Eyeblink classical conditioning to auditory and olfactory stimuli: performance among older adults with and without the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele.
Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) demonstrate slowed acquisition of the conditioned response (CR) in eyeblink classical conditioning paradigms (EBCC), although it is unknown how early in the course of the disease CR acquisition is affected. This study investigated whether changes in the rate of CR acquisition were apparent in nondemented older adults at greater genetic risk for developing AD (i.e., carriers of the apolipoprotein E [APOE] epsilon 4 allele). Both epsilon 4+ and epsilon 4- participants demonstrated CR acquisition to auditory and olfactory CSs; however, rate of acquisition to the olfactory CS was significantly slower in epsilon 4+ persons. Both groups acquired the CR to an auditory CS at the same rate. Results support olfactory compromise in the earliest stages of the AD disease process. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).
Moore
Anna Bacon
AB
San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA 92120-4913, USA.
Bondi
Mark W
MW
Salmon
David P
DP
Murphy
Claire
C
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D001767:Blinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E