scholarly journals Cognitive performance in presumed obligate carriers for psychosis

2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothea Toulopoulou ◽  
Francesca Mapua-Filbey ◽  
Seema Quraishi ◽  
Eugenia Kravariti ◽  
Robin G. Morris ◽  
...  

SummaryWe report cognitive performance of a group of individuals who are likely to have transmitted liability to psychosis to their offspring. Out of 230 relatives of patients with psychosis, 27 met our criteria for a presumed obligate carrier, that is a non-psychotic individual who had a parent or a sibling as well as an offspring with psychosis. The presumed obligate carriers showed impairments in verbal memory and in visuospatial manipulations, suggesting that these individuals transmit vulnerability for psychosis to their offspring in terms of a disability to recall verbal information and an impaired capacity to perceive spatial relations.

2010 ◽  
Vol 163 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Hero ◽  
S Maury ◽  
E Luotoniemi ◽  
E Service ◽  
L Dunkel

ObjectiveAromatase inhibitors, blockers of oestrogen biosynthesis, have emerged as a new potential treatment modality for boys with short stature. The cognitive effects of such therapy are unknown. In this study, we explored the effects of aromatase inhibition on cognitive performance in peripubertal boys.DesignProspective, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study.MethodsTwenty-eight boys, aged 9.0–14.5 years, with idiopathic short stature were treated with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole (2.5 mg/day) or placebo, for 2 years. During the treatment, the progression of physical signs of puberty and the concentrations of sex hormones were followed up. A selection of cognitive tests, focusing on memory function, was administered to the participants at entry, at 12 months and at 24 months after the start of the treatment.ResultsLetrozole effectively inhibited the conversion of androgen to oestrogen, as indicated by high serum testosterone and low serum oestradiol concentrations in letrozole-treated boys who progressed into puberty. In both the groups, there was a gain in performance during the follow-up period in tests of verbal performance, in most of the tests of visuospatial performance and in some tests of verbal memory. No significant differences between the letrozole- and placebo-treated boys in development of cognitive performance were found in any of the tests during the follow-up period.ConclusionsOur results suggest that blockade of oestrogen biosynthesis with an aromatase inhibitor does not influence cognitive performance in peripubertal males.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 1635-1644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Zimmer ◽  
Wilhelm Bloch ◽  
Alexander Schenk ◽  
Max Oberste ◽  
Stefan Riedel ◽  
...  

Background: Aerobic exercise can improve cognitive performance in healthy elderly people. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a 3-week high-intensity aerobic exercise programme (high-intensity training group (HIT)) on cognitive performance in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with a standard exercise programme (control training (CT)). Methods: A total of 60 persons with MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 1.0–6.5) were randomized to a HIT group (3×/week for 20 minutes, including five 3-minute exercise intervals at 80% of peak oxygen uptake (VO2-peak)) or a CT group (continuously 5×/week for 30 minutes/session at 65% of VO2-peak). Cognitive performance was assessed using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS at entry ( t0) and discharge ( t1). Furthermore, VO2-peak, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, serotonin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and -9 were measured. Results: Compared to CT, HIT significantly improved verbal memory. Significant improvements over time in executive functions were found in both groups. Secondary outcomes indicated significant improvements in VO2-peak and a significant reduction in MMP-2 in the HIT group only. Conclusion: HIT represents a promising strategy to improve verbal memory and physical fitness in persons with MS. Further research is needed to determine the impact of exercise on biomarkers in MS.


2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Dupuis ◽  
Elaine Kennedy ◽  
Ruth Lindquist ◽  
Franca B. Barton ◽  
Michael L. Terrin ◽  
...  

• Background Some studies have indicated a decline in patients’ cognitive performance after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. • Objective To evaluate cognitive performance before and after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. • Methods Patients’ cognitive performance before and after coronary artery bypass graft surgery was evaluated in a prospective observational multicenter study in 5 academic medical centers. A total of 242 men and 123 women were evaluated before surgery; 333 men and 216 women, 5 to 11 months after surgery (197 men and 99 women were evaluated both before and after surgery). Verbal ability, attention/concentration, logical/verbal and visual memory, and facial recognition were measured. Data on demographic, medical, and psychosocial characteristics also were collected. • ResultsAfter surgery, patients’ overall performance improved (P < .001) for attention/concentration, verbal fluency, and logical/verbal memory. Patients with more education (high school or greater) performed better on each test (P < .001) than did patients with less education. No strong effects of sex or age on cognitive performance were observed before or after surgery, and no important differences in sex, age, or education were associated with changes in scores from before to after surgery. • Conclusion On average, cognitive performance improved rather than declined after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The improvements were consistent across sex, age, and education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S610-S610
Author(s):  
Amber Watts ◽  
Eric Vidoni ◽  
Jill Morris ◽  
Mark Perry ◽  
David Johnson ◽  
...  

Abstract Exercise is a promising strategy for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Amyloid neuroimaging can identify individuals at risk of developing AD prior to displaying symptoms. We screened adults (65+) with Florbetapir PET imaging and a comprehensive cognitive battery. We randomized 117 participants with normal cognition into a 52-week aerobic exercise program to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive performance. We compared an intensive exercise treatment group to a standard of care control group. Cognition was assessed at baseline, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks in the domains of verbal memory, visuospatial processing, attention, and executive function. Interim results on 87 participants show cardiorespiratory fitness improved in the exercise group vs. control group (t=3.66(81), p< .001). The degree of change in cardiorespiratory fitness did not differ between those with and without elevated amyloid (t=-0.37(81), p=.710). Greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness predicted better performance on cognitive tests including trailmaking test, Stroop test, and digit symbol substitution test, which did not differ by amyloid status. Elevated amyloid levels predicted lower cognitive scores in logical memory, space relations, and identical pictures test. Our findings suggest PET imaging is a valid marker of cognitive performance in non-impaired older adults, and that this pre-clinical amyloid status did not reduce the cognitive benefits of exercise for those who improved in cardiorespiratory fitness. Exercise interventions hold promise for cognitive maintenance among pre-symptomatic older adults with elevated amyloid levels. Finally, results highlight the importance of evaluating multiple cognitive domains which are associated differently with exercise and amyloid status.


2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (7S_Part_17) ◽  
pp. P923-P924
Author(s):  
Emilie Thomas ◽  
Tharick A. Pascoal ◽  
Melissa Savard ◽  
Laurie-Anne Dion ◽  
Mira Chamoun ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (14) ◽  
pp. 2452-2459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Cyril D'Souza ◽  
Suhas Ganesh ◽  
Jose Cortes-Briones ◽  
Michael H. Campbell ◽  
Maisha K. Emmanuel

AbstractBackgroundThe literature on psychosis-relevant outcomes in cannabis users does not adequately address the confounding effects of other substance use/misuse and psychiatric disorders.MethodsWe studied a unique population for whom cannabis use is central and necessary to their way of life. They are forbidden from using other substances, including tobacco and alcohol. Their use of cannabis is heavy, chronic, and begins early. The cases were compared with matched controls who did not use cannabis, alcohol, or drugs. The controls were from the same location and shared similar beliefs and lifestyle, except for cannabis use. Attenuated psychosis-relevant phenomena were assessed with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and cognitive functioning with a culture-neutral computerized cognitive battery.ResultsFifteen cases and 12 matched controls were studied. The cases averaged >30 000 lifetime cannabis exposures. Relative to controls, the cases had significantly higher mean (s.d.) SPQ scores 24 (14.32) v. 13 (8.92), p = 0.031; and poorer cognitive performance, reflected by a lower mean (s.d.) composite cognitive score −0.23 (0.32) v. +0.28 (0.52), p = 0.03. Moderate to large effect sizes were noted for differences in tests of attention, psychomotor speed, working memory, cognitive flexibility, visuo-spatial processing, and verbal memory. A subsample of cases had higher SPQ scores and worse cognitive performance than their siblings not using cannabis.ConclusionHeavy, chronic, and early cannabis use that is not confounded by other drug use is associated with psychosis-relevant phenomena and cognitive deficits. The findings are relevant to the evolving attitudes and laws about cannabis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 764-764
Author(s):  
E Whitley ◽  
R Gerkin ◽  
A Kontos ◽  
C Quintana ◽  
B Nalepa ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore if symptom factors are related to cognitive outcomes. Prior studies have examined the relationship of individual symptoms to cognition. However, the relation between empirically-derived symptom factors and cognitive outcomes has yet to be explored. Methods Data were extracted via retrospective chart review of 691 patients (aged 10–24, mean: 14.99±2.63). Participants completed ImPACT and the PCSS within 14 days of injury (mean: 9.27±3.37). Predictors were PCSS factor scores of Cognitive-Fatigue-Migraine (CFM), Affective (AFF), Somatic (SOM), and Sleep (SLP) (Kontos et al., 2012). Outcomes examined were ImPACT composite scores. Univariate analyses were performed and values with p < 0.10 were entered into stepwise linear regression (LR) models. Retained predictors in each LR model had p values <.05. Results Verbal memory was predicted by CFM, SOM, age, and gender. Visual memory was predicted by CFM and SOM. Visual motor speed was predicted by age, gender, CFM, SOM, and AFF. Reaction time was best predicted by SOM, CFM, and age. The variance explained was fairly small (0.08 to 0.21). SLP was not a significant predictor in any LR. Conclusion CFM and SOM factors were most predictive of lower cognitive performance, similar to prior studies linking dizziness to longer recovery and post-traumatic migraine to worse cognitive performance. These findings underscore the clinical importance of diverse symptom assessment and injury education. Higher CFM and SOM scores may also serve as proxy for injury severity, which we would expect to be associated with worse cognitive performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 998-998
Author(s):  
L Bennett ◽  
C Bernick ◽  
W Ng

Abstract Objective Repetitive head injuries common in combat sports have been associated with increased risk for cognitive dysfunction. Interestingly, the Professional Fighter’s Brain Health Study (PFBHS) team has observed improvements in fighters’ cognitive performance following their transition to inactive fighting status. As this phenomenon was explored, it was hypothesized that fighters’ cognitive performance will initially improve following their discontinuation of fighting. Methods Longitudinal demographic, fighting history, and cognitive functioning data from 31 fighters who discontinued fighting during their participation in the PFBHS. Cognitive functioning was assessed via CNS Vital Signs and C3/iComet computerized batteries. Number of professional fights, as well as inactive fighting status, was determined using published professional online records. Fighters were considered inactive if they had gone two or more years without a professional match. Results Paired-samples t test was conducted to evaluate cognitive functioning in fighters at time 1 (actively fighting) and time 2 (inactive fighting status). When comparing cognitive function at across time points, performance on CNS Vital Signs measures of verbal memory, processing speed, psychomotor speed, and reaction time, as well as C3/iComet measures of set-shifting and complex reaction time, significantly improved at time 2 (all p’s < 0.05). Interestingly, performance did not improve across time points on a C3/iComet measure of processing speed (Trailmaking Test Part A). Conclusions Cognitive performance improved on most measures when fighters transitioned to inactive fighting status. Given the limited sample size, future analysis is necessary to evaluate the relationship between fighting status and cognitive performance in a larger sample size.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
José María Faílde Garrido ◽  
María Lameiras Fernández ◽  
Marika Foltz ◽  
Yolanda Rodríguez Castro ◽  
María Victoria Carrera Fernández

Introduction. Very few studies have examined the neuropsychological performance of HIV-positive women, and even fewer have attempted a comparison of cognitive functioning by gender. The aim of this study was to describe the nature of the neuropsychological performance of HIV seropositive patients by gender.Methods. A clinical sample made up of 151 subjects was recruited to participate in this study. All of the subjects underwent the same assessment process, consisting of a neuropsychological evaluation and an interview to gather sociodemographic, toxicological, and clinical data.Results and Discussion. Despite the fact that men obtained higher scores in visual memory, attention/psychomotor speed, and abstract reasoning/verbal intelligence, these differences were not statistically significant. In contrast, significant differences were found depending on subjects’ serological status. Seropositive participants’ neuropsychological performance was significantly lower than that of the seronegative participants in all of the areas assessed as follows: (1) visual memory; (2) attention/psychomotor speed; (3) abstract reasoning/verbal intelligence; (4) verbal memory for texts; (5) verbal memory for digits and words.Conclusions. The results from this study reveal no significant gender differences in the cognitive performance of patients infected with HIV-1.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1717-1725
Author(s):  
Rocio Del Pino ◽  
Maria Díez-Cirarda ◽  
Javier Peña ◽  
Naroa Ibarretxe-Bilbao ◽  
Natalia Ojeda

Background: The estimation of premorbid intelligence (PI) is needed for an accurate diagnosis. Objective: This study aimed to estimate the cognitive performance taking into account the PI in Parkinson’s disease (PD) compared to healthy controls (HC); and to analyze the discrepancies between the current and the predicted cognitive performance based on the PI. Method: Semantic fluency, verbal and visual memory, and executive functions were assessed in 39 PD and 162 HC. A linear regression model was used to analyze the discrepancies between the predicted cognitive performance and the current raw scores through PI variables (Word Accentuation Test (WAT), Pseudo-Words (PW) Reading subtest from PROLEC-R, age, and years of education). ROC analyses were performed to assess their diagnostic properties. Results: Significant differences were found in the raw cognitive scores between patients and HC [semantic fluency (t = 6.07; p < 0.001), verbal memory (t = 6.63; p < 0.001), and executive functions (t = 2.57; p = 0.013), and in visual memory (t = 1.97; p = 0.055 marginally significant)]. Compared to HC, PD patients presented higher discrepancies between the predicted cognitive performance and the raw scores in semantic fluency, verbal memory, visual memory, executive functions (AUC = 0.78, 0.78; 0.64, 0.61, respectively). Conclusion: The magnitude of the discrepancies scores between the current and the predicted cognitive performance based on PI indicates the presence of cognitive decline in the specific cognitive domain in PD patients. This study underlines the usefulness of premorbid measures and variables, such as WAT, PW, age, and years of education, to more accurately estimate the cognitive performance in PD.


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