Hippocampal connectivity and memory decline in cognitively intact APOE ε4 carriers.

Introduction: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) graph theory may help detect subtle functional connectivity changes affecting memory prior to impairment.

Methods: Cognitively normal apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carriers/noncarriers underwent longitudinal cognitive assessment and one-time MRI. The relationship of left/right hippocampal connectivity and memory trajectory were compared between carriers/noncarriers.

Cognition Before and After COVID-19 Disease in Older Adults: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Older age is a major risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease which has been associated with a variety of neurologic complications, both acutely and chronically.

Objective: We sought to determine whether milder COVID-19 disease in older vulnerable individuals is also associated with cognitive and behavioral sequelae.

Methods: Neuropsychological, behavioral, and clinical outcomes before and after contracting COVID-19 disease, were compared in members of two ongoing longitudinal studies, the Arizona APOE Cohort and the national Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC).

Behavioral Interventions in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): Lessons from a Multicomponent Program.

Comparative effectiveness of behavioral interventions to mitigate the impacts of degeneration-based cognitive decline is not well understood. To better address this gap, we summarize the studies from the Healthy Action to Benefit Independence & Thinking (HABIT®) program, developed for persons with mild cognitive impairment (pwMCI) and their partners. HABIT® includes memory compensation training, computerized cognitive training (CCT), yoga, patient and partner support groups, and wellness education.

Compensatory and Lifestyle-Based Brain Health Program for Subjective Cognitive Decline: Self-Implementation versus Coaching.

Although recent studies have explored the potential of multidomain brain health programs, there is a dearth of literature on operationalizing this research to create a clinical treatment program specifically for subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Patients seen by geriatricians in primary care and by behavioral neurology services at our institution presenting with SCD were recruited via a patient-appropriate flyer. After all participants had a 1-h brain health consultation with a neuropsychologist and were provided with program materials, they were randomized to attend a 10-week intervention designed to support program implementation (N = 10) or the control group of implementing the program on their own (N = 11).

Latent Factor Structure of Outcome Measures Used in the HABIT® Mild Cognitive Impairment Intervention Programs.

Background: In Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) research, common outcome measures include cognitive and functional impairment, as well as persons with mild cognitive impairment (pwMCI) and care partner self-reported mood and quality of life. Studies commonly analyze these measures separately, which potentially leads to issues of multiple comparisons and/or multicollinearity among measures while ignoring the latent constructs they may be measuring.

Objective: This study sought to examine the latent factor structure of a battery of 12-13 measures of domains mentioned above, used in a multicomponent behavioral intervention (The HABIT® program) for pwMCI and their partners.

Computerized Cognitive Training (CCT) versus Yoga Impact on 12 Month Post Intervention Cognitive Outcome in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

There is currently limited and mixed evidence for the cognitive benefits of Computerized Cognitive Training (CCT) and yoga in persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment (pwMCI). The objective of this study was to investigate the benefit of computerized cognitive training (CCT) vs. physical (yoga) intervention on cognitive abilities.

Innovation Inspired by COVID: A Virtual Treatment Program for Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment at Mayo Clinic.

Limited access to mental health and behavioral interventions is a public health issue that predated and is further worsened by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social distancing restrictions. The Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking (HABIT) program is a cognitive rehabilitation and wellness program for patients with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and their partners that involves groups of up to 32 people (16 dyads) at a time. Thus, the public health recommendation to avoid groups at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic immediately impacted our ability to offer this treatment protocol.

Comparative Effects of Physical Exercise and Other Behavioral Interventions on Functional Status Outcomes in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Objectives: Lifestyle modifications for those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may promote functional stability, lesson disease severity, and improve well-being outcomes such as quality of life. The current analysis of our larger comparative effectiveness study evaluated which specific combinations of lifestyle modifications offered as part of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Action to Benefit Independence in Thinking (HABIT) program contributed to the least functional decline in people with MCI (pwMCI) over 18 months.

Methods: We undertook to compare evidence-based interventions with one another rather than to a no-treatment control group.

The impact of patient and partner personality traits on learning success for a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for patients with MCI.

The Memory Support System (MSS) is the memory compensation tool used in the HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking Program. People diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (pwMCI;  = 153) participated in this cognitive rehabilitative programme with a partner. We first aimed to determine if prior research on the positive impact of higher baseline cognitive status on successful MSS learning would be replicated in a new sample.

Improved Prediction of Imminent Progression to Clinically Significant Memory Decline Using Surface Multivariate Morphometry Statistics and Sparse Coding.

Background: Besides their other roles, brain imaging and other biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have the potential to inform a cognitively unimpaired (CU) person's likelihood of progression to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and benefit subject selection when evaluating promising prevention therapies. We previously described that among baseline FDG-PET and MRI measures known to be preferentially affected in the preclinical and clinical stages of AD, hippocampal volume was the best predictor of incident MCI within 2 years (79%sensitivity/78%specificity), using standard automated MRI volumetric algorithmic programs, binary logistic regression, and leave-one-out procedures.

Objective: To improve the same prediction by using different hippocampal features and machine learning methods, cross-validated via two independent and prospective cohorts (Arizona and ADNI).

Interaction Between BDNF Val66Met and APOE4 on Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Decline.

Background: Whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Met carriage impacts the risk or progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is unknown.

Objective: To evaluate the interaction of BDNF Met and APOE4 carriage on cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRgl), amyloid burden, hippocampus volume, and cognitive decline among cognitively unimpaired (CU) adults enrolled in the Arizona APOE cohort study.

Methods: 114 CU adults (mean age 56.

Psychometric properties of the self-efficacy for managing mild cognitive impairment scale.

Objectives: We adapted a self-efficacy measure for managing chronic illness to be specific to persons with mild cognitive impairment (pwMCI). The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the scale, the self-efficacy for managing MCI scale, for use in research.

Methods: Analyses involved data from pwMCI enrolled in a behavioral intervention study that completed the measure five times from intervention enrollment to 18-month post-intervention.

Neuropsychological decline up to 20 years before incident mild cognitive impairment.

Introduction: Some Alzheimer's disease biomarker studies found amyloid changes 20 years or more in advance of expected symptoms, while cognitive changes lagged for more than a decade, but this apparent lag might reflect the sensitivities of the biomarker and cognitive assays used. How far in advance of incident amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) does cognition begin to decline?

Methods: Longitudinal neuropsychological study of an apolipoprotein E e4 enriched cohort of cognitively normal individuals at entry. Linear mixed models for MCI converters (n = 65) and nonconverters (n = 719) fitted for each neuropsychological measure; annual changes compared between groups before and after linear model intersections (inflection points).

Functional ability is associated with higher adherence to behavioral interventions in mild cognitive impairment.

Behavioral interventions during early memory decline hold promise in delaying the development of dementia. In the present study, participants in a multimodal behavioral intervention study were assessed for post-intervention adherence and predictors of adherence. Participants ( = 272, mean age = 75.

Memory Support System training in mild cognitive impairment: Predictors of learning and adherence.

This study aimed to identify predictors of learning and adherence to a previously validated compensatory calendar and note-taking system (Memory Support System; MSS) in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Age, education, global cognition, depression, and memory-related self-efficacy were studied as predictors of individuals' ability to learn the use of the MSS during the two-week training and of their adherence to the MSS 6, 12, and 18 months after training. How well an individual was able to learn the use of the MSS was itself examined as a predictor of adherence.

Impact of Zumba on Cognition and Quality of Life is Independent of APOE4 Carrier Status in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Women: A 6-Month Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

Objective: To investigate the association of a 6-month Zumba intervention with cognition and quality of life among older cognitively unimpaired apolipoprotein ∊4 (APOE4) carrier and noncarrier women.

Methods: Fifty-three women were randomly assigned to either twice-weekly Zumba group classes or maintenance of habitual exercise (control group) for 6 months. At baseline, 3, and 6 months, all participants underwent neuropsychological, physical activity, and quality-of-life assessments.

Comparative Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions on Quality of Life for Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Recommendations to engage in behavioral strategies to combat clinically significant cognitive and behavioral symptoms are routinely given to persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The comparative effectiveness of these behavioral interventions is not well understood.

Objective: To compare the incremental effects of combinations of 5 behavioral interventions on outcomes of highest importance to patients with MCI.

Self-Efficacy Mediates the Association Between Physical Function and Perceived Quality of Life in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Research has shown that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) value quality of life (QoL) above and beyond cognitive function or other potential outcomes in MCI. There is evidence supporting the negative impact of poor physical function on QoL ratings.

Objective: The study explored whether a modified measure of self-efficacy for managing MCI and education mediated and/or moderated the relationship between physical function and QoL in persons with MCI.

Neuropsychological comparison of incident MCI and prevalent MCI.

Introduction: Little empirical work has been done to examine differences between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed in research settings with longitudinal data (incident MCI) and MCI diagnosed in clinical settings (prevalent MCI). Because Alzheimer's disease progresses over a clinicopathological continuum, we examined the cognitive differences between these two different sources of MCI patients.

Methods: We compared 52 consecutively identified patients with prevalent amnestic MCI with 53 incident amnestic MCI participants from the Arizona APOE study.

Subjective Cognitive Impairment and the Broad Autism Phenotype.

Introduction: Roughly 4% to 23% of the population embody stress prone personality and other traits characterizing a subclinical "broad autism phenotype" (BAP). Subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) among healthy elderly is associated with psychological distress leading us to predict BAP would be associated with SCI.

Methods: The Autism Spectrum Quotient, a self-administered 50 item questionnaire, was completed by 419 consecutive members of the Arizona APOE Cohort who underwent neuropsychological testing every 2 years.

A Survey of Patient and Partner Outcome and Treatment Preferences in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: The patient-centered movement in health care is increasing efforts to design studies and interventions that address the outcomes that matter most to patients and their families. Research has not adequately addressed Alzheimer's disease patient and caregiver preferences.

Objective: To survey the outcome and treatment preferences of patients and caregivers who had completed a multicomponent behavioral intervention for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Predicting Imminent Progression to Clinically Significant Memory Decline Using Volumetric MRI and FDG PET.

Background: Brain imaging measurements can provide evidence of possible preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their ability to predict individual imminent clinical conversion remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the ability of pre-specified volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) measurements to predict which cognitively unimpaired older participants would subsequently progress to amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) within 2 years.