title: Detecting early preclinical Alzheimer's disease via cognition, neuropsychiatry, and neuroimaging: qualitative review and recommendations for testing.
abstract: In this paper, we review studies that have investigated whether neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric, and neuroimaging measures predict decline to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prospective neuropsychological studies indicate that cognitive performance may be an excellent indicator of future progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD, particularly when episodic memory is combined with tasks relying on executive control and language tasks. Research on neuropsychiatric symptoms reveal that depression, apathy, anxiety, and sleep disturbances can contribute to predictive models, though their sensitivity is typically lower than that found with cognitive measures. Finally, different structural brain imaging markers reveal excellent predictive accuracy. The paper discusses issues that will have to be addressed in future studies. First, it will be necessary to increase the evaluation of combined markers, as this may considerably improve predictive accuracy. Second, it will be necessary to move to earlier stages than MCI in order to expand the detection window. Third, processes of compensation and plasticity will have to be better investigated as research moves into earlier stages. The Consortium for the early identification of AD-Quebec (CIMA-Q) is presented as an instance of this approach, and potential batteries of measures are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belleville
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fouquet
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada Département de radiologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duchesne
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: D Louis
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hudon
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D058027:Neuropsychiatry; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; cognition; early detection of disease; longitudinal studies; mild cognitive impairment; neuroimaging; neuropsychiatry