Executive functions in Parkinson's disease / Funções executivas na doença de Parkinson / Funciones ejecutivas en la enfermedad de Parkinson

The objective of this study was to investigate executive functions (EFs) in older adults with Parkinson's disease (PD). It was a cross-sectional and comparative study, composed of 62 participants divided into PD group (n = 31; M age = 75.26; SD age = 7.26) and control group (n = 31; M age = 74.03; SD age = 6.95), aged 61 to 93 years, recruited for convenience in 5 cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The instruments used were a sociodemographic data questionnaire; MMSE; GDS-15; BIS-11; verbal fluency tasks (FAS and animals), DEX; WCST-64 and FDT. Descriptive analyzes and Student's t and Chi-square tests were used. The PD group had a lower performance in the WCST-64 and FDT tests compared to controls, indicating worse performance in tasks that required reasoning, cognitive flexibility and processing speed, in addition, showed difficulties in performing tasks that require EF (DEX). (AU)

O objetivo foi investigar as funções executivas (FE) em idosos com Doença de Parkinson (DP). Estudo transversal e comparativo, composto por 62 participantes, 50% do sexo feminino, recrutados por conveniência em cinco cidades do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, e divididos em dois grupos: com DP (n = 31; Midade = 75,26; DP idade = 7,26) e grupo controle (n = 31; M idade = 74,03; DP idade = 6,95), com idade entre 61 e 93 anos. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: questionário de dados sociodemográficos, MEEM; GDS-15; BIS-11; tarefas de fluência verbal (FAS e animais); DEX; WCST-64 e FDT. Foram utilizadas análises descritivas e os testes t de Student e Qui-quadrado. O grupo com DP teve desempenho inferior nos testes WCST-64 e FDT em comparação aos controles, indicando pior desempenho nas tarefas que exigiam raciocínio, flexibilidade cognitiva e velocidade de processamento, além disso, mostraram dificuldades ao realizar tarefas que demandam FE (DEX). (AU)

El objetivo de este trabajo fue investigar las funciones ejecutivas (FE) en ancianos con enfermedad de Parkinson (EP). Se trató de un estudio transversal y comparativo, compuesto por 62 participantes, 50% mujeres, reclutados por conveniencia en cinco ciudades de la provincia de Rio Grande do Sul, y divididos en dos grupos: con EP (n = 31; M edad = 75,26; DS edad = 7,26) y grupo control (n = 31; M edad = 74,03; DS edad = 6,95). Fueron usados cuestionarios de datos sociodemográficos, MEEM, GDS-15; BIS-11; tareas de fluencia verbal (FAS y animales), DEX; WCST-64 y FDT. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos, prueba t de Student y chi-cuadrado. El grupo EP tuvo un rendimiento más bajo en las pruebas WCST-64 y FDT en comparación con el grupo control, lo que indica un peor rendimiento en tareas que requerían razonamiento, flexibilidad cognitiva y velocidad de procesamiento, además, mostró dificultades para realizar tareas que demandan FE (DEX). (AU)

Demographically adjusted normative data for the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64 item: Results from the Neuropsychological Norms for the U.S.-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) project.

OBJECTIVE: The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is among the most commonly used tests of executive functioning. We aimed to generate normative data on the 64-item version of this test (WCST-64) for Spanish-speakers living in the U.S.-Mexico Border region. METHODS: Participants included 189 native Spanish-speakers (Age: 19-60; Education: 0-20; 59.3% female) from the Neuropsychological Norms for the U.S.-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) project who completed the WCST-64. Univariable and interactive associations between demographic variables and raw scores were examined via Spearman correlations, Wilcoxon Rank-sum tests and linear regressions. T-scores for various WCST-64 measures (Total Errors, Perseverative Responses, Perseverative Errors, Conceptual Level Responses and Number of Categories) were obtained using fractional polynomial equations with weights for age, education, and gender. Percentile scores were reported for Failures to Maintain Set. Rates of impairment (T-score < 40) were calculated by applying the newly developed norms and published norms for non-Hispanic English-speaking Whites and Blacks. RESULTS: Older age was associated with worse performance and education was linked to better performance on most WCST-64 raw scores, with stronger education effects among females than males. The norms developed here resulted in expected rates of impairment (14-16% across measures). Applying published norms for non-Hispanic Blacks resulted in generally comparable impairment rates. In contrast, applying previously published norms for non-Hispanic Whites overestimated impairment (38-52% across measures). CONCLUSIONS: These data will enhance interpretation performance on the WCST-64 for Spanish-speakers living in the U.S.-Mexico Border region. Future work will need to examine the generalizability of these norms to other Hispanic/Latino groups.

Normative data of neuropsychological tests of attention and executive functions in Ecuadorian adult population.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to generate normative data for five tests of attention and executive functions (M-WCST, Stroop test, TMT, BTA, and SDMT), in a group of 322 Ecuadorian adults from Quito between the ages of 18 and 85. METHOD: Multiple regression analyzes taking into account age, education, and gender were used to generate the normative data. RESULTS: Age and education were significantly related to test performance such that scores decreased with age and improved as a function of education. An online calculator is provided to generate normative test scores. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that presents normative data for tests of executive functions and attention in an Ecuadorian adult population. This data will improve the clinical practice of neuropsychology and help to develop the field in the country.

Age, education and gender effects on Wisconsin card sorting test: standardization, reliability and validity in healthy Argentinian adults.

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a widely used neuropsychological assessment of executive functioning. The aim of this study was to provide norm values and analyze the psychometric properties of WCST in healthy Argentinian adults aged from 18 to 89 years old (N = 235). Descriptive statistics are reported as means, standard deviations and percentiles, with the effects of age, education and gender being investigated by ANOVA, and with the effect sizes being calculated. The psychometrics were studied using the WCST structure, reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity, and WCST norms adjusted for age and educational level are proposed. This instrument is a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of executive functions. However, as the age- and educational-related effects were demonstrated, these characteristics need to be considered before interpreting WCST scores. Regarding gender, no differences were found. Our results expand the geographical and sociocultural applicability of WCST.

Computerized versus manual versions of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: Implications with typically developing and ADHD children.

The aims of Study 1 (S1) were (a) to compare the task performance of 361 typically developing (TD) children aged 7 to 12 years, according to the mode of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) administration (manual vs. computerized) and b) to examine the contributions of executive functions (EFs) (i.e., working memory [WM], shifting and inhibition) to each WCST version. The objectives of Study 2 (S2) were (a) to study the comparability of the results obtained from the manual version to the results from the computer version in 43 children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and (b) to compare task performance on both versions between children with ADHD and TD children. The effect of age was only significant for the manual WCST. Regression analyses revealed that WM and shifting contributed to manual WCST performance, whereas WM and inhibition contributed to the performance on the computer version. We observed differences depending on the WCST mode of administration, as better scores for the manual version were recorded for both TD children and children with ADHD, despite similar performance on tasks involving other EFs. Additionally, children with ADHD performed worse than TD children on both versions. Our findings suggest that verbal face-to-face interactions would play a significant role in supporting children's abilities to solve novel situations characterized by uncertainty.

Neuropsychological and educational profile of children with dyscalculia and dyslexia: a comparative study / Perfil neuropsicológico e escolar de crianças com discalculia e dislexia: estudo comparativo / Perfil neuropsicológico y educativo de los niños con discalculia y dislexia: estudio comparativo

This paper aims to compare the neuropsychological and educational profiles of Brazilian children with dyscalculia (n = 8), dyslexia (n = 13) and without learning disabilities (n = 12). The neuropsychological profile was composed of: (a) intelligence - assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III); (b) attention - WISC-III Coding and Symbol Search subtests; (c) executive functions - Digit Span (backward order) and WISC-III Arithmetic subtests, Pseudoword Repetition Test for Brazilian Children, Stroop Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; (d) memory - WISC-III Digit Span subtest (forward order) and Rey Complex Figures. The educational profile was composed of reading, writing and mathematics, assessed by the Academic Performance Test and the Arithmetic Test. It was found that the groups with dyscalculia and dyslexia did not differentiate in any of the neuropsychological abilities, only in the reading and writing abilities. Neuropsychological variables that could explain these results were discussed. (AU)

Objetivou-se comparar os perfis neuropsicológico e escolar de crianças brasileiras com discalculia (n = 8), dislexia (n = 13) e sem dificuldades escolares (n = 12). O perfil neuropsicológico foi composto por: (a) inteligência: avaliada pela Escala de Inteligência Wechsler para Crianças (WISC-III); (b) atenção: subtestes Códigos e Procurar Símbolos da WISC-III; (c) funções executivas: subtestes Dígitos (ordem inversa) e Aritmética da WISC-III, Teste de Repetição de Pseudopalavras para Crianças Brasileiras, Teste de Stroop e Teste Wisconsin de Classificação de Cartas; (d) memória: subteste Dígitos (ordem direta) da WISC-III e Figuras Complexas de Rey. O perfil escolar foi composto por leitura, escrita e matemática, avaliado pelo Teste de Desempenho Escolar e pela Prova de Aritmética. Verificou-se que os grupos com discalculia e com dislexia não se diferenciaram em nenhuma das habilidades neuropsicológicas, somente nas habilidades escolares de leitura e escrita. Variáveis neuropsicológicas que pudessem explicar esses desempenhos intergrupos foram discutidas. (AU)

El objetivo de este trabajo fue comparar los perfiles neuropsicológicos y escolares de niños brasileños con Discalculia (n = 8), Dislexia (n = 13) y niños sin dificultades escolares (n = 12). El perfil neuropsicológico fue compuesto por: (a) inteligencia: evaluada por Escala de Inteligencia Wechsler para Niños (WISC-III); (b) atención: subtests Códigos y Búsqueda de Símbolos de la WISC-III; (c) funciones ejecutivas: subtests Dígitos (orden inverso) y Aritmética de la WISC-III, Test de Repetición de Pseudopalabras para Niños Brasileños, Test de Stroop y Test Wisconsin de Clasificación de Cartas; (d) memoria: subtest Dígitos (orden directo) de la WISC-III y Figuras Complejas de Rey. El perfil escolar fue compuesto por lectura, escritura y matemática, evaluado por el Test de Desempeño Escolar y por la Prueba de Aritmética. Se verificó que los grupos con Discalculia y con Dislexia no se diferenciaron en ninguna de las habilidades neuropsicológicas, sólo en las habilidades escolares de lectura y escritura. Fueron discutidas variables neuropsicológicas que pueden explicar esos desempeños intergrupales. (AU)

Influencia de la memoria de trabajo y la flexibilidad cognitiva en la ejecución de la tarea balloon analogue risk task / Influence of Working Memory and Cognitive Flexibility in Performance of the Balloon Analogue Risk task

Diversos estudios plantean la importancia que tienen las funciones ejecutivas como la flexibilidad cognitiva, la inhibición y la memoria de trabajo en la toma de decisiones. En este estudio se pretende valorar si la memoria de trabajo y la flexibilidad cognitiva, procesos cognitivos presentes en la toma de decisiones, pueden explicar las alteraciones en el rendimiento de los pacientes con daño cerebral adquirido (DCA) en la Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). A 73 pacientes con DCA se les administró la BART, el Trail Making Test (TMTB) y el Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), para valorar la flexibilidad cognitiva; y el subtest Letras y Números (LN) del WAIS-III para evaluar la memoria de trabajo. Los mismos test fueron administrados a un grupo control de 30 sujetos sin DCA. En el grupo clínico, las variables neuropsicológicas estudiadas incluidas para explicar la variación del BART$ fueron TMTB, p < .001, y WCST, p <.001. Observamos que únicamente la flexibilidad cognitiva valorada con WCST y TMTB pudo explicar las alteraciones en el rendimiento de los pacientes con DCA en la BART. Por tanto, es lógico pensar que si el rendimiento de la BART depende de la flexibilidad cognitiva de estos pacientes, entonces es de esperar que dicha capacidad sea un buen factor predictivo en la toma de decisiones.

A number of studies have raised the importance of certain executive functions such as attention, cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, and working memory in decision-making. The purpose of this study is to prove whether or not working memory and cognitive flexibility, capacities present in decision-making, can explain the changes in the performance of patients with acquired brain damage in Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). 73 patients with adult Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) were assessed with the BART, Trail Making Test B (TMTB), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) to asses cognitive flexibility; and subtest Letter-Number (LN) of WAIS -III to asses working memory. The same test was administered to a control group of 30 subjects without ABI. In the clinical group, the only variables studied that were included to explain the variation in BART$ were TMTB, p < .001, and WCST, p < .001. We observe that changes in the performance of our patients with ABD in BART could only be explained by cognitive flexibility. Therefore we can conclude that performance in BART depends on the cognitive flexibility of these patients; therefore, it is to be expected that this capacity will be a good predictor of decision-making.