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

Jasmine Cárcamo; Anton J Kociolek; Kayri K Fernández; Yian Gu; Carolyn W Zhu; Yaakov Stern; Stephanie Cosentino

doi:10.3233/JAD-210019

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

J Alzheimers Dis. 2021;83(2):539-544. doi: 10.3233/JAD-210019.

Authors

Jasmine Cárcamo¹, Anton J Kociolek¹, Kayri K Fernández¹, Yian Gu^{1

2

3

4}, Carolyn W Zhu^{5

6}, Yaakov Stern^{1

2

3

7}, Stephanie Cosentino^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
² Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
³ Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine a Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
⁶ James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, NY, USA.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

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.

Publication types

Letter
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease / ethnology*
Cognition Disorders / psychology
Disease Progression
Female
Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data*
Physical Functional Performance*
Predictive Value of Tests*
Prospective Studies
Residence Characteristics*

Grants and funding

R01 AG007370/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States