43 con SD y 62 sin SD. Se valoraron variables neuropsicológicas. Se realizó estudio comparativo de las diferentes variables neuropsicológicas entre los grupos SD y comparación, y entre los grupos infantiles y adultos. Resultados: Los grupos SD infantil y adulto presentaron un rendimiento neuropsicológico significativamente (p<0.05) más bajo que los grupos control. El 84% de las variables neuropsicológicas estudiadas en el grupo SD infantil mostraron un significativo grado de variabilidad (p<0.05), en el grupo SD adulto apareció un 44% de las variables estudiadas con un significativo grado de variabilidad. Conclusiones: El rendimiento neuropsicológico en deficitario en todas las áreas cognitivas estudiadas con diferente grado de representación según la función cognitiva, y con un alto grado de variabilidad cognitiva, especialmente en la edad infantil.Palabras clave: síndrome de Down, neuropsicología, variabilidad cognitiva, discapacidad intelectual, edad infantil, edad adulta.