Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes
Abstract INTRODUCTION Motivated by the difficulties in detecting cognitive deterioration in the context of Down syndrome (DS), we aimed to identify markers of prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) in this population. METHODS Sixty‐two participants with DS (age > 45) distributed in three groups...
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70084 |
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| author | Javier García‐Alba Elisa M. Molanes‐López Pilar Zuluaga Cristina Bell‐Fenellos Lucía Vaquero Eva Alfayate Felipe García Gloria Mateo Fernando Modenhauer José M. Galván‐Román Ricardo Bajo Alberto Fernández |
| author_facet | Javier García‐Alba Elisa M. Molanes‐López Pilar Zuluaga Cristina Bell‐Fenellos Lucía Vaquero Eva Alfayate Felipe García Gloria Mateo Fernando Modenhauer José M. Galván‐Román Ricardo Bajo Alberto Fernández |
| author_sort | Javier García‐Alba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract INTRODUCTION Motivated by the difficulties in detecting cognitive deterioration in the context of Down syndrome (DS), we aimed to identify markers of prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) in this population. METHODS Sixty‐two participants with DS (age > 45) distributed in three groups (asymptomatic [ADS], prodromal [PDS], and dementia [DDS]) completed the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities, Cambridge Cognitive Examination for older adults with Down's Syndrome, and Barcelona Test for Intellectual Disability tests and a magnetic resonance imaging scan. RESULTS Although temporal orientation showed significant differences among groups, only a predictive diagnostic model based on verbal short‐term memory tasks (relying on “cued” recall) allowed the correct classification of 88.5% of ADS, 75.0% of PDS, and 95% of DDS individuals. Cognitive decline strongly correlated with brain volume reductions in orbitofrontal, medial‐temporal, and bilateral thalamus within the DDS group. DISCUSSION Neuropsychological results showed that PDS cases were characterized by a significant deterioration of verbal memory and temporal orientation, compared to ADS. This pattern might be crucial to support diagnosis in clinical settings. Highlights Detecting signs of prodromal dementia is a major challenge in Down syndrome. Such challenge is due to a poor definition of the early cognitive manifestations. Memory tasks relying on “cued” recall allowed the detection of prodromal cases. A pattern of temporal disorientation was also evident in the prodromal phase. These cognitive deficits preceded volumetric brain changes only present in dementia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1fbb6c1a04134faebbbf10defb44363d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2352-8729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring |
| spelling | doaj-art-1fbb6c1a04134faebbbf10defb44363d2025-08-20T03:42:18ZengWileyAlzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring2352-87292025-01-01171n/an/a10.1002/dad2.70084Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changesJavier García‐Alba0Elisa M. Molanes‐López1Pilar Zuluaga2Cristina Bell‐Fenellos3Lucía Vaquero4Eva Alfayate5Felipe García6Gloria Mateo7Fernando Modenhauer8José M. Galván‐Román9Ricardo Bajo10Alberto Fernández11Department of Psychology in Education and Research Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Statistics and Operational Research Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Statistics and Operational Research Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Psychology in Education and Research Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy; & Research Group in Digital Culture and Social Movements Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainNeuroimaging, Reina Sofia Alzheimer Center CIEN Foundation, ISCIII Madrid SpainNeuroimaging, Reina Sofia Alzheimer Center CIEN Foundation, ISCIII Madrid SpainDepartment of Internal Medicine La Princesa University Hospital/La Princesa Biomedical Research Institute Madrid SpainDepartment of Internal Medicine La Princesa University Hospital/La Princesa Biomedical Research Institute Madrid SpainDepartment of Internal Medicine La Princesa University Hospital/La Princesa Biomedical Research Institute Madrid SpainInstitute of Applied Magnetism Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainDepartment of Legal Medicine Psychiatry and Pathology, Complutense University of Madrid Madrid SpainAbstract INTRODUCTION Motivated by the difficulties in detecting cognitive deterioration in the context of Down syndrome (DS), we aimed to identify markers of prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) in this population. METHODS Sixty‐two participants with DS (age > 45) distributed in three groups (asymptomatic [ADS], prodromal [PDS], and dementia [DDS]) completed the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities, Cambridge Cognitive Examination for older adults with Down's Syndrome, and Barcelona Test for Intellectual Disability tests and a magnetic resonance imaging scan. RESULTS Although temporal orientation showed significant differences among groups, only a predictive diagnostic model based on verbal short‐term memory tasks (relying on “cued” recall) allowed the correct classification of 88.5% of ADS, 75.0% of PDS, and 95% of DDS individuals. Cognitive decline strongly correlated with brain volume reductions in orbitofrontal, medial‐temporal, and bilateral thalamus within the DDS group. DISCUSSION Neuropsychological results showed that PDS cases were characterized by a significant deterioration of verbal memory and temporal orientation, compared to ADS. This pattern might be crucial to support diagnosis in clinical settings. Highlights Detecting signs of prodromal dementia is a major challenge in Down syndrome. Such challenge is due to a poor definition of the early cognitive manifestations. Memory tasks relying on “cued” recall allowed the detection of prodromal cases. A pattern of temporal disorientation was also evident in the prodromal phase. These cognitive deficits preceded volumetric brain changes only present in dementia.https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70084Alzheimer's diseasecognitive impairmentDown syndromemagnetic resonance imagingneuropsychological assessmentprodromal Alzheimer's disease |
| spellingShingle | Javier García‐Alba Elisa M. Molanes‐López Pilar Zuluaga Cristina Bell‐Fenellos Lucía Vaquero Eva Alfayate Felipe García Gloria Mateo Fernando Modenhauer José M. Galván‐Román Ricardo Bajo Alberto Fernández Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring Alzheimer's disease cognitive impairment Down syndrome magnetic resonance imaging neuropsychological assessment prodromal Alzheimer's disease |
| title | Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes |
| title_full | Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes |
| title_fullStr | Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes |
| title_short | Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes |
| title_sort | cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal alzheimer s disease in down syndrome correlations with volumetric brain changes |
| topic | Alzheimer's disease cognitive impairment Down syndrome magnetic resonance imaging neuropsychological assessment prodromal Alzheimer's disease |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70084 |
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