Superior Memory Reduces 8-year Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia But Not Amyloid β-Associated Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

AuthorsDang, Christa
Harrington, Karra D
Lim, Yen Ying
Ames, David
Hassenstab, Jason
Laws, Simon M
Yassi, Nawaf
Hickey, Martha
Rainey-Smith, Stephanie R
Robertson, Joanne
TypeJournal Article (Original Research)
JournalArchives of Clinical Neuropsychology
PubMed ID30272115
Year of Publication2018
URLhttp://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/19689
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acy078
AbstractTo prospectively examine 8-year risk of clinical disease progression to mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/dementia in older adults ≥60 with superior episodic memory (SuperAgers) compared to those cognitively normal for their age (CNFA). Additionally, to determine the extent to which SuperAgers were resilient to the negative effects of elevated amyloid-beta (Aβ+) on cognition.

SuperAgers displayed resilience against clinical progression to MCI/dementia compared to CNFA despite equivalent risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, SuperAgers had no greater protection from Aβ+ than CNFA. The deleterious effects of Aβ on cognition persist regardless of baseline cognitive ability. Thus, superior cognitive performance does not reflect resistance against the neuropathological processes associated with AD, and the observed resilience for SuperAgers may instead reflect neuropsychological criteria for cognitive impairment.

http://www.ibas.org.au/what-we-do/publications/3872999


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