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

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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Does Empirically Derived Classification of Individuals with Subjective Cognitive Complaints Predict Dementia?

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci9110314 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 314 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Picón ◽

Juncos-Rabadán ◽

Lojo-Seoane ◽

Campos-Magdaleno ◽

Mallo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cluster Analysis ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Single Domain ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Clinical Criteria ◽

Amnestic Mci ◽

Multiple Domain ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

(1) Background: Early identification of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in people reporting subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) and the study of progression of cognitive decline are important issues in dementia research. This paper examines whether empirically derived procedures predict progression from MCI to dementia. (2) Methods: At baseline, 192 participants with SCC were diagnosed according to clinical criteria as cognitively unimpaired (70), single-domain amnestic MCI (65), multiple-domain amnestic MCI (33) and multiple-domain non-amnestic MCI (24). A two-stage hierarchical cluster analysis was performed for empirical classification. Categorical regression analysis was then used to assess the predictive value of the clusters obtained. Participants were re-assessed after 36 months. (3) Results: Participants were grouped into four empirically derived clusters: Cluster 1, similar to multiple-domain amnestic MCI; Cluster 2, characterized by subjective cognitive decline (SCD) but with low scores in language and working memory; Cluster 3, with specific deterioration in episodic memory, similar to single-domain amnestic MCI; and Cluster 4, with SCD but with scores above the mean in all domains. The majority of participants who progressed to dementia were included in Cluster 1. (4) Conclusions: Cluster analysis differentiated between MCI and SCD in a sample of people with SCC and empirical criteria were more closely associated with progression to dementia than standard criteria.

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Subjective Memory Complaints and Conversion to Dementia in Patients with Subjective Cognitive Decline and Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie ◽

10.1024/1016-264x/a000175 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 85-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Johann Lehrner ◽

Bettina Bodendorfer ◽

Claus Lamm ◽

Doris Moser ◽

Peter Dal-Bianco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Memory Testing ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Subjective Memory ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Abstract. Background: Subjective cognitive complaints and their clinical significance are discussed controversially. Objectives: To determine the clinical validity of subjective cognitive complaints among subjects with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Design: Longitudinal study with one follow up examination at a University based out-patient memory clinic. Participants: A clinical sample of patietns with SCD and MCI (n = 141), aged 50 and older, who came to the memory outpatient clinic. Results: No significant differences between converters and non converters regarding subjective cognitive complaints were detected. MCI patients had a higher risk than the patients with SCD developing AD (OR = 7.3 [CI 0.9 to 61.2]. Verbal memory testing using the Verbal Selektive Reminding Test (VSRT) showed better diagnostic validity than subjective cognitive complaints using the Forgetfulness Assessment Inventory (FAI) in predicting conversion to dementia. Conclusion: Verbal memory testing was superior in predicting conversion to dementia compared to subjective cognitive complaints.

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Severity of subjective cognitive complaints and worries in older adults are associated with cerebral amyloid‐β load

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1002/alz.046098 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (S6) ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Schwarz ◽

Catharina Lange ◽

Gloria Benson ◽

Nora Horn ◽

Katharina Wurdack ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Cerebral Amyloid ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

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

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-201087 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Akiko Mizuno ◽

Helmet T. Karim ◽

Maria J. Ly ◽

Ann D. Cohen ◽

Brian J. Lopresti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Reserve ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Brain Activation ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Self Report ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Memory Encoding ◽

Older Individuals ◽

The Face

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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Amyloid-β Load Is Related to Worries, but Not to Severity of Cognitive Complaints in Individuals With Subjective Cognitive Decline: The SCIENCe Project

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2019.00007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Sander C. J. Verfaillie ◽

Tessa Timmers ◽

Rosalinde E. R. Slot ◽

Chris W. J. van der Weijden ◽

Linda M. P. Wesselman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Science Project

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Changes of plasma Aβ and t-tau along with 18F-florbetapir PET in a cohort of cognitive decline

10.21203/rs.3.rs-615251/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Feng-Feng Pan ◽

Qi Huang ◽

Ying Wang ◽

Yi-Fan Wang ◽

Yi-Hui Guan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Single Molecule ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Plasma Biomarkers ◽

High Brain ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Cerebral Amyloid ◽

T Tau

Abstract Background Blood based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are becoming increasingly promising. Although plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) and total tau (t-tau) showed a potential ability in identifying cerebral amyloid deposition and AD. Comparisons of these plasma biomarkers along with Aβ-PET in a cohort of normal controls (NC), subjective cognitive decline (SCD), objectively-defined subtle cognitive decline (Obj-SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD remained lacking. Methods A total of 407 individuals aged from 40 to 90 years old were recruited, including 76 of NC, 77 of SCD, 61 of obj-SCD, 92 of MCI and 101 of AD. Plasma Aβ40, Aβ42 and t-tau were examined via single-molecule array (Simoa) immunoassay. A subset of 132 individuals underwent cerebral amyloid scans with 18F-florbetapir PET. Comparisons of plasma t-tau, Aβ40, Aβ42 and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio were conducted between different diagnostic groups and cerebral Aβ burdens. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between Aβ42, Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio and 18F-florbetapir SUVR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were carried out to evaluate the capacity of plasma biomarkers in identifying high brain Aβ burden and diagnosis of AD. Results Plasma Aβ42 was significantly higher in SCD and obj-SCD than NC, MCI and AD. Plasma Aβ40 was significantly higher in SCD and obj-SCD than NC and AD. The lowest levels of plasma Aβ42 and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio were found in AD. No significant difference of plasma t-tau was found among groups. Plasma Aβ42 and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio were inversely correlated with 18F-florbetapir SUVR (r=-0.272, P = 0.003; r=-0.211, P = 0.021 respectively). Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio performed well in predicting high brain Aβ burden (area under the curve, AUC = 0.762). Plasma Aβ42 and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio had acceptable diagnostic accuracy for AD (AUC = 0.714 and 0.706 respectively), even in Aβ-PET (+) individuals (AUC = 0.728 and 0.808 respectively). Conclusions Plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 measured by Simoa immunoassay showed a significantly bidirectional trend of initially increasing from NC to SCD and obj-SCD, and then declining to MCI and AD. In addition, plasma Aβ was significantly correlated with 18F-florbetapir PET SUVR and showed potential value in predicting cerebral Aβ deposition and risk of AD.

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Screening for subjective cognitive decline in the elderly via subjective cognitive complaints and informant-reported questionnaires: a systematic review

BMC Anesthesiology ◽

10.1186/s12871-021-01493-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sara Wasef ◽

Isabelle Laksono ◽

Paras Kapoor ◽

David Tang-Wei ◽

David Gold ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Learning And Memory ◽

Standardized Tests ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Complaints ◽

Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Abstract Background Subjective cognitive decline may represent at-risk persons progressing to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can be exacerbated by effects of anesthesia and surgery. The objective of this systematic review is to identify the most common questions in subjective cognitive complaint and informant-reported questionnaires used in assessing cognitive impairment of elderly patients that are correlated with standardized tests for cognitive impairment screening. Methods We searched Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database, Emcare Nursing, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.Gov, and ICTRP between September 20, 2005 to August 31, 2020. We included studies that evaluated subjective cognitive complaints and informant-reported questions in elderly patients. Results and conclusion A total of 28,407 patients were included from 22 studies that assessed 21 subjective complaint questionnaires and nine informant-reported questionnaires. The most common subjective cognitive complaints were those assessing anterograde memory, closely followed by perceptual-motor function and executive function. The most common informant-reported questions were those assessing executive function, temporal orientation, and anterograde memory. Questions assessing learning and memory were most associated with results from standardized tests assessing cognitive impairment. Assessing learning and memory plays a key role in evaluating subjective cognitive decline in elderly patients. Delivering subjective cognitive complaints questions to elderly patient preoperatively may aid in screening for those exhibiting cognitive signs, and in turn are at risk of postoperative complications. Thus, the results from this review contribute to knowledge for healthcare professionals regarding the use of subjective cognitive complaints and informant-reported complaints in preoperative settings.

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