Cel pracyCelem badań własnych było 1). porównanie ogólnego wyniku oraz profilu DEX-S osób zdrowych i z patologią mózgu, w tym - uwzględnienie lateralizacji patologii mózgowej, oraz 2). określenie związków wyniku DEX-S z poziomem wybranych kompetencji poznawczych. Do badań zakwalifikowano 115 osób, w tym: bez patologii mózgowej (K; N=74), z uszkodzeniem lewej (LP; N=6), prawej (PP; N=12) i obydwu półkul (OP; N=23).MetodaZastosowano DEX-S, podtesty WAIS: Słownik, Cyfry wprost, wspak, test MoCa i skalę Afektu z kwestionariusza ProCog.WynikiWynik ogólny DEX-S nie różnicował grup, jednak najwyższe przeciętne wyniki uzyskały grupy PP i OP. Odnotowano różnice międzygrupowe w wynikach jedynie kilku itemów DEX-S. Osoby z patologią prawej i obu półkul raportowały istotnie wyższe poczucie trudności wykonawczych, głównie w zakresie uwagi, podatności na dystraktory, planowania, sekwencyjnego działania oraz rozwiązywania problemów. Z kolei grupa LP uzyskała najniższy wynik DEX-S. Grupa PP uzyskała niższe wyniki w zadaniach angażujących funkcje poznawcze w porównaniu do innych pacjentów. Wszystkie grupy kliniczne różniły się pod względem wyników w testach/zadaniach do oceny wybranych funkcji poznawczych od osób zdrowych. W każdej grupie odnotowano dodatnie korelacje pomiędzy wynikiem DEX-S a poczuciem niepokoju i brak związku z wiekiem oraz incydentalne z wynikami zadań poznawczych.WnioskiWyniki sugerują zależne od lateralizacji patologii mechanizmy poczucia deficytów wykonawczych. Wysokie poczucie deficytów wykonawczych u osób z patologią prawej półkuli może być zależne od sprawności pamięci odroczonej, i może odzwierciedlać adekwatną samoocenę swoich kompetencji. Niski wynik w DEX-S grupy z patologią lewej półkuli może wynikać z obniżonej, mimo braku afazji, sprawności językowej/semantycznej nie zaś z braku wglądu w ograniczenia wykonawcze.

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The study was designed to investigate whether a level of cognitive reserve (CR) is associated with a level of cognitive competences in adults. Evidence from numerous earlier studies suggests that high CR, defined as previously acquired knowledge and experience, plays a protective role with respect to cognitive capacities in adults and senior citizens. Hence, it was hypothesised that a lower CR would predict lower cognitive capacities. The study involved 120 Polish healthy adults (75 women and 45 men) ranging in age from 40 to 85 years (M = 57.42; SD = 10.48). The applied CR index took into account formal education level, involvement in social, occupational and physical activity, and level of social support. The recorded data also included depression level (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI II) and cardiovascular status (hypertension: yes / no). The subjects’ current cognitive competences were assessed using Montreal Cognitive Assessment test (MoCA), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) subtests, verbal fluency tests and Dysexecutive Questionnaire, self-report version (DEX-S). Based on the subjects’ scores in cognitive tests, a cluster analysis was performed, and the participants were divided into two groups presenting lower cognitive level (LCL) and higher cognitive level (HCL). The LCL subjects were older than HCL and they had higher level of depression and lower CR. In order to determine whether lower level of CR is related to lower level of cognitive abilities in the adults, logistic regression analysis was carried out, also taking into account age, cardiovascular status and depression level. It was shown that the higher level of CR reduced the risk of cognitive deficits. Older age corresponds to poorer cognitive function. The findings showed no interaction between CR and age. Depression and health status did not predict level of cognitive abilities. The current findings are consistent with results of earlier studies: higher level of CR may be associated with a lower risk of cognitive deficits and age is a CR–independent variable that affects cognitive performance: the risk of cognitive decline increases with age. These findings are discussed with reference to models and CR indices.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is the sense of deterioration in cognitive functioning in terms of memory, executive function, attention, etc. SCD is reported by nearly 70% of the population. Very intensive research on the predictive role of SCD in the development of dementia and determinants SCD did not bring common solutions. For exploration of the phenomenon, studies were undertaken in order to identify: a) on the basis of which factors a high level of SCD can be predicted, and b) whether these factors have similar prognostic value for two types of SCD, i.e. concerning executive function (SED) and memory (SMD). participants and procedure The study involved 274 Polish people aged 18 to 84 years (M = 53.23, SD = 16.8). For the evaluation of SCD three methods were used: memory self-assessment scales (Pro-Cog and MARS), and an executive functions self-assessment scale (DEX-S). Subtests of the WAIS-PL to assess cognitive function were used, and GDS-15 or BECK II to assess the severity of depressive mood. In the first stage, two separate cluster analyses (k-means method) were performed: the first related to the results of the memory self-assessment scale (ProCog and MARS), the second to the subjective difficulty of executive functions (DEX-S). In step II a logistic regression analysis of the forward selection with the likelihood ratio and interaction effects was performed-separately for the two types of self-reports. results The results indicate that higher depressed mood increases the likelihood of both the SMD and SED. Higher efficiency attentional processes reduce the possibility of formulating the SED, and higher efficiency of the delayed memory, abstract thinking, or certain aspects of language functions reduces the possibility of SMD. conclusions There are two independent mechanisms of SCD-emotional and cognitive.