Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026
12:18
A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: January 11, 2020
8.1K
Brief screening for cognitive impairment in addictive disorders
Arun Gupta1, Pratima Murthy2, Shobini Rao3
1Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park SA 5042, Australia.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
|March 16, 2018
Summary
Chronic alcohol use causes cognitive deficits missed by standard tests. A brief cognitive screen (BCS-AUD) using finger tapping, verbal memory, and auditory learning tests effectively identifies these impairments in alcohol use disorder patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Chronic substance use, particularly alcohol, leads to significant neuropsychological deficits.
- Executive functions like working memory and inhibitory control are particularly vulnerable.
- Standard cognitive assessments, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), often fail to detect mild to moderate cognitive dysfunction in these individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a brief cognitive screen (BCS-AUD) tailored for alcohol use disorders.
- To identify specific cognitive domains frequently impaired in patients with alcohol use disorders.
- To provide clinicians with a practical tool for detecting cognitive dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Ninety patients meeting ICD-10 criteria for alcohol use disorders were evaluated.
- Participants underwent the MMSE and selected tests from the NIMHANS neuropsychological battery.
- Principal component analysis was used to select tests for the BCS-AUD.
Main Results:
- While most patients scored adequately on the MMSE, high frequencies of deficits were observed in finger tapping (92.22-93.33%), auditory verbal learning test delayed recall (37-63%), and Tower of London (42%).
- Statistically significant associations were found between MMSE scores and various cognitive tests, including finger tapping, verbal working memory, and auditory verbal learning.
- The Finger Tapping Test, Verbal Working Memory N Back Test, and Auditory Verbal Test (AVLT) were identified as key components for the BCS-AUD.
Conclusions:
- The developed Brief Cognitive Screen for Alcohol Use Disorders (BCS-AUD) effectively identifies cognitive dysfunction missed by the MMSE.
- The BCS-AUD, comprising specific psychometric tests, offers a practical solution for clinicians assessing cognitive impairment in alcohol use disorder.
- Further research is needed to explore the BCS-AUD's utility in other substance use disorders and its role in guiding remediation efforts.
Related Concept Videos
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
37.5K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
37.5K
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
1.3K
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not...
1.3K
02:18Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
19.6K
Intrinsically disordered proteins are a group of proteins that do not fold into specific three-dimensional structures. Their structural flexibility allows them to complement ordered proteins to perform functions that are inaccessible to rigid structures. They are more common in eukaryotes than prokaryotes and may either be exclusively intrinsically disordered or hybrid proteins, consisting of a mix of ordered and disordered regions. The absence of a rigid structure in these proteins can be...
19.6K
01:27Language and Cognition
812
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
812
01:25Cognitive Therapy
1.3K
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
1.3K
01:23Cognition and Behavior
386
Social psychology examines the complex interplay between individual mental processes and social interactions. Historically, the field was divided into two domains: social behavior and social cognition. Researchers focusing on social behavior analyzed actions within social contexts, such as conformity, aggression, or cooperation. Meanwhile, social cognition researchers investigated how people perceive, interpret, and mentally represent their social environments. However, modern perspectives no...
386