A behavioral task predicts conversion to mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Stuart M Zola, Emory University; Cecelia Manzanares, Emory University; P. Clopton, VA San Diego Healthcare System; James J Lah, Emory University; Allan I Levey, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-03
• Publisher: SAGE Publications (UK and US)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2012
• Final Published Version (URL): http://aja.sagepub.com/content/28/2/179
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
• ISSN: 1533-3175
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 179
• End Page: 184
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by National Institute of Health Grant AG 025688, Yerkes NPRC Base Grant RR000165 (now ORIP/OD P51OD11132), and a Robert W. Woodruff Health Science Award from Emory University
• Keywords: memory impairment; prognosis; memory; mild cognitive impairment; cognitive impairment; Alzheimer’s disease
• Research Categories: Psychology, Cognitive; Biology, Neuroscience

Abstract

Background/Rationale Currently, we cannot reliably differentiate individuals at risk of cognitive decline, e.g., Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from those individuals who are not at risk. Methods Thirty-two subjects with MCI and 60 control (CON) subjects were tested on an innovative, sensitive behavioral assay, the Visual Paired Comparison (VPC) task using infrared eyetracking. Subjects were followed for three years after testing. Results Scores on the VPC task predicted, up to three years prior to a change in clinical diagnosis, those MCI patients who would and those who would not progress to AD, and CON subjects who would and would not progress to MCI. Conclusions The present findings show that the VPC task can predict impending cognitive decline. To our knowledge, this is the first behavioral task that can identify CON subjects who will develop MCI or MCI subjects who will develop AD within the next few years.