A forensic treatment-monitoring study of an adult with attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity and substance use disorder

Background: The patient in this study experienced a childhood marked by conflicts within the family, physical abuse, frequent changes of school settings, truancy, and unspecified learning disabilities. After leaving school at age 17, she was chronically depressed, had anger attacks, lacked motivation, refused psychological assistance, and had problems finding work. At age 30, this culminated in an aggravated assault of a female in an urban public space, after which she was referred to the criminal courts. She was granted probation and hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation with follow-up, outpatient psychiatric treatment. Aim: To present outcomes of longitudinal monitoring of methylphenidate effects on cognition and self-regulation during treatment of attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity and substance use. Methods: During more than a year of treatment, psychiatric interviews and norm-referenced assessments of processing-speed and cognitive overhead monitored changes in cognition and substance use. Results: At baseline, processing-speed measures of reactive and active attention were within the average-normal range, whereas cognitive overhead/shift cost was in the atypically high range, suggestive of ADHD symptomatology. The patient engaged in daily excessive use of cannabis, amphetamines, and other illegal substances. At the end of treatment, cognitive speed was increased and cognitive overhead normalized. With reductions in ADHD symptomatology, the patient used small amounts of cannabis during weekends and showed improved self-regulation, and legal restrictions were discontinued

Language disabilities in children and adolescents

ix+341hlm.;24c

A quick test for cognitive speed: a measure of cognitive speed in dementia with lewy bodies.

Abstract is not availabl

Revista de logopedia, foniatría y audiología

Resumen en inglés. Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónDescripción de las pruebas de evaluación del lenguaje BLOC-C y sus derivadas, BLOC-S y BLOC-SR, destinadas a obtener una información útil sobre los componentes del lenguaje de la persona evaluada, mediante datos cualitativos y cuantitativos. Dichas pruebas miden la morfología, sintaxis, semántica y pragmática como componentes del lenguaje, y son aplicables para el diagnóstico del lenguaje a nivel de prevención y la evaluación de poblaciones con necesidades educativas especialesES

Associations between AQT processing speed and neuropsychological tests in neuropsychiatric patients

Associations between A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT) perceptual and cognitive speed and neuropsychological tests, including the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Trail Making Test (TMT), were evaluated in 41 neuropsychiatric patients. Neuropsychological and neurological tests, including CT scan, were administered to all of the patients. AQT was also administered to 75 controls. All AQT means differed significantly for patients and controls. Dual-dimension naming time means in the patient group were in the atypical range and indicated generally reduced cognitive speed, whereas controls performed in the normal range. In the patient group, WAIS-III verbal, performance, and full-scale IQ means were in the normal range. AQT perceptual and cognitive speed correlated negatively with WAIS-III P IQ and MMSE scores, and the relationships were nonlinear. The findings support that AQT dual-dimension naming evaluates cognitive speed (i.e., attention, set shifting, working memory) and can be used for first-line or complementary screening for mild or progressive cognitive impairments

Revista de logopedia, foniatría y audiología

Resumen basado en el de los autores. Resumen en inglésSe presentan los resultados de un proceso de investigación en relación a la elaboración de una batería de evaluación de lenguaje y posteriormente al de una prueba de 'screening' complementaria. Se plantea la posibilidad de disponer de un software que permita la corrección rápida de ambas versiones. Para ello se diseña un programa informático que además de corregir permite acumular los datos de un individuo. Además incorpora la posibilidad de reciclaje cíclico de la batería.CataluñaConsejería de Educación. Dirección General de Política Educativa; Calle Delgado Valencia, 6; 06800 Mérida (Badajoz); Tel. +34924006714; Fax +34924006716; [email protected]

A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed: norm-referenced criteria for 121 Italian adults aged 45 to 90 years.

ABSTRACT Background: A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT) is a brief test that can identify cognitive impairment. AQT has been validated in Arabic, English, Greek, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish. The aim of this study was to develop Italian criterion-referenced norms for AQT. Methods: AQT consists of three test plates where the patient shall rapidly name (1) the color of 40 blue, red, yellow, or black squares (AQT color), (2) the form of 40 black figures (circles, squares, triangles, or rectangles; AQT form), (3) the color and form of 40 figures (consisting of previous colors and forms; AQT color-form). The AQT test was administered to 121 Italian cognitively healthy primary care patients (age range: 45-90 years). Their mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was 28.8 ± 0.9 points (range 26-30 points). AQT naming times in seconds were used for developing preliminary criterion cut-off times for different age groups. Results: Age was found to have a significant moderate positive correlation with AQT naming times color (r = 0.65, p < 0.001), form (r = 0.53, p < 0.001), color-form (r = 0.63, p < 0.001) and a moderate negative correlation with MMSE score (r = -0.44, p < 0.001) and AQT naming times differed significantly between younger (45-55 years old), older (56-70 years old), and the oldest (71-90 years old) participants. Years of education correlated positively but weakly with MMSE score (r = 0.27, p = 0.003) and negatively but weakly with AQT color (r = -0.16, p = ns), form (r = -0.24, p = 0.007), and color-form (r = -0.19, p = 0.005). We established preliminary cut-off times for the AQT test based on +1 and +2 standard deviations according to the approach in other languages and settings. Conclusions: This is the first Italian normative AQT study. Future studies of AQT - a test useful for dementia screening in primary care - will eventually refine cut-off times for normality balancing sensitivity and specificity in cognitive diagnostics