Decreased prefrontal cortex activity in mild traumatic brain injury during performance of an auditory oddball task.

Up to one-third of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) demonstrate persistent cognitive deficits in the 'executive' function domain. Mild TBI patients have shown prefrontal cortex activity deficits during the performance of executive tasks requiring active information maintenance and manipulation. However, it is unclear whether these deficits are related to the executive processes themselves, or to the degree of mental effort.

Tracking levels of psychiatric distress associated with the terrorist events of September 11, 2001: a review of the literature.

Background: Early publicized predictions of an onslaught of psychiatric distress following the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, have not materialized, and it remains unlikely at present that the medical and insurance communities will experience a significant increase in psychiatric utilization rates secondary to September 11. A handful of research studies have begun to characterize the psychiatric impact of the events associated with the September 11 terrorist attacks. Information related to the manifestation of psychiatric distress following disasters is of particular interest to the scientific, clinical and disability insurance communities given the ongoing threat of further terrorist attacks.

Comparative efficiency of a discrepancy analysis for the classification of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in adults.

The present study evaluated an alternative method of neuropsychological test interpretation for the classification of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults. Specifically, an intra-individual discrepancy analysis was implemented in which differences between intellectual functioning and performance on a battery of six frontal/executive tests were examined within a homogeneous group of ADHD adults and matched normal controls. Significant group differences were identified between the ADHD adults and control sample on each of the dependent measures, with moderate diagnostic efficiency rates for the individual measures and a Discrepancy Impairment Index (DII).

Are classification accuracy statistics underused in neuropsychological research?

The prevalence of classification accuracy statistics was calculated in five prominent neuropsychology journals and five leading neurology journals for the years 2000 and 2001. Only 29% of neuropsychological articles judged to be appropriate for classification accuracy statistics presented sufficient data to calculate a full range of such analyses. Moreover, classification accuracy statistics were significantly less prevalent in neuropsychology journal articles than in studies published in neurology journals during the same time period.

Neuropsychological characteristics of adults with ADHD: a comprehensive review of initial studies.

The role of neuropsychological evaluation in the diagnosis of adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a growing area of research and clinical interest. Our review of the literature indicates that adults with ADHD demonstrate subtle impairments on select measures of attention and executive functions, auditory-verbal list learning, and complex information processing speed relative to normal controls. The validity of these findings is nonetheless hampered by several limitations, including methodological and sample variability, a restricted range of interpretive techniques, and uncertain discriminant validity.