The objective of this pilot study on a convenience sample of 25 offspring of Alzheimer patients (mean age 61.5 ± 8.8 years; range, 50-82) was the early detection of neurocognitive decline. This preliminary report appears to be the first one dealing with 20-year follow-up of neurocognitive data of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) children. Digit symbol (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) was the only of 11 neurocognitive measures with a significant decline. And that decline between first and last testing (mean = 19.98 ± 0.30 years) was on raw scores, not scaled scores. Neither parents’ age at onset of AD nor autopsy confirmation or offspring APOE-e4 status influenced neurocognitive results. More robust data than currently available are needed to confirm the findings of this first pilot study and to determine both the trajectory of neurocognitive decline in AD and the risks of developing AD faced by children whose parent had the disease.
Petersen RC, Smith GE, Ivnik RJ, et al.Memory function in very early Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology1994; 44:867-872.
2.
Small BJ, Fratiglioni L, Viitanen M, et al.The course of cognitive impairment in preclinical Alzheimer disease: three- and 6-year follow-up of a population-based sample. Arch Neurol2000; 57:839-844.
3.
Albert MS, Moss MB, Tanzi R, Jones K.Preclinical prediction of AD using neuropsychological tests. J Int Neuropsychol Soc2001; 7:631-639.
4.
La Rue A, Jarvik LF. Reflections of biological changes in the psychological performance of the aged. Age1980; 3:29-32.
5.
Kawas CH, Corrada MM, Brookmeyer R, et al.Visual memory predicts Alzheimer’s disease more than a decade before diagnosis. Neurology2003; 60:1089-1093.
6.
Snowdon DA, Kemper SJ, Mortimer JA, et al.Linguistic ability in early life and cognitive function and Alzheimer’s disease in late life: findings from the Nun Study. JAMA1996; 275:528-532.
7.
Whalley LJ, Starr JM, Athawes R, et al.Childhood mental ability and dementia. Neurology2000; 55:455-1459.
8.
Richards M, Sacker A.Lifetime antecedents of cognitive reserve. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol2003; 25:614-624.
9.
La Rue A, McPherson S, Robinson H, et al.Age at onset, survival duration and cognitive performance in probable Alzheimer’s disease. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry1995; 1:221-230.
10.
McKhann G, Drachman D, Folstein M, et al.Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Report of the NINCDS-ADRDA Work Group under the auspices of Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurology1984; 34:939-944.
11.
First MD, Spitzer RL, Gibbon M, Williams JBW. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1997.
12.
Hamilton M.A rating scale for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry1960; 23:56-62.
13.
Hamilton D.The assessment of anxiety states by rating.Br J Med Psychol1959; 32:50-55.
14.
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. “Mini-mental state”: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res1975; 12:189-198.
15.
Wechsler D. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. New York: Psychological Corporation, 1955.
Inglis J.A Paired-Associate Learning Test for use with elderly psychiatric patients. J Ment Sci1959; 105:440-443.
19.
Wechsler D.Wechsler Memory Scale-revised. San Antonio, Tex: Psychological Corporation, 1987.
20.
Blair JR, Spreen O.Predicting premorbid IQ: a revision of the National Adult Reading Test. Clin Neuropsychol1989; 3:129-136.
21.
US War Department. Army Individual Battery. Washington, DC: US War Department, Adjunct General’s Office, 1944.
22.
Heaton RK, Chelune GJ, Talley JL, et al.Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) manual revised and expanded. Odessa, Fla: Psychological Assessment Resources, 1993.
23.
Morris JC, Heyman A, Mohs RC, et al. The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD). Part I. Clinical and neuropsychological assessment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurology1989; 39:1159-1165.
Tombaugh TN, Kozak J, Rees L, Normative data stratified by age and education for two measures of verbal fluency: FAS and animal naming. Arch Clin Neuropsychol1999; 14:167-177.
26.
Tsuang D, Bird DT. Genetics of dementia. In: Sadavoy J, Jarvik L, Grossberg G, Meyers B, eds. Comprehensive textbook of geriatric psychiatry. 3rd ed.New York: W. W. Norton and Company,w 2004:39-84.
27.
Roberts JS. Anticipating response to predictive genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease: a survey of first-degree relatives. Gerontologist2000; 40(1):43-52.
28.
Werner P, Heinik J.Intentions of first-degree relatives of patients with Alzheimer’s disease to seek a cognitive status examination. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry2004; 19:479-486.
29.
Jacobs DM, Sano M, Dooneief G, et al.Neuropsychological detection and characterization of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology1995; 45:957-962.
30.
Fox NC, Warrington, EK, Seiffer AL, et al.Presymptomatic cognitive deficits in individuals at risk of familial Alzheimer’s disease: a longitudinal prospective study. Brain1998; 121:1631-1639.
31.
Constantinides J, Garrone G, de Ajuriaguerra J. L’heredite des demences de l’age avance. Encephale 1962; 51:301-344.
32.
Liddell MB, Lovestone S, Owen MJ. Genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease: advising relatives. Br J Psychiatry2001; 178:7-11.
33.
Silverman JM, Ciresi G, Smith CJ, et al.Variability of familial risk of Alzheimer disease across the late life span. Arch Gen Psychiatry2005; 62:565-573.
34.
McArdle JJ, Small BJ, Bäckman L, Fratiglioni L.Longitudinal models of growth and survival applied to the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol2005; 18:234-241.
