Discriminating age-associated memory impairment from Alzheimer's disease.

The authors attempt to provide a better understanding of the differences between the normal memory decline characteristic of age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) and the pathological decline typical of mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). Batteries of traditional memory tests and computer-simulated everyday-memory tests discriminated between the 2 groups, which were matched on age, gender, and education, with reasonable degrees of accuracy (87.5% and 88.4%, respectively). False positives were the most frequent classification errors when using either battery. These results indicate that it is possible to use ecologically valid memory assessment paradigms without sacrificing discriminant validity. The clinical significance of discriminating mild AD from AAMI is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stability of everyday memory in age-associated memory impairment: A longitudinal study.

Everyday memory performance was examined longitudinally in 2 groups of Ss meeting the diagnostic criteria for age-associated memory impairment (AAMI). One group of 157 participants in a drug trial for reversing memory loss in AAMI was tested over multiple sessions. The other group of 75 persons did not participate in a drug trial and thus was tested only twice. Both groups were retested for longitudinal follow-up about 4 yrs after initial session. Follow-up test performance remained fairly stable relative to initial performance in both groups. The drug study group showed large practice effects during the course of the drug studies, but these effects subsided after the drug studies' end. Implications regarding memory decline in the normal elderly and neuropsychological measurement issues are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aging and everyday memory: A cross-cultural study.

Performance on computer-simulated, everyday memory tasks was found to deteriorate with age in 434 Belgian (aged 14–88 yrs) and 434 American Ss matched on gender and age. This age-related memory decline was reasonably consistent across samples. Difficulties in cross-cultural research and the advantages of ecologically valid measurement instruments are discussed. Instruments included a grocery list selective reminding test, the Wechsler Memory Scale, the Benton Visual Retention Test, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A performance-based group approach to the treatment of anosognosia and denial.

Developed a performance-based group treatment to manage the anosognosia and defensive denial that frequently interferes with effective rehabilitation of the brain injured. 36 head injury and stroke rehabilitation patients' predictions for their own performance in a free recall task and written arithmetic task were compared with their actual performance in a group format. Data demonstrate significantly improved self-predictions for performance both within and across treatment sessions, suggesting improved awareness of cognitive impairments and strengths. Techniques for facilitation generalization, as well as potential adverse treatment effects, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Head injury and the MMPI-2: Paradoxical severity effects and the influence of litigation.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2 (MMPI-2) profiles of 30 consecutive patients with moderate/severe head injury were compared with those of 30 consecutive symptomatic minor/mild head injury patients. Of the severely injured, 18 had ongoing litigation and 12 did not. All 30 minor/mild patients were in litigation. The severe litigating group had significant elevations on Hypochondriasis (Hs), Hysteria (Hy), Schizophrenia (Sc), and Health Concerns relative to the severe nonlitigating group. The minor/mild group had significant elevations on Hs, Depression (D), Hy, and Psychasthenia (Pt) over both the litigating and non-litigating severe groups and additional elevations on Sc and Health Concerns over the severe nonlitigating group. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of litigation and injury severity on symptom endorsement on the MMPI-2. A model explaining persisting claims of disability after minor/mild head injury is proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

TV News Test: A new measure of everday memory for prose.

In independent samples of 364 normal volunteers (mean age 56.58 yrs) and 30 individuals from a drug study (mean age 62.10 yrs), previous performance on the TV News Test (TVNT), a computerized measure of everyday verbal memory, was significantly correlated with the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Both test performances reflected significant associations with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Vocabulary subtest. The TVNT alone was significantly correlated with Ss' age. The TVNT and the Logical Memory subtest both had significant associations with self-reported memory functions. Logical Memory was significantly related to a third measure of verbal memory, WMS Paired Associate Learning. The cognitive demands of the TVNT and the Logical Memory task may differ. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Overreporting of closed-head injury symptoms on the MMPI-2.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) validity scales were compared in 4 groups: nonclinical participants answering under standard instructions (n?=?20), nonclinical participants instructed to fake closed-head injury (CHI) symptoms (n?=?18), non-compensation-seeking CHI patients (n?=?31), and compensation-seeking CHI patients (n?=?30). The highest scores on MMPI-2 overreporting scales were obtained by nonclinical participants faking CHI, and significantly higher scores on these scales were obtained by compensation-seeking relative to non-compensation-seeking CHI patients. These results suggest that MMPI-2 overreporting scales are sensitive to fabrication of CHI complaints, and possibly to exaggeration of CHI complaints, although further research is necessary to evaluate the latter hypothesis fully. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neuropsychological impairment, depression, and Parkinson's disease.

Examined the nature of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) and its relation to depression in 89 nondemented (mean age 69.35 yrs) and 19 demented (mean age 79.94 yrs) PD patients and 64 control Ss (mean age 66.44 yrs). PD Ss were significantly more depressed than controls on the Beck Depression Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). There were significant, negative associations between scores on the GDS and performance on 8 neuropsychological test variables. Both PD groups were significantly impaired on 7 neuropsychologial test variables, including measures of visuomotor, memory, and executive functions. The demented PD group was more impaired than the nondemented PD and control groups on 9 neuropsychological test variables. Cognitive impairments in the nondemented PD group were relatively subtle and not apparent on the Mini-Mental State Examination. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)