Saccadic eye movements associated with executive function decline in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease marked by deficits in episodic memory, working memory (WM), and executive function. Examples of executive dysfunction in AD include poor selective and divided attention, failed inhibition of interfering stimuli, and poor manipulation skills. Although episodic deficits during disease progression have been widely studied and are the benchmark of a probable AD diagnosis, more recent research has investigated WM and executive function decline during mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also referred to as the preclinical stage of AD. MCI is a critical period during which cognitive restructuring and neuroplasticity such as compensation still occur; therefore, cognitive therapies could have a beneficial effect on decreasing the likelihood of AD progression during MCI. Monitoring performance on working memory and executive function tasks to track cognitive function may signal progression from normal cognition to MCI to AD. The present review tracks WM decline through normal aging, MCI, and AD to highlight the behavioral and neurological differences that distinguish these three stages in an effort to guide future research on MCI diagnosis, cognitive therapy, and AD prevention.

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Executive function and instrumental activities of daily living in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2010.04.005 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 300-308 ◽

Cited By ~ 178

Author(s):

Gad A. Marshall ◽

Dorene M. Rentz ◽

Meghan T. Frey ◽

Joseph J. Locascio ◽

Keith A. Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Instrumental Activities

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Neuropsychological Impairments and Their Cognitive Architecture in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) with Lewy Bodies and MCI-Alzheimer’s Disease

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617721001181 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Joanna Ciafone ◽

Alan Thomas ◽

Rory Durcan ◽

Paul C Donaghy ◽

Calum A Hamilton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Lewy Bodies ◽

Trail Making Test ◽

Neuropsychological Profile ◽

Trail Making

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to clarify the neuropsychological profile of the emergent diagnostic category of Mild Cognitive Impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) and determine whether domain-specific impairments such as in memory were related to deficits in domain-general cognitive processes (executive function or processing speed). Method: Patients (n = 83) and healthy age- and sex-matched controls (n = 34) underwent clinical and imaging assessments. Probable MCI-LB (n = 44) and MCI-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (n = 39) were diagnosed following National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association (NIA-AA) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) consortium criteria. Neuropsychological measures included cognitive and psychomotor speed, executive function, working memory, and verbal and visuospatial recall. Results: MCI-LB scored significantly lower than MCI-AD on processing speed [Trail Making Test B: p = .03, g = .45; Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST): p = .04, g = .47; DSST Error Check: p < .001, g = .68] and executive function [Trail Making Test Ratio (A/B): p = .04, g = .52] tasks. MCI-AD performed worse than MCI-LB on memory tasks, specifically visuospatial (Modified Taylor Complex Figure: p = .01, g = .46) and verbal (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test: p = .04, g = .42) delayed recall measures. Stepwise discriminant analysis correctly classified the subtype in 65.1% of MCI patients (72.7% specificity, 56.4% sensitivity). Processing speed accounted for more group-associated variance in visuospatial and verbal memory in both MCI subtypes than executive function, while no significant relationships between measures were observed in controls (all ps > .05) Conclusions: MCI-LB was characterized by executive dysfunction and slowed processing speed but did not show the visuospatial dysfunction expected, while MCI-AD displayed an amnestic profile. However, there was considerable neuropsychological profile overlap and processing speed mediated performance in both MCI subtypes.

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Neural correlates of executive function in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment

Klinische Neurophysiologie ◽

10.1055/s-2006-939184 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 37 (01) ◽

Author(s):

A Hunt ◽

P Schönknecht ◽

M Henze ◽

P Thomann ◽

P Toro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Neural Correlates

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Neural correlates of executive function in Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment

Clinical Neurophysiology ◽

10.1016/j.clinph.2006.11.122 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 118 (4) ◽

pp. e49

Author(s):

A. Hunt ◽

P. Schönknecht ◽

M. Henze ◽

P. Thomann ◽

P. Toro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Neural Correlates

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[P4-290]: BREADTH AND DEPTH OF WORKING MEMORY AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION COMPROMISES IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI) AND ALZHEIMER's DISEASE (AD)

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.2159 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (7S_Part_29) ◽

pp. P1398-P1399

Author(s):

Jesus J. Gomar

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment

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Sensitivity and specificity of neuropsychological tests for mild cognitive impairment, vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291703008031 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 1039-1050 ◽

Cited By ~ 144

Author(s):

C. A. DE JAGER ◽

E. HOGERVORST ◽

M. COMBRINCK ◽

M. M. BUDGE

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Neuropsychological Tests ◽

Verbal Learning

Background. Early diagnosis of dementia is important for those who might benefit from treatment. We designed a brief comprehensive neuropsychological test battery to help differentiate control subjects from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.Method. The battery included tests of memory, attention, executive function, speed, perception and visuospatial skills. It was administered to subjects from the OPTIMA cohort: 51 controls, 29 with MCI, 60 with ‘possible’ or ‘probable’ Alzheimer's disease (AD) (NINCDS/ADRDA) and 12 with cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare performance of controls with other diagnostic groups. The sensitivity and specificity of the tests were determined using Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analyses. The effects of age, gender and years of education on test performance were determined with Spearman's rank correlations.Results. The AD group performed worse than controls on all tests except an attention task. The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and The Placing Test for episodic memory showed significant discriminative capacity between controls and other groups. Attention and processing speed tests discriminated CVD from controls. Category fluency, episodic memory tests and the CLOX test for executive function distinguished MCI from AD. Spearman's correlations showed negative associations between age and processing speed. Years of education affected performance on all tests, except The Placing Test.Conclusions. Certain neuropsychological tests have been shown to be sensitive and specific in the differential diagnosis of various types of dementia and may prove to be useful for detection of MCI.

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