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Updated: May 26, 2026

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with altered neuropsychological performance in young adults
Antonella De Carolis1, Franco Giubilei, Giulio Caselli
1Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome.
Background:
Subjects with ischemic lesions have an increased risk of dementia. In addition, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment share many risk factors. These observations suggest that different diseases that cause altered blood perfusion of the brain or hypoxia promote AD neurodegeneration. In this case-control, cross-sectional study, we sought to test the hypothesis that hypoxia facilitates cognitive decline.
Methods:
We looked for altered neuropsychological performance in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without apparent cardio- or cerebrovascular diseases or risk factors for atherosclerosis. A selected, homogeneous group of workers from two ceramic factories in a small town of central Italy was enrolled in this study.
Results:
The COPD patients had a slightly, but significantly worse performance than controls in a number of neuropsychological tests.
Conclusion:
The findings are consistent with the working hypothesis that chronic hypoxia facilitates cognitive decline.
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