Neuropsychological Predictors of Severe Functional Dependency in a Multiethnic Community Cohort of Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Cárcamo, Jasmine^a | Kociolek, Anton J.^a | Fernández, Kayri K.^a | Gu, Yian^{a; b; c; f} | Zhu, Carolyn W.^{d; e} | Stern, Yaakov^{a; b; c; g} | Cosentino, Stephanie^{a; b; c; *}

Affiliations: [a] Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA | [b] Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA | [c] Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA | [d] Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine a Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA | [e] James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, NY, USA | [f] Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA | [g] Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Stephanie Cosentino, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuropsychology, Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Taub Institute and Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, P&S Mailbox 16, New York, NY 10032, USA. Tel.: +1 212 342 0289; Fax: +1 212 342 1838; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: To assess the predictive value of neuropsychological tests for severe dependency in Alzheimer’s disease as defined by the Equivalent Institutional Care Rating Scale, in a multiethnic, community cohort. The sample included 146 elders from the Predictors 3 cohort. Cox proportional hazard models tested the predictive value of each neuropsychological test at baseline on relative risk of meeting severe dependency. Higher semantic processing and memory test scores at baseline were associated with lower risk of meeting severe dependency in the adjusted Cox models. The integrity of semantic processing and memory abilities in dementia appears to predict time to severe functional dependency.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, cognition, dementia, memory, neuropsychological tests

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-210019

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 83, no. 2, pp. 539-544, 2021