Convergent Validity of a Single Question with Multiple Classification Options for Depression Screening in Medical Settings

The purpose of this study was to assess the convergent validity of a single depression question with multiple classification options for depression screening. Participants were 40 medical inpatients. The age range of our sample was 18 to 85 years (M = 56.15, SD = 17.66). A clinical interview and the BDI-II were administered. The correlation between patients’ self-rating classification of depression and their BDI-II classification was significant, rs(38) = .90, p < .01. Follow-up repeated-measures chi-square revealed a statistically significant association between BDI-II classification and patients’ self-rating classification, χ2(9, N = 40) = 47.79, p < .005. Significant positive standardized residuals revealed a clear linear relationship between BDI-II and patient self-rating classifications. Our data support the use of a single depression question with multiple classification options as a useful and valid means of quickly screening for the presence of depression by frontline health care professionals

A Racial/Ethnic Performance Disparity on the Facial Recognition Test

The Facial Recognition Test is a widely used psychometric instrument for assessing visuoperceptual functioning. Only two prior studies have examined the effects of race/ethnicity on this test. Given that the United States has become more culturally diverse since the creation of the test, it is important to re-visit the effects of this demographic variable on performance. Participants were 75 males and 75 females between the ages of 18 and 43 years (M = 21.91, SD = 5.33). Racial/ethnic categories utilized by the U.S. Census Bureau were equally represented. No gender differences were observed. The race/ethnicity main effect was significant. The gender x race/ethnicity interaction was not significant. The data revealed a clear racial/ethnic performance disparity on the Facial Recognition Test

Attenuation of Spatial Memory Impairment in a Tau Mouse Model of Alzheimer\u27s Disease with Riluzole

Individuals at risk for developing Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) often demonstrate hyperactivity in areas of the memory network, such as the hippocampus, prior to AD diagnosis. Evidence suggests that this hyperactivity might be a contributing factor to the development of AD. Tau, a protein responsible for binding and maintaining microtubules, has been implicated as a factor in hyperactivity, potentially through its alterations in glutamate signaling. Glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, is essential for learning and memory. However, excess glutamate that accumulates in the synapse can lead to neuron loss and eventual behavioral impairments. Recently, our lab has found that a tau mouse model of AD (rTg(TauP301L)4510) exhibits an increase in glutamate release and a decrease in glutamate clearance, effects that are correlated with memory deficits. We hypothesized that regulating glutamate levels would attenuate the spatial memory deficits observed in TauP301L mice. To test this, we administered riluzole, an FDA-approved disease-modifying drug for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which decreases glutamate release and increases glutamate uptake. TauP301L mice exhibited memory deficits in the 8-arm water radial arm maze (WRAM), and administration of riluzole attenuated these deficits. Our findings establish a potential therapeutic intervention for memory deficits caused by glutamate dysregulation

Web Science

Our understanding of the Web has not kept pace with its development. It is engineered using formally specified languages and protocols, but has large scale effects on society. Certain human activities – including education – have been altered irretrievably. This article argues for the development of the discipline of Web Science, to understand the reciprocal relationship between the Web and society at a number of scales, from technical protocols to emergent social behaviour, to ensure that the Web’s growth will continue, and will benefit society. The need for both analysis and engineering demands an inherently interdisciplinary approach. With this in mind, a new Web Science Research Initiative is briefly described

Factor structure of the anxiety sensitivity index-3 in a sample of older adults

Anxiety sensitivity is a transdiagnostic risk factor for internalizing psychopathology in children and adults. Several factor analytic studies have examined the factor structure of anxiety sensitivity in children, adolescents, and adults. However, to date, no studies have specifically examined the factor structure of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 in older adults. The purpose of the current study was to compare the fit of a correlated three-factor, higher-order, and bifactor model of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3) in a sample of older adults. Participants were 856 older adults aged 60-94 recruited through Qualtrics Panels. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated good model fit for the bifactor model and the higher-order model and adequate fit for the correlated three-factor model. These results suggests that the ASI-3 is a valid tool assessing anxiety sensitivity in older adults. Limitations and future directions are discussed

Correcting For Gender On The Cognistat Judgment Subtest

The Cognistat is a widely used screening instrument for the assessment of higher cerebral functioning. This study investigated the effects of gender and age on a specific item from the metric sequence of the Cognistat Judgment subtest. Participants consisted of 110 cognitively intact volunteers (45 males, 65 females). Results showed that females responded with 1-point answers, as defined by the manual, significantly more often than those who responded with a manual-defined 2-point response. Males responded with a 2-point answer with a significantly greater frequency than they responded with 1-point responses. The data indicate that a gender correction for females should be made to the Judgment subtest of the Cognistat. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC