Haloperidol increases false recognition memory of thematically related pictures in healthy volunteers.

Dopamine can modulate long-term episodic memory. Its potential role on the generation of false memories, however, is less well known. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment, 24 young healthy volunteers ingested a 4-mg oral dose of haloperidol, a dopamine D2 -receptor antagonist, or placebo, before taking part in a recognition memory task. Haloperidol was active during both study and test phases of the experiment. Participants in the haloperidol group produced more false recognition responses than those in the placebo group, despite similar levels of correct recognition. These findings show that dopamine blockade in healthy volunteers can specifically increase false recognition memory.

Effects of Sulpiride on True and False Memories of Thematically Related Pictures and Associated Words in Healthy Volunteers.

Episodic memory, working memory, emotional memory, and attention are subject to dopaminergic modulation. However, the potential role of dopamine on the generation of false memories is unknown. This study defined the role of the dopamine D2 receptor on true and false recognition memories. Twenty-four young, healthy volunteers ingested a single dose of placebo or 400 mg oral sulpiride, a dopamine D2-receptor antagonist, just before starting the recognition memory task in a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. The sulpiride group presented more false recognitions during visual and verbal processing than the placebo group, although both groups had the same indices of true memory. These findings demonstrate that dopamine D2 receptors blockade in healthy volunteers can specifically increase the rate of false recognitions. The findings fit well the two-process view of causes of false memories, the activation/monitoring failures model.

Versões Alternativas do Subteste Memória Lógica da WMS-R: análise de desempenho de uma amostra saudável da cidade de São Paulo / Alternative Versions of the Logical Memory Subtest of the WMS-R: performance analyses of a healthy sample from the city of São Paulo

O teste Memória Lógica da Wechsler Memory Scale - Revised (WMS-R) é amplamente utilizado na prática clínica como instrumento de avaliação da memória verbal. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar as propriedades psicométricas iniciais de versões alternativas das histórias traduzidas e livremente adaptadas da WMS-R empregadas no Brasil: três histórias equiparáveis à história Ana Soares e três à de Roberto Mota. A amostra foi constituída de 655 universitários, com idades entre 18 e 35 anos. Foi solicitada a recordação livre imediata e tardia (após 30 min) de cada história, original e alternativas. A análise de equivalência entre a recordação imediata e tardia das histórias alternativas e originais mostrou que cinco histórias foram memorizadas de forma equiparável às histórias originais se aplicadas individualmente. A recordação de três pares dessas histórias alternativas também foi equivalente à recordação do par original. Uma análise utilizando a Teoria de Resposta ao Item apontou os itens com melhor índice discriminativo. Assim, propõe-se histórias alternativas às do WMS-R que poderão ser usadas em estudos de normatização.

The Logical Memory test of the Wechsler Memory Scale - Revised (WMS-R) is widely used in clinical practice as a tool for verbal memory assessment. The aim of this study was to examine the initial psychometric properties of alternative versions of the stories translated and freely adapted from WMS -R used in Brazil: three stories comparable to Ana Soares' and three to Roberto Mota's stories. The sample consisted of 655 adults aged between 18 and 35 years. Immediate and delayed free recall of each original and alternative story was requested. The analysis of equivalence between the recall of alternative and original stories showed that five stories proved equivalent to the original stories, if applied individually. Recall of three pairs of these alternative stories was also equivalent to that of the original pair. An analysis using Item Response Theory (IRT) showed the items with best discriminative index. Therefore, the alternative stories proposed here can be used in normalization studies.

Late positive slow waves as markers of chunking during encoding.

Electrophysiological markers of chunking of words during encoding have mostly been shown in studies that present pairs of related stimuli. In these cases it is difficult to disentangle cognitive processes that reflect distinctiveness (i.e., conspicuous items because they are related), perceived association between related items and unified representations of various items, or chunking. Here, we propose a paradigm that enables the determination of a separate Event-related Potential (ERP) marker of these cognitive processes using sequentially related word triads. Twenty-three young healthy individuals viewed 80 15-word lists composed of unrelated items except for the three words in the middle serial positions (triads), which could be either unrelated (control list), related perceptually, phonetically or semantically. ERP amplitudes were measured at encoding of each one of the words in the triads. We analyzed two latency intervals (350-400 and 400-800 ms) at midline locations. Behaviorally, we observed a progressive facilitation in the immediate free recall of the words in the triads depending on the relations between their items (control < perceptual < phonetic < semantic), but only semantically related items were recalled as chunks. P300-like deflections were observed for perceptually deviant stimuli. A reduction of amplitude of a component akin to the N400 was found for words that were phonetically and semantically associated with prior items and therefore were not associated to chunking. Positive slow wave (PSW) amplitudes increased as successive phonetically and semantically related items were presented, but they were observed earlier and were more prominent at Fz for semantic associates. PSWs at Fz and Cz also correlated with recall of semantic word chunks. This confirms prior claims that PSWs at Fz are potential markers of chunking which, in the proposed paradigm, were modulated differently from the detection of deviant stimuli and of relations between stimuli.

Contrasting group analysis of Brazilian students with dyslexia and good readers using the computerized reading and writing assessment battery "BALE".

The analysis of cognitive processes underpinning reading and writing skills may help to distinguish different reading ability profiles. The present study used a Brazilian reading and writing battery to compare performance of students with dyslexia with two individually matched control groups: one contrasting on reading competence but not age and the other group contrasting on age but not reading competence. Participants were 28 individuals with dyslexia (19 boys) with a mean age of 9.82 (SD ± 1.44) drawn from public and private schools. These were matched to: (1) an age control group (AC) of 26 good readers with a mean age of 9.77 (SD ± 1.44) matched by age, sex, years of schooling, and type of school; (2) reading control group (RC) of 28 younger controls with a mean age of 7.82 (SD ± 1.06) matched by sex, type of school, and reading level. All groups were tested on four tasks from the Brazilian Reading and Writing Assessment battery ("BALE"): Written Sentence Comprehension Test (WSCT); Spoken Sentence Comprehension Test (OSCT); Picture-Print Writing Test (PPWT 1.1-Writing); and the Reading Competence Test (RCT). These tasks evaluate reading and listening comprehension for sentences, spelling, and reading isolated words and pseudowords (non-words). The dyslexia group scored lower and took longer to complete tasks than the AC group. Compared with the RC group, there were no differences in total scores on reading or oral comprehension tasks. However, dyslexics presented slower reading speeds, longer completion times, and lower scores on spelling tasks, even compared with younger controls. Analysis of types of errors on word and pseudoword reading items showed students with dyslexia scoring lower for pseudoword reading than the other two groups. These findings suggest that the dyslexics overall scores were similar to those of younger readers. However, specific phonological and visual decoding deficits showed that the two groups differ in terms of underpinning reading strategies.

Sensory processing abilities of children with ADHD

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the sensory processing abilities of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children without disabilities, and to analyze the relationship between sensory processing difficulties and behavioural symptoms presented by children with ADHD. METHOD : Thirty-seven children with ADHD were compared with thirty-seven controls using a translated and adapted version of the "Sensory Profile" answered by the parents/caregivers. For the ADHD group, Sensory Profile scores were correlated to behavioural symptoms assessed using the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) and the Behavioural Teacher Rating Scale (EACI-P). The statistical analyses were conducted using the Mann Whitney test and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS : Children with ADHD showed significant impairments compared to the control group in sensory processing and modulation, as well as in behavioural and emotional responses as observed in 11 out of 14 sections and 6 out of 9 factors. Differences in all Sensory Profile response patterns were also observed between the two groups of children. Sensory Profile scores showed a moderately negative correlation with CBCL and EACI-P scores in the ADHD group. CONCLUSION : These results indicate that children with ADHD may present sensory processing impairments, which may contribute to the inappropriate behavioural and learning responses displayed by children with ADHD. It also suggests the importance of understanding the sensory processing difficulties and its possible contribution to the ADHD symptomatology. .

Sensory processing abilities of children with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the sensory processing abilities of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children without disabilities, and to analyze the relationship between sensory processing difficulties and behavioural symptoms presented by children with ADHD. METHOD: Thirty-seven children with ADHD were compared with thirty-seven controls using a translated and adapted version of the "Sensory Profile" answered by the parents/caregivers. For the ADHD group, Sensory Profile scores were correlated to behavioural symptoms assessed using the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) and the Behavioural Teacher Rating Scale (EACI-P). The statistical analyses were conducted using the Mann Whitney test and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Children with ADHD showed significant impairments compared to the control group in sensory processing and modulation, as well as in behavioural and emotional responses as observed in 11 out of 14 sections and 6 out of 9 factors. Differences in all Sensory Profile response patterns were also observed between the two groups of children. Sensory Profile scores showed a moderately negative correlation with CBCL and EACI-P scores in the ADHD group. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that children with ADHD may present sensory processing impairments, which may contribute to the inappropriate behavioural and learning responses displayed by children with ADHD. It also suggests the importance of understanding the sensory processing difficulties and its possible contribution to the ADHD symptomatology.

Executive functioning and reading achievement in school: a study of Brazilian children assessed by their teachers as "poor readers".

This study examined executive functioning and reading achievement in 106 6- to 8-year-old Brazilian children from a range of social backgrounds of whom approximately half lived below the poverty line. A particular focus was to explore the executive function profile of children whose classroom reading performance was judged below standard by their teachers and who were matched to controls on chronological age, sex, school type (private or public), domicile (Salvador/BA or São Paulo/SP) and socioeconomic status. Children completed a battery of 12 executive function tasks that were conceptual tapping cognitive flexibility, working memory, inhibition and selective attention. Each executive function domain was assessed by several tasks. Principal component analysis extracted four factors that were labeled "Working Memory/Cognitive Flexibility," "Interference Suppression," "Selective Attention," and "Response Inhibition." Individual differences in executive functioning components made differential contributions to early reading achievement. The Working Memory/Cognitive Flexibility factor emerged as the best predictor of reading. Group comparisons on computed factor scores showed that struggling readers displayed limitations in Working Memory/Cognitive Flexibility, but not in other executive function components, compared to more skilled readers. These results validate the account that working memory capacity provides a crucial building block for the development of early literacy skills and extends it to a population of early readers of Portuguese from Brazil. The study suggests that deficits in working memory/cognitive flexibility might represent one contributing factor to reading difficulties in early readers. This might have important implications for how educators might intervene with children at risk of academic under achievement.

Working memory screening, school context, and socioeconomic status: an analysis of the effectiveness of the working memory rating scale in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The study explores the psychometric properties of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS-Br) in a population of 355 young children from diverse socioeconomic status and schooling backgrounds. METHOD: Public and private school teachers completed the WMRS-Br and children were assessed on a range of objective cognitive measures of fluid intelligence, working memory, and attention. RESULTS: Reliability and validity of the WMRS-Br were excellent across the public and private school sample. The WMRS-Br manifested substantial links with objective measures of working memory and medium links with selective attention, switching, and interference suppression. Confirmatory factor analyses suggest that a shorter version of the scale provides an adequate fit to the data. CONCLUSION: The WMRS-Br represents a valid screening tool in a Latin American context that has the potential to improve the early detection of working memory deficits in children growing up in poverty.

Attentional and executive functions are differentially affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma.

BACKGROUND: Among the neurocognitive impairments observed in patients with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), attentional and executive dysfunctions appear to correlate with negative effects on education, work, daily life activities, and social relations, as well as the re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. However, there is no consensus regarding which aspects of attentional and executive functions are impaired in PTSD patients. METHODS: Attentional and executive functions were assessed using the digit span (WAIS-III) and spatial span (WMS-III) tests under forward and backward recall conditions, the Stroop Test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Our sample was composed of victims of urban violence who developed PTSD (PTSD+) (n = 81), victims of urban violence who did not develop PTSD (PTSD-) (n = 70), and healthy controls not exposed to trauma (HC) (n = 50). RESULTS: The PTSD+ group had poorer performance on the spatial span forward subtest (p = 0.023; eta(2) = 0.038) and poorer execution time (p = 0.023; eta(2) = 0.042) and accuracy (p = 0.019; eta(2) = 0.044) on the Stroop Test compared to HC. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that there are few differences between the PTSD+ and HC groups, which are restricted to less complex measures of attentional and executive functional processes (short term capacity, selective attention, processing speed, and inhibitory control) and are related to visual stimuli. Therefore, cognitive impairments directly correlated with the manifestation of PTSD.

Musicians' working memory for tones, words, and pseudowords.

Studies investigating factors that influence tone recognition generally use recognition tests, whereas the majority of the studies on verbal material use self-generated responses in the form of serial recall tests. In the present study we intended to investigate whether tonal and verbal materials share the same cognitive mechanisms, by presenting an experimental instrument that evaluates short-term and working memories for tones, using self-generated sung responses that may be compared to verbal tests. This paradigm was designed according to the same structure of the forward and backward digit span tests, but using digits, pseudowords, and tones as stimuli. The profile of amateur singers and professional singers in these tests was compared in forward and backward digit, pseudoword, tone, and contour spans. In addition, an absolute pitch experimental group was included, in order to observe the possible use of verbal labels in tone memorization tasks. In general, we observed that musical schooling has a slight positive influence on the recall of tones, as opposed to verbal material, which is not influenced by musical schooling. Furthermore, the ability to reproduce melodic contours (up and down patterns) is generally higher than the ability to reproduce exact tone sequences. However, backward spans were lower than forward spans for all stimuli (digits, pseudowords, tones, contour). Curiously, backward spans were disproportionately lower for tones than for verbal material-that is, the requirement to recall sequences in backward rather than forward order seems to differentially affect tonal stimuli. This difference does not vary according to musical expertise.

Influence of blood viscosity to cerebral blood flow in older humans compared to young subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Since blood viscosity (BV) is one of the most important factors determining blood flow, this study aimed to investigate the possible correlation between increased blood viscosity and reduction of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in healthy ageing. METHODS: Male subjects were distributed in two groups: "young", aged 20-30 (27 volunteers), or "elderly", aged 60-70 (50 volunteers). Whole blood viscosity was obtained with a Wells-Brookfield Cone/Plate Viscometer. Cerebral blood flow was analysed by means of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). RESULTS: The mean BV values were 3.28±0.43 mPa in the group of young volunteers and 4.33±0.73 mPa in the group of elderly volunteers (t=-6.9, p<0.0001). The elderly had a lower blood flow than the young in the following regions: bilateral parietal; temporal-parietal and temporal of the left hemisphere. Pearson's correlation between BV and rCBF showed a good inverse correlation when the BV was above 3.95±0.83 mPa. CONCLUSIONS: Our results point to a close relationship between the two parameters analysed, BV and rCBF. The impairment in rCBF observed in the elderly volunteers might be due to an increase in BV, among other factors. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest interesting possibilities for the treatment/prevention of brain ageing.

Reliability study of the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome adapted for a Brazilian sample of older-adult controls and probable early Alzheimer's disease patients / Um estudo de confiabilidade da Bateria de Avaliação da Síndrome Disexecutiva adaptada para uma amostra brasileira de idosos controles e pacientes com doença de Alzheimer provável em fase inicial

OBJECTIVE: Ecological tests are useful in assessing executive function deficits and may be of value in appraising response to treatment in Alzheimer's disease patients. Our aims were to examine executive function using the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for a Brazilian sample of older-adult controls and probable early Alzheimer's disease patients, and verify the applicability of this test battery. METHOD: Forty-one older-adult controls were matched with mild Alzheimer's disease patients by age, education, and gender. RESULTS: There significant inter-group differences in overall profile and almost all subtests except temporal judgment, time spent on planning the first and second Zoo Map visit, number of errors when copying drawings, naming pictures and Six Modified Elements arithmetic, and dysexecutive questionnaire self-rating. The Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome item that best discriminated controls from patients was the Modified Six Elements - adapted (general index), with a sensitivity of 80 percent and specificity of 90 percent, (AUC = 0.91, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome was effective in detecting executive function deficits in mild Alzheimer's disease patients, particularly the task switching, time monitoring, and rule-shift subtests.

OBJETIVO: Testes ecológicos são os mais indicados para a avaliação dos déficits nas funções executivas, sendo importante também na avaliação da resposta ao tratamento de pacientes com doença de Alzheimer. O objetivo deste estudo é verificar o desempenho nas funções executivas usando a Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome em uma amostra brasileira de idosos controles e pacientes com doença de Alzheimer provável em fase inicial e a aplicabilidade desta bateria ecológica em nosso meio. MÉTODO: Avaliamos com a Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome 41 idosos controles e 41 pacientes com doença de Alzheimer provável em fase inicial, sem diferença estatisticamente significativa em relação à idade, escolaridade e sexo. RESULTADOS: Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos no escore total e em quase todos os subtestes da Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome, não ocorrendo o mesmo no subteste de Julgamento Temporal, no tempo gasto no planejamento da primeira e segunda visita no Mapa do Zoológico, no número de erros ao copiar os desenhos, na nomeação de figuras e na aritmética do Seis Elementos Modificado e no questionário disexecutivo autoavaliação. CONCLUSÃO: A Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome mostrou-se eficaz na detecção dos déficits em funções executivas em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer provável em fase inicial, particularmente em tarefas de alternância, monitoramento de tempo e subtestes de mudanças de regras.

Reliability study of the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome adapted for a Brazilian sample of older-adult controls and probable early Alzheimer's disease patients.

OBJECTIVE: Ecological tests are useful in assessing executive function deficits and may be of value in appraising response to treatment in Alzheimer's disease patients. Our aims were to examine executive function using the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for a Brazilian sample of older-adult controls and probable early Alzheimer's disease patients, and verify the applicability of this test battery. METHOD: Forty-one older-adult controls were matched with mild Alzheimer's disease patients by age, education, and gender. RESULTS: There significant inter-group differences in overall profile and almost all subtests except temporal judgment, time spent on planning the first and second Zoo Map visit, number of errors when copying drawings, naming pictures and Six Modified Elements arithmetic, and dysexecutive questionnaire self-rating. The Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome item that best discriminated controls from patients was the Modified Six Elements - adapted (general index), with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 90%, (AUC = 0.91, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome was effective in detecting executive function deficits in mild Alzheimer's disease patients, particularly the task switching, time monitoring, and rule-shift subtests.

Working memory impairment in multiple sclerosis relapsing-remitting patients with episodic memory deficits.

Episodic memory is impaired in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, possibly because of deficits in working memory (WM) functioning. If so, WM alterations should necessarily be found in patients with episodic memory deficits, but this has not yet been demonstrated. In this study we aimed at determining whether episodic memory deficits in relapsing-remitting MS are found in conjunction with impaired WM. We evaluated 32 MS patients and 32 matched healthy controls. Nineteen of the 32 patients had episodic memory impairment, and as a group only these individuals showed deficits in WM capacity, which may lead to difficulty in encoding, and/or retrieving information from episodic memory.

Working memory impairment in multiple sclerosis relapsing-remitting patients with episodic memory deficits / Prejuízo de memória operacional em pacientes com esclerose múltipla recorrente-remitente com déficits de memória episódica

Episodic memory is impaired in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, possibly because of deficits in working memory (WM) functioning. If so, WM alterations should necessarily be found in patients with episodic memory deficits, but this has not yet been demonstrated. In this study we aimed at determining whether episodic memory deficits in relapsing-remitting MS are found in conjunction with impaired WM. We evaluated 32 MS patients and 32 matched healthy controls. Nineteen of the 32 patients had episodic memory impairment, and as a group only these individuals showed deficits in WM capacity, which may lead to difficulty in encoding, and/or retrieving information from episodic memory.

Pacientes com esclerose múltipla (EM) apresentam prejuízo de memória episódica possivelmente em decorrência de um déficit no funcionamento da memória operacional (MO). Se assim fosse, alterações de MO seriam necessariamente encontradas em pacientes com déficit de memória episódica, mas isto ainda não foi demonstrado. Neste estudo tivemos como objetivo determinar se déficits de memória episódica em pacientes com EM recorrente-remitente são encontrados em associação com prejuízo de MO. Avaliamos 32 pacientes com EM pareados com 32 voluntários saudáveis. Dezenove dos 32 pacientes apresentaram prejuízo de memória episódica, e como grupo, somente estes indivíduos apresentaram déficit na capacidade de MO, o que deve resultar na dificuldade de codificar, e /ou recuperar informações da memória episódica.

Acute cognitive effects of donepezil in young, healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: The acute nootropic potential of donepezil in young healthy volunteers has not been adequately investigated mainly because in previous studies: (1) effects were assessed before peak-plasma concentration (Tmax) was reached; (2) only a few cognitive processes were assessed. Here we investigated a myriad of cognitive effects of augmentation of acetylcholine using an acute dose of donepezil in healthy adults at theoretical Tmax. METHODS: This was a double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group design study of cognitive effects of acute oral donepezil (5 mg). Subjects were tested twice after donepezil ingestion: 90 min (time that coincides with previous testing in the literature) and 210 min. (theoretical Tmax). The test battery included tasks that tap cognitive domains that are sensitive to acetylcholine manipulations. RESULTS: At both testing times donepezil improved long-term recall of prose, objects recall, recall of spatial locations, and integration of objects with their locations, some effects having been related to self-reported mood enhancement. However, improvement of performance in the central executive measure (backward digit span) occurred only at Tmax. CONCLUSION: Positive cognitive effects of acute donepezil can be observed in various cognitive domains including mood, but its full nootropic potential is more clearly found close to theoretical peak-plasma concentration.

Adaptação transcultural da Bateria NEPSY - avaliação neuropsicológica do desenvolvimento: estudo-piloto / Cross-cultural adaptation of NEPSY - a developmental neuropsychological assessment battery: pilot study

O NEPSY é uma bateria neuropsicológica de 27 subtestes para crianças de 3 a 12 anos de idade. Este estudo é a primeira etapa de adaptação do NEPSY para crianças brasileiras e teve como objetivo descrever o desempenho de uma amostra de crianças submetidas à versão traduzida e adaptada do NEPSY e compará-la com a americana. Foi traduzido por back-translation e adaptado com equipe de especialistas, então aplicado em 100 crianças. Nos resultados observou-se que a amostra brasileira manteve-se dentro da variação da média e um desvio-padrão (100 + 15), sendo o menor escore no Domínio Sensório-Motor (88,05 + 14,89) e o maior no Domínio Viso-espacial (102,25+19,39). Observaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significantes das faixas de 3-4 anos entre si e entre todas as outras idades. Conclusão: A versão adaptada e traduzida do NEPSY mostrou-se adequada, conseguindo discriminar o desempenho das crianças em diferentes faixas de idade, sócio-econômica e escolaridade dos pais.

The NEPSY is a neuropsychological battery of 27 subtests for 3 to 12 year old children. This study is the first part of the adaptation of the NEPSY for Brazilian children and had the objective to describe the performance of a sample of children submitted to a translated and adapted version for comparison to the American version. It was back-translated and adapted by a team of specialists and 100 children were assessed. The results showed that the Brazilian sample remained within the average variation with a standard deviation (100 + 15), the lowest score in Sensor-Motor Domain (88.05 + 14.89) and the highest in Visual-spatial Domain (102.25+19.39). Statistically significant differences were observed in the age group of 3-4 years among itself and the other age groups. Conclusion: The translated and adapted version of NEPSY was appropriate to obtain the discrimination among children of different ages, socioeconomic status and parent education level.

Adaptação transcultural da Bateria NEPSY - avaliação neuropsicológica do desenvolvimento: estudo-piloto / Cross-cultural adaptation of NEPSY - a developmental neuropsychological assessment battery: pilot study

O NEPSY é uma bateria neuropsicológica de 27 subtestes para crianças de 3 a 12 anos de idade. Este estudo é a primeira etapa de adaptação do NEPSY para crianças brasileiras e teve como objetivo descrever o desempenho de uma amostra de crianças submetidas à versão traduzida e adaptada do NEPSY e compará-la com a americana. Foi traduzido por back-translation e adaptado com equipe de especialistas, então aplicado em 100 crianças. Nos resultados observou-se que a amostra brasileira manteve-se dentro da variação da média e um desvio-padrão (100 + 15), sendo o menor escore no Domínio Sensório-Motor (88,05 + 14,89) e o maior no Domínio Viso-espacial (102,25+19,39). Observaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significantes das faixas de 3-4 anos entre si e entre todas as outras idades. Conclusão: A versão adaptada e traduzida do NEPSY mostrou-se adequada, conseguindo discriminar o desempenho das crianças em diferentes faixas de idade, sócio-econômica e escolaridade dos pais.(AU)

The NEPSY is a neuropsychological battery of 27 subtests for 3 to 12 year old children. This study is the first part of the adaptation of the NEPSY for Brazilian children and had the objective to describe the performance of a sample of children submitted to a translated and adapted version for comparison to the American version. It was back-translated and adapted by a team of specialists and 100 children were assessed. The results showed that the Brazilian sample remained within the average variation with a standard deviation (100 + 15), the lowest score in Sensor-Motor Domain (88.05 + 14.89) and the highest in Visual-spatial Domain (102.25+19.39). Statistically significant differences were observed in the age group of 3-4 years among itself and the other age groups. Conclusion: The translated and adapted version of NEPSY was appropriate to obtain the discrimination among children of different ages, socioeconomic status and parent education level.(AU)

Effects of semantic relations, repetition of words, and list length in word list recall of Alzheimer's patients.

INTRODUCTION: Semantic relations among words and repetition enhance free recall, but it is unknown if these facilitating factors are effective in dementia. METHOD: Alzheimer's patients (MILD-Alz, MOD-Alz) were compared to healthy elderly. Fifteen-word lists were read out to the subjects. In four sets of lists the words in intermediary input positions were semantically related or not, or the midlist words were repeated, or they were repeated and semantically related. RESULTS: The usual third peak of recall of semantically related words was not observed in MOD-Alz, repetition of words did not increase recall of the patients, and the combination of relatedness and repetition benefited only MID-Alz. In a second experiment, with related or unrelated midlist words, and list length shortened from 15 to 9 words, semantic facilitation was observed in mild and moderate Alzheimer s patients, although diminished compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Progression of dementia turns facilitating factors of recall less effective.