Papers by MARIA ELISA VERGES ROCA
Neuropsychologia, Jan 17, 2017
An early stage of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) often displays a mix of beha... more An early stage of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) often displays a mix of behavioral disturbances and personality changes hindering a differential diagnosis from elderly bipolar disorder (BD), making this process a big challenge. However, no studies have compared these pathologies from neuropsychological and neuroanatomical perspectives. The aim of the present study was to compare the executive functions (EF) and social cognition profiles as well as the structural neuroimaging of bvFTD and elderly patients with BD. First, we compared the executive and social cognition performances of 16 bvFTD patients, 13 BD patients and 22 healthy controls. Second, we compared grey matter volumes in both groups of patients and controls using voxel-based morphometry. Lastly, we examined the brain regions where atrophy might be associated with specific impairments in bvFTD and BD patients. Compared to controls, bvFTD patients showed deficits in working memory, abstraction capacity,...
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2011
Background: The behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by progres... more Background: The behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by progressive changes in personality and social interaction, loss of empathy, disinhibition and impulsivity, most of which generally precede the onset of cognitive deficits. In this study, we investigated decision-making cognition in a group of patients with an early bvFTD diagnosis whose standard neuropsychological performance was within normal range for all variables. Methods: The Iowa Gambling Task was administered to this group of early bvFTD patients, to a group of early bvFTD patients who had shown impaired performance on the classical neuropsychological battery and to healthy controls. Results: Decision-making was impaired in both bvFTD patient groups, whether they had shown impaired or normal performance in the classical neuropsychological evaluation. Conclusions: Patients with early bvFTD may perform normally on standard cognitive tests, and yet develop severe deficits in judgment and de...
recercat.net
El espíritu que inspira esta guía de actividades docentes bien puede sintetizarse de las citas de... more El espíritu que inspira esta guía de actividades docentes bien puede sintetizarse de las citas de Mahatma Gandhi recogidas al final de esta página y que personalmente resumo en: conciencia de la diversidad humana, necesidad de realizar un esfuerzo para conseguir la inclusión de todas las personas en nuestra sociedad y determinación en llevarlo a cabo.
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 2010
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Different Kinds of Impulsivity in Patients with Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) (P07.193)
Neurology, 2012
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2010
Material from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was included under the heading 'Digits backward' ... more Material from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was included under the heading 'Digits backward' in the Appendix of the article by Torralva et al. (2009), without attribution to the owner of the material. The Editor wishes to apologise for this oversight and to confi rm that the said material is an original work of authorship created by Dr David Wechsler and the copyright is owned by NCS Pearson, Inc. A Corrected Version of Record has been published in its place.
Brain, 2009
Traditional cognitive tests may not be sensitive for the early detection of executive and social ... more Traditional cognitive tests may not be sensitive for the early detection of executive and social cognitive impairments in the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia. The aim of this study was to detect specific executive and social cognitive deficits in patients with early behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia using a battery of tests previously shown to be sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction. Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia patients and paired controls were assessed with a complete standard neuropsychological battery evaluating attention, memory, visuospatial abilities, language and executive functions. All participants were then assessed with our Executive and Social Cognition Battery, which included Theory of Mind tests (Mind in the Eyes, Faux Pas), the Hotel Task, Multiple Errands Task-hospital version and the Iowa Gambling Task for complex decision-making. Patients were divided into two groups according to their Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination scores, a measure of general cognitive status. Low Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination patients differed from controls on most tasks of the standard battery and the Executive and Social Cognition Battery. While high Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination patients did not differ from controls on most traditional neuropsychological tests, significant differences were found between this high-functioning behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia group and controls on most measures of our Executive and Social Cognition Battery. Our results suggest that the Executive and Social Cognition Battery used in this study is more sensitive in detecting executive and social cognitive impairment deficits in early behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia than the classical cognitive measures.
Behavioural Neurology, 2012
We sought to investigate the decision making profile of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) by asse... more We sought to investigate the decision making profile of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) by assessing patients diagnosed with this disease (n= 10), patients diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD,n= 35), and matched controls (n= 14) using the Iowa Gambling Task, a widely used test that mimics real-life decision making. Participants were also evaluated with a complete neuropsychological battery. Patients with PPA were unable to adopt an advantageous strategy on the IGT, which resulted in a flat performance, different to that exhibited by both controls (who showed advantageous decision making) and bvFTD patients (who showed risk-appetitive behavior). The decision making profile of PPA patients was not associated with performance on language tasks and did not differ between sub-variants of the disease (namely, semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia). Investigating decision making in PPA is crucial both from a theoretical perspective, as it can sh...
Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 2014
Objective: We studied theory of mind (ToM) in patients with mild relapsing-remitting multiple scl... more Objective: We studied theory of mind (ToM) in patients with mild relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), seeking possible dissociations between its 2 components: cognitive ToM (the ability to infer others' intentions) and affective ToM (the ability to infer others' emotional states). We analyzed the relationship of ToM to executive function, depression, and fatigue. Background: Dissociations between cognitive and affective ToM have been found in several neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases. Most ToM studies in patients with MS have shown general ToM deficits but have not analyzed the cognitive and affective aspects individually. Methods: We used the Faux Pas test of ToM and tests of executive function to assess 18 patients with mild relapsing-remitting MS and 16 control participants. Results: Our patients showed deficits in cognitive ToM, but their affective ToM seemed to be spared. Their cognitive ToM deficits were not related to executive dysfunction, depression, or fatigue. Conclusions: Our study is the first differential analysis showing cognitive but not affective ToM deficits in mild relapsing-remitting MS. Further research is needed to determine the exact nature and the real impact of these deficits, and to establish their relationship with the neuropathology and progression of MS.
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Papers by MARIA ELISA VERGES ROCA