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Hoost SS, Brickman AM, Manly JJ, Honig LS, Gu Y, Sanchez D, Reyes-Dumeyer D, Lantigua RA, Kang MS, Dage JL, Mayeux R. Effects of Vascular Risk Factors on the Association of Blood-Based Biomarkers with Alzheimer's Disease. Med Res Arch 2023; 11:10.18103/mra.v11i9.4468. [PMID: 38037598 PMCID: PMC10688358 DOI: 10.18103/mra.v11i9.4468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Background Comorbidities may influence the levels of blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated whether differences in risk factors or comorbid conditions might explain the discordance between clinical diagnosis and biomarker classifications in a multi-ethnic cohort of elderly individuals. Aims To evaluate the relationship of medical conditions and other characteristics, including body mass index (BMI), vascular risk factors, and head injury, with cognitive impairment and blood-based biomarkers of AD, phosphorylated tau (P-tau 181, P-tau 217), in a multi-ethnic cohort. Methods Three-hundred individuals, aged 65 and older, were selected from a prospective community-based cohort for equal representation among three racial/ethnic groups: non-Hispanic White, Hispanic/Latino and African American/Black. Participants were classified into four groups based on absence (Asym) or presence (Sym) of cognitive impairment and low (NEG) or high (POS) P-tau 217 or P-tau 181 levels, determined previously in the same cohort: (Asym/NEG, Asym/POS, Sym/NEG, Sym/POS). We examined differences in individual characteristics across the four groups. We performed post-hoc analysis examining the differences across biomarker and cognitive status. Results P-tau 217 or P-tau 181 positive individuals had lower BMI than P-tau negative participants, regardless of symptom status. Symptomatic and asymptomatic participants did not differ in terms of BMI. BMI was not a mediator of the effect of P-tau 217 or P-tau 181 on dementia. Frequencies of other risk factors did not differ between the four groups of individuals. Conclusions Participants with higher levels of P-tau 217 or P-tau 181 consistent with AD had lower BMI regardless of whether the individual was symptomatic. These findings suggest that weight loss may change with AD biomarker levels before onset of cognitive decline. They do not support BMI as a confounding variable. Further longitudinal studies could explore the relationship of risk factors with clinical diagnoses and biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- SS Hoost
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - AM Brickman
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - JJ Manly
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - LS Honig
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - Y Gu
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - D Sanchez
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - D Reyes-Dumeyer
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - RA Lantigua
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - MS Kang
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - JL Dage
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
- Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis IN
| | - R Mayeux
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
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Houck AL, Gutierrez J, Gao F, Igwe KC, Colon JM, Black SE, Brickman AM. Increased Diameters of the Internal Cerebral Veins and the Basal Veins of Rosenthal Are Associated with White Matter Hyperintensity Volume. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2019; 40:1712-1718. [PMID: 31515212 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a6213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE White matter hyperintensities on T2-weighted MR imaging are typical in older adults and have been linked to several poor health outcomes, including cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. The presence and severity of white matter hyperintensities have traditionally been attributed to occlusive arteriopathy, but recent evidence also implicates deep medullary venule collagenosis and associated vasogenic edema. Historically, postmortem analyses have been the sole way to analyze cerebral veins, but SWI can be now used to examine cortical veins in vivo. The aim of the current study was to determine whether there is an association between the diameters of the large draining cerebral veins/sinuses and white matter hyperintensity volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS T2-weighted FLAIR and SWI were performed in 682 older adults without dementia (mean age, 73.9 ± 5.9 years; 59.1% women). Total and regional white matter hyperintensity volume was derived. We measured the diameters of 5 regions of the cerebral venous draining system: internal cerebral veins, basal veins of Rosenthal, superior sagittal sinus, vein of Galen, and straight sinus terminus. RESULTS Increased diameter of the internal cerebral veins was associated with greater total white matter hyperintensity volume (β = 0.09, P = .02) and regionally in the parietal (β = 0.10, P = .006), frontal (β = 0.09, P = .02), and temporal (β = 0.09, P = .02) lobes. Increased diameter of the basal veins of Rosenthal was associated with greater total (β = 0.10, P = .01), frontal (β = 0.11, P = .003), and temporal (β = 0.09, P = .02) white matter hyperintensity volume. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the caliber of the internal cerebral veins and of the basal veins of Rosenthal relates to regional white matter disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Houck
- From the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain (A.L.H., K.C.I., J.M.C., A.M.B.)
| | - J Gutierrez
- Department of Neurology (J.G., A.M.B.), College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - F Gao
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (F.G., S.E.B.), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - K C Igwe
- From the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain (A.L.H., K.C.I., J.M.C., A.M.B.)
| | - J M Colon
- From the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain (A.L.H., K.C.I., J.M.C., A.M.B.)
| | - S E Black
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (F.G., S.E.B.), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A M Brickman
- From the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain (A.L.H., K.C.I., J.M.C., A.M.B.)
- Department of Neurology (J.G., A.M.B.), College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
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Sharifian N, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Brickman AM, Zahodne LB. SOCIAL NETWORK CHARACTERISTICS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE OLDER ADULTS. Innov Aging 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy023.1613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- N Sharifian
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - J J Manly
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - N Schupf
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - A M Brickman
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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Tosto G, Gasparini M, Brickman AM, Letteri F, Renie' R, Piscopo P, Talarico G, Canevelli M, Confaloni A, Bruno G. Neuropsychological predictors of rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neurol Scand 2015; 132:417-22. [PMID: 25903925 DOI: 10.1111/ane.12415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, typically shows a slow clinical progression over time. 'Rapidly progressive' AD, a variant of the disease characterized by an aggressive course, exhibits distinct clinical, biological, and neuropathological features. Here, we investigate neuropsychological predictors of rapid decline in a group of mild patients with AD. METHODS One hundred fifty-three mild patients with AD admitted to a memory disorder clinic and followed for up to 3 years were included in this study. A comprehensive neuropsychological (NP) battery was performed at the time of enrollment. Patients were defined as 'rapidly progressive' if they exhibited a drop of 6 or more points on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) between two consecutive annual visits. This event defined the main outcome in multiple analyses of variance and Cox proportional hazards models that investigated the impact of NP predictors. Categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) was also employed in order to delineate clusters of NP tests and to test their effect on the outcome. RESULTS Of 153 subjects, thirty-seven (24%) were classified as 'rapidly progressive'; those subjects showed younger age of symptoms onset compared to slow decliners (68 vs 71.5 years old). Baseline lower performance on a neuropsychological test of naming predicted a rapid decline over the follow-up (P = 0.001). Three clusters of NP were defined by CATPCA: (i) executive/language, (ii) visuospatial memory, and (iii) verbal memory. The executive/language component predicted a rapid decline over the follow-up (P = 0.016). CONCLUSION Early executive/language impairment is highly predictive of a rapid progression of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Tosto
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain; Department of Neurology; College of Physicians and Surgeons; Columbia University; New York NY USA
| | - M. Gasparini
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
| | - A. M. Brickman
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain; Department of Neurology; College of Physicians and Surgeons; Columbia University; New York NY USA
| | - F. Letteri
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
| | - R. Renie'
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
| | - P. Piscopo
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience; National Institute of Health; Rome Italy
| | - G. Talarico
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
| | - M. Canevelli
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
| | - A. Confaloni
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience; National Institute of Health; Rome Italy
| | - G. Bruno
- Memory Clinic; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry; ‘La Sapienza’ University; Rome Italy
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Blum S, Luchsinger JA, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Stern Y, Brown TR, DeCarli C, Small SA, Mayeux R, Brickman AM. Memory after silent stroke: hippocampus and infarcts both matter. Neurology 2012; 78:38-46. [PMID: 22201111 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e31823ed0cc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Memory decline commonly occurs among elderly individuals. This observation is often attributed to early neurodegenerative changes in the hippocampus and related brain regions. However, the contribution of vascular lesions, such as brain infarcts, to hippocampal integrity and age-associated memory decline remains unclear. METHODS We studied 658 elderly participants without dementia from a prospective, community-based study on aging and dementia who received high-resolution structural MRI. Cortical and subcortical infarcts were identified, and hippocampal and relative brain volumes were calculated following standard protocols. Summary scores reflecting performance on tasks of memory, language, processing speed, and visuospatial function were derived from a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. We used multiple regression analyses to relate cortical and subcortical infarcts, hippocampal and relative brain volume, to measures of cognitive performance in domains of memory, language, processing speed, and visuospatial ability. RESULTS Presence of brain infarcts was associated with a smaller hippocampus. Smaller hippocampus volume was associated with poorer memory specifically. Brain infarcts were associated with poorer memory and cognitive performance in all other domains, which was independent of hippocampus volume. CONCLUSIONS Both hippocampal volume and brain infarcts independently contribute to memory performance in elderly individuals without dementia. Given that age-associated neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer disease, are defined primarily by impairment in memory, these findings have clinical implications for prevention and for identification of pathogenic factors associated with disease symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Blum
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Luchsinger JA, Brickman AM, Reitz C, Cho SJ, Schupf N, Manly JJ, Tang MX, Small SA, Mayeux R, DeCarli C, Brown TR. Subclinical cerebrovascular disease in mild cognitive impairment. Neurology 2009; 73:450-6. [PMID: 19667320 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181b1636a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) may contribute to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We sought to determine the relation of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and infarcts in brain MRI to MCI in a community-based sample. METHODS A total of 679 elderly persons without dementia underwent brain MRI. WMH and infarcts were quantified using research methods. WMH was adjusted for total cranial volume. The Petersen criteria were used to define MCI. MCI was further subclassified into amnestic and non-amnestic. We used logistic regression to relate WMH and infarcts to prevalent MCI. RESULTS WMH were associated with amnestic MCI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1, 3.4) but not non-amnestic MCI (OR = 1.2; 95% CI 0.4, 1.6) after adjusting for age, gender, ethnic group, education, and APOE-epsilon4. Infarcts were more strongly associated with non-amnestic MCI (OR = 2.7; 95% CI 1.5, 4.8) than amnestic MCI (OR = 1.4; 95% CI 0.9, 2.3). In secondary analyses using continuous cognitive scores as outcomes, WMH, but not infarcts, were related to memory, while infarcts were more strongly related with non-amnestic domains. CONCLUSION White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is more strongly related to amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Infarcts are more strongly related to non-amnestic MCI. The nature of WMH in amnestic MCI requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Luchsinger
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Anderson KE, Brickman AM, Flynn J, Scarmeas N, Van Heertum R, Sackeim H, Marder KS, Bell K, Moeller JR, Stern Y. Impairment of nonverbal recognition in Alzheimer disease: a PET O-15 study. Neurology 2007; 69:32-41. [PMID: 17538034 DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000266561.47619.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize deficits in nonverbal recognition memory and functional brain changes associated with these deficits in Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS Using O-15 PET, we studied 11 patients with AD and 17 cognitively intact elders during the combined encoding and retrieval periods of a nonverbal recognition task. Both task conditions involved recognition of line drawings of abstract shapes. In both conditions, subjects were first presented a list of shapes as study items, and then a list as test items, containing items from the study list and foils. In the titrated demand condition, the shape study list size (SLS) was adjusted prior to imaging so that each subject performed at approximately 75% recognition accuracy; difficulty during PET scanning in this condition was approximately matched across subjects. A control task was used in which SLS = 1 shape. RESULTS During performance of the titrated demand condition, SLS averaged 4.55 (+/-1.86) shapes for patients with AD and 7.53 (+/-4.81) for healthy elderly subjects (p = 0.031). However, both groups of subjects were closely matched on performance in the titrated demand condition during PET scanning with 72.17% (+/-7.98%) correct for patients with AD and 72.25% (+/-7.03%) for elders (p = 0.979). PET results demonstrated that patients with AD showed greater mean differences between the titrated demand condition and control in areas including the left fusiform and inferior frontal regions (Brodmann areas 19 and 45). CONCLUSIONS Relative fusiform and inferior frontal differences may reflect the Alzheimer disease (AD) patients' compensatory engagement of alternate brain regions. The strategy used by patients with AD is likely to be a general mechanism of compensation, rather than task-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Anderson
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Shihabuddin L, Buchsbaum MS, Hazlett EA, Silverman J, New A, Brickman AM, Mitropoulou V, Nunn M, Fleischman MB, Tang C, Siever LJ. Striatal size and relative glucose metabolic rate in schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2001; 58:877-84. [PMID: 11545672 DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.58.9.877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) shares social deficits and cognitive impairment with schizophrenia, but is not typically characterized by frank psychosis. Because striatal size and functional activity have both been shown to be associated with psychotic symptoms, we carried out the first study of SPD to assess the caudate and putamen for comparison with findings in schizophrenia. METHODS Patients with SPD (n = 16), schizophrenic patients (n = 42), and age- and sex-matched normal control subjects (n = 47) were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging. All of the patients with SPD and subsamples of the schizophrenic patients (n = 27) and control subjects (n = 32) were also assessed with positron emission tomography using fluorodeoxyglucose F-18. RESULTS The relative size of the putamen in controls was significantly larger than in patients with SPD and significantly smaller than in schizophrenic patients, while the relative size of the caudate was similar in all 3 groups. Compared with control values, relative glucose metabolic rate in the ventral putamen was significantly elevated in patients with SPD and reduced in schizophrenic patients. When subsamples of schizophrenic patients (n = 10) and patients with SPD (n = 10) both of whom never received medication were compared, this pattern was more marked, with the highest value for the putamen being found in patients with SPD for the ventral slice and the lowest value for the right dorsal putamen. CONCLUSIONS Patients with SPD showed reduced volume and elevated relative glucose metabolic rate of the putamen compared with both schizophrenic patients and controls. These alterations in volume and activity may be related to the sparing of patients with SPD from frank psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Shihabuddin
- Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Patient Care Center, 130 W Kingsbridge Rd, Bronx, NY 10468, USA.
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Abstract
Anti-inflammatory drugs may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD). In preparation for therapeutic trials, we conducted pilot feasibility studies of hydroxychloroquine alone and in combination with colchicine in subjects with AD. A total of 20 subjects with probable AD were treated with hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice daily for 11 weeks, or hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice daily plus colchicine 0.6 mg twice daily for 12 weeks; subjects were monitored for adverse medical, cognitive, or behavioral effects. Neither regimen caused adverse effects on cognitive or behavioral assessment scores. There were no significant side effects in subjects receiving hydroxychloroquine alone; 2 subjects receiving the two drugs together experienced diarrhea. We conclude that these regimens of anti-inflammatory therapy are well tolerated in subjects with AD, indicating the feasibility of large-scale therapeutic trials of these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Aisen
- Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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Tabert MH, Chokron S, Tang CY, Wei T, Brickman AM, Buchsbaum MS. Visual target detection paradigm for the study of selective attention. Brain Res Brain Res Protoc 2000; 6:80-5. [PMID: 11086266 DOI: 10.1016/s1385-299x(00)00040-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current protocol can be used to examine selective attention. It has been used to acquire behavioral performance data in neurologically healthy normal control subjects and schizophrenic patients. A modified version, also described here, has been used to acquire functional neuroimaging data in normal subjects using positron emission tomography. Subject response accuracy and reaction times are recorded while subjects detect visual stimuli in either hemifield (left vs. right of a fixation point) or along the vertical meridian (above or below fixation). The lateralized presentation of stimuli permits the study of hemispheric specialization for selective attentional processes. Attentional load is manipulated by presenting larger-sized target stimuli alone (i.e., the letter 'O') or smaller-sized target stimuli surrounded by flanking letters. This protocol report includes a description of subject exclusion criteria, procedural details, relevant experimental conditions and variables, suggestions for data analysis, expected results, and a discussion of the protocol's significance for attentional research along with suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Tabert
- Neuroscience PET Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Box 1505, The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
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Abstract
A letter-identification task, previously demonstrated to show activation of the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus with fluodeoxyglucose position emission tomography, was administered to 20 normal volunteers. The letter to be detected could appear alone as a big stimulus or as a small one stimulus surrounded by flanking letters. To test for a hemispheric specialization for filtering processes, the stimuli were displayed horizontally, either in the left or in the right hemifield, or vertically, either above or below the fixation point. In addition, to study the effect of cognitive processes on selective attention resources, we varied the feedback conditions, by delivering or not delivering a blue flash in cases of misses or mistakes. The results show a significant interaction between the type of stimulus (alone or surrounded by flankers) and the hemifield of presentation (left or right) only in the condition where the subjects were presented stimuli horizontally without any feedback. In this condition, reaction times (RTs) were shorter in the left hemifield than in the right hemifield for single stimuli, whereas for stimuli surrounded by flankers, the opposite pattern was observed, that is, shorter RT in the right hemifield than in the left one. The present findings suggest a hemispheric specialization for selective attention, in particular at the subcortical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Chokron
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Experimentale, cnrs ep 617, 38000, Grenoble, France.
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