Premium
Subtle visuomotor difficulties in preclinical A lzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Mollica Maria A.,
Navarra Jordi,
FernándezPrieto Irune,
Olives Jaume,
Tort Adrià,
Valech Natalia,
CollPadrós Nina,
Molinuevo José L.,
Rami Lorena
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of neuropsychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1748-6653
pISSN - 1748-6645
DOI - 10.1111/jnp.12079
Subject(s) - neuropsychology , psychology , cognition , biomarker , disease , cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery , neuropsychological assessment , task (project management) , audiology , apolipoprotein e , physical medicine and rehabilitation , developmental psychology , neuroscience , medicine , working memory , spatial memory , biochemistry , chemistry , management , economics
Background Individuals with preclinical A lzheimer's disease ( P re‐ AD ) present nonimpaired cognition, as measured by standard neuropsychological tests. However, detecting subtle difficulties in cognitive functions may be necessary for an early diagnosis and intervention. Objectives A new computer‐based visuomotor coordination task ( VMC ) was developed to investigate the possible presence of early visuomotor difficulties in P re‐ AD individuals. Associations between VMC task performance and AD biomarkers were studied. The influence of A po E status on participants’ performance was addressed, as well as the relationship between performance and subjective cognitive decline ( SCD ). Methods Sixty‐six cognitively normal ( CN ) elders (19 P re‐ AD and 47 control participants [ CTR ]) and 15 patients with AD performed the VMC task, which consisted in executing visually guided goal‐directed movements that required the coordination of the visual and motor systems. All participants underwent A po E analysis and lumbar puncture. CN participants also completed an extensive standard neuropsychological battery. Results Despite presenting normal cognition in standard tests, P re‐ AD participants exhibited higher response times ( RT s) to complete the VMC task than CTR ( p < .01). Besides, patients with AD showed higher RT s than CTR ( p < .001) and Pre‐ AD ( p < .05), and more errors than CTR ( p < .005). RT s in A po E 4 carriers were higher than that observed in A po E 4 noncarriers ( p < .01). In CN individuals, RT s were related to amyloid β‐protein 42 ( AB 42) biomarker ( p < .01) and informant‐rated SCD ( p < .01). Conclusions The VMC task is able to discriminate P re‐ AD from CTR individuals. Moreover, VMC results are associated with AB 42 levels in CN individuals, suggesting that visuomotor dysfunction may be a sensitive marker of P re‐ AD .