Delayed Recall Test Research Articles

A Combination of Essential Fatty Acids, Panax Ginseng Extract, and Green Tea Catechins Modifies Brain fMRI Signals in Healthy Older Adults.

To assess the effects of a combination of omega 3 essential fatty acids, green tea catechins, and ginsenosides on cognition and brain functioning in healthy older adults. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design randomized controlled trial with 26-day intervention phases and a 30-day washout period. The Institute for Dementia Research and Prevention at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Ten independently-living, cognitively-healthy older adults (mean age: 67.3 + 2.01 years). Daily consumption of an investigational product (trade name "Cerbella TM") consisting of an emulsified liquid combination of standardized fish oil, panax ginseng extract, and green tea catechins in a flavored base of lecithin phospholipids optimized to maximize bioavailability of the active ingredients. Before and after supplementation with the investigational product or placebo, participants completed cognitive tests including the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE), Stroop test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Immediate and Delayed Recall tests, as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a standard cognitive task switching paradigm. Performance on the MMSE, Stroop test, and DSST increased significantly over one month of supplementation with the investigational product (one-sample t tests, p<.05) although differences between these changes and corresponding changes during supplementation with placebo were not significant (two-sample t tests, p>.05). During supplementation with the investigational product, brain activation during task performance increased significantly more than during supplementation with placebo in brain regions known to be activated by this task (anterior and posterior cingulate cortex). Functional connectivity during task execution between task regions (middle frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex) increased significantly during supplementation with the investigational product, relative to placebo. Functional connectivity during rest between task regions (precentral gyrus and middle frontal gyrus) and default mode network regions (medial frontal gyrus and precuneus) decreased during supplementation with the investigational product relative to placebo, suggesting greater segregation of task and rest related brain activity. One-month supplementation with a combination of omega 3 essential fatty acids, green tea catechins, and ginsenosides was associated with suggestive changes in cognitive functioning as well as modification of brain activation and brain functional connectivity in cognitively healthy older adults.

Accelerated long-term forgetting in resected and seizure-free temporal lobe epilepsy patients

Episodic memory impairments caused by temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are well documented in the literature. Standard clinical episodic memory tests typically include a 30-min delayed recall test. However, in the past decade, it has become apparent that this standard test does not capture the full range of memory problems in TLE patients. Some patients perform well on a standard 30-min delayed recall test, but show Accelerated Long-term Forgetting (ALF) after 24 h. Although ALF has been investigated in patients with different types of epilepsy, current research on resected TLE patients is missing. In the present study, resected TLE patients were compared to a control group matched on initial learning. They showed normal performance on verbal recall after 30 min, but impairments became apparent after one week. Moreover, the significant interaction between participant group and memory test delay demonstrated that the patients indeed showed an acceleration in forgetting. Furthermore, ALF was present in both left and right resected TLE patients, which contradicts the presence of material-specific hemispheric differences in ALF. In addition, ALF was observed in seizure-free resected TLE patients, thereby demonstrating that this factor is not crucial for long-term memory deficits. The outcome shows that clinicians are likely to underestimate memory deficits in resected TLE patients and, therefore, advocates for the inclusion of ALF tests in standard clinical batteries for both pre- and post-surgery testing sessions.

Place of Residence and Cognitive Function among the Adult Population in India

Background: The place of residence has been linked to cognitive function among adults in developed countries. This study examined how urban and rural residence was associated with cognitive function among adults in India. Methods: The World Health Organization Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health data was used to examine cognition among 6,244 community-residing adults age 50+ in 6 states in India. Residential status was categorized as urban, rural, urban-to-urban, rural-to-urban, rural-to-rural, and urban-to-rural. Cognition was assessed by immediate and delayed recall tests, digit span test, and verbal fluency test. Multilevel models were used to account for state-level differences and adjusted for individual-level sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health-related factors. Results: Urban residents and urban-to-urban migrants had the highest levels of cognition, whereas rural residents and those who migrated to (or within) rural areas had the lowest cognition. The differences largely persisted after adjustment for multiple covariates; however, rural-to-urban migrants had no difference in cognition from urban residents once socioeconomic factors were taken into account. Conclusion: Cognition among adults in India differed significantly according to their current and past place of residence. Socioeconomic factors played an important role in the cognitive function of adults in urban areas.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Performance Among Young Adults in a Higher Education Setting

ABSTRACTPurpose: Acute benefits of aerobic exercise on executive functioning have been reported frequently under laboratory conditions. However, to date, a beneficial effect on long-term memory has been less well supported and no data are available regarding nonlaboratory conditions in young adults. The aim of the current study was to investigate acute effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive functioning in a university classroom setting. Method: Using a cross-over design, 51 participants performed a bout of moderately intense running (RUN) and read an article while seated (CON). Afterwards, they completed free-recall tests, followed by a Flanker task and an n-back task. Results: Participants in the RUN condition compared with those in the CON condition showed shorter reaction time on the inhibition task, F(1, 50) = 5.59, p = .022, η2 = .101, and recalled more words in the immediate- and delayed-recall tests, F(1, 50) = 8.40, p = .006, η2 = .144. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that a moderately intense bout of aerobic exercise benefits verbal short-term and long-term memory as well as inhibitory control among students in a classroom setting.

Extension to one week of verbal memory consolidation assessment.

Although impairments of long-term recall affect everyday life, they may be missed by standard delayed recall tests, which typically assess the ability to retain new information within a few minutes, without encompassing the consolidation process. We adapted a verbal memory test to evaluate long-term memory consolidation in healthy volunteers. A sample of 238 participants (M = 42.23 years old, SD = 16.45) was administered an adapted version of the French RL/RI-16 (Van der Linden & the members of GREMEM, 2004), the One-Week Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test-word version, in which special feature relies on a 30-min and a 1-week-delayed recall after encoding. We proposed normative data on 4 indicators, depending on participants' own performance during the test, to measure their encoding, storage and consolidation abilities, with a method using an ascendant step-by-step linear regression model and a percentile procedure. Results showed a better performance in women than in men for encoding and cueing scores (p < .01 and p < .05, respectively). We also highlighted an increase of the forgetting score according to the recall delay after encoding (30 min vs. 7 days; Z = 12.49, p < .001), the forgetting percentage 7 days after encoding being largely influenced by participants' age and gender (F[2, 236] = 248.1, p < .001; adjusted R2 = 67%). This study emphasized the role of demographic factors on long-term memory consolidation. The demographically adjusted normative data we provide for the One-Week Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test-word version make it a sensitive tool for long-term memory consolidation assessment in clinical and forensic practice. (PsycINFO Database Record

Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and Association With Survival Among Older Patients With Hematologic Cancers

As the population ages, cognitive impairment has promised to become increasingly common among patients with cancer. Little is known about how specific domains of cognitive impairment may be associated with survival among older patients with hematologic cancers. To determine the prevalence of domain-specific cognitive impairment and its association with overall survival among older patients with blood cancer. This prospective observational cohort study included all patients 75 years and older who presented for initial consultation in the leukemia, myeloma, or lymphoma clinics of a large tertiary hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, from February 1, 2015, to March 31, 2017. Patients underwent screening for frailty and cognitive dysfunction and were followed up for survival. The Clock-in-the-Box (CIB) test was used to screen for executive dysfunction. A 5-word delayed recall test was used to screen for impairment in working memory. The Fried frailty phenotype and Rockwood cumulative deficit model of frailty were also assessed to characterize participants as robust, prefrail, or frail. Among 420 consecutive patients approached, 360 (85.7%) agreed to undergo frailty assessment (232 men [64.4%] and 128 women [35.6%]; mean [SD] age, 79.8 [3.9] years), and 341 of those (94.7%) completed both cognitive screening tests. One hundred twenty-seven patients (35.3%) had probable executive dysfunction on the CIB, and 62 (17.2%) had probable impairment in working memory on the 5-word delayed recall. Impairment in either domain was modestly correlated with the Fried frailty phenotype (CIB, ρ = 0.177; delayed recall, ρ = 0.170; P = .01 for both), and many phenotypically robust patients also had probable cognitive impairment (24 of 104 [23.1%] on CIB and 9 of 104 [8.7%] on delayed recall). Patients with impaired working memory had worse median survival (10.9 [SD, 12.9] vs 12.2 [SD, 14.7] months; log-rank P < .001), including when stratified by indolent cancer (log-rank P = .01) and aggressive cancer (P < .001) and in multivariate analysis when adjusting for age, comorbidities, and disease aggressiveness (odds ratio, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.13-0.50). Impaired working memory was also associated with worse survival for those undergoing intensive treatment (log-rank P < .001). Executive dysfunction was associated with worse survival only among patients who underwent intensive treatment (log-rank P = .03). These data suggest that domains of cognitive dysfunction may be prevalent in older patients with blood cancer and may have differential predictive value for survival. Targeted interventions are needed for this vulnerable patient population.

Significant association between catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158/108Met polymorphism and cognitive function in veterans with PTSD

Core features of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are cognitive disturbances. Enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) degrades dopamine primarily in prefrontal cortex. Its functional polymorphism, COMT Val158/108Met, affects COMT activity and dopamine availability and is associated with disturbances in cognition. The hypothesis was that PTSD subjects will have worse working memory than healthy controls and that the carriers of the COMT Met allele will show better cognitive performance compared to Val/Val carriers in PTSD and controls subjects. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in cognitive functioning between PTSD and control subjects and to evaluate the association between COMT Val158/108Met polymorphism and cognitive function determined using the Rey–Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF) copy, immediate and delayed test. The study included 323 male Caucasian participants of Croatian origin: 205 male combat veterans with PTSD and 118 control subjects. A significant association between the COMT Val158/108Met and the ROCF immediate and delayed scores in veterans with PTSD was found. We confirmed, on ethnically homogenous groups of veterans with matched combat experience, that controls had higher ROCF immediate and delayed test scores than veterans with PTSD. In PTSD subjects, the Met carriers of the COMT Val158/108Met performed better (i.e. had higher ROCF scores) than Val/Val homozygotes on both ROCF immediate recall and delayed recall test. Our results provide the first evidence that the presence of one or two Met alleles of the COMT Val158/108Met might act as a protective variant in working memory tasks in combat exposed veterans with PTSD.

Sex differences in the association of alcohol with cognitive decline and brain pathology in a cohort of octogenarians.

The beneficial effects of moderate alcohol may differ in aging men versus women. Cognitive and functional decline and neuropathology were investigated in a cohort of aging men and women with diverse alcohol histories. Non-demented (Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of ≤ 0.5 and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of > 24), autonomously living participants were tracked in longitudinal aging studies to examine self-report and objective tests of rates of decline in a cohort (n = 486) of octogenarians. Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs; Braak stage) and neuritic plaques (NPs) were staged at autopsy in a subset of participants (n = 149) using current standard neuropathologic diagnostic criteria. Moderate drinking men had an attenuated rate of decline compared to rare/never drinkers and women on the MMSE and CDR sum of boxes. In contrast, moderate drinking women had a reduced rate of decline only in the Logical Memory Delayed Recall Test (LMDR) compared to rare/never drinkers and men. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a reduction in the incidence of advanced (stages 5-6) Braak NFT stage in men (p < 0.05), with no effect in women. In this cohort, men experienced a broader range of beneficial effects associated with alcohol. Alcohol's effects may differ in men and women in important ways that suggest a narrower beneficial window.

Sport concussion assessment tool—Third edition normative reference values for professional Rugby Union players

ObjectivesTo establish normative reference data for the SCAT3 in professional Rugby Union players. DesignA cross sectional study in professional Rugby Union players competing in national and international professional competitions between 2015 and 2016. MethodsThe SCAT3 was administered pre-season or prior to tournaments. Data was collected electronically using a custom tablet application. SCAT3 subcomponents distributions were described and normative ranges determined using percentile cut-offs for average, unusually low/high, and extremely low/high scores. The association between player characteristics and performance in SCAT3 subcomponents was also investigated in exploratory analyses. ResultsA total of 3611 professional Rugby Union players were included. The most common baseline symptom was fatigue (14%). The symptom score median (md) was 0 (interquartile range (IQR)=0–1). Symptom severity md was 0 (IQR=0–1). The md of the SAC score was 28 (IQR=26–29). The md of the MBESS was 2 (IQR=0–4). The Tandem gait md was 11.1s (IQR=10.0–12.7s). Upper limb coordination was normal in 98.4%. Younger age and lower educational level were associated with worse performance on delayed recall and reverse month sub-components of the SCAT3 (p<0.0001). No statistically significant differences in SCAT3 subcomponents were evident across gender. ConclusionsRepresentative normative reference values for the SCAT3 among professional Rugby Union players are provided. Baseline performance on concentration and delayed recall tests may be lower in younger athletes or in those with lower educational level.

NEURONAL CORRELATES OF DELAYED RECALL TEST PERFORMANCE IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: BEYOND CONVENTIONAL LINEAR REGRESSION

Brain metabolic and morphological changes in subjects with mild cognitive impairment have been broadly identified, with characteristic temporoparietal hypometabolism and medial temporal lobe atrophy. However, different regional distributions of changes in metabolism and gray matter volume associated with memory performance in MCI patients have been rarely observed until now. The high collinearity of imaging data limits the applicability of classical multiple regression approaches. We examined the relationship between metabolic and morphological substrates of delayed recall test performances in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT - 30 Minute Delay). We used neuropsychological, partial volume effects (PVE) - corrected FDG-PET and volumetric MRI data from 132 subjects with MCI from ADNI-2 to regress delayed recall on regional cortical metabolism and grey matter volumes. As consistent and parsimonious feature selection within imaging data using conventional stepwise multiple linear regression is limited due to multicollinearity, we used a regularized regression approach with an elastic net penalty and compared it to unpenalized stepwise linear regression. For PVE-corrected FDG-PET data, elastic net regression identified predominantly temporal regions associated with delayed recall in MCI subjects. For volumetric MRI data, penalized regression showed a slightly different regional distribution, including also the occipital lobe in addition to temporal regions. Bilateral hippocampus and posterior cingulate gyrus were identified as the strongest predictors for memory performance in MCI within both modalities. In comparison, unpenalized regression overfitted the data and led to partially implausible results. Overall, our results support evidence of different regional distributions of brain metabolism and gray matter volume changes associated with delayed recall in MCI, nevertheless showing the relevance of posterior cingulate gyrus and hippocampus for memory within both modalities. Penalized regression outperformed unpenalized stepwise regression when integrating multimodal and highly collinear imaging information and proved useful for identifying consistent and parsimonious neuronal correlates of cognitive function.

EFFECT OF ADMISSION BLOOD PRESSURE VARIABILITY OF ACUTE STROKE ON LONGITUDINAL POST-STROKE COGNITIVE CHANGES

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is one of major sequela of stroke. However, most predictors for PSCI are non-modifiable during acute stroke stage. Blood pressure (BP) variability was associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes after stroke. We aimed to investigate the effect of BP variability during acute stroke to longitudinal cognitive changes after stroke. Patients who were admitted for acute ischemic stroke within 2 days of symptom onset were enrolled. BP levels, which were evaluated within 7 days of symptom onset, were queried using clinical database warehouse in electronic medical records, and patients with at least 5 times BP measurements were included. BP-related variables – mean, minimum, maximum, range, standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variance (CV%) were calculated. Longitudinal changes of mini-mental state examination (MMSE), digit symbol coding, and verbal learning test-delayed recall were evaluated using multilevel hierarchical mixed model analysis. A total of 289 patients were enrolled having a median follow-up duration of 35.5 months. Mean baseline age was 68.7±10.0 years, median score of initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 3 (interquartile range, IQR 4). Mean intervals between index stroke and admission was 0.5±0.5 days, and median number of blood pressure measurements was 43 (IQR 39). Mean SD and CV% was 13.3±3.5 and 9.6±2.3 of systolic BP, and 9.5±2.3 and 12.6±3.4 of diastolic BP. As for the MMSE, baseline median score was 25 (IQR 7), and delta MMSE score during follow-up ranged from -15 to 12. Baseline median scores of digit symbol coding and verbal learning test-delayed recall was 28 (IQR 28) and 3 (IQR 4), respectively. When SD was categorized as quartiles, the median score of MMSE changes in the upper quartile groups showed a larger negative value than those of the lower quartile groups. (Figure.) However, there was no significant predictors for longitudinal cognitive change in the final multilevel hierarchical mixed model adjusted for predetermined demographic, clinical, and neuroimaging covariates. (Table.)

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MIGRATION AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA

The objective of this study was to assess the association between migration status (urban, rural, urban-to-urban, rural-to-urban, rural-to-rural, and urban-to-rural) and cognitive function among older adults. We used data from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) that included adults aged 50 and older from China (N=12937). Global cognitive function was measured by Digit Span Tests, Verbal Fluency, Immediate, and Delayed Recall Tests. Controlling for socioeconomic status and health conditions, significant differences in cognitive function were found across the six migration groups, with urban-to-urban residents having the highest level of cognitive function, followed by urban residents. Rural-to-rural residents had the poorest global cognitive function. The results suggest that early-life migration is independently associated with cognitive function in older age in China.

Comparing Choral Responding and a Choral Responding Plus Mnemonic Device During Geography Lessons for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Four male 9th-grade students with mild to moderate disabilities participated in a single case design that compared choral responding (CR) and a choral responding plus mnemonic device (CR+) during geography lessons. The authors used an alternating treatments design to evaluate the effects of the two strategies on students’ on-task behavior and daily quiz scores in identifying states on a map of the United States. The results showed that the CR+ was more effective than CR in increasing on-task behavior and accuracy levels on daily quiz scores, as well as performance on a 1-week delayed recall test. The teacher and students rated the CR+ as highly acceptable. A discussion of limitations, future research, and practical implications is included.

Associations of cumulative Pb exposure and longitudinal changes in Mini-Mental Status Exam scores, global cognition and domains of cognition: The VA Normative Aging Study

BackgroundLead (Pb) exposure has been associated with poorer cognitive function cross-sectionally in aging adults, however the association between cumulative Pb exposure and longitudinal changes in cognition is little characterized. MethodsIn a 1993–2007 subcohort of the VA Normative Aging Study (Mini-mental status exam (MMSE) n=741; global cognition summary score n=715), we used linear mixed effects models to test associations between cumulative Pb exposure (patella or tibia bone Pb) and repeated measures of cognition (MMSE, individual cognitive tests, and global cognition summary). Cox proportional hazard modeling assessed the risk of an MMSE score falling below 25. ResultsAmong men 51–98 at baseline, higher patella Pb concentration (IQR: 21μg/g) was associated with −0.13 lower baseline MMSE (95% CI: −0.25, −0.004) and faster longitudinal MMSE decline (−0.016 units/year, 95% CI: −0.032, −0.0004) over 15 years. Each IQR increase in patella Pb was associated with increased risk of a MMSE score below 25 (HR=1.21, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.49; p=0.07). There were no significant associations between Pb and global cognition (both baseline and longitudinal change). Patella Pb was associated with faster longitudinal decline in Word List Total Recall in the language domain (0.014 units/year, 95% CI: −0.026, −0.001) and Word List Delayed Recall in the memory domain (0.014 units/year, 95% CI: −0.027, −0.002). We found weaker associations with tibia Pb. ConclusionsCumulative Pb exposure is associated with faster declines in MMSE and Word List Total and Delayed Recall tests. These findings support the hypothesis that Pb exposure accelerates cognitive aging.

A Delayed Recall Battery as a Sensitive Screening for Mild Cognitive Impairment: Follow-up Study of Memory Clinic Patients after 10 years

I examined the predictive value of the combination of three delayed recall tests to distinguish (1) those with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) from those within normal range, and (2) those with Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from those within normal range. The data from 90 visitors to a memory clinic in Tokyo was used. I first examined patients clinically, neuroradiologically, and excluded the mental and neurological illness. AD was diagnosed according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, MCI according to the criteria of Petersen et al.. Normal must be free from any disease examined above. After the diagnosis, the baseline neuropsychological tests were performed for all participants; the Mini Mental State Examination, Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, the Stroop Test, a 10-words list learning and recall test, a story recall test, and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test. After 10 years, all patients were reassessed and diagnosed again. Of the MCI patients for follow-up (n=29), 19 were converted to AD, while 5 not. One died. 4 lost. All AD patients (n=30) remained as AD. The combination of 3 delayed recall battery provides clinically useful predictive values for both AD and MCI in a memory clinics and dementia research clinics.

Association between high biomarker probability of Alzheimer's disease and improvement of clinical outcomes after shunt surgery in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

We examined the effect of the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on improvement of clinical symptoms after shunt surgery in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). Forty-four iNPH patients were classified into 18 patients with (iNPH/AD+) and 26 patients without (iNPH/AD−) combination with low amyloid β42 and high total tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We compared improvements after lumbo-peritoneal shunt surgery (LPS) between the two groups in Timed Up & Go Test, 10-m reciprocating walking test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, attention test, delayed recall test, Mini-Mental State Examination, iNPH grading scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, and other evaluations. Three months after LPS, gait, urination, overall cognition, psychomotor speed, attention, and neuropsychiatric symptoms significantly improved in both groups, but the improvement in delayed recall and reduction of caregiver burden were significantly greater in iNPH/AD− than iNPH/AD+. In addition, improvement in delayed recall score after LPS was significantly and negatively correlated with the probability of AD as judged by amyloid β42 and total tau levels in CSF. Three months after LPS, almost all of the triad symptoms decreased in iNPH patients with and without AD pathology but memory improved only in iNPH patients without AD pathology.

Are Changes in Self-Rated Health Associated With Memory Decline in Older Adults?

The association between patterns of change in self-rated health (SRH) and memory trajectories in older adults was examined using a systematic approach. Data from the Health and Retirement Study ( n = 6,016) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing ( n = 734) were analyzed. Individuals were grouped into five categories according to their pattern of change in SRH over 8 years: stable excellent/very good/good, stable fair/poor, improvement, decline, and fluctuating pattern without a trend. Memory was measured using immediate and delayed recall tests. Kruskal-Wallis, chi-squares tests, and linear mixed models were used to examine the association. Different rates of decline in memory can be identified in the different patterns of change in SRH. Those who had a stable excellent/very good/good pattern had the slowest rate of decline. Our findings suggest that SRH status and patterns of change could be used as a marker of cognitive decline in prevention screening programs.

Regional Coherence Alterations Revealed by Resting-State fMRI in Post-Stroke Patients with Cognitive Dysfunction.

ObjectivesPost-stroke cognitive dysfunction greatly influences patients’ quality of life after stroke. However, its neurophysiological basis remains unknown. This study utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the alterations in regional coherence in patients after subcortical stroke.MethodsResting-state fMRI measurements were acquired from 16 post-stroke patients with poor cognitive function (PSPC), 16 post-stroke patients with good cognitive function (PSGC) and 30 well-matched healthy controls (HC). Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to detect alterations in regional coherence. Abnormalities in regional coherence correlated with scores on neuropsychological scales.ResultsCompared to the HC and the PSGC, the PSPC showed remarkably decreased ReHo in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex and the left posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus. ReHo in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex positively correlated with the scores on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (r = 0.399, P = 0.036) and the Complex Figure Test-delayed recall subtest (r = 0.397, P = 0.036) in all post-stroke patients. Moreover, ReHo in the left posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus positively correlated with the scores on the Forward Digit Span Test (r = 0.485, P = 0.009) in all post-stroke patients.ConclusionsAberrant regional coherence was observed in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices in post-stroke patients with cognitive dysfunction. ReHo could represent a promising indicator of neurobiological deficiencies in post-stroke patients.

Twenty-four-month-olds’ nonverbal memory for expected and unexpected versions of familiar events

Very little is known regarding whether scripted knowledge affects memory in infancy. By means of the elicited imitation paradigm we examined whether 24-month-olds’ (N=112) differentially re-enacted expected and unexpected 4th steps of two highly familiar and of two less familiar 5-step events immediately as well as across a two-week retention interval. The results revealed that overall the infants re-enacted fewer unexpected 4th steps (relative to expected 4th steps) of the events as they had been demonstrated to the infants, and that the infants re-enacted fewer 4th steps (expected and unexpected) at the delayed recall test as they had been demonstrated. However, although the degree of familiarity of the events influenced the total number of actions (re)-enacted, familiarity did not affect how often the infants re-enacted the crucial 4th steps as they had been demonstrated. The results are discussed in relation to the prevailing theories of scripted knowledge in infancy.

Presence of cerebral amyloid modulates phenotype and pattern of neurodegeneration in early Parkinson's disease

ObjectiveTo evaluate the frequency of cerebral amyloid in early Parkinson's disease (ePD) and provide a multimodal assessment of the influence of cerebral amyloid on disease phenotype.MethodsWe performed a multicentre cohort...