Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test Research Articles

Family Functioning, Maternal Depression, and Adolescent Cognitive Flexibility and Its Associations with Adolescent Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study explores family functioning and its associations with adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD), comparing its dynamics with healthy counterparts. Family functioning (cohesion, flexibility, communication, and satisfaction), maternal depressive symptoms, postpartum depression history, parental divorce, parental alcohol abuse, and the adolescents' cognitive flexibility, are examined. The research incorporates the perspectives of both adolescents and mothers. The sample includes 63 mother-teenager dyads in the clinical group and 43 in the control group. Instruments encompass the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES IV), Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-2), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), The Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test, and structured interviews. Families of adolescents with MDD exhibit lower flexibility, cohesion, communication, and overall satisfaction. Depressed adolescents display reduced cognitive flexibility. Discrepancies were observed between adolescents' and mothers' perspectives as associated with adolescents' MDD. Teenagers emphasized the severity of maternal depressive symptoms, while mothers highlighted the importance of family cohesion and flexibility. This study emphasizes a holistic strategy in addressing adolescent depression, including family-based assessment and therapy. Screening for maternal depressive symptoms is identified as valuable. Cognitive flexibility also needs to be addressed during therapy for depression in adolescence.

The Impact of Exam Stress on the Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Disordered-Eating Attitudes in a Non-clinical Population

Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with anorexia nervosa display elevated autistic traits in comparison to individuals who do not have the disorder. However, it remains unknown as to whether this relationship is a stable trait of individuals or if it is caused by a psychological or physical state. This study investigated the state vs trait nature of the relationship between disordered eating and autistic traits in a non-clinical sample, while additionally exploring the ability of cognitive inflexibility to predict this relationship. Thirty-four undergraduate students from the University of St Andrews completed questionnaires regarding their affect, disordered-eating attitudes and autistic traits alongside a measure of set-shifting ability in the Brixton Spatial Anticipation test during a period of examination stress and a period of no stress. It was revealed that on both occasions, individuals who scored higher on a test of disordered-eating attitudes also scored higher on a test measuring autistic traits. This relationship was stronger when participants were stressed. Autistic traits were also found to significantly predict a change in eating attitudes between a stress-induced state and pre-existing trait conditions. Inflexibility, as reflected by Brixton scores, did not appear to relate to either measure. These results indicate that slightly elevated autistic traits in those exhibiting disordered-eating attitudes may be state-dependent, as opposed to reflecting the engrained traits of the individual. Findings are discussed in relation to future research replicating the study with a larger sample and implications for the diagnosis and treatment of anorexia.

Slow information processing speed elucidates impairment in executive function tests in people with Multiple Sclerosis (P13-3.008)

<h3>Objective:</h3> Analyze the association between performance on speeded and nonspeeded tasks of executive functions (EFs) and slow information processing speed (IPS) in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). <h3>Background:</h3> IPS and EFs are impaired domains in PwMS. However, it is unclear if executive deficits can be explained by slow IPS. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> 74 PwMS were included (RR=86.2%, PP=4.3%, SP=9.6%; 74% female; age: 46.12±12.48 years; Physical disability (EDSS): 3.60±2.57; disease duration: 14.85±10.69 years). Measures: IPS: Symbol Digit Modalities Test; EFs: Speeded task of cognitive flexibility (Verbal Fluency), nonspeeded task of cognitive flexibility (Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test), nonspeeded task of working memory (Verbal Backward Digit Span); Clinical variables: EDSS, Fatigue Severity Scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II. A probit regression was performed, the results are shown in predicted probabilities format. <h3>Results:</h3> 47% of PwMS have slow IPS. IPS was associated with EDSS and all EFs measures (<i>p</i>=0.00) and did not correlated with fatigue and depression (<i>p</i>&gt;0.05). For the regression model, IPS, EDSS and EFs tasks were analyzed. Brixton and backward span tests lost significance when physical disability was controlled. Finally, the regression model had verbal fluency (Coefficient:-.49;<i>p</i>=0.001) and physical disability (Coefficient:.21; <i>p</i>=0.02) as independent variables. R²28%. Prob.chi2=0.00. For the predicted probabilities, verbal fluency was divided into 4 groups, controlling physical disability, and it was found that the probability of having poor verbal fluency with poor IPS is very high in the 1st and 2nd groups (.89 and .68, lowest confidence interval 0.53) and the probability of having high verbal fluency and slow IPS is very low in the 3th and 4th groups (.38 and .14, highest confidence interval 0.50), with no overlapping confidence intervals. Correctly classified 72%. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Impairments on speeded task of EFs can be associated with slow IPS. It is important to include speeded and unspeeded tasks in the assessment of EFs to capture the effective deficit. <b>Disclosure:</b> Maria Sol Román has nothing to disclose. Miss Bardoneschi has nothing to disclose. Ms. Gatti has nothing to disclose. Mrs. De Los Santos has nothing to disclose. Mr. Iglesias Passada has nothing to disclose. Miss Daniele has nothing to disclose. Maria Laura Saladino has nothing to disclose. Fernando Caceres has nothing to disclose. Sandra Vanotti has received research support from Merck S.A.,Buenos Aires, Argentina, an affiliate Merck S.A.,Buenos Aires, Argentina, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

Group cognitive remediation therapy for children and adolescents in intensive day-patient treatment for anorexia nervosa: afeasibility study.

BackgroundCognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is an adjunct treatment targeting set-shifting (SS) and weak central coherence (CC) thought to play a role in maintaining anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aimed to test the feasibility of brief group CRT for young people with AN in a day-patient setting using neuropsychological assessment of SS and CC. It also explored the benefit for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) features.MethodsTwenty female day-patients (12–18 years) with AN or Atypical AN completed neuropsychological assessment of SS (using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task and the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test) and of CC (using the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figures Task) pre and post 4 sessions of group CRT. Baseline ASD features and weight change pre and post were measured. Feasibility was assessed regarding the recruitment process, intervention feedback, suitability of neuropsychological assessment measures, and effect sizes.ResultsStudy uptake was 95%, intervention retention was 91%, and group CRT was rated as acceptable. Medium to large effect size improvements were found across measures of SS (dz = 0.44 to dz = 0.90) and medium size improvements found in CC (dz = 0.59). Young people with ASD features showed smaller to similar size improvements in SS and larger improvements in CC. There was a moderate (not significant) correlation with level of weight restoration.ConclusionsImportant study parameters have been estimated in order to plan a future definitive trial of brief group CRT in a day-patient setting using neuropsychological assessment. These findings also have implications for the use of brief group CRT in young people with ASD features.

Cognitive flexibility and attention to detail in adolescents and adults with severe forms of anorexia nervosa.

To determine if adolescents and adults diagnosed with anorexia nervosa differ in their levels of cognitive flexibility and attention to detail independently of potential confounds. Sixty-two adolescents and 54 adults were assessed while receiving inpatient treatment and completed the following self-reports: Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire, Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Performance-based evaluations included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Computerised Version, the Comprehensive Trail Making Test, the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test, the Rey Complex Figure and the Group Embedded Figures Test. Comparisons of the adolescents and adults with anorexia nervosa revealed no significant differences for any of the neuropsychological test scores even after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Neither cognitive flexibility nor attention to detail were associated with level of eating disorder symptomatology, depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. Unlike age, illness duration was found weakly associated with perseverative errors Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and with the central coherence index of the Rey Complex Figure recall condition. Set-shifting and central coherence performance were independent of age, clinical symptoms severity and emotional status. Additional studies on the relationship between the duration of anorexia nervosa and neuropsychological difficulties are needed.

Executive Functions in Aging: An Experimental and Computational Study of the Wisconsin Card Sorting and Brixton Spatial Anticipation Tests

ABSTRACT In order to explore the effect of normal aging on executive function, we tested 25 younger adults and 25 neurologically healthy older adults on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test (BRXT), two classic tests of executive function. We found that older participants were more likely than younger participants to err on both tasks, but the additional errors of older participants tended to be related to task set maintenance and rule inference rather than perseveration. We further found that the tendency to perseverate (across all participants) on the WCST was related to the tendency to produce stimulus or response perseverations on the BRXT, rather than any tendency to perseverate on BRXT rule application. Finally, on both tasks, older participants were also slower, particularly on trials following an error, than younger participants. To explore the neurocomputational basis for the observed behaviours we then extended an existing model of schema-modulated action selection on the WCST to the BRXT. We argue on the basis of the model that the performance of older participants on both tasks reflects a slower update of schema thresholds within the basal ganglia, coupled with a decrease in sensitivity to feedback.

Effects of Hormonal Contraception Use on Cognitive Functions in Patients With Bulimia Nervosa.

Background: Growing evidences indicate that sex hormones have an effect on cognitive functions, and that Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is associated with cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hormonal contraception (HC) use on four cognitive functions that are impaired in patients with BN.Methods: This retrospective exploratory study included 103 women with a diagnosis of BN based on the DSM-5 criteria. Their age ranged from 15 to 45 years, and 46.6% were taking HC (oral, transdermal, or intrauterine). Cognition was assessed with the d2 test (attention), Iowa gambling task (IGT; decision making), Brixton spatial anticipation test (set shifting), and Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test (central coherence). Data were analyzed with logistic regression models to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of HC effect on the neuropsychological test scores.Results: In the multivariate model, HC use was significantly associated with better scores for two d2 test indices: F-score [OR = 0.98, 95% CI = (0.95; 0.99)] and final total score ratio [OR = 0.87, 95% CI = (0.77; 0.99)]. HC was also associated with a better understanding of the IGT explicit rules. No difference between the two groups (HC and non-HC use) was detected for set shifting and central coherence.Conclusions: This exploratory study suggests that HC could have effects on the sustained attention and concentration in women with BN. More studies are needed to confirm these results.

"Train Your Brain" Cognitive Intervention Group Program for Singaporean Older Adult Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

The "Train Your Brain" (TYB) cognitive intervention group program was developed based on previous research with the goal of remediating cognitive impairments for elderly Singaporean people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study reports a pilot evaluation of feasibility (defined as participant attendance, retention rate, satisfaction and usefulness) and preliminary efficacy of the TYB program. Nineteen participants with MCI aged ≥ 50 years were recruited from a memory clinic in Singapore, with 14 receiving the TYB intervention. Participants were allocated in order of recruitment into consecutive identical groups for a 9-session program on brain health and cognitive training. Participants received pre- and post-intervention measures of cognition and completed feedback forms reporting on satisfaction with, and utility of, the TYB program. TYB was well attended (85% attendance for the first 6 sessions; 83% for the full 9-session TYB program). Participant satisfaction was high, with positive participant feedback reporting that TYB offered useful cognitive strategies which participants could implement in their daily life. Despite the small sample size and absence of control group, repeated-measures t-tests revealed significant pre- to post-intervention intra-individual improvement in global cognition measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and in executive function on the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test. This pilot study provides supportive preliminary evidence for feasibility of TYB, with suggestions of efficacy of this program as a culturally and linguistically appropriate intervention for English-speaking older adults with MCI in Singapore.

Distinct performance profiles on the Brixton test in frontotemporal dementia

The Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test is a well-established test of executive function that evaluates the capacity to abstract, follow, and switch rules. There has been remarkably little systematic analysis of Brixton test performance in the prototypical neurodegenerative disorder of the frontal lobes: behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) or evaluation of the test's ability to distinguish frontal from temporal lobe degenerative disease. We carried out a quantitative and qualitative analysis of Brixton performance in 76 patients with bvFTD and 34 with semantic dementia (SD) associated with temporal lobe degeneration. The groups were matched for demographic variables and illness duration. The bvFTD group performed significantly more poorly (U=348, p<.0001, r=.58), 53% of patients scoring in the poor-impaired range compared with 6% of SD patients. Whereas bvFTD patients showed problems in rule acquisition and switching, SD patients did not, despite their impaired conceptual knowledge. Error analysis revealed more frequent perseverative errors in bvFTD, particularly responses unconnected to the stimulus, as well as random responses. Stimulus-bound errors were rare. Within the bvFTD group, there was variation in performance profile, which could not be explained by demographic, neurological, or genetic factors. The findings demonstrate sensitivity and specificity of the Brixton test in identifying frontal lobe degenerative disease and highlight the clinical value of qualitative analysis of test performance. From a theoretical perspective, the findings provide evidence that semantic knowledge and the capacity to acquire rules are dissociable. Moreover, they exemplify the separable functional contributions to executive performance.

Is the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test sensitive to frontal dysfunction? Evidence from patients with frontal and posterior lesions

ABSTRACT Introduction: The Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test is a widely used neuropsychological test, thought to assess executive functions and to be sensitive to frontal lobe lesions. Our aim was to investigate Brixton performance in patients with focal frontal or posterior lesions and healthy controls. Method: We compared performance on the Brixton in a sample of 24 frontal patients, 18 posterior patients and 22 healthy controls. Both overall performance (total number of errors) and error types were analyzed. Results: We found no significant differences between frontal and posterior patients and healthy controls in overall Brixton performance. Moreover, our error analysis showed no difference between frontal patients, posterior patients and healthy controls. The only exception was that posterior patients had a greater tendency to guess and make more errors when following specific rules than healthy controls but this was no longer significant once fluid intelligence was controlled for. We also found no significant difference between the performance of patients with left lateral (n = 11), right lateral (n = 10) or superior medial (n = 18) frontal lesions and healthy controls. Conclusions: The Brixton test is not sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction. It is likely that the test draws on a range of cognitive abilities not specific to frontal lobe lesions. Hence, caution should be taken when drawing conclusions about its neural substrates.

Eye Movements in Neuropsychological Tasks.

This chapter reviews how recording and analysis of eye movements have been applied to understanding cognitive functioning in patients with neurological disease. Measures derived from the performance of instructed eye movement tests such as the anti-saccade and memory-guided saccade tasks have been shown to be associated with cognitive test performance and the early stages of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Other researchers have taken an ecological approach and recorded the uninstructed pattern of saccades made by patients during performance of established neuropsychological tasks. Studies that have analysed the eye movement strategies used in a number of widely used tests are reviewed, including the Corsi blocks, Tower of London, 'CANTAB' Spatial Working Memory and Brixton Spatial Anticipation test. The findings illustrate that eye movements are not purely in the service of vision, but support visuospatial working memory and forward action planning. Eye movement tests and measures also have potential for application in the assessment and diagnosis of neurological disease and cognitive impairment. Establishing large-scale normative data sets in healthy older adults and use of machine learning multivariate classifier algorithms may be key to further developing eye tracking applications in neuropsychological assessment.

The influence of mood and attitudes towards eating on cognitive and autobiographical memory flexibility in female university students

Cognitive flexibility, as measured through set-shifting ability, appears to be impaired in patients with eating disorders (EDs). Thus, it is important to determine if the switching deficit seen in clinical eating disorders generalizes to participants with a subclinical disordered eating. Another deficit manifested by clinical and subclinical disordered eating is the ability to retrieve specific autobiographical memories. It is possible that deficits in autobiographical memory retrieval extends to the ability to shift between retrieving specific versus general autobiographical memory information, a function important for problem –solving and emotion regulation. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to determine whether deficits in set-shifting are evident in a non-clinical sample of female university students with eating concerns, and whether inflexibility is also manifested in autobiographical memory retrieval. Sixty-nine female undergraduate students completed a measure of autobiographical memory flexibility, a set-shifting task (Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test) and measures of mood, ruminative thinking, and eating habits. After controlling for mood and rumination, bulimic traits predicted set-shifting ability and flexibility in autobiographical memory retrieval. Thus, flexibility deficits appear to manifest at the subclinical level, are evident in different domains, and appear to be related to bulimic traits, such as binge eating.

Eyetracking metrics reveal impaired spatial anticipation in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia

Eyetracking technology has had limited application in the dementia field to date, with most studies attempting to discriminate syndrome subgroups on the basis of basic oculomotor functions rather than higher-order cognitive abilities. Eyetracking-based tasks may also offer opportunities to reduce or ameliorate problems associated with standard paper-and-pencil cognitive tests such as the complexity and linguistic demands of verbal test instructions, and the problems of tiredness and attention associated with lengthy tasks that generate few data points at a slow rate. In the present paper we adapted the Brixton spatial anticipation test to a computerized instruction-less version where oculomotor metrics, rather than overt verbal responses, were taken into account as indicators of high level cognitive functions. Twelve bvFTD (in whom spatial anticipation deficits were expected), six SD patients (in whom deficits were predicted to be less frequent) and 38 healthy controls were presented with a 10 × 7 matrix of white circles. During each trial (N = 24) a black dot moved across seven positions on the screen, following 12 different patterns. Participants’ eye movements were recorded. Frequentist statistical analysis of standard eye movement metrics were complemented by a Bayesian machine learning (ML) approach in which raw eyetracking time series datasets were examined to explore the ability to discriminate diagnostic group performance not only on the overall performance but also on individual trials. The original pen and paper Brixton test identified a spatial anticipation deficit in 7/12 (58%) of bvFTD and in 2/6 (33%) of SD patients. The eyetracking frequentist approach reported the deficit in 11/12 (92%) of bvFTD and in none (0%) of the SD patients. The machine learning approach had the main advantage of identifying significant differences from controls in 24/24 individual trials for bvFTD patients and in only 12/24 for SD patients. Results indicate that the fine grained rich datasets obtained from eyetracking metrics can inform us about high level cognitive functions in dementia, such as spatial anticipation. The ML approach can help identify conditions where subtle deficits are present and, potentially, contribute to test optimisation and the reduction of testing times. The absence of instructions also favoured a better distinction between different clinical groups of patients and can help provide valuable disease-specific markers.

Normative Data for the Hayling and Brixton Tests in an Italian Population.

The Hayling and Brixton tests constitute a short test battery that quickly assesses verbal and spatial inhibition and flexibility. This battery has shown high construct validity and strong reliability in clinical and experimental settings. The aim of this study was to develop an Italian version of the Hayling and Brixton tests and obtain normative values. We collected normative data from 301 healthy Italian participants aged between 16 and 94 years, taking into account all demographics. To maximize the sample size, we used the overlapping interval strategy. Adjusted scores for demographics were obtained by linear regression analysis. The performance on the Hayling and Brixton tests was influenced by age and education. In particular, age affected verbal accuracy and response time on the Hayling Sentence Completion Test, whereas education only affected the former. Differently, the spatial component, as measured by the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test, was shaped only by age, which decreased the number of correct responses. Our study provides normative data that have been adjusted for relevant demographics and percentile grids in an Italian population. Our data support the use of the Hayling and Brixton tests as a valid instrument for performing neuropsychological evaluations and longitudinal analyses of executive functions in clinical practice and for research purposes.

Age-Related Performance on the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test in Healthy Child and Adolescent Girls: A Preliminary Evaluation

The Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test assesses individuals' cognitive flexibility in terms of rule detection and attainment. It has been used to assess executive functioning in both clinical and nonclinical adult samples. However, little is currently known about the suitability of this task for younger populations. The current study therefore aimed to provide an initial exploration of this task's suitability for young people. Brixton responses from a healthy sample of children and adolescents were presented to investigate performance in both rule detection and rule attainment, respectively. A convenience sample of 72 female participants (Mage = 14.95 years, SD = 1.53 years, range = 11–17 years; MIQ = 103.76, SD = 10.81) was studied. The sample was divided according to age into four groups (11–12 years, 13–14 years, 15 years, and 16–17 years) to allow for developmental trajectory. No significant age performance differences were found. Small effect sizes between age groups lend support to the null findings. The current study suggests that the Brixton task norms are suitable for use with individuals aged 11 to 17 years old. However, normative work is still needed in this area, incorporating an adult sample for comparison, to comment upon the developmental trajectory specific to this task.

Retrospective investigations of practice effects on repeated neuropsychological measures of executive functioning

The present study aimed to investigate the degree to which serial testing may impact neuropsychological test scores following serial evaluation of executive function. Healthy control data were retrospectively analysed, recruited as part of a longitudinal study of cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. As part of a larger battery of tests, participants were assessed using The Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test (n = 31), Backward Digit-span (n = 22), The Stroop Colour-Word Test (n = 30) and Phonemic Fluency (n = 29). Participants completed the tests on three occasions at 6-month intervals. Results showed no statistically significant difference between any of the measures of executive function over the three time points. Further covariate analyses showed that intellectual ability was not a confounding variable when investigating practice effects, as previously reported in literature. In an Irish cohort, participants did not show statistically significant changes over time on neuropsychological...

Application of the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test in Stroke: Ecological Validity and Performance Characteristics

Executive dysfunction predicts functional recovery post-stroke. However, traditional neuropsychological tests have limitations with this population due to required verbal response, complex motor response, and lengthy administration time. This study examined the ecological validity and performance characteristics of a relatively new measure of executive function, the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test, which does not place the aforementioned demands on these patients. A total of 57 ischemic stroke patients with frontal lobe and subcortical lesions were administered the Brixton, on average 2 weeks post-stroke, during inpatient rehabilitation and assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) upon discharge. Brixton performance was significantly correlated with the FIM Total and FIM Cognitive Subtotal at discharge but unrelated to FIM Motor Subtotal. After controlling for global ability measured by the RBANS, Brixton performance accounted for additional variance in predicting FIM Total score at discharge. Interestingly, patients with subcortical strokes in the thalamus and basal ganglia performed significantly worse than patients with strokes in the frontal cortex on the Brixton, supporting the role of subcortical structures in the frontal lobe circuitry and executive function. Based on the present findings, the Brixton is a sensitive measure conducive to the stroke population and has strong ecological validity for identifying cognitive functional outcomes post-stroke.

Cognitive endophenotypes in a family with bipolar disorder with a risk locus on chromosome 4

We studied cognitive function in high-risk relatives belonging to a single extended family showing linkage of bipolar disorder to a locus on chromosome 4. High-risk relatives were defined as those that carried the risk haplotype of polymorphic markers, identified in a previous linkage study. This family provided a rare opportunity to characterize a neuropsychological endophenotype in a homogeneous sample of relatives with a common genetic risk factor. Fifteen family members carrying the risk haplotype (eight diagnosed with bipolar disorder or depression and seven with no psychiatric diagnosis), unrelated patients with bipolar disorder (n = 36) and major depressive disorder (n = 40), and healthy control subjects (n = 33) were administered the California Verbal Learning Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Hayling Sentence Completion Test, and Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test to assess verbal memory, verbal fluency, and executive function. Compared with healthy controls, family members carrying the risk haplotype were impaired in indices of memory and executive function. There were no significant differences between unaffected and affected haplotype-carrying family members in any cognitive measure. Pronounced deficits in the encoding stage of verbal memory and category verbal fluency were evident in individuals with the risk haplotype. Verbal learning and semantic verbal fluency impairments may represent a cognitive endophenotype for both bipolar disorder and major depression in relatives of bipolar disorder patients, as impairment was also present in high-risk relatives who had not developed any affective disorder symptoms. These findings suggest that impairment in semantic organization may be linked to the genetic aetiology of bipolar disorder.

Exploring sarcasm detection in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using ecologically valid measures

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive condition involving degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. Recent research suggests that a proportion of persons with ALS show a profile similar to that of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), with this group of ALS patients exhibiting social cognitive deficits. Although social cognitive deficits have been partially explored in ALS, research has yet to investigate such changes using ecologically valid measures. Therefore, this study aimed to further characterize the scope of social cognitive and emotion recognition deficits in non-demented ALS patients using an ecologically valid measure of social cognition. A sample of 35 ALS patients and 30 age-and-education matched controls were assessed using the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test, and The Awareness of Social Inference Test, where participants were required to discriminate between various emotions and decipher socially challenging scenarios enacted in video vignettes. Participants with ALS showed significant difficulties in recognizing both sarcastic and paradoxical sarcastic statements, but not sincere statements, when compared to controls. After controlling for executive difficulties, ALS patients still displayed significant difficulties on tasks that assessed their comprehension of both sarcastic and paradoxical sarcastic statements. The inability to read social cues and make social inferences has the potential to place significant strain on familial/interpersonal relationships in ALS. The findings of this study highlight the importance of employing a broader range of neuropsychological assessment tools to aid in early detection of frontal lobe impairment in non-demented ALS patients.

FTDP-17: 2-Year Follow-Up of Motor and Cognitive Features After Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation

FTDP-17: 2-Year Follow-Up of Motor and Cognitive Features After Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation