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Visual-spatial abilities are relevant for performing diverse everyday tasks as well as being successful in multiple fields. This work provides empirical evidence supporting the claim that studying a computer graphics course, as commonly offered in computer science or engineering programs, can help develop stronger visual-spatial abilities. This benefit was estimated with the assessment of students’ performances in a standardized test of visual-spatial abilities. This empirical pre-test/post-test study ran for three consecutive semesters and involved six computer graphics groups where students were evaluated with the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test to measure whether the full-semester working on contents heavily related to 2D/3D geometric transformations had a positive effect on students’ visual-spatial intelligence. Results show a statistically significant increase in the average score in the test, which in turn suggests that these cognitive abilities could be reinforced or trained through the normal course workload. Additional findings in this study suggest that a retest gaining factor is present just by taking the test twice, and that there is a weak correlation between students’ level of visual-spatial abilities at the beginning of the course and the final grades obtained at the end of the semester.

The purpose of the present research is to develop a visual-spatial ability test (VSAT) for primary school children. Visual-spatial abilities allow processing of information about an object in terms of shape, colour, texture, perspective, and rotation. The visual-spatial test includes items-tasks for the participants to process information about texture, colour, shape and perspective. A total of 196 primary school children participated in the research. The data were analysed through Rasch analysis and item-response theory. Findings proved that VSAT yields reliable and valid results for assessing the visual-spatial ability of primary school children.

This study was to investigate how phonological processing and visual-spatial abilities contributed differently to arithmetic operations including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Eighty-eight Chinese fifth graders completed a rapid digit naming task, a character rhyming task, a figure matching task, a 3D mental rotation task, and arithmetic calculation tasks. Results showed that when controlling for age, visual acuity, and nonverbal intelligence, phonological processing accounted for unique variance in both addition and multiplication, whereas visual-spatial processing explained unique variance in subtraction and division. In particular, rapid automatized naming (hereafter, RAN) explained more of the variance in addition than mental rotation did, although both were significantly associated with addition. Mental rotation explained more of the variance in subtraction than phonological awareness and RAN did, although the three skills were all related to subtraction. Importantly, RAN was a unique correlate of multiplication, while mental rotation was a unique correlate of division. These findings highlight different contribution of the phonological processing and visual-spatial skills underlying four arithmetic operations.

Background The visuospatial function has an excellent relationship with the vestibular system, being a more scientific cognitive ability. However, there are few studies that evaluated visuospatial function before and after vestibular rehabilitation, especially in the Brazilian literature. The purpouse is verify whether elderly people with vestibular dysfunction undergoing vestibular rehabilitation can show improvement in visuospatial function. Method Longitudinal, analytical and quasi‐experimental study (interrupted time series). The sample consisted of 52 elderly people, of both sexes, aged between 60 and 86 years old. Elderly people with vestibular dysfunction confirmed by the Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) and Video Head impulse Test (v‐HIT) tests were included. Visuospatial function was assessed before and after eight vestibular rehabilitation (VR) sessions using the Taylor Complex Figure (simplified). The variables were compared before and after vestibular rehabilitation using the Wilcoxon test. However, for intra‐subject analysis before and after intervention, the Reliable Change Index (RCI) was used. A significance level of 5% (p < 0.05) was adopted. Result Participants showed improvement in visuospatial function, especially in immediate recall and delayed recall tasks. Conclusion After vestibular rehabilitation, the elderly showed better performance in visuospatial function.

Background The Judgment Line Orientation (JLO) Test is a widely used neuropsychological tool for assessing visuospatial abilities. Its original 30‐item version is lengthy and fatiguing for elderly individuals, especially those with cognitive impairments. This study aimed to develop and adapt an abbreviated version of the JLO for the Brazilian elderly population using Item Response Theory (IRT) and following the International Test Commission (ITC) guidelines. Method The study included 113 participants, divided equally into a clinical group (with Mild and Major Neurocognitive Disorders per DSM‐5 criteria) and a control group (cognitively unimpaired). Participants were assessed using the JLO, the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), and the Jaeger Visual Acuity Chart. IRT was employed to analyze and select the most effective items from the JLO, creating a shorter version. Result The clinical group scored significantly lower than the control group, highlighting the impact of cognitive impairment on visuospatial performance. Male participants outperformed females by approximately 2 points, and better education correlated positively with higher scores. Significant correlations were observed between the JLO and WASI subtests, including Cubes (r = 0.68) and Matrix Reasoning (r = 0.71). Using IRT, a 6‐item version of the JLO was developed. The abbreviated version demonstrated a strong correlation with the original test (r = 0.96) while significantly reducing administration time, maintaining high reliability and diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion The abbreviated JLO is a practical, culturally adapted tool for assessing visuospatial deficits in Brazilian elderly individuals. This shorter version is highly efficient and valid, facilitating the early detection of neurocognitive disorders in clinical and hospital contexts. Its application enhances diagnostic precision while reducing the burden on both patients and professionals.

Background pCASL is a non‐invasive method to measure CBF, which is essential in understandingthe pathophysiology of AD. Method A prospective cross‐sectional observational study was conducted from July 2021 to July 2023, including 25 patients clinically diagnosed with AD. We established pCASL MRI study protocol as part oftheir MRI examination, and correlating these findings with other imaging modalities. Cerebral parcellationwas done based on Cortex_ID. Result Our results showed that similar to brain parenchymal atrophy, hypo‐perfusion on pCASL MRperfusion was predominantly observed in temporal and parietal lobes. Hypo‐perfusion was mainlyobserved in, the right posterior cingulate gyrus in all patients along with a significant involvement of leftposterior cingulate gyrus, precuneus, superior and inferior parietal lobes aligning with known patterns ofAD‐related neurodegeneration. Conclusion The study signifies the potential of pCASL in the diagnosis of AD. It confirms the prevalentinvolvement of parietal and temporal lobes, demonstrating hypo‐perfusion and hypo‐metabolism, which isconsistent with previous studies indicating DMN disruption. Approximately 60‐75% of patients exhibitedhypo‐perfusion in the parietal lobes, supporting the role of pCASL as a reliable indicator of AD‐relatedimpairments in visuospatial function and attention. Our research emphasizes the need for standardizedpCASL protocols to enable consistent and comparable results across studies. The integration of pCASL withother imaging modalities and biomarkers could provide a comprehensive understanding of ADpathophysiology. This multimodal approach, coupled with larger and more diverse study populations, maypave the way for the identification of robust CBF‐based biomarkers, enhancing early diagnosis.

Background Tau pathology is a driving force behind cognitive decline in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While amyloid‐β (Aβ) amplifies tau spread and neurotoxicity, tau accumulation may occur independently of and at subthreshold Aβ levels. Tau‐PET imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers strongly link tau pathology and early cognitive decline. However, these methods are invasive, costly, and impractical for widespread use. Plasma phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau181) offers a promising alternative, with growing evidence supporting its ability to detect both tau and amyloid pathology. This study explored the relationship between plasma pTau181 levels and cognition in non‐demented individuals with subthreshold Aβ from a Southeast Asian cohort. Method This study included 893 participants from the Biomarkers and Cognition Study, Singapore (BIOCIS), with a mean age of 58.1 years (SD = 10.5), 40.5% male, and a mean education level of 14.9 years (SD = 3.5). Of these, 317 were classified as cognitively normal (CN), 262 had subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and 214 had mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Only individuals with subthreshold Aβ (Aβ42/40 ratio ≥ 0.05) were included. Multiple regression analyses examined the relationship between plasma pTau181 and cognition, adjusting for age, gender, education years, Aβ42/40 ratio, APOE ε4 carrier status, and cognitive diagnosis. Result Elevated plasma pTau181 levels were significantly associated with lower executive function (B = 7.50, 95% CI [0.67, 14.33], p = .0.31), processing speed (B = −3.29, 95% CI [−5.84, −.75], p = .011), and visuospatial ability (B = −.39, 95% CI [−.73, −.05], p = .026), suggesting an early vulnerability of cognition to tau accumulation. In contrast, plasma pTau181 was not significantly associated with global cognition (B = −.45, 95% CI [−.92, .01], p = .056) or episodic memory (B = .07, 95% CI [−.56, .70], p = .821), suggesting a domain‐specific effect. Conclusion This study highlights that plasma pTau181 may serve as a minimally invasive biomarker for early cognitive deficits in executive function, processing speed, and visuospatial ability in non‐demented individuals with subthreshold amyloid pathology. Longitudinal research is needed to validate these findings and explore its predictive value for progression to AD and integration into early intervention strategies.

Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate state between normal aging and dementia, essential for early detection of dementia. The Spatial Memory Test (SMT), a sensitive digital assessment of visuospatial ability which based on the Four Mountains Test (4MT) technology, may serve as a prodromal indicator of cognitive impairment. This study aims to analyze the possibility of using the SMT to assist in the diagnosis of MCI from a community‐based cohort. Method Samples were obtained from the Shanghai Brain Aging Study and divided into Normal Cognition (NC) and MCI groups. We compared differences in SMT scores between these cognitive diagnosis groups and evaluated the diagnostic efficacy based on regression analysis of SMT scores. Result A total of 336 elderly individuals were included, comprising 206 in the NC group and 130 in the MCI group. The NC group exhibited higher SMT scores than the MCI group (9.95±1.74 vs 6.38±1.93, p <0.001). Additionally, we analyzed the correlation between the SMT and a set of neuropsychological tests (NTB). The SMT was significantly associated with AVLT‐immediately, AVLT‐delay, functional connection, visual matching and reasoning, and forward and backward Digit Span (p <0.001). Furthermore, after including gender, age, and education, the SMT demonstrated excellent ability to predict MCI (AUC = 0.923, p <0.001). Conclusion The study showed that SMT had a good ability in detection of MCI and could reflect multiple cognitive function domains. Therefore, to establish a SMT‐based diagnostic model may provide a potential viable option for identifying cognitive impairment and may be especially useful in screening community‐dwelling elderly for early detection of dementia.

Background Down syndrome (DS) may serve as a model to understand biological factors modifying aging and cognitive decline, given the high incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in individuals with DS. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is the plasma biomarker that displays the highest fold change in dementia participants compared to asymptomatic patients. Given that higher GFAP load is associated with amyloid PET uptake in both individuals with DS and AD, studying its correlations with cognitive ability in DS may pinpoint a cost‐effective, accessible biomarker to assist diagnosis and monitoring of AD‐related cognitive impairment. Methods We examined the association between plasma GFAP levels and cognitive ability using data from the Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium in Down Syndrome (ABC‐DS). Participants included 231 cognitively stable adults with DS and 75 DS adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. We ran a t‐test to compare mean GFAP levels in cognitively stable adults to MCI/dementia adults with DS cross‐sectionally. We then used hierarchical regression to test the relationship between GFAP and cognitive assessment scores, including memory via the Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination (DS‐MSE), language via the DS‐MSE and Kaufmann Brief Intelligence Test, visuospatial skills via the DS‐MSE, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC‐IV) Block Design, Beery Visual‐Motor Integration (VMI), and Purdue Pegboard, and executive function via the Cats and Dogs Task. We controlled for sex, APOE‐4 allele status, and age. Results Mean GFAP levels were significantly higher in individuals with MCI/dementia compared to cognitively stable individuals. Higher levels of plasma GFAP were significantly associated with lower scores on cognitive assessments measuring visuospatial ability in cognitively stable individuals, including DS‐MSE Visuospatial Skills, WISC‐IV Block Design, and Beery VMI. Although higher levels of GFAP were correlated with lower scores on other assessments analyzed, these associations were no longer significant when accounting for age. Conclusion These preliminary results indicate that GFAP may be a useful plasma biomarker for visuospatial ability level in adults with DS. Continuing this research holds potential for enhancing early detection of AD‐related cognitive impairment. Future analyses should assess correlations longitudinally and compare correlations to those of DS individuals with cognitive impairment.

Background/Aims: The aims of this study were to validate the newly developed version of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-III) against standardised neuropsychological tests and its predecessor (ACE-R) in early dementia. Methods: A total of 61 patients with dementia (frontotemporal dementia, FTD, n = 33, and Alzheimer's disease, AD, n = 28) and 25 controls were included in the study. Results: ACE-III cognitive domains correlated significantly with standardised neuropsychological tests used in the assessment of attention, language, verbal memory and visuospatial function. The ACE-III also compared very favourably with its predecessor, the ACE-R, with similar levels of sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: The results of this study provide objective validation of the ACE-III as a screening tool for cognitive deficits in FTD and AD.