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Objective: To compare established clinical outcome assessments for predicting behind the wheel driving readiness and driving simulator results across age groups and in traumatic brain injury. Methods: Participants included adults who had a traumatic brain injury ranging in age from 31 to 57 years and a non-impaired adult population ranging in age from 18 to 80 years. Physical and cognitive outcomes measures were collected included range of motion and coordination, a "Rules of the Road Test" a "Sign Identification Test," Trails A and B, and the clock drawing test. Visual measures included the Dynavision D2 system and motor-free visual perceptual test-3 (MVPT-3). Finally, the driving simulators (STIÒ version M300) metro drive assessment was used, which consisted of negotiating several obstacles in a metropolitan area including vehicles abruptly changing lanes, pedestrians crossing streets, and negotiating construction zones. Results: Our findings suggest that the standard paper-pencil cognitive assessments and sign identification test significantly differentiate TBI from a non-impaired population (Trails A, B and Clock drawing test p < 0.001). While the driving simulator did not show as many robust differences with age, the TBI population did have a significantly greater number of road collisions (F3, 78 = 3.5, p = 0.02). We also observed a significant correlation between the cognitive assessments and the simulator variables. Conclusions: Paper-pencil cognitive assessments and the sign identification test highlight greater differences than the STI Driving Simulator between non-impaired and TBI populations. However, the driving simulator may be useful in assessing cognitive ability and training for on the road driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1998, when Schmahmann first proposed the concept of the "cognitive affective syndrome" that linked cerebellar damage to cognitive and emotional impairments, a substantial body of literature has emerged. Anatomical, neurophysiological, and functional neuroimaging data suggest that the cerebellum contributes to cognitive functions through specific cerebral–cerebellar connections organized in a series of parallel loops. The aim of this paper is to review the current findings on the involvement of the cerebellum in selective cognitive functions, using a psychophysiological perspective with event-related potentials (ERPs), alone or in combination with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. ERPs represent a very informative method of monitoring cognitive functioning online and have the potential to serve as valuable biomarkers of brain dysfunction that is undetected by other traditional clinical tools. This review will focus on the data on attention, executive functions, and time processing obtained in healthy subjects and patients with varying clinical conditions, thus confirming the role of ERPs in understanding the role of the cerebellum in cognition and exploring the potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications of ERP-based assessments in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown the effectiveness of motor imagery in patient motor rehabilitation. Transcranial electrical stimulation has also demonstrated to improve patient motor and non-motor performance. However, mixed findings from motor imagery studies that involved transcranial electrical stimulation suggest that current experimental protocols can be further improved towards a unified design for consistent and effective results. This paper aims to review, with some clinical and neuroscientific findings from literature as support, studies of motor imagery coupled with different types of transcranial electrical stimulation and their experiments onhealthy and patient subjects. This review also includes the cognitive domains of working memory, attention, and fatigue, which are important for designing consistent and effective therapy protocols. Finally, we propose a theoretical all-inclusive framework that synergizes the three cognitive domains with motor imagery and transcranial electrical stimulation for patient rehabilitation, which holds promise of benefiting patients suffering from neuromuscular and cognitive disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature suggests dietary components can support mood and cognitive function through the impact of their bioactive or sensorial properties on neural pathways. Of interest, objective measures of the autonomic nervous system—such as those regulating bodily functions related to heartbeat and sweating—can be used to assess the acute effects of dietary components on mood and cognitive function. Technological advancements in the development of portable and wearable devices have made it possible to collect autonomic responses in real-world settings, creating an opportunity to study how the intake of dietary components impacts mood and cognitive function at an individual level, day-to-day. In this paper, we aimed to review the use of autonomic nervous system responses such as heart rate or skin galvanic response to investigate the acute effects of dietary components on mood and cognitive performance in healthy adult populations. In addition to examining the existing methodologies, we also propose new state-of-the-art techniques that use autonomic nervous system responses to detect changes in proxy patterns for the automatic detection of stress, alertness, and cognitive performance. These methodologies have potential applications for home-based nutrition interventions and personalized nutrition, enabling individuals to recognize the specific dietary components that impact their mental and cognitive health and tailor their nutrition accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main histopathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD) are the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta and the loss of neuromelanin as a consequence of decreased dopamine synthesis. The destruction of the striatal dopaminergic pathway and blocking of striatal dopamine receptors cause motor deficits in humans and experimental animal models induced by some environmental agents. In addition, neuropsychiatric symptoms such as mood and anxiety disorders, hallucinations, psychosis, cognitive impairment, and dementia are common in PD. These alterations may precede the appearance of motor symptoms and are correlated with neurochemical and structural changes in the brain. This paper reviews the most crucial pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric alterations in PD. It is worth noting that PD patients have global task learning deficits, and cognitive functions are compromised in a way is associated with hypoactivation within the striatum, anterior cingulate cortex, and inferior frontal sulcus regions. An appropriate and extensive neuropsychological screening battery in PD must accurately assess at least five cognitive domains with some tests for each cognitive domain. This neuropsychological screening should consider the pathophysiological and clinical heterogeneity of cognitive dysfunction in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dishonesty has received increased attention from many professionals in recent years for its relevance in many social areas such as finance and psychology, among others. Understanding the mechanisms underlying dishonesty and the channels in which dishonesty operates could enable the detection and even prevention of dishonest behavior. However, the study of dishonesty is a challenging endeavor; dishonesty is a complex behavior because it imposes a psychological and cognitive burden. The study of this burden has fostered a new research trend that focuses on cognition's role in dishonesty. This paper reviews the theoretical aspects of how such cognitive processes modulate dishonest behavior. We will pay special attention to executive functions such as inhibitory processes, working memory, or set-shifting that may modulate the decision to be (dis)honest. We also account for some frameworks in cognitive and social psychology that may help understand dishonesty, such as the Theory of Mind, the role of creative processes, and discourse analyses within language studies. Finally, we will discuss some specific cognitive-based models that integrate cognitive mechanisms to explain dishonesty. We show that cognition and dishonest behavior are firmly related and that there are several important milestones to reach in the future to advance the understanding of dishonesty in our society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with severe substance use disorders are often characterized by neurocognitive impairments and elevated mental health symptom load, typically associated with craving intensity and substance use relapse. There is a need to improve the predictive capabilities of when relapse occurs in order to improve substance use treatment. The current paper contains data from 19 patients (seven females) in a long-term inpatient substance use treatment setting over the course of several weeks, with up to three weekly data collections. We collected data from 252 sessions, ranging from 1 to 24 sessions per subject. The subjects reported craving, self-control, and mental health on each occasion. Before starting the repeated data collection, a baseline neuropsychological screening was performed. In this repeated-measures prospective study, the mixed-effects models with time-lagged predictors support a model of substance use craving and relapse being predicted by the baseline reaction time as well as the temporal changes and variability in mental health symptom load, self-control, and craving intensity with moderate to high effect sizes. This knowledge may contribute to more personalized risk assessments and treatments for this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people with psychiatric disorders experience impairments in cognition. These deficits have a significant impact on daily functioning and sometimes even on the further course of their disease. Cognitive remediation (CR) is used as an umbrella term for behavioral training interventions to ameliorate these deficits. In most but not all studies, CR has proven effective in improving cognition and enhancing everyday functional outcomes. In this paper, after quickly summarizing the empirical evidence, practical advice to optimize the effects of CR interventions is provided. We advocate that CR interventions should be as fun and motivating as possible, and therapists should at least consider using positively toned emotional stimuli instead of neutral stimuli. Participants should be screened for basic processing deficits, which should be trained before CR of higher-order cognitive domains. CR should stimulate metacognition and utilize natural settings to invoke social cognition. Wherever possible, CR tasks should link to tasks that participants face in their everyday life. Therapists should consider that participants might also benefit from positive side effects on symptomatology. Finally, the CR approach might even be utilized in settings where the treatment of cognitive impairments is not a primary target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive difficulties are well documented in developmental dyslexia but they present a challenge to dyslexia theory. In this paper, the Model of the Control of Action is proposed as a theoretical explanation of how and why deficits in both automaticity and executive abilities are apparent in the cognitive profiles of dyslexia and how these deficits might relate to literacy difficulties. This theoretical perspective is used to consider evidence from different cognitive domains. The neuroanatomical underpinnings of automaticity and executive abilities are then discussed in relation to the understanding of dyslexia. Links between reading, writing, and executive function are considered. The reviewed evidence suggests that dyslexia theory should consider an interaction between procedural learned behaviour (automaticity) and higher-order (executive) abilities. The capacity to handle environmental interference, develop and engage adaptive strategies accordingly, and plan actions all require interactions between the cerebellum and the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Difficulties in these areas might explain both impairments in the cumulative development of literacy skills in childhood and general task management in everyday life in adulthood. It is suggested that improved measures are required to assess this cerebellar–PFC interaction and to allow early identification of future literacy difficulties, allowing implementation of timely interventions and reasonable adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this narrative review, we explore the latest evidence on semantic interventions for older adults, including both prevention and rehabilitation/remediation efforts, discussing them particularly in the context of dementia. Cognitive interventions vary in their level of structure, encompassing standardized (task-focused tasks) and unstandardized tasks (person-centered tasks). These interventions also differ in their target: rehabilitation or prevention. Addressing semantic knowledge/semantic memory/semantics is important, primarily because its efficiency impacts other cognitive domains. Semantic tasks are commonly included in preventive and rehabilitation programs, typically as standardized tasks with pre-defined semantic referents. On the other hand, person-centered approaches introduce personally relevant semantics, allowing patients to share thoughts and experiences with expressive language. Although these approaches offer benefits beyond cognitive improvement, their lack of structure may pose challenges. Our question club (CQ) program blends structured activities with personally relevant semantics, aiming to harness the advantages of both methods. Additionally, in this narrative review, we discuss future challenges and directions in the field of semantic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delirium is often the first symptom of incipient acute illness or complications and must therefore be detected promptly. Nevertheless, routine screening for delirium in acute care hospital wards is often inadequate. We recently implemented a simple, user-friendly delirium screening test (RMA) that can be administered during ward rounds and routine nursing care. The test was found to be non-inferior to 4AT in terms of sensitivity and specificity. However, the dominant factors to take into account when assessing the performance of a test added to the routine work of busy acute care hospital wards are ease of administration, real-life amenability and the ability of the staff to adhere to testing requirements. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of daily RMA tests that were not administered as scheduled and the impact of these omissions on the overall real-world performance of RMA. Using point-in-time assessments of 4AT by an external rater, we found that complete RMA was administered in 88.8% of the days. Physicians omitted significantly more tests than nurses, but their results were more specific for delirium. Omissions reduced the sensitivity and specificity of RMA for delirium (compared to 4AT) from 90.7% to 81.7%, and from 99.2% to 87.8%, respectively. Ideally, the number of omitted RMA tests should be minimized. However, if over 85% of the daily quota of complete tests are administered, the sensitivity and specificity of RMA for diagnosing delirium as soon as it appears remain at acceptable levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) represents one of the core features of the disorder and has a significant impact on functional and rehabilitation outcomes of people living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). The aim of this critical review is to highlight the most recent evidence on effective treatments available for CIAS, to discuss the current challenges in this field, and to present future perspectives that may help to overcome them. Concerning psychopharmacological approaches, among the most indicated strategies for the management and prevention of CIAS is to favor second-generation antipsychotic medications and avoid long-term and high-dose treatments with anticholinergic medications and benzodiazepines. Moreover, non-pharmacological approaches such as cognitive remediation and physical exercise-based programs represent evidence-based interventions in the treatment of CIAS that have shown reliable evidence of effectiveness on both cognitive and functional outcomes. These treatments, however, are still delivered to people accessing mental health services with a diagnosis of CIAS in an uneven manner, even in high-income countries. Academic and clinical partnership and collaboration, as well as advocacy from service users, families, carers, and stakeholders' organizations could help to reduce the bench to bedside gap in the treatment of CIAS. Future perspectives include the development of novel pharmacological agents that could be effective in the treatment of CIAS, the implementation of novel technologies such as telemedicine and virtual reality in the delivery of evidence-based interventions to improve accessibility and engagement, and further research in the field of non-invasive brain stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of our study was to obtain evidence that an unsupervised tele-exercise program (TEgroup) via an online platform is a feasible alternative to a hybrid mode of supervised and unsupervised exercise (HEgroup) sessions for improving fitness indexes, respiratory and cognitive functions, and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients recovering from COVID-19. Forty-nine patients with long post-COVID-19 were randomly divided into two groups (HEgroup: n = 24, age 60.0 ± 9.5 years versus TEgroup: n = 25, age 58.7 ± 9.5 years). For each patient, we collected data from body composition, oxidative stress, pulmonary function, physical fitness, and cognitive function before and after the 12-week exercise rehabilitation program (ERP). Our data showed differences in both groups before and after 12-week ERP on fitness indicators, body composition, and pulmonary function indicators. Our findings demonstrated differences between groups after 12-week ERP on adjustment in the domains of cognitive function (HEgroup increased the "visuospatial" domain: 3.2 ± 1.1 versus 3.5 ± 0.8 score, p = 0.008 and TEgroup increased the "memory" domain: 3.3 ± 1.0 versus 3.8 ± 0.5 score, p = 0.003; after 12-week ERP showed differences between groups in domain "attention" TEgroup: 4.8 ± 1.5 versus HEgroup: 3.6 ± 1.8 score, p = 0.014) and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (HEgroup increased the percent of predicted values at 0.5 ± 32.3% and TEgroup at 26.0 ± 33.1%, p < 0.001). These findings may be attributed to the different ways of learning exercise programs, resulting in the recruitment of different neural circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasive sedentary lifestyle exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced physical activity (PA) among school-age children, necessitating innovative strategies to evaluate short PA breaks that are feasible in a classroom setting. This study explored the cognitive and neurophysiological (electroencephalography; EEG) impacts of short bouts of different PA modalities on inhibitory control (flanker task) and episodic memory (word recognition task) in children. Utilizing a within-participants cross-over design, thirty-six children (n = 36; 9–12 years old) attended the lab on three separate days with each visit including either a 9 min bout of sustained moderate-intensity cycling, high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), or seated rest. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were assessed during the flanker task (P3 component) and the word recognition task (LPC and FN400 components) to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning behavioral outcomes. Findings indicated no differences in flanker performance but greater episodic memory recall for HIIE compared to seated rest. Neurophysiological results revealed no differences for P3, but notably larger amplitude for LPC and FN400 postcycling, particularly over parietal electrode sites. These results underscore the potential of short PA breaks to improve cognitive and neurocognitive function in children, offering a feasible integration strategy into daily school routines without extensive time commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-stroke cognitive impairment is a common and disabling condition with few effective therapeutic options. After stroke, neural reorganization and other neuroplastic processes occur in response to ischemic injury, which can result in clinical improvement through spontaneous recovery. Neuromodulation through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising intervention to augment underlying neuroplasticity in order to improve cognitive function. This form of neuromodulation leverages mechanisms of neuroplasticity post-stroke to optimize neural reorganization and improve function. In this review, we summarize the current state of cognitive neurorehabilitation post-stroke, the practical features of tDCS, its uses in stroke-related cognitive impairment across cognitive domains, and special considerations for the use of tDCS in the post-stroke patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R4Alz is utilized for the early detection of minor neurocognitive disorders. It was designed to assess three main dimensions of cognitive-control abilities: working-memory capacity, attentional control, and executive functioning. Objectives: To reveal the cognitive-control dimensions that can differentiate between adults and older adults with healthy cognition, people with subjective cognitive impairment, and people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment by examining the factorial structure of the R4Alz tool. Methods: The study comprised 404 participants: (a) healthy adults (n = 192), (b) healthy older adults (n = 29), (c) people with SCI (n = 74), and (d) people diagnosed with MCI (n = 109). The R4Alz battery was administered to all participants, including tests that assess short-term memory storage, information processing, information updating in working memory, and selective, sustained and divided attention), task/rule-switching, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. Results: A two-factorial structural model was confirmed for R4Alz, with the first factor representing "fluid intelligence (FI)" and the second factor reflecting "executive functions (EF)". Both FI and EFs discriminate among all groups. Conclusions: The R4Alz battery presents sound construct validity, evaluating abilities in FI and EF. Both abilities can differentiate very early cognitive impairment (SCI) from healthy cognitive aging and MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empathy is a crucial component to infer and understand others' emotions. However, a synthesis of studies regarding empathy and its neuronal correlates in perceptual tasks using event-related potentials (ERPs) has yet to occur. The current systematic review aimed to provide that overview. Upon bibliographic research, 30 studies featuring empathy assessments and at least one perceptual task measuring ERP components in healthy participants were included. Four main focus categories were identified, as follows: Affective Pictures, Facial Stimuli, Mental States, and Social Language. The Late Positive Potential was the most analyzed in Affective Pictures and was reported to be positively correlated with cognitive and affective empathy, along with other late components. In contrast, for Facial Stimuli, early components presented significant correlations with empathy scales. Particularly, the N170 presented negative correlations with cognitive and affective empathy. Finally, augmented N400 was suggested to be associated with higher empathy scores in the Mental States and Social Language categories. These findings highlight the relevance of early perceptual stages of empathic processing and how different EEG/ERP methodologies provide relevant information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, new technologies have been applied in cerebral palsy. Among these, immersive virtual reality is one with promising motor and cognitive effects along with the reduced costs of its application. The level of immersion of the subject in the illusional world gives the feeling of being a real part of the virtual environment. This study aims to investigate the safety and the efficacy of immersive virtual reality in children affected by cerebral palsy. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, RehabData, and Web of Science were screened up to February 2023 to identify eligible clinical studies. Results: Out of 788, we included 15 studies involving CP patients. There was high heterogeneity in the outcomes considered, and the results showed non-inferiority to conventional therapy and initial additional benefits in comparison with conventional rehabilitation. Conclusions: Immersive virtual reality emerges as a pivotal technological tool in rehabilitation, seamlessly integrating with conventional therapy within CP rehabilitation programs. Indeed, it not only enhances motivation but significantly increases children's functional capacity and abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, several blinded randomized controlled trials (RCT) have been conducted on cognitive rehabilitation (CR) in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: To review all blinded RCTs on CR in MS published since 2013. Methods: The National Library of Medicine database (Medline) and PSYCINFO were searched using the keywords MS and CR or cognitive training or NP rehabilitation or memory rehabilitation or attention rehabilitation. Results: After the exclusion of some papers not specifically focused on CR, a final list of 26 studies was established. The papers belong to three main categories: individual specific rehabilitation (8studies), group rehabilitation (4 studies), and computerized training (CT) (14 studies), while one study combined group rehabilitation and CT. Among the individual rehabilitation studies, 5 were devoted to memory, and most of the 19 other selected studies were about several cognitive domains. Most of the studies mainly concerned RRMS patients, except for 2 studies that were carried out exclusively in progressive forms. Despite the methodological limitations of some studies and the great heterogeneity of the protocols, the results are generally in favor of the efficacy of CR in neuropsychological tests. Conclusion: Recent blinded RCTs about CR in MS show promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of schizophrenia-affected individuals display deficiencies in multiple cognitive domains such as attention, working memory, long-term memory, and learning, deficiencies that are stable throughout the disease. The purpose of this narrative review was to examine the effect of antipsychotics on several cognitive domains affected by schizophrenia. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Elsevier, Scopus, and DOAJ databases for randomized controlled trials and other studies investigating the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics on cognition in patients with schizophrenia in studies conducted in the last decade. Results: The majority of studies included in this review showed that antipsychotics (especially SGAs) have positive effects on both cognition and general psychopathology of schizophrenia. We mention that treatment with antipsychotic substances represents an ongoing effort of the researchers, who are constantly searching for the best approach to meet the mental health needs of schizophrenia patients. Conclusions: Even with those positive results, it should be noted that more studies are needed in order to fully observe the various effects of certain antipsychotic substances on cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been demonstrated to produce cognitive enhancing effects across different neuropsychiatric disorders; however, so far, these effects have been limited. This trial investigated the efficacy of using a novel individualised approach to target the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) for enhancing cognitive flexibility based on performance on a cognitive task. First, forty healthy participants had their single target site at the L-DLPFC determined based on each individual's performance on a random letter generation task. Participants then received, in a cross-over single-blinded experimental design, a single session of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) to their individualised DLPFC target site, an active control site and sham iTBS. Following each treatment condition, participants completed the Task Switching task and Colour–Word Stroop test. There was no significant main effect of treatment condition on the primary outcome measure of switch reaction times from the Task Switching task [F = 1.16 (2, 21.6), p = 0.33] or for any of the secondary cognitive outcome measures. The current results do not support the use of our novel individualised targeting methodology for enhancing cognitive flexibility in healthy participants. Research into alternative methodological targeting approaches is required to further improve rTMS's cognitive enhancing effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While cognitive abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) have been studied in detail, little is known about linguistic abilities in PwMS and their relation to cognitive impairment. In this cross-sectional explorative study, we aim to investigate the morphosyntactic abilities of PwMS alongside their cognitive performance. Furthermore, we explore the effect of clinical factors, namely, the disease duration and MS type, on the linguistic and cognitive performance of PwMS. By so doing, we aim to shed light on neurocognitive and clinical correlates of linguistic performance in PwMS. We included 78 patients and 78 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy individuals. All participants were additionally administered the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) battery, a verbal short-term memory task (non-word repetition) and questionnaires about mood, fatigue and quality of life. In addition, they underwent examinations with morphology and syntax tasks. PwMS were found to be impaired in morphology (past tense) and selectively impaired in syntax alongside cognitive impairments. Disease duration had the main impact on cognitive abilities. The MS type selectively impacted linguistic abilities, as shown by the remarkably deficient performance of the MS individuals with the progressive disease subtype. Linguistic impairments were predicted by only one measure of the BICAM test, namely, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), a measure of cognitive processing speed. Overall, this study contributes to the better understanding of the linguistic profile of PwMS by reporting selective deficits in their morphological and syntactical abilities. Furthermore, it provides insights into the clinical and cognitive correlates of linguistic performance. By so doing, it suggests clinical implications for the development of intervention programs for PwMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural plasticity changes and functional differences in executive control tasks have been reported in bilinguals compared to monolinguals, supporting a proposed bilingual 'advantage' in executive control functions (e.g., task switching) due to continual usage of control mechanisms that inhibit one of the coexisting languages. However, it remains unknown whether these differences are also apparent in the spatial domain. The present fMRI study explores the use of spatial cues in 15 bilinguals and 14 monolinguals while navigating in an open-field virtual environment. In each trial, participants had to navigate towards a target object that was visible during encoding but hidden in retrieval. An extensive network was activated in bilinguals compared to monolinguals in the encoding and retrieval phase. During encoding, bilinguals activated the right temporal and left parietal regions (object trials) and left inferior frontal, precentral, and lingual regions more than monolinguals. During retrieval, the same contrasts activated the left caudate nucleus and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the left parahippocampal gyrus, as well as caudate regions. These results suggest that bilinguals may recruit neural networks known to subserve not only executive control processes but also spatial strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutting-edge brain imaging techniques, particularly positron emission tomography with Fluorodeoxyglucose (PET/FDG), are being used in conjunction with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to shed light on the neurological symptoms associated with Long COVID. AI, particularly deep learning algorithms such as convolutional neural networks (CNN) and generative adversarial networks (GAN), plays a transformative role in analyzing PET scans, identifying subtle metabolic changes, and offering a more comprehensive understanding of Long COVID's impact on the brain. It aids in early detection of abnormal brain metabolism patterns, enabling personalized treatment plans. Moreover, AI assists in predicting the progression of neurological symptoms, refining patient care, and accelerating Long COVID research. It can uncover new insights, identify biomarkers, and streamline drug discovery. Additionally, the application of AI extends to non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which have shown promise in alleviating Long COVID symptoms. AI can optimize treatment protocols by analyzing neuroimaging data, predicting individual responses, and automating adjustments in real time. While the potential benefits are vast, ethical considerations and data privacy must be rigorously addressed. The synergy of AI and PET scans in Long COVID research offers hope in understanding and mitigating the complexities of this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this narrative review, we delve into the evolving concept of brain health, as recognized by the WHO, focusing on its intersection with cognitive decline. We emphasize the imperative need for preventive strategies, particularly in older adults. We describe the target population that might benefit the most from risk-based approaches—namely, people with subjective cognitive decline. Additionally, we consider universal prevention in cognitively unimpaired middle-aged and older adults. Delving into multidomain personalized preventive strategies, we report on empirical evidence surrounding modifiable risk factors and interventions crucial in mitigating cognitive decline. Next, we highlight the emergence of brain health services (BHS). We explain their proposed role in risk assessment, risk communication, and tailored interventions to reduce the risk of dementia. Commenting on ongoing BHS pilot experiences, we present the inception and framework of our own BHS in Monza, Italy, outlining its operational structure and care pathways. We emphasize the need for global collaboration and intensified research efforts to address the intricate determinants of brain health and their potential impact on healthcare systems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive emotion (DE) refers to clinically relevant depressive symptoms without meeting the diagnostic criteria for depression. Studies have demonstrated that DE can cause spatial cognition impairment. However, the brain network mechanisms underlying DE interference spatial cognition remain unclear. This study aimed to reveal the differences in brain network connections between DE and healthy control (HC) groups during resting state and a spatial cognition task. The longer operation time of the DE group during spatial cognition task indicated DE interference spatial cognition. In the resting state stage, the DE group had weaker network connections in theta and alpha bands than the HC group had. Specifically, the electrodes in parietal regions were hubs of the differential networks, which are related to spatial attention. Moreover, in docking task stages, the left frontoparietal network connections in delta, beta, and gamma bands were stronger in the DE group than those of the HC group. The enhanced left frontoparietal connections in the DE group may be related to brain resource reorganization to compensate for spatial cognition decline and ensure the completion of spatial cognition tasks. Thus, these findings might provide new insights into the neural mechanisms of depressive emotion interference spatial cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term benefits of cochlear implantation (CI) on cognitive performance, speech perception, and psychological status in post-lingually deafened patients older than 65 (n = 33). Patients were consecutively enrolled in this prospective study and assessed before, one year after, and two years after CI for speech perception, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and working memory and processing speed. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) was used for the latter. Thirty-three patients (fourteen men and nineteen women) were included. The scores indicating "hearing in quiet" and "hearing with background noise" improved significantly one year after CI and remained so two years after CI. The sound localization scores improved two years after CI. The depressive symptoms and perceived stress scores were low at the study's onset and remained unchanged. Working memory improved significantly two years after CI, while processing speed improved significantly one year after CI and was maintained after that. The improvement in working memory and processing speed two years after CI suggests there is a sustained positive effect of auditory rehabilitation with CI on cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has gained popularity as a method of modulating cortical excitability in people with physical and mental disabilities. However, there is a lack of consensus on its effectiveness in older individuals. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a 2-month tDCS program for improving physical and mental performance in community-dwelling older individuals. In this single-blinded, controlled clinical trial, forty-two participants were allocated to one of three groups: (1) the tDCS group, which received, twice a week, 20 min sessions of 2 mA electric current through electrodes placed on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; (2) the tDCS-placebo group, which underwent the same electrode placement as the tDCS group but without actual electric stimulation; and (3) the cognitive-control group, which completed crossword puzzles. Main outcome measures were cognition, mobility, and anxiety. Multivariate analyses of variance were employed. Significance was set at 5% (p < 0.05). Regarding the results, no significant benefits were observed in the tDCS group compared with the tDCS-placebo or cognitive-control groups for cognition (p = 0.557), mobility (p = 0.871), or anxiety (p = 0.356). Cognition exhibited positive oscillations during the assessments (main effect of time: p = 0.001). However, given that all groups showed similar variations in cognitive scores (main effect of group: p = 0.101; group × time effect: p = 0.557), it is more likely that the improvement reflects the learning response of the participants to the cognitive tests rather than the effect of tDCS. In conclusion, a 2-month tDCS program with two sessions per week appears to be ineffective in improving physical and mental performance in community-dwelling older individuals. Further studies are necessary to establish whether or not tDCS is effective in healthy older individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive Remediation Training (CRT) in schizophrenia has made great strides since its introduction in the 1990s. CRT was developed with the aim of improving the everyday functioning of individuals living with cognitive impairment. MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar were searched to extract peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials to produce the current review article. The aim of the present review is to summarize CRT effects on addressing cognitive changes in patients undergoing CRT as defined by the Cognitive Remediation Experts Workshop and to describe the areas of greatest impact in specific cognitive domains. Another area of this review aims to summarize the modalities of intervention (paper and pencil; computerized; home bound), the persistence of improvements, and their generalization to other domains of functioning. Finally, this review delineates barriers for wider dissemination of CRT, such as the transfer of research findings into clinical everyday practice and future developments of CRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous systematic reviews report that arterial hypertension (AHT) is associated with lower performance in cognition in the elderly. However, some studies show that with higher blood pressure, a better cognitive performance is obtained. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between AHT with cognitive performance in the elderly. Methods: the review involved a search on PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO databases from January 1990 to March, 2020 to identify the relationship among AHT and cognitive performance in older people. Results: 1170 articles were identified, 136 complete papers were reviewed, a qualitative analysis of 26 studies and a quantitative analysis of eight studies were carried out. It was found that people with AHT have a lower performance in processing speed SMD = 0.40 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.54), working memory SMD = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.41) in short-term memory and learning SMD = −0.27 (95% CI: −0.37, −0.17) and delayed recall SMD = −0.20 (95% CI: −0.35, −0.05). Only one study found that higher blood pressure was associated with better memory performance. Conclusion: Our results suggest that high blood pressure primarily affects processing speed, working memory, short-term memory and learning and delayed recall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has received much attention as a non-invasive, effective treatment modality for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Although several meta-analyses have reported that rTMS can improve cognitive abilities, improvements in individual memory domains (speech, language, concentration, and memory) are poorly understood. In addition, stimulation parameters may be flawed in studies of global populations because of ethnic differences between Caucasians and Asians. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically characterize the efficacy of different combinations of rTMS parameters on different cognitive domains in Caucasian patients with MCI. We conducted a systematic literature search in Medline PubMed, Pubpsych, and Embase on the use of rTMS in MCI patients through November 2022. Randomized, double-blind, and sham-controlled trials (RCTs) from the Caucasian patient population were included. The studies reported outcome measures for different domains of cognition, such as language, concentration, or memory. Possible effects of covariates were examined using meta-regressions. The search yielded five publications. The analyses found that rTMS improved cognitive functions, memory, concentration, and language in patients with MCI and treatment with rTMS compared with the sham stimulation group. The statistical analysis results of the studies showed that rTMS could improve various cognitive functions, such as memory and concentration, in Caucasian MCI patients. A particular effect was found at a frequency of 10 Hz and stimulation of the LDLPFC. However, further studies are needed to validate these findings and explore more effective stimulation protocols and targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elderly population is growing at increased rates and is expected to double in size by 2050 in the United States and worldwide. The consumption of healthy foods and enriched diets have been associated with improved cognition and brain health. The key nutrients common to many healthy foods and diets are the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 FAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We explored whether omega-3 FA levels are associated with brain volume and cognition. Forty healthy, cognitively normal, Seventh-day Adventist older adults (mean age 76.3 years at MRI scan, 22 females) completed neurocognitive testing, a blood draw, and structural neuroimaging from 2016 to 2018. EPA and an overall omega-3 index were associated with individual measures of delayed recall (RAVLT-DR) and processing speed (Stroop Color) as well as entorhinal cortex thickness. EPA, DHA, and the omega-3 index were significantly correlated with the total white matter volume. The entorhinal cortex, frontal pole, and total white matter were associated with higher scores on delayed memory recall. This exploratory study found that among healthy, cognitively older adults, increased levels of omega-3 FAs are associated with better memory, processing speed, and structural brain measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that people with limited motor capabilities may rely on previous motor experience when making action possibility judgments for others. In the present study, we examined if having limited previous motor experience, as a consequence of spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), alters action possibility judgments. Participants with SMA and neurologically healthy (NH) sex- and age-matched controls performed a perceptual-motor judgment task using the Fitts's law paradigm. Participants observed apparent motion videos of reciprocal aiming movements with varying levels of difficulty. For each movement, participants predicted the shortest movement time (MT) at which a neurologically healthy young adult could accurately perform the task. Participants with SMA predicted significantly longer MTs compared to controls; however, the predicted MTs of both SMA and NH participants exhibited a Fitts's law relationship (i.e., the predicted MTs significantly increased as movement difficulty increased). Overall, these results provide evidence that participants with SMA who have limited, or no motor experience may make more conservative action possibility judgments for others. Critically, our finding that the pattern of action possibility judgments was not different between SMA and NH groups suggests that limited previous motor experience may not completely impair action possibility judgments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body awareness, which comprises the sense of body possession and action ownership, is essential for the adaptive movement of humans in response to external environments. However, existing body cognition assessments include many overt elements of cognitive functional activity, but no assessment captures the latent body cognition necessary for exercise and daily life activities. Therefore, this study aimed to devise a body cognition assessment system (BCAS) to examine the functional basis of body cognition in healthy participants and investigate its usefulness. The BCAS was used to assess body cognition on three occasions, and BCAS values were calculated from the results of the assessment. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine reproducibility. Neural activity in the brain during somatocognition assessment while conducting the BCAS was measured by electroencephalogram. Moreover, the functional basis for somatocognition with the BCAS was also investigated. The results demonstrated that the BCAS values varied across the three administrations (ICC (1.3) = 0.372), and changes in the state of neural activity in the brain were observed. The results suggest that assessment using the BCAS may be a new indicator of ever-changing body cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive decline (CD) is devastating with a high incidence in patients after stroke. Although some studies have explored underlying associations between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and cognitive decline after stroke, consistent results have not been obtained. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to explore whether or not higher levels of C-reactive proteins were associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline after stroke. To this end, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies, and pooled effect sizes from eligible studies were calculated using random effect models. Furthermore, subgroups were established and meta-regression analyses were performed to explain the causes of heterogeneity. Eventually, nine studies with 3893 participants were included. Our statistical results suggested that the concentrations of peripheral CRP may be significantly increased for CD patients after stroke, compared to those of non-CD patients. Subgroup analyses showed that CRP was higher in CD than that in non-CD patients when the mini-mental state examination was used. A higher level of CRP in the acute phase of ischemic stroke may suggest an increased risk of CD after stroke. However, these results should be cautiously interpreted because of the limited sample sizes and the diversity of potential confounders in the studies included in this meta-analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The majority of previous studies showed that older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as well as Alzheimer's disease dementia (ADD) had impaired cognition and mood status, as well as increased behavioral disturbances after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are still controversial data as regards the multifactorial impact of the restrictive measures on cognition, mood and daily function in older adults with MCI and ADD. Aim: In the current study, the scope is to identify possible deterioration by means of cognitive and functional level due to mood and behavioral alterations during the second quarantine imposed in Greece between November 2020 and May 2021, as well as one year after the second quarantine, in May 2022. Methods: Participants were recruited from the two day centers of the Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD). They underwent three yearly follow up assessments from May 2020 to May 2022 and participated in cognitive training interventions (through digital online means) during the aforementioned period. Mixed measures analyses of variance as well as path models were used for the study's purposes. Results: The study sample comprised 210 participants (175 people with MCI and 35 people with ADD). The mean age was 71.59 and 77.94 for people with MCI and mild ADD, respectively, whereas the average number of years of education was 12.65 for those with MCI and 9.83 for people with mild ADD. The results show that participants' deterioration rate (D), calculated by means of their performance in neuropsychological and functional assessments between 2020 and 2021 (D1) and 2021 and 2022 (D2), did not change significantly, except for the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), since both groups displayed a larger D2 across the test conditions (immediate recall, fifth trial and delayed recall). Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B) performance, applied only in the MCI group, decreased more in relation to the deterioration rate D2. Additionally, two path models were applied to measure the direct relationships between diagnosis, performance in tests measuring mood and neuropsychiatric disturbances (NPI) and cognition, as measured by the RAVLT, in the 2020–2022 assessments. TMT-B was administered only in the MCI population, and therefore was not included in path models. The results show that participants' scores in RAVLT conditions were related to diagnosis and NPI performance, which was positively affected by diagnosis. No other relationships between RAVLT with mood tests were observed. Conclusions: Our results show that after the second lockdown period, the neuropsychological performance of people with MCI and ADD, calculated by means of their D2, did not change, except from their verbal memory, as well as visual scanning and information processing, measured using the TMT-B. Therefore, it can be assumed that those who were enrolled in digital non-pharmacological interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic home restrictions did not experience increased cognitive and functional deterioration due to mood and behavioral alterations after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rumination and its related mental phenomena share associated impairments in cognition, such as executive functions and attentional processes across different clinical conditions (e.g., in psychotic disorders). In recent decades, however, the notion of rumination has been increasingly narrowed to the "self-focused" type in depressive disorders. A closer review of the literature shows that rumination may be construed as a broader process characterized by repetitive thoughts about certain mental contents that interfere with one's daily activities, not only limited to those related to "self". A further examination of the construct of rumination beyond the narrowly focused depressive rumination would help expand intervention opportunities for mental disorders in today's context. We first review the development of the clinical construct of rumination with regard to its historical roots and its roles in psychopathology. This builds the foundation for the introduction of the "Flow Model of Rumination (FMR)", which conceptualizes rumination as a disruption of a smooth flow of mental contents in conscious experience that depends on the coordinated interactions between intention, memory, affect, and external events. The conceptual review concludes with a discussion of the impact of rapid technological advances (such as smartphones) on rumination. Particularly in contemporary societies today, a broader consideration of rumination not only from a cognition viewpoint, but also incorporating a human–device interaction perspective, is necessitated. The implications of the FMR in contemporary mental health practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can digital technologies provide a passive unobtrusive means to observe and study cognition outside of the laboratory? Previously, cognitive assessments and monitoring were conducted in a laboratory or clinical setting, allowing for a cross-sectional glimpse of cognitive states. In the last decade, researchers have been utilizing technological advances and devices to explore ways of assessing cognition in the real world. We propose that the virtual keyboard of smartphones, an increasingly ubiquitous digital device, can provide the ideal conduit for passive data collection to study cognition. Passive data collection occurs without the active engagement of a participant and allows for near-continuous, objective data collection. Most importantly, this data collection can occur in the real world, capturing authentic datapoints. This method of data collection and its analyses provide a more comprehensive and potentially more suitable insight into cognitive states, as intra-individual cognitive fluctuations over time have shown to be an early manifestation of cognitive decline. We review different ways passive data, centered around keystroke dynamics, collected from smartphones, have been used to assess and evaluate cognition. We also discuss gaps in the literature where future directions of utilizing passive data can continue to provide inferences into cognition and elaborate on the importance of digital data privacy and consent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that cognition (information processing) and internal phenomenological sensations, including emotions, are intimately related and are not separable. We aver that phenomenological sensations are dynamical "modes" of firing behaviour that (i) exist over time and over large parts of the cortex's neuron-to-neuron network and (ii) are consequences of the network-of-networks architecture, coupling the individual neuronal dynamics and the necessary time delay incurred by neuron-to-neuron transmission: if you possess those system properties, then you will have the dynamical modes and, thus, the phenomenological sensations. These modes are consequences of incoming external stimuli and are competitive within the system, suppressing and locking-out one another. On the other hand, the presence of any such mode acts as a preconditioner for the immediate (dynamic) cognitive processing of information. Thus, internal phenomenological sensations, including emotions, reduce the immediate decision set (of feasible interpretations) and hence the cognitive load. For organisms with such a mental inner life, there would clearly be a large cognitive evolutionary advantage, resulting in the well-known "thinking fast, thinking slow" phenomena. We call this the entwinement hypothesis: how latent conscious phenomena arise from the dynamics of the cognitive processing load, and how these precondition the cognitive tasks immediately following. We discuss how internal dynamical modes, which are candidates for emotions down to single qualia, can be observed by reverse engineering large sets of simulations of system's stimulated responses, either using vast supercomputers (with full 10B neuronal network analyses) or else using laptops to do the same for appropriately generalised Kuramoto models (networks of k-dimensional clocks, each representing the 10,000 neurons within a single neural column). We explain why such simplifications are appropriate. We also discuss the consequent cognitive advantages for information-processing systems exhibiting internal sensations and the exciting implications for next-generation (non-binary) computation and for AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing an unrelenting rise in dementia cases worldwide, researchers are exploring non-pharmacological ways to ameliorate cognitive decline in later life. Twenty older adults completed assessments before and after a single bout of interactive physical and cognitive exercise, by playing a neuro-exergame that required pedaling and steering to control progress in a tablet-based video game tailored to impact executive function (the interactive Physical and Cognitive Exercise System; iPACES v2). This study explored the cognitive and biomarker outcomes for participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normative older adults after 20 min of pedal-to-play exercise. Neuropsychological and salivary assessments were performed pre- and post-exercise to assess the impact. Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant interaction effects, with MCI participants experiencing greater changes in executive function and alpha-amylase levels than normative older adults; within-group changes were also significant. This study provides further data regarding cognitive effects and potential mechanisms of action for exercise as an intervention for MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurocognitive impairment is a prominent characteristic of bipolar disorder (BD), linked with poor psychosocial functioning. This study's purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of functional remediation (FR) in enhancing neurocognitive dysfunctions in a sample of remitted patients with diagnosis of BD in comparison to treatment as usual—TAU. To quantify the neurocognitive damage, the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Affective Disorders (BAC-A) will be used, and the overall psychosocial functioning will be measured with the Functioning Assessment Short Test—FAST. Methods: The randomized, rater-blinded, controlled study will include two arms (1:1) encompassing 54 outpatients with diagnosis of BD-I and BD-II, as defined by the DSM-5 criteria. In the experimental phase, remitted patients aged 18–55 years will be involved. At the baseline, at the end of intervention and at the 6-month follow-up, patients will be evaluated using clinical scales (Young Mania Rating Scale (Y-MRS) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)). Neurocognitive measurements and psychosocial functioning will be valued, respectively, with BAC-A and FAST. Discussion: The primary expected outcome is that following FR intervention, patients will exhibit improved cognitive abilities and psychosocial outcomes compared to the participants in the TAU group. It is now recognized that neurocognitive deficits are potential predictors of functional outcome in patients with BD. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the implementation of interventions that, in addition to symptomatic remission, are also aimed at neurocognitive dysfunctions in order to achieve a recovery of psychosocial functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The performance of physical activity at a sufficient volume can result in improvements in fitness. Aerobic fitness is a particular aspect of fitness that has consistently been shown to be related to both cognitive performance and academic achievement. Cognitive performance, particularly executive function, is itself predictive of academic achievement. It has been hypothesized that the benefits of aerobic fitness for academic achievement are due to improvements in executive function. This study explores the mediating role of cognitive performance on the relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement in high-school-aged adolescents. (2) Methods: High school students (N = 283, 127 male, 156 females, mean age = 16.05 years, SD = 0.41) performed a shuttle run test to assess aerobic fitness and completed the Stroop Color, Stroop Word, and Stroop Color–Word tests to measure information processing and inhibition. They also completed the National Union Academic Achievement Assessment (NUAAA) as part of their high school requirements. (3) Results: Mediation analyses showed that inhibition (performance in the Stroop Color–Word test) fully mediated the relationship between aerobic fitness and both mathematics and Korean performance. (4) Conclusions: This cross-sectional investigation suggests an important mediating role of cognitive performance related to executive function in understanding the relationship between aerobic fitness and the academic achievement of high-school-aged adolescents. This suggests that enhancements in performance related to executive function, which are attributed to increases in aerobic fitness, could explain the observed benefits for academic attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subitizing is the ability to enumerate small quantities efficiently and automatically. Counting is a strategy adopted for larger numerosities resulting in a near linear increase in response time with each increase in quantity. Some developmental studies suggest that being able to subitize efficiently may be a predictor of later arithmetical ability. Being able to enumerate small quantities efficiently may be necessary for at least some aspects of arithmetical skill and understanding to develop. According to this view, arithmetic ability ultimately depends upon subitizing. If this were the case, when acquired brain injury results in impaired performance on subitizing tasks, mathematical performance may also be impaired. The following study tested eleven healthy control participants and nine chronic patients with acquired brain injury on tasks focused on visual enumeration, addition and multiplication to explore a potential relationship between subitizing ability and calculation performance. No overall correlations were found between subitizing and addition or multiplication speed. However, a very clear subitizing impairment was found in two patients who then demonstrated very different levels of preserved addition skills. The dissociations found and the large inter-individual variability supports a more componential view of arithmetical ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This pilot study aimed to assess patients' cognitive functioning with the Polish version of the THINC-it tool and to analyze its association with self-reported quality of life (QOL). Methods: Twenty-one patients (mean age: 37.8 ± 10.4) were assessed at baseline and after six weeks of a standard therapeutic outpatient program. Participants completed the World Health Organization QOL Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and the THINC-it tool at both visits. The tool consists of tasks evaluating working memory (SYMBOL CHECK), attention (SPOTTER), executive functions (TRIALS), and cognitive skills (CODEBREAKER). Results: During the second visit, patients showed significant improvements in mean latency of correct responses of SPOTTER: p = 0.021, Cohen's d = 0.38 and in the Physical health domain: p = 0.007, Cohen's d = 0.37. The number of correct responses for CODEBREAKER was positively associated with the Physical health domain at visit 1 (r = 0.53, p = 0.014) and visit 2 (r = 0.42, p = 0.058). The number of correct responses at SYMBOL CHECK was positively related to QOL in the Environment domain only at visit 2 (r = 0.45, p = 0.042). Conclusions: These results suggest the THINC-it tool has utility as a cognitive measure in adults with schizophrenia in both clinical and research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to compare the cognitive function and social functioning in male patients with deficit syndrome (DS) and non-DS, and to explore whether cognitive function serves as a mediator in the relationship between the two factors of negative symptoms (motivation and pleasure (MAP) and expressivity (EXP) deficits, and social functioning in schizophrenia patients. Methods: One hundred and fifty-six male patients with schizophrenia and 109 age- and education-matched normal controls were enrolled in the current study. The Chinese version of a Schedule for Deficit Syndrome (SDS) was used for DS and non-DS categorization. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Brief Negative Symptoms Scale (BNSS) were used to assess psychotic and negative symptoms in patients. The Social-Adaptive Functioning Evaluation (SAFE) was adopted to evaluate patients' social functioning, and a battery of classical neurocognitive tests was used to assess cognition, including sustained vigilance/attention, cognitive flexibility, ideation fluency, and visuospatial memory. Results: We found that male patients with DS performed worse in all four cognitive domains and social functioning compared to non-DS patients. Both total negative symptoms and its two factors were significantly associated with all four domains of cognition and social functioning in male patients. Interestingly, our results indicate that only cognitive flexibility mediates the relationship between negative symptoms and social functioning in schizophrenia patients, but there were no differences between EXP and MAP negative factors in this model. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that DS patients may represent a unique clinical subgroup of schizophrenia, and the integrated interventions targeting both negative symptoms and cognition, especially cognitive flexibility, may optimally improve functional outcomes in schizophrenia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the associations between intelligence quotient test scores obtained using the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) and psychomotor testing using the Complex Reactionmeter Drenovac (CRD) test battery, while taking into account previous theoretical approaches recognizing intelligent behavior as the cumulative result of a general biological speed factor reflected in the reaction time for perceptual detections and motor decisions. A total of 224 medical students at the University of Split School of Medicine were recruited. Their IQ scores were assessed using Raven's APM, while the computerized tests of CRD-series were used for testing the reaction time of perception to visual stimulus (CRD311), psychomotor limbs coordination task (CRD411), and solving simple arithmetic operations (CRD11). The total test-solving (TTST) and the minimum single-task-solving (MinT) times were analyzed. On the CRD11 test, task-solving times were shorter in students with higher APM scores (r = −0.48 for TTST and r = −0.44 for MinT; p < 0.001 for both). Negative associations between task-solving times and APM scores were reported on CRD311 (r = −0.30 for TTST and r = −0.33 for MinT, p < 0.001 for both). Negative associations between task-solving times in CRD411 and APM scores (r = −0.40 for TTST and r = −0.30 for MinT, p < 0.001 for both) were found. Faster reaction time in psychomotor limbs coordination tasks, the reaction time of perception to visual stimulus, and the reaction time of solving simple arithmetic operations were associated with a higher APM score in medical students, indicating the importance of mental speed in intelligence test performance. However, executive system functions, such as attention, planning, and goal weighting, might also impact cognitive abilities and should be considered in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Homer-3 antibodies are associated with cerebellar disease ranging from subacute degeneration to cerebellitis. However, cognitive impairment associated with Homer-3 autoantibodies has not been reported until now. (2) Methods: in retrospect, we systematically studied clinical, cranial magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and lumbar puncture data, including neural autoantibodies of a clinical case. (3) Results: we describe the case of a 56-year-old woman presenting with amnestic mild cognitive impairment in association with serum and CSF detection of Homer-3 autoantibodies and a depressive syndrome. cMRI revealed cerebellar atrophy. CSF analysis showed elevated ptau181 protein. Applying the criteria for an autoimmune psychiatric syndrome revealed a plausible autoimmune basis for the mild cognitive impairment. (4) Discussions: our case report demonstrates an amnestic mild cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms associated with Homer-3 autoantibodies as a novel feature of Homer-3 antibody-related disease. We also propose that cognitive dysfunction might result from impaired AMPAR signaling in the hippocampus induced by Homer-3 antibodies, which will have to be verified in further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) significantly impacts cognitive functioning. The prolonged use (more than 3 months) of ventilotherapy with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) seems to have positive effects in restoring cognitive difficulties. However, there is poor evidence about its possible short-term effect. We investigated whether the short use (less than 15 days at testing) of CPAP improved the cognitive functioning in fifty individuals with OSAS by collecting retrospective neuropsychological measures about verbal memory and learning, information processing speed, attention (i.e., alerting, orienting, and executive system), and executive functions (i.e., strategic reasoning, problem-solving, and mental planning). The predictive role of days of CPAP use on the neuropsychological scores was assessed by hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses, over and above the possible role of demographics, body mass index, level of OSAS severity, and the level of anxiety and depression. The average number of days since CPAP adaptation was 4.70 (SD = 3.90; range = 0–15). As the days of CPAP adaptation increased, verbal learning and long-term memory significantly improved, contrary to the other assessed domains. Our results show a significant improvement in some cognitive functions even after a short treatment with CPAP, pointing to the importance of the early use of ventilotherapy to rapidly improve cognitive functioning. Identifying which cognitive functions can or cannot be restored with CPAP use may enable the design of complementary neuropsychological interventions focused on those residual difficulties, possibly enhancing patients' compliance to the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Although cognitive impairments in coma survivors are common, methods of measuring long-term cognitive outcomes in this population are inconsistent, precluding the development of a strong evidence-base to support clinical decision making. In this literature review, we identify and characterize the measures used to track cognitive recovery in coma survivors to data. (2) Methods: We extracted the instrument used for cognitive assessment, the cognitive domains assessed, methods administration and scoring, and timing of assessment from 134 of 996 screened records. (3) Results: A total of 133 unique cognitive tests and cognitive testing batteries were identified, with 97 cognitive instruments used in less than three articles. The instruments assessed 20 different cognitive domains, with 73 articles also using tests that assess general "cognitive ability". Cognitive instruments ranged from subjective assessments to comprehensive cognitive batteries. There were inconsistent points of reference for the timing of assessment across studies, with few studies repeating assessments at more than one time point, and arbitrary time intervals between tests. (4) Conclusions: Overall, this review illustrates the enormous disparity between studies that track cognitive outcome in coma survivors, and the need for a systematic, patient-accessible method of assessing cognitive functioning in future studies with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the relationship between language and complex thought? In the context of deductive reasoning there are two main views. Under the first, which we label here the language-centric view, language is central to the syntax-like combinatorial operations of complex reasoning. Under the second, which we label here the language-independent view, these operations are dissociable from the mechanisms of natural language. We applied continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), a form of noninvasive neuromodulation, to healthy adult participants to transiently inhibit a subregion of Broca's area (left BA44) associated in prior work with parsing the syntactic relations of natural language. We similarly inhibited a subregion of dorsomedial frontal cortex (left medial BA8) which has been associated with core features of logical reasoning. There was a significant interaction between task and stimulation site. Post hoc tests revealed that performance on a linguistic reasoning task, but not deductive reasoning task, was significantly impaired after inhibition of left BA44, and performance on a deductive reasoning task, but not linguistic reasoning task, was decreased after inhibition of left medial BA8 (however not significantly). Subsequent linear contrasts supported this pattern. These novel results suggest that deductive reasoning may be dissociable from linguistic processes in the adult human brain, consistent with the language-independent view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]