The neuropsychology of normal aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT: A National Institute on Aging-sponsored work group on preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) articulated the need to characterize cognitive differences between normal aging and preclinical AD.Seventy-one apolipoprotein E (APOE) ?4 homozygotes, 194 ?3/?4 heterozygotes, and 356 ?4 noncarriers age 21 to 87 years who were cognitively healthy underwent neuropsychological testing every 2 years. Longitudinal trajectories of test scores were compared between APOE subgroups.There was a significant effect of age on all cognitive domains in both APOE ?4 carriers and noncarriers. A significant effect of APOE ?4 gene dose was confined to the memory domain and the Dementia Rating Scale. Cross-sectional comparisons did not discriminate the groups.Although cognitive aging patterns are similar in APOE ?4 carriers and noncarriers, preclinical AD is characterized by a significant ?4 gene dose effect that impacts memory and is detectable longitudinally. Preclinical neuropsychological testing strategies should emphasize memory-sensitive measures and longitudinal design.

SUBMITTER: Caselli RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3700591 | biostudies-other | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other