Increased Prevalence of Vestibular Loss in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease

Curr Alzheimer Res. 2019;16(12):1143-1150. doi: 10.2174/1567205016666190816114838.

Abstract

Background/aims: Recent evidence has shown that Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients have reduced vestibular function relative to healthy controls. In this study, we evaluated whether patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) also have reduced vestibular function relative to controls, and compared the level of vestibular impairment between MCI and AD patients.

Methods: Vestibular physiologic function was assessed in 77 patients (26 MCI, 51 AD) and 295 matched controls using 3 clinical vestibular tests. The association between vestibular loss and cognitive impairment was evaluated using conditional logistic regression models.

Results: Individuals with vestibular impairment had a 3 to 4-fold increased odds of being in the MCI vs. control group (p-values < 0.05). MCI patients had a level of vestibular impairment that was intermediate between controls and AD.

Conclusion: These findings suggest a dose-response relationship between vestibular loss and cognitive status, and support the hypothesis that vestibular loss contributes to cognitive decline.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; aging; mild cognitive impairment; vestibular function tests; vestibular system..

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / epidemiology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / epidemiology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / physiopathology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Vestibular Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Vestibular Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Vestibular Diseases / psychology
  • Vestibular Function Tests / methods