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Guanín Cabrera CL, Jaramillo AP, Vallejo MP, Cueva MG, Grandes X, Navarro Grijalva M, Hidalgo Guerrero OJ. Navigating Prevention: A Systematic Review of Strategies for Alzheimer's Disease in High-Risk and Affected Individuals. Cureus 2024; 16:e65972. [PMID: 39221402 PMCID: PMC11365738 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.65972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a widespread cause of dementia globally, and its prevalence is increasing due to the aging population. Two key pathologies typically identify this neurodegenerative disease process: the accumulation of amyloid plaques and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles containing hyperphosphorylated tau. Diagnosis relies on the patient's clinical presentation meeting specific criteria, along with the use of fluid and imaging biomarkers. The current treatment focuses on addressing symptoms, with ongoing trials aiming to decrease the production and overall impact of brain pathology. Here, we explore various methods to minimize the risks of AD in patients and individuals at high risk of developing it. To address this, we carefully selected 10 articles that discuss various prevention methods used today to promote brain health, including diets that are believed to have neuroprotective properties. The study findings emphasize the importance of further strengthening the evidence and conducting larger randomized controlled trials to gain a better understanding of the potential benefits for individuals at high risk of developing AD, as well as those already diagnosed with it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maria P Vallejo
- General Practice, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, ECU
| | - Maria G Cueva
- Urology, Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, ECU
| | - Xavier Grandes
- Research, Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, ECU
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Gasparini M, Scandola M, Amato S, Salati E, Facci E, Gobbetto V, Bruno G, Vanacore N, Gambina G, Moro V. Normative data beyond the total scores: a process score analysis of the Rey's 15 word test in healthy aging and Alzheimer's Disease. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2605-2613. [PMID: 38253743 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07330-0] [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: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Rey's 15 words test is currently the most frequently used task in Italy to detect memory deficits in AD. The current standardised version is however quite outdated and lacks some cognitive indexes which may highlight problems in recall or encoding processes. The aim of the study was to update the normative data of the test and to consider some variables which were not accounted for in the original study, that is, recognition, learning rate and forgetfulness. We also adopted the process scores approach to ascertain the effects of serial position (primacy and recency). METHODS Three hundred ninety-six healthy participants were recruited. To detect any variables useful for intercepting the early stages of dementia, a group of 208 patients in the very early stage of AD was also recruited. Linear models were used to calculate the corrections scores for age, education, and gender, and ROCs were used to calculate cut-offs based on the maximum sum of sensitivity and specificity and the positive and negative predictive values. RESULTS All main indexes showed excellent Area Under the Curve (0.90-1), strong sensitivity and PPVs for distinguishing between the HCs and AD participants. However, the Intrusions index performed poorly in all parameters. CONCLUSION The study provides updated, normative data which may be reliably used as a cognitive marker to detect early AD. The strength of the study is the large sample size and the number of indexes which make it possible to explore the utility of memory test process scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Gasparini
- Cognitive and Language Rehabilitation Center "Sinapsy", Rome, Italy.
| | | | | | - Emanuela Salati
- Department Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Bruno
- Department Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Valentina Moro
- Department Human Sciences, Verona University, Verona, Italy
- Verona Memory Center - CEMS, Verona, Italy
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Polcz VE, Barrios EL, Chapin B, Price C, Nagpal R, Chakrabarty P, Casadesus G, Foster T, Moldawer L, Efron PA. Sex, sepsis and the brain: defining the role of sexual dimorphism on neurocognitive outcomes after infection. Clin Sci (Lond) 2023; 137:963-978. [PMID: 37337946 PMCID: PMC10285043 DOI: 10.1042/cs20220555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphisms exist in multiple domains, from learning and memory to neurocognitive disease, and even in the immune system. Male sex has been associated with increased susceptibility to infection, as well as increased risk of adverse outcomes. Sepsis remains a major source of morbidity and mortality globally, and over half of septic patients admitted to intensive care are believed to suffer some degree of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). In the short term, SAE is associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, and in the long term, has the potential for significant impairment of cognition, memory, and acceleration of neurocognitive disease. Despite increasing information regarding sexual dimorphism in neurologic and immunologic systems, research into these dimorphisms in sepsis-associated encephalopathy remains critically understudied. In this narrative review, we discuss how sex has been associated with brain morphology, chemistry, and disease, sexual dimorphism in immunity, and existing research into the effects of sex on SAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie E. Polcz
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Evan L. Barrios
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Benjamin Chapin
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Catherine C. Price
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Ravinder Nagpal
- Florida State University College of Health and Human Sciences, Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Paramita Chakrabarty
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Gemma Casadesus
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Thomas Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Lyle L. Moldawer
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Philip A. Efron
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
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Ju S, Horien C, Shen X, Abuwarda H, Trainer A, Constable RT, Fredericks CA. Connectome-based predictive modeling shows sex differences in brain-based predictors of memory performance. FRONTIERS IN DEMENTIA 2023; 2:1126016. [PMID: 39082002 PMCID: PMC11285565 DOI: 10.3389/frdem.2023.1126016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) takes a more aggressive course in women than men, with higher prevalence and faster progression. Amnestic AD specifically targets the default mode network (DMN), which subserves short-term memory; past research shows relative hyperconnectivity in the posterior DMN in aging women. Higher reliance on this network during memory tasks may contribute to women's elevated AD risk. Here, we applied connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM), a robust linear machine-learning approach, to the Lifespan Human Connectome Project-Aging (HCP-A) dataset (n = 579). We sought to characterize sex-based predictors of memory performance in aging, with particular attention to the DMN. Models were evaluated using cross-validation both across the whole group and for each sex separately. Whole-group models predicted short-term memory performance with accuracies ranging from ρ = 0.21-0.45. The best-performing models were derived from an associative memory task-based scan. Sex-specific models revealed significant differences in connectome-based predictors for men and women. DMN activity contributed more to predicted memory scores in women, while within- and between- visual network activity contributed more to predicted memory scores in men. While men showed more segregation of visual networks, women showed more segregation of the DMN. We demonstrate that women and men recruit different circuitry when performing memory tasks, with women relying more on intra-DMN activity and men relying more on visual circuitry. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that women draw more heavily upon the DMN for recollective memory, potentially contributing to women's elevated risk of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyeon Ju
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Corey Horien
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Xilin Shen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Hamid Abuwarda
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Anne Trainer
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - R. Todd Constable
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION There are gender disparities in age of diagnosis with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia, which may be related to general female advantages in verbal memory across aging. Further examination of the serial position effect (SPE) may provide an avenue for earlier diagnosis of MCI/dementia among women. METHOD 338 cognitively healthy adults aged 50+ (110 men; 228 women) were administered the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) List Learning task as part of dementia screening. We examined whether the SPE could be demonstrated on Trial 1 and delayed recall, and whether SPE patterns were consistent across genders, using mixed measure ANOVAs. Using regression, we also examined whether gender, SPE components, or their interactions predicted RBANS Delayed Memory Index (DMI) performance. Using cluster analyses, we identified a group with reduced primacy relative to recency on Trial 1 and a group without. We used ANOVA to examine whether clusters differed in DMI scores and whether this was moderated by gender. RESULTS We demonstrated the prototypical SPE on Trial 1. On delayed recall, we found reduced recency compared to primacy and middle performance. As expected, men exhibited worse performance on the DMI. However, gender did not interact with SPE. Primacy and middle, but not recency, performance on Trial 1 predicted DMI scores, as did the recency ratio. These relationships were not moderated by gender. Finally, participants with better primacy than recency on Trial 1 (N = 187) exhibited higher performance on DMI than participants with better recency than primacy (N = 151). Gender did not interact with cluster membership. CONCLUSION Our results have important clinical implications in assessment, where focusing on Trial 1 primacy performance and loss of recency between Trial 1 and delayed recall may help to address gender-related delays in age of diagnosis of MCI or dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cardinal Do
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Julie A Suhr
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
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Shields HL, Konishi K, Aroner S, Aizley H, Remington A, Lee H, Buka S, Goldstein JM. Hypertension differentially impacts cognition in men and women in early midlife. J Neuropsychol 2023; 17:146-160. [PMID: 36173383 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The current study aimed to understand how sex differences in the timing of hypertension onset contribute to early midlife risk for cognitive decline that may differ by sex and whether sex-dependent advantages in normotensive populations are influenced by the presence of hypertension. One hundred and ninety-five adults aged 45-55 from the New England Family Study underwent neuropsychological testing to assess attention, executive function, and memory. Physician-diagnosed hypertension status was self-reported via questionnaire. Mid-adulthood hypertension was associated with worse performance on measures of attention and memory, but the cognitive domains impacted varied by sex. Hypertension was associated with only attention in men, whereas in women it was associated with attention and associative and working memory. Sex differences in midlife cognitive performance found in normotensive adults were attenuated in those with hypertension. Our results underscore the importance of accounting for sex when assessing the impact of hypertension on midlife cognition that could be indicative of later decline and risk for cognitive impairment and dementia, given hypertension is an independent risk factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Shields
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory for Sex Differences in the Brain, Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON-X), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kyoko Konishi
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory for Sex Differences in the Brain, Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON-X), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah Aroner
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory for Sex Differences in the Brain, Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON-X), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Harlyn Aizley
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory for Sex Differences in the Brain, Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON-X), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anne Remington
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory for Sex Differences in the Brain, Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON-X), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hang Lee
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephen Buka
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory for Sex Differences in the Brain, Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON-X), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Eliasen EH, Weihe P, Debes F, Tróndarson M, Petersen MS. 10-Year Follow-up of the Original Faroese Septuagenarian Cohort: Focus on Frailty and Association With All-cause Mortality. Gerontol Geriatr Med 2023; 9:23337214231167980. [PMID: 37077430 PMCID: PMC10108422 DOI: 10.1177/23337214231167980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the health status of Faroese people reaching high age. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the health status of older adults in a small-scale society with emphasis on frailty and all-cause mortality. In this 10-year follow-up study, 347 Faroese citizens aged 80 to 84 from the Faroese Septuagenarian cohort participated. A detailed health examination was conducted, in addition to self-reported questionnaire. We constructed a 40-item Frailty Index (FI) to assess frailty. Survival and mortality risks were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard model. Median FI score was 0.28 ranging from 0.09 to 0.7; 71 (21%) individuals were least frail, 244 (67%) moderately frail, and 41 (12%) were most frail. Frailty and sex were statistically significantly associated with mortality; being male was associated with hazard ratio (HR) of 4.05 [CI 1.73, 9.48], and being most frail with HR of 6.2 [CI 1.84, 21.3]. Classification of octogenarians as least/moderately frail may be an opportunity to initiate interventions to prevent or delay frailty in this population stratum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eina H. Eliasen
- The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- Eina H. Eliasen, Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, the Faroese Hospital System, Sigmundargøta 5, Tórshavn, FO-100, Faroe Islands.
| | - Pál Weihe
- The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Fróði Debes
- The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | | | - Maria Skaalum Petersen
- The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
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Rygvold TW, Hatlestad-Hall C, Elvsåshagen T, Moberget T, Andersson S. Long term potentiation-like neural plasticity and performance-based memory function. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 196:107696. [PMID: 36368635 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Experience-dependent modulation of the visual evoked potential (VEP) has emerged as a promising non-invasive proxy for assaying long term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity in the cerebral cortex. LTP is considered the principal candidate mechanism underlying learning and memory. There is, however, a paucity of evidence exploring associations between LTP-like plasticity and performance-based learning and memory. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between VEP-plasticity and higher-order learning and memory in healthy adults. METHOD Visual and verbal learning and memory was assessed using the Aggie Figures Learning Test (AFLT) and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The study included 111 healthy adults (61.1% females; mean age 37.6 years, range 17-71) who underwent a VEP paradigm employing visual high-frequency stimulation to induce a change in visual evoked responses recorded by scalp EEG. In addition, a more comprehensive neuropsychological assessment was administered. RESULTS Several significant moderate age-corrected positive correlations were found between modulation of the later VEP components (N1 and P1-N1 peak-to-peak) and both visual and verbal learning and memory performance. Further, there were significant differences in learning and memory performance between participants showing a higher degree of modulation (>1 SD above mean) compared to participants showing a lower degree of modulation. No significant associations were found between VEP-plasticity and other neurocognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS The current results suggest that LTP-like plasticity indexed by VEP modulation reflect processes specific to learning and memory. Future research is needed to further delineate the complex relationship between neural plasticity and learning and memory, specifically concerning possible clinical implications in populations with deficits in learning and memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine Waage Rygvold
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Torgeir Moberget
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stein Andersson
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Properties of the Cognitive Function Battery for the MIND Diet Intervention to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2022; 28:790-797. [PMID: 34612190 PMCID: PMC8983783 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617721001089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the properties of the cognitive battery used in the MIND Diet Intervention to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease. The MIND Diet Intervention is a randomized control trial to determine the relative effectiveness of the MIND diet in slowing cognitive decline and reducing brain atrophy in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's dementia. METHODS The MIND cognitive function battery was administered at baseline to 604 participants of an average age of 70 years, who agreed to participate in the diet intervention study, and was designed to measure change over time. The battery included 12 cognitive tests, measuring the 4 cognitive domains of executive function, perceptual speed, episodic memory, and semantic memory. We conducted a principal component analysis to examine the consistency between our theoretical domains and the statistical performance of participants in each domain. To further establish the validity of each domain, we regressed the domain scores against a late-life cognitive activity score, controlling for age, race, sex, and years of education. RESULTS Four factors emerged in the principal component analyses that were similar to the theoretical domains. In regression equations, we found the expected associations with age, education, and late-life cognitive activity with each of the four cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the MIND cognitive battery is a comprehensive and valid battery of four separate domains of cognitive function that can be used in diet intervention trials for older adults.
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Cognitive Test Scores and Progressive Cognitive Decline in the Aberdeen 1921 and 1936 Birth Cohorts. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12030318. [PMID: 35326274 PMCID: PMC8946766 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Aberdeen birth cohorts of 1921 and 1936 (ABC21 and ABC36) were subjected to IQ tests in 1932 or 1947 when they were aged about 11y. They were recruited between 1997–2001 among cognitively healthy community residents and comprehensively phenotyped in a long-term study of brain aging and health up to 2017. Here, we report associations between baseline cognitive test scores and long-term cognitive outcomes. On recruitment, significant sex differences within and between the ABC21 and ABC36 cohorts supported advantages in verbal ability and learning among the ABC36 women that were not significant in ABC21. Comorbid physical disorders were self-reported in both ABC21 and ABC36 but did not contribute to differences in terms of performance in cognitive tests. When used alone without other criteria, cognitive tests scores which fell below the −1.5 SD criterion for tests of progressive matrices, namely verbal learning, digit symbol and block design, did not support the concept that Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a stable class of acquired loss of function with significant links to the later emergence of a clinical dementia syndrome. This is consistent with many previous reports. Furthermore, because childhood IQ-type data were available, we showed that a lower cognitive performance at about 64 or 78 y than that predicted by IQ at 11 ± 0.5 y did not improve the prediction of progress to MCI or greater cognitive loss. We used binary logistic regression to explore how MCI might contribute to the prediction of later progress to a clinical dementia syndrome. In a fully adjusted model using ABC21 data, we found that non-amnestic MCI, along with factors such as female sex and depressive symptoms, contributed to the prediction of later dementia. A comparable model using ABC36 data did not do so. We propose that (1) MCI criteria restricted to cognitive test scores do not improve the temporal stability of MCI classifications; (2) pathways towards dementia may differ according to age at dementia onset and (3) the concept of MCI may require measures (not captured here) that underly self-reported subjective age-related cognitive decline.
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Liao W, Cui D, Jin J, Liu W, Wang X, Wang H, Li Y, Liu Z, Yin T. Correlation Between Amygdala Nuclei Volumes and Memory in Cognitively Normal Adults Carrying the ApoE ε3/ε3 Allele. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:747288. [PMID: 34970135 PMCID: PMC8713572 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.747288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala is known to be related to cognitive function. In this study, we used an automated approach to segment the amygdala into nine nuclei and evaluated amygdala and nuclei volumetric changes across the adult lifespan in subjects carrying the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε3/ε3 allele, and we related those changes to memory function alteration. We found that except the left medial nucleus (Me), whose volume decreased in the old group compared with the middle-early group, all other nuclei volumes presented a significant decline in the old group compared with the young group. Left accessory basal nucleus (AB) and left cortico-amygdaloid transition area (CAT) volumes were also diminished in the middle-late group. In addition, immediate memory recall is impaired by the process of aging, whereas delayed recall and delayed recognition memory functions were not significantly changed. We found significant positive correlations between immediate recall scores and volumes of the bilateral basal nucleus (Ba), AB, anterior amygdaloid area (AAA), CAT, whole amygdala, left lateral nucleus (La), left paralaminar nucleus (PL), and right cortical nucleus (Co). The results suggest that immediate recall memory decline might be associated with volumetric reduction of the amygdala and its nuclei, and the left AB and left CAT might be considered as potential imaging biomarkers of memory decline in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Liao
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Dong Cui
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingna Jin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenbo Liu
- Sinovation (Beijing) Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - He Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Li
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhipeng Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Tao Yin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.,Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Tunisian version of the brief international cognitive assessment for multiple sclerosis: Validation and normative values. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2021; 58:103444. [PMID: 34929452 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Brief International cognitive assessment for Multiple sclerosis (BICAMS) is a specific batterie used to identify cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in a reliable and easy way. To date, for the Arabic-speaking Tunisian MS patients, there is no consensus for the use of specific cognitive batteries in MS. OBJECTIVE The aim of our work was to develop and validate the Tunisian version of the BICAMS (T-BICAMS) and to determine our own normative values. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients diagnosed with MS and followed up in the department of Neurology of Razi Hospital were recruited and matched to healthy controls according to age, sex and educational level. T-BICAMS validity was established by comparing MS and healthy controls for symbol digit modalities test (SDMT), brief visual memory test (BVMT-R) and Tunisian verbal learning tests (TVLT) which was used instead of the California verbal learning test (CVLT-II). RESULTS The 104 MS patients and 104 healthy controls were comparable for age, sex and educational level. The MS group exhibited lower performances in all T-BICAMS domains compared to healthy controls: SDMT (x003Dp<10-3), BVMT-R (p = 0.002) and TVLT (p x003D<10-3). T-BICAMS Cronbach alpha value was 0.741. Normative values were identified for patients with MS: SDMT [39-40], BVMT-R [26-27] and TVLT [43-44]. Cognitive impairment was identified among 76 patients (73.1%). Males, lower educational levels and progressive MS were associated with a more severe cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS The current study has established the BICAMS as a valid and reliable tool for the identification of cognitive impairment in the Tunisian MS population.
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Boenniger MM, Staerk C, Coors A, Huijbers W, Ettinger U, Breteler MMB. Ten German versions of Rey's auditory verbal learning test: Age and sex effects in 4,000 adults of the Rhineland Study. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2021; 43:637-653. [PMID: 34636711 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2021.1984398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Detecting early pathological cognitive decline is critical for dementia and aging-related research and clinical diagnostics. Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) is commonly used to measure episodic verbal memory. The test requires participants to learn a list of 15 words over several trials. Since multiple testing is often required to detect cognitive decline, but repeating the same test can bias results, we developed 10 German AVLT word lists. METHOD We randomly assigned the lists to 4,000 participants (aged 30-94 years) from a population-based cohort to test their comparability, as well as aging effects and sex differences. RESULTS Nine lists were highly comparable, with only one being slightly more difficult. Recall performance decreased on average by 0.6-1.1 words per trial per decade of age. Perseveration errors decreased with increasing age. Women remembered on average between 0.8 and 1.5 words per trial more than men, regardless of age. Women also outperformed men in the sum of Trials 1-5, learning over trials, retroactive inhibition, and false-positive and interference errors. Proactive inhibition remained stable across age and was unaffected by sex. CONCLUSION This German AVLT version presents comparable lists including detailed age and sex references and therefore allows test repetition excluding training effects. These versions are a valuable resource for research and clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meta M Boenniger
- Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Staerk
- Institute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology (IMBIE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Annabell Coors
- Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Willem Huijbers
- Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Monique M B Breteler
- Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Institute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology (IMBIE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Factors Affecting Rapid Cognitive Decline in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18168576. [PMID: 34444325 PMCID: PMC8391399 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the preventive and risk factors of rapid cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), we enrolled patients with AD aged over 65 years between 1 January 2001 and 30 May 2019, and followed up for at least two years. Rapid cognitive decline was defined by a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score decline of ≥4 in 2 years. A longer prescription of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) was defined as 22 months based on the median treatment duration of the cohorts. The Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusted for age, sex, medication, and physical comorbidities was used to examine the candidate risk and protective factors. We analyzed data from 3846 patients with AD (1503 men, 2343 women) with a mean age and percentage of females of 77.8 ± 6.2 years and 60.9%, respectively. The mean duration of patients with AD receiving AChEIs was 658.7 ± 21.9 days. In general, 310 patients with AD showed a rapid cognitive decline, accounting for 8.1%. Treatment of a consecutive AChEI prescription for >22 months in patients with AD was a protective factor against rapid cognitive decline (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.33–0.52, p < 0.001). Patients with AD aged >85 years (aHR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.36–0.79, p < 0.01) and aged 75–85 years (aHR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.57–0.93, p < 0.05) had a significantly lower risk of rapid cognitive decline than those aged 65–75 years. Additionally, patients with mild and moderate AD (clinical dementia rating (CDR = 1, aHR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.26–2.07, p < 0.001; CDR = 2, aHR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.90–3.65, p < 0.001) were more likely to have rapid cognitive decline than those with early AD (CDR = 0.5). Sex, medication with different types of AChEIs, and physical comorbidities were not associated with rapid cognitive decline. These findings indicate that it is important to maintain longer consecutive AChEI prescriptions in patients with AD to prevent cognitive decline.
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Choe HN, Jarvis ED. The role of sex chromosomes and sex hormones in vocal learning systems. Horm Behav 2021; 132:104978. [PMID: 33895570 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Vocal learning is the ability to imitate and modify sounds through auditory experience, a rare trait found in only a few lineages of mammals and birds. It is a critical component of human spoken language, allowing us to verbally transmit speech repertoires and knowledge across generations. In many vocal learning species, the vocal learning trait is sexually dimorphic, where it is either limited to males or present in both sexes to different degrees. In humans, recent findings have revealed subtle sexual dimorphism in vocal learning/spoken language brain regions and some associated disorders. For songbirds, where the neural mechanisms of vocal learning have been well studied, vocal learning appears to have been present in both sexes at the origin of the lineage and was then independently lost in females of some subsequent lineages. This loss is associated with an interplay between sex chromosomes and sex steroid hormones. Even in species with little dimorphism, like humans, sex chromosomes and hormones still have some influence on learned vocalizations. Here we present a brief synthesis of these studies, in the context of sex determination broadly, and identify areas of needed investigation to further understand how sex chromosomes and sex steroid hormones help establish sexually dimorphic neural structures for vocal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Na Choe
- Duke University Medical Center, The Rockefeller University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, United States of America.
| | - Erich D Jarvis
- Duke University Medical Center, The Rockefeller University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, United States of America.
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