Introdução: Memória prospectiva é a capacidade de formular intenções e realizá-las em um momento no futuro. Apesar da relevância da memória prospectiva para o funcionamento diário e do potencial das tarefas de memória prospectiva em detectar os primeiros sinais de declínio cognitivo, essas tarefas raramente são utilizadas na avaliação clínica de idosos. Objetos: Os objetivos do presente estudo foram: (1) Caracterizar o desempenho da memória prospectiva em pacientes com Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve (CCL) e compará-lo a controles saudáveis; (2) Investigar a relação entre medidas de memória prospectiva, testes neuropsicológicos e variáveis demográficas; (3) Avaliar a acurácia diagnóstica de medidas subjetivas e objetivas de memória prospectiva para a detecção de CCL. Métodos: O estudo inclui 30 pacientes com Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve amnéstico (CCLa), 20 com Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve não-amnéstico (CCLna) e 30 controles saudáveis. Todos os participantes foram submetidos a avaliação neuropsicológica e responderam ao Questionário de Memória Prospectiva e Retrospectiva (QMPR). Os participantes também foram convidados a realizar uma tarefa de memória prospectiva na vida diária. Resutados: Os grupos CCLa e CCLna apresentaram desempenho significativamente pior comparado ao grupo controle em medidas objetivas de memória prospectiva baseadas em tempo e evento. O grupo CCLa apresentou pior desempenho em tarefa de memória prospectiva realizada na vida diária comparado ao grupo CCLna. Foram encontras correlações significativas entre as medidas objetivas de memória prospectiva e testes neuropsicológicos de memória retrospectiva, atenção e funções executivas e idade. O grupo CCLa apresentou mais queixas de memória prospectiva e retrospectiva comparado aos idosos saudáveis. As medidas objetivas de memória prospectiva apresentaram boa acurácia para discriminar os grupos de pacientes dos controles, tanto no subtipo amnéstico quanto não amnéstico. As medidas subjetivas de memória prospectiva apresentaram boa acurácia para diferenciar os grupos, prém não se correlacionaram com as medidas objetivas de memória prospectiva. Conclusão: Os resultados apresentados sugerem que indivíduos com CCL apresentam comprometimento de memória prospectiva quando comparados com adultos saudáveis. Estes resultados têm implicações importantes para a prática clínica e para o desenvolvimento de programas mais adequados de reabilitação cognitiva. / Introduction: Prospective memory is the ability to formulate intentions and realize them at a future time. Despite the relevance of prospective memory to everyday functioning and the potential for prospective memory task in to detect the earliest signs of cognitive decline, these tasks rarely are utilized as part of the clinical evaluations of older adults. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to: (1) Characterize the prospective memory performance of patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and compare their performance with normal controls; (2) Investigate the relationship between prospective memory measures, neuropsychological tests and demographic variables; (3) Evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of subjective and objective prospective memory measures for detecting MCI. Methods: The study included 30 patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI), 20 with nonamnestic MCI (naMCI) and 30 healthy controls. All participants underwent neuropsychological assessment completed the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire. Participants were also asked to perform a prospective memory task in their everyday lives. Results: Individuals with aMCI and naMCI performed significantly worse than controls on time-based and event-based objective prospective memory measures. Participants with aMCI demonstrated poorer performance in prospective memory measure carried out in everyday life than naMCI. Significant correlations were found between objective prospective memory measures, neuropsychological tests of retrospective memory, attention and executive functioning and age. Participants with aMCI reported more prospective and retrospective memory complaints than the healthy adults. The objective prospective memory measure was able to discriminate with good accuracy the groups of patients from controls in both amnestic and nonaminestic subtypes. The subjective prospective memory measure showed good accuracy to differentiate the groups, but not correlated with objective measures of prospective memory. Conclusion: The results suggest that individuals with MCI display prospective memory impairment when compared to healthy adults. These results have important implications for clinical practice and to develop of more appropriate programs of cognitive rehabilitation.

O hábito alimentar tornou-se objeto de intensa pesquisa em relação ao envelhecimento cognitivo, com potencial para proteger e maximizar a função cognitiva. O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a relação entre o grau de adesão à dieta do Mediterrâneo (MED) e ao padrão dietético MIND (Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) com o desempenho cognitivo em idosos com diferentes perfis cognitivos. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, feito com uma amostra composta por 96 idosos, com idade igual ou acima de 60 anos, de ambos os sexos, residentes na região leste de São Paulo. Os participantes foram classificados em três grupos conforme perfil cognitivo, sendo 36 considerados controles saudáveis, 30 com diagnóstico de comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) e 46 pacientes com doença de Alzheimer (DA). Os instrumentos utilizados foram a Bateria Breve de Rastreio Cognitivo, Mini Exame do Estado Mental, a coleta da antropometria e a aplicação de questionário de frequência alimentar com 98 itens. Posteriormente houve o cálculo dos escores do grau de adesão à MED e à MIND. Os participantes eram em sua maioria mulheres, com baixa escolaridade e baixa renda. Os grupos diagnósticos mostraram-se semelhantes para a maior parte das características avaliadas, com a exceção da idade, renda e cor da pele. Houve maior número de indivíduos mais velhos e de cor branca entre os idosos com DA e maior renda no grupo CCL. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos clínicos quanto ao grau de adesão às dietas, entretanto, somente entre os controles saudáveis maior adesão à MED e MIND se associou positivamente, com maior escore no MEEM e no escore de memória de Aprendizado da BBRC. Os resultados sugerem que mesmo um grau modesto de adesão aos padrões dietéticos MED e MIND pode exercer impacto sobre o desempenho cognitivo de idosos sem alterações cognitivas. Considerando que o hábito alimentar das pessoas sobre forte influência de fatores socioculturais é importante que estudos sobre o padrão de consumo alimentar e cognição sejam conduzidos em diferentes países / Dietary habits have become the subject of intense research in relation to cognitive aging, with the potential to protect and maximize cognitive function. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MED) and the Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) with cognitive performance in elderly people with different cognitive profiles. This was a cross-sectional study, with a sample composed of 96 individuals, aged 60 years and over, of both sexes, residents in the eastern region of São Paulo. Participants were classified into three groups according to their cognitive profile, 36 were classified as healthy controls, 30 as having mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 46 with Alzheimer\'s disease (AD). The instruments used were the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, Mini Mental State Examination, anthropometry assessment and the application of a food frequency questionnaire with 98 items. Subsequently, the scores to indicate the degree of adherence to MED and MIND were calculated. Participants were mostly women, with low schooling and low income. Diagnostic groups were similar for most of the evaluated characteristics, with the exception of age, income, and skin color. There were more older and white individuals among participants with AD and higher income in the MCI group. There were no significant differences among the groups as to level of adherence to the diets, however, only among healthy controls higher adherence to MED and MIND was positively associated with a higher score in the MMSE and in the BBRC Learning Score. The results suggest that even a modest degree of adherence to MED and MIND dietary patterns may have an impact on the cognitive performance of seniors without cognitive impairment. Considering that people\'s eating habits are strongly influenced by sociocultural factors, it is important that studies on the pattern of food consumption and cognition are conducted in different countries

Visto que o estresse oxidativo está intimamente relacionado com a progressão da demência, este se apresenta como um possível alvo terapêutico a fim de preservar as funções cognitivas. No mesmo sentido, estudos mostram o papel antioxidante do selênio, mineral que atua por meio das selenoproteínas, com destaque para a família de enzimas antioxidantes glutationa peroxidase (GPx) e a selenoproteína responsável pelo transporte de selênio, a selenoproteína P (SePP). Entretanto, diferentes genótipos dos genes que codificam essas selenoproteínas podem refletir em diferentes respostas diante de intervenções alimentares. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar os efeitos da suplementação com castanha-do-brasil sobre o estresse oxidativo em pacientes com comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) e verificar sua relação com os polimorfismos rs1050450 (Pro198Leu) no gene da GPx1, rs3877899 e rs7579 no gene da selenoproteína P. Participaram do estudo 31 indivíduos com CCL, voluntários, de ambos os sexos, frequentadores do Ambulatório de Memória do Idoso do Serviço de Geriatria da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, que foram distribuídos aleatoriamente entre os grupos Castanha e Controle. O grupo Castanha recebeu uma unidade de castanha-do-brasil por dia durante seis meses. Foram avaliados os seguintes marcadores: determinação de selênio no plasma e nos eritrócitos, atividade da GPx eritrocitária, avaliação dos níveis de oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) e de malondialdeído (MDA) plasmáticos, perfil lipídico sérico e expressão gênica de GPx1 e SePP. Além disso, os participantes foram submetidos à avaliação cognitiva e genotipados quanto aos polimorfismos rs1050450, rs3877899 e rs7579. Cada unidade de castanha-do-brasil forneceu 288,75µg de selênio. Dentre os 31 participantes selecionados, apenas 20 concluíram o estudo, e observou-se que, antes da intervenção, os grupos de estudo não apresentavam diferença quanto aos níveis de selênio no plasma e no eritrócito, bem como na atividade da GPx e nos níveis plasmáticos de ORAC e de MDA. Porém, após a suplementação, verificou-se aumento significativo no selênio plasmático (290,6±74,6) e eritrocitário (574,6±181,4) e na atividade da GPx (59,55±20,79) no grupo Castanha, diferente do grupo Controle (47,48±11,7 no plasma; 33,5±16,1 no eritrócito; 42,54±13,05 atividade da GPx). Em relação ao MDA, verificou-se que ambos os grupos apresentaram aumento após a intervenção, porém não significativo. No caso do ORAC, não se verificou alteração entre os grupos após os seis meses. O escore CERAD, que avalia desempenho cognitivo, não foi diferente entre os grupos após o tratamento, entretanto as mudanças observadas na fluência verbal e na praxia construtiva ao longo do acompanhamento foram mais favoráveis no grupo Castanha. A frequência dos genótipos de referência foram 40% para Pro198Leu, 55% para rs7579 e 60% para rs3877899. Não foram identificadas diferenças entre os níveis de selênio, de atividade da GPx, de MDA e de ORAC entre os genótipos, porém em análise multivariada verificou-se que o alelo variante do Pro198Leu se relacionou com aumento de 0,613 dp na concentração de selênio no plasma no baseline. A influência dos polimorfismos na resposta à intervenção com castanha-do-brasil foi avaliada nos 11 participantes do grupo Castanha, e observou-se que os genótipos não influenciaram na resposta quanto os níveis de selênio plasmático e eritrocitário, bem como de MDA. Entretanto, quanto à atividade da GPx, embora todos os genótipos tenham apresentado aumento após a intervenção, isso não foi significativo para o genótipo dominante do rs7579 e para o variante do rs3877899. A expressão de GPx1 e de SePP também foi diferente entre os genótipos: indivíduos com alelo variante do Pro198Leu apresentaram redução da expressão da GPx1, enquanto carreadores do genótipo homozigoto dominante tiveram aumento. Também percebeu-se que a expressão da SePP foi reduzida em todos os genótipos, entretanto essa mudança foi mais relevante para os genótipos variantes do Pro198Leu e rs7579 e para o genótipo GG do rs3877899. A partir desses resultados, concluiu-se que o consumo de apenas uma castanha-do-brasil diariamente, durante seis meses, é suficiente para recuperar o estado nutricional relativo ao selênio, e isso parece ter efeitos positivos sobre a cognição em idosos com CCL. Além disso, observou-se que o polimorfismo Pro198Leu no gene da GPx1 parece influenciar o estado nutricional quanto ao selênio, bem como a expressão de GPx, enquanto que os polimorfismos rs7579 e rs3877899 parecem não influenciar, de maneira significativa, o metabolismo de selênio frente ao consumo de castanha-do-brasil. / Since oxidative stress is closely related to progression of dementia, the antioxidant system may be a potential therapeutic target to preserve cognitive function. In this way, studies show the antioxidant role of selenium, which plays as selenoproteins especially glutathione peroxidase (GPx) family and selenoprotein P (SePP). However, different genotypes of selenoprotein genes may result in different response to dietary intake. Therefore, this work aimed to verify the effects of Brazil nuts intake on oxidative stress and the role of the polymorphisms rs1050450 (Pro198Leu) in GPx1 gene and rs7579 and rs3877899 in SePP gene in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Study subjects comprised 31 voluntary patients with MCI who attended the Memory and Aging Unit of the Geriatrics Division, University of São Paulo Medical School (Brazil). They were randomly assigned to ingestion of Brazil nuts or to the control group. Brazil nuts group received one nut daily during six months. The following parameters were analysed: selenium concentration in plasma and erythrocyte, GPx activity in erythrocyte, plasmatic levels of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and of malondialdedyde (MDA), serum lipid profile. Besides, we evaluated cognitive performance and the patients were genotyped to rs1050450, rs3877899 e rs7579 polymorphisms. Each Brazil nut provided 288.75µg of selenium. Among 31 enrolled participants, only 20 finished the study. No differences regarding selenium levels, GPx activity, ORAC and MDA levels were observed at baseline between groups. However, after treatment, we observed significant increase in selenium in plasma (290.6±74.6) and in erythrocyte (574.6±181.4) and in GPx activity (59.55±20.79) in treated group, unlike control group (47.48±11.70 selenium in plasma; 33.5±16.1 selenium in erythrocyte; 42.54±13.05 GPx activity). Although not significant, MDA level increased after 6 months in both groups and ORAC levels were not different across time. CERAD total score was not different across time between groups, however changes in verbal fluency and constructional praxis subtests across time were significantly more favorable on the supplemented group when compared with control group. The frequency of dominant genotypes for Pro198Leu, rs7579 and rs3877899 were 40%, 55% and 60%, respectively. We did not observe differences regarding to selenium ORAC and MDA levels and GPx activity among genotypes, however after linear regression analysis the presence of variant allele of Pro198Leu was associated with an increase of 0.613 SD in selenium plasma level at baseline. The effect of polymorphisms in response to Brazil nut intake was analysed in Brazil nut group, and we observed that sele nium and MDA levels were not affected by polymorphisms. However although GPx activity increased in all genotype groups, this was not significant in dominant genotype of rs7579 and variant genotypes of rs3877899. GPx1 and SePP expression was also different among groups across time: variant allele of Pro198Leu presented decreased expression of GPx1 while dominant homozygous presented increase of expression. We also observed that SePP expression was reduced in all genotypes, but his was more important in variant genotypes of Pro198Leu and rs7579 and in GG genotype of rs3877899. From these results, we can conclude that consumption of only one Brazil nut is enough to restore selenium status, and this may be positive effects on cognition performance. Furthermore we observed that Pro198Leu polymorphism may influence selenium nutritional status and GPx activity whereas rs7579 and rs3877899 polymorphisms did not have an effect on selenium metabolism after Brazil nut intake.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-03-07T20:15:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 danielleviveirosguedes.pdf: 1660212 bytes, checksum: 505d73642f5a23e9ff927df2d661232e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-03-10T12:57:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 danielleviveirosguedes.pdf: 1660212 bytes, checksum: 505d73642f5a23e9ff927df2d661232e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-10T12:57:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 danielleviveirosguedes.pdf: 1660212 bytes, checksum: 505d73642f5a23e9ff927df2d661232e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-21 / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Este estudo objetivou associar a qualidade de vida de idosos com declínio cognitivo a variáveis demográficas e educacionais, sintomatologia depressiva, presença de doenças, suporte social e capacidade funcional. Investigou-se uma amostra de 65 idosos, residentes na comunidade ou em ILPIs, e seus cuidadores. Foram utilizados questionários, investigando dados demográficos, de saúde e história educacional, a GDS, itens da ISEL e as escalas de Katz e Pfeffer, além das versões de autorrelato, relato do cuidador e a correção composta da QdV-DA. O autorrelato e a correção composta se associaram fortemente com sintomas de depressão e, de forma menos incisiva, com o suporte social. A avaliação dos cuidadores se associou à capacidade funcional, especialmente às ABVDs. Na amostra geral, não houve diferença entre os relatos de idosos e cuidadores. Ao estratificá-la segundo os sintomas depressivos, a equivalência dos relatos se manteve entre os idosos com pontuação superior ao ponto de corte na GDS, porém, entre os com pontuação abaixo do ponto de corte, a avaliação dos cuidadores foi inferior à autoavaliação. É possível que os sintomas depressivos tenham rebaixado a avaliação dos idosos, equiparando-a ao relato dos cuidadores. Ressalta-se que a percepção da qualidade de vida se dá através da relação entre variáveis objetivas e subjetivas e que mecanismos de autorregulação do self exercem importante papel nessa avaliação / This study aims at associating quality of life of elderly patients with cognitive impairment to educational and demographic variables, depressive symptoms, morbidity, social support and ability level. Sixty five elderly, living in the community or in long term care facilities, and their caregivers were inquired. A questionnaire, investigating demographic, health and educational background data, GDS, items from the ISEL, Katz and Pfeffer scales, beyond the self-reported, caregiver's report and compound correction versions of QdV-DA were used. Self-report and compound correction were strongly associated with symptoms of depression and, less incisive, with social support. The caregivers‟ ratings were associated with ability level, especially the ADL's. In the overall sample, there was no difference between elderly and caregivers reports. Stratifying the sample according to depressive symptoms, the equivalence in reports remained among older people with scores above the cutoff point in GDS, however, among those with scores below the cutoff point, caregivers‟ report was lower than self-report. It is possible that depressive symptoms have lowered the self-report, equating it to caregivers' report. Quality of life perception is made through relationship between objective and subjective variables, and self-regulation mechanisms of the self play an important role in the evaluation.

Orientador: Elizabeth Maria Aparecida Barasnevicius Quagliato / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T22:29:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martins_SergilainePereira_D.pdf: 2688714 bytes, checksum: 50e69a64ddbe919094b642d6fcc2f77a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A ressonância magnética por tensor de difusão (DTI) proporciona aumento da sensibilidade para estudar a alterações na microestrutura da substância branca aparentemente normal (SBAN) in vivo e é especialmente indicada para estudar doenças que apresentam lesão axonal e desmielinização. No presente estudo, sugerimos a hipótese de que a neurodegeneração produz alterações microestruturais na SBAN de indivíduos com DA e CCL, especialmente em regiões específicas do cérebro. Foram estudados 71 participantes (21 com DA leve, 25 com CCL e 25 controles normais-CN) que foram recrutados de serviço médico neurológico em Campinas. Os indivíduos foram avaliados por um protocolo de avaliação clínica padronizada que incluiu: escala de depressão geriátrica (GDS), questionário de atividades funcionais (FAQ - Pfeffer), mini exame do estado mental (MEEM), teste de aprendizado auditivo-verbal de REY (RAVLT), testes de memória prospectiva (MP) (consulta e pertence) (subtestes do Teste de Memória Comportamental Rivermead), teste de fluência verbal (FV) (animais e FAS), teste desenho do relógio (TDR) e teste de nomeação de Boston (TNB). As imagens de RNM foram adquiridas usando um scanner MRT 1.5. A anisotropia fracionada (FA) e as difusividades axial (DAx) e radial (DRa) foram analisadas em regiões de interesse (ROI) alocados nos lobos frontal, parietal, temporal e occipital. FA, DAx e DRa foram calculadas para cada ROI. Em seguida, calculamos as médias de todas as seções para FA, DAx, e DRa para cada região da SBAN bilateralmente. Resultados: Nossos resultados mostraram que: (1) Comparado com CN, o grupo CCL demonstrou diminuição da FA no lobo frontal (parte do fórceps menor e do fascículo uncinado e coroa radiada), região importante para a memória episódica. (2) Na avaliação por análise de regressão múltipla, FA e DAx frontal, DAx temporal e parietal e FA occipital formaram um padrão de parâmetros associados ao maior risco para CCL e DA. (3) O estudo da acurácia revelou que a DTI da região frontal é a que apresenta maior sensibilidade e especificidade para identificar CCL. Em relação à DA, as variáveis FA frontal e temporal e DAx parietal apresentaram maior especificidade para identificar DA. (4) Não encontramos correlação robusta entre variáveis neuropsicológicas e de neuroimagem / Abstract: MRI technique, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), provides increased sensitivity to alterations in the microstructure of white matter in vivo and is especially indicative for diseases causing axonal damage and demyelination. In the present study, we hypothesized that neurodegeneration produces microstructural changes in the cerebral white matter of subjects with AD and MCI, especially in specific regions in the brain. We studied 71 participants (21 mild AD, 25 MCI, and 25 normal controls-NC) that were recruited from neurological medical service in Campinas. Subjects were evaluated by using a standardized clinical evaluation protocol, which included: Geriatric depression Scal (GDS), the functional activities questionnaire (FAQ-Pfeffer), mini-mental status examination (MMSE), Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), prospective memory (Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test), verbal fluency test (animal and FAS), clock drawing test and Boston naming test. MR images were acquired using a 1.5 T MR scanner. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial and radial diffusivities (DA and DR) were analyzed in regions of interest (ROIs) in frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. FA, DA, and DR were calculated for each ROI. Then the measures of FA, DA, and DR were averaged across all the sections of each white matter region bilaterally. Our results showed that: (1) Compared to NC, MCI group showed decreased FA in the frontal lobe (the minor forceps and the uncinate fasciculus, and corona radiata), important region to episodic memory. (2) The evaluation by multiple regression analysis, frontal FA and DA, temporal and parietal DA and occipital FA formed a pattern of parameters associated with increased risk for MCI and AD. (3) The accuracy revealed that the frontal area has the greatest sensitivity and specificity to identify MCI. Regarding the AD, the frontal FA and temporal and parietal DA have the greatest specificity for identifying AD. (4) We did not find correlation between neuropsychological and neuroimaging variables / Doutorado / Neurologia / Doutora em Ciências Médicas

Personer med kognitiva funktionsnedsättningar kan ha olika svårigheter med att skriva på mobila enheter som mobiltelefoner och surfplattor. Svårigheterna kan vara att stava korrekt och skriva i normal skrivhastighet. Denna studie vill jämföra olika skrivhjälpmedel mot utan skrivhjälpmedel för att utvärdera vilka som kan bidrar till bättre skrivhastighet och färre stavfel. Studien vill också utvärdera vad personer med kongitiva funktionsnedsättningar tycker om dessa skrivhjälpmedel för att i framtiden kunna utveckla bättre programvara. Skrivhjälpmedlen som användes i studien är; ● Ordprediktion ● Ordprediktion med ett lättläst lexikon ● Tangentbordsprediktion ● Ordprediktion med tangentbordsprediktion Studien har två frågor som besvarades. Den första frågan handlade om hur personer med kognitiva funktionsnedsättningar tyckte om de olika skrivhjälpmedlen. Den andra handlade om hur skrivhjälpmedlen påverkade testdeltagarnas skrivhastighet, knapptryckningsbesparingar samt skrivfel. För att besvara dessa frågor användes withinsubject design. Data som samlades in var kvantitativ, där första frågan samlade in data via enkäter medan den andra samlade in via tester som var tillgängliga via en applikation. Resultaten visade på att alla ordprediktionsmetoder ökade skrivhastigheten, minskade knapptryckningar och minskade skrivfelen i någon grad. Ordprediktion med lättläst höjde skrivhastigheten mest till 9,87 ord i minuten jämfört med utan prediktion som hade 7,67 ord i minuten. Flest knapptryckningsbesparingar hade ordprediktion, med en besparingsmängd på 14,04%. Det var väldigt få skrivfel för alla prediktionsmetoder, men de hade alla bättre resultat än utan prediktion som hade flest skrivfel per person. Deltagarna tyckte för det mesta om alla skrivhjälpmedel och kunde tänka sig använd dem i framtiden. Resultaten för alla testerna kunde inte alltid påvisas med statistisk signifikans. Denna uppsats kan hjälpa utvecklare av skrivhjälpmedel för personer med kognitiva funktionsnedsättningar att bestämma vilken typ av skrivhjälpmedel de kan satsa på för utveckling. / People with cognitive disabilities can have various difficulties with typing on mobile devices(smartphones or tablets). The difficulties they face could be spelling and writing in normal typing speed. This study has compared different writing aids against no writing aid in the means to evaluate which ones can help improve typing speed and spelling. The study has also evaluated what people with cognitive disabilities think about these type of writing aids to help future development of software. The writing aids used in the study were; ● Word prediction ● Word prediction with a easy dictionary ● Keyboardprediction ● Word prediction combined with keyboardprediction The study answered two questions. The first question was what people with cognitive disabilities thought about the writing aids used in the study. The second answered whether the writing aids improved test participants writing speed, keystroke savings and spelling. To answer these questions a withinsubject design was used. The data collected was quantitative, where the first question collected data through questionnaires while the other collected via tests that were available via an application. The goal of this study was to test four different writing aids and compare them against writing without aid to show which can contribute most to the increase in write speed, to the reduction of keystrokes and reduction in typos. To reach these targets we used a withinsubject design, meaning that all participants tested all writing aids. Participants were given a few short questions on the writing aids after the tests through surveys. Collection of data was through a quantitative approach. The results showed that all writing aids increased writing speed, decreased keystrokes and improved spelling. Word prediction with an easy dictionary increased writing speed the most, to 9,87 words per minute, compared to results without prediction which had 7.67 words per minute. Word prediction had the most keystroke savings, with a savings amount of 14,04%. There were very few typing errors for all prediction methods, but they all had better results than without prediction which had the most errors per person. However, only some of these results could be shown with statistical significance. This paper can help developers who develop write aids for people with cognitive disabilities to determine what type of writing aid they may invest in development.

The goal of this thesis was to describe cognitive profile of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients witch ischemic stroke (IST). The theoretical introduction focuses on IST, the concept of MCI, and neuropsychological test of cognitive deficits related to IST. The empirical part of the thesis describes the research results. 64 patients with various types of brain lesions after first-ever stroke were examined within 3-6 months after hospital admission. The cognitive performance was assessed across five cognitive domains: memory, attention, executive functions, visuospacial abilities, and language. All cognitive domains were impaired to the similar extend; the impairment quite severe, and ranged from 1.5 to 2.0 SD below the mean of the control group. The results showed that right hemisphere lesions were associated with visuospacial impairment whereas left hemisphere lesions were associated with language impairment. Also, it was examined which combination of tests differentiates best between patients from the experimental groups and the control group, and among individual experimental groups. It is necessary to develop and use sensitive and valid tests that can detect mild cognitive deficits in patients after ischemic stroke, which could be useful for rehabilitation planning. Keywords: mild...

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are abrupt paroxysmal changes in behaviour, sensation, or experience that mimic epilepsy, but that are not accompanied by the electrophysiological changes typical for epilepsy. Their cause is psychological. An examination of neuropsychological correlates of PNES is therefore crucial for understanding, effective diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. The aim of our study is to explore a specific neuropsychological profile of patients with PNES, particularly cognitive impairment, early parental bonding and occurrence of selected life events during childhood and before the onset of PNES. We examined 38 patients with PNES and 38 healthy controls matched for age and sex using neuropsychological battery RBANS, PBI questionnaire and a checklist of life events. The results showed that overall cognitive performance of patients with PNES was significantly worse in comparison with healthy controls. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in immediate memory and language domains. Furthermore, patients with PNES recollected significantly more paternal control in childhood, more stressful situations, more opportunities for social learning of the sick role, more health problems in childhood and also significantly more troubles preceding the...

The Diploma thesis is concerned with the human episodic-like memory and its changes during the course of healthy ageing. Episodic memory represents a memory of specific events and their spatiotemporal relations, involving conscious retrieval and mental time travel. As a testable analogy in animals, a concept of episodic-like memory has been suggested and defined as a memory of spatiotemporal location of a certain event in the past ("what-where-when"). Firstly, we focused on a methodological comparison of standard psychological tests of episodic memory and a novel non-verbal computer-based Episodic-Like Memory Test (EMT) with several variants of varying difficulty, capable of discerning the memory for pictures, their sequence and position (Vlček et al., 2009). The second goal of our study was to demonstrate the applicability of the concept of episodic-like memory ("what- where-when") as a model in the testing of human episodic memory. Compared with other tests of episodic memory, EMT test does not depend on the verbalization of content. Contrasting the results obtained from EMT and other standard tests was, therefore, of interest. The results from the EMT test were compared across three age cohorts (N = 58; young, middle-aged, aged) of healthy volunteers. In the spatial domain of episodic-like...

Evidence for the utility of the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) classification as a predictor of impending dementia in older adults is somewhat limited. Although individuals with MCI show elevated rates of conversion to dementia at the group level, heterogeneity of outcomes is common at the individual level. Using data from a prospective five-year longitudinal investigation of cognitive change in a sample of 262 healthy older adults aged 64 to 92 years, this study was designed to address key limitations in current MCI classification procedures which tend to rely on single occasion assessment (Traditional MCI) by evaluating an alternate operational definition of MCI requiring evidence of persistent cognitive impairment over multiple testing sessions (Persistent MCI), and four subsequent variations of this operational definition. It was hypothesized that: (1) prevalence of Traditional MCI would exceed prevalence of Persistent MCI across all variations in the operational definition, (2a) both the Traditional MCI and Persistent MCI groups would show lower levels of performance and greater decline in both cognitive and functional status over five years relative to Controls, (2b) the magnitude of these differences between those classified as Persistent MCI and Controls would exceed the magnitude of differences between those classified as Traditional MCI and Controls, and (3) the pattern of findings outlined in hypothesis 2 would persist under the four variations of the Traditional MCI and Persistent MCI inclusion criteria. Results were consistent with Hypothesis 1, and partially consistent with Hypotheses 2 and 3. In general, the Persistent MCI groups showed a lower mean baseline level of performance and a steeper trajectory of cognitive decline compared to the Control group and the Traditional MCI groups, although the sample-wide change in cognitive and functional status was small. There was some evidence that the variation of Persistent MCI classification which specified persistent memory impairment as an inclusion criteria achieved optimal prediction of cognitive and functional decline. Results are discussed with reference to retest effects, cognitive reserve, and clinical utility of the Persistent MCI concept for enhancing prediction of dementia in older adults.