Numerous Cognitive Domains Research Articles

Bilişsel Rehabilitasyonun Alzheimer Hastalığı ve Hafif Bilişsel Bozukluk Üzerindeki Etkisi

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have taken their place among the most common neurodegenerative diseases by affecting countless people around the world. Mild cognitive impairment can be defined as the earliest stage of deterioration in the cognitive functions. While impairment in more than one cognitive domain can be seen in MCI, it is seen that individuals can show some level of functionality in daily life. Also, Alzheimer's and MCI cause degeneration in some parts of the brain (parietal lobe, frontal lobe, temporal lobe), and disease is progressed, shrinkage may occur in some brain regions. Thus, a series of intervention techniques have been introduced to improve the daily living activities of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's and MCI. Cognitive rehabilitation is an individualized process that focuses on improving daily living activities. Furthermore, the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on Alzheimer's disease and MCI in numerous cognitive domains is proven by different researchers. Different researchers prove that different cognitive rehabilitation programs are effectively improving the cognitive, social, and psychological domains of individuals' lives. Therefore, this literature review aims to examine the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation programs applied after 2015 to individuals with Alzheimer's and MCI and to compile the examined findings.

Graded functional organization in the left inferior frontal gyrus: evidence from task-free and task-based functional connectivity.

The left inferior frontal gyrus has been ascribed key roles in numerous cognitive domains, such as language and executive function. However, its functional organization is unclear. Possibilities include a singular domain-general function, or multiple functions that can be mapped onto distinct subregions. Furthermore, spatial transition in function may be either abrupt or graded. The present study explored the topographical organization of the left inferior frontal gyrus using a bimodal data-driven approach. We extracted functional connectivity gradients from (i) resting-state fMRI time-series and (ii) coactivation patterns derived meta-analytically from heterogenous sets of task data. We then sought to characterize the functional connectivity differences underpinning these gradients with seed-based resting-state functional connectivity, meta-analytic coactivation modeling and functional decoding analyses. Both analytic approaches converged on graded functional connectivity changes along 2 main organizational axes. An anterior-posterior gradient shifted from being preferentially associated with high-level control networks (anterior functional connectivity) to being more tightly coupled with perceptually driven networks (posterior). A second dorsal-ventral axis was characterized by higher connectivity with domain-general control networks on one hand (dorsal functional connectivity), and with the semantic network, on the other (ventral). These results provide novel insights into an overarching graded functional organization of the functional connectivity that explains its role in multiple cognitive domains.

Basal ganglia ischaemic infarction after thrombectomy: cognitive impairment at acute stage.

After successful mechanical thrombectomy for middle cerebral artery occlusion, basal ganglia infarction is commonly detectable. Whilst the functional outcome of these patients is often good, less knowledge is available about the cognitive outcome. The aim of our study was to assess the presence of cognitive impairment within 1 week after thrombectomy. In all, 43 subjects underwent a general cognitive assessment using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and an extensive battery of tests. Patients were classified as cognitively impaired (CImp) or not (noCImp) according to a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score below 18. Cognitively impaired and noCImp subjects did not differ either in their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at admittance, or in their Fazekas score and Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score. At discharge, CImp subjects showed higher scores than noCImp subjects on NIHSS (p = 0.002) and mRS (p < 0.001). The percentage of pathological performances on each neuropsychological test in the whole sample and in CImp and noCImp patients shows a similar cognitive profile between the groups. Some patients who underwent thrombectomy experienced a detectable cognitive impairment that probably led to worse NIHSS and mRS. The neuropsychological profile of such cognitive impairment at the acute stage consists of wide deficits in numerous cognitive domains, suggesting that basal ganglia damage may lead to complex functional impairments.

One Minute Early Dementia Screening Test for Indigent Countryside Indian Population: A Community Based Study

AbstractBackgroundWith the ageing of our populations there are increasing numbers of older adults with memory complaints and possible dementia. A new case of dementia in some form is diagnosed every 70 seconds according to the 2010 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures; moreover countryside population especially indigent population mostly remain undiagnosed. Hence to develop an easy to use dementia detection system has become an international priority for improving care of patients with prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders of later life.Method242 patients were enrolled justifying predesigned inclusion and exclusion criteria after approval from Institutional Ethics Committee. One minute dementia test was administered to them. The 1 minute dementia test is screening tool that had 4 components, testing immediate &amp; delayed recall, orientation, and visuo‐spatial cognition. The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) component of this tool allows clinicians to administer this test among illiterate population and quickly assess numerous cognitive domains. A cutoff score of &lt; 12 was considered abnormal. Receiver operating characteristic, partial correlation and logistic regression analyses were employed for evaluation.ResultIn this study, majority of subjects were greater than 65 years of age. Males accounted for 68% (n = 164) and females for 34% (n = 78). Mean age of the study population was 59.7 ± 13.46 years. A statistically significant decline in cognitive domain were noted in relation to patient education (p&lt;0.001), locality predominantly rural based uneducated population (p&lt;0.001) as well as increasing age (p&lt;0.01) however, no statistically significant correlation (p&gt;0.05) was observed in relation to patient’s sex. Delayed word recall was the most frequently impaired parameter (92.5%; n = 224) followed by visuo‐spatial cognition (82%; n = 198).Immediate recall (4.9%; n = 12) was minimally effected. CDT was abnormal among 69% (n = 168) patientsConclusionIn the present study 87% (n = 210) of the patients had abnormal test. Delayed word recall was the earliest domain to get impaired followed by visuo‐spatial cognition. A cutoff score of &lt; 12 best correlated with risk of detecting dementia. Thus, 1 minute dementia test can be a useful screening tool for detecting dementia in outdoor basis patients though larger studies are required to validate its clinical implications.

An examination of the relationship among plasma brain derived neurotropic factor, peripheral vascular function, and body composition with cognition in midlife African Americans/Black individuals.

African American/Black individuals have been excluded from several lines of prominent neuroscience research, despite exhibiting disproportionately higher risk factors associated with the onset and magnitude of neurodegeneration. Therefore, the objective of the current investigation was to examine potential relationships among brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), peripheral vascular function, and body composition with cognition in a sample of midlife, African American/Black individuals. Midlife adults (men: n = 3, 60 ± 4 years; women: n = 9, 58 ± 5 years) were invited to complete two baseline visits separated by 4 weeks. Peripheral vascular function was determined by venous occlusion plethysmography, a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine body composition, and plasma was collected to quantify BDNF levels. The CNS Vital Signs computer-based test was used to provide scores on numerous cognitive domains. The principal results included that complex attention (r = 0.629) and processing speed (r = 0.734) were significantly (p < 0.05) related to the plasma BDNF values. However, there was no significant (p > 0.05) relationship between any vascular measure and any cognitive domain or BDNF value. Secondary findings included the relationship between lean mass and peak hyperemia (r = 0.758) as well as total hyperemia (r = 0.855). The major conclusion derived from these results was that there is rationale for future clinical trials to use interventions targeting increasing BDNF to potentially improve cognition. Additionally, these results strongly suggest that clinicians aiming to improve cognitive health via improvements in the known risk factor of vascular function should consider interventions capable of promoting the size and function of skeletal muscle, especially in the African American/Black population.

Intra‐individual variability in processed EEG (bispectral index monitor) under general anesthesia predicts postoperative cognitive change after total knee arthroplasty

AbstractBackgroundPrevious research shows 1) clock drawing performance slows for older adults after total knee arthroplasty (TKA; Hizel et al., 2018), and 2) brain‐behavioral associations with intra‐individual variability on an EEG‐derived index during TKA (Hernaiz et al., 2019). The current study expanded upon these findings by examining how preoperative cognition and intraoperative responses to anesthesia may predict postoperative clock drawing performance. We hypothesized greater intraoperative intra‐individual BIS variability would explain a significant portion of variance in four primary latency measures to command and copy condition at 3‐weeks following surgery.MethodThe final prospectively recruited IRB consented participant sample included 54 non‐demented patients age 60+ receiving TKA under general anesthesia. Consistent with Hernaiz et al., (2019), derived 2‐channel EEG variability was studied from tourniquet inflation to tourniquet release, thereby establishing a consistent period of examination. Intra‐individual variability was calculated as the squared deviation from the mean BIS value over the duration of measurement. Clock drawing to command and copy was recorded with digital pen technology and scored with semiautomatic rater‐guided software (Souillard‐Mandar et al., 2016). Outcome latency variables of interest: 1) total completion time in seconds (TCT), 2) time prior to setting the first hand in seconds (pre‐first hand latency; PFHL), 3) seconds after drawing the clock face to next pen stroke (post‐clock face latency; PCFL).ResultAt 3‐weeks, participants took, on average, six seconds longer to complete the drawing compared to baseline performance, and two seconds longer to set the first clock hand. Correcting for baseline performance, separate hierarchical regressions showed intra‐individual EEG‐derived variability explained an additional 4.3% of variance in postoperative command TCT (F(2,51)=28.301, p&lt;.038, R2=.536, ∆R2=.043), such that those with greater intraoperative BIS variability took longer to complete the drawing to command.ConclusionIn non‐demented older adults undergoing TKA, higher intra‐individual BIS variability significantly contributed to total clock drawing time during the command condition. Command total completion time is sensitive to numerous cognitive domains including processing speed, language, working memory, and declarative memory (Dion et al., 2020). Fluctuations during general anesthesia as recorded on an EEG‐derived index may help explain postoperative slowing during clock drawing at 3‐weeks post‐surgery.

Feasibility of Cognitive Training to Promote Recovery in Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients.

Background: Computer-based cognitive rehabilitation programs may help adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer-related cognitive impairment. This pilot study investigated the feasibility of cognitive rehabilitation as a preventive intervention for AYA patients receiving chemotherapy. Explorative objectives included the correlation of cognitive performance with serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Methods: This pilot prospective study included English-speaking patients 12-25 years of age with a fist diagnosis of cancer requiring chemotherapy. Participants enrolled in the intervention arm participated in a computer-based neurocognitive training program for 20-30 minutes daily for 16 weeks. Outcome measures, including engagement with and completion of computerized neurocognitive testing and serum BDNF levels, were obtained within the first month following diagnosis, ∼16 and 24 weeks from enrollment. Results: Fourteen of 18 eligible patients provided consent, with 7 patients assigned to each the intervention arm and nonintervention arm. Seventy-one percent of the patients in the intervention arm completed at least 80% of the required activities. Compared to baseline, patients in the nonintervention arm demonstrated higher prevalence of impairment in four of the six cognitive domains (processing speed, visual attention, attention/working memory, and executive function) at the end of the study period. There was a nonstatistically significant reduction of serum BDNF levels over time, which was observed in both intervention and nonintervention arms. Conclusion: This pilot study provides some evidence that it is feasible for AYAs with new cancer diagnoses to receive standardized cognitive rehabilitation. Patients receiving cognitive activities experienced less impairment in numerous cognitive domains.

Physical Activity as a Predictor of Cognitive Decline in an Elderly Essential Tremor Cohort: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study.

Background: Essential tremor (ET), one of the most common neurological diseases, is associated with cognitive impairment. Surprisingly, predictors of cognitive decline in ET remain largely unidentified, as longitudinal studies are rare. In the general population, however, lower physical activity has been linked to cognitive decline.Objectives: To determine whether baseline physical activity level is a predictor of cognitive decline in ET.Methods: One hundred and twenty-seven ET cases (78.1 ± 9.5 years, range = 55–95), enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal study of cognition. At baseline, each completed the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), a validated, self-rated assessment of physical activity. Cases underwent an extensive battery of motor-free neuropsychological testing at baseline, 1.5 years, and 3 years, which incorporated assessments of cognitive subdomains. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to assess the predictive utility of baseline physical activity for cognitive change.Results: Mean follow-up was 2.9 ± 0.4 years (range = 1.3–3.5). In cross-sectional analyses using baseline data, lower physical activity was associated with lower overall cognitive function as well as lower cognitive scores in numerous cognitive domains (memory, language, executive function, visuospatial function and attention, all p < 0.05). In adjusted GEE models, lower baseline physical activity level significantly predicted overall cognitive decline over time (p=0.047), and declines in the subdomains of memory (p = 0.001) and executive function (p = 0.03).Conclusions: We identified reduced physical activity as a predictor of greater cognitive decline in ET. The identification of risk factors often assists clinicians in determining which patients are at higher risk of cognitive decline over time. Interventional studies, to determine whether increasing physical activity could modify the risk of developing cognitive decline in ET, may be warranted.

The Role of Hippocampal-Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Neural Dynamics in Building Mental Representations.

The hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) play key roles in numerous cognitive domains including mind-wandering, episodic memory, and imagining the future. Perspectives differ on precisely how they support these diverse functions, but there is general agreement that it involves constructing representations composed of numerous elements. Visual scenes have been deployed extensively in cognitive neuroscience because they are paradigmatic multielement stimuli. However, it remains unclear whether scenes, rather than other types of multifeature stimuli, preferentially engage hippocampus and vmPFC. Here, we leveraged the high temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography to test participants as they gradually built scene imagery from three successive auditorily presented object descriptions and an imagined 3-D space. This was contrasted with constructing mental images of nonscene arrays that were composed of three objects and an imagined 2-D space. The scene and array stimuli were, therefore, highly matched, and this paradigm permitted a closer examination of step-by-step mental construction than has been undertaken previously. We observed modulation of theta power in our two regions of interest-anterior hippocampus during the initial stage and vmPFC during the first two stages, of scene relative to array construction. Moreover, the scene-specific anterior hippocampal activity during the first construction stage was driven by the vmPFC, with mutual entrainment between the two brain regions thereafter. These findings suggest that hippocampal and vmPFC neural activity is especially tuned to scene representations during the earliest stage of their formation, with implications for theories of how these brain areas enable cognitive functions such as episodic memory.

Short and Long-Term Changes in Social Odor Recognition and Plasma Cytokine Levels Following Oxygen (16O) Ion Radiation Exposure.

Future long-duration space missions will involve travel outside of the Earth’s magnetosphere protection and will result in astronauts being exposed to high energy and charge (HZE) ions and protons. Exposure to this type of radiation can result in damage to the central nervous system and deficits in numerous cognitive domains that can jeopardize mission success. Social processing is a cognitive domain that is important for people living and working in groups, such as astronauts, but it has received little attention in terms of HZE ion exposure. In the current study, we assessed the effects of whole-body oxygen ion (16O; 1000 MeV/n) exposure (1 or 10 cGy) on social odor recognition memory in male Long-Evans rats at one and six months following exposure. Radiation exposure did not affect rats’ preferences for a novel social odor experienced during Habituation at either time point. However, rats exposed to 10 cGy displayed short and long-term deficits in 24-h social recognition. In contrast, rats exposed to 1 cGy only displayed long-term deficits in 24-h social recognition. While an age-related decrease in Ki67+ staining (a marker of cell proliferation) was found in the subventricular zone, it was unaffected by radiation exposure. At one month following exposure, plasma KC/GRO (CXCL1) levels were elevated in the 1 cGy rats, but not in the 10 cGy rats, suggesting that peripheral levels of this cytokine could be associated with intact social recognition at earlier time points following radiation exposure. These results have important implications for long-duration missions and demonstrate that behaviors related to social processing could be negatively affected by HZE ion exposure.

Mapping Domain-Selective and Counterpointed Domain-General Higher Cognitive Functions in the Lateral Parietal Cortex: Evidence from fMRI Comparisons of Difficulty-Varying Semantic Versus Visuo-Spatial Tasks, and Functional Connectivity Analyses.

Numerous cognitive domains have been associated with the lateral parietal cortex, yet how these disparate functions are packed into this region remains unclear. Whilst areas within the dorsal and the ventral parietal cortex (DPC and VPC) show differential function, there is considerable disagreement as to what these functions might be. Studies focussed on individual domains have plotted out variations of function across the region. Direct cross-domain comparisons are rare yet, when they have been undertaken, at least some regions (particularly the intraparietal sulcus [IPS] and core angular gyrus [AG]) appear to have contrastive domain-general qualities. In order to pursue this parietal puzzle, this study utilized both functional and resting-state magnetic resonance imaging to investigate a potential unifying neurocomputational framework-in which both domain general as well as domain-selective regions arise from differential patterns of connectivity into subregions of the lateral parietal cortex. Specifically we found that, consistent with their contrastive patterns of functional connectivity, subregions of DPC (anterior IPS) and VPC (AG) exhibit counterpointed functions sensitive to task/item-difficulty irrespective of cognitive domain. We propose that these regions serve as top-down executively penetrated and automatic bottom-up domain-general buffers of active information, respectively. In contrast, other parietal and nonparietal regions are tuned toward specific domains.

APOE moderates compensatory recruitment of neuronal resources during working memory processing in healthy older adults

The APOE ε4 allele increases the risk for sporadic Alzheimer's disease and modifies brain activation patterns of numerous cognitive domains. We assessed cognitively intact older adults with a letter n-back task to determine if previously observed increases in ε4 carriers' working-memory-related brain activation are compensatory such that they serve to maintain working memory function. Using multiple regression models, we identified interactions of APOE variant and age in bilateral hippocampus independently from task performance: ε4 carriers only showed a decrease in activation with increasing age, suggesting high sensitivity of fMRI data for detecting changes in Alzheimer's disease–relevant brain areas before cognitive decline. Moreover, we identified ε4 carriers to show higher activations in task-negative medial and task-positive inferior frontal areas along with better performance under high working memory load relative to non-ε4 carriers. The increased frontal recruitment is compatible with models of neuronal compensation, extends on existing evidence, and suggests that ε4 carriers require additional neuronal resources to successfully perform a demanding working memory task.

Word Memory Test Performance Across Cognitive Domains, Psychiatric Presentations, and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

The current study addressed two aims: (i) determine how Word Memory Test (WMT) performance relates to test performance across numerous cognitive domains and (ii) evaluate how current psychiatric disorders or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) history affects performance on the WMT after excluding participants with poor symptom validity. Participants were 235 Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans (Mage = 35.5) who completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Participants were divided into two groups based on WMT performance (Pass = 193, Fail = 42). Tests were grouped into cognitive domains and an average z-score was calculated for each domain. Significant differences were found between those who passed and those who failed the WMT on the memory, attention, executive function, and motor output domain z-scores. WMT failure was associated with a larger performance decrement in the memory domain than the sensation or visuospatial-construction domains. Participants with a current psychiatric diagnosis or mTBI history were significantly more likely to fail the WMT, even after removing participants with poor symptom validity. Results suggest that the WMT is most appropriate for assessing validity in the domains of attention, executive function, motor output and memory, with little relationship to performance in domains of sensation or visuospatial-construction. Comprehensive cognitive batteries would benefit from inclusion of additional performance validity tests in these domains. Additionally, symptom validity did not explain higher rates of WMT failure in individuals with a current psychiatric diagnosis or mTBI history. Further research is needed to better understand how these conditions may affect WMT performance.

C-60 * Prospective Neurocognitive Longitudinal Study of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE: During the acute and post acute period following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) multiple cognitive processes are negatively affected. Prior studies have reported numerous cognitive domains affected during the acute and post-acute period. Studies have demonstrated cognitive recovery, with subjective and objective assessments, that within days to weeks these cognitive abilities are recovered. This study examines the recovery of neurocognitive functions longitudinally. METHOD: In this study, we compared 12 adults entering an emergency department that met the criteria for a mTBI to a healthy control group of 13 adults. The neuropsychological evaluation for the mTBI group was performed within 10 days of the injury and 4 months following the injury. RESULTS: The results demonstrate the mTBI group has significant deficits in processing speed, attention and concentration, as well as verbal and visual memory compared to the control group at baseline. The mTBI group showed cognitive recovery in most cognitive areas at the four month follow-up. Processing speed and visual memory were still significantly below the performance of the control group at the 4-month post-assessment. CONCLUSION(S): The results support prior studies that processing speed and memory may be the most sensitive cognitive domains affected by a mTBI. Furthermore, this study reveals individuals that experience a mTBI may still experience impairment in these cognitive domains 4-months post injury. Language: en

Cognitive Performance in Older Adults Is Inversely Associated with Fish Consumption but Not Erythrocyte Membrane n–3 Fatty Acids1–3

Higher n–3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and fish intake may help maintain cognitive function in older age. However, evidence is inconsistent; few studies have examined the relation in cognitively healthy individuals across numerous cognitive domains, and none to our knowledge have considered lifetime fish intake. We examined associations between multiple domains of cognition and erythrocyte membrane n–3 PUFA proportions and historical and contemporary fish intake in 390 normal older adults, analyzing baseline data from the Older People, Omega-3, and Cognitive Health trial. We measured n–3 PUFA in erythrocyte membranes, and we assessed historical and contemporary fish intake by food-frequency questionnaires. We assessed cognitive performance on reasoning, working memory, short-term memory, retrieval fluency, perceptual speed, simple/choice reaction time, speed of memory-scanning, reasoning speed, inhibition, and psychomotor speed. Cognitive outcomes for each construct were factor scores from confirmatory factor analysis. Multiple linear regression models controlled for a number of potential confounding factors, including age, education, sex, apolipoprotein E-ɛ 4 allele, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, socioeconomic variables, and other health-related variables. Higher erythrocyte membrane eicosapaentonoic acid proportions predicted slower perceptual and reasoning speed in females, which was attenuated once current fish intake was controlled. No other associations were present between n–3 PUFA proportions and cognitive performance. Higher current fish consumption predicted worse performance on several cognitive speed constructs. Greater fish consumption in childhood predicted slower perceptual speed and simple/choice reaction time. We found no evidence to support the hypothesis that higher proportions of long-chain n–3 fatty acids or fish intake benefits cognitive performance in normal older adults.

Distinct Functions of Social Support and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults

Background/Study Context: Social support has been shown to buffer cognitive decline in older adults; however, few studies have examined the association of distinct functions of perceived social support and cognitive function. The current study examined the relations between distinct functions of social support and numerous cognitive domains in older adults. Methods: Data were derived from a cross-sectional, correlational study of cardiovascular risk factors, cognitive function, and neuroimaging. The participants were 175 older adults with a mean age of 66.32. A number of neuropsychological tests and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List were administered. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine cross-sectional relations of social support to cognitive function after controlling for age, gender, education, depressive symptomatology, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol, and fasting glucose. Results: No significant positive relations were found between distinct functions of social support and cognitive function in any domain; however, inverse relations emerged such that greater social support across several functions was associated with poorer nonverbal memory and response inhibition. Conclusion: Results suggest that the receipt of social support may be a burden for some older adults. Within the current study, fluid cognitive abilities reflected this phenomenon. The mechanism through which social support is associated with poorer cognitive function in some domains deserves further exploration.

The correlation of cognitive dysfunction with serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level in depression patients

Objective To investigate the characteristics of cognitive dysfunction in patients with depression, and identify the correlation between cognitive dysfunction and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) level. Methods All participants including 73 depressed patients and 71 healthy controls were received clinical and cognitive assessments at admission, the depression group was divided into two groups by the score of Beijing version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-BJ), one was depression with cognitive dysfunction group which had 36 cases, the other was depression without cognitive dysfunction group which had 37 cases.Concentration of BDNF was measured by the ELISA method. Results Cognitive impairments were found in numerous cognitive domains of depressed patients, including visuospatial and executive abilities, attention, delayed recall and orientation(P 0.05), and the levels were significantly lower than that in healthy people ((16.55±7.47)ng/ml, P 0.05). Conclusion Depression patients have cognitive dysfunction in numerous cognitive domains, including visuospatial and executive abilities, attention, delayed recall and orientation.Serum BDNF level is closely related with depression, while, it has no obvious relationship with cognition function in depression. Key words: Depression; Cognitive dysfunction; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Prenatal versus postnatal maternal factors in the development of infection-induced working memory impairments in mice

Prenatal maternal infection is an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental psychiatric illness and disease-associated cognitive impairments. Modeling this epidemiological link in animals shows that prenatal immune challenge is capable of inducing long-lasting deficits in numerous cognitive domains. Here, we combined a neonatal cross-fostering design with a mouse model of prenatal immune challenge induced by maternal gestational treatment with the viral mimetic poly(I:C) to dissect the relative contribution of prenatal and postnatal maternal effects on the offspring. We show that offspring prenatally exposed to poly(I:C) display significant impairments in spatial matching-to-position working memory and spatial novelty presence regardless of whether they are raised by gestationally immune-challenged or non-challenged control surrogate mothers. Likewise, prenatally immune challenged offspring exhibit reduced glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-kDa (GAD65) and 67-kDa (GAD67) gene expression in the adult medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus largely independently of the postnatal rearing conditions. In addition, we confirm that being raised by a gestationally immune-challenged surrogate mother is sufficient to increase the offspring's locomotor response to systemic amphetamine treatment. Our data thus suggest that prenatal infection-induced deficits in spatial short-term memory are mediated by prenatal maternal effects on the offspring. At the same time, our study adds further weight to the notion that being reared by a surrogate mother that experienced immune activation during pregnancy may constitute a risk factor for specific dopaminergic abnormalities.

Cognitive functions in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Metaanalysis

Diabetes has been repeatedly associated with a wide variety of cognitive impairments. To clarify the differences in cognitive dysfunctions between the two types of diabetes. Metaanalysis was performed using databases of Medline, PubMed and ScienceDirect (3 studies with type 1 and 6 with type 2 diabetes). Adults with type 1 diabetes showed lower performance than control subjects in all fields. The effect size had the highest value in psychomotor activity (D = -0.69). The effect size was small for delayed verbal memory (D = -0.48), attention (D = -0.47), language (D = -0.44), visual processing (D = -0.35), immediate verbal memory (D = -0.30), working memory (D = -0.27) and executive functions (D = -0.26). Adults with type 2 diabetes showed lower performance than control subjects in all cognitive domains, except for working memory (D = +0.03). The effect size had the highest value in immediate verbal memory (D = -1.12), psychomotor activity (D = -0.82) and delayed verbal memory (D = -0.81). The effect size was moderate for general intellectual abilities (D = -0.68) and small for general memory (D = -0.37), attention (D = -0.35), language (D = -0.35), visual processing (D = -0.33) and executive functions (D = -0.33). Both types of diabetes are associated with reduced performance in numerous cognitive domains.

Correcting the SIMPLE model of free recall.

The scale-invariant memory, perception, and learning (SIMPLE) model developed by Brown, Neath, and Chater (2007) formalizes the theoretical idea that scale invariance is an important organizing principle across numerous cognitive domains and has made an influential contribution to the literature dealing with modeling human memory. In the context of free recall data, however, there is a previously unreported conceptual error in the specification of the SIMPLE model. We show that the error matters not only in theory but also in practice by reapplying the corrected SIMPLE model to the benchmark data reported by Murdock (1962). The corrected model makes different predictions about serial position curves, shows better fit to the Murdock (1962) data, and infers different parameters that require substantively different psychological interpretation.