Relationship between cognitive abilities and functional decline in older adults diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah West ◽  
Traci W. Olivier ◽  
Robert McCue ◽  
Charles J. Golden
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Functional Decline

Regional Hypoperfusion Predicts Decline in Everyday Functioning at Three-Year Follow-Up in Older Adults without Dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1291-1304
Author(s):  
Danielle L. Sanchez ◽  
Kelsey R. Thomas ◽  
Emily C. Edmonds ◽  
Mark W. Bondi ◽  
Katherine J. Bangen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cerebral Metabolism ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensity ◽  
Everyday Functioning

Background: Increasing evidence indicates that cerebrovascular dysfunction may precede cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) is associated with cognitive impairment in older adults. However, less is known regarding the association between CBF and functional decline, and whether CBF predicts functional decline beyond cerebrovascular and metabolic risk factors. Objective: To examine the association between regional CBF and functional decline in nondemented older adults. Method: One hundred sixty-six (N = 166) participants without dementia from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative underwent neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging. Pulsed arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging was acquired to quantify resting CBF. Everyday functioning was measured using the Functional Assessment Questionnaire at baseline and annual follow-up visit across three years. Results: Adjusting for age, education, sex, cognitive status, depression, white matter hyperintensity volume, cerebral metabolism, and reference (precentral) CBF, linear mixed effects models showed that lower resting CBF at baseline in the medial temporal, inferior temporal, and inferior parietal lobe was significantly associated with accelerated decline in everyday functioning. Results were similar after adjusting for conventional AD biomarkers, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 positivity. Individuals who later converted to dementia had lower resting CBF in the inferior temporal and parietal regions compared to those who did not. Conclusion: Lower resting CBF in AD vulnerable regions including medial temporal, inferior temporal, and inferior parietal lobes predicted faster rates of decline in everyday functioning. CBF has utility as a biomarker in predicting functional declines in everyday life and conversion to dementia.

P3-265: DIABETES MODERATES THE RATE OF FUNCTIONAL DECLINE IN COGNITIVELY NORMAL OLDER ADULTS AT RISK FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (7S_Part_22) ◽  
pp. P1177-P1178
Author(s):  
Kelsey R. Thomas ◽  
Katherine J. Bangen ◽  
Alexandra J. Weigand ◽  
Joel S. Eppig ◽  
Madeleine L. Weharne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Cognitively Normal

Dimensional and Discrete Emotional Reactivity in Alzheimer’s Disease: Film Clips as a Research Tool in Dementia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Luz Fernández-Aguilar ◽  
Yaiza Lora ◽  
Encarnación Satorres ◽  
Laura Ros ◽  
Juan C. Melendez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Mood Induction ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Discrete Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Film Clips

Background: No studies have been conducted to date on the dimensional and discrete classification of emotions to study the emotional reactivity of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Additionally, the presentation of film clips with affective content is currently one of the most effective and widely used Mood Induction Procedures (MIPS). However, it has been scarcely used in AD patients. Objective: Based on the dimensional and discrete models of emotion, this study examines the emotional reactivity of older adults with AD, using a popular set of film clips to induce emotions. Methods: We compared the responses of older adults aged 65-years with mild to moderate AD (n = 17) and a healthy comparison group (n = 17) to six target emotions: disgust, fear, anger, sadness, amusement, and tenderness. Results: The results showed significant differences in the reactivity of fear, anger, and sadness between AD patients and healthy comparison group. However, the responses of the two groups to positive film clips were similar. Only in the amusement clip did the AD participants show a higher intensity response. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the characteristic loss of cognitive abilities in AD is related to a reduction in the ability to react to emotional stimuli, especially negative ones. However, these abilities seem to be preserved when it comes to positive emotions. Future research is necessary to investigate whether the positivity effect is present in AD patients.

scholarly journals Risk factors for functional decline and institutionalisation among community-dwelling older adults with mild to severe Alzheimer’s disease: one year of follow-up

2006 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria E. Soto ◽  
Sandrine Andrieu ◽  
Sophie Gillette-Guyonnet ◽  
Christelle Cantet ◽  
Fati Nourhashemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
One Year ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Clinical and biological effects of long-term lithium treatment in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: randomised clinical trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 215 (5) ◽  
pp. 668-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orestes V. Forlenza ◽  
Márcia Radanovic ◽  
Leda L. Talib ◽  
Wagner F. Gattaz
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Lithium Treatment ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Community Dwelling

BackgroundExperimental studies indicate that lithium may facilitate neurotrophic/protective responses in the brain. Epidemiological and imaging studies in bipolar disorder, in addition to a few trials in Alzheimer's disease support the clinical translation of these findings. Nonetheless, there is limited controlled data about potential use of lithium to treat or prevent dementia.AimsTo determine the benefits of lithium treatment in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a clinical condition associated with high risk for Alzheimer's disease.MethodA total of 61 community-dwelling, physically healthy, older adults with MCI were randomised to receive lithium or placebo (1:1) for 2 years (double-blind phase), and followed-up for an additional 24 months (single-blinded phase) (trial registration at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01055392). Lithium carbonate was prescribed to yield subtherapeutic concentrations (0.25–0.5 mEq/L). Primary outcome variables were the cognitive (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive subscale) and functional (Clinical Dementia Rating – Sum of Boxes) parameters obtained at baseline and after 12 and 24 months. Secondary outcomes were neuropsychological test scores; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of Alzheimer's disease-related biomarkers determined at 0, 12 and 36 months; conversion rate from MCI to dementia (0–48 months).ResultsParticipants in the placebo group displayed cognitive and functional decline, whereas lithium-treated patients remained stable over 2 years. Lithium treatment was associated with better performance on memory and attention tests after 24 months, and with a significant increase in CSF amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ1−42) after 36 months.ConclusionsLong-term lithium attenuates cognitive and functional decline in amnestic MCI, and modifies Alzheimer's disease-related CSF biomarkers. The present data reinforces the disease-modifying properties of lithium in the MCI–Alzheimer's disease continuum.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Reduced monoaminergic nuclei MRI signal detectable in pre-symptomatic older adults with future memory decline

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalena Venneri ◽  
Matteo De Marco
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Pharmacological Treatment ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Murine Models ◽  
Clinical Dementia Rating ◽  
Memory Decline

Abstract Evidence from murine models and human post-mortem studies indicates that monoaminergic nuclei undergo degeneration at the pre-symptomatic stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Analysing 129 datasets from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and relying on the Clinical Dementia Rating as group-defining instrument, we hypothesised that the MRI signal of monoaminergic nuclei would be a statistically significant predictor of memory decline in participants initially recruited in ADNI as healthy adults. As opposed to a group of cognitively stable participants, participants developing memory decline had reduced signal in the ventral tegmental area at baseline, before any evidence of functional decline emerged. These findings indicate that monoaminergic degeneration predates the onset of memory decline in an AD-centred initiative, with a crucial involvement of very-early changes of a dopaminergic region. This translates into potential informative avenues for pharmacological treatment of pre-symptomatic AD.

Cognitive control constrains memory attributions

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen M. Kelley ◽  
Larry L. Jacoby
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Cognitive Control

Abstract Cognitive control constrains retrieval processing and so restricts what comes to mind as input to the attribution system. We review evidence that older adults, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and people with traumatic brain injury exert less cognitive control during retrieval, and so are susceptible to memory misattributions in the form of dramatic levels of false remembering.

Partner-Specific Communication Deficits in Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Eun Jin Paek ◽  
Si On Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Referential Communication ◽  
Sorting Task ◽  
Audience Design ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Communication Task ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
Referential Expressions

Purpose Speakers adjust referential expressions to the listeners' knowledge while communicating, a phenomenon called “audience design.” While individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show difficulties in discourse production, it is unclear whether they exhibit preserved partner-specific audience design. The current study examined if individuals with AD demonstrate partner-specific audience design skills. Method Ten adults with mild-to-moderate AD and 12 healthy older adults performed a referential communication task with two experimenters (E1 and E2). At first, E1 and participants completed an image-sorting task, allowing them to establish shared labels. Then, during testing, both experimenters were present in the room, and participants described images to either E1 or E2 (randomly alternating). Analyses focused on the number of words participants used to describe each image and whether they reused shared labels. Results During testing, participants in both groups produced shorter descriptions when describing familiar images versus new images, demonstrating their ability to learn novel knowledge. When they described familiar images, healthy older adults modified their expressions depending on the current partner's knowledge, producing shorter expressions and more established labels for the knowledgeable partner (E1) versus the naïve partner (E2), but individuals with AD were less likely to do so. Conclusions The current study revealed that both individuals with AD and the control participants were able to acquire novel knowledge, but individuals with AD tended not to flexibly adjust expressions depending on the partner's knowledge state. Conversational inefficiency and difficulties observed in AD may, in part, stem from disrupted audience design skills.

Auditory Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sridhar Krishnamurti
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Clinical Protocols ◽  
Speech Language Pathologist ◽  
Auditory Dysfunction

Alzheimer's disease is neurodegenerative disorder which affects a growing number of older adults every year. With an understanding of auditory dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease, the speech-language pathologist working in the health care setting can provide better service to these individuals. The pathophysiology of the disease process in Alzheimer's disease increases the likelihood of specific types of auditory deficits as opposed to others. This article will discuss the auditory deficits in Alzheimer's disease, their implications, and the value of clinical protocols for individuals with this disease.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document