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Background The verbal fluency task is a widely used psychometric test to account for cognitive functions, particularly, verbal and executive functions. Being an easy and fast test to administer, it is a good neuropsychological tool in low technology environments. Our objective was to analyze the performance in verbal fluency of Spanish-speaking children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study to analyze the performance of children who had undergone a verbal fluency test in a neuropsychological assessment. Results We included 115 participants. There were 41 (35.65%) participants with low intellectual performance (LIP), 63 (54.78%) with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and 11(9.57%) participants with dyslexia. Participants with LIP showed lower phonological and semantic fluency scores than participants with ADHD, and a lower performance in semantic fluency than the dyslexia group. The probability of having LIP was 6.12 times greater when somebody had a scale score lower than 7 in the phonological task and it was 7.9 times greater when the scale score was lower than 7 in the semantic task. Conclusion There was a direct relationship between Full Scale Intelligence Quotient and verbal fluency test performance, the latter being a brief and effective neuropsychological test that can reveal deficit not only in executive functions and verbal abilities but also detect LIP.
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METHODS: This was a case-control study conducted from December 1, 2012 to December 1, 2014. Clinical and demographic data were recorded. A neuropsychological test battery adapted to ALS patients was used. An MRI with DTI was performed in all patients and fractional anisotropy (FA) was analyzed in the white matter using the tract based spatial statistics program. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with ALS (15 females, mean age 66.9 + -2.3) and 13 healthy controls (four females, average age 66.9 + - 2) were included. The DTI showed white matter damage in ALS patients vs. healthy controls (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: In our preliminary study the alterations of white matter in DTI were significantly associated with cognitive impairment in patients with ALS.
Assuntos
Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/complicações , Disfunção Cognitiva/diagnóstico por imagem , Imagem de Tensor de Difusão , Substância Branca/diagnóstico por imagem , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/diagnóstico por imagem , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/patologia , Biomarcadores , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Disfunção Cognitiva/etiologia , Disfunção Cognitiva/patologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Testes Neuropsicológicos , Substância Branca/patologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
ABSTRACT The objective of this preliminary study was to correlate diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) alterations with the cognitive profile of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods This was a case-control study conducted from December 1, 2012 to December 1, 2014. Clinical and demographic data were recorded. A neuropsychological test battery adapted to ALS patients was used. An MRI with DTI was performed in all patients and fractional anisotropy (FA) was analyzed in the white matter using the tract based spatial statistics program. Results Twenty-four patients with ALS (15 females, mean age 66.9 + -2.3) and 13 healthy controls (four females, average age 66.9 + - 2) were included. The DTI showed white matter damage in ALS patients vs. healthy controls (p < 0.001). Discussion In our preliminary study the alterations of white matter in DTI were significantly associated with cognitive impairment in patients with ALS.
RESUMEN El objetivo del presente estudio preliminar fue correlacionar alteraciones del Tensor de Difusión (TD) con el perfil cognitivo de pacientes con Esclerosis Lateral Amiotrofica (ELA). Metodos Se realizó estudio casos-controles entre el 1 de Diciembre del 2012 hasta el 1 de Diciembre del 2014. Se registraron datos clínicos y demográficos. Se utilizó batería de tests neuropsicológicos adaptada a ELA. Se realizó RMN de cerebro con TD en todos los pacientes, la Fracción de Anisotropía (FA) se analizó en sustancia blanca, utilizando el programa Tract Based Spatial Statistics. Resultados Se incluyeron 24 pacientes con ELA (15 mujeres, edad media 66.9 + -2.3) y 13 controles sanos (4 mujeres, edad media 66.9 +-2). El TD mostró daño en sustancia blanca en los pacientes con ELA vs controles (p < 0.001). Discusión En nuestro estudio preliminar las alteraciones de sustancia blanca en TD se asociaron significativamente con alteraciones cognitivas en pacientes con ELA.