Intersecting Dimensions of Cognitive and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms: Embarking on a New Era of Clinical Neuropsychological Research
(Source: Neuropsychology Review)
Source: Neuropsychology Review - October 14, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Evaluation of Discriminative Detection Abilities of Social Cognition Measures for the Diagnosis of the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia: a Systematic Review
AbstractThe use of social tasks in the neuropsychological assessment of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is at present not required by diagnostic guidelines, despite extensive literature shows relevant social cognitive dysfunctions in such patients. In this systematic review, we explored the clinical maturity of social cognition measures in the diagnosis of bvFTD. Papers were selected according to the PRISMA guidelines by searching the PubMed and Medline databases. Only papers reporting indices of diagnostic accuracy and/or sensitivity/specificity in classifying bvFTD from controls or from other re...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - October 10, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
The Effects of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation on Impulsivity in People with Mental Disorders: a Systematic Review and Explanatory Meta-Analysis
AbstractImpulsivity is a multi-faceted construct that underpins various mental health disorders. Impulsive behavior exacts a substantial health and economic burden, hence the importance of developing specific interventions to target impulsivity. Two forms of non-invasive brain stimulation, namely transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), have been used to modulate impulsivity. To date, no reviews have systematically examined their effects on modulating impulsivity in people with mental health disorders. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the l...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - October 2, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Common Brain Structural Alterations Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Alzheimer ’s Dementia: Future Directions and Implications
AbstractRecent reports suggest declines in the age-specific risk of Alzheimer ’s dementia in higher income Western countries. At the same time, investigators believe that worldwide trends of increasing mid-life modifiable risk factors [e.g., cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors] coupled with the growth of the world's oldest age groups may nonetheless lead to an increa se in Alzheimer’s dementia. Thus, understanding the overlap in neuroanatomical profiles associated with CVD risk factors and AD may offer more relevant targets for investigating ways to reduce the growing dementia epidemic than current targets speci...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - October 2, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
A Systematic Review of the Application of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to the Study of Cerebral Hemodynamics in Healthy Aging
This article reviews the application of an alternative method, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), to the study of age-related changes in cerebral hemodynamics and factors that influence cerebral hemodynamics in the elderly population. We conducted literature searches in PudMed and PsycINFO, and selected only English original research articles that used fNIRS to study healthy individuals with a mean age of ≥ 55 years. All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals between 1977 and May 2019. We synthesized 114 fNIRS studies examining hemodynamic changes that occurred in the resting state and during the t...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - September 21, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
A Systematic Review of the Application of Functional Near-InfraredSpectroscopy to the Study of Cerebral Hemodynamics in Healthy Aging
This article reviews the application of an alternative method, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), to the study of age-related changes in cerebral hemodynamics and factors that influence cerebral hemodynamics in the elderly population. We conducted literature searches in PudMed and PsycINFO, and selected only English original research articles that used fNIRS to study healthy individuals with a mean age of ≥ 55 years. All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals between 1977 and May 2019. We synthesized 114 fNIRS studies examining hemodynamic changes that occurred in the resting state and during the t...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - September 21, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Does Not Improve Working Memory in Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
This report used meta-analysis to synthesise the results of these studies to examine whether transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve working memory in schizophrenia. The studies included in this meta-analysis were sham-controlled, randomised controlled trials that utilised either tES or rTMS to treat working memory problems in schizophrenia. A total of 22 studies were included in the review. Nine studies administered rTMS and 13 administered tES. Meta-analysis revealed that compared to sham/placebo stimulation, neither TMS nor tES significantly improved w...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - September 11, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Procedural Learning in Individuals with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer ’s Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
AbstractThe notion that procedural learning and memory is spared in Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) has important implications for interventions aiming to build on intact cognitive functions. However, despite these clinical implications, there are mixed findings in the literature about whether or not procedural learning remains intact. This meta-analysis examines the standard mea n difference of all published studies regarding procedural learning in AD dementia or amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) compared to cognitively healthy older adults. Additionally, we conducted statistical equivalence analyses. Our systematic r...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - September 7, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Is the Putative Mirror Neuron System Associated with Empathy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
AbstractTheoretical perspectives suggest that the mirror neuron system (MNS) is an important neurobiological contributor to empathy, yet empirical support is mixed. Here, we adopt a summary model for empathy, consisting of motor, emotional, and cognitive components of empathy. This review provides an overview of existing empirical studies investigating the relationship between putative MNS activity and empathy in healthy populations. 52 studies were identified that investigated the association between the MNS and at least one domain of empathy, representing data from 1044 participants. Our results suggest that emotional an...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - September 1, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
A Meta-Analysis of Semantic Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment
AbstractAccumulating evidence over the past decade suggests that semantic deficits represent a consistent feature of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). A meta-analysis was performed to examine if semantic deficits are consistently found in patients with MCI. Studies meeting all inclusion criteria were selected for the current meta-analysis. An effect size and a weight were calculated for each study. A random effect model was performed to assess the overall difference in semantic performances between MCI patients and healthy subjects. 22 studies (476 healthy participants, 476 MCI patients, mean Mini Mental Status Examination ...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - August 18, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
A Systematic Review of ASL Perfusion MRI in Mild TBI
AbstractMild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major public health concern. Cerebrovascular alterations play a significant role in the evolution of injury sequelae and in the process of post-traumatic brain repair. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an advanced perfusion magnetic resonance imaging technique that permits noninvasive quantification of cerebral blood flow (CBF). This is the first systematic review of ASL research findings in patients with mTBI. Our approach followed the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and PRISMA guidelines. We searched Ovid/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Index for relevan...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - August 17, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Midline Thalamic Damage Associated with Alcohol-Use Disorders: Disruption of Distinct Thalamocortical Pathways and Function
AbstractThe thalamus, a significant part of the diencephalon, is a symmetrical and bilateral central brain structure. The thalamus is subdivided into three major groups of nuclei based on their function: sensorimotor nuclei (or principal/relay nuclei), limbic nuclei and nuclei bridging these two domains. Anatomically, nuclei within the thalamus are described by their location, such as anterior, medial, lateral, ventral, and posterior. In this review, we summarize the role of medial and midline thalamus in cognition, ranging from learning and memory to flexible adaptation. We focus on the discoveries in animal models of alc...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - August 11, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
A Meta-Analysis of Neuropsychological Effort Test Performance in Psychotic Disorders
AbstractPsychotic disorders are characterized by a generalized neurocognitive deficit (i.e., performance 1.5 SD below controls across neuropsychological domains with no specific profile of differential deficits). A motivational account of the generalized neurocognitive deficit has been proposed, which attributes poor neuropsychological testing performance to low effort. However, findings are inconsistent regarding effort test failure rate in individuals with psychotic disorders across studies (0 –72%), and moderators are unclear, making it difficult to know whether the motivational explanation is viable. To address these...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - August 6, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Assessment of Executive Functions after Treatment of Childhood Acute Lymphoid Leukemia: a Systematic Review
Discussion proposed standardized methods and measures for assessing executive functioning in children during and after ALL treatment. (Source: Neuropsychology Review)
Source: Neuropsychology Review - July 26, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Attention and Communication Following TBI: Making the Connection through a Meta-Narrative Systematic Review
Conclusions: The main communication behaviours that are related to attention in the context of post-TBI cognition include discourse, tangential communication, social communication, auditory comprehension, verbal reasoning, topic maintenance, interpretation of social cues and emotions, verbal expression, reading comprehension, verbal response speed, and subvocal rehearsal. (Source: Neuropsychology Review)
Source: Neuropsychology Review - July 24, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
