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Schrenk SJ, Brodoehl S, Flor S, Frahm C, Gaser C, Hamdan RA, Herbsleb M, Kaleta C, Kattlun F, Müller HJ, Puta C, Radscheidt M, Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Saraei T, Scherag A, Steidten T, Witte OW, Finke K. Impact of an online guided physical activity training on cognition and gut-brain axis interactions in older adults: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1254194. [PMID: 37781101 PMCID: PMC10539595 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1254194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction By 2050, the worldwide percentage of people 65 years and older is assumed to have doubled compared to current numbers. Therefore, finding ways of promoting healthy (cognitive) aging is crucial. Physical activity is considered an effective approach to counteract not only physical but also cognitive decline. However, the underlying mechanisms that drive the benefits of regular physical activity on cognitive function are not fully understood. This randomized controlled trial aims to analyze the effect of an eight-week standardized physical activity training program in older humans on cognitive, brain, and gut-barrier function as well as the relationship between the resulting changes. Methods and analysis One-hundred healthy participants aged 60 to 75 years will be recruited. First, participants will undergo an extensive baseline assessment consisting of neurocognitive tests, functional and structural brain imaging, physical fitness tests, and gut-microbiome profiling. Next, participants will be randomized into either a multi-component physical activity group (experimental condition) or a relaxation group (active control condition), with each training lasting 8 weeks and including an equal number and duration of exercises. The whole intervention will be online-based, i.e., participants will find their intervention schedule and all materials needed on the study website. After the intervention phase, participants will have their post-intervention assessment, which consists of the same measures and tests as the baseline assessment. The primary outcome of this study is the change in the cognitive parameter of visual processing speed from baseline to post-measurement, which will on average take place 10 weeks after the randomization. Secondary outcomes related to cognitive, brain, and microbiome data will be analyzed exploratory. Clinical trial registration: https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00028022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J. Schrenk
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Brodoehl
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefano Flor
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Christiane Frahm
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Gaser
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Rami Abou Hamdan
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Marco Herbsleb
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Kaleta
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Fabian Kattlun
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Hans-Josef Müller
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Puta
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Center for Interdisciplinary Prevention of Diseases Related to Professional Activities, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Monique Radscheidt
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Adriana L. Ruiz-Rizzo
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Tannaz Saraei
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - André Scherag
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Center for Clinical Studies, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Medical Statistics, Computer and Data Sciences, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Steidten
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Otto W. Witte
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital – Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Jena, Germany
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2
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Perez-Valero E, Gutierrez CAM, Lopez-Gordo MA, Alcalde SL. Evaluating the feasibility of cognitive impairment detection in Alzheimer's disease screening using a computerized visual dynamic test. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2023; 20:43. [PMID: 37046310 PMCID: PMC10091634 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01155-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease without known cure. However, early medical treatment can help control its progression and postpone intellectual decay. Since AD is preceded by a period of cognitive deterioration, the effective assessment of cognitive capabilities is crucial to develop reliable screening procedures. For this purpose, cognitive tests are extensively used to evaluate cognitive areas such as language, attention, or memory. METHODS In this work, we analyzed the potential of a visual dynamics evaluation, the rapid serial visual presentation task (RSVP), for the detection of cognitive impairment in AD. We compared this evaluation with two of the most extended brief cognitive tests applied in Spain: the Clock-drawing test (CDT) and the Phototest. For this purpose, we assessed a group of patients (mild AD and mild cognitive impairment) and controls, and we evaluated the ability of the three tests for the discrimination of the two groups. RESULTS The preliminary results obtained suggest the RSVP performance is statistically higher for the controls than for the patients (p-value = 0.013). Furthermore, we obtained promising classification results for this test (mean accuracy of 0.91 with 95% confidence interval 0.72, 0.97). CONCLUSIONS Since the RSVP is a computerized, auto-scored, and potentially self-administered brief test, it could contribute to speeding-up cognitive impairment screening and to reducing the associated costs. Furthermore, this evaluation could be combined with other tests to augment the efficiency of cognitive impairment screening protocols and to potentially monitor patients under medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Perez-Valero
- Department of Computer Engineering, Automation and Robotics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Brain-Computer Interfaces Laboratory, Research Centre for Information and Communications Technologies, Granada, Spain
| | - Christian A Morillas Gutierrez
- Department of Computer Engineering, Automation and Robotics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Brain-Computer Interfaces Laboratory, Research Centre for Information and Communications Technologies, Granada, Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Lopez-Gordo
- Department of Signal Theory, Telematics, and Communications, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
- Brain-Computer Interfaces Laboratory, Research Centre for Information and Communications Technologies, Granada, Spain.
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Marrero-Polegre D, Finke K, Roaschio N, Haupt M, Reyes-Moreno C, Ruiz-Rizzo AL. Lower visual processing speed relates to greater subjective cognitive complaints in community-dwelling healthy older adults. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1063151. [PMID: 37025353 PMCID: PMC10072281 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1063151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Subjective cognitive complaints in older age may reflect subtle objective impairments in basic cognitive functions that might foreshadow broader cognitive problems. Such cognitive functions, however, are not captured by standard neuropsychological testing. Visual processing speed is a basic visual attention function that underlies the performance of cognitive tasks relying on visual stimuli. Here, we test the hypothesis that lower visual processing speed correlates with greater subjective cognitive complaints in healthy older adults from the community. Methods To do so, we assessed a sample of 30 healthy, cognitively normal older adults (73.07 ± 7.73 years old; range: 60-82; 15 females) with respect to individual subjective cognitive complaints and visual processing speed. We quantified the degree of subjective cognitive complaints with two widely-used questionnaires: the Memory Functioning Questionnaire and the Everyday Cognition. We used verbal report tasks and the theory of visual attention to estimate a visual processing speed parameter independently from motor speed and other visual attention parameters, i.e., visual threshold, visual short-term memory storage capacity, top-down control, and spatial weighting. Results We found that lower visual processing speed correlated with greater subjective complaints and that this relationship was not explained by age, education, or depressive symptoms. The association with subjective cognitive complaints was specific to visual processing speed, as it was not observed for other visual attention parameters. Discussion These results indicate that subjective cognitive complaints reflect a reduction in visual processing speed in healthy older adults. Together, our results suggest that the combined assessment of subjective cognitive complaints and visual processing speed has the potential to identify individuals at risk for cognitive impairment before the standard tests show any abnormal results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Marrero-Polegre
- General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Naomi Roaschio
- General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marleen Haupt
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cristian Reyes-Moreno
- General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Adriana L. Ruiz-Rizzo
- General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- *Correspondence: Adriana L. Ruiz-Rizzo,
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4
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Karimi H, Marefat H, Khanbagi M, Kalafatis C, Modarres MH, Vahabi Z, Khaligh-Razavi SM. Temporal dynamics of animacy categorization in the brain of patients with mild cognitive impairment. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264058. [PMID: 35196356 PMCID: PMC8865635 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) has been commonly used to measure brain alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, reported changes are limited to those obtained from using univariate measures, including activation level and frequency bands. To look beyond the activation level, we used multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to extract patterns of information from EEG responses to images in an animacy categorization task. Comparing healthy controls (HC) with patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we found that the neural speed of animacy information processing is decreased in MCI patients. Moreover, we found critical time-points during which the representational pattern of animacy for MCI patients was significantly discriminable from that of HC, while the activation level remained unchanged. Together, these results suggest that the speed and pattern of animacy information processing provide clinically useful information as a potential biomarker for detecting early changes in MCI and AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Karimi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
- * E-mail: (HK); (SMKR)
| | - Haniyeh Marefat
- School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdiyeh Khanbagi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Chris Kalafatis
- South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Cognetivity Ltd, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Zahra Vahabi
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ziaeian Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Memory and Behavioral Neurology Division, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed-Mahdi Khaligh-Razavi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Cognetivity Ltd, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (HK); (SMKR)
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5
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Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Pruitt PJ, Finke K, Müller HJ, Damoiseaux JS. Lower-Resolution Retrieval of Scenes in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2021; 37:408-422. [PMID: 34342647 PMCID: PMC8865194 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acab061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Scenes with more perceptual detail can help detect subtle memory deficits more than scenes with less detail. Here, we investigated whether older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) show less brain activation and more memory deficits to scenes with more (vs. scenes with less) perceptual detail compared to controls (CON). Method In 37 healthy older adults (SCD: 16), we measured blood oxygenation level-dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging during encoding and behavioral performance during retrieval. Results During encoding, higher activation to scenes with more (vs. less) perceptual detail in the parahippocampal place area predicted better memory performance in SCD and CON. During retrieval, superior performance for new scenes with more (vs. less) perceptual detail was significantly more pronounced in CON than inSCD. Conclusions Together, these results suggest a present, but attenuated benefit from perceptual detail for memory retrieval in SCD. Memory complaints in SCD might, thus, refer to a decreased availability of perceptual detail of previously encoded stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana L Ruiz-Rizzo
- Department of Psychology, General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Patrick J Pruitt
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Department of Psychology, General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Hermann J Müller
- Department of Psychology, General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jessica S Damoiseaux
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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6
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Haupt M, Jödecke S, Srowig A, Napiórkowski N, Preul C, Witte OW, Finke K. Phasic alerting increases visual processing speed in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 102:23-31. [PMID: 33765429 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
External warning cues temporarily increase the brain's sensitivity for upcoming events, helping individuals to flexibly adapt their reactions to the requirements of complex visual environments. Previous studies reported that younger and cognitively normal older adults profit from phasic alerting cues. Such an intact phasic alerting mechanism could be even more relevant in individuals with Alzheimer's disease who are characterized by reduced processing capacities. The present study employed a theory of visual attention based verbal whole report paradigm with auditory cues in order to investigate phasic alerting effects in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Patients with aMCI were also compared to a previously reported sample of cognitively normal older adults. In patients with aMCI, visual processing speed was higher in the cue compared to the no-cue condition. Further, visual processing speed was reduced in patients with aMCI compared to cognitively normal older adults. Taken together, the results suggest that the processing system of patients with aMCI exhibits general declines but can still integrate auditory warning signals on a perceptual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marleen Haupt
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany; General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
| | - Steffen Jödecke
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Annie Srowig
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Natan Napiórkowski
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Preul
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Otto W Witte
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany; General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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7
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Penning MD, Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Redel P, Müller HJ, Salminen T, Strobach T, Behrens S, Schubert T, Sorg C, Finke K. Alertness Training Increases Visual Processing Speed in Healthy Older Adults. Psychol Sci 2021; 32:340-353. [DOI: 10.1177/0956797620965520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated whether alertness training in healthy older adults increases visual processing speed (VPS) and whether functional connectivity in the cingulo-opercular network predicts training gain. Using the theory of visual attention, we derived quantitative estimates of VPS before and after training. In Study 1, 75 healthy older adults participated in alertness training, active-control training, or no training ( n = 25 each). A significant Group × Session interaction indicated an increase in VPS in the alertness-training group but not in the control group, despite VPS not differing significantly between groups before training. In Study 2, 29 healthy older adults underwent resting-state functional MRI and then participated in alertness training. Pretraining functional connectivity in the cingulo-opercular network correlated with the individual training-induced change in VPS. In conclusion, results indicate that alertness training improves visual processing in older adults and that functional connectivity in the cingulo-opercular network provides a neural marker for predicting individual training gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D. Penning
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
| | | | - Petra Redel
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
| | - Hermann J. Müller
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
| | - Tiina Salminen
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
| | - Tilo Strobach
- Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Behrens
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Tübingen
| | - Torsten Schubert
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Department of Psychology, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
| | - Christian Sorg
- TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität München
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Germany
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8
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Fernández Montenegro JM, Villarini B, Angelopoulou A, Kapetanios E, Garcia-Rodriguez J, Argyriou V. A Survey of Alzheimer's Disease Early Diagnosis Methods for Cognitive Assessment. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E7292. [PMID: 33353076 PMCID: PMC7766748 DOI: 10.3390/s20247292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Dementia is a syndrome that is characterised by the decline of different cognitive abilities. A high rate of deaths and high cost for detection, treatments, and patients care count amongst its consequences. Although there is no cure for dementia, a timely diagnosis helps in obtaining necessary support, appropriate medication, and maintenance, as far as possible, of engagement in intellectual, social, and physical activities. The early detection of Alzheimer Disease (AD) is considered to be of high importance for improving the quality of life of patients and their families. In particular, Virtual Reality (VR) is an expanding tool that can be used in order to assess cognitive abilities while navigating through a Virtual Environment (VE). The paper summarises common AD screening and diagnosis techniques focusing on the latest approaches that are based on Virtual Environments, behaviour analysis, and emotions recognition, aiming to provide more reliable and non-invasive diagnostics at home or in a clinical environment. Furthermore, different AD diagnosis evaluation methods and metrics are presented and discussed together with an overview of the different datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Villarini
- Department of Computer Science, University of Westminster, London W1W 7BY, UK; (B.V.); (A.A.); (E.K.)
| | - Anastassia Angelopoulou
- Department of Computer Science, University of Westminster, London W1W 7BY, UK; (B.V.); (A.A.); (E.K.)
| | - Epaminondas Kapetanios
- Department of Computer Science, University of Westminster, London W1W 7BY, UK; (B.V.); (A.A.); (E.K.)
| | | | - Vasileios Argyriou
- Department of Networks and Digital Media, Kingston University, London KT1 2EE, UK; (J.M.F.M.); (V.A.)
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Richards E, Bayer A, Tree JJ, Hanley C, Norris JE, Tales A. Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Insights from Reaction Time Measures. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 72:845-857. [PMID: 31594238 PMCID: PMC6918912 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In this study, reaction time (RT), intraindividual variability (IIV), and errors, and the effects of practice and processing load upon such function, were compared in patients with subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment (SIVCI) [n = 27] and cognitively healthy older adults (CH) [n = 26]. Compared to CH aging, SIVCI was characterized by a profile of significantly slowed RT, raised IIV, and higher error levels, particularly in the presence of distracting stimuli, indicating that the integrity and/or accessibility of the additional functions required to support high processing load, serial search strategies, are reduced in SIVCI. Furthermore, although practice speeded RT in SIVCI, unlike CH, practice did not lead to an improvement in IIV. This indicates that improvement in RT in SIVCI can in fact mask an abnormally high degree of IIV. Because IIV appears more related to disease, function, and health than RT, its status and potential for change may represent a particularly meaningful, and relevant, disease characteristic of SIVCI. Finally, a high level of within-group variation in the above measures was another characteristic of SIVCI, with such processing heterogeneity in patients with ostensibly the same diagnosis, possibly related to individual variation in pathological load. Detailed measurement of RT, IIV, errors, and practice effects therefore reveal a degree of functional impairment in brain processing not apparent by measuring RT in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Richards
- Centre for Innovative Ageing, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.,Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Antony Bayer
- Department of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy J Tree
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Claire Hanley
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | - Andrea Tales
- Centre for Innovative Ageing, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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Visual versus Verbal Working Memory in Statistically Determined Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: On behalf of the Consortium for Clinical and Epidemiological Neuropsychological Data Analysis (CENDA). J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2019; 25:1001-1010. [PMID: 31543085 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617719000808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous research in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) suggests that visual episodic memory impairment may emerge before analogous verbal episodic memory impairment. The current study examined working memory (WM) test performance in MCI to assess whether patients present with greater visual versus verbal WM impairment. WM performance was also assessed in relation to hippocampal occupancy (HO), a ratio of hippocampal volume to ventricular dilation adjusted for demographic variables and intracranial volume. METHODS Jak et al. (2009) (The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17, 368-375) and Edmonds, Delano-Wood, Galasko, Salmon, & Bondi (2015) (Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 47(1), 231-242) criteria classify patients into four groups: little to no cognitive impairment (non-MCI); subtle cognitive impairment (SCI); amnestic MCI (aMCI); and a combined mixed/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dys MCI). WM was assessed using co-normed Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) Digit Span Backwards and Wechsler Memory Scale-IV (WMS-IV) Symbol Span Z-scores. RESULTS Between-group analyses found worse WMS-IV Symbol Span and WAIS-IV Digit Span Backwards performance for mixed/dys MCI compared to non-MCI patients. Within-group analyses found no differences for non-MCI patients; however, all other groups scored lower on WMS-IV Symbol Span than WAIS-IV Digit Span Backwards. Regression analysis with HO as the dependent variable was statistically significant for WMS-IV Symbol Span performance. WAIS-IV Digit Span Backwards performance failed to reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Worse WMS-IV Symbol Span performance was observed in patient groups with measurable neuropsychological impairment and better WMS-IV Symbol Span performance was associated with higher HO ratios. These results suggest that visual WM may be particularly sensitive to emergent illness compared to analogous verbal WM tests.
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11
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Haupt M, Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Sorg C, Finke K. Phasic alerting effects on visual processing speed are associated with intrinsic functional connectivity in the cingulo-opercular network. Neuroimage 2019; 196:216-226. [PMID: 30978493 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Phasic alertness refers to short-lived increases in the brain's "state of readiness", and thus to optimized performance following warning cues. Parametric modelling of whole report task performance based on the computational theory of visual attention (TVA) has demonstrated that visual processing speed is increased in such cue compared to no-cue conditions. Furthermore, with respect to the underlying neural mechanisms, individual visual processing speed has been related to intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) within the cingulo-opercular network, suggesting that this network's iFC is relevant for the tonic maintenance of an appropriate readiness or alertness state. In the present study, we asked whether iFC in the cingulo-opercular network is also related to the individual ability to actively profit from warning cues, i.e. to the degree of phasic alerting. We obtained resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 32 healthy young participants and combined an independent component analysis of rs-fMRI time courses and dual regression approach to determine iFC in the cingulo-opercular network. In a separate behavioural testing session, we parametrically assessed the effects of auditory phasic alerting cues on visual processing speed in a TVA-based whole report paradigm. A voxel-wise multiple regression revealed that higher individual phasic alerting effects on visual processing speed were significantly associated with lower iFC in the cingulo-opercular network, with a peak in the left superior orbital gyrus. As phasic alertness was neither related to iFC in other attention-relevant, auditory, or visual networks nor associated with any inter-network connectivity pattern, the results suggest that the individual profit in visual processing speed gained from phasic alerting is primarily associated with iFC in the cingulo-opercular network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marleen Haupt
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
| | - Adriana L Ruiz-Rizzo
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Sorg
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
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12
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Khaligh-Razavi SM, Habibi S, Sadeghi M, Marefat H, Khanbagi M, Nabavi SM, Sadeghi E, Kalafatis C. Integrated Cognitive Assessment: Speed and Accuracy of Visual Processing as a Reliable Proxy to Cognitive Performance. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1102. [PMID: 30705371 PMCID: PMC6355897 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37709-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Various mental disorders are accompanied by some degree of cognitive impairment. Particularly in neurodegenerative disorders, cognitive impairment is the phenotypical hallmark of the disease. Effective, accurate and timely cognitive assessment is key to early diagnosis of this family of mental disorders. Current standard-of-care techniques for cognitive assessment are primarily paper-based, and need to be administered by a healthcare professional; they are additionally language and education-dependent and typically suffer from a learning bias. These tests are thus not ideal for large-scale pro-active cognitive screening and disease progression monitoring. We developed the Integrated Cognitive Assessment (referred to as CGN_ICA), a 5-minute computerized cognitive assessment tool based on a rapid visual categorization task, in which a series of carefully selected natural images of varied difficulty are presented to participants. Overall 448 participants, across a wide age-range with different levels of education took the CGN_ICA test. We compared participants' CGN_ICA test results with a variety of standard pen-and-paper tests, such as Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), that are routinely used to assess cognitive performance. CGN_ICA had excellent test-retest reliability, showed convergent validity with the standard-of-care cognitive tests used here, and demonstrated to be suitable for micro-monitoring of cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed-Mahdi Khaligh-Razavi
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
- Cognetivity ltd, London, UK.
| | | | | | - Haniye Marefat
- School of Cognitive Sciences (SCS), Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdiyeh Khanbagi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Massood Nabavi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Chris Kalafatis
- Cognetivity ltd, London, UK
- South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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13
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Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Sorg C, Napiórkowski N, Neitzel J, Menegaux A, Müller HJ, Vangkilde S, Finke K. Decreased cingulo-opercular network functional connectivity mediates the impact of aging on visual processing speed. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 73:50-60. [PMID: 30317033 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The neural factors that account for the visual processing speed reduction in aging are incompletely understood. Based on previous reports of age-related decreases in the intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) within the cingulo-opercular network and its relevance for processing speed, we hypothesized that these decreases are associated with age-related reductions in visual processing speed. We used a whole-report task and modeling based on Bundesen's "theory of visual attention" to parameterize visual processing speed in 91 healthy participants aged from 20 to 77 years. iFC was estimated using independent component analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. From the clusters within the cingulo-opercular network exhibiting age-related decreased iFC, we found a cluster in the left insula to be particularly associated with visual processing speed and to mediate the age effect on visual speed. This mediation was not observed for age-related decreased iFC in other networks or for other attentional parameters. Our results point to the iFC in the cingulo-opercular network, represented by the left insula, as being a relevant marker for visual processing speed changes in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana L Ruiz-Rizzo
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, GSN LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Christian Sorg
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM-NIC, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Natan Napiórkowski
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, GSN LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Neitzel
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, GSN LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Aurore Menegaux
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, GSN LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann J Müller
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, GSN LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Signe Vangkilde
- Department of Psychology, Center for Visual Cognition, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Neitzel J, Müller HJ, Sorg C, Finke K. Distinctive Correspondence Between Separable Visual Attention Functions and Intrinsic Brain Networks. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:89. [PMID: 29662444 PMCID: PMC5890144 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Separable visual attention functions are assumed to rely on distinct but interacting neural mechanisms. Bundesen's “theory of visual attention” (TVA) allows the mathematical estimation of independent parameters that characterize individuals' visual attentional capacity (i.e., visual processing speed and visual short-term memory storage capacity) and selectivity functions (i.e., top-down control and spatial laterality). However, it is unclear whether these parameters distinctively map onto different brain networks obtained from intrinsic functional connectivity, which organizes slowly fluctuating ongoing brain activity. In our study, 31 demographically homogeneous healthy young participants performed whole- and partial-report tasks and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Report accuracy was modeled using TVA to estimate, individually, the four TVA parameters. Networks encompassing cortical areas relevant for visual attention were derived from independent component analysis of rs-fMRI data: visual, executive control, right and left frontoparietal, and ventral and dorsal attention networks. Two TVA parameters were mapped on particular functional networks. First, participants with higher (vs. lower) visual processing speed showed lower functional connectivity within the ventral attention network. Second, participants with more (vs. less) efficient top-down control showed higher functional connectivity within the dorsal attention network and lower functional connectivity within the visual network. Additionally, higher performance was associated with higher functional connectivity between networks: specifically, between the ventral attention and right frontoparietal networks for visual processing speed, and between the visual and executive control networks for top-down control. The higher inter-network functional connectivity was related to lower intra-network connectivity. These results demonstrate that separable visual attention parameters that are assumed to constitute relatively stable traits correspond distinctly to the functional connectivity both within and between particular functional networks. This implies that individual differences in basic attention functions are represented by differences in the coherence of slowly fluctuating brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana L Ruiz-Rizzo
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Neitzel
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann J Müller
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,School of Psychological Science, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Sorg
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Hans-Berger Department of Neurology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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