The reminiscence bump corresponds to a marked increase in autobiographical memories of events that occurred when normal people were aged 10 to 30 years, a critical period for the formation of identity. The reminiscence bump was studied in 27 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 27 control participants. They were asked to recall 20 specific autobiographical events that had occurred during their lifetime and to indicate the subjective states of awareness associated with the recalled memories using the Remember/Know procedure. Finally, participants were asked to state whether recalled memories related to private or public events. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia recalled less specific memories than controls and exhibited an earlier reminiscence bump. They recalled more public, and less private events than controls, and they gave fewer Remember responses. The reminiscence bump peaked in the 16 to 25-year period for patients and the 21 to 25-year period for controls. These findings indicate that patients diagnosed with schizophrenia exhibit an early and abnormal reminiscence bump, with an impairment of conscious recollection associated with memories highly relevant to personal identity. They suggest that schizophrenia is associated with an impairment of autobiographical memories of events that had occurred during the last stage of personal identity development (JINS, 2007, 13, 335–343.)

We investigated language representation in nine children (six male, three female; 5.6–17.7 years of age) who underwent surgical treatment of medically intractable epilepsy of the left hemisphere. Although interhemispheric reorganization has been previously documented in similar groups, this is the first study to systematically evaluate possible intrahemispheric effects of early insult. All cases had left hemisphere seizure foci and underwent extraoperative stimulation mapping (ESM) for language localization prior to receiving cortical resections. To compare ESM findings across subjects and to assess intrahemispheric reorganization, we developed a novel coregistration technique whereby independent raters plotted two-dimensional (2D) ESM findings in 3D standard space. Expressive language sites identified with ESM were compared with a structural probability map of pars opercularis, or Broca's area. The average difference between independent raters' estimates of 28 language sites was 3.9 mm (SD = 2.0), indicating excellent agreement; the coregistration procedure permitted assessment of 2D ESM findings in 3D standard space. We observed language sites in regions substantially anterior and superior to canonical Broca's area, possibly reflecting intrahemispheric reorganization. Findings suggest that left hemisphere insult in young children may result in anterior displacement of language within the frontal cortex. (JINS, 2007, 13, 505–516.)This study was drawn from a thesis submitted by D.S.K. in partial fulfillment of requirements of the MA degree through the Graduate Program in Psychology and the Collaborative Program in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto (Ontario, Canada).

Executive functions are highly sensitive to the effects of aging and other conditions affecting frontal lobe function. Yet there are few validated interventions specifically designed to address executive functions, and, to our knowledge, none validated in a healthy aging sample. As part of a large-scale cognitive rehabilitation randomized trial in 49 healthy older adults, a modified Goal Management Training program was included to address the real-life deficits caused by executive dysfunction. This program emphasized periodic suspension of ongoing activity to establish goal hierarchies and monitor behavioral output. Tabletop simulated real-life tasks (SRLTs) were developed to measure the processes targeted by this intervention. Participants were randomized to two groups, one of which received the intervention immediately and the other of which was wait-listed prior to rehabilitation. Results indicated improvements in SRLT performance and self-rated executive deficits coinciding with the training in both groups. These gains were maintained at long-term follow-up. Future research will assess the specificity of these effects in patient groups (JINS, 2007, 13, 143–152.)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Impulsivity persists in adults with ADHD and might be the basis of much of the impairment observed in the daily lives of such individuals. The objective of this study was to address the presence, and more importantly, the three dimensions of impulsivity: attentional, non-planning and motor, in how they may relate to neuropsychological mechanisms of impulse control. We studied a sample of 50 adults with ADHD and 51 healthy comparison controls using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale Version 11 (BIS), and neuropsychological tasks, namely the Continuous Performance Task (CPT-II) and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The ADHD group showed more signs of impulsivity on the three dimensions of BIS, committed more errors of omission and commission on the CPT-II, and made more disadvantageous choices on the IGT. These results support the existence of deficits related to three components of impulsivity: motor, cognitive, and attentional among adults with ADHD. Most importantly, this study also highlights the complementary nature of self-report questionnaires and neuropsychological tasks in the assessment of impulsivity in ADHD adults. (JINS, 2007, 13, 693–698.)

In this study, we report changes in psychosocial function in two groups of older adults that participated in the experimental trial of our cognitive rehabilitation program. The results, based on tests that measured a range of psychosocial attributes, showed that, following training, participants improved in terms of overall well-being, as well as in specific areas that included perceived happiness, coping strategies, and quality of life. An important finding was that improvements were also observed in long-term follow-up testing. Both groups benefited from training, but the effect was greater in the group that received training before undergoing a control procedure. The results, which show that the benefits of our rehabilitation program extend into the psychosocial domain, underscore the potentially important relationship between psychosocial factors and cognitive performance in older adults. (JINS, 2007, 13, 153–165.)

Language deficits are frequently reported in studies of patients with schizophrenia. The present study sought to test the hypothesis that such deficits are related to callosal function in this group. The FAS test of verbal fluency and Perin's Spoonerisms test of phonological processing were the tests of language. Callosal function was assessed using a Crossed Finger Localisation Test (CFLT), which is a measure of the interhemispheric transfer of somatosensory information. Patients with schizophrenia performed less well than controls on measures of language function, as well as on the CFLT. Significant positive correlations between CFLT performance and language function were present in the patient group, but not the control group. These findings extend on previous studies that report functional abnormalities of the corpus callosum in schizophrenia and are consistent with the hypothesis that language deficits in schizophrenia are related to impaired callosal functioning in this group. However, other explanations cannot be ruled out. (JINS, 2007, 13, 893–897.)

Affective instability is a core dimension of borderline personality disorder. The somatic marker hypothesis suggests that emotions play a crucial role in decision making. In this preliminary study, decision making was assessed in individuals with borderline personality disorder. Patients with borderline personality disorder (n = 20) and healthy comparison subjects (n = 15) were tested with the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The patients showed less advantageous choices on the IGT than did the healthy comparison subjects. The results could not be explained by indicators of general cognitive function or by symptoms of depression. These findings demonstrate that deficits in decision making in borderline personality disorder may manifest themselves in an ecologically valid neuropsychological test. Future studies should address whether those deficits are related to the behavioral characteristics of affective dysregulation and/or impulsivity, to the proposed dysfunctions and reduced volume of the orbitofrontal cortex and/or the amygdala, and to other neuropsychological functions. (JINS, 2007, 13, 699–703.)

Handbook of Functional Neuroimaging of Cognition, Second Edition. 2006. Roberto Cabeza and Alan Kingstone (Eds.), Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press, 480 pp., $65.00 (HB)

The first edition of the Handbook of Functional Neuroimaging of Cognition, edited by Roberto Cabeza and Alan Kingstone, was a welcome addition to the cognitive neuroscience field when it was published in 2001. There were chapters on the history of neuroimaging and analysis, and all the major cognitive areas that had been studied at the time, written by senior people in their respective areas. That a second edition has appeared so soon after the first is a testament to the rapid growth of the cognitive neuroscience field, which is both gratifying and somewhat daunting to those of us who vainly attempt to keep up with this burgeoning literature. The same authors as in the previous edition write some chapters, but many have been penned by different authors, equally well known in the field, which is also a sign that the field is healthy and growing.

We compared aspects of verbal memory and executive functioning in 51 community-dwelling persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 55 healthy controls matched on age and education. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), and illness variables included glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and hemoglobin. Findings indicate that persons with CKD exhibited poorer performance on measures of memory (CVLT-II) and executive functioning (DKEFS Trailmaking Test B and Color-Word Interference Tests) in comparison with healthy controls. Furthermore, performance decrements were magnified in older CKD participants on measures of verbal memory and inhibition. Nearly half of CKD participants aged 61 and older exhibited significant impairments in verbal memory and inhibition in comparison to matched controls. Cognitive performance in CKD was not associated with measures of illness severity. The differences observed were not accounted for by depressive symptoms, which were only weakly associated with cognitive performance, and negatively associated with age. Findings highlight the need for further exploration of the etiologies and functional consequences of the neuropsychological presentation of CKD. (JINS, 2007, 13, 344–353.)

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method that provides a highly repeatable quantitative measure of cerebral blood flow (CBF). As compared to the more commonly used blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast-based methods, ASL techniques measure a more biologically specific correlate of neural activity, with the potential for more accurate estimation of the location and magnitude of neural function. Recent advances in acquisition and analysis methods have improved the somewhat limited sensitivity of ASL to perfusion changes associated with neural activity. In addition, ASL perfusion measures are insensitive to the low-frequency fluctuations commonly observed in BOLD experiments and can make use of imaging sequences that are less sensitive than BOLD contrast to signal loss caused by magnetic susceptibility effects. ASL measures of perfusion can aid in the interpretation of the BOLD signal change and, when combined with BOLD, can measure the change in oxygen utilization accompanying changes in behavioral state. Whether used alone to probe neural activity or in combination with BOLD techniques, ASL methods are contributing to the field's understanding of healthy and disordered brain function. (JINS, 2007, 13, 517–525.)

This study evaluated cognitive set-shifting in 12 patients with focal lesions in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPC) by examining their performance on the Trail Making Test from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). Patients with LPC lesions performed significantly worse than controls on the D-KEFS Trail Making Test on the Letter Sequencing, Number-Letter Switching (set-shifting), and Motor Speed conditions. Patients with LPC lesions performed significantly more slowly on the Number-Letter Switching condition even after controlling for performance on the four baseline conditions of the test. In addition, patients with LPC lesions exhibited significantly elevated error rates on the Number-Letter Switching condition. Results suggest that LPC lesions can lead to impaired cognitive set-shifting on a visual-motor sequencing task. (JINS, 2007, 13, 704–709.)

The performance of 23 patients with moderate–severe traumatic brain injury on the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II; Delis et al., 2000) was compared with that of 23 matched healthy controls to determine whether recall discriminability indices, which take into account both correct target recall and intrusive errors, would provide better diagnostic classification than traditional variables that are based exclusively on correct recall. Patients with traumatic brain injury recalled fewer correct words, and also made more intrusive errors, on CVLT-II short and long delay, free and cued recall trials (p < .02 for all variables after Stepdown Bonferroni correction). However, recall discriminability indices yielded a classification of clinical versus control participants (72%) that was not significantly different from one based on traditional variables (74%). We conclude that CVLT-II recall discriminability indices do not routinely provide an advantage over traditional variables in patients with traumatic brain injury. (JINS, 2007, 13, 354–358.)

Brain Development: Normal Processes and the Effects of Alcohol and Nicotine. Michael W. Miller (Ed.). 2006. New York: Oxford University Press, 424 pp., $98.50 (HB)

The process of brain development is an essential yet often overlooked area in the neuropsychological literature. The topic has a natural appeal to those who work with children where developmental disorders predominate. However, it is often more difficult for those who work with adults to appreciate the role of developmental aberrations and their contribution to pathological processes that may seem far removed from the early developmental history of our patients. The tendency for some to deemphasize early developmental influences may stem in part from a lack of clarity about how common toxin exposures, such as alcohol and nicotine, alter normal brain development and contribute to changes in cognitive function. Increasingly, evidence of early developmental influences has emerged in a host of epigenetically-based developmental disorders and neuropathological conditions, such as schizophrenia, and these influences are also implicated in theoretical models, such as cognitive reserve.

The present study explores the construct and ecological validity of the Biber Cognitive Estimation Test (BCET) in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sample. Participants completed the BCET in the course of a neuropsychological evaluation at 1–15 years after injury. BCET scores correlated moderately with other standard measures of executive functioning, and contrary to our hypotheses, at least as high with neuropsychological tests with minimal demands on executive functioning. Moreover, partialing out the portion of BCET variance not attributable to executive functioning markedly attenuated the former correlations. With respect to ecological validity, BCET scores did not predict concurrent functional status, as measured by the Disability Rating Scale. By comparison, standard measures of executive functioning strongly correlated with each other, correlated less strongly with nonexecutive functioning measures, and predicted functional status. In conclusion, unlike standard measures of executive functioning, the BCET demonstrated poor construct and ecological validity in TBI patients.(JINS, 2007, 13, 898–902.)

This study provides an overview of the papers emanating from the experimental trial that evaluated a new cognitive rehabilitation program in older adults who were experiencing normal cognitive decline. The main features of the design are summarized, along with evidence that the training produced long-lasting improvement in memory performance, goal management, and psychosocial status. The benefits were attributed to several factors, including the program's emphasis on techniques that promoted efficient strategic processing. Limitations of the program and directions for future research are discussed (JINS, 2007, 13, 166–171.)

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) uses magnetic resonance imaging methods to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) non-invasively. ASL CBF validly localizes brain function and may be especially useful for studies where the time frame of behavioral change is more than a few minutes, such as in longitudinal and treatment studies. ASL measures of cerebral perfusion are highly accurate in detecting lesion laterality in temporal lobe epilepsy, stenotic-occlusive disease, and brain tumors. Among lesioned patients, ASL CBF has excellent concurrent validity when correlated with CBF measured by Positron Emission Tomography or with dynamic susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance. ASL CBF can predict tumor grading in vivo and can predict six-month response to the surgical treatment of brain tumors. ASL's capability to selectively and non-invasively tag flow in major vessels may refine the monitoring of treatment of cerebrovascular disease and brain tumors. Conclusions about the utility of ASL are limited by the small sample sizes of the studies currently in the literature and by the uncertainty caused by the effect of brain disease on transit times of the magnetic tag. As the method evolves, ASL techniques will likely become more widely used in clinical research and practice. (JINS, 2007, 13, 526–538.)

Social Neuroscience: Integrating Biological and Psychological Explanations of Social Behavior. Eddie Harmon-Jones and Piotr Winkielman (Eds.). 2007. New York: The Guilford Press, 512 pp., $65.00 (HB)

I reviewed this book shortly after reading The Neuroscience of Human Relationships, by Louis Cozolino (2006), hoping that this book, which addresses how our brains exist in relationship to other brains, would be an adequate prerequisite for Social Neuroscience. I had concerns that its focus would be the biology of social psychology proper (rather than the biology of social relationships) for which I would be less qualified and less interested. A quick perusal convinced me that the book was indeed about the biological basis of human social behavior. With that information and a review of a similar title, Social Neuroscience: People Thinking About Thinking People (Fein, 2006), I proceeded.

The current study characterizes cognitive and psychiatric status in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients shortly before and after transplant. Thirty adult patients were assessed prospectively 1–2 weeks before transplantation and 100 days posttransplantation on neuropsychological and psychiatric measures. Before transplant, participants showed mild impairments on several neuropsychological measures, with the poorest performances occurring on learning and attention. Psychiatric functioning was significantly elevated compared with normative data. Significant improvements, however, were observed on neuropsychological measures by 100 days after transplant. Depression and anxiety scores also improved. Candidates for HSCT experienced mild diffuse cognitive dysfunction and psychiatric morbidity before the procedure, but these symptoms significantly improved by 3 months following their transplant in this small sample. Education about these possible pretransplant sequelae and the potential for rebound may be helpful to patients and families as they prepare for this treatment and the recovery period (JINS, 2007, 13, 172–177.)

A recent discussion in this journal illustrates some recurrent misunderstandings about the role of covariates in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This letter aims at clarifying this role and at pointing out a pitfall in SPSS repeated measures ANOVA. We hope that our commentary will contribute to a further improvement in the use of advanced statistics in neuropsychology.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder diagnosed clinically with the development of choreiform movements. However, neuropsychological studies have demonstrated cognitive and psychiatric changes during the preclinical phase (pre-HD) prior to formal diagnosis. Previous studies have demonstrated the sensitivity of time reproduction tasks to basal ganglia pathology, as seen in clinical HD and Parkinson's disease. In this study, 29 pre-HD participants, ranging from 3 to 39 years from estimated onset (YEO) of HD based on genetic testing and chronological age, were administered the paced finger-tapping task using target intervals of 600 and 1200 ms. Mean inter-response interval, a measure of timing accuracy, did not systematically deviate from the target interval as a function of YEO. In contrast, timing variability increased curvilinearly as a function of YEO, but not with chronological age alone. Motor timing variability, but not accuracy, may serve as a marker to define the earliest behavioral changes in HD. The present study is among the first to examine the relationship between behavioral measures and YEO in pre-HD. (JINS, 2007, 13, 539–543.)