Subjective Cognitive Performance Research Articles

Effects of open-label transdermal nicotine antidepressant augmentation on affective symptoms and executive function in late-life depression

BackgroundLate-life depression (LLD) is characterized by a poor response to antidepressant medications and diminished cognitive performance, particularly in executive functioning. There is currently no accepted pharmacotherapy for LLD that effectively treats both mood and cognitive symptoms. This study investigated whether transdermal nicotine augmentation of standard antidepressant medications benefitted mood and cognitive symptoms in LLD. MethodsNonsmoking participants aged 60 years or older with unremitted LLD on stable SSRI or SNRI medications (N = 29) received transdermal nicotine patches up to a 21 mg daily dose over 12 weeks. Clinical measures assessed depression severity, secondary affective symptoms, and cognitive performance. Nicotine metabolite concentrations were obtained from blood samples. ResultsDepression severity significantly decreased over the trial, with a 76 % response rate and 59 % remission rate. Change in depression severity was positively associated with nicotine exposure. Participants also exhibited improvement in self-reported affective symptoms (apathy, insomnia, rumination, and generalized anxiety symptoms), negativity bias, and disability. Executive function test performance significantly improved, specifically in measures of cognitive control, as did subjective cognitive performance. Adverse events were generally mild, with 75 % of the sample tolerating the maximum dose. ConclusionThe current study extends our previous pilot open-label trial in LLD, supporting feasibility and tolerability of transdermal nicotine patches as antidepressant augmentation. Although preliminary, this open-label study supports the potential benefit of transdermal nicotine patches for both mood and cognitive symptoms of LLD. Further research, including definitive randomized, blinded trials, is warranted to confirm these findings and explore long-term risk and benefit. Trial registrationThe study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04433767).

Exploring Impacts of Thermal and Lighting Conditions on Office Workers’ Subjective Evaluations, Cognitive Performance and EEG features in Multi-person Offices

Modern office workers spend lots of time in multi-person offices. For human-centered building design and operation, it is essential to investigate the influence of coupled physical environments on occupants’ well-being and task performance. In this study, to assess impacts of thermal and lighting environments on brainworkers, experiments were conducted under 64 conditions of different temperature, correlated color temperature, and illumination in a multi-person office. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals were collected to measure the mental state of brainworkers and neurobehavioral tests were utilized to replicate cognitive tasks. The results indicated that only the interaction between the temperature and illumination regarding the sensation of CCT was significant. Primarily, lower illumination in colder environments made subjects perceive the lighting was warmer. Furthermore, cross-domain effects influenced office workers’ sensation via synesthetic effects. And the validity of the hue-heat hypothesis on thermal sensation depended on whether subjects received enough stimulation. Besides, for brainworkers, visual comfort peaked at 5000 K and 750 lux but the optimal temperature varied based on specific requirements, with 24 °C promoting overall comfort and 26 °C enhancing executive cognitive performance. The study preliminarily explored the effects among acceptable levels of T, CCT, and I on EEG features, revealing that temperature could adjust occupants’ mental load. However, the further investigation requests equipment with finer temporal granularity, cost-effective techniques and advanced analytical methods to guide office building design and operation.

Exploring impacts of thermal and lighting conditions on office workers’ subjective evaluations, cognitive performance and EEG features in multi-person offices

Modern office workers spend lots of time in multi-person offices. For human-centered building design and operation, it is essential to investigate the influence of coupled physical environments on occupants' well-being and task performance. In this study, to assess impacts of thermal and lighting environments on brainworkers, experiments were conducted under 64 conditions of different temperature, correlated color temperature, and illumination in a multi-person office. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals were collected to measure the mental state of brainworkers and neurobehavioral tests were utilized to replicate cognitive tasks. The results indicated that only the interaction between the temperature and illumination regarding the sensation of CCT was significant. Primarily, lower illumination in colder environments made subjects perceive the lighting was warmer. Furthermore, cross-domain effects influenced office workers' sensation via synesthetic effects. And the validity of the hue-heat hypothesis on thermal sensation depended on whether subjects received enough stimulation. Besides, for brainworkers, visual comfort peaked at 5000 K and 750 lux but the optimal temperature varied based on specific requirements, with 24 °C promoting overall comfort and 26 °C enhancing executive cognitive performance. The study preliminarily explored the effects among acceptable levels of T, CCT, and I on EEG features, revealing that temperature could adjust occupants’ mental load. However, the further investigation requests equipment with finer temporal granularity, cost-effective techniques and advanced analytical methods to guide office building design and operation.

Diurnal biological effects of correlated colour temperature and its exposure timing on alertness, cognition, and mood in an enclosed environment

Artificial lighting, which profits from the non-visual effects of light, is a potentially promising solution to support residents’ psychophysiological health and performance at specific times of the day in enclosed environments. However, few studies have investigated the non-visual effects of daytime correlated colour temperature (CCT) and its exposure timing on human alertness, cognition, and mood. However, the neural mechanisms underlying these effects are largely unknown. The current study evaluated the effects of daytime CCT and its exposure timing on markers of subjective experience, cognitive performance, and cerebral activity in a simulated enclosed environment. Forty-two participants participated a single-blind laboratory study with a 4 within (CCT: 4000 K vs. 6500 K vs. 8500 K vs. 12,000 K) × 2 between (exposure timing: morning vs. afternoon) mixed design. The results showed time of the day dependent benefits of the daytime CCT on subjective experience, vigilant attention, response inhibition, working memory, emotional perception, and risk decisions. The results of the electroencephalogram (EEG) revealed that lower-frequency EEG bands, including theta, alpha, and alpha-theta, were quite sensitive to daytime CCT intervention, which provides a valuable reference for trying to establish the underlying mechanisms that support the performance-enhancement effects of exposure to CCT in the daytime. However, the results revealed no consistent intervention pattern across these measurements. Therefore, future studies should consider personalised optimisation of daytime CCT for different cognitive demands.

Experimental Evaluation of Noise Exposure Effects on Subjective Perceptions and Cognitive Performance

Individuals exposed to elevated noise levels experience heightened emotional intensity, leading to increased cognitive disruption and a higher likelihood of accidents. This study seeks to investigate the impact of noise exposure on human cognitive performance, and the moderating role of emotion. Twelve healthy male college-age students underwent exposure to three noise conditions, each characterized by different sound pressure levels and sharpness. Each condition included an initial acoustic/thermal adaption period lasting approximately 40 min, followed by intermittent questionnaire tests and a battery of computerized cognitive tests. Statistical analysis revealed that reducing noise levels proved advantageous, enhancing perceived sound quality, positive emotions, and auditory perception abilities, while concurrently reducing false alerts and accelerating execution speed. Many of these effects were found to be counteracted by elevated sharpness. Correlation analyses and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) results suggested that human emotions mediate the relationship between noise exposure and cognitive performance. The potential underlying mechanism suggests that negative feelings towards noise contribute to poor emotional states, subsequently influencing cognitive processes and impairing executive function. The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights into the mechanism of noise exposure and its effects on human cognition and subjective perceptions.

Individualized trajectories in postradiotherapy neurocognitive functioning of patients with brain metastases.

The increasing incidence of brain metastases (BMs) and improved survival rates underscore the necessity to investigate the effects of treatments on individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the individual trajectories of subjective and objective cognitive performance after radiotherapy in patients with BMs. The study population consisted of adult patients with BMs referred for radiotherapy. A semi-structured interview and comprehensive neurocognitive assessment (NCA) were used to assess both subjective and objective cognitive performance before, 3 months and ≥ 11 months after radiotherapy. Reliable change indices were used to identify individual, clinically meaningful changes. Thirty-six patients completed the 3-month follow-up, and 14 patients completed the ≥ 11-months follow-up. Depending on the domain, subjective cognitive decline was reported by 11-22% of patients. In total, 50% of patients reported subjective decline in at least one cognitive domain. Intracranial progression 3 months postradiotherapy was a risk-factor for self-reported deterioration (P = .031). Objective changes were observed across all domains, with a particular vulnerability for decline in memory at 3 months postradiotherapy. The majority of patients (81%) experienced both a deterioration as well as improvement (eg, mixed response) in objective cognitive functioning. Results were similar for the long-term follow-up (3 to ≥11 months). No risk factors for objective cognitive change 3 months postradiotherapy were identified. Our study revealed that the majority of patients with BMs will show a mixed cognitive response following radiotherapy, reflecting the complex impact. This underscores the importance of patient-tailored NCAs 3 months postradiotherapy to guide optimal rehabilitation strategies.

Intergenerational continuity of loneliness and potential mechanisms: Young Finns Multigenerational Study

Evidence on the intergenerational continuity of loneliness and on potential mechanisms that connect loneliness across successive generations is limited. We examined the association between loneliness of (G0) parents (859 mothers and 570 fathers, mean age 74 years) and their children (G1) (433 sons and 558 daughters, mean age 47 years) producing 991 parent–offspring pairs and tested whether these associations were mediated through subjective socioeconomic position, temperament characteristics, cognitive performance, and depressive symptoms. Mean loneliness across parents had an independent effect on their adult children’s experienced loneliness (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.23–2.42). We also found a robust effect of mothers’ (OR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.17–2.29), but not of fathers’ loneliness (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 0.96–2.25) on offspring’s experienced loneliness in adulthood. The associations were partly mediated by offspring depressive (41–54%) and anxiety (29–31%) symptoms. The current findings emphasize the high interdependence of loneliness within families mediated partly by offspring’s mental health problems.

Concurrent training associated with moderate walnut consumption improved isokinetic strength, subjective sleep quality, cognitive performance and postural balance in elderly active men: a randomized controlled trial

AimsTo investigate the effects of concurrent training (resistance and endurance) associated with moderate walnut consumption on isokinetic strength, subjective sleep quality, cognitive performance and postural balance in physically active elderly men.MethodsTwenty healthy elderly men were divided into two matched groups, in a randomized controlled experiment. They have participated in three training sessions per week: concurrent (strength and endurance) training + ad libitum diet with walnuts (15 g/day for 6 weeks, CTW: n = 10) and concurrent training + ad libitum diet (CT: n = 10). Isokinetic strength, Spiegel questionnaire, Montreal cognitive assessment and postural balance parameters were assessed 48 h pre- and post-intervention.ResultsAbsolute peak torque of knee extensors and knee flexors significantly increased compared to pre-training in CTW (15.2% ± 6.7; 13.2% ± 2.3, p < 0.05, respectively) and CT (10.6% ± 6.8; 7.4% ± 2.9, p < 0.05, respectively). Subjective sleep quality increased compared to pre-training for CTW and CT (24% ± 14.4; 10.5% ± 9.4, p < 0.05, respectively) with a significantly greater increase in CTW (p < 0.05). Cognitive performance measured by Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) increased only in CTW compared to baseline (7.7% ± 2.5, p < 0.05). Postural balance parameters with dual task decreased only in CTW compared to baseline.ConclusionsThe present study clearly revealed that concurrent training alone or associated with daily walnut (15 g) consumption for 6 weeks significantly increased knee isokinetic strength, support leg standing parameters and sleep quality. Meanwhile, cognitive performance evaluated by MoCA test and postural balance with dual task were improved for CTW group only.

Examining Mediators of the Relationship Between Subjective Age and Cognition

Abstract: Research has demonstrated associations between subjective age (i.e., the age that one feels) and cognitive performance, although the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain understudied. The current study examined the predictive validity of subjective age on objective and subjective cognition as well as depressive symptoms and self-rated health (SRH) as statistical mediators. We used secondary data analysis comprising the cross-sectional data of 247 adults (ages 50+) to conduct a series of hierarchical linear regressions and mediation analyses. Older subjective age was significantly associated with lower ratings of measures of subjective cognition, and depressive symptoms and SRH partially mediated these relationships. The malleability of depressive symptoms and SRH provide promising directions for future research aimed at enhancing or maintaining cognition in older adults.

Field Investigations on Subjective Perception, Physiological Responses, and Cognitive Performance under Increasing CO2 Concentration in an Underground Confined Space

The objective of this research was to explore the impacts of heightened CO2 concentrations on human health and wellness in an underground confined space. A total of 180 participants were subjected to CO2 concentrations ranging from 1000 to 10000 ppm within a confined underground environment. The study assessed not only subjective perceptions and physiological responses but also cognitive performance, integrating novel measures such as emotion, skin conductance (SC), and heart rate variability (HRV). The findings demonstrated a notable variation in thermal sensation votes (TSV) and perceived air quality acceptability with the change in CO2 concentration. A significant increase in total mood disturbance (TMD) of 1.5 units was observed at a CO2 concentration of 8500 ppm, compared to 1000 ppm. Cognitive performance remained consistent for concentrations below 8500 ppm; however, a substantial alteration was noted at 10000 ppm. In terms of task difficulty, numerical calculations were perceived to require 0.74 units more effort than letter searches. As CO2 concentration exceeded 7500 ppm, significant variances were noted in physiological parameters such as diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), LF/HF, MF/HF ratios, PNN 50, and frequency domains of HRV (LF, MF, and HF) in comparison to the parameters at 1000 ppm. At 8500 ppm, the LF and HF parameters were found to be 780 and 452.3 units, respectively, higher than at 7000 ppm. These findings suggest that high humidity, low temperature, and elevated CO2 concentrations collectively contribute to the significant human stress responses. This study is of interest as there are limited reported researches on the air quality in underground confined space.

Different Splice Isoforms of Peripheral Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 mRNA Expressions are Associated With Cognitive Decline in Mild Dementia Due to Alzheimer's Disease and Reflect Central Neuroinflammation.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is upregulated in activated microglia and may be related to cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is conflicting evidence regarding the association of peripheral TREM2 mRNA expression/soluble TREM2 (the extracellular domain of TREM2) with cognitive function/neuroinflammation in patients with AD. Herein, we studied the TREM2 and TREM2alt mRNA expression and their association with the cognitive performance in subjects with mild dementia due to AD and healthy controls. In a subgroup of patients with AD, magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure the myo-inositol level in the posterior cingulate cortex, a surrogate marker for neuroinflammation. The results showed that increased TREM2 and TREM2alt mRNA expression is associated with AD pathogenesis at the mild dementia stage, thereby serving as a potential biomarker for early symptomatic stage of AD. TREM2 may exert protective effects on both cognition and central neuroinflammation.

THE ROLE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS IN PROMOTING COGNITIVE HEALTH

Abstract This symposium will highlight the role of psychosocial and lifestyle factors in cognitive health. Across four talks, we consider a wide range of psychosocial and lifestyle factors including personality, stress, physical activity, and nutrition, and a wide range of cognitive health outcomes including subjective and objective cognitive performance, clinical diagnoses of cognitive status, and cognitive healthspan. First, Dr. Patrick Hill will share findings on links between Big Five personality traits and the degree of concordance between subjective and objective cognitive functioning. Second, Dr. Tomiko Yoneda uses longitudinal data to investigate personality trait predictors of transitions between cognitive states (no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, dementia) and death, as well as personality effects on cognitive healthspan (i.e., years without cognitive impairment) and total longevity. Third, Nicole Stuart used ecological momentary assessment and activity trackers to investigate links among daily stress, daily physical activity, and daily cognitive performance. Finally, Dr. Julia Sheffler will discuss how we can apply our knowledge of psychosocial and lifestyle factors in cognitive health to inform the development of interventions. She will share quantitative and qualitative findings from proof-of-concept (N=9) and pilot (N=58) studies of a nutrition intervention in older adults at risk for dementia, and she will discuss implications for lifestyle intervention development more broadly. Together, this symposium showcases how a wide range of methods can be employed to reveal the importance of psychosocial and lifestyle factors for promoting healthy cognitive aging.

Association of subjective and objective cognitive performance to self‐rated driving ability in older adults

AbstractBackgroundOlder drivers often self‐regulate their driving behaviours to avoid more challenging situations that may lead to increased driving risk. However, other research also indicates that many older adults overestimate their driving ability, and therefore may be at risk of road traffic incidents due to not self‐regulating accurately. Understanding how self‐rated driving relates with cognitive performance can uncover markers for at‐risk driving behaviours. The present study therefore aimed to establish how self‐rated driving ability within a healthy older adult cohort relates to subjective and objective cognitive performance.Method925 cognitively healthy individuals were recruited to take part in an online cohort study (age: 71.07, % female = 55.56). Participants completed questionnaires examining driving behaviour and subjective cognitive performance. Subjective cognition was measured by a questionnaire examining spatial ability and memory performance across the lifespan and within the past 3 months. A subjective cognitive change measure was established by subtracting lifetime cognition ratings from recent cognition ratings. Participants then completed a cognitive battery in domains associated with driving performance. Hierarchical regression modelling was conducted to establish how self‐rated driving ability was associated with subjective and objective cognitive performance after controlling for age and gender effects.ResultWithin subjective cognition, individuals who rated their spatial ability and memory performance higher also rated their driving ability higher, and greater subjective cognitive change within both memory and spatial ability was predictive of lower self‐rated driving ability. Within objective cognitive performance, individuals with faster reaction speeds and faster Trail Making Test‐B completion time rated their driving abilities higher. Interestingly, when included in the same regression model, only subjective cognitive measures were predictive of self‐rated driving ability.ConclusionPrevious studies have found that self‐perceived driving ability is a more accurate indicator of self‐regulation behaviour than actual driving ability. Here, we show that subjective cognitive measures were more predictive of self‐rated driving ability than objective cognitive measures within a healthy older adult cohort. These findings add to the understanding in how cognition interacts with self‐regulation behaviour and provides an opportunity for comparison in self‐regulation driving behaviour within prodromal and clinical dementia.

Post‐covid cognitive performance in subjects at risk of developing dementia in Uruguay

AbstractBackgroundthe study of the medium and long‐term consequences of coronavirus infection (SARS‐CoV‐2) is of great relevance from the clinical and public health perspective. Recent evidence has shown that patients may present cognitive complaints after overcoming the acute stage of infection, particularly memory disturbances. Although significant progress has been made in the knowledge of this sequel, the studies are generally limited by small sample sizes, cognitive screening techniques with ceiling effects, and samples with healthy subjects without comorbidities, among others. The objective of this study is to compare the cognitive performance of subjects at risk of developing dementia with and without a history of SARS‐CoV‐2 in Uruguay.Methodparticipants from the LatAm FINGERS Uruguay Project were included. Performance in the different cognitive tests (symbol‐digit, trail making A, trail making B, free and cued selective remingind test) included in the project protocol was compared between the participants with and without a history of covid infection.Results27 subjects with a history of covid infection prior to baseline cognitive assessment and 62 subjects without a history of covid infection were analyzed. None of the participants had serious complications or requiring hospitalization due to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. The performance of both groups in attentional, executive and memory tests was compared. There were no significant differences between groups.Conclusionsthe impact of covid on cognition is still a controversial topic. In our sample of subjects at risk of dementia, there was no evidence of impaired cognitive performance due to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. More studies in underrepresented populations with larger samples are needed to address this issue.

Predictors of subjective and objective cognitive performance examined in an online sample of adults with and without prior COVID‐19 infection

AbstractBackgroundCOVID‐19 is still a major public health concern. COVID‐19 is known to affect the central nervous system (CNS), however, the extent of the cognitive effects of infection are unknown. We developed an online battery for community testing, to learn more about the cognitive effects of infection.MethodParticipants were recruited between October 2020 and December 2021 from social media, and completed objective cognitive‐tasks and online health questionnaires using Psytoolkit (Stoet, 2017). Subjective questionnaire measures included fatigue, sleepiness, mood, and cognitive complaints. Objective cognitive tests measured sustained attention; spatial span; and visual short‐term memory. Participants self‐reported their comorbidities. Prior COVID‐19 infection was identified by self‐reported positive PCR or lateral flow test. Data was split into age/infection status groups of i) 18‐34y positive infection (n = 69, mean‐age: 21.4 [3.6]); ii) 18‐34y negative infection (n = 189, mean‐age: 22.65 [4.3]); iii) positive infection (n = 26, mean‐age: 46.9 [7.1]); and iv) 35y+ negative infection (n = 68, mean‐age: 45.44 [7.56]).ResultOf 359 participants recruited, 95 (26.4%) reported a prior positive COVID‐19 test. We found no differences in demographic variables and any variables of interest between Covid‐positive and Covid‐negative groups overall. However, within the age/infection status groups, we found: The 35+ Covid positive group reported higher fatigue (d = 0.69) and performed poorer (d = 0.66) on a visual short‐memory task relative to the 35+ Covid‐negative individuals. Within the overall Covid‐positive sample, younger age ß = ‐0.18, p = 0.04); higher fatigue (ß&lt;0.001) and poorer mood (ß = ‐0.18, p = 0.05), were associated with greater perceived cognitive complaints [R2 = 0.63 (adjusted R2 = 0.6), F(6,75) = 21.1, p &lt;0.001]. Furthermore, a higher number of co‐morbidities (ß = ‐0.31, p = 0.01) was associated with poorer spatial span [R2 = 0.25 (adjusted R2 = 0.19), F(6, 75) = 4.23, p = 0.001]. Within the overall Covid‐negative sample, sleepiness (ß = 0.32, p&lt;0.001) and higher fatigue (ß = 0.54, p&lt;0.001) were associated with greater perceived cognitive complaints [R2 = 0.66 (adjusted R2 = 0.63), F(6, 65) = 20.9, p&lt;0.001]. There were no significant associations with objective cognitive performance within this sample.ConclusionCOVID‐19 infection status was associated with subjective and objective cognitive complaints. Adults aged 35‐63 years with prior COVID‐19 infection appear to be differentially affected. These data add to the body of evidence indicating there are cognitive consequences from COVID‐19 infection.

Predictors of subjective and objective cognitive performance examined in an online sample of adults with and without prior COVID‐19 infection.

AbstractBackgroundCOVID‐19 is still a major public health concern. COVID‐19 is known to affect the central nervous system (CNS), however, the extent of the cognitive effects of infection are unknown. We developed an online battery for community testing, to learn more about the cognitive effects of infection.MethodParticipants were recruited between October 2020 and December 2021 from social media, and completed objective cognitive‐tasks and online health questionnaires using Psytoolkit (Stoet, 2017). Subjective questionnaire measures included fatigue, sleepiness, mood, and cognitive complaints. Objective cognitive tests measured sustained attention; spatial span; and visual short‐term memory. Participants self‐reported their comorbidities. Prior COVID‐19 infection was identified by self‐reported positive PCR or lateral flow test. Data was split into age/infection status groups of i) 18‐34y positive infection (n = 69, mean‐age: 21.4 [3.6]); ii) 18‐34y negative infection (n = 189, mean‐age: 22.65 [4.3]); iii) positive infection (n = 26, mean‐age: 46.9 [7.1]); and iv) 35y+ negative infection (n = 68, mean‐age: 45.44 [7.56]).ResultOf 359 participants recruited, 95 (26.4%) reported a prior positive COVID‐19 test. We found no differences in demographic variables and any variables of interest between Covid‐positive and Covid‐negative groups overall. However, within the age/infection status groups, we found:The 35+ Covid positive group reported higher fatigue (d = 0.69) and performed poorer (d = 0.66) on a visual short‐memory task relative to the 35+ Covid‐negative individuals.Within the overall Covid‐positive sample, younger age β = ‐0.18, p = 0.04); higher fatigue (β&lt;0.001) and poorer mood (β = ‐0.18, p = 0.05), were associated with greater perceived cognitive complaints [R2 = 0.63 (adjusted R2 = 0.6), F(6,75) = 21.1, p &lt;0.001]. Furthermore, a higher number of co‐morbidities (β = ‐0.31, p = 0.01) was associated with poorer spatial span [R2 = 0.25 (adjusted R2 = 0.19), F(6, 75) = 4.23, p = 0.001].Within the overall Covid‐negative sample, sleepiness (β = 0.32, p&lt;0.001) and higher fatigue (β = 0.54, p&lt;0.001) were associated with greater perceived cognitive complaints [R2 = 0.66 (adjusted R2 = 0.63), F(6, 65) = 20.9, p&lt;0.001]. There were no significant associations with objective cognitive performance within this sample.ConclusionCOVID‐19 infection status was associated with subjective and objective cognitive complaints. Adults aged 35‐63 years with prior COVID‐19 infection appear to be differentially affected. These data add to the body of evidence indicating there are cognitive consequences from COVID‐19 infection.

10 The Impact of Performance and Symptom Invalidity on Relationships Between Subjective and Objective Cognitive Functioning

Objective:Inconsistent relationships between subjective and objective performance have been found across various clinical groups. Discrepancies in these relationships across studies have been attributed to various factors such as patient characteristics (e.g., level of insight associated with cognitive impairment) and test characteristics (e.g., using too few measures to assess different cognitive domains). Although performance and symptom invalidity are common in clinical and research settings and have the potential to impact responding on testing, previous studies have not explored the role of performance and symptom invalidity on relationships between objective and subjective performance. Therefore, the current study examined the impact of invalidity on performance and symptom validity tests (PVTs and SVTs, respectively) on the relationship between subjective and objective cognitive functioning.Participants and Methods:Data were obtained from 299 Veterans (77.6% male, mean age of 48.8 years (SD = 13.5)) assessed in a VA medical center epilepsy monitoring unit from 2008-2018. Participants completed a measure of subjective functioning (i.e., the Patient Competency Rating Scale), PVTs (i.e., Word Memory Test, Test of Memory Malingering, Reliable Digit Span), SVTs (i.e., Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form Response Bias Scale, Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology), and neuropsychological measures assessing objective cognitive performance (e.g., Trail Making Test parts A and B). Pearson correlations were conducted between subjective functioning and objective cognitive performance in the following groups: 1.) PVT and SVT valid, 2.) PVT and SVT invalid, 3.) PVT-only invalid, 4.) SVT-only invalid. Using Fisher’s r-to-z transformation, tests for the differences between correlation coefficients were then conducted between the PVT and SVT valid vs. PVT and SVT invalid groups, and the PVT-only invalid vs. SVT-only invalid groups.Results:Participants with fully valid PVT and SVT performances demonstrated generally stronger relationships between subjective and objective scores (r’s = .058 - .310) compared to participants with both invalid PVT and SVT scores (r’s = -.033 - .132). However, the only significant difference in the strengths of correlations between the groups was found on Trail Making Test Part B (p = .034). In separate exploratory analyses due to low group size, those with invalid PVT scores only (fully valid SVT) demonstrated generally stronger relationships between subjective and objective scores (r’s = -.101 - .741) compared to participants with invalid SVT scores only (fully valid PVT; r’s = -.088 - .024). However, the only significant difference in the strengths of correlations between the groups was found on Trail Making Test Part A (p = .028).Conclusions:The present study suggests that at least some of the discrepancies in previous studies between subjective and objective cognitive performance may be related to performance and symptom validity. Specifically, very weak relationships between objective and subjective performance were found in participants who only failed SVTs, whereas relationships were stronger in those who only failed PVTs. Therefore, findings suggest that including measures of PVTs and SVTs in future studies investigating relationships between subjective and objective cognitive performance is critical to ensuring accuracy of conclusions that are drawn.

15 Associations Among Subjective Cognitive Function and Cannabis Use in Older Adults

Objective:Cannabis use in older adults is becoming increasingly common as cannabis becomes both more socially acceptable and legally permissible, whether for medical or recreational purposes. While previous research has found harmful effects of cannabis use on cognition in adolescents and younger adults, few studies have explored cognition and cannabis use in older adults. This study aimed to examine the relationship between lifetime cannabis use patterns and subjective cognitive performance in older adults.Participants and Methods:The sample (N=51) consisted of adults ages 60 and older residing in the United States who endorsed cannabis use within the previous year. Participants completed online questionnaires on demographics, mental health [Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS) short form and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) short form], and measures of subjective cognitive function [Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), the Cognitive Problems and Strategies Assessment (CPSA), and part IV of the Cognitive Self Efficacy Questionnaire (CSEQ)]. The Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQCU) and the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT) were used to assess cannabis use, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption items (AUD-C) were used to assess alcohol use. Partial Pearson’s correlations were used to examine relationships between scores of subjective cognitive functioning and cannabis use patterns while controlling for alcohol consumption.Results:Participants aged 60+ (M=68.06, SD=5.80, 49% women) had 15.39 (SD=2.21, range 12-18) years of education on average. Participants’ race/ethnicity was reported as 90.2% White (n=47), 5.9% Latinx or Hispanic (n=3), 2% Black or African American (n=1), and 1% Other (n=1). Most participants (59%) reported first using cannabis as a child or adolescent (range of ages 7-17 years), while 31% reported first using cannabis as an adult (ages 18-58 years), and only 8% endorsed initial use in older adulthood (62-84 years). On average, this sample reported using cannabis for 19.75 days (SD=11.14) in the last month with n=35 (69%) and having used cannabis for 20 or more years (range 1-60 years). The total CUDIT score was positively correlated with CFQ (rp=.47, p&lt;.001), CPSA problems (rp=.46, p&lt;.001), GAS (rp=.43, p=.002), and GDS (rp=.35, p=.014), and negatively correlated with the CSEQ (rp=-.33, p=.02), all while controlling for alcohol consumption. Days of use in the past month and total years of use were not significantly associated with subjective cognitive function.Conclusions:Among older adult cannabis users, symptoms of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) were significantly associated with greater self-reported cognitive failures/problems and worse self-efficacy for cognitive ability, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression, when controlling for alcohol use. Notably, there was no relationship between subjective cognition and frequency of recent use or lifetime use. For patients who use cannabis, neuropsychologists may find it helpful to focus their clinical interview on CUD symptoms when discussing cognitive complaints rather than other measures of cannabis use. Additional research is needed to examine objective measures of cognitive functioning in older adult cannabis users.

60 Recognition of Emotional Words: Relationship Between Rumination, Depression, Objective and Subjective Cognitive Impairment

Objective:Cognitive impairment in depression could present as subjective and objective, but the intensity of subjective impairment is higher and is not correlated with the deficits measured by neuropsychological tests. Subjective cognitive impairment lowers quality of life and is associated with the severity of depression. Among depressive patients, negative emotional bias is present. It is better memory for negative or positive information than for neutral information. We hypothesized that rumination is associated with subjective cognitive impairment.Participants and Methods:The study was performed through the online PsyToolkit platform. The study sample consisted of 168 healthy controls and 93 patients with depression were enrolled in the study. Participants completed questionnaires and performed a memory task that contained emotional words. The forty words were chosen from the Nencki Affective Word List. The list for memory test consists of 5 words from each Category: Happiness, Anger, Fear, Sad, Disgusting, and Neutral, and 10 words from category ‘Unclassified’ to balance the valence and arousal of the set. After 15 minutes, they recognized old words from the list of 80 words. Half of them were the same as in the first part, and other words were new, chosen with the same criteria. Depression symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II, subjective cognitive impairment with the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire-20, and intensity of rumination with the Polish Questionnaire of Rumination.Results:Subjective cognitive impairment and rumination were higher in patients with depression. They also had a higher error rate than healthy controls U = 6462.5; p = .021, especially in words from the neutral (U = 6292; p = .008) and happiness category (U = 6585; p = .031). However, there was no association between subjective cognitive impairment and performance in memory tasks. The regression analysis showed that depressive symptoms and intensity of rumination are better predictors of subjective cognitive deficits than objective performance on a memory task. The results of PDQ-20 were correlated with the error rate of words from categories: Happiness (r = -.162**), Sad (r = -.116*) and Neutral (r = -.145**). Words from categories Happiness, Disgust and Neutral were significantly better recognized than Unclassified, Fear or Sad group of words χ 2 F (6) = 132.685; p &lt; .001. In MDD group recognition of Disgust words were statistically highest than Anger and Fear words χ 2 F (6) = 36.795; p &lt; .001. The recognition of Happiness and Neutral word were not significantly different to other words.Conclusions:Cognitive problems are common in depression and affect quality of life. Subjective cognitive impairment is more closely related to rumination than objective cognitive impairment among healthy participants and patients with major depressive disorder. Emotional bias among depressive patients has been partially confirmed. Emotional impact is important for memory of words and subjective perception of cognition.

Discrepancy Between Subjective and Objective Cognitive Performance in Relation to Depression 6 and 12 Months Post COVID-19

Discrepancy Between Subjective and Objective Cognitive Performance in Relation to Depression 6 and 12 Months Post COVID-19