Anatomy and Neuroscience - Research Publications

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    BDNF VAL66MET polymorphism and memory decline across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease
    Lim, YY ; Laws, SM ; Perin, S ; Pietrzak, RH ; Fowler, C ; Masters, CL ; Maruff, P (WILEY, 2021-06)
    The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met (rs6265) polymorphism has been shown to moderate the extent to which memory decline manifests in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). To date, no study has examined the relationship between BDNF and memory in individuals across biologically confirmed AD clinical stages (i.e., Aβ+). We aimed to understand the effect of BDNF on episodic memory decline and clinical disease progression over 126 months in individuals with preclinical, prodromal and clinical AD. Participants enrolled in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study who were Aβ + (according to positron emission tomography), and cognitively normal (CN; n = 238), classified as having mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 80), or AD (n = 66) were included in this study. Cognition was evaluated at 18 month intervals using an established episodic memory composite score over 126 months. We observed that in Aβ + CNs, Met66 was associated with greater memory decline with increasing age and were 1.5 times more likely to progress to MCI/AD over 126 months. In Aβ + MCIs, there was no effect of Met66 on memory decline or on disease progression to AD over 126 months. In Aβ + AD, Val66 homozygotes showed greater memory decline, while Met66 carriers performed at a constant and very impaired level. Our current results illustrate the importance of time and disease severity to clinicopathological models of the role of BDNF Val66Met in memory decline and AD clinical progression. Specifically, the effect of BDNF on memory decline is greatest in preclinical AD and reduces as AD clinical disease severity increases.
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    The relationship between cognitive engagement and better memory in midlife
    Bransby, L ; Buckley, RF ; Rosenich, E ; Franks, KH ; Yassi, N ; Maruff, P ; Pase, MP ; Lim, YY (WILEY, 2022-01-01)
    INTRODUCTION: Engagement in cognitively stimulating work and activities may slow cognitive decline and dementia. We examined the individual and combined associations of four cognitive engagement indices (educational attainment, occupational complexity, social engagement, and cognitively stimulating leisure activities) with objective and subjective cognition. METHODS: Middle-aged adults (n = 1864) enrolled in the Healthy Brain Project completed the Cogstate Brief Battery, the Cognitive Function Instrument, and self-report questionnaires of cognitive engagement. RESULTS: Educational attainment and leisure activity engagement were individually associated with memory performance. Participants were classified based on whether they rated highly in zero to four cognitive engagement indices. Compared to participants with no indices, participants with two or more indices performed moderately better on memory. DISCUSSION: Results suggest that greater variety of cognitive engagement across different areas of life is related to better memory in midlife. Possible explanation for this relationship may be increased opportunity for enhancing cognitive reserve, but further investigations are required.
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    Trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms in older adults: a 6-year prospective cohort study
    Holmes, SE ; Esterlis, I ; Mazure, CM ; Lim, YY ; Ames, D ; Rainey-Smith, S ; Fowler, C ; Ellis, K ; Martins, RN ; Salvado, O ; Dore, V ; Villemagne, VL ; Rowe, CC ; Laws, SM ; Masters, CL ; Pietrzak, RH ; Maruff, P (WILEY, 2018-02)
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    Amyloid burden and incident depressive symptoms in cognitively normal older adults
    Harrington, KD ; Gould, E ; Lim, YY ; Ames, D ; Pietrzak, RH ; Rembach, A ; Rainey-Smith, S ; Martins, RN ; Salvado, O ; Villemagne, VL ; Rowe, CC ; Masters, CL ; Maruff, P (WILEY, 2017-04)
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    Effect of BDNFVal66Met on disease markers in dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease
    Lim, YY ; Hassenstab, J ; Goate, A ; Fagan, AM ; Benzinger, TLS ; Cruchaga, C ; McDade, E ; Chhatwal, J ; Levin, J ; Farlow, MR ; Graff-Radford, NR ; Laske, C ; Masters, CL ; Salloway, S ; Schofield, P ; Morris, JC ; Maruff, P ; Bateman, RJ (WILEY, 2018-09)
    OBJECTIVE: Previous studies suggest that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met (rs6265) polymorphism may influence symptom onset in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our recent cross-sectional findings suggest that Met66 may influence clinical expression in dominantly inherited AD (DIAD) through its effects on tau. However, it remains unclear whether carriage of Met66 in DIAD results in faster increases in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and ptau181 , and whether these increases are associated with accelerated brain volume loss and memory decline. METHODS: A total of 211 subjects (101 mutation noncarriers, 110 mutation carriers), who were cognitively normal, as defined by a Clinical Dementia Rating global score of 0, completed assessments of cognitive function, neuroimaging, and CSF sampling over 3.5 years as part of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network. RESULTS: In mutation carriers, Met66 carriers showed faster memory decline (4×), hippocampal volume loss (16×), and CSF tau and ptau181 increases (6×) than Val66 homozygotes. BDNF did not influence rates of cortical β-amyloid accumulation or change in CSF Aβ42 levels in mutation carriers. In mutation noncarriers, BDNF genotype had no effect on change in cognition, brain volume, cortical β-amyloid accumulation, or change in any CSF measures of tau, ptau181 , and CSF Aβ42 . INTERPRETATION: As in sporadic AD, the deleterious effects of β-amyloid on cognitive function, brain volume loss, and CSF tau in DIAD mutation carriers are less in Val66 homozygotes. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism should be considered as a potential moderator of clinical trial outcomes in current treatment and prevention trials in DIAD and sporadic AD. Ann Neurol 2018;84:424-435.
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    Fifteen Years of the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study: Progress and Observations from 2,359 Older Adults Spanning the Spectrum from Cognitive Normality to Alzheimer's Disease
    Fowler, C ; Rainey-Smith, SR ; Bird, S ; Bomke, J ; Bourgeat, P ; Brown, BM ; Burnham, SC ; Bush, A ; Chadunow, C ; Collins, S ; Doecke, J ; Dore, V ; Ellis, KA ; Evered, L ; Fazlollahi, A ; Fripp, J ; Gardener, SL ; Gibson, S ; Grenfell, R ; Harrison, E ; Head, R ; Jin, L ; Kamer, A ; Lamb, F ; Lautenschlager, NT ; Laws, SM ; Li, Q-X ; Lim, L ; Lim, YY ; Louey, A ; Macaulay, SL ; Mackintosh, L ; Martins, RN ; Maruff, P ; Masters, CL ; McBride, S ; Milicic, L ; Peretti, M ; Pertile, K ; Porter, T ; Radler, M ; Rembach, A ; Robertson, J ; Rodrigues, M ; Rowe, CC ; Rumble, R ; Salvado, O ; Savage, G ; Silbert, B ; Soh, M ; Sohrabi, HR ; Taddei, K ; Taddei, T ; Thai, C ; Trounson, B ; Tyrrell, R ; Vacher, M ; Varghese, S ; Villemagne, VL ; Weinborn, M ; Woodward, M ; Xia, Y ; Ames, D (IOS PRESS, 2021)
    BACKGROUND: The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study commenced in 2006 as a prospective study of 1,112 individuals (768 cognitively normal (CN), 133 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 211 with Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD)) as an 'Inception cohort' who underwent detailed ssessments every 18 months. Over the past decade, an additional 1247 subjects have been added as an 'Enrichment cohort' (as of 10 April 2019). OBJECTIVE: Here we provide an overview of these Inception and Enrichment cohorts of more than 8,500 person-years of investigation. METHODS: Participants underwent reassessment every 18 months including comprehensive cognitive testing, neuroimaging (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI; positron emission tomography, PET), biofluid biomarkers and lifestyle evaluations. RESULTS: AIBL has made major contributions to the understanding of the natural history of AD, with cognitive and biological definitions of its three major stages: preclinical, prodromal and clinical. Early deployment of Aβ-amyloid and tau molecular PET imaging and the development of more sensitive and specific blood tests have facilitated the assessment of genetic and environmental factors which affect age at onset and rates of progression. CONCLUSION: This fifteen-year study provides a large database of highly characterized individuals with longitudinal cognitive, imaging and lifestyle data and biofluid collections, to aid in the development of interventions to delay onset, prevent or treat AD. Harmonization with similar large longitudinal cohort studies is underway to further these aims.
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    SPON1 Is Associated with Amyloid-β and APOE ε4-Related Cognitive Decline in Cognitively Normal Adults
    Fernandez, S ; Burnham, SC ; Milicic, L ; Savage, G ; Maruff, P ; Peretti, M ; Sohrabi, HR ; Lim, YY ; Weinborn, M ; Ames, D ; Masters, CL ; Martins, RN ; Rainey-Smith, S ; Rowe, CC ; Salvado, O ; Groth, D ; Verdile, G ; Villemagne, VL ; Porter, T ; Laws, SM (IOS PRESS, 2021)
    BACKGROUND: Genetic variation in Spondin-1, specifically rs11023139, has been associated with reduced rates of cognitive decline in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the association was present in cognitively normal older adults. METHODS: Longitudinal cognitive decline was investigated using linear mixed modelling in a cohort of 590 cognitively normal older adults enrolled in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study. RESULTS: No independent effect of Spondin-1 rs11023139 on cognitive decline was observed. However, significant associations were observed for the interaction between Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 and rs11023139 in individuals with high amyloid-β burden. APOE ɛ4/rs11023139-A carriers declined significantly faster than APOE ɛ4/rs11023139-G_G carriers in measures of global cognition (p = 0.011) and verbal episodic memory (p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that carriage of the Spondin-1 rs11023139-A allele significantly contributes to a worsening of cognitive performance in APOE ɛ4 cognitively normal older adults with a high neocortical amyloid-β burden.
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    Learning deficit in cognitively normal APOE ε4 carriers with LOW β-amyloid
    Lim, YY ; Baker, JE ; Mills, A ; Bruns, L ; Fowler, C ; Fripp, J ; Rainey-Smith, SR ; Ames, D ; Masters, CL ; Maruff, P (WILEY, 2021)
    INTRODUCTION: In cognitively normal (CN) adults, increased rates of amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation can be detected in low Aβ (Aβ-) apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carriers. We aimed to determine the effect of ε4 on the ability to benefit from experience (ie, learn) in Aβ- CNs. METHODS: Aβ- CNs (n = 333) underwent episodic memory assessments every 18 months for 108 months. A subset (n = 48) completed the Online Repeatable Cognitive Assessment-Language Learning Test (ORCA-LLT) over 6 days. RESULTS: Aβ- ε4 carriers showed significantly lower rates of improvement on episodic memory over 108 months compared to non-carriers (d = 0.3). Rates of learning on the ORCA-LLT were significantly slower in Aβ- ε4 carriers compared to non-carriers (d = 1.2). DISCUSSION: In Aβ- CNs, ε4 is associated with a reduced ability to benefit from experience. This manifested as reduced practice effects (small to moderate in magnitude) over 108 months on the episodic memory composite, and a learning deficit (large in magnitude) over 6 days on the ORCA-LLT. Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive abnormalities can manifest before preclinical AD thresholds.
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    Association of β-Amyloid Level, Clinical Progression, and Longitudinal Cognitive Change in Normal Older Individuals
    Van der Kall, LM ; Thanh, T ; Burnham, SC ; Dore, V ; Mulligan, RS ; Bozinovski, S ; Lamb, F ; Bourgeat, P ; Fripp, J ; Schultz, S ; Lim, YY ; Laws, SM ; Ames, D ; Fowler, C ; Rainey-Smith, SR ; Martins, RN ; Salvado, O ; Robertson, J ; Maruff, P ; Masters, CL ; Villemagne, VL ; Rowe, CC (LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2021-02-02)
    OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of β-amyloid (Aβ) level on progression risk to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia and longitudinal cognitive change in cognitively normal (CN) older individuals. METHODS: All CN from the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle study with Aβ PET and ≥3 years follow-up were included (n = 534; age 72 ± 6 years; 27% Aβ positive; follow-up 5.3 ± 1.7 years). Aβ level was divided using the standardized 0-100 Centiloid scale: <15 CL negative, 15-25 CL uncertain, 26-50 CL moderate, 51-100 CL high, >100 CL very high, noting >25 CL approximates a positive scan. Cox proportional hazards analysis and linear mixed effect models were used to assess risk of progression and cognitive decline. RESULTS: Aβ levels in 63% were negative, 10% uncertain, 10% moderate, 14% high, and 3% very high. Fifty-seven (11%) progressed to MCI or dementia. Compared to negative Aβ, the hazard ratio for progression for moderate Aβ was 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-7.6; p < 0.05), for high was 7.0 (95% CI 3.7-13.3; p < 0.001), and for very high was 11.4 (95% CI 5.1-25.8; p < 0.001). Decline in cognitive composite score was minimal in the moderate group (-0.02 SD/year, p = 0.05), while the high and very high declined substantially (high -0.08 SD/year, p < 0.001; very high -0.35 SD/year, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The risk of MCI or dementia over 5 years in older CN is related to Aβ level on PET, 5% if negative vs 25% if positive but ranging from 12% if 26-50 CL to 28% if 51-100 CL and 50% if >100 CL. This information may be useful for dementia risk counseling and aid design of preclinical AD trials.
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    APOE and BDNF polymorphisms moderate amyloid β-related cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer's disease
    Lim, YY ; Villemagne, VL ; Laws, SM ; Pietrzak, RH ; Snyder, PJ ; Ames, D ; Ellis, KA ; Harrington, K ; Rembach, A ; Martins, RN ; Rowe, CC ; Masters, CL ; Maruff, P (NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2015-11)
    Accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the brain is associated with memory decline in healthy individuals as a prelude to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Genetic factors may moderate this decline. We examined the role of apolipoprotein E (ɛ4 carrier[ɛ4(+)], ɛ4 non-carrier[ɛ4(-)]) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF(Val/Val), BDNF(Met)) in the extent to which they moderate Aβ-related memory decline. Healthy adults (n=333, Mage=70 years) enrolled in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study underwent Aβ neuroimaging. Neuropsychological assessments were conducted at baseline, 18-, 36- and 54-month follow-ups. Aβ positron emission tomography neuroimaging was used to classify participants as Aβ(-) or Aβ(+). Relative to Aβ(-)ɛ4(-), Aβ(+)ɛ4(+) individuals showed significantly faster rates of cognitive decline over 54 months across all domains (d=0.40-1.22), while Aβ(+)ɛ4(-) individuals showed significantly faster decline only on verbal episodic memory (EM). There were no differences in rates of cognitive change between Aβ(-)ɛ4(-) and Aβ(-)ɛ4(+) groups. Among Aβ(+) individuals, ɛ4(+)/BDNF(Met) participants showed a significantly faster rate of decline on verbal and visual EM, and language over 54 months compared with ɛ4(-)/BDNF(Val/Val) participants (d=0.90-1.02). At least two genetic loci affect the rate of Aβ-related cognitive decline. Aβ(+)ɛ4(+)/BDNF(Met) individuals can expect to show clinically significant memory impairment after 3 years, whereas Aβ(+)ɛ4(+)/BDNF(Val/Val) individuals can expect a similar degree of impairment after 10 years. Little decline over 54 months was observed in the Aβ(-) and Aβ(+) ɛ4(-) groups, irrespective of BDNF status. These data raise important prognostic issues in managing preclinical AD, and should be considered in designing secondary preventative clinical trials.