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Internet addiction is a growing public health problem and university students have number of characteristics which make them a population at risk. Numerous studies suggest a relation between addiction and the impairment of executive functions. This bibliographical review aims to identify neuropsychological variables which indicate a risk of developing an addiction to different internet applications among university students. A systematic search was made of online databases (Medline, PsycInfo, PubMED, ScienceDirect, Scopus & Web of Science) for empirical studies published between 2000 and 2019 on the relation between internet addiction and executive functions in this population. After eliminating duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, a total of 30 studies were selected. The results of these studies suggest an alteration of executive functions due to addiction (inhibitory control, decision-making and verbal fluency), although the findings do not provide a clear internet addiction risk profile. More study is necessary into the nature of this relation, differentiating the different internet applications and controlling certain variables such as gender, the nature of the task and the type of stimuli, in order to design effective addiction prevention strategies. [Note: The page range (611-642) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range for this article is p613-644.]

Objective: Phonological and semantic verbal fluency (VF) tasks are frequently used to assess language and executive functions in both clinical and research settings. F, A, and S are the most commonly used letters in phonological tasks across languages and cultures. Unfortunately, the lack of norms for the native Spanish population for these letters, and for certain semantic categories such as "proper names," may lead to misinterpretation of scores due to demographic differences. The aim of the present study was to provide normative data for F, A, and S and for "proper names," "animals," and "fruits and vegetables" for the native Spanish population. Method: 257 healthy subjects took part in the study (ages: 17–100 years, 3–20 years of education). Correlation, multiple regression, and t -tests were used to select the most appropriate variables for stratification. Results: Education was the best predictor of performance in all tasks, followed by age. Given that t -test results showed no differences related to gender, with the only exception of the semantic category "animals," this variable was not considered for stratification. Consequently, the data were stratified in two education levels (<13, ≥13 years of education) and in two age levels (<60, ≥60) within the low-educational level group. Mean, standard deviation, and percentile scores for each group are provided. Conclusions: The present norms provide a reference for clinicians assessing VF. This data may also facilitate comparisons with other normative studies in cross-cultural and cross-linguistic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are known to suffer from subtle cognitive and balance deficits from the early stages although they usually manifest in advanced stages. Postural instability (PI) has been correlated with slower information processing speed. Simple reaction time (SRT) tasks can be used to measure the speed of information processing. The main objective of this study was to examine the usefulness of SRT as a valid predictor of balance in PD, thus providing a simple and complementary assessment method. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 52 PD patients without dementia who were evaluated for balance using the pull test (PT) maneuver and Biodex® limits of stability (LOS). In addition, a reaction time task was used to measure processing speed. Correlation and linear regression analyses were performed. Results: The performance of SRT tasks was correlated with the evaluation of LOS% and PT, suggesting that the SRT may be a predictor of balance performance. Longer reaction time and poorer postural stability were also associated with disease duration but not with age. Conclusions: Poor performance in a simple reaction task can predict altered PI and can complement staging and evaluation in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Objective: To collect data to estimate the sample size of a definitive randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of Melodic Intonation Therapy in post-stroke nonfluent aphasia. Design: A randomized, crossover, interventional pilot trial. Setting: Departments of Neurology and Rehabilitation from a university general hospital. Participants: Stroke survivors with post-stroke nonfluent aphasia. Interventions: Patients randomized to group 1 had treatment with Melodic Intonation Therapy first (12 sessions over six weeks) followed by no treatment; the patients in group 2 started active treatment between three and six months after their inclusion in the study, serving as waiting list controls for the first phase. Main measures: The Communicative Activity Log (CAL) questionnaire and the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) were evaluated at baseline, and at six and 12 weeks. Results: Twenty patients were included. Four of the patients allocated to group 2 crossed over to group 1, receiving the treatment at first. Intention-to-treat analysis: after adjustment for baseline scores, the mean difference in the CAL evaluation from baseline in the treated group was 8.5 points (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.11–17.0; P = .043), with no significant change in any of the BDAE sections. Per-protocol analysis showed similar results with a clear treatment effect (P = .043) on the CAL. Conclusion: Melodic Intonation Therapy might have a positive effect on the communication skills of stroke survivors with nonfluent aphasia as measured by the CAL questionnaire. A full-scale trial with at least 27 patients per group is necessary to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive impairment is a core aspect of schizophrenia. Studies have postulated that it is the basis of the disease as evidenced by its independent and persistent quality and its relation to prognosis. Research on cognitive deficits in psychotic disorders has led to the development of intervention strategies for the cognitive rehabilitation of these patients. Attention, working memory, and executive functions are among the most widely affected functions and are closely related to the functionality of these patients. This work aims to study the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation targeting attention, executive functions, and working memory in people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (mostly schizophrenia). An exhaustive search in PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted up to January 2016. All research papers that were included studied a therapeutic technique to improve one or more of the aforementioned functions in patients over age 16 years diagnosed with psychotic disorder. Studies with methodological diversity were included, which were afterwards organized by levels of evidence. Thirty-four papers were studied, from which we can conclude that cognitive rehabilitation of the aforementioned cognitive functions brings about improvements in cognition. As a result of the influence of cognitive rehabilitation on other variables such as social functioning and symptoms of the disease, the results are promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

dies have postulated that it is the basis of the disease as evidenced by its independent and persistent quality and its relation to prognosis. Research on cognitive deficits in psychotic disorders has led to the development of intervention strategies for the cognitive rehabilitation of these patients. Attention, working memory, and executive functions are among the most widely affected functions and are closely related to the functionality of these patients. This work aims to study the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation targeting attention, executive functions, and working memory in people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (mostly schizophrenia). An exhaustive search in PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted up to January 2016. All research papers that were included studied a therapeutic technique to improve one or more of the aforementioned functions in patients over age 16 years diagnosed with psychotic disorder. Studies with methodological diversity were included, which were afterwards organized by levels of evidence. Thirty-four papers were studied, from which we can conclude that cognitive rehabilitation of the aforementioned cognitive functions brings about improvements in cognition. As a result of the influence of cognitive rehabilitation on other variables such as social functioning and symptoms of the disease, the results are promising.