Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive performance

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James
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Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive performance

Post by James »

This should be obvious, but it's important to use objective measures of cognitive function.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24170170
Am J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct 30. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.12121590. [Epub ahead of print]
Effect of Knowledge of APOE Genotype on Subjective and Objective Memory Performance in Healthy Older Adults.
Lineweaver TT, Bondi MW, Galasko D, Salmon DP.

Abstract
OBJECTIVE The knowledge that one carries the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele risk factor for Alzheimer's disease was recently found to have little short-term psychological risk. The authors investigated the impact of knowledge of carrying the risk allele on subjective ratings of memory and objective memory test performance of older adults. METHOD Using a nested case-control design, the authors administered objective verbal and visual memory tests and self-rating scales of memory function to 144 cognitively normal older adults (ages 52-89) with known APOE genotype who knew (ε4+, N=25; ε4-, N=49) or did not know (ε4+, N=25; ε4-, N=45) their genotype and genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease prior to neuropsychological evaluation. RESULTS Significant genotype-by-disclosure interaction effects were observed on several memory rating scales and tests of immediate and delayed verbal recall. Older adults who knew their ε4+ genotype judged their memory more harshly and performed worse on an objective verbal memory test than did ε4+ adults who did not know. In contrast, older adults who knew their ε4- genotype judged their memory more positively than did ε4- adults who did not know, but these groups did not differ in objective memory test performance. CONCLUSIONS Informing older adults that they have an APOE genotype associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease can have adverse consequences on their perception of their memory abilities and their performance on objective memory tests. The patient's knowledge of his or her genotype and risk of Alzheimer's disease should be considered when evaluating cognition in the elderly.
PMID: 24170170
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Gilgamesh
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by Gilgamesh »

James, thanks! Very interesting. That perceptions of one's performance would be affected might be obvious, but it doesn't seem obvious to me that actual performance would be affected. Useful to know for the next time I take a cog. performance test.
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Julie G
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by Julie G »

Interesting. It actually scares the cr@p out of me :? When I had to do some pretty simple cognitive testing at Dr. P's office, I was shaking like a leaf. I definitely judge myself MUCH more harshly with knowledge of my 4/4 status.
Last edited by Julie G on Wed Nov 06, 2013 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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LillyBritches
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by LillyBritches »

Yeah, Jul, no kidding. As we've discussed, I won't even take the cognitive baseline test at PhysioAge. Same reason I don't want to discover how much tau is in my CSF or have an MRI (to check hippocampal volume) or get a PET Scan to discern how much Abeta I've circulating in my brain. What's the damned point? Wouldn't do a thing differently than what I'm doing now.
I'm just a oily slick in a windup world with a nervous tick.
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by SpunkyPup »

if you can figure out who the stupid people are then you are the smartest person in the room.
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/book ... stupidity/
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Gilgamesh
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by Gilgamesh »

L and J, as you know, I've been on a warpath to learn the state of my brain. For me, it really would change what I do: if I have a head full of Aβ, I'd 1) move near my family, 2) stop working on three books in parallel, but rather focus on one, the most important one, and 3) aggressively try to enroll in anti-Aβ trials. I think, by the way, I may have a Florbetapir (AMYViD) scan lined up for Dec. (Nervous, yes!)
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Julie G
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by Julie G »

G, you're actually very brave. I suspect you are going so much right, your noggin'll be fine. But even IF the plaque's confirmed, I keep telling you: remember the nuns :D
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Gilgamesh
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Re: Objective vs. subjective assessment of cognitive perform

Post by Gilgamesh »

J, absolutely! I will remember the nuns! I meant to reply when you first mentioned that on 23andMe (but my irritation with 23andMe's forum software had grown too great...). It's on my list of things to review, but after a brief glance, I decided the Nun Study didn't offer all that much hope that Aβ build-up isn't really, really dangerous. But some hope, yes! Having a bunch of amyloid beta doesn't mean you've got dementia, nor that you're about to get it. But I do think it means you will likely get dementia pretty darn soon. But more on that when other things are checked off the list!

GB
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