ABSTRACT
A esclerose múltipla (EM) e o envelhecimento normal comprometem a substância branca hemisférica, causando déficits neuropsicológicos na função executiva, memória de trabalho (MT) e velocidade de processamento de informação (VPI). Foram investigadas as hipóteses: (a) a VPI pode constituir um fator determinante dos déficits de MT em pacientes com EM e idosos, e (b) sintomas depressivos auto-relatados podem agravar os déficits cognitivos de pacientes com EM. Participaram do estudo 31 pacientes com EM sem depressão, 36 portadores de EM deprimidos, 108 controles demograficamente comparáveis e 100 idosos da comunidade. Os grupos tiveram seus desempenhos comparados em uma escala de auto-relato para depressão e em uma bateria de testes para MT. Os resultados mostraram que o desempenho em MT depende da VPI, dos sintomas depressivos, da idade e da escolaridade dos indivíduos, variáveis que interagem de formas complexas.
Damage to the hemispheric white matter is observed both in multiple sclerosis (MS) and normal aging, causing neuropsychological deficits in tasks of executive function, working memory (WM), and speed of information processing (SPEED). In this study two main hypotheses were investigated: (a) that SPEED may constitute a determining factor of WM impairment in MS patients and in aging individuals; (b) that self-reported depressive symptoms may aggravate cognitive deficits in MS patients. The study investigated 31 elderly MS patients without depression, 36 depressed ones, 108 demographically comparable controls and 100 community recruited senior participants. Performance of the groups was compared on a self-report measure of depression and on a WM test battery. Results showed that WM performance depends on SPEED, depressive symptoms, age, and schooling - variables which interact in complex ways.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Aged , Depression/psychology , Executive Function , Aging/psychology , Multiple Sclerosis/psychology , Memory, Short-Term , Cognition , NeuropsychologyABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of mental processing speeds of judging traffic lights varying in location and color meaning. Methods 20 healthy adult male (age: 18 ～30 years) were enrolled in this study. By simulation of traffic lights as picture stimuli, all subjects performed a Go/NoGo task separately under normal condition, location-reversed condition, color meaning-reversed condition and both location and color meaning-reversed condition randomly. The accuracy rate and reaction time of the behavior task were quantified. Results The average accuracy rate of the four conditions was 99. 13% , no differences were found in different traffic light colors and different conditions. In the normal condition,the subjects' reaction time(ms) of traffic lights were as fallowings: red light 491.59 ±71.74; green light 487.55 ±58. 11, no difference was found between the two traffic light colors (P=0.522). In the location-reversed condition, subjects' average reaction time(ms) was respectively for red light 606.29 ± 107.59, and green light 593.13 ± 102.45. In the color meaning-reversed condition, it was respectively for red light 572.08 ±78.75, and green light 592.43 ±87.58. Compared with the normal condition, subjects' reaction time was prolonged in the location-reversed condition (F(1,19)=59.77, P<0.01), and also in the color meaning-reversed condition (F(1,19) =52.55, P<0.01). When in the both location and color meaning-reversed condition, the subjects' reaction time (ms) of traffic lights was respectively 502.92 ± 65.27 for red light, and 508.97 ±63.40 for green light,the result came close to statistical significance(P= 0.065)compared with the normal condition. Conclusion A likely "conceptual constancy" is demonstrated on the basis of prolonging the brains' information processing when location and color information changes.