title: Impaired visual recognition memory predicts Alzheimer's disease in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the common form of Alzheimer's disease (AD), neurofibrillary tangles, which are associated with cognitive dysfunction, initially develop in the anterior subhippocampal (perirhinal/entorhinal) cortex before reaching the hippocampus. This area plays a key role in visual recognition memory (VRM). Impaired VRM could therefore be an early marker of AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive neuropsychological assessment including VRM tasks was performed in 26 patients with single-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment at baseline. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of neuropsychological tests using ROC curve analyses in a prospective longitudinal study until conversion to probable AD or with a follow-up of at least 6 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VRM performance predicted conversion to AD with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 90.9%. Combining the assessment of VRM with a verbal memory task increased diagnostic accuracy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive 'biomarkers' evaluating the function of brain areas that are the target of degenerative change should be considered for the early diagnosis of AD.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie et Neuropsychologie, APHM, CHU Timone, Marseille, France. mira.didic@ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Didic
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Felician
authors.forename: Emmanuel J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Barbeau
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Latger-Florence
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tramoni
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceccaldi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers