Altered reinforcement learning (RL) and decision-making have been implicated in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. To determine whether deficits observed in symptomatic anorexia nervosa are also present in remission, we investigated RL in women remitted from anorexia nervosa (rAN).

Participants performed a probabilistic associative learning task that involved learning from rewarding or punishing outcomes across consecutive sets of stimuli to examine generalization of learning to new stimuli over extended task exposure. We fit a hybrid RL and drift diffusion model of associative learning to model learning and decision-making processes in 24 rAN and 20 female community controls (cCN).

rAN showed better learning from negative outcomes than cCN and this was greater over extended task exposure (p < .001, ηp2 = .30). rAN demonstrated a reduction in accuracy of optimal choices (p = .007, ηp2 = .16) and rate of information extraction on reward trials from set 1 to set 2 (p = .012, ηp2 = .14), and a larger reduction of response threshold separation from set 1 to set 2 than cCN (p = .036, ηp2 = .10).

rAN extracted less information from rewarding stimuli and their learning became increasingly sensitive to negative outcomes over learning trials. This suggests rAN shifted attention to learning from negative feedback while slowing down extraction of information from rewarding stimuli. Better learning from negative over positive feedback in rAN might reflect a marker of recovery.

This study compared cognitive flexibility (CF) and emotion recognition (ER) in adolescents with eating disorders (ED) to a healthy group.

Forty healthy individuals aged 12–18 years with no psychiatric diagnosis and 46 patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), or binge eating disorder (BED) according to DSM-5 criteria participated. CF was assessed using the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS), Stroop Test, and Berg Card Sorting Test (BCST), while ER was evaluated using the test of perception of affect via nonverbal cues.

CFS scores were lower in the ED group compared to the control group. Neuropsychological test results indicated similar BCST perseverative error percentages among ED patients and controls. However, while the BED group demonstrated greater difficulties with inhibitory control, as shown in the Stroop Test, the BN and AN groups performed similarly to the control group. ER performance was similar across groups, although the AN subgroup exhibited heightened recognition of negative emotions, particularly disgust and fear.

This study highlights unique and shared neurocognitive patterns related to CF and ER profiles of ED patients. Despite self-reports of greater cognitive rigidity among ED patients, objective tests did not consistently confirm it. Notably, BED patients exhibited inhibitory control challenges, aligning with impulsive tendencies. ER abilities were similar to controls; however, the AN subgroup showed heightened sensitivity to certain negative emotions, such as disgust. These findings underscore the need for further research with larger, more balanced samples to explore how CF and ER vary across developmental stages and subtypes.

Mean levels of cognitive functioning typically do not show an association with self-reported cognitive fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), but some studies indicate that cognitive variability has an association with cognitive fatigue. Additionally, coping has been shown to be a powerful moderator of some outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS). To date, however, coping has not been considered as a possible moderator of the relationship between cognitive fatigue and cognitive variability in MS. The current study examined this relationship.

We examined 52 PwMS. All participants were administered the Fatigue Impact Scale, the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Questionnaire, and cognitive tests. Indices of variability for memory and attention/executive functioning tests were used as outcome variables. Avoidant coping, active coping, and composite coping indices were used as moderators.

The interaction analyses for the avoidant coping and composite coping indices were significant and accounted for 8 and 11% of the attention/executive functioning variability outcome, respectively. The interactions revealed that at low levels of cognitive fatigue, attention/executive functioning variability was comparable between the low and high avoidant and composite coping groups. However, at high levels of cognitive fatigue, PwMS using lower levels of avoidant coping (less maladaptive coping) showed less variable attention/executive functioning scores compared with those using higher levels of avoidant coping. We found a similar pattern for the composite coping groups.

At high levels of cognitive fatigue, PwMS using adaptive coping showed less attention/executive functioning variability. These findings should be considered in the context of treatment implications.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are considered diagnostic and prognostic indicators of dementia and are attributable to neurodegenerative processes. Little is known about the prognostic value of early NPS on executive functioning (EF) decline in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). We examined whether baseline NPS predicted the rate of executive function (EF) decline among older adults with ADRD.

Older adults (n = 1625) with cognitive impairment were selected from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center database. EF was estimated with a latent factor indicated by scores on Number Span Backward, Letter Fluency, and Trail Making-Part B. A curve of factors (CUFF) latent growth curve model was estimated to examine rate of change over four years. Baseline NPS severity was entered as a predictor in the model to examine its influence on the rate of change in EF over time.

The CUFF models exhibited good fit. EF significantly declined over four waves (slope = −.16, p < .001). Initial visit NPS severity predicted decline in EF (slope = .013, p < .001), such that those with greater baseline NPS severity demonstrated a more rapid decline in EF performance over time. Presence of 2 NPS significantly predicted EF decline, and those with medium total NPS severity (NPS score of 2–4) at baseline exhibited a sharper decline in EF.

Findings underscore the importance of targeting NPS early across ADRD syndromes to minimize EF decline, offering novel insights into how early NPS treatment may alter cognitive trajectories. We provide an innovative, user-friendly web-based application that may be helpful for personalized treatment planning.

Information on the time spent completing cognitive testing is often collected, but such data are not typically considered when quantifying cognition in large-scale community-based surveys. We sought to evaluate the added value of timing data over and above traditional cognitive scores for the measurement of cognition in older adults.

We used data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India-Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia (LASI-DAD) study (N = 4,091), to assess the added value of timing data over and above traditional cognitive scores, using item-specific regression models for 36 cognitive test items. Models were adjusted for age, gender, interviewer, and item score.

Compared to Quintile 3 (median time), taking longer to complete specific items was associated (p < 0.05) with lower cognitive performance for 67% (Quintile 5) and 28% (Quintile 4) of items. Responding quickly (Quintile 1) was associated with higher cognitive performance for 25% of simpler items (e.g., orientation for year), but with lower cognitive functioning for 63% of items requiring higher-order processing (e.g., digit span test). Results were consistent in a range of different analyses adjusting for factors including education, hearing impairment, and language of administration and in models using splines rather than quintiles.

Response times from cognitive testing may contain important information on cognition not captured in traditional scoring. Incorporation of this information has the potential to improve existing estimates of cognitive functioning.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and nature of cognitive impairment among severely ill COVID-19 patients and the effectiveness of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in detecting it.

We evaluated cognition in COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the first wave (March to June 2020) from six Dutch hospitals, nine months post-discharge, using a comprehensive multi-domain neuropsychological test battery. Test performance was corrected for sex, age, and education differences and transformed into z-scores. Scores within each cognitive domain were averaged and categorized as average and above (z-score ≥ −0.84), low average (z-score −1.28 to −0.84), below average (z-score −1.65 to −1.28), and exceptionally low (z-score < −1.65). Patients were classified with cognitive impairment if at least one domain’s z-score fell below −1.65. We assessed the MoCA’s accuracy using both the original cutoff (<26) and an “optimal” cutoff determined by Youden’s index.

Cognitive impairment was found in 12.1% (24/199) of patients, with verbal memory and mental speed most affected (6.5% and 7% below −1.65, respectively). The MoCA had an area under the curve of 0.84. The original cutoff showed sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 66%. Using the identified optimal cutoff of <24, maintained sensitivity while improving specificity to 81%.

Cognitive impairment prevalence in initially hospitalized COVID-19 patients is lower than initially expected. Verbal memory and processing speed are primarily affected. The MoCA is a valuable screening tool for these impairments and lowering the MoCA cutoff to <24 improves specificity.

Research examining (MCI) criteria in diverse and/or health-disparate populations is limited. There is a critical need to investigate the predictive validity for incident dementia of widely used MCI definitions in diverse populations.

Eligible participants were non-Hispanic White or Black Bronx community residents, free of dementia at enrollment, with at least one annual follow-up visit after baseline. Participants completed annual neurological and neuropsychological evaluations to determine cognitive status. Dementia was defined based on DSM-IV criteria using case conferences. Cox proportional hazard models assessed predictive validity for incident dementia of four specific MCI definitions (Petersen, Jak/Bondi, number of impaired tests, Global Clinical Ratings) at baseline, controlling for age, sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Time-dependent sensitivity and specificity at 2–7 years for each definition, and Youden’s index were calculated as accuracy measures.

Participants (N = 1073) ranged in age from 70 to 100 (mean = 78.4 ± 5.3) years at baseline. The sample was 62.5% female, and educational achievement averaged 13.9 ± 3.5 years. Most participants identified as White (70.0%), though Black participants were well-represented (30.0%). In general, MCI definitions differed in sensitivity and specificity for incident dementia. However, there were no significant differences in Youden’s index for any definition, across all years of follow-up.

This work provides an important step toward improving the generalizability of the MCI diagnosis to underrepresented/health-disparate populations. While our findings suggest the studied MCI classifications are comparable, researchers and clinicians may choose to consider one method over another depending on the rationale for evaluation or question of interest.

Reading difficulties (RD) frequently co-occur with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children with both RD + ADHD often demonstrate greater challenges in reading and executive functions (EF) than those with RD-only.

This study examined the effect of a 4-week EF-based reading intervention on behavioral and neurobiological correlates of EF among 8–12 y.o. English-speaking children with RD + ADHD (n = 19), RD-only (n = 18), and typically developing children (n = 18). Behavioral and resting-state fMRI data were collected from all participants before and after 4 weeks of the EF-based reading computerized program. Group (RD + ADHD, RD-only, typical readers) x Test (pre- and post-intervention) repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted for reading, EF, and brain functional connectivity (FC) measures.

Across groups, reading (fluency, comprehension) and EF (inhibition, speed of processing) behavioral performance improved following the intervention. Exploratory subgroup comparisons revealed that children with RD + ADHD, but not RD-only, showed significant gains in reading comprehension, whereas inhibition improved in both RD groups, but not among typical readers. Furthermore, across groups, FC between the frontoparietal (FP) and cingulo-opercular (CO) networks decreased following the intervention. Exploratory subgroup comparisons revealed that children with RD + ADHD, but not RD-only, showed a significant decrease in FC of FP-CO and FP-dorsal attention network.

These results support the differential response to an EF-based reading intervention of children with RD with and without comorbid ADHD at brain and behavioral levels.

With the increased use of computer-based tests in clinical and research settings, assessing retest reliability and reliable change of NIH Toolbox-Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) and Cogstate Brief Battery (Cogstate) is essential. Previous studies used mostly White samples, but Black/African Americans (B/AAs) must be included in this research to ensure reliability.

Participants were B/AA consensus-confirmed healthy controls (HCs) (n = 49) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 34) adults 60–85 years that completed NIHTB-CB and Cogstate for laptop at two timepoints within 4 months. Intraclass correlations, the Bland-Altman method, t-tests, and the Pearson correlation coefficient were used. Cut scores indicating reliable change provided.

NIHTB-CB composite reliability ranged from .81 to .93 (95% CIs [.37–.96]). The Fluid Composite demonstrated a significant difference between timepoints and was less consistent than the Crystallized Composite. Subtests were less consistent for MCIs (ICCs = .01–.89, CIs [−1.00–.95]) than for HCs (ICCs = .69–.93, CIs [.46–.92]). A moderate correlation was found for MCIs between timepoints and performance on the Total Composite (r = -.40, p = .03), Fluid Composite (r = -.38, p = .03), and Pattern Comparison Processing Speed (r = -.47, p = .006).

On Cogstate, HCs had lower reliability (ICCs = .47–.76, CIs [.05–.86]) than MCIs (ICCs = .65–.89, CIs [.29–.95]). Identification reaction time significantly improved between testing timepoints across samples.

The NIHTB-CB and Cogstate for laptop show promise for use in research with B/AAs and were reasonably stable up to 4 months. Still, differences were found between those with MCI and HCs. It is recommended that race and cognitive status be considered when using these measures.

Validated computerized assessments for cognitive functioning are crucial for older individuals and those at risk of cognitive decline. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) exhibits good construct validity but requires validation in diverse populations and for adults aged 85+. This study uses data from the Assessing Reliable Measurement in Alzheimer’s Disease and cognitive Aging study to explore differences in the factor structure of the NIHTB-CB for adults 85 and older, Black participants versus White participants, and those diagnosed as amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) vs cognitively normal (CN).

Subtests from the NACC UDS-3 and NIHTB-CB were administered to 503 community-dwelling Black and White adults ages 55–99 (367 CN; 136 aMCI). Confirmatory factor analyses were used to investigate the original factor structure of NIHTB-CB that forms the basis for NIHTB-CD Index factor scores.

Factor analyses for all participants and some participant subsets (aMCI, White, 85+) substantiated the two anticipated factors (Fluid and Crystallized). However, while Black aMCI participants had the expected two-factor structure, for Black CN participants, the List Sorting Working Memory and Picture Sequence tests loaded on the Crystallized factor.

Findings provide psychometric support for the NIHTB-CB. Differences in factor structure between Black CN individuals and Black aMCI individuals suggest potential instability across levels of cognitive impairment. Future research should explore changes in NIHTB-CB across diagnoses in different populations.

The present study sought to determine the associations between executive functioning and Big Five personality traits in an undergraduate sample.

Participants included 200 undergraduates (73% women), with a mean age of approximately 21 years. Participants completed the Big Five Inventory-44 and a psychological assessment battery, which included the Trail Making Test and the Semantic Fluency Test.

Results from multiple regression analyses suggested agreeableness was negatively associated with Semantic Fluency – Animals (β = −0.310, p < 0.001). Moreover, conscientiousness was positively associated with Trail Making Test B-A (β = 0.197, p = 0.016), but negatively associated with Trail Making Test A (β = −0.193, p = 0.017).

Overall results identified that executive function association with personality varies by construct. Given conscientiousness’ differential associations within the executive function task performances, future research should examine the conscientious threshold that would result in psychological symptomatology associated with extreme lows and highs in conscientiousness.

Accurate appraisal of one’s own abilities (i.e., insight) is necessary for appropriate compensatory behaviors and sustained independence during aging. Although insight is often purported to be related to executive functioning (EF), nuanced understanding of the cognitive correlates of insight for functional abilities among nondemented older adults is lacking. Because insight shares neuroanatomic underpinnings with time-based prospective memory (PM), the present study examined the contributions of time-based PM, beyond event-based PM and other potential cognitive confounds (i.e., episodic memory, time estimation, and EF), in predicting insight into one’s own performance on instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) among community-dwelling older adults.

A group of 88 nondemented, community-dwelling older adults completed performance-based measures of time- and event-based PM, episodic memory, time estimation, and EF, as well as IADL tasks followed by self-appraisals of their own IADL performance as indices of insight.

Time-based PM was moderately-to-strongly associated with insight, beyond event-based PM, time estimation, and episodic memory [F(1,83) = 11.58, p = .001, ηp2 = .122], as well as beyond EF and demographic covariates [F(1,79) = 10.72, p = .002, ηp2 = .119].Specifically, older adults who performed more poorly on a time-based PM task overestimated the efficiency of their own IADL performance to a greater extent.

Findings suggest that nondemented older adults with poorer time-based PM may be more prone to inaccurately appraising their functional abilities and that this vulnerability may not be adequately captured by traditional EF measures.

Being married may protect late-life cognition. Less is known about living arrangement among unmarried adults and mechanisms such as brain health (BH) and cognitive reserve (CR) across race and ethnicity or sex/gender. The current study examines (1) associations between marital status, BH, and CR among diverse older adults and (2) whether one’s living arrangement is linked to BH and CR among unmarried adults.

Cross-sectional data come from the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (N = 778, 41% Hispanic, 33% non-Hispanic Black, 25% non-Hispanic White; 64% women). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of BH included cortical thickness in Alzheimer’s disease signature regions and hippocampal, gray matter, and white matter hyperintensity volumes. CR was residual variance in an episodic memory composite after partialing out MRI markers. Exploratory analyses stratified by race and ethnicity and sex/gender and included potential mediators.

Marital status was associated with CR, but not BH. Compared to married individuals, those who were previously married (i.e., divorced, widowed, and separated) had lower CR than their married counterparts in the full sample, among White and Hispanic subgroups, and among women. Never married women also had lower CR than married women. These findings were independent of age, education, physical health, and household income. Among never married individuals, living with others was negatively linked to BH.

Marriage may protect late-life cognition via CR. Findings also highlight differential effects across race and ethnicity and sex/gender. Marital status could be considered when assessing the risk of cognitive impairment during routine screenings.