Neuropsychology

Neuropsychological tests of social cognition in non-Western countries and in individuals from ethnic minoritized groups in Western countries: A systematic review.
Objective: This review identifies social cognition tests that have been developed or standardized and validated on adults specifically in non-Western countries or individuals from ethic minoritized groups in Western countries. It provides an overview of them, appraising their quality and examining their psychometric properties. Method: The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022337166), and the search was run on APA PsycTests and on APA PsycInfo, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Global Health until December 30, 2023. The searched domains were social perception, understanding, and decision making. Eligible studies had tests used on adult healthy or clinical groups within the target population. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines were followed. Results: Eighty-five eligible articles were identified and included 23 newly developed tests and 51 standardized or validated ones. Most studies were conducted in Asia, and the most frequently measured functions were emotion perception and theory of mind. Several tests were culturally adapted, and many were translated and back translated. The quality of procedures and the psychometric properties varied, with construct validity rated most favorably. Conclusions: The review documents promising procedures for experimental or clinical use and identifies areas for further development. This includes, for example, developing tests for more diverse individuals and accelerating test sharing. There is also the need to form consensus frameworks for describing and measuring social cognitive constructs that consider cross-cultural variation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
p-Tau/Aβ42 ratio associates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, and cognitively unimpaired older adults.
Objective: Among the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-based measures of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, the ratiometric measure of p-tau/Aβ42 shows the best diagnostic accuracy. However, few studies have linked the p-tau/Aβ42 ratio to cognition directly. The goal of this study was to examine whether a CSF-based p-tau/Aβ42 ratio predicts changes in global cognitive functioning, episodic memory, and executive functioning over a 2-year period in cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults, in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and in those with AD. Method: This study involves secondary analysis of data from 1,215 older adults available in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Neuropsychological composite variables, collected at baseline, 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month follow-ups, of global cognition, episodic memory, and executive functioning, were included. Generalized least square linear models were constructed to examine the effect of CSF p-tau/Aβ42, diagnostic group, and change over time on cognitive scores. Results: CSF p-tau/Aβ42 ratio predicted cognitive decline, both on global cognition and episodic memory, in individuals with MCI and AD, but not in CU older adults. The p-tau/Aβ42 ratio, in contrast, predicted decline in executive functioning for all three diagnostic groups. Conclusions: Our study, which included individuals with CU, MCI, and AD, provides evidence of differential cognitive consequences of accumulated AD pathology across diagnostic groups, particularly in the domains of global cognition and episodic memory. Additionally, AD pathology was associated with worsening executive functioning across all three diagnostic groups, suggesting that declines in executive functioning may occur well before declines in other cognitive domains. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Cognitive functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: Slowed information processing or a deficit in attentional selectivity?
Objective: By addressing numerous statistical, theoretical, and methodological weaknesses of existing research on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), this study attempted to examine closely whether cognitive dysfunction in CFS patients is restricted to slowed information processing or whether it extends to less efficient attentional selectivity. Method: In an online study, 83 CFS patients and 83 healthy controls (all French-speaking volunteers) first completed the Multidimensional Chronic Asthenia Scale and then performed the two-to-one version of the Stroop task known to carefully measure different components of the Stroop effect including the targeted Stroop interference (i.e., prima facie indicators of attentional selectivity). Results: Adequately powered analyses of raw reaction times pointed to differences in the magnitude of Stroop interference between CFS patients and healthy controls. However, these differences are entirely explained by generally slower processing speed in CFS patients. Indeed, no such differences were found when standardized (i.e., z scored) reaction times that take into account preexisting differences in processing speed were analyzed, and this absence of differences was attested—for the first time—by strong Bayesian evidence in favor of the null. Conclusion: Although the present study showed that attentional selectivity is not impaired in CFS patients and that their cognitive dysfunction is restricted to slowed information processing, other studies are still needed to fully understand cognitive impairments associated with CFS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Relations of hippocampal and ventricle volumes to Memory Outcomes in the Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) prenatal surgery clinical trial.
Objective: Many individuals with spina bifida myelomeningocele perform poorly on memory tasks, with hippocampal damage a possible mechanism. This study analyzed quantitative hippocampal, amygdala, and ventricular volumes to determine if prenatal surgery reduced the effects of hydrocephalus as a potential mechanism for improved memory performance in relation to hydrocephalus status. Method: We collected magnetic resonance imaging data from 110 children enrolled in the Management of Myelomeningocele Study (n = 55 per prenatal and postnatal groups). Volumes of the hippocampus, amygdala, and lateral ventricles were quantified using FreeSurfer. Memory was assessed with the California Verbal Learning Test–Children and Children’s Memory Scale. Results: Children who received prenatal surgery did not differ from children who received postnatal surgery on memory performance. However, within the prenatal group, children who did not meet clinical criteria for hydrocephalus or had ventricular dilation but did not require shunting showed better verbal and nonverbal memory performance than those who required shunting. The magnetic resonance imaging findings indicated larger hippocampi in the prenatal group than in the postnatal group. Similarly, within the prenatal groups, children who had no hydrocephalus showed larger hippocampal volumes than children with ventricular dilation and no shunt, and these groups had larger hippocampal volumes than children with prenatal surgery and shunted hydrocephalus. There were no significant differences in amygdala volumes. Larger hippocampi were associated with better memory performance, but there was no mediating effect of ventricular volumes. Conclusions: Prenatal surgery is associated with larger hippocampi and better memory performance in those children who did not require shunting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Agreement, reliability, feasibility, and acceptability of home-based telehealth versus face-to-face pediatric neuropsychological testing: A within-person crossover study.
Objective: It is unclear whether pediatric telehealth-delivered neuropsychology test results are comparable to those obtained face-to-face. This study reports results on (a) the agreement/reliability and (b) the feasibility and acceptability of telehealth neuropsychology testing in Australian children and adolescents. Method: Using a quasiprospective repeated-measures A followed by B:B followed by A crossover design, participants (N = 36), children with neurofibromatosis type 1, autism, and from the general population underwent face-to-face and telehealth testing using a trained parent facilitator. Measures included Full Scale IQ from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Australian and New Zealand Standardised Fifth Edition; Word Reading, Spelling, and Numerical Operations subtests from the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test–Australian and New Zealand Standardised Third Edition; Comprehension of Instructions; Score!; Formulated Sentences; Rey Complex Figure Test; and the California Verbal Learning Test. Children, parents, and clinicians also completed a feasibility and acceptability survey. Results: Predominantly high agreement between face-to-face and telehealth intelligence and academic scores were identified from intraclass correlation coefficients, independent of age and retest period. Intraclass correlation coefficient values were excellent for Full Scale IQ, Spelling and Numerical Operations (0.91–0.95), good for all intelligence index scores, reading, verbal learning and expressive language (range, 0.76–0.89), moderate for verbal recall, comprehension of instructions and copy accuracy (range, 0.63–0.74), and poor for sustained attention (0.23). Reliable change indices revealed stable test scores across most neuropsychological tests. Telehealth-delivered neuropsychology testing was satisfactory according to children, parents, and clinicians, although in-person was slightly preferred over telehealth. Conclusions: Findings support the use of home-based telehealth testing in pediatric populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Neurocognitive phenotypes among adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A latent profile analysis.
Objective: Neurocognitive performance in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is heterogeneous; some individuals with ADHD demonstrate neurocognitive deficits while others display none. Attempts to establish a singular neurocognitive profile of ADHD have been unsuccessful. Latent class clustering techniques offer a more granular method of examining interindividual and intraindividual heterogeneity in ADHD. There may be distinct neurocognitive phenotypes among the population of adults with ADHD. Method: This study utilized latent profile analysis on performance validity-controlled neuropsychological assessment data from a sample of 386 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD. Results: Three classes were observed. One class with specific deficits in learning and memory (“Low Learning/Memory”), one had intact performance across domains (“High Average”), and one had deficits in simple and sustained attention and response variability (“Inattentive”). Cross-class comparisons revealed adequate multivariate and univariate differences to support taxometric separation across phenotypes. Classes displayed medium-sized differences in estimated intelligence, small differences in ADHD-related inattention and impulsivity, and small differences in symptoms of anxiety and depression. There were no class differences in composition of sex, race/ethnicity, ADHD diagnostic presentation (i.e., inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, combined), co-occurring diagnoses of mood or learning disorders, history of ADHD diagnosis/treatment, or student status. Conclusions: The present study represents a critical early step in establishing distinct neurocognitive phenotypes among adults with ADHD based on their individual strengths and weaknesses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)

Neuropsychology - Vol 39, Iss 2