Asymmetries in global-local processing ability in elderly people with the apolipoprotein e-epsilon4 allele.
Previous studies have identified cognitive asymmetries in elderly people at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) by comparing standardized neuropsychological tests of verbal and spatial abilities in both preclinical AD and apolipoprotein epsilon4+ elderly groups. This prospective study investigated cognitive asymmetries within a single test by comparing cognitively intact elderly (with and without the epsilon4+ allele) on a learning and memory measure that uses global and local visuospatial stimuli. Both groups demonstrated comparable overall learning and recall. But the epsilon4+ group had a significantly larger discrepancy between their global and local learning scores and had a greater proportion of individuals with more than a one standard deviation difference between their immediate recall of the global and local elements, relative to the epsilon4- group. These findings build on previous studies identifying subgroups of elderly people at greater risk for AD who often demonstrate increased cognitive asymmetries relative to groups without significant risk factors.
Jacobson
Mark W
MW
Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, Research Service, and University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, CA 92161, USA. mjacobson@vapop.ucsd.edu
Delis
Dean C
DC
Lansing
Amy
A
Houston
Wes
W
Olsen
Ryan
R
Wetter
Spencer
S
Bondi
Mark W
MW
Salmon
David P
DP
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
D001057:Apolipoproteins E