Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease Phenotypes: Neuropsychology and Neural Networks
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Alzheimer Disease, Early Onset
- Sponsor
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Enrollment
- 180
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Alzheimer's disease Subtype
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- last year
Overview
Brief Summary
This study attempts to identify two types of AD by using clinical and cognitive tasks and brain imaging. The subtypes of AD are separated into a "typical" group (memory loss) and a "variant" group (language, visuospatial, and other cognitive difficulties). Performance on the clinical tasks and brain imaging will be compared among the young-onset Alzheimer's disease group, a late-onset Alzheimer's disease group, and a control group.
Detailed Description
Unlike the usual late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), early-onset AD (EOAD), with onset before age 65, includes a high percentage of phenotypic variants. These non-familial, variants (vEOAD) present, not with progressive memory loss, but with language, visuospatial, or other cognitive difficulties. AD is now understood as a disorder that manifests with disturbed cognition reflecting disturbed neural networks. A multivariate analysis of neuropsychological tests, the "gold standard" for objectively defining neurocognitive impairments, coupled with structural and functional neuroimaging analysis of connectomes, can identify the neurocognitive-neural network profiles of vEOAD patients, compared to those with typical AD. This knowledge can increase our understanding of the heterogeneity of AD and how it causes disease. This study hopes to show that vEOAD constitutes a "Type 2 AD", by (1) defining the neuropsychological components of Type 2 AD, and (2) understanding the anatomy and atrophy of the brains of vEOAD patients. Together, these components can outline the neurocognitive-neural network profile of Type 2 AD. In addition to information that can help in the diagnosis and management of EOAD, this study can stimulate novel research into the reasons for this neurobiological heterogeneity in AD and could potentially lead to interventions based on alternate neurocognitive-neural network profiles.
Investigators
Mario F. Mendez
Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry
University of California, Los Angeles
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Alzheimer's disease Subtype
Time Frame: Performed at baseline
Neuropsychological testing results for use in a two-stage multivariate diagnostic method that combines the (weighted) test results in order to best discriminate Type 2 AD and typical AD.
Secondary Outcomes
- Brain atrophy in MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the brain(Performed at baseline visit)
- Change in overall Neurological profile(Performed at baseline and 1-year follow-up visit)
- Change in overall Neuropsychological profile(Performed at baseline and 1-year follow-up visit)