11 research outputs found

    Verification of psychometric characteristics of the Multiple Errands Test method in patients with brain damage

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    Diplomová práce se zabývá problematikou exekutivních funkcí u pacientů se získaným poškozením mozku a možnostmi testování přítomnosti exekutivního deficitu v reálných podmínkách každodenního života. Práce je členěna na teoretickou a empirickou část. Teoretická část se skládá ze tří kapitol. První kapitola je věnována exekutivním funkcím, jejich definici, lokalizaci a poruchám. Ve druhé kapitole jsou představeny některé neuropsychologické metody vhodné k posouzení stavu exekutivních funkcí a také limity jejich testování. Nejdůležitější kapitola je věnována představení metody Multiple Errands Test a jejím modifikacím. Hlavním cílem empirické části bylo posouzení schopnosti metody Multiple Errands Test - hospital version (MET - HV) odhalovat deficity v oblasti exekutivních funkcí v souvislosti s každodenním fungováním a nároky běžného života. Výzkumný soubor tvořili pacienti se získaným poškozením mozku (N = 20) a neurologicky zdraví pacienti (N = 20) hospitalizovaní v Rehabilitačním ústavu Kladruby. Byla potvrzena schopnost metody MET - HV rozlišovat mezi pacienty se získaným poškozením mozku a zdravými pacienty. Druhá hypotéza týkající se schopnosti metody rozlišit pacienty s frontálním a nefrontálním poškozením potvrzena nebyla. Dalším cílem práce bylo ověření psychometrických charakteristik...The thesis deals with the issue of executive functions in patients with acquired brain injury and possibilies of executive deficit detection in real life circumstances. The thesis is divided into theoretical and empirical part.The theoretical part consists of three chapters. In the first chapterthe definition, localization and different disorders of executive functions are mentioned. The second chapter presents some neuropsychological methods suitable for executive functions assessment and their limits. In the final chapter the Multiple Errands Test method and its various modifications are introduced. The main purpose of the empirical part was to evaluate the ability of the Multiple Errands Test method - hospital version (MET - HV) to detect deficits in executive functions related to daily life functioning. The research group consisted of patients with acquired brain injury (N = 20) and neurologically healthy adults (N = 20) hospitalized in the Rehabilitation Center Kladruby. The results proved the ability of the method MET - HV to distinguish well between patients with acquired brain damage and healthy adults. The second hypothesis concerning the ability of the method to distinguish between patients with frontal and nonfrontal injury wasn't confirmed. Another purpose of the empirical part was to...Department of PsychologyKatedra psychologieFilozofická fakultaFaculty of Art

    A systematic review

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    Purpose: Cognitive instrumental activities of daily living are particularly related to executive functions, such as scheduling appointments, monthly payments, managing the household economy, shopping or taking the bus. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the available tests for the assessment of executive functions with ecological validity to predict individuals’ functioning. Materials and methods: An electronic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, PsyCInfo and IEEE Xplore until May 2019, in addition to a manual search. The PRISMA criteria and the Covidence platform were used to select articles and extract data. Results: After applying the search selection criteria, 76 studies were identified. They referred to 110 tools to assess instrumental activities of daily living. Those that have received most attention are related to menu preparation and shopping. Performance-based measures are the most widely used traditional methods. Most tests were aimed at the adult population with acquired brain damage, cognitive impairment or dementia. There was a predominance of tests based on the Multiple Errands Test paradigm. Conclusions: In recent years, it has increased the number of tools that assess the instrumental activities of daily living based on technologies such as personal or environmental sensors and serious games

    Novel supports to the assessment of cognitive functions through the combined use of technologies and subjective and objective measurements

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    Tesis por compendio[ES] Las funciones cognitivas incluyen todos los procesos a través de los cuales un individuo percibe, registra, mantiene, manipula, usa y expresa información que está involucrada en cualquier actividad cotidiana. Las principales herramientas estandarizadas se pueden dividir en tres grupos principales: escalas cortas de pruebas de seguimiento cognitivo: cuestionarios, baterías neuropsicológicas generales y pruebas específicas. Estas herramientas están bien validadas y son confiables, pero, en la última década, varias investigaciones han demostrado que algunos pacientes pueden realizar bien estas pruebas neuropsicológicas, incluso cuando tienen dificultades significativas para adaptar sus comportamientos a las actividades de la vida diaria. De acuerdo con esto, más recientemente, un nuevo enfoque ha aumentado sustancialmente, lo que podría proporcionar una mayor validez ecológica en la evaluación de las capacidades cognitivas funcionales que el enfoque estandarizado: el uso de sistemas tecnológicos avanzados para la evaluación neuropsicológica (STAEN). STAEN se refiere a un conjunto de dispositivos y aplicaciones de software tales como pruebas computarizadas, juegos divertidos e interactivos de fantasía (JS) y / o sistemas de realidad virtual simulada (RV) y / o aumentada (RA) que van más allá de las pruebas de evaluación tradicionales y que Brindar la posibilidad de entregar estímulos controlados y dinámicos, en entornos ecológicamente válidos y seguros. Partiendo de estas premisas, el objetivo principal de la tesis era diseñar, desarrollar y validar un SG 2D no inmersivo versus un JS 3D inmersivo y una actividad de la vida diaria en un entorno 3D RV inmersivo versus un RA para la evaluación de funciones cognitivas, comparando la eficacia y efectividad de ellos. El primer estudio 2D incluyó 354 sujetos sanos y se encontraron correlaciones entre el juego y los métodos tradicionales, lo que sugiere que el juego podría ser una herramienta válida para evaluar las funciones cognitivas en adultos. El segundo estudio, comparó la versión 2D versus una versión 3D STAEN, involucró a 94 sujetos sanos y mostró que la versión 3D fue capaz de generar tiempos más bajos y respuestas correctas más altas que la 2D, lo que sugiere evidencia inicial de la eficacia de un sistema más inmersivo en comparación con un sistema no-inmersivo. Aunque este resultado destaca una posible limitación en el uso de diferentes sistemas tecnológicos debido a las diferencias en los dos métodos de interacción (el sistema 2D aplicó el mouse y el teclado; los controladores de dos manos virtuales 3D) y el registro de datos de latencia de hardware y software. Con respecto a la variabilidad individual en edad, género y educación, los hallazgos mostraron consistencia con la literatura de referencia. Específicamente, los más jóvenes mostraron un mayor rendimiento que los mayores; niveles educativos más altos reflejados en una mejor puntuación y sobre género, los resultados mostraron un panorama más compuesto. Además, para mejorar la validez ecológica de la evaluación, el último estudio de esta tesis comparó el rendimiento conductual y las respuestas fisiológicas, durante una tarea de cocina ecológica, entre un sistema virtual y un sistema aumentado en 50 sujetos sanos. La tarea de cocinar consistió en 4 niveles que aumentaron en dificultad. A medida que el nivel aumentó, aparecieron actividades adicionales. Los resultados de comportamiento mostraron que los tiempos son siempre más bajos en realidad virtual que en RA, aumentando constantemente de acuerdo con la dificultad de las tareas. Con respecto a las respuestas fisiológicas, los hallazgos mostraron que la condición RA produjo más excitación y activación individual que la realidad virtual. Para concluir, STAEN está demostrando ser herramientas confiables y efectivas para la evaluación de las funciones cognitivas en adultos, proporcionando más validez ec[CA] Les funcions cognitives inclouen tots els processos a través dels quals un individu percep, registra, manté, manipula, usa i expressa informació que està involucrada en qualsevol activitat quotidiana. Les principals ferramentes estandarditzades es poden dividir en tres grups principals: escales curtes de proves de seguiment cognitiu: qüestionaris, bateries neuropsicológiques generals i proves específiques. Estes ferramentes estan ben validades i són confiables, però, en l'última dècada, diverses investigacions han demostrat que alguns pacients poden realitzar bé estes proves neuropsicológiques, inclús quan tenen dificultats significatives per a adaptar els seus comportaments a les activitats de la vida diària. D'acord amb açò, més recentment, un nou enfocament ha augmentat substancialment, la qual cosa podria proporcionar una major validesa ecològica en l'avaluació de les capacitats cognitives funcionals que l'enfocament estandarditzat: l'ús de sistemes tecnològics avançats per a l'avaluació neuropsicológica (STAEN). STAEN es referix a un conjunt de dispositius i aplicacions de software com ara proves computaritzades, jocs divertits i interactius de fantasia (JS) i / o sistemes de realitat virtual simulada (RV) i / o augmentada (RA) que van més enllà de les proves d'avaluació tradicionals i que brinden la possibilitat de presentar estímuls controlats i dinàmics, en entorns ecològicament vàlids i segurs. Partint d'estes premisses, l'objectiu principal de la tesi era dissenyar, desenrotllar i validar un SG 2D no inmersiu versus un JS 3D inmersiu i una activitat de la vida diària en un entorn 3D RV inmersiu versus un RA per a l'avaluació de funcions cognitives, comparant l'eficàcia i efectivitat d'ells. El primer estudi 2D va incloure 354 subjectes sans i es van trobar correlacions entre el joc i els mètodes tradicionals, la qual cosa suggerix que el joc podria ser una ferramenta vàlida per a avaluar les funcions cognitives en adults. El segon estudi, va comparar la versió 2D versus una versió 3D STAEN, va involucrar a 94 subjectes sans i va mostrar que la versió 3D va ser capaç de generar temps més baixos i respostes correctes més altes que la 2D, la qual cosa suggerix evidència inicial de l'eficàcia d'un sistema més inmersiu en comparació amb un sistema no-inmersiu. Encara que este resultat destaca una possible limitació en l'ús de diferents sistemes tecnològics a causa de les diferències en els dos mètodes d'interacció (el sistema 2D va aplicar el ratolí i el teclat; els controladors de dos mans virtuals 3D) i el registre de dades de latència de hardware i software. Respecte a la variabilitat individual en edat, gènere i educació, les troballes van mostrar consistència amb la literatura de referència. Específicament, els més jóvens van mostrar un major rendiment que els majors; nivells educatius més alts reflectits en una millor puntuació i sobre gènere, els resultats van mostrar un panorama més compost. A més, per a millorar la validesa ecològica de l'avaluació, l'últim estudi d'esta tesi va comparar el rendiment conductual i les respostes fisiològiques, durant una tasca de cuina ecològica, entre un sistema virtual i un sistema augmentat en 50 subjectes sans. La tasca de cuinar va consistir en 4 nivells que van augmentar en dificultat. A mesura que el nivell va augmentar, van aparéixer activitats addicionals. Els resultats de comportament van mostrar que els temps són sempre més baixos en realitat virtual que en RA, augmentant constantment d'acord amb la dificultat de les tasques. Respecte a les respostes fisiològiques, les troballes van mostrar que la condició RA va produir més excitació i activació individual que la realitat virtual. Per a concloure, STAEN està demostrant ser ferramentes confiables i efectives per a l'avaluació de les funcions cognitives en adults, proporcionant més validesa ecològica i objectivitat que els mètodes tradicio[EN] Cognitive functions include all the processes through which an individual perceives, records, maintains, manipulates, uses and expresses information that are involved in any everyday activity. The main standardized tools can be divided in three main groups: short scales of cognitive tracking tests - questionnaires, general neuropsychological batteries, and specific tests. These tools are well-validated and reliable but, in the last decade, several research have shown that some patients can perform these neuropsychological tests well, even when they have significant difficulties in adapting their behaviours to daily life activities. According to this, more recently, a new approach has substantially increased, potentially providing a higher ecological validity in functional cognitive abilities assessment than standardized approach: the use of advanced technological systems for neuropsychological assessment (ATSNA). ATSNA refer to a set of devices and software applications such as computerized tests, fun and interactive fantasy serious games (SG), and/or simulated virtual (VR) and/or augmented (AR) reality systems that go beyond traditional assessment tests and that supply the possibility to deliver controlled and dynamic stimuli, in ecologically valid, and secure environments. Starting from these premises, the main objective of the thesis was to design, develop, and validate a non-immersive 2D SG versus an immersive 3D SG and a daily life activity in an immersive 3D VR environment versus an AR for the assessment of cognitive functions, comparing the efficacy and effectiveness of them. The first 2D study involved 354 healthy subjects and correlations were found between the game and traditional methods, suggesting that the game could be a valid tool for assessing cognitive functions in adults. The second study, compared 2D versus a 3D ATSNA version, it involved 94 healthy subjects and showed that 3D version was able to generate lower times and higher correct answers that the 2D, suggesting initial evidence of efficacy of a more immersive system compared to a non-immersive system. Although this result highlights a potential limitation on using different technological systems due to the differences on the two interaction methods (the 2D system applied mouse and keyboard; the 3D two virtual hands' controllers) and hardware and software latency data recording. Regarding individual variability on age, gender, and education, the findings showed consistency with the reference literature. Specifically, younger showed higher performance that older; higher educational levels reflected on a better score and about gender, results showed a more composite panorama. Furthermore, to enhance the ecological validity of assessment, the last study of this thesis compared the behavioural performance and physiological responses, during an ecological cooking task, between a virtual and an augmented system on 50 healthy subjects. The cooking task consisted of 4 levels that increased in difficulty. As the level increased, additional activities appeared. The behavioural results showed that times are always lower in VR than in AR, increasing constantly in accordance with the difficulty of the tasks. Regarding physiological responses, the findings showed that AR condition produced more individual excitement and activation than VR. To conclude, ATSNA are proving to be reliable and effective tools for the assessment of cognitive functions in adults, providing more ecological validity and objectivity than traditional methods of assessment.Chicchi Giglioli, IAM. (2020). Novel supports to the assessment of cognitive functions through the combined use of technologies and subjective and objective measurements [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/139075TESISCompendi

    Editorial: Executive function(s): Conductor, Orchestra or Symphony? Towards a Trans-Disciplinary Unification of Theory and Practice Across Development, in Normal and Atypical Groups

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    There are several theories of executive function(s) that tend to share some theoretical overlap yet are also conceptually distinct, each bolstered by empirical data (Norman and Shallice, 1986; Shallice & Burgess, 1991; Stuss and Alexander, 2007; Burgess, Gilbert, & Dumentheil, 2007; Burgess & Shallice, 1996; Miyake et al., 2000). The notion that executive processes are supervisory, and most in demand in novel situations was an early conceptualization of executive function that has been adapted and refined over time (Norman & Shallice, 1986; Shallice, 2001; Burgess, Gilbert & Dumentheil, 2007). Presently there is general consensus that executive functions are multi-componential (Shallice, 2001), and are supervisory only in the sense that attention in one form or another is key to the co-ordination of other hierarchically organized ‘lower’ cognitive processes. Attention in this sense is defined as (i) independent but interrelated attentional control processes (Stuss & Alexander, 2007); (ii) automatic orientation towards stimuli in the environment or internally–driven thought (Burgess, Gilbert & Dumontheil, 2007); (iii) the automatically generated interface between tacit processes and strategic conscious thought (Barker, Andrade, Romanowski, Morton and Wasti, 2006; Morton and Barker, 2010); and (iv) distinct but interrelated executive processes that maintain, update and switch across different sources of information (Miyake et al., 2000). One problem is that executive dysfunction or dysexecutive syndrome (Baddeley & Wilson, 1988) after brain injury typically produces a constellation of deficits across social, cognate, emotional and motivational domains that rarely map neatly onto theoretical frameworks (Barker, Andrade & Romanowski, 2004). As a consequence there is debate that conceptual theories of executive function do not always correspond well to the clinical picture (Manchester, Priestley & Jackson, 2004). Several studies have reported cases of individuals with frontal lobe pathology and impaired daily functioning despite having little detectable impairment on traditional tests of executive function (Shallice & Burgess, 1991; Eslinger & Damasio, 1985; Barker, Andrade & Romanowski, 2004; Andrés & Van der Linden, 2002; Chevignard et al., 2000; Cripe, 1998; Fortin, Godbout & Braun, 2003). There is also some suggestion that weak ecological validity limits predictive and clinical utility of many traditional measures of executive function (Burgess et al, 2006; Lamberts, Evans & Spikman, 2010; Barker, Morton, Morrison, McGuire, 2011). Complete elimination of environmental confounds runs the risk of generating results that cannot be generalized beyond constrained circumstances of the test environment (Barker, Andrade & Romanowski, 2004). Several researchers have concluded that a new approach is needed that is mindful of the needs of the clinician yet also informed by the academic debate and progress within the discipline (McFarquhar & Barker, 2012; Burgess et al., 2006). Finally, translational issues also confound executive function research across different disciplines (psychiatry, cognitive science, and developmental psychology) and across typically developing and clinical populations (including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Head Injury and Schizophrenia – Blakemore & Choudhury, 2006; Taylor, Barker, Heavey & McHale, 2013). Consequently, there is a need for unification of executive function approaches across disciplines and populations and narrowing of the conceptual gap between theoretical positions, clinical symptoms and measurement

    Psychometrics reliability of the NeuroVR-based virtual version of the Multiple Errands Test

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    This study aim at testing the psychometric reliability of the NeuroVR-based virtual version of the Multiple Errands Test (VMET). In a first experiment two independent researchers scored 11 videos, each one of a subject running the VMET. In a second experiment 7 researcher scored two videos, each one of a subject running the VMET. Results showed the extent to which a disagreement become critical in VMET

    Proceedings of the 10th international conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ICDVRAT 2014)

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    Impairment of cognitive flexibility and its assessment in obsessive-compulsive disorder

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    Kognitivní flexibilita představuje schopnost adaptivně měnit chování v závislosti na vnějších podmínkách. V psychologických testech je měřena zejména jako schopnost přepínat mezi jednotlivými vodítky, úkoly, či objekty. Tato diplomová práce je zaměřena na kognitivní flexibilitu u pacientů s obsedantně kompulzivní poruchou (OCD). Za tímto účelem byli participanti testováni ve dvou virtuálních testech zaměřených na kognitivní flexibilitu v prostorovém kontextu: v aktivní preferenci místa (AAPP) a v aktivním vyhýbání se místu (AAPA). V obou testech se participanti pohybují ve virtuální rotující aréně a jejich cílem je v jednom testu hledat skrytý cíl (AAPP) a ve druhém se vyhýbat neviditelnému sektoru (AAPA). Mohou se orientovat jen podle objektů rozmístěných uvnitř a vně arény a podle zvuku, který sektor/cíl vydávají po vstupu. Poloha sektoru se během testů mění z referenčního rámce v místnosti na referenční rámec na aréně a naopak. Aby byli participanti schopni úlohy úspěšně řešit, musí se naučit mezi referenčními rámci přepínat. Výsledky této studie ukázaly, že ve srovnání se zdravou kontrolní skupinou mají pacienti s OCD horší odhad pozice, kde je skrytý cíl umístěn, a to zejména v podmínkách, kdy se referenční rámec oproti předchozím podmínkám změnil. Srovnání pacientů s převažujícími symptomy v...Cognitive flexibility can be described as adaptive ability to change one's behavior in response to the environment. Psychological tests measure cognitive flexibility mainly as an ability to switch between different cues, tasks or objects. This thesis is focused on cognitive flexibility in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). To assess it, participants were tested in two different virtual tests of cognitive flexibility in spatial navigation task: Active allothetic place preference and Active allothetic place avoidance. In one of the tests participants have to navigate in rotating arena towads invisble goal (AAPP). In the other one they have to avoid invisible sector where time is counted upon entering (AAPA). As the sector and goal are visually imperceptible, participants have to use only cues inside and outside the arena and are also informed about entering the sector by sound signal. The sector changes its position from stable position in room frame to stable position in arena frame between conditions. Therefore, participants have to learn to switch between room and arena frame to sucessfully solve the task. Results of this study suggest that OCD patients are significantly worse in estimating position of the goal in AAPP, especially after change of condition. Further comparsion of...Katedra psychologieDepartment of PsychologyFilozofická fakultaFaculty of Art

    Proceedings of the 9th international conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ICDVRAT 2012)

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