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Schäfer S, Tröger J, Kray J. Modern scores for traditional tests - Review of the diagnostic potential of scores derived from word list learning tests in mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's Disease. Neuropsychologia 2024; 201:108908. [PMID: 38744410 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Episodic memory impairment is one of the early hallmarks in Alzheimer's Disease. In the clinical diagnosis and research, episodic memory impairment is typically assessed using word lists that are repeatedly presented to and recalled by the participant across several trials. Until recently, total learning scores, which consist of the total number of words that are recalled by participants, were almost exclusively used for diagnostic purposes. The present review aims at summarizing evidence on additional scores derived from the learning trials which have recently been investigated more frequently regarding their diagnostic potential. These scores reflect item acquisition, error frequencies, strategy use, intertrial fluctuations, and recall consistency. Evidence was summarized regarding the effects of clinical status on these scores. Preclinical, mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's Disease stages were associated with a pattern of reduced item acquisition, more errors, less strategy use, and reduced access of items, indicating slowed and erroneous encoding. Practical implications and limitations of the present research will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jutta Kray
- Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
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2
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Cheung MC, Sze SL, Chan AS. Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program Improves Memory and Executive Functions of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2024; 39:15333175241255744. [PMID: 38764310 PMCID: PMC11104026 DOI: 10.1177/15333175241255744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program (CLMP) was found to enhance the memory and executive functions of older adults with or without subjective memory complaints. The present study investigated whether similar beneficial effects can be extended to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Twenty-four older adults with MCI were randomly assigned to receive the CLMP (the experimental group) or strategic memory training (SMT; the active control group) for 10 weeks. They were assessed by neuropsychological tests at baseline and post-intervention. Older adults showed similar visual and verbal memory improvements after receiving the CLMP and SMT. Yet, only those who received the CLMP showed distinct improvements in planning/organization, working memory, and attention in terms of accuracy, with greater cognitive gains associated with older age and lower levels of education and baseline cognitive functions. This study provides preliminary evidence for the effects of the CLMP on improving memory, attention, and executive functions in MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Chun Cheung
- Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Research Center for Neuropsychological Well-Being, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sophia L. Sze
- Research Center for Neuropsychological Well-Being, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Agnes S. Chan
- Research Center for Neuropsychological Well-Being, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
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3
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López-Pérez J, García-Herranz S, Díaz-Mardomingo MDC. Acquisition and consolidation of verbal learning and episodic memory as predictors of the conversion from mild cognitive impairment to probable Alzheimer's disease. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2023; 30:638-653. [PMID: 35475773 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2022.2069670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Verbal episodic memory tests assess memory performance using total learning scores. The analysis of inter-trial indices such as gained (GA) and lost (LA) access can provide additional information on the acquisition and consolidation processes. The main objetive was to determine whether the GA and LA indices, derived from a word-list verbal episodic memory test are useful for predicting cognitive impairment in aging. 60 older people aged was divided into 3 groups: cognitively healthy, stable Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and MCI converting to probable Alzheimer's disease (MCI-conv). The results showed that GA and LA measures are independent from the traditional measures -total score of correct answers-. Logistic regression showed that these values are predictive of the conversion over time and could be a cognitive marker of conversion from MCI to AD. This suggests that the GA index, which shows acquisition processes in word-list tests, may be a marker of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge López-Pérez
- Department of Basic Psychology I, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara García-Herranz
- Department of Basic Psychology II, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación-Escuela Nacional de Sanidad (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Del Carmen Díaz-Mardomingo
- Department of Basic Psychology I, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación-Escuela Nacional de Sanidad (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
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4
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Lejko N, Tumati S, Opmeer EM, Marsman JBC, Reesink FE, De Deyn PP, Aleman A, Ćurčić-Blake B. Planning in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: an fMRI study. Exp Gerontol 2021; 159:111673. [PMID: 34958871 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The memory impairment that is characteristic of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is often accompanied by difficulties in executive functioning, including planning. Though planning deficits in aMCI are well documented, their neural correlates are largely unknown, and have not yet been investigated with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to: (1) identify differences in brain activity and connectivity during planning in people with aMCI and cognitively healthy older adults, and (2) find whether planning-related activity and connectivity are associated with cognitive performance and symptoms of apathy. METHODS Twenty-five people with aMCI and 15 cognitively healthy older adults performed a visuospatial planning task (Tower of London; ToL) during fMRI. Task-related brain activation, spatial maps of task-related independent components, and seed-to-voxel functional connectivity were compared between the two groups and regressed against measures of executive functions (Trail Making Test difference score, TMT B-A; Digit Symbol Substitution Test, DSST), delayed recall (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test), and apathy (Apathy Evaluation Scale). RESULTS People with aMCI scored lower on task-switching (TMT B-A), working memory (DSST), and planning (ToL). During planning, people with aMCI had less activation in the bilateral anterior calcarine sulcus/cuneus, the bilateral temporal cortices, the left precentral gyrus, the thalamus, and the right cerebellum. Across all participants, higher planning-related activity in the supplementary motor area, the retrosplenial cortex and surrounding areas, and the right temporal cortex was related to better delayed recall. There were no between-group differences in functional connectivity, nor were there any associations between connectivity and cognition. We also did not find any associations between brain activity or connectivity and apathy. CONCLUSION Impaired planning in people with aMCI appears to be accompanied by lower activation in a diffuse cortico-thalamic network. Across all participants, higher planning-related activity in parieto-occipital, temporal, and frontal areas was related to better memory performance. The results point to the relevance of planning deficits for understanding aMCI and extend its clinical and neurobiological signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nena Lejko
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Shankar Tumati
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands; Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Esther M Opmeer
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands; Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Department of Health and Welfare, Zwolle, the Netherlands
| | - Jan-Bernard C Marsman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Fransje E Reesink
- Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Groningen, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter P De Deyn
- Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Groningen, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - André Aleman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Branislava Ćurčić-Blake
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands
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5
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El Haj M, Robin F. Repeated recall on source misattribution in Alzheimer's disease. Memory 2021; 29:1354-1361. [PMID: 34607535 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.1985521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We assessed the effect of repeated recall on item memory and source monitoring in Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD patients and controls were instructed to either look at or imagine items. They then had to either retrieve the items without indicating their source in three consecutive free recall tests, or to remember the source of the retrieved items in three consecutive source tests. Results showed a significant increase in item memory across all three free recall tests and all three source monitoring tests in control participants, but not in AD patients. More source misattributions were observed in AD patients and controls in the third source test than in the first and second tests. The absence of beneficial effect of repeated recall on item memory in AD patients may be attributed to compromise in memory consolidation processes, while the increase in source misattributions due to repetitions may be attributed to the inflation effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad El Haj
- Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (LPPL - EA 4638), Nantes Université, Univ Angers, Nantes, France.,Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Robin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (LPPL - EA 4638), Nantes Université, Univ Angers, Nantes, France
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Rabipour S, Rajagopal S, Yu E, Pasvanis S, Lafaille-Magnan ME, Breitner J, Rajah MN. APOE4 Status is Related to Differences in Memory-Related Brain Function in Asymptomatic Older Adults with Family History of Alzheimer's Disease: Baseline Analysis of the PREVENT-AD Task Functional MRI Dataset. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 76:97-119. [PMID: 32474466 PMCID: PMC7369116 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Episodic memory decline is one of the earliest symptoms of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Older adults with the apolipoprotein E ɛ4 (+APOE4) genetic risk factor for AD may exhibit altered patterns of memory-related brain activity years prior to initial symptom onset. OBJECTIVE Here we report the baseline episodic memory task functional MRI results from the PRe-symptomatic EValuation of Experimental or Novel Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease cohort in Montreal, Canada, in which 327 healthy older adults were scanned within 15 years of their parent's conversion to AD. METHODS Volunteers were scanned as they encoded and retrieved object-location spatial source associations. The task was designed to discriminate between brain activity related to spatial source recollection and object-only (recognition) memory. We used multivariate partial least squares (PLS) to test the hypothesis that +APOE4 adults with family history of AD would exhibit altered patterns of brain activity in the recollection-related memory network, comprised of medial frontal, parietal, and medial temporal cortices, compared to APOE4 non-carriers (-APOE4). We also examined group differences in the correlation between event-related brain activity and memory performance. RESULTS We found group similarities in memory performance and in task-related brain activity in the recollection network, but differences in brain activity-behavior correlations in ventral occipito-temporal, medial temporal, and medial prefrontal cortices during episodic encoding. CONCLUSION These findings are consistent with previous literature on the influence of APOE4 on brain activity and provide new perspective on potential gene-based differences in brain-behavior relationships in people with first-degree family history of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheida Rabipour
- Centre for Cerebral Imaging, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Elsa Yu
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Stamatoula Pasvanis
- Centre for Cerebral Imaging, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marie-Elyse Lafaille-Magnan
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Center for Studies on Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, Montreal, Canada
- Lady Davis Center for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - John Breitner
- Centre for Cerebral Imaging, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Center for Studies on Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - M. Natasha Rajah
- Centre for Cerebral Imaging, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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7
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Novelty processing and memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 100:237-249. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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8
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Lu H, Ni X, Fung AWT, Lam LCW. Mapping the Proxies of Memory and Learning Function in Senior Adults with High-performing, Normal Aging and Neurocognitive Disorders. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 64:815-826. [PMID: 29914037 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Memory and learning, as the core brain function, shows controversial results across studies focusing on aging and dementia. One of the reasons is because of the multi-faceted nature of memory and learning. However, there is still a dearth of comparable proxies with psychometric and morphometric portrait in clinical and non-clinical populations. OBJECTIVE We aim to investigate the proxies of memory and learning function with direct and derived measures and examine their associations with morphometric features in senior adults with different cognitive status. METHODS Based on two modality-driven tests, we assessed the component-specific memory and learning in the individuals with high performing (HP), normal aging, and neurocognitive disorders (NCD) (n = 488). Structural magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the regional cortical thickness with surface-based morphometry analysis in a subsample (n = 52). METHODS Compared with HP elderly, the ones with normal aging and minor NCD showed declined recognition memory and working memory, whereas had better learning performance (derived scores). Meanwhile, major NCD patients showed more breakdowns of memory and learning function. The correlation between proxies of memory and learning and cortical thickness exhibited the overlapped and unique neural underpinnings. CONCLUSIONS The proxies of memory and learning could be characterized by component-specific constructs with psychometric and morphometric bases. Overall, the constructs of memory are more likely related to the pathological changes, and the constructs of learning tend to reflect the cognitive abilities of compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Guangzhou Brain Hospital, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Ni
- Department of Sociology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ada W T Fung
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Linda C W Lam
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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9
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Genon S, Reid A, Langner R, Amunts K, Eickhoff SB. How to Characterize the Function of a Brain Region. Trends Cogn Sci 2018; 22:350-364. [PMID: 29501326 PMCID: PMC7978486 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many brain regions have been defined, but a comprehensive formalization of each region's function in relation to human behavior is still lacking. Current knowledge comes from various fields, which have diverse conceptions of 'functions'. We briefly review these fields and outline how the heterogeneity of associations could be harnessed to disclose the computational function of any region. Aggregating activation data from neuroimaging studies allows us to characterize the functional engagement of a region across a range of experimental conditions. Furthermore, large-sample data can disclose covariation between brain region features and ecological behavioral phenotyping. Combining these two approaches opens a new perspective to determine the behavioral associations of a brain region, and hence its function and broader role within large-scale functional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Genon
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1, INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Andrew Reid
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Robert Langner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1, INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katrin Amunts
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1, INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1, INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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10
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Grenfell-Essam R, Hogervorst E, W Rahardjo TB. The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test: an in-depth analysis of recall patterns. Memory 2017; 26:385-405. [PMID: 28693360 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2017.1349804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
One of the earliest signs of dementia is memory issues and verbal word lists, such as the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT), are successfully used for screening. To gain insight in how memory is affected in dementia, and to further improve the efficacy of the HVLT, in-depth analysis of the recall patterns of dementia cases and controls was conducted. Dementia cases and controls were matched for factors that can affect performance, such as age, gender and education level. Word frequency, syllable length, and orthographic neighbourhood size did not differ in the Indonesian version of the HVLT, nor did these characteristics affect recall. However dementia cases showed consistent and poor recall across the three trials; with the worst recall for the "human shelter" category and best recall for the "animals" category. Dementia cases also showed impaired accessibility of all categories with reduced subsequent recall from accessed categories and reduced primacy and recency levels. Finally, dementia cases exhibited lower levels of re-remembering and recalling new words, and higher levels of immediate forgetting and never recalling words. It was concluded that utilising the extra information provided by the in-depth analyses of the recall patterns could be beneficial to improve dementia screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Grenfell-Essam
- a School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK
| | - Eef Hogervorst
- a School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.,b Centre for Ageing Studies , Universitas Indonesia , Depok , Indonesia.,c Faculty of Health Sciences , Universitas Respati Indonesia , Jakarta Timur , Indonesia
| | - Tri Budi W Rahardjo
- a School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.,b Centre for Ageing Studies , Universitas Indonesia , Depok , Indonesia.,c Faculty of Health Sciences , Universitas Respati Indonesia , Jakarta Timur , Indonesia
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11
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Atteinte de la mémoire épisodique verbale dans la sclérose en plaques : revue critique des processus cognitifs concernés et de leur exploration. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2015; 171:624-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2015.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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12
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Fast, but not slow, familiarity is preserved in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Cortex 2015; 65:36-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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13
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Lindbergh CA, Puente AN, Gray JC, Mackillop J, Miller LS. Delay and probability discounting as candidate markers for dementia: an initial investigation. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2014; 29:651-62. [PMID: 25236720 PMCID: PMC4263925 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acu043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated delay discounting and probability discounting-behavioral economic indices of impulsivity and risk proneness, respectively-in 39 healthy older adults and 25 older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Relative to the healthy group, it was hypothesized that older adults with MCI would display greater levels of impulsivity, risk proneness, and response inconsistency. The MCI group was found to display a unique delay discounting profile characterized by increasing impulsivity with decreasing reward magnitude, such that cognitively impaired older adults were significantly more impulsive than healthy controls at the small reward magnitude. The two groups exhibited similar levels of probability discounting, though older adults with MCI were significantly less consistent in their risk preferences. The present findings shed light onto decision-making in pre-dementia disease stages and suggest that discounting performance holds potential to complement early diagnostic instruments, likely due to pathophysiological processes in relevant brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonio N Puente
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Joshua C Gray
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - James Mackillop
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - L Stephen Miller
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA Bio-Imaging Research Center, Paul D. Coverdell Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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14
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Rasgon NL, Geist CL, Kenna HA, Wroolie TE, Williams KE, Silverman DHS. Prospective randomized trial to assess effects of continuing hormone therapy on cerebral function in postmenopausal women at risk for dementia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89095. [PMID: 24622517 PMCID: PMC3951184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the effects of estrogen-based hormone therapy (HT) on regional cerebral metabolism in postmenopausal women (mean age = 58, SD = 5) at risk for development of dementia. The prospective clinical trial design included pre- and post-intervention neuroimaging of women randomized to continue (HT+) or discontinue (HT−) therapy following an average of 10 years of use. The primary outcome measure was change in brain metabolism during the subsequent two years, as assessed with fluorodeoxyglucose-18 positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Longitudinal FDG-PET data were available for 45 study completers. Results showed that women randomized to continue HT experienced relative preservation of frontal and parietal cortical metabolism, compared with women randomized to discontinue HT. Women who discontinued 17-β estradiol (17βE)-based HT, as well as women who continued conjugated equine estrogen (CEE)-based HT, exhibited significant decline in metabolism of the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortical (PCC) area. Significant decline in PCC metabolism was additionally seen in women taking concurrent progestins (with either 17βE or CEE). Together, these findings suggest that among postmenopausal subjects at risk for developing dementia, regional cerebral cortical metabolism is relatively preserved for at least two years in women randomized to continue HT, compared with women randomized to discontinue HT. In addition, continuing unopposed 17βE therapy is associated specifically with preservation of metabolism in PCC, known to undergo the most significant decline in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.govNCT00097058
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie L. Rasgon
- Stanford Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Cheri L. Geist
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Heather A. Kenna
- Stanford Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Tonita E. Wroolie
- Stanford Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Katherine E. Williams
- Stanford Center for Neuroscience in Women's Health, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel H. S. Silverman
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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15
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Almond NM, Morrison CM. Episodic intertrial learning of younger and older participants: effects of age of acquisition. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2013; 21:606-32. [PMID: 24147452 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2013.849653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
There is clear evidence of a deficit in episodic memory for older adults compared to younger adults. Using an intertrial technique previous research has investigated whether this deficit can be attributed to a decline in encoding or consolidation. On standard memory tests, these two aspects of memory function can be measured by examining the items forgotten or acquired across multiple learning trials. The present study assessed whether age deficits in episodic memory were affected by stimulus characteristics, specifically age of acquisition (AoA). A standard intertrial design was implemented whereby participants studied word lists over several study-test trials. The stimulus characteristics of AoA were manipulated using a pure-list technique. Our findings showed that older adults demonstrate an overall recall deficit which appeared to be a consequence of both an encoding deficit and consolidation weakness. Earlier-acquired words were recalled significantly better than later-acquired words and this was apparently due to both enhanced encoding and consolidation of earlier- over later-acquired words. The key finding is that older adults show a recall advantage for earlier- compared to later-acquired words over the entire experiment to a greater degree than younger adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Almond
- a Institute of Psychological Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds , UK
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16
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Genon S, Bahri MA, Collette F, Angel L, d'Argembeau A, Clarys D, Kalenzaga S, Salmon E, Bastin C. Cognitive and neuroimaging evidence of impaired interaction between self and memory in Alzheimer's disease. Cortex 2013; 51:11-24. [PMID: 23993283 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2013.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In human cognition, self and memory processes strongly interact, as evidenced by the memory advantage for self-referential materials [Self-Reference Effect (SRE) and Self-Reference Recollection Effect (SRRE)]. The current study examined this interaction at the behavioural level and its neural correlates in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Healthy older controls (HC) and AD patients performed trait-adjectives judgements either for self-relevance or for other-relevance (encoding phase). In a first experiment, the encoding and subsequent yes-no recognition phases were administrated in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner. Brain activation as measured by functional MRI (fMRI) was examined during self-relevance judgements and anatomical images were used to search for correlation between the memory advantage for self-related items and grey matter density (GMD). In a second experiment, participants described the retrieval experience that had driven their recognition decisions (familiarity vs recollective experience). The behavioural results revealed that the SRE and SRRE were impaired in AD patients compared to HC participants. Furthermore, verbal reports revealed that the retrieval of self-related information was preferentially associated with the retrieval of contextual details, such as source memory in the HC participants, but less so in the AD patients. Our imaging findings revealed that both groups activated the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) at encoding during self-relevance judgements. However, the variable and limited memory advantage for self-related information was associated with GMD in the lateral prefrontal cortex in the AD patients, a region supporting high-order processes linking self and memory. These findings suggest that even if AD patients engage MPFC during self-referential judgements, the retrieval of self-related memories is qualitatively and quantitatively impaired in relation with altered high-order processes in the lateral PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Genon
- Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liège, Belgium.
| | | | | | - Lucie Angel
- University François-Rabelais of Tours, UMR CNRS 7295 CeRCA, Tours, France
| | - Arnaud d'Argembeau
- Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liège, Belgium; Department of Psychology, University of Liège, Belgium
| | - David Clarys
- University of Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7295 CeRCA, Poitiers, France
| | | | - Eric Salmon
- Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liège, Belgium; Memory Centre, CHU Liège, Belgium
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Vuoksimaa E, Panizzon MS, Chen CH, Eyler LT, Fennema-Notestine C, Fiecas MJA, Fischl B, Franz CE, Grant MD, Jak AJ, Lyons MJ, Neale MC, Thompson WK, Tsuang MT, Xian H, Dale AM, Kremen WS. Cognitive reserve moderates the association between hippocampal volume and episodic memory in middle age. Neuropsychologia 2013; 51:1124-31. [PMID: 23499725 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2012] [Revised: 02/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive reserve is hypothesized to help people withstand greater brain pathology without manifesting clinical symptoms, and may be regarded as a preventive factor of dementia. It is unclear whether the effect of cognitive reserve is evident only among the older adults or after conversion to dementia, or if it can also be seen earlier in life before the prominent effects of cognitive aging become apparent. While finding a main effect of cognitive reserve on cognitive outcome may be consistent with the reserve hypothesis, in our view, it is unnecessary to invoke the idea of reserve if only a main effect is present. Rather, it is the interaction between a measure of reserve and a brain measure on cognitive outcome that is key for confirming that the effects of brain pathology affect people differently according to their cognitive reserve. We studied whether general cognitive ability at an average age of 20 years, as a direct measure of cognitive reserve, moderates the association between hippocampal volume and episodic memory performance in 494 middle-aged men ages 51 to 60. Whereas there was no statistically significant direct relationship between hippocampal volume and episodic memory performance in middle age, we found a statistically significant interaction such that there was a positive association between hippocampal volume and episodic memory only among people with lower general cognitive ability at age 20, i.e., lower levels of cognitive reserve. Our results provide support for the hypothesis that cognitive reserve moderates the relationship between brain structure and cognition in middle age, well before the onset of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eero Vuoksimaa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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