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Zeng Q, Wang Y, Wang S, Luo X, Li K, Xu X, Liu X, Hong L, Li J, Li Z, Zhang X, Zhong S, Liu Z, Huang P, Chen Y, Zhang M. Cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β and cerebral microbleed are associated with distinct neuropsychiatric sub-syndromes in cognitively impaired patients. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:69. [PMID: 38570794 PMCID: PMC10988961 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01434-7] [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] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are prevalent in cognitively impaired individuals including Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Whereas several studies have reported the associations between NPS with AD pathologic biomarkers and cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), but it remains unknown whether AD pathology and SVD contribute to different sub-syndromes independently or aggravate same symptoms synergistically. METHOD We included 445 cognitively impaired individuals (including 316 MCI and 129 AD) with neuropsychiatric, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (Aβ42, p-tau, and t-tau) and multi-model MRI data. Psychiatric symptoms were accessed by using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Visual assessment of SVD (white matter hyperintensity, microbleed, perivascular space, lacune) on MRI images was performed by experienced radiologist. Linear regression analyses were conducted to test the association between neuropsychiatric symptoms with AD pathology and CSVD burden after adjustment for age, sex, education, apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carrier status, and clinical diagnosis. RESULTS The NPI total scores were related to microbleed (estimate 2.424; 95% CI [0.749, 4.099]; P =0.005). Considering the sub-syndromes, the hyperactivity was associated with microbleed (estimate 0.925; 95% CI [0.115, 1.735]; P =0.025), whereas the affective symptoms were correlated to CSF level of Aβ42 (estimate -0.006; 95% CI [-0.011, -0.002]; P =0.005). Furthermore, we found the apathy sub-syndrome was associated with CSF t-tau/Aβ42 (estimate 0.636; 95% CI [0.078, 1.194]; P =0.041) and microbleed (estimate 0.693; 95% CI [0.046, 1.340]; P =0.036). In addition, we found a significant interactive effect between CSF t-tau/Aβ42 and microbleed (estimate 0.993; 95% CI [0.360, 1.626]; P =0.019) on severity of apathy sub-syndrome. CONCLUSION Our study showed that CSF Aβ42 was associated with affective symptoms, but microbleed was correlated with hyperactivity and apathy, suggesting the effect of AD pathology and SVD on different neuropsychiatric sub-syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingze Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yanbo Wang
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuyue Wang
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Xiao Luo
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Kaicheng Li
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Xiaopei Xu
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Xiaocao Liu
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Luwei Hong
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Jixuan Li
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Zheyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Siyan Zhong
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Zhirong Liu
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Peiyu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yanxing Chen
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
| | - Minming Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Shangcheng District, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
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Gontrum EQ, Paolillo EW, Lee S, Diaz V, Ehrenberg A, Saloner R, Mundada NS, La Joie R, Rabinovici G, Kramer JH, Casaletto KB. Neuropsychiatric Profiles and Cerebral Amyloid Burden in Adults without Dementia. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2024; 53:119-127. [PMID: 38513620 DOI: 10.1159/000538376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We comprehensively evaluated how self- and informant-reported neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) were differentially associated with cerebral amyloid-beta (Aβ) PET levels in older adults without dementia. METHODS Two hundred and twenty-one participants (48% female, age = 73.4 years ± 8.4, Clinical Dementia Rating = 0 [n = 184] or 0.5 [n = 37]) underwent an Aβ-PET scan (florbetapir or PIB), comprehensive neuropsychological testing, and self-reported (Geriatric Depression Scale - 30 item [GDS-30]) and informant-reported interview (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire [NPI-Q]) of NPS. Cerebral Aβ burden was quantified using centiloids (CL). NPI-Q and GDS-30 queried the presence of NPS within 4 subdomains and 6 subscales, respectively. Regression models examined the relationship between NPS and Aβ-PET CL. RESULTS Both higher self- and informant-reported NPS were associated with higher Aβ burden. Among specific NPI-Q subdomains, informant-reported changes in depression, anxiety, and irritability were all associated with higher Aβ-PET. Similarly, self-reported (GDS-30) subscales of depression, apathy, anxiety, and cognitive concern were associated with higher Aβ-PET. When simultaneously entered, only self-reported cognitive concern was associated with Aβ-PET in the GDS-30 model, while both informant-reported anxiety and depression were associated with Aβ-PET in the NPI-Q model. Clinical status moderated the association between self-reported NPS and Aβ-PET such that the positive relationship between self-perceived NPS and Aβ burden strengthened with increasing functional difficulties. CONCLUSIONS In a cohort of older adults without dementia, both self- and informant-reported measures of global NPS, particularly patient-reported cognitive concerns and informant-reported anxiety and depression, corresponded with cerebral Aβ burden. NPS may appear early in the prodromal disease state and relate to initial AD proteinopathy burden, a relationship further exaggerated in those with greater clinical severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Q Gontrum
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA,
| | | | - Shannon Lee
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Valentina Diaz
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alexander Ehrenberg
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Rowan Saloner
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nidhi S Mundada
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gil Rabinovici
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Joel H Kramer
- UCSF, Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, USA
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Veitch DP, Weiner MW, Miller M, Aisen PS, Ashford MA, Beckett LA, Green RC, Harvey D, Jack CR, Jagust W, Landau SM, Morris JC, Nho KT, Nosheny R, Okonkwo O, Perrin RJ, Petersen RC, Rivera Mindt M, Saykin A, Shaw LM, Toga AW, Tosun D. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative in the era of Alzheimer's disease treatment: A review of ADNI studies from 2021 to 2022. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:652-694. [PMID: 37698424 PMCID: PMC10841343 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) aims to improve Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials. Since 2006, ADNI has shared clinical, neuroimaging, and cognitive data, and biofluid samples. We used conventional search methods to identify 1459 publications from 2021 to 2022 using ADNI data/samples and reviewed 291 impactful studies. This review details how ADNI studies improved disease progression understanding and clinical trial efficiency. Advances in subject selection, detection of treatment effects, harmonization, and modeling improved clinical trials and plasma biomarkers like phosphorylated tau showed promise for clinical use. Biomarkers of amyloid beta, tau, neurodegeneration, inflammation, and others were prognostic with individualized prediction algorithms available online. Studies supported the amyloid cascade, emphasized the importance of neuroinflammation, and detailed widespread heterogeneity in disease, linked to genetic and vascular risk, co-pathologies, sex, and resilience. Biological subtypes were consistently observed. Generalizability of ADNI results is limited by lack of cohort diversity, an issue ADNI-4 aims to address by enrolling a diverse cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dallas P. Veitch
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterNorthern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCenter for Imaging of Neurodegenerative DiseasesSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michael W. Weiner
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCenter for Imaging of Neurodegenerative DiseasesSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Melanie Miller
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterNorthern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCenter for Imaging of Neurodegenerative DiseasesSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Paul S. Aisen
- Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research InstituteUniversity of Southern CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Miriam A. Ashford
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterNorthern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Laurel A. Beckett
- Division of BiostatisticsDepartment of Public Health SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Robert C. Green
- Division of GeneticsDepartment of MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalBroad Institute Ariadne Labs and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Danielle Harvey
- Division of BiostatisticsDepartment of Public Health SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - William Jagust
- Helen Wills Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of California BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Susan M. Landau
- Helen Wills Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of California BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - John C. Morris
- Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of NeurologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of Pathology and ImmunologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Kwangsik T. Nho
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Center for Computational Biology and BioinformaticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Rachel Nosheny
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCenter for Imaging of Neurodegenerative DiseasesSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ozioma Okonkwo
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Department of MedicineUniversity of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Richard J. Perrin
- Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of NeurologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of Pathology and ImmunologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Monica Rivera Mindt
- Department of PsychologyLatin American and Latino Studies InstituteAfrican and African American StudiesFordham UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of NeurologyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Andrew Saykin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Leslie M. Shaw
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the PENN Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterCenter for Neurodegenerative ResearchPerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Arthur W. Toga
- Laboratory of Neuro ImagingInstitute of Neuroimaging and InformaticsKeck School of Medicine of University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Duygu Tosun
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCenter for Imaging of Neurodegenerative DiseasesSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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4
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Guo Y, Sun Y, Li M, Qi WY, Tan L, Tan MS. Amyloid Pathology Modulates the Associations of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms with Cognitive Impairments and Neurodegeneration in Non-Demented Elderly. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:471-484. [PMID: 38143362 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230918] [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: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The associations between neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been well-studied, yet gaps remain. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the associations of four subsyndromes (hyperactivity, psychosis, affective symptoms, and apathy) of NPSs with cognition, neurodegeneration, and AD pathologies. METHODS Totally 1,040 non-demented elderly (48.07% males) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were included. We assessed the relationships between NPSs and AD neuropathologies, cognition, neurodegeneration, and clinical correlates in cross-sectional and longitudinal via multiple linear regression, linear mixed effects, and Cox proportional hazard models. Causal mediation analyses were conducted to explore the mediation effects of AD pathologies on cognition and neurodegeneration. RESULTS We found that individuals with hyperactivity, psychosis, affective symptoms, or apathy displayed a poorer cognitive status, a lower CSF amyloid-β (Aβ) level and a higher risk of clinical conversion (p < 0.05). Hyperactivity and affective symptoms were associated with increasing cerebral Aβ deposition (p < 0.05). Except psychosis, the other three subsyndromes accompanied with faster atrophy of hippocampal volume (p < 0.05). Specific NPSs were predominantly associated with different cognitive domains decline through an 8-year follow-up (p < 0.05). Moreover, the relationships between NPSs and cognitive decline, neurodegeneration might be associated with Aβ, the mediation percentage varied from 6.05% to 17.51% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS NPSs could be strongly associated with AD. The influences of NPSs on cognitive impairments, neurodegeneration might be partially associated with Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Guo
- School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wan-Yi Qi
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Qingdao, China
| | - Lan Tan
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Meng-Shan Tan
- School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
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5
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Kan CN, Huang X, Zhang L, Hilal S, Reilhac A, Tanaka T, Venketasubramanian N, Chen C, Xu X. Comorbid amyloid with cerebrovascular disease in domain-specific cognitive and neuropsychiatric disturbances: a cross-sectional memory clinic study. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 132:47-55. [PMID: 37729769 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.08.005] [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: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Dementia is a multifactorial disorder that is likely influenced by both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular pathologies. We evaluated domain-specific cognitive and neuropsychiatric dysfunction using a two-neuroimaging biomarker construct (beta-amyloid [Aβ] and cerebrovascular disease [CeVD]). We analyzed data from 216 memory clinic participants (mean age = 75.9 ± 6.9; 56.5% female) with neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric assessments, 3T-MRI, and Aβ-PET imaging. Structural equation modeling showed that the largest Aβ (A+) effect was on memory (B = -1.50) and apathy (B = 0.26), whereas CeVD effects were largest on language (B = -1.62) and hyperactivity (B = 0.32). Group comparisons showed that the A+C+ group had greater memory impairment (B = -1.55), hyperactivity (B = 0.79), and apathy (B = 0.74) compared to A-C+; and greater language impairment (B = -1.26) compared to A+C-. These potentially additive effects of Aβ and CeVD burden underline the importance of early detection and treatment of Aβ alongside optimal control of vascular risk factors as a potential strategy in preventing cognitive and neurobehavioral impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk Ni Kan
- Memory Aging and Cognition Centre, Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xuhua Huang
- School of Public Health and the Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liwen Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Saima Hilal
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Anthonin Reilhac
- Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tomotaka Tanaka
- Department of Neurology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Christopher Chen
- Memory Aging and Cognition Centre, Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xin Xu
- Memory Aging and Cognition Centre, Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; School of Public Health and the Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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6
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Sun L, Li W, Qiu Q, Hu Y, Yang Z, Xiao S. Anxiety adds the risk of cognitive progression and is associated with axon/synapse degeneration among cognitively unimpaired older adults. EBioMedicine 2023; 94:104703. [PMID: 37429081 PMCID: PMC10435838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104703] [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: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental symptoms have been shown to be associated with dementia. As the most common neuropsychiatric disorder, it is unclear whether and why anxiety increases the risk of cognitive progression in elderly. METHODS The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal effects of anxiety on cognitive impairment in non-dementia elderly and to explore the underlying biological processes using multi-omics including microarray-based transcriptomics, mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical markers, and brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and Shanghai Mental Health Centre (SMHC) cohorts were included. FINDINGS Anxiety was found to increase the risk of subsequent cognitive progression in the ADNI, and a similar result was observed in the CLHLS cohort. Enrichment analysis indicated activated axon/synapse pathways and suppressed mitochondrial pathways in anxiety, the former confirmed by deviations in frontolimbic tract morphology and altered levels of axon/synapse markers, and the latter supported by decreased levels of carnitine metabolites. Mediation analysis revealed that anxiety's effect on the longitudinal cognition was mediated by brain tau burden. Correlations of mitochondria-related expressed genes with axon/synapse proteins, carnitine metabolites, and cognitive changes were found. INTERPRETATION This study provides cross-validated epidemiological and biological evidence that anxiety is a risk factor for cognitive progression in non-dementia elderly, and that axon/synapse damage in the context of energy metabolism imbalance may contribute to this phenomenon. FUNDING The National Natural Science Foundation of China (82271607, 81971682, and 81830059) for data analysis and data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Qi Qiu
- Department of Psychiatry, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yang Hu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Institute of Psychological and Behavioural Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China; Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Shifu Xiao
- Department of Psychiatry, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.
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7
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Steffens DC, Fahed M, Manning KJ, Wang L. The neurobiology of apathy in depression and neurocognitive impairment in older adults: a review of epidemiological, clinical, neuropsychological and biological research. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:525. [PMID: 36572691 PMCID: PMC9792580 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02292-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Apathy is a common condition that involves diminished initiative, diminished interest and diminished emotional expression or responsiveness. It is highly prevalent in the context of a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders and is related to poor health outcomes. Presence of apathy is associated with cognitive and functional decline in dementia. Despite its negative impact on health, there is no definitive treatment for apathy, a clinical reality that may be due in part to lack of knowledge about assessment, neuropsychological features and neurobiological underpinnings. Here, we review and synthesize evidence from clinical, epidemiological, neuropsychological, peripheral biomarker and neuroimaging research. Apathy is a common feature of depression and cognitive disorders and is associated with impairment in executive function. Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies point to dysfunction of brain circuitry involving the prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex circuit, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex circuit, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex circuit. However, inconsistent findings, particularly in neuroimaging may be due to heterogeneity of apathy symptoms (with a need to better elucidate subtypes), neuropsychiatric comorbidities, the severity of cognitive impairment and other factors. These factors need to be accounted for in future studies so that biomarker research can make progress. On the whole, the literature on apathy has identified likely neurocognitive, peripheral biomarker and neuroimaging targets for understanding apathy, but also points to the need to address methodological issues that will better inform future studies. In turn, as we learn more about the underpinning of apathy and its subtypes, subsequent research can focus on new neurally based interventions that will strengthen the clinical management of apathy in the context of its comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C. Steffens
- grid.208078.50000000419370394Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT USA
| | - Mario Fahed
- grid.208078.50000000419370394Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT USA
| | - Kevin J. Manning
- grid.208078.50000000419370394Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT USA
| | - Lihong Wang
- grid.208078.50000000419370394Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT USA
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8
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Manca R, Jones SA, Venneri A. Macrostructural and Microstructural White Matter Alterations Are Associated with Apathy across the Clinical Alzheimer's Disease Spectrum. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1383. [PMID: 36291317 PMCID: PMC9599811 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Apathy is the commonest neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous findings suggest that apathy is caused by a communication breakdown between functional neural networks involved in motivational-affective processing. This study investigated the relationship between white matter (WM) damage and apathy in AD. Sixty-one patients with apathy (AP-PT) and 61 without apathy (NA-PT) were identified from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database and matched for cognitive status, age and education. Sixty-one cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants were also included as controls. Data on cognitive performance, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, brain/WM hyperintensity volumes and diffusion tensor imaging indices were compared across groups. No neurocognitive differences were found between patient groups, but the AP-PT group had more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms. Compared with CU participants, only apathetic patients had deficits on the Clock Drawing Test. AP-PT had increased WM damage, both macrostructurally, i.e., larger WM hyperintensity volume, and microstructurally, i.e., increased radial/axial diffusivity and reduced fractional anisotropy in the fornix, cingulum, anterior thalamic radiations and superior longitudinal and uncinate fasciculi. AP-PT showed signs of extensive WM damage, especially in associative tracts in the frontal lobes, fornix and cingulum. Disruption in structural connectivity might affect crucial functional inter-network communication, resulting in motivational deficits and worse cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Manca
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3BH, UK
| | - Sarah A. Jones
- Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham DN4 8QN, UK
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3BH, UK
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
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9
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Krashia P, Spoleti E, D'Amelio M. The VTA dopaminergic system as diagnostic and therapeutical target for Alzheimer's disease. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1039725. [PMID: 36325523 PMCID: PMC9618946 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1039725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) occur in nearly all patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Most frequently they appear since the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage preceding clinical AD, and have a prognostic importance. Unfortunately, these symptoms also worsen the daily functioning of patients, increase caregiver stress and accelerate the disease progression from MCI to AD. Apathy and depression are the most common of these NPS, and much attention has been given in recent years to understand the biological mechanisms related to their appearance in AD. Although for many decades these symptoms have been known to be related to abnormalities of the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area (VTA), a direct association between deficits in the VTA and NPS in AD has never been investigated. Fortunately, this scenario is changing since recent studies using preclinical models of AD, and clinical studies in MCI and AD patients demonstrated a number of functional, structural and metabolic alterations affecting the VTA dopaminergic neurons and their mesocorticolimbic targets. These findings appear early, since the MCI stage, and seem to correlate with the appearance of NPS. Here, we provide an overview of the recent evidence directly linking the dopaminergic VTA with NPS in AD and propose a setting in which the precocious identification of dopaminergic deficits can be a helpful biomarker for early diagnosis. In this scenario, treatments of patients with dopaminergic drugs might slow down the disease progression and delay the impairment of daily living activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Krashia
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.,Department of Science and Technology for Humans and the Environment, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Spoleti
- Department of Science and Technology for Humans and the Environment, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello D'Amelio
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.,Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
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