Impaired Visual Emotion Recognition After Minor Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of impaired visual emotion recognition in patients who have experienced a minor ischemic stroke in the subacute phase and to determine associated factors of impaired visual emotion recognition. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: Stroke unit of a teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with minor ischemic stroke (N=112). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients with minor stroke underwent a neuropsychological assessment in the subacute phase for visual emotion recognition by the Ekman 60 Faces Test and for general cognition. Univariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors of emotion recognition impairment. RESULTS: In 112 minor stroke patients, we found a prevalence of 25% of impaired visual emotion recognition. This was significantly correlated with impaired general cognition. Nevertheless, 10.9% of patients with normal general cognition still had impaired emotion recognition. Mood was negatively associated. Stroke localization, hemisphere side, and sex were not associated. CONCLUSION: Impaired visual emotion recognition is found in about one-quarter of patients with minor ischemic stroke.

Chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy: course and prognostic factors of neuropsychological functioning.

PURPOSE: Working in conditions with daily exposure to organic solvents for many years can result in a disease known as chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy (CSE). The aims for this study were to describe the neuropsychological course of CSE after first diagnosis and to detect prognostic factors for neuropsychological impairment after diagnosis. METHODS: This prospective study follows a Dutch cohort of CSE patients who were first diagnosed between 2001 and 2011 and underwent a second neuropsychological assessment 1.5-2 years later. Cognitive subdomains were assessed and an overall cognitive impairment score was calculated. Paired t tests and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to describe the neuropsychological course and to obtain prognostic factors for the neuropsychological functioning at follow-up. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement on neuropsychological subdomains at follow-up, with effect sizes between small and medium (Cohen's d 0.27-0.54) and a significant overall improvement of neuropsychological impairment with a medium effect size (Cohen's d 0.56). Prognostic variables for more neuropsychological impairment at follow-up were a higher level of neuropsychological impairment at diagnosis and having a comorbid diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Results are in line with previous research on the course of CSE, stating that CSE is a non-progressive disease after cessation of exposure. However, during follow-up the percentage patients with permanent work disability pension increased from 14 to 37%. Preventive action is needed in countries where exposure to organic solvents is still high to prevent new cases of CSE.

Association of psychiatric history and type D personality with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and health status prior to ICD implantation.

BACKGROUND: Personality factors and psychiatric history may help explain individual differences in risk of psychological morbidity and poor health outcomes in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). PURPOSE: We examined associations between previous anxiety and depressive disorder, type D personality, anxiety or depressive symptoms, and health status in ICD patients prior to ICD implantation. METHOD: Patients (N = 278; 83 % men; mean age = 62.2 years ±11) receiving a first ICD from September 2007 through April 2010 at the Medisch Spectrum Twente, The Netherlands completed validated questionnaires before implantation assessing type D personality (14-item Type D Scale), anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and health status (36-item Short Form Health Survey). History of anxiety or depressive disorder was assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview structural interview. RESULTS: Previous anxiety or depressive disorder was prevalent in 8 and 19 % of patients, respectively. Type D personality was present in 21 %, depressive symptoms in 15 %, and anxiety in 24 %. In adjusted analyses, type D personality was a dominant correlate of previous depressive disorder (odds ratio (OR) 6.2, p < 0.001) and previous anxiety disorder (OR 3.9, p = 0.004). Type D personality (OR 4.0, p < 0.001), age (OR 1.03, p = 0.043), and gender (OR 2.5, p = 0.013) were associated with anxiety symptoms at baseline. Type D personality (OR 5.9. p < 0.001) was also associated with increased depressive symptoms at baseline. Heart failure and type D personality were related to poorer health status. CONCLUSION: In ICD patients, prior to ICD implantation, a previous anxiety or depressive disorder, type D personality, and anxiety and depressive symptoms were associated with poorer health status. Type D personality was also independently associated with increased anxiety and depression symptoms.

Neuropsychological assessment in the multicultural memory clinic: Development and feasibility of the TULIPA battery.

Neuropsychological assessment of culturally diverse populations is hindered by barriers in language, culture, education, and a lack of suitable tests. Furthermore, individuals from diverse backgrounds are often unfamiliar with being cognitively tested. The aim of this study was to develop a new neuropsychological test battery and study its feasibility in multicultural memory clinics.Composition of the TULIPA battery (Towards a Universal Language: Intervention and Psychodiagnostic Assessment) entailed a literature review and consultation with experts and individuals from diverse backgrounds. Feasibility was investigated by examining administration and completion rates and the frequency of factors complicating neuropsychological assessment in 345 patients from 37 countries visiting four multicultural memory clinics in the Netherlands.The test battery included existing tests such as the Cross-Cultural Dementia screening (CCD), Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS), tests from the European Cross-Cultural Neuropsychological Test Battery, and newly developed tests. Completion rates for the test battery were generally high (82%-100%), except for CCD Dots subtest B (58%). Although tests of the "core" TULIPA battery were administered often (median: 6 of 7, IQR: 5-7), supplementary tests were administered less frequently (median: 1 of 9; IQR: 0-3). The number of administered tests correlated with disease severity (RUDAS, ρ=.33, adjusted p < .001), but not with other patient characteristics. Complicating factors were observed frequently, e.g. suboptimal effort (29%-50%), fatigue (29%), depression (37%-57%).The TULIPA test battery is a promising new battery to assess culturally diverse populations in a feasible way, provided that complicating factors are taken into account.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2022.2043447 .

Cognition, emotional state, and quality of life of survivors after cardiac arrest with rhythmic and periodic EEG patterns.

AIM: Rhythmic and periodic patterns (RPPs) on the electroencephalogram (EEG) in comatose patients after cardiac arrest have been associated with high case fatality rates. A good neurological outcome according to the Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) has been reported in up to 10% of cases. Data on cognitive, emotional, and quality of life outcomes are lacking. We aimed to provide insight into these outcomes at one-year follow-up. METHODS: We assessed outcome of surviving comatose patients after cardiac arrest with RPPs included in the 'treatment of electroencephalographic status epilepticus after cardiopulmonary resuscitation' (TELSTAR) trial at one-year follow-up, including the CPC for functional neurological outcome, a cognitive assessment, the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) for emotional outcomes, and the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) for quality of life. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of more than 1.5 SD below the mean on ≥ 2 (sub)tests within a cognitive domain. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were included (median age 58 years, 21% female), of whom 13 had a cognitive impairment. Eleven of 14 were impaired in memory, 9/14 in executive functioning, and 7/14 in attention. The median scores on the HADS and SF-36 were all worse than expected. Based on the CPC alone, 8/14 had a good outcome (CPC 1-2). CONCLUSION: Nearly all cardiac arrest survivors with RPPs during the comatose state have cognitive impairments at one-year follow-up. The incidence of anxiety and depression symptoms seem relatively high and quality of life relatively poor, despite 'good' outcomes according to the CPC.

The Coping with Attention and Memory Complaints Questionnaire (CAMQ): psychometric evaluation of an instrument in suspected chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy (CSE).

Long-term occupational exposure to organic solvents may induce chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy (CSE), leading to neuropsychological impairments. We developed the Coping with Attention and Memory Complaints Questionnaire (CAMQ), an instrument for the assessment of coping strategies in patients suspected of CSE with neuropsychological complaints. Items for the CAMQ were based on existing coping dimensions and constructed by experts. The psychometric properties of the CAMQ were evaluated in a sample of 307 workers suspected of CSE. Factor analysis revealed four coping subscales: active coping, avoidance, acceptance, and seeking social support, all with good internal consistency (alphas .71-.78) and good test-retest reliability (ICCs .67-.82). The subscales demonstrated moderate correlations with related external constructs such as anxiety and depression, locus of control, meta-memory, mastery and generic coping styles. In conclusion, this study: (1) shows that the newly developed CAMQ is a reliable instrument, and (2) provides evidence for its validity in assessing coping with complaints of memory and attention in CSE-suspected patients. These results may serve for further study on coping with complaints of memory and attention, psychological adjustment and well-being in CSE patients.

Psychosocial and cognitive rehabilitation of patients with solvent-induced chronic toxic encephalopathy: a randomised controlled study.

BACKGROUND: There is little experience with the (neuro) psychological treatment of patients with solvent-induced chronic toxic encephalopathy (CSE). In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), a treatment programme was evaluated based on previous outcome studies of patients with chronic fatigue, whiplash and traumatic brain damage. METHODS: The treatment consisted of 8 group sessions based on cognitive behavioural principles focusing on inadequate illness behaviours, and 8 sessions of cognitive strategy training to compensate memory problems. The research design was an RCT with follow-up, comparing the cumulative effect of the 2 interventions allocated in random order with a waiting-list control group. Outcome measures were treatment satisfaction, self-ratings of psychosocial and cognitive changes, psychosocial and memory questionnaires and neuropsychological tests. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed with baseline scores, treatment versus control condition, effort status, and litigation or financial compensation status as predictors. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients started treatment, 84 patients had complete data. Treatment satisfaction was high. After the treatment, only the treatment group had improved on objective memory tests and on complaints related to CSE, but not on other questionnaires. Treatment effects diminished at follow-up. Insufficient effort and litigation were negatively associated with treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The positive treatment effects on the cognitive tests were only temporary. It might be important to study the effect of booster sessions to update practiced cognitive strategies. Effort was an important predictor of success, more important than involvement in a litigation procedure. This finding should have implications for the selection of patients.

Suboptimal performance on neuropsychological tests in patients with suspected chronic toxic encephalopathy.

Suboptimal performance during neuropsychological testing can seriously complicate assessment in behavioral neurotoxicology. We present data on the prevalence of suboptimal performance in a group of Dutch patients with suspected chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE) after long-term occupational exposure to solvents. One hundred and forty-five subjects referred to one of two Dutch national assessment centers for CTE were administered the Amsterdam Short-Term Memory Test (ASTM) and the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), two tests specifically developed for the detection of suboptimal performance. For both tests, very cautious cut-off scores were chosen with a specificity of 99%. Results indicated that suboptimal performance appears to be a substantial problem in this group of patients with suspected CTE after long-term exposure to organic solvents. Only 54% of our subjects obtained normal scores on both tests of malingering, i.e. at or above cut-off score. The two tests seemed to measure the same concept in that nearly all the subjects with low TOMM scores also had low ASTM scores. However, a higher proportion of subjects scored below the cut-off on the ASTM than on the TOMM.

Pitfalls in clinical assessment of neurotoxic diseases: negative effects of repeated diagnostic evaluation, illustrated by a clinical case.

Exposure to different toxic substances can have acute and chronic neurological and neuropsychiatric health effects on humans. Patients often report impaired concentration and memory, irritability, fatigue, instability of affect and difficulties in impulse control. The diagnostic process for neurotoxic diseases is complex and relies heavily on the exclusion of differential diagnosis and substantiating the cognitive complaints by neuropsychological assessment. Diagnostic evaluations have the purpose to help the patient by finding an explanation for the symptoms to guide treatment strategy or prevent further deterioration. But what if the diagnostic process in itself leads to problems that can be quite persistent and difficult to manage? The iatrogenic, or sick-making, side effects of the diagnostic process are the main focus of this case study.

Decision rules for assessment of chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy: Results in 2370 patients.

For the diagnosis of patients suspected of chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy (CSE), it would be helpful if the applied cognitive tests show a characteristic profile of impairment in this disease. We investigated the existence of such a profile. In 1997-2006 two expert teams in The Netherlands systematically examined 2370 patients referred for evaluation of suspected CSE. The procedure included two selection steps: (1) intake interview, using criteria of exposure, development of symptoms and absence of non-solvent causes, and (2) seven tests of the computerized Neurobehavioural Evaluation System (NES). Patients showing negligible impairments were considered free from CSE and were not further examined. The third step comprised a neuropsychological, neurological and exposure evaluation. Explicit decision rules for the diagnosis of CSE were developed, including a minimum score for cognitive impairment summarizing 25 cognitive tests. These rules were retroactively applied to 563 patients, comprising 513 patients who had regularly completed all diagnostic steps and a sample of 50 out of the approximately 450 patients with negligible impairments on the NES, who were fully examined. The data from this sample were extrapolated to the original number of 450. In the combined population of 963 patients, a calculated 301 patients were given the diagnosis 'Solely CSE', 242 'CSE and other disease', 158 'Other Disease' and 262 'No (known) disease'. In the Solely CSE patients, the most impaired tests regarded Verbal Fluency & -Similarities, Motor Speed and Simple Attention. A profile of test results that might support the identification of patients with CSE amongst the other referred patients, was not found. The diverging results of related cognitive tests indicate that the use of a core test battery is needed to improve comparability. We consider the decision rules as a step towards a more objective assessment of CSE.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic solvent induced encephalopathy (CSE).

INTRODUCTION: Long term occupational exposure to organic solvents may induce chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy (CSE), characterized by mild to severe cognitive impairment, generally seen as the key diagnostic feature. Psychiatric disorders are often diagnosed in subjects with CSE, but were never studied in more detail. This study was designed to establish the prevalence rates of DSM IV mood, anxiety, and alcohol and substance related disorders in patients with CSE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In CSE, n=203 (consecutively recruited between 2002 and 2005), defined according to the criteria of the World Health Organisation (WHO), one month prevalence rates of DSM IV mood, anxiety, and life time alcohol/substance related disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV disorders (SCID). These prevalences were compared with those from an age and gender matched community sample (n=3212) while controlling for insufficient neuropsychological test effort. RESULTS: In CSE, prevalence rates for major depressive disorder (n=36, relative risk (RR)=7.4), dysthymia (n=15, RR=6.0), panic disorders (n=18, RR=7.1), agoraphobia (n=7, RR=5.5) and generalized anxiety disorder (n=19, RR=15.8) were increased. Reduced prevalence rates were found for alcohol related disorders (n=21, RR=0.3). Insufficient neuropsychological test effort was not associated with increased prevalence rates of DSM IV disorders in subjects suspected of CSE. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, in this first large scale study in patients with CSE, prevalence rates of DSM IV mood and anxiety disorders were elevated as compared with those in the general community, while the prevalence rates of alcohol related disorders were reduced. Further study must determine whether CSE, and mood and anxiety disorders, share a same, solvent induced, neurobiological pathway, supporting the use of a more inclusive diagnostic approach. Additionally, randomised controlled trials are needed for the urgent issue of how to treat mood and anxiety disorders in CSE patients effectively.

Psychological treatment of patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy: lessons from studies of chronic fatigue and whiplash.

BACKGROUND: Chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE), which can result from long-term exposure to organic solvents, is characterized by problems of attention and memory, fatigue and affective symptoms. There is little experience with (neuro)psychological treatment in this patient group. We reviewed treatment outcome studies of CTE and comparable syndromes, namely, chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), with a view to providing recommendations for the psychological treatment of patients with CTE. METHODS: PubMed and PsychLIT were systematically searched and reference lists of retrieved articles were studied. The articles were classified according to study design and level of evidence. RESULTS: The studies of CFS provided high-level evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) in challenging dysfunctional cognitions regarding the effectiveness of rest and in stimulating graded activity. The studies of WAD were methodologically weaker, and most evaluated a combination of CBT and graded activity training. There was some evidence that changing fatigue- or pain-related behaviors may result in cognitive improvement. Two uncontrolled studies of CTE evaluated cognitive rehabilitation techniques but yielded inconsistent findings. CONCLUSIONS: CBT techniques focusing on changing illness attributions and on stimulating graded activity might be useful for patients with CTE, diminishing fatigue-related problems of concentration and memory. Future studies should evaluate whether cognitive deficits of CTE patients as a result of neurotoxic effects of exposure should be treated by cognitive rehabilitation.