title: Eyeblink classical conditioning to auditory and olfactory stimuli: performance among older adults with and without the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele.
abstract: 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).
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA 92120-4913, USA.
authors.forename: Anna Bacon
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Bondi
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E