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Powell A, Sumnall H, Kullu C, Owens L, Montgomery C. Changes in processing speed during early abstinence from alcohol dependence. J Psychopharmacol 2024; 38:551-561. [PMID: 38804547 PMCID: PMC11179317 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241254830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Processing speed is a task-independent construct underpinning more complex goal-related abilities. Processing speed is impaired in alcohol dependence (AD) and is linked to relapse, as are the functions it underpins. Reliable measurement of processing speed may allow tracking of AD recovery trajectories and identify patients requiring additional support. AIMS To assess changes in reaction time (RT) from baseline (at the start of a detoxification programme) across early abstinence. METHODS Vibrotactile RT was assessed in early recovery between days 3 and 7 of treatment in 66 individuals with AD (25 females; aged 19-74, 44.60 ± 10.60 years) and against 35 controls tested on one occasion (19 females; 41.00 ± 13.60), using two multivariate multiple regressions. A mixed multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) of available AD data (n = 45) assessed change in RT between timepoints and between treatment settings (outpatient vs inpatient). RESULTS The group (AD vs control) significantly predicted choice RT at baseline and follow-up but did not significantly predict simple RT or RT variability, which is inconsistent with previous findings. At follow-up, mental fatigue was also predicted by the group, and MANCOVA indicated that this had worsened in inpatients but improved in outpatients. CONCLUSIONS Recovery of RT measures so early in the treatment journey was not in line with previous research which indicates persisting deficits. The interaction between setting and timepoint indicates that despite being typically less medically complex, outpatients require ongoing support and monitoring during their recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Powell
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, Liverpool, UK
| | - Harry Sumnall
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, Liverpool, UK
- Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Cecil Kullu
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Lynn Owens
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, Liverpool, UK
- University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Catharine Montgomery
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, Liverpool, UK
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Ahern E, White J, Slattery E. Change in Cognitive Function over the Course of Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 2024:10.1007/s11065-023-09629-9. [PMID: 38315296 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09629-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with significant cognitive deficits during the acute and remitted stages. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the course of cognitive function whilst considering demographic, treatment, or clinical features of MDD that could moderate the extent of cognitive change. Databases were searched to identify studies that reported on cognitive function in MDD with a ≥12-week test-retest interval. Relevant studies were pooled using random effects modelling to generate an inverse-variance, weighted, mean effect size estimate (Hedges' g) of cognitive change for each cognitive variable and for an overall composite cognitive domain. Of 6898 records, 99 eligible studies were identified from which 69 were meta-analysed, consisting of 4639 MDD patients (agemean = 40.25 years, female% = 64.62%) across 44 cognitive variables. In over 95% of cognitive variables, improvements were either of non-significant, negligible, or of a small magnitude, and when compared to matched healthy controls, the possibility of practice effects could not be precluded. Depressive symptom improvement and the number of previous depressive episodes moderated the extent of cognitive change, demonstrating state- and scar-like features for one-quarter of the cognitive domains. Further longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the MDD cognitive trajectory from initial onset. Findings nonetheless suggest that following pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, cognitive change in MDD is typically small, but the capacity for change may be less with episode recurrence. Targeting cognition early in the course of illness may facilitate better prognosis and support a more complete functional recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elayne Ahern
- School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland.
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland.
| | - Jessica White
- School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Eadaoin Slattery
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon Midwest, Limerick, Ireland
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Powell A, Sumnall H, Smith J, Kuiper R, Montgomery C. Recovery of neuropsychological function following abstinence from alcohol in adults diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder: Systematic review of longitudinal studies. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296043. [PMID: 38166127 PMCID: PMC10760842 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorders (AUD) associate with structural and functional brain differences, including impairments in neuropsychological function; however, reviews (mostly cross-sectional) are inconsistent with regards to recovery of such functions following abstinence. Recovery is important, as these impairments associate with treatment outcomes and quality of life. OBJECTIVE(S) To assess neuropsychological function recovery following abstinence in individuals with a clinical AUD diagnosis. The secondary objective was to assess predictors of neuropsychological recovery in AUD. METHODS Following the preregistered protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42022308686), APA PsycInfo, EBSCO MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched between 1999-2022. Study reporting follows the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis, study quality was assessed using the JBI Checklist for Cohort Studies. Eligible studies were those with a longitudinal design that assessed neuropsychological recovery following abstinence from alcohol in adults with a clinical diagnosis of AUD. Studies were excluded if participant group was defined by another or co-morbid condition/injury, or by relapse. Recovery was defined as function reaching 'normal' performance. RESULTS Sixteen studies (AUD n = 783, controls n = 390) were selected for narrative synthesis. Most functions demonstrated recovery within 6-12 months, including sub-domains within attention, executive function, perception, and memory, though basic processing speed and working memory updating/tracking recovered earlier. Additionally, verbal fluency was not impaired at baseline (while verbal function was not assessed compared to normal levels), and concept formation and reasoning recovery was inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence that recovery of most functions is possible. While overall robustness of results was good, methodological limitations included lack of control groups, additional methods to self-report to confirm abstinence, description/control for attrition, statistical control of confounds, and of long enough study durations to capture change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Powell
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Sumnall
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Public Health Institute, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Smith
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Public Health Institute, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Kuiper
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Catharine Montgomery
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Li Z, Wu TT, Xiong YT, Zhang XY, Bao YP, Guo LB, Han BJ, Li SX, Wang YF, Lu L, Wang XQ. A pilot study on improvements in attention function in major depressive disorder after 12 weeks of escitalopram monotherapy or combined treatment with agomelatine. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1188175. [PMID: 37426111 PMCID: PMC10325661 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1188175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to explore both impairments in attention function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and the efficacy of escitalopram monotherapy or combination therapy with agomelatine. Methods A total of 54 patients with MDD and 46 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Patients were treated with escitalopram for 12 weeks; those who presented with severe sleep impairments were also given agomelatine. Participants were evaluated using the Attention Network Test (ANT), which included tests of alerting, orienting, and executive control networks. Concentration, instantaneous memory, and resistance to information interference were tested using the digit span test, and the logical memory test (LMT) was used to evaluate abstract logical thinking. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to assess depression, anxiety, and sleep quality, respectively. Patients with MDD were assessed at the end of weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12. HCs were assessed once at baseline. Results Compared with HCs, patients with MDD showed significantly different alerting, orienting, and executive control functions of attention networks. Treatment with escitalopram alone or combined with agomelatine significantly improved LMT scores at the end of weeks 4, 8, and 12 and restored scores to the level of HCs at the end of week 8. Total Toronto Hospital Test of Alertness scores in patients with MDD increased significantly after 4 weeks of treatment. The ANT executive control reaction time in patients with MDD decreased significantly after 4 weeks of treatment, with this decrease lasting until the end of week 12, but scores did not return to the levels of HCs. Combined treatment with escitalopram and agomelatine led to more improvement in ANT orienting reaction time and was accompanied by a greater reduction of total scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale compared with escitalopram monotherapy. Conclusions Patients with MDD showed overall impairments in three domains of attention networks as well as the LMT and a test of subjective alertness. Escitalopram monotherapy significantly improved the LMT scores and the executive control function scores in the ANT at the end of the fourth week of treatment, and the improvement was more extensive with combined escitalopram and agomelatine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ting-Ting Wu
- Beijing Key Lab of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi-Ting Xiong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Yang Zhang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Ping Bao
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Bo Guo
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bao-Jie Han
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Su-Xia Li
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Feng Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Lu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Centre for Life Sciences and Peking University-International Development Group, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Qin Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
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Manning KJ, Wu R, McQuoid DR, Steffens DC, Potter GG. Reliable Cognitive Decline in Late-Life Major Depression. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2023; 38:247-257. [PMID: 36302229 PMCID: PMC9940117 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Major depression in older adults increases the statistical likelihood of dementia. It is challenging to translate statistical evidence of cognitive decline at the group level into knowledge of individual cognitive outcomes. The objective of the current study is to investigate 2-year reliable cognitive change in late-life depression (LLD), which will enhance understanding of cognitive changes in LLD and provide a means to assess individual change. METHODS In a sample of non-depressed cognitively normal older adults or NDCN (n = 113), we used linear regression to predict tests of global cognition, processing speed-executive functioning, and memory administered 1 and 2 years later. Stepwise regression was used to select covariates among demographics and raw test scores (either baseline or year 1) and we cross-validated the final models using the predicted residual error sum of squares (PRESS). We then derived a z-change score from the difference between actual and predicted follow-up scores and investigated the proportion of LLD patients (n = 199) and NDCN adults who experienced reliable "decline" (a z-score < -1.645), "stability" (z-scores between + - 1.645), and "improvement" (z scores > +1.645). RESULTS A greater proportion LLD compared with NDCN experienced cognitive decline in processing speed/executive functioning and global cognition over 2 years. When compared to NDCN, a greater proportion of LLD also significantly improved on one test of processing speed over 2 years. CONCLUSIONS Older adults with LLD are at risk of meaningful cognitive decline over a relatively short period, particularly in the domain of executive functioning and processing speed. This study provides a series of reliable change equations for common neuropsychological tests that can be applied clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Manning
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Rong Wu
- Biostatistics Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Douglas R McQuoid
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David C Steffens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Guy G Potter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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