title: Motivational processes in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: results from the Motivational Reserve in Alzheimer's (MoReA) study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain reserve, i.e., the ability of the brain to tolerate age- and disease-related changes in a way that cognitive function is still maintained, is assumed to be based on the lifelong training of various abilities. The Motivational Reserve in Alzheimer's (MoReA) is a longitudinal study that aims to examine motivational processes as a protective factor in mild Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This paper presents the results of motivational variables, frequency of diagnoses, and prediction of global cognition as well as depression in a one-year longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consists of 64 subjects with MCI and 47 subjects with mild AD at baseline. At baseline, the physical/neurological examinations, standard clinical assessment, neuropsychological testing, and assessment of motivational variables were performed. At follow-up (FU) one year later, neuropsychological testing including cognition, functional abilities, behavioral and affective symptoms, and global clinical assessments of severity have been repeated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AD cases have lower motivational capacities as measured with a midlife motivation-related occupational score and informant-reported present motivational processes, but do not differ with regard to delay of gratification (DoG) and self-reported motivational processes. DoG and delay discounting (DD) were relatively stable during the measurement interval. However, 20 % of the MCI cases converted to mild AD at FU, and 17 % of the mild AD cases converted to moderate AD. The rate of depression of Alzheimer's disease was 9 at baseline and 21 % at FU, and the rate of apathy was 7 and 14 %, respectively. Global cognition at FU was mainly predicted by baseline global cognition but also by one of the motivational variables (scenario test). Depression at FU was predicted mainly by two motivational variables (self-reported and informant-reported motivational processes).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research might inform motivation-related strategies for prevention and early intervention with older people or people at risk for AD.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Psychology, Faculty II, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 2, 57068, Siegen, Germany. simon.forstmeier@uni-siegen.de.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forstmeier
authors.affiliation: Psychopathology and Clinical Interventions, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmuehlestr. 14/17, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland. maercker@psychologie.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maercker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D057565:Apathy; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests