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PMID: 21092373 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Neuropathological associates of multiple cognitive functions in two community-based cohorts of older adults.

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS ·Vol. 17 ·No. 4 ·2011-07-00 ·Pages 602-14

Dowling NM, Tomaszewski Farias S, Reed BR, Sonnen JA, Strauss ME, Schneider JA, Bennett DA, Mungas D

Abstract

Studies of neuropathology-cognition associations are not common and have been limited by small sample sizes, long intervals between autopsy and cognitive testing, and lack of breadth of neuropathology and cognition variables. This study examined domain-specific effects of common neuropathologies on cognition using data (N = 652) from two large cohort studies of older adults. We first identified dimensions of a battery of 17 neuropsychological tests, and regional measures of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. We then evaluated how cognitive factors were related to dimensions of AD and additional measures of cerebrovascular and Lewy Body disease, and also examined independent effects of brain weight. All cognitive domains had multiple neuropathology determinants that differed by domain. Neocortical neurofibrillary tangles were the strongest predictors of most domains, while medial temporal tangles showed a weaker relationship with episodic memory. Neuritic plaques had relatively strong effects on multiple domains. Lewy bodies and macroscopic infarcts were associated with all domains, while microscopic infarcts had more limited associations. Brain weight was related to all domains independent of specific neuropathologies. Results show that cognition is complexly determined by multiple disease substrates. Neuropathological variables and brain weight contributed approximately a third to half of the explained variance in different cognitive domains.

MeSH Terms
Aged Aged, 80 and over Aging/psychology Alzheimer Disease/psychology Brain/pathology Cerebral Infarction/pathology Cerebrovascular Disorders/psychology Cognition/physiology Cohort Studies Factor Analysis, Statistical Female Humans Lewy Body Disease/psychology Longitudinal Studies Male Memory/physiology Nervous System Diseases/pathology,psychology Plaque, Amyloid/pathology Visual Perception/physiology
Authors & Affiliations
8 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Dowling N Maritza
Department of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53792, USA. [email protected]
Tomaszewski Farias Sarah
Reed Bruce R
Sonnen Joshua A
Strauss Milton E
Schneider Julie A
Bennett David A
Mungas Dan
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Article Info
Journal
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS
Abbr.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc
ISSN
1469-7661
DOI
10.1017/S1355617710001426
Email
[email protected]
Published
2011-07-00
Pages
602-14
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
9503760
PMCID
PMC3376403
Subset
IM
Grants
NIA NIH HHS · R01 AG010220 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · P30 AG010161-21 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R01 AG017917 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R01 AG015819-13 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · P30 AG010161 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R13 AG030995-04 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R01AG15819 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · AG10161 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · AG17917 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R13AG030995 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · P30AG10161 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · P30 AG010129 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R13 AG030995 · United States
NIA NIH HHS · R01 AG015819 · United States
Corrections
CommentIn
PMID: 21554784
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1017/S1355617710001426 PMC Full Text View journal details
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