A novel computer adaptive word list memory test optimized for remote assessment: Psychometric properties and associations with neurodegenerative biomarkers in older women without dementia

Introduction: This study established the psychometric properties and preliminary validity of the Stricker Learning Span (SLS), a novel computer adaptive word list memory test designed for remote assessment and optimized for smartphone use. Methods: Women enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) were recruited via e-mail or phone to complete two remote cognitive testing sessions. Convergent validity was assessed through correlation with previously administered in-person neuropsychological tests (n = 96, ages 55-79) and criterion validity through associations with magnetic resonance imaging measures of neurodegeneration sensitive to Alzheimer\u27s disease (n = 47). Results: SLS performance significantly correlated with the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and measures of neurodegeneration (temporal meta-regions of interest and entorhinal cortical thickness, adjusting for age and education). Test-retest reliabilities across two sessions were 0.71-0.76 (two-way mixed intraclass correlation coefficients). Discussion: The SLS is a valid and reliable self-administered memory test that shows promise for remote assessment of aging and neurodegenerative disorders

APOE interacts with age to modify rate of decline in cognitive and brain changes in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Objective: To determine (1) whether age-standardized cognitive declines and brain morphometric change differ between Young-Old patients with Alzheimer's disease (YOAD) and Very-Old patients with Alzheimer's disease (VOAD), and (2) whether the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype modifies these neuropsychological and morphometric changes. Methods: Baseline and 12-month follow-up neuropsychological and morphometric measures were examined for healthy control subjects and patients with AD. The two AD groups were divided further into subgroups on the basis of the presence of at least one APOE ε4 allele. Results: The YOAD group showed more severe deficits and steeper declines in cognition than the VOAD group. Moreover, the presence of an APOE ε4 allele had a more deleterious effect on the YOAD group than the VOAD group on cognition and brain structure both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Conclusions: Results underscore the importance of integrating an individual's age and genetic susceptibility-and their interaction-when examining neuropsychological and neuroimaging changes in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease

Diagnostic Accuracy of Memory Measures in Alzheimer's Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

With an increasing focus on biomarkers in dementia research, illustrating the role of neuropsychological assessment in detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is important. This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) standards, summarizes the sensitivity and specificity of memory measures in individuals with MCI and AD. Both meta-analytic and qualitative examination of AD versus healthy control (HC) studies (n = 47) revealed generally high sensitivity and specificity (≥ 80% for AD comparisons) for measures of immediate (sensitivity = 87%, specificity = 88%) and delayed memory (sensitivity = 89%, specificity = 89%), especially those involving word-list recall. Examination of MCI versus HC studies (n = 38) revealed generally lower diagnostic accuracy for both immediate (sensitivity = 72%, specificity = 81%) and delayed memory (sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 81%). Measures that differentiated AD from other conditions (n = 10 studies) yielded mixed results, with generally high sensitivity in the context of low or variable specificity. Results confirm that memory measures have high diagnostic accuracy for identification of AD, are promising but require further refinement for identification of MCI, and provide support for ongoing investigation of neuropsychological assessment as a cognitive biomarker of preclinical AD. Emphasizing diagnostic test accuracy statistics over null hypothesis testing in future studies will promote the ongoing use of neuropsychological tests as Alzheimer's disease research and clinical criteria increasingly rely upon cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging biomarkers

APOE interacts with age to modify rate of decline in cognitive and brain changes in Alzheimer's disease.

ObjectiveTo determine (1) whether age-standardized cognitive declines and brain morphometric change differ between Young-Old patients with Alzheimer's disease (YOAD) and Very-Old patients with Alzheimer's disease (VOAD), and (2) whether the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype modifies these neuropsychological and morphometric changes.MethodsBaseline and 12-month follow-up neuropsychological and morphometric measures were examined for healthy control subjects and patients with AD. The two AD groups were divided further into subgroups on the basis of the presence of at least one APOE ε4 allele.ResultsThe YOAD group showed more severe deficits and steeper declines in cognition than the VOAD group. Moreover, the presence of an APOE ε4 allele had a more deleterious effect on the YOAD group than the VOAD group on cognition and brain structure both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.ConclusionsResults underscore the importance of integrating an individual's age and genetic susceptibility--and their interaction--when examining neuropsychological and neuroimaging changes in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease