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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is widely cited that dementia occurs in up to 80% of patients with Parkinson disease (PD), but studies reporting such high rates were published over two decades ago, had relatively small samples, and had other limitations. We aimed to determine long-term dementia risk in PD using data from two large, ongoing, prospective, observational studies. METHODS: Participants from the Parkinsons Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), a multisite international study, and a long-standing PD research cohort at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), a single site study at a tertiary movement disorders center, were recruited. PPMI enrolled de novo, untreated PD participants and Penn a convenience cohort from a large clinical center. For PPMI, a cognitive battery is administered annually, and a site investigator makes a cognitive diagnosis. At Penn, a comprehensive cognitive battery is administered either annually or biennially, and a cognitive diagnosis is made by expert consensus. Interval-censored survival curves were fit for time from PD diagnosis to stable dementia diagnosis for each cohort, using cognitive diagnosis of dementia as the primary end point and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score

Background: Cognitive screening tools enable the detection of cognitive impairment, facilitate timely intervention, inform clinical care, and allow long‐term planning. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment for people with hearing impairment (MoCA‐H) was developed as a reliable cognitive screening tool for people with hearing loss. Using the same methodology across four languages, this study examined whether cultural or linguistic factors affect the performance of the MoCA‐H. Methods: The current study investigated the performance of the MoCA‐H across English, German, French, and Greek language groups (n = 385) controlling for demographic factors known to affect the performance of the MoCA‐H. Results: In a multiple regression model accounting for age, sex, and education, cultural–linguistic group accounted for 6.89% of variance in the total MoCA‐H score. Differences between languages in mean score of up to 2.6 points were observed. Conclusions: Cultural or linguistic factors have a clinically significant impact on the performance of the MoCA‐H such that optimal performance cut points for identification of cognitive impairment derived in English‐speaking populations are likely inappropriate for use in non‐English speaking populations. To ensure reliable identification of cognitive impairment, it is essential that locally appropriate performance cut points are established for each translation of the MoCA‐H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the discriminative validity of the Brief Assessment of Impaired Cognition (BASIC) case‐finding instrument in a general practice (GP) setting and compare it with other widely used brief cognitive instruments. Methods: Patients aged ≥70 years were prospectively recruited from 14 Danish GP clinics. Participants were classified as having either normal cognition (n = 154) or cognitive impairment (n = 101) based on neuropsychological test performance, reported instrumental activities of daily living, and concern regarding memory decline. Comparisons involved the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS), the Mini‐Cog, the 6‐item Clock Drawing Test (CDT‐6) and the BASIC Questionnaire (BASIC‐Q). Results: BASIC demonstrated good overall classification accuracy with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84–0.92), a sensitivity of 0.72 (95% CI 0.62–0.80) and a specificity of 0.86 (95% CI 0.79–0.91). Pairwise comparisons of the AUCs of BASIC, MMSE, MoCA and RUDAS produced non‐significant results, but BASIC had significantly higher classification accuracy than Mini‐Cog, BASIC‐Q and CDT‐6. Depending on the pretest probability of cognitive impairment, the positive predictive validity of BASIC varied from 0.83 to 0.36, and the negative predictive validity from 0.97 to 0.76. Conclusions: BASIC demonstrated good discriminative validity in a GP setting. The classification accuracy of BASIC is equivalent to more complex, time‐consuming instruments, such as the MMSE, MoCA and RUDAS, and higher than very brief instruments, such as the CDT‐6, Mini‐Cog and BASIC‐Q. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Research shows that medical students' knowledge and skills concerning the assessment of cognition in various neuropsychiatric conditions (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia) are unsatisfactory. This research aims to conduct a training needs analysis (TNA) for medical students to identify and refer patients with neuropsychiatric conditions. Methods: The study comprised two phases. First, developing a TNA toolkit to assess training needs in clinical tasks related to cognitive function assessment (by adopting the Hennessy–Hicks TNA toolkit); and second, through a self-reported survey, their training needs in cognitive function assessment were assessed. Data analysis involved calculating training gaps, importance scores, performance scores, training scores, and organization scores for various clinical tasks-stratified participants' study year; for training needs and trends, factor analysis and post-hoc analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 153 medical students from a tertiary care center participated in the survey. The participants rated their performance lower than the perceived importance of tasks, indicating a need for improvement in all competencies (P <.01). Pre–final-year students had the highest training needs, particularly in accessing literature, planning, and organizing care for patients with cognitive impairment, performing mental status examination, screening patients for cognitive deficits, and counseling them/caregivers about interventions (P <.01). Factor analysis identified a single dominant factor, suggesting a correlation among these skills. Conclusion: Pre–final-year students require targeted training, whereas students beyond this stage can benefit from special training modules and awareness of available resources for cognitive assessment. The findings also suggest the importance of a hybrid approach involving training and organizational modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Cognition often remains unassessed in primary care. To improve early diagnosis of neurocognitive disorder (NCD) in Switzerland, the tablet-based UCSF brain health assessment (BHA) and brain health survey (BHS) were validated. METHODS: The German BHA, BHS, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were administered to 67 patients with mild/major NCD and 50 controls. BHA includes subtests of memory, executive, visuospatial, and language functioning, and informant-based BHS asks about behavior and motor functioning. RESULTS: The complete instrument (BHA + BHS) was most accurate at detecting mild NCD (AUC = 0.95) and NCD without amyloid pathology (AUC = 0.96), followed by the BHA. All measures were accurate (all AUCs > 0.95) at distinguishing major NCD and NCD with amyloid pathology (Alzheimers disease [AD]) from controls. DISCUSSION: The German BHA and BHS are more sensitive to mild NCD and non-AD presentations than the MoCA and thus have a high potential to identify patients with NCD in primary care earlier than currently used screens.

Background Age is the most important risk factor for develop dementia, and the recommendation is that older adults are cognitively tested to detect impairment in the initial stage for adequate treatment. The demand for the care of these older adults is great, drawing attention to the need for rapid tests, with good accuracy and simple application to identify cognitive impairment.

Introduction The mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to a condition that falls in between dementia and the normal cognitive ageing process. Aim of the study: to explore how a physical therapy rehabilitation program affected patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and MCI. Methods The study included 37 elderly patients with T2DM and MCI from Al-Azhar University Hospital aged from 60 to 75 years old. After a physician’s referral, they were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A: 27 patients, underwent a three-session per week, 60-minute physical therapy rehabilitation program in addition to medical treatment. The twelve-week program also included resistive exercise, stretching exercises, and aerobic treadmill walking. The 10 patients in Group B only received medical treatment for a total of twelve weeks. Researchers assessed Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), the p300 neurophysiological test, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). Results There were significantly decreased HbA1c and P300 post-treatment compared to pre-treatment within the study group ( p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0001, respectively) and control group ( p = 0.005 and p = 0.0001, respectively). The MOCA significantly increased post-treatment compared to pre-treatment within the study group, but there was no significant difference in the MOCA between pre- and post-treatment in the control group. The study group had decreased HbA1c, and increased MMS, MOCA, and P300 (13.72, 19.34, 18.7, and 7.2%, respectively) compared to the control group (11.06, 11.06, 9.3, 5.98%, respectively). Conclusions Physical therapy rehabilitation programs are important in helping patients with T2DM for improving their memory and cognitive function as well as decreasing the MCI progression.

BACKGROUND: A hypothetical concern has been raised that sacubitril/valsartan might cause cognitive impairment because neprilysin is one of several enzymes degrading amyloid-ß peptides in the brain, some of which are neurotoxic and linked to Alzheimer-type dementia. To address this, we examined the effect of sacubitril/valsartan compared with valsartan on cognitive function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in a prespecified substudy of PARAGON-HF (Prospective Comparison of Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor With Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Global Outcomes in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction). METHODS: In PARAGON-HF, serial assessment of cognitive function was conducted in a subset of patients with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; score range, 0-30, with lower scores reflecting worse cognitive function). The prespecified primary analysis of this substudy was the change from baseline in MMSE score at 96 weeks. Other post hoc analyses included cognitive decline (fall in MMSE score of =3 points), cognitive impairment (MMSE score <24), or the occurrence of dementia-related adverse events. RESULTS: Among 2895 patients included in the MMSE substudy with baseline MMSE score measured, 1453 patients were assigned to sacubitril/valsartan and 1442 to valsartan. Their mean age was 73 years, and the median follow-up was 32 months. The mean±SD MMSE score at randomization was 27.4±3.0 in the sacubitril/valsartan group, with 10% having an MMSE score <24; the corresponding numbers were nearly identical in the valsartan group. The mean change from baseline to 96 weeks in the sacubitril/valsartan group was -0.05 (SE, 0.07); the corresponding change in the valsartan group was -0.04 (0.07). The mean between-treatment difference at week 96 was -0.01 (95% CI, -0.20 to 0.19; P=0.95). Analyses of a =3-point decline in MMSE, decrease to a score <24, dementia-related adverse events, and combinations of these showed no difference between sacubitril/valsartan and valsartan. No difference was found in the subgroup of patients tested for apolipoprotein E e4 allele genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in PARAGON-HF had relatively low baseline MMSE scores. Cognitive change, measured by MMSE, did not differ between treatment with sacubitril/valsartan and treatment with valsartan in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical exercise interventions are known to improve quality of life, motor and non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, systematic reviews and meta-analyses on cognitive outcomes are rare. Objective: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of physical exercise intervention effects compared with passive and active control groups (CGs) on global cognition in people with PD. Methods: A literature search was performed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on physical exercise interventions in PD using nine databases. We included RCTs reporting global cognition outcomes. A meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Bias was assessed with the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the certainty of evidence was rated using the GRADE approach. Results: Seventeen studies (ten with passive, seven with active CGs) were included in the systematic review. Exercise interventions varied considerably between studies. The meta-analysis included nine studies with 236 people with PD (seven with passive, two with active CGs). The SMD was 0.33 (95% CI 0.00; 0.65) demonstrating a small effect (p = 0.05) in favor of physical exercise. Compared with passive CGs, physical exercise had a small non-significant effect (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI –0.14;0.58, p = 0.24). Compared with active CGs, physical exercise had a medium significant effect (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI 0.12;1.33, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Physical exercise may increase global cognition in people with PD, but the evidence is very uncertain. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm this finding and to identify the most effective type of physical exercise for improving cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsConclusionThere is still a requirement for concise, practical scales that can be readily incorporated into everyday schedules and predict the likelihood of dementia onset in individuals without dementia. This study aimed to assess the reliability of the ANU-ADRI (Australian National University Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Index)-Short Form in Turkish geriatric patients.This methodological study involved 339 elderly patients attending the geriatric outpatient clinic for various reasons. The known-group validity and divergent validity were assessed. The ANU-ADRI was administered during the baseline test and again within one week for retest purposes. Alongside the ANU-ADRI, all participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, including Activities of Daily Living (ADL), mobility assessment (Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) and Timed Up and Go Test), nutritional assessment (Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)), and global cognition evaluation (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)).The scale demonstrated satisfactory linguistic validity. A correlation was observed between the mean scores of the ANU-ADRI test and retest (r = 0.997, p < 0.001). Additionally, there existed a moderate negative linear association between the ANU-ADRI and MMSE scores (r = −0.310, p < 0.001), POMA (r = −0.406, p < 0.001), Basic ADL (r = −0.359, p < 0.001), and Instrumental ADL (r = −0.294, p < 0.001). Moreover, a moderate positive linear association was found between the ANU-ADRI and the Timed Up and Go Test duration (r = 0.538, p < 0.001).The ANU-ADRI-Short Form was proved as a valuable tool for clinical practice, facilitating the assessment of Alzheimer’s disease risk within the Turkish geriatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundCancer patients and survivors often experience acute cognitive impairments; however, the long-term cognitive impact remains unclear particularly among Hispanics/Latinos. We examined the association between cancer history and neurocognitive test performance among middle-aged and older Hispanic/Latinos.MethodsParticipants included 9639 Hispanic/Latino adults from the community-based and prospective Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. At baseline (2008-2011; V1), participants self-reported their cancer history. At V1 and again at a 7-year follow-up (2015-2018; V2), trained technicians administered neurocognitive tests including the Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (B-SEVLT), Word Fluency Test (WF), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSS). We used survey linear regression to estimate the overall, sex-specific, and cancer site-specific [i.e., cervix, breast, uterus, and prostate] adjusted associations between cancer history and neurocognitive test performance at V1 and changes from V1 to V2.ResultsAt V1, a history of cancer (6.4%) versus no history of cancer (93.6%) was associated with higher WF scores (β = 0.14, SE = 0.06; p = 0.03) and global cognition (β = 0.09, SE = 0.04; p = 0.04). Among women, a history of cervical cancer predicted decreases in SEVLT-Recall scores (β = -0.31, SE = 0.13; p = 0.02) from V1 to V2, and among men, a history of prostate cancer was associated with higher V1 WF scores (β = 0.29, SE = 0.12; p = 0.02) and predicted increases in SEVLT-Sum (β = 0.46, SE = 0.22; p = 0.04) from V1 to V2.ConclusionAmong women, a history of cervical cancer was associated with 7-year memory decline, which may reflect the impacts of systemic cancer therapies. Among men, however, a history of prostate cancer was associated with improvements in cognitive performance, perhaps due in part to engaging in health promoting behaviors following cancer.

ABSTRACT Although the most prominent symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are those impacting movement, cognitive dysfunction is prevalent and often presents early in the disease process. Individuals with cognitive symptoms of PD often complete cognitive screening, making it important to identify factors associated with cognitive screening performance to ensure prompt and accurate detection of cognitive impairments. Objective: Despite a body of research examining relationships between motor symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in PD, no prior study has undertaken a systematic review of the magnitude of the relationship between motor symptoms and cognitive screening performance in PD. Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between cognitive screening performance, as assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and motor symptoms of PD. After the systematic screening, 20 studies were included, and meta-regressions using mixed-effects models were conducted. Results: Motor symptoms across included studies were relatively mild, but average MoCA scores were at the established cutoff for risk of dementia in PD. The average disease duration was 5 years. Consistent with hypotheses, more severe motor symptoms were associated with lower MoCA scores (r=-0.22 (95%CI -0.29 to -0.16), p

ABSTRACT Dementia is one of the growing diseases in the world and has different types based on its definition. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test has been employed to screen patients with dementia, cognitive impairment, and disruption of daily activities. Objective: This study examined the diagnostic value of the total MoCA score and its subscores in differentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), dementia with Lewy body (DLB), and vascular dementia (VaD). Methods: A total of 241 patients (AD=110, FTD=90, DLB=28, and VaD=13) and 59 healthy persons, who were referred to a dementia clinic with memory impairment in Firoozgar Hospital, were included in this study. MoCA tests were performed in all patients and normal persons. Results: By using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and measuring the area under the curve (AUC) for the total MoCA score in each group, AUC was 0.616, 0.681, 0.6117, and 0.583 for differentiating AD, FTD, DLB, and VaD patients, respectively. Among the groups, just the VaD group showed no significant usefulness in using the total MoCA score to differentiate it. To compare MoCA subscores, AD patients had higher scores in digit span, literal fluency, and abstraction but lower delayed recall scores compared with FTD patients. Conclusion: The total MoCA score and its subscores could not differentiate people with different types of dementia in the setting of screening.

BackgroundStudy partners are required for all participants at Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs). Study partners' attitudes and beliefs may contribute to missed visits and negatively impact retention of participants in longitudinal AD studies.ObjectiveStudy partners (N = 212) of participants (Clinical Dementia Rating® [CDR]≤2) at four ADRCs were randomly surveyed to examine their facilitators and barriers to continued participation in AD studies.MethodsReasons for participation were analyzed with factor analysis and regression analysis. Effects of complaints and goal fulfillment on attendance were estimated with fractional logistic models. Open-ended responses were characterized with a Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic model.ResultsStudy partners participated for personal benefit and altruism. They emphasized personal benefits more when their participants had a CDR > 0 than when they had a CDR = 0. This difference declined with participant age. The majority of study partners rated their ADRC participation as positive and meeting their goals. Although half reported at least one complaint, very few regretted participating. Those who reported that ADRC participation fulfilled their goals or had fewer complaints were more likely to have perfect attendance. Study partners requested more feedback about test results and better management of study visits.ConclusionStudy partners are motivated by both personal and altruistic goals. The salience of each goal depends on their trust in researchers and the participant's cognitive status and age. Retention may improve with perceived goal fulfillment and fewer complaints. Potential areas for improving retention are providing more information about the participant's test results and better management of study visits.

IntroductionWe evaluated the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in indigenous Tsimane and Moseten, who lead a subsistence lifestyle.MethodsParticipants from population-based samples ≥ 60 years of age (n = 623) were assessed using adapted versions of the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, informant interview, longitudinal cognitive testing and brain computed tomography (CT) scans.ResultsTsimane exhibited five cases of dementia (among n = 435; crude prevalence = 1.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4, 2.7); Moseten exhibited one case (among n = 169; crude prevalence = 0.6%, 95% CI: 0.0, 3.2), all age ≥ 80 years. Age-standardized MCI prevalence was 7.7% (95% CI: 5.2, 10.3) in Tsimane and 9.8% (95% CI: 4.9, 14.6) in Moseten. Cognitive impairment was associated with visuospatial impairments, parkinsonian symptoms, and vascular calcification in the basal ganglia.DiscussionThe prevalence of dementia in this cohort is among the lowest in the world. Widespread intracranial medial arterial calcifications suggest a previously unrecognized, non-Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia phenotype.

Participants with schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) have challenges in self-evaluation of their cognitive and functional abilities, referred to as introspective accuracy (IA). Although psychotic symptoms are commonly found to be uncorrelated with cognitive performance, many models of the development of delusions focus on failures in self-assessment and responses biases during momentary monitoring. We performed a single 4-test cognitive assessment on 240 participants (schizophrenia n = 126; bipolar disorder n = 114) and asked them to make a judgment about their performance immediately after completion of each task. We related performance and these judgments to results of Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA) of the momentary occurrence of psychotic symptoms (Voices, paranoid ideas, other delusions) collected over up to 90 surveys over a 30 days prior to the single cognitive assessment. We examined test performance and the accuracy of self-assessment at that assessment, looking at diagnostic differences in performance and mis-estimation of performance. Participants with bipolar disorder had better cognitive performance, but there were no differences in mis-estimation. Analyses of the correlation between cognitive performance and self-assessment were all significant and better cognitive performance predicted reduced errors in self-assessment. Examination of the 30-day course of psychotic symptoms and IA could only be performed in participants with schizophrenia, revealing correlations between more common occurrences of all three psychotic symptoms and increased absolute values for IA errors. These data are consistent with theories of cognitive response biases and the formation of delusions.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was created by Marshal Folstein et al. in 1975 as an instrument for brief (5-10 min) assessment of mental status in hospitalized patients. It is considered the most widely used test for standardized cognitive assessment in the clinical setting, especially with the elderly population. It has countless translations in different languages, and according to the different international (PubMed) and regional (SciELO, Redalyc, and Dialnet) scientific databases, it has been widely used by the scientific community. This article describes the historical evolution of the MMSE, highlights its evaluative properties, and provides bibliometric data on its impact on scientific publications, with a special focus on Ibero-America.

Changes in demography in developing countries haves led to new issues among older rural populations, such as self-neglect which is under researched.Self-neglect identified as poor self-care, unsafe living quarters, inadequate medical care and poor utilization of services increase the odds of morbidity and mortality. Methods Our study was conducted in Kaniyambadi, a rural block in Vellore district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Ten villages were randomly selected. The study was conducted among people older than 60 years who were selected by random sampling using a computer-generated list. The following assessments were done: (i) A 19-item questionnaire was used to assess self-neglect, (ii) Katz index of daily living to assess functional activity, (iii) Mini Mental State Examination to evaluate cognition, (iv) Geriatric Depression Scale to identify depression, (v) Duke Social Support Index to measure social supports. Clinical data and anthropometric data were also collected. Data were entered into Epidata v3.1. All analyses were performed using SPSS v23.0. Results One hundred fourteen people above 60 years of age participated. The prevalence of self-neglect was 21.1% (95% CI 14.9%—29%); about half of the elderly population (47.38%) refused to seek or follow medical advice. Lower levels of education (OR 3.678, 95% CI 1.017 – 13.301), lower social class (OR 4.455, 95% CI 1.236 – 16.050) and functional impairment (3.643, 95% CI 1.373 – 9.668) were found to be significant factors associated with self–neglect. Though prevalence of comorbidities (70%) and depression (27%) were high, there was no statistical evidence of association with self-neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The mild cognitive impairment (MCi) refers to a condition that falls in between dementia and the normal cognitive ageing process. Aim of the study: to explore how a physical therapy rehabilitation program affected patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2dM) and MCi. Methods. The study included 37 elderly patients with T2dM and MCi from Al-Azhar University Hospital aged from 60 to 75 years old. After a physician's referral, they were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A: 27 patients, underwent a three-session per week, 60-minute physical therapy rehabilitation program in addition to medical treatment. The twelve-week program also included resistive exercise, stretching exercises, and aerobic treadmill walking. The 10 patients in Group B only received medical treatment for a total of twelve weeks. Researchers assessed Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), the p300 neurophysiological test, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results. There were significantly decreased HbA1c and P300 post-treatment compared to pre-treatment within the study group (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0001, respectively) and control group (p = 0.005 and p = 0.0001, respectively). The MoCA significantly increased post-treatment compared to pre-treatment within the study group, but there was no significant difference in the MoCA between pre- and post-treatment in the control group. The study group had decreased HbA1c, and increased MMS, MoCA, and P300 (13.72, 19.34, 18.7, and 7.2%, respectively) compared to the control group (11.06, 11.06, 9.3, 5.98%, respectively). Conclusions. Physical therapy rehabilitation programs are important in helping patients with T2dM for improving their memory and cognitive function as well as decreasing the MCi progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many types of assessment tools for dementia patients both domestically and internationally. However, assessments using single-dimensional measurement tools often have limitations, and there is still a lack of reports on comprehensive assessment tools specifically for dementia patients in current. Based on this, the comprehensive assessment tools for the elderly with dementia are reviewed both domestically and internationally, 8 assessment tools from the perspectives of demand and function for the elderly with dementia are summarized, and the content, reliability and validity, application of each tool are discussed in this paper, in order to provide reference for the use and development of assessment tools for the elderly with dementia in China.

Purpose: To assess the correlation among cognitive impairment (CI) and the degree of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: The current analytic cross-sectional study has been carried out on two hundred ten individuals having diabetes mellitus type 2. Individuals were split into 7 groups in order of severity of DR in the worse eye with 30 cases in each group. Cognition function has been determined utilizing mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) tests. Results: Comparing the severity of CI using both MMSE and MoCA tests, statistically substantial differences have been discovered among individuals without DR, those having non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (p < 0.001). The greatest percentage of severe and moderate CI was seen in the PDR group. Regarding the severity of CI, there has been a statistically substantial difference among NPDR and PDR groups, as well as among no-DR and PDR groups (p < 0.001). Moreover, the severity of CI in the MMSE and MoCA tests had a negative connection with the grades of DR (r = − 0.522, P < 0.001 and r = − 0.540, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: We discovered a negative connection between the grades of DR and the severity of CI that persisted as a significant finding, showing that patients with more severe DR tended to have higher levels of CI. These results might offer retinal examination or retinal photography as a promising strategy for mass screening of CI in diabetic patients, especially if it is combined with artificial intelligence and telemedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Dementia poses a significant societal and health challenge in the 21st century, with many hospitalized patients experiencing dementia without a documented diagnosis. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of dementia and its associated risk factors among older patients admitted to hospitals. Methods: The study included older patients (≥ 60 years) admitted to medical departments of a general hospital in three major Iranian cities. Researchers utilized the Activities of Daily Living-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL-IADL) scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the Mini-Cog test, the 4 A’s test (4AT), and the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS). Among the 420 recruited older inpatients, 228 (54.3%) were female. Results: The mean age of participants was 71.39 years (standard deviation ±7.95), with 30.7% diagnosed with major neurocognitive disorder (dementia). The likelihood of dementia exhibited statistically significant correlations with gender, age, number of children, and occupation. Conclusions: Screening older individuals for cognitive impairment upon hospital admission holds the potential to prevent adverse outcomes and enhance the quality of treatment for patients concurrently dealing with dementia.

Background and purposeThe faster rates of cognitive decline and predominance of atypical forms in early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) suggest that neuropsychiatric symptoms could be different in EOAD compared to late-onset AD (LOAD); however, prior studies based on non-biomarker-diagnosed cohorts show discordant results. Our goal was to determine the profile of neuropsychiatric symptoms in EOAD and LOAD, in a cohort with biomarker/postmortem-confirmed diagnoses. Additionally, the contribution of co-pathologies was explored.MethodsIn all, 219 participants (135 EOAD, 84 LOAD) meeting National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association criteria for AD (115 amyloid positron emission tomography/cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, 104 postmortem diagnosis) at the University of California San Francisco were evaluated. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q) was assessed at baseline and during follow-up. The NPI-Q mean comparisons and regression models adjusted by cognitive (Mini-Mental State Examination) and functional status (Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes) were performed to determine the effect of EOAD/LOAD and amnestic/non-amnestic diagnosis on NPI-Q. Regression models assessing the effect of co-pathologies on NPI-Q were performed.ResultsAt baseline, the NPI-Q scores were higher in EOAD compared to LOAD (p

Background Cognitive function is dynamic in post-stroke patients, however, there are limited studies on cognitive recovery after stroke. The definition of cognitive reverters and neuropsychological characteristics according to various definitions have not yet been investigated. Objective To investigate the neuropsychological characteristics of cognitive reverters after stroke based on the traditional definition and new definition according to Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with a double threshold. Methods A total of 163 patients hospitalized for first onset acute ischemic stroke were recruited from the Department of Neurology of the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from December 2020 to February 2022 as the study subjects. All patients were assessed for cognitive function in the acute period of ischemic stroke using the MoCA at baseline. Cognitive function was assessed again at the 6-month post-stroke follow-up with the detailed neuropsychological tests refined at the same time, including the digit span task (DST) , Stroop color and word test (SCWT) , Chinese version of Boston naming test (BNT) , verbal fluency test (VFT) , clock drawing test (CDT) , and auditory verbal learning test (AVLT) . The enrolled patients were divided into the M1 group (MoCA scores

ABSTRACT Introduction. People deprived of liberty, due to their condition and characteristics, suffer greater changes in their health than the general population, particularly in personality disorders,consumption of psychoactive substances, and suicidal tendencies. The prison system is aware of these risks, and universally, multiple approaches to the subject have been developed, as evidenced by the abundant literature, for its early detection. Objective. Apply the screening instrument, the Brief Jail Mental Health Screening (BJMHS) test, to a sample of people deprived of Liberty upon admission to three Colombian prisons, to establish the prevalence of mental health in these institutions. Methodology. The type of study was cross-sectional in a population of incarcerated individuals in three institutions, two Colombian prisons for men, and one for women, between 2019 and 2020. The final validated sample was 417 people, 22.3% women and 77.7% men, for mental health screening, applied to the admission of the population deprived of liberty in prisons. Results. The global prevalence of mental health was 46.0% with a 95% Confidence interval (41.3% to 50.8%) for the Buen Pastor prison; 46.2% with a 95% Confidence Interval (35.9% to 56.6%), for the Modelo prison 51.5% with a 95% Confidence interval (43.0% to 60.0%); and for the Picota prison with 42.0% with a 95% Confidence interval (34.9% to 49.1%). A greater impact on mental health was found in people accused or convicted of crimes against sexual freedom, integrity and training. against public safety, and against the family. Discussion. Given the unique conditions of the prison population and the universality of mental disorders, early detection of their functional level and degree of impairment is indispensable. Conclusion. The prevalence of mental health found in Colombian prisons has a similar magnitude to the same populations in various parts of the world, showing greater reliability in men than in women. Keywords: Mental Health; Prisoners; Mass Screening; Mental Status and Dementia Tests; Public Health Surveillance; Social Work, Psychiatric RESUMEN Introducción. Las personas privadas de la libertad, por su misma condición y características, padecen mayores alteraciones en su salud que la población general, en particular con relación a los trastornos de la personalidad, consumo de sustancias psicoactivas, y tendencias suicidas. El sistema carcelario es conocedor de estos riesgos, y universalmente, se han desarrollado múltiples abordajes del tema como lo demuestra la abundante literatura, para su detección temprana. Objetivo. Establecer la prevalencia de salud mental y asociaciones de los factores de nivel educativo, edad, sexo, de la situación jurídica de las personas privadas de la libertad, a través del instrumento de tamizaje, Brief Jail Mental Health Screening (BJMHS) (Breve Evaluación de Salud Mental en la Cárcel), a una muestra de personas privadas de la libertad a su ingreso en tres centros carcelarios colombianos. Metodología. Estudio observacional de corte transversal en una población de tres cárceles de Colombia de los años 2019 y 2020, dos cárceles para varones, y una para mujeres. La muestra final validada, fue de 417 personas, 22.3% a mujeres y 77.7% a hombres, para el tamizaje en salud mental, aplicada al ingreso a los establecimientos carcelarios. Resultados. La prevalencia global de trastornos mentales fue de 46.0% con un Intervalo de Confianza de 95% (41.3% a 50.8%), para la cárcel Buen Pastor fue de 46.2% con un Intervalo de Confianza 95% (35.9% a 56.6%), para la cárcel Modelo 51.5% con un Intervalo de Confianza 95% (43.0% a 60.0%), y para la cárcel Picota con un 42.0% con un Intervalo de Confianza 95% (34.9% a 49.1%). Se encontró una mayor afectación en salud mental en personas sindicadas o condenadas por delitos contra la libertad, integridad y formación sexuales, contra la seguridad pública, y contra la familia. Discusión. Dadas las singulares condiciones de la población carcelaria y la universalidad de afectaciones mentales, es indispensable una detección temprana de su nivel funcional y grado de afectación. Conclusión. Se encontró una prevalencia de trastornos mentales en las cárceles de Colombia, de una magnitud consistente con similares poblaciones reportadas en la literatura universal, arrojando mayor relevancia en hombres que en mujeres. Palabras clave: Salud Mental; Tamizaje Masivo; Prisioneros; Pruebas de Estado Mental y Demencia; Vigilancia en Salud Pública; Asistencia Social en Psiquiatría RESUMO Introdução. Pessoas privadas de liberdade, pela mesma condição e características, sofrem maiores alterações em sua saúde do que a população em geral, principalmente em relação a transtornos de personalidade, consumo de substâncias psicoativas e tendências suicidas. O sistema penitenciário está ciente desses riscos e foram desenvolvidas, universalmente, múltiplas abordagens para a questão, como demonstrado pela abundante literatura, para detecção precoce. Objetivo. Estabelecer a prevalência da saúde mental e associações dos fatores escolaridade, faixa etária, sexo e situação jurídica de pessoas privadas de liberdade, através do instrumento de triagem Brief Jail Mental Health Screening (BJMHS) (Breve Triagem de Saúde Mental na Prisão), a uma amostra de pessoas privadas de liberdade ao serem admitidas em três presídios colombianos. Metodologia. Estúdio observacional de corte transversal em uma população de três prisões da Colômbia dos anos 2019 e 2020, dois prisões para varões, e um para mulheres. A amostra final validada, foi de 417 pessoas, 22.3% para mulheres e 77.7% para homens, para a triagem da saúde mental, aplicada ao ingresso nos estabelecimentos penitenciários. Resultados. A prevalencia global de transtornos mentais foi de 46.0% com um Intervalo de Confiança de 95% (41.3% a 50.8%); para o presídio Buen Pastor foi de 46.2% com um Intervalo de Confiança de 95% (35.9% a 56.6%); para o presídio Modelo 51.5% com um Intervalo de Confiança de 95% (43.0% a 60.0%); e para o presídio Picota 42.0% com um Intervalo de Confiança de 95% (34.9% a 49.1%). Foi encontrado um maior impacto na saúde mental em pessoas acusadas ou condenadas por crimes contra a liberdade, integridade e formação sexual, contra a segurança pública e contra a família. Discussão. Dadas as condições únicas da população prisional e a universalidade dos transtornos mentais, é essencial a detecção precoce do seu nível funcional e do seu grau de afetação. Conclusão. Foi encontrada uma prevalência de transtornos mentais nas prisões colombianas, de magnitude consistente com populações semelhantes relatadas na literatura universal, mostrando maior relevância em homens do que em mulheres. Palavras-chave: Saúde Mental; Prisioneiros; Programas de Rastreamento; Testes de Estado Mental e Demência; Vigilância em Saúde Pública; Serviço Social em Psiquiatria

Background: Dementia involves a neuronal loss in the primary somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobe, causing dementia patients to perceive pain stimuli hardly. The function of temperature sensation declines. Studies measuring brain blood volume using near-infrared light have reported that patients suffering from dementia have less activation than healthy elderly people. However, the majority of these studies used tests related to cognitive function and the frontal lobe, and few have examined thermal sensation.Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of cold and warm stimulation on cerebral blood volume in elderly and young subjects.Material and Methods: This observational study measured changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations in the frontal cortex during cold and warm stimulation in elderly and young subjects using a near-infrared light device. The mean and standard deviation of the change in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration before and after cold and warm stimulation, as well as the center-of-gravity values, were compared between the young and the elderly.Results: During warm stimulation, the younger subjects showed an increase in blood oxygenated hemoglobin levels; however, the difference was not significant. For the elderly, no change was observed during the task. The center of gravity values was lower in the young compared to the elderly which was similar to the reaction threshold. No significant changes were observed during cold stimulation. Conclusion: Thermal sensation thresholds were impaired in the elderly compared to the young; however, cerebral blood volume changes were unclear.

BackgroundPoor social health is likely associated with cognitive decline and risk of dementia; however, studies show inconsistent results. Additionally, few studies separate social health components or control for mental health.ObjectiveTo investigate whether loneliness and social support are independently associated with cognitive decline and risk of dementia, and whether depressive symptoms confound the association.MethodsWe included 4,514 participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study (RS; aged 71±7SD years) followed up to 14 years (median 10.8, interquartile range 7.4-11.6), and 2,112 participants from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K; aged 72±10SD years) followed up to 10 years (mean 5.9±1.6SD). At baseline, participants were free of major depression and scored on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ≥26 for RS and ≥25 for SNAC-K. We investigated loneliness, perceived social support, and structural social support (specifically marital status and number of children). In both cohorts, dementia was diagnosed and cognitive function was repeatedly assessed with MMSE and a global cognitive factor (g-factor).ResultsLoneliness was prospectively associated with a decline in the MMSE in both cohorts. Consistently, persons who were lonely had an increased risk of developing dementia (RS: HR 1.34, 95%CI 1.08-1.67; SNAC-K: HR 2.16, 95%CI 1.12-4.17). Adjustment for depressive symptoms and exclusion of the first 5 years of follow-up did not alter results. Neither perceived or structural social support was associated with cognitive decline or dementia risk.ConclusionLoneliness, not social support, predicted cognitive decline and incident dementia independently of depressive symptoms.

BackgroundRetention of study participants is essential to advancing Alzheimer's disease (AD) research and developing therapeutic interventions. However, recent multi-year AD studies have lost 10% to 54% of participants.ObjectiveWe surveyed a random sample of 443 participants (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]≤1) at four Alzheimer Disease Research Centers to elucidate perceived facilitators and barriers to continued participation in longitudinal AD research.MethodsReasons for participation were characterized with factor analysis. Effects of perceived fulfillment of one's own goals and complaints on attendance and likelihood of dropout were estimated with logistic regression models. Open-ended responses suggesting study improvements were analyzed with a Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic model.ResultsFactor analyses revealed two categories, personal benefit and altruism, as drivers of continued participation. Participants with cognitive impairment (CDR > 0) emphasized personal benefits more than societal benefits. Participants with higher trust in medical researchers were more likely to emphasize broader social benefits. A minority endorsed any complaints. Higher perceived fulfillment of one's own goals and fewer complaints were related to higher attendance and lower likelihood of dropout. Facilitators included access to medical center support and/or future treatment, learning about AD and memory concerns, and enjoying time with staff. Participants' suggestions emphasized more feedback about individual test results and AD research.ConclusionThe results confirmed previously identified facilitators and barriers. Two new areas, improved communication about individual test results and greater feedback about AD research, emerged as the primary factors to improve participation.

BackgroundCognitive screening is important for the oldest-old (age 90 +). This age group is the fastest growing and has the highest risk of dementia. However, norms and score equivalence for screening tests are lacking for this group.AimsTo provide norms and score equivalence for commonly used cognitive screening tests for the oldest-old.MethodsData on 157 participants of the Center for Healthy Aging Longevity Study aged 90 + were analyzed. First, we derived norms for (1) subtests and cognitive domains of the in-person Montreal Cognitive Assessment having a maximum score of 30 (MoCA-30) and (2) the total MoCA-22 score, obtained from the in-person MoCA-30 by summing the subtests that do not require visual input to a maximum score of 22. These norms were derived from 124 participants with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ≥ 27. Second, we derived score equivalences for MMSE to MoCA-30 and MoCA-22, and MoCA-30 to MoCA-22 using equipercentile equating method with log-linear smoothing, based on all 157 participants.ResultsMoCA-22 total score norms are: mean = 18.3(standard deviation = 2.2). An MMSE score of 27 is equivalent to a MoCA-30 score of 22 and a MoCA-22 score of 16.Discussion and conclusionsSubtest, domain and MoCA-22 norms will aid in evaluation of the oldest-old who cannot complete the MoCA-30 or are tested over the phone. The equivalences of the three cognitive tests (MMSE, MoCA-30, MoCA-22) in the oldest-old will facilitate continuity of cognitive tracking of individuals tested with different tests over time and comparison of the studies that use different cognitive tests.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test whether patients are better oriented to the day on the first working day following the weekend (in Israel—Sunday), compared with other weekdays, on the Mini-Mental Score Examination (MMSE). Methods: All MMSE scores from November 2016 until December 2022 in our mental health center's computerized system were collected. The proportion of correct answers to orientation to the day was compared between weekdays. Results: The cohort consisted of 2049 MMSEs taken by 1376 patients [average age 80.3 (SD=9.3), 56.4% female]. The difference between the proportion of correct and incorrect answers was statistically significant between the days, of which Sundays showed a larger difference (53.4%) compared with the other days (χ2=20.77, P <0.001, Cramer V =0.104). A statistically significant odds ratio (OR) for providing a correct response was found for Sundays (OR=1.55, P =0.001) and, to a lesser extent, on Thursdays (OR=1.29, P =0.01). The difference between Sundays and other weekdays disappears as the total MMSE decreases. Conclusion: Day orientation on the MMSE may be better on the first day following the weekend, especially in early cognitive decline. Clinical Implications: The weekday in which the MMSE is performed may influence its results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains prevalent despite antiretroviral therapy and involves white matter damage in the brain. Although iron is essential for myelination and myelin maintenance/repair, its role in HAND is largely unexplored. We tested the hypotheses that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) heavy-chain ferritin (Fth1) and transferrin, proteins integral to iron delivery and myelination, are associated with neurocognitive performance in people with HIV (PWH). Fth1, transferrin, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 were quantified in CSF at baseline (entry) in 403 PWH from a prospective observational study who underwent serial, comprehensive neurocognitive assessments. Associations of Fth1 and transferrin with Global Deficit Score (GDS)-defined neurocognitive performance at baseline and 30-42 months of follow-up were evaluated by multivariable regression. While not associated with neurocognitive performance at baseline, higher baseline CSF Fth1 predicted significantly better neurocognitive performance over 30 months in all PWH (p < 0.05), in PWH aged < 50 at 30, 36, and 42 months (all p < 0.05), and in virally suppressed PWH at all three visit time-points (all p < 0.01). Higher CSF transferrin was associated with superior neurocognitive performance at all visits, primarily in viremic individuals (all p < 0.05). All associations persisted after adjustment for neuro-inflammation. In summary, higher CSF Fth1 is neuroprotective over prolonged follow-up in all and virally suppressed PWH, while higher CSF transferrin may be most neuroprotective during viremia. We speculate that higher CSF levels of these critical iron-delivery proteins support improved myelination and consequently, neurocognitive performance in PWH, providing a rationale for investigating their role in interventions to prevent and/or treat HAND.

ImportanceTau positron emission tomography (PET) tracers have proven useful for the differential diagnosis of dementia, but their utility for predicting cognitive change is unclear.ObjectiveTo examine the prognostic accuracy of baseline fluorine 18 (18F)-flortaucipir and [18F]RO948 (tau) PET in individuals across the Alzheimer disease (AD) clinical spectrum and to perform a head-to-head comparison against established magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and amyloid PET markers.Design, setting, and participantsThis prognostic study collected data from 8 cohorts in South Korea, Sweden, and the US from June 1, 2014, to February 28, 2021, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 1.9 (0.8) years. A total of 1431 participants were recruited from memory clinics, clinical trials, or cohort studies; 673 were cognitively unimpaired (CU group; 253 [37.6%] positive for amyloid-β [Aβ]), 443 had mild cognitive impairment (MCI group; 271 [61.2%] positive for Aβ), and 315 had a clinical diagnosis of AD dementia (315 [100%] positive for Aβ).Exposures[18F]Flortaucipir PET in the discovery cohort (n = 1135) or [18F]RO948 PET in the replication cohort (n = 296), T1-weighted MRI (n = 1431), and amyloid PET (n = 1329) at baseline and repeated Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) evaluation.Main outcomes and measuresBaseline [18F]flortaucipir/[18F]RO948 PET retention within a temporal region of interest, MRI-based AD-signature cortical thickness, and amyloid PET Centiloids were used to predict changes in MMSE using linear mixed-effects models adjusted for age, sex, education, and cohort. Mediation/interaction analyses tested whether associations between baseline tau PET and cognitive change were mediated by baseline MRI measures and whether age, sex, and APOE genotype modified these associations.ResultsAmong 1431 participants, the mean (SD) age was 71.2 (8.8) years; 751 (52.5%) were male. Findings for [18F]flortaucipir PET predicted longitudinal changes in MMSE, and effect sizes were stronger than for AD-signature cortical thickness and amyloid PET across all participants (R2, 0.35 [tau PET] vs 0.24 [MRI] vs 0.17 [amyloid PET]; P < .001, bootstrapped for difference) in the Aβ-positive MCI group (R2, 0.25 [tau PET] vs 0.15 [MRI] vs 0.07 [amyloid PET]; P

ABSTRACT Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) is a cognitive screening that evaluates older people with low educational levels. In Chile, there are no normative data to assess this population. Objective: To obtain normative data on RUDAS in older Chilean people with up to 12 years of schooling, and to determine whether age and schooling years influence a person’s performance on RUDAS and on the items that constitute it. Methods: A group of cognitively healthy people 60 years old or over, with up to 12 schooling years was evaluated (n=135). Multiple regression models were applied to obtain normative data on RUDAS, according to age and schooling years, and to measure the effects of schooling on different items. Results: Regression analysis showed that none of the items had schooling as a significant predictor, except for the visuoconstruction item. The variables age and schooling explained 12.6% (R^2=0.126) of the RUDAS total score variance. The item visuoconstruction was the most associated with the educational level (OR=1,147). Conclusion: This study showed that RUDAS is a recommended instrument for evaluating older people with low educational levels. However, more studies are needed to prove the validity of the RUDAS on Chilean older people.

ABSTRACT Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease associated with cognitive impairment. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has been used as a recommended global cognition scale for patients with PD, but there are some concerns about its application, partially due to the floor and ceiling effects. Objective: To explore the floor and ceiling effects on the MoCA in patients with PD in Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study with data from patients with PD from five Brazilian Movement Disorders Clinics, excluding individuals with a possible diagnosis of dementia. We analyzed the total score of the MoCA, as well as its seven cognitive domains. The floor and ceiling effects were evaluated for the total MoCA score and domains. Multivariate analyses were performed to detect factors associated with floor and ceiling effects. Results: We evaluated data from 366 patients with PD and approximately 19% of individuals had less than five years of education. For the total MoCA score, there was no floor or ceiling effect. There was a floor effect in the abstraction and delayed memory recall domains in 20% of our sample. The ceiling effect was demonstrated in all domains (80.8% more common in naming and 89% orientation), except delayed recall. Education was the main factor associated with the floor and ceiling effects, independent of region, sex, age at evaluation, and disease duration. Conclusion: The floor and ceiling effects are present in specific domains of the MoCA in Brazil, with a strong impact on education. Further adaptations of the MoCA structure for underrepresented populations may reduce these negative effects.

ABSTRACT. The prevalence of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) is about 20% to 60%. The Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) is the most used cognitive screening test. Objective: To evaluate the influence of clinical and demographic characteristics, specifically the education level, on the MMSE score in PD patients of a northeast Brazilian sample. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 198 PD patients at a Movement Disorders outpatient clinic in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Participants were assessed by detailed clinical history, modified Hoehn and Yahr staging (HY), geriatric depression scale (GDS) and MMSE. Results: We found that 68% of patients had MMSE scores below the Brazilian thresholds, which were based in Brucki et al. study (2003). There was a statistically significant difference in the bivariate analysis between educational level and cut-off classification for MMSE. More years of formal schooling were associated with more patients scoring below threshold. We found that 75%, 68.8%, and 79.7% of individuals with more than 11, 9 to 11, and 4 to 8 years of formal schooling, respectively, were below the suggested Brazilian Brucki's threshold. GDS and age were negatively correlated with total MMSE and all its domains. There was no correlation between disease duration and MMSE. Subjects with hallucinations had lower scores. Conclusion: Most of the sample had lower performance according to Brazilian thresholds, but there was no control group and no neuropsychological test in this study. Further studies in northeast Brazil are needed to review MMSE cut-off values.

Background: Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a commonly used screening tool for cognitive disorders, known for its ease of administration and scoring. Despite frequent use by clinicians, CDT is criticized for its poor predictive value in mild cases of impairment. Objective: To evaluate CDT as a screening tool for early stage of cognitive impairment in biomarker-verified Alzheimer's disease (AD) and depressive disorder (DD). Methods: We analyzed CDT of 172 patients with verified AD, 70 patients with DD, in whom neurodegenerative disorder was excluded using cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and 58 healthy older adults. CDT was scored using the semi-quantitative (Shulman) and itemized criteria (adapted from Mendez). Results: Logistic regression showed that for both DD and AD patients with high Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (27 and above) the significant predicting variable is uneven number spacing. As MMSE deteriorates (24-26 points), an additional error of setting clock hands is predictive of the disease. In the low MMSE condition, CDT showed an acceptable discrimination for AD (AUC itemized 0.740, Shulman 0.741) and DD (AUC itemized 0.827, Shulman 0.739) using both scoring methods. In the high MMSE condition, discrimination rates were acceptable using itemized scoring but poor using Shulman scoring for both AD (AUC itemized 0.707, Shulman 0.677) and DD (AUC itemized 0.755, Shulman 0.667) groups. Conclusion: Ideally, modern diagnostic process should take place before the cognitive performance drops beneath the healthy range. This makes CDT of little use when screening patients with very mild cognitive deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Drug‐induced gingival overgrowth can occur as a side effect of specific drugs and lead to poor oral function. Appropriate dental management of the overgrowth may improve oral function and improve cognitive deficits after cerebrovascular accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, which makes the lives of patients and their families difficult for various reasons. Therefore, early detection of AD is crucial to alleviating the symptoms through medication and treatment. Objective: Given that AD strongly induces language disorders, this study aims to detect AD rapidly by analyzing the language characteristics. Materials and Methods: The mini-mental state examination for dementia screening (MMSE-DS), which is most commonly used in South Korean public health centers, is used to obtain negative answers based on the questionnaire. Among the acquired voices, significant questionnaires and answers are selected and converted into mel-frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC)-based spectrogram images. After accumulating the significant answers, validated data augmentation was achieved using the Densenet121 model. Five deep learning models, Inception v3, VGG19, Xception, Resnet50, and Densenet121, were used to train and confirm the results. Results: Considering the amount of data, the results of the five-fold cross-validation are more significant than those of the hold-out method. Densenet121 exhibits a sensitivity of 0.9550, a specificity of 0.8333, and an accuracy of 0.9000 in a five-fold cross-validation to separate AD patients from the control group. Conclusions: The potential for remote health care can be increased by simplifying the AD screening process. Furthermore, by facilitating remote health care, the proposed method can enhance the accessibility of AD screening and increase the rate of early AD detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The communication skills of individuals with dementia are affected even in the early stages of the condition. To date, there is no scale for the evaluation of communication abilities in Turkish‐speaking populations with dementia that can be used in clinical practice and research. The present study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Holden Communication Scale (HCS‐TR). Materials and methods: The study was carried out with 141 participants (77 female and 64 male). Psychometric analyses were conducted to assess the internal consistency, construct and criterion validity, test–retest reliability, and inter‐rater reliability of the HCS‐TR. The Standardized Mini‐Mental State Examination (SMMSE) test was used for criterion validity. For the inter‐rater reliability of the scale, the two different caregivers of individuals with dementia were administered the scale separately at the same time. For test–retest reliability, 2 weeks later, the same caregivers who filled out the HCS‐TR the first time were administered to fill out the scale again. To test the validity of the scale, an item factor analysis was performed, and the correlations between the items and subsections were determined. Results: The factor loadings indicating the adequate contribution of the scale items to the relevant dimension were within the 0.700–0.831 range. There were positive relationships between all the items of the HCS‐TR, and there was a significant negative relationship (r = −.842) between HCS‐TR and MMSE. The corrected item–total correlation values were found to be within the.676–.794 range. Cronbach's alpha values for the HCS‐TR subsection and total scores in the first and second measurements were found to be in the range of.718–.944. There was no statistically significant difference (p =.709) between the mean total scores in the first and second measurements. Conclusion: The HCS‐TR is a valid and reliable tool that can be used for clinical and research purposes to assess the strengths and limitations of the communication skills of Turkish individuals with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. People deprived of liberty, due to their condition and characteristics, suffer greater changes in their health than the general population, particularly in relation to personality disorders, consumption of psychoactive substances, and suicidal tendencies. The prison system is aware of these risks, and universally, multiple approaches to the subject have been developed, as evidenced by the abundant literature, for its early detection. Objective. Apply the screening instrument, the Brief Jail Mental Health Screening (BJMHS) test, to a sample of people deprived of liberty upon admission to three Colombian prisons, to establish the prevalence of mental health in these institutions. Methodology. The type of study was cross-sectional in a population of incarcerated individuals in three institutions, two Colombian prisons for men, and one for women, between 2019 and 2020. The final validated sample was 417 people, 22.3% women and 77.7% men, for mental health screening, applied to the admission of the population deprived of liberty in prisons. Results. The global prevalence of mental health was 46.0% with a 95% Confidence interval (41.3% to 50.8%) for the Buen Pastor prison; 46.2% with a 95% Confidence interval (35.9% to 56.6%), for the Modelo prison 51.5% with a 95% Confidence interval (43.0% to 60.0%); and for the Picota prison with 42.0% with a 95% Confidence interval (34.9% to 49.1%). A greater impact on mental health was found in people accused or convicted of crimes against sexual freedom, integrity and training. against public safety, and against the family. Conclusion. The prevalence of mental health found in Colombian prisons has a similar magnitude to the same populations in various parts of the world, showing greater reliability in men than in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveBecause of inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive function in people with age-related memory complaints, we examined how self-reports of sleep quality were related to multiple domains of both objective and subjective cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults.DesignA cross-sectional study involving analysis of baseline data, collected as part of a clinical trial.MeasurementsTwo hundred and three participants (mean age = 60.4 [6.5] years, 69.0% female) with mild memory complaints were asked to rate their sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and their memory performance using the Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), which measures self-awareness of memory ability. Neurocognitive performance was evaluated using the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Trail Making Test, Buschke Selective Reminding Test, and the Brief Visuospatial Test - Revised (BVMT-R).ResultsTotal PSQI scores were significantly associated with objective measures of sustained attention (CPT hit reaction time by block and standard error by block) and subjective memory loss (MFQ frequency and seriousness of forgetting). The PSQI components of (poorer) sleep quality and (greater) sleep disturbance were related to (worse) sustained attention scores while increased sleep latency and daytime sleepiness were associated with greater frequency and seriousness of forgetting.ConclusionsSleep quality is related to both objective measures of sustained attention and self-awareness of memory decline. These findings suggest that interventions for improving sleep quality may contribute not only to improving the ability to focus on a particular task but also in reducing memory complaints in middle-aged and older adults.

BackgroundReduced cortical sensorimotor inhibition is associated with mobility and cognitive impairments in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and older adults (OAs). However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the relationships among sensorimotor, cognitive, and mobility impairments. The purpose of this study was to determine how cortical sensorimotor inhibition relates to impairments in mobility and cognition in people with PD and OAs.MethodCortical sensorimotor inhibition was characterized with short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) in 81 people with PD and 69 OAs. Six inertial sensors recorded single- and dual-task gait and postural sway characteristics during a 2-minute walk and a 1-minute quiet stance. Cognition was assessed across the memory, visuospatial, executive function, attention, and language domains.ResultsSAI was significantly impaired in the PD compared to the OA group. The PD group preformed significantly worse across all gait and postural sway tasks. In PD, SAI significantly correlated with single-task foot strike angle and stride length variability, sway area, and jerkiness of sway in the coronal and sagittal planes. In OAs, SAI significantly related to single-task gait speed and stride length, dual-task stride length, and immediate recall (memory domain). No relationship among mobility, cognition, and SAI was observed.ConclusionsImpaired SAI related to slower gait in OA and to increased gait variability and postural sway in people with PD, all of which have been shown to be related to increased fall risk.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that chronic and acculturative stress would be negatively associated with neurocognitive function among middle aged to older Hispanics/Latinos.MethodOur analytic sample consisted of 3,265 participants (mean age = 56.7 (±0.24)) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos who participated in its Sociocultural Ancillary Study. During the baseline phase of this project, participants were assessed on multiple domains of neurocognitive function, and completed self-report measures of chronic and acculturative stress.ResultsEach standard deviation increase in chronic stress was associated with lower performance in a verbal learning task (B = -.17, 95% CI [-.32, -.01]); this association was no longer significant after adjusting for mental and physical health symptoms, including depression and anxiety symptoms, and cardiovascular health. A standard deviation increase in acculturative stress was associated with poorer performance in all cognitive measures (Bs range = -.13 to -1.03). Associations of acculturation stress with psychomotor speed, verbal learning, and word fluency remained significant after adjusting for mental and physical health symptoms.DiscussionOur results suggest that mental and physical health may help explain some cross-sectional associations between stress and cognition and highlight the need to examine culture-specific psychosocial stressors to better understand the context of psychosocial risk factors for neurocognitive performance.

IntroductionThe Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) is widely used in Alzheimer's disease research studies and has well established reliability and validity. To facilitate the development of an online, electronic CDR (eCDR) for more efficient clinical applications, this study aims to produce a shortened version of the CDR, and to develop the statistical model for automatic scoring.MethodsItem response theory (IRT) was used for item evaluation and model development. An automatic scoring algorithm was validated using existing CDR global and domain box scores as the reference standard.ResultsMost CDR items discriminate well at mild and very mild levels of cognitive impairment. The bi-factor IRT model fits best and the shortened CDR still demonstrates very high classification accuracy (81%∼92%).DiscussionThe shortened version of the CDR and the automatic scoring algorithm has established a good foundation for developing an eCDR and will ultimately improve the efficiency of cognitive assessment.

ObjectiveRetirement is a potential trigger for cognitive aging as it may be a stressful life event accompanied by changes in everyday activities. However, the consequences of retirement may differ across institutional contexts which shape retirement options. Comparing memory trajectories before and after retirement in 17 European countries, this study aims to identify cross-national differences in the association between retirement and memory decline.MethodRespondents to the longitudinal Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE; N = 8,646) aged 50+ who were in paid work at baseline and retired during the observation period completed up to 6 memory assessments (immediate and delayed word recall) over 13 years. Three-level (time points, individuals, and countries) linear mixed models with country-level random slopes for retirement were estimated to evaluate whether memory decline accelerated after retirement and if this association differed between countries.ResultsOn average, retirement was associated with a moderate decrement in word recall (b = -0.273, 95% CI -0.441, -0.104) and memory decline accelerated after retirement (b = -0.044, 95% CI -0.070, -0.018). Significant between-country heterogeneity in memory decline after retirement existed (variance = 0.047, 95% CI (0.013, 0.168). Memory decline after retirement was more rapid in Italy, Greece, Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, and Estonia compared to Northern and Central European countries.DiscussionMemory decline postretirement was faster in Mediterranean and eastern European countries, which are characterized by less generous welfare systems with comparatively low pension benefits. Evaluation of resources that could protect retirees from memory decline would be valuable.

ObjectiveNeurocognitive performance among older persons, including those living with HIV (people living with HIV [PLWH]), exhibits significant heterogeneity, suggesting subpopulations with differing profiles of neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Metabolic factors are associated with NCI, but their relationships to cluster-derived NCI profiles are unknown.MethodParticipants (144 PLWH and 102 HIV uninfected) aged 50+ years completed a neuropsychological battery assessing seven cognitive domains. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified NCI profiles separately by HIV serostatus and in a combined sample. Obtained classes were examined against the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and diagnoses of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Multinomial regression identified metabolic predictors of classification.ResultsLCA identified three latent classes in each participant sample: Class1Multidomain NCI (high probability of impairment across multiple domains), Class 2Learning & Recall NCI (high probability of impairment in learning and recall), and Class 3NC Unimpaired (low probability of NCI across all domains). Severity of NCI implied by classes corresponded with MoCA scores and HAND diagnoses. In analyses on the combined sample, compared to HIV-uninfected individuals, PLWH were more likely to be in Class1Multidomain NCI. Among PLWH, those with dyslipidemia and hypertension had greater odds of classification in Class 1Multidomain NCI while those with central obesity had higher odds of classification in Class 2Learning & Recall NCI; metabolic syndrome approached significance as a differential predictor. Regardless of HIV status, individuals with diabetes were more likely to be in Class 1Multidomain NCI.ConclusionsMetabolic risk factors confer heightened risk of NCI in HIV infection. Interventions to reduce metabolic risk may improve neurocognitive outcomes among PLWH.

ObjectiveTo assess whether Alzheimer disease (AD) clinical presentation and APOE4 relate to the burden and topography of β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau pathologies using in vivo PET imaging.MethodsWe studied 119 Aβ-positive symptomatic patients aged 48-95 years, including 29 patients with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA) and 21 with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-Aβ and flortaucipir (tau)-PET standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) images were created. General linear models assessed relationships between demographic/clinical variables (phenotype, age), APOE4, and PET (including global cortical and voxelwise SUVR values) while controlling for disease severity using the Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes.ResultsPiB-PET binding showed a widespread cortical distribution with subtle differences across phenotypes and was unrelated to demographic/clinical variables or APOE4. Flortaucipir-PET was commonly elevated in temporoparietal regions, but showed marked phenotype-associated differences, with higher binding observed in occipito-parietal areas for PCA, in left temporal and inferior frontal for lvPPA, and in medial temporal areas for other AD. Cortical flortaucipir-PET binding was higher in younger patients across phenotypes (r = -0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.72, -0.50), especially in parietal and dorsal prefrontal cortices. The presence of APOE4 was associated with a focal medial temporal flortaucipir-SUVR increase, controlling for all other variables (entorhinal: + 0.310 SUVR, 95% CI 0.091, 0.530).ConclusionsClinical phenotypes are associated with differential patterns of tau but not amyloid pathology. Older age and APOE4 are not only risk factors for AD but also seem to affect disease expression by promoting a more medial temporal lobe-predominant pattern of tau pathology.

Background/objectivesBriefer measures of symptoms and functional limitations may reduce assessment burden and facilitate monitoring populations of persons with dementia (PWD).DesignProspective follow-up study.SettingUniversity-based dementia care management program.Participants1,091 PWD.MeasurementsWe assessed cognition (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)-11 tasks), neuropsychiatric symptom severity (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire Severity Scale (NPIQ-S)-12 items), and functional ability (Activities of Daily Living (ADL)-6 items; Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ)-10 items). Item response theory was used to select subsets of items by identifying low item discrimination (

Background and objectivesThe Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), one of the largest US safety net programs, was revised in 2009 to be more congruent with dietary guidelines. We hypothesize that this revision led to improvements in child development.MethodsData were drawn from a cohort of women and children enrolled in the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood study from 2006 to 2011 (Shelby County, TN; N = 1222). Using quasi-experimental difference-in-differences analysis, we compared measures of growth, cognitive, and socioemotional development between WIC recipients and nonrecipients before and after the policy revision.ResultsThe revised WIC food package led to increased length-for-age z scores at 12 months among infants whose mothers received the revised food package during pregnancy (β = .33, 95% confidence interval: 0.05 to 0.61) and improved Bayley Scales of Infant Development cognitive composite scores at 24 months (β = 4.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.11 to 7.57). We observed no effects on growth at age 24 months or age 4 to 6 years or cognitive development at age 4 to 6 years.ConclusionsThis study provides some of the first evidence that children of mothers who received the revised WIC food package during pregnancy had improved developmental outcomes in the first 2 years of life. These findings highlight the value of WIC in improving early developmental outcomes among vulnerable children. The need to implement and expand policies supporting the health of marginalized groups has never been more salient, particularly given the nation's rising economic and social disparities.