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Glans I, Nägga K, Gustavsson AM, Stomrud E, Nilsson PM, Melander O, Hansson O, Palmqvist S. Associations of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors with cognitive functions - a prospective, population-based, 17 years follow-up study of 3,229 individuals. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:135. [PMID: 38926747 PMCID: PMC11202373 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01497-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several cardiovascular, demographic, genetic and lifestyle factors have been associated with cognitive function, little is known about what type of cognitive impairment they are associated with. The aim was to examine the associations between different risk factors and future memory and attention/executive functions, and their interaction with APOE genotype. METHODS Participants from a large, prospective, population-based, Swedish study were included (n = 3,229). Linear regression models were used to examine baseline hypertension, body mass index (BMI), long-term glucose levels (HbA1c), different lipid levels, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, education, APOE genotype, age and sex. All models were adjusted for follow-up time and basic demographics, and, in a second step, all significant predictors were included to examine independent effects. Follow-up outcomes were memory and attention/executive functions. RESULTS The mean age at baseline was 56.1 (SD 5.7) years and 59.7% were women. The mean follow-up time was 17.4 (range 14.3-20.8) years. When examining independent effects, APOE ε4 genotype(p < 0.01), and higher HbA1c(p < 0.001), were associated with future low memory function. Higher BMI (p < 0.05), and HbA1c(p < 0.05), lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)(p < 0.05)and stroke(p < 0.001) were associated with future low attention/executive function. The strongest factors associated with both better memory and attention/executive functions were higher education and alcohol consumption. Further, significant interaction effects between predictors and APOE genotype were found. For memory function, the protective effects of education were greater among ɛ4-carriers(p < 0.05). For attention/executive function, the protective effects of alcohol were greater among ɛ2 or ɛ4-carriers(p < 0.05). Also, attention/executive function was lower among ɛ4-carriers with higher BMI(p < 0.05) and ɛ2-carriers with higher HbA1c-levels(p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Targeting cardiovascular risk factors in mid-life could have greater effect on future attention/executive functions rather than memory, whereas targeting diabetes could be beneficial for multiple cognitive domains. In addition, effects of different risk factors may vary depending on the APOE genotype. The varied cognitive profiles suggest that different mechanisms and brain regions are affected by the individual risk factors. Having detailed knowledge about the specific cognitive effects of different risk factors might be beneficial in preventive health counseling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Glans
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Katarina Nägga
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna-Märta Gustavsson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Erik Stomrud
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Peter M Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Science, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Olle Melander
- Department of Clinical Science, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Palmqvist
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
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2
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Schultz BG, Joukhadar Z, Nattala U, Quiroga MDM, Noffs G, Rojas S, Reece H, Van Der Walt A, Vogel AP. Disease Delineation for Multiple Sclerosis, Friedreich Ataxia, and Healthy Controls Using Supervised Machine Learning on Speech Acoustics. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2023; 31:4278-4285. [PMID: 37792655 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2023.3321874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disease often affects speech. Speech acoustics can be used as objective clinical markers of pathology. Previous investigations of pathological speech have primarily compared controls with one specific condition and excluded comorbidities. We broaden the utility of speech markers by examining how multiple acoustic features can delineate diseases. We used supervised machine learning with gradient boosting (CatBoost) to delineate healthy speech from speech of people with multiple sclerosis or Friedreich ataxia. Participants performed a diadochokinetic task where they repeated alternating syllables. We subjected 74 spectral and temporal prosodic features from the speech recordings to machine learning. Results showed that Friedreich ataxia, multiple sclerosis and healthy controls were all identified with high accuracy (over 82%). Twenty-one acoustic features were strong markers of neurodegenerative diseases, falling under the categories of spectral qualia, spectral power, and speech rate. We demonstrated that speech markers can delineate neurodegenerative diseases and distinguish healthy speech from pathological speech with high accuracy. Findings emphasize the importance of examining speech outcomes when assessing indicators of neurodegenerative disease. We propose large-scale initiatives to broaden the scope for differentiating other neurological diseases and affective disorders.
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Pereira JB, Kumar A, Hall S, Palmqvist S, Stomrud E, Bali D, Parchi P, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Janelidze S, Hansson O. DOPA decarboxylase is an emerging biomarker for Parkinsonian disorders including preclinical Lewy body disease. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1201-1209. [PMID: 37723208 PMCID: PMC10570139 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00478-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
The diagnosis of Parkinsonian disorders is currently based on clinical criteria, which have limited sensitivity until most dopaminergic neurons are lost. Here we show that cerebrospinal fluid levels of DOPA decarboxylase (DDC) (also known as aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase) can accurately identify patients with Lewy body disease (LBD) (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.89; PFDR = 2.6 × 10-13) and are associated with worse cognitive performance (P < 0.05). We also found that DDC can detect preclinical LBD stages in clinically unimpaired individuals with a positive seed amplification α-synuclein assay (AUC = 0.81, P = 1.0 × 10-5) and that this biomarker could predict progression to clinical LBD over a 3-year period in preclinical cases (hazard ratio = 3.7 per s.d. change, confidence interval = 1.1-12.7). Moreover, DDC levels were also increased in atypical Parkinsonian disorders but not in non-Parkinsonian neurodegenerative disorders. These cerebrospinal fluid results were replicated in an independent cohort, where we also found that DDC levels in plasma could identify both LBD and atypical Parkinsonian disorders (AUC = 0.92, P = 1.3 × 10-14). Our results show that DDC might have a future role in clinical practice as a biomarker of dopaminergic dysfunction to detect Parkinsonian disorders even during the preclinical disease stages and predict their progression to clinical LBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana B Pereira
- Division of Neuro, Department of Clinical Neutaroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Atul Kumar
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sara Hall
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Palmqvist
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Erik Stomrud
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Divya Bali
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Piero Parchi
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Shorena Janelidze
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
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Rashidi F, Khanmirzaei MH, Hosseinzadeh F, Kolahchi Z, Jafarimehrabady N, Moghisseh B, Aarabi MH. Cingulum and Uncinate Fasciculus Microstructural Abnormalities in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Studies. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030475. [PMID: 36979166 PMCID: PMC10045759 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is gaining traction in neuroscience research as a tool for evaluating neural fibers. The technique can be used to assess white matter (WM) microstructure in neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson disease (PD). There is evidence that the uncinate fasciculus and the cingulum bundle are involved in the pathogenesis of PD. These fasciculus and bundle alterations correlate with the symptoms and stages of PD. PRISMA 2022 was used to search PubMed and Scopus for relevant articles. Our search revealed 759 articles. Following screening of titles and abstracts, a full-text review, and implementing the inclusion criteria, 62 papers were selected for synthesis. According to the review of selected studies, WM integrity in the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum bundles can vary according to symptoms and stages of Parkinson disease. This article provides structural insight into the heterogeneous PD subtypes according to their cingulate bundle and uncinate fasciculus changes. It also examines if there is any correlation between these brain structures' structural changes with cognitive impairment or depression scales like Geriatric Depression Scale-Short (GDS). The results showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy values in the cingulum bundle compared to healthy controls as well as significant correlations between FA and GDS scores for both left and right uncinate fasciculus regions suggesting that structural damage from disease progression may be linked to cognitive impairments seen in advanced PD patients. This review help in developing more targeted treatments for different types of Parkinson's disease, as well as providing a better understanding of how cognitive impairments may be related to these structural changes. Additionally, using DTI scans can provide clinicians with valuable information about white matter tracts which is useful for diagnosing and monitoring disease progression over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Rashidi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1417613151, Iran
| | | | - Farbod Hosseinzadeh
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1417613151, Iran
| | - Zahra Kolahchi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1417613151, Iran
| | - Niloofar Jafarimehrabady
- Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Bardia Moghisseh
- School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Science, Arak 3848176941, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hadi Aarabi
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35128 Padua, Italy
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5
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Trapani JA, Murdaugh DL. Processing efficiency in pediatric cancer survivors: A review and operationalization for outcomes research and clinical utility. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2809. [PMID: 36330565 PMCID: PMC9759139 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Childhood cancer and cancer-related treatments disrupt brain development and maturation, placing survivors at risk for cognitive late effects. Given that assessment tools vary widely across researchers and clinicians, it has been daunting to identify distinct patterns in outcomes across diverse cancer types and to implement systematic neurocognitive screening tools. This review aims to operationalize processing efficiency skill impairment-or inefficient neural processing as measured by working memory and processing speed abilities-as a worthwhile avenue for continued study within the context of childhood cancer. METHODS A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the existing research on cognitive late effects and biopsychosocial risk factors in order to conceptualize processing efficiency skill trends in childhood cancer survivors. RESULTS While a frequently reported pattern of neurobiological (white matter) and cognitive (working memory and processing speed) disruption is consistent with processing efficiency skill impairment, these weaknesses have not yet been fully operationalized in this population. We offer a theoretical model that highlights the impacts of a host of biological and environmental factors on the underlying neurobiological substrates of cancer survivors that precede and may even predict long-term cognitive outcomes and functional abilities following treatment. CONCLUSION The unified construct of processing efficiency may be useful in assessing and communicating neurocognitive skills in both outcomes research and clinical practice. Deficits in processing efficiency may serve as a possible indicator of cognitive late effects and functional outcomes due to the unique relationship between processing efficiency skills and neurobiological disruption following cancer treatment. Continued research along these lines is crucial for advancing childhood cancer outcomes research and improving quality of life for survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Trapani
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Donna L Murdaugh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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6
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Maraki MI, Hatzimanolis A, Mourtzi N, Stefanis L, Yannakoulia M, Kosmidis MH, Dardiotis E, Hadjigeorgiou GM, Sakka P, Ramirez A, Grenier-Boley B, Lambert JC, Heilmann-Heimbach S, Stamelou M, Scarmeas N, Xiromerisiou G. Association of the Polygenic Risk Score With the Probability of Prodromal Parkinson's Disease in Older Adults. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:739571. [PMID: 34992521 PMCID: PMC8724535 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.739571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have investigated the association of the Parkinson’s disease (PD) polygenic risk score (PRS) with several aspects of well-established PD. We sought to evaluate the association of PRS with the prodromal stage of PD. We calculated PRS in a longitudinal sample (n = 1120) of community dwelling individuals ≥ 65 years from the HELIAD (The Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet) study in order to evaluate the association of this score with the probability of prodromal PD or any of the established risk and prodromal markers in MDS research criteria, using regression multi-adjusted models. Increases in PRS estimated from GWAS summary statistics’ ninety top SNPS with p < 5 × 10–8 was associated with increased odds of having probable/possible prodromal PD (i.e., ≥ 30% probability, OR = 1.033, 95%CI: 1.009–1.057 p = 0.006). From the prodromal PD risk markers, significant association was found between PRS and global cognitive deficit exclusively (p = 0.003). To our knowledge, our study is the first population based study investigating the association between PRS scores and prodromal markers of Parkinson’s disease. Our results suggest a strong relationship between the accumulation of many common genetic variants, as measured by PRS, and cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Maraki
- Section of Sport Medicine and Biology of Exercise, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Crete, Greece
| | - Alexandros Hatzimanolis
- Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.,Neurobiology Research Institute, Theodor-Theohari Cozzika Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Niki Mourtzi
- First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Leonidas Stefanis
- First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.,Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mary Yannakoulia
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Crete, Greece
| | - Mary H Kosmidis
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Georgios M Hadjigeorgiou
- School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.,Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Paraskevi Sakka
- Athens Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Marousi, Greece
| | - Alfredo Ramirez
- Division of Neurogenetics and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE Bonn), Bonn, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Benjamin Grenier-Boley
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167-RID-AGE Facteurs de Risque et Determinants Moléculaires des Maladies Liées au Vieillissement, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Jean-Charles Lambert
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167-RID-AGE Facteurs de Risque et Determinants Moléculaires des Maladies Liées au Vieillissement, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Stefanie Heilmann-Heimbach
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine and University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maria Stamelou
- First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.,Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Department, HYGEIA Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Scarmeas
- First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.,Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, The Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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7
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Srivastava H, Joop A, Memon RA, Pilkington J, Wood KH, Love MN, Amara AW. Taking the Time to Assess Cognition in Parkinson's Disease: The Clock Drawing Test. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:713-722. [PMID: 34864688 PMCID: PMC10913933 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-212802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment is common and disabling in Parkinson's disease (PD). Cognitive testing can be time consuming in the clinical setting. One rapid test to detect cognitive impairment in non-PD populations is the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), which calls upon the brain's executive and visuospatial abilities to draw a clock designating a certain time. OBJECTIVE Test the hypothesis that PD participants would perform worse on CDT compared to controls and that CDT would correlate with other measures of cognition. METHODS This study evaluated two independent CDT scoring systems and differences in CDT performance between PD (N = 97) and control (N = 54) participants using a two-sample t-test. Pearson's correlations were conducted between the CDT and tests of sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and vigilance (Psychomotor Vigilance Test); executive function (Trails B-A); and global cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine cut points on the CDT that identify individuals who need additional cognitive testing. RESULTS PD participants had worse performance on CDT compared to controls. The CDT was correlated with executive function (Trails B-A) and global cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). The CDT correlated with vigilance (Psychomotor Vigilance Task) only in healthy controls. However, the CDT was not correlated with measures of sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) in either group. A cut point of 9 on the Rouleau scale and 18 on the Mendez scale identified PD participants with cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION The CDT is a rapid clinical cognitive assessment that is feasible in PD and correlates with other measures of cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Allen Joop
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Raima A. Memon
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jennifer Pilkington
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kimberly H. Wood
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Amy W. Amara
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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8
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Afshar PF, Wiig EH, Malakouti SK, Shariati B, Nejati S. Reliability and validity of a quick test of cognitive speed (AQT) in screening for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. BMC Geriatr 2021; 21:693. [PMID: 34911461 PMCID: PMC8672158 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-021-02621-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive disorders are one of the important issues in old age. There are many cognitive tests, but some variables affect their results (e.g., age and education). This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT) in screening for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. METHODS This is a psychometric properties study. 115 older adults participated in the study and were divided into three groups (46 with MCI, 24 with dementia, and 45 control) based on the diagnosis of two geriatric psychiatrists. Participants were assessed by AQT and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, independent t-test, and ROC curve by SPSS v.23. RESULTS There was no significant correlation between AQT subscales and age and no significant difference between the AQT subscales in sex, educational levels. The test-retest correlations ranges were 0.84 from 097. Concurrent validity was significant between MMSE and AQT. Its correlation was with Color - 0.78, Form - 0.71, and Color-Form - 0.72. The cut-off point for Color was 43.50 s, Form 52 s, and Color-Form 89 s were based on sensitivity and specificity for differentiating older patients with MCI with controls. The cut-off point for Color was 62.50 s, for Form 111 s, and Color-Form 197.50 s based on sensitivity and specificity measures for differentiating older patients with dementia and MCI. CONCLUSION The findings showed that AQT is a suitable tool for screening cognitive function in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pouya Farokhnezhad Afshar
- School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health (Tehran Institute of Psychiatry), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Mansouri Street, Niyayesh Street, Satarkhan Avenue, Tehran, 1445613111, Iran.
| | - Elisabeth H Wiig
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Knowledge Research Institute, Boston University, Inc., 2131 Reflection Bay Drive, Arlington, TX, 76013, USA
| | - Seyed Kazem Malakouti
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Knowledge Research Institute, Boston University, Inc., 2131 Reflection Bay Drive, Arlington, TX, 76013, USA
| | - Behnam Shariati
- Mental Health Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Nejati
- Iranian Research Center on ageing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Social cognition (SC) comprises an array of cognitive and affective abilities such as social perception, theory of mind, empathy, and social behavior. Previous studies have suggested the existence of deficits in several SC abilities in Parkinson disease (PD), although not unanimously. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to assess the SC construct and to explore its relationship with cognitive state in PD patients. METHOD We compare 19 PD patients with cognitive decline, 27 cognitively preserved PD patients, and 29 healthy control (HC) individuals in social perception (static and dynamic emotional facial recognition), theory of mind, empathy, and social behavior tasks. We also assess processing speed, executive functions, memory, language, and visuospatial ability. RESULTS PD patients with cognitive decline perform worse than the other groups in both facial expression recognition tasks and theory of mind. Cognitively preserved PD patients only score worse than HCs in the static facial expression recognition task. We find several significant correlations between each of the SC deficits and diverse cognitive processes. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that some components of SC are impaired in PD patients. These problems seem to be related to a global cognitive decline rather than to specific deficits. Considering the importance of these abilities for social interaction, we suggest that SC be included in the assessment protocols in PD.
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10
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Classon E, van den Hurk W, Wressle E, Rehn I, Johansson MM. A quick test of cognitive speed (AQT): regression-based norms for cognitively healthy 80 to 94-year olds. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2021; 29:820-839. [PMID: 34121606 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.1922585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Slowed processing speed is part of normal aging but also a symptom of many diseases, including dementia. A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT) consists of three conditions: color naming (AQT1), form naming (AQT2) and dual color-form naming (AQT3) and offers a user-friendly assessment of processing speed that is used internationally to identify cognitive impairment in elderly patients. Appropriate age-norms have however been lacking. This study provides regression-based norms derived from a Swedish sample of 158 cognitively healthy 80 to 94-year olds. The results show age effects in all three conditions, a non-linear education effect in AQT1, and age by gender interactions in AQT2 and AQT3: men performed worse with increasing age, but women remained on a par. However, irrespective of age and gender, AQT2 and AQT3 mean raw and predicted scores were slower than the hitherto recommended cutoff criteria for suspected cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Classon
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Research and development, Mindmore AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Ewa Wressle
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Inger Rehn
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria M Johansson
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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