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Tseng YT, Chang YL, Chiu YS. Assessment of Language Function in Older Mandarin-Speaking Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment using Multifaceted Language Tests. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:1189-1209. [PMID: 38217600 PMCID: PMC10836557 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), especially for those with multidomain cognitive deficits, should be clinically examined for determining risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. English-speakers with aMCI exhibit language impairments mostly at the lexical-semantic level. Given that the language processing of Mandarin Chinese is different from that of alphabetic languages, whether previous findings for English-speakers with aMCI can be generalized to Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI remains unclear. OBJECTIVE This study examined the multifaceted language functions of Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI and compared them with those without cognitive impairment by using a newly developed language test battery. METHODS Twenty-three individuals with aMCI and 29 individuals without cognitive impairment were recruited. The new language test battery comprises five language domains (oral production, auditory and reading comprehension, reading aloud, repetition, and writing). RESULTS Compared with the controls, the individuals with aMCI exhibited poorer performance in the oral production and auditory and reading comprehension domains, especially on tests involving effortful lexical and semantic processing. Moreover, the aMCI group made more semantic naming errors compared with their counterparts and tended to experience difficulty in processing items belonging to the categories of living objects. CONCLUSIONS The pattern identified in the present study is similar to that of English-speaking individuals with aMCI across multiple language domains. Incorporating language tests involving lexical and semantic processing into clinical practice is essential and can help identify early language dysfunction in Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Ting Tseng
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ling Chang
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Shiang Chiu
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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2
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Giuffrè GM, Quaranta D, Costantini EM, Citro S, Martellacci N, De Ninno G, Vita MG, Guglielmi V, Rossini PM, Calabresi P, Marra C. Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light chain and total-tau as biomarkers of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 186:106267. [PMID: 37652185 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION CSF Neurofilament light chain(NfL) is a promising biomarker of neurodegeneration, but its utility in discriminating between Alzheimer's disease(AD) and frontotemporal dementia(FTD) is limited. METHODS 105 patients with clinical-biological diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment(MCI) due to AD (N = 72) or clinical diagnosis of FTD (N = 33) underwent neuropsychological assessment and CSF Aβ42/40, p-tau181, total-tau and NfL quantification. Group comparisons, correlations between continuous variables and ROC curve analysis were carried out to assess NfL role in discriminating between MCI due to AD and FTD, exploring the associations between NfL, ATN biomarkers and neuropsychological measures. RESULTS NfL levels were significantly lower in the AD group, while levels of total-tau were higher. In the FTD group, significant correlations were found between NfL, p-tau181 and total-tau, and between NfL and cognitive performances. In the AD group, NfL levels were directly correlated with total-tau and p-tau181; Aβ42/40 ratio was inversely correlated with total-tau and p-tau181, but not with NfL. Moreover, p-tau181 and t-tau levels were found to be associated with episodic memory and lexical-semantic impairment. Total-tau/NfL ratio differentiated prodromal-AD from FTD with an AUC of 0.951, higher than the individual measures. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS The results support that NfL and total-tau levels reflect distinct pathophysiological neurodegeneration mechanisms, independent and dependent of Aβ pathology, respectively, Combining them may enhance both markers reliability, their ratio showing high accuracy in distinguishing MCI due to AD from FTD. Moreover, our results revealed associations between NfL and disease severity in FTD and between tauopathy and episodic memory and lexical-semantic impairment in prodromal-AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Maria Giuffrè
- Neurology Unit Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Memory Clinic Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Quaranta
- Neurology Unit Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Memory Clinic Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Salvatore Citro
- Neurology Unit Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Memory Clinic Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Noemi Martellacci
- Memory Clinic Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Grazia De Ninno
- UOC of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology - Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Vita
- Neurology Unit Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Guglielmi
- Neurology Unit Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Maria Rossini
- Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Calabresi
- Neurology Unit Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Memory Clinic Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Camillo Marra
- Memory Clinic Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
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3
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Wright LM, De Marco M, Venneri A. Current Understanding of Verbal Fluency in Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence to Date. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:1691-1705. [PMID: 37179686 PMCID: PMC10167999 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s284645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Since their development, verbal fluency tests (VFTs) have been used extensively throughout research and in clinical settings to assess a variety of cognitive functions in diverse populations. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), these tasks have proven particularly valuable in identifying the earliest forms of cognitive decline in semantic processing and have been shown to relate specifically to brain regions associated with the initial stages of pathological change. In recent years, researchers have developed more nuanced techniques to evaluate verbal fluency performance, extracting a wide range of cognitive metrics from these simple neuropsychological tests. Such novel techniques allow for a more detailed exploration of the cognitive processes underlying successful task performance beyond the raw test score. The versatility of VFTs and the richness of data they may provide, in light of their low cost and speed of administration, therefore, highlight their potential value both in future research as outcome measures for clinical trials and in a clinical setting as a screening measure for early detection of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Wright
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Matteo De Marco
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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4
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Bastin C, Delhaye E. Targeting the function of the transentorhinal cortex to identify early cognitive markers of Alzheimer's disease. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023:10.3758/s13415-023-01093-5. [PMID: 37024735 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01093-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Initial neuropathology of early Alzheimer's disease accumulates in the transentorhinal cortex. We review empirical data suggesting that tasks assessing cognitive functions supported by the transenthorinal cortex are impaired as early as the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease. These tasks span across various domains, including episodic memory, semantic memory, language, and perception. We propose that all tasks sensitive to Alzheimer-related transentorhinal neuropathology commonly rely on representations of entities supporting the processing and discrimination of items having perceptually and conceptually overlapping features. In the future, we suggest a screening tool that is sensitive and specific to very early Alzheimer's disease to probe memory and perceptual discrimination of highly similar entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Bastin
- GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Allée du 6 Août, B30, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Emma Delhaye
- GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Allée du 6 Août, B30, 4000, Liège, Belgium
- CICPSI, Faculdade de Psicologia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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5
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Chang HT, Chiu PY. Development of a simple screening tool for determining cognitive status in Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280178. [PMID: 36634049 PMCID: PMC9836308 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive screening is often a first step to document cognitive status of patients suspected having Alzheimer's disease (AD). Unfortunately, screening neuropsychological tests are often insensitivity in the detection. The goal of this study was to develop a simple and sensitive screening neuropsychological test to facilitate early detection of AD. This study recruited 761 elderly individuals suspected of having AD and presenting various cognitive statuses (mean age: 77.69 ± 8.45 years; proportion of females: 65%; cognitively unimpaired, CU, n = 133; mild cognitive impairment, MCI, n = 231; dementia of Alzheimer's type, DAT, n = 397). This study developed a novel screening neuropsychological test incorporating assessments of the core memory deficits typical of early AD and an interview on memory function with an informant. The proposed History-based Artificial Intelligence-Show Chwan Assessment of Cognition (HAI-SAC) was assessed in terms of psychometric properties, test time, and discriminative ability. The results were compared with those obtained using other common screening tests, including Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and an extracted Mini-Mental State Examination score from CASI. HAI-SAC demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. Factor analysis revealed two factors: memory (semantic and contextual) and cognition-related information from informants. The assessment performance of HAI-SAC was strongly correlated with that of the common screening neuropsychological tests addressed in this study. HAI-SAC outperformed the other tests in differentiating CU individuals from patients with MCI (sensitivity: 0.87; specificity: 0.58; area under the curve [AUC]: 0.78) or DAT (sensitivity: 0.99; specificity: 0.89; AUC: 0.98). Performance of HAI-SAC on differentiating MCI from DAT was on par with performances of other tests (sensitivity: 0.78; specificity: 0.84; AUC: 0.87), while the test time was less than one quarter that of CASI and half that of MoCA. HAI-SAC is psychometrically sound, cost-effective, and sensitive in discriminating the cognitive status of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Te Chang
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Research Assistance Center, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua City, Taiwan
| | - Pai-Yi Chiu
- Department of Neurology, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua City, Taiwan
- Department of Applied Mathematics, College of Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
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6
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Cejudo JC, Samaniego M, Almeria M, Castrillo S, Medina L, Gil D. Ikos Test: New Tool for the Assessment of Semantic Knowledge in Early Alzheimer Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:151-160. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-220516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Semantic memory (SM) constitutes a cognitive system that is seriously affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There are several tests for assessing SM, but a tool is needed to assess AD in the early stages of the illness. Objective: The study aimed to create, validate, and normalize a new test to assess SM, called the Ikos test, for AD and early AD in clinical practice. Methods: 62 healthy adults as a control group (CG), 62 AD, and 60 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) subdivided into a group that progresses to AD, and another group that does not progress to AD were selected. The internal consistency (IC), the construct validity (CV), and reliability between raters and the test-retest were analyzed. We used the Bayesian approach to establish the accuracy of the diagnosis of the Ikos test in AD and early AD. Results: IC showed a Kuder-Richardson index of r = 0.945. The CV between the Ikos test and Pyramids and Palm Trees; Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) index was 0.897. The Kappa index was between 0.865 and 0.912, and the ICC index was 0.873 for the test-retest reliability. The Area Under the Curve was 0.981, sensitivity (SE) was 0.95, and specificity (SP) was 0.96 in AD/CG. In contrast, in the MCI-AD/CG group, SE = 0.77 and SP = 0.80. Conclusion: The Ikos test accomplishes the criteria of validity and reliability with high correlation indexes. Therefore, it can be considered a valid, reliable, and easily applicable tool for SM assessment in diagnosing AD and the early stages of clinical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Cejudo
- Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Unit, Hospital Sagrat Cor. Hermanas Hospitalarias, Martorell, (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Melissa Samaniego
- Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Unit, Hospital Sagrat Cor. Hermanas Hospitalarias, Martorell, (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Marta Almeria
- Cognition and Behavior Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa(Barcelona), Spain
- Department of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Susana Castrillo
- RGG Sant Roc (DGPS), Drets Socials Dep, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain
| | - Lidia Medina
- Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Unit. Hospital Atenció Intermedia MutuamGüell, EAPS Mutuam Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Domènec Gil
- Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Unit, Hospital Sagrat Cor. Hermanas Hospitalarias, Martorell, (Barcelona), Spain
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7
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Almeida VN, Radanovic M. Semantic processing and neurobiology in Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108337. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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8
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Liang D, Qiu L, Duan X, Chen H, Liu C, Gong Q. Training-Specific Changes in Regional Spontaneous Neural Activity Among Professional Chinese Chess Players. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:877103. [PMID: 35712460 PMCID: PMC9195868 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.877103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Our previous reports reflected some aspects of neuroplastic changes from long-term Chinese chess training but were mainly based on large-scale intrinsic connectivity. In contrast to functional connectivity among remote brain areas, synchronization of local intrinsic activity demonstrates functional connectivity among regional areas. Until now, local connectivity changes in professional Chinese chess players (PCCPs) have been reported only at specific hubs; whole-brain-based local connectivity and its relation to training profiles has not been revealed. Objectives To investigate whole-brain local connectivity changes and their relation to training profiles in PCCPs. Methods Regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis of rs-fMRI data from 22 PCCPs versus 21 novices was performed to determine local connectivity changes and their relation to training profiles. Results Compared to novices, PCCPs showed increased regional spontaneous activity in the posterior lobe of the left cerebellum, the left temporal pole, the right amygdala, and the brainstem but decreased ReHo in the right precentral gyrus. From a whole-brain perspective, local activity in areas such as the posterior lobe of the right cerebellum and the caudate correlated with training profiles. Conclusion Regional homogeneity changes in PCCPs were consistent with the classical view of automaticity in motor control and learning. Related areas in the pattern indicated an enhanced capacity for emotion regulation, supporting cool and focused attention during gameplay. The possible participation of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-cerebral networks, as suggested by these correlation results, expands our present knowledge of the neural substrates of professional chess players. Meanwhile, ReHo change occurred in an area responsible for the pronunciation and reading of Chinese characters. Additionally, professional Chinese chess training was associated with change in a region that is affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Liang
- School of Physical Education and Sports Exercise, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Sports Science Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lihua Qiu
- Department of Radiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, China
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xujun Duan
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Huafu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chengyi Liu
- School of Physical Education and Sports Exercise, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Sports Science Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
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9
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Guo J, Shubeck K, Hu X. Relationship Between Item and Source Memory: Explanation of Connection-Strength Model. Front Psychol 2021; 12:691577. [PMID: 34659007 PMCID: PMC8511408 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.691577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The controversy in the relationship between item memory and source memory is a focus of episodic memory. Some studies show the trade-off between item memory and source memory, some show the consistency between them, and others show the independence between them. This review attempts to point out the connection-strength model, implying the different types and strengths of the important role of the item-source connections in the relationship between item memory and source memory, which is based on the same essence in the unified framework. The logic of the model is that when item memory and source memory share the same or relevant connection between item and source, they positively connect, or they are independently or negatively connected. This review integrates empirical evidence from the domains of cognition, cognitive neuroscience, and mathematical modeling to validate our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Guo
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Keith Shubeck
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
- Institute for Intelligent Systems, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Xiangen Hu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
- Institute for Intelligent Systems, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
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10
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Krumm S, Berres M, Kivisaari SL, Monsch AU, Reinhardt J, Blatow M, Kressig RW, Taylor KI. Cats and Apples: Semantic Fluency Performance for Living Things Identifies Patients with Very Early Alzheimer's Disease. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2021; 36:838-843. [PMID: 33237317 PMCID: PMC8292926 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acaa109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Reduced semantic memory performance is a known neuropsychological marker of very early Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the task format that best predicts disease status is an open question. The present study aimed to identify the semantic fluency task and measure that best discriminates early-stage AD patients (PATs) from cognitively healthy controls. Method: Semantic fluency performance for animals, fruits, tools, and vehicles was assessed in 70 early-stage AD PATs and 67 cognitively healthy participants. Logistic regressions and receiver operating characteristics were calculated for five total score semantic fluency measures. Results: Compared with all other measures, living things (i.e., total correct animals + total correct fruits) achieved highest z-statistics, highest area under the curve and smallest difference between the upper and lower 95% confidence intervals. Conclusion: Living things total correct is a powerful tool to detect the earliest signs of incipient AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Krumm
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Berres
- Department of Mathematics and Technology, University of Applied Sciences Koblenz, Remagen, Germany
| | - Sasa L Kivisaari
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Aalto, Finland
| | - Andreas U Monsch
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julia Reinhardt
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Division of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria Blatow
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reto W Kressig
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kirsten I Taylor
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Biomarkers and Translational Technology, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases (NRD), Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
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11
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Wright LM, De Marco M, Venneri A. A Graph Theory Approach to Clarifying Aging and Disease Related Changes in Cognitive Networks. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:676618. [PMID: 34322008 PMCID: PMC8311855 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.676618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In accordance with the physiological networks that underlie it, human cognition is characterized by both the segregation and interdependence of a number of cognitive domains. Cognition itself, therefore, can be conceptualized as a network of functions. A network approach to cognition has previously revealed topological differences in cognitive profiles between healthy and disease populations. The present study, therefore, used graph theory to determine variation in cognitive profiles across healthy aging and cognitive impairment. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered to 415 participants. This included three groups of healthy adults aged 18-39 (n = 75), 40-64 (n = 75), and 65 and over (n = 70) and three patient groups with either amnestic (n = 75) or non-amnestic (n = 60) mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's type dementia (n = 60). For each group, cognitive networks were created reflective of test-to-test covariance, in which nodes represented cognitive tests and edges reflected statistical inter-nodal significance (p < 0.05). Network metrics were derived using the Brain Connectivity Toolbox. Network-wide clustering, local efficiency and global efficiency of nodes showed linear differences across the stages of aging, being significantly higher among older adults when compared with younger groups. Among patients, these metrics were significantly higher again when compared with healthy older controls. Conversely, average betweenness centralities were highest in middle-aged participants and lower among older adults and patients. In particular, compared with controls, patients demonstrated a distinct lack of centrality in the domains of semantic processing and abstract reasoning. Network composition in the amnestic mild cognitive impairment group was similar to the network of Alzheimer's dementia patients. Using graph theoretical methods, this study demonstrates that the composition of cognitive networks may be measurably altered by the aging process and differentially impacted by pathological cognitive impairment. Network alterations characteristic of Alzheimer's disease in particular may occur early and be distinct from alterations associated with differing types of cognitive impairment. A shift in centrality between domains may be particularly relevant in identifying cognitive profiles indicative of underlying disease. Such techniques may contribute to the future development of more sophisticated diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matteo De Marco
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.,Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Marra C, Piccininni C, Masone Iacobucci G, Caprara A, Gainotti G, Costantini EM, Callea A, Venneri A, Quaranta D. Semantic Memory as an Early Cognitive Marker of Alzheimer's Disease: Role of Category and Phonological Verbal Fluency Tasks. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 81:619-627. [PMID: 33814440 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The assessment of semantic memory may be a useful marker to identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who will progress to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the early stages of the disease. OBJECTIVE The aim of this five-year follow-up longitudinal study is to assess whether semantic assessment could predict progression in MCI. METHODS A population of MCI (N = 251); mild (N = 178) and moderate AD (N = 114); and a sample of healthy participants (HP; N = 262) was investigated. The five-year follow-up of the MCI group was completed by 178 patients. Semantic and episodic memory measures were used, including a measure of the discrepancy between categorical and phonological verbal fluency, the semantic-phonological delta (SPD). The main outcome was the progression of MCI due to AD to dementia. RESULTS A general linear model showed a significant effect of diagnosis on SPD (Wilks' Lambda = 0.591; p < 0.001). The estimated marginal means were -0.91 (SE = 0.185) in HP, -1.83 (SE = 0.187) in MCI, -1.16 (SE = 0.218) in mild AD, and -1.02 (SE = 0.275) in moderate AD. Post-hoc comparisons showed a significant difference between MCI and HP (p < 0.001). The follow-up was completed by 178 MCI individuals. SPD in MCI patients who progress to dementia was significantly lower than in MCI that will not progress (p = 0.003). Together with the Mini-Mental State Examination, the SPD was the only measure with a significant predicting effect at the five-years follow-up (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION The SPD indicates the impairment of semantic memory in individuals with underlying AD at the MCI early stage, reflecting the early involvement of perirhinal and entorhinal cortices in the earliest stages of AD neuropathological process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camillo Marra
- Memory Clinic, Department of Science of Elderly, Neuroscience, Head and Neck and Orthopaedics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Piccininni
- Memory Clinic, Department of Science of Elderly, Neuroscience, Head and Neck and Orthopaedics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Caprara
- Psychological Unit, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Guido Gainotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Maria Costantini
- Neurology Unit, Department of Science of Elderly, Neuroscience, Head and Neck and Orthopaedics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Callea
- Neurology Unit, Department of Science of Elderly, Neuroscience, Head and Neck and Orthopaedics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Quaranta
- Neurology Unit, Department of Science of Elderly, Neuroscience, Head and Neck and Orthopaedics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Castro N, Curley T, Hertzog C. Category norms with a cross-sectional sample of adults in the United States: Consideration of cohort, age, and historical effects on semantic categories. Behav Res Methods 2021; 53:898-917. [PMID: 32901344 PMCID: PMC7937767 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-020-01454-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes normative data for newly collected exemplar responses to 70 semantic categories described in previous norming studies (Battig & Montague, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 80(3, pt.2): 1-46, 1969; Van Overschelde, Rawson, & Dunlosky, Journal of Memory and Language, 50(3): 289-335, 2004; Yoon et al., Psychology and Aging, 19(3), 379-393, 2004). These categories were presented to 246 young (18-39 years), middle (40-59 years), and older (60 years and older) English-speaking adults living in the United States who were asked to generate as many category exemplars as possible for each of the 70 categories. In order to understand differences in normative responses, we analyzed these responses a) between age groups within the current sample and b) in comparison to three previously published sets of norms. Experimental studies using such norms typically assume invariance of normative likelihoods across age and historical time. We replicate previous findings such that exemplar frequency correlations suggest moderate stability in generated category members between age groups and cohorts for many, but not all, categories. Further, analyses of rank-order correlations highlight that the traditional measure of typicality may not capture all aspects of typicality, namely that for some categories there is high consistency in the frequency of exemplars across age groups and/or norms, but the ordering of those exemplars differs significantly. We include a cluster analysis to aid in grouping categories based on relative stability across time, cohort, and age groups. These results emphasize the importance of maintaining and updating age-differentiated category norms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichol Castro
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, 1417 NE 42nd St., Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Taylor Curley
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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White matter pathways underlying Chinese semantic and phonological fluency in mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychologia 2020; 149:107671. [PMID: 33189733 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging evidence has suggested that Chinese-language processing differs from that of its alphabetic-language counterparts. However, the underlying white matter pathway correlations between semantic and phonological fluency in Chinese-language processing remain unknown. Thus, we investigated the differences between two verbal fluency tests on 50 participants with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 36 healthy controls (HC) with respect to five groups (ventral and dorsal stream fibers, frontal-striatal fibers, hippocampal-related fibers, and the corpus callosum) of white matter microstructural integrity. Diffusion spectrum imaging was used. The results revealed a progressive reduction in advantage in semantic fluency relative to phonological fluency from HC to single-domain aMCI to multidomain aMCI. Common and dissociative white matter correlations between tests of the two types of fluency were identified. Both types of fluency relied on the corpus callosum and ventral stream fibers, semantic fluency relied on the hippocampal-related fibers, and phonological fluency relied on the dorsal stream and frontal-striatal fibers. The involvement of bilateral tracts of interest as well as the association with the corpus callosum indicate the uniqueness of Chinese-language fluency processing. Dynamic associations were noted between white matter tract involvement and performance on the two fluency tests in four time blocks. Overall, our findings suggest the clinical utility of verbal fluency tests in geriatric populations, and they elucidate both task-specific and language-specific brain-behavior associations.
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Vonk JMJ, Twait EL, Scholten RJPM, Geerlings MI. Cross-sectional associations of amyloid burden with semantic cognition in older adults without dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mech Ageing Dev 2020; 192:111386. [PMID: 33091462 PMCID: PMC7952036 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2020.111386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Previous research suggests the presence of subtle semantic decline in early stages of Alzheimer's disease. This study investigated associations between amyloid burden, a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease, and tasks of semantic impairment in older individuals without dementia. A systematic search in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase yielded 3691 peer-reviewed articles excluding duplicates. After screening, 41 studies with overall 7495 participants were included in the meta-analysis and quality assessment. The overall weighted effect size of the association between larger amyloid burden and larger semantic impairment was 0.10 (95% CI [-0.03; 0.22], p = 0.128) for picture naming, 0.19 (95% CI [0.11; 0.27], p < 0.001) for semantic fluency, 0.15 (95% CI [-0.15; 0.45], p = 0.326) for vocabulary, and 0.10 (95% CI [-0.14; 0.35], p = 0.405; 2 studies) for WAIS Information. Risk of bias was highest regarding comparability, as effect sizes were often not calculated on covariate-adjusted statistics. The relevance of the indicated amyloid-related decline in semantic fluency for research and clinical applications is likely negligible due to the effect's small magnitude. Future research should develop more sensitive metrics of semantic fluency to optimize its use for early detection of Alzheimer's disease-related cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jet M J Vonk
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Emma L Twait
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rob J P M Scholten
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam I Geerlings
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Valera-Bermejo JM, De Marco M, Mitolo M, McGeown WJ, Venneri A. Neuroanatomical and cognitive correlates of domain-specific anosognosia in early Alzheimer's disease. Cortex 2020; 129:236-246. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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