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Cognitive dispersion is elevated in amyloid-positive older adults and associated with regional hypoperfusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2022

Sophia L. Holmqvist Open the ORCID record for Sophia L. Holmqvist [Opens in a new window] ,
Kelsey R. Thomas ,
Emily C. Edmonds ,
Amanda Calcetas ,
Lauren Edwards ,
Katherine J. Bangen Open the ORCID record for Katherine J. Bangen [Opens in a new window]  and
for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Sophia L. Holmqvist
Affiliation:
Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
Kelsey R. Thomas
Affiliation:
Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Emily C. Edmonds
Affiliation:
Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Amanda Calcetas
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Lauren Edwards
Affiliation:
San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
Katherine J. Bangen*
Affiliation:
Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Katherine J. Bangen, email: kbangen@ucsd.edu
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Abstract

Objective:

Cognitive dispersion across neuropsychological measures within a single testing session is a promising marker predictive of cognitive decline and development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, little is known regarding brain changes underlying cognitive dispersion, and the association of cognitive dispersion with in vivo AD biomarkers and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) has received limited study. We therefore examined associations among cognitive dispersion, amyloid-beta (Aβ) positivity, and regional CBF among older adults free of dementia.

Method:

One hundred and forty-eight Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) participants underwent neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging. Pulsed arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was acquired to quantify CBF. Florbetapir positron emission tomography (PET) imaging determined Aβ positivity.

Results:

Adjusting for age, gender, education, and mean cognitive performance, older adults who were Aβ+ showed higher cognitive dispersion relative to those who were Aβ-. Across the entire sample, higher cognitive dispersion was associated with reduced CBF in inferior parietal and temporal regions. Secondary analyses stratified by Aβ status demonstrated that higher cognitive dispersion was associated with reduced CBF among Aβ+ individuals but not among those who were Aβ-.

Conclusions:

Cognitive dispersion may be sensitive to early Aβ accumulation and cerebrovascular changes adjusting for demographics and mean neuropsychological performance. Associations between cognitive dispersion and CBF were observed among Aβ+ individuals, suggesting that cognitive dispersion may be a marker of brain changes among individuals on the AD continuum. Future studies should examine whether cognitive dispersion predicts brain changes in diverse samples and among those with greater vascular risk burden.

Keywords

cognitive dispersioncognitive intraindividual variabilitycerebral blood flowmagnetic resonance imagingAlzheimer’s diseaseamyloidcognitionneuropsychology
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 29 , Issue 7 , August 2023 , pp. 621 - 631
Copyright
Copyright © INS. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2022

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