Word Association Test Research Articles

The effect of CKCM-oriented instruction on Grade 8 students’ conceptual understanding of sustainable development

ABSTRACT This study aimed to facilitate grade 8 students’ conceptual understanding of ‘sustainable development (SD)’ via Common Knowledge Construction Model (CKCM)-oriented instruction. Through a pre-experimental research approach, the study was conducted with 31 grade 8 students drawn from a secondary school in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. A word association test (WAT), a conceptual understanding test (CUT) and student worksheets were used to unveil their conceptual understanding of SD (i.e. sustainability, recycling, saving, technology, environment, and the technology-environment-sustainability cycle). In analysing data, grade 8 students’ responses to the WAT and CUT were imported into SPSS 22.0TM to run a paired samples t-test. Further, their responses to each worksheet were exposed to content analysis via three criteria: Positive Relational Development, Negative Relational Development and No Change. The current study revealed that the CKCM-oriented instruction was effective in enhancing grade 8 students’ conceptual understanding of SD and challenging their alternative conceptions. In light of the results, the current study recommends that teachers and science educators develop similar teaching designs for other science topics.

Preventive Measures For pressure injuries: structure of social representations of nursing teams.

To analyze the structure of social representations on the preventive measures to pressure injury of nursing teams. Qualitative research, based on the structural approach of Social Representations. It was conducted with 103 nursing professionals from a specialized hospital, using the Word Association Test. Data were submitted to prototypical analysis, using two analysis techniques of centrality, similarity and double negation. The evocations "care" and "decubitus" made up the central core of the representation, which was structured based on the imagery dimension of changing position, from which a hierarchy of preventive measures occurs. The term "care" referred to the normative dimension of representation as a responsibility of nursing, and to the practical dimension, as preventive actions with the use of technologies. The image, normative and practice dimensions are part of the representation structure and guide compliance with preventive measures.

Attention, memory, and executive functioning in hypoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic airflow obstruction and is one of the leading causes of death globally. The changes in pulmonary functions in COPD are irreversible with devastating consequences. Cognitive functioning in COPD patients is often found impaired and postulated to happen due to hypoxemia, i.e., oxygen deprivation to the brain. An impaired cognitive functioning can have direct impact on functional abilities as well as quality of life of patients and could be a vital treatment goal. The study aimed to explore the attention, memory, and executive functioning in hypoxemic COPD patients in backdrop of dearth of studies from India. Materials and Methods: Using purposive sampling, 30 patients with COPD, having mild-to-moderate level of illness severity, and having minimum illness for duration of 5 years were compared with 30 healthy controls. Participants were assessed for cognitive functioning in the domains of sustained attention, processing and psychomotor speed, working memory, verbal learning, and memory and executive functions using neuropsychological tests, namely, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Trial Making Test, Verbal N Back Test, Rey's Audio Visual Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Animal Naming Test, Stroop Neuropsychological Test, and Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Results: Findings suggest significant differences between COPD patients and healthy controls over processing and psychomotor speed, working memory, memory, learning, and executive functioning. Conclusion: In addition to pulmonary distress, COPD patients also have compromised cognitive functions affecting overall daily functioning and quality of life. Understanding the nature of decline in cognitive functions could be vital in improving daily psychosocial functioning of the patients with COPD, and the exploration could help professionals in intervention of specific cognitive functioning.

Cognitive improvement following sleeve gastrectomy and roux-En-Y gastric bypass procedures

Introduction: South Asia has noted an increasing prevalence of obesity and employment of bariatric surgery (BS) procedures. Prior studies have shown improvement in memory, executive function and attention, after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) operation in the Western population. However, there is a scarcity of data on cognitive improvement following BS in a non-Western population. Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate changes in cognitive functions of patients with severe obesity, after BS. Study Setting: Tertiary-care Academic Center, India. Methodology: A prospective study of patients undergoing BS was conducted. Specific neurocognitive tests (Mini-mental Status Examination, Standard progressive matrices, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and Post Graduate Institute Memory Scale test) were used to assess cognitive status at baseline (preoperatively), and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Results: Fifty-three patients were enrolled in the study, out of which 50 had completed 1 year of follow-up at the time of analysis (n = 50). Thirty-six patients (72%) were females. The median age was 42 years, and the mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 45.5 ± 6.3 kg/m2. 40 patients underwent SG, while 10 underwent RYGB procedure. At baseline, the study cohort had impairment of abstract reasoning, attention, and verbal retention, as compared to normative data. At 1 year after surgery, the mean BMI was 29.1 ± 2.6 kg/m2. There was a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in most cognitive domains (global cognitive functioning, abstract reasoning, attention/concentration, and memory function). However, improvement in language function was not found to be significant across the follow-up duration of 12 months (P = 0.35). Conclusions: Individuals with severe obesity experience baseline impairment in cognitive functions. Similar to results from the Western population, BS (RYGB and SG) results in a significant improvement in multiple cognitive domains even in a non-Western population.

Management of Psychiatric Disorders with HIV and Dermatological Disorders.

Management of Psychiatric Disorders with HIV and Dermatological Disorders.

Effect of Rituximab on the cognitive impairment in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background:The present study aimed to address the effect of Rituximab on the cognitive impairment in patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS).Methods:The present interventional study used a convenience sampling method to select the study participants from SPMS patients. All these patients had progressive disability over the last two years before being admitted in the study. Prior to the administration of Rituximab, the minimal assessment of cognitive function in the multiple sclerosis (MACFIMS) test was performed for each patient who was a candidate to be included in this study. This test was repeated by passing 6 and 12 months from the initial treatment with Rituximab. Since the data needed for this study were obtained at different time intervals, so a linear mixed model was used for their analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also used to investigate whether time and sex generally affect the cognitive impairments in SPMS patients. A p-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant in this study. Results:Of the total 35 patients, 34% and 66% were men and women with a mean age of 41.33 and 41.39 years old, respectively. Rituximab showed a significant positive effect on a number of subgroups of MACFIMS test, including Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) (P-value: 0.038) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT-total) (P: 0.019).Conclusion:The present study revealed that Rituximab has a positive effect on the cognitive impairment resulted from MS in secondary progressive patients.

İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Biyoloji Bilgi Metinlerinden İnfografik Tasarlama ve Özetleme Süreçlerinin Farklı Değişkenler Bakımından İncelenmesi

Technological developments have increased the importance of presenting and the processing of information as effective and memorable in the field of education. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of performing biology subjects in the elementary school science lessons with infographic design tasks in terms of the effects on students’ cognitive structures and knowledge levels in the learning - teaching process. As the research method was used the pretest-posttest control group design from the experimental research models. The sample of the research consists of 4th grade students of a primary school. The total of 48 students were studied from two different classes, each of 24 students including in the study. Word Association Test (WAT) and achievement Test were used as data collection tools. Mann Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test from non-parametric tests were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the analyzes, it was seen that the students who carried out the infographic design activities were positively affected in terms of their cognitive structures.

Putting Things in Perspective: The COVID-19 Pandemic Period, Distance Education and Beyond

This research aims to approach distance education activities and to COVID-19 from a different perspective during the pandemic process. It is seen that many studies in the literature were prepared with a single data collection tool or a limited number of data. In this context, it was thought to bring a different perspective by making data diversification. This research has the ethics committee document issued number 1, dated 25.03.2021, with decision number 96 obtained from the Ethical Board of Kastamonu University. In the research process, one of the basic mixed-method designs, combining (diversification) pattern was used. 865 teachers candidates from 9 different departments and 4 different grade levels, studying in the education faculty of a state university in Turkey in the 2020-2021 academic year, participated in the research. In the research, metaphor application, a word association test, a semi-structured interview and a 20-question scale prepared by the researchers were used as data collection tools. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive, content and inferential statistical methods. As a result of the research, 7 different categories and a total of 153 different metaphors were found out. As a result of the word association test, 6 main concepts and a total of 46 sub-concepts formed. The semi-structured interview and scale results demonstrate that the attitudes of the teacher candidates towards the technical infrastructure, measurement-evaluation, and distance education process are low and that their satisfaction rates are below their expectations.

Social Representations of the Coronavirus at the Beginning of the Pandemic in Russia

The coronavirus outbreak is a global event that has bypassed national borders and affected the entire world. Therefore, examining social representations of can reveal the problems that structure peoples experiences in a particular social context. To identify social representations of the coronavirus, the authors conducted a survey within the territory of the Sverdlovsk region. The survey covered the period from March 11 to May 11, 2020. The data were collected in two stages: at the first stage, there were 31 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in Russia, but no cases had yet been recorded in the Sverdlovsk region; at the second stage, the number of cases reached 1952 in the Sverdlovsk region and 221 344 throughout the country. The study used the word association tests, The Semantic Differential Scale (V.F. Petrenko), The Psychic Activation Assessment Methodology (L.A. Kurgan and T.A. Nemchin) and the questionnaire survey techniques. The findings showed that the significance of the coronavirus problem for the respondents varied in different periods of the pandemic. The core of the social representation is sustainable and coherent. It reflects the results of the media impact: death, panic. It also remains stable regardless of the time and involvement of the respondents in the pandemic. The potential alteration zone serves as a kind of taming of knowledge about the coronavirus, the operationalization of the coronavirus perception content into the language of changes in a persons everyday life - the coronavirus pandemic is understood as a flu epidemic and the need for self-isolation is a vacation, an opportunity to stay at home. Observation of the immediate affective reaction of the respondents to the trigger coronavirus uncovered the presence of emotional tension and the prevalence of negative experiences in them. The survey also showed that in the pandemic, being the main source of information and a means of communication, the media set trends for developing perceptions.

Anticholinergic medication burden and cognitive function in participants of the ASPREE study

What is the association between anticholinergic burden and specific domains of cognitive function in older adults who are initially without major cognitive impairment? Post-hoc analysis of longitudinal observational data from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) study. 19,114 participants from Australia and the United States aged 70 years and older (65 years and older for US minorities) were recruited and followed for a median of 4.7 years. At enrollment, participants were free of known cardiovascular disease, major physical disability, or dementia. Cognitive assessments administered at baseline and biennially at follow-up visits included the Modified Mini-Mental State examination (3MS), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) delayed recall, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Anticholinergic burden was calculated at baseline using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale and grouped as scores of 0 (no burden), 1-2 (low to moderate), or 3+ (high). Linear mixed effects models were used to assess the relationship between ACB score and cognition over time. After adjusting for sex, age, education, minority status, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, depression, chronic kidney disease, country, and frailty, participants with a high ACB score had worse performance over time for 3MS (Adjusted [Adj] B=-0.092, P=0.034), HVLT-R delayed recall (Adj B=-0.104, P<0.001), COWAT (Adj B=-0.151, P<0.001), and SDMT (Adj B=-0.129, P=0.026), than participants with an ACB score of 0. A low to moderate ACB score was also associated with worse performance over time for HVLT-R delayed recall (Adj B=-0.037, P=0.007) and COWAT (Adj B=-0.065, P=0.003), compared to those with no ACB. Anticholinergic burden predicts worse cognitive function over time in initially dementia-free older adults, particularly for executive function (COWAT) and episodic memory (HVLT-R).

ТАКСОНОМІЯ АСОЦІАЦІЙ ПРОВІДНИХ КОНЦЕПТІВ РЕЛІГІЙНОГО ДИСКУРСУ

The abstract reveal the problem of the prevailing ideas of young people about the leading religious concepts. The aim of the research is to analyze students" verbal representations of religious discourse concepts. To define the leading concepts, we used a structural approach, which the classic components are: behavioral (prayer, sermon, sacraments), emotional-motivational (faith, sin) and cognitive (religion, church, priest). We used free WAT (word association test) for psycholinguistic analysis. The results of the cluster analysis showed that in the minds of young people religious discourse is represented through two main semantic categories, namely faith and the church - the priest.

ТАКСОНОМІЯ АСОЦІАЦІЙ ПРОВІДНИХ КОНЦЕПТІВ РЕЛІГІЙНОГО ДИСКУРСУ

The abstract reveal the problem of the prevailing ideas of young people about the leading religious concepts. The aim of the research is to analyze students" verbal representations of religious discourse concepts. To define the leading concepts, we used a structural approach, which the classic components are: behavioral (prayer, sermon, sacraments), emotional-motivational (faith, sin) and cognitive (religion, church, priest). We used free WAT (word association test) for psycholinguistic analysis. The results of the cluster analysis showed that in the minds of young people religious discourse is represented through two main semantic categories, namely faith and the church - the priest.

Differences in Dual Task Performance After Robotic Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Hemiplegic Stroke Patients

Background: Cognitive–motor interference is a phenomenon in which the concomitant performance of cognitive and motor tasks results in poorer performance than the isolated performance of these tasks. We aimed to evaluate changes in dual-task performance after robotic upper extremity rehabilitation in patients with stroke-induced hemiplegia.Methods: This prospective study included patients with left upper limb weakness secondary to middle cerebral artery stroke who visited a rehabilitation hospital. Participants performed a total of 640 robot-assisted planar reaching movements during a therapist-supervised robotic intervention that was conducted five times a week for 4 weeks. Cognitive and motor performance was separately evaluated in single- and dual-task conditions. The digit span test and Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) were used to assess cognitive performance, whereas motor performance was evaluated through kinematic assessment of the motor task.Results: In single-task conditions, motor performance showed significant improvement after robotic rehabilitation, as did the scores of the COWAT subdomains of animal naming (p < 0.001), supermarket item naming (p < 0.06), and phonemes (p < 0.05). In dual-task conditions, all motor task performance variables except mean velocity showed improvement after robotic rehabilitation. The type of cognitive task did not affect the dual-task effect, and there were no significant differences in the dual-task effects of motor, cognitive, or the sum of motor and cognitive performance after robotic rehabilitation.Conclusion: Post-stroke robotic rehabilitation has different effects on motor and cognitive function, with more consistent effects on motor function than on cognitive function. Although motor and cognitive performance improved after robotic rehabilitation, there were no changes in the corresponding dual-task effects.

Intervention for oral language comprehension skills in preschoolers with developmental language disorder.

There is a clear predominance of programmes aimed at improving aspects related to language production in pupils with developmental language disorder (DLD). However, programmes aimed at improving their receptive skills are limited. The main aim was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention programme for oral language comprehension skills in preschoolers with typical development (TD) and pupils with DLD. Participants were 99 five-year-old pupils, with and without DLD, divided into four groups: two control groups (TD-C = 25; DLD-C = 25) and two experimental groups (TD-T = 24; DLD-T = 25), from schools on the Spanish island of Tenerife. The study used, as pre- and post-measures, the receptive language subtests of the CELF-4-Spanish: Concepts and Following Directions, Word Classes-Receptive and Sentence Structure, as well as two tasks assessing comprehension of paragraphs and narratives. Due to the strong link between oral comprehension skills and executive functions, working memory and semantic fluency are included in this research. The Backward Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and Semantic Fluency subtest of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) were used to assess working memory and semantic fluency, respectively. The intervention programme followed a multitiered system of support (MTSS) model, with 95 sessions lasting 60 min each delivered jointly by teachers and speech and language therapists, and focused on lexical-semantic, morphological, syntactic and narrative skills; inferences; verbal working memory; and semantic fluency. The results showed, as expected, that pupils diagnosed with DLD initially performed worse on oral language comprehension and executive functions than pupils with TD. Further, the DLD-T and TD-T groups showed greater gains following the programme, especially in word classes-receptive, sentence structure, verbal working memory and semantic fluency. Finally, a significant positive correlation was found between the gains obtained by the participants in verbal working memory and semantic fluency, with the gains obtained in the three CELF-4-Spanish subtests. An intervention programme applied at an early age fosters oral language comprehension skills and executive functions in pupils with DLD and TD. The intervention organized at different levels of support, following an MTSS model, showed clear progress of the DLD and TD groups in oral language comprehension and executive functions. Pupils with DLD present deficits in linguistic comprehension and executive functions. There are many intervention programs focused on improving language production skills. It is also necessary to consider the skills underlying language problems in pupils with DLD. Oral language, inference, working memory and semantic fluency activities improve comprehension. A collaborative and inclusive intervention of teachers and speech language therapists. Psycholinguistic and neuropsychological skills training should become part of the academic curriculum as early as preschool age. What is already known on the subject Pupils with DLD show problems related to both comprehension and production language. However, there is a clear predominance of programs just aimed at improving aspects related to language production. Clinical implications of this study An intervention program applied at an early age fosters oral language comprehension skills and executive function in pupils with DLD. The intervention organized at different levels of support, following an adaptation of the Response Tier Intervention models, showed clear progress of the DLD in comprehension oral language and executive functions.

Cognitive performance predictors of incident motoric cognitive risk syndrome

AbstractBackgroundMotoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is a gait based pre‐dementia syndrome that builds on operational definitions of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and is associated with increased risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia. Declines in cognitive function associated with risk of developing MCR have not been established. We aimed to examine the association between cognitive performance on tests of memory and executive function (EF) and related processes and risk of incident MCR.MethodOf the 541 non‐demented participants (aged 65+) in a community‐based cohort, at baseline 22 met criteria for MCR, 58 for MCI, and 17 met criteria for both MCR and MCI, and were excluded from the analyses. Cognitive performance was measured using seven tests: the free recall score from the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Figure Recall from the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Story Recall from the RBANS, Category Fluency, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Digit Symbol Substitution test and Trail Making Test part B. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that these cognitive tests fell into two categories of cognitive function: memory and EF and related processes. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for age, sex and education was used to examine the association between cognitive test performance and incident MCR in 444 participants. For the purpose of comparison, we also examined the association between cognitive performance and MCI.ResultOver a mean follow‐up of 3.0 years, 37 participants developed incident MCR and 69 incident MCI. Performance on tests of EF and related processes was associated with risk for MCR (adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) ranging from 0.96 to 0.99). One memory test (free recall) was associated with risk of MCR (aHR: 0.94, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.89‐0.99). Performance on all tests of memory (aHR ranging from 0.81 to 0.92) and EF and related processes (HR ranging from 0.94 to 0.99) was associated with increased risk of MCI.ConclusionCognitive performance on tests of EF and related processes are associated with increased risk of MCR. This may be indicative of a distinct underlying pathology in patients who are at risk of MCR.

Examining High School Students’ Cognitive Structures on the Concept of Cleaning Agent through Word Association Test

The aim of this research is to determine high school students’ cognitive structure regarding cleaning agent via word association test. The sample of the research consists of 160 high school students. A word association test (WAT) prepared to test the structure addressed in the study was used as the data collection tool. Content analysis was used to evaluate the data obtained from the sample group. Words written by high school students in relation to the test were analyzed elaborately and based on this analysis concepts were categorized as well as their frequency. As for the first section of the word association test, three main categories were obtained: Chemical cleaning agent, natural cleaning agent, and cleaning equipment. When it comes to the second part, the highest frequency values were in the category of chemical cleaning agent, natural cleaning agent category, cleaning equipment category. All in all, it was concluded that the natural cleaning agent category had the highest frequency, the chemical cleaning agent category was in the second place, and the cleaning equipment category had the lowest frequency.

Effects of nurse-led home-based telephone support or home visits on cognitive function.

Patients who have undergone carotid revascularization surgery have a high risk of postoperative cognitive decline, and home‐based care is the major form of postoperative management. Here, we aimed to compare the nurse‐led home‐based telephone support (NLHBTS) and home visits as additional postoperative care for patients who have undergone carotid revascularization surgery. The study recruited 172 patients, and 131 patients were randomly assigned to receive combined telephone support and home visits (intervention group) or home visits alone (control group) during the study period of 12 weeks. At baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, cognitive function was assessed using the Trail Making Test, Processing Speed Index, Boston Naming Test, Working Memory Index, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and Hopkins Verbal Test. Sixty‐five patients in the intervention group and 66 in the control group completed the 1‐month treatment, and 49 in the intervention group and 48 in the control group completed the 3‐month treatment. The intervention group showed significant improvement in four of the six cognitive tests after the 3‐month treatment, whereas the control group only showed significant improvement in the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. Compared to the control group, significantly higher scores were achieved by the intervention group at 3 months in the Trail Making Tests (113 ± 23 vs. 128 ± 18, p = 0.001), Processing Speed Index (115 ± 15 vs. 108 ± 14, p = 0.020), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (51 ± 11 vs. 45 ± 9, p = 0.004), and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (9.0 ± 1.6 vs. 8.3 ± 1.8, p = 0.046). NLHBTS, in combination with home visits, could facilitate the improvement of cognitive function in patients with carotid artery stenosis after surgery.

Differences in Diffusion Tensor Imaging White Matter Integrity Related to Verbal Fluency Between Young and Old Adults.

Throughout adulthood, the brain undergoes an array of structural and functional changes during the typical aging process. These changes involve decreased brain volume, reduced synaptic density, and alterations in white matter (WM). Although there have been some previous neuroimaging studies that have measured the ability of adult language production and its correlations to brain function, structural gray matter volume, and functional differences between young and old adults, the structural role of WM in adult language production in individuals across the life span remains to be thoroughly elucidated. This study selected 38 young adults and 35 old adults for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and performed the Controlled Oral Word Association Test to assess verbal fluency (VF). Tract-Based Spatial Statistics were employed to evaluate the voxel-based group differences of diffusion metrics for the values of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and local diffusion homogeneity (LDH) in 12 WM regions of interest associated with language production. To investigate group differences on each DTI metric, an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for sex and education level was performed, and the statistical threshold was considered at p < 0.00083 (0.05/60 labels) after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Significant differences in DTI metrics identified in the ANCOVA were used to perform correlation analyses with VF scores. Compared to the old adults, the young adults had significantly (1) increased FA values on the bilateral anterior corona radiata (ACR); (2) decreased MD values on the right ACR, but increased MD on the left uncinate fasciculus (UF); and (3) decreased RD on the bilateral ACR. There were no significant differences between the groups for AD or LDH. Moreover, the old adults had only a significant correlation between the VF score and the MD on the left UF. There were no significant correlations between VF score and DTI metrics in the young adults. This study adds to the growing body of research that WM areas involved in language production are sensitive to aging.

Prospective Neurocognitive Functions of Patients Treated With Concurrent Nivolumab and Stereotactic Brain Radiosurgery for NSCLC and RCC Brain Metastases

Previous studies have suggested activity of anti-PD1 antibodies against brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell cancer (RCC). Our investigator-initiated phase 2 trial examined the neuropsychological effect of combining nivolumab with radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of patients with brain metastases from NSCLC and RCC.This is a multicenter open-label trial (NCT02978404) in which patients diagnosed with NSCLC or RCC, having ≤ 10 cc of un-irradiated brain metastases, no prior whole brain radiotherapy and no prior immunotherapy were eligible. Study treatment commenced with a dose of nivolumab (240mg or 480mg IV), which was continued until progression for up to 2 years at bi-weekly or monthly intervals. SRS (15-21 Gy) to all visible un-irradiated brain lesions was administered within 14 days of the first dose of nivolumab (cycle 1). Patients were followed by brain MRI and CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. Neurocognitive assessment was performed using the Hopkins verbal learning test-revised (HVLT-R), the Trail Making Test (TMT) and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWA) RESULTS: 26 study patients (22 NSCLC and 4 RCC) were enrolled between Aug 2017 and January 2020. Patients had a median of 2 (1-9) brain metastases treated with SRS. The median diagnosis-specific graded prognostic assessment (GPA) score was 2 (1-3). Forty-two percent of the patients had received prior cytotoxic chemotherapy, and 1 patient had received prior brain SRS. PD-L1 status was known for 21 of the 22 NSCLC patients (12 with ≥50% PD-L1 expression (DAKO 22C3)). Median icPFS was 5.0 months (6 intracranial progressions and 9 deaths without progression in the brain). Accounting for death as a competing risk, the 1-year cumulative incidence of intracranial relapse was 20%, whereas the rate of extracranial relapse was 48.3% at 1-year. Median overall survival was 14 months. Neuropsychological evaluation was completed in 16 and 9 patients at 3 and 6-month follow-up, respectively. Median age of the 16 patients was 63 (46-77). At 3 months follow up, there was no significant difference on the patient's mean performance in any of the neurocognitive assessments; a deterioration of ≥1 standard deviation in at least 1 assessment from baseline was observed in 8 (50%) patients. At 6 months, participants significantly improved on the TMT- Parts A (P = 0.04) and Parts B (P = 0.03).Neurocognitive assessments suggest that upfront SRS concurrent with nivolumab PD1 inhibition is safe. Patient neurocognitive function showed potential improvements in patients able to complete 6-month assessments. A potential synergy between nivolumab and SRS loco-regionally within the brain may be present, leading to high intracranial control. However, the high rate of extracranial progression does not suggest an abscopal effect triggered by SRS during nivolumab.G.L. Masucci: Research Grant; BMS.O. Boucher: None. F. Marie: None. M. Plourde: None. V. Panet-Raymond: None. M. Pavic: None. S. Owen: None. L. Masson-Cote: None. C. Menard: Research Grant; Siemens Healthcare, Philips, Progenics, Varian. B. Routy: None. M. Tehfe: None. N. Blais: consultant; BMS.D. Roberge: Independent Contractor; CHUM, CDL Proton Therapy. Research Grant; Elekta. Honoraria; BrainLab, Varian Medical Systems, Siemens Medical Systems, EMD Serono, recordati. In-kind Donation; Accuray. ownership stake; afx, croton healthcare. P. Wong: Research Grant; BMS, AstraZeneca, NexPlasmaGen. Advisory Board; BMS, AstraZeneca. Travel Expenses; BMS, AstraZeneca.

Brain-predicted age difference is associated with cognitive processing in later-life

Brain age is a neuroimaging-based biomarker of aging. This study examined whether the difference between brain age and chronological age (brain-PAD) is associated with cognitive function at baseline and longitudinally. Participants were relatively healthy, predominantly white community-dwelling older adults (n = 531, aged ≥70 years), with high educational attainment (61% ≥12 years) and socioeconomic status (59% ≥75th percentile). Brain age was estimated from T1-weighted magnetic resonance images using an algorithm by Cole et al., 2018.After controlling for age, gender, education, depression and body mass index, brain-PAD was negatively associated with psychomotor speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test) at baseline (Bonferroni p < 0.006), but was not associated with baseline verbal fluency (Controlled Oral Word Association Test), delayed recall (Hopkins Learning Test Revised), or general cognitive status (Mini-Mental State Examination). Baseline brain-PAD was not associated with 3-year change in cognition (Bonferroni p > 0.006).These findings indicate that even in relatively healthy older people, accelerated brain aging is associated with worse psychomotor speed, but future longitudinal research into changes in brain-PAD is needed.