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Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive function and is accompanied by a simultaneous compensatory effect, one of the brain's capacities to maintain function in emergency situations. However, the time course of the compensatory effect is unclear. In this study, 22 male participants completed a pronunciation working memory task that included congruent and incongruent stimuli trials with EEG recordings before and after total sleep deprivation (TSD). Behavioral performance analysis showed that after TSD, the participants' reaction time (RT) was shortened, but accuracy was reduced significantly. Analysis of event-related potential (ERP) results showed that the amplitude of N2 (an early visual ERP) was larger (i.e. more negative) after TSD than at baseline. A significant interaction between congruency and sleep condition was seen. Compared to that before TSD, the increase in amplitude of P3 (a stimulus-induced positive deflection component) under an incongruent stimulus was larger than that under a congruent stimulus after TSD. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between P3 amplitude and RT. Our results suggest that TSD impairs cognitive function. Meanwhile, the brain activates a compensatory mechanism after TSD, which is comprehensive during the conflict-detection and information-updating stages. This study provides a fresh viewpoint for understanding how TSD affects cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare multiple dimensions of executive function between children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with and without comorbid obesity. Method Participants were 90 Iranian children (ages 8–13, 50% female) who were equally dispersed across three study groups: typically developing (TD), ADHD with obesity (ADHD+O), and ADHD without obesity (ADHD-O). Study participants were administered a comprehensive battery of Iranian-adapted "cool" executive function tasks including Digit Span from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V), Victoria Stroop Test (VST), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Tower of London, and dot-probe task (i.e. a task of attentional bias). Parents completed the Children's Scale for Future Thinking Questionnaire, which assesses future-oriented cognition (e.g. saving, planning, episodic foresight, delay of gratification), aligning more with "hot" executive functions. Groups were compared using multivariate and post-hoc univariate general linear models. Results Significant group effects were observed for all executive function variables, broadly with the gradient pattern of TD > ADHD-O > ADHD+O. ADHD+O had poorer performances than ADHD-O for WISC-V Digit Span (d  = −0.84), WCST Categories Completed (d  = −0.55) and Perseverative Responses (d  = 1.15), VST Interference Errors (d  = 0.83) and Interference Time (d  = 1.38), and Dot-Probe Task (d  = 0.84). Relative to the ADHD-O group, ADHD+O had also poorer parent-reported Prospective Memory (d  = −0.62), Episodic Foresight (d  = −0.63), and Delay of Gratification (d  = −0.54). Conclusions Children with ADHD-O have poorer executive functioning than those without obesity. We observed stronger effects for "cool" rather than "hot" domains of executive function, though this could be due to the former being performance-based and the latter parent-reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Post-9/11 Veterans endorse greater self-reported functional disability than 80% of the adult population. Previous studies of trauma-exposed populations have shown that increased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms are consistently associated with greater disability. Additionally, poorer cognitive performance in the domain of executive functions, particularly inhibitory control, has been associated with disability, though it is unclear if this effect is independent of and/or interacts with PTSD and depression. Method Three overlapping samples of n  = 582, 297, and 183 combat-deployed post-9/11 Veterans completed comprehensive assessments of executive functions, PTSD and depressive symptoms, and self-reported World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-II (WHODAS II). Results Poorer performance on measures of inhibitory control (Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System Color-Word Interference-CWI Test and gradual-onset Continuous Performance Test-gradCPT), but not other executive functions, were significantly associated with greater disability on the WHODAS II (ρ's = −.13 and −.13, p  = .002 and.026, respectively). CWI inhibitory control measures accounted for unique variance in disability after controlling for PTSD and depressive symptoms (R 2 change = 0.02, p  < .001). Further, CWI significantly moderated the effect of depressive symptoms on disability, such that better inhibitory control weakened the relationship between depression and disability. Conclusions Inhibitory control deficits are uniquely associated with increased disability in combat-deployed post-9/11 Veterans, and better inhibitory control abilities may serve as a protective factor for depressive symptoms leading to increased disability. Key Points Question In a trauma-exposed Veteran population, does inhibitory control predict functional disability above and beyond PTSD and depressive symptoms? Findings After controlling for PTSD and depressive symptoms, inhibitory control explained unique variance in self-reported disability. Inhibitory control also showed a moderation effect on depression where greater inhibitory control on the color-word interference test reduced the association between depression and disability symptoms. Importance Inhibitory control represents an important mechanism in understanding and improving daily life functioning in trauma-exposed Veteran populations. Next Steps Future research should further characterize the different aspects of inhibitory control deficits in trauma-exposed populations and focus on enhancing inhibitory control paired with more standard psychological distress treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Chronic use of methamphetamine induces neuropsychological deficits and neurochemical changes in frontostriatal regions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between brain metabolites alterations in frontostriatal regions and neuropsychological deficits in patients with methamphetamine use disorder. Method A total of 30 methamphetamine users and 20 control participants were selected and a battery of standardized executive function, attention, and memory tasks, including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, and Wechsler Memory Scale, was administered to them. Proton-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) of N-Acetylaspartate/Creatine (NAA/Cr), Choline/Creatine (Cho/Cr), and glutamate + glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr) in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and basal ganglia (BG) were also undertaken. Results Current findings indicated that there were significant differences between two groups in metabolite ratios including NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and Glx/Cr in three areas, except for Glx/Cr in BG. Moreover, compared to healthy controls, methamphetamine users showed poorer performance in all neuropsychological tests. Finally, a significant relationship was found between regional metabolites alterations, particularly in the ACC, and neuropsychological deficits in methamphetamine users. Conclusions In addition to neurochemical changes and neuropsychological deficits in patients with methamphetamine use disorder, current results highlighted the relationship between these changes in DLPFC, ACC, and BG with cognitive deficits in methamphetamine users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cognitive processes associated with frontal lobe functioning are often termed "executive functions." Two such processes are initiation and inhibition or the starting and stopping of responses. It has recently been claimed dysfunction of executive abilities can be explained by a single measure of fluid intelligence. Here, we test this claim, specifically for the executive abilities of response initiation and inhibition, across the healthy lifespan. Method In a cohort of 336 healthy adults (18–89 years), initiation and inhibition were assessed with the Hayling test, Stroop test, and phonemic and semantic verbal fluency. All participants also completed a measure of fluid intelligence. The relationship between fluid intelligence and executive measures was explored across the lifespan using a continuous approach. Mediation models were computed to assess whether age-related decline across the four initiation/inhibition tasks could be fully explained by a single measure of fluid intelligence. Results Age was negatively correlated with response initiation/inhibition and fluid intelligence. The mediation analyses identified only partial mediation of fluid intelligence for age and Hayling performance. By contrast, fluid intelligence did not mediate performance on the Stroop test or phonemic and semantic verbal fluency. Conclusions Response initiation/inhibition are not able to be explained by fluid intelligence. The results support a multifactorial theory of executive functions and provide evidence for the inclusion of multiple specific executive measures in a thorough neuropsychological assessment of age-related cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective 85 years after the description of the Stroop interference effect, there is still a lack of consensus regarding the cognitive constructs underlying scores from standardized versions of the test. The present work aimed to clarify the cognitive mechanisms underlying direct (word-reading, color-naming, and color-word) and derived scores (interference, difference, ratio, and relative scores) from Golden's standardized version of the test. Method After a comprehensive review of the literature, five cognitive processes were selected for analysis: speed of visual search, phonemic verbal fluency, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and conflict monitoring. These constructs were operationalized by scoring five cognitive tasks (WAIS-IV Digit Symbol, phonemic verbal fluency [letter A], WAIS-IV Digit Span, TMT B-A, and reaction times to the incongruent condition of a computerized Stroop task, respectively). About 83 healthy individuals (mean age = 25.2 years) participated in the study. Correlation and regression analyses were used to clarify the contribution of the five cognitive processes on the prediction of Stroop scores. Results Data analyses revealed that Stroop word-reading reflected speed of visual search. Stroop color-naming reflected working memory and speed of visual search. Stroop color-word reflected working memory, conflict monitoring, and speed of visual search. Whereas the interference score was predicted by both conflict monitoring and working memory, the ratio score (color-word divided by color-naming) was predicted by conflict monitoring alone. Conclusion The present results will help neuropsychologists to interpret altered patient scores in terms of a failure of the cognitive mechanisms detailed here, benefitting from the solid background of preceding experimental work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The progression of Huntington's disease (HD) for gene-expanded carriers is well-studied. Natural aging effects, however, are not often considered in the evaluation of HD progression. Objective: To examine the effects of natural aging for healthy controls and to develop normative curves by age, sex, and education from the distribution of observed scores for the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Stroop Word Reading Test, Stroop Color Naming Test, Stroop Interference Test, Total Motor Score, and Total Functional Capacity (TFC) from the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) along with a composite score. Methods: After combining longitudinal REGISTRY and Enroll-HD data, we used quantile regression and natural cubic splines for age to fit models for healthy controls (N = 3,394; N observations = 8,619). Normative curves were estimated for the 0.05, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 0.95 quantiles. Two types of reference curves were considered: unconditional curves were dependent on age alone, whereas conditional curves were dependent on age and other covariates, namely sex and education. Results: Conditioning on education was necessary for the Symbol Digit, Stroop Word, Stroop Color, Stroop Interference, and composite UHDRS. Unconditional curves were sufficient for the Total Motor Score. TFC was unique in that the curve was constant over age with its intercept at the maximum score (TFC = 13). For all measures, sex effects were minimal, so conditioning on sex was unwarranted. Conclusions: Extreme quantile estimates for each measure can be considered as boundaries for natural aging and scores falling beyond these thresholds are likely the result of disease progression. Normative curves and tables are developed and can serve as references for clinical characterization in HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in vulnerable HIV infected (HIV+) adults in Mexico. Participants and Method Twenty-eight adults (15 HIV+ and 13 HIV-) living in Tijuana (Mexico) participated in the study (Age: M = 40.5, SD = 11.1; 54% female; Education: M = 8.6, SD = 4.7). Participants with HIV were recruited from the board-and-care home "Las Memorias" (100% AIDS; 93% on ART; Years since HIV diagnosis: Median = 11, IQR = 5,16). Healthy controls, matched in age and education to HIV+ participants, were recruited from the same city. Participants completed a neuropsychological test battery which was comprised of the Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, letter and animal fluency, Trail Making Test Parts A and B, Stroop Color-Word Test, and Symbol-Digit Test. Raw scores garnered from these tests were transformed to percentiles using norms for a Mexican population, and averaged to calculate scores on global cognition and on three cognitive domains (verbal fluency, processing speed and executive function). Wilcoxon rank sum tests were conducted to investigate group differences. NCI was defined as global percentile scores < 16. Results HIV+ participants showed significantly lower scores in global cognition (p =.04, Cohen's d = 0.86), as well as the domains of processing speed (p =.03, Cohen's d = 0.87) and executive function (p =.04, Cohen's d = 0.84), with no significant differences (but medium effect sizes) on verbal fluency (p =.10, Cohen's d = 0.60). NCI was evident in 53% of HIV+ persons and 15% of healthy controls. Conclusions Approximately half of the persons living with HIV showed notable NCI, which is consistent with findings of prior studies of Latinos in the US with HIV. This pattern of neurocognitive function was also similar to those of prior studies in HIV. Future studies might examine key predictors of HIV-associated NCI in this vulnerable Mexican population, including biological and culturally relevant factors: such as deportation, and discrimination for sexual preference or HIV status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined the influence of acculturation on Generation Z (i.e., persons born between 1997–2004) adults' cognition. Methods: The sample consisted of 15 low-acculturated, 47 moderately-acculturated, and 28 high-acculturated Mexican participants residing in Mexico with a mean age of 20.86 (SD = 1.63). All participants completed the Word Accentuation Test, all the subtests of the Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT), Boston Naming Test, Phonemic Fluency Test (i.e., FAS), Semantic Fluency Test, the copy and long-delayed Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) tasks, all the subtests of the Digit Span, and the Abbreviated Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AMAS) in Spanish. The AMAS was used to categorize acculturation groups. ANOVA's were used to evaluate neuropsychological performance between our acculturation groups. Results: We found the low-acculturation and moderately acculturation groups outperformed the high-acculturation group on the SCWT reading and color-word tasks, p's < 0.05, np's2 = 0.09–0.10. Results also revealed the high-acculturation group outperformed the low-acculturation and moderately acculturation groups on the Semantic Fluency Test, p = 0.002, np2 = 0.14. Finally, the low-acculturation group outperformed the high-acculturation group on the ROCF copy task, p = 0.042, np2 = 0.07. Conclusions: Our data suggests that Generation Z Mexicans' level of acculturation influences their cognition. A possible explanation can be time perspective, where perception of time is influencing cognition to select and pursue certain goals, cognition, and motivation. Future studies using larger sample sizes should investigate the intersection of time perspective and acculturation on Generation Z adults' cognition. More research that evaluates how acculturation influences cognition will help researchers and clinicians understand Spanish speakers' cognition from a generational cohort perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated three different measures of executive ability derived from the Trail Making Test part B (TMT-B) in Mexican-American adults. Method: Forty-seven Mexican-Americans were administered both TMT part A (TMT-A) and TMT-B, and total time for completion was recorded. Additionally, participants completed The Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans. Participants were divided into two groups: low-acculturation group (n = 19) and high-acculturation group (n = 28). Independent Sample T-tests were used to examine differences in executive abilities between our acculturation groups. Executive measures included the TMT-B raw score (i.e., seconds to complete TMT-B), the raw score difference (in seconds) between TMT-A and TMT-B (TMT-BA), and the difference between a predicted TMT-B score (TMT-BP) and the obtained TMT-B score (TMT-BBP). Correlations between TMT-B, TMT-BA, and TMT-BBP and other executive functioning tests (i.e., letter fluency, animal naming, & Comalli Stroop Test part C) were evaluated. Results: Results revealed the high-acculturation group outperformed the low-acculturation group on all measures of executive ability derived from TMT-B, p's < 0.05. Furthermore, the high-acculturation group TMT-BA significantly correlated with Comalli Stroop Test part C, r = 0.44, p = 0.021. Finally, no significant correlations between the different measures of executive ability from TMT-B and other executive functioning tests were found in the low-acculturation group. Conclusions: We found the high-acculturation group demonstrated better executive functioning abilities on all three TMT executive ability variables compared to the low-acculturation group. In our high-acculturation sample, TMT-BA executive ability variable correlated with at least one executive functioning measure, which suggests that TMT-BA can be a likely better measure of executive ability than TMT-B or TMT-BBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite the widespread use of the Victoria Stroop Test (VST; Regard, 1981) in clinical and research settings, information regarding the impact of sociodemographic variables on test performance in Quebec-French adults and elderly people is still nonexistent. Thus, this study aimed to establish normative data for error scores and completion time on all test trials (Dot, Word, and Interference) taking into account the impact of age, education, and sex on test performance. Method: The sample consisted of 646 community-dwelling and healthy Quebec-French individuals aged between 47 and 87 years. Results: Regression analyses indicated that age was associated with completion time and error scores on all trials. The association was also positive for low and high interference conditions. Education was associated with completion time on Word and Interference trials, and with both interference scores. Finally, sex was associated with completion time on all trials, with women being consistently faster than men. Equations to calculate Z scores and percentiles are presented. Conclusions: Norms for the VST will ease interpretation of executive functioning in Quebec-French adults and elderly and favor accurate discrimination between normal and pathological cognitive states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Scholars consider Mindfulness to develop a person's capacity for awareness of self and others. This approach can also be used in Neuropsychological counselling. Recent research studies have shown that mindfulness has a positive impact on cognitive performance, attention and emotion regulation. This study aimed to examining a possible difference in attention trained between twenty PTSD Syrian's refugees who were using the mindfulness programme for two weeks and those who trained Cognitive behavioural therapy course. This study was also intended to translate some widely used tests in neuropsychological assessments, and determining the potential efficiency of Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a rehabilitation course for these clinical populations. Two separate three-way mixed ANOVA models (Within-Within-Between) were performed to assess if the Stroop effect and Stroop R effect differ between the three Stroop scenarios (within-Subjects effect: Control – Practice – Main test) and Conditions (within-Subjects effect: Congruent – Incongruent) when two different separate treatments were applied to twenty Syrian's refugees participants (Between-Subjects main effect: Mindfulness vs Cognitive behavioural therapy, there were also applied other attention measures such as; Trail Making test, Coding and Symbol search from WIAS-IV. For Stroop R model 2 we identified a significant within-subjects main effect of Stroop (F (2, 36) = 8.248, p = 0.002, partial-eta = 0.295). There was a significant within-subjects main effect of Conditions indicating a significant difference between congruent and incongruent treatment. Also, there was a significant two-way interaction effect of Stroop and Condition. Refugees participants reveal significantly differences for Coding, Trail numbers and Trail Numbers and Letters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study explored whether the Delis-Kaplin Executive Functioning System (D-KEFS) Stroop test and Barkley Deficits in Executive Function System (BDEFS) measure are vulnerable to malingering and whether cutoffs on each could be identified to detect malingering. Method: Using a simulator design, students recruited from the psychology participant pool at Ohio University (Mage=21.20, SD=5.85; 77.3% white, 52% freshmen, 68% assigned female, 12% prior ADHD diagnosis, 20% history of mild TBI, and 38.7% current psychological diagnoses) were randomly assigned to either malinger (simulator condition) Traumatic Brain Injury or perform normally (control condition). Participants were virtually administered the Test of Pre-Morbid Functioning, the D-KEFS, Test of Memory Malingering, and BDEFS. They also completed Qualtrics adherence items. Participants were excluded based on their Qualtrics response and for insufficient data. Results: As hypothesized, malingerers scored worse than controls on both measures. The Inhibition subtest (both raw and scaled scores) of the D-KEFS Stroop discriminated simulators from controls and a cutoff for the raw score was identified that detected 48% of simulators, with 90% specificity. The BDEFS total score also discriminated malingerers from controls, and a cutoff was identified that detected 56% of simulators, with 90% specificity. Supplemental chi square analysis showed poor congruence between the two measures, p=.262. Conclusions: The present study provides support for the potential utility of the D-KEFS Inhibition raw scores and BDEFS total scores as indicators of malingered executive functioning in TBI. Overall, results support the need to include both Performance Validity Tests and Symptom Validity Tests in assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Many individual embedded performance validity tests (PVTs) have been independently cross-validated as validity indices among various clinical populations; however, research examining the additional predictive value from combining multiple embedded PVTs is more limited. The study's purpose was to examine the accuracy of eight embedded PVTs for predicting pass/failure performance on a well-validated freestanding PVT, the Advanced Clinical Solutions: Word Choice Test (WCT). Method: The study consisted of 225 adults referred for outpatient neuropsychological evaluation that included the following embedded PVTs: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Forced Choice (FC), RAVLT Effort Score, Brief Visual Memory Test-Revised Recognition Discrimination (BVMT-RD), Digit Span Age Corrected Scaled Score, Reliable Digit Span, Stroop Color and Word Test Word Reading T-Score, Letter Fluency T-Score, and Trail Making Test Part A T-Score. The sample was 56% female and racially diverse (40% Black, 35% White, 17% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and 2% other ethnicities) with a mean age of 45.96 (SD=16.12) and mean education of 13.96 (SD=2.73) years. Results: A forward stepwise logistic regression was performed to predict WCT pass/fail using the embedded PVTs as predictors. The model was achieved in three steps (p95% accuracy in correctly classifying WCT pass group. Conclusion: RAVLT-FC, BVMT-RD, and TMT-A combined reliably predict WCT pass/fail group. Verbal and attention based embedded PVTs were found to have the most robust predictive capacity of WCT validity status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The continuous sampling of performance validity throughout an evaluation is essential to ensure accurate and reliable data in neuropsychological assessment. Although embedded performance validity tests (PVTs) have less sensitivity than freestanding PVTs, the combination of multiple embedded PVTs can have similar classification accuracy to freestanding PVTs. This study examined a set of common embedded PVTs to assess those that best predict classification accuracy on the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM). Method: The sample was 56% female (n=126), and racially diverse with 40% Black, 35% White, 17% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and 2% other ethnicities. Participants underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation that included the following embedded PVTs: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Forced Choice (FC), RAVLT Effort Score, Brief Visual Memory Test-Revised Recognition Discrimination, Digit Span Age Corrected Scaled Score (DS ACSS), Reliable Digit Span, Stroop Color and Word Test Word Reading T-Score, Letter Fluency T-Score, and Trail Making Test Part A T-Score. Results: A forward stepwise logistic regression was performed to predict TOMM Trial 1 pass/fail using the embedded PVTs as predictors. The model was achieved in two steps (p95% accuracy in correctly classifying TOMM T1 pass group. Conclusions: Results indicate that RAVLT FC and DS ACSS together reliably predict TOMM pass/fail group. When time constraints limit use of the TOMM, RAVLT FC and DSACC may be reliable predictors of validity classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Prior cross-validation studies have demonstrated the utility of embedded Performance Validity Tests (PVT) as reliable indicators of performance validity, though studies of the incremental predictive power from potential combinations of embedded PVTs remain sparse. The goal of the study was to compare the relative utility of eight embedded PVTs to predict pass/fail on the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT). Methods: The study comprised 225 mixed neuropsychiatric patients referred for outpatient neuropsychological evaluation. The sample was 56% female and racially diverse (40% Black, 35% White, 17% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and 2% other ethnicities). The patients were administered the following eight embedded PVTs: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test Forced Choice (RAVLT-FC), RAVLT Effort Score, Digit Span Age Corrected Scaled Score (DS-ACSS), Stroop Color and Word Test Word Reading T-Score, Brief Visual Memory Test-Revised Recognition Discrimination (BVMT-RD), Reliable Digit Span, Letter Fluency T-Score, and Trail Making Test Part A T-Score. The patients were classified into valid/invalid groups based on standard MSVT cut scores. Results: A forward entry logistic regression model was attained in three steps (p<.05); Step 1: RAVLT-FC (Classification Accuracy=83.2%; Nagelkerke R2 =.27), Step 2: RAVLT-FC + DS-ACSS (Classification Accuracy=84.2%; Nagelkerke R2 =.36); Step 3: RAVLT-FC + DS-ACSS + Stroop Word-T (Classification Accuracy=85.1%; Nagelkerke R2 =.39). Conclusion: The RAVLT-FC + DS-ACSS + Stroop Word-T combination provides robust predictive power. The study provided a novel approach to selecting embedded PVTs that best stand in place of the MSVT when time constraints limit the use of freestanding PVTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Combining multiple embedded performance validity tests (PVTs) can produce similar classification accuracy to freestanding PVTs. However, there is a lack of research on the incremental predictive power of various combinations of PVTs. Thus, we compared eight embedded PVTs to assess those that best predict classification accuracy on the Dot Counting Test (DCT). Method: Sample included 225 patients (mean age=45.96; mean education=13.96; 56% female, 44% male; 35% White, 40% Black, 17% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 2% Other) undergoing neuropsychological evaluation that included multiple embedded PVTs, including: Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised Recognition Discrimination (BVMT-R RD), Stroop Color and Word Test Word Reading T-Score (Stroop-T), Trail Making Test Part A T-Score (TMT-A), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Forced Choice, RAVLT Effort Score, Digit Span Age Corrected Scaled Score, Reliable Digit Span, and Letter Fluency T-Score. Patients were classified into valid/invalid groups based on four independent criterion PVTs. Results: A forward stepwise logistic regression was performed to predict DCT pass/fail using the aforementioned embedded PVTs as predictors. The model was achieved in three steps (p<.05); Step 1: BVMT-R RD (Classification Accuracy=87.6%; Nagelkerke R2 =.30), Step 2: BVMT-R RD + Stroop-T (Classification Accuracy=89.6%; Nagelkerke R2 =.44); Step 3: BVMT-R RD + Stroop-T + TMT-A (Classification Accuracy=90.1%; Nagelkerke R2 =.49). Conclusion: BVMT-R RD + Stroop-T + TMT-A reliably predicted the DCT pass/fail group. Thus, this combination of embedded PVTs may be reliable predictors of validity classification when time prohibits delivery of freestanding PVTs, such as the DCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Virtual reality-based neuropsychological tests allow for immersive stimuli, which may increase ecological validity, and allows for the inclusion of standardized distractors. The Virtual Apartment Stroop test has demonstrated evidence of construct validity among healthy older adults, but no extant research has investigated its use among clinical populations. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the Virtual Apartment Stroop test as a predictor of neurocognitive disorder among older adults. Method: The Virtual Apartment Stroop test was administered to older adults (n = 34; aged 61-90, M = 72.15, SD = 7.15; 44.1% men, 55.9% women) with (n = 7) or without (n = 27) a neurocognitive disorder as determined by a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. In the Virtual Apartment, the participant is situated in a home environment and Stroop test stimuli occur in single-item presentation on the television screen. Participants were administered the Virtual Apartment Stroop test both with and without distractors, with the order counterbalanced. In the distractor condition, distracting stimuli appear in various locations in the participant's field of view. Results: A total score was created by summing the total correct in the distractors and no distractors conditions. Binary logistic regression found that this score explained 17.5-27.5% of the variance in neurocognitive diagnosis, (Χ2 = 6.56, df = 1, p =.01, odds ratio: 0.97) and the model was able to correctly classify 85.3% of cases. Conclusion(s): These results provide preliminary evidence that the Virtual Apartment Stroop task is sensitive to neurocognitive diagnosis among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate if attentional control (AC) predicts the amount of order errors made within serial memory tasks. We also investigated the relationship between AC and item memory (IM), and the relationship between IM and order memory (OM). Methods: Data were collected from undergraduate students at the University of South Alabama. Participants completed three attentional conflict tasks (Bivalent shape task, Global local task, and Flanker task) and three serial memory tasks (symmetry span, digit span, and reading span). The final sample of 112 participants completed all memory tasks and at least two conflict tasks. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to form an AC latent variable from response time difference scores (congruent versus incongruent trials), and IM and OM variables were formed from item and order errors in the memory tasks. Structural equation modeling was used to test correlations among latent variables. Results: The latent AC factor failed to converge. We ran three structural equation models using each conflict task as a predictor variable for both IM and OM. The relationship between IM and OM was significant in all three models. The only other significant pathway across all three models was the relationship between the Flanker task and IM (β =.278, SE =.105, p =.001). Conclusions: Overall, performance on the three conflict tasks did not directly predict order errors. Flanker task performance did directly predict item errors, thus indirectly predicting the amount of order errors in those same tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreased information processing speed is often cited as the primary cognitive deficit occurring in conjunction with multiple sclerosis (MS). Two common tools for assessing this deficit are the Stroop Test and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). However, there are procedural variations in these rapid serial processing (RSP) tests pertaining to the response format (e.g., verbal or manual) and the administration format (e.g., paper-based or computerized). The present study was designed to assess whether such variations impact MS patients' and healthy individuals' performance on these tests. In Experiment 1, we showed that response formats in which either the experimenter or the participant was responsible for advancing the items on computerized versions of the Stroop Test and the SDMT were basically equivalent in terms of distinguishing between patients and controls. In Experiment 2, we found differences between administration formats that appear to interact with some of the disease-related features of MS. Understanding how procedural variations differentially impact patients and controls can be useful for interpreting what RSP tests reveal about the cognitive impact of MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) is a short test that is widely used in neuropsychological assessment to evaluate the executive aspects of attention control, information processing speed, selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and executive function in terms of the ability to inhibit a usual response in favor of an unusual response. The aim of this study was to create normative data from the SCWT adjusted for age, sex, and educational level for its clinical use in a population of 55 years of age and above. The SCWT was administered to a population-based sample of 2,151 participants aged 55 or older, and the effect of sex, age, and educational level was determined in the SCWT by means of linear regression models. Normative tables were created following the traditional method based on the stratification by relevant variables and on regression models. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There is currently no standard criterion for determining abnormal test scores in neuropsychology; thus, a number of different criteria are commonly used. We investigated base rates of abnormal scores in healthy older adults using raw and T-scores from indices of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Stroop Color–Word Test. Abnormal scores were examined cumulatively at seven cutoffs including >1.0, >1.5, >2.0, >2.5, and >3.0 standard deviations (SD) from the mean as well as those below the10th and 5th percentiles. In addition, the number of abnormal scores at each of the seven cutoffs was also examined. Results showed when considering raw scores, ∼15% of individuals obtained scores >1.0 SD from the mean, around 10% were less than the 10th percentile, and 5% fell >1.5 SD or <5th percentile from the mean. Using T-scores, approximately 15%–20% and 5%–10% of scores were >1.0 and >1.5 SD from the mean, respectively. Roughly 15% and 5% fell at the <10th and <5th percentiles, respectively. Both raw and T-scores >2.0 SD from the mean were infrequent. Although the presence of a single abnormal score at 1.0 and 1.5 SD from the mean or at the 10th and 5th percentiles was not unusual, the presence of ≥2 abnormal scores using any criteria was uncommon. Consideration of base rate data regarding the percentage of healthy individuals scoring in the abnormal range should help avoid classifying normal variability as neuropsychological impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study was conducted to determine the effect of acute aerobic exercise on executive function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Forty children with ADHD were randomly assigned into exercise or control groups. Participants in the exercise group performed a moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 30 min, whereas the control group watched a running/exercise-related video. Neuropsychological tasks, the Stroop Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), were assessed before and after each treatment. The results indicated that acute exercise facilitated performance in the Stroop Test, particularly in the Stroop Color-Word condition. Additionally, children in the exercise group demonstrated improvement in specific WCST performances in Non-perseverative Errors and Categories Completed, whereas no influences were found in those performances in the control group. Tentative explanations for the exercise effect postulate that exercise allocates attention resources, influences the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and is implicated in exercise-induced dopamine release. These findings are promising and additional investigations to explore the efficacy of exercise on executive function in children with ADHD are encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Stroop Color-Word Test-Victoria version (VST) is a measure of executive function commonly used in neuropsychological evaluation. Because of its short administration time, the VST seems particularly appropriate for use in geriatric populations and with those suffering from dementia and who are prone to fatigue during neuropsychological examination. In this study, we examine the influence of demographic characteristics on VST score and present descriptive data for a sample of 244 elderly French speakers (50–94 years of age). Normative data corrected for age and education are provided for clinical use. Furthermore, by comparing the VST performance of patients with the Alzheimer-type dementia to that of 40 matched healthy controls, we provide clinical evidence suggesting that the VST has a clinical utility in the assessment of inhibition in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have identified generalized slowing in information processing speed as the primary cognitive deficit in multiple sclerosis (MS). Similar changes are also commonly observed in healthy cognitive aging. The present study is the first to examine the combined impact of aging and disease on the course of cognitive slowing. MS patients (N = 245) and healthy controls (N = 188) were assessed using two measures of processing speed (the preliminary word reading and color naming trials of the Stroop). Participants ranging in age from 18 to 74 were grouped into five age cohorts. Slowing in processing speed was evident for patients vs. controls and for older vs. younger cohorts. The age-related declines in performance were parallel for patients and controls, indicating that the disease process in MS does not interact with general cognitive aging to effect a more rapid decline in functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As part of the NEURONORMA project, we provide age- and education-adjusted norms for the Stroop color-word interference test (SCWT)-Golden version and the Tower of London-Drexel University version (TOLDX). The sample consists of 344 and 347 participants, respectively, who are cognitively normal, community dwelling, and ranging in age from 50 to 90 years. Tables are provided to convert raw scores to age-adjusted scaled scores. These were further converted into education-adjusted scaled scores by applying regression-based adjustments. Demographic variables, age, and education significantly affect scores of the SWCT and TOLDX, sex, however, was found to be unrelated to performance in this sample. The normative data presented here were obtained from the same study sample as all the other NEURONORMA tests. In addition, the same statistical procedures for data analyses were applied. These co-normed data allow clinicians to compare scores from one test with all tests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study proposed to test the applicability of a new emotional Stroop-like paradigm among 49 adults with Down syndrome (DS), matched with typically developing children on gender and receptive vocabulary. Stimuli with neutral and emotional content were presented in two identical computerized tasks. This experimental design allowed comparisons of inhibition performance according to the nature of the material. Main results showed that the DS group processed the emotional material more poorly than the control group in the inhibition condition, whereas all participants performed near or at ceiling in the control condition. Regarding the response latencies, both groups processed emotional material slower than the neutral material. The DS participants did not take more time to respond than their controls, but they presented a distinct response latency pattern during the task: while the control group kept their response times constant, the DS group showed an improvement during the task. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective We completed a case study to investigate whether there are cognitive changes after Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery in the treatment of refractory Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as an initiation of a quality analysis due to increased referrals for this procedure at our institution. Method We evaluated a 21-year-old male before and after bilateral nucleus accumbens DBS placement for OCD. His pre-operative neurosurgery evaluation and brain imaging were unremarkable. Post-operative imaging revealed stable changes of bilateral DBS lead placement. Pre and post-operative neuropsychological testing included measures of mental status, language, memory, attention, and executive functioning. Results A reliable change estimate was obtained for each test. There was no significant change in performance on the Mini-Mental State Exam, Boston Naming Test, Logical Memory I/II, Faces I, Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) immediate and delayed recall, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64, Trail Making Tests A & B, Letter Fluency, Animal Fluency, and Stroop Color and Word Test (Stroop) color and color-word condition. There was significant decline for all California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition trials (trials 1–5, short delay recall, and long delay recall) and RCFT recognition. There was significant improvement for the Stroop word condition. Conclusions. Given mixed findings, it is unclear the extent to which DBS impacted this patient's overall cognitive functioning. Meanwhile, he showed improvement in OCD symptoms, to the degree that he could live alone, maintain employment, and independently manage daily activities. There is need for future studies to examine the cognitive effects of DBS for OCD, with larger samples and a control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Literature supports the use of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Trail Making Test Conditions 4/2 ratio (TMT 4/2) and Stroop Color Word Test Word Reading (WR) as embedded validity indicators (EVIs) with adults (Erdodi et al. 2018; Guise et al. 2012) and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, 2nd Edition Matrix Reasoning (MR) as an EVI with children (Sussman et al. 2017). This study assessed the utility of these measures as EVIs in healthy children, compared to the Test of Memory Malingering Trial 1 (TOMM1 < 45; Perna & Loughan, 2013) and Reliable Digit Span (RDS). Method Participants (n = 99, 68.7% male, Mage = 11.9) completed baseline neuropsychological evaluations for sport participation, including the aforementioned measures. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was used to determine whether TMT 4/2, MR, and WR accurately categorized valid performance. Results TMT 4/2 yielded adequate sensitivity (0.83–1.00) but poor specificity (0.07–0.09) when predicting TOMM1 and RDS pass/fail performances. MR yielded adequate sensitivity (1.00) and specificity (0.92) when predicting RDS pass/fail performance and adequate specificity (0.92) and poor sensitivity (0.18) when predicting TOMM1 pass/fail performance. The only EVI that produced better than chance accuracy was MR when predicting RDS pass/fail performance (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.98). All participants failed the WR cutoff, suggesting poor specificity. Conclusion Results suggest that MR was the only EVI that achieved minimally acceptable specificity (≥0.90) in children. MR performed adequately when detecting valid performances but variably when detecting invalid performances; therefore, MR may be used alongside well-established performance validity tests with children but not independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We examined the effects of depression in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and healthy comparison (HC) adults attention/processing speed (APS) performance. Method The sample size consisted of 44 acute TBI (ATBI), 32 chronic TBI (CTBI), and 59 HC participants. The Symbol Digit Modalities Test Oral (SDMT-O) and written (SDMT-W), Stroop Color Word Test word (SCWT-W) and color (SCWT-C), and Trail Making Test part A (TMT-A) were used to evaluate APS. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess depression (HADS-D). Results ANCOVAs, controlling for age revealed the HC group outperformed both TBI groups on the SDMT-W and SCWT-C, p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.08–0.24. We also found the CTBI group outperformed the ATBI group on the SDMT-W, p = 0.000, ηp2 = 0.24. Next, on the SDMT-O and TMT-A, the HC and CTBI groups outperformed the ATBI group, p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.10–0.15. On the SCWT-W, the HC group outperformed the ATBI group, p = 0.004, ηp2 = 0.08. Additionally, on HADS-D, both TBI groups reported higher symptoms of depression compared to the HC group, p = 0.002, ηp2 = 0.09. Pearson correlations revealed that for the CTBI group HADS-D correlated with SDMT-W, R2 = -0.36, p = 0.043. Finally, for the HC group HADS-D correlated with SDMT-O, R2 = -0.38, p = 0.003, and SCWT-C, R2 = -0.26, p = 0.045. Conclusions Overall, the ATBI survivors underperformed on all APS tasks compared to the HC group. Furthermore, we found the CTBI group outperformed the ATBI group on several APS tasks. Our data suggests that depressive symptoms are related more to APS tasks in CTBI survivors and HC compared to ATBI survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs, specifically household dysfunction) and attentional bias. Research has shown that ACEs can induce psychological stress and result in greater risk for neuropsychological difficulties among children who experience them (Raver and Blair., 2016). Therefore, we hypothesize that children with higher levels of ACE exposure will show higher levels of attentional bias overall. Data Selection: Data was obtained through the longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. The broader dataset was narrowed to include variables related to household dysfunction: Parent Family Environment Scale—Family Conflict Subscale Modified from PhenX and Parent Neighborhood Safety/Crime Modified from PhenX. Attentional bias was measured via the Youth Emotional Stroop Test. Data Synthesis: Data was analyzed using a Bivariate correlation between predictor variables and participant latency on incongruent items within the Youth Emotional Stroop Test. Neighborhood crime and response latency were significantly correlated at r(4838) = −.041, p < .001. Neighborhood crime and family conflict were significantly correlated at r(4838) = −.040, p < .001. Additionally, we used linear regression to examine the roles of neighborhood crime and family conflict as predictors of attentional bias (N = 4838). The two variables together significantly predicted attentional bias, F(2, 4835) = 4.50, p = .012, r2.002. Conclusion: Although family conflict was not significantly related to attentional bias, our results support previous research and our hypothesis that higher levels of exposure to ACEs are significantly associated with an increase in attentional bias for environmentally threatening stimuli (Caldwell., Carter., and Minzenberg 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effect of a cognitive task on postural control during treadmill walking. We hypothesized that postural sway acceleration would decrease during dual-task compared to single-task gait. Method Ten (5 females, 5 males) physically active, healthy young adults (Age: 22.50 ± 3.01) with no history of cognitive deficits or head injury were recruited from a University campus for this cross-sectional study. Participants reported to a biomechanics laboratory for a single testing session and completed two, 5-minute walking trials on a treadmill at 90% of maximal gait-speed under single and dual-task conditions while instrumented with a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the lower-back. During dual-task gait, participants concurrently performed a Stroop Test displayed on a mounted screen in front of the treadmill during the entire trial. Root mean square (RMS) of acceleration was analyzed in the medial-lateral, anterior-posterior, superior-inferior, and resultant planes during the dual-task trial. Paired t-tests and effect sizes (ES) were calculated for each sway plane between single and dual-tasks. Results No differences were identified between single and dual-task RMS acceleration in the medial-lateral (p = 0.98, ES = 0.01), anterior-posterior (p = 0.49, ES = 0.23) or superior-inferior (p = 0.98, ES = 0.01) planes. However, the RMS acceleration in the resultant plane was lower in the dual-task condition (Mean Difference: 0.031 ± 0.037; p = 0.02, ES = 0.85). Conclusions This novel dual-task gait paradigm utilized constant sub-maximal gait speed to investigate the influence of a sustained cognitive dual-task on postural sway using a single IMU. These preliminary results indicate that this dual-task gait paradigm may affect gross postural sway in healthy adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective As society becomes more interconnected with technology, it is important to examine how traditional "paper and pencil" administered neuropsychological tests can be utilized in digital electronic forms (e.g. computers, touch screen tablets, and smartphones). Literature has shown somewhat mixed outcomes for the validity of computerized tests. Gathering data electronically has been found to reduce human error in both test administration and in data collection itself. Digitizing carries benefits in the research field where electronic administration may make it possible to gather data on a larger scale numerically and geographically. However, in some conversions to digital versions of a task, changes may be made to the stimuli and procedure that might seemingly be benign, but could activate different cognitive responses, potentially compromising construct validity. This study examined the comparability of paper and electronic forms of the Stroop task, which is used widely and has been previously validated in paper form. Method Electronic Stroop tests were examined for concurrent validity with a paper version. Two touch-screen based apps were examined: BrainBaseline for the iPad and EncephalApp for smartphone. Young and older adults (n = 58) completed paper and an electronic version of the Stroop. Results Correlation analyses revealed a significant, but modest relationship between paper Stroop and the BrainBaseline version (r =.54; p =.001), while the EncephalApp correlation was non-significant (r =.44; p =.18). Conclusions These results need to be verified in a larger sample, but the implication is that some paper and electronic versions of cognitive tests are not necessarily interchangeable, and caution should be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The Stroop Color and Word Test is a well-known measure of executive functioning. The aim of this study is to determine if Stroop performance is impacted by bilingualism. Method A clinic-referred sample of veterans (n = 245; Mage = 55.84; Medu = 13.87) in whom a cognitive disorder diagnosis was ruled out were selected for inclusion. Participants self-identified as monolingual English (n = 192) or bilingual English/Spanish (n = 53) and were deemed appropriate for completing neuropsychological evaluation in English. All participants were administered the Stroop as part of a larger battery of tests. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine Stroop scores across monolingual/bilingual groups, controlling for age. Results Stroop Word (raw) was significantly lower among bilingual participants (M = 79.13, SD = 18.24) compared to monolingual participants (M = 85.22, SD = 16.7), F = 4.48, p =.035. Although Color (F = 3.01, p =.084) and Color-Word Interference trials (F = 2.36, p =.125) were not significantly different across groups, there was a trend. When scores on the Color-Word Interference subtest were corrected using the Golden Equation, there were no significant group differences (F =.002, p =.966). Conclusions Bilingualism was related to reduced performance on speeded word-reading. Although there were no statistical differences on color-naming or inhibition, the sample size may have impacted statistical power. Despite this, there was no evidence of even a trend towards significance when applying the Golden Equation to correct for speed of word-reading and color-naming. Findings indicate Stroop is a valid measure of inhibitory control among bilingual individuals who are appropriate for completing testing in English, so long as adjustments are made to account for speed on the Word, Color, and Color-Word trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]