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The Impact of Memory Change on Everyday Life Among Older Adults: Association with Cognition and Self-Reported Memory. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2021; 27:896-904. [PMID: 33441202 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617720001344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Many older adults experience memory changes that can have a meaningful impact on their everyday lives, such as restrictions to lifestyle activities and negative emotions. Older adults also report a variety of positive coping responses that help them manage these changes. The purpose of this study was to determine how objective cognitive performance and self-reported memory are related to the everyday impact of memory change. METHODS We examined these associations in a sample of 94 older adults (age 60-89, 52% female) along a cognitive ability continuum from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment. RESULTS Correlational analyses revealed that greater restrictions to lifestyle activities (|rs| = .36-.66), more negative emotion associated with memory change (|rs| = .27-.76), and an overall greater burden of memory change on everyday living (|rs| = .28-.61) were associated with poorer objective memory performance and lower self-reported memory ability and satisfaction. Performance on objective measures of executive attention was unrelated to the impact of memory change. Self-reported strategy use was positively related to positive coping with memory change (|r| = .26), but self-reported strategy use was associated with more negative emotions regarding memory change (|r| = .23). CONCLUSIONS Given the prevalence of memory complaints among older adults, it is important to understand the experience of memory change and its impact on everyday functioning in order to develop services that target the specific needs of this population.
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Ramos-Henderson M, Ledezma-Dámes A, López N, Machado Goyano Mac Kay AP. Executive functions and functional impairment in Latin seniors suffering from depression. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2021; 28:543-558. [PMID: 32715938 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1796915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Functional impairment (FI) relates to the condition of executive functions (EFs). While EFs become affected by age and educational level (EL). Seniors suffering from depression (SSDs) on the other hand show EF-related deficiencies; however, there is hardly any literature available regarding their relationship with FI in Latin SSDs, who usually have low ELs. OBJECTIVE To verify the relationship between EFs and FI in SSDs of Latin origins, by controlling the effects associated with age and educational level. METHODOLOGY Cross-sectional study, of cases and controls, conducted on a nonprobability sample, made up of 102 self-sufficient SSDs and 142 control subjects over age 50, monolinguals of Latin origin (Chileans), all assessed by means of a battery of assessments such as: Geriatric Depression Scale, Addenbrook's Cognitive Assessment III, Trail making Tests A and B, STROOP word-color test, and semantic and phonological verbal fluency tests. A domain of composite EFs was established with standardized Chilean population scores, where age and educational levels were controlled. A simple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between EFs and FI in SSDs. RESULTS Upon controlling age and educational levels, EFs explained an FI variance of 3.9% in SSDs; depression explained an EF variance of 3.2%, and 3.7% of FI. CONCLUSION The results of the present study highlight the importance of a timely intervention when it comes to geriatric depression, considering the negative effect it has over the executive functions and the functionality of seniors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ramos-Henderson
- Centro De Investigación E Innovación En Gerontología Aplicada (CIGAP), Facultad De Salud, Universidad Santo Tomás , Antofagasta, Chile
- Escuela De Psicología, Facultad De Ciencias Sociales Y De La Comunicación, Universidad Santo Tomás , Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Andrés Ledezma-Dámes
- Centro De Investigación E Innovación En Gerontología Aplicada (CIGAP), Facultad De Salud, Universidad Santo Tomás , Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Norman López
- Departamento De Ciencias Sociales, Universidad De La Costa , Barranquilla, Colombia
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Naturally Occurring Expressive Suppression is Associated with Lapses in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2019; 25:718-728. [PMID: 31148529 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617719000328] [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: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Expressive suppression (i.e., effortful regulation of overt affect) has a deleterious impact on executive functioning (EF). This relationship has potential ramifications for daily functioning, especially among older adults, because a close relationship exists between EF and functional independence. However, past research has not directly examined whether expressive suppression impacts instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The present study examined this association among older adults. METHODS One hundred ten community-dwelling older adults completed a self-report measure of acute (past 24 hr) and chronic (past 2 weeks) expressive suppression, a timed test of IADL, and the Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale as a measure of EF. RESULTS High chronic expressive suppression was related to slow IADL performance beyond covariates (age, IQ, depression), but only for individuals with low EF. High acute expressive suppression was associated with lower accuracy on IADL tasks beyond covariates (IQ, depression), but this association was fully explained by EF. CONCLUSIONS The current results suggest that expressive suppression is associated with less efficient and more error-prone IADL performance. EF fully accounted for the relationship between acute expressive suppression and IADL performance, showing that suppression is a risk factor for both poorer EF performance and functional lapses in daily life. Furthermore, individuals with weaker EF may be particularly vulnerable to the effect of chronic expressive suppression. (JINS, 2019, 25, 718-728).
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Emmert NA, Schwarz LR, Vander Wal JS, Gfeller JD. Neuropsychological predictors of health and safety abilities in dementia. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2019; 28:94-106. [PMID: 31039631 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2019.1599893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The Independent Living Scales Health and Safety (ILS HS) scale is commonly used by neuropsychologists when evaluating older adults' instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). However, there is a minimal amount of research on its use in dementia populations and, specifically, its relationship to other neuropsychological measures. The present study investigated relationships between the ILS HS scale and measures of cognition and depression. The study utilized archival data from a sample (N = 142) of older adults (mean age = 77.85) diagnosed with dementia, who were evaluated at Saint Louis University Medical Center and administered the ILS HS scale as part of a larger clinical neuropsychological evaluation. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that up to 37% of the variance in ILS HS performance was accounted for by demographic variables, premorbid intelligence, and cognitive functioning (e.g., global cognition, delayed verbal recall, and executive functioning), and regression models demonstrated medium to large effect sizes. Depression and self- or informant-reported IADLs were unrelated to the ILS HS scale. Results suggest that older adults' ability to function in health and safety-related situations requires a range of cognitive abilities. Performance on these measures may help guide clinical decision making regarding independent living and treatment planning.
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Leyva A, Balachandran A, Britton JC, Eltoukhy M, Kuenze C, Myers ND, Signorile JF. The development and examination of a new walking executive function test for people over 50 years of age. Physiol Behav 2017; 171:100-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Gavett BE, Zhao R, John SE, Bussell CA, Roberts JR, Yue C. Phishing suspiciousness in older and younger adults: The role of executive functioning. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171620. [PMID: 28158316 PMCID: PMC5291531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Phishing is the spoofing of Internet websites or emails aimed at tricking users into entering sensitive information, with such goals as financial or identity theft. The current study sought to determine whether age is associated with increased susceptibility to phishing and whether tests of executive functioning can predict phishing susceptibility. A total of 193 cognitively intact participants, 91 younger adults and 102 older adults, were primarily recruited through a Psychology department undergraduate subject pool and a gerontology research registry, respectively. The Executive Functions Module from the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery and the Iowa Gambling Task were the primary cognitive predictors of reported phishing suspiciousness. Other predictors included age group (older vs. younger), sex, education, race, ethnicity, prior knowledge of phishing, prior susceptibility to phishing, and whether or not browsing behaviors were reportedly different in the laboratory setting versus at home. A logistic regression, which accounted for a 22.7% reduction in error variance compared to the null model and predicted phishing suspiciousness with 73.1% (95% CI [66.0, 80.3]) accuracy, revealed three statistically significant predictors: the main effect of education (b = 0.58, SE = 0.27) and the interactions of age group with prior awareness of phishing (b = 2.31, SE = 1.12) and performance on the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery Mazes test (b = 0.16, SE = 0.07). Whether or not older adults reported being suspicious of the phishing attacks used in this study was partially explained by educational history and prior phishing knowledge. This suggests that simple educational interventions may be effective in reducing phishing vulnerability. Although one test of executive functioning was found useful for identifying those at risk of phishing susceptibility, four tests were not found to be useful; these results speak to the need for more ecologically valid tools in clinical neuropsychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon E. Gavett
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Rui Zhao
- Division of Computer Science, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States of America
| | - Samantha E. John
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Cara A. Bussell
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America
| | - Jennifer R. Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America
| | - Chuan Yue
- Division of Computer Science, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States of America
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Wilcox ME, Freiheit EA, Faris P, Hogan DB, Patten SB, Anderson T, Ghali WA, Knudtson M, Demchuk A, Maxwell CJ. Depressive symptoms and functional decline following coronary interventions in older patients with coronary artery disease: a prospective cohort study. BMC Psychiatry 2016; 16:277. [PMID: 27491769 PMCID: PMC4973530 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0986-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms are prevalent in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). It is unclear, however, how depressive symptoms change over time and the impact of these changes on long-term functional outcomes. We examined the association between different trajectories of depressive symptoms over 1 year and change in functional status over 30 months among patients undergoing coronary angiography. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study of 350 patients aged 60 and older undergoing non-emergent cardiac catheterization (October 2003-February 2007). A dynamic measure of significant depressive symptoms (i.e., Geriatric Depression Scale score 5+) capturing change over 12 months was derived that categorized patients into the following groups: (i) no clinically important depressive symptoms (at baseline, 6 and 12 months); (ii) baseline-only symptoms (at baseline but not at 6 and 12 months); (iii) new onset symptoms (not at baseline but present at either 6 or 12 months); and, (iv) persistent symptoms (at baseline and at either 6 or 12 month assessment). Primary outcomes were mean change in Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) instrumental (IADL) and basic activities of daily living (BADL) scores (range 0-14 for each) across baseline (pre-procedure) and 6, 12, and 30 months post-procedure visits. RESULTS Estimates for the symptom categories were 71 % (none), 9 % (baseline only), 8 % (new onset) and 12 % (persistent). In adjusted models, patients with persistent symptoms showed a significant decrease in mean IADL and BADL scores from baseline to 6 months (-1.32 [95 % CI -1.78 to -0.86] and -0.63 [-0.97 to -0.30], respectively) and from 12 to 30 months (-0.79 [-1.27 to -0.31] and -1.00 [-1.35 to -0.65], respectively). New onset symptoms were associated with a significant decrease in mean IADL scores at 6 months and from 6 to 12 months. Patients with no depressive symptoms showed little change in scores whereas those with baseline only symptoms showed significant improvement in mean IADL at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Patients with persistent depressive symptoms were at greatest risk for worse functional status 30 months following coronary interventions. Proactive screening and follow-up for depression in this population offers prognostic value and may facilitate the implementation of targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Elizabeth Wilcox
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada ,Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Peter Faris
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Research, Innovation and Analytics, Alberta Health Services, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Canada
| | - David B. Hogan
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Department of Medicine (Division of Geriatric Medicine), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Scott B. Patten
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Department of Psychiatry and Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Todd Anderson
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Department of Cardiac Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - William A. Ghali
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Merril Knudtson
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Department of Cardiac Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Andrew Demchuk
- Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Radiology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Colleen J. Maxwell
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada ,Schools of Pharmacy and Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, N2L 3G1 ON Canada ,Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), Toronto, Canada
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment (CI) that arises in some older adults limits independence and decreases quality of life. Cognitive stimulation programs delivered by professional therapists have been shown to help maintain cognitive abilities, but the costs of such programming are prohibitive. The present study explored the feasibility and efficacy of using long-term care homes' volunteers to administer a cognitive stimulation program to residents. METHODS Thirty-six resident participants and 16 volunteers were alternately assigned to one of two parallel groups: a control group (CG) or stimulation group (SG). For eight weeks, three times each week, CG participants met for standard "friendly visits" (casual conversation between a resident and volunteer) and SG participants met to work through a variety of exercises to stimulate residents' reasoning, attention, and memory abilities. Resident participants were pre- and post-tested using the Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence-Second Edition, Test of Memory, and Learning-Senior Edition, a modified Letter Sorting test (LS), Clock Drawing Test (CDT), and the Action Word Verbal Fluency Test. RESULTS Two-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for dementia diagnosis indicated statistically greater improvements in the stimulation participants than in the control participants in Immediate Verbal Memory, p = 0.011; Non-Verbal Memory, p = 0.012; Learning, p = 0.016; and Verbal Fluency, p = 0.024. CONCLUSIONS The feasibility and efficiency of a volunteer-administered cognitive stimulation program was demonstrated. Longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are recommended in order to continue investigating the breadth and depth volunteer roles in the maintenance of the cognitive abilities of older adults.
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Evans DR, Segerstrom SC. Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms Interact to Predict Executive Functioning Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Exp Aging Res 2015; 41:534-45. [PMID: 26524235 PMCID: PMC4763337 DOI: 10.1080/0361073x.2015.1085741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT Physical activity is beneficial for the executive functioning (EF) of older adults, but may be particularly protective of EF when they are cognitively vulnerable, such as during depressive episodes. Intervention studies support more potent effects of physical activity on EF among clinically depressed older adults, although these results may have limited generalizability to the daily mood and physical activity of healthy, community-dwelling older adults. METHODS The current study aimed to test whether physical activity among older adults was more protective of EF during periods of cognitive vulnerability due to mildly elevated depressive symptoms. Longitudinal data from 150 generally healthy, community-dwelling older adults were collected semiannually and analyzed with multilevel modeling. RESULTS Physical activity was more protective of EF within individuals during periods of relatively elevated depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The power of physical activity to protect EF during periods of cognitive vulnerability may extend to community-dwelling older adults with nonclinical levels of depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Evans
- a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , Rhode Island , USA
- b Department of Psychology , University of Kentucky , Lexington , Kentucky , USA
| | - Suzanne C Segerstrom
- b Department of Psychology , University of Kentucky , Lexington , Kentucky , USA
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Vu LN, Dean MJ, Mwamburi M, Au R, Qiu WQ. Executive function and mortality in homebound elderly adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2014; 61:2128-2134. [PMID: 24479144 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.12545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the association between executive function and mortality in homebound elderly adults. DESIGN Longitudinal study. SETTING Four home care agencies in the Boston area. PARTICIPANTS Homebound adults aged 60 and older with 8-year follow-up for mortality (N=1,172). MEASUREMENTS Cognitive domains including executive, memory, and language functions were evaluated at baseline. Executive function was measured using the Trail-Making Test Part B (TMT B), and subjects were divided into four subgroups from lowest to highest TMT B score. The second cross-group analyses were used to compare those who were alive and those who had died. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether there was an association between TMT B scores and mortality. RESULTS At baseline, 436 (37.2%) homebound elderly adults had the highest TMT B scores (≥300), which indicated the slowest performance. At 8-year follow-up, 381 (32.5%) participants had died. Participants with the highest TMT B scores were more than twice as likely to have died as those with the lowest scores (0–99) (odds ratio=2.39, 95% confidence interval=1.27–4.52, P=.003) after adjusting for confounders including medical comorbidities related to death. The other cognitive domains, including memory and language, were not associated with mortality in the same model. CONCLUSION Many homebound elderly adults have multiple medical conditions, and executive function may be critical in their ability to manage their medical conditions and may affect the outcome of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh N Vu
- Department of Pharmacology, Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael J Dean
- Department of Pharmacology, Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mkaya Mwamburi
- Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rhoda Au
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wei Qiao Qiu
- Department of Pharmacology, Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts.,Alzheimer's Disease Center, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, Massachusetts
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE We studied executive function (EF) in children and adolescents with cystinosis. BACKGROUND Cystinosis is a genetic metabolic disorder in which the amino acid cystine accumulates in all organs of the body, including the brain. Previous research has shown that individuals with cystinosis have visuospatial deficits, but normal intelligence and intact verbal abilities. Better understanding of the behavioral phenotype associated with cystinosis could have important implications for treatment. METHODS Twenty-eight children with cystinosis and 24 control participants (age range 8 to 17 years) underwent selected Delis-Kaplan executive function system tests for neuropsychological assessment of EF, and the participants' parents completed the behavior rating inventory of executive function. RESULTS Participants with cystinosis performed significantly more poorly than controls on all Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System indices examined and on the behavior rating inventory of executive function metacognition index and global executive composite. CONCLUSIONS EF is an area of potential risk in cystinosis. Our data have implications not only for the function of affected children and adolescents in school and daily life, but also for disease management and treatment adherence. Our findings can aid in the design and implementation of interventions and lead to a greater understanding of brain-behavior relationships in cystinosis.
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Dotson VM, Sozda CN, Marsiske M, Perlstein WM. Within-session practice eliminates age differences in cognitive control. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2012; 20:522-31. [PMID: 23116428 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2012.736469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Previous research employing short-term practice and long-term training have been successful in reducing cognitive control deficits in the elderly. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of practice within session on a demanding cognitive control task. Nineteen older adults and 16 young adults performed 720 trials of a cued version of the Stroop task, in which an instructional cue is presented before each individually presented Stroop stimulus. Statistical analyses focused on the most difficult color-naming condition in task-switching blocks. Overall, participants showed faster reaction times and decreased errors with practice, particularly on incongruent trials. Older adults showed a greater reduction in errors with practice than young adults. Moreover, older adults, but not young adults, showed a reduction in errors and reaction times with practice on incongruent trials. Findings further suggest that practice reduces age-related differences in cognitive control. Improvements in cognitive control functioning has implications for treating functional deficits in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vonetta M Dotson
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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Mascherek A, Zimprich D, Rupprecht R, Lang FR. What Do Cognitive Complaints in a Sample of Memory Clinic Outpatients Reflect? GEROPSYCH-THE JOURNAL OF GERONTOPSYCHOLOGY AND GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY 2011. [DOI: 10.1024/1662-9647/a000046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Conflicting evidence exists concerning the value of cognitive complaints in the course of assessing cognitive performance in individuals. The present study examines whether cognitive complaints are differentially related to cognitive functioning in groups with different diagnoses. 169 older outpatients (76 years on average) were divided into three groups and diagnosed with subjective cognitive complaints, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia. They were then administered a self-rating questionnaire on cognitive complaints, with semantic fluency and global cognitive functioning being assessed as cognitive measures. Multiple regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for depression, age, sex, and education, global cognitive functioning was not related to cognitive complaints. Semantic fluency was related to cognitive complaints depending on the group. Results suggest that cognitive complaints reflect, in part, actual cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mascherek
- Institute of Psychogerontology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Zimprich
- Institute of Psychogerontology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Roland Rupprecht
- Institute of Psychogerontology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Frieder R. Lang
- Institute of Psychogerontology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
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