An Effect of Education on Memory-Encoding Activation in Subjective Cognitive Decline

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be an early manifestation of pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease. Elevated amyloid-β (Aβ) is a correlate of SCD symptoms in some individuals. The underlying neural correlates of SCD symptoms and their association with Aβ is unknown. SCD is a heterogeneous condition, and cognitive reserve may explain individual differences in its neural correlates. Objective: We investigated the association between brain activation during memory encoding and SCD symptoms, as well as with Aβ, among older individuals. We also tested the moderating role of education (an index of cognitive reserve) on the associations. Methods: We measured brain activation during the “face-name” memory-encoding fMRI task and Aβ deposition with Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB)-PET among cognitively normal older individuals (n = 63, mean age 73.1 ± 7.4 years). We tested associations between activation and SCD symptoms by self-report measures, Aβ, and interactions with education. Results: Activation was not directly associated with SCD symptoms or Aβ. However, education moderated the association between activation and SCD symptoms in the executive control network, salience network, and subcortical regions. Greater SCD symptoms were associated with greater activation in those with higher education, but with lower activation in those with lower education. Conclusion: SCD symptoms were associated with different patterns of brain activation in the extended memory system depending on level of cognitive reserve. Greater SCD symptoms may represent a saturation of neural compensation in individuals with greater cognitive reserve, while it may reflect diminishing neural resources in individuals with lower cognitive reserve.

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Severity of Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Worries in Older Adults Are Associated With Cerebral Amyloid-β Load

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.675583 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Schwarz ◽

Catharina Lange ◽

Gloria S. Benson ◽

Nora Horn ◽

Katharina Wurdack ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Frontal Cortex ◽

Parietal Cortex ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Cerebral Amyloid ◽

State Worry ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered an early risk stage for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the development of pathological brain changes, such as the aggregation of amyloid-beta (amyloid-β) plaques. This study evaluates the association between specific features of SCD and cerebral amyloid-β load measured by positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-florbetaben in 40 cognitively normal older individuals. Global amyloid-β, as well as regional amyloid-β load for the frontal, temporal, parietal, and cingulate cortex, was quantified. Specific features of SCD, such as subjective cognitive complaints and worry, were assessed using the 39-item Everyday Cognition Scales and the 16-item Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Spearman's rank partial correlation analyses, adjusted for age and apolipoprotein E ε4 status, were conducted to test the associations between specific features of SCD and cerebral amyloid-β load. The severity of subjective cognitive complaints in everyday memory and organization was positively correlated with amyloid-β load in the frontal cortex. In addition, the severity of subjective cognitive complaints in everyday planning was positively correlated with amyloid-β load in the parietal cortex. Higher levels of worry were associated with higher amyloid-β load in the frontal cortex. After correction of the PET data for partial volume effects, these associations were reduced to trend level. In conclusion, the severity of subjective cognitive complaints and the level of trait worry were positively associated with cortical amyloid-β burden, particularly in the frontal and parietal cortex. Further studies are required to elucidate the direction of these associations in order to develop strategies to prevent amyloid deposition and cognitive decline.

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Do cognitive reserve levels affect brain glucose metabolism and amyloid-β depositions in subjective cognitive decline subjects?

2020 42nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC) ◽

10.1109/embc44109.2020.9175637 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chunhua Liu ◽

Guanquan Chen ◽

Ying Han ◽

Jiehui Jiang

Keyword(s):

Glucose Metabolism ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Reserve ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Brain Glucose ◽

Brain Glucose Metabolism

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Attention capacity and self-report of subjective cognitive decline: A P3 ERP study

Biological Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.08.016 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 144-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Colette M. Smart ◽

Sidney J. Segalowitz ◽

Bryce P. Mulligan ◽

Stuart W.S. MacDonald

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Self Report ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline

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How Well Does Subjective Cognitive Decline Correspond to Objectively Measured Cognitive Decline? Assessment of 10–12 Year Change

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-210123 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Daniel E. Gustavson ◽

Amy J. Jak ◽

Jeremy A. Elman ◽

Matthew S. Panizzon ◽

Carol E. Franz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Ability ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Self Report ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Continuous Measure ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Objective Prior

Background: Although not strongly correlated with current objective cognitive ability, subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Most studies focus on SCD in relation to future decline rather than objective prior decline that it purportedly measures. Objective: We evaluated whether self-report of cognitive decline—as a continuous measure—corresponds to objectively-assessed episodic memory and executive function decline across the same period. Methods: 1,170 men completed the Everyday Cognition Questionnaire (ECog) at mean age 68 assessing subjective changes in cognitive ability relative to 10 years prior. A subset had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but MCI was diagnosed without regard to subjective decline. Participants completed up to 3 objective assessments of memory and executive function (M = 56, 62, and 68 years). Informant-reported ECogs were completed for 1,045 individuals. Analyses controlled for depression and anxiety symptoms assessed at mean age 68. Results: Participant-reported ECog scores were modestly associated with objective decline for memory (β= –0.23, 95%CI [–0.37, –0.10]) and executive function (β= –0.19, 95%CI [–0.33, –0.05]) over the same time period. However, these associations were nonsignificant after excluding MCI cases. Results were similar for informant ratings. Participant-rated ECog scores were more strongly associated with concurrent depression and anxiety symptoms, (β= 0.44, 95%CI [0.36, 0.53]). Conclusion: Continuous SCD scores are correlated with prior objective cognitive changes in non-demented individuals, though this association appears driven by individuals with current MCI. However, participants’ current depression and anxiety ratings tend to be strongly associated with their SCD ratings. Thus, what primarily drives SCD ratings remains unclear.

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