Regional brain atrophy and cognitive decline depend on definition of subjective cognitive decline

Morrison, Cassandra; Dadar, Mahsa; Shafiee, Neda; Villeneuve, Sylvia; Collins, D. Louis

doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102923

Cited by 28 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Our current study chose to use the CCI to define SMC since this is the measure that ADNI uses to define SMC and has been shown to be associated with reduced gray matter [ 30 ], worse Aβ and cerebrospinal fluid tau markers (particularly in APOE e4 carriers) [ 34 ], and faster cognitive decline relative to control participants [ 15 ]. There has been a significant effort, including the formation of the Subjective Cognitive Decline Initiative (SCD-I) working group, to define subjective cognitive decline, understand how measures of subjective cognitive decline/SMC overlap, and identify which measures are most useful [ 8 , 17 , 47 , 48 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tau levels are higher in objective subtle cognitive decline but not subjective memory complaint

Thomas

Weigand²,

Edwards³

et al. 2022

Alz Res Therapy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The 2018 NIA-AA Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Research Framework states that subtle cognitive decline in cognitively unimpaired individuals can be measured by subjective reports or evidence of objective decline on neuropsychological measures. Both subjective memory complaint (SMC) and objective subtle cognitive decline (Obj-SCD) have been shown to be associated with future cognitive decline and AD biomarkers. We examined whether there are differences in tau PET levels between (a) SMC− vs. SMC+ participants, (b) Obj-SCD− vs. Obj-SCD+ participants, and (c) participants with overlapping vs. discrepant SMC and Obj-SCD classifications. Methods Cognitively unimpaired participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI; n = 236) were classified at baseline as positive or negative for SMC (SMC− n = 77; SMC+ n = 159) based on the first 12 items of the Cognitive Change Index and/or classified as positive or negative for Obj-SCD (Obj-SCD− n = 173; Obj-SCD+ n = 63) based on previously defined neuropsychological criteria. Analyses of covariance, adjusting for age, sex, APOE ε4 carrier status, and pulse pressure, examined the group differences in tau PET (AV-1451) using a composite standardized uptake variable ratio (SUVR) for regions consistent with Braak stage III/IV. The chi-squared tests examined the tau positivity rates across the groups. Results Obj-SCD+ participants had higher tau continuous SUVR levels (p = .035, ηp2 = .019) and higher rates of tau positivity (15.8% Obj-SCD− vs. 30.2% Obj-SCD+) than Obj-SCD− participants. Neither tau levels (p = .381, ηp2 = .003) nor rates of tau positivity (18.2% SMC− and 20.1% SMC+) differed between the SMC groups. There was very little agreement between SMC and Obj-SCD classifications (42%; κ = 0.008, p = .862). Participants who were Obj-SCD+ without SMC had the highest tau PET levels and differed from participants who were SMC+ without Obj-SCD (p = .022). Tau levels in participants with both SMC and Obj-SCD did not differ from those with only Obj-SCD (p = .216). Tau positivity rates across the SMC-/Obj-SCD−, SMC+/Obj-SCD−, SMC−/Obj-SCD+, and SMC+/Obj-SCD+ groups were 10.5%, 18.1%, 40.0%, and 25.6%, respectively. Conclusion Participants with Obj-SCD had a greater tau PET burden than those without Obj-SCD, but SMC was not associated with higher tau levels. The combination of SMC and Obj-SCD did not have higher tau levels than Obj-SCD alone. Findings add to the evidence that the Obj-SCD classification is associated with AD biomarkers and faster cognitive decline in ADNI participants, but further work is needed to validate this approach in more representative/diverse cohorts.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tau levels are higher in objective subtle cognitive decline but not subjective memory complaint

Thomas

Weigand²,

Edwards³

et al. 2022

Alz Res Therapy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This finding adds to a mixed literature on the relationship between perceived (or “subjective”) cognitive decline and structural neuroimaging findings such as atrophy and ventricular asymmetry ( 90 , 91 ). Importantly, aspects of the individual participant samples ( 92 ), as well as the measurement and definition of perceived cognitive decline ( 93 ), likely contribute to this variation in the literature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining for Cavum Septum Pellucidum and Ventricular Enlargement in Retired Elite-Level Rugby League Players

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectiveA cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) has been reported as a visible brain anomaly in normal individuals as well in some former combat and collision sport athletes. The appearance of CSP with fenestrations and ventricular enlargement are considered associated features of the neuropathological diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The current study examined CSP anatomic features and lateral ventricle size in retired elite rugby league players and controls.MethodsForty-one retired rugby league players and 41 healthy community controls, similar in age and education, underwent structural MRI scans. CSP grade, CSP length, corpus callosum septal length, and Evans' ratio (for lateral ventricle size) were rated by two of the current study authors. All participants also self-reported concussion exposure histories, depressive symptoms, daytime sleepiness, and impulsivity. They completed a neuropsychological test battery assessing premorbid intellectual functioning, attention, processing speed, language, visuospatial skills, memory, and aspects of executive functioning.ResultsThe two raters had high agreement for CSP grade (Cohen's κ = 0.80), CSP length [intraclass correlation (ICC) = 0.99], corpus callosum septal length (ICC = 0.73), the CSP/septal ratio (ICC = 0.99), and the Evans' ratio (ICC = 0.75). Twenty-five retired players (61.0%) had an abnormal CSP compared to 17 controls [41.5%; χ(1, 82)2 = 3.12, p = 0.08, odds ratio = 2.21]. The CSP/septal ratio was larger for retired players than for the controls. The Evans' ratio did not differ between the two groups. In the retired rugby league players (n = 41), those with normal (n = 16) and abnormal (n = 25) CSP grades did not differ across age, age of first exposure to collision sport, years of sport exposure, concussion history, or 23 clinical and cognitive variables.ConclusionThis study revealed a difference in the size of the CSP between retired professional rugby league players and controls. There was no significant difference in the size of the ventricles between the two groups. There were no significant differences between those with vs. without an abnormal CSP on age of first exposure to rugby league, years of exposure to repetitive neurotrauma, number of lifetime concussions, depression, impulsivity, perceived cognitive decline, or on any neuropsychological test.

show abstract

“…Our previous study found that using ECog to define SCD+ was associated with atrophy in the superior temporal region. On the other hand, using CCI to define SCD+ was associated with hippocampal change (Morrison et al, 2022), an area known to be associated with early AD pathology. Taken together, the CCI definition of SCD+ is associated with both WMH burden in the temporal and parietal regions and hippocampal change, suggesting that this definition may be more sensitive to future AD than the ECog definition of SCD+.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Healthy older adults also exhibited no evidence of memory decline, as measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale and no evidence of impaired global cognition as measured by the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) or Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). Following the same procedure as our previous paper (Morrison et al, 2022), four different definitions were used to differentiate participants into cognitively healthy older adults with no subjective cognitive decline (SCD-) or cognitively healthy older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD+ ; not to be confused with the SCD plus definition by Jessen et al, 2014). The four groups were defined as:…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Varying conversion rates and neurodegeneration differences in healthy older adults with and without SCD could be related to the numerous methodologies used to operationalize SCD. In our previous study, we observed that four commonly used methods to define SCD yielded distinct patterns of future cognitive decline and atrophy in cognitively healthy older adults (Morrison, Dadar, Shafiee, Villeneuve, & Collins, 2022). The cognitive change index (CCI) was associated with future cognitive decline as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment scale (ADAS-13) whereas the Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog) was associated with cognitive decline as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

White matter hyperintensity load varies depending on subjective cognitive decline criteria

Morrison

Dadar

Collins

2022

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundIncreased age and cognitive impairment is associated with an increase in cerebrovascular pathology often seen as increased signal in T2-weighted and FLAIR structural MRIs and known as white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). Whether WMHs differ between healthy older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD+) and without subjective cognitive decline (SCD-) remains conflicting. The goal of this study was to examine if four common methods of defining SCD provide different patterns of WMH accumulation between SCD+ and SCD-.MethodsA total of 535 cognitively normal older adults with 1353 time points from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were included in this study. SCD was operationalized using four different methods: Cognitive Change Index (CCI), Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog), ECog+Worry, and Worry. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the associations between SCD status and overall and regional WMH burden at baseline and over time.ResultsNo differences in WMH burden were found at baseline for any SCD definition, however SCD+ vs. SCD- WMH group differences over time varied based on the SCD definition used. Higher WMH burden change over time was observed in SCD+ compared to SCD- in only the temporal and parietal regions using the CCI (temporal, p=.01; parietal p=.03) and ECog (temporal, p=.03; parietal p=.01). For both the ECog+Worry and Worry definitions, change in WMH burden over time was increased in SCD+ compared to SCD- for overall, frontal, temporal, and parietal WMH burden (p<.05).ConclusionThe results observed here show that WMH burden differences in healthy older adults with and without SCD depend on the SCD definition used and the approach used to measure WMHs. The various methods used to define SCD may reflect different types of dementia.

show abstract

Regional brain atrophy and cognitive decline depend on definition of subjective cognitive decline

Cited by 28 publications

References 49 publications

Tau levels are higher in objective subtle cognitive decline but not subjective memory complaint

Tau levels are higher in objective subtle cognitive decline but not subjective memory complaint

Examining for Cavum Septum Pellucidum and Ventricular Enlargement in Retired Elite-Level Rugby League Players

White matter hyperintensity load varies depending on subjective cognitive decline criteria

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About