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27 Examining the Relationship Between Spanish-English Bilingualism and Digit Span Performance
- Nathan R Ramirez, Robert N Harris
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- Journal:
- Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society / Volume 29 / Issue s1 / November 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 December 2023, pp. 440-441
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Objective:
Bilingualism has shown to have significant implications for neuropsychological assessment, namely, the Digit Span task. Moreover, bilingual individuals have been shown to exhibit both advantages and disadvantages on Digit Span; however, the relationship between bilingualism and performance on this subtest is poorly understood. This research aims to better understand how Hispanic Spanish-English bilinguals perform on this commonly administered working memory subtest.
Participants and Methods:Participants included 82 Hispanic Spanish-English bilinguals [Age: M=29.11 (SD=6.369); Education: M=15.68 (SD=2.255); 53.7% female]. The participants completed the Language and Social Background Questionnaire (LSBQ; composite factor scores) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Digit Span (raw scores) subtest via Zoom, an online video conferencing platform. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was utilized to predict participants’ Digit Span performance based on their LSBQ composite factor scores. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted using SPSS Version 27.
Results:LSBQ composite factor scores significantly predicted Digit Span Forward, F (3, 78) = 1.835, p < 0.43 (R2 = .030) and Longest Digit Span Forward, F (1, 78) = 4.02, p < 0.48 (R2 = .041) scores. LSBQ composite factor scores did not significantly predict Digit Span Backward, F (3, 78) = .344, p = .941, Digit Span Sequencing, F (3, 78) = .598, p = .731, Digit Span Total, F (3, 78) = .440, p = 0.296, Longest Digit Span Backward, F (3, 78) = .510, p = .666, or Longest Digit Span sequencing F (3, 78) = .200, p = .751 scores.
Conclusions:Results suggest that Hispanic Spanish-English bilinguals perform worse on Digit Span Forward and Longest Digit Span Forward as their bilingual experiences increase. However, bilingual experiences did not significantly predict Digit Span Backward, Digit Span Sequencing, Digit Span Total, Longest Digit Span Backward, or Longest Digit Span Sequencing scores. The contrasts in Digit Span performance may be attributed to the different ways in which each condition of the subtest is cognitively processed. Therefore, clinicians and researchers should use caution when interpreting test data for Digit Span with Hispanic Spanish-English bilinguals.
86 Subjective Executive Dysfunction Mediates Relationship Between Perceived Sleep Quality and Societal Participation in Veterans with TBI
- Nathan R. Ramirez, Nicole C. Walker, Michelle R. Madore
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- Journal:
- Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society / Volume 29 / Issue s1 / November 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 December 2023, pp. 187-188
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Objective:
Perceived poor sleep quality is the most commonly reported issue among veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Poor sleep can impact aspects of objective and subjective executive functioning abilities (e.g., planning, organization, decision-making) and lead to decreased societal participation. However, less is known about how perceived executive dysfunction impacts the relationship between perceived poor sleep and societal participation in veterans with a prior history of mTBI. We hypothesized that executive dysfunction mediates the relationship between subjective sleep quality and societal participation.
Participants and Methods:Participants included sixty-two U.S. veterans [Age: M=41.73 (SD=13.19); Education: M=15.16 (SD=2.20); 14.5% female]. The participants completed the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory - 4 (MPAI-4; total scores), the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult (BRIEF-A; subscale planning/organizing), and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; total scores). 21 participants met diagnostic criteria for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [as determined by a cutoff score of 45 on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)]. A mediation analysis was utilized to examine the impact of executive functions on the relationship between perceived sleep quality and societal participation. Mediation analyses were conducted via linear regression modeling using SPSS Version 27. Post hoc analyses were conducted to control for PTSD, which is common in veteran populations.
Results:The total PSQI scores significantly predicted MPAI-4 total scores F(1, 53) = 16.740, p < .001 (R2= .55) when controlling for PTSD diagnoses. A mediation analysis showed that BRIEF-A Planning/Organizing T-scores partially mediate the relationship between PSQI scores and MPAI-4 scores when controlling for PTSD diagnoses F(2, 54) = 12.055, p < .001 (R2 = .61).
Conclusions:Results suggest that per000eived sleep quality impacts societal participation. However, how patients perceive their executive functioning abilities partially mediates the relationship between perceived sleep quality and societal participation, such that perceived poor sleep quality leads to reduced societal participation when there is subjective executive dysfunction. Therefore, clinical interventions should focus on the cognitive rehabilitation of executive functioning among veterans with a history of mTBI to improve their subjective experience. Ultimately, these efforts may improve veterans’ participation and utilization of healthcare services.
71 Treatment with TMS Improves Aspects of Attention in Depression: A Pilot Study
- Nicole C Walker, Nathan Ramirez, Laurie Chin, Sonia S Rehman, Stephanie C Gee, Kathleen Hodges, Leanne M Williams, Robert Hickson, L. Chauncey Green, Talaya Patton, Hanaa Aldasouqi, Noah S Philip, F. Andrew Kozel, Jerome A Yesavage, Michelle R Madore
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- Journal:
- Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society / Volume 29 / Issue s1 / November 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 December 2023, pp. 476-477
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Objective:
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an evidenced based treatment for adults with treatment resistant depression (TRD). The standard clinical protocol for TMS is to stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Although the DLPFC is a defining region in the cognitive control network of the brain and implicated in executive functions such as attention and working memory, we lack knowledge about whether TMS improves cognitive function independent of depression symptoms. This exploratory analysis sought to address this gap in knowledge by assessing changes in attention before and after completion of a standard treatment with TMS in Veterans with TRD.
Participants and Methods:Participants consisted of 7 Veterans (14.3% female; age M = 46.14, SD = 7.15; years education M = 16.86, SD = 3.02) who completed a full 30-session course of TMS treatment and had significant depressive symptoms at baseline (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9 score >5). Participants were given neurocognitive assessments measuring aspects of attention [Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 4th Edition (WAIS-IV) subtests: Digits Forward, Digits Backward, and Number Sequencing) at baseline and again after completion of TMS treatment. The relationship between pre and post scores were examined using paired-samples t-test for continuous variables and a linear regression to covary for depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is often comorbid with depression in Veteran populations.
Results:There was a significant improvement in Digit Span Forward (p=.01, d=-.53), but not Digit Span Backward (p=.06) and Number Sequencing (p=.54) post-TMS treatment. Depression severity was not a significant predictor of performance on Digit Span Forward (f(1,5)=.29, p=.61) after TMS treatment. PTSD severity was also not a significant predictor of performance on Digit Span Forward (f(1,5)=1.31, p=.32).
Conclusions:Findings suggested that a standard course of TMS improves less demanding measures of working memory after a full course of TMS, but possibly not the more demanding aspects of working memory. This improvement in cognitive function was independent of improvements in depression and PTSD symptoms. Further investigation in a larger sample and with direct neuroimaging measures of cognitive function is warranted.