TY - JOUR
T1 - Awareness of cognitive impairment in individuals with essential tremor
AU - Azar, Martina
AU - Bertrand, Elodie
AU - Louis, Elan D.
AU - Huey, Edward
AU - Collins, Kathleen
AU - Rohl, Brittany
AU - Cosentino, Stephanie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2017/6/15
Y1 - 2017/6/15
N2 - Objective The extent to which individuals with ET who have clinically significant cognitive impairment are aware of their cognitive changes is unclear. Reduced awareness has important implications for everyday function and decision-making. Methods 150 individuals with ET (109 Normal Cognition (ET-NC group), and 30 with MCI and 11 dementia (ET-CI group)) completed self-ratings and objective assessments of memory, language, and executive functioning. Discrepancy scores were calculated to assess awareness of cognitive functioning. One sample t-tests evaluated whether mean discrepancy scores in each group were comparable to zero (i.e., accurate). Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) compared discrepancy scores across two groups controlling for age and education. Results In the ET-NC group, discrepancy scores for language (M = − 0.08, SD = 1.10) and executive functioning (M = − 0.01, SD = 0.99) were comparable to zero. Memory discrepancy scores (M = 0.32, SD = 1.22) were greater than zero. In the ET-CI group, memory, (M = 0.78, SD = 1.01), language, (M = 0.46, SD = 0.95), and executive (M = 0.39, SD = 1.14) discrepancy scores were all greater than zero. Discrepancy scores were larger in ET-CI group than in ET-NC group for memory: F(1,148) = 4.02, p = 0.047, language: F(1,148) = 6.16, p = 0.014, and executive: F(1,148) = 4.51, p = 0.035. Conclusions Individuals with ET and normal cognition accurately assessed their language and executive abilities, demonstrating mild overconfidence in memory function. Individuals with ET and cognitive impairment overestimated their performance in all domains of functioning. Since ET is linked to increased risk for cognitive impairment, and such impairment may not be accurately perceived, cognitive functioning should be proactively and regularly screened in ET.
AB - Objective The extent to which individuals with ET who have clinically significant cognitive impairment are aware of their cognitive changes is unclear. Reduced awareness has important implications for everyday function and decision-making. Methods 150 individuals with ET (109 Normal Cognition (ET-NC group), and 30 with MCI and 11 dementia (ET-CI group)) completed self-ratings and objective assessments of memory, language, and executive functioning. Discrepancy scores were calculated to assess awareness of cognitive functioning. One sample t-tests evaluated whether mean discrepancy scores in each group were comparable to zero (i.e., accurate). Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) compared discrepancy scores across two groups controlling for age and education. Results In the ET-NC group, discrepancy scores for language (M = − 0.08, SD = 1.10) and executive functioning (M = − 0.01, SD = 0.99) were comparable to zero. Memory discrepancy scores (M = 0.32, SD = 1.22) were greater than zero. In the ET-CI group, memory, (M = 0.78, SD = 1.01), language, (M = 0.46, SD = 0.95), and executive (M = 0.39, SD = 1.14) discrepancy scores were all greater than zero. Discrepancy scores were larger in ET-CI group than in ET-NC group for memory: F(1,148) = 4.02, p = 0.047, language: F(1,148) = 6.16, p = 0.014, and executive: F(1,148) = 4.51, p = 0.035. Conclusions Individuals with ET and normal cognition accurately assessed their language and executive abilities, demonstrating mild overconfidence in memory function. Individuals with ET and cognitive impairment overestimated their performance in all domains of functioning. Since ET is linked to increased risk for cognitive impairment, and such impairment may not be accurately perceived, cognitive functioning should be proactively and regularly screened in ET.
KW - Awareness
KW - Cognitive impairment
KW - Essential tremor
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jns.2017.04.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jns.2017.04.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 28477687
AN - SCOPUS:85017419001
SN - 0022-510X
VL - 377
SP - 155
EP - 160
JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
ER -