Objective: To describe the methods used for neuropsychological assessment in children, emphasizing aspects of interest to pediatricians, psychologists and neurologists.Sources of data: Review of the published literature concerning neuropsychological assessment, including textbooks and reference manuals. The experience of the Neuropsychology Unit at Hospital São Lucas, Brazil, is described.Summary of the findings: Neuropsychological assessment should not be limited to the application of psychometric and neuropsychological tests; it should also correlate test findings with the neurological/behavioral disorder and establish which part of the brain is likely to be involved. In addition, the careful interpretation of result must be associated with an evaluation of the individuals current status and of the context in which she/he lives. Conclusion:The final result of neuropsychological assessment should be a neuropsychological profile of the patient, which, in combination with the evaluation of neurological/clinical, psychological and social aspects will contribute to diagnosis and provide elements to guide the patient in terms of maximizing his/her potential.
Background: Socioeconomic factors are important contributors to brain health. However, data from developing countries (where social inequalities are the most prominent) are still scarce, particularly about hypertensive individuals. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between socioeconomic index, cognitive function, and cortical brain volume, as well as determine whether white matter hyperintensities are mediators of the association of the socioeconomic index with cognitive function in hypertensive individuals. Methods: We assessed 92 hypertensive participants (mean age = 58±8.6 years, 65.2%female). Cognitive evaluation and neuroimaging were performed and clinical and sociodemographic data were collected using questionnaires. A socioeconomic index was created using education, income, occupation (manual or non-manual work), and race. The associations of the socioeconomic index with cognitive performance and brain volume were investigated using linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, time of hypertension since diagnosis, and comorbidities. A causal mediation analysis was also conducted. Results: Better socioeconomic status was associated with better visuospatial ability, executive function, and global cognition. We found associations between a better socioeconomic index and a higher parietal lobe volume. White matter hyperintensities were also not mediators in the relationship between the socioeconomic index and cognitive performance. Conclusion: Socioeconomic disadvantages are associated with worse cognitive performance and brain volume in individuals with hypertension.
IntroductionPeripheral arterial disease, as measured by the ankle–brachial index (ABI), is prevalent among the elderly, and is associated with functional performance, assessed by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Executive cognitive function (ECF) impairments are also prevalent in this population, but no existing study has investigated the association between ECF and functional performance in an elderly population including individuals with low ABI.AimTo investigate the association between functional performance, as measured by the 6MWT, and loss in ECF, in an elderly sample including individuals with low ABI.MethodThe ABI group was formed by 26 elderly individuals with low ABI (mean ABI: 0.63±0.19), and the control group was formed by 40 elderly individuals with normal ABI (mean ABI: 1.08±0.07). We analyzed functional performance using the 6MWT, global cognition using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and ECF using the Digit Span for assessing attention span and working memory, the Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT) for assessing information processing speed and inhibitory control/impulsivity, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) for assessing semantic verbal fluency and phonemic verbal fluency. We also used a factor analysis on all of the ECF tests (global ECF).ResultsBefore adjustment, the ABI group performed worse on global cognition, attention span, working memory, inhibitory control/impulsivity, semantic verbal fluency, and phonemic verbal fluency. After adjustment, the ABI group performance remained worse for working memory and semantic verbal fluency. In a simple correlation analysis including all of the subjects, the 6MWT was associated with global cognition, attention span, working memory, information processing speed, inhibitory control/impulsivity, semantic verbal fluency, and global ECF. After adjustment, all the associations remained statistically significant.ConclusionThis study found an independent association between functional performance and ECF in an elderly population including low ABI individuals, showing that, in elderly populations with functional impairment, ECF may also be impaired.
INTRODUÇÃO: A epilepsia é um distúrbio neurológico com crises recorrentes, promovendo o aumento do risco de desenvolvimento de desajustes psicossociais, restrições e prejuízos na qualidade de vida (QV) de crianças e seus familiares. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a QV de crianças com epilepsia refratária ao tratamento medicamentoso e de seus cuidadores. MÉTODO: Estudo hipotético-dedutivo-observacional-transversal. Utilizou-se questionários de QV (AUQEI, WHOQOL-bref) e Escalas de Inteligência Wechsler (WAIS-III e WISC-III). RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÕES: A criança com epilepsia refratária tem QV prejudicada (média 47,25). Seu cuidador mostra satisfatória QV (média 83,41).
Background: Zika virus infection during pregnancy is linked to birth defects, most notably, microcephaly, which in its turn, is associated with neurodevelopmental delays. Objective: The goal of the study is to propose a method for severity classification of congenital microcephaly based on neuroradiological findings of MRI scans, and to investigate the association of severity with neuropsychomotor developmental scores. We also propose a semiautomated method for MRI-based severity classification of microcephaly. Methods: Cross-sectional investigation of 42 infants born with congenital Zika infection. Bayley-III developmental evaluations and MRI scans were carried out at ages 13-39 months (mean: 24.8, SD: 5.8). The severity score was generated based on neuroradiologist evaluations of brain malformations. Next, we established a distribution of Zika virusmicrocephaly severity score into mild, moderate, and severe and investigated the association of severity with neuropsychomotor developmental scores. Finally, we propose a simplified semi-automated procedure for estimating the severity score, based only on volumetric measures. Results: Results showed a correlation of r = 0.89 (p < 0.001) between the Zika virus-microcephaly severity score and the semi-automated method. The trimester of infection did not correlate with the semi-automated method. Neuropsychomotor development correlated with the severity classification based on radiological readings and with the semi-automated method; the more severe the imaging scores, the lower neuropsychomotor developmental scores. Conclusion: The severity classification methods may be used to evaluate severity of microcephaly and possible association with developmental consequences. The semi-automated methods thus may be an alternative for prediction of severity of microcephaly using only one MRI sequence.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.