A normative study of the Color Trails Test in the adult Indian population.

The Color Trails Test (CTT) is a neuropsychological measure assessing for frontal and executive functioning, while also minimizing the cultural and language barriers inherent in similar measures such as the Trail Making Test (TMT). This study establishes convergent validity for the CTT in the Indian population by comparing participant performance on the CTT and TMT. It also generates culturally appropriate normative data for CTT-Form A among the Indian adult population. Six-hundred and sixty-nine cognitively healthy, community-dwelling individuals between ages 18 and 69 participated in the study and were stratified based on age, gender, and educational attainment. Participant performance on the CTT and TMT were correlated to establish convergent validity. Strong correlation was found between TMT-A and CTT-1 (r = 0.61) and between TMT-B and CTT-2 (r = 0.66). An analysis of variance test was used to determine the mean and standard deviation for each stratified participant group. Further analysis found that age and educational attainment significantly impact participant performance on CTT-1 [F(4, 649) = 4.395, p = 0.002], whereas gender, age, and educational attainment significantly impact participant performance on CTT-2 [F(4,649) = 2.446, p = 0.045]. Normative data generated from this study has important clinical implications and contributes to the growing body of culturally appropriate normative data available for the Indian population.

Modifiable Barriers for Recruitment and Retention of Older Adults Participants from Underrepresented Minorities in Alzheimer's Disease Research.

Clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) trials currently face a critical shortfall of thousands of eligible participants, which inflates the duration and cost of the clinical study as well as threatens the scientific merit of promising clinical interventions. This recruitment crisis is further compounded by the fact that underrepresented and marginalized populations-particularly those identifying as a racial or ethnic minority, those with low socioeconomic status, or living in rural areas-have been historically underrepresented in ongoing AD clinical trials despite overwhelming evidence that such populations are at increased risk for developing dementia. As a result of various recruitment barriers, current AD clinical studies frequently reflect a decreasingly representative segment of the US population, which threatens the overall generalizability of these findings. The current narrative review provides an updated examination and critique of common recruitment barriers and potential solutions, as well as a discussion of theoretical approaches that may address barriers disproportionately experienced by underrepresented communities. AD clinical researchers are encouraged to take purposive action aimed at increasing diversity of enrolled AD clinical trial cohorts by actively identifying and quantifying barriers to research participation-especially recruitment barriers and health disparities that disproportionately prevent underrepresented and marginalized populations from participating in research. Furthermore, researchers are encouraged to closely track which individuals who express interest in AD research ultimately enroll in research studies to examine whether AD research participation is appropriately representative of the intended population for whom these new and novel AD interventions are being designed.

Neuropsychological profile associated with Moyamoya disease: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cardiovascular condition characterized by stenosis and gradual occlusion of the internal carotid arteries near the Circle of Willis. Current research on the disease has primarily been restricted to its medical implications, without adequate appreciation for its neurocognitive and/or neuropsychiatric implications. OBJECTIVES: The current study presents the neurocognitive profile of a 31-year-old woman diagnosed with MMD, further complicated by cerebral vascular accidents (CVAs) and history of bilateral craniotomy aimed at providing maximal revascularization. METHODS: Although speech and motor disturbances experienced by Ms. Doe around the time of her craniotomy and CVA were resolved at the time of current evaluation, she reported experiencing continued difficulties in processing speed, concentration, memory, word-retrieval, and planning. The patient underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation assessing multiple cognitive domains. RESULTS: Neurocognitive evaluation revealed the presence of a lateralized profile as well as impairments in simple auditory attention, processing speed, working memory, verbal learning, verbal fluency, and speeded fine-motor dexterity. CONCLUSIONS: MMD significantly impacts cognition and daily functioning in affected individuals. This is often further exacerbated by additional CVAs requiring surgical intervention. While there is a clear growth of research on MMD, limited information is available on the neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric outcomes of the disease process. Neuropsychological data from the current case study is closely examined to provide a unique example of the lateralized neuropsychological profile and deficit pattern in a historically high functioning individual diagnosed with MMD following a stroke.