The P300 component in patients with Alzheimer's disease and their biological children.
OBJECTIVE
There are few studies examining P300 in the biological children of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to examining P300 in patients with AD, the current study examined the utility of P300 as a preclinical marker in the offspring of AD patients.


METHODS
P300 was elicited from an AD group, their biological children, and two age- and gender-matched control groups using the auditory oddball paradigm. Each group consisted of 20 subjects each. ERPs recorded from sites Fz, Cz, and Pz were analysed using analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Amplitudes were significantly smaller in the AD group when compared to controls. Both amplitude and latency values in the FH+ group were significantly impaired when compared to its control group.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings replicate previous P300 amplitude abnormalities found in patients with AD. Further, participants with a family history of AD demonstrate possible preclinical evidence at the electrophysiological level. Comparisons with other findings and theoretical implications are discussed.
Ally
Brandon A
BA
Harvard Medical School and New England GRECC, Geriatric Neuropsychology Laboratory, USA. bally@bu.edu
Jones
Gary E
GE
Cole
Jack A
JA
Budson
Andrew E
AE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged