Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Objective and sensitive measures of everyday function are needed for accurate clinical diagnosis and evaluation of outcomes in clinical trials for dementia. However, most objective everyday function measures are difficult to administer and have not been validated against biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. This study evaluated the neuroimaging correlates of a highly sensitive, ecologically valid, and easily implementable performance-based test of function called the Virtual Kitchen Challenge (VKC).

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Mild functional difficulties begin in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and precede functional disability, but people with MCI generally perform at ceiling on performance-based tests of everyday function. This study examined whether inefficient reaching, touching, and extra movements (i.e.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Greater physical activity (PA) is associated with better cognitive and vascular health, but accurate assessment of PA is challenging. Self-report questionnaires of PA may be compared against objective measures from smartwatch sensors; the correspondence between measures may be influenced by a variety of factors such as cognition or age. The focus of this study was to identify baseline participant characteristics (vascular risk, cognition) that influence the association between self-reported PA and PA measured with a Garmin Vivosmart 4 smartwatch in a racially diverse sample of older adults.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: The Goal-Control Model posits that episodic memory impairment leads to premature decay of everyday task goals, which contributes to task omissions (failure to accomplish task steps) in those with moderate to severe impairment. Although task omissions are not observed in those with mild episodic memory (mildEM) impairment, it has yet to be investigated if goal decay is reflected by subtle errors during task completion. We hypothesized that goal decay in mildEM impairment is reflected by imprecision in task performance at the end of everyday tasks.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Subtle changes in naturalistic language have been associated with cognitive abilities in older adults. This study explored script generation as a method for detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Differences in human-coded speech analysis of scripts were examined between MCI vs.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: The impact of depressive symptoms on everyday function in older adults remains poorly understood. Depression may decrease motivation, impair cognition, and/or bias self-reports of functional ability. The present study examined relations between depressive symptoms and everyday function as measured by self-report, informant-report, and an objective performance-based measure which evaluates functional/cognitive capacity but requires only minimal motivation.

Preliminary validation of the Virtual Kitchen Challenge as an objective and sensitive measure of everyday function associated with cerebrovascular disease.

Unlabelled: Preliminary validity of a computer-based test of everyday function (Virtual Kitchen Challenge [VKC]) was examined against brain-imaging markers of cerebrovascular disease and in contrast to conventional neuropsychological and self-report measures. Twenty community-dwelling older adults ( = 6 mild cognitive impairment) performed simulated breakfast and lunch tasks using a computer touchscreen (VKC). Automated measures (completion time, proportion time off screen, etc.

Cognitive dispersion is elevated in amyloid-positive older adults and associated with regional hypoperfusion.

Objective: Cognitive dispersion across neuropsychological measures within a single testing session is a promising marker predictive of cognitive decline and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known regarding brain changes underlying cognitive dispersion, and the association of cognitive dispersion with in vivo AD biomarkers and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) has received limited study. We therefore examined associations among cognitive dispersion, amyloid-beta (Aβ) positivity, and regional CBF among older adults free of dementia.

Longitudinal Intraindividual Cognitive Variability Is Associated With Reduction in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Among Alzheimer's Disease Biomarker-Positive Older Adults.

Intraindividual variability (IIV) across neuropsychological measures within a single testing session is a promising marker predictive of cognitive decline and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have previously shown that greater IIV is cross-sectionally associated with reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF), but not with cortical thickness or brain volume, in older adults without dementia who were amyloid beta (Aβ) positive. However, there is little known about the association between change in IIV and CBF over time.

Increased regional white matter hyperintensity volume in objectively-defined subtle cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment.

White matter hyperintensities (WMH), a marker of small vessel cerebrovascular disease, increase risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Less is known about the extent and pattern of WMH in pre-MCI stages, such as among those with objectively-defined subtle cognitive decline (Obj-SCD). Five hundred and fifty-nine Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative participants (170 cognitively unimpaired [CU]; 83 Obj-SCD; 306 MCI) free of clinical dementia or stroke completed neuropsychological testing and MRI exams.