Dataset Information

Neuropsychological Markers of Cognitive Decline in Persons With Alzheimer Disease Neuropathology.

ABSTRACT: To evaluate cognitive performance among persons who did and did not develop clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) but had AD neuropathology at autopsy, we examined neuropsychological performance in cognitively healthy (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR] = 0) participants who returned for at least 1 follow-up and died within 2 years of their last assessment. Nonprogressors remained at CDR = 0 until death; progressors developed symptomatic AD during life (CDR > 0). Cognitive performance at baseline was compared between progressors and nonprogressors on a global cognitive composite and 4 domain-specific composites (episodic memory, language, attention/working memory, and executive function). Models adjusted for age, education, sex, and non-AD neuropathology. Progressors (n = 173) had worse performance than nonprogressors (n = 141) in nearly all cognitive domains. Progressors scored lower on composites of global cognition (P < 0.001), executive function (P = 0.0006), language (P < 0.0001), and episodic memory (P = 0.0006) but not on attention/working memory (P = 0.91). These data indicate that individuals with underlying AD neuropathology who are clinically healthy but who later develop symptomatic AD have worse performance in a wide range of domains versus individuals with underlying AD neuropathology who are clinically healthy but do not become symptomatic during life. Therefore, subtle cognitive decline at baseline may indicate an increased risk of progression to symptomatic AD.

SUBMITTER: Hassenstab J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4610245 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Neuropsychological Markers of Cognitive Decline in Persons With Alzheimer Disease Neuropathology.

Hassenstab Jason J Monsell Sarah E SE Mock Charles C Roe Catherine M CM Cairns Nigel J NJ Morris John C JC Kukull Walter W

Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 20151101 11

To evaluate cognitive performance among persons who did and did not develop clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) but had AD neuropathology at autopsy, we examined neuropsychological performance in cognitively healthy (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR] = 0) participants who returned for at least 1 follow-up and died within 2 years of their last assessment. Nonprogressors remained at CDR = 0 until death; progressors developed symptomatic AD during life (CDR > 0). Cognitive performance at baseline was comp ...[more]

PMID: 26469250

Similar Datasets

Project description:ImportanceIndicators of early-life cognitive enrichment (ELCE) have been associated with slower cognitive decline and decreased dementia in late life. However, the mechanisms underlying this association have not been elucidated.ObjectiveTo examine the association of ELCE with late-life Alzheimer disease (AD) and other common dementia-related pathological changes.Design, setting, and participantsThis clinical-pathological community-based cohort study, the Rush Memory and Aging Project, followed up participants before death for a mean (SD) of 7.0 (3.8) years with annual cognitive and clinical assessments. From January 1, 1997, through June 30, 2019, 2044 participants enrolled, of whom 1018 died. Postmortem data were leveraged from 813 participants. Data were analyzed from April 12, 2019, to February 20, 2020.ExposuresFour indicators of ELCE (early-life socioeconomic status, availability of cognitive resources at 12 years of age, frequency of participation in cognitively stimulating activities, and early-life foreign language instruction) were obtained by self-report at the study baseline, from which a composite measure of ELCE was derived.Main outcomes and measuresA continuous global AD pathology score derived from counts of diffuse plaques, neuritic plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles.ResultsThe 813 participants included in the analysis had a mean (SD) age of 90.1 (6.3) years at the time of death, and 562 (69%) were women. In a linear regression model controlled for age at death, sex, and educational level, a higher level of ELCE was associated with a lower global AD pathology score (estimate, -0.057; standard error, 0.022; P = .01). However, ELCE was not associated with any other dementia-related pathological changes. In addition, a higher level of ELCE was associated with less cognitive decline (mean [SD], -0.13 [0.19] units per year; range, -1.74 to 0.85). An indirect effect through AD pathological changes constituted 20% of the association between ELCE and the rate of late-life cognitive decline, and 80% was a direct association.Conclusions and relevanceThese findings suggest that ELCE was associated with better late-life cognitive health, in part through an association with fewer AD pathological changes.

Dataset Information

Neuropsychological Markers of Cognitive Decline in Persons With Alzheimer Disease Neuropathology.

Publications

Neuropsychological Markers of Cognitive Decline in Persons With Alzheimer Disease Neuropathology.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets