Subjective Cognitive Decline and APOE ɛ4: A Systematic Review

Subjective Cognitive Decline Plus and Longitudinal Assessment and Risk for Cognitive Impairment

Importance

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is recognized to be in the Alzheimer disease (AD) cognitive continuum. The SCD Initiative International Working Group recently proposed SCD-plus (SCD+) features that increase risk for future objective cognitive decline but that have not been assessed in a large community-based setting.

Objective

To assess SCD risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD, and all-cause dementia, using SCD+ criteria among cognitively normal adults.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The Framingham Heart Study, a community-based prospective cohort study, assessed SCD between 2005 and 2019, with up to 12 years of follow-up. Participants 60 years and older with normal cognition at analytic baseline were included. Cox proportional hazards (CPH) models were adjusted for baseline age, sex, education, APOE ε4 status, and tertiles of AD polygenic risk score (PRS), excluding the APOE region. Data were analyzed from May 2021 to November 2023.

Exposure

SCD was assessed longitudinally using a single question and considered present if endorsed at the last cognitively normal visit. It was treated as a time-varying variable, beginning at the first of consecutive, cognitively normal visits, including the last, at which it was endorsed.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Consensus-diagnosed MCI, AD, and all-cause dementia.

Results

This study included 3585 participants (mean [SD] baseline age, 68.0 [7.7] years; 1975 female [55.1%]). A total of 1596 participants (44.5%) had SCD, and 770 (21.5%) were carriers of APOE ε4. APOE ε4 and tertiles of AD PRS status did not significantly differ between the SCD and non-SCD groups. MCI, AD, and all-cause dementia were diagnosed in 236 participants (6.6%), 73 participants (2.0%), and 89 participants (2.5%), respectively, during follow-up. On average, SCD preceded MCI by 4.4 years, AD by 6.8 years, and all-cause dementia by 6.9 years. SCD was significantly associated with survival time to MCI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.57; 95% CI, 1.22-2.03; P <.001), AD (HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.89-4.70; P <.001), and all-cause dementia (HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.44-3.18; P <.001). After adjustment for APOE and AD PRS, the hazards of SCD were largely unchanged.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this cohort study suggest that in a community setting, SCD reflecting SCD+ features was associated with an increased risk of future MCI, AD, and all-cause dementia with similar hazards estimated in clinic-based settings. SCD may be an independent risk factor for AD and other dementias beyond the risk incurred by APOE ε4 and AD PRS.

Relationships of brain cholesterol and cholesterol biosynthetic enzymes to Alzheimer's pathology and dementia in the CFAS population-derived neuropathology cohort

Altered cholesterol metabolism is implicated in brain ageing and Alzheimer's disease. We examined whether key genes regulating cholesterol metabolism and levels of brain cholesterol are altered in dementia and Alzheimer's disease neuropathological change (ADNC). Temporal cortex (n = 99) was obtained from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study. Expression of the cholesterol biosynthesis rate-limiting enzyme HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) and its regulator, SREBP2, were detected using immunohistochemistry. Expression of HMGCR, SREBP2, CYP46A1 and ABCA1 were quantified by qPCR in samples enriched for astrocyte and neuronal RNA following laser-capture microdissection. Total cortical cholesterol was measured using the Amplex Red assay. HMGCR and SREBP2 proteins were predominantly expressed in pyramidal neurones, and in glia. Neuronal HMGCR did not vary with ADNC, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation or dementia status. Expression of HMGCR neuronal mRNA decreased with ADNC (p = 0.022) and increased with neuronal DNA damage (p = 0.049), whilst SREBP2 increased with ADNC (p = 0.005). High or moderate tertiles for cholesterol levels were associated with increased dementia risk (OR 1.44, 1.58). APOE ε4 allele was not associated with cortical cholesterol levels. ADNC is associated with gene expression changes that may impair cholesterol biosynthesis in neurones but not astrocytes, whilst levels of cortical cholesterol show a weak relationship to dementia status.

Subjective cognitive concerns, APOE ε4, PTSD symptoms, and risk for dementia among older veterans

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are associated with self-reported problems with cognition as well as risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Overlapping symptom profiles observed in cognitive disorders, psychiatric disorders, and environmental exposures (e.g., head injury) can complicate the detection of early signs of ADRD. The interplay between PTSD, head injury, subjective (self-reported) cognitive concerns and genetic risk for ADRD is also not well understood, particularly in diverse ancestry groups.

METHODS

Using data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Million Veteran Program (MVP), we examined the relationship between dementia risk factors (APOE ε4, PTSD, TBI) and subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) measured in individuals of European (n = 140,921), African (n = 15,788), and Hispanic (n = 8,064) ancestry (EA, AA, and HA, respectively). We then used data from the VA electronic medical record to perform a retrospective survival analysis evaluating PTSD, TBI, APOE ε4, and SCC and their associations with risk of conversion to ADRD in Veterans aged 65 and older.

RESULTS

PTSD symptoms (B = 0.50-0.52, p < 1E-250) and probable TBI (B = 0.05-0.19, p = 1.51E-07 - 0.002) were positively associated with SCC across all three ancestry groups. APOE ε4 was associated with greater SCC in EA Veterans aged 65 and older (B = 0.037, p = 1.88E-12). Results of Cox models indicated that PTSD symptoms (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.13-1.21), APOE ε4 (HR = 1.73-2.05) and SCC (HR = 1.18-1.37) were positively associated with risk for ADRD across all three ancestry groups. In the EA group, probable TBI also contributed to increased risk of ADRD (HR = 1.18).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underscore the value of SCC as an indicator of ADRD risk in Veterans 65 and older when considered in conjunction with other influential genetic, clinical, and demographic risk factors.

The influence of APOE status on rate of cognitive decline

BACKGROUND

Apolipoprotein (APOE) ɛ4 positivity and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) both increase risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) development. However, few studies have examined the relationship between SCD and APOE status, especially using longitudinal data. The current study examined whether APOE is associated with the rate of cognitive change in SCD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

METHODS

A sample of 3494 older adults (1990 normal controls, NC, 775 SCD, and 729 MCI) with a mean follow-up of 9.09 years were included from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center Research Sharing Hub. Linear mixed effects models examined the relationship between APOE status and cognitive change in older adults with SCD normal controls, and people with MCI.

RESULTS

The presence of at least one ɛ2 allele in SCD and MCI results in cognitive change rates similar to a NC with the ɛ3ɛ3 genotype. Older adult SCD-ɛ4 individuals exhibited increased rate of cognitive decline compared to all groups, including NC-ɛ4 and MCI-ɛ4.

CONCLUSION

People with SCD with at least one ɛ4 allele experience increased rates of cognitive decline compared to cognitively healthy older adults and people with MCI. These findings have important implications for treatments and interventions and can improve future research and clinical trials by targeting people in the preclinical AD phase (i.e., SCD) who also possess at least one APOE ɛ4 allele.

Subjective Cognitive Decline and Genetic Propensity for Dementia beyond Apolipoprotein ε4: A Systematic Review

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has been described as a probable early stage of dementia, as it has consistently appeared to precede the onset of objective cognitive impairment. SCD is related to many risk factors, including genetic predisposition for dementia. The Apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4 allele, which has been thoroughly studied, seems to explain genetic risk for SCD only partially. Therefore, we aimed to summarize existing data regarding genetic factors related to SCD, beyond APOE ε4, in order to improve our current understanding of SCD. We conducted a PRISMA systematic search in PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases using the keywords "subjective cognitive decline" and "genetic predisposition" with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. From the 270 articles identified, 16 were finally included for the qualitative analysis. Family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in regard to SCD was explored in eight studies, with conflicting results. Other genes implicated in SCD, beyond APOE ε4, were investigated in six studies, which were not strong enough to provide clear conclusions. Very few data have been published regarding the association of polygenic risk for AD and SCD. Thus, many more genes related to AD must be studied, with polygenic risk scores appearing to be really promising for future investigation.

Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease Alters Perceived Executive Dysfunction in Cognitively Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Background

Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) may be an early indicator of future cognitive decline. However, findings comparing SCC and objective cognitive performance have varied, particularly in the memory domain. Even less well established is the relationship between subjective and objective complaints in non-amnestic domains, such as in executive functioning, despite evidence indicating very early changes in these domains. Moreover, particularly early changes in both amnestic and non-amnestic domains are apparent in those carrying the Apolipoprotein-E ɛ4 allele, a primary genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objective

This study investigated the role of the ɛ4 allele in the consistency between subjective and objective executive functioning in 54 healthy, cognitively intact, middle-aged and older adults.

Methods

Participants (Mage = 64.07, SD = 9.27, range = 48-84; ɛ4+ = 18) completed the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe) Executive Dysfunction Scale (EXECDYS) to measure subjective executive functioning (SEF) and multiple executive functioning tasks, which were condensed into a single factor.

Results

After accounting for age, depression, and anxiety, objective executive functioning performance significantly predicted SEF. Importantly, ɛ4 moderated this effect. Specifically, those carrying the ɛ4 allele had significantly less accurate self-awareness of their executive functioning compared to ɛ4 non-carriers.

Conclusions

Utilizing an approach that integrates self-evaluation of executive functioning with objective neurocognitive assessment may help identify the earliest signs of impending cognitive decline, particularly in those with genetic risk for AD. Such an approach could sensitively determine those most prone to future cognitive decline prior to symptom onset, when interventions could be most effective.

Interest in genetic susceptibility testing and disclosure of AD dementia risk in cognitively normal adults: a survey study

BACKGROUND

Apolipoprotein-E (APOE) genetic testing for Alzheimer's disease is becoming more important as clinical trials are increasingly targeting individuals carrying APOE-ε4 alleles. Little is known about the interest in finding out one's genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease in the general population. Our objective was to examine this in a sample of cognitively normal (CN) adults within a population-based online research registry with the goal to implement APOE-ε4 status for trial recruitment.

METHODS

An online survey was completed by 442 CN participants between the age of 49 and 75 years (56% female) from the Dutch Brain Research Registry. The survey assessed interest in participation in research into, and disclosure of, genetic risk for dementia. The survey assessed interest in participation in research into, and disclosure of, genetic risk for dementia and knowing their genetic risk in different hypothetical risk scenarios (10%, 30%, and 50% genetic risk for dementia at age 85, corresponding to APOEε2/ε2 or ε2/ε3, APOEε3/ε4 or ε2ε4, and APOE-ε4/ε4 genotypes). Cochran's Q and post hoc McNemar tests were used to analyse differences in frequencies across scenarios.

RESULTS

Most participants were interested in participating in research into and disclosure of their genetic risk (81%). The most reported reason was to contribute to scientific research (94%). Interest was higher in males, whilst lower-educated participants were more often undecided. When provided with different risk scenarios, interest in knowing their risk was somewhat higher in the scenarios with higher risk, i.e. in the 50% (79%) compared to the 10% scenario (73%;χ2(2) = 7.98; p = .005). Most individuals expected they would share their genetic risk with close relatives (77-89%), would participate in medication trials (79-88%), and would make long-term arrangements, e.g. retirement, health care, will (69-82%), with larger proportions for scenarios with higher hypothetical genetic risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that the vast majority of CN adults participating in a research registry expresses interest in AD genetic risk research and disclosure. Interest in genetic risk disclosure is higher in scenarios corresponding to the APOE-ε4 genotype. This suggests APOE-ε4 screening within an online research registry is potentially a well-received method to accelerate inclusion for trials.

Prevalence and Progression of Subjective Cognitive Decline Among Rural Chinese Older Adults: A Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Few community-based studies have examined occurrence and progression of subjective cognitive decline (SCD).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate prevalence and progression of SCD among rural-dwelling Chinese elderly people.

METHODS

This cohort study included 2,488 cognitively unimpaired adults (age≥65 years) who were examined at baseline (2014-2015) and followed in 2018. Demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and neuropsychological data were collected via in-person interviews and clinical examinations following a structured questionnaire. At baseline, SCD was assessed using the self-rated Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire. At follow-up, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) were clinically diagnosed following the international criteria. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The prevalence of SCD was 40.07%. SCD at baseline was associated with the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.51 (95% confidence interval 1.10-2.07) for incident cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) and 3.11 (1.64-5.93) for incident AD. Among people with SCD at baseline, the multivariable-adjusted OR of incident CIND was 0.55(0.32-0.96) for hyperlipidemia; the multivariable-adjusted OR of incident AD was 1.21 (1.14-1.30) for older age, 0.32 (0.12-0.88) for high education, 2.60 (1.11-6.08) for carrying APOEɛ4 allele, and 0.34 (0.13-0.86) for high social support, whereas the multivariable-adjusted OR of incident VaD was 6.30 (1.71-23.18) for obesity.

CONCLUSION

SCD affects over 40% of rural-dwelling cognitively unimpaired older adults in China. SCD is associated with accelerated progression to CIND and AD. Older age, lack of school education, APOEɛ4 allele, and low social support are associated with an increased risk of progression from SCD to AD, whereas obesity is related to accelerated progression to VaD.

Degradation of EEG microstates patterns in subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment: Early biomarkers along the Alzheimer's Disease continuum?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathological changes may begin up to decades earlier than the appearance of the first symptoms of cognitive decline. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) could be the first pre-clinical sign of possible AD, which might be followed by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the initial stage of clinical cognitive decline. However, the neural correlates of these prodromic stages are not completely clear yet. Recent studies suggest that EEG analysis tools characterizing the cortical activity as a whole, such as microstates and cortical regions connectivity, might support a characterization of SCD and MCI conditions. Here we test this approach by performing a broad set of analyses to identify the prominent EEG markers differentiating SCD (n = 57), MCI (n = 46) and healthy control subjects (HC, n = 19). We found that the salient differences were in the temporal structure of the microstates patterns, with MCI being associated with less complex sequences due to the altered transition probability, frequency and duration of canonic microstate C. Spectral content of EEG, network connectivity, and spatial arrangement of microstates were instead largely similar in the three groups. Interestingly, comparing properties of EEG microstates in different cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers profiles, we found that canonic microstate C displayed significant differences in topography in AD-like profile. These results show that the progression of dementia might be associated with a degradation of the cortical organization captured by microstates analysis, and that this leads to altered transitions between cortical states. Overall, our approach paves the way for the use of non-invasive EEG recordings in the identification of possible biomarkers of progression to AD from its prodromal states.

MCP-1 levels in astrocyte-derived exosomes are changed in preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in older adults. There is accumulating evidence that inflammatory processes play a critical role in AD pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated whether inflammatory factors in plasma and astrocyte-derived exosomes (ADEs) from plasma are differentially expressed in the early stages of AD and their potential role in pathological processes in the AD continuum.

Method

We included 39 normal controls (NCs), 43 participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and 43 participants with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI)/AD. IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 in plasma and ADEs from plasma were evaluated using a commercial multiplex Luminex-based kit.

Results

Pairwise comparisons between the groups showed no significant differences in plasma levels of IL-6, IL-8, or MCP-1. However, ADEs in the SCD group showed an increase in MCP-1 levels compared to the NC group. To differentiate the preclinical group, discriminant analysis was performed using sex, age, years of education, and genotype. This revealed a difference between the SCD and NC groups (area under the curve: 0.664). A Spearman correlation analysis of MCP-1 in plasma and ADEs showed no or weak correlation in the SCD (R = 0.150, p = 0.350) and aMCI/AD (R = 0.310, p = 0.041) groups, while a positive correlation in the NC group (R = 0.360, p = 0.026).

Conclusion

Plasma IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 levels were not significantly different. However, the concentration of MCP-1 in ADEs is slightly altered during the preclinical phase of AD, which could be a potential role of the central neuron system (CNS) immune response in the AD continuum.

Clinical trial registration

www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03370744.

Pulmonary function is associated with cognitive decline and structural brain differences

The association of poor pulmonary function (PF) with cognitive trajectories and structural brain differences remains unclear. Within the Rush Memory and Aging Project, 1377 dementia-free subjects were followed up to 21 years. PF was assessed with a composite score measured at baseline. Global and domain-specific cognitive function was assessed annually constructed from 19 cognitive tests. A subsample of 351 participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the cross-sectional association between PF and structural brain volumes. We found that low PF was related to faster decline in global cognition, and domain-specific function including episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, visuospatial ability, and perceptual speed. In addition, low PF was associated with smaller volumes of total brain, white matter and gray matter, and larger white matter hyperintensities volume. Our results suggest that low PF is associated with faster cognitive decline, and both neurodegeneration and vascular brain lesions may underlie the association.

APOE ε4 Allele Distribution and Association With Scores of Subjective Cognitive Decline Questionnaire 9 in a Large Chinese Memory Clinic Cohort

Background

Previous reports on APOE ε4 allele distribution in different populations have been inconclusive. The Subjective Cognitive Decline-Questionnaire 9 (SCD-Q9) was developed to identify those at risk of objective cognitive impairment [OCI; including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia groups), but its association with APOE ε4 and discriminatory powers for SCD_{with subtle cognitive decline} (SCDs) and OCI in memory clinics are unclear.

Objectives

To investigate demographic distribution of APOE ε4, its association with SCD-Q9 scores, and its ability to discriminate SCDs and OCI groups from normal control (NC).

Methods

A total of 632 participants were recruited (NC = 243, SCDs = 298, OCI = 91). APOE ε4 allele distribution and association with SCD-Q9 scores were calculated and the effects on cognitive impairment were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was applied to identify discriminatory powers for NC, SCDs, and OCI.

Results

Total APOE ε4 frequency was 13.1%. This did not vary by demography but was higher in patients with OCI. The SCD-Q9 scores were higher in APOE ε4 carriers than non-carriers in the OCI group. The area under the curve (AUC) for discriminating from OCI using APOE ε4 were 0.587 and 0.575, using SCD-Q9 scores were 0.738 and 0.571 for NC and SCDs groups, respectively. When we combined APOE ε4 and SCD-Q9 scores into the model, the AUC increased to 0.747 for discriminating OCI from NC. However, when OCI group was split into MCI and dementia groups, only total SCD-Q9 score was the independent affecting factor of MCI.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the distribution of APOE ε4 alleles did not vary with different demographic characteristics in a large-scale cohort from a memory clinic. APOE ε4 alleles may be associated with scores of SCD-Q9 reflecting the degree of cognitive complaints but their additional contribution to SCD-Q9 scores is marginal in discriminating between NC, SCDs, and OCI.

Distribution characteristics of ApoE gene polymorphism in the Tibetan population of Qinghai

Objective:

To understand the distribution characteristics of the relative frequencies of apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles in Tibetans of Qinghai province, to provide a basis for subsequent research.

Method:

Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine the APOE genotypes and analyze the distribution characteristics in 96 indigenous Tibetans randomly selected from the Medical Examination Center of Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital, and the results of this study were compared with those of other ethnic groups in China.

Results:

The frequencies of E2, E3, and E4 alleles in the 96 subjects were 1.563%, 89.062%, and 9.375%, respectively, and the genotype frequencies were E2/E2 (0%), E2/E3 (3.125%), E2/E4 (0%), E3/E3 (78.125%), E3/E4 (18.750%), and E4/E4 (0%), respectively. The frequency distribution of the ε2 allele in the Tibetan population was lower than that of the Northern Han, Southern Hakka, Hui, Mongolian, and Dai populations of China. The frequency distribution of the ε4 allele in the Tibetan population was of no significant difference compared with that of the Northern Han, Southern Hakka, Hui, and Mongolian populations, but was higher than that of the Dai population. The frequency distribution of the ε3 allele in the Tibetan population was of no significant difference compared with that of the Northern Han, Mongolian, and Dai populations, but higher than that of the Southern Hakka and Mongolian populations.

Conclusion:

There are ethnic differences in the frequency distribution of the three common alleles of APOE.

Gender and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Social Determinants of Health and Subjective Cognitive Decline: The Mediating Role of Depression

Social determinants of health (SDOH) may be associated with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), which is a precursor for Alzheimer's disease. The main aims of the current study were to examine the association between SDOH and SCD; to determine if there is an indirect pathway among SDOH, depression, and SCD; and to examine the related gender and racial/ethnic disparities. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey (N = 6,509; 2,530 men and 3,978 women aged ≥45 years). Path analyses (stratified by gender and race) were used to determine the relationship between a SDOH index, depression, and SCD. After controlling for gender, age, income, education, employment, and other health-related behaviors, SDOH were positively associated with SCD among the overall population, men, and White populations. SDOH were associated with depression, and depression was associated with SCD among men, women, and White and Black populations. After adjustment for confounders, the indirect pathway among SDOH, depression, and SCD was statistically significant for men (β = 0.035, p < 0.001), women (β = 0.040, p < 0.001), White populations (β = 0.034, p < 0.001), and Black populations (β = 0.036, p = 0.026). Gender and racial/ethnic disparities existed in the relationship among SDOH, depression, and SCD. Future research should assess alternative mediational pathways between SDOH and SCD. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(2), 13-22.].

Subjective Cognitive Decline: Is a Resilient Personality Protective Against Progression to Objective Cognitive Impairment? Findings from Two Community-Based Cohort Studies

BACKGROUND

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is related to personality functioning and risk of subsequent objective cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine whether lower neuroticism and higher conscientiousness-resilient personality traits-protect against conversion from SCD to objective cognitive impairment in two longitudinal community-based cohorts.

METHODS

Data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 1,741, Mean age = 68.64 years, Follow-up mean = 7.34 years) and the National Health and Aging Trends Survey (N = 258, Mean age = 79.34 years, Follow-up mean = 4.31 years) were analyzed using Cox regression analysis, controlling for sociodemographic covariates, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and apolipoprotein ɛ4.

RESULTS

The pooled results showed that lower neuroticism and higher conscientiousness were associated with decreased risk of conversion from SCD to objective cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSION

Among individuals with SCD, those with a resilient personality may have more cognitive and psychological reserve to maintain cognitive functioning and delay conversion to objective cognitive impairment. The findings further contribute to a better understanding of personality along the cognitive continuum: The observed effect sizes were smaller than those reported in cognitively normal individuals but larger than in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Personality could provide useful information to identify individuals with SCD who may develop objective cognitive impairment-namely those who hold a vulnerable personality (higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness).

Effect of APOEε4 on Functional Brain Network in Patients with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Resting State Functional MRI Study

PURPOSE

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is the earliest symptom stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the APOEε4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic AD. Based on graph theory, the resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in SCD patients with APOEε4 was studied to explore the effect of APOEε4 on the rsFC network properties of SCD patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study included MRI image data from 19 SCD patients with APOEε4 (SCD+), 29 SCD patients without APOEε4 (SCD-), and 30 normal control (NC-) individuals without APOEε4. We generated a binary matrix based on anatomical automatic labeling (AAL) 90 atlas to construct the functional network. We then calculated the whole brain network characteristics and intracerebral node characteristics by graph theory.

RESULTS

For the whole brain network characteristics, all three groups showed small-worldness. The SCD+ group had increased compensatory information transfer speed and enhanced integration capability. This group also had high heterogeneity for intracerebral node characteristics, mainly in the default mode network, left superior occipital gyrus, and bilateral putamen.

CONCLUSION

APOEε4 effects the functional brain network in patients with SCD and may be a potential indicator for the identification of SCD.

The Relationship of APOE ε4, Race, and Sex on the Age of Onset and Risk of Dementia

Objective: To investigate whether APOE ε4 genotype—an established risk factor for dementia—is associated with earlier age at diagnosis in addition to increased risk overall and in secondary analysis by race and sex.

Methods: We followed up 13,782 dementia-free individuals (n = 10,137 White, n = 3,645 Black, baseline age 60–66 years) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study for up to 30 years. Dementia was operationalized using standardized algorithms incorporating longitudinal cognitive change, proxy report, and hospital or death certificate dementia codes. We used a mixture of generalized gamma distributions to simultaneously estimate time to dementia, time to dementia-free death, and the proportion of individuals with dementia, by APOE ε4 status (≥1 vs. no alleles).

Results: Median age of dementia onset among APOE ε4 carriers was 81.7 (Blacks) and 83.3 years (Whites) compared with 82.6 (Blacks) and 85.7 years (Whites) in non-APOE ε4 carriers (p > 0.05 Blacks; p < 0.01 Whites). Age of dementia diagnosis did not differ by sex in ε4 carriers, but among non-carriers, average age was earlier in males than females regardless of race. APOE ε4 carriers had on average a higher proportion of diagnoses; results did not differ by race or sex.

Conclusions:APOE ε4 carrier status is associated with earlier age of dementia diagnosis with differences across race and sex. These findings clarify the causal role of APOE in dementia etiology, which could help better identify at-risk subgroups and may help facilitate better research trial recruitment and design.

Risk of dementia in APOE ε4 carriers is mitigated by a polygenic risk score

INTRODUCTION

We investigated relationships among genetic determinants of Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyloid/tau/neurodegenaration (ATN) biomarkers, and risk of dementia.

METHODS

We studied cognitively normal individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort and SCIENCe project. We examined associations between genetic variants and ATN biomarkers, and evaluated their predictive value for incident dementia. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was calculated based on 39 genetic variants. The APOE gene was not included in the PRS and was analyzed separately.

RESULTS

The PRS and APOE ε4 were associated with amyloid-positive ATN profiles, and APOE ε4 additionally with isolated increased tau (A-T+N-). A high PRS and APOE ε4 separately predicted AD dementia. Combined, a high PRS increased while a low PRS attenuated the risk associated with ε4 carriers.

DISCUSSION

Genetic variants beyond APOE are clinically relevant and contribute to the pathophysiology of AD. In the future, a PRS might be used in individualized risk profiling.

Associations Between Cognitive Complaints, Memory Performance, Mood, and Amyloid-β Accumulation in Healthy Amyloid Negative Late-Midlife Individuals

BACKGROUND

Cognitive complaints are gaining more attention as they may represent an early marker of increased risk for AD in individuals without objective decline at standard neuropsychological examination.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to assess whether cognitive complaints in late middle-aged individuals not seeking medical help are related to objective cognitive outcomes known as early markers for AD risk, concomitant affective state, and amyloid-β (Aβ) burden.

METHODS

Eighty-seven community-based cognitively normal individuals aged 50-69 years underwent neuropsychological assessment for global cognition, using Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite 5 (PACC5) score, and a more specific episodic memory measure. Affective state was based on self-assessment questionnaires for depression and anxiety. Aβ PET burden was assessed via [18F]Flutemetamol (N = 84) and [18F]Florbetapir (N = 3) uptake. Cognitive complaints were evaluated using Cognitive Difficulties Scale.

RESULTS

Higher cognitive complaints were significantly associated with lower episodic memory performance and worse affective state. Moreover, higher level of cognitive complaints was related to higher (but still sub-clinical) global Aβ accumulation (at uncorrected significance level). Importantly, all three aspects remained significant when taken together in the same statistical model, indicating that they explained distinct parts of variance.

CONCLUSION

In healthy Aβ negative late middle-aged individuals, a higher degree of cognitive complaints is associated with lower episodic memory efficiency, more anxiety and depression, as well as, potentially, with higher Aβ burden, suggesting that complaints might signal subtle decline. Future studies should untangle how cognitive complaints in healthy aging populations are related to longitudinal changes in objective cognition and AD biomarker correlates.

Effects of Combined Physical Activity and Cognitive Training on Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is recognized as the earliest prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Emerging studies explored the effects of combined physical activity and cognitive training interventions on cognitive ability, psychological well-being, and emotion of older adults with SCD, but the results are now still controversial. Objective. This study systematically evaluated the enhancement effects of the combined physical-cognitive interventions on memory self-efficacy, objective cognitive function, psychological well-being, and emotion of older adults with SCD. Methods. Data sources PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang degree and conference papers database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical (VIP) databases from their inception to 28 February 2020, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library, 2020, Issue 3), and the reference lists of all retrieved articles were searched. Data analysis and bias risk evaluation were conducted in 2020. Two reviewers (SG and YY) independently evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies using the RoB 2 tool. Results. Eleven RCTs involving 1713 participants with SCD (age 68.0 ± 6.1) were included for review and meta-analysis. The interventions in the included studies were physical activity combined with cognitive training. Multiple-modality exercise with mind-motor training, supervised strategy-based memory training sequentially after stationary cycling, Dejian Mind-Body intervention, and physical activity and cognitive stimulation were also practiced. Conclusions. Compared to the active or nonactive control groups, the combined interventions are effective in improving objective cognitive function in SCD which may show the potential value of combined physical-cognitive interventions in improving objective cognitive ability and preventing the conversion of SCD to MCI or AD and no adverse effects. However, owing to the limitations of the included studies, these findings should be interpreted cautiously.

Association between sleep quality and subjective cognitive decline: evidence from a community health survey

OBJECTIVES

Little is known concerning whether subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is associated with sleep quality. This study aimed to identify the association between self-reported quality of sleep and SCD in a large population of middle-aged and older adults in Korea.

METHODS

We conducted this study based on data collected from the 2018 Korean Community Health Survey. Individuals aged 40 years and older who responded to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessments and did not lack data about multiple covariates were included. A total of 37,712 respondents with SCD and 135,119 those without SCD were included. Sleep quality was estimated using the PSQI, which includes seven self-reported components for sleep health assessment. SCD was assessed using the BRFSS. Logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were used to examine whether each component of the sleep quality index was related to SCD. Additional analysis of the correlation between quantified scores for each component and SCD-related functional limitations as ordinal variables was performed.

RESULTS

The mean age was 62.7 years in the SCD group and 56.4 years in the control group. In total, 13,777 (28.9%) respondents were male in the SCD group and 62,439 (50.7%) in the control group. The adjusted odds ratios of SCD were 1.25 for very bad sleep quality, 1.26 for long sleep latency, 1.16 for <5 h of sleep duration, 1.08 for <65% habitual sleep efficiency, 2.29 for high sleep disturbance, 1.26 for use of sleep medication ≥3 times a week, and 2.47 for high daytime dysfunction due to sleep problems compared to good sleep conditions. Furthermore, a higher score for each component of the sleep quality index correlated with greater SCD-related functional limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides evidence that poor sleep quality is closely related to both SCD and SCD-related functional limitations.

Cognitive Phenotypes of Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline and Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Czech Brain Aging Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare cognitive phenotypes of participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), estimate progression to MCI/dementia by phenotype and assess classification error with machine learning.

METHOD

Dataset consisted of 163 participants with SCD and 282 participants with aMCI from the Czech Brain Aging Study. Cognitive assessment included the Uniform Data Set battery and additional tests to ascertain executive function, language, immediate and delayed memory, visuospatial skills, and processing speed. Latent profile analyses were used to develop cognitive profiles, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate risk of progression. Random forest machine learning algorithms reported cognitive phenotype classification error.

RESULTS

Latent profile analysis identified three phenotypes for SCD, with one phenotype performing worse across all domains but not progressing more quickly to MCI/dementia after controlling for age, sex, and education. Three aMCI phenotypes were characterized by mild deficits, memory and language impairment (dysnomic aMCI), and severe multi-domain aMCI (i.e., deficits across all domains). A dose-response relationship between baseline level of impairment and subsequent risk of progression to dementia was evident for aMCI profiles after controlling for age, sex, and education. Machine learning more easily classified participants with aMCI in comparison to SCD (8% vs. 21% misclassified).

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive performance follows distinct patterns, especially within aMCI. The patterns map onto risk of progression to dementia.

The Therapeutic Potential of Carnosine/Anserine Supplementation against Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Carnosine is a natural occurring endogenous dipeptide that was proposed as an anti-aging agent more than 20 years ago. Carnosine can be found at low millimolar concentrations at brain level and different preclinical studies have demonstrated its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aggregation activity with neuroprotective effects in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A selective deficit of carnosine has also been linked to cognitive decline in AD. Different clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of carnosine supplementation against cognitive decline in elderly and AD subjects. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines coupled to the PICOS approach, to investigate the therapeutic potential of carnosine against cognitive decline and depressive symptoms in elderly subjects. We found five studies matching the selection criteria. Carnosine/anserine was administered for 12 weeks at a dose of 1 g/day and improved global cognitive function, whereas no effects were detected on depressive symptoms. These data suggest a preliminary evidence of clinical efficacy of carnosine against cognitive decline both in elderly subjects and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, although larger and long-term clinical studies are needed in MCI patients (with or without depression) to confirm the therapeutic potential of carnosine.

Semantic Processing in Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review of the N400 Differences

Semantic deficits are common in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These deficits notably impact the ability to understand words. In healthy aging, semantic knowledge increases but semantic processing (i.e., the ability to use this knowledge) may be impaired. This systematic review aimed to investigate semantic processing in healthy aging and AD through behavioral responses and the N400 brain event-related potential. The results of the quantitative and qualitative analyses suggested an overall decrease in accuracy and increase in response times in healthy elderly as compared to young adults, as well as in individuals with AD as compared to age-matched controls. The influence of semantic association, as measured by N400 effect amplitudes, appears smaller in healthy aging and even more so in AD patients. Thus, semantic processing differences may occur in both healthy and pathological aging. The establishment of norms of healthy aging for these outcomes that vary between normal and pathological aging could eventually help early detection of AD.

Interactive Effects of Apolipoprotein E ε4 and Triiodothyronine on Memory Performance in Patients With Subjective Cognitive Decline

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between thyroid hormones, cognitive performance, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype in euthyroid patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Methods: We recruited 197 euthyroid patients that fulfilled the criteria for SCD. All participants were classified into APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers based on the presence of the APOE ε4 allele. Patients with SCD who had the APOE ε2/ε4 genotype were excluded from the study. We then performed correlation and regression analyses to evaluate the associations between cognitive performance and thyroid hormones in APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers. Results: We found no significant differences in cognitive function between APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers. However, higher levels of triiodothyronine (T3) were associated with better verbal memory performance (immediate and delayed recall tasks) in APOE ε4 carriers, whereas a negative association was found in APOE ε4 non-carriers. Furthermore, there was a significant interactive effect of APOE ε4 status and T3 levels on verbal memory performance (immediate and delayed recall tasks). Conclusions: These findings suggest that in patients with SCD, T3 might have a protective effect on memory in those who are APOE ε4 carriers. The differential susceptibility hypothesis would thus support a gene-by-hormone crossover interaction between APOE ε4 allele and T3 in this study. Early identification and intervention of high-risk individuals for cognitive decline is important to establish new strategies for preventing dementia.

Quantification of total apolipoprotein E and its isoforms in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neurodegenerative diseases

BACKGROUND

The human APOE gene, which codes for apolipoprotein E (apoE), has three major polymorphic alleles: ε2, ε3, and ε4 that give rise to amino acid substitutions. APOE-ε4 is a strong risk factor of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the reason why is still unknown despite intense research for more than 20 years. The aim of the study was to investigate if the concentrations of total apoE and the specific apoE isoforms in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) differ between various neurodegenerative diseases and control individuals, as well as among the APOE genotypes.

METHODS

Quantification of total apoE and specific apoE isoforms (E2, E3, and E4) in CSF was performed using high-resolution parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry. In total, 1820 individuals were involved in the study including clinically diagnosed AD patients (n = 228), cognitively unimpaired (CU) patients (n = 896), and patients with other neurodegenerative disorders (n = 696). Follow-up data was available for 100 individuals, assessed at two time points. Subjects were dichotomized based on an Aβ42/40 CSF concentration ratio cut-off into Aβ positive (Aβ+, < 0.091) and Aβ negative (Aβ-, > 0.091) groups.

RESULTS

Even though there was a significant increase of total apoE in the amyloid β-positive (Aβ+) group compared with amyloid β-negative (Aβ-) individuals (p < 0.001), the magnitude of the effect was very small (AUC = 0.55). Moreover, CSF total apoE concentrations did not differ between Aβ- CU controls and clinically diagnosed AD patients. There was a difference in concentration between isoforms in heterozygous individuals in an isoform-dependent manner (E2 < E3 < E4) (p < 0.001, AUC = 0.64-0.69), and these associations remained when dichotomizing the samples into Aβ+ and Aβ- groups (p < 0.01, AUC = 0.63-0.74). In the cohort with follow-up samples, neither total apoE nor isoform-specific apoE concentrations differed between the two time points (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that neither the concentrations of total apoE nor the different apoE isoforms in CSF are associated with APOE-ε4 carrier status, Aβ status, or clinical dementia diagnoses.

Functional cognitive disorders: a systematic review

Cognitive symptoms are common, and yet many who seek help for cognitive symptoms neither have, nor go on to develop, dementia. A proportion of these people are likely to have functional cognitive disorders, a subtype of functional neurological disorders, in which cognitive symptoms are present, associated with distress or disability, but caused by functional alterations rather than degenerative brain disease or another structural lesion. In this Review, we have systematically examined the prevalence and clinical associations of functional cognitive disorders, and related phenotypes, within the wider cognitive disorder literature. Around a quarter of patients presenting to memory clinics received diagnoses that might indicate the presence of functional cognitive disorders, which were associated with affective symptoms, negative self-evaluation, negative illness perceptions, non-progressive symptom trajectories, and linguistic and behavioural differences during clinical interactions. Those with functional cognitive disorder phenotypes are at risk of iatrogenic harm because of misdiagnosis or inaccurate prediction of future decline. Further research is imperative to improve diagnosis and identify effective treatments for functional cognitive disorders, and better understanding these phenotypes will also improve the specificity of diagnoses of prodromal degenerative brain disease.

Subjective cognitive decline, APOE ε4, and incident mild cognitive impairment in men and women

Introduction

Possible joint effects of subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype on incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were examined for men and women separately.

Methods

Cognitively normal participants with and without SCD were included from the first follow-up examination of the population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall study. Sex-stratified logistic regression models estimated main effects and interactions (additive, multiplicative) of SCD at the first follow-up (yes+/no−) and APOE ε4 (positive+/negative−) groups for MCI 5 years later.

Results

Odds for MCI 5 years later were higher in SCD/APOE ε4 group +/+ than the sum of groups +/− and −/+ in women, with a trend for positive interaction. Odds for incident MCI in men was highest in group +/−, with no interaction effect.

Discussion

Our findings indicate that APOE ε4 may play an important role in the association of SCD and incident MCI, especially considering sex. Further studies need to examine these associations with larger sample sizes.

Subjective cognitive decline: preclinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), characterized by a very early and subtle cognitive decline prior to the appearance of objective cognitive impairment, is considered to be the preclinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Given the lack of significant abnormalities in standardized neuropsychological assessments for individuals with SCD, biochemical and neuroimaging biomarkers may be important indicators of the preclinical stage of AD. The application of various biomarkers derived from the cerebrospinal fluid and neuroimaging thus has the potential to make AD-related pathology detectable in vivo. In this review, we discuss the conceptual evolution of SCD as an entity and further elucidate characteristic cerebrospinal fluid and neuroimaging biomarkers of SCD.