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Clinical assessment and management of communication in older adults
Published in Rebecca Allwood, Working with Communication and Swallowing Difficulties in Older Adults, 2022
Here are some strategies to help with processing of spoken information:Reduce background noise or distractions where possible.Have your hearing checked.Wear hearing aids if you need them.Consider that tiredness can affect processing speed. Try to get enough rest and avoid important conversations if you are feeling tired.Know that stress can affect processing speed, as the brain is distracted by competing demands.Ask people to give you one piece of information at a time and give you time to process what they have said.Ask people to speak more slowly if this helps.If you notice any other symptoms, such as not understanding what has been said even when it is processed or having any memory difficulties, please contact your doctor.
Questioning autistic people
Published in Nichola Tyler, Anne Sheeran, Working with Autistic People in the Criminal Justice and Forensic Mental Health Systems, 2022
Michelle Mattison, Clare Allely
Very often, individuals with autism also have significant processing speed weaknesses, and this can be exacerbated during high stakes situations (Kroncke et al., 2016). During criminal justice proceedings, many individuals with autism require additional time in order to process verbal information that is presented and to provide an answer to a question that has been asked of them (Crane & Maras, 2018; Murphy, 2018).
A psychoanalytic approach to psychoeducational evaluations
Published in Jed A. Yalof, Anthony D. Bram, Psychoanalytic Assessment Applications for Different Settings, 2020
Joelle’s neurocognitive vulnerabilities included (a) marked variability in her functioning, (b) extremely slow visual processing speed, word retrieval, and production, (c) dysgraphia, and (d) significant impairment in focusing, sustained attention, inhibition, working memory, planning, and organization.
Six-month intervention with wild blueberries improved speed of processing in mild cognitive decline: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2023
Carol L. Cheatham, L. Grant Canipe, Grace Millsap, Julie M. Stegall, Sheau Ching Chai, Kelly W. Sheppard, Mary Ann Lila
Processing speed is a basic component that underlies all cognitive abilities. At its most basic cellular definition, processing speed is the rapidity with which the neural structures are able to move bits of chemical or electrical representations of information from one neuron to the next. At the behavioral level, processing speed is defined as the time required to complete a mental task, from which we can infer the differences in neuronal processing. In this study, there is evidence of improvements in processing speed by both the neural (ERP) and behavioral (CANTAB) definitions. These improvements may have a direct effect on one of the hallmarks of aging - cognitive slowing. As we age, the brain begins to operate at a slower pace (as does the body as a whole), and with that slowed pace comes a marked increase in the time required to complete a mental task [37]. The improvement in processing speed shown in the data suggests a potential explanation for how the consumption of polyphenols was able to effectively stave off cognitive decline for approximately 2.5 years as shown in the Devore retrospective study [24]. That is, consumption of a diet rich in polyphenols may support the integrity of the neural structures thereby supporting speed of processing and delaying the cognitive slowing that typically accompanies aging.
An Evaluation of the Structure of Attention in Adolescence
Published in Developmental Neuropsychology, 2023
Paul T. Cirino, Abigail E. Farrell, Marcia A. Barnes, Greg J. Roberts
Given the many ways of construing attention, it is important to consider the extent to which attention components are separable from closely related (or potentially confusable) constructs, although this is rare in the literature. Two constructs of particular relevance are processing speed and executive function. First, most processing speed tasks require the speeded completion of a relatively easy task, often requiring simple (external) attentional selection, where individual differences in performances would be reduced or eliminated with unlimited time. Processing speed itself can vary in complexity, with some tasks requiring very little “processing” (such as reaction time), others requiring a moderate amount, and still others that are complex and could be considered executive tasks (see Gerst et al., 2021, for a test of these aspects). Therefore, the present study includes processing speed as a potentially discernable factor.
Cognitive measures used in adults with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review
Published in Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 2022
Hannah Elwick, Gogem Topcu, Christopher Martin Allen, Avril Drummond, Nikos Evangelou, Roshan das Nair
Poor performance on tests of processing speed, visual and verbal memory is associated with difficulties carrying out everyday life tasks (Goverover & DeLuca, 2015), and in particular, slowed information processing speed is associated with poor outcomes in activities of daily living and quality of life (Costa et al., 2017). Executive function is considered a higher-order domain, involving subdomains of decision-making and planning, and thus impairment in this domain may have a negative impact on vocational and other activities for people with MS (Drew et al., 2008). A recent recommendation has supported domain-specific management of cognitive problems as opposed to more generalized approaches (DeLuca et al., 2020), and novel and improved methods of rehabilitation require appropriate outcome measures to determine their efficacy. Valid and reliable cognitive tests can additionally be used to identify cognitive issues at an early stage of MS, to assess progression of cognitive impairment.