Are there cognitive and neurobehavioural correlates of hormonal neuroprotection for women after TBI?

This study examined possible cognitive correlates of hormonal neuroprotection following traumatic brain injury (TBI) using archival neuropsychological findings for 1563 individuals undergoing acute TBI rehabilitation between 1989 and 2002. Presumed age of menopause was based on the STRAW (Stages of Reproductive Aging) staging system (Soules, 2005; Soules et al., 2001) and general linear model (GLM) analysis of performance on neuropsychological testing by participants across gender and age groups (25–34, 35–44, 45–54, and 55–64) was performed. Hypotheses were (1) women with TBI in the oldest age group would have lower scores on neuropsychological tests and functional outcome measures than women in the younger groups, and (2) men in the oldest age group would have higher scores than women of the same age group. Analyses revealed that oldest females had significantly worse Trails B and SDMT written and oral scores than the youngest females. In addition, oldest females had significantly better Trails B, Rey AVLT and SDMT written scores than the oldest males. Possible cohort exposure to hormone replacement therapy, unknown hormonal status at time of testing, and sample-specific injury characteristics may have contributed to these findings.     

Assessing executive performance during cognitive rehabilitation

Executive functioning influences a host of other cognitive processes and people who attend neuropsychological services are more likely to display executive dysfunction than any other cognitive deficit (Stuss & Levine, 2002 Stuss, D. and Levine, B. 2002. Adult clinical neuropsychology: Lessons from studies of the frontal lobes. Annual Review of Psychology, 53: 401–433. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Impairment in executive functioning disrupts a person's ability to effectively employ their intact areas of functioning, and undermines effective self-management of other areas of dysfunction, hampering attempts to employ compensatory strategies. Therefore, assessment of a person's executive functioning is a high priority as part of a comprehensive neurorehabilitation plan. Guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health model (ICF model; Peterson, 2005 Peterson, D. 2005. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: An introduction for rehabilitation psychologists. Rehabilitation Psychology, 50: 105–112. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), we suggest that an important development in the field is moving to formal assessment of executive performance in functional contexts, in addition to more traditional assessment of executive impairment. We outline a number of existing studies in this area, review current measures that can provide clinicians with useful information on these issues, and discuss how this research could be further advanced.     

Mild traumatic brain injury and its sequelae: Characterisation of divided attention deficits

Deficits in divided attention occur after a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) but many extant tasks lack sensitivity for detecting subtle cognitive difficulties. We use the Test d'Attention Partagée Informatisé (TAPI), a novel dual-task paradigm, to investigate the impact of MTBI on the ability to divide attention between two stimuli sources. Individuals with MTBI (n = 37) were evaluated within the first week following head trauma and at three months post-injury. A healthy control (HC) group (n = 79) was also assessed. The primary outcome was reaction time and there were three different conditions that included visual target detection and auditory digit span tasks. Analyses utilised repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA models that adjusted for relevant variables including post-concussive and affective symptoms. Results indicated that at both baseline and follow-up, the MTBI group had significantly slower reaction time than the HC group. Also, both the MTBI and HC groups had slower reaction times as participants progressed through each of the more challenging TAPI conditions. This study supports the usefulness of this novel instrument and allows clinicians and researchers to assess for subtle divided attention deficits that may persist in those with MTBI even three months post-injury.     

Short-term cognitive changes after surgery in patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis

We investigated the short-term postoperative cognitive function of patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE/HS). Fourteen unilateral MTLE/HS patients who had undergone selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH) or anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) were enrolled. Cognitive functions related to the frontal and temporal lobes were evaluated using a battery of neuropsychological tests administered before surgery and 3 months after surgery. The battery included the Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Boston Naming Test (BNT), Stroop Color-Word Test (TST), Trail Making Test (TMT) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). MTLE/HS patients demonstrated significantly improved postoperative performance on the TST regardless of the surgical method or side of resection. There was no significant difference in any of the other neuropsychological tests before and after surgery. After left-side resection, performance on the VFT and the TMT-B was worse than at baseline. After right-side resection, performance on the VFT and WMS short-term memory improved; however, these differences were not statistically significant. SAH patients exhibited improved TST performance but worse TMT-A performance; however, performance on all tests was not significantly different after surgery in ATL patients. In summary, MTLE/HS patients demonstrated improved frontal lobe-related cognitive function after surgery, but no such improvement in temporal lobe-related function was observed. Based on cognitive evaluation, right-sided MTLE/HS patients may be more appropriate surgical candidates than left-sided MTLE/HS patients. SAH may not be better than ATL in improving cognitive function. We hypothesise that postoperative cognitive changes depend on whether the excised cerebral regions are related to the neuropsychological functions examined by specific assessment instruments.     

Neuropsychological characteristics of Italian children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Background: Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) display many problems ranging from deficits in intelligence to behavioral difficulties. Thus, many studies have aimed at defining the neuropsychological characteristics of children with FASD. The current article describes the neuropsychological characteristics of Italian children with severe diagnosis within FASD and compares them with controls. It was expected that intellectual functioning, language comprehension, academic skills, and inattention/hyperactivity would discriminate children with FASD from randomly selected peers without FASD. Methods: This article presents data from a second cohort of children examined in 2005 as part of an in‐school epidemiological study of FASD in Italy. Of 80 children, 23 diagnosed with a FASD, and 57 randomly selected control children from the same first‐grade classes, participated. After screening for FASD via growth and dysmorphology, the children were administered a test of general intelligence (WISC‐R) as well as tests of nonverbal reasoning (Raven Colored Progressive Matrices), language comprehension (Rustioni), academic achievement (IPDA), and problem behavior (Disruptive Behavior Disorder Rating Scale). Results: Children diagnosed with a FASD achieved lower scores than control children on Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ. Profile analysis of the WISC‐R indicates overall differences between the groups. However, some intact functioning within the FASD group was found, as the Similarities and Vocabulary subtests were similar to the controls. After an alpha adjustment to 0.004, the Block Design, Object Assembly, and Mazes subtests were significantly different from controls. On tests of nonverbal reasoning, language comprehension, and academic achievement, the children with a FASD scored significantly lower. Moreover, teachers rated children with a severe diagnosis within FASD as showing more inattentive symptoms than controls, while hyperactive/impulsive characteristics among children with a FASD were comparable with the control children. Significant correlations between head circumference, child dysmorphology, WISC‐R, and Raven CPM scores are also reported. Conclusions: This study indicates that a sample of Italian children with a FASD, when compared with control children, display poorer functioning on measures of general intelligence, nonverbal reasoning, academic achievement, and teacher‐rated problem behaviors. The findings also contribute to the formulation of a neuropsychological profile of children diagnosed with a FASD.     

Hepatic safety of once-monthly injectable extended-release naltrexone administered to actively drinking alcoholics

Background:  Hepatoxicity has been reported with oral naltrexone. Hepatic safety data were examined from a 6-month study evaluating the efficacy and safety of a now available extended-release formulation of naltrexone (XR-NTX) in patients with alcohol dependence.
Methods:  In all, 624 patients (68% male; median age of 44 years) were randomly assigned to XR-NTX 380 mg ( n  = 205), XR-NTX 190 mg ( n  = 210), or placebo ( n  = 209).
Results:  There were no significant differences in alanine aminotrasferase, aspartate aminotransferase, or bilirubin levels between the study groups at study initiation or at subsequent assessments. Gamma-glutamyltransferase in the XR-NTX 380 mg group was lower compared with placebo at weeks 4, 8, 12, and 20. Both high (>3 times the upper limit of normal) liver chemistry tests (LCTs) and hepatic-related adverse events were infrequent in all study groups. In patients who were drinking heavily throughout the study, obese subjects, or those taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, there was no increase in frequency of high LCTs or hepatic-related adverse events in patients receiving XR-NTX (either dose) compared with placebo.
Conclusion:  Extended-release formulation of naltrexone does not appear to be hepatotoxic when taken at the recommended clinical doses in actively drinking alcohol-dependent patients.     

动态喉镜下嗓音声学测试的研究进展

嗓声学临床检测分为依赖于主观的听觉能力检测和客观性声学检测。两种检测方式所产生的检测效果有所区别,在很长时间一段时间内,由于先进诊断方式的缺乏,对于嗓音学的测试往往主要依靠主观检查。而主观检查靠测试者工作经验、主观感受等进行,虽可获得一定诊断价值,但仍有进步的空间。由此可见,嗓音检测很大程度上满足了嗓音医学发展的客观需求。伴随多媒体技术的快速发展,嗓音检测技术被逐渐应用于临床,为临床诊断提供客观参考依据。本研究检测和分析各种参数,对嗓音声学评价提供客观参考,先将其综述如下。