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This study aims to investigate the effects of the Jetpul mind game, that developed by researchers, on attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms in primary and secondary school students. Utilizing a causal-comparative research method, the study assesses the potential impacts of this game on children exhibiting ADHD symptoms and its feasibility as a complementary method in education. Methodologically, a pre-test- post-test matched control group experimental design was employed, involving a total of 100 students from primary and secondary education levels as the sample group. D2 Attention Test was used as a data collection tool in the study. The findings indicate that the Jetpul intelligence game positively influences students' attention levels, psychomotor speed, selective attention, and concentration abilities. Furthermore, this research highlights the potential of the Jetpul intelligence game as a supportive tool in the treatment of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the role of intelligence and brain games in education and their positive effects on students with specific needs like ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The impact of cognitive functions on treatment outcomes in forensic psychiatric patients with substance use disorders is not well understood. This study investigates whether neuropsychological deficits, such as in attention, executive functions, and social-emotional cognition, are associated with impulsivity and criminal history. Methods: 109 male patients with substance use disorders at the Clinic for Forensic Psychiatry in Rostock were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 30 consenting to participate. The tests included the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to assess cognitive functions in the areas of attention, psychomotor speed, social and emotional perception, and executive functions, with a particular focus on decision making, planning and problem solving. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) was used to measure impulsiveness. Results: Participants displayed significantly higher impulsivity levels on the BIS-11 compared to the general population and showed marked deficits in attention, psychomotor speed, and executive functions. There was a minimal correlation between impulsivity and cognitive performance, suggesting that impulsivity does not directly predict cognitive impairments. Notably, extensive criminal histories correlated with poorer cognitive performance, particularly in tasks requiring planning and problem-solving. Discussion: We found mixed support for the hypothesized associations between neuropsychological functions and criminal histories among patients with substance use disorders. While tasks related to planning and sustained attention showed clearer links, broader cognitive functions displayed inconsistent correlations. These findings emphasize the complexity of the relationship between cognitive deficits, impulsivity, and criminal history, highlighting the necessity for tailored assessments and rehabilitation strategies to enhance outcomes. Future research should focus on larger, longitudinal studies to validate these findings and refine therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to analyse reaction time, psychomotor speed and concentration parameters in individuals who had previously been infected with COVID-19 and to compare these parameters with those of the control group. The study recruited 56 individuals previously diagnosed with COVID-19 with PCR and 56 healthy individuals. COVID-19-related information and sociodemographic characteristics of the participants were recorded. Light Trainer Exercises System (Model LTV2, Türkiye, 2017) was used for the evaluation of reaction time, while the d2 attention test was used for the evaluation of concentration performance. Psychomotor speed percentage (p<0.05) and achievement score percentage (p<0.05) of individuals who had COVID-19 were found to be statistically significantly lower than those of the control group. In terms of reaction time performance, when compared with the control group, upper extremity reaction time (p<0.001) and lower extremity reaction time (p<0.001) values were found to be statistically significantly longer in the COVID-19 group. The results showed that when compared with the control group with the same age group, the participants between the ages of 18 and 26 who had previously been infected with COVID-19 were negatively affected in terms of reaction time and psychomotor speed parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the neurocognitive function of active professional male footballers, determine whether deficits/impairments exist, and investigate the association between previous concussion(s) and neurocognitive function. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study conducted via electronic questionnaires. The CNS Vital Signs online testing system was used to evaluate neurocognitive function. Results: Of the 101 participants, 91 completed the neurocognitive function testing. Neurocognitive function domain deficits or impairments were unlikely in 54.5–89.1%, slight in 5.9–21.8%, moderate in 1.0–9.9%, and likely in 4.0–14.9% of participants. A history of zero concussions found a significant association between the neurocognitive index (Odds Ratio [OR] 0.6; 95% CI 0.2–0.4) and complex attention domain (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1–0.9), with 40% and 70% less odds, respectively, of deficit/impairment. Among the 54.5% who reported any number of concussions, there were increased odds of neurocognitive domain deficits/impairments for complex attention (CA) [3.4 times more] and simple attention (SA) [3.1 times more]. Conclusion: In the active professional male footballer, most neurocognitive functions do not have significant deficits/impairments. The odds of neurocognitive function deficit/impairment were significantly increased threefold for CA and SA in those who reported a history of any concussion(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe impact of cognitive functions on treatment outcomes in forensic psychiatric patients with substance use disorders is not well understood. This study investigates whether neuropsychological deficits, such as in attention, executive functions, and social-emotional cognition, are associated with impulsivity and criminal history.Methods109 male patients with substance use disorders at the Clinic for Forensic Psychiatry in Rostock were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 30 consenting to participate. The tests included the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to assess cognitive functions in the areas of attention, psychomotor speed, social and emotional perception, and executive functions, with a particular focus on decision making, planning and problem solving. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) was used to measure impulsiveness.ResultsParticipants displayed significantly higher impulsivity levels on the BIS-11 compared to the general population and showed marked deficits in attention, psychomotor speed, and executive functions. There was a minimal correlation between impulsivity and cognitive performance, suggesting that impulsivity does not directly predict cognitive impairments. Notably, extensive criminal histories correlated with poorer cognitive performance, particularly in tasks requiring planning and problem-solving.DiscussionWe found mixed support for the hypothesized associations between neuropsychological functions and criminal histories among patients with substance use disorders. While tasks related to planning and sustained attention showed clearer links, broader cognitive functions displayed inconsistent correlations. These findings emphasize the complexity of the relationship between cognitive deficits, impulsivity, and criminal history, highlighting the necessity for tailored assessments and rehabilitation strategies to enhance outcomes. Future research should focus on larger, longitudinal studies to validate these findings and refine therapeutic approaches.

This study was conducted to analyse reaction time, psychomotor speed and concentration parameters in individuals who had previously been infected with COVID-19 and to compare these parameters with those of the control group. The study recruited 56 individuals previously diagnosed with COVID-19 with PCR and 56 healthy individuals. COVID-19-related information and sociodemographic characteristics of the participants were recorded. Light Trainer Exercises System (Model LTV2, Turkiye, 2017) was used for the evaluation of reaction time, while the d2 attention test was used for the evaluation of concentration performance. Psychomotor speed percentage (p [Med-Science 2024; 13(3.000): 751-7]

Objective: To determine the neurocognitive function of active professional male footballers, determine whether deficits/impairments exist, and investigate the association between previous concussion(s) and neurocognitive function. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study conducted via electronic questionnaires. The CNS Vital Signs online testing system was used to evaluate neurocognitive function. Results: Of the 101 participants, 91 completed the neurocognitive function testing. Neurocognitive function domain deficits or impairments were unlikely in 54.5–89.1%, slight in 5.9–21.8%, moderate in 1.0–9.9%, and likely in 4.0–14.9% of participants. A history of zero concussions found a significant association between the neurocognitive index (Odds Ratio [OR] 0.6; 95% CI 0.2–0.4) and complex attention domain (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1–0.9), with 40% and 70% less odds, respectively, of deficit/impairment. Among the 54.5% who reported any number of concussions, there were increased odds of neurocognitive domain deficits/impairments for complex attention (CA) [3.4 times more] and simple attention (SA) [3.1 times more]. Conclusion: In the active professional male footballer, most neurocognitive functions do not have significant deficits/impairments. The odds of neurocognitive function deficit/impairment were significantly increased threefold for CA and SA in those who reported a history of any concussion(s).

In this narrative review, we explore the differences in processing speed (PS) impairments among three epilepsy conditions; Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE), Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (FLE) and Genetic Generalized Epilepsy (GGE) with a focus on Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (JME). Despite the large body of research focusing on cognition in epilepsy, the intricacies of PS impairments in the epilepsy syndromes have not been fully explored. We investigate the cognitive profiles with focus on PS associated with each of the three conditions, and the neuropsychological methods employed. Furthermore, we evaluate PS in epilepsy within the theoretical frameworks of PS, such as the Relative Consequence Model, the Limited Time Mechanism Model, and the Neural Noise Hypothesis. We find the main challenge of PS research in epilepsy is the inconsistency of assessment methods utilized in different studies. Furthermore, PS impairments are not isolated but rather interconnected to other cognitive domains. Thus, future studies need to standardize PS assessment tools, and incorporate innovative solutions such as technology and neuroimaging techniques to further enhance our understanding of PS impairments in epilepsy.

It remains unknown which factors influence how brain disconnectivity derived from White Matter Hyperintensity (WMH) lesions leads to psychomotor speed dysfunction, one of the earliest and most common cognitive manifestations in the cerebral Small Vessel Disease (cSVD) population. While the burden of WMH has been strongly linked to psychomotor speed performance, the effect that different locations and volumes of WMH may have on cSVD-related cognitive impairment remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to explore (1) whether global WMH, deep WMH (DWMH), and periventricular (PVWMH) volumes display different psychomotor speed associations; (2) whether tract-specific WMH volume shows stronger cognitive associations compared with global measures of WMH volume; (3) whether specific patterns of WMH location lead to different degrees of disconnectivity. Using the BCBToolkit, we investigated which pattern of distribution and which locations of WMH lesion result in impaired psychomotor speed in a well-characterized sample (n = 195) of cSVD patients without dementia. Two key findings emerge from our study. First, global (and not tract-specific) measures of WMH volume were associated with psychomotor speed performance. Second, disconnection maps revealed the involvement of callosal tracts, association and projection fibers, and frontal and parietal cortical brain areas related to psychomotor speed, while the lesion location influenced such associations. In conclusion, psychomotor deficits are affected differently by WMH burden and topographic distribution through brain disconnection in non-demented cSVD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The current study investigated the effects of proton pump inhibitor use and apolipoprotein ε4 carrier status on changes in neuropsychological functioning in healthy adults with familial risk factors for dementia. As part of the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention study, 1,573 subjects were administered questionnaires on their medical history, gave blood samples, and were administered neuropsychological assessments during four visits over a 10–15 year period. Linear mixed models assessed if non-users, subjects who stopped, started, or consistently used proton pump inhibitors differed in changes in working memory, verbal memory, psychomotor speed, and cognitive flexibility. The models did not yield significant main effects for proton pump inhibitor use or interaction effects between proton pump inhibitor use and apolipoprotein ε4 carrier status on a decline in memory or processing speed. An interaction effect suggested stopping a proton pump inhibitor may be protective against declines in cognitive flexibility among non-carriers. Although stopping a proton pump inhibitor use may have mild protective effects on executive functioning for non-apolipoprotein ε4 carriers, proton pump inhibitor use was not associated with memory decline in a sample of subjects with familial risk factors for dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study assessed the effects of statin and CoQ10 supplement use on changes in cognitive functioning in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention study. Methods: 1,573 subjects were administered medical histories, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Wechsler Memory Scale, Logical Memory subtest, and the Trail Making Test, Parts A (TMT-A) and B (TMT-B) 3-4 times over 5-10 years. Results: Linear mixed models did not yield significant effects for statin or CoQ10 supplement use on changes in mental status, learning and memory, psychomotor speed, and cognitive flexibility. Conclusions: Statin and/or CoQ10 supplement use was not associated with neuropsychological test performance in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, it has been proposed that executive functions may be particularly vulnerable to weight-related issues. However, evidence on the matter is mixed, especially when the effects of sociodemographic variables are weighted. Thus, the current study aimed at further examining the relationship between executive functions and obesity. To this aim, we compared treatment-seeking overweight, obese, and morbidly obese patients with normal-weight control participants. We examined general executive functioning (Frontal Assessment Battery–15) and different executive subdomains (e.g., inhibitory control, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed) in a clinical sample including 208 outpatients with different degrees of BMI (52 overweight, BMI 25–30, M age = 34.38; 76 obese, BMI 30–40, M age = 38.00; 80 morbidly obese, BMI > 40, M age = 36.20). Ninety-six normal-weight subjects served as controls. No difference on executive scores was detected when obese patients were compared with over- or normal-weight subjects. Morbidly obese patients reported lower performance on executive scores than obese, overweight, and normal-weight subjects. Between-group difference emerged also when relevant covariates were taken into account. Our results support the view that morbid obesity is associated with lower executive performance, also considering the critical role exerted by sociodemographic (i.e., sex, age, and education) variables. Our results support the view that executive functioning should be accounted into the management of the obese patient because of non-negligible clinical relevance in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent evidence suggests that a higher body weight may be linked to cognitive impairment in different domains involving executive/frontal functioning. However, challenging results are also available. Accordingly, our study was designed to verify whether (i) poor executive functions are related to a higher body weight and (ii) executive functioning could contribute to weight loss in treatment-seeking overweight and obese patients. Methods: We examined general executive functioning, inhibitory control, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed in a sample including 104 overweight and obese patients. Forty-eight normal-weight subjects participated in the study as controls. Results: Univariate Analysis of Variance showed that obese patients obtained lower scores than overweight and normal-weight subjects in all executive measures, except for errors in the Stroop test. However, when sociodemographic variables entered the model as covariates, no between-group difference was detected. Furthermore, an adjusted multiple linear regression model highlighted no relationship between weight loss and executive scores at baseline. Conclusions: Our results provide further evidence for the lack of association between obesity and the executive domains investigated. Conflicting findings from previous literature may likely be due to the unchecked confounding effects exerted by sociodemographic variables and inclusion/exclusion criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Visual evoked potential latency was associated with psychomotor decline in multiple sclerosis. • Baseline evoked potential measures were associated with changes in information processing speed. • Visual evoked potentials can serve as prognostic measures of cognitive changes in MS. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) can provide insight into disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). However, few studies have tracked concurrent changes in VEPs and cognitive functioning over time in MS. To address this, we examined the longitudinal relationship between VEP and cognitive performance in PwMS over a two-year period. At baseline (T1) and follow-up (T2, 2.14 years after baseline, on average), P100 peak latency and inter-ocular latency (IOL) between eyes were calculated from the VEP elicited for checkerboard pattern-reversal stimuli. Cognitive performance was assessed for seven different domains (NeuroTrax battery). The potential for VEP variables to predict the T1-to-T2 change in cognitive performance was assessed in a series of multiple linear regression models. Baseline IOL and VEP latency were significantly associated with T1-to-T2 change in information processing speed. Post-hoc analyses indicated that PwMS that had both prolonged VEP latency and elevated IOL at baseline tended to exhibit greater information processing speed decline. Increase in VEP latency from T1-to-T2 was also associated with decline in psychomotor function over time. These findings provide evidence that VEP measures can serve as valuable prognostic indicators of longitudinal cognitive change in PwMS. Visual system neurophysiology corresponds with changes in speeded cognitive performance in MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with psychotic disorders often show prominent cognitive impairment. Glutamate seems to play a prominent role, but its role in deep gray matter (DGM) regions is unclear. Aims: To evaluate glutamate levels within deep gray matter structures in patients with a psychotic disorder in relation to cognitive functioning, using advanced spectroscopic acquisition, reconstruction, and post-processing techniques. Methods: A 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner combined with a lipid suppression coil and subject-specific water suppression pulses was used to acquire high-resolution magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data. Tissue fraction correction and registration to a standard brain were performed for group comparison in specifically delineated DGM regions. The brief assessment of cognition in schizophrenia was used to evaluate cognitive status. Results: Average glutamate levels across DGM structures (i.e. caudate, pallidum, putamen, and thalamus) in mostly medicated patients with a psychotic disorder (n = 16, age = 33, 4 females) were lower compared to healthy controls (n = 23, age = 24, 7 females; p = 0.005, d = 1.06). Stratified analyses showed lower glutamate levels in the caudate (p = 0.046, d = 0.76) and putamen p = 0.013, d = 0.94). These findings were largely explained by age differences between groups. DGM glutamate levels were positively correlated with psychomotor speed (r (30) = 0.49, p = 0.028), but not with other cognitive domains. Conclusions: We find reduced glutamate levels across DGM structures including the caudate and putamen in patients with a psychotic disorder that are linked to psychomotor speed. Despite limitations concerning age differences, these results underscore the potential role of detailed in vivo glutamate assessments to understand cognitive deficits in psychotic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenolic compound found in various plants, has been reported to improve cognitive function. However, it remains unclear how long it takes for CGAs to exert their effects. Here, we evaluated the short-term effects of CGAs on cognitive function. We assessed the effects of 2-week CGA intake on cognitive function. The study was carried out as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Twenty-six healthy Japanese participants (50–65 years of age) were randomly assigned to either the active beverage (CGAs: 270 mg) or the placebo beverage group daily for 2 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, the participants consumed the other beverages. We assessed cognitive function at baseline and following the first treatment period using the Japanese version of CNS Vital Signs. CGAs significantly improved the scores for psychomotor speed, motor speed, and right and left finger tapping compared to placebo. In addition, processing speed scores improved significantly from baseline only after CGA intake. In conclusion, CGAs were confirmed to improve cognitive function over a short period of two weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests impairment in aspects of cognitive function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Direct effects of raised testosterone levels associated with PCOS are a potential mechanism. We aimed to explore the relationship between testosterone levels and cognitive functioning in women. Women with a range of testosterone levels, including women with PCOS, were recruited. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by self-report. Participants underwent a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests assessing psychomotor speed, visuospatial learning and memory, verbal learning and memory, and executive function. Free testosterone serum levels were assessed. All measures were completed at the same time point. Correlation analysis (Spearman's Rho) was used to explore associations between free testosterone and cognitive test variables. Eighty-one women were recruited, with 40 meeting diagnostic criteria for PCOS. Free testosterone was normally distributed, with significant overlap between women with PCOS and controls. Mean depressive and anxiety symptoms were in the mild range. Higher free testosterone levels were significantly correlated with poorer performance on measures assessing psychomotor speed and visuospatial learning. These significant correlations remained after adjusting for confounders (premorbid verbal IQ, depressive, and anxiety symptoms). Higher free testosterone levels in women were associated with poorer cognitive function, specifically psychomotor speed and visuospatial learning. Women with PCOS and raised free testosterone levels may experience impairment in these aspects of cognitive function which are not accounted for by mood or anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this narrative review, we explore the differences in processing speed (PS) impairments among three epilepsy conditions; Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE), Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (FLE) and Genetic Generalized Epilepsy (GGE) with a focus on Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (JME). Despite the large body of research focusing on cognition in epilepsy, the intricacies of PS impairments in the epilepsy syndromes have not been fully explored. We investigate the cognitive profiles with focus on PS associated with each of the three conditions, and the neuropsychological methods employed. Furthermore, we evaluate PS in epilepsy within the theoretical frameworks of PS, such as the Relative Consequence Model, the Limited Time Mechanism Model, and the Neural Noise Hypothesis. We find the main challenge of PS research in epilepsy is the inconsistency of assessment methods utilized in different studies. Furthermore, PS impairments are not isolated but rather interconnected to other cognitive domains. Thus, future studies need to standardize PS assessment tools, and incorporate innovative solutions such as technology and neuroimaging techniques to further enhance our understanding of PS impairments in epilepsy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Study Objectives: Shift work interferes with circadian rhythms, affecting sleep quality and cognitive function. Poor sleep quality in shift worker (SW)s can impair psychomotor performance due to fatigue and sleepiness, increasing the risk of errors, accidents, and reduced productivity. Given the potential for atrophic changes in the hippocampus due to sleep disturbances, our study investigates how poor sleep quality correlates with hippocampal structural alterations and impacts psychomotor performance among SWs., Methods: We recruited 100 SWs, classifying them based on sleep quality into two groups: good sleep-SW group (n = 59) and poor sleep-SW group (n = 41). Sleep quality was assessed using both 7-day actigraphy for sleep efficiency and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. A control group of 106 non-SWs without sleep problems (non-SW group) was also included for comparison. The outcome measures were psychomotor speed and hippocampal volumes, both total and by subfield., Results: The poor sleep-SW group showed significantly smaller hippocampal volumes than both the good sleep-SW group (p < .001) and the non-SW group (p = .003). Longer shift work years correlated with greater reductions in hippocampal volume in this group (r = -0.42, p = .009), unlike in the good sleep-SW group (r = 0.08, p = .541). Furthermore, they demonstrated declines in psychomotor speed relative to the non-SW group (p = .006), which correlated with smaller hippocampal volumes (r = 0.37, p = .020)., Conclusions: SWs with poor sleep quality exhibit significant hippocampal volume reductions and psychomotor speed decline, underscoring the importance of early intervention and support for sleep issues in this population., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In the last decades, it has been proposed that executive functions may be particularly vulnerable to weight-related issues. However, evidence on the matter is mixed, especially when the effects of sociodemographic variables are weighted. Thus, the current study aimed at further examining the relationship between executive functions and obesity. To this aim, we compared treatment-seeking overweight, obese, and morbidly obese patients with normal-weight control participants. We examined general executive functioning (Frontal Assessment Battery–15) and different executive subdomains (e.g., inhibitory control, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed) in a clinical sample including 208 outpatients with different degrees of BMI (52 overweight, BMI 25–30, M age = 34.38; 76 obese, BMI 30–40, M age = 38.00; 80 morbidly obese, BMI > 40, M age = 36.20). Ninety-six normal-weight subjects served as controls. No difference on executive scores was detected when obese patients were compared with over- or normal-weight subjects. Morbidly obese patients reported lower performance on executive scores than obese, overweight, and normal-weight subjects. Between-group difference emerged also when relevant covariates were taken into account. Our results support the view that morbid obesity is associated with lower executive performance, also considering the critical role exerted by sociodemographic (i.e., sex, age, and education) variables. Our results support the view that executive functioning should be accounted into the management of the obese patient because of non-negligible clinical relevance in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic terms.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that a higher body weight may be linked to cognitive impairment in different domains involving executive/frontal functioning. However, challenging results are also available. Accordingly, our study was designed to verify whether (i) poor executive functions are related to a higher body weight and (ii) executive functioning could contribute to weight loss in treatment-seeking overweight and obese patients. Methods: We examined general executive functioning, inhibitory control, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed in a sample including 104 overweight and obese patients. Forty-eight normal-weight subjects participated in the study as controls. Results: Univariate Analysis of Variance showed that obese patients obtained lower scores than overweight and normal-weight subjects in all executive measures, except for errors in the Stroop test. However, when sociodemographic variables entered the model as covariates, no between-group difference was detected. Furthermore, an adjusted multiple linear regression model highlighted no relationship between weight loss and executive scores at baseline. Conclusions: Our results provide further evidence for the lack of association between obesity and the executive domains investigated. Conflicting findings from previous literature may likely be due to the unchecked confounding effects exerted by sociodemographic variables and inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Objective: Cervical dystonia (CD) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions causing sustained twisting movements and abnormal postures of the neck and head. Assumed affected neuronal regions are the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuits, which are also involved in cognitive functioning. Indeed, impairments in different cognitive domains have been found in CD patients. However, to date studies have only investigated a limited range of cognitive functions within the same sample. In particular, social cognition (SC) is often missing from study designs. Hence, we aimed to evaluate a broad range of cognitive functions including SC in CD patients., Method: In the present study 20 idiopathic CD patients and 40 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched healthy controls (HCs) were assessed with tests for non-SC (verbal memory, psychomotor speed, and executive functions) as well as for SC (emotion recognition, Theory of Mind (ToM), and empathy)., Results: CD patients scored on average significantly lower than HC on tests for non-SC, but did not show impairments on any of the tests for SC., Conclusions: The current study showed impairments in non-SC in CD, but intact social cognitive functions. These results underline the importance of recognizing non-motor symptoms in idiopathic CD patients, but emphasize a focus on identifying strengths and weaknesses in cognitive functioning as these influence daily life activities.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenolic compound found in various plants, has been reported to improve cognitive function. However, it remains unclear how long it takes for CGAs to exert their effects. Here, we evaluated the short-term effects of CGAs on cognitive function. We assessed the effects of 2-week CGA intake on cognitive function. The study was carried out as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Twenty-six healthy Japanese participants (50–65 years of age) were randomly assigned to either the active beverage (CGAs: 270 mg) or the placebo beverage group daily for 2 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, the participants consumed the other beverages. We assessed cognitive function at baseline and following the first treatment period using the Japanese version of CNS Vital Signs. CGAs significantly improved the scores for psychomotor speed, motor speed, and right and left finger tapping compared to placebo. In addition, processing speed scores improved significantly from baseline only after CGA intake. In conclusion, CGAs were confirmed to improve cognitive function over a short period of two weeks.

To identify cognitive and health profiles of cognitively impaired older adults with the presence of prior mobility impairment, which may represent a specific pathway to the development of cognitive impairment or dementia. Retrospective longitudinal study. In adults aged ≥65 years who developed cognitive impairment or dementia, we compared cognitive and health profiles of those who did (n = 57) and did not (n = 86) experience slow gait up to 14 years before symptom onset. Measures of cognitive and biomarkers assessed longitudinally over an average of 7 years before symptom onset were compared between groups using linear mixed effects models, adjusted age, sex, race, and additionally adjusted for education for cognitive outcomes. Compared to those without prior slow gait, those with slow gait had lower Digit Symbol Substitution Test and Pegboard dominant and nondominant hand performance. The slow gait group also had greater body mass index (BMI), waist, systolic blood pressure, lower high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein, and lower lysophosphatidylcholine 18:2, a lipid associated with mitochondrial function, and showed greater increases in 2-hour glucose levels of an oral glucose tolerance test. The slow gait group was more likely to take medication for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. During the presymptomatic stage, cognitively impaired older persons who experience prior slow gait are more likely to have deficits in psychomotor speed and manual dexterity, an unfavorable metabolic and vascular profile, and lower lipid levels related to mitochondrial function. Older persons who exhibit mobility impairment should be evaluated for metabolic and vascular dysfunction at an early stage, and successful treatment of these conditions may slow down the progression of cognitive impairment or dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Automated and domain-specific tests are sensitive to discriminate cognitively healthy young and older adults. • Episodic memory (PAL) and working memory (SWM) tests are the most sensitive when analyzing a sample with a wide age range (older adults and young adults) and their assessment should be prioritized. • Episodic memory (PAL TEA) has a high discriminatory capacity on assessing older adults, suggesting that this test may have greater clinical potential. • Better education or to practice physical exercise are associated with greater cognitive performances, reinforcing its beneficial potential to successful cognitive trajectories in both the young and aging brain. Increased interindividual variability in cognitive performance during aging has been proposed as an indicator of cognitive reserve. To determine if interindividual variability performance in episodic memory (PAL), working memory (SWM), reaction time (RTI), and sustained attention (RVP) could differentiate clusters of differential cognitive performance in healthy young and older adults and search for cognitive tests that most contribute to these differential performances. We employed hierarchical cluster and canonical discriminant function analyses of cognitive scores using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to identify cognitive variability in older and young adults using the coefficient of variability of cognitive performances between and within groups. We also analyzed potential influences of age, education, and physical activity. Cluster analysis distinguished groups with differential cognitive performance and correlation analysis revealed coefficient of variability and cognitive performance associations. The greater the coefficient of variability the poorer was cognitive performance in RTI but not in PAL and SWM. Older adults showed diverse trajectories of cognitive decline, and better education or higher percentage of physically active individuals exhibited better cognitive performance in both older and young adults. PAL and SWM are the most sensitive tests to investigate the wide age range encompassing older and young adults. In older adults' intragroup analysis PAL showed greater discriminatory capacity, indicating its potential for clinical applications late in life. Our data underscore the importance of studying variability as a tool for early detection of subtle cognitive declines and for interpreting results that deviate from normality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The different processing speed terms reflect the different stages of the process. • Paper-and-pencil tests can distinguish process components. • Computerised tests can provide accurate measures of processing speed. • Epileptic discharges, seizures, and AEDs can affect processing speed. • Impaired processing speed is a specific feature of TLE phenotype. Impaired processing speed (PS) can affect patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, it is usually considered a nonspecific clinical feature and is not measured, but this raises lexical and methodological problems. This review aims to evaluate the existing terminology and assessment methods of PS in patients with TLE. A scoping review was conducted based on the extended guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. The electronic literature search was conducted on Medline-PubMed, American Psychological Association-PsycINFO, Elton Bryson Stephens Company, and Google Scholar, using the keywords "temporal lobe epilepsy" and "speed" or "slowing" plus "processing," "cognitive," "psychomotor," or "mental." Peer-reviewed articles published before December 2022 were analyzed if they were in English, including patients older than 14 years and at least one neuropsychological measure, reported original research focused on PS and had the selected keywords in the title, keywords, and abstract. Seven articles published between December 2004 and September 2021 were selected. The terms "processing speed," "psychomotor speed," and "information processing speed," based on similar theoretical constructs, were the most frequently used. Assessment methods included non-computerized or paper-and-pencil tests (WAIS-III Digit Symbol and Symbol Search subtests, Purdue Pegboard and Grooved Pegboard Tests, Trail Making Test and Stroop Color-Word Test) and computerized tests (Sternberg Memory Scanning Test, Pattern Comparison Processing Speed, Computerized Visual Searching). In some studies, impairment was associated with white and gray matter damage in the brain, independent of clinical and treatment variables. Clinical research on TLE has focused inconsistently on PS. Different evaluation terms and methods have been used while referring to similar theoretical constructs. These findings highlight a gap between the clinical importance of PS and its assessment. Studies are needed to share terms and tools among clinical centers and clarify the position of PS in the TLE phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]