Federica L'Abbate (Italy)
IRCCS Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" Institute of NeurologyAuthor Of 1 Presentation
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF MCI CONVERSION TO DEMENTIA AT DIFFERENT TIMEPOINTS.
- Davide Quaranta (Italy)
Abstract
Background and Aims:
Episodic memory tests represent are considered as the most valuable tool to identify subjects with MCI who will convert to dementia, but different neuropsychological markers may predict the conversion to dementia at different timepoints from the baseline assessment. The study was aimed at exploring the predicitve value of different neuropsychological markers.
Methods:
We recruited 192 individuals with amnesic MCI due to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), followed-up for 5 years. 121 individuals converted to dementia. They were subdivided into early converters (EC; conversion in two years; N=63); intermediate converters (IC; between 2 and 4 years; N=37); late converters (LC; over 4 years; N=21). The neuropsychological evaluation included: MMSE; Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test; digit span; Raven’s Matrices; Stroop’s test; Multiple Features Targets Cancellation; phonological (PVF) and semantic verbal fluency (SVF). The discrepancy between semantic and phonological verbal fluency (SPD) was computed.
Results:
On univariate analyses, EC was predicted by MMSE (p<0.001); RAVLT immediate (p=0.005) and delayed (p=0.007) recall; digit span backward (p=0.033). IC was predicted by MMSE (p<0.001); and SVF (p=0.012). LC was predicted by PVF (p=0.008) and SPD (p=0.05). On the multivariate model, EC was predicted by MMSE (p<0.001); RAVLT immediate recall (p=0.046); and SPD (p=0.026); IC was predicted by MMSE (p<0.001); LC was predicted by SPD (p=0.011).
Conclusions:
Episodic memory tests confirm to be reliable in detecting patients progressing to dementia, but only in the first two years. The conversion over 4 years was predicted only by the SPD, suggesting that semantic memory may be affected in a very early phase of AD.