-
Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience Sep 2019Cognitive performance is typically conceptualized in terms of domains of functioning. These domains are hierarchical in nature, with the bottom referring to more basic... (Review)
Review
Cognitive performance is typically conceptualized in terms of domains of functioning. These domains are hierarchical in nature, with the bottom referring to more basic sensory and perceptual processes and the top referring to elements of executive functioning and cognitive control. Domains are not independent of each other and executive functioning exerts control over the utilization of more basic processes. Assessments are typically targeted at subdomains of each ability area and careful combination of tasks can reveal patterns of performance consistent with a variety of different neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. This review covers the general structures of domains, the patterns of impairments across domains seen in common neuropsychiatric conditions, and use of assessment strategies to differentiate, to the extent possible, between different types of conditions manifesting cognitive impairment. .
Topics: Attention; Cognition; Cognition Disorders; Executive Function; Humans; Memory; Motor Skills; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 31749647
DOI: 10.31887/DCNS.2019.21.3/pharvey -
Current Psychiatry Reports Jul 2021Neuropsychological assessment involves the comprehensive evaluation of intellectual, attentional, executive, social-cognitive, language, and motor functioning. Such... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Neuropsychological assessment involves the comprehensive evaluation of intellectual, attentional, executive, social-cognitive, language, and motor functioning. Such assessments are used to characterize areas of strength and weakness, inform differential diagnosis, guide treatment planning, and evaluate change over time. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with varied clinical presentations, which can make the design of testing batteries and subsequent interpretation of results challenging. Here we provide an overview of neuropsychological domains as they relate to the evaluation of individuals with ASD.
RECENT FINDINGS
Individuals with ASD demonstrate unique patterns of neuropsychological functioning across various domains. Recent findings related to intellectual, adaptive, executive, attentional, social, language, motor, and autism-specific functioning are reviewed. Clarifying the relationship between ASD symptoms and neuropsychological functioning is critical for differential diagnosis and for optimal treatment planning. Tools and methods for developing appropriate neuropsychological testing protocols for individuals with ASD are discussed.
Topics: Attention; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Humans; Language; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 34331144
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-021-01277-1 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Dec 2021Cognitive impairment (CI) has a prevalence of 45-70% in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), producing a negative impact on their quality of life, personal life, and... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Cognitive impairment (CI) has a prevalence of 45-70% in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), producing a negative impact on their quality of life, personal life, and work. Early detection of CI has become an important aspect to be considered for an adequate follow-up, to optimize social adaptation and to implement specific cognitive rehabilitation strategies. The aim of this work is to propose a suitable cognitive evaluation of patients with MS based on available and efficient tools for diagnosis and monitoring purposes well supported by literature review and clinical experience.
METHODS
A multidisciplinary panel of professionals from the field of neurology, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging performed a literature review of the topic of cognitive impairment assessment. This was combined and completed with their clinical experience to produce a set of recommendations.
RESULTS
Some limitations to cognitive evaluation are described: shortage of time and resources during the neurology consultation, scarceness or absence of specialized professionals' availability, importance of tests adaptation, and doubts about its use to define therapeutic efficiency. We recommend a baseline and annual screening evaluation, and we suggest a baseline and periodic neuropsychological assessment. The latter ought to change to a recommendation with the presence of either positive screening test, or subjective to cognitive complaints, screening-test results and patient or family report mismatch, or in specific social/work situations.
CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive evaluation should be performed on all patients diagnosed with MS and throughout follow-up. It is necessary to support the creation of multidisciplinary MS teams to optimize the evaluation and follow-up of MS patients.
Topics: Cognitive Dysfunction; Humans; Multiple Sclerosis; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Quality of Life
PubMed: 33796947
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05165-7 -
Revista de Neurologia Jul 2019Cognitive symptoms in psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression have been widely studied and defined; however, despite the...
INTRODUCTION
Cognitive symptoms in psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression have been widely studied and defined; however, despite the frequent subjective cognitive complaints in patients with anxiety disorders, neuropsychology of anxiety disorders has less consistent results in literature.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
This study offers a systematic review of controlled studies that evaluate neuropsychological findings in adults diagnosed of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD). Finally, 40 articles were selected for this systematic review, with a total sample of 1098 patients with GAD.
RESULTS
Results suggest that subjects with GAD have a worse performance than controls in the following cognitive domains: complex attention (selective attention), executive functions (working memory, cognitive inhibition, decision making), and social cognition (recognizing and processing emotions, attribution bias). Most consistent results report the influence of emotional stimuli (specifically, threatening or anxiety-provoking stimuli) on performance on cognitive task related with complex attention, working memory and cognitive inhibition.
CONCLUSION
In our knowledge, there is not any previous systematic review defining the neuropsychological profile of GAD. Due to the clinical and functional consequences of cognitive symptoms in these patients, future studies that allow a better knowledge on this field are needed: including larger samples of patients; controlling variables that could eventually modify the association between cognitive symptoms and GAD, such as pharmacological treatment and comorbid depression; focusing on specific neuropsychological test for GAD; and evaluating the effect of pharmacological and psychological treatment on cognitive symptoms in GAD patients.
Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Humans; Nervous System; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 31287149
DOI: 10.33588/rn.6902.2018371 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Sep 2023The first part of this review provides a brief historical background of behavior genetic research and how twin and genotype data can be utilized to study genetic... (Review)
Review
The first part of this review provides a brief historical background of behavior genetic research and how twin and genotype data can be utilized to study genetic influences on individual differences in human behavior. We then review the field of music genetics, from its emergence to large scale twin studies and the recent, first molecular genetic studies of music-related traits. In the second part of the review, we discuss the wider utility of twin and genotype data beyond estimating heritability and gene-finding. We present four examples of music studies that utilized genetically informative samples to analyze causality and gene-environmental interplay for music skills. Overall, research in the field of music genetics has gained much momentum over the last decade and its findings highlight the importance of studying both environmental and genetic factors and particularly their interplay, paving the way for exciting and fruitful times to come.
Topics: Humans; Music; Twins; Genotype; Phenotype; Individuality
PubMed: 37400010
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105302 -
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2022
PubMed: 35392120
DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.875947 -
Annals of Neurosciences Jan 2023
PubMed: 37313332
DOI: 10.1177/09727531231171765 -
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology :... Aug 2020Empirically informed neuropsychological opinion is critical for determining whether cognitive deficits and symptoms are legitimate, particularly in settings where there...
OBJECTIVES
Empirically informed neuropsychological opinion is critical for determining whether cognitive deficits and symptoms are legitimate, particularly in settings where there are significant external incentives for successful malingering. The Slick, Sherman, and Iversion (1999) criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MND) are considered a major milestone in the field's operationalization of neurocognitive malingering and have strongly influenced the development of malingering detection methods, including serving as the criterion of malingering in the validation of several performance validity tests (PVTs) and symptom validity tests (SVTs) (Slick, D.J., Sherman, E.M.S., & Iverson, G. L. (1999). Diagnostic criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction: Proposed standards for clinical practice and research. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 13(4), 545-561). However, the MND criteria are long overdue for revision to address advances in malingering research and to address limitations identified by experts in the field.
METHOD
The MND criteria were critically reviewed, updated with reference to research on malingering, and expanded to address other forms of malingering pertinent to neuropsychological evaluation such as exaggeration of self-reported somatic and psychiatric symptoms.
RESULTS
The new proposed criteria simplify diagnostic categories, expand and clarify external incentives, more clearly define the role of compelling inconsistencies, address issues concerning PVTs and SVTs (i.e., number administered, false positives, and redundancy), better define the role of SVTs and of marked discrepancies indicative of malingering, and most importantly, clearly define exclusionary criteria based on the last two decades of research on malingering in neuropsychology. Lastly, the new criteria provide specifiers to better describe clinical presentations for use in neuropsychological assessment.
CONCLUSIONS
The proposed multidimensional malingering criteria that define cognitive, somatic, and psychiatric malingering for use in neuropsychological assessment are presented.
Topics: Cognition Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction; Humans; Malingering; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 32377667
DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acaa019 -
Huisarts En Wetenschap 2021
PubMed: 34658402
DOI: 10.1007/s12445-021-1292-y -
Turkiye Parazitolojii Dergisi Mar 2021is an intracellular protozoan parasite. Approximately 30% of the global population is infected by . In chronically infected individuals, the parasite resides in tissue... (Review)
Review
is an intracellular protozoan parasite. Approximately 30% of the global population is infected by . In chronically infected individuals, the parasite resides in tissue cysts, especially in the brain. There is a growing interest in the role of parasitologic agents in the causation of neuropsychological disorders. In this review, we have explained the interactions between and its host, mechanisms, and consequences on neural and psychological diseases.
Topics: Brain; Chronic Disease; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Neurocognitive Disorders; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral
PubMed: 33685069
DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2020.6973