Neuropsychological Approach Research Articles

HIV/AIDS in U.S. schools: Neuropsychological and psychoeducational implications

ABSTRACT The introduction of new treatments for and increased knowledge about HIV/AIDS in the United States has resulted in a substantial decrease in mortality but an increase in morbidity for children with these conditions. Pediatric HIV/AIDS are best conceptualized using a neuropsychological approach to assessment and intervention, as children may present with neurological problems, neurocognitive deficits, psychiatric concerns, environmental considerations, and psychosocial difficulties including marginalization, discrimination, and stigma. As such, school psychologists who work with children with these conditions need to be intimately familiar with the factors that determine current functioning via a psychoeducational effect, as well as predict future outcomes. The purpose of this article is to provide information for school psychologists about the current state of research and practice with children who live with HIV/AIDS in the United States, including ethical and legal considerations and governmental actions. Recommendations for working with these children and their families and for developing individual and school-wide intervention and prevention programs are offered.

S21-1 Neuropsychological approaches to the core symptoms of developmental disorders

S21-1 Neuropsychological approaches to the core symptoms of developmental disorders

Neuropsychological Approaches to Visually-Induced Vection: an Overview and Evaluation of Neuroimaging and Neurophysiological Studies.

Moving visual stimuli can elicit the sensation of self-motion in stationary observers, a phenomenon commonly referred to as vection. Despite the long history of vection research, the neuro-cognitive processes underlying vection have only recently gained increasing attention. Various neuropsychological techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) have been used to investigate the temporal and spatial characteristics of the neuro-cognitive processing during vection in healthy participants. These neuropsychological studies allow for the identification of different neuro-cognitive correlates of vection, which (a) will help to unravel the neural basis of vection and (b) offer opportunities for applying vection as a tool in other research areas. The purpose of the current review is to evaluate these studies in order to show the advances in neuropsychological vection research and the challenges that lie ahead. The overview of the literature will also demonstrate the large methodological variability within this research domain, limiting the integration of results. Next, we will summarize methodological considerations and suggest helpful recommendations for future vection research, which may help to enhance the comparability across neuropsychological vection studies.

A Conceptual Framework for Research on Cognitive Impairment with no Dementia in Memory Clinic

Identifying and classifying individuals with Cognitive Impairment-No Dementia (CIND) has further challenged diagnostic methods, since varying the cutoffs for objective impairment as well as the neuropsychological tests considered can significantly affect diagnosis. Therefore, we investigated the applicability of an actuarial neuropsychological approach for clinical subdivision of CIND and quantified the variability in diagnostic outcomes that results from diverse neuropsychologically derived definition of objective cognitive impairment. 1459 non-demented, clinic-based individuals were recruited from a monocentric memory clinic from 1/1/2016/ to 1/1/2018 and classified as Cognitively Normal (NC), Slight Cognitive Symptom (SCS), SSubtle Cognitive Decline (SCD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) via different diagnostic strategies, which varied the composition of objective cognitive assessments involved in the diagnostic process. We compared two methods of criteria proposed by Jak/Bondi and Petersen/Winblad to classify individuals with CIND. A substantial range of differences in the percentages recognized as NC, SCS, SCD, and MCI was presented, depending on the classification criteria adopted. Our data revealed that the application of a set of six neuropsychological scores dividing CIND into 4 subgroups (NC, SCS, SCD, and MCI) was able to classify all non-demented individuals without overlap or omission. Our study provided clinical support for an operational framework of the CIND classification system and underlined the value of applying comprehensive neuropsychological assessments for definition. The concept of SCS, considered appropriate for a preclinical stage, was proposed as the symptomatic definition for early intervention.

Neuropsychology in the Past, Now and in the Future

The actual intensive and extensive growth of international neuropsychology (both theoretical and applied) testified in the paper, is due to the abilities of contemporary professional neuropsychologists to meet different purposes beyond understanding of brain-behavior relationships. It makes contemporary neuropsychology an important part of the psychology of health, instead to be an aspect of the biology of health. The value and the history of Lurian syndrome analysis are presented. The Lurian syndrome analysis (a qualitative (structural) analysis of the symptom under study), not only permits an understanding of why the subject was poor at or unable to perform a given task. Such an approach also allows us to see what other tasks, with similar cognitive demands (structure), could present difficulties for this individual (child or adult) as well as to predict the types of tasks accessible for the patient and the types of cueing efficient for him/her. The last is possible in conditions of dialogue interaction with the patient in the process of neuropsychological assessment. Lurian approach is oriented on the process of test fulfilment (the means by which the performer achieves or better the result as well as the level of necessary help or stimulation), more than on the test result — the level of performance on a task (accuracy, time, number of mistakes and so on) with reference to some expected (normative) level of performance. The evolution of neuropsychology coincides with the universal tendency to replace a static neuropsychology, relating the individual’s behavior to fixed cerebral lesions, by a dynamic neuropsychology, which analyzes the dynamics of brain-behavior interaction in different social conditions and at different steps of ontogenic evolution. The author gives own model of neuropsychology evolution, including three overlapping and coexisting phases different in the main emphasis for neuropsychologists. In the first phase, the accent was on the brain and its relationship to different behaviors. In the second phase of neuropsychology evolution the structure of mental activity and neuropsychological interpretation of human cognition have been the focus of attention and afterwards their localization in the brain. The third and actually dominant phase of evolution in neuropsychology focuses on the interrelationship between a patient and his or her environment and integrates neuropsychological and real life data. This phase gave birth to social — historical or cultural — historical neuropsychology. One of the important consequences of cultural — historical approach in neuropsychology was the introduction of cultural adjustments in neuropsychological diagnostic tests, both verbal and nonverbal. Qualitative and quantitative integration of Lurian procedures are discussed. Underlined are differences in concepts neuropsychology and neurosciences, as well as the role of cultural-historical approach in contemporary neuropsychological assessment, rehabilitation and remediation. Three main trends can be seen in the evolution of neuropsychology after Luria: 1. Extensive further expansion of research and practice, that is, embracing numerous new domains and nosological patient groups; 2. Combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches; 3. Social and personality-based orientation. Luria’s creative and comprehensive approach stimulates the further evolution of neuropsychology in Russia and throughout the world.

Executive functions and intelligent goal-directed behavior: A neuropsychological approach to understanding success using professional sales as a real-life measure.

Executive functions and intelligent goal-directed behavior: A neuropsychological approach to understanding success using professional sales as a real-life measure.

Cross-Situational Statistical Learning of New Words Despite Bilateral Hippocampal Damage and Severe Amnesia.

Word learning requires learners to bind together arbitrarily-related phonological, visual, and conceptual information. Prior work suggests that this binding can be robustly achieved via incidental cross-situational statistical exposure to words and referents. When cross-situational statistical learning (CSSL) is tested in the laboratory, there is no information on any given trial to identify the referent of a novel word. However, by tracking which objects co-occur with each word across trials, learners may acquire mappings through statistical association. While CSSL behavior is well-characterized, its brain correlates are not. The arbitrary nature of CSSL mappings suggests hippocampal involvement, but the incremental, statistical nature of the learning raises the possibility of neocortical or procedural learning systems. Prior studies have shown that neurological patients with hippocampal pathology have word-learning impairments, but this has not been tested in a statistical learning paradigm. Here, we used a neuropsychological approach to test whether patients with bilateral hippocampal pathology (N = 3) could learn new words in a CSSL paradigm. In the task, patients and healthy comparison participants completed a CSSL word-learning task in which they acquired eight word/object mappings. During each trial of the CSSL task, participants saw two objects on a computer display, heard one novel word, and selected the most likely referent. Across trials, words were 100% likely to co-occur with their referent, but only 14.3% likely with non-referents. Two of three amnesic patients learned the associations between objects and word forms, although performance was impaired relative to healthy comparison participants. Our findings show that the hippocampus is not strictly necessary for CSSL for words, although it may facilitate such learning. This is consistent with a hybrid account of CSSL supported by implicit and explicit memory systems, and may have translational applications for remediation of (word-) learning deficits in neurological populations with hippocampal pathology.

Chapter 5: The Neuropsychological Approach to Speech Development

The importance of speech in the life of modern man is hard to overestimate. It is no wonder that throughout history the ability to express one’s thoughts clearly and eloquently has been considered ...

Эффективное взаимодействие педагога и нейропсихолога в инклюзивной образовательной среде. Диагностический этап. Часть 1

The technology of organizing of group-format neuropsychological diagnostics, methods of neuropsychological diagnostics and correctional work, which allow providing timely corrective assistance to children with learning difficulties at school, described. The results of the joint work of teachers of Moscow school No. 1540 with the staff of the Laboratory of Neuropsychology of the Psychology Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University on inclusion of a neuropsychological approach in the school environment analyzed. Based on presented approach, it is possible to form effective ways of interaction between a neuropsychologist and the teaching staff of the school. The potential of independent use of follow-up diagnostics and special diagnostic techniques by primary school teachers discussed. The main neuropsychological symptoms of children with learning difficulties and methods for their diagnosis described.

Эффективное взаимодействие педагога и нейропсихолога в инклюзивной образовательной среде. Диагностический этап. Часть 2

The technology of organizing of group-format neuropsychological diagnostics, instruments of neuropsychological diagnostics and correctional work, which allow providing timely corrective assistance to children with learning difficulties at school, described. The results of the joint work of teachers of Moscow school No. 1540 with the staff of the Laboratory of Neuropsychology of the Psychology Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University on inclusion of a neuropsychological approach in the school environment analyzed. The article demonstrates that the data obtained during the follow-up diagnosis and a small set of group neuropsychological tests can be used by a psychologist to get a general idea of deficits, as well as the strengths of the development of higher mental functions in children.

Особливості застосування метода заміщувального онтогенезу в роботі з дітьми з розладами аутистичного спектру

The article is devoted to the study of features of the application of the method of replacement ontogenesis in work with children with autism spectrum disorders. The article describes the content of the concepts «autism», «method of replacement ontogenesis», also analyzed the views of Ukrainian and foreign scientists about the problem of applying neuropsychological approach in working with children with autism spectrum disorders, considered the positive aspects of the method of replacement ontogenesis. The features of the three-level system of the method of replacement ontogenesis have been analyzed. Performance of tasks facing the method of replacement ontogenesis is possible when applying a complex of specially selected exercises, which are oriented to optimization of the operation of the basic sensorimotor level, which is the basis of human cognitive functions. Theoretical conclusions can be interesting for specialists in the field of correction pedagogy and special psychology.

Team Approach to Diagnostic and Correction of Learning Problems in a Public Primary School

The paper presents an analysis of opportunities of a team approach in support of primary school pupils with learning difficulties and maladjustment. It describes the possibilities of neuropsychological approach in conjunction with the team method of work. The authors introduced stages of the diagnostic and remedial process, taking into account the specific features of public primary school. The research objective was to analyze opportunities of team method in a primary school, based on the neuropsychological approach. The diagnostic and remedial process has four stages. For the diagnosis, the authors used age-adapted individual and group neuropsychological assessment of children using Luria's battery, with quantitative evaluation of data, as well as a modified method of "proof-reading test" and Gestalt test by Bender. The authors proposed a multi-stage diagnostic method, adapted to conditions of the public primary school. The results of diagnosis revealed the structure of cognitive disturbances in children. The paper focuses on the application possibilities of the team method, based on the neuropsychological approach in primary school, as well as on the opportunities for schools to support children "at risk".

The Computational Activity of Younger Students: Neuropsychological Approach

The article is devoted to the research of computational activity of junior pupils taking into account their neuropsychological peculiarities. The place of computational activity in the system of higher mental functions is determined. It is shown that the necessary prerequisite for the development of higher mental functions is the aging of various brain structures. The following basic areas of the brain that are involved in the calculations are defined: occipital, parietal and frontal areas of the cerebral cortex. It has been established that various compositions of these zones are used to perform computations, which in turn influences the choice of methods of reasoning. It has been experimentally proven that in the process of computational activity, young learners apply different methods of computing to the same tasks.

Focal left prefrontal lesions and cognitive impairment: A multivariate lesion-symptom mapping approach

Despite network studies of the human brain have brought consistent evidence of brain regions with diverse functional roles, the neuropsychological approach has mainly focused on the functional specialization of individual brain regions. Relatively few neuropsychological studies try to understand whether the severity of cognitive impairment across multiple cognitive abilities can be related to focal brain injuries. Here we approached this issue by applying a latent variable modeling of the severity of cognitive impairment in brain tumor patients, followed by multivariate lesion-symptom methods identifying brain regions critically involved in multiple cognitive abilities. We observed that lesions in confined left lateral prefrontal areas including the inferior frontal junction produced the most severe cognitive deficits, above and beyond tumor histology. Our findings support the recently suggested integrated albeit modular view of brain functional organization, according to which specific brain regions are highly involved across different sub-networks and subserve a vast range of cognitive abilities. Defining such brain regions is relevant not only theoretically but also clinically, since it may facilitate tailored tumor resections and improve cognitive surgical outcomes.

Response suppression, strategy application, and working memory in the prediction of academic performance and classroom misbehavior: A neuropsychological approach.

Neurological illness can produce a disorganization of behavior, including verbal disinhibition, despite apparent preserved intelligence. Neuropsychological tests of such behavioral control mechanisms may predict real-world performance of healthy people, such as success or misbehavior in educational contexts. In two separate studies, we examined how the Hayling Test of verbal response suppression predicts grades and classroom misbehavior. Verbal suppression errors and spontaneous strategy use were significant predictors of undergraduate grades. Using a modified version of the Hayling Test designed to reduce strategic responding with high school students (mean age 16), higher grades were predicted by shorter response suppression latencies and better working memory scores, and classroom misbehavior was predicted by lower working memory scores. Verbal response suppression and spontaneous strategy use, both closely linked to disorganized behavior in neuropsychological patients, predict academic achievement but seem unrelated to classroom misbehavior, which is associated with weakness in working memory.

The psychology of novelty in memorable tourism experiences

ABSTRACT This manuscript critically assesses the relationship between novelty and memorable tourism experiences (MTEs). Prior literature indicates that novelty is an antecedent of attention, emotions, memory and behaviour. Despite this focus limited studies have considered the emergence of novelty in broader psychological literature. Subsequently, this manuscript explores the evolution of novelty across personality, behavioural, cognitive and neuropsychology. Drawing on a narrative review this manuscript observes that concepts from behavioural and personality psychology have traditionally dominated tourism literature. However, cognitive and neuropsychological approaches are emerging in prevalence, which presents an opportunity to advance discourse on MTEs. A core contribution of this manuscript is a visual representation which depicts the evolution of novelty across four schools of thought in psychology, outlining potential implications for the tourism scholarship. Future research on tourism experiences should consider advances in the parent discipline of psychology.

Non-word writing does not require the phonological output buffer: Neuropsychological evidence for a direct phonological-orthographic route.

What is the route that is used for writing non-words to dictation? Does it have to pass through phonological output?Two possibilities are found in the literature. In one, writing non-words requires access from the phonological input buffer to the phonological output buffer and from there, via phoneme-to-grapheme conversion, to the orthographic output buffer. The second approach maintains that writing non-words can proceed directly from the phonological input buffer to the orthographic output buffer. In this study, we discriminate between these two options using a cognitive neuropsychological approach. Specifically, we present a multiple case study of 24 individuals with a developmental impairment to the phonological output buffer, who nevertheless show unimpaired non-word writing. These data lead to the conclusion that the phonological output buffer is not necessary when writing non-words and that writing non-words to dictation can proceed directly from the phonological input buffer to the orthographic output buffer. We suggest thatthe cognitive assumption that non-word writing proceeds through the phonological output buffer may have resulted from graphic conventions and the depiction of the lexical processing model: in the common depiction of the model drawing a line through the phonological output buffer is visually simpler than a direct line (which would require lines to cross or long bypass lines).

NEURO-PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO TEACHING GENERAL ENGLISH TO THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS OF THE TRANSLATION DEPARTMENT

The work deals with the problems of improving General English teaching materials for undergraduates in terms of the neuro-psychological trends in Foreign Language Teaching Methodology and developing a tutorial based on the knowledge of students’ cognitive styles caused by the individual profile of the functional asymmetry of the brain, i.e. we aim at proposing the methods of neuropsychological approach implementation in the educational process. The topicality of the research is attributed to the lack of teaching materials applying neuro-psychological approach, though it is proved to be productive, as its implementation is known to help the process of mastering a foreign language. The primary methods used are as follows: observation, pedagogical experiment, statistical processing of data. Neuro-psychologically grounded teaching methodology forms the basis of the English language successful mastering, as it takes into account such extremely important features of the student as the profile of his inter-hemispheric asymmetry, which in its turn determines the specific cognitive style, and hence the type of mastering the foreign language.

Early versus late MCI: Improved MCI staging using a neuropsychological approach

IntroductionThe Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) separates “early” and “late” mild cognitive impairment (MCI) based on a single memory test. We compared ADNI's MCI classifications to our neuropsychological approach, which more broadly assesses cognitive abilities. MethodsThree hundred thirty-six ADNI-2 participants were classified as “early” or “late” MCI. Cluster analysis was performed on neuropsychological test data, and participants were reclassified based on cluster results. These two staging approaches were compared on progression rates, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and cortical thickness profiles. ResultsThere was little correspondence between the two staging methods. ADNI's early MCI group included a large proportion of false-positive diagnostic errors. The reclassified neuropsychological MCI groups showed steeper survival curves and more abnormal biomarkers. ConclusionsOur novel neuropsychological approach improved the staging of MCI by (1) capturing individuals at an early symptomatic stage, (2) minimizing false-positive cases, and (3) identifying a late MCI group further along the disease trajectory.

In-Out-Test: A New Paradigm for Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff in Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Assessment of hippocampal amnesia is helpful to distinguish between normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but not for identifying converters to dementia. Here biomarkers are useful but novel neuropsychological approaches are needed in their absence. The In-out-test assesses episodic memory using a new paradigm hypothesized to avoid reliance on executive function, which may compensate for damaged memory networks.Objective: To assess the validity of the In-out-test in identifying prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (PAD) in a clinical setting, by comparing this to the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers.Methods: A cross-sectional study of 32 cognitively healthy, 32 MCI, and 30 progressive dementia subjects. All participants were given both the In-out-test and the FCSRT; 40 of them also received a lumbar puncture.Results: Internal consistency was demonstrated using Cronbach Alpha (r = 0.81) and Inter-rater reliability with Kappa (k = 0.94). Intraclass correlation (ICC) for test-retest reliability: r = 0.57 (p = 0.57). ICC between the In-out-test and FCSRT r = 0.87 (p = 0.001). ICC between the In-out-test and Aβ42 and P-tau/Aβ42 for controls: 0.73 and 0.75, respectively; P-tau for MCI: 0.77 and total sample: 0.70; Aβ42 for dementia: 0.71. All ICC measures between FCSRT and biomarkers were ≤0.264. AD diagnosis: In-out-test k = 0.71; FCSRT k = 0.49. PAD diagnosis (N = 35): In-out-test k = 0.69; FCSRT k = 0.44.Conclusions: The In-out-test detected prodromal AD with a higher degree of accuracy than a conventional hippocampal-based memory test. These results suggest that this new paradigm could be of value in clinical settings, predicting which patients with MCI will go on to develop AD.