Association Between Shift Work and Auditory–Cognitive Processing in Middle-Aged Healthcare Workers

The Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) is used routinely for presurgical assessment of memory for patients considering elective resection of the temporal lobe and/or hippocampus for the relief of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We investigated the validity of the WMS-R in a population of people with TLE. The sample consisted of 138 patients with a diagnosis of TLE in which the epileptogenic focus was clearly and exclusively lateralized to either the right or left hemisphere. They underwent a complete neuropsychological examination as a routine part of their investigation for epilepsy surgery. Psychometric scores included in this study were: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) I.Q. scores, National Adult Reading Test Revised (NART-R) predicted-I.Q. scores, and WMS-R Memory Index and subtest scores. Multiple univariate analyses were performed. The group with left temporal focus had significantly lower Verbal Memory Index, Logical memory (both immediate and delayed), and Digit Span scores. Visual/Verbal discrepancy scores incorrectly identified most patients with right temporal focus. Analyses of a total group of people with epilepsy (i.e., mixed temporal, frontal, occipital and unknown foci) as compared with the normative sample indicated that the patient group scored significantly lower across all memory index scores and most memory subtests. Our results confirm that the WMS-R is capable of lateralizing to left hemispheric impairment but is more problematic in the assessment of right hemispheric impairment. The Visual/Verbal Memory Index discrepancy has questionable validity. People with epilepsy performed less well on the WMS-R than did the normative sample. The need for reliable and valid nonverbal tests of memory is therefore warranted.

Digital cognitive assessment solutions can overcome some barriers to cognitive screening in primary care by providing rapidly-obtained objective insights without requiring specialty-trained examiners. The Linus Health Digital Clock and Recall (DCR™) is a three-part test consisting of three-word immediate verbal acquisition, the Digital Clock Test (DCTclock™), and delayed recall of the three words. Our objective was to compare performance on the DCR to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; Nasreddine et al., 2005) and the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS; Tariq et al., 2006), two commonly used screening tests in primary care. Comparative analyses of DCR, MoCA (Total Score and Memory Index Score [MIS]), and SLUMS results were conducted among 80 primary care patients - 65 years and older presenting for any reason - whose DCR performance was indicative of cognitive impairment. Of the 80 patients (mean age 74.0 [±7.8]; 60% female) performing as impaired or borderline impaired on the DCR, 67 completed the MoCA and 13 completed the SLUMS. Comparison between the DCR and MoCA Total Score included 78% (52/67) concordance for identifying impairment (cutoff <26). While the remaining 15 of 67 patients (22%) had normal MoCA Total Scores (≥26), 13 (87%) missed points in at least one MoCA cognitive domain and 8 (53%) missed points in multiple MoCA domains (often language and delayed recall). Comparison between DCR and SLUMS revealed that all 13 patients receiving SLUMS assessment had DCR scores 0-1 and SLUMS scores <27 (indicating cognitive impairment). See Tables 1 and 2 for breakdown of MoCA, MIS, and SLUMS stratified by DCR performance. Logistic regression found that DCTclock metrics of information processing (z = 2.00, p = .045) and spatial reasoning (z = 2.82 p = .005) discriminated cognitive impairment on MoCA Total Score (cutoff <26). Overall, ROC analysis revealed good accuracy of DCR to identify MoCA performance (AUC = .84; Figure 1). Screening in primary care using the DCR is feasible, takes less time to administer than MoCA or SLUMS, and shows concordant results with these more established screening tools in detecting cognitive impairment. Future research aims to investigate the criterion validity of the DCR among biomarkers for neurodegenerative disease.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the relationship between occupational noise, shift work and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in male workers in the automobile manufacturing industry.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThis study was carried...

Objective:We aimed to investigate the association between low-grade inflammation as indicated by high-­sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level and organizational factors, such as work hours and shift work.Methods:We evaluated 7470 young and middle-aged workers who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2015–2018. Work hours were determined from self-reported questionnaires. Shift work was defined as a non-daytime fixed work schedule. An interaction effect between shift work and long work hours on the hsCRP level was estimated using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and attributable proportion (AP) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results:Increased hsCRP levels were prevalent in 25.2% of the study population. There was a significant association between long work hours and increased hsCRP, especially among middle-aged men [odds ratio (OR) 1.50 (95% CI 1.20–1.87) for moderately increased hsCRP and OR 1.62 (95% CI 1.14–2.30) for highly increased hsCRP]. There was a significant interaction effect between long work hours and shift work on increased hsCRP among middle-aged workers. The RERI were 0.03 (95% CI 0.02–0.04) and 0.56 (95% CI 0.45–0.68) among middle-aged men and women, respectively. The AP were 0.02 (95% CI 0.01–0.03) and 0.36 (95% CI 0.31–0.40) among middle-aged men and women, respectively.Conclusions:There was no significant association between shift work and the level of hsCRP. Long work hours were related to low-grade inflammatory processes, but only in middle-aged workers. There was an interaction effect between long work hours and shift work for increased hsCRP, especially in middle-aged women.

A-191 The Role of Memory in Mathematical Abilities

Objective: To explore the relation between hs-CRP, IL-6 levels and cognitive function in depression sick persons co-morbid with type 2 diabetes. Methods: 200 sick persons with first-episode depression who were hospitalized at Kailuan Mental Health Center from May 2019 to May 2021 were selected. According to whether were co-morbid with type 2 diabetes, they were divided into 100 sick persons with depression co-morbid with type 2 diabetes (observation group) and 100 sick persons with depression alone (control group). The baseline data, HAMD-24 item scores, serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels, cognitive function and the relation between hs-CRP and IL-6 and total MoCA score and each factor and total HAMD-24 score in the observation group were compared between the two groups, and the difference was considered statistically significant at P<0.05. Results: There was a statistical difference in the total HAMD-24 score between the 2 groups of sick persons (P<0.05). The serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels of sick persons in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Delayed memory, abstract thinking, attention, memory, visuospatial ability, orientation scores and total MoCA scores were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). There was a highly significant negative relation (P<0.01) between serum hs-CRP and IL-6 and delayed memory, attention, memory, visuospatial ability, and total MoCA score in the observation group; and a highly significant positive relation (P<0.01) with total HAMD score. Conclusion: Serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were higher in depression sick persons co-morbid with type 2 diabetes than in those with depression alone, and there was a relation between serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels and depression levels as well as cognitive function.

Objectives: There are few standardized, Spanish-language diagnostic tools to help identify Hispanic persons at early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study evaluated the accuracy of the Spanish version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status-Update (RBANS) in predicting AD in older Hispanic adults in the United States reporting memory problems.Methods: We analyzed data from age, sex, and education level propensity score-matched Hispanic memory clinic patients with (n = 38) and without (n = 38) a clinical diagnosis of AD. Estimates of diagnostic accuracy included sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and receiver operating characteristic analysis.Results: After controlling for sex and matched pairs, the Total Scale score [area under curve (AUC) = 0.7417] and the Immediate (AUC = 0.7258) and Delayed (AUC = 0.7735) Memory index scores provided better estimates of diagnostic accuracy than Language, Attention, and Visuospatial/Constructional index scores. A minus 2-standard deviation (SD) cut point enhanced the predictive probability of the Delayed Memory index score. A cut point of −1.5 SD optimized the predictive probability of the Total Scale score.Conclusions: These results suggest that optimal cutoff values for the RBANS Delayed Memory index and Total Scale scores that may help identify Hispanic patients with AD as part of a comprehensive diagnostic AD assessment.

The functional organization of white matter (WM) tracts is not well characterized, especially in patients with intrinsic brain tumors where complex patterns of tissue injury, compression, and neuroplasticity may be present. This study uses diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate the relationships between WM tract disruption and cognitive deficits in glioma patients. Seventy-nine patients with glioma underwent preoperative DTI and neuropsychological testing. Thirteen WM tracts were reconstructed bilaterally. Fractional anisotropy and streamline number were obtained for each tract as indices of connectivity. Univariate regression models were used to model the association between WM tract connectivity and neuropsychological outcomes. Glioma patients exhibited variable injury to WM tracts and variable cognitive deficits on validated neuropsychological tests. We identified 16 age-adjusted associations between WM tract integrity and neuropsychological function. The left inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) predicted list learning and dominant-hand fine motor dexterity. The right IFOF predicted non-dominant-hand fine motor dexterity and visuospatial index scores. The left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) predicted immediate memory list learning and index scores. The right ILF predicted non-dominant-hand fine motor dexterity and backward digit span scores. The left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) I predicted processing speed. The left SLF III predicted list learning, immediate memory index scores, phonemic fluency, and verbal abstract reasoning. The left cingulum predicted processing speed. The right anterior AF predicted verbal abstract reasoning. WM tract disruption predicts cognitive dysfunction in glioma patients. By improving knowledge of WM tract organization, this analysis may guide maximum surgical resection and functional preservation in glioma patients.

P5301Impacts of lifestyle behavior and shift Work on visceral fat accumulation and progression of atherosclerosis in middle-aged workers

Association between shift work and hearing loss: The Dongfeng-Tongji cohort study

An Integrated Index: Engrams, Place Cells, and Hippocampal Memory

IntroductionNurses with long durations of rotating night shifts appear to be at increased risk for coronary heart disease. But industrial shift work among women has not been well-studied.MethodsWomen employed more...

Objectives: With the aim to provide framework for workplace health management strategy, this study tried to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male workers in a stainless factory, and to analyze possible correlation between workplace hazards and metabolic syndrome. Methods: We recruited 908 male subjects out of 1472 workers in a stainless factory into this study when they visited our hospital for annual health examination from July 2005 to September 2005. With written informed consents, participants were asked to fill out a standard questionnaire. Information of shift work, health behavior, and demographic data were collected. Workplace exposures to noise and heat were determined based on company records of exposure survey. Data on BMI (body mass index), blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, serum lipids profile, hypertension and diabetes were collected in annual health examination. Fisher’s exact test, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square were used for analysis of correlation. The influencing factors such as age, education, marital status, regular leisure time physical activities, smoking, alcohol consumption, betel nut chewing, workplace hazards of noise, heat, and dust were explored for correlation with metabolic syndrome by multiple logistic regression. Results: The mean age of study subjects was 34.8(±5.8) years. Among them 474 workers were in day time work, 148 workers were in shift work for less than 6 years, 286 workers were in shift work for more than 6 years, 692 workers exposed to noise hazard, 116 workers were exposed to both noise and high temperature hazards. The prevalence of obesity (BMI≧27) of study subjects was 22.7%(206), with no significant differences among the subgroups, but betel nut chewing was a strong risk with adjusted odds ratio of 3.03. The prevalence of high blood pressure (systolic ≧130mmHg or diastolic ≧85mmHg or under medication with normal BP) was 39.5%(359) , with no significant differences among the subgroups. The prevalence of low HDL-Cholesterol (＜40mg/dl) was 14.9% (135), with alcohol drinking more than 1-2 times a month as protecting factor, the adjusted odds ratio was 0.51 compared to nondrinker. Betel nut chewing was a strong risk for low HDL level with adjusted odds ratio of 2.35 compared to non chewer. The prevalence of high fasting blood sugar (≧110mmHg or under medication with normal blood sugar) was 24.6%(223). Age was a risk factor of high fasting blood sugar, comparing to workers aged less than 30 years old, the adjusted odds ratio of workers aged between 30-40 years old was 2.35, and the adjusted odds ratio of workers aged between 30-40 years old was 4.73. Shift work was a risk factor of high fasting blood sugar, comparing to day time workers, the adjusted odds ratio of workers on shift work for less than 6 years and more than 6 years was 2.38, and 1.54. The prevalence of high fasting Triglyceride (≧150mmHg) was 36% (327). Age was a risk factor of high fasting Triglyceride, comparing to workers aged less than 30 years old, the adjusted odds ratio of workers aged between 30-40 years old and more than 40 years old was 1.87 and 2.29. Smoking was a risk factor of high fasting Triglyceride, the adjusted odds ratio of daily smoker (>10 cigarette/day) was 1.7 compared to non smoker. Betel nut chewing was a strong risk for high fasting Triglyceride with adjusted odds ratio of 3.21 compared to non chewer. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (workers with more than 3 risk factors) was 19.2%(174), betel nut chewing was a strong risk for metabolic syndrome with adjusted odds ratio of 3.21 compared to non chewer. The adjusted odds ratio of workers on shift work for more than 6 years was 1.59 compared to day time workers. Discussion: The high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among subjects warrants recognition as key issue in workplace health promotion. Duration of shift work and betel nut chewing are strong determinants of risk for metabolic syndrome among male workers in stainless steel factory. Health promotion activity aiming at establishing healthy life style for employee working on shift should be a priority for health management. There are several limitations of this study. Duration of shift work is measured by self administered questionnaire, there might be recall bias. Incomplete information was obtained concerning exposure to workplace noise more than one year prior to the health examination, use of personal protective devices, or noise exposure outside the occupational setting. Possibility of healthy workers’ effect could not be ruled out. To avoid labor dispute during the process for workers health management regarding workplace hazards, more comprehensive records for hazards exposure such as noise, high temperature and shift work will provide better discretion for decision making with evidence-based information.

(1) Background: There is a need for a brief assessment of cognitive function, both in patient care and scientific research, for which the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a psychometrically reliable and valid tool. However, fine-grained normative data allowing for adjustment for age, education, and/or sex are lacking, especially for its Memory Index Score (MIS). (2) Methods: A total of 820 healthy individuals aged 18–91 (366 men) completed the Dutch MoCA (version 7.1), of whom 182 also completed the cued recall and recognition memory subtests enabling calculation of the MIS. Regression-based normative data were computed for the MoCA Total Score and MIS, following the data-handling procedure of the Advanced Neuropsychological Diagnostics Infrastructure (ANDI). (3) Results: Age, education level, and sex were significant predictors of the MoCA Total Score (Conditional R2 = 0.4, Marginal R2 = 0.12, restricted maximum likelihood (REML) criterion at convergence: 3470.1) and MIS (Marginal R2 = 0.14, REML criterion at convergence: 682.8). Percentile distributions are presented that allow for age, education and sex adjustment for the MoCA Total Score and the MIS. (4) Conclusions: We present normative data covering the full adult life span that can be used for the screening for overall cognitive deficits and memory impairment, not only in older people with or people at risk of neurodegenerative disease, but also in younger individuals with acquired brain injury, neurological disease, or non-neurological medical conditions.

On the relationship between auditory cognition and speech intelligibility in cochlear implant users: An ERP study