Aim: The aim of this study was to provide benchmark normal values for Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination (ACE-R) and its domains for the Czech population. Methods: The study included 143 healthy subjects (89 women and 54 men) aged 55–89 years, without brain injury, neurodegenerative disease, severe hearing or visual impairment and without a psychiatric disease, with MMSE above 27 points. Participants were interviewed in detail to ascertain any previous brain injury history and to determine the level of self-suffi ciency in daily living activities. Individuals with a history of brain injury or impaired self-suffi ciency were excluded from the study. ACE-R values and values for its domains in men and women were compared with Mann-Whitney test and values for the four age and education groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. P-values were corrected for multiple testing using Bonferroni correction. Results: Cut-off scores were set at 2 and 7 percentile. Negative correlation with age (p < 0.001, r = –0.43) and positive correlation with education (p < 0.001, r = 0.41) were statistically signifi cant for the overall test performance and also for the performance in individual cognitive domains except for the Attention and orientation domain. The eff ect of sex was not statistically signifi cant. The cut-off score for the total score in Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination for all subjects aged 55–89 years is 74 points at the 2 percentile and 79 points at the 7 percentile. Conclusion: The study suggests cut-off scores for the Czech population of ACE-R and provides the basis for the development of Czech norms for this test. Práce byla podpořena grantem IGA NT13499. Autoři deklarují, že v souvislosti s předmětem studie nemají žádné komerční zájmy. The authors declare they have no potential confl icts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. Redakční rada potvrzuje, že rukopis práce splnil ICMJE kritéria pro publikace zasílané do biomedicínských časopisů. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE “uniform requirements” for biomedical papers. D. Beránková1–3, P. Krulová1,4, M. Mračková2,5, I. Eliášová2,5, M. Košťálová2,6, E. Janoušová7, I. Stehnová5, M. Bar1, P. Ressner1, P. Nilius1, M. Tomagová4,8, I. Rektorová2,5 1 Centrum pro kognitivní poruchy, Neurologická klinika LF OU a FN Ostrava 2 Výzkumná skupina Aplikované neurovědy, CEITEC – Středoevropský technologický institut MU, Brno 3 Katedra rehabilitace, LF OU v Ostravě 4 Ústav ošetřovatelství a porodní asistence, LF OU v Ostravě 5 Neurologická klinika LF MU a FN u sv. Anny v Brně 6 Neurologická klinika LF MU a FN Brno 7 Institut biostatistiky a analýz, LF MU, Brno 8 Ústav ošetrovateľstva, JLF UK v Bratislave  PhDr. Dagmar Beránková Neurologická klinika LF OU a FN Ostrava 17. listopadu 1790 708 52 Ostrava-Poruba e-mail: dagmar.berankova@fno.cz Přijato k recenzi: 8. 4. 2014 Přijato do tisku: 16. 3. 2015

Aims: This study aims to investigate effects of a combined therapy comprising a combination of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation with traditional rehabilitation techniques on cognitive functions in post-stroke patients suffering with mild to moderate degree of cognitive impairment and to compare the results with a group of patients not receiving such a therapy. Methods: 33 post stroke patients fulfilling exclusion/inclusion criteria were allocated according to travel distance from the treatment centre to either the treatment (n=19) or control group (n=14). Cognitive rehabilitation was performed in 60 minutes long sessions held twice a week for 12 weeks. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Adenbrook Cognitive Examination – Revised (ACE-R) tests were performed at the beginning of treatment, retests were performed approximately 16 weeks later and the results, including ACE-R subscores, were analyzed. Results: In the treatment group, statistically significant improvement (p<0.05) was detected in MMSE, ACE-R, and in ACE-R subtests Memory, Verbal fluency and Language, while only Memory subtest recorded statistically significant improvement in the control group. However, due to the small number of patients, we only present the results as trends indicating that a study on a larger cohort is needed. Hence, a sample size for a future study required for proper assessment of the effects of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation was calculated, the resulting group size is 334 patients. Conclusions: A combination of computer-based rehabilitation and traditional rehabilitation techniques on patients suffering with mild to moderate cognitive impairment as a result of stroke led to a statistically significant improvement in MMSE and ACE-R tests and in ACE-R Memory, Verbal fluency and Language subtests. However, due to a small number of patients, we only present these results as trends.

Background: Knowledge available about the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cognitive impairment after stroke is limited. The evolution of OSA and cognitive performance after stroke is not sufficiently described.Methods: We prospectively enrolled and examined acute stroke patients without previously diagnosed OSA. The following information was collected: (1) demographics, (2) sleep cardio-respiratory polygraphy (PG) at 72 h, day seven, month three, and month 12 after stroke, (3) post-stroke functional disability tests at entry and at months three and 12, and (4) cognition (attention and orientation, memory, verbal fluency, language, and visual-spatial abilities) using the revised Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-R) at months three and 12.Results: Of 68 patients completing the study, OSA was diagnosed in 42 (61.8%) patients. The mean apnea/ hypopnea index (AHI) at study entry of 21.0 +/- 13.7 spontaneously declined to 11.6 +/- 11.2 at month 12 in the OSA group (p < 0.0005). The total ACE-R score was significantly reduced at months three (p = 0.005) and 12 (p = 0.004) in the OSA group. Poorer performance on the subtests of memory at months 3 (p = 0.039) and 12 (p = 0.040) and verbal fluency at months 3 (p < 0.005) and 12 (p < 0.005) were observed in the OSA group compared to non-OSA group. Visual-spatial abilities in both the OSA (p = 0.001) and non-OSA (p = 0.046) groups and the total ACE-R score in the OSA (p = 0.005) and non-OSA (p = 0.002) groups improved.Conclusions: A high prevalence of OSA and cognitive decline were present in patients after an acute stroke. Spontaneous improvements in both OSA and cognitive impairment were observed. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychological examination is becoming an integral part of the diagnostic process in many neurological and psychiatric disorders. neuropsychological profile has now been successfully defined for a number of diagnoses that enable estimation of future cognitive functioning. In psychiatry, neuropsychology is most frequently used to assess cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia the objective of this study. The study aims to determine the progress of cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia, specifically to assess cognitive performance during the first episode of schizophrenia and one year later. 82 hospitalized patients with paranoid schizophrenia have completed a comprehensive examination by internationally used neuropsychological methods. One year later, 39 patients completed a follow up examination. Results of the examination showed deterioration of cognitive functioning on the majority of cognitive domains during the first episode, expressed as the mean score lower than 1 of z-score. Cognitive weakening was significant in verbal and visual memory, psychomotor speed, distribution of attention and verbal fluency. Comparing the results of neuropsychological tests during the first episode of schizophrenia and a year after, we found out that cognitive performance improved in all observed domains. We found a statistically significant change (p < 0.05) in delayed verbal memory (AVLT 30: t = -3.19; p = 0.003), immediate visual memory (ROCF RE: t = -4.52; p = 0.001) and psychomotor speed (TMT A: t = -2.72; p = 0.01). Despite statistically significant change in AVLT 30, performance in auditory memory remained on the level of cognitive weakening in the majority of assessed criteria.

Kognitivní deficit u schizofrenie je považován za klíčový příznak tohoto závažného duševního onemocnění. V posledních dvou dekádách bylo tomuto tématu věnováno poměrně velké množství literatury, nicméně doposud nebyla nalezena úplná shoda o profilu, dynamice ani příčinách a době vzniku kognitivního deficitu u této skupiny pacientů. Kognitivní deficit u schizofrenie bývá často dáván do souvislosti s přítomností psychopatologie, kvalitou života a úrovní psychosociálního fungování. Objevují se studie snažící se propojit úroveň premorbidního kognitivního fungování s kvalitou kognice po první akutní exacerbaci onemocnění, případně studie věnující se mapování této problematiky u osob s vysokou pravděpodobností vzniku onemocnění. Nemenší díl zaujímají studie týkající se longitudinálního sledování kognitivní výkonnosti u pacientů se schizofrenií, případně studie porovnávající kognitivní výkonnost mezi několika psychiatrickými diagnózami. Předkládaná souhrnná práce si klade za cíl podat ucelenější pohled na neuropsychologický výzkum u schizofrenního onemocnění a na jeho dosavadní zjištění.

Aim: The aim of this study was to provide benchmark normal values for Addenbrooke's cognitive examination (ACE-R) and its domains for the Czech population. Methods:The study included 143 healthy subjects (89 women and 54 men) aged 55-89 years, without brain injury, neurodegenerative disease, severe hearing or visual impairment and without a psychiatric disease, with MMSE above 27 points. Participants were interviewed in detail to ascertain any previous brain injury history and to determine the level of self-sufficiency in daily living activities. Individuals with a history of brain injury or impaired self-sufficiency were excluded from the study. ACE-R values and values for its domains in men and women were compared with Mann-Whitney test and values for the four age and education groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. P-values were corrected for multiple testing using Bonferroni correction. Results: Cut-off scores were set at 2nd and 7th percentile. Negative correlation with age (p < 0.001, r = -0.43) and positive correlation with education (p < 0.001, r = 0.41) were statistically significant for the overall test performance and also for the performance in individual cognitive domains except for the Attention and orientation domain. The effect of sex was not statistically significant. The cut-off score for the total score in Addenbrooke's cognitive examination for all subjects aged 55-89 years is 74 points at the 2nd percentile and 79 points at the 7th percentile. Conclusion: The study suggests cut-off scores for the Czech population of ACE-R and provides the basis for the development of Czech norms for this test.

Dysarthria could be a hallmark of a serious brain disorder. The 3F test enables clinicians to characterize a wide range of signs and symptoms of dysarthria. It could also be a starting point for a structured therapy using a therapeutic material developed in connection with the diagnostic test. The authors aimed to provide an overview of possible uses of the diagnostic tool "The 3F Test - Dysarthric Profile" and provide preliminary normative data. The 3F test consists of three subtests: I. Faciokinesis, II. Phonorespiration, Ill. Phonetics. The overall Index of Dysarthria (ID) is a sum of 45 items with the maximum score of 90. Approximate normative values were established in a group of 52 healthy volunteers, 26 women and 26 men, with the mean age of 63.7 (median 63.5) years, without cognitive deficit and without signs and symptoms of neurological disease. All subjects underwent neurological, speech and language examination, Mini-Mental-State Examination to exclude cognitive deficit, and 3F test. Data collection took place between June 2010 and June 2012. The final ID score showed significantly lower values in men compared to women (p = 0.039), and insignificant trend towards decline in higher age (r = 0,226; p > 0.05). Normative values for the ID score and its subscores were set at the level of the 5th percentile (with respect to non-Gaussian distribution of the ID score and subscores): the established normal values were >= 25 points for faciokinesis and phonorespiration in women and >= 24 and points in men, respectively; for phonetics, normal values were set at >= 28 points in women and >= 26 in men; the normal values for the ID score were suggested at the level of >= 80 points for women and >= 79 points for men. The 3F test scores and subscores depended on gender. Newly established normal values allow the currently used threshold between slight dysarthria and a normal finding to be refined. They could serve as a starting point for further standardization of the 3F Test and its use in both clinical practice and research.