hough there is much that is unknown about “post-COVID conditions” the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recognizes that these conditions represent a wide array of new, returning, or ongoing health issues in individuals who have been infected with the novel corona virus, COVID-19. This case series describes the emotional and cognitive screening of three females in their 50's who contracted COVID-19, and were hospitalized during the course of their illness. This case series hopes to provide an initial framework to discuss the recovery trajectory of post-COVID patients who were hospitalized, who have experienced residual post-traumatic stress and cognitive symptoms.

Three middle-aged female patients (ages 52, 53, 55) were screened in an outpatient post-COVID recovery center for initial and post-COVID emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms. All three women reported being hospitalized during their illness. The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) was administered via clinical interview and the patients were asked about subjective cognitive complaints related to concentration, memory, and word finding.

All three women reported persisting cognitive problems, including difficulties with concentration, problems with memory, and word finding difficulties. They also endorsed symptoms of post-traumatic stress, such as avoidance of thoughts and events, as well as recurrent nightmares related to the course of their illness.

The CDC notes that there are no tests that specifically evaluate the multitude of post-COVID conditions. Regardless, this case series suggests that emotional and cognitive screeners may assist in treatment planning and support recovery in this population. Future research should examine the exact nature of the relationship between hospitalization, emotional symptoms, and cognitive functioning in post-COVID patients.

In the U.S, Black and Latinx individuals disproportionately experience daily acts of discrimination. To counteract the psychological distress, many individuals develop coping mechanisms, like vigilant coping, where behaviors are modified to attempt to prevent discriminatory experiences. Researchers have investigated how coping mechanisms moderate the relationship between discrimination and psychological stress, but not their role in the relationship between discrimination and cognitive function. Prior research has shown a link between discrimination and poor episodic memory. The current study examined vigilant coping as a potential moderator in the relationship between discrimination and memory among Black and Latinx people.

We partnered with 1317 non-Latinx Black (n= 291) and Latinx (n= 1026) individuals who participated in the Offspring Study of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Alzheimer's Disease. Participants were assessed in English or Spanish, according to their preference. Experiences of discrimination were measured on two scales: Major (civil rights violations) and Everyday (daily hassles), and were coded according to yearly chronicity. Vigilance was measured among people with at least one reported experience of discrimination on either scale, using a 5-item survey which was dichotomized as low and high vigilant coping. The Selective Reminding Test, a 12-item word list task with 6 learning trials and a delayed recall trial, yielded scores for total immediate recall and delayed memory. Linear regression models were used to assess if vigilance moderated the relationship between discrimination and memory, with years of education and age as covariates.

Participants ranged in age from 27 to 91, with a mean age of 56.5 (SD=11.0) years, a mean education of 12.7 (SD=3.7) years, and were 67% women. High vigilant coping was associated with more experiences of major (b = 1.7, 95% CI = 0.9,2.5) and everyday (b = 90.3, 95% CI=66.2,114.3) discrimination. Memory was not associated with reported everyday discrimination, but lower delayed recall was observed among people who reported more experiences of major discrimination (b= -0.04, 95% CI = -0.07,-0.01). This relationship was moderated by vigilance, such that among people with low vigilant coping, major experiences of discrimination predicted lower memory (b= -0.06, 95% CI = -0.12,-0.01), but the association between discrimination and memory was weakened among people with high use of vigilant coping (b= -0.02, 95% CI = -0.05,0.01).

This study builds on Black researchers' work that laid the foundations for examination of stress and coping in marginalized populations. Future studies on discrimination and cognitive health should consider coping mechanisms as key aspects of pathways linking structural racism and inequalities to cognitive health among Black and Latinx individuals.

Cognitive fatigue (CF) is a common, yet poorly understood symptom in neurological disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke). Studies show that reward plays a central role in CF. For instance, introducing or increasing reward often improves task performance. It is less clear, however, how reward affects subjective (self-reported) CF (SCF). This study examined the effect of reward type (monetary or performance feedback) and frequency (infrequent or frequent) on SF.

In an online between-subjects study, 400 participants completed a computerized cognitive switching task and were randomly grouped into one of the five possible groups based on reward condition: [1] infrequent monetary reward, [2] frequent monetary reward, [3] infrequent performancefeedback reward, [4] frequent performance feedback reward, and [5] a no-reward group. SCF was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale of Fatigue (VAS-F) during the task. Mixed effects models were used to estimate the influence of reward type and frequency on task performance and SCF.

We found that the monetary groups were significantly faster (p<.001) compared to the feedback and no-reward groups, and that the frequent group was faster (p=.05) compared to the infrequent group. Reward type and frequency did not have a significant effect on VAS-F scores. However, when we looked at each reward group, we found that the monetary-infrequent reward group was associated with a decrease in VAS-F scores on average compared to the no-reward group (p=.04).

The type and frequency of reward influence aspects of task performance (response time but not accuracy). Findings suggest that money had a greater effect on response time and may decrease SCF in cognitively healthy individuals when provided infrequently. Future studies should examine how these findings translate to clinical populations. Continued work is needed to understand how and which specific behavioral reward manipulations reduce fatigue, which could eventually lead to improved assessment and our ability to target fatigue across clinical populations.

Precariously housed individuals are exposed to multiple adverse factors negatively impacting neurocognitive functioning. Additionally, this population is subjected to poor life outcomes, such as impaired psychosocial functioning. Neurocognitive functioning plays an important role in psychosocial functioning and may be especially critical for precariously housed individuals who face numerous barriers in their daily lives. However, few studies have explicitly examined the cognitive determinants of functional outcomes in this population. Cognitive intraindividual variability (IIV) involves the study of within-person differences in neurocognitive functioning and has been used as marker of frontal system pathology. Increased IIV has been associated with worse cognitive performance, cognitive decline, and poorer everyday functioning. Hence, IIV may add to the predictive utility of commonly used neuropsychological measures and may serve as an emergent predictor of poor outcomes in at-risk populations. The objective of the current study was to examine IIV as a unique index of the neurocognitive contributions to functional outcomes within a large sample of precariously housed individuals. It was hypothesized that greater IIV would be associated with poorer current (i.e., baseline) and long-term (i.e., up to 12 years) psychosocial functioning.

Four hundred and thirty-seven adults were recruited from single-room occupancy hotels located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada (Mage = 44 years, 78% male) between November 2008 and November 2021. Baseline neurocognitive functioning was assessed at study enrolment. Scores from the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), the Role Functioning Scale (RFS), the physical component score (PCS) and the mental component score (MCS) of the 36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument were obtained at participants’ baseline assessments and at their last available follow-up assessment to represent baseline and long-term psychosocial functioning, respectively. Using an established formula, an index of IIV was derived using a battery of standardized tests that broadly assessed verbal learning and memory, sustained attention, mental flexibility, and cognitive control. A series of multiple linear regressions were conducted to predict baseline and long-term social and role functioning (average across SOFAS and RFS scores), and PCS and MCS scores from IIV. In each of the models, we also included common predictors of functioning, including a global cognitive composite score, age, and years of education.

The IIV index and the global composite score did not explain a significant proportion of the variance in baseline and long-term social and role functioning (p > .05). However, IIV was a significant predictor of baseline (B = -3.84, p = .021) and long-term (B = -3.58, p = .037) PCS scores, but not MCS scores (p > .05). The global composite score did not predict baseline or long-term PCS scores.

IIV significantly predicted baseline and long-term physical functioning, but not mental functioning or social and role functioning, suggesting that IIV may be a sensitive marker for limitations in everyday functioning due to physical health problems in precariously housed individuals. Critically, the present study is the first to show that IIV may be a useful index for predicting poor long-term health-related outcomes in this population compared to traditional neuropsychological measures.

Long-term exposure to the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinol (THC), has been consistently raised as a notable risk factor for schizophrenia. Additionally, cannabis is frequently used as a coping mechanism for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Cannabis use in schizophrenia has been associated with greater severity of psychotic symptoms, non-compliance with medication, and increased relapse rates. Neuropsychological changes have also been implicated in long-term cannabis use and the course of illness of schizophrenia. However, the impact of co-occurring cannabis use in individuals with schizophrenia on cognitive functioning is less thoroughly explored. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine whether neuropsychological test performance and symptoms in schizophrenia differ as a function of THC use status. A second aim of this study was to examine whether symptom severity moderates the relationship between THC use and cognitive test performance among people with schizophrenia.

Peer-reviewed articles comparing schizophrenia with and without cannabis use disorder (SZ SUD+; SZ SUD-) were selected from three scholarly databases; Ovid, Google Scholar, and PubMed. The following search terms were applied to yield studies for inclusion: neuropsychology, cognition, cognitive, THC, cannabis, marijuana, and schizophrenia. 11 articles containing data on psychotic symptoms and neurocognition, with SZ SUD+ and SZ SUD- groups, were included in the final analyses. Six domains of neurocognition were identified across included articles (Processing Speed, Attention, Working Memory, Verbal Learning Memory, and Reasoning and Problem Solving). Positive and negative symptom data was derived from eligible studies consisting of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Self-Evaluation of Negative Symptoms (SNS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) scores. Meta analysis and meta-regression was conducted using R.

No statistically significant differences were observed between SZ SUD+ and SZ SUD-across the cognitive domains of Processing Speed, Attention, Working Memory, Verbal Learning Memory, and Reasoning and Problem Solving. Positive symptom severity was found to moderate the relationship between THC use and processing speed, but not negative symptoms. Positive and negative symptom severity did not significantly moderate the relationship between THC use and the other cognitive domains.

Positive symptoms moderated the relationship between cannabis use and processing speed among people with schizophrenia. The reasons for this are unclear, and require further exploration. Additional investigation is warranted to better understand the impact of THC use on other tests of neuropsychological performance and symptoms in schizophrenia.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains one of the most prevalent brain injuries, affecting approximately one-in-sixty Americans. Previous studies have shown an association between white matter integrity and aggression at chronic stages (either 6-months or 12 months post-mTBI) however, the association between white matter axonal damage, neuropsychological outcomes, and elevated aggression in multiple stages since time-since-injury (TSI) is unclear. We hypothesized that functional connectivity between the default mode network (DMN), a key brain network involved in cognitive, self-reflective, and emotional processes, and other cortical regions would predict elevated aggression and emotional disturbances across multiples stages of recovery in mild TBI.

Participants healthy controls (HC: n=35 total [15 male, 20 female], age M=24.40, SD=5.95; mTBI: n=121 total [43 male; 78 female], age M = 24.76, SD=7.48). Participants completed a cross-sectional study design at specific post-injury time points ranging from (2W, 1M,3M,6M,12M). Participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and a neuroimaging session, including resting state functional connectivity (FC). Here, we focus on the FC outcomes for the DMN. During the neuropsychological assessment, participants completed tests that measured learning and memory, speed of information processing, executive function, and attention. To predict neuropsychological performance from brain connectivity, we conducted a series of stepwise linear regression analyses with the 11 functional brain connections (extracted as Fisher’s z-transformed correlations between regions) as predictors and each of the 13 neurocognitive factor scores separately.

Consistent with our hypothesis, one predictor materialized as significant (R = .187, R2 = .035, F = 5.55, p = .020) for the Total Sample. Largely, positive connectivity between Right Inferior Frontal Gyrus and the PCC (seed) was associated with increased aggression in the Total Sample of all participants (ß = .187, t = 2.36, p = .020). One predictor materialized as significant in Individuals the 2W group, (R = .719, R2 = .518, F = 8.58, p = .019). In general, greater negative (anticorrelated) connectivity between the Left Lateral Occipital Cortex (ß = -.719, t = -2.93, p = .019) and the PCC (seed) and was associated with greater aggression at 2W, but no predictors emerged at 1M or 3M. Individuals in the 6M group showed one significant predictor (R = .675, R2 = .455, F = 16.71, p = .001). Specifically, greater positive connectivity between the Right Lateral Occipital Cortex (/? = .675, t = 4.09, p = .001) and PCC (seed) was associated with greater aggression at 6M. No associations were evident at 12M.

Overall, these findings suggest functional connectivity between the posterior hub of the DMN and cortical regions within the occipital cortex was predictive of higher aggression in individuals with mTBI. However, the direction of this connectivity differed at 2W versus 6M, suggesting a complex process of recovery that may contribute differentially to aggression in patients with mTBI. As these regions are involved in self-consciousness and visual perception, this may point toward future avenues for aiding in functional recovery of emotional dysregulation in patients with persistent post-concussion syndrome.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance. Pharmacological intervention used to treat insulin resistance, like GLP-1 agonists, may have auspicious results in the treatment for PD. The objective of this clinical trial was to assess the therapeutic effect of liraglutide on non-motor symptoms, such as, but not limited to, cognitive function and emotional well-being, and quality of life for individuals with PD.

In a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, PD patients self-administered liraglutide injections once-daily (1.2 or 1.8 mg, as tolerated) or placebo in a 2:1 study design for 52 weeks after titration. Primary outcomes included adjusted difference in the OFF-state Movement Disorders Society Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) part III, non-motor symptom scale (NMSS) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS-2). Secondary outcomes included quality of life scores (Parkinson Disease Questionnaire, PDQ-39) and other neuropsychological tests, including Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Parkinson’s Anxiety Scale (PAS) scores.

Sixty-three subjects were enrolled and randomized to liraglutide (n=42) or placebo (n=21). Mean age in years was 63.5 (9.8) and 64.2 (6.4) for liraglutide and placebo cohorts, respectively (p=0.78), and mean age at symptom onset was 58.9 (10.5) and 59.3 (7.5) for liraglutide and placebo cohorts, respectively (p=0.86). At 54 weeks, NMSS scores had improved by 6.6 points in the liraglutide group and worsened by 6.5 points in the placebo group, a 13.1 point adjusted mean difference (p<0.05). Further analysis showed all nine NMSS sub-domain changes favoring the liraglutide group, with one (attention/memory) reaching statistical significance (p<0.05). Secondary outcome analyses revealed a significant improvement of PDQ-39 (p<0.001) and Parkinson’s Anxiety Scale - Avoidance Behavior scores (p<0.05) in the treatment group. MDRS-2 sub-scores did not further differentiate study groups, while DKEFS letter fluency scores favored placebo group (p<0.05).

Treatment with liraglutide improved self-reported non-motor symptoms of PD, activities of daily living, and quality of life. These results validate similar outcomes reported with other GLP-1 agonists implicating consideration for novel treatment opportunities for individuals with PD. Notably, the absence of significant performance-based cognitive changes over the duration of the trial for the participants in this study has several plausible explanations given participant-related baseline demographic and clinical factors. Implications for neuropsychologists will be discussed.

Many epilepsy syndromes are medically refractory, leading patients to be referred for surgical work-up to control their seizures and improve their quality of life (QOL). Although surgical treatments may reduce or stop seizures, many patients continue to present with declines in mood and/or cognition post-operatively. In addition, pre-operative QOL of patients with medically refractory epilepsy is impacted by executive function (EF). The present study aims to investigate the relationship between post-operative mood/QOL and pre-operative EF in adults with epilepsy. It was hypothesized that mood would remain stable or decline post-operatively; pre-operative EF would be a protective factor for mood decline and QOL.

The sample consisted of 47 adult patients (57.4% female; Age, M= 34.02(11.59)) with medically refractory epilepsy at the UCSF Epilepsy Center. Participants were included if they received surgical treatment for their epilepsy (42.6% right anterior temporal lobectomy [ATL], 46.8% left ATL, 2.1% laser ablation, 6.4% responsive neurostimulation, 2.1% multiple surgical interventions) and received both a pre- and post-surgical neuropsychological evaluation. Most patients were right-handed (95.7% right). Mood and QOL were assessed from pre- and post-operative evaluations using the Beck Depression Inventory- Second Edition (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Quality of Life in Epilepsy- 31 (QOLIE-31). Executive function was assessed using the Trail Making Test, and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function Scale (D-KEFS) subtests Color-Word Interference (CW-I) and Verbal Fluency. Descriptive statistics were obtained for each of the measures listed. A paired sample t-test was conducted between time A and B to determine whether mood and QOL were significantly different. Two multiple regressions were conducted. One analysis for post-operative depression and QOL respectively with pre-operative EF.

At time A, both anxiety and depression were minimal (BDI M= 17.8, SD= 10.34; BAI M= 13; SD= 8.94). QOL was borderline clinically significant (QOLIE M= 37.46, SD= 9.74). Depression at time B was positively correlated with depression at time A (r[45]= 0.316, p=0.035). A paired sample t-test indicated that depression and QOL were significantly different at time A and time B (t[44]= 2.04, p= 0.047; t[31]= -3.34, p= 0.002), with improved scores post-operatively. Anxiety was not significantly different across time points (t[39]= 1.20, p=0.238). Multiple regression analyses indicated that pre-operative depression and EF did not predict post-operative depression (F(5,27)= 1.62, p= 0.189). Pre-operative EF (CW-I Inhibition-Switching), but not pre-operative depression, predicted post-operative QOL (F(4(24)= 3.13, p=.03, R2= .343).

Results were somewhat discrepant from prior research in that depression and QOL improved post-surgically. Notably, while the observed change in depression was statistically significant it was not clinically significant according to literature (Doherty et al., 2021). Pre-surgical inhibitory control predicted QOL, illustrating that EF may serve as a protective factor post-surgically. The present study did not include a measure of seizure freedom classification post-operatively, therefore, future studies should investigate how seizure freedom classification impacts the relationship between mood, QOL, and cognitive outcomes.

The goal of the current study is to compare QoL between tumor grade levels (i.e., low vs high) as well as the relationship between QoL, cognition, and tumor grade.

Participants were 156 individuals diagnosed with a brain tumor who completed neuropsychological evaluation within an interdisciplinary brain tumor clinic (mean age=51.67; SD=15.0; mean education=13.98; SD=2.6; 59% male). Independent samples T-Test was utilized to review participants’ reported overall quality of life (QoL) on the FACT-Br in relation to tumor grade level (i.e., high vs low). Linear regression analysis was utilized to determine which cognitive variable may be most predictive of QoL.

Results of the Independent T-test demonstrated that low and high tumor grade level groups did not significantly differ in total or individual sub-domain QoL. With regard to the regression analysis, cognitive variables as measured by TMT B, HVLT delayed recall, and FAS accounted for significant variance in quality of life in both low grade and high grade tumor groups (low tumor grade level effect size R2 =0.21; high tumor grade level effect size R2 = 0.19). However, TMT B emerged as a significant predictor of QoL in only the low grade group, while cognitive performance within these same tasks did not significantly predict QoL for the high tumor grade level group.

Our findings did not significantly differ in the overall impact tumor grade level (i.e., low vs., high) has on QoL. Notably, cognitive performance on TMT B significantly predicts QoL for the low but not high tumor grade level group.

Previous research suggests that individuals with isolated Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (AgCC) have cognitive and psychosocial deficits including that of complex processing of emotions (Anderson et al., 2017) and their ability to verbally express emotional experiences (Paul et al., 2021). Additionally, research suggests individuals with AgCC show impaired recognition of the emotions of others (Symington et al., 2010), as well as diminished ability to infer and describe the emotions of others (Renteria-Vazquez et al., 2022; Turk et al., 2010). However, the nature of the empathic abilities of individuals with AgCC remains unclear in empirical research. Capacity for empathetic feelings and situational recognition in persons with AgCC were tested using the Multifaceted Empathy Test [MET] (Foell et al., 2018). We hypothesized that individuals with AgCC would have lower abilities for both cognitive and affective empathy than neurotypical controls.

Results from 50 neurotypical control participants recruited from MTurk Cloud were compared to responses from 19 AgCC participants with normal-range FSIQ (>80) drawn from the individuals with AgCC involved with the Human Brain and Cognition Lab at the Travis Research Institute. The research was completed through an online version of the MET. The MET uses a series of photographs of individuals displaying an emotion. To measure cognitive empathy, the participants are asked to pick the correct emotion being displayed with three distractors for each item. To measure affective empathy, they are then asked on a sliding scale, “how much do you empathize with the person shown” (1 = Not at all, 7 = Very much).

Results of a MANOVA showed a trend for a significant overall difference between individuals with AgCC and controls for empathic abilities F(1, 67) = 2.59, p-value = .082, with persons with AgCC showing less empathy overall. Follow-up one-way ANOVAs showed that individuals with AgCC scored significantly lower in cognitive empathy F(1, 67) = 4.63, p-value = .035, ηp2 = .065; however, affective empathy was not significantly different between groups F(1, 67) = .537, p-value = .466, ηp2 = .008.

Results suggest that adults with AgCC have a diminished ability to give cognitive labels to the emotional states of others compared to neurotypical controls. However, contrary to our hypothesis, participants with AgCC had affective responses to the pictures of the emotional states of others which were similar to neurotypical controls. Recent research has shown that individuals with AgCC have difficulty inferring and elaborating on the more complex cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of simple animations (Renteria-Vazquez et al., 2022; Turk et al., 2010). Cognitive empathy would require this form of elaborative thinking, even when affective empathy is normal. Similarly, Paul et al. (2021) described alexithymia in persons with AgCC as difficulty in expressing emotions linguistically, but found similar endorsements of emotional experience when compared to neurotypical controls. This study provides further evidence to suggest the corpus callosum facilitates the ability to cognitively label emotions but not necessarily the ability to experience emotions affectively.

Research examining co-occurring anxiety and depression in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is scarce, though an estimated 20% of PwMS experience clinically significant anxiety and depression (Gascoyne et al., 2019). Recent work by Hanna & Strober (2020) found that PwMS with comorbid anxiety and depression reported worse outcomes in all constructs of symptomatology, disease management, psychological well-being, and quality of life. However, it is unclear how co-occurring anxiety and depression symptoms may influence or exacerbate cognitive difficulties in PwMS. Further, considering there are high levels of comorbidity between depression, anxiety, and fatigue in PwMS, this study aims to examine the unique variances of depression, anxiety, co-occurring depression and anxiety, and fatigue on cognitive functioning.

86 PwMS (F=65,M=21) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery that included self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. An intraindividual variability (IIV) composite score was calculated by combining standardized intraindividual standard deviation and maximum discrepancy scores on measures of attention/processing speed and memory for each participant. Lower scores indicate worse performance (i.e., greater variability). A hierarchical regression was conducted with IIV as the outcome variable and with depression, anxiety, cognitive fatigue, physical fatigue, and the interaction between depression and anxiety as predictors. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores were included as a covariate.

The only model that included a statistically significant predictor of IIV was the final model, which included EDSS, depression, anxiety, cognitive fatigue, physical fatigue, and the interaction between depression and anxiety, F(6,77)=2.97, p=.01, AR2=.08. While the main effects of depression and anxiety were not significant, the interaction between depression and anxiety was significant, F(6,77)=7.20, p=.01, n2=.09. Simple effects tests revealed that the relationship between IIV and anxiety was marginally significant for those at the cutoff for clinical depression (square root BDI-FS=2; BDI-FS=4), F(6,77)=3.52, p=.07, n2=.04. However, the effect of anxiety on IIV increased as depression increased. For example, in those with high levels of depression (1.5 SD above the mean), there was a significant relationship between anxiety and IIV, F(6,77)=4.16, p=.04, n2=.05, though this was not the case for those with low levels of depression (1.5 SD below the mean), F(6,77)=0.01, p=.92, n2=.00.

The interaction between depression and anxiety predicted variability in performance such that those with high levels of depression and anxiety demonstrated significantly greater IIV. Since dispersion is considered a marker for neurocognitive integrity, this may suggest that co-occurring psychological disturbances are associated with poorer cognitive integrity, an important consideration for interventions and outcomes. While interventions aimed at treating co-occurring depression and anxiety have been largely overlooked within the MS literature (Butler et al., 2016), transdiagnostic interventions have been beneficial for general adult populations with co-occurring anxiety and depression (McEvoy et al., 2009). Future work should examine the efficacy of interventions aimed at addressing co-occurring depression and anxiety in PwMS, as this may help to improve cognitive functioning, as well as perception of functioning, which will likely further improve quality of life and overall well-being.

Craft Story 21 is a practical, comprehensive, and freely available tool to assess logical memory in patients with memory impairment. Currently, the test does not have normative values in Spanish that adjust to our specific population. Furthermore, the original test does not have a recognition phase to increase the specificity of the memory profile by allowing a distinction between different amnesic profiles. Therefore, this study has two main aims: 1) the generation of normative data for the Craft Story 21 memory test, adjusting to the characteristics of our Spanish-speaking country according to sex, age, and educational level; and 2) the design and validation of the recognition phase of the test and the assessment of its psychometric properties.

The baremization sample comprised 81 healthy participants aged 41 to 91, assessed through the Uniform Data Set III (UDS III) battery of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). The design of the recognition phase included three steps: (1) construction of the scale and review by experts, (2) pilot study, and (3) analysis of its psychometric properties. In the latter, 190 participants were recruited and classified into two groups matched by age, sex, and educational level: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI n=96) according to Petersen’s (1999) criteria and healthy controls (HC n=94). In addition, the diagnostic accuracy of the test was studied by the ROC curve method, its concurrent validity by correlation with other memory tests (RAVLT), and its internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha test.

The Baremization sample was divided into 16 groups: 4 age groups (41-51, 51-61, 6171 and >72 years), two educational levels (6-12 years and >12 years), and sex (male and female). Performance was significantly different between age groups (p < 0.003**). No significant differences were found in Craft Story 21 performance between education (p > 0.09) or sex (p > 0.56) groups within the same age group. Normative values in terms of means and standard deviations are presented for each group. Regarding the design of the recognition phase, the groups did not show significant differences in age (p= 0.13), sex (p= 0.88), or schooling (p= 0.33). The overall score of Craft Story 21 test showed the ability to discriminate between healthy controls from patients with MCI (sensitivity = 81.6% and specificity = 72.4%). Its diagnostic accuracy by phase (immediate AUC= 0.86; delayed AUC= 0.86 and recognition AUC= 0.75) was superior than Rey Auditory and Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT): immediate (AUC= 0.79), delayed (AUC= 0.82) and recognition (AUC= 0.74). It presented evidence of concurrent validity with RAVLT in its immediate (r=0.56, p<0.001), delayed (r= 0.66, p<0.001) and recognition (r= 0.37, p<0.001) trails. The instrument also presented evidence of reliability (a= 0.82).

The Craft Story 21 test is a practical, brief and multicultural scale. Thus having appropriate scales for the specific population to be assessed to a more accurate and precise description of the memory profile. Additionally, the new Recognition phase of the test showed evidence of validity and reliability for assessing memory processes.

The vascular depression hypothesis posits that there is a relationship between vascular disease and geriatric depressive symptoms. Black Americans are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than their White counterparts. However, it is not fully understood whether risk for CVD or potentially related neurovascular changes have a differential relationship in Black and White Americans. We investigated differences in the relationships between white matter hyperintensities, risk for CVD, and depressive symptoms in Black and White older adults.

Participants were derived from the National Alzheimer Coordinating Center database. Black (N = 120) and White (N = 120) participants were matched on age, sex, and education. White matter hyperintensity (WMH) and CVD burden data (sum of vascular conditions) on 320 individuals were analyzed (mean age = 75.9; 69.4% female). Age, sex, race, and education were included as covariates in separate regression models in which WMH and CVD burden predicted scores on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Follow-up stratified analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between WMH and CVD burden on GDS scores in the Black and White samples.

Lower WMH volume and higher CVD burden were associated with higher GDS scores in the total sample. Analyses stratified by race showed a positive effect of CVD burden on GDS scores only for the Black sample and a trend effect of WMH on GDS scores only for the White sample, with higher WMH volume associated with lower rather than higher GDS scores.

These findings are consistent with previous research showing that WMH and CVD burden are related to depression in older adults. Contrary to expectation, WMH had a negative trend association with GDS scores in the White sample. Findings also suggest that different etiologies may play a role in the clinical presentation of depression in Black and White Americans. Additional research is needed to further explore the relationships among CVD, its neural correlates, and depressive symptoms in diverse samples.

Injection drug use is a significant public health crisis with adverse health outcomes, including increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Comorbidity of HIV and injection drug use is highly prevalent in the United States and disproportionately elevated in surrounding territories such as Puerto Rico. While both HIV status and injection drug use are independently known to be associated with cognitive deficits, the interaction of these effects remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine how HIV status and injection drug use are related to cognitive functioning in a group of Puerto Rican participants. Additionally, we investigated the degree to which type and frequency of substance use predict cognitive abilities.

96 Puerto Rican adults completed the Neuropsi Attention and Memory-3rd Edition battery for Spanish-speaking participants. Injection substance use over the previous 12 months was also obtained via clinical interview. Participants were categorized into four groups based on HIV status and injection substance use in the last 30 days (HIV+/injector, HIV+/non-injector, HIV/injector, HIV-/non-injector). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine differences between groups on each index of the Neuropsi battery (Attention and Executive Function; Memory; Attention and Memory). Multiple linear regression was used to determine whether type and frequency of substance use predicted performance on these indices while considering HIV status.

The one-way ANOVAs revealed significant differences (p’s < 0.01) between the healthy control group and all other groups across all indices. No significant differences were observed between the other groups. Injection drug use, regardless of the substance, was associated with lower combined attention and memory performance compared to those who inject less than monthly (Monthly: p = 0.04; 2-3x daily: p < 0.01; 4-7x daily: p = 0.02; 8+ times daily: p < 0.01). Both minimal and heavy daily use predicted poorer memory performance (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). Heavy heroin use predicted poorer attention and executive functioning (p = 0.04). Heroin use also predicted lower performance on tests of memory when used monthly (p = 0.049), and daily or almost daily (2-6x weekly: p = 0.04; 4-7x daily: p = 0.04). Finally, moderate injection of heroin predicted lower scores on attention and memory (Weekly: p = 0.04; 2-6x weekly: p = 0.048). Heavy combined heroin and cocaine use predicted worse memory performance (p = 0.03) and combined attention and memory (p = 0.046). HIV status was not a moderating factor in any circumstance.

As predicted, residents of Puerto Rico who do not inject substances and are HIVnegative performed better in domains of memory, attention, and executive function than those living with HIV and/or inject substances. There was no significant difference among the affected groups in cognitive ability. As expected, daily injection of substances predicted worse performance on tasks of memory. Heavy heroin use predicted worse performance on executive function and memory tasks, while heroin-only and combined heroin and cocaine use predicted worse memory performance. Overall, the type and frequency of substance is more predictive of cognitive functioning than HIV status.

There is growing evidence to indicate that blast exposure military personnel experience throughout their career can have a negative impact on their brain health. The majority of research in the area of blast related neurotrauma has been focused on traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, the blast exposure may often be independent of TBI. It is common in both active duty military and veterans to report years of blast exposure from combat and training. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between blast exposure and cognitive functioning in military personnel seeking treatment for a mild TBI.

Participants were recruited from a military hospital while enrolled in a multidisciplinary treatment program for TBI. All patients had at least one diagnosed mTBI as well as persistent cognitive complaints. Exclusion criteria included invalid performance on a performance validity test and a symptom validity test. 97 participants were included in the analysis with an average age of 34.0 (SD = 7.9) and average 4.0 combat deployments (SD = 3.6). Blast exposure history was measured by the overall score from the Blast Exposure Threshold Survey (BETS) which assessed the frequency and duration of use of various blast sources. Outcomes included the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and the Global Deficit Scale (GDS) an objective measure of cognitive deficiency. GDS was calculated from seven measures: Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised Total and Delayed Recall (HVLT-TR and HVLT-DR); DKEFS System Color-Word Condition 3 Inhibition (CW3), Color-Word Condition 4 Switching (CW4) and Trail Making Condition 3 Letter Sequencing (TM3), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), and the Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT). Demographically corrected t-scores (M=50, SD = 10) were converted to deficit scores and averaged to calculate GDS. To adjust for nonnormal distributions, non-parametric statistics were examined.

The BETS was not related to GDS (rho = -.055); however, there was a significant correlation between higher levels on the BETS and better performance on measures of selective attention (PASAT rho = .307) and processing speed (SDMT rho = .218). The correlation between BETS and the other neuropsychological measures were not meaningful (all rho’s <.10). Those with an impaired GDS, did not differ from others on the BETS. BETS was also not associated with neurobehavioral symptoms (rho = .125). BETS had moderate correlations with number of combat deployments (rho =.483), severity of combat exposure (rho =.556). It was not related to education (rho = .004) or pre-morbid intelligence (rho =-.029).

The BETS was not related to GDS (rho = -.055); however, there was a significant correlation between higher levels on the BETS and better performance on measures of selective attention (PASAT rho = .307) and processing speed (SDMT rho = .218). The correlation between BETS and the other neuropsychological measures were not meaningful (all rho’s <.10). Those with an impaired GDS, did not differ from others on the BETS. BETS was also not associated with neurobehavioral symptoms (rho = .125). BETS had moderate correlations with number of combat deployments (rho =.483), severity of combat exposure (rho =.556). It was not related to education (rho = .004) or pre-morbid intelligence (rho =-.029).

Post-stroke depression (PSD) and anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric issues that occur after cerebrovascular accident (CVA), with prevalence rates of up to 50%. Less studied, post-stroke apathy and pseudobulbar affect (PBA) also occur in a subset of individuals after CVA leading to reduced quality of life. Cognitive impairments also persist, especially memory, language, and executive difficulties. Residual cognitive and emotional sequelae after CVA limit return-to-work with between 20-60% becoming disabled or retiring early. This study examined the frequency and relative contribution of cognitive, behavioral and emotional factors for not returning-to-work after CVA.

Participants included 242 stroke survivors (54% women, average age of 59.2 years) who underwent an outpatient neuropsychological evaluation approximately 13 months after unilateral focal CVA. Exclusion criteria were a diagnosis of dementia, comprehension issues identified during assessment, multifocal or bilateral CVA, and inpatients. Predictors of return-to-work included in logistic regression analyses were psychological (depressive and anxiety disorders, apathy, PBA, history of psychiatric treatment before stroke) and neuropsychological (memory, executive functioning) variables. Depression and anxiety were diagnosed using DSM-IV-TR or -5 criteria. Apathy was operationalized as diminished goal-directed behavior, reduced initiation and decreased interest that impacted daily life more than expected from physical issues after stroke (including self- and family-report using the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale [FrSBe]). PBA was defined by the Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale and clinical judgment based on chart review.

Post-stroke apathy persisted in 27.3% of patients 13 months after stroke, PBA persisted in 28.2% of patients (i.e., uncontrollable crying spellings not simply attributable to depression alone, uncontrollable laughing spells), anxiety disorders persisted in 18.6% of patients (mainly panic attacks), and PSD persisted in 29.8% of patients. Memory loss persisted in 67.4% of patients and executive difficulties persisted in 74.4% of patients. Thirteen months after stroke, 34.7% of individuals had returned-to-work and 47.1% had not returned-to-work. The other 18.2% were not working either at the time of their stroke or after the stroke. Logistic regression indicated that post-stroke apathy, PBA, and memory loss were significant predictors of not returning-to-work (odds ratio p < 0.001). Patients who experienced post-stroke apathy were 7.1 times more likely to not return-to-work after stroke (p=0.008), those who suffered from PBA were 4.8 times more likely to not return-to-work (p=0.028), and those with memory loss were 6.6 times more likely to not return-to-work (p=0.005). PSD, history of treatment for psychiatric issues before the stroke, presence of an anxiety disorder after stroke, and executive difficulties were not significant predictors (p’s>0.05).

Results replicate the finding that return-to-work is hindered by residual cognitive deficits after stroke and extends previous research by clarifying the multifactorial emotional and behavioral barriers to not returning-to-work. Results highlight the importance of quantifying post-stroke apathy and pseudobulbar affect in a standard neuropsychological work-up after stroke to identify candidates for services to facilitate efforts in returning to work (e.g., vocational rehabilitation services, psychotherapy, interventions for decreased initiation).

To characterize reasons for rehospitalization of Veterans and Service Members with mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) who received inpatient rehabilitation at a Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (PRC) up to 10 years postinjury. TBI is a chronic condition, and a subset of TBI survivors experience rehospitalization after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Extant literature focuses primarily on persons with moderate-to-severe TBI and utilizes broad categories when determining readmission reasons. The present study aimed to delineate with greater specificity the reasons for rehospitalization up to 10 years postinjury across the TBI severity spectrum.

Participants were drawn from the VA TBI Model Systems multicenter longitudinal study for a cross-sectional analysis. Eligibility criteria included TBI diagnosis per case definition; age > 16 years at TBI; admitted for inpatient rehabilitation at one of the five VA PRCs; and informed consent by the participant or legally authorized representative. At follow up interviews 1, 2, 5, and 10 years post-TBI, participants were asked whether they were rehospitalized within the past year (up to five admissions). Rehospitalizations were classified according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project classification (18 categories). In the present analyses, TBI severity was classified by duration of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA; 0-1 days=mild, 2+ days=moderate-severe). Statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS.

Participants (N=1101; n=338 0-1 days PTA, n=513 2+ days PTA, n=250 no PTA data) ranged in age from 17 years to 91 years at the time of interview. Participants across all follow up timepoints reported 317 rehospitalizations in the past year. 19.45% of Year 1 participants, 24.37% of Year 2 participants, 16.19% of Year 5 participants, and 16.25% of Year 10 participants reported 1+ rehospitalizations in the past year. When controlling for age, participants with at least 2 days of PTA were more likely to be rehospitalized at least once compared to those with 0-1 days of PTA at Year 2 (OR=4.05, p<0.001) and Year 5 (OR=2.39, p=0.03) post-TBI. The three most common reasons for rehospitalization across all timepoints were injury and poisoning (17.3%), mental illness (16.7%), and diseases of the nervous system and sense organs (9.1%). Mental illness was the modal reason for rehospitalization at Years 2, 5, and 10, frequently due to substance- or alcohol-related disorders and suicide/intentional self-inflicted injury.

Compared to prior research, rates of rehospitalization were lower in this sample across follow-up time points. The inclusion of mild TBI in this analysis may partially explain the discrepancy. Importantly, two of the top three rehospitalization reasons are potentially preventable, and strategies to reduce risk of re-injury and minimize escalation of psychiatric distress should therefore be explored. Psychoeducation, supervision, and mental health support during the transition from hospital to community should be considered in order mitigate preventable causes of rehospitalization among long-term TBI survivors.

With participant recruitment being a top barrier to AD research progress, the rate of screen failure in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) clinical trials is unsustainable. Although steps have been undertaken to consider solutions to the continued recruitment shortage, there is unfortunately minimal emphasis on reducing screen failure rates based on study inclusion criteria. Here we present information attempting to understand the cognitive, emotional, and functional features of individuals who failed screening measures for AD trials.

The current study is a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. Thirty-eight participants (aged 50-83) having (1) previously received a clinical diagnostic workup at a transdisciplinary cognitive specialty clinic and (2) previously screened for a specific industry-sponsored clinical trial of MCI/early AD (EMERGE) met inclusion criteria. Previously collected clinical data were analyzed to identify predictors of AD trial screen pass/fail status.

Of the 38 participants in the current study, 14 screen passed into this AD clinical trial, and 24 screen failed. Higher screen failure rates were significantly related to gender, with 83% of female participants screen failing this AD trial versus 45% of male participants. There was no difference in age or education between screen pass/fail groups, nor were differences present for performance on visual or verbal memory tasks, or the MOCA. Conversely, those participants screen failing this AD clinical trial performed significantly worse on nonmemory cognitive domains pertaining to general fund of knowledge, working memory, and executive functioning. Additionally, the screen fail group reported greater levels of anxiety, but not depression nor endorsements on a measure of functional status.

Worse performance on non-memory neuropsychological domains was related to screen failure status for the EMERGE AD clinical trial. This finding may be explained by the traditional recruitment pathway from clinic to trials, which beyond the diagnosis of interest is up to the opinion of the physician to determine “fit” for a trial. Higher screen failure rates may result from physicians erroneously viewing more globally-impaired patients as being more appropriate for an AD clinical trial, resulting in greater tendencies towards recruiting patients who are too severe to meet inclusion criteria for a trial. Recruiting patients into clinical trials earlier in their disease course - when disease severity is less - may result in reduced screen failure rates in AD trials. That we could not detect a relationship between memory-related tasks and screen fail/pass status may be explained by either (1) the measures used in the EMERGE trial were not as sensitive to subtle changes in memory, or (2) that memory dysfunction is necessary for a diagnosis of AD but not sufficient to distinguish who will be successfully screened into an AD clinical trial. Overall, these findings have the potential to advance the field by reducing screen failure rates in AD clinical trials by using information already available to clinical trial teams, which will enhance trial-recruitment infrastructure and encourage greater engagement of older adults in AD research.