Complex Attention Function Research Articles

Evaluation of impulsivity and complex attention functions of subjects with substance use: Sample from adiyaman province

The aim of this research is to compare impulsivity and complex attention functions in individuals with substance use disorders to those who do not use substance. Design of this study was a case-control study. Universe of this study was patients with substance use who admitted to psychiatry department of our hospital. Among them, 33 (94.3%) males and 2 females between 18-65 years of age formed the study sample. Randomly selected 23 (92.0%) males and 2 (8%) females without any substance use disorders who were similar to the study group according to age and sex formed the control group. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of BarrattÂ’s total impulsivity score, motor impulsivity, and non-plan point scores (p˂0.05). There were two statistically significant differences (p˂0.05) between two groups in terms of Trail Making Part B, Trail Making Part B / Trail Making Part A, Trail Making Part B - Trail Making Part A, Trail Making Part B + Trail Making Part A. Subjects using substances have difficulties with concentration, delaying gratification, making appropriate decisions, and inhibiting responses. Another important finding of this study was higher levels of disturbance in complex attention function in subjects with substance use. According to this result, subjects with substance use have difficulties in changing between different stimulating sets, following consecutive stimuli and mental flexibility. Long term follow-up studies are needed to understand the reciprocal relations between substance use, impulsivity, and complex attention.

Attention and Other Cognitive Deficits in Aphasia: Presence and Relation to Language and Communication Measures

This study was designed to further elucidate the relationship between cognition and aphasia, with a focus on attention. It was hypothesized that individuals with aphasia would display variable deficit patterns on tests of attention and other cognitive functions and that their attention deficits, particularly those of complex attention functions, would be related to their language and communication status. A group of individuals with varying types and severity of aphasia and a group of age- and education-matched adults with no brain damage completed tests of attention, short-term and working memory, and executive functioning. Overall, the group with aphasia performed significantly more poorly than the control group on the cognitive measures but displayed variability in the presence, types, and severity of their attention and other cognitive deficits. Correlational and regression analyses yielded significant relations between participants' attention deficits and their language and communication status. The findings accorded well with prior research identifying (a) attention and other cognitive deficits in most but not all individuals with aphasia; (b) heterogeneity in the types and severity of attention and other cognitive symptoms among individuals with cognitive impairments; and (c) potent associations among attention, language, and other cognitive domains. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

Specific Computerized Attention Training in Stroke and Traumatic Brain-Injured Patients

Abstract: In a multicenter European approach, the efficacy of the AIXTENT computerized training programs for intensity aspects (alertness and vigilance) and selectivity aspects (selective and divided attention) of attention was studied in 33 patients with brain damage of vascular and traumatic etiology. Each patient received training in one of two most impaired of the four attention domains. Control tests were performed by means of a standardized computerized attention test battery (TAP) comprising tests for the four attention functions. Assessment was carried out at the beginning and at the end of a four week baseline period and after the training period of 14 one-hour sessions. At the end of the baseline phase, there was only slight but significant improvement for the most complex attention function, divided attention (number of omissions). After the training, there were significant specific training effects for both intensity aspects (alertness and vigilance) and also for the number of omissions in the divided attention task. The application of inferential single case procedures revealed a high number of significant improvements in individual cases after specific training of alertness and vigilance problems. On the other hand, a non specific training addressing selectivity aspects of attention lead either to improvement or deterioration of alertness and vigilance performance. The results corroborate the findings of former studies with the same training instrument but in patients with different lesion etiologies.

Cognitive distinctions between depression and early Alzheimer's disease in the elderly

Background : Currently, there is a diagnostic dilemma in terms of discriminating the reversible cognitive problems associated with depression from the irreversible dementia associated with early or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the elderly. Previous research has focused on contrasting memory functions in depression versus AD, and methodological limitations undermine the results of the few empirical studies that have compared the linguistic and attentional abilities of these two patient populations. Aims : The objective of the current study was to determine whether depression is associated with any unique form of deficit in language or attention, and consequently whether more comprehensive assessment of these cognitive abilities may help to distinguish depression from early AD in elderly populations. Methods & Procedures : Age-matched groups of elderly adults with depression, early AD, or no psychiatric or neurological problems completed a comprehensive battery of basic and complex attention, language, and memory tests. Outcomes & Results : Results indicated that of the various cognitive abilities examined, the attention abilities of the depressed group, in particular their attention performance latencies, were most compromised compared to the control group. Tests of complex attention functions, working and episodic memory, and high-level language comprehension and production were most useful at distinguishing the depressed and early AD groups. Conclusions : These findings suggest that use of a small subset of high-level cognitive tests may allow accurate discrimination of elderly patients with depression from those in the early stages of AD.