Self- and partner reports of early memory issues are associated with higher levels of tau tangles, even before detectable clinical symptoms.
Reports from older adults and their partners of early memory issues are associated with higher levels of tau neurofibrillary tangle s in the brain, new research suggests. The findings show that in addition to beta-amyloid, tau is implicated in cognitive decline even in the absence of overt clinical symptoms.
Rebecca E. Amariglio, PhD, clinical neuropsychologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor in neurology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, said in a news release."Our study found early suspicions of memory problems by both participants and the people who knew them well were linked to higher levels of tau tangles in the brain."Beta-amyloid plaque accumulations and tau neurofibrillary tangles both underlie the clinical continuum of Alzheimer's disease . Previous studies have investigated beta-amyloid burden and self- and partner-reported cognitive decline, but fewer have examined regional tau. Subjective cognitive decline may be an early sign of AD, but self-awareness declines as individuals become increasingly symptomatic. So, a report from a partner about the participant's level of cognitive functioning is often required in studies ofFor the multicohort, cross-sectional study, investigators studied 675 cognitively unimpaired older adults , including persons with nonelevated beta-amyloid levels and those with elevated beta-amyloid levels, as determined by PET. Participants brought a spouse, adult child, or other study partner with them to answer questions about the participant's cognitive abilities and their ability to complete daily tasks. About 65% of participants lived with their partners and both completed the Cognitive Function Index to assess cognitive decline, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive decline. Significant associations between self- and partner-reported CFI measures were driven by elevated beta-amyloid levels, with continuous beta-amyloid levels showing an independent effect on CFI in addition to tau. "Our findings suggest that asking older people who have elevated Alzheimer's disease biomarkers about subjective cognitive decline may be valuable for early detection," Amariglio said. Limitations include the fact that most participants were White and highly educated. Future studies should include participants from more diverse racial and ethnic groups and people with diverse levels of education, researchers noted. "Although this study was cross-sectional, findings suggest that among older CU individuals who at risk for AD dementia, capturing self-report and study partner report of cognitive function may be valuable for understanding the relationship between early pathophysiologic progression and the emergence of functional impairment," the authors concluded. The study was funded in part by the National Institute on Aging, Eli Lily, and the Alzheimer's Association, among others. Amariglio receives research funding from the National Institute on Aging. Complete study funding and other authors' disclosures are listed in the original paper. Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW, is a freelance writer with a counseling practice in Teaneck, New Jersey. She is a regular contributor to numerous medical publications, including Medscape and WebMD, and is the author of several consumer-oriented health books as well asAll material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC. This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
Alzheimer Disease Memory Problems Memory Mild Cognitive Impairment MCI - Mild Cognitive Impairment Minimal Cognitive Impairment MCI Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Cognitive Impairment Brain Dementia Geriatrics Elder Care Geriatric Medicine Older Adults Seniors Senior Citizens Elderly Impairment Neurofibrillary Tangle Amyloid Plaque Biomarker Biological Marker
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