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Regional atrophy correlates of domain-specific episodic memory in early Alzheimer’s disease

Baumeister, Hannah LU (2021) PSYP01 20211
Department of Psychology
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau depositions as well as neurodegeneration, and is typically accompanied by a progressive decline in episodic memory. Previous research proposes two neural memory networks that process different stimulus domains. Specifically, a posterior-medial (PM) and an anterior-lateral (AL) network handle scene- and object-specific information, respectively. I aimed to determine if scene- and object-based memory follow different trajectories in early AD stages. Moreover, I tested where on the AD continuum first alterations in measures of regional atrophy occur. Finally, it was assessed if AD proteinopathy and regional atrophy are related to markers of domain-specific episodic memory. In... (More)
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau depositions as well as neurodegeneration, and is typically accompanied by a progressive decline in episodic memory. Previous research proposes two neural memory networks that process different stimulus domains. Specifically, a posterior-medial (PM) and an anterior-lateral (AL) network handle scene- and object-specific information, respectively. I aimed to determine if scene- and object-based memory follow different trajectories in early AD stages. Moreover, I tested where on the AD continuum first alterations in measures of regional atrophy occur. Finally, it was assessed if AD proteinopathy and regional atrophy are related to markers of domain-specific episodic memory. In a sample of N = 121 older adults who were cognitively unimpaired (CU) and Aβ negative (CU Aβ-), CU and Aβ positive (CU Aβ+), or had AD-related mild cognitive impairment (MCI Aβ+), regional atrophy measures were obtained using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Aβ and tau burden were quantified using positron emission tomography. Participants completed a mnemonic discrimination task targeting object- and scene-based episodic memory. Analyses of covariance revealed significantly smaller cornu ammonis 2/3 gray matter volumes and a trend towards lower object discrimination in the MCI Aβ+ group compared to both CU groups. In the whole sample, regression models showed that early tau burden was negatively related to object discrimination. Earliest AD-related memory decline might initially affect object-processing memory networks and is possibly driven by tau. Neurodegeneration might not mediate the relationship of AD proteinopathy and cognition until later AD stages. (Less)
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author
Baumeister, Hannah LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYP01 20211
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Alzheimer’s disease, episodic memory, amyloid-β, tau, atrophy, neurodegeneration, mnemonic discrimination, response bias
language
English
id
9057688
date added to LUP
2021-06-23 08:35:34
date last changed
2021-06-23 08:35:34
@misc{9057688,
  abstract     = {{Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau depositions as well as neurodegeneration, and is typically accompanied by a progressive decline in episodic memory. Previous research proposes two neural memory networks that process different stimulus domains. Specifically, a posterior-medial (PM) and an anterior-lateral (AL) network handle scene- and object-specific information, respectively. I aimed to determine if scene- and object-based memory follow different trajectories in early AD stages. Moreover, I tested where on the AD continuum first alterations in measures of regional atrophy occur. Finally, it was assessed if AD proteinopathy and regional atrophy are related to markers of domain-specific episodic memory. In a sample of N = 121 older adults who were cognitively unimpaired (CU) and Aβ negative (CU Aβ-), CU and Aβ positive (CU Aβ+), or had AD-related mild cognitive impairment (MCI Aβ+), regional atrophy measures were obtained using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Aβ and tau burden were quantified using positron emission tomography. Participants completed a mnemonic discrimination task targeting object- and scene-based episodic memory. Analyses of covariance revealed significantly smaller cornu ammonis 2/3 gray matter volumes and a trend towards lower object discrimination in the MCI Aβ+ group compared to both CU groups. In the whole sample, regression models showed that early tau burden was negatively related to object discrimination. Earliest AD-related memory decline might initially affect object-processing memory networks and is possibly driven by tau. Neurodegeneration might not mediate the relationship of AD proteinopathy and cognition until later AD stages.}},
  author       = {{Baumeister, Hannah}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Regional atrophy correlates of domain-specific episodic memory in early Alzheimer’s disease}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}