Partner Symposia
Chair:
Director, Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne
Presenters/Speakers:
Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist, Melbourne Clinic, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne
Title: Service Evaluation and Group Therapy Co-Design with Consumers: A Shift Toward Clinically Supportive Therapeutic Approaches for Autistic Adults
PhD candidate, Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Monash University
Title: Co-Designing for Behavioural Change: Understanding Barriers and Enablers to Addressing Sexuality & Mapping Interventions in a Multi-Disciplinary TBI Rehabilitation Unit
Professor, LaTrobe University & Summer Foundation, Melbourne
Title: Codesigning and implementing a community participation program for adults with severe Traumatic Brian Injury (TBI)
Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University
Title: Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury: An International Survey of Current Clinician Practice
Overview:
In this symposium, four neuropsychologists will present studies using co-design with clinicians or individuals with brain injury or neurodiversity to enhance delivery of clinical care and community integration. Beginning with a neurodiverse population, Nicci Grace will discuss how strengths-based neuropsychological assessments for adults undergoing Autism evaluation and development of co-designed therapy programs can be instrumental in supporting diagnosis-affirming care. Jill Hwang will report on the use of a co-design and implementation process, following the Theoretical Domains Implementation Framework, aiming to promote team-wide behavioural change, whereby health professionals at a TBI rehabilitation unit would attempt to address sexuality with patients routinely. Their effectiveness is currently being implemented and evaluated. Jacinta Douglas will describe the co-design of an innovative treatment to support social activity, social connection and community integration for people living with the consequences of severe TBI, within a participatory framework, involving participants with TBI, close others, clinicians and researchers. Jessica Trevena-Peters will report findings from a world-wide survey of 552 clinicians from 42 countries with qualitative interviews examining their knowledge, use and approaches to cognitive rehabilitation, as well as the barriers and facilitators to effective practice. This will be used to inform the co-design of an intervention model for cognitive rehabilitation that will also involve individuals with brain injury and their close others.
Chair:
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH, NHS trust, and Institute of Neurology, UCL
Presenters/Speakers:
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Institute of Neurology, UCL
Title: Understanding memory construction and consolidation via deep generative networks.
Section for Computational Sensomotorics Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research & Centre for Integrative Neuroscience University Clinic Tuebingen
Title: Machine learning-based clinical markers from full-body movement data: applications in neurology and psychiatry'
Institute of Neurology, UCL and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH, NHS trust
Title: Deep generative lesion-deficit inference
Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Mortimer B.Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, NY
Title: Understanding the role of prediction in biological and artificial learning
Institute of Neurology, UCL and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH, NHS trust
Title: The deep structure of cognitive performance
Overview:
This symposium will discuss the role of neuropsychology in the era of AI. AI is affecting all our disciplines. However, neuropsychology is in a special position since it can contribute ideas to the analysis and thus, ultimately synthesis of AI systems. In turn AI can help to advance the field, for example, with advanced monitoring of behaviour and analysis of cognitive and imaging data.
Chair:
Family Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, Semel Institute at UCLA
Presenters/Speakers:
Title: Contributions of Neurophysiological Methods to Clinical Neuropsychology in an RDoC Framework
Professor of Neuropsychology
Title: Gamification in Neuropsychology: Application in Ecological Momentary Assessments and Strategy Training
Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Neuropsychology, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University
Title: Gamification in Neuropsychology: Application in Ecological Momentary Assessments and Strategy Training
Ph.D, Regents Professor, H. L. Eastlick Distinguished Professor, Washington State University
Title: Utilizing Technology to Enhance Neuropsychological Assessment and Intervention Methods
Family Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, Semel Institute at UCLA
Title: Psychometric and Informatics Strategies for the Future of Global Neuropsychology
Family Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, Semel Institute at UCLA
Title: Psychometric and Informatics Strategies for the Future of Global Neuropsychology
Overview:
This symposium from the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) focuses on technological innovations in clinical neuropsychology as these are advancing our conceptual foundations, modifying our strategies for aggregation and analysis of test results, and impacting the methods used to collect neuropsychological data. Topics will include how new domains may be assessed that align better with underlying brain mechanisms or real-world functioning, how the assessment landscape will be dramatically altered by ubiquitous mobile device use and immersion in the internet of things, and how our global knowledge base can leverage informatics and “big data” archives including electronic health records. Synergies among these innovative developments are expected to transform the future of neuropsychology, enabling greater precision of assessment and treatment methods while enhancing global access.
Chair:
Professor and director of the Department of Neurocognition at the Catholic University of Uruguay
Presenters/Speakers:
Center for Human Studies and Neuropsychology (C.E.H.N.)
Neuroscience and Learning Department (Catholic University Uraguay), Ariel Cuadro (Uruguay)
Overview:
The study of reading and writing has always been a focus of research, but in recent years, a true science of reading has developed and consolidated. Multiple disciplines have contributed to gathering a phenomenal body of observations, experimental data, models, and theories. In this context, research on the acquisition of written language has been extensive, particularly concerning the various cognitive processes and operations involved. Detailed models have been developed for the processes involved in fundamental alphabetical skills, as well as the sophisticated group of processes and functions involved in text comprehension. As expected in an educational topic, there is intense research on environmental and cultural aspects: from the significant impact of socioeconomic conditions and the quality of education received on learning to the effects of the universalization of digital information support on reading and comprehension. Within this foundational context, four studies are presented. The first evaluated the impact of an intervention program to improve spelling using words selected based on frequency study, spelling particularities, syllabic composition, and length. The results show that spelling is sensitive to systematic and programmed instruction based on word practice and its spelling structure. The second study analyzes the impact of executive functions on the reading comprehension of non-readers and dyslexics. The results provide convergent evidence regarding the contribution of executive functions to reading access and, in particular, reading comprehension. These results are discussed within the framework of the Simple Reading Model. The third work focuses on the foundations that support the continuous and complex process of literacy acquisition. Addressing reading as a process leads us to think about the multiple mechanisms that culminate in the tangible and measurable act of literacy. It has been demonstrated that processes of various kinds are involved: motor, cognitive, neuropsychological, affective. Therefore, it is crucial to try to understand the problems affecting literacy within the framework of a meticulous study of the processes involved. A comprehensive and theoretically grounded approach will allow the design of well-directed assessment tools and intervention programs. The fourth study aimed to compare the effects of digital media on the reading comprehension of narrative and expository texts among adults of different ages and educational levels. In a present where technologies are embedded in society and the way they shape information processing is debated, we compared the performance of 2391 participants in two text comprehension tasks conducted on smartphones and computers. In line with other research, our results indicate that, while smartphones present disadvantages in understanding expository texts (especially among younger groups considered digital natives), such disadvantages are not observed with narrative texts.
Affiliated Symposia
Chair:
Department of Psychology, University of Victoria (BC, Canada)
Presenters/Speakers:
University of Victoria (BC, Canada)
Title: What is Executive Function? A Comprehensive Analysis of Global Experts’ Perspectives
Instituto de Neurociencias CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara (Mexico)
Title: Discrepancy between Mexican raters when scoring the copy and immediate recall of the Rey Complex Figure drawn by neurotypical adults
Universidad Camilo José Cela (Madrid, Spain)
Title: How is the relationship between executive functions with emotional regulation and coping strategies?
Instituto de Neurociencias CUCBA, Universidad deGuadalajara (Mexico)
Title: Network analysis for ADHD behaviors from DSM-5 and SWAN scales with a Mexican sample of adolescents
Overview:
Clinicians, and particularly, neuropsychologists around the world, have demonstrated increasing interest in the set of cybernetic cognitive operations underlying complex cognition and that we have come to know as “executive function.” Is in this context we would like to share four studies examining different angles and perspectives into this crucial subject matter. For the first study, Kennedy and colleagues conducted an analysis of data collected from a global survey of 161 neuropsychologists to establish a collective definition of EF. Data included responses from 32 participants in Spanish-speaking countries. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes in experts’ descriptions, with significant associations between terms used, roles, and years of experience. A comprehensive definition for EF was then formulated, aiming to resolve conceptual controversies surrounding this construct, and will be shared during this presentation.
One of the main difficulties in the examination of executive functions is its evaluation. It is believed that EF networks are recruited when facing novelty. A classic task that addresses novelty and planning skills, as well as constructional praxias, visuo-spatial abilities and visual memory is the Rey Complex Figure. Limited research exists on the effect of a raters’ level of experience using the RCF on the scoring. Dr. Matute and her colleagues in Mexico explore this issue on fifteen raters, with and without RCF expertise, who evaluated 418 figures from 209 participants. Discrepancies between raters were more likely in immediate recall; however, prior expertise did not significantly impact score variability. The details of this psychometric study will be presented in this symposium.
Furthermore, there is growing consensus that examination of executive functions requires a complement of performance-based tests and subjective measures (e.g., questionnaires and self-rating scales). Using self-rating scales for executive functions, emotional regulation, and coping strategies, Dr. Castillo-Parra and her colleagues in Spain conducted a study on a sample of 80 young adults and identified that difficulties in executive functions correlated positively with emotional dysregulation and the use of avoidance coping strategies. These findings underscore the importance of addressing EF deficits in interventions targeting emotional disorders and maladaptive coping behaviors among young adults. Details of their study and their findings implications will be discussed.
Finally, Dr. Chamorro and her colleagues in Mexico completed a study using network analysis and examining Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a large sample of Mexican adolescents, which they will discuss in our symposium. ADHD has been characterized as an executive behavioural disorder, and several assessments tools have been developed to aid in its diagnosis. For this study, they assessed ADHD symptom associations using two scales. Parents of 424 adolescents completed DSM-5 and SWAN questionnaires. Weak to moderate correlations were found between scales. Symptom-based networks showed higher instability than behavior-based ones, with SWAN scale exhibiting better central stability. This suggests SWAN’s suitability for statistical analysis, although norms for Latin-American populations are needed.
Altogether, this is a sample of studies from members of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Neuroposicología (ALAN) interested in different facets of executive functioning, its assessment, dysfunctions, and conceptual issues.
Chair & Discussant:
Group leader, Champalimaud Foundation
Speakers:
UCLA, USA
Tilburg University. Netherlands
Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal
Overview:
Cognitive complaints are frequent symptoms in patients with cancer and are frequently thought of as a side effect of treatments, or a systemic effect of the cancer per se. Reports have included changes in executive function and/or attention, with up to 75% of patients complaining of cognitive problems impacting daily life functioning and quality of life. Despite significant advances in clinical research, results are still debated in the definition on how cancer and therapy affect cognition, with some recent evidence even suggesting that these symptoms may have commonalities with functional cognitive symptoms. In this symposium, we will discuss current concepts of cancer-related cognitive impairment and underlying brain dysfunction, as well as the challenges and future directions in the study of cancer-related cognitive complaints and decline.
Chair/Organizer:
Brain & Mind Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Australia
Speakers:
Brain & Mind Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia
Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, UK, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, UK
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, USA
Overview:
The main reason for the absence of effective treatments for many neurodevelopmental conditions is our limited understanding of the neurobiological processes underlying this heterogeneous group of conditions. The primary value of identifying genes associated with neurodevelopmental conditions is the ability to identify the molecular, cellular, and neurobiological processes associated with clinical symptoms. This approach holds promise for developing more precise and effective interventions tailored to the specific biological pathways disrupted in each condition. Ultimately, it will pave the way for personalized therapeutic strategies aimed at improving outcomes for individuals affected by these conditions. In this symposium, we will describe a complimentary body of work from the clinic to the laboratory, focused on individuals with a neurofibromatosis type 1 and related genetic conditions.
Chair:
Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon
Discussant:
Clinical Neuropsychologist, Laboratory for Language Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon
Presenters/Speakers:
Champalimaud Foundation
Title: Can brain lesions help refine neuromodulation in Psychiatry?
Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon
Title: Unravelling the structural connectivity disruptions of spatial delusions
Neurology Department, North Lisbon University Hospital Centre, Lisbon
Title: Awaken brain surgery procedures on language
Faculdade de Psicologia, University of Lisbon
Title: ERPs in voice perception: contribution to the understanding of auditory hallucinations
Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon
Title: Untangling the cognitive basis of object knowledge through single case studies?
Overview:
Unravelling the neural basis of behavioural syndromes is challenging, given the complexity of the brain and the different nature of diseases affecting it. Here, we will present how the use of different methodological approaches, such as fMRI, ERPs, awaken surgery and single case studies, contributed to the understanding of distinct cognitive and behavioural syndromes, namely mania, auditory hallucinations, language disorders and apraxia. We will discuss how their conjoined use is synergic for a deeper understanding of brain dysfunction.
Chair:
University of Porto; SPNPsy
Moderator:
Hospital do Espírito Santo de Évora; SPNPsy
Presenters/Speakers:
Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses (OPP)
Title: Europsy: European standards for psychology
University of Porto; SPNPsy
Title: Specialist EuroPsy Certificate in Clinical Neuropsychology: where we stand, how did we get here, and what's the point?
Serviço de Psicologia Clínica- Unidade de Neuropsicologia da Unidade Local de Saúde Lisboa Ocidental; SPNPsy
Title: Good and Bad Practices in clinical neuropsychology
Overview:
This invited symposium, organized by the Portuguese Neuropsychological Society and entirely delivered in Portuguese, will cover topics related to the current process in Portugal for certifying psychologists, the European qualification standard for psychologists, as well as the ongoing process in Europe regarding the specific training and certification of those wishing to practice clinical neuropsychology.
After a presentation of the basic EuroPsy and its recent updates, a description will be given of the pilot implementation of a specialist certificate in clinical neuropsychology, already being tested in a small number of European countries, including Portugal. More specifically, participants in the symposium will be enlightened about the process that led to the proposal of the certificate, its requirements, the procedures for applying for the certificate, and its purpose.
At the end of the symposium, good and bad practices in clinical neuropsychology will be discussed, with a focus on how the proper qualification and training of neuropsychology practitioners can prevent the latter.