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This study investigates the utility of the Portuguese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as a screening-method for identifying cognitive dysfunction (CD) in multiple sclerosis (MS). The 118 participants with comprehensive neuropsychological assessment were divided into two subgroups: (I) MS group (n = 59) and (II) control group (n = 59). The MS patients were classified as cognitively intact (n = 26) or impaired (n = 33, 56%). The results indicated that the MoCA is a psychometrically valid instrument in assessment of MS patients. The Multiple Linear Regression analyses highlighted the significant influence of Modified Fatigue Impact Scale and Irregular Word Reading Test on MoCA performance. The MoCA total score showed a good discriminative capacity between cognitively impaired and cognitively intact subjects. In addition, there were significant differences in MoCA cognitive domain scores between groups. The MoCA total score cut-off point for identifying CD in MS patients was a score below 26 points (AUC = 0.837, CI = 0.736–0.937). A proposed EM-MoCA-Subscore for identifying the MS-related cognitive impairment (max. score = 19 points, cut-off <17 points, AUC = 0.871, CI = 0.784–0.958), can reduce administration time for cognitive screening in clinical settings. The MoCA is a useful and sensitive instrument to identify the MS-related cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The literature lacks information on the performance of patients with brain tumors on the Wechsler Intelligence Scales. This study aimed to explore the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) performance profile of 23 consecutive patients with brain tumors and 23 matched controls selected from the Portuguese WAIS-III standardization sample, using the technical manual steps recommended for score interpretation. The control group was demographically matched to the tumor group regarding gender, age, education, profession, and geographic region. The technical manual steps recommended for score interpretation were applied. Patients with brain tumors had significantly lower performances on the Performance IQ, Full-Scale IQ, Perceptual Organization Index, Working Memory Index, Processing Speed Index, Arithmetic, Object Assembly, and Picture Arrangement, though all scaled scores were within the normal range according to the manual tables. Only Vocabulary and Comprehension scatter scores were statistically different between groups. No strengths or weaknesses were found for either group. The mean discrepancy scores do not appear to have clinical value for this population. In conclusion, the study results did not reveal a specific profile for patients with brain tumors on the WAIS-III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Tests has been widely studied, but their reliability has not. This study aimed to estimate the test-retest reliability of these tests in a sample of 34 older adults, aged 69 to 90 years old, without neuropsychiatric diagnoses and living in retirement homes in the district of Lisbon, Portugal. The battery was administered twice, with a 4-week interval between sessions. The Paired Associates Learning (PAL), Spatial Working Memory (SWM), Rapid Visual Information Processing, and Reaction Time tests revealed measures with high-to-adequate test-retest correlations (.71-.89), although several PAL and SWM measures showed susceptibility to practice effects. Two estimated standardized regression-based methods were found to be more efficient at correcting for practice effects than a method of fixed correction. We also found weak test-retest correlations (.56-.68) for several measures. These results suggest that some, but not all, measures are suitable for cognitive assessment and monitoring in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Selective Reminding Test (SRT) and the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) are multitrial memory tests that use a common “selective reminding” paradigm that aims to facilitate learning by presenting only the missing words from the previous recall trial. While in the FCSRT semantic cues are provided to elicit recall, in the SRT, participants are merely reminded of the missing items by repeating them. These tests have been used to assess age-related memory changes and to predict dementia. The performance of healthy elders on these tests has been compared before, and results have shown that twice as many words were retrieved from long-term memory in the FCSRT compared with the SRT. In this study, we compared the tests’ properties and their accuracy in discriminating amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI;n = 20) from Alzheimer disease (AD;n = 18). Patients with AD performed significantly worse than patients with aMCI on both tests. The percentage of items recalled during the learning trials was significantly higher for the FCSRT in both groups, and a higher number of items were later retrieved, showing the benefit of category cueing. Our key finding was that the FCSRT showed higher accuracy in discriminating patients with aMCI from those with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]