Level Of Cognitive Functioning Research Articles

Using gamma-band transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to improve sleep quality and cognition in patients with mild neurocognitive disorders due to Alzheimer's disease: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in patients with age-related neurodegenerative diseases, which severely affect cognition and even lead to accumulated β-amyloid. Encouraging results from recent studies on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) showed moderate positive effects on sleep quality in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). Compared to tDCS, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) enables the entrainment of neuronal activity with optimized focality through injecting electric current with a specific frequency and has significant enhancement effects on slow wave activities. This is a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial comparing 40 Hz tACS with tDCS in mild neurocognitive disorders due to AD with sleep disturbances. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data is used to construct personalized realistic head model. Treatment outcomes, including sleep quality, cognitive performance and saliva Aβ levels will be conducted at baseline, 4th week, 8th week, 12th week and 24th week. It is expected that the repeated gamma-band tACS will show significant improvements in sleep quality and cognitive functions compared to tDCS and sham tDCS. The findings will provide high-level evidence and guide further advanced studies in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and sleep medicine. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05544201.

Effects of nature-adapted lighting solutions ("Virtual Sky") on subjective and objective correlates of sleepiness, well-being, visual and cognitive performance at the workplace.

Exposure to natural daylight benefits human well-being, alertness, circadian rhythms and sleep. Many workplaces have limited or no access to daylight. Thus, we implemented a light-panel ("Virtual Sky"), which reproduced nature-adapted light scenarios. In a laboratory office environment, three lighting scenarios were presented during the day: two lighting conditions with nature-adapted spectral light distributions, one with static and one with dynamic clouds, and a standard office lighting condition. We compared the impact of the three lighting scenarios on subjective and objective measures of alertness, cognitive performance, wellbeing, visual comfort, contrast sensitivity, and cortisol levels in 18 healthy young male volunteers in a within-participant cross-over study design. We found no evidence that an 8-h lighting scenario with static or dynamic clouds during the waking day (9am-5pm) was associated with any significant effect on objective and/or subjective alertness, cognitive performance and morning cortisol concentrations compared to standard workplace lighting. However, the dynamic light scenario was accompanied with lower levels of perceived tensionafter completing cognitive tasks and less effort to concentrate compared to the static lighting scenarios. Our findings suggest that apart from smaller effects on tension and concentration effort, nature-adapted lighting conditions did not improve daytime alertness and cognitive performance in healthy well-rested young participants, as compared to standard office lighting.

Negative wealth shocks in later life and subsequent cognitive function in older adults in China, England, Mexico, and the USA, 2012–18: a population-based, cross-nationally harmonised, longitudinal study

Household wealth is positively related to cognitive health outcomes in later life. However, the association between negative wealth shocks and cognitive function in later life, and whether this association might differ across countries at different levels of economic development, is unclear. We aimed to investigate whether negative wealth shocks in later life are associated with cognitive function in older adults in China, England, Mexico, and the USA, and whether this association is modified by country income level. For this population-based, cross-nationally harmonised, longitudinal study, data were analysed from core interviews of the population-based US Health and Retirement Study (2012 and 2016) and its partner studies in China (the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study; 2015 and 2018), England (the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing; 2012 and 2016), and Mexico (Mexican Health and Aging Study; 2012 and 2015-16), and their respective Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocols (HCAPs). Negative wealth shocks over the follow-up periods of the respective cohorts were defined in two ways: an extreme loss of 75% or greater from the baseline amount of wealth, and a decline in within-population wealth quintile rank. The primary outcome was the harmonised general cognitive function (GCF) factor score, which was constructed with factor analysis on the HCAP neuropsychological assessments of memory, orientation, attention, executive function, and verbal fluency performance (mean 0; SD 1). We used sampling-weighted, multivariable-adjusted linear models to examine associations. Data from 9465 participants were included in this analysis: 3796 from China, 1184 from England, 1193 from Mexico, and 3292 from the USA. The mean baseline age of participants was 68·5 (SD 5·4) years in China (49·8% women), 72·0 (7·0) years in England (54·6% women), 70·6 (6·8) years in Mexico (55·1% women), and 72·7 (7·5) years in the USA (60·4% women). A wealth loss of 75% or greater was negatively associated with subsequent cognitive function in the USA (β -0·16 SD units; 95% CI -0·29 to -0·04) and China (-0·14; -0·21 to -0·07), but not in England (-0·01; -0·24 to 0·22) or Mexico (-0·11; -0·24 to 0·03). Similarly, within-population wealth quintile rank declines were negatively associated with subsequent cognitive function in the USA (β -0·07 per quintile rank decline; 95% CI -0·11 to -0·03) and China (β -0·07; -0·09 to -0·04), but not in England (-0·05; -0·11 to 0·01) or Mexico (-0·03; -0·07 to 0·01). The impact of wealth shocks in later life on subsequent lower level of cognitive function of older adults in China, England, Mexico, and the USA differed across macro-level socioeconomic structures. These findings suggest that government policies and social safety nets in countries with different levels of economic development might have a role in protecting older adults from adverse health effects of wealth losses in later life. US National Institute on Aging, US National Institutes of Health.

Limited evidence of a shared genetic relationship between C-reactive protein levels and cognitive function in older UK adults of European ancestry.

Previous studies have shown associations between cognitive function and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in older adults. Few studies have considered the extent to which a genetic predisposition for higher CRP levels contributes to this association. Data was analyzed from 7,817 UK participants aged >50 years as part of the PROTECT study, within which adults without dementia completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. We constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS-CRP) that explained 9.61% of the variance in serum CRP levels (p = 2.362 × 10-7) in an independent cohort. Regressions were used to explore the relationship between PRS-CRP and cognitive outcomes. We found no significant associations between PRS-CRP and any cognitive measures in the sample overall. In older participants (>62 years), we observed a significant positive association between PRS-CRP and self-ordered search score (i.e., spatial working memory). Whilst our results indicate a weak positive relationship between PRS-CRP and spatial working memory that is specific to older adults, overall, there appears to be no strong effects of PRS-CRP on cognitive function.

Evidence accumulation rate moderates the relationship between enriched environment exposure and age-related response speed declines.

Older adults exposed to enriched environments (EE) maintain relatively higher levels of cognitive function, even in the face of compromised markers of brain health. Response speed (RS) is often used as a simple proxy to measure the preservation of global cognitive function in older adults. However, it is unknown which specific selection, decision, and/or motor processes provide the most specific indices of neurocognitive health. Here, using a simple decision task with electroencephalography (EEG), we found that the efficiency with which an individual accumulates sensory evidence was a critical determinant of the extent to which RS was preserved in older adults (63% female, 37% male). Moreover, the mitigating influence of EE on age-related RS declines was most pronounced when evidence accumulation rates were shallowest. These results suggest that the phenomenon of cognitive reserve, whereby high EE individuals can better tolerate suboptimal brain health to facilitate the preservation of cognitive function, is not just applicable to neuroanatomical indicators of brain ageing, but can be observed in markers of neurophysiology. Our results suggest that EEG metrics of evidence accumulation may index neurocognitive vulnerability of the ageing brain.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT:Response speed in older adults is closely linked with trajectories of cognitive ageing. Here, by recording brain activity while individuals perform a simple computer task, we identify a neural metric which is a critical determinant of response speed. Older adults exposed to greater cognitive and social stimulation throughout a lifetime could maintain faster responding, even when this neural metric was impaired. This work suggests EEG is a useful technique for interrogating how a lifetime of stimulation benefits brain health in ageing.

A Study on the Effect of Traditional Chinese Exercise Combined With Rhythm Training on the Intervention of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

To examine the effect of combination exercise program on cognitive function of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and identify biomarkers associated with improvement of cognitive functions. Subjects were 42 older adults (ages, 60-80years) with MCI. The subjects were randomly classified to traditional Chinese exercise combined with rhythm training group (TCE + RTG, n = 14), walking group (WG, n = 14), and control group (CG, n = 14), according to their level of MMSE scores. These groups exercised for 60minutes at 1 session, 3 sessions a week for 12weeks. The intervention program was conducted under multitask conditions to stimulate attention and memory, and the control group attended 3 education classes. Measurements were administered before, after the 6-week, and after the 12-week intervention period; Measurements: The Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17), along with the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine differences among the 3 groups and between the 3 testing times (pre-test vs middle-test vs post-test). (1) The TCE + RTG showed significant improvement in the MMSE, MoCA, SDMT, and ADL scale test results (P < .01) and HAMD-17 scale test results (P < .05). The WG also showed significant improvement in the MMSE, MoCA, and HAMD-17 scale test results (P < .05) and the ADL scale test results (P < .01). While there was no significant change in the CG after the intervention. (2) The TCE + RTG and WG showed positive improvement in peripheral blood BDNF levels, while the CG showed a decrease in these test results. There were significant differences between the TCE + RTG and CG before and after the intervention. The results suggested that a TCE + RT is beneficial for improving memory and maintaining general cognitive function and peripheral blood BDNF levels in older adults with MCI. Peripheral blood BDNF levels may predict improvement of cognitive functions in older adults with MCI. Further studies are required to determine the positive effects of TCE + RT on cognitive function in older adults with MCI. Trial Registration: ChiCTR2200058545, Registered 10 April 2022.

Differential Implications of Cerebral Hypoperfusion and Hyperperfusion in Parkinson's Disease.

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibit widespread brain perfusion changes. This study investigated whether cerebral regions with hypoperfusion and hyperperfusion have differential effects on motor and cognitive symptoms in PD using early-phase 18 F-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2β-carboxymethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane (18 F-FP-CIT) positron emission tomography (PET) scans. We enrolled 394 patients with newly diagnosed PD who underwent dual-phase 18 F-FP-CIT PET scans. Indices reflecting associated changes in regional cerebral hypoperfusion and hyperperfusion on early-phase 18 F-FP-CIT PET scans were calculated as PD[hypo] and PD[hyper] , respectively. The associations of PD[hypo] and PD[hyper] on motor and cognitive symptoms at baseline were assessed using multivariate linear regression. Also, Cox regression and linear mixed models were performed to investigate the effects of baseline PD[hypo] and PD[hyper] on longitudinal outcomes. There was a weak correlation between PD[hypo] and PD[hyper] (γ = -0.19, P < 0.001). PD[hypo] was associated with baseline Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III scores (β = -1.02, P = 0.045), rapid increases in dopaminergic medications (β = -18.02, P < 0.001), and a higher risk for developing freezing of gait (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.67, P = 0.019), whereas PD[hyper] was not associated. Regarding cognitive function, PD[hypo] was more relevant to the baseline cognitive performance levels of visuospatial, memory, and frontal/executive function than PD[hyper] . However, greater PD[hyper] was associated with future dementia conversion (HR = 1.43, P = 0.004), whereas PD[hypo] was not associated. These findings suggest that PD[hypo] and PD[hyper] may differentially affect motor and cognitive functions in patients with PD. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Identification of distinct symptom profiles in patients with gynecologic cancers using a pre-specified symptom cluster.

Pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression are four of the most common symptoms in patients with gynecologic cancer. The purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct co-occurring pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression profiles (i.e., pre-specified symptom cluster) in a sample of patients with gynecologic cancer receiving chemotherapy and assess for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the severity of other common symptoms and QOL outcomes among these subgroups. Patients completed symptom questionnaires prior to their second or third cycle of chemotherapy. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of patients using the pre-specified symptom cluster. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to evaluate for differences between the subgroups. In the sample of 233 patients, two distinct latent classes were identified (i.e., low (64.8%) and high (35.2%)) indicating lower and higher levels of symptom burden. Patients in high class were younger, had child care responsibilities, were unemployed, and had a lower annual income. In addition, these women had a higher body mass index, a higher comorbidity burden, and a lower functional status. Patients in the high class reported higher levels of anxiety, as well as lower levels of energy and cognitive function and poorer quality of life scores. This study identified a number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with membership in the high class. Clinicians can use this information to refer patients to dieticians and physical therapists for tailored interventions.

Mild Cognitive Impairment, But Not HIV Status, is Related to Reduced Awareness of Level of Cognitive Performance Among Older Adults

Self-assessment of cognitive abilities can be an important predictor of clinical outcomes. This study examined impairments in self-assessments of cognitive performance, assessed with traditional neuropsychological assessments and novel virtual reality tests among older persons with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). One hundred twenty-two participants (82 persons with HIV; 79 MCI+) completed a traditional neuropsychological battery, DETECT virtual reality cognitive battery, and self-reported their general cognitive complaints, depressive symptoms, and perceptions of DETECT performance. Relationships between DETECT performance and self-assessments of performance were examined as were the correlations between general cognitive complaints and performance. These relations were evaluated across HIV and MCI status, considering the associations of depressive symptoms, performance, and self-assessment. We found no effect of HIV status on objective performance or self-assessment of DETECT performance. However, MCI+ participants performed worse on DETECT and traditional cognitive tests, while also showing a directional bias towards overestimation of their performance. MCI- participants showed a bias toward underestimation. Cognitive complaints were reduced compared to objective performance in MCI+ participants. Correlations between self-reported depressive symptoms and cognitive performance or self-assessment of performance were nonsignificant. MCI+ participants underperformed on neuropsychological testing, while overestimating performance. Interestingly, MCI- participants underestimated performance to approximately the same extent as MCI+ participants overestimated. Practical implications include providing support for persons with MCI regarding awareness of limitations and consideration that self-assessments of cognitive performance may be overestimated. Similarly, supporting older persons without MCI to realistically appraise their abilities may have clinical importance.

Berberine ameliorates iron levels and ferroptosis in the brain of 3 × Tg-AD mice

BackgroundBerberine (BBR) is a natural alkaloid extracted from the herb Coptis chinensis. This compound has the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and exhibit neuroprotective value in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, hyperphosphorylated tau and other characters. Iron accumulation and ferroptosis were also detected in AD brain, which can result in neuronal damage. However, it is still unclear whether BBR can suppress ferroptosis in AD and alleviate its underlying pathology. PurposeThis study investigated whether BBR may affect ferroptosis and related signaling pathways in triple transgenic AD (3 × Tg-AD) mice. MethodsFour-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice received oral administration of BBR at a dose of 50 mg/kg for 7.5 months. Cognitive function and anxiety levels in mice were assessed using the morris water maze test, open field test, and novel object recognition test. Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and ICP-MS were employed to assess the pathology of AD, brain iron metabolism, and ferroptosis signaling pathways. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect mitochondrial changes. The synergistic effects of BBR combined with Nrf2 were investigated using molecular docking programs and surface plasmon resonance technology. Co-inmunoprecipitation assay was used to examine the effect of BBR on the binding ability of Nrf2 and Keap1. ResultsThe results indicated that chronic treatment of BBR mitigated cognitive disorders in 3 × Tg-AD model mice. Reductions in Aβ plaque, hyperphosphorylated tau protein, neuronal loss, and ferroptosis in the brains of 3 × Tg-AD mice suggested that BBR could alleviate brain injury. In addition, BBR treatment attenuated ferroptosis, as evidenced by decreased levels of iron, MDA, and ROS, while enhancing SOD, GSH, GPX4, and SLC7A11. Consistent with the in vivo assay, BBR inhibited RSL3-induced ferroptosis in N2a-sw cells. BBR increased the expression levels of GPX4, FPN1 and SLC7A11 by regulating Nrf2 transcription levels, thereby inhibiting ferroptosis. Molecular docking programs and surface plasmon resonance technology demonstrated the direct combination of BBR with Nrf2. Co-inmunoprecipitation analysis showed that BBR inhibited the interaction between Keap1 and Nrf2. ConclusionFor the first time, these results showed that BBR could inhibit iron levels and ferroptosis in the brains of 3 × Tg-AD model mice and partially protect against RSL3-induced ferroptosis via the activation of Nrf2 signaling.

Association between perceived risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and cognitive function among U.S. older adults

IntroductionThe aim of the study was to assess factors associated with the perceived risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and how the perceived risk of ADRD was related to cognitive function. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study using 5 waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (2012–2022) that included adults aged 65 years or older with no previous diagnosis of ADRD at baseline. Cognitive function was measured at baseline and over time using a summary score that included immediate/delayed word recall, serial 7′s test, objective naming test, backwards counting, recall of the current date, and naming the president/vice-president (range = 0–35). Perceived risk of developing ADRD was categorized at baseline as “definitely not” (0% probability), “unlikely” (1–49%), “uncertain” (50%), and “more than likely” (>50–100%). Additional baseline measures included participants’ sociodemographic background, psychosocial resources, health behaviors, physiological status, and healthcare utilization. ResultsOf 1457 respondents (median age 74 [IQR = 69–80] and 59.8% women), individuals who perceived that they were “more than likely” to develop ADRD had more depressive symptoms and were more likely to be hospitalized in the past two years than individuals who indicated that it was “unlikely” they would develop ADRD. Alternatively, respondnets who perceived that they would "definitely not" develop ADRD were more likely to be non-Hispanic Black, less educated, and have lower income than individuals who indicated it was “unlikely” they would develop ADRD. Respondents who reported their risks of developing ADRD as “more than likely” (β = −2.10, P < 0.001) and “definitely not” (β = −1.50, P < 0.001) had the lowest levels of cognitive function; and the associations were explained in part by their socioeconomic, psychosocial, and health status. ConclusionsPerceived risk of developing ADRD is associated with cognitive function. The (dis)concordance between individuals’ perceived risk of ADRD and their cognitive function has important implications for increasing public awareness and developing interventions to prevent ADRD.

Grey matter volume and CSF biomarkers predict neuropsychological subtypes of MCI

There is increasing evidence of different subtypes of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). An important line of research is whether neuropsychologically-defined subtypes have distinct patterns of neurodegeneration and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker composition. In our study, we demonstrated that MCI participants of the ADNI database (N = 640) can be discriminated into 3 coherent neuropsychological subgroups. Our clustering approach revealed amnestic MCI, mixed MCI, and cluster-derived normal subgroups. Furthermore, classification modeling revealed that specific predictive features can be used to differentiate amnestic and mixed MCI from cognitively normal (CN) controls: CSF Aβ142 concentration for the former and CSF Aβ1–42 concentration, tau concentration as well as grey matter atrophy (especially in the temporal and occipital lobes) for the latter. In contrast, participants from the cluster-derived normal subgroup exhibited an identical profile to CN controls in terms of cognitive performance, brain structure, and CSF biomarker levels. Our comprehensive data analytics strategy provides further evidence that multimodal neuropsychological subtyping is both clinically and neurobiologically meaningful.

Effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy as a transdiagnostic treatment for improving cognitive functions: a systematic review.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been found to be an efficacious treatment for disorders characterized by high levels of emotional instability. In view of the multifaceted applications of DBT and the extent to which mental disorders can incapacitate cognitive functions, the current systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of DBT in strengthening cognitive functions across various mental health conditions. Original research studies employing both experimental and quasi-experimental designs were included in the review. The literature search was done using different electronic databases, from the first available literature until June 2022, that covered an approximate period of ten years. Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used to assess the methodological rigor of the studies. Twelve studies conducted on adolescents with emotional dysregulation, and adults with borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and multiple sclerosis were selected. Results indicate that DBT has the potential to improve key cognitive functions such as attention, memory, fluency, response inhibition, planning, set shifting, tolerance for delayed rewards and time perception, as assessed by neuropsychological tests, self-report of cognitive functions, and neuroimaging techniques. Considering the review's findings that showcase the effectiveness of DBT in fostering improvements in cognitive functions, DBT may possibly be chosen as a preferred treatment to ensure that patients reach optimal levels of cognitive functioning. Limitations include lack of sufficient studies encompassing all the common mental health conditions, usage of neuroimaging techniques as only an indirect measure of cognitive functioning and nuances related to the quality of individual studies.

Correlates of hearing loss among adults with schizophrenia.

Hearing loss (HL) is associated with adverse cognitive, mental, and physical health outcomes. There is evidence that across age groups HL is more prevalent in people with schizophrenia than the general population. Given that people with schizophrenia may already be vulnerable to cognitive and psychosocial disability, we sought to examine how hearing ability relates to concurrent levels of cognitive, mental and daily functioning. Community-dwelling adults with schizophrenia (N=84) ages 22-50 completed pure tone audiometry assessments. Hearing threshold (in decibels) was defined as the lowest detectable pure tone at 1000Hz. Pearson correlation was used to test the hypothesis that higher hearing thresholds (worse hearing) would be significantly associated with poorer performance on the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Additional analyses explored the relationships between audiometric threshold and functional capacity measured with the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) and symptoms severity rated on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Hearing threshold was inversely and significantly correlated with the BACS composite score (r=-0.27, p=0.017). This relationship was reduced but remained significant after controlling for age (r=-0.23, p=0.04). Hearing threshold was not associated with VRFCAT or psychiatric symptom measures. While schizophrenia and HL are independently associated with cognitive impairment, the magnitude of impairment in this sample was greater among those with poorer hearing. Findings warrant further mechanistic study of the relationship between hearing impairment and cognition and have implications for addressing modifiable health risk factors for higher morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population.

Functional Cognitive Disorder and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Thin Line

AimsFunctional cognitive disorders (FCDs) refer to conditions where patients present with persistent problematic subjective memory complaints that are not consistent with their observed level of cognitive functioning. The demonstrated symptoms are also not in keeping with a recognized psychiatric or neurodegenerative process. FCD is likely to be underdiagnosed in clinical practice with the place-holder label of mild cognitive impairment being used in some cases due to lack of clarity about its symptomatology. In this paper, we describe two cases whose presentations were suggestive of FCDs.MethodsMrs X, 53 years old female not previously known to mental health services referred for increasing difficulties with her memory over 2 years which she believed was impacting her activities of daily living. She has a history of ischaemic heart disease, fibromyalgia, Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, depression, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. On assessment MOCA = 15/30, and MMSE = 25/30.Mr Y, 57 years old male not known to mental health services. Although, has been treated for anxiety and depression by GP. He presented with a 3-year history of struggling with his memory. He reported being forgetful of appointments and he has to paste sticky papers on the fridge for reminders. Similarly, he has a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and essential hypertension. On Assessment MOCA – 19/30 and MMSE – 25/30.ResultsFCDs can be quite challenging because the clinical picture overlaps with other neurodegenerative conditions. Typically, patients report issues around memory function in the absence of relevant neuropathology and with evidence of inconsistency between symptoms reported and observations at assessment. Regarding our cases, the primary presenting issues were increasing difficulties with memory, and forgetfulness. Other noteworthy observations were a mismatch between their scores in the MOCA, MMSE, their level of functioning, and reported memory problems. Neurological examinations and neuroimaging were not suggestive of any neurodegenerative disorders. A differential diagnosis of functional cognitive disorder was considered due to the discrepancies between symptoms reported, the level of their functioning, observations at assessments as well as absence of relevant neuropathology on imaging.ConclusionFCD is a condition that is common in clinical practice but underdiagnosed. Hence, it is imperative that clinicians keep this diagnosis in mind when patients present with memory difficulties that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for dementia and is not due to a recognized medical or psychiatric condition. Correctly identifying and diagnosing FCD can positively impact patient outcomes.

Tingkat konsentrasi dan fungsi kognitif wanita pekerja usia 40-50 Tahun yang mengikuti senam zumba dan yoga

The problem is that women aged 40-50 years experience psychological changes such as decreased levels of concentration and cognitive function, especially for a worker. The aim is to determine the level of concentration and cognitive function of working women aged 40-50 years following Zumba and yoga exercises. Observational research method with cross sectional design. The research subjects were 20 working women aged 40-50 years, using a purposive sampling technique. The data collection technique used a concentration grid exercise questionnaire and a mini mental state examination. The result is that the Zumba class has very little concentration (60%) and less concentration (40%). The yoga class has very less concentration (20%) and less concentration (80%). The results of the Zumba class cognitive function tests in the normal category have a percentage (60%) and the probable category of cognitive impairment (40%). The results of cognitive function in the yoga class in the normal category have a percentage of (90%) and the probable category of cognitive impairment (10%). In conclusion, the concentration level of working women aged 40-50 years is mostly in the very low concentration category. The results of the cognitive function of the Zumba and yoga classes were mostly in the normal category.

Stem Cells and Lithium with Regards to Alzheimer’s Therapy

Alzheimer’s Disease is a condition caused by neural plaques and tangles that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. The average life expectancy after the initial dementia diagnosis in the United States of America is about 3-4 years. Currently, there is no complete cure for the disorder. However, recent research has been investigating the therapeutic effects of both stem cells and lithium. Stem cells are cells that have the capability to differentiate into other cells when necessary to assist in damage repair. As neurons die off in Alzheimer’s patients, certain types of stem cells have been shown by several studies to be effective in increasing the proliferation of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, stem cell proliferation associated with their transplantation into the brains of rodent models has been studied, and the results demonstrated that rodents had an increased level of cognitive and motor functioning. Lithium has been more recently studied in combination with MSC transplantation therapy and provided promising results, in that it was able to increase neuronal proliferation and differentiation. Alone, lithium is the most potent inhibitor of the GSK-3β pathway that, when hyperactive, leads to the development of Alzheimer’s Disease. This finding has given way to studies that have been able to show that lithium can decrease the plaques and tangles, stemming from Tau hyperphosphorylation, that characterize AD.

Disentangling Reafferent Effects by Doing Nothing

An agent's ability to distinguish between sensory effects that are self-caused, and those that are not, is instrumental in the achievement of its goals. This ability is thought to be central to a variety of functions in biological organisms, from perceptual stabilisation and accurate motor control, to higher level cognitive functions such as planning, mirroring and the sense of agency. Although many of these functions are well studied in AI, this important distinction is rarely made explicit and the focus tends to be on the associational relationship between action and sensory effect or success. Toward the development of more general agents, we develop a framework that enables agents to disentangle self-caused and externally-caused sensory effects. Informed by relevant models and experiments in robotics, and in the biological and cognitive sciences, we demonstrate the general applicability of this framework through an extensive experimental evaluation over three different environments.

Working memory and processing speed abilities are related to habituation and change detection in school-aged children: An ERP study.

High cognitive performance is related to efficient brain processing while accomplishing complex cognitive tasks. This efficiency is observed through a rapid engagement of the brain regions and the cognitive processes required for task accomplishment. However, it is unclear if this efficiency is also present in basic sensory processes such as habituation and change detection. We recorded EEG with 85 healthy children (51 males) aged between 4 and 13 years old, while they listened to an auditory oddball paradigm. Cognitive functioning was evaluated using the Weschler Intelligence Scales for Children Fifth Edition and the Weschler Preschool & Primary School for Intelligence Fourth Edition. Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) analyses and repeated measure analysis of covariance as well as regression models were performed. The analysis revealed that P1 and N1 repetition effects were observed across levels of cognitive functioning. Further, working memory abilities were related to repetition suppression on the auditory P2 component amplitude, while faster processing speed was related to repetition enhancement on the N2 component amplitude. Also, Late Discriminative Negativity (LDN) amplitude, a neural correlate of change detection, increased with working memory abilities. Our results confirm that efficient repetition suppression (i.e. greater reduction in amplitudes with greater levels of cognitive functioning) and more sensitive change detection (greater amplitude changes of the LDN) are related to the level of cognitive functioning in healthy children. More specifically, working memory and processing speed abilities are the cognitive domains related to efficient sensory habituation and change detection.

Analysis of gut microbiota in patients with schizophrenia: Focus on cognitive performance and psychopathology

Recent studies suggest the involvement of aberrant gut microbiota composition in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Some studies have also shown the association of gut microbiota alterations with psychopathological manifestation of schizophrenia. However, it remains unknown whether these alterations are related to cognitive impairments, representing core clinical aspects of schizophrenia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare gut microbiota composition between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls taking into consideration clinical expression. A total of 53 stable outpatients with schizophrenia and 58 healthy controls, matched for age, sex and the level of parental education were enrolled. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed using the 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and significantly lower scores of all RBANS domains, except of the language domain. Taxonomic analysis revealed greater abundance of Lactobacillales (order level), Bacilli (class level) and Actinobacteriota (phylum level) in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls, even after adjustment for age, sex, education and BMI. There were several significant correlations of gut microbiota composition with the level of cognitive performance, negative symptoms and social functioning. Some clinical characteristics, especially social functioning and cognitive performance, were also correlated with differentially abundant taxa. The present findings imply that gut microbiota alterations might be associated with schizophrenia. Some of them might also be related to psychopathological manifestation, cognitive performance and social functioning.