Evaluating the factor structure and construct validity of the NIH toolbox in older adults, with a focus on cognitive normalcy and amnestic mild cognitive impairment: considerations for diversity, including insights from persons over 85 years of age and Black older Americans.

Objective: Validated computerized assessments for cognitive functioning are crucial for older individuals and those at risk of cognitive decline. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) exhibits good construct validity but requires validation in diverse populations and for adults aged 85+. This study uses data from the Assessing Reliable Measurement in Alzheimer's Disease and cognitive Aging study to explore differences in the factor structure of the NIHTB-CB for adults 85 and older, Black participants versus White participants, and those diagnosed as amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) vs cognitively normal (CN).

New2Neuropsychology (N2N): An organization to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in neuropsychology.

Objective: To introduce New2Neuropsychology (N2N), an organization that seeks to increase recruitment of historically underrepresented minoritized (URM) students, and to examine preliminary data on N2N's impact and effectiveness in increasing knowledge about neuropsychology for URM students.

Method: This paper reviews relevant literature on factors informing the development of N2N. We also present descriptive data on N2N's impact to date, and results of pre- and post- surveys for presentations about neuropsychology delivered to 90 college students (mean age = 24.

Perceived social support declines after deep brain stimulation surgery in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: The Social Provisions Scale (SPS) measures a person's perceived social support. We evaluated the perceived social support in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients before and after subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) and its impact on clinical outcomes following DBS.

Methods: We analyzed 55 PD patients who underwent STN DBS surgery and completed the SPS, PDQ-39, and MDS-UPDRS Parts I-IV before and 6-12 months after surgery.

Decline of verbal fluency with lateral superior frontal gyrus penetration in subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease.

Objective: Verbal fluency (VF) decline is a well-recognized adverse cognitive outcome following subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). The mechanisms underlying VF decline, whether from stimulation, lesioning, or both, remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the unique effects of DBS lead trajectory on VF beyond previously reported effects of active contact location.

The impact of dispositional optimism and depression on post-operative motor functioning following deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: The primary goal of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) is to improve motor function. Dispositional optimism has been associated with better physical outcomes following a rehabilitation program in PD but has not been investigated in relation to STN-DBS. This study investigated the influence of dispositional optimism on motor outcomes following STN-DBS in individuals with PD.

Localization of motor and verbal fluency effects in subthalamic DBS for Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) improves cardinal motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) but can worsen verbal fluency (VF). An optimal site of stimulation for overall motor improvement has been previously identified using an atlas-independent, fully individualized, field-modeling approach. This study examines if cardinal motor components (bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity) share this identified optimal improvement site and if there is co-localization with a site that worsens VF.

Distinct cognitive effects of estrogen and progesterone in menopausal women.

The effects of postmenopausal hormone treatment on cognitive outcomes are inconsistent in the literature. Emerging evidence suggests that cognitive effects are influenced by specific hormone formulations, and that progesterone is more likely to be associated with positive outcomes than synthetic progestin. There are very few studies of unopposed progesterone in postmenopausal women, and none that use functional neuroimaging, a sensitive measure of neurobiological function.

Functional neuroimaging of emotional processing in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate emotional processing in women with insulin-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (IR-PCOS) and its relationship to glucose regulation and the mu-opioid system.

Design: Case-control pilot.

Setting: Tertiary referring medical center.

The right to move: a multidisciplinary lifespan conceptual framework.

This paper addresses the health problems and opportunities that society will face in 2030. We propose a proactive model to combat the trend towards declining levels of physical activity and increasing obesity. The model emphasizes the need to increase physical activity among individuals of all ages.

Hormonal environment affects cognition independent of age during the menopause transition.

Context: Cognitive decline is prevalent in aging populations, and cognitive complaints are common during menopause. However, the extent of hormonal influence is unclear, particularly when considered independent of the aging process.

Objective: We sought to determine differences in cognitive function attributable to menopause, hypothesizing that differences would be associated with reproductive rather than chronological age.

Change in fatigue after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

Background: Bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) improves motor function in patients with medically intractable Parkinson's disease (PD), but the effects of STN DBS on fatigue are unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of STN DBS on fatigue scores in patients with PD.

Methods: Twenty PD patients underwent bilateral STN DBS surgery at our institution from 2007 to 2009.

Postmenopausal hormone use impact on emotion processing circuitry.

Despite considerable evidence for potential effects of estrogen on emotional processing, several studies of postmenopausal women who began hormone therapy (HT) remote from menopause report no effects of HT on emotional measures. As early HT initiation may preserve brain mechanisms, we examined effects of HT on emotional processing in postmenopausal women who started HT early after menopause. We performed a cross-sectional comparison of 52 postmenopausal women 66±5 years old, including 15 users of conjugated equine estrogen, 20 users of conjugated equine estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate, and 17 who never used hormones (NT).

Early initiation of hormone therapy in menopausal women is associated with increased hippocampal and posterior cingulate cholinergic activity.

Context: The role of ovarian hormones in maintaining neuronal integrity and cognitive function is still debated. This study was undertaken to clarify the potential relationship between postmenopausal hormone use and the cholinergic system.

Objective: We hypothesized that early initiated hormone therapy (HT) preserves the cholinergic system and that estrogen therapy (ET) would be associated with higher levels of acetylcholinesterase activity in the posterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus compared to estrogen plus progestin therapy (EPT) or no HT.

Insulin resistance influences central opioid activity in polycystic ovary syndrome.

This pilot study describes a relationship between insulin resistance and μ-opioid neurotransmission in limbic appetite and mood-regulating regions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), suggesting that insulin-opioid interactions may contribute to behavioral and reproductive pathologies of PCOS. We found that [1] patients with PCOS who are insulin-resistant (n = 7) had greater limbic μ-opioid receptor availability (nondisplaceable binding potential) than controls (n = 5); [2] receptor availability was correlated with severity of insulin resistance; and [3] receptor availability normalized after insulin-regulating treatment.

Early menopausal hormone use influences brain regions used for visual working memory.

Objective: The cognitive benefit of postmenopausal hormone use is controversial; however, timing of treatment close to menopause may increase the likelihood of preserving cognitive function. We examined the effects of early-initiation hormone use on visual working memory, hypothesizing that long-term hormone use is associated with greater brain activation during visual working memory.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparison of long-term early hormone users-current (n = 13) and past (n = 24; 2.

Short-term hormone treatment modulates emotion response circuitry in postmenopausal women.

Objective: To study the effects of combination hormone therapy (HT) on emotional processing in postmenopausal women with use of functional neuroimaging.

Design: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was performed.

Setting: A tertiary care university medical center.

Executive function and gait in older adults with cognitive impairment.

Background: Cognitive impairment has been shown to predict falls risk in older adults. The ability to step accurately is necessary to safely traverse challenging terrain conditions such as uneven or slippery surfaces. However, it is unclear how well persons with cognitive impairment can step accurately to avoid such hazards and what specific aspects of cognition predict stepping ability in different patient populations.

Enhanced neuroactivation during verbal memory processing in postmenopausal women receiving short-term hormone therapy.

Objective: To study the effects of hormone therapy on brain activation patterns during verbal memory in postmenopausal women.

Design: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study was performed.

Setting: A tertiary care university medical center.

Impact of combined estradiol and norethindrone therapy on visuospatial working memory assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Context: Hormones regulate neuronal function in brain regions critical to cognition; however, the cognitive effects of postmenopausal hormone therapy are controversial.

Objective: The goal was to evaluate the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy on neural circuitry involved in spatial working memory.

Design: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was performed.

Inhibitory changes after age 60 and their relationship to measures of attention and memory.

This study examined the relationship between age and inhibitory functioning within a sample of older adults ranging in age from 60 to 85 years old. On the basis of earlier research, and confirmed by factor analysis, measures typically referred to as frontal lobe tasks were used as measures of inhibitory functioning. Findings demonstrated that inhibitory processes continued to decline with advancing age within the older sample.

Varying patterns of verbal recall, recognition, and response bias with progression of alzheimer's disease.

Aspects of performance on verbal list learning tasks, such as recall, recognition, and response bias, may vary with severity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We administered a 10-item, single-category word list learning test using selective reminding procedures to 188 patients with probable AD and 36 healthy normal controls with equivalent age and education. We analyzed the total number of words recalled as well as discrimination and response bias indexes derived from signal detection theory.