A novel cognitive‐functional composite measure to detect changes in early Alzheimer's disease: Test–retest reliability and feasibility

Abstract

Introduction To improve the detection of changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we designed the cognitive-functional composite (CFC). As a first validation step, we investigated its test–retest reliability and feasibility of use. Methods We performed a test–retest study with 2–3 weeks between assessments, including patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild AD dementia and cognitively healthy participants. We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) type absolute agreement for all CFC measures and compared baseline and retest scores using paired-samples t -tests. We evaluated feasibility by interviewing participants. Results Forty-three patients (40% female, mean age = 69.9) and 30 controls (50% female, mean age = 65) were included. Subtest intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from .70 to .96. We found negligible improvements after retesting on only two subtests. Overall, patients perceived the administration of the CFC as feasible. Discussion The CFC is a stable and feasible measure in MCI and mild AD dementia, and thereby meets important quality metrics for clinically meaningful outcome measures.

Alterations in resting-state network dynamics along the Alzheimer’s disease continuum

“…Based on those considerations, the destabilization of posterior DMN activations at rest observed in our sample of patients with AD might represent an electrophysiological correlate of the decrease in mind wandering episodes previously reported in AD. The absence of link between rather stable (i.e., across hours, days) cognitive deficits 60 , 61 and transient (a few hundred ms) resting-state posterior DMN dynamics might bring additional support to this hypothesis. Further studies combining behavioral and electrophysiological -and eventually metabolic-brain data along the AD continuum are therefore mandatory to clarify this issue.…”

Analyzing large Alzheimer's disease cognitive datasets: Considerations and challenges

“…There is a recent surge in composites derived from batteries of tests in AD research 5 . They have been developed for multiple purposes, including sensitivity to global disease severity, 32 individual cognitive domains, 2,3 or longitudinal change 33 —particularly in the preclinical phase relevant to secondary prevention trials 34 . In their recent review, Schneider and Goldberg 5 identified 12 composite scales that have been used in clinical trials to assess cognitive functions.…”

An Investigation of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Caregivers of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

“…Treatments are focused on complications of AD and prevention and diagnosis of are ignored. As a result, when the patient is diagnosed with AD, the optimal intervention time has been missed failing to delay the disease progression of the patient [12].…”