Naming Test Research Articles

Boston Naming Test as a Screening Tool for Early Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients After Major Noncardiac Surgery.

The Boston naming test (BNT), as a simple, fast, and easily administered neuropsychological test, was demonstrated to be useful in detecting language function. In this study, BNT was investigated whether it could be a screening tool for early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). This prospective observational cohort study included 132 major noncardiac surgery patients and 81 nonsurgical controls. All participants underwent a mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and BNT 1 day before and 7 days after surgery. Early POCD was assessed by reliable change index and control group results. Seven days after surgery, among 132 patients, POCD was detected in 30 (22.7%) patients (95% CI, 15.5%-30.0%) based on MMSE, and 45 (34.1%) patients (95% CI, 26.3%-41.9%) were found with postoperative language function decline based on BNT and MMSE. Agreement between the BNT spontaneous naming and MMSE total scoring was moderate (Kappa .523), and the sensitivity of BNT spontaneous naming for detecting early POCD was .767. Further analysis showed that areas under receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC) did not show statistically significant differences when BNT spontaneous naming (AUC .862) was compared with MMSE language functional subtests (AUC .889), or non-language functional subtests (AUC .933). This study indicates the feasibility of implementing the BNT spontaneous naming test to screen early POCD in elderly patients after major noncardiac surgery.

Inflammatory Cytokines and Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Prodrome.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between blood levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cognitive impairments among elderly individuals. Peripheral concentration of TNF-α and IL-6 were measured in all subjects. To assess individual cognitive function, the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (CERAD-NP) was used, and standardized scores (z-scores) were calculated for each test. Cytokine levels were compared between the diagnostic groups, and correlations between blood inflammatory factor levels and z-scores were analyzed. The 37 participants included 8 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 15 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 14 cognitively healthy controls. TNF-α and IL-6 levels were higher in patients with AD than in healthy controls. TNF-α levels were higher in the AD group than in the MCI group. However, after adjusting for age, the associations between diagnosis and TNF-α and IL-6 were not significant. The higher the plasma IL-6 level, the lower the z-scores on the Boston Naming Test, Word List Learning, Word List Recognition, and Constructional Recall. The higher the serum TNF-α level, the lower the z-scores on the Word List Learning and Constructional Recall. Negative correlation between serum TNF-α level and the z-score on Word List Learning remained significant when age was adjusted. The difference in the blood levels of TNF-α and IL-6 between the diagnostic groups may be associated with aging. However, elevated TNF-α levels were associated with worse immediate memory performance, even after adjusting for age.

Post-stroke fatigue severity is associated with executive dysfunction in chronic stroke

ABSTRACT Following stroke, fatigue is highly prevalent and managing fatigue is consistently rated a key unmet need by stroke survivors and professionals. Domain-specific cognitive impairments have been associated with greater fatigue severity in earlier stages of stroke recovery, but it is unclear whether these associations hold in chronic (>2 years) stroke. The present cross-sectional observational study evaluates the relationship between domain-specific cognitive functioning and the severity of self-reported fatigue among chronic stroke survivors. Participants (N = 105; mean age = 72.92, 41.90% female; mean years post-stroke = 4.57) were assessed in domains of attention (Hearts Cancellation test), language (Boston Naming Test), episodic memory (Logical Memory Test), working memory (Digit Span Backwards task), and executive functioning (set-shifting: Trail Making Test, Part B), as part of the OX-CHRONIC study, a longitudinal stroke cohort. Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale. In a multiple linear regression analysis inclusive of above cognitive domains, only poorer executive functioning was associated with increased fatigue severity. This provides insight into the cognitive impairment profile of post-stroke fatigue long-term after stroke, with executive functioning deficits as the key hallmark.

Lesion and lesion network localization of dysnomia after epilepsy surgery.

Temporal lobe (TL) epilepsy surgery is an effective treatment option for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, neurosurgery poses a risk for cognitive deficits - up to one third of patients have a decline in naming ability following TL surgery. In this study, we aimed to better understand the neural correlates associated with reduced naming performance after TL surgery, with the goal of informing surgical planning strategies to mitigate the risk of dysnomia. We retrospectively identified 85 patients who underwent temporal lobe (TL) resective surgery (49 left TL, 36 right TL) for whom naming ability was assessed before and >3 months post-surgery using the Boston Naming Test (BNT). We used multivariate lesion-symptom mapping to identify resection sites associated with naming decline, and we used lesion-network mapping to evaluate the broader functional and structural connectivity profiles of resection sites associated with naming decline. We validated our findings in an independent cohort of 59 individuals with left temporal lobectomy, along with repeating all analyses after combining the cohorts. Lesion laterality and location were important predictors of post-surgical naming performance. Naming performance significantly improved after right temporal lobectomy (P = 0.015) while a decrement in performance was observed following left temporal lobectomy (P = 0.002). Declines in naming performance were associated with surgical resection of the left anterior middle temporal gyrus (Brodmann area 21, r =0.41, P = <.001), along with a previously implicated basal temporal language area. Resection sites linked to naming decline showed a functional connectivity profile featuring a left-lateralized network closely resembling the extended semantic \ default mode network, and a structural connectivity profile featuring major temporo-frontal association white matter tracts coursing through the temporal stem. This extends prior work by implicating the left anterior middle temporal gyrus in naming decline and provides additional support for the role of the previously identified basal temporal language area in naming decline. Importantly, the structural and functional connectivity profiles of these regions suggest they are key nodes of a broader extended semantic network. Together these regional and network findings may help in surgical planning and discussions of prognosis.

Association of glymphatic system dysfunction with cognitive impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy

ObjectivesTo explore the relationship between glymphatic dysfunction and cognitive impairment in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).MethodsThis study retrospectively included 38 patients with unilateral TLE and 26 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs). The diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index, choroid plexus volume (CPV), and cognitive assessment were obtained for each participant. Neuropsychological test batteries included Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Minimum Mental State Examination, Arithmetic Test (AT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Digit Span Test (DST), Boston Naming Test, Block design, Phonological Fluency Test (PFT), and Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF).ResultsCompared to HCs, TLE patients had lower scores of MoCA, AT, DSST, DST, Block design, PFT and SVF (all p &amp;lt; 0.05) and lower values of mean DTI-ALPS index (1.491 ± 0.142 vs. 1.642 ± 0.123, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Significantly lower DTI-ALPS index values were observed in the ipsilateral hemisphere than in the contralateral hemisphere (1.466 ± 0.129 vs. 1.517 ± 0.175, p = 0.013) for patients with unilateral TLE. Correlation analyses found that SVF performance was significantly or borderline significantly associated with glymphatic function (FDR-corrected p &amp;lt; 0.05 for all DTI-ALPS index and FDR-corrected p = 0.057 for CPV) in TLE patients. Linear regression analyses showed that increased CPV and decreased DTI-ALPS index were independent risk factors for semantic fluency impairment (all p &amp;lt; 0.05). Furthermore, mediation analyses found the mediator role of the mean DTI-ALPS index in the relationship between choroid plexus enlargement and semantic fluency impairment (indirect effect: β = −0.182, 95%CI = −0.486 to −0.037).ConclusionThese findings reveal the important role of the DTI-ALPS index and CPV in SVF performance in unilateral TLE. Decreased DTI-ALPS index and increased CPV are the independent risk factors for semantic fluency impairment. The DTI-ALPS index may fully mediate the relationship between CP enlargement and SVF performance. These insights provide a radiological foundation for further investigations into the mechanism of the glymphatic system in TLE pathophysiology.

Neuropsychological Correlates of Clinical Progression in Subjective Cognitive Decline.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) refers to self-reported cognitive decline in individuals with normal performance on standardized cognitive tests. Understanding the factors predicting progression from SCD to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial, as approximately 14% of SCD cases progress to dementia and about 27% develop MCI over four years. This study aims to identify neuropsychological predictors of progression from SCD to MCI, focusing on cognitive domains assessed through neuropsychological tests. This retrospective study at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital analyzed a cohort of 107 patients diagnosed with SCD through comprehensive assessment. Patients underwent annual neuropsychological testing, including the Digit Span Test, Boston Naming Test, Rey Complex Figure Test, Seoul Verbal Learning Test, and Stroop Test. Annually, these patients underwent neuropsychological tests over a 5-year period; 24 progressed to MCI per NIA-AA criteria. Key predictors of MCI progression included age, ischemic heart disease, and scores from the forward digit span, delayed recall, and Boston naming tests. Lower scores in delayed recall and Boston naming tests significantly correlated with a higher risk of MCI (p < 0.001). These findings suggest a need for targeted management of memory and language functions to monitor disease progression effectively.

Correlation Analysis of ApoB, ApoA1, and ApoB/ApoA1 with Cortical Morphology in Patients with Memory Complaints.

Apolipoproteins and cortical morphology are closely associated with memory complaints, and both may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. To examine whether apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1), and their ratio (ApoB/ApoA1) are associated with cortical morphology in patients with memory complaints. Ninety-seven patients underwent neuropsychological testing, measurements of ApoB, ApoA1, ApoB/ApoA1, plasma Alzheimer's biomarker, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotyping, and 3T structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) scans. Based on sMRI scanning locations, patients were categorized into the University of Electronic Science and Technology (UESTC) and the Fourth People's Hospital of Chengdu (FPHC). The Computational Anatomy Toolbox within Statistical Parametric Mapping was used to calculate each patient's cortical morphology index based on sMRI data. The cortical morphology index and apolipoproteins were also analyzed. Significant positive correlations were found between ApoB and sulcal depth in the lateral occipital cortex among the UESTC, the FPHC, and the total sample groups, and negative correlations were observed between sulcal depth in the lateral occipital cortex and the scores of the Shape Trails Test Part A and B. In the FPHC group, the scores of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic, delayed recall of the Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Animal Fluency Test and Boston Naming Test were positively correlated with the sulcal depth. ApoB is associated with the sulcal depth in the lateral occipital cortex, potentially relating to speed/executive function in individuals with memory complaints.

Real-World Geopolitical Influences on In-Game Financial Behaviour

This paper explores how real-world geopolitics can influence financial decision-making in virtual environments. The study primarily focuses on trading dynamics in a pandemic simulation game. The players manage resources and trade with each other to save their population. We compared two groups: one playing with made-up country names (control) and another with real country names (test). The players were not permitted to communicate outside of the resources the game provides and were finally ranked based on the number of months survived and trade volume. Our findings reveal two distinct player archetypes, one focusing on maximising trade volume and a second focusing on resource conservation. Real country names compared to color-coded labels seem to delay the perception of competition and reduce overall trade volume, suggesting increased immersion and a more conservative approach towards resource management. Observations from gameplay footage reveal instances of potential bias, with players forming diplomatic ties based on national identities. The data collected suggests that real-world geopolitics can influence financial behaviour in virtual environments as hypothesised. It also explores virtual environments to study how political narratives and dynamics affect human decision-making. The findings offer practical insights for game developers regarding fostering player engagement, mitigating bias, and creating fair economies. While parallels with real-world resource trading and allocation during pandemics were noted, further analysis would be required to explore these connections.

A Rose by Any Other Name: Mapping Taxonomic and Thematic Naming Errors Poststroke.

Understanding the neurobiology of semantic knowledge is a major goal of cognitive neuroscience. Taxonomic and thematic semantic knowledge are represented differently within the brain's conceptual networks, but the specific neural mechanisms remain unclear. Some neurobiological models propose that the anterior temporal lobe is an important hub for taxonomic knowledge, whereas the TPJ is especially involved in the representation of thematic knowledge. However, recent studies have provided divergent evidence. In this context, we investigated the neural correlates of taxonomic and thematic confrontation naming errors in 79 people with aphasia. We used three complementary lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) methods to investigate how structure and function in both spared and impaired brain regions relate to taxonomic and thematic naming errors. Voxel-based LSM mapped brain damage, activation-based LSM mapped BOLD signal in surviving tissue, and network-based LSM mapped white matter subnetwork integrity to error type. Voxel- and network-based lesion symptom mapping provided converging evidence that damage/disruption of the left mid-to-anterior temporal lobe was associated with a greater proportion of thematic naming errors. Activation-based lesion symptom mapping revealed that higher BOLD signal in the left anterior temporal lobe during an in-house naming task was associated with a greater proportion of taxonomic errors on the Philadelphia Naming Test administered outside of the scanner. A lower BOLD signal in the bilateral angular gyrus, precuneus, and right inferior frontal cortex was associated with a greater proportion of taxonomic errors. These findings provide novel evidence that damage to the anterior temporal lobe is especially related to thematic naming errors.

The Relationship of Word-Finding Behaviors and Naming in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia of Alzheimer’s Type

Objectives: Anomia, a fundamental language difficulty, presents in various forms of wordfinding behaviors in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Dementia of Alzheimer’s Type (DAT). This study aims to compare the rates of word-finding behavior among these groups and determine the correlation between these rates and the results of naming tests. Methods: This study included 101 participants, consisting of forty-one healthy elderly adults, thirty individuals with MCI, and thirty individuals with DAT. Spontaneous speech data were collected using a picture description task. For the naming tests, we used the confrontation naming test (K-BNT) and the generative naming test (KCOWAT). Results: First, significant differences were observed in the rates of word-finding behavior among the three groups, especially in the global index, which indicates the overall rate of word-finding behaviors. Second, the correlation analysis results showed a significant negative correlation between the ratios of the global index, word reformulations, empty words, and performance on the confrontation naming test. Finally, there was a significant negative correlation between the ratios of the global index, word reformulations, repetitions, delays, insertions, and performance on the generative naming tests. Conclusion: These results suggest the necessity of developing a naming evaluation scale based on spontaneous speech to effectively assess anomia in individuals with MCI and DAT. The study found significant differences in the rates of word-finding behavior among healthy elderly adults, individuals with MCI, and individuals with DAT, and a correlation between the rates of word-finding behavior and naming tests.

Identifying culturally insensitive tests, stimuli, and assessment practices in neuropsychology: A survey of professionals and trainees

Objective Identify culturally insensitive tests and assessment practices based on a survey of neuropsychologists and neuropsychology trainees. Method A survey was distributed to neuropsychology and psychology listservs asking for respondents to report tests, stimuli, and/or assessment practices perceived as being culturally insensitive and for which populations. A total of 100 participants provided responses, which were coded by three raters to identify commonly reported themes. Frequencies of themes (i.e. different issues related to culturally insensitive tests and practices) and how often specific tests were reported as culturally insensitive were determined. Results Lack of exposure due to items being biased toward U.S./Westernized culture or being unfamiliar based on age cohort, regional differences, and language background was the most commonly reported theme (20.1%), followed by tests and stimuli that were considered to be triggering or culturally offensive (17.4%). Among responses that mentioned specific tests, the Boston Naming Test was most frequently reported (43.2%), followed by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Verbal subtests (20.3%), and Story B from the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV Logical Memory subtest (10.1%). Conclusions Beyond the Boston Naming Test noose item, which was recently replaced, survey respondents identified several other culturally insensitive tests and assessment practices that may negatively impact an examinee’s performance and their assessment experience. These results emphasize the need for more research to inform test revisions, updated normative data, and increased consideration for cultural differences to provide more equitable neuropsychological assessment services.

A - 137 An Item-Level Analysis of the Boston Naming Test in a Sample of Veterans as it Relates to Age and Education

Abstract Objective The Boston Naming Test (Kaplan et al., 1983) is a 60-item test designed to measure confrontational naming ability. Word-finding difficulty is a prominent feature of aphasias, with picture-naming ability being a reliable predictor of lexical retrieval ability (Herbert et al., 2008). Lower performance on the BNT is found among older age groups and individuals with lower educational attainment (Zec et al., 2007). Notably, an item-level analysis of the BNT has not been analyzed in a Veteran population. There is great importance in properly accounting for demographic variables when interpreting patient test results. Methods An item-level confirmatory factor analysis examined mean BNT scores in a veteran sample (n = 517) ages 20–79 (M = 51) with years of educational attainment (M = 13). The purpose of this study was to conduct an item-level factor analysis of the unique cohort effects of both age and education on the Boston Naming Test within a Veteran population. Results The BNT solution explained 60.95% of the variance, and components reflected early and late trials. Within the rotated components matrix, education contributed to late items (36–60) whereas age contributed to early items (11–45). Conclusions These results indicate the importance of properly accounting for demographic variables such as age and educational attainment when interpreting test results unique to a Veteran population. Higher educational attainment is associated with increased performance on later items, whereas older age is associated with decreased performance on earlier items. It may be informative to consider item-level performance when assessing confrontational naming ability.

HEAR-MHE study: Automated speech analysis identifies minimal hepatic encephalopathy and may predict future overt hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a major cause of poor quality of life in patients with cirrhosis. A simple diagnostic test to identify minimal HE (MHE) and predict future overt HE (OHE) is lacking. We aimed to evaluate if analysis of speech patterns using a modern speech platform: 1) correlates with validated HE tests, 2) correlates with MHE, and 3) predicts future OHE. In a two-center prospective cohort study of 200 outpatients with cirrhosis and 50 controls, patients underwent baseline speech recording and validated HE diagnostic testing with psychometric HE score (PHES). Patients were followed for 6 months to identify episodes of OHE. 752 speech variables were extracted using an automated speech analysis platform, reflecting the acoustic, lexical, and semantic aspects of speech. Patients with cirrhosis were median 63 years old (IQR 54, 68), 49.5% (99) were female. Over 100 speech variables were significantly associated with PHES (p <0.05 with FDR adjustment). A three-variable speech model (two acoustic, one speech tempo variable) was similar to animal naming test in predicting MHE (AUC 0.76 vs. 0.69; p=0.11). Adding age and MELD-Na improved accuracy of the speech model (AUC: 0.82). A combined clinical-speech model ("HEAR-MHE model") predicted time to OHE with a concordance of 0.74 (p=0.06). Automated speech analysis highly correlated with validated HE tests, associated with MHE, and may predict future OHE. Future research is needed to validate this tool and to understand how it can be implemented in clinical practice.

B - 99 Timely Matters: Processing Speed and Other Cognitive Corelates of Identi-Fi Accuracy and Time to Completion

Abstract Objective The Identi-Fi is a test of visuospatial organization with overall performance represented by the Visual Organization Index (VOI). Though untimed, the Professional Manual indicates administration takes ~10 minutes in the standardization sample. We examined Identi-Fi time of completion (TOC) in a mixed clinical sample and explored whether TOC and VOI are differentially associated with other neuropsychological measures. Method Participants were 240 adults referred for clinical neuropsychological evaluation, 78.3% being aged 60+ (M = 64.50 ± 12.38 years, range = 21–79), male (54.6%), with 14.80 ± 2.89 years of education (range = 7–21). They completed the Identi-Fi and other cognitive tests (WAIS-IV Block Design and Digit Span; Trail Making Test; Boston Naming Test; D-KEFS Color-Word Interference). Correlation and linear regression were used to examine relationships. Results Overall, VOI was low average (M = 85.61 ± 19.00, range = 40–125). TOC was slightly longer (M = 12.92 ± 6.04 minutes, range = 4.07–47.78) than reported in the manual. VOI was correlated with visuoconstruction, confrontation naming, attention, processing speed and executive functions (all p ≤ 0.001), as well as TOC (r = −0.195, p = 0.002) and education (r = 0.136, p = 0.035). TOC was corelated with age (r. = 384, p &amp;lt; 0.001), education (r = 0.141, p = 0.029), processing speed (TMT-A: r = −0.329, p &amp;lt; 0.001; CW1: r = −0.171, p = 0.014), cognitive flexibility (r = −0.230, p = 0.001), and response inhibition (r = −0.269, p &amp;lt; 0.001). TOC was predicted by processing speed (β = −4.986, p = 0.049) even after accounting for age and education. Conclusion TOC may be longer in clinical populations, though this may reflect the older age of this sample. Although time and accuracy on the Identi-Fi correlated with processing speed, accuracy was also associated with other cognitive abilities. Further research into the clinical utility of Identi-Fi TOC is warranted.

B - 21 11-Year Longitudinal Study of a Competitive Swimmer Following a Severe TBI

Abstract Objective Symptoms of severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are oftentimes significant, long lasting, and treated by a variety of medications and therapies. Although exercise is known to be beneficial for brain health, the effects of substantial exercise on recovery following severe TBI (sTBI) in female athletes are undiscovered. Method This case study examines a 51-year-old woman who sustained a sTBI, involving multiple hemorrhagic contusions to the right cerebellum, inferior bilateral frontal lobes, anterior left temporal lobe, and diffuse axonal injury on 8/5/13 from a bicycle accident, resulting in a 13-day coma and cognitive impairment. She underwent 6 brain surgeries, an artificial skull implant and intensive therapies. Before the accident, she was a competitive swimmer and triathlon racer. Despite being told that she would never swim again, she resumed swimming on 09/1/14. She swims 6 days a week for 90-minutes a day, winning open water races. Results Examination from four neuropsychological assessments over 11 years provide substantial longitudinal data. Results revealed improvement over the 4 testing periods particularly on processing speed, verbal fluency, and Boston Naming Test with t-score differences ranging between 8 and 24. Additionally, she performed in the average range on General Abilities Index, NAB Mazes, and Trail Making Test across all four assessments. Conclusion This longitudinal case study provides evidence that extensive swimming is associated with cognitive recovery from sTBI in a female athlete and documents her return to high level exercise and competition. Evidence suggests that carefully tailored and monitored exercise programs can benefit long term cognitive following from sTBI.

B - 124 Neuropsychological Evaluation of Chinese Speaking Patients with Parkinson’s Disease for Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery

Abstract Objective Neuropsychological evaluation is a critical part of standardized workup of candidates with Parkinson’s disease (PD) for deep brain stimulation (DBS), identifying patients with cognitive dysfunction (Okun et al., 2006). Existing literature has primarily involved native English speakers with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), informing treatment planning (Troster et al., 2018). This case series aims to address the gap for Chinese-speaking patients, by describing Chinese neuropsychological measures and norms sensitive to MCI. Method Six cases of first-generation Chinese immigrants diagnosed with PD considering DBS were included in this study. They identified Chinese as their primary language and English as their second language. Duration of residency in the U.S. ranged from 11 to 44 years. The battery included Chinese version of the MOCA; Chinese WAIS-IV; Boston Naming Test (Cheung et al. 2004); semantic verbal fluency, Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Color Trail Test (Lee and Wang, 2010); and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Revised Edition (BVMT-R) or RBANS: Figure Recall. Results Consistent with studies for native English speakers (Foley et al., 2018), cognitive declines were found in attention, memory, and executive function domains. Two of the six cases were diagnosed with MCI, which warrants caution before DBS. Conclusions This case series explores measures for Chinese speakers with PD undergoing evaluation for DBS surgery, highlighting cultural considerations, including Chinese measures and norms. This battery can help to differentiate cognitive impairments before proceeding with DBS. Given the diversity within this population and the scarcity of Chinese tools, more research is urgently needed.

Correlation Between the Fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation and Cognitive Defects in Alzheimer's Disease.

The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFFs) can detect spontaneous brain activity. However, the association between abnormal brain activity and cognitive function, amyloid protein (Aβ), and emotion in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients remains unclear. This study aimed to survey alterations in fALFF in different frequency bands and the relationship between abnormal brain activity, depressive mood, and cognitive function to determine the potential mechanism of AD. We enrolled 34 AD patients and 32 healthy controls (HC). All the participants underwent resting-state magnetic resonance imaging, and slow-4 and slow-5 fALFF values were measured. Subsequently, the study determined the correlation of abnormal brain activity with mood and cognitive function scores. AD patients revealed altered mfALFF values in the slow-5 and slow-4 bands. In the slow-4 band, the altered mfALFF regions were the right cerebellar crus I, right inferior frontal orbital gyrus (IFOG), right supramarginal gyrus, right precuneus, angular gyrus, and left middle cingulate gyrus. Elevated mfALFF values in the right IFOG were negatively associated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores, Boston Naming Test, and Aβ1-42 levels. The mfALFF value of the AD group was lower than the HC group in the slow-5 band, primarily within the right inferior parietal lobule and right precuneus. Altered mfALFF values in AD patients are linked with cognitive dysfunction. Compared with HCs, Aβ1-42 levels in AD patients are related to abnormal IFOG activity. Therefore, mfALFF could be a potential biomarker of AD.

Investigating Noun and Verb Naming in Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Non-Patients Persian-Speaking

Introduction: Due to the prevalence of cognitive disorders, such as the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and the consequences that these disorders follow, early diagnosis and awareness of the deficiencies of these people in the cognitive and language areas is essential. Given that language is dependent on culture, examining the linguistic characteristics of such patients in different languages can provide valuable findings. Therefore, this study compares noun and verb naming abilities in individuals with bvFTD and non-patients Persian-speaking. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 3 cognitive tests, including frontal assessment battery (FAB), Montreal cognitive assessment, and mini-mental state examination (MMSE), along with 2 noun naming and verb naming tests were performed on 15 patients with bvFTD and 30 homogeneous non-patient individuals. Results: The bvFTD group had significantly different scores for both noun and verb naming compared to the non-patient group (P&lt;0.05). Meanwhile, the bvFTD group was more impaired in naming verbs than nouns, with the largest difference between groups in the verb naming task. Conclusion: the results showed that bvFTD patients have poorer noun and verb naming abilities than non-patients. In particular, in verb naming, they showed more deficits than nouns. One possible explanation is that the processing of verbs is more complicated than nouns and involves a more complex neural system and cognitive processes than noun processing. Another possibility is that verbs rely more heavily on frontal and temporal regions of the brain, which are typically affected by bvFTD.

Executive functions in male and female older adults with aligned levels of VO2max.

Studies have shown a positive relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and executive functioning in older adults. Although this relationship has been well established, there seems to be a gap in the literature on the role of sex differences concerning CRF and executive functions. The current study aimed to assess the effect of sex in the relationship between CRF and cognition in older adults by stratifying the results to examine effects in males and females. Ninety-six older adults (61 females) gave their written, informed consent to participate in this cross-sectional study. All participants underwent a maximal continuous graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to assess their maximal oxygen uptake (VO<inf>2max</inf>) and a computerized Stroop task (naming, inhibition, and switching) to assess their executive functions. According to VO<inf>2max</inf> test results and the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines, females and males were classified into higher-fit and lower-fit groups. A general linear model and estimated marginal means analyses were applied. Results showed no significant differences in the naming, inhibition and switching performance tests between male and female older adults (P>0.05). Based on the observed positive relationship between CRF and executive functioning, the data of the current study supports the idea that aerobic exercise, which typically increases CRF, is well-situated to improve executive functioning in older adults, irrespective of sex.

A3Test: Assertion-Augmented Automated Test case generation

Context:Test case generation is a critical yet challenging task in software development. Recently, AthenaTest – a Deep Learning (DL) approach for generating unit test cases has been proposed. However, our revisiting study reveals that AthenaTest can generate less than one-fifth of the test cases correctly, due to a lack of assertion knowledge and test signature verification. Objective:This paper introduces A3Test, a novel DL-based approach to the generation of test cases, enhanced with assertion knowledge and a mechanism to verify consistency of the name and signatures of the tests. A3Test aims to adapt domain knowledge from assertion generation to test case generation. Method:A3Test employs domain adaptation principles and introduces a verification approach to name consistency and test signatures. We evaluate its effectiveness using 5,278 focal methods from the Defects4j dataset. Results:Our findings indicate that A3Test outperforms AthenaTest and ChatUniTest. A3Test generates 2.16% to 395.43% more correct test cases, achieves 2.17% to 34.29% higher method coverage, and 25.64% higher line coverage. A3Test achieves 2.13% to 12.20% higher branch coverage, 2.22% to 12.20% higher mutation scores, and 2.44% to 55.56% more correct assertions compared to both ChatUniTest and AthenaTest respectively for one iteration. When generating multiple test cases per method A3Test still shows improvements and comparable efficacy to ChatUnitTest. A survey of developers reveals that the majority of the participants 70.51% agree that test cases generated by A3Test are more readable than those generated by EvoSuite. Conclusions:A3Test significantly enhances test case generation through its incorporation of assertion knowledge and test signature verification, contributing to the generation of correct test cases.