Recovery from Proactive Semantic Interference and MRI Volume: A Replication and Extension Study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Loewenstein, David A.^{a; b; *} | Curiel, Rosie E.^{a; b} | DeKosky, Steven^e | Rosselli, Monica^c | Bauer, Russell^{d; e} | Grieg-Custo, Maria^b | Penate, Ailyn^{a; b} | Li, Chunfei^f | Lizagarra, Gabriel^f | Golde, Todd^e | Adjouadi, Malek^f | Duara, Ranjan^{b; e; g; h}

Affiliations: [a] Center on Aging and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University ofMiami, Miami, FL, USA | [b] Wien Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA | [c] Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA | [d] Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA | [e] Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA | [f] Department of Electricaland Computer Engineering, Center for Advanced Technology andEducation, College of Engineering and Computing, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA | [g] Center for Translational Research In Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA | [h] Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: David A. Loewenstein, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Behavioral Health Hospital Building, Suite 3208G, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. Tel.: +1 305 355 9068; Fax: +1 305 355 9076; E-mail: DLoewenstein@med.miami.edu.

Abstract: Background: The rise in incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has led to efforts to advance early detection of the disease during its preclinical stages. To achieve this, the field needs to develop more sensitive cognitive tests that relate to biological markers of disease pathology. Failure to recover from proactive interference (frPSI) is one such cognitive marker that is associated with volumetric reductions in the hippocampus, precuneus, and other AD-prone regions, and to amyloid load in the brain. Objective: The current study attempted to replicate and extend our previous findings that frPSI is a sensitive marker of early AD, and related to a unique pattern of volumetric loss in AD prone areas. Methods: Three different memory measures were examined relative to volumetric loss and cortical thickness among 45 participants with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Results: frPSI was uniquely associated with reduced volumes in the hippocampus (r = 0.50) precuneus (r = 0.41), and other AD prone regions, replicating previous findings. Strong associations between frPSI and lower entorhinal cortex volumes and cortical thickness (r≥0.60) and precuneus (r = 0.50) were also observed. Conclusion: Unique and strong associations between volumetric reductions and frPSI as observed by Loewenstein and colleagues were replicated. Together with cortical thickness findings, these results indicate that frPSI is worthy of further study as a sensitive and early cognitive marker of AD.

Keywords: Cortical thickness, LASSI-L, mild cognitive impairment, MRI volume, proactive semantic interference

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-170276

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 131-139, 2017