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Libon DJ, Swenson R, Tobyne S, Jannati A, Schulman D, Price CC, Lamar M, Pascual-Leone A. Dysexecutive difficulty and subtle everyday functional disabilities: the digital Trail Making Test. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1354647. [PMID: 38633534 PMCID: PMC11021769 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1354647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Digital neuropsychological tests reliably capture real-time, process-based behavior that traditional paper/pencil tests cannot detect, enabling earlier detection of neurodegenerative illness. We assessed relations between informant-based subtle and mild functional decline and process-based features extracted from the digital Trail Making Test-Part B (dTMT-B). Methods A total of 321 community-dwelling participants (56.0% female) were assessed with the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) and the dTMT-B. Three FAQ groups were constructed: FAQ = 0 (unimpaired); FAQ = 1-4 (subtle impairment); FAQ = 5-8 (mild impairment). Results Compared to the FAQ-unimpaired group, other groups required longer pauses inside target circles (p < 0.050) and produced more total pen strokes to complete the test (p < 0.016). FAQ-subtle participants required more time to complete the entire test (p < 0.002) and drew individual lines connecting successive target circles slower (p < 0.001) than FAQ-unimpaired participants. Lines connecting successive circle targets were less straight among FAQ-mild, compared to FAQ-unimpaired participants (p < 0.044). Using stepwise nominal regression (reference group = FAQ-unimpaired), pauses inside target circles classified other participants into their respective groups (p < 0.015, respectively). Factor analysis using six dTMT-B variables (oblique rotation) yielded a two-factor solution related to impaired motor/cognitive operations (48.96% variance explained) and faster more efficient motor/cognitive operations (28.88% variance explained). Conclusion Digital assessment technology elegantly quantifies occult, nuanced behavior not previously appreciated, operationally defines critical underlying neurocognitive constructs related to functional abilities, and yields selected process-based scores that outperform traditional paper/pencil test scores for participant classification. When brought to scale, the dTMT-B test could be a sensitive tool to detect subtle-to-mild functional deficits in emergent neurodegenerative illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Libon
- Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, New Institute for Successful Aging, Rowan University-School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ, United States
- Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, United States
| | - Rod Swenson
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, United States
| | | | - Ali Jannati
- Linus Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Catherine C. Price
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Linus Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Deanna Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, and Eleanor and Herbert Bearak Memory Wellness for Life Program, Hebrew Senior Life, Boston, MA, United States
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Frank B, Bandyopadhyay S, Dion C, Formanski E, Matusz E, Penney D, Davis R, O'Connor MK, Au R, Amini S, Rashidi P, Tighe P, Libon DJ, Price CC. A Network Analysis of Digital Clock Drawing for Command and Copy Conditions. Assessment 2024:10731911241236336. [PMID: 38494894 DOI: 10.1177/10731911241236336] [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] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Graphomotor and time-based variables from the digital Clock Drawing Test (dCDT) characterize cognitive functions. However, no prior publications have quantified the strength of the associations between digital clock variables as they are produced. We hypothesized that analysis of the production of clock features and their interrelationships, as suggested, will differ between the command and copy test conditions. Older adults aged 65+ completed a digital clock drawing to command and copy conditions. Using a Bayesian hill-climbing algorithm and bootstrapping (10,000 samples), we derived directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to examine network structure for command and copy dCDT variables. Although the command condition showed moderate associations between variables (μ | β z | = 0.34) relative to the copy condition (μ | β z | = 0.25), the copy condition network had more connections (18/18 versus 15/18 command). Network connectivity across command and copy was most influenced by five of the 18 variables. The direction of dependencies followed the order of instructions better in the command condition network. Digitally acquired clock variables relate to one another but differ in network structure when derived from command or copy conditions. Continued analyses of clock drawing production should improve understanding of quintessential normal features to aid in early neurodegenerative disease detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Frank
- University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Boston University, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Dana Penney
- Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA
| | - Randall Davis
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
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Jauregi Zinkunegi A, Bruno D, Betthauser TJ, Langhough R, Asthana S, Chin NA, Hermann BP, Johnson SC, Mueller KD. A comparison of story-recall metrics to predict hippocampal volume in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 38:453-470. [PMID: 37349970 PMCID: PMC10739621 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2223389] [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: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Process-based scores of episodic memory tests, such as the recency ratio (Rr), have been found to compare favourably to, or to be better than, most conventional or "traditional" scores employed to estimate memory ability in older individuals (Bock et al., 2021; Bruno et al., 2019). We explored the relationship between process-based scores and hippocampal volume in older adults, while comparing process-based to traditional story recall-derived scores, to examine potential differences in their predictive abilities. Methods: We analysed data from 355 participants extracted from the WRAP and WADRC databases, who were classified as cognitively unimpaired, or exhibited mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. Story Recall was measured with the Logical Memory Test (LMT) from the Weschler Memory Scale Revised, collected within twelve months of the magnetic resonance imaging scan. Linear regression analyses were conducted with left or right hippocampal volume (HV) as outcomes separately, and with Rr, Total ratio, Immediate LMT, or Delayed LMT scores as predictors, along with covariates. Results: Higher Rr and Tr scores significantly predicted lower left and right HV, while Tr showed the best model fit of all, as indicated by AIC. Traditional scores, Immediate LMT and Delayed LMT, were significantly associated with left and right HV, but were outperformed by both process-based scores for left HV, and by Tr for right HV. Conclusions: Current findings show the direct relationship between hippocampal volume and all the LMT scores examined here, and that process-based scores outperform traditional scores as markers of hippocampal volume.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Davide Bruno
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Tobey J Betthauser
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Rebecca Langhough
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sanjay Asthana
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nathaniel A Chin
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Bruce P Hermann
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sterling C Johnson
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kimberly D Mueller
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Oblak A, Dragan O, Slana Ozimič A, Kordeš U, Purg N, Bon J, Repovš G. What is it like to do a visuo-spatial working memory task: A qualitative phenomenological study of the visual span task. Conscious Cogn 2024; 118:103628. [PMID: 38232628 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Working memory is typically measured with specifically designed psychological tasks. When evaluating the validity of working memory tasks, we commonly focus on the reliability of the outcome measurements. Only rarely do we focus on how participants experience these tasks. Accounting for lived experience of working memory task may help us better understand variability in working memory performance and conscious experience in general. We replicated recently established protocols for the phenomenological investigation of working memory using the visual span task. We collected subjective reports from eighteen healthy participants (10 women) aged 21 to 35 years. We observed that working memory can be phenomenologically characterized at three different time scales: background feelings, strategies, and tactics. On the level of tactics, we identified transmodality (i.e., how one modality of lived experience can be transformed into another one) as the central phenomenological dynamic at play during working memory task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Oblak
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychopathology, University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Oskar Dragan
- Middle European Interdisciplinary Master's Program in Cognitive Science, Austria
| | - Anka Slana Ozimič
- Department of Psychology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urban Kordeš
- Center for Cognitive Science, Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Purg
- Department of Psychology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Bon
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychopathology, University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Grega Repovš
- Department of Psychology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Woods D, Pebler P, Johnson DK, Herron T, Hall K, Blank M, Geraci K, Williams G, Chok J, Lwi S, Curran B, Schendel K, Spinelli M, Baldo J. The California Cognitive Assessment Battery (CCAB). Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 17:1305529. [PMID: 38273881 PMCID: PMC10809797 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1305529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction We are developing the California Cognitive Assessment Battery (CCAB) to provide neuropsychological assessments to patients who lack test access due to cost, capacity, mobility, and transportation barriers. Methods The CCAB consists of 15 non-verbal and 17 verbal subtests normed for telemedical assessment. The CCAB runs on calibrated tablet computers over cellular or Wi-Fi connections either in a laboratory or in participants' homes. Spoken instructions and verbal stimuli are delivered through headphones using naturalistic text-to-speech voices. Verbal responses are scored in real time and recorded and transcribed offline using consensus automatic speech recognition which combines the transcripts from seven commercial ASR engines to produce timestamped transcripts more accurate than those of any single ASR engine. The CCAB is designed for supervised self-administration using a web-browser application, the Examiner. The Examiner permits examiners to record observations, view subtest performance in real time, initiate video chats, and correct potential error conditions (e.g., training and performance failures, etc.,) for multiple participants concurrently. Results Here we describe (1) CCAB usability with older (ages 50 to 89) participants; (2) CCAB psychometric properties based on normative data from 415 older participants; (3) Comparisons of the results of at-home vs. in-lab CCAB testing; (4) We also present preliminary analyses of the effects of COVID-19 infection on performance. Mean z-scores averaged over CCAB subtests showed impaired performance of COVID+ compared to COVID- participants after factoring out the contributions of Age, Education, and Gender (AEG). However, inter-cohort differences were no longer significant when performance was analyzed with a comprehensive model that factored out the influences of additional pre-existing demographic factors that distinguished COVID+ and COVID- cohorts (e.g., vocabulary, depression, race, etc.,). In contrast, unlike AEG scores, comprehensive scores correlated significantly with the severity of COVID infection. (5) Finally, we found that scoring models influenced the classification of individual participants with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI, z-scores < -1.50) where the comprehensive model accounted for more than twice as much variance as the AEG model and reduced racial bias in MCI classification. Discussion The CCAB holds the promise of providing scalable laboratory-quality neurodiagnostic assessments to underserved urban, exurban, and rural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Woods
- NeuroBehavioral Systems Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Peter Pebler
- NeuroBehavioral Systems Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - David K Johnson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Timothy Herron
- NeuroBehavioral Systems Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
| | - Kat Hall
- NeuroBehavioral Systems Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Mike Blank
- NeuroBehavioral Systems Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Kristi Geraci
- NeuroBehavioral Systems Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Jas Chok
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
| | - Sandy Lwi
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
| | - Brian Curran
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
| | - Krista Schendel
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
| | - Maria Spinelli
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
| | - Juliana Baldo
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA, United States
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Jannati A, Toro-Serey C, Gomes-Osman J, Banks R, Ciesla M, Showalter J, Bates D, Tobyne S, Pascual-Leone A. Digital Clock and Recall is superior to the Mini-Mental State Examination for the detection of mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:2. [PMID: 38167251 PMCID: PMC10759368 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01367-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease highlight the need for early detection of cognitive decline. However, at present, most primary care providers do not perform routine cognitive testing, in part due to a lack of access to practical cognitive assessments, as well as time and resources to administer and interpret the tests. Brief and sensitive digital cognitive assessments, such as the Digital Clock and Recall (DCR™), have the potential to address this need. Here, we examine the advantages of DCR over the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. METHODS We studied 706 participants from the multisite Bio-Hermes study (age mean ± SD = 71.5 ± 6.7; 58.9% female; years of education mean ± SD = 15.4 ± 2.7; primary language English), classified as cognitively unimpaired (CU; n = 360), mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 234), or probable mild Alzheimer's dementia (pAD; n = 111) based on a review of medical history with selected cognitive and imaging tests. We evaluated cognitive classifications (MCI and early dementia) based on the DCR and the MMSE against cohorts based on the results of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), the Trail Making Test-Part B (TMT-B), and the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). We also compared the influence of demographic variables such as race (White vs. Non-White), ethnicity (Hispanic vs. Non-Hispanic), and level of education (≥ 15 years vs. < 15 years) on the DCR and MMSE scores. RESULTS The DCR was superior on average to the MMSE in classifying mild cognitive impairment and early dementia, AUC = 0.70 for the DCR vs. 0.63 for the MMSE. DCR administration was also significantly faster (completed in less than 3 min regardless of cognitive status and age). Among 104 individuals who were labeled as "cognitively unimpaired" by the MMSE (score ≥ 28) but actually had verbal memory impairment as confirmed by the RAVLT, the DCR identified 84 (80.7%) as impaired. Moreover, the DCR score was significantly less biased by ethnicity than the MMSE, with no significant difference in the DCR score between Hispanic and non-Hispanic individuals. CONCLUSIONS DCR outperforms the MMSE in detecting and classifying cognitive impairment-in a fraction of the time-while being not influenced by a patient's ethnicity. The results support the utility of DCR as a sensitive and efficient cognitive assessment in primary care settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04733989.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Jannati
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Claudio Toro-Serey
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Joyce Gomes-Osman
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Russell Banks
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
- Department of Communicative Sciences & Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Marissa Ciesla
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - John Showalter
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - David Bates
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Sean Tobyne
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Linus Health, Inc., 280 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA, 02210, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.
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Libon DJ, Matusz EF, Cosentino S, Price CC, Swenson R, Vermeulen M, Ginsberg TB, Okoli-Umeweni AO, Powell L, Nagele R, Tobyne S, Gomes-Osman JR, Pascual-Leone A. Using digital assessment technology to detect neuropsychological problems in primary care settings. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1280593. [PMID: 38046126 PMCID: PMC10693332 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1280593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Screening for neurocognitive impairment and psychological distress in ambulatory primary and specialty care medical settings is an increasing necessity. The Core Cognitive Evaluation™ (CCE) is administered/scored using an iPad, requires approximately 8 min, assesses 3- word free recall and clock drawing to command and copy, asks questions about lifestyle and health, and queries for psychological distress. This information is linked with patients' self- reported concerns about memory and their cardiovascular risks. Methods A total of 199 ambulatory patients were screened with the CCE as part of their routine medical care. The CCE provides several summary indices, and scores on 44 individual digital clock variables across command and copy tests conditions. Results Subjective memory concerns were endorsed by 41% of participants. Approximately 31% of participants reported psychological distress involving loneliness, anxiety, or depression. Patients with self-reported memory concerns scored lower on a combined delay 3- word/ clock drawing index (p < 0.016), the total summary clock drawing command/ copy score (p < 0.050), and clock drawing to command Drawing Efficiency (p < 0.036) and Simple and Complex Motor (p < 0.029) indices. Patients treated for diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) scored lower on selected CCE outcome measures (p < 0.035). Factor analyses suggest that approximately 10 underlying variables can explain digital clock drawing performance. Discussion The CCE is a powerful neurocognitive assessment tool that is sensitive to patient's subjective concerns about possible decline in memory, mood symptoms, possible cognitive impairment, and cardiovascular risk. iPad administration ensures total reliability for test administration and scoring. The CCE is easily deployable in outpatient ambulatory primary care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Libon
- School of Osteopathic Medicine, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ, United States
- Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, United States
| | - Emily Frances Matusz
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Taub Institute and Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Catherine C. Price
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Rod Swenson
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States
| | - Meagan Vermeulen
- Department of Family Practice, School of Osteopathic Medicine, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | - Terrie Beth Ginsberg
- School of Osteopathic Medicine, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | - Adaora Obiageli Okoli-Umeweni
- School of Osteopathic Medicine, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | - Leonard Powell
- School of Osteopathic Medicine, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | - Robert Nagele
- School of Osteopathic Medicine, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | | | | | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Linus Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, and Eleanor and Herbert Bearak Memory Wellness for Life Program, Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Deanna, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Christianson K, Prabhu M, Popp ZT, Rahman MS, Drane J, Lee M, Lathan C, Lin H, Au R, Sunderaraman P, Hwang PH. Adherence type impacts completion rates of frequent mobile cognitive assessments among older adults with and without cognitive impairment. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3350075. [PMID: 37841867 PMCID: PMC10571616 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3350075/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Prior to a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, many individuals experience cognitive and behavioral fluctuations that are not detected during a single session of traditional neuropsychological assessment. Mobile applications now enable high-frequency cognitive data to be collected remotely, introducing new opportunities and challenges. Emerging evidence suggests cognitively impaired older adults are capable of completing mobile assessments frequently, but no study has observed whether completion rates vary by assessment frequency or adherence type. Methods Thirty-three older adults were recruited from the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (mean age = 73.5 years; 27.3% cognitively impaired; 57.6% female; 81.8% White, 18.2% Black). Participants remotely downloaded and completed the DANA Brain Vital application on their own mobile devices throughout the study. The study schedule included seventeen assessments to be completed over the course of a year. Specific periods during which assessments were expected to be completed were defined as subsegments, while segments consisted of multiple subsegments. The first segment included three subsegments to be completed within one week, the second segment included weekly subsegments and spanned three weeks, and the third and fourth segments included monthly subsegments spanning five and six months, respectively. Three distinct adherence types - subsegment adherence, segment adherence, and cumulative adherence - were examined to determine how completion rates varied depending on assessment frequency and adherence type. Results Adherence type significantly impacted whether the completion rates declined. When utilizing subsegment adherence, the completion rate significantly declined (p = 0.05) during the fourth segment. However, when considering completion rates from the perspective of segment adherence, a decline in completion rate was not observed. Overall adherence rates increased as adherence parameters were broadened from subsegment adherence (60.6%) to segment adherence (78.8%), to cumulative adherence (90.9%). Conclusions Older adults, including those with cognitive impairment, are able to complete remote cognitive assessments at a high-frequency, but may not necessarily adhere to prescribed schedules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rhoda Au
- Boston University School of Medicine
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Salvadori E, Pantoni L. Teleneuropsychology for vascular cognitive impairment: Which tools do we have? CEREBRAL CIRCULATION - COGNITION AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 5:100173. [PMID: 37457663 PMCID: PMC10299844 DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2023.100173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The halt of clinical activities imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic forced clinicians to find alternative strategies to provide continuity of care and services, and led to a renewed interest in use of teleneuropsychology (TNP) to remotely assess patients. Recent TNP guidelines recommend maximizing the reproduction of standard in-person assessment, particularly through videoconferences. However, consistency of the adaptations of usual cognitive tests to videoconference needs further elucidation. This review aims at critical reviewing which cognitive tests could be recommended for a remote evaluation of patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) among those widely recognized as reference standards. Current evidence supports the use of global cognitive efficiency (MMSE and MoCA), verbal memory (Revised Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), and language tests (phonemic and semantic verbal fluencies, Boston Naming Test), while there is a lack of strong validity support for measures of visuospatial functions (Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure), and executive functioning and processing speed (Trail making Test, and Digit symbol or Symbol digit tests). This represents a major limitation in the evaluation of VCI because its cognitive profile in often characterized by attention and executive deficits. At present, a videoconference TNP visit appears useful for a brief evaluation of global cognitive efficiency, and to 'triage' patients towards a second level in person evaluation. In future, hybrid models of TNP based on data collected across multiple modalities, incorporating both adaptation of usual cognitive tools and new computerized tools in the supervised videoconference setting, are likely to become the best option for a comprehensive remote cognitive assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Salvadori
- NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Leonardo Pantoni
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Dion C, Tanner JJ, Libon DJ, Price CC. Contributions of Cardiovascular Burden, Peripheral Inflammation, and Brain Integrity on Digital Clock Drawing Performance in Non-Demented Older Adults. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:453-467. [PMID: 37545230 PMCID: PMC10870342 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221011] [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] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Greater cardiovascular burden and peripheral inflammation are associated with dysexecutive neuropsychological profiles and a higher likelihood of conversion to vascular dementia. The digital clock drawing test (dCDT) is useful in identifying neuropsychological dysfunction related to vascular etiology. However, the specific cognitive implications of the combination of cardiovascular risk, peripheral inflammation, and brain integrity remain unknown. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the role of cardiovascular burden, inflammation, and MRI-defined brain integrity on dCDT latency and graphomotor metrics in older adults. METHODS 184 non-demented older adults (age 69±6, 16±3 education years, 46% female, 94% white) completed dCDT, vascular assessment, blood draw, and brain MRI. dCDT variables of interest: total completion time (TCT), pre-first hand latency, digit misplacement, hour hand distance from center, and clock face area. Cardiovascular burden was calculated using the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP-10). Peripheral inflammation markers included interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Brain integrity included bilateral entorhinal cortex volume, lateral ventricular volume, and whole brain leukoaraiosis. RESULTS FSRP-10, peripheral inflammation, and brain integrity explained an additional 14.6% of the variance in command TCT, where FSRP-10 was the main predictor. FSRP-10, inflammatory markers, and brain integrity explained an additional 17.0% in command digit misplacement variance, with findings largely driven by FSRP-10. CONCLUSION Subtle graphomotor behavior operationalized using dCDT metrics (i.e., TCT and digit misplacement) is partly explained by cardiovascular burden, peripheral inflammation, and brain integrity and may indicate vulnerability to a disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Dion
- Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jared J. Tanner
- Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David J. Libon
- Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, School of Osteopathic Medicine, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
- Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
| | - Catherine C. Price
- Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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