Differences In Neuropsychological Performance Research Articles

Neuropsychological profiles of adolescents sentenced to detention in Western Australia with and without prenatal alcohol exposure.

Youth with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are under-recognised in the justice system, warranting improved identification. This study aimed to compare neuropsychological profiles of adolescents, with and without PAE and identify neuropsychological tasks predictive of PAE-group membership. It was hypothesised that participants with PAE would score significantly lower on neuropsychological tests. Participants included 85 young people sentenced to detention (mean 15.7years, 78 males), 46 with PAE. A one-way-multivariate analysis of variance tested differences in neuropsychological functioning between PAE/No-PAE groups, while logistic regression determined tests predictive of PAE. No statistically significant difference in test scores emerged between groups, and regression was not indicative of any models predictive of PAE-group membership. Neuropsychological profiles were characterised by both strengths and weaknesses, with lower verbal and mathematical skills. While no statistically significant differences were found between the groups, the results provided a unique insight into the neurocognitive profile of Australian youth in detention. Routine screening assessments were recommended for young people sentenced to detention.

Sensitivity of NIH Toolbox‐Cognition Battery task performance to amyloid positivity status in cognitively normal older adults

AbstractBackgroundAmong cognitively normal older adults, high brain amyloid burden may signal the presence of early Alzheimer’s disease processes. While research has shown subtle neuropsychological performance differences among cognitively intact older adults with and without elevated brain amyloid, early investigation has not found similar between‐group differences on the NIH Toolbox‐Cognition Battery (NIHTB‐CB; Snitz et al., 2020). Here, we utilize data from a longitudinal observational driving study to evaluate potential differences in NIHTB‐CB task performance among older adults determined to be cognitively normal via clinical research consensus, based on brain amyloid status.MethodData from cognitively normal adults age 65+ who completed an amyloid Positron Emission Tomography scan, NIHTB‐CB tasks, and additional neuropsychological testing through the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center were analyzed. Amyloid positivity was determined based on a centiloid scale (≤10 indicating amyloid negativity; ≥20 amyloid positivity). Thirty participants were amyloid negative and 17 were amyloid positive. Nine individuals with intermediate amyloid values were excluded. Group differences in NIHTB‐CB performance were analyzed via independent sample t‐tests. Linear regressions were used to assess demographic and NIHTB‐CB task/neuropsychological performance predictors of amyloid positivity.ResultThere were no demographic differences between the groups. Overall, amyloid negative participants outperformed their amyloid positive peers on NIHTB‐CB List Sorting and backward Digit Span tasks (p’s<0.05), both of which are measures of working memory. There were no other group differences in cognitive performance, including episodic memory. The final NIHTB‐CB regression model only included NIHTB List Sorting, which accounted for 16.2% of the variance in amyloid status (F = 8.69, p = 0.005). Digit Span backward similarly accounted for 16.6% of the variance in amyloid status (F = 6.39, p = 0.017).ConclusionAmong cognitively normal older adults with known amyloid status, working memory performance, but not episodic memory performance, differentiated amyloid positive and negative groups. This is consistent with research demonstrating an association between elevated amyloid and executive dysfunction, but not memory impairment, in cognitively normal adults (Tideman et al., 2022). NIHTB‐CB’s List Sorting Working Memory is a complex, challenging sequencing task that appears sensitive to amyloid positivity in older adults and task performance may serve as a marker for early prediction of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sex differences in the pre and postoperative neuropsychological function of epilepsy surgery candidates

Objective: As programs expand globally, epilepsy surgery is becoming increasingly available as an effective treatment for some people with medically intractable seizures. Prospective candidates require careful neuropsychological evaluation and follow-up. The aim of this study was to examine the sex differences in neuropsychological function in presurgical presentation and postoperative outcomes in people with temporal lobe epilepsy referred for epilepsy surgery. Methods: Three hundred and seventy-two patients (202 Female; 170 Male) with a homogenous underlying pathology (hippocampal sclerosis) underwent a preoperative assessment on tests of intellectual, language, and memory function and were followed up one year after undergoing a unilateral temporal lobe resection; n = 169 Right (RTL), n = 203 Left (LTL). Results: There was no impact of sex or laterality of surgery on seizure outcome; 84% of males and 80% of females were seizure free at follow-up. Before surgery, sex effects were evident on tests of verbal memory with females performing better than males. Declines in verbal memory function following surgery were greater in females than males. Being female had a stronger association with postoperative decline on immediate prose recall (partial eta squared η 2 = 0.029), than side of surgery (η 2 = 0.018) albeit with a small effect size. Conclusions: There are subtle but significant sex differences in the neuropsychological profiles of people with temporal lobe epilepsy, before and following surgery. Whilst females generally perform better than males on tests of verbal memory function before surgery they demonstrate greater post-operative declines on these measures following surgery.

Longitudinal Changes in Neuropsychological Functioning in Japanese Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: A Five Year Follow-Up Study.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a form of muscular dystrophy that causes various symptoms, including those of the central nervous system. Some studies have reported cognitive decline in patients with DM1, although the available evidence is limited. This study aimed to describe longitudinal differences in neuropsychological function in patients with DM1. A total of 66 Japanese adult patients with DM1 were investigated using a neuropsychological battery to assess several cognitive domains, including memory, processing speed, and executive function. The patients underwent neuropsychological evaluation approximately five years after baseline (Times 1 and 2). Thirty-eight patients underwent a second neuropsychological evaluation. The participants in the Time 2 evaluation were younger than those who did not participate in Time 2. Patients showed a decline in the Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test (TMT), Block Design, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test at Time 2 (P < 0.05). Age at Time 1 was associated with a decline in TMT-A and TMT-B scores (rho = 0.57 and 0.45, respectively). These results suggest a cognitive decline in patients with DM1 and warrant further investigation into the possible effects of age-related changes.

Maximizing utility of neuropsychological measures in sex-specific predictive models of incident Alzheimer's disease in the Framingham Heart Study.

Sex differences in neuropsychological (NP) test performance might have important implications for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigates sex differences in neuropsychological performance among individuals without dementia at baseline. Neuropsychological assessment data, both standard test scores and process coded responses, from Framingham Heart Study participants were analyzed for sex differences using regression model and Cox proportional hazards model. Optimal NP profiles were identified by machine learning methods for men and women. Sex differences were observed in both summary scores and composite process scores of NP tests in terms of adjusted means and their associations with AD incidence. The optimal NP profiles for men and women have 10 and 8 measures, respectively, and achieve 0.76 mean area under the curve for AD prediction. These results suggest that NP tests can be leveraged for developing more sensitive, sex-specific indices for the diagnosis of AD.

Neuropsychological Functioning in Sexual Offenders With and Without Pedophilic Disorder.

This study sought to examine neuropsychological functioning in men with pedophilic disorder (PD), in order to assess whether findings from prior neuropsychological studies are replicated in a diverse sample including men with non-contact sexual offenses. It was hypothesized that when non-contact offenders are included in the study, a slowed processing speed will emerge as the only finding unique to men with PD. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to 58 men convicted of a sexual offense, 20 of whom were classified as having PD. The sample included men with contact sexual offenses (n = 33), non-contact sexual offenses (n = 5), and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses (n = 20). Test performance was compared by PD status. Participants with PD performed significantly better on verbal memory and visual discrimination than those without PD. Men with PD made more errors on a set-shifting task but no significant differences were seen in domains of attention, intellectual functioning, visual learning and memory, visuospatial ability, or language ability. Effect sizes were generally small, although some medium effects were seen (visual discrimination and verbal learning and memory). Scores in both groups (with and without PD) were generally in the average range across tasks. Within the subgroup of CSAM offenders, minimal differences emerged between those with and without PD, although those with PD were slower on visuomotor set-shifting but made fewer errors (d = - 0.89). CSAM offenders with PD were in the high average range on many tasks of intellectual functioning; however, a potential trend was identified such that CSAM offenders without PD had lower scores on a task of verbal learning and memory, with medium effect sizes observed. As few differences in neuropsychological functioning emerged when comparing offenders with and without PD, differences demonstrated in prior research may be better attributed to contact offending status rather than sexual interest.

Sex differences in cognitive function among people with HIV-1 clade C infection in Northern India.

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) clade C is the most prevalent form of HIV-1 comprising nearly 46% of global infections and is the dominant subtype in India. Despite its predominance, the impact of HIV-1 clade C infection on cognitive function has been understudied in comparison with other subtypes, notably clade B, which is primarily found in Europe and North America. Few studies have assessed cognitive impairment in antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve men and women with HIV-1 clade C infection. In this study conducted in Northern India, differences in neuropsychological functioning were compared between 109 participants (70 men, 39 women) with untreated HIV-1 clade C infection and 110 demographically matched healthy controls (74 men, 36 women). A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was used to examine depression, self-assessment of functioning, and cognitive performance in six domains of functioning. Group differences were assessed by HIV-1 status and sex, controlling for age and education. Results indicated that cognitive deficits were substantially greater among male participants with HIV-1 clade C compared to male controls in all domains of cognitive functioning; in contrast, women with HIV-1 clade C had only minor deficits compared to healthy female participants. In addition, a larger proportion of men with HIV-1 clade C exhibited high levels of depression than women with HIV-1 clade C. These findings suggest that untreated HIV-1 clade C infection in men can have debilitating effects on neuropsychological function and depression, and stress the importance of facilitating rapid access to treatment to reduce the impact of HIV-1 infection.

Neuropsychological Performance, Substance Misuse, and Recidivism in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators.

Previous research has pointed out the importance of neuropsychological impairments in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators for reoffending/recidivism once treatment ends. However, less is known about whether substance misuse is associated with impairments or deficits, which facilitate recidivism. In this study, we first aimed to assess whether IPV perpetrators with (n = 104) and without (n = 120) substance misuse showed differences in specific neuropsychological variables in comparison with non-violent men (n = 82). Second, we examined whether there were differences in IPV perpetrators' recidivism and whether these differences were explained by neuropsychological performance. Our results revealed that IPV perpetrators with substance misuse showed worse cognitive performance than controls. Furthermore, we also found differences between IPV perpetrators without substance misuse and controls, but only in terms of executive functioning. There were no differences in neuropsychological performance between the two groups of IPV perpetrators, although those with substance misuse presented higher recidivism rates than those without substance misuse. Finally, cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, and worse attention functioning were related to high recidivism in both groups of IPV perpetrators. This study underlies the importance of performing neuropsychological assessments during the initial stages of intervention programs for IPV perpetrators in order to design coadjutant neuropsychological/cognitive training to address not only the psychological needs (including substance misuse) of IPV perpetrators, but also their neuropsychological needs.

Gender Differences in Executive Functions of Patients Operated for Mild to Moderate Epidural Hematoma

Abstract Background Impairment in neurocognitive functions are commonly followed by Epidural hematoma (EDH) . This cross-sectional study was aimed to study gender differences in neurocognitive functions in mild to moderate epidural hematoma patients (43 male and 19 female patients) post-surgery using standardized assessment tools of comprehensive neurocognitive function attention, speed, working memory, fluency, set-shifting, perseveration, planning and response inhibition. Methods Descriptive statistics, i.e., mean and standard deviation (SD) values were computed, and a t-test was applied for further exploration. Results The analysis of results shows that on the test of working memory, female group scored better as significant differences were found on N-Back (2 Back versions) and digit span-backward. On the verbal fluency test (COWA), significant difference was found as females scored higher than the male group on total responses. However, the male group was higher in total time and error than the female group on the test of sustained attention and divided attention. Conclusion This study shows interesting results in terms of gender differences in executive function of patients operated for mild to moderate epidural hematoma. These findings have significant clinical and implications for planning intervention. The neuropsychological rehabilitation of patients operated for mild to moderate epidural hematoma has a crucial role in enhancing their recovery and overall functioning. Inputs about gender differences in neuro psychological functioning of these patients would help in decision making regarding neuropsychological rehabilitation incorporating the gender related differences too in their intervention plan.

No association between age beginning tackle football, or years played and neurocognitive performance later-in-life among older National Football League retirees.

In a retrospective cohort, we evaluated whether age beginning tackle football (ABTF) and more total years of playing football (TYPF) were associated with worse later-in-life neuropsychological change among older retired National Football League (NFL) players. Participants were 19 older NFL retirees aged 54-79, including 12 who returned for follow-up evaluation 15-51months later. Mixed-linear models evaluated the association between ABTF/TYFP and baseline neuropsychological composite scores (executive functioning/attention/speed, language, memory), and neuropsychological composites over time. ABTF and TYPF were not significantly associated with neuropsychological composites at baseline or over time (all p's > .05). There were no significant differences in neuropsychological performance between those ABTF <12 and ≥ 12years old (all p's ≥ .475) or between those with TYPF <19 or ≥ 19years played (median split; all p's ≥ .208). Preliminary findings suggest that ABTF and TYPF does not worsen neurocognitive decline later-in-life among older NFL retirees.

Language and Immigrant Status Differences in Neuropsychological Performance among Middle Eastern and North African Older Adults in Detroit

AbstractBackgroundDespite being one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S., little is known regarding neuropsychological testing among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) older adults. This study aimed to examine the effects of language of test administration (i.e., English or Arabic) and immigrant status on neuropsychological performance among MENA older adults.MethodParticipants were from the Detroit Area Wellness Network‐COVID Study and were included if they identified as MENA and did not have dementia (N = 199). Participants completed questionnaires and brief neuropsychological tests (i.e., CERAD word list, animal fluency) over the phone. Participants were coded into three groups: U.S. born, tested in English (n = 35); foreign born, tested in English (n = 93); and foreign born, tested in Arabic (n = 71). A series of regressions with foreign‐born participants tested in English as the reference group examined group differences in animal fluency, immediate memory, and delayed memory across minimally adjusted (i.e., age, sex/gender), education‐adjusted (i.e., age, sex/gender, education), and fully adjusted (i.e., age, sex/gender, education, marital status, homeownership) models.ResultCompared to both English testing groups, foreign‐born participants tested in Arabic were more likely to be married, were less likely to own homes, and had less education. Foreign‐born participants tested in English had less education than U.S.‐born participants tested in English but did not differ on other covariates. In minimally adjusted models, there were language differences in animal fluency, but not episodic memory, such that foreign‐born participants tested in Arabic performed worse than foreign‐born participants tested in English. This language difference was eliminated after adjusting for education. Performance differences as a function of immigrant status were identified for all cognitive measures, such that foreign‐born participants tested in English performed worse than U.S.‐born participants tested in English. These differences were attenuated but not eliminated in adjusted models.ConclusionThese results support the comparability of neuropsychological tests administered in English versus Arabic, as language differences were limited and explained by education. Future studies should examine modifiable contributors to cognitive differences between U.S.‐ and foreign‐born MENA older adults, such as educational quality and immigrant stress.

NCOG-45. DIFFERENTIAL AND DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF CRANIAL IRRADIATION ON BRAIN STRUCTURES AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN WITH POSTERIOR FOSSA BRAIN TUMORS TREATED WITH DIFFERENT MODALITIES

Abstract BACKGROUND Studies investigating dose-dependent effects of cranial irradiation (CRT) in children with posterior fossa brain tumors are limited by examining combined effects of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. We aimed to determine alterations in brain volume and microstructure, and neuropsychological outcomes in children with posterior fossa tumors treated with surgery alone, surgery and chemotherapy, and surgery, chemotherapy, and CRT combined. We explored the relationship of radiation dose to the thalamus, putamen, and hippocampus to outcomes of intelligence, processing speed, executive functions, memory, and social/emotional functioning. METHODS Forty-seven children with treated posterior fossa tumors (17 with surgery; 11 with surgery and chemotherapy; 19 with surgery, chemotherapy, and CRT) underwent neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessment a mean of 4.8 years after treatment, along with 17 healthy sibling controls (n=64). The putamen, thalamus and hippocampus were manually segmented on MRI, and structural mean radiation doses were calculated. Differences in demographics and medical history were evaluated using χ2 and t-tests. Linear regression examined differences in neuropsychological performance, structural volumes, and diffusion indices. Pearson correlation explored relationships of structural radiation doses to diffusion indices and neuropsychological outcomes. RESULTS All patients scored lower on Block Design than controls (p=0.01), and the surgery and chemotherapy group scored the lowest. There was no significant difference in mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the thalamus, hippocampus and putamen between the three patient groups and controls. Hippocampal volume and mean radiation dose approached significant correlation (r= -0.49; p=0.07). Right putamen FA correlated with mean radiation dose (r=0.56; p=0.02). When controlling for age, thalamic volume was lowest in the irradiated group (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS Treatment of pediatric posterior fossa brain tumors with surgery, chemotherapy, and CRT impacts thalamic volume and may have a dose-dependent effect on the microstructure of the putamen compared to treatment with surgery/chemotherapy.

Brain microstructural changes and fatigue after COVID-19

Fatigue and cognitive complaints are the most frequent persistent symptoms in patients after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This study aimed to assess fatigue and neuropsychological performance and investigate changes in the thickness and volume of gray matter (GM) and microstructural abnormalities in the white matter (WM) in a group of patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We studied 56 COVID-19 patients and 37 matched controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cognition was assessed using Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, and fatigue was assessed using Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ-11). T1-weighted MRI was used to assess GM thickness and volume. Fiber-specific apparent fiber density (FD), free water index, and diffusion tensor imaging data were extracted using diffusion-weighted MRI (d-MRI). d-MRI data were correlated with clinical and cognitive measures using partial correlations and general linear modeling. COVID-19 patients had mild-to-moderate acute illness (95% non-hospitalized). The average period between real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction-based diagnosis and clinical/MRI assessments was 93.3 (±26.4) days. The COVID-19 group had higher total CFQ-11 scores than the control group (p < 0.001). There were no differences in neuropsychological performance between groups. The COVID-19 group had lower FD in the association, projection, and commissural tracts, but no change in GM. The corona radiata, corticospinal tract, corpus callosum, arcuate fasciculus, cingulate, fornix, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus were involved. CFQ-11 scores, performance in reaction time, and visual memory tests correlated with microstructural changes in patients with COVID-19. Quantitative d-MRI detected changes in the WM microstructure of patients recovering from COVID-19. This study suggests a possible brain substrate underlying the symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 during medium- to long-term recovery.

Associations Between Country where Education is Obtained and Cognitive Functioning Among South American and Caribbean Older Adults Living in the U.S.

The increasing prevalence of AD among Hispanics calls for a need for examining factors that affect cognitive functioning and risk of AD among Hispanic older adults. The current study examined cognitive functioning among older Hispanic adults living in the U.S. from two Hispanic regions, South America and the Caribbean, in relation to the country where education was obtained. Participants (n = 139) were stratified into groups based on Hispanic education region and diagnostic categories: cognitively normal and amnestic MCI (aMCI). Results of Pearson correlations showed that among Hispanic Americans in general, there were significant positive correlations between the country of education to performance on measures of episodic, verbal, and word list tests. When examined separately by region and diagnosis, only cognitively normal (CN) South Americans showed significant relationships between country of education and cognitive functioning in these areas. Results of general linear models controlling for education identified differences in neuropsychological performance between groups with the CN groups demonstrating better performance than the aMCI groups within each region. Overall, it was evident that relationships between years of education obtained outside of the U.S. and cognitive functioning were not similar among individuals from these two disparate Spanish speaking regions. This is the first study to examine the country where education was obtained among individuals from countries located in different regions with different cultures that may influence their education and cognitive development throughout life. Findings contribute to the cross-cultural neuropsychological literature in understanding factors that are unique to Hispanic older adults at risk for developing AD.

Neuropsychological functioning in post-ICU patients after severe COVID-19 infection: The role of cognitive reserve

BackgroundCognitive manifestations associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome by Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are yet to be described in the existing literature. The aim of this exploratory study is to analyze the impact of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection on neuropsychological performance 6 months following hospital discharge, and to identify which medical variables predict worse outcome. In this context, we study if cognitive reserve (CR) may play a protective role on cognitive impairment. MethodsWe enrolled a cohort of 102 severe SARS-CoV-2 survivors who had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and were contacted 6-months post discharge. A total of 58 agreed to participate in this 6-month follow-up study. Patients with previously known cognitive impairment were excluded. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected. Firstly, to test the magnitude of neurocognitive sequalae two standard deviations below normative group were considered. Secondly, to analyze the main effects of medical variables on cognition and the interaction with cognitive reserve, ANCOVA analyses were performed. Results53.4% obtained a score below the cutoff point (<26) in the screening test MOCA. ICU variables including mechanical ventilation, days of sedation or high CRP days were related with cognition. Cognitive Reserve (CR) interacted with delirium (F ​= ​6.8, p ​= ​0.01) and sedation days (F ​= ​9.40, p ​= ​0.003) to predict verbal memory and interacted with high CRP to predict phonemic fluency (F ​= ​6.47, p ​= ​0.01). Finally, no differences in neuropsychological performance were found depending on subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). However, patients with SCI had a higher score in the HAD anxiety subscale (t ​= ​−2.2; p ​< ​0.05). ConclusionsIn our cohort, cognitive dysfunction was related with ICU variables such as delirium, mechanical ventilation, and inflammation. CR modulated the impact of these variables on cognition. Cognitive complaints were related with anxiety but not with cognitive performance. Despite some limitations, including the need of replication of the findings with larger samples and control groups, our study suggests that high CR may be protective for severe COVID-19-related cognitive impairment.

Early and middle latency auditory event-related potentials do not explain differences in neuropsychological performance between schizophrenia spectrum patients and matched healthy controls

Abnormalities of early and middle latency auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) are widespread in schizophrenia and have been suggested to be associated with cognitive deficits in schizophrenia patients. In this cross-sectional study with schizophrenia patients (n=30) and psychiatrically healthy counterparts (n=31) (matched for age, sex, education), we investigated whether auditory information processing (measured via amplitudes and gating of the auditory ERPs P50, N100 and P200) correlates with neuropsychological performance across cognitive domains. The groups differed significantly in amplitudes and gating of N100 and P200 potentials as well as in neuropsychological performance, but not in P50 amplitude and gating. Neither amplitudes nor gating of auditory ERPs correlated with neuropsychological performance. Neuropsychological intergroup differences could not be explained by abnormalities in auditory information processing. Although pronounced impairments exist on the levels of both auditory information processing and cognitive performance in schizophrenia, these abnormalities are not directly associated with each other.

Sex Differences in Neuropsychological Functioning are Domain-Specific in Adolescent and Young Adult Regular Cannabis Users.

Adolescence into young adulthood represents a sensitive period in which brain development significantly diverges by sex. Regular cannabis use by young people is associated with neuropsychological vulnerabilities, but the potential impact of sex on these relationships is unclear. In a cross-sectional study, we examined sex differences in multi-domain neuropsychological functioning using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and tested whether sex moderated the relationship between cognitive performance and age of initiation, frequency of cannabis use, amount of cannabis use, and withdrawal symptoms in at least weekly adolescent and young adult cannabis users (n = 171; aged 13-25 years; 46.2% female). Male cannabis users had poorer visual recognition memory and female cannabis users showed worse attention and executive functions, with medium to large effect sizes. These sex effects persisted, when controlling for age, IQ, amount of alcohol and nicotine use, mood and anxiety symptoms, emotional stability and impulsive behavior. Earlier age of initiated use and more use were associated with worse attentional functions in females, but not males. More use was more strongly associated with worse episodic memory in males than in females. More use was associated with poorer learning in males only. Domain-specific patterns of neuropsychological performance were found by sex, such that males showed poorer visual memory and females showed worse performance on measures of attention (sustained visual, multitasking) and executive functioning (spatial planning/working memory subdomains). Larger studies including healthy controls are needed to determine if the observed sex differences are more exaggerated relative to non-users.

Effect of different parietal hypoperfusion on neuropsychological characteristics in mild cognitive impairment.

In early-stage amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), differences in the neuropsychological characteristics of each individual are subtle. We investigated differences in neuropsychological performance between aMCI patients with and without hypoperfusion in the medial parietal regions (MP). We further compared patients with hypoperfusion in the left and right lateral parietal regions. We examined 165 aMCI patients (mean age: 76.8 ± 5.5 years; 87 women) who had undergone neuropsychological measurement and single-photon emission computed tomography. We classified participants into two subgroups with and without hypoperfusion: MP hypoperfusion (+) and MP hypoperfusion (-); classification was based on Z-scores (calculated by three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection technique) of three regions of interest in the parietal lobes (i.e. MP regions including posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus and left and right inferior parietal lobules (lateral parietal regions)). The MP hypoperfusion (-) group was classified into left lateral parietal hypoperfusion (+) and right lateral parietal hypoperfusion (+) subgroups. We performed either univariate or multivariate ancova to compare neuropsychological scores for continuous variables between groups and examined dichotomous variables using χ2 tests. In the overall aMCI sample, scores on logical memory delayed recall in the MP hypoperfusion (+) group were significantly lower than those in the MP hypoperfusion (-) group. Total scores on Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test delayed recall were also marginally lower in the MP hypoperfusion (+) group than in the MP hypoperfusion (-) group. Comparisons of neuropsychological test scores between the left and right lateral parietal hypoperfusion (+) groups revealed no significant differences. The present findings suggest that MP hypoperfusion (+) is associated with more robust memory deficits than MP hypoperfusion (-). Combining neuropsychological tests and single-photon emission computed tomography findings may be useful for early detection of cognitive decline in aMCI.

Differences in Neuropsychological Performance between Refugee and Non-Refugee Children in Palestine.

Neuropsychological studies on refugee children are scarce, but there are even less in the case of Palestinian children. This work aims to study the neuropsychological performance of Palestinian refugee children in Palestine compared to other Palestinian children living outside refugee camps. A comprehensive Neuropsychological battery was administrated to 584 Palestinian school children (464 refugees and 120 non-refugees) aged 6, 7, and 8 years old. Results showed that non-refugee children outperformed refugee children in sustained attention, verbal comprehension, verbal memory, and visual memory. This study is the first to have performed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, based on a standardized and validated battery with the Palestinian refugee children. It supports professionals in their evaluation of neurodevelopment and neuropsychological alterations in refugee and non-refugee children in Palestine.

Gender differences on the WAIS-IV in patients with schizophrenia

Introduction. Results from studies that have investigated gender differences in neuropsychological functioning in schizophrenia have been inconsistent. Differences in the illness stage, in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the samples, and the instruments used to measure cognition may have contributed to the heterogeneity in the results. Objective. Investigate the heterogeneity in the results comparing cognitive functioning in chronically ill male and female patients with schizophrenia. Method. Twenty-five women and twenty-five men chronically ill patients with schizophrenia matched on age, age at illness onset, and years of education were evaluated in cognitive functioning using the WAIS-IV. Results. Men showed higher scores than women on the two global measures, on the perceptual reasoning and working memory indices, and on the information, visual puzzles, digit span, and arithmetic subtests of the WAIS-IV. Cohen’s d effect sizes were high for the two global measures and the two indices (d &gt; .68). Discussion and conclusion. Overall, in chronically stable patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia, women’s performance on cognitive functioning was below men’s when assessed with the WAIS-IV, except in the case of processing speed. This pattern of gender differences is similar to the pattern observed in healthy populations. Our results can help to clarify the heterogeneity in the results from studies on gender differences in cognitive functioning in schizophrenia and may be valuable in designing cognitive-targeted interventions for schizophrenia.