Bayesian inference for an illness-death model for stroke with cognition as a latent time-dependent risk factor

Longitudinal data can be used to estimate the transition intensities between healthy and unhealthy states prior to death. An illness-death model for history of stroke is presented, where time-dependent transition intensities are regressed on a latent variable representing cognitive function. The change of this function over time is described by...

Perspective taking in Korsakoff's syndrome: The role of executive functioning and task complexity

Objective: The ability to make inferences about knowledge, thoughts and feelings of others, i.e. perspective taking, is a key element of social cognition. Clinical observations indicate that Korsakoff patients may have impairments in social cognition, but studies are scarce. Also, executive dysfunction is present in Korsakoff patients, which may...

Long-term cognitive deficits accompanied by reduced neurogenesis after soman poisoning

To date, treatment of organophosphate (OP) poisoning shows several shortcomings, and OP-victims might suffer from lasting cognitive deficits and sleep–wake disturbances. In the present study, long-term effects of soman poisoning on learning ability, memory and neurogenesis were investigated in rats, treated with the anticholinergic atropine and...

Intelligence of very preterm or very low birthweight infants in young adulthood

Objective: To examine the effect of intrauterine and neonatal growth, prematurity and personal and environmental risk factors on intelligence in adulthood in survivors of the early neonatal intensive care era. Methods: A large geographically based cohort comprised 94% of all babies born alive in the Netherlands in 1983 with a gestational age...

Walking or vitamin B for cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment? A randomised controlled trial

Objective: To examine the effects of aerobic exercise or vitamin B supplementation on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Design: Randomised placebo-controlled trial. Setting: General community. Participants: Community-dwelling adults aged 70-80 with MCI. Interventions : The 152 participants were randomly...

Functional outcomes and participation in young adulthood for very preterm and very low birth weight infants: The Dutch project on preterm and small for gestational age infants at 19 years of age

OBJECTIVE. Young adults who were born very preterm or with a very low birth weight remain at risk for physical and neurodevelopmental problems and lower academic achievement scores. Data, however, are scarce, hospital based, mostly done in small populations, and need additional confirmation. METHODS. Infants who were born at <32 weeks of...

The effect of walking and vitamin B supplementation on quality of life in community-dwelling adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized, controlled trial

Objectives: To examine the effect of walking and vitamin B supplementation on quality-of-life (QoL) in community-dwelling adults with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: One year, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomized to: (1) twice-weekly, group-based, moderate-intensity walking program (n = 77) or a light...

Protocol for Project FACT: A randomised controlled trial on the effect of a walking program and vitamin B supplementation on the rate of cognitive decline and psychosocial wellbeing in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Background: the prevalence of individuals with cognitive decline is increasing since the number of elderly adults is growing considerably. The literature provides promising results on the beneficial effect of exercise and vitamin supplementation on cognitive function both in cognitively healthy as well as in the demented elderly. Methods/Design:...

Block of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by organophosphate insecticides

Chronic and acute exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides may lead to persistent neurological and neurobehavioral effects, which cannot be explained by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition alone. It is suggested that other brain proteins are involved. Effects of commonly used organophosphate pesticides on rat neuronal α4β2 nicotinic...

Development and evaluation of a follow up assessment of preterm infants at 5 years of age

Background: Long term follow up shows a high frequency of developmental disturbances in preterm survivors of neonatal intensive care formerly considered non-disabled. Aims: To develop and validate an assessment tool that can help paediatricians to identify before 6 years of age which survivors have developmental disturbances that may interfere...

Prefrontal dysfunction in early and continuously treated phenylketonuria

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that patients with early and continuously treated phenylketonuria (PKU) are selectively impaired in cognitive functions dependent on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) over a wide age range. Thirty-six patients with PKU between 8 and 20 years of age and 36 controls matched for age, sex, and educational level of...

Differences in dexamethasone-sensitivity between lymphocytes from patients with Alzheimer's disease and patients with multi-infarct dementia

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 40 consecutive patients entering a screening program on cognitive impairment were studied in vitro with respect to their sensitivity to dexamethasone (DEX). Phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation by PBMC from patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) was less sensitive to the...

Apolipoprotein e4 allele and cognitive decline in elderly men

Objectives - To determine whether polymorphism of apolipoprotein E - notably, the e4 allele - predicts cognitive deterioration in the general population. Design - Population based cohort investigated in 1990 and in 1993. Setting - Zutphen, the Netherlands. Subjects - Representative cohort of 538 Dutch men aged 70-89 at baseline. Main outcome...