Biomedical subjects

Jean Lengenfelder

Publications and source records attributed to Jean Lengenfelder.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Processing speed interacts with working memory efficiency in multiple sclerosis.

Information processing speed was assessed using the visual threshold serial addition test (VT-SAT), a computerized modification of the PASAT designed to assess processing speed by controlling for performance accuracy. Persons with MS (N=43) and healthy individuals (N=32) were administered the VT-SAT varying working memory loads (1-back versus 2-back). Results indicated that at the lower working memory load (1-back) all individuals with MS were able to achieve a working memory performance level equivalent to healthy individuals, but required significantly more processing time to do so. In contrast, at the higher working memory load (2-back), about 70% of MS participants were able to achieve a performance level equivalent to healthy individuals, but again required significantly more processing time. The results are discussed in the context of the dynamic nature of the relationship between processing speed and working memory performance, emphasizing the dependence of this relationship on other cognitive and disease-related factors.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Cortical and subcortical diseases: do true neuropsychological differences exist?

Previous work examining the cortical-subcortical distinction as it relates to cognitive patterns has not typically used genetic confirmation to identify these groups, controlled for age, or used a comprehensive battery to assess specific cognitive abilities. The present study is the first to include only genetically confirmed Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) and Huntington's disease (HD) patients to evaluate this distinction. Ten patients with FAD, 11 patients with HD, and 17 matched healthy individuals were compared on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery that included tasks of language, memory, attention, visual-spatial, and executive function. The only neuropsychological measures to differentiate the two clinical groups were Animal Fluency and Letter Fluency; performance on all other measures did not differ. Although the neuropsychological battery adequately distinguished between clinical and healthy individuals, it was not useful to further differentiate the cortical or subcortical nature of the disease. FAD and HD appear to have similar neuropsychological profiles; therefore the cortical versus subcortical cognitive distinction may not be clinically meaningful.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Is speed of processing or working memory the primary information processing deficit in multiple sclerosis?

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether processing speed or working memory is the primary information processing deficit in persons with MS. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Hospital-based specialty clinic. PARTICIPANTS: 215 adults with clinically definite MS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Mean demographically corrected T-scores, prevalence rates of impairment and relative risk of impaired Processing Speed and Working Memory Index Scores from the WAIS-WMS III. RESULTS: Deficits in Processing Speed were much more common than Working Memory in all comparisons. This was observed for both relapsing remitting (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) subjects, but accentuated in the latter group. CONCLUSIONS: Results strongly suggest that the primary information processing deficit in persons with MS is in speed of processing.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Deciphering components of impaired working memory in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify working memory (WM) impairment by examining components of auditory working memory with the same sample of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). BACKGROUND: Although individuals with MS have consistently demonstrated WM impairments, the specific components involved (i.e., central executive versus storage/maintenance) remain unclear. METHOD: Individuals with MS with and without cognitive impairment and healthy controls were administered a task primarily assessing storage and rehearsal/maintenance (auditory n-back) and a task with a significant central executive component (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task). RESULTS: Results indicate when the phonological loop is minimally challenged, maintenance of information is generally efficient. However, the addition of a central executive component to processing appears to be the key factor in differentiating individuals with MS with cognitive impairment from those without cognitive impairment and healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that the primary WM impairment in MS is within the central executive rather than the phonological loop.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed2002

Divided attention and driving: a pilot study using virtual reality technology.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) was used to investigate the influence of divided attention (simple versus complex) on driving performance (speed control). DESIGN: Three individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and three healthy controls (HC), matched for age, education, and gender, were examined. RESULTS: Preliminary results revealed no differences on driving speed between TBI and HC. In contrast, TBI subjects demonstrated a greater number of errors on a secondary task performed while driving. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that VR may provide an innovative medium for direct evaluation of basic cognitive functions (ie, divided attention) and its impact on everyday tasks (ie, driving) not previously available through traditional neuropsychological measures.

Adult↗