Age-Related Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders: Experimental Models and Druggable Targets.

With the worldwide increase in life span, surgical patients are becoming older and have a greater propensity for postoperative cognitive impairment, either new onset or through deterioration of an existing condition; in both conditions, knowledge of the patient's preoperative cognitive function and postoperative cognitive trajectory is imperative. We describe the clinical utility of a tablet-based technique for rapid assessment of the memory and attentiveness domains required for executive function. The pathogenic mechanisms for perioperative neurocognitive disorders have been investigated in animal models in which excessive and/or prolonged postoperative neuroinflammation has emerged as a likely contender. The cellular and molecular species involved in postoperative neuroinflammation are the putative targets for future therapeutic interventions that are efficacious and do not interfere with the surgical patient's healing process.

Konectom™ cognitive processing speed test enables reliable remote, unsupervised cognitive assessment in people with multiple sclerosis: Exploring the use of substitution time as a novel digital outcome measure.

BACKGROUND: The Konectom™ smartphone-based cognitive processing speed (CPS) test is designed to assess processing speed and account for impact of visuomotor function on performance. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate reliability and validity of Konectom CPS Test, performed in clinic and remotely. METHODS: Data were collected from people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) aged 18-64 years and healthy control participants (HC) matched for age, sex, and education. Remote test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients, ICC); correlation with established clinical measures (Spearman correlation coefficients); group analyses between cognitively impaired/unimpaired PwMS; and influence of age, sex, education, and upper limb motor function on CPS Test measures were assessed. RESULTS: Eighty PwMS and 66 HC participated. CPS Test measures from remote tests had good test-retest reliability (ICC of 0.67-0.87) and correlated with symbol digit modalities test (highest |ρ| = 0.80, p < 0.0001). Remote measures were stable (change from baseline < 5%) and correlated with MS disability (highest |ρ| = 0.39, p = 0.0004) measured by Expanded Disability Status Scale. CPS Test measures displayed sensitivity to cognitive impairment (highest d = 1.47). Demographics and motor function had the lowest impact on CPS Test substitution time, a measure accounting for visuomotor function. CONCLUSION: Konectom CPS Test measures provide valid, reliable remote measurements of cognitive processing speed in PwMS.

Role of Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Is Universal Consultation Required?

INTRODUCTION: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion is prevalent among trauma patients, but symptoms vary. Assessing discharge safety is not standardized. At our institution, occupational therapy (OT) performs cognitive assessments for mTBI to determine discharge readiness, potentially increasing resource utilization. We aimed to describe characteristics and outcomes in mTBI trauma patients and hypothesized that OT consultation was associated with increased length of stay (LOS). METHODS: This is a retrospective study at a level 1 trauma center over 17 mo. All patients with mTBI, without significant concomitant injuries, were included. We collected data regarding OT assessment, LOS, mechanism of injury, Glasgow coma score, injury severity score (ISS), concussion symptoms, and patient disposition. Statistical analysis was performed, and significance was determined when P < 0.05. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty three patients were included. Median LOS was 1 d and ISS 5. Ninety percent were discharged home. The most common presenting symptom was loss of consciousness (85%). No symptoms were associated with differences in LOS or discharge disposition (P > 0.05). OT consult (n = 114, 49%) was associated with longer LOS and higher ISS (P < 0.01). Representation with concussive symptoms, discharge disposition, mechanism of injury, and patient demographics were no different regardless of OT consultation (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: mTBI is common and assessment for discharge safety is not standardized. OT cognitive assessment was associated with longer LOS and higher injury severity. Despite institutional culture, OT consultation was variable and not associated with improved concussion-related outcomes. Our data suggest that OT is not required for mTBI discharge readiness assessment. To improve resource utilization, more selective OT consultation should be considered. Further prospective data are needed to identify which patients would most benefit.

The Prognostic Test Accuracy of the Short and Standard Forms of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment is a critical concern in stroke care, and international guidelines recommend early cognitive screening. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic accuracy of both the short and standard forms of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in predicting long-term cognitive recovery following a stroke. METHODS: For this study, we used data from the Efficacy of Fluoxetine - a Randomized Controlled Trial in Stroke (EFFECTS) study, which encompassed stroke patients from 35 Swedish centers over the period from 2014 to 2019. Cognitive assessments were initially conducted at 2-15 days post-stroke, with follow-up data gathered at 6 months. We used the MoCA for objective cognitive evaluation. For assessing subjective cognitive impairment, we used the memory and thinking domain of the Stroke Impact Scale. For psychometric evaluation of the short Swedish version of MoCA (s-MoCA-SWE), we used cross tables and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The study included 1,141 patients (62.2% men; median [interquartile range; IQR] age, 72.3 [13.2] years; median [IQR] stroke severity, 3.0 [3.0]). At baseline, the prevalence of cognitive impairment was 71.7% according to the s-MoCA-SWE (≤12) and 67.0% according to the MoCA (≤25). The s-MoCA-SWE demonstrated a sensitivity of 92.3% for correctly identifying patients with objective cognitive impairment and 81.5% for identifying those with subjective impairments at 6 months. Although the s-MoCA-SWE had higher sensitivity, the MoCA had a more balanced sensitivity and specificity in detecting both subjective and objective cognitive impairments. In both crude and multivariable models, the s-MoCA-SWE was more strongly associated than the MoCA with cognitive impairment at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Both the short and standard versions of the MoCA appear to be effective in identifying individuals likely to experience persistent cognitive issues following a stroke. Considering the limited time available in an acute stroke unit, the short-form version may be more practical. Nevertheless, further prospective studies are required to validate these findings.

Measuring Change over Time on Cognitive Screening Measures: An Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of ACE-III, CBI-R, and EMQ for the Purpose of Dementia Screening.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive screening measures are an established part of a dementia assessment and often include measures of subjective difficulties, e.g., Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ), informant-rated difficulty, Cambridge Behavioural Inventory - Revised (CBI-R), and objective cognitive assessments like Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-III). While these measures have validity for the purpose of diagnosing dementia, in clinical practice they are often used outside of their evidence base for the purpose of cognitive re-assessment. The current study sought to evaluate the psychometric properties for the repeated use of these assessments. METHODS: This study used a longitudinal design, which included 49 healthy controls, 33 people with subjective memory difficulties, and 10 people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) being assessed twice, with approximately a 1-year interval between assessments. RESULTS: The EMQ has adequate re-test reliability (r = 0.78), but people with an AD diagnosis rated their memory as better than those with SMD, making it unsuitable as a measure. The CBI-R had moderate re-test reliability (r = 0.62). However, deterioration on the CBI-R was not useful for diagnosing AD. The ACE-III has high re-test reliability (r = 0.89). A change of five was associated with reasonable classification accuracy for identifying AD and achieved statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Using a 1-year interval, of the three measures used in this study, only the ACE-III total score may be a useful measure of change over time, although it should be applied cautiously due to the lack of representativeness of the sample, and change scores should always be triangulated with other forms of evidence of deterioration.

Comparative Performance of Five Cognitive Screening Tests in a Large Sample of Seniors.

INTRODUCTION: Recent introductions of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease have re-invigorated the cause of early dementia detection. Cognitive "paper and pencil" tests represent the bedrock of clinical assessment, because they are cheap, easy to perform, and do not require brain imaging or biological testing. Cognitive tests vary greatly in duration, complexity, sociolinguistic biases, probed cognitive domains, and their specificity and sensitivity of detecting cognitive impairment (CI). Consequently, an ecologically valid head-to-head comparison seems essential for evidence-based dementia screening. METHOD: We compared five tests: Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS), Addenbrooke's cognitive examination (ACE-III), euro-coin handling test (Eurotest), and image identification test (Phototest) on a large sample of seniors (N = 456, 77.9 ± 8 years, 71% females). Their specificity and sensitivity were estimated in a novel way by contrasting each test's outcome to the majority outcome across the remaining tests (comparative specificity and sensitivity calculation [CSSC]). This obviates the need for an a priori gold standard such as a clinically clear-cut sample of dementia/MCI/controls. We posit that the CSSC results in a more ecologically valid estimation of clinical performance while precluding biases resulting from different dementia/MCI diagnostic criteria and the proficiency in detecting these conditions. RESULTS: There exists a stark trade-off between behavioral test specificity and sensitivity. The test with the highest specificity had the lowest sensitivity, and vice versa. The comparative specificities and sensitivities were, respectively: Phototest (97%, 47%), Eurotest (94%, 55%), ADAS (90%, 68%), ACE-III (72%, 77%), MoCA (55%, 95%). CONCLUSION: Assuming a CI prevalence of 10%, the shortest (∼3 min) and the simplest instrument, the Phototest, was shown to have the best overall performance (accuracy 92%, PPV 66%, NPV 94%).

Evaluation of the Uniform Data Set version 3 teleneuropsychological measures.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have evaluated in-home teleneuropsychological (teleNP) assessment and none, to our knowledge, has evaluated the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center's (NACC) Uniform Data Set version 3 tele-adapted test battery (UDS v3.0 t-cog). The current study evaluates the reliability of the in-home UDS v3.0 t-cog with a prior in-person UDS v3.0 evaluation. METHOD: One hundred and eighty-one cognitively unimpaired or cognitively impaired participants from a longitudinal study of memory and aging completed an in-person UDS v3.0 and a subsequent UDS v3.0 t-cog evaluation (∼16 months apart) administered either via video conference (n = 122) or telephone (n = 59). RESULTS: We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between each time point for the entire sample. ICCs ranged widely (0.01-0.79) but were generally indicative of "moderate" (i.e., ICCs ranging from 0.5-0.75) to "good" (i.e., ICCs ranging from 0.75-0.90) agreement. Comparable ICCs were evident when looking only at those with stable diagnoses. However, relatively stronger ICCs (Range: 0.35-0.87) were found between similarly timed in-person UDS v3.0 evaluations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that most tests on the UDS v3.0 t-cog battery may serve as a viable alternative to its in-person counterpart, though reliability may be attenuated relative to the traditional in-person format. More tightly controlled studies are needed to better establish the reliability of these measures.

Identification of amnestic mild cognitive impairment among Black and White community-dwelling older adults using NIH Toolbox Cognition tablet battery.

OBJECTIVES: Identify which NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) subtest(s) best differentiate healthy controls (HC) from those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and compare the discriminant accuracy between a model using a priori "Norm Adjusted" scores versus "Unadjusted" standard scores with age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education controlled for within the model. Racial differences were also examined. METHODS: Participants were Black/African American (B/AA) and White consensus-confirmed (HC = 96; aMCI = 62) adults 60-85 years old that completed the NIHTB-CB for tablet. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) was used in the Total Sample and separately for B/AA (n = 80) and White participants (n = 78). RESULTS: Picture Sequence Memory (an episodic memory task) was the highest loading coefficient across all DFA models. When stratified by race, differences were noted in the pattern of the highest loading coefficients within the DFAs. However, the overall discriminant accuracy of the DFA models in identifying HCs and those with aMCI did not differ significantly by race (B/AA, White) or model/score type (Norm Adjusted versus Unadjusted). CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences were noted despite the use of normalized scores or demographic covariates-highlighting the importance of including underrepresented groups in research. While the models were fairly accurate at identifying consensus-confirmed HCs, the models proved less accurate at identifying White participants with an aMCI diagnosis. In clinical settings, further work is needed to optimize computerized batteries and the use of NIHTB-CB norm adjusted scores is recommended. In research settings, demographically corrected scores or within model correction is suggested.

A Comparison of Test-Retest Reliability and Practice Effects of Short Portable Mental State Questionnaire and Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Patients with Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the test-retest reliabilities and minimal detectable change (MDC) of the Short Portable Mental State Questionnaire (SPMSQ) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in patients with stroke. METHODS: 63 patients were recruited from 1 medical center. The SPMSQ and MoCA were administered twice, 2 weeks apart. RESULTS: Both measures showed high intraclass correlation coefficients (SPMSQ: 0.87; MoCA: 0.89) and acceptable MDC%s (SPMSQ: 14.8%; MoCA: 19.6%). A small correlation (r = 0.30) was found between the absolute difference and average in each pair of assessments in the SPMSQ, which was close to the criterion of heteroscedasticity. A small practice effect was observed in the MoCA (Cohen's d = 0.30). CONCLUSION: The SPMSQ demonstrated smaller random measurement error and an absence of practice effect. When comparing the psychometric properties of the SPMSQ and MoCA as outcome measures for assessing cognitive function in patients with stroke, the SPMSQ appears to be a more suitable choice than the MoCA.

Exploring the link between tooth loss, cognitive function, and brain wellness in the context of healthy aging.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of using MRI-derived tooth count, an indirect and nonspecific indicator of oral/periodontal health, and brain age gap (BAG), an MRI-based measure of premature brain aging, in predicting cognition in a population of otherwise healthy adults. METHODS: This retrospective study utilized data from 329 participants from the University of South Carolina's Aging Brain Cohort Repository. Participants underwent neuropsychological testing including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), completed an oral/periodontal health questionnaire, and submitted to high-resolution structural MRI imaging. The study compared variability on cognitive scores (MoCA) accounted for by MRI-derived BAG, MRI-derived total tooth count, and self-reported oral/periodontal health. RESULTS: We report a significant positive correlation between the total number of teeth and MoCA total scores after controlling for age, sex, and race, indicating a robust relationship between tooth count and cognition, r(208) = .233, p < .001. In a subsample of participants identified as being at risk for MCI (MoCA <= 25, N = 36) inclusion of MRI-based tooth count resulted in an R2 change of .192 (H0 = 0.138 → H1 = 0.330), F(1,31) = 8.86, p = .006. Notably, inclusion of BAG, a valid and reliable measure of overall brain health, did not significantly improve prediction of MoCA scores in similar linear regression models. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the idea that inclusion of MRI-based total tooth count may enhance the ability to predict clinically meaningful differences in cognitive abilities in healthy adults. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence linking oral/periodontal health with cognitive function.

Exploring variability in cognitive functioning in patients with spinal muscular atrophy: a scoping review.

The cognitive functioning of individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is not well understood, prompting a call for more research to better grasp cognitive involvement in SMA. This study aims to explore recent findings regarding cognitive outcomes in SMA patients, including correlations between clinical features and cognitive abilities. The investigation seeks to identify commonly used measures for assessing cognitive function in this patient population. A scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology examined literature until December 2023. Two databases were searched along with relevant article references using specific terms such as "spinal muscular atrophy," "SMA," "cognitive," "abilities," "functions," "intellective," or "intellectual." Screening focused on titles and abstracts from English language peer-reviewed journals. After the initial research, 1452 articles were identified. Subsequent screening and selection led to the inclusion of 13 articles in the review. Among these studies, four indicated a cognitive trend within the normal range for SMA patients. In four other studies, the majority of patients fell within the normal range. However, smaller proportions were observed to be either above or below the norm compared to the controls. Three studies reported noted cognitive performance below the average, while two showed above-average scores. The scoping review suggests that most SMA patients have cognitive abilities similar to the general population, with types II and III showing even lesser impact. However, certain cognitive domains may be affected in type I patients, highlighting the need for further research to fully understand cognitive involvement in SMA.

Validity, diagnostics and feasibility of the Italian version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in Huntington's disease.

BACKGROUND: This study is aimed at assessing the clinimetric properties and feasibility of the Italian version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). METHODS: N = 39 motor-manifest HD patients, N = 74 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and N = 92 matched HCs were administered the MoCA. HD patients further underwent the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS), self-report questionnaires for anxiety and depression and a battery of first- and second-level cognitive tests. Construct validity was tested against cognitive and behavioural/psychiatric measures, whereas ecological validity against motor-functional subscales of the UHDRS. Sensitivity to disease severity was tested, via a logistic regression, by exploring whether the MoCA discriminated between patients in Shoulson-Fahn stage ≤ 2 vs. > 2. The same analysis was employed to test its ability to discriminate HD patients from HCs and PD patients. RESULTS: The MoCA converged towards cognitive and behavioural measures but diverged from psychiatric ones, being also associated with motor/functional measures from the UHDRS. In identifying patients with cognitive impairment, adjusted MoCA scores were highly accurate (AUC = .92), yielding optimal diagnostics at the cut-off of < 19.945 (J = .78). The MoCA was able to discriminate patients in the middle-to-advanced from those in the early-to-middle stages of the disease (p = .037), as well as to differentiate HD patients from both HCs (p < .001) and PD patients (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The MoCA is a valid, diagnostically sound and feasible cognitive screener in motor-manifest HD patients, whose adoption is thus encouraged in clinical practice and research.

Association between serum magnesium levels and cognitive function in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and cognitive function remains largely unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between CKD-MBD and cognitive function in patients on hemodialysis. METHODS: Hemodialysis patients aged ≥ 65 years without diagnosed dementia were included. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). CKD-MBD markers, serum magnesium, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23, and soluble α-klotho were measured. RESULTS: Overall, 390 patients with a median age of 74 (interquartile range, 70-80) years, mean serum magnesium level of 2.4 ± 0.3 mg/dL, and median MoCA and MMSE scores of 25 (22-26) and 28 (26-29), respectively, were analyzed. MoCA and MMSE scores were significantly higher (preserved cognitive function) in the high-magnesium group than in the low-magnesium group according to the unadjusted linear regression analysis (ß coefficient [95% confidence interval (CI)] 1.05 [0.19, 1.92], P = 0.017 for MoCA; 1.2 [0.46, 1.94], P = 0.002 for MMSE) and adjusted multivariate analysis with risk factors for dementia (ß coefficient [95% CI] 1.12 [0.22, 2.02], P = 0.015 for MoCA; 0.92 [0.19, 1.65], P = 0.014 for MMSE). CONCLUSIONS: Higher serum magnesium levels might be associated with preserved cognitive function in hemodialysis patients. Conversely, significant associations were not observed between cognitive function and intact PTH, 25-OHD, FGF-23, or soluble α-klotho levels.

Neurocognitive Function with Conventional Hemodialysis versus Post-Dilution Hemofiltration as Initial Treatment in ESKD Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial - The DA-VINCI Study.

INTRODUCTION: The ideal modality choice and dialysis prescription during the first renal replacement therapy (RRT) session remain unclear. We conducted a pilot study to determine the safety risk for hemodialysis (HD) versus hemofiltration (HF) and its relationship with neurocognitive assessment on incident RRT patients. METHODS: Twenty-four incident RRT patients were included. Patients were randomized to the conventional HD group or post-dilution HF group. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) tests were applied in all patients before and after session, and brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) was performed in 7 patients from the conventional HD group and 8 patients from the post-dilution HF group before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Compared to conventional HD, post-dilution HF had longer treatment time. There were no significant changes in blood pressure after RRT in both groups. The MMSE test showed no significant differences between groups or within groups. The MOCA test showed an increase in the total score for the post-dilution HF group with no significant changes between groups. The MRI evaluation showed no differences between or within groups. CONCLUSION: Post-dilution HF is a safe alternative for the first HD session in incident RRT; it allows longer treatment time if ultrafiltration is required and has a similar neurological risk than conventional HD. This is a pilot study and that larger studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Longitudinal Feasibility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in Non-Demented ALS Patients.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed at testing the longitudinal feasibility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in an Italian cohort of non-demented amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. METHODS: N = 39 non-demented ALS patients were followed-up at a 5-to-10-month interval (M = 6.8; SD = 1.4) with the MoCA and the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS). Practice effects, test-retest reliability, and predictive validity (against follow-up ECAS scores) were assessed. Reliable change indices (RCIs) were derived via a regression-based approach by accounting for retest interval and baseline confounders (i.e., demographics, disease duration, and severity and progression rate). RESULTS: At retest, 100% and 69.2% of patients completed the ECAS and the MoCA, respectively. Patients who could not complete the MoCA showed a slightly more severe and fast-progressing disease. The MoCA was not subject to practice effects (t[32] = -0.80; p = 0.429) and was reliable at retest (intra-class correlation = 0.82). Moreover, baseline MoCA scores predicted the ECAS at retest. RCIs were successfully derived - with baseline MoCA scores being the only significant predictor of retest performances (ps < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: As long as motor disabilities do not undermine its applicability, the MoCA appears to be longitudinally feasible at a 5-to-10-month interval in non-demented ALS patients. However, ALS-specific screeners - such as the ECAS - should be preferred whenever possible.

Determining optimal cutoff scores of Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument to identify dementia and mild cognitive impairment in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The early detection of dementia depends on efficient methods for the assessment of cognitive capacity. Existing cognitive screening tools are ill-suited to the differentiation of cognitive status, particularly when dealing with early-stage impairment. METHODS: The study included 8,979 individuals (> 50 years) with unimpaired cognitive functions, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia. This study sought to determine optimal cutoffs values for the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) aimed at differentiating between individuals with or without dementia as well as between individuals with or without mild cognitive impairment. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the value of CASI tasks in predicting conversion from MCI to all-cause dementia, dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT), or to vascular dementia (VaD). RESULTS: Our optimized cutoff scores achieved high accuracy in differentiating between individuals with or without dementia (AUC = 0.87-0.93) and moderate accuracy in differentiating between CU and MCI individuals (AUC = 0.67 - 0.74). Among individuals without cognitive impairment, scores that were at least 1.5 × the standard deviation below the mean scores on CASI memory tasks were predictive of conversion to dementia within roughly 2 years after the first assessment (all-cause dementia: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.81 - 3.53; DAT: 1.28 - 1.49; VaD: 1.58). Note that the cutoff scores derived in this study were lower than those reported in previous studies. CONCLUSION: Our results in this study underline the importance of establishing optimal cutoff scores for individuals with specific demographic characteristics and establishing profiles by which to guide CASI analysis.

Diagnostic accuracy of BASIC-Q for detection of cognitive impairment in a primary care setting - a cross-validation study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of a new, brief questionnaire, 'Brief Assessment of Impaired Cognition- Questionnaire' (BASIC-Q) for detection of cognitive impairment, primarily developed for use in primary care. BASIC-Q has three components: Self-report, Informant report, and Orientation. Self-report and Orientation are completed by the individual and Informant report is answered by a close relative. METHODS: We included 275 participants ≥ 70 years, without a prior diagnosis of dementia, and with a close relative who agreed to participate as an informant. Participants were included prospectively in 14 general practices in urban and rural Denmark using a convenience sampling method. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), the informant-completed Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) and reported memory concern were used as a reference standard for the classification of the participants' cognitive function. RESULTS: BASIC-Q demonstrated a fair to good diagnostic accuracy to differentiate between people with cognitive impairment and normal cognition with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.84 (95% CI 0.79-0.89) and a sensitivity and specificity of 0.80 (95% CI 0.72-0.87) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.63-0.78). A prorated BASIC-Q score derived from BASIC-Q without Informant report had significantly lower classification accuracy than the full BASIC-Q. The test-retest reliability of BASIC-Q was good with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.84. CONCLUSION: BASIC-Q is a brief, easy-to-use questionnaire for identification of cognitive impairment in older adults. It demonstrated fair to good classification accuracy in a general practice setting and can be a useful case-finding tool when suspecting dementia in primary health care.

Early postoperative neurocognitive complications in elderly patients: comparing those with and without preexisting mild cognitive impairment- a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: As societies age, increasing numbers of older adults undergo surgeries with anesthesia. Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) frequently occur in older surgical patients. Most of these patients already have preoperative mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, the correlation between MCI and POD remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the incidence of POD in elderly patients with and without preexisting MCI. METHODS: A prospective study enrolled patients aged 60 years and above scheduled for major surgeries between December 2017 and April 2022. Preoperative MCI was determined by a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score between 18 and 24. POD was diagnosed using criteria from the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). POCD was characterized by a MoCA score reduction of 2 or more points from the preoperative score. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD within the first 72 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes encompassed other postoperative complications, including POCD. RESULTS: The study comprised 223 elderly patients with MCI and 56 without MCI. The incidence of POD was 16.6% in the MCI group and 14.3% in the non-MCI group (P = 0.839). POCD occurred in 24.3% of MCI patients and 50% of non-MCI patients (P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in other postoperative complications between the groups. Postoperatively, the MCI group notably declined in visuospatial, attention, and orientation domains, while the non-MCI group declined in all domains except delayed recall. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of POD was similar in the MCI and non-MCI groups. However, the non-MCI group demonstrated a higher incidence of POCD than the MCI group. This was identified by a reduction in postoperative MoCA scores for the visuospatial, naming, attention, language, abstraction, and orientation domains. These findings underscore the importance of postoperative cognitive assessments for both elderly patients with preexisting MCI and those with previously intact cognitive functions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was retrospectively registered in the Thai Clinical Trials Registry on 15/01/2019 (registration number: TCTR20190115001).

Augmenting Blood Test and Periodontal Examination Data with Generative Adversarial Networks for Enhanced Dementia Risk Prediction.

This study investigates the effectiveness of data augmentation to improve dementia risk prediction using deep neural networks (DNNs). Previous research has shown that basic blood test data were cost-effective and crucial in predicting cognitive function, as indicated by mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores. However, creating models that can accommodate various conditions is a significant challenge due to constraints related to blood test and MMSE results, such as high costs, limited sample size, and missing data from specific tests not conducted in certain facilities. Periodontal examinations have also emerged as a cost-effective tool for mass screening. To address these issues, this study explores the use of generative adversarial networks (GANs) for generating synthesised data from blood test and periodontal examination results. We used DNNs with four hidden layers to compare prediction accuracy between real and GAN-synthesised data from 108 participants at Nihon University Itabashi Hospital. The GAN-synthesised DNNs achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.91 ± 0.30 compared to 2.04 ± 0.37 for real data, indicating improved accuracy with synthesised data. Importantly, synthesised data showcased enhanced robustness against missing important variables including age information, and better managed data imbalances. Considering the difficulties in amassing extensive medical data, the augmentation approach is promising in refining dementia risk prediction.

Should we screen aging physicians for cognitive decline?

OBJECTIVES: To synthesize evidence relevant for informed decisions concerning cognitive testing of older physicians. METHODS: Relevant literature was systematically searched in Medline, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and ERIC, with key findings abstracted and synthesized. RESULTS: Cognitive abilities of physicians may decline in an age range where they are still practicing. Physician competence and clinical performance may also decline with age. Cognitive scores are lower in physicians referred for assessment because of competency or performance concerns. Many physicians do not accurately self-assess and continue to practice despite declining quality of care; however, perceived cognitive decline, although not an accurate indicator of ability, may accelerate physicians' decision to retire. Physicians are reluctant to report colleagues' cognitive problems. Several issues should be considered in implementing cognitive screening. Most cognitive assessment tools lack normative data for physicians. Scientific evidence linking cognitive test results with physician performance is limited. There is no known level of cognitive decline at which a doctor is no longer fit to practice. Finally, relevant domains of cognitive ability vary across medical specialties. CONCLUSION: Physician cognitive decline may impact clinical performance. If cognitive assessment of older physicians is to be implemented, it should consider challenges of cognitive test result interpretation.