Page 41 - Annual Report 2018

3. SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY

addition, among its objectives are also the concep- pecially on the evaluation of memory processes, at-
tualization and implementation of new research tention and executive functions as potential early
hypotheses in the context of early detection and markers of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the neu-
prevention of Alzheimer's disease. ropsychological profile of each participant is com-
pleted by gathering information related to other
Among the specific tasks carried out by the Depart- cognitive domains such as language, visuospatial
ment of Neuropsychology, the following activities ability and visuoconstruction, as well as emotional
are noteworthy: variables. This is particularly important because it
allows identifying the strengths and weaknesses in
• Neuropsychological assessment and cognitive the cognitive profile and characterize, if appro-
diagnosis priate, the type of cognitive impairment that an in-
• Preparation of clinical reports. dividual presents. Moreover, the neuropsychological
• Management and curation of databases.
• Statistical analysis and preparation of scientific evaluation protocol includes various questionnaires
reports. in order to collect information complementary to the
• Teaching and mentoring of the external training cognitive profile. Specifically, we obtain data about
practices of students from the last year of the the assessment of possible cognitive complaints, as
Psychology Degree at the Autonomous well as different aspects of them such as the time of
University, the Rey Juan Carlos University and the appearance, the concern generated or the profile
Complutense University of Madrid. of these complaints. In essence, the study of all these
• Communication in scientific forums of the
research work carried out in the department. cognitive variables, both objective and subjective,
• Dissemination to society of the progress of the together with the rest of the biographical and clini-
investigation. cal data, will allow us to establish what role each
cognitive parameter plays in the appearance and
Main lines of research course of Alzheimer's disease.

The interests of the Neuropsychology department 1.1. Usefulness of subjective cognitive complaints
focus on four well defined lines of research in the as an early marker: Cognitive complaints may
area of its competence. In particular, the following appear in preclinical phases of Alzheimer's
disease; even a person can often experience
priority research lines can be identified, which are this type of complaint though their cognitive
described below. performance in a formal neuropsychological
examination is within normal parameters. For this
1. Cognitive markers for the early detection of the reason, there has been renewed scientific
prodromal phase of Alzheimer's diseaser The profes- interest in recent years for the study of
sional figure of the neuropsychologist usually handles subjective cognitive complaints as a possible
the application of different evaluation instruments. marker of future objective cognitive impairment.
These include various types of tests, scales and ques- The Department of Neuropsychology has
tionnaires useful to measure both the objective cog- carried out different studies to analyze the role
nitive performance and the subjective perception of cognitive complaints as a predictor of
of an individual with respect to aspects such as me- cognitive impairment in a sample of elderly
mory complaints, mood or coping styles. To meet the people from the general population.
challenges posed in the context of the Vallecas Pro- Specifically, the focus is placed on studying
ject, the neuropsychological test battery focuses es- which specific aspects and what type of

CIEN Foundation Annual Report 2018 / 41