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Chen C, Khanthiyong B, Thaweetee-Sukjai B, Charoenlappanit S, Roytrakul S, Thanoi S, Reynolds GP, Nudmamud-Thanoi S. Proteomic association with age-dependent sex differences in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance in healthy Thai subjects. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20238. [PMID: 37981639 PMCID: PMC10658079 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46750-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in cognitive function exist, but they are not stable and undergo dynamic change during the lifespan. However, our understanding of how sex-related neural information transmission evolves with age is still in its infancy. This study utilized the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the label-free proteomics method with bioinformatic analysis to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying age-related sex differences in cognitive performance in 199 healthy Thai subjects (aged 20-70 years), as well as explore the sex-dependent protein complexes for predicting cognitive aging. The results showed that males outperformed females in two of the five WCST sub-scores: %Corrects and %Errors. Sex differences in these scores were related to aging, becoming noticeable in those over 60. At the molecular level, differently expressed individual proteins and protein complexes between both sexes are associated with the potential N-methyl-D-aspartate type glutamate receptor (NMDAR)-mediated excitotoxicity, with the NMDAR complex being enriched exclusively in elderly female samples. These findings provided a preliminary indication that healthy Thai females might be more susceptible to such neurotoxicity, as evidenced by their cognitive performance. NMDAR protein complex enrichment in serum could be proposed as a potential indication for predicting cognitive aging in healthy Thai females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- Medical Science Graduate Program, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Sawanya Charoenlappanit
- National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Samur Thanoi
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand.
| | - Gavin P Reynolds
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
- Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Sutisa Nudmamud-Thanoi
- Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.
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Chen C, Khanthiyong B, Charoenlappanit S, Roytrakul S, Reynolds GP, Thanoi S, Nudmamud-Thanoi S. Cholinergic-estrogen interaction is associated with the effect of education on attenuating cognitive sex differences in a Thai healthy population. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0278080. [PMID: 37471329 PMCID: PMC10358962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of human brain is shaped by both genetic and environmental factors. Sex differences in cognitive function have been found in humans as a result of sexual dimorphism in neural information transmission. Numerous studies have reported the positive effects of education on cognitive functions. However, little work has investigated the effect of education on attenuating cognitive sex differences and the neural mechanisms behind it based on healthy population. In this study, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was employed to examine sex differences in cognitive function in 135 Thai healthy subjects, and label-free quantitative proteomic method and bioinformatic analysis were used to study sex-specific neurotransmission-related protein expression profiles. The results showed sex differences in two WCST sub-scores: percentage of Total corrects and Total errors in the primary education group (Bayes factor>100) with males performed better, while such differences eliminated in secondary and tertiary education levels. Moreover, 11 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between men and women (FDR<0.1) were presented in both education groups, with majority of them upregulated in females. Half of those DEPs interacted directly with nAChR3, whereas the other DEPs were indirectly connected to the cholinergic pathways through interaction with estrogen. These findings provided a preliminary indication that a cholinergic-estrogen interaction relates to, and might underpin, the effect of education on attenuating cognitive sex differences in a Thai healthy population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- Medical Science Graduate Program, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
- Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | | | - Sawanya Charoenlappanit
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Gavin P. Reynolds
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Samur Thanoi
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Mae Ka, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Sutisa Nudmamud-Thanoi
- Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
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Söğüt M, Göksun T, Altan-Atalay A. The role of numeracy skills on the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) performances of 5- to 8-Year-old turkish children. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 39:231-246. [PMID: 33058246 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is one of the most widely used complex EF task for various populations. However, it seems questionable to employ the task for preschool-aged children due to their lack of numerical efficiency while sorting cards according to the number dimension. The present study aimed to examine the association of numeracy skills with different EF-related abilities as measured by the WCST. For the assessment of numeracy skills, we used the Early Numeracy Test (ENT). One hundred and fourteen Turkish children between the ages of 5 and 8 were administered the WCST and ENT in a counterbalanced order. Results revealed a significant correlation only between the three ENT scores and the concept formation factor of the WCST, indicating a significant relationship between the WCST performance and numeracy skills in terms of concept formation. This finding highlights the specific relation between numeracy skills and subcomponents of the WCST and points to potential interfering variables that should be taken into account while evaluating the scores of the sorting tasks for children between the ages of 5 and 8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meryem Söğüt
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tilbe Göksun
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
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Lace JW, Merz ZC, Kennedy EE, Seitz DJ, Austin TA, Ferguson BJ, Mohrland MD. Examination of five- and four-subtest short form IQ estimations for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth edition (WISC-V) in a mixed clinical sample. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-CHILD 2020; 11:50-61. [PMID: 32297810 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2020.1747021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Evaluating general cognitive ability (i.e., intelligence) is common in neuropsychological practice, and identifying abbreviated assessments of intelligence is often advantageous. Despite the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition's (WISC-V) widespread contemporary use, limited research has identified clinically useful short form (SF) full scale IQ (FSIQ) estimations in clinical samples. This study sought to address this gap in the literature. Two hundred sixty-eight pediatric participants (M age = 9.79; 69% male; 88% Caucasian/White) who underwent psychological/neuropsychological evaluation were included. Mean scores for WISC-V scores fell in the low average-to-average ranges, consistent with the clinical nature of this sample (e.g., M FSIQ = 85.3). Ten unique SF combinations with five (pentad) and four (tetrad) subtests, each intentionally selected to represent a breadth of domains subsumed by WISC-V FSIQ, were described by summing subtest age-corrected scaled scores. Regression-based and prorated FSIQ estimates were calculated, and mean differences suggested some prorated estimates should be arithmetically adjusted. Both regression-based and prorated/adjusted methods provided FSIQ estimates that were accurate within five Standard Score points of true FSIQ for approximately 81-92% (pentad) and 65-76% (tetrads) of participants. Prorated/adjusted estimates appeared to provide somewhat better accuracy than regression-based estimates. Relationships between SFs and true FSIQ did not appear to be moderated by participant age, gender, nor how many WISC-V subtests were administered to participants within this archival sample (i.e., 7 vs. 10). Implications of these findings, including benefits, detriments, and other considerations of each SF combination, in addition to limitations of this study, are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Lace
- Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Health Psychology, Univerisity of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Zachary C Merz
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Erin E Kennedy
- Department of Health Psychology, Univerisity of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Dylan J Seitz
- Department of Health Psychology, Univerisity of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Tara A Austin
- Department of Health Psychology, Univerisity of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Bradley J Ferguson
- Department of Health Psychology, Univerisity of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Michael D Mohrland
- Department of Health Psychology, Univerisity of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Columbia, MO, USA
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