Cognition & Behavioral Neurology

FacultyServices Projects PublicationsResearch Staff Alumni

Faculty
People
  • Sushama S. R
    Neuropsychologist
  • Manju Mohan P
    Speech Therapist
  • Vipina.V.P
    Speech Therapist
Overview

The Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology Section (CBNS) of the Department of Neurology since its inception has been in the forefront of dementia care in South India, catering to patients with dementias, mild cognitive impairment, speech and language disorders such as aphasias & neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, patients with neuropsychiatry syndromes and related conditions like depression, psychosis or personality disorders arising as a primary disease leading to ‘mild behavioral impairment’ or as a consequence of other diseases (like stroke), surgery, trauma or other causes are evaluated and treated in this section.

The section conducts a weekly Memory and Neurobehavioral (specialty) clinic , every Thursday that caters to the problems of patients and their care-givers. Comprehensive diagnostic, medical management and counseling services are provided for patients registering for the first time as well as review patients and their families. The societal function of the center extends to counseling and caregiver support to patients with dementia in collaboration with the Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India, (ARDSI), Trivandrum Chapter. The CBNS provides technical support and advice to the NGO Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) for its Dementia day-care and full-time care facility 'Sneha Sadanam' in Trivandrum.

New initiatives during the year (including major capital equipment purchased and their end use)

PI for hospital based registry- Dementia Science Program (A multicentric initiative sponsored by Department of Biotechnology and National Brain Research Centre to phenotype and map incidence prevalence of dementia in India along with risk factors)..Initial budget INR 36,00,000

Special programmes

Dementia Science Program

Cognitive retraining in MCI and early dementia

Retraining battery validated as part of SATYAM project and now a routine service offered by MNC.

Validation and publication of the ICMR Neurocognitive test battery.

Development and validation of face name paired associate learning tests and famous faces recognition test for diagnosis of MCI and early dementia

Designated Activities

Conducting a Memory & Neurobehavioural Clinic every week that caters to patients with MCI and dementias.

Comprehensive assessment of patients with cognitive problems admitted to the Institute.

Counselling of caregivers of patients with dementia along with psychosocial support

Research activities on structural and functional neuroimaging in dementias as well as development and validation of neuropsychological batteries

Research programmes and collaborative programmes
  1. Project PI: The influence of sleep architecture on the severity of memory disruption in amnestic MCI- Funded by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. INR 8,41,500. Commenced on 07/11/2012. Status completed in November 2016.
  2. Project PI: Validation of memory fMRI paradigms and its utility in pre-surgical evaluation of patients with refractory TLE. Funded by Department of Science & Technology. INR 14,85,000. Commenced on 20/09/13. Status- completed on 31/03/2017
  3. Project PI: Development and validation of a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological test battery for use in the Indian context for patients with Vascular Cognitive Impairment. Funded by Indian Council for Medical Research. INR 23,00,000. Commenced on 30/09/13. Status completed on 31/12/2015
  4. Project PI: The human brain mapping project- a resting state fMRI study of healthy controls and patients with MCI & AD. Funded by cognitive science initiative of DST. INR 18, 77,600. Commenced on 14/10/2014. Status completed.
  5. Co-PI: Non-linear analysis of EEG signals in Alzheimer’s Disease through DST funding provided to collaborating centre, NIT Kozhikode. Commenced on 04/07/14. Status completed on 30/06/2015.
  6. Co-PI: Biochemical and functional investigation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in mild cognitive impairment using functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Commenced on 27//2016;INR 14,40,000 (DST-SERB); status completed.
  7. Co-PI: A resting state fMRI and task based fMRI study: Optimization, language lateralization, memory lateralization and connectivity in normal subjects versus patients with epilepsy. Commenced on 1/7/2014; Status Ongoing; DBT.
  8. Co-investigator: In vitro beta-amyloid uptake by peripheral blood macrophages: predictor for progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease. Commenced on 1/3/2015; ICMR- Rs. 40,99,400; Status completed.
  9. PI: Effect of yoga on neuropsychological functions and brain connectivity networks in mild cognitive impairment and cognitively normal subjects.3 years. INR 30,00,000. Commenced on 30/07/2016; Status completed on 30/09/2019.


Extramural funded projects undertaken
  1. Department of Biotechnology (PI)- Dementia Science Programe- Incidence, Prevalence, Risk factors and basic research thereof.
  2. Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment to conduct researach on “The Influence of Sleep Architecture on the Severity of Memory Disruption in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment”.
  3. DST funded project (PI)- “Devlopment and validation of paradigms for Memory fMRI in temporal lobe epilepsy”
  4. ICMR funded project (PI; muliticentric study)- “Development and validation of Indian aptation of test battery for vascular cognitive impairment”.
  5. DST-Cognitive Science Initiative- “The Human Brain Mapping Project- a study on resting state networks and structural connectivity in MCI & early AD”
  6. ICMR- “In vitro beta amyloidal; uptake by peripheral blood macrophages:predictor for progression of MCI to AD”.
  7. SATYAM scheme- DST- Effect of yoga on neuropsychological functions and brain connectivity networks in mild cognitive impairment and cognitively normal subjects.3 years.
  8. Co-PI: Biochemical and functional investigation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in mild cognitive impairment using functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional magnetic resonance imaging.
  9. Co-PI: A resting state fMRI and task based fMRI study: Optimization, language lateralization, memory lateralization and connectivity in normal subjects versus patients with epilepsy.
  10. Co-investigator: In vitro beta-amyloid uptake by peripheral blood macrophages: predictor for progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease. Commenced on 1/3/2015; ICMR- Rs. 40,99,400; Status completed.
  11. PI: Effect of yoga on neuropsychological functions and brain connectivity networks in mild cognitive impairment and cognitively normal subjects.3 years. INR 30,00,000. Commenced on 30/07/2016; Status completed on 30/09/2019
Recent publications
  1. Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in the Posterior Cingulate and Precuneus and the Entorhinal Cortical Atrophy Score Differentiate Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Due to Alzheimer Disease. Thomas B, Sheelakumari R, Kannath S, Sarma S, Menon RN. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2019 Oct;40(10):1658-1664. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A6219. Epub 2019 Sep 12. PMID: 31515217
  2. A novel role for SHARPIN in amyloid-β phagocytosis and inflammation by peripheral blood-derived macrophages in Alzheimer's disease. Krishnan D, Menon RN, Mathuranath PS, Gopala S.Neurobiol Aging. 2020 Feb 13:S0197-4580(20)30028-2. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.02.001.
  3. Standardising Dementia Diagnosis Across Linguistic and Educational Diversity: Study Design of the Indian Council of Medical Research-Neurocognitive Tool Box (ICMR-NCTB). Iyer GK, Paplikar A, Alladi S, Dutt A, Sharma M, Mekala S, Kaul S, Saroja AO, Divyaraj G, Ellajosyula R, Ghosh A, Hooda R, Justus S, Kandukuri R, Khan AB, Mathew R, Mathuranath PS, Menon R, Nandi R, Narayanan J, Nehra A, Padma MV, Pauranik A, Ramakrishnan S, Sabnis P, Sarath L, Shah U, Tripathi M, Sylaja PN, Varma RP, Verma M, Varghese F; ICMR Neurocognitive Tool Box Consortium.J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2020 Feb;26(2):172-186. doi: 10.1017/S1355617719001127. Epub 2019 Dec 12.PMID: 31826780
  4. Apolipoprotein E Polymorphism and Oxidative Stress in Peripheral Blood-Derived Macrophage-Mediated Amyloid-Beta Phagocytosis in Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Jairani PS, Aswathy PM, Krishnan D, Menon RN, Verghese J, Mathuranath PS, Gopala S.Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2019 Apr;39(3):355-369. doi: 10.1007/s10571-019-00651-1. Epub 2019 Jan 29.PMID: 30694418
  5. Glutamatergic response to a low load working memory paradigm in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Vijayakumari AA, Menon RN, Thomas B, Arun TM, Nandini M, Kesavadas C.Brain Imaging Behav. 2020 Apr;14(2):451-459. doi: 10.1007/s11682-0
  6. Multi-gene testing in neurological disorders showed an improved diagnostic yield: data from over 1000 Indian patients. Ganapathy A, Mishra A, Soni MR, Kumar P, Sadagopan M, Kanthi AV, Patric IRP, George S, Sridharan A, Thyagarajan TC, Aswathy SL, Vidya HK, Chinnappa SM, Nayanala S, Prakash MB, Raghavendrachar VG, Parulekar M, Gowda VK, Nampoothiri S, Menon RN, Pachat D, Udani V, Naik N, Kamate M, Devi ARR, Mohammed Kunju PA, Nair M, Hegde AU, Kumar MP, Sundaram S, Tilak P, Puri RD, Shah K, Sheth J, Hasan Q, Sheth F, Agrawal P, Katragadda S, Veeramachaneni V, Chandru V, Hariharan R, Mannan AU.J Neurol. 2019 Aug;266(8):1919-1926. doi: 10.1007/s00415-019-09358-1. Epub 2019 May 8.PMID: 31069529
  7. Do quantified sleep architecture abnormalities underlie cognitive disturbances in amnestic mild cognitive impairment? Menon RN, Radhakrishnan A, Sreedharan SE, Sarma PS, Kumari RS, Kesavadas C, Sasi D, Lekha VS, Justus S, Unnikrishnan JP.J Clin Neurosci. 2019 Sep;67:85-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.06.014. Epub 2019 Jun 17.PMID: 31221582
  8. Exploration of time-frequency reassignment and homologous inter-hemispheric asymmetry analysis of MCI-AD brain activity. Nimmy John T, Subha Dharmapalan P, Ramshekhar Menon N.BMC Neurosci. 2019 Jul 31;20(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s12868-019-0519-3.PMID: 31366317
  9. Novel Face-Name Paired Associate Learning and Famous Face Recognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Neuropsychological and Brain Volumetric Study. Nanda S, Mohanan N, Kumari S, Mathew M, Ramachandran S, Rajesh Pillai PG, Kesavadas C, Sarma P S, Menon RN.Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2019 Mar 12;9(1):114-128. doi: 10.1159/000496476. eCollection 2019 Jan-Apr.PMID: 31249588
  10. Adult-onset subacute ⦁ sclerosing⦁ ⦁ panencephalitis⦁ . Nair SS, Vysakha KV, Menon RN, Sundaram S.Pract Neurol. 2021 Apr 13:practneurol-2020-002880. doi: 10.1136/practneurol-2020-002880.
  11. Bilingualism and Its Implications for Neuropsychological Evaluation. Paplikar A, Alladi S, Varghese F, Mekala S, Arshad F, Sharma M, Saroja AO, Divyaraj G, Dutt A, Ellajosyula R, Ghosh A, Iyer GK, Sunitha J, Kandukuri R, Kaul S, Khan AB, Mathew R, Menon R, Nandi R, Narayanan J, Nehra A, Padma MV, Pauranik A, Ramakrishnan S, Sarath L, Shah U, Tripathi M, Sylaja PN, Varma RP, Verma M, Vishwanath Y; ICMR-NCTB Consortium.Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2021 Mar 27:acab012. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acab012.
  12. Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Deficiency as a Cause of Treatable Adult-onset Leukoencephalopathy and Myelopathy. Senthilvelan S, Kandasamy S, Menon RN, Nampoothiri S, Ramachandran H, Thomas B, Kesavadas C.Clin Neuroradiol. 2021 Mar;31(1):277-281. doi: 10.1007/s00062-020-00947-6.
  13. Does resting state functional connectivity differ between mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's dementia? Soman SM, Raghavan S, Rajesh PG, Mohanan N, Thomas B, Kesavadas C, Menon RN.J Neurol Sci. 2020 Nov 15;418:117093. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117093
  14. Clinical and Genetic Profile of Autism Spectrum Disorder-Epilepsy (ASD-E) Phenotype: Two Sides of the Same Coin! Karunakaran S, Menon RN, Nair SS, Santhakumar S, Nair M, Sundaram S.Clin EEG Neurosci. 2020 Nov;51(6):390-398. doi: 10.1177/1550059420909673. 
  15. Genotype-phenotype correlates of infantile-onset developmental & epileptic encephalopathy syndromes in South India: A single centre experience. Mitta N, Menon RN, McTague A, Radhakrishnan A, Sundaram S, Cherian A, Madhavilatha GK, Mannan AU, Nampoothiri S, Thomas SV.Epilepsy Res. 2020 Oct;166:106398. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2020.106398
  16. A Screening Tool to Detect Stroke Aphasia: Adaptation of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test (FAST) to the Indian Context. Paplikar A, Iyer GK, Varghese F, Alladi S, Pauranik A, Mekala S, Kaul S, Sharma M, Dhaliwal RS, Saroja AO, Dharamkar S, Dutt A, Divyaraj G, Ghosh A, Kandukuri R, Mathew R, Menon R, Narayanan J, Nehra A, Padma MV, Ramakrishnan S, Ravi SK, Shah U, Tripathi M, Sylaja PN, Varma RP; ICMR Neuro-Cognitive Tool Box Consortium.Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2020 Sep;23(Suppl 2):S143-S148. doi: 10.4103/aian.AIAN_499_20
  17. Predictors of one-year language and seizure outcomes in children with epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-wave during sleep (CSWS). Saraf UU, Asranna A, Menon RN, Mohan P M, Vp V, Radhakrishnan A, Cherian A, V Thomas S.Seizure. 2020 Oct;81:315-324. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2020.08
  18. Validation of Indian Council of Medical Research Neurocognitive Tool Box in Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment in India: Lessons from a Harmonization Process in a Linguistically Diverse Society. Menon RN, Varghese F, Paplikar A, Mekala S, Alladi S, Sharma M, Aralikatte Onkarappa S, Gollahalli D, Dutt A, Ghosh A, Dhaliwal RS, Hooda R, Iyer GK, Justus S, Kandukuri R, Kaul S, Banu Khan A, Nandi R, Narayanan J, Nehra A, Vasantha PM, Pauranik A, Mathew R, Ramakrishnan S, Sarath L, Shah U, Tripathi M, Padmavathy Narayana S, Varma RP, Verma M, Vishwanath Y.Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2020;49(4):355-364. doi: 10.1159/000512393. 
  19. Glutamatergic response to a low load working memory paradigm in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Vijayakumari AA, Menon RN, Thomas B, Arun TM, Nandini M, Kesavadas C.Brain Imaging Behav. 2020 Apr;14(2):451-459. doi: 10.1007/s11682-019-00122