SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Cognitive function”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 865 records · Page 48Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Cognitive functioning and the inhibition of alcohol-induced aggression.

OBJECTIVE: A highly replicable research finding is that alcohol intoxication tends to induce aggressive responding. Recent research investigating the role of cognitive function in this relationship has shown that individuals who perform poorly on certain cognitive tasks have difficulty responding to contingencies to inhibit aggression, while high performers do not. High performers, however, do show increased aggression while intoxicated. This study investigated whether subjects with above average cognitive functioning would, when intoxicated, inhibit aggression in order to attain monetary reward. METHOD: Men (N = 43), aged 18-30, selected on the basis of high performance on a neuropsychological test putatively assessing function of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the spatial conditional associative learning task, participated in a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Task. Half the subjects were acutely alcohol intoxicated, the other half were sober. Furthermore, half the subjects in each of these groups received contingent monetary reward for choosing lower shocks. Aggression was defined as shock intensity delivered to a sham opponent. RESULTS: Contrary to the hypothesis, intoxicated subjects, even though significantly impaired cognitively relative to their nonintoxicated peers (F = 4.29, 1/41 df, p < .05), appeared to have no difficulty inhibiting their aggression in order to gain monetary reward. That is, there was no difference between intoxicated and nonintoxicated subjects on the dependent variable, shock intensity, when contingent money was available (F = .01, 1/20 df, p = .935). CONCLUSION: This finding provides further evidence that alcohol-induced aggression is not a uniform phenomenon, and it suggests a neuropsychological mechanism that may mediate the relationship. It may be that individuals with above average cognitive abilities retain sufficient residual functioning to inhibit aggressive responding, even when acutely alcohol intoxicated.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Improvement in cognitive function after right temporal arteriovenous malformation excision.

A patient is presented in whom right temporal AVM excision led to improved cognitive function. Neuropsychological assessment showed a significant postoperative improvement in Performance IQ (p = < 0.05), Full Scale IQ (p = < 0.05), and clinically in visual memory (p = < 0.10). Reversal of vascular steal may lead to increases in cognitive function. We recommend that patients undergoing AVM excision have a complete neuropsychological evaluation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Cognitive functions in the involuntary hospitalized schizophrenic patients.

OBJECTIVE: Objective of the study was to investigate differences in some important cognitive functions in the schizophrenic patients that were either involuntary or voluntary hospitalized in psychiatric hospital. METHOD: 30 involuntary hospitalized patients with schizophrenia were evaluated with neurocognitive battery and compared with a group of 30 voluntary hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Demographic and medical data were also analyzed RESULTS: Involuntary hospitalized patients showed significantly poorer performance in some cognitive tests and no difference in the other cognitive tests in comparison with voluntary hospitalized patients. Involuntary hospitalized patients also had earlier onset of illness, higher number of psychiatric hospitalizations and involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, and less regular psychiatric treatment. More often the reason for involuntary hospitalization was aggressive behavior. CONCLUSION: Deficit of cognitive functioning could influence treatment decisions in schizophrenic patients, leading to poorer compliance and coping with illness and resulting in less favorable treatment options, like involuntary hospitalization.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Diet restriction in mice causes a decrease in hippocampal choline uptake and muscarinic receptors that is restored by administration of tyrosine: interaction between cholinergic and adrenergic receptors influencing cognitive function.

We have studied the effects of diet restriction (DR) to 60% and 40% of daily requirements, and tyrosine administration on cognitive function in mice, to define the nutritional-neurochemical interactions on autonomic tone involved in behavior and energy regulation. Cognitive function in the Morris Water maze was significantly impaired after 40% DR compared to both control and 60% DR. It was restored after tyrosine in association with increased M1 cholinergic and beta-adrenergic receptor function, and decreased alpha-adrenergic function. DR to 40% significantly decreased choline uptake (p <.05) and M1 receptor number (Bmax) (p <.05), without changes in affinity (Kd), choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) or acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity. Tyrosine administration significantly increased choline uptake (Bmax) (p <.05) and M1 density in the 40% DR (p <.01) without changes in affinity. ChAT activity was decreased after tyrosine--significantly after 40% DR (p <.05) while AChE was not affected. Both M1 mRNA and protein were not influenced by DR or tyrosine administration. Tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA was decreased significantly by 40% DR (p <.01). The effect of DR and tyrosine appeared to be both pre- and post-synaptic, indicating modulation of cholinergic activity by adrenergic tone. Nutritional effect on behavior and autonomic tone may have implications for the treatment of mood changes associated with weight loss and semi-starvation.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Effect of visual perception, visual function, cognition, and personality on power wheelchair use in adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent visual perception, visual function, cognition, and personality traits affect power wheelchair use in adults. It also proposes to establish baseline information to help clinicians determine or predict power wheelchair driving performance and to develop service plans to address those driving skills that need improvement or compensation. Sixty-two adult power wheelchair users were recruited. Standardized instruments were used to evaluate visual perceptual skills, visual function, cognitive skills, and personality traits. The results of these evaluations were then correlated with participants' scores on a power wheelchair performance test. Strong correlations were found between power wheelchair driving performance and visual perception (p = .000), ocular motor function (p = .000 and p < or = .001), stereodepth perception (p < or = .001), and alertness to the environment (p < or = .001). No significant correlations were found between personality traits and power wheelchair driving performance. These results indicate that good visual perceptual skills, visual function, and various aspects of cognition are necessary for proficient power wheelchair use. These data will assist clinicians in identifying significant factors to consider when evaluating and training clients for power wheelchair use.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

Effect of interferon-alpha on cognitive functioning in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has been shown to adversely affect cognitive functioning in patients with a variety of medical disorders, but information about the effects of IFN-alpha on cognitive functioning in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IFN-alpha on neuropsychological test performance in CHC patients. Participants were 30 patients with CHC, 11 who underwent IFN-alpha therapy and 19 who did not. All participants were tested at baseline (i.e., pretreatment) and approximately 6 months later with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test and Trail Making Test. Results revealed that the treatment group performed significantly worse than untreated CHC patients on Part B of the Trail Making Test after approximately 6 months of treatment. No significant group differences were found on Part A of the Trail Making Test or Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Findings suggest that CHC patients undergoing treatment with IFN-alpha may experience reduced abilities to benefit from practice but suffer no decrements in performance after 6 months of treatment. Additional research is needed to replicate these findings and to explore risk factors for susceptibility to IFN-alpha-induced effects.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1995

[Cognitive functions, EEG and gait disorders in cardiac arrhythmias, one day before and eight days after pacemaker implantation].

UNLABELLED: Cognitive functions, gait disorders and EEG in cardiac arrhythmias, 1 day before (D-1) and 8 days after pacemaker implantation (D8). Out of 1200 consecutive patients, hospitalized for a pacemaker (PM) implantation, only 208 women and 242 men had been examined twice and formed the study group (PMG, mean age = 77.8 +/- 10.2). The 160 patients (64 M, 96 F, mean age 78.6 +/- 9.8) of the control group (CG) had no PM and no known cardiac disease. RESULTS: At the first examination, mental deterioration was between 5 and 6 times more frequent in both the PMG and CG than in general population of the same age (75% vs 10-15%). At the second examination, the mean total scores of the PM patients in the four tests had increased significantly relative, to D-1 (p < 1 x 10(-4)) and relative to the CG (X2 = 78.82, p < .0001). This improvement was also found in each of four tests (MMSE p = 4 x 10(-6), Benton p = 6 x 10(-4), Rey Copy p = 1 x 10(-12), Rey Memory p = 5 x 10(-14)). The mental deterioration among the women in the PMG was significantly more marked than among the men (D-1: p < .007; D8: p < .014). 51% of the PMG and 71.4% of the CG had EEG abnormalities. The corresponding values on D8 were 23.3% and 67% (p < .001). In the PMG, 63% of the normal and abnormal EEGs showed a tendency for the background rhythms frequencies to increase (p < .001). On D-1, 61% of patients in the PMG had walking and gait disorders compared to only 13% on D8. Walking velocity increased (p = 1 x 10(-8)). Cognitive functions, gait disorders and EEG abnormalities are correlated (p < .001). 15% of patients improved eyesight and 20% a sensation of "warmth" in the extremities. A neuropsychiatric pathology which is varying from anxio-depression to dementia during dysrrhythmias are frequent and often unrecognized. The pathology was reversed in 14% of cases and improved in 67%.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

The effect of short-term estradiol therapy on cognitive function in older men receiving hormonal suppression therapy for prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of estrogen (E) alone (without the influence of testosterone (T)) on cognitive function in older men, using 17-beta micronized estradiol versus placebo in older men rendered hypogonadal (low T and E) by treatment for prostate cancer. DESIGN: Short-term double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: An outpatient General Clinical Research Center. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven community-dwelling men aged 65 and older receiving neoadjuvant or established therapy with luteinizing-hormone releasing-hormone agonists for treatment of prostate cancer enrolled in a short-term randomized, controlled trial of 17-beta micronized estradiol versus placebo on the effect on biochemical markers of bone turnover. MEASUREMENTS: Hormone levels, including E, T, and sex hormone-binding globulin; standardized neurocognitive tests, including measures of sustained attention, executive function, and memory; and questionnaires to assess subjects' perception of cognitive deficits and symptoms of depression. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between patients receiving E or placebo on 15 of 17 neurocognitive measures and no significant differences in self-reported cognitive deficits or number of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Although studies have suggested that E replacement therapy may improve cognitive function, most notably memory performance in postmenopausal woman, there was no evidence in the present study that the addition of short-term E therapy was more beneficial than placebo in tests of cognitive performance in hypogonadal men.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Effects of a combined extract of Ginkgo biloba and Bacopa monniera on cognitive function in healthy humans.

Extracts of Ginkgo biloba and Bacopa monniera have been shown to produce positive effects on cognitive function in healthy subjects. While the exact mechanisms are not known, it has been suggested that antioxidant properties and cholinergic modulation may play a role. In the current study the sub-chronic (2 weeks) and chronic (4 weeks) effects of an extract containing Ginkgo biloba (120 mg) and Bacopa monniera (300 mg) (Blackmores Ginkgo Brahmi) on cognitive function were examined. The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, independent group design in which 85 healthy subjects were allocated to one of two treatment conditions (placebo or combined Ginkgo biloba and Bacopa monniera extract). Testing was conducted at baseline and 2 and 4 weeks post treatment. The results showed that the combined extract relative to placebo did not demonstrate any significant effects on tests investigating a range of cognitive processes including attention, short-term and working memory, verbal learning, memory consolidation, executive processes, planning and problem solving, information processing speed, motor responsiveness and decision making. These findings suggest that at least within the current treatment duration and doses, an extract containing Ginkgo biloba and Bacopa monniera had no cognitive enhancing effects in healthy subjects.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Cognitive function remains unchanged after endarterectomy of unilateral internal carotid artery stenosis under local anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in cognitive function and affective state following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for high-degree unilateral internal carotid artery stenosis. METHODS: In 33 patients, a CEA was performed under local anaesthesia for a high-grade unilateral stenosis of the internal carotid artery (group A). Twenty-five patients underwent surgery for peripheral arterial occlusive disease under regional anaesthesia served as controls (group B). Patients with neurological deficits due to previous strokes or dementia were excluded. Intelligence level was assessed preoperatively. Cognitive tests were applied preoperatively and postoperatively (3-5 days after surgery) and after 4 months follow-up. Confounding factors, including anxiety and depression, were checked through questionnaires and interviews. RESULTS: No perioperative neurological complication occurred following CEA. Patients in group A showed a significant postoperative deterioration only in one sub-test. There was no significant change in anxiety and depression during follow up. The control group B had no significant changes in cognitive test performance. Anxiety improved significantly postoperatively, but increased again at the end of the study. There was no significant difference between the groups over time. CONCLUSION: Cognitive function does not change following CEA of a unilateral internal carotid stenosis.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function in African Americans.

The present study examined the cross-sectional association of medically determined cardiovascular risk factors with cognitive function in 43 African Americans (aged 43-82 yr; 83% women). Measures of attention, memory, and executive functions were evaluated in relation to blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fitness level (peak O(2)). Multiple regression analyses with age, education, number of antihypertensive medications, HbA1c, diastolic BP, and peak O(2) as predictors revealed significant (and marginally significant) associations between lower levels of fitness (peak O(2)) and poorer executive functions and delayed verbal memory. Antihypertensive medications were associated with poorer attention, but better delayed verbal memory. In addition, greater levels of HbA1c were positively related to attention. These results suggest that cardiovascular risk factors are important predictors of cognitive function among middle-aged and older African Americans.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

The use of psychoactive medications and cognitive function in older adults.

This study examined the relationship between cognitive function and psychotropic medication use in a population sample (n = 743) of elderly persons. Approximately one third of subjects received such agents, which consisted primarily of anxiolytics, hypnotics, and antidepressants. Subjects received a battery of cognitive tests at three time points: when they were 70, 75, and 79 years of age. Data on medication use revealed that the use of psychoactive agents increased with age, and was greater for females. A cross-sectional analysis showed that those using psychoactive medicines had lower cognitive test scores compared with those who did not receive such drugs. Repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated that psychotropics had a negative and cumulative effect on cognition, with the function of subjects who received psychoactive agents consistently poorer than those who did not. The magnitude of this effect is relatively small and for several cognitive tests subjects who received these drugs averaged only a few points lower than individuals not using psychoactive medicines.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

The impact of aging on cognitive functions. An 11 year follow-up study of four age cohorts.

The literature on longitudinal studies of aging and cognitive performance is reviewed. The review reveals some ambiguity which seems primarily to be due to selection bias in the study groups and insufficient statistical modelling and parameterization. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of aging on cognitive performance of the general adult population. In addition, the following problems are considered: If an aging impact is found, is it then evenly distributed across different age cohorts and different cognitive functions? Is the effect of different subject-related and situational factors on the test parameters stable over time? Is it possible to eliminate the impact of the examiner in cognitive testing? Moreover, do certain background factors such as age (generation), sex, schooling, etc. or test performance in an earlier examination have predicting power for the participation at a later stage in the study? The analysis was made using a longitudinal design with four successive age cohorts born in 1952, 1942, 1932, and 1922. 1,026 subjects were examined in 1982-83 and 711 were re-examined in 1993-94. At both occasions the subjects were tested by means of the Cognitive Function Scanner method. Attrition was found in all four age cohorts but most profound in the oldest cohort. Attrition occurred most frequently among subjects with only primary schooling and low social status. Age (generation), Sex, Schooling, Occupational Activity Status, Smoking Status, Psychic Stress, and questionnaire positive Cardiovascular Disease in the 1982-83 study all had significant relation to non-participation in the follow-up, either because of death, refusal to participate or because the subjects did not turn up on the agreed date for examination. Also a few test parameters, primarily in the attention tests and concentration tests, were found to be significantly related to non-participation in the follow-up. The results of the follow-up study, in which each subject was his own reference, showed two different tendencies. One tendency indicated some decline in performance. It was found in parameters for non-verbal learning and memory, retention of verbal memory, visuomotor and visuospatial speed, concentration, and reaction time. The other tendency indicated some improvement in performance in relation to verbal learning and memory, visuomotor and visuospatial precision, and to visual perception. It was a general tendency that performance becomes more scattered with increasing age. The follow-up study showed that Generation, Sex, and Schooling are the most important subject-related factors to take into consideration in the evaluation of test results. The significant impact of the Generation factor indicates that cognitive performance depends not only on aging but is also modulated to a large extent by generation specific factors. In spite of intensive training and special focus on communication it was evident that the situational Examiner factor plays a significant role in all of the cognitive tests. The strong impact of the Examiner factor makes the use of test norms questionable. Norms should be used only as rough guidelines. In the individual psychological assessment, focus should be on the subject's problem solving strategies. This can be reached by supplementing the traditional psychometric scores with a range of response process observations obtained by recording the natural steps of the subject's response flow combined with latencies for each step, and analyzing the response chains by pattern analysis. The computer is considered the most appropriate tool for recording response flows.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Early childhood diarrhea is associated with diminished cognitive function 4 to 7 years later in children in a northeast Brazilian shantytown.

Diarrhea is well recognized as a leading cause of childhood mortality and morbidity in developing countries; however, possible long-term cognitive deficits from heavy diarrhea burdens in early childhood remain poorly defined. To assess the potential long-term impact of early childhood diarrhea (in the first 2 years of life) on cognitive function in later childhood, we studied the cognitive function of a cohort of children in an urban Brazilian shantytown with a high incidence of early childhood diarrhea. Forty-six children (age range, 6-10 years) with complete diarrhea surveillance during their first 2 years of life were given a battery of five cognitive tests. Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence-III (TONI) scores were inversely correlated with early childhood diarrhea (P = .01), even when controlling for maternal education, duration of breast-feeding, and early childhood helminthiasis (Ascaris or Trichuris). Furthermore, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) Coding Tasks and WISC-III Digit Span (reverse and total) scores were also significantly lower in the 17 children with a history of early childhood persistent diarrhea (PD; P < .05), even when controlling for helminths and maternal education. No correlations were seen between diarrhea rates and Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning subtests or WISC-III Mazes. This report (with larger numbers of participants and new tests) confirms and substantially extends previous pilot studies, showing that long-term cognitive deficits are associated with early childhood diarrhea. These findings have important implications for the importance of interventions that may reduce early childhood diarrheal illnesses or their consequences.

Brazil↗

PubMed2003

Alteration of the counterregulatory responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia and of cognitive function after massive weight reduction in severely obese subjects.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are reported as activated in excess in the morbidly obese state and, therefore, changes after weight loss can be anticipated. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a massive (approximately 30%) weight reduction on the activation of the HPA axis and the ANS following bariatric surgery. Eight (7 women, 1 man) severely obese (125+/-12 kg; body mass index [BMI], 45+/-4 kg/m2) nondiabetic subjects, underwent a 3-hour hyperinsulinemic (1,034 pmol/kg/h) glucose clamp study at hypoglycemia of arterial B-glucose concentration of 3.4 mmol/L. Cognitive function was evaluated by a visuospatial computerized problem-solving test, the Perceptual Maze Test (PMT). The mean weight loss was 40+/-9 kg approximately 12 months postsurgery when their weight was stabilized (85+/-6 kg; BMI, 31+/-3 kg/m2), and insulin sensitivity improved to an average increase of 376%+/-250% (P<.01) of initial value. Before weight reduction, all patients demonstrated brisk peak responses in glucagon, epinephrine, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), norepinephrine, and cortisol, indicative of preserved or exaggerated activation of ANS and HPA axis. In the reduced-obese state, all these responses were attenuated and most markedly so for glucagon, which was totally abolished. In contrast, the growth hormone (GH) response was increased after weight reduction. The cognitive function was clearly modified by weight reduction both during normoglycemia and hypoglycemia and was changed preferentially to a speed-preferring strategy in the reduced-obese state compared with a more accuracy preferred problem-solving process of PMT test presurgery. These results demonstrate a reduction of the glucose counterregulatory hormonal responses, increased insulin sensitivity, and perturbed cognitive function after massive weight reduction. It may be speculated on if the increased insulin sensitivity and reduced counterregulation to hypoglycemia could predispose to low plasma glucose concentrations.

Adrenal Glands↗

PubMed2005

Evaluating cognitive functions with visual and auditory number assays and P300 in children with epilepsy.

This study was planned to evaluate cognitive functions, especially attention and immediate recall, in children with epilepsy by using P300 and neuropsychological tests, which included visual and auditory number assays. Fifty five patients with partial seizures, 45 patients with generalized seizures and 20 patients with intractable seizures were enrolled in the study. Twenty five healthy children were taken as the control group. The results were as follows: 1. P300 latencies were significantly longer in the intractable and partial groups when compared with the control subjects. 2. The duration of epilepsy, seizure frequency, cerebral imaging pathologies were not significantly correlated with delayed P300 latencies. 3. The results of the visual and auditory number assays test showed significant abnormalities when each of the three groups were compared with the normal controls. 4. Though some subgroups of the neuropsychological tests were correlated with the P300 latencies, an overall significant correlation was not present between them. So, we suggest that neuropsychological tests are more convenient for the assessment of cognitive functions in children with epilepsy than the P300 recordings.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed2003

Effects of the anti-platelet aggregation drug dilazep on cognitive function in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

Among the consequences of the increasing prolongation of lifespan is a worldwide increase in the number of cases of dementia or impaired cognition. In the present study, to test the hypothesis that mechanisms independent of high blood pressure are involved in maintaining cognitive function, we assessed the effects of long-term dilazep treatment on cognitive dysfunction in normotensive Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) rats fed a low-salt diet, using the standard passive avoidance test. Normotensive Dahl S rats fed a 0.3% NaCl diet were treated for 6 months with low-dose dilazep (2.5 microg/ml in drinking water) or high-dose dilazep (12.5 microg/ml). Systolic blood pressure was within normotensive range throughout the study and did not differ among the experimental groups. The results of the passive avoidance test revealed that dilazep treatment attenuated the decline of latency time relative to that in the untreated control rats (control latency time, 235 s; low-dilazep group, 389 s; high-dilazep group, 397 s), suggesting that the cognitive function of normotensive Dahl S rats was improved by dilazep treatment. This improvement of cognition was associated with significant increases in the number of neuronal cells in the hippocampal region and with an increase in capillary length in dilazep-treated Dahl rats. In addition, the dilazep treatments significantly attenuated arteriolar injury of glomeruli in the kidney. These data suggest that dilazep treatment, through vascular and non-vascular effects, maintains the brain function in Dahl S rats susceptible to vascular injury and organ dysfunction.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Impact of diabetes on cognitive function among older Latinos: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes, which is highly prevalent in older Mexican Americans, may influence cognitive functioning. We examined the association of diabetes with decline in global cognitive function and memory function over a 2-year period. METHODS: Study subjects were derived from an existing cohort of Latinos aged 60 and over in the SALSA project (n=1,789). Statistical analysis was conducted using logistic regression and a generalized estimating equation (GEE). RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis indicated that baseline diabetes was a significant predictor of major cognitive impairment in Modified Mini Mental State Exam (3MSE) (OR=1.68, 95% CI=1.21, 2.34) and word-list test (OR=1.31, 95% CI=0.99, 1.75). GEE analysis showed that there was no significant difference between diabetic and nondiabetic subjects in change of cognitive scores over 2 years (3MSE, mean=-0.58, 95% CI=-1.48, 0.32; word-list test, mean=-0.10, 95% CI=-0.32, 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: More diabetic complications were associated with major cognitive decline among diabetic subjects. Research on long-term impact of treatment for type 2 diabetes is warranted.

Aged↗