Search

IntroductionExecutive functioning and processing speed are crucial elements of neuropsychological assessment. To meet the needs of the Hispanic/Latino population, we aimed to provide normative data for the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS) test.MethodsThe target population for the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging included six heritage backgrounds (n = 6177). Average age was 63.4 ± 8.3 years, 54.5% were female, and mean education was 11.0 ± 4.7 years. Participants were administered the DSS as part of a larger battery. Heritage-adjusted DSS scores, and percentile cut-points were created using survey-adjusted regression and quantile regression models.ResultsAge, education, sex, heritage, and language preference were associated with DSS scores.DiscussionSignificant correlates of DSS performance should be considered when evaluating cognitive performance. Representative DSS norms for Hispanics/Latinos will advance assessment and accuracy of neurocognitive disorder diagnosis in clinical practice. To facilitate interpretation, we provide norms to reduce test biases and developed an online dashboard.HighlightsNormative data for the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS) for diverse Hispanic/Latino adults: Results from the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA) This study is the first to develop norms for the DSS test across four regions of the United States.Factors such as age, education, sex, and Hispanic/Latino heritage and language preference are associated with differences in executive functioning and information processing speed.We created norms and an online dashboard (https://solincalab.shinyapps.io/dsst_shiny/) providing an easily accessible tool to evaluate processing speed and executive functioning in Hispanic/Latino adults.

In the current paper, we review existing tools for solving variable selection problems in psychology. Modern regularization methods such as lasso regression have recently been introduced in the field and are incorporated into popular methodologies, such as network analysis. However, several recognized limitations of lasso regularization may limit its suitability for psychological research. In this paper, we compare the properties of lasso approaches used for variable selection to Bayesian variable selection approaches. In particular we highlight advantages of stochastic search variable selection (SSVS), that make it well suited for variable selection applications in psychology. We demonstrate these advantages and contrast SSVS with lasso type penalization in an application to predict depression symptoms in a large sample and an accompanying simulation study. We investigate the effects of sample size, effect size, and patterns of correlation among predictors on rates of correct and false inclusion and bias in the estimates. SSVS as investigated here is reasonably computationally efficient and powerful to detect moderate effects in small sample sizes (or small effects in moderate sample sizes), while protecting against false inclusion and without over-penalizing true effects. We recommend SSVS as a flexible framework that is well-suited for the field, discuss limitations, and suggest directions for future development.

ObjectiveNeuropsychological instruments are often developed in English and translated to other languages to facilitate the clinical evaluation of diverse populations or to utilize in research environments. However, the psychometric equivalence of these assessments across language must be demonstrated before populations can validly be compared.MethodTo test this equivalence, we applied measurement invariance procedures to a subsample (N = 1,708) of the Hispanic Community Health Survey/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) across English and Spanish versions of a neurocognitive battery. Using cardinality matching, 854 English-speaking and 854 Spanish-speaking subsamples were matched on age, education, sex, immigration status (U.S. born, including territories, or foreign-born), and Hispanic/Latino heritage background. Neurocognitive measures included the Six-Item Screener (SIS), Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (B-SEVLT), Word Fluency (WF), and Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS). Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to test item-level invariance of the SIS, B-SEVLT, and WF, as well as factor-level invariance of a higher-order neurocognitive functioning latent variable.ResultsOne item of both the SIS and WF were more difficult in Spanish than English, as was the DSS test. After accounting for partial invariance, Spanish-speakers performed worse on each of the subtests and the second-order neurocognitive functioning latent variable.ConclusionsWe found some evidence of bias at both item and factor levels, contributing to the poorer neurocognitive performance of Spanish test-takers. While these results explain the underperformance of Spanish-speakers to some extent, more work is needed to determine whether such bias is reflective of true cognitive differences or additional variables unaccounted for in this study. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

IntroductionEpisodic learning and memory performance are crucial components of cognitive assessment. To meet the needs of a diverse Hispanic/Latino population, we aimed to provide normative data on the Brief Spanish-English Verbal Learning Test (B-SEVLT).MethodsThe target population for the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) included individuals 45+ years old from Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and South American backgrounds. Average age was 56.5 years ± 9.92, 54.5% were female, and mean education was 11.0 years ± 5.6 (unweighted n = 9309). Participants were administered the B-SEVLT in their preferred language (Spanish or English). Hispanic/Latino background adjusted B-SEVLT scores and percentile cut-points were created using survey-adjusted regression models.ResultsHigher educational attainment, younger age, and being female were associated with higher learning and memory performance. Hispanic/Latino background groups differed in B-SEVLT performance.DiscussionRepresentative learning and memory norms for Hispanic/Latinos of diverse backgrounds will improve cognitive assessment and accuracy of neurocognitive disorder diagnosis.

BackgroundThe relationships between obesity and cognitive decline in aging are mixed and understudied among Hispanics/Latinos.ObjectiveTo understand associations between central obesity, cognitive aging, and the role of concomitant cardiometabolic abnormalities among Hispanics/Latinos.MethodsParticipants included 6,377 diverse Hispanics/Latinos enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and SOL-Investigation for Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA). Participants were 45 years and older at the first cognitive testing session (Visit 1). Cognitive outcomes (z-score units) included global composite and domain specific (learning, memory, executive functioning, processing speed) measures at a second visit (SOL-INCA, on average, 7 years later), and 7-year change. We used survey linear regression to examine associations between central obesity (waist circumference≥88 cm and≥102 cm for women and men, respectively) and cognition. We also tested whether the relationships between obesity and cognition differed by cardiometabolic status (indication of/treatment for 2 + of the following: high triglycerides, hypertension, hyperglycemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol).ResultsCentral obesity was largely unassociated with cognitive outcomes, adjusting for covariates. However, among individuals with central obesity, cardiometabolic abnormality was linked to poorer cognitive function at SOL-INCA (ΔGlobalCognition =-0.165, p

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with marked heterogeneity in executive function (EF) abilities. EF components including inhibition and shifting are related to ASD core symptoms such as perspective taking, social communication, and repetitive behavior. Recent research suggests that multilingualism may have a beneficial impact on EF abilities, especially in children with ASD. However, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the relationships between multilingualism, EF, and core symptoms in children with ASD. Here, we examined these associations in 7–12‐year‐old children with and without ASD (N = 116; 53 ASD, Mean age = 9.94 years). Results suggest that multilingual children have stronger parent‐reported inhibition, shifting, and perspective‐taking skills than monolingual children. Furthermore, we found a significant interaction between diagnosis and multilingual status on inhibition, such that the effects of multilingualism were stronger for children with ASD than typically developing (TD) children. Finally, we found indirect effects of multilingualism on perspective taking, social communication, and repetitive behaviors mediated by EF skills. These results demonstrate the supportive influences multilingual experience might have on bolstering EF and reducing ASD‐related symptoms. Lay Summary: The bilingual advantage is the proposal that being fluent in two or more languages can result in cognitive benefits, particularly in the realm of executive function (EF)—skills important for planning, organizing, and completing tasks. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with EF skills, and EF difficulties are tied to core ASD symptoms such as difficulties with perspective taking, social communication, and repetitive behavior. We explored the connections between multilingualism, EF skills (inhibition and shifting), and core symptoms of ASD (perspective taking, social communication, and repetitive behavior). Our findings indicate that multilingualism is associated with stronger inhibition, shifting, and perspective‐taking skills in children with and without ASD. Additionally, multilingual children exhibited reduced core symptoms of ASD relative to monolingual children. Understanding these relationships can contribute to developing effective interventions and support strategies for children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a heterogeneous diagnostic entity, without a clear prognosis, often accompanied by psychiatric symptomatology and physical frailty. Objective: Understanding the heterogeneity within MCI is a critical step in improving the early detection of cognitive decline and developing effective interventions. Methods: Cross-sectional multivariate latent mixture analyses of data from patients evaluated between 2015 and 2019, who were routinely entered into a multidisciplinary database for research purposes. A sample of 538 community-dwelling older adults drawn from a large academic medical center, referred from within the Department of Neurology (63.7% Female, Mage = 67.8, SDage = 10.6). Participants completed comprehensive neuropsychological assessments, psychiatric symptom measures, and frailty evaluations. Results: Latent profile analyses supported five profiles of cognitive impairment: At-Risk, Pre-MCI, Amnestic MCI, Multiple Domain MCI, and Major Cognitive Impairment. The inclusion of concomitant psychiatric symptoms and frailty criteria revealed two additional profiles: Psychiatric/Frail, without cognitive impairments, and Multiple Cognitive Domains/Psychiatric/Frail. Critically, 55% of those classified as Healthy based on cognitive data alone were reclassified. Significant profile-wise differences emerged across auxiliary variables of brief cognitive screening, sociodemographics, and medical and psychosocial risk. Conclusions: Results highlight heterogeneity represented by neurologic patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation that include key physical and emotional symptoms known to increase the risk of cognitive decline. Findings are in alignment with more recent research suggesting that the traditional paradigm cognitive impairment may need to be expanded to improve diagnostic accuracy and to develop more tailored, precision-driven interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Health Psychology is the property of American Psychological Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although decline of cognitive abilities in late life is regarded as a common facet of aging, there is inter-individual variability in this decline. Possible contributors are cardiometabolic risk factors associated with cerebrovascular dysfunction, but a dearth in unifying health-cognition models confound exactly how these risk factors mediate age-related changes in executive function (EF) and episodic memory. This study investigated the indirect effect of age on these cognitive abilities via cardiometabolic risk factors using a structural equation modeling approach. Participants included 738 adults (64% female) ranging from 21 to 85 years of age (M = 47.47, SD = 18.28). An exploratory factor analysis was applied to an EF battery yielding a two-factor solution, consisting of inhibition and cognitive flexibility, that showed acceptable fit (χ2(48) = 101.84, p <.001, CFI =.980, RMSEA =.039, SRMR =.035). The EF latent factors were then included in a confirmatory factor analysis exploring the indirect role of age on episodic memory and EF via blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and body mass index. The theoretical model demonstrated acceptable fit, χ2(108) = 204.071, p <.001, CFI =.972, RMSEA =.035, SRMR =.035. Blood pressure was associated with lower cognitive flexibility (β = −.20, p <.001) and there was a significant indirect effect of age on episodic memory through cognitive flexibility (β =.07, p =.021). Results support the "Executive Decline Hypothesis" of age-related episodic memory decline and specifically implicate lower blood pressure control and cognitive flexibility in these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Compared to non‐Hispanic white (NHW) women, Hispanic women with breast cancer (BCa) are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of disease and experience reduced quality of life (QOL) following diagnosis. We hypothesized that the demands of later‐stage disease results in a perceived inability to cope and greater distress for Hispanic women, resulting in decreased QOL. Methods: Hispanic (51%) and NHW (49%) women (N = 198) with newly diagnosed stage 0–3 BCa in Miami were enrolled in two trials between 2006 and 2019. In this cross‐sectional analysis, a multiple‐group structural equation modeling approach was applied to baseline measures of coping confidence (Measure of Current Status Scale), negative and positive affect (Affect Balance Scale), QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Breast), and disease stage. Results: In our model, later‐stage disease was not associated with worse QOL for Hispanic or NHW women. However, there were differences between Hispanic and NHW women on the path from disease stage to (1) coping confidence, (2) positive affect, and (3) negative affect, such that later disease stage was associated with lower coping confidence (b[SE] = −1.75[0.59], p = 0.002), less positive affect (b[SE] = −0.21[0.10], p = 0.026), and greater negative affect (b[SE] = 0.15[0.08], p = 0.052) among Hispanic, but not NHW, women. In addition, an indirect effect was found from greater stage to poorer QOL via less positive affect among Hispanic women only (b[SE] = −0.49[0.24], p = 0.041). Conclusions: This data supports our theory that Hispanic women experience worse emotional distress at later‐stage disease than do NHW women, in turn impacting QOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with marked heterogeneity in executive function (EF) abilities. EF components including inhibition and shifting are related to ASD core symptoms such as perspective taking, social communication, and repetitive behavior. Recent research suggests that multilingualism may have a beneficial impact on EF abilities, especially in children with ASD. However, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the relationships between multilingualism, EF, and core symptoms in children with ASD. Here, we examined these associations in 7-12-year-old children with and without ASD (N = 116; 53 ASD, Mean age = 9.94 years). Results suggest that multilingual children have stronger parent-reported inhibition, shifting, and perspective-taking skills than monolingual children. Furthermore, we found a significant interaction between diagnosis and multilingual status on inhibition, such that the effects of multilingualism were stronger for children with ASD than typically developing (TD) children. Finally, we found indirect effects of multilingualism on perspective taking, social communication, and repetitive behaviors mediated by EF skills. These results demonstrate the supportive influences multilingual experience might have on bolstering EF and reducing ASD-related symptoms., (© 2024 The Author(s). Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Metacognition is disrupted in several clinical populations. One aspect of metacognition, global metacognitive bias (difference between objective and self-reported abilities), has shown to be particularly relevant to clinical functioning. However, previous studies of global metacognitive biases in populations with elevated depressive/posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have not measured objective and self-reported abilities relative to normative samples, limiting the quantification of biases. Additionally, few studies have examined whether cognitive interventions can improve metacognitive biases or how this relates to depressive/PTSD symptom severity., Method: A total of 84 participants with mild traumatic brain injury (77% veterans) performed PTSD and depression assessments along with self-reported and objective measures of global cognition. Age-adjusted norm-based z scores were used for self-reported and objective cognition, and bias was calculated by subtracting objective minus self-report scores. Participants then received 13 weeks of targeted cognitive training or entertainment games training (both providing performance feedback). Participants were assessed at baseline, immediately posttraining, and 3 months posttraining., Results: We found large negative metacognitive biases in those with clinically significant severity of depressive symptoms (z score difference = -1.77), PTSD symptoms (-1.47), and depressive + PTSD symptoms (-2.29). Metacognitive biases improved after both targeted and entertainment training and was associated with reductions in depressive/PTSD symptom severity ( r = -.41/-.42, respectively), led by the entertainment training group ( r = -.54/-.46, respectively)., Conclusions: These findings show that clinically significant severity of depressive/PTSD symptoms is associated with substantial negative global metacognitive biases and preliminarily suggests that cognitive training may improve these biases and depressive/PTSD symptom severity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Neural variability is thought to facilitate survival through flexible adaptation to changing environmental demands. In humans, such capacity for flexible adaptation may manifest as fluid reasoning, inhibition of automatic responses, and mental set-switching-skills falling under the broad domain of executive functions that fluctuate over the life span. Neural variability can be quantified via the BOLD signal in resting-state fMRI. Variability of large-scale brain networks is posited to underpin complex cognitive activities requiring interactions between multiple brain regions. Few studies have examined the extent to which network-level brain signal variability across the life span maps onto high-level processes under the umbrella of executive functions. The present study leveraged a large publicly available neuroimaging dataset to investigate the relationship between signal variability and executive functions across the life span. Associations between brain signal variability and executive functions shifted as a function of age. Limbic-specific variability was consistently associated with greater performance across subcomponents of executive functions. Associations between executive function subcomponents and network-level variability of the default mode and central executive networks, as well as whole-brain variability, varied across the life span. Findings suggest that brain signal variability may help to explain to age-related differences in executive functions across the life span., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (© 2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.)

Introduction: Executive functioning and processing speed are crucial elements of neuropsychological assessment. To meet the needs of the Hispanic/Latino population, we aimed to provide normative data for the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS) test., Methods: The target population for the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging included six heritage backgrounds ( n  = 6177). Average age was 63.4 ± 8.3 years, 54.5% were female, and mean education was 11.0 ± 4.7 years. Participants were administered the DSS as part of a larger battery. Heritage-adjusted DSS scores, and percentile cut-points were created using survey-adjusted regression and quantile regression models., Results: Age, education, sex, heritage, and language preference were associated with DSS scores., Discussion: Significant correlates of DSS performance should be considered when evaluating cognitive performance. Representative DSS norms for Hispanics/Latinos will advance assessment and accuracy of neurocognitive disorder diagnosis in clinical practice. To facilitate interpretation, we provide norms to reduce test biases and developed an online dashboard., Highlights: Normative data for the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS) for diverse Hispanic/Latino adults: Results from the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA) This study is the first to develop norms for the DSS test across four regions of the United States.Factors such as age, education, sex, and Hispanic/Latino heritage and language preference are associated with differences in executive functioning and information processing speed.We created norms and an online dashboard (https://solincalab.shinyapps.io/dsst&#95;shiny/) providing an easily accessible tool to evaluate processing speed and executive functioning in Hispanic/Latino adults., Competing Interests: R.B.L. receives research support from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the National Headache Foundation. He serves as consultant for, advisory board member of, or has received honoraria or research support from AbbVie/Allergan, Amgen, Biohaven, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (Promius), electroCore, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Lundbeck, Merck, Novartis, Teva, Vector, and Vedanta Research. He receives royalties from Wolff's Headache, 8th edition (Oxford University Press, 2009), and Informa. He holds stock/options in Axon and Manistee. W.T. serves as a section editor for the Alzheimer's and Dementia journal. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Author disclosures are available in the supporting information., (© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: Episodic learning and memory performance are crucial components of cognitive assessment. To meet the needs of a diverse Hispanic/Latino population, we aimed to provide normative data on the Brief Spanish-English Verbal Learning Test (B-SEVLT)., Methods: The target population for the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) included individuals 45+ years old from Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and South American backgrounds. Average age was 56.5 years ± 9.92, 54.5% were female, and mean education was 11.0 years ± 5.6 (unweighted n  = 9309). Participants were administered the B-SEVLT in their preferred language (Spanish or English). Hispanic/Latino background adjusted B-SEVLT scores and percentile cut-points were created using survey-adjusted regression models., Results: Higher educational attainment, younger age, and being female were associated with higher learning and memory performance. Hispanic/Latino background groups differed in B-SEVLT performance., Discussion: Representative learning and memory norms for Hispanic/Latinos of diverse backgrounds will improve cognitive assessment and accuracy of neurocognitive disorder diagnosis., Competing Interests: Authors were supported by the National Institutes of Health (LCG, ML, MLD, RBL), including the National Institute on Aging (AMS, HMG, JB, WT, ZZZ) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (MJM). DPS receives consultancies from Biogen, Inc. and Aptinyx, Inc. HMG served as an External Advisor for the USC ADRC, UT San Antonio, and ADNI. MJM received honoraria from the California Psychological Association, payment for expert testimony from the Federal Defenders of San Diego, and financial support from the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. MJM served as Chair of the Science Committee for the Hispanic Neuropsychological Society, Member of American Psychological Association Committee on Human Research. ML received support for travel from the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) and honoraria, which was often donated to the INS Early‐Stage Investigator Scholarship fund. ML served as a member of the International Advisory Board, the Latin American Brain Health Institute Santiago, Chile; Advisory Committee member for the Midwest Roybal Center for Health Promotion and Translation, University of Illinois at Chicago; Executive Advisory Board member for Air Pollution, Alzheimer's disease and related outcomes Georgetown University. RBL also receives support from the Food and Drug Administration, the S and L Marx Foundation, the Migraine Research Foundation, and the National Headache Foundation. RBL serves as a consultant, advisory board member, and received honoraria from or research support from Abbvie (Allergan), American Academy of Neurology, American Headache Society, Amgen, Biohaven, Biovision, Boston, Dr. Reddy's (Promius), Electrocore, Eli Lilly, eNeura, Equinox, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Lundbeck (Alder), Merck, Pernix, Pfizer, Teva, Vector, and Vedanta. RBL held stock in Biohaven and CtrlM Health., (© 2021 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)