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Gonzalez-Gomez R, Rodríguez-Villagra OA, Schulte M, Torralva T, Ibáñez A, Huepe D, Fittipaldi S. Neurocognitive factorial structure of executive functions: Evidence from neurotypicals and frontotemporal dementia. Cortex 2021; 145:79-96. [PMID: 34689034 PMCID: PMC11168581 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The latent structure of executive functions (EFs) remains controversial. Confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) has provided support for both multidimensional (assumes EFs to be functionally separable but related components) and bifactor (proposes all components are nested within a common factor) models. However, these CFA models have never been compared in patient samples, nor regarding their neuroanatomical correlates. Here, we systematically contrast both approaches in neurotypicals and in a neurodegenerative lesion model (patients with the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, bvFTD), characterized by executive deficits associated with frontal neurodegeneration. First, CFA was used to test the models' fit in a sample of 341 neurotypicals and 29 bvFTD patients based on performance in an executive frontal screening battery which assesses working memory, motor inhibition, verbal inhibition, and abstraction capacity. Second, we compared EFs factor and observed scores between patients and matched controls. Finally, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to compare the grey matter correlates of factor and observed scores. CFA results showed that both models fit the data well. The multidimensional model, however, was more sensitive than the bifactor model and the observed scores to detect EFs impairments in bvFTD patients. VBM results for the multidimensional model revealed common and unique grey matter correlates for EFs components across prefrontal-insular, posterior, and temporal cortices. Regarding the bifactor model, only the common factor was associated with prefrontal-insular hubs. Observed scores presented scant, non-frontal grey matter associations. Converging behavioral and neuroanatomical evidence from healthy populations and a neurodegenerative model of EFs supports an underlying multidimensional structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Gonzalez-Gomez
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Odir Antonio Rodríguez-Villagra
- Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Sabanilla, Costa Rica; Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Michael Schulte
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Teresa Torralva
- Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), US and Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
| | - Sol Fittipaldi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
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Moreira HS, Costa AS, Castro SL, Lima CF, Vicente SG. Assessing Executive Dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Critical Review of Brief Neuropsychological Tools. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:369. [PMID: 29170636 PMCID: PMC5684643 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) has been defined as a multifaceted construct that involves a variety of high-level cognitive abilities such as planning, working memory, mental flexibility, and inhibition. Being able to identify deficits in EF is important for the diagnosis and monitoring of several neurodegenerative disorders, and thus their assessment is a topic of much debate. In particular, there has been a growing interest in the development of neuropsychological screening tools that can potentially provide a reliable quick measure of EF. In this review, we critically discuss the four screening tools of EF currently available in the literature: Executive Interview-25 (EXIT 25), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), INECO Frontal Screening (IFS), and FRONTIER Executive Screen (FES). We first describe their features, and then evaluate their psychometric properties, the existing evidence on their neural correlates, and the empirical work that has been conducted in clinical populations. We conclude that the four screening tools generally present appropriate psychometric properties, and are sensitive to impairments in EF in several neurodegenerative conditions. However, more research will be needed mostly with respect to normative data and neural correlates, and to determine the extent to which these tools add specific information to the one provided by global cognition screening tests. More research directly comparing the available tools with each other will also be important to establish in which conditions each of them can be most useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena S Moreira
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Centre for Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana S Costa
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - São L Castro
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Centre for Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - César F Lima
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Centre for Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Selene G Vicente
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Centre for Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Conti J. Cognitive assessment: A challenge for occupational therapists in Brazil. Dement Neuropsychol 2017; 11:121-128. [PMID: 29213503 PMCID: PMC5710680 DOI: 10.1590/1980-57642016dn11-020004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a common dysfunction after neurological injury. Cognitive assessment tools can help the therapist understand how impairments are affecting functional status and quality of life. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to identify instruments for cognitive assessment that Occupational Therapists (OT) can use in clinical practice. METHODS The instruments published in English and Portuguese between 1999 and 2016 were systematically reviewed. RESULTS The search identified 17 specific instruments for OT not validated in Brazilian Portuguese, 10 non-specific instruments for OT not validated in Brazilian Portuguese, and 25 instruments validated for Portuguese, only one of which was specific for OT (Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment). CONCLUSION There are few assessment cognitive tools validated for use in the Brazilian culture and language. The majority of the instruments appear not to be validated for use by OT in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Conti
- Occupational Therapy Division of the Hospital das
Clínicas/Sao Paulo University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Vale TC, Caramelli P, Cardoso F. Clinicoradiological comparison between vascular parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2015; 86:547-53. [PMID: 25006209 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-307867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical and radiological features of vascular parkinsonism (VP) and Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS Cross-sectional study where 15 patients with VP (8 (53.3%) men; aged 75.7 ± 10.4 years) and 30 patients with PD (17 (56.7%) men; aged 67.3 ± 7.5 years) underwent motor and cognitive evaluation and brain MRI. RESULTS Patients with VP were, on average, 8.4 years older (p = 0.004); all had arterial hypertension. They presented with a sudden onset of parkinsonism (80%) and a rapidly progressive clinical course (53.3%). Predominant lower body parkinsonism (p<0.001), postural instability (p=0.003) with freezing of gait (p<0.001) and falls (p<0.001), urinary incontinence (p < 0.001) and pyramidal signs (p<0.001) were more common in patients with VP. Movement Disorders Society's Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) scores were higher in patients with VP (p=0.005 in 'OFF' state and p<0.001 in 'ON' state). They had greater cognitive impairment and 12 (80%) fulfilled diagnostic criteria for probable vascular dementia. Most patients with VP had brain MRI changes: multiple lacunar infarcts (66.7%) or extensive white matter disease (26.7%). CONCLUSIONS VP can be clinically distinguished from PD based on sudden onset of parkinsonism at an older age, characterised by lower body predominance, urinary incontinence, pyramidal signs, postural instability with freezing of gait and falls, and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Cardoso Vale
- Department of Neurology Service and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paulo Caramelli
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Francisco Cardoso
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Vale TC, Caramelli P, Cardoso F. Vascular parkinsonism: a case series of 17 patients. ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA 2013; 71:757-62. [DOI: 10.1590/0004-282x20130117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective To report the clinical and neuroimaging findings in a case series of vascular parkinsonism (VP). Methods Seventeen patients with VP were evaluated with motor, cognitive, and neuroimaging standardized tests and scales. Results All patients had arterial hypertension. Ten patients were male and the mean age of the whole sample was 75.8±10.1 years. The mean age of parkinsonism onset was 72.2±10.0 years. Common clinical features were urinary incontinence (88.2%), lower limb parkinsonism with freezing of gait and falls (82.3%), and pyramidal signs (76.4%). The mean Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Hoehn-Yahr scores were 72.5±21.6 points and 3.3±0.9 points, respectively. Sixteen (94.1%) patients had freezing of gait and executive dysfunction. Twelve (70.5%) patients had probable vascular dementia. The mean dose of levodopa was 530.9 mg/day. Unresponsiveness to the drug was confirmed by a 6.9 mean point reduction in the UPDRS score after the “practically defined off” test. Conclusion This series provides a profile of VP with predominant lower-limb involvement, freezing of gait and falls, pyramidal signs, executive dysfunction, concomitant vascular dementia, and poor levodopa response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paulo Caramelli
- Federal University of Minas Gerais; Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Francisco Cardoso
- Federal University of Minas Gerais; Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Serrani Azcurra D. Spanish translation and validation of an Executive Battery 25 (EB25) and its shortened version (ABE12) for executive dysfunction screening in dementia. NEUROLOGÍA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2013.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Serrani Azcurra D. Traducción al español y validación de una batería ejecutiva (BE25) y su versión abreviada (ABE12) para la detección de disfunción ejecutiva en demencias. Neurologia 2013; 28:457-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2010.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2010] [Revised: 12/17/2010] [Accepted: 12/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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