Biomedical subjects

Nancy D Chiaravalloti

Publications and source records attributed to Nancy D Chiaravalloti.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Differentiating simple versus complex processing speed: influence on new learning and memory performance.

The current study was designed to examine how the construct of human information processing speed is conceptualized and measured, while also examining the influence of information processing speed on higher cognitive processes (i.e., learning). A mixed medical sample of 92 subjects participated in this study. Subjects underwent a broad-based neuropsychological evaluation, including measures of verbal and visuospatial new learning, spatial and verbal working memory, simple reaction time, choice reaction time, and information processing speed. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation resulted in a three-factor solution, comprised of: (1) simple speed/reaction time, (2) complex information processing and new learning, and (3) working memory. Notably, this factor solution identified 2 distinct forms of processing speed--simple and complex information processing speeds. In contrast to the abundance of literature grouping these two constructs together under one term (i.e., processing speed), these results indicate simple and complex speed to be distinct constructs assessed with different neuropsychological instruments. While the expected relationship between complex information processing capacities and working memory abilities was evident in this study, information processing speed also showed a significant relationship with new learning ability. The implications of this intriguing relationship are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Can the repetition effect maximize learning in multiple sclerosis?

OBJECTIVE: The 'repetition effect' stipulates that recall ability improves as the number of learning trials that a person receives increases. While the repetition effect has been supported through many empirical investigations in healthy individuals, it has not yet been applied to clinical populations. The present study tested the hypothesis that an increased number of learning trials improves recall ability in persons with a neurological disorder, namely multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Prospective between-group design with 30-minute, 90-minute and one-week assessments. SETTING: Private, nonprofit, research facility. SUBJECTS: Sixty-four MS subjects; 20 healthy control subjects (HC). INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were given a modified Selective Reminding Test (SRT), a list of 10 words to remember in a selective reminding format. To control for the amount of information initially learned, the learning trials were repeated until the subject recalled all 10 words on two consecutive trials. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: SRT word recall and recognition was tested 30 minutes, 90 minutes and one week subsequent to initial acquisition. RESULTS: Interestingly, the antithesis of our hypothesis was found. That is, persons with MS who required more learning trials to reach the perfect learning criterion performed significantly worse on the recall trials. However, this was not the case in a sample of healthy individuals undergoing the same protocol. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that individuals with MS may not benefit from repetition in isolation, but rather require the use of more intensive cognitive rehabilitation strategies (i.e., increased organization) to help improve their depth of encoding of new information.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Self-generation as a means of maximizing learning in multiple sclerosis: an application of the generation effect.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the generation effect, the observation that items generated by subjects are better remembered than items provided, as a means of maximizing new learning in multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Prospective between-group design. SETTING: Private, nonprofit research facility. PARTICIPANTS: Population-based sample of 31 subjects with MS (MS group) and 17 healthy controls (control group), matched for age and education. INTERVENTION: Immediate, thirty-minute and 1-week assessments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neuropsychologic tests assessing language, executive functioning, working memory, long-term memory, and the generation effect were administered. Recall and recognition of generation effect stimuli was tested immediately, 30 minutes, and 1-week after presentation. RESULTS: Recall and recognition of generated stimuli were significantly higher than provided stimuli across testing sessions. This effect was observed equally across the control and MS groups. Recall performance for generated stimuli correlated significantly with indices of episodic memory, information processing, and language but not executive control. Memory for the source of the information was deficient for generated words compared with provided words. CONCLUSIONS: The generation effect was present in MS and control subjects and may be a viable way of maximizing new learning in MS.

Adult↗