Aim: In this study we used the Nelson’s Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST) to find the differences between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) group/Vascular dementia (VD) group and a normal control group (non-dementia and non-...Aim: In this study we used the Nelson’s Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST) to find the differences between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) group/Vascular dementia (VD) group and a normal control group (non-dementia and non-AD), and to identify the commonality between the MCST and dementia patients. Patients and Methods: The MCST was administered to 32 AD patients, 18 vascular dementia patients, and 38 controls. The relationship between the MCST performance and demographic characteristics was evaluated. Results: There were no statistical differences in age, sex, level of education, smoking, drinking and depression in the three groups. The MCST was classified into four groups for analysis—number of categories completed (Cat), preservative error score (PE), non-preservative error score (NPE), unique error (UE) and total error (TE). For Cat, UE and TE showed a significant difference in all three groups, whereas PE and NPE revealed no significant difference. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cognitive function appears to significantly impair MCST performances in AD and VD patients, so these should be taken into consideration during an interpretation of the clinical assessment. For the effective use of the MCST in a clinical setting, further studies of specific clinical populations are planned to develop normative data for elderly Taiwan Residents people.展开更多
AIM: To investigate executive function in Japanese adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders(ASD) compared to Japanese controls.METHODS: Thirty-three individuals with ASD and 33 controls participated. The ...AIM: To investigate executive function in Japanese adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders(ASD) compared to Japanese controls.METHODS: Thirty-three individuals with ASD and 33 controls participated. The ASD and control groups' demographic variables were matched for gender(male/female: 20/13 vs 20/13), age(26.1 ± 11.5 vs 26.8 ± 9.6), years of education(13.2 ± 2.9 vs 14.2 ± 1.9), full-scale intelligence quotient(IQ)(103.0 ± 16.7 vs 103.7 ± 14.7), performance IQ(96.2 ± 16.1 vs 97.8 ± 15.0), and verbal IQ(107.9 ± 16.3 vs 107.7 ± 14.4). Participants performed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST), which assesses the executive processes involved in problem solving and cognitive flexibility, and the Continuous Performance Test(CPT), which assesses attention and impulsivity. Symptoms were assessed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version(AQ-J). First, we compared the scores of the WCST between the groups using a Mann-Whitney U-test and conducted an analysis of covariance for the variables with the scores of category archives and CPT scores as covariates. Second, we analyzed the correlation between the scores of the WCST and the AQ-J in the ASD group using Pearson's r.RESULTS: The total errors(TE) and the percentages of perseverative errors of the Milner type(%PEM) and Nelson type(%PEN) among the TE in the ASD group were significantly worse compared with the control group(ASD vs Control, respectively: TE: 16.0 ± 6.2 vs 12.6 ± 3.5, P = 0.012; %PEM: 11.7 ± 10.7 vs 6.6 ± 8.9, P = 0.037; %PEN: 20.1 ± 14.5 vs 8.7 ± 10.4, P = 0.0011). In contrast, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in the scores of categories achieved on the WCST or the CPT. An analysis of covariance revealed significant differences between the groups in the %PEN scores(P = 0.0062) but not in the TE or the %PEM scores. These results suggest that Japanese adolescents and adults with ASD have cognitive inflexibility. Furthermore, our results suggest that Japanese adolescents and adults with ASD may have difficulties using negative feedback because perseverative errors of the Nelson type indicate persistence in choosing the incorrect reaction. By contrast, there was no significant correlation between the WCST and AQ-J scores.CONCLUSION: We confirmed the presence of cognitive inflexibility in Japanese adolescents and adults with ASD. Our results also indicated that subjects with ASD may not use negative feedback effectively.展开更多
文摘Aim: In this study we used the Nelson’s Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST) to find the differences between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) group/Vascular dementia (VD) group and a normal control group (non-dementia and non-AD), and to identify the commonality between the MCST and dementia patients. Patients and Methods: The MCST was administered to 32 AD patients, 18 vascular dementia patients, and 38 controls. The relationship between the MCST performance and demographic characteristics was evaluated. Results: There were no statistical differences in age, sex, level of education, smoking, drinking and depression in the three groups. The MCST was classified into four groups for analysis—number of categories completed (Cat), preservative error score (PE), non-preservative error score (NPE), unique error (UE) and total error (TE). For Cat, UE and TE showed a significant difference in all three groups, whereas PE and NPE revealed no significant difference. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cognitive function appears to significantly impair MCST performances in AD and VD patients, so these should be taken into consideration during an interpretation of the clinical assessment. For the effective use of the MCST in a clinical setting, further studies of specific clinical populations are planned to develop normative data for elderly Taiwan Residents people.
基金Supported by Research grants from the Japanese Ministry of Health,Labor and Welfare,No.H22-seishin-ippan-001the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS) through a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research,No.22390225,No.25293250 and No.24591680+3 种基金Challenging Exploratory Research,No.23659565the Japanese Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology(MEXT) through a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas(Comprehensive Brain Science Network),No.25129704Priority Areas-Research on the Pathomechanisms of Brain Disorders,No.18023045the Japan Foundation for Neuroscience and Mental Health
文摘AIM: To investigate executive function in Japanese adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders(ASD) compared to Japanese controls.METHODS: Thirty-three individuals with ASD and 33 controls participated. The ASD and control groups' demographic variables were matched for gender(male/female: 20/13 vs 20/13), age(26.1 ± 11.5 vs 26.8 ± 9.6), years of education(13.2 ± 2.9 vs 14.2 ± 1.9), full-scale intelligence quotient(IQ)(103.0 ± 16.7 vs 103.7 ± 14.7), performance IQ(96.2 ± 16.1 vs 97.8 ± 15.0), and verbal IQ(107.9 ± 16.3 vs 107.7 ± 14.4). Participants performed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST), which assesses the executive processes involved in problem solving and cognitive flexibility, and the Continuous Performance Test(CPT), which assesses attention and impulsivity. Symptoms were assessed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version(AQ-J). First, we compared the scores of the WCST between the groups using a Mann-Whitney U-test and conducted an analysis of covariance for the variables with the scores of category archives and CPT scores as covariates. Second, we analyzed the correlation between the scores of the WCST and the AQ-J in the ASD group using Pearson's r.RESULTS: The total errors(TE) and the percentages of perseverative errors of the Milner type(%PEM) and Nelson type(%PEN) among the TE in the ASD group were significantly worse compared with the control group(ASD vs Control, respectively: TE: 16.0 ± 6.2 vs 12.6 ± 3.5, P = 0.012; %PEM: 11.7 ± 10.7 vs 6.6 ± 8.9, P = 0.037; %PEN: 20.1 ± 14.5 vs 8.7 ± 10.4, P = 0.0011). In contrast, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in the scores of categories achieved on the WCST or the CPT. An analysis of covariance revealed significant differences between the groups in the %PEN scores(P = 0.0062) but not in the TE or the %PEM scores. These results suggest that Japanese adolescents and adults with ASD have cognitive inflexibility. Furthermore, our results suggest that Japanese adolescents and adults with ASD may have difficulties using negative feedback because perseverative errors of the Nelson type indicate persistence in choosing the incorrect reaction. By contrast, there was no significant correlation between the WCST and AQ-J scores.CONCLUSION: We confirmed the presence of cognitive inflexibility in Japanese adolescents and adults with ASD. Our results also indicated that subjects with ASD may not use negative feedback effectively.
