The aims of this study were to assess neuropsychological function and change in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Further aims were to determine if platelet membrane secretase activity was higher in MCI participants compared to controls and to assess FOG-PET CT brain changes in MCI participants. METHODS Participants with MCI were recruited through a memory clinic. Controls with no evidence of cognitive impairment were also recruited. Participants undertook a neuropsychological test battery. MCI participants were reassessed through the memory clinic and a subset returned for in-depth neuropsychological testing on a yearly basis. Blood samples were collected for measurement of platelet membrane secretase activity and APOE genotyping. FOG-PET CT Brain scans were carried out on 36 MCI participants. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Version 17 for Windows. RESULTS 237 participants were recruited over a 2.5 year period; 139 MCI and 98 control participants. The MCI participants performed significantly worse than the controls on all cognitive tests, except one test of memory. Most MCI participants were categorised as amnestic multidomain; this was the group most likely to convert to dementia on follow-up. Age had the most significant effect on conversion, however. Conversion rate was 15.7% per year overall. There was no significant difference in platelet membrane secretase activity between the MCI and control groups. FOGPET CT Brain activity changes were seen in MCI participants and most changes correlated with previous literature of brain imaging. CONCLUSIONS MCI is a heterogeneous condition with most participants having multiple cognitive deficits on full assessment at baseline. Older participants with amnestic multidomain MCI are most likely to convert to dementia. Platelet membrane secretase activity cannot be advocated as a useful biomarker of MCI from the results of this study. Changes in FDG-PET and cognition produced some interesting associations that would need verified in larger studies.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:602499 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | McGuinness, Bernadette |
| Publisher | Queen's University Belfast |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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