Neuroscience
Relationships Between Behavioral Syndromes and Cognitive Domains in Alzheimer Disease: The Impact of Mood and Psychosis
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2011 Nov 1;
Koppel J, Goldberg TE, Gordon ML, Huey E, Davies P, Keehlisen L, Huet S, Christen E, Greenwald BS
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:: Behavioral disturbances occur in nearly all Alzheimer disease (AD) patients together with an array of cognitive impairments. Prior investigations have failed to demonstrate specific associations between them, suggesting an independent, rather than shared, pathophysiology. The objective of this study was to reexamine this issue using an extensive cognitive battery together with a sensitive neurobehavioral and functional rating scale to correlate behavioral syndromes and cognitive domains across the spectrum of impairment in dementia. DESIGN:: Cross-sectional study of comprehensive cognitive and behavioral ratings in subjects with AD and mild cognitive impairment. SETTING:: Memory disorders research center. PARTICIPANTS:: Fifty subjects with AD and 26 subjects with mild cognitive impairment; and their caregivers. MEASUREMENTS:: Cognitive rating scales administered included the Mini-Mental State Examination; the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination; the Boston Naming Test; the Benton Visual Retention Test; the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Neuropsychology Assessment; the Controlled Oral Word Test; the Wechsler Memory Scale logical memory I and logical memory II task; the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised digit span; the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised digit symbol task; and the Clock Drawing Task together with the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. RESULTS:: Stepwise regression of cognitive domains with symptom domains revealed significant associations of mood with impaired executive function/speed of processing (Δr = 0.22); impaired working memory (Δr = 0.05); impaired visual memory (Δr = 0.07); and worsened Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (Δr = 0.08). Psychosis was significantly associated with impaired working memory (Δr = 0.13). CONCLUSIONS:: Mood symptoms appear to impact diverse cognitive realms and to compromise functional performance.
PMID: 22048323 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Computerized Cognitive Testing: A New Cogstate Paper
Reliability of repeated cognitive assessment of dementia using a brief computerized battery American Journal of Alzheimers Disease and Other Dementias. 2011 Jun; 26(4): 326-333. Hammers D, Spurgeon E, Ryan K, Persad C, Heidebrink J, Barbas N, Albin R,...
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Vogels RL, Oosterman JM, van Harten B, Scheltens P, van der Flier WM, Schroeder-Tanka JM, & Weinstein HC. Profile of Cognitive Impairment in Chronic Heart Failure. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2007 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. Department...
- Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer Disease
Cummings JL, McRae T, & Zhang R. (2006). Effects of donepezil on neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia and severe behavioral disorders. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14(7), 605-612. Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and...
- Abstract Of The Day: Caregiver Rating Scale In Alzheimer Disease
Harvey PD, Moriarty PJ, Kleinman L, Coyne K, Sadowsky CH, Chen M, & Mirski DF. The validation of a caregiver assessment of dementia: the Dementia Severity Scale. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. 2005 Oct-Dec; 19(4): 186-194. OBJECTIVE: The...
Neuroscience
Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: Alzheimer's Disease
Relationships Between Behavioral Syndromes and Cognitive Domains in Alzheimer Disease: The Impact of Mood and Psychosis
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2011 Nov 1;
Koppel J, Goldberg TE, Gordon ML, Huey E, Davies P, Keehlisen L, Huet S, Christen E, Greenwald BS
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:: Behavioral disturbances occur in nearly all Alzheimer disease (AD) patients together with an array of cognitive impairments. Prior investigations have failed to demonstrate specific associations between them, suggesting an independent, rather than shared, pathophysiology. The objective of this study was to reexamine this issue using an extensive cognitive battery together with a sensitive neurobehavioral and functional rating scale to correlate behavioral syndromes and cognitive domains across the spectrum of impairment in dementia. DESIGN:: Cross-sectional study of comprehensive cognitive and behavioral ratings in subjects with AD and mild cognitive impairment. SETTING:: Memory disorders research center. PARTICIPANTS:: Fifty subjects with AD and 26 subjects with mild cognitive impairment; and their caregivers. MEASUREMENTS:: Cognitive rating scales administered included the Mini-Mental State Examination; the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination; the Boston Naming Test; the Benton Visual Retention Test; the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Neuropsychology Assessment; the Controlled Oral Word Test; the Wechsler Memory Scale logical memory I and logical memory II task; the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised digit span; the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised digit symbol task; and the Clock Drawing Task together with the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. RESULTS:: Stepwise regression of cognitive domains with symptom domains revealed significant associations of mood with impaired executive function/speed of processing (Δr = 0.22); impaired working memory (Δr = 0.05); impaired visual memory (Δr = 0.07); and worsened Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (Δr = 0.08). Psychosis was significantly associated with impaired working memory (Δr = 0.13). CONCLUSIONS:: Mood symptoms appear to impact diverse cognitive realms and to compromise functional performance.
PMID: 22048323 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Computerized Cognitive Testing: A New Cogstate Paper
Reliability of repeated cognitive assessment of dementia using a brief computerized battery American Journal of Alzheimers Disease and Other Dementias. 2011 Jun; 26(4): 326-333. Hammers D, Spurgeon E, Ryan K, Persad C, Heidebrink J, Barbas N, Albin R,...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Aging And Mci Screening
Today's recommended read deals with an important neuropsychological assessment issue in the domain of aging and the potential to identify the presence of cognitive problems that might (emphasis on "might" - such findings in a screen are not definitive)...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Chronic Congestive Heart Failure And Neuropsychological Function
Vogels RL, Oosterman JM, van Harten B, Scheltens P, van der Flier WM, Schroeder-Tanka JM, & Weinstein HC. Profile of Cognitive Impairment in Chronic Heart Failure. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2007 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. Department...
- Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer Disease
Cummings JL, McRae T, & Zhang R. (2006). Effects of donepezil on neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia and severe behavioral disorders. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14(7), 605-612. Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and...
- Abstract Of The Day: Caregiver Rating Scale In Alzheimer Disease
Harvey PD, Moriarty PJ, Kleinman L, Coyne K, Sadowsky CH, Chen M, & Mirski DF. The validation of a caregiver assessment of dementia: the Dementia Severity Scale. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. 2005 Oct-Dec; 19(4): 186-194. OBJECTIVE: The...