INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 02 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 08:00 am - 09:15 am Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 02: Aging \| MCI \| Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 1 Final Abstract #12 Exploring Well-Being and Cognitive Status at Death as Moderators of the Time-Varying Association Between Parkinsonism and Cognitive Function Alison Chung, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada Stuart Macdonald, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada Theone Paterson, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada Category: Movement and Movement Disorders Keyword 1: movement disorders Keyword 2: dementia - Alzheimer's disease Keyword 3: cognitive functioning Objective: Changes in cognition, including declines in working memory (WM), episodic memory (EM), and visuospatial ability (VA), are observed in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Parkinsonism, a spectrum of motor difficulties including tremor, rigidity, slow movement, and imbalance, has also been shown to contribute to differences in cognitive trajectory within these conditions. To date, few studies have considered the modulating role of psychosocial well-being on parkinsonism and cognitive function. The present study examined the moderating influence of psychosocial well-being and cognitive status at death (healthy, MCI, AD) on the longitudinal time-varying relationship between parkinsonism and cognitive function. Participants and Methods: Participants included 197 decedents (baseline M_age = 83.19, SD_age = 5.50, 72.36% female, 100% White) from the Rush Memory and Aging Project supported by R01AG017917 (Bennett et al., 2018). MAP was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Rush University Medical Center. Participants signed an informed consent, Anatomic Gift Act, and repository consent to allow their data to be repurposed. Resources can be requested at https://www.radc.rush.edu. Participants completed comprehensive annual assessments until death. Clinicians evaluated cognitive status at death using clinical data and history, and cognition was assessed using a neuropsychological battery of 12 tests. Parkinsonism was evaluated using the United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Psychosocial well-being was measured using Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well Being. Results: Linear mixed models were fit for each cognitive domain, with significant annual decline observed for key outcomes (γ_WM = -.08, γ_EM = -.11, γ_VA = -.05, p < .001). The random effect for time was significant for VA (τ² = .02, p < .05, 95% CI = .02 to .026), indicating significant between-person differences in rates of change. Notably, cognition and parkinsonism did not demonstrate significant within-person coupling (γ_WM = -.004, γ_EM = -.006, γ_VA = .007, p > .05). Regarding between-person differences at baseline, every unit increase in parkinsonism above the sample average was associated with diminished function in WM (γ_WM = -.02, p < .05) and VA (γ_VA = -.03, p < .05). When compared to healthy controls at baseline, MCI and AD groups demonstrated worse EM (γ_MCI = -.35, p < .05, γ_AD = -.70, p < .001), whereas only the AD group demonstrated worse VA (γ = -.31, p < .05). Over time, the AD group exhibited greater decline in cognition compared to healthy controls for all cognitive domains (γ_WM = -.10, γ_EM = -.20, γ_VA = -.08, p < .001), with the MCI group exhibiting comparatively greater decline for EM (γ = -.11, p < .001). No significant moderating influences of psychosocial well-being or cognitive status at death were observed on the within-person coupling of parkinsonism and cognition. Conclusions: Although between-person differences existed at baseline, no evidence of a time-varying coupling effect was found. This study is one of the first to examine the within-person coupling of parkinsonism and cognition. Additional research is required to further explore the moderating role of psychosocial well-being. Implications may inform targeted interventions and community infrastructure amidst the rapidly aging older adult population.

Poster

02/15/2024
08:00 am - 09:15 am
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 02: Aging | MCI | Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 1

Final Abstract #12

Exploring Well-Being and Cognitive Status at Death as Moderators of the Time-Varying Association Between Parkinsonism and Cognitive Function

Alison Chung, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
Stuart Macdonald, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
Theone Paterson, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada

Category: Movement and Movement Disorders

Keyword 1: movement disorders
Keyword 2: dementia - Alzheimer's disease
Keyword 3: cognitive functioning

Objective:

Changes in cognition, including declines in working memory (WM), episodic memory (EM), and visuospatial ability (VA), are observed in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Parkinsonism, a spectrum of motor difficulties including tremor, rigidity, slow movement, and imbalance, has also been shown to contribute to differences in cognitive trajectory within these conditions. To date, few studies have considered the modulating role of psychosocial well-being on parkinsonism and cognitive function. The present study examined the moderating influence of psychosocial well-being and cognitive status at death (healthy, MCI, AD) on the longitudinal time-varying relationship between parkinsonism and cognitive function.

Participants and Methods:

Participants included 197 decedents (baseline M_age = 83.19, SD_age = 5.50, 72.36% female, 100% White) from the Rush Memory and Aging Project supported by R01AG017917 (Bennett et al., 2018). MAP was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Rush University Medical Center. Participants signed an informed consent, Anatomic Gift Act, and repository consent to allow their data to be repurposed. Resources can be requested at https://www.radc.rush.edu. Participants completed comprehensive annual assessments until death. Clinicians evaluated cognitive status at death using clinical data and history, and cognition was assessed using a neuropsychological battery of 12 tests. Parkinsonism was evaluated using the United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Psychosocial well-being was measured using Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well Being.

Results:

Linear mixed models were fit for each cognitive domain, with significant annual decline observed for key outcomes (γ_WM = -.08, γ_EM = -.11, γ_VA = -.05, p < .001). The random effect for time was significant for VA (τ² = .02, p < .05, 95% CI = .02 to .026), indicating significant between-person differences in rates of change. Notably, cognition and parkinsonism did not demonstrate significant within-person coupling (γ_WM = -.004, γ_EM = -.006, γ_VA = .007, p > .05). Regarding between-person differences at baseline, every unit increase in parkinsonism above the sample average was associated with diminished function in WM (γ_WM = -.02, p < .05) and VA (γ_VA = -.03, p < .05). When compared to healthy controls at baseline, MCI and AD groups demonstrated worse EM (γ_MCI = -.35, p < .05, γ_AD = -.70, p < .001), whereas only the AD group demonstrated worse VA (γ = -.31, p < .05). Over time, the AD group exhibited greater decline in cognition compared to healthy controls for all cognitive domains (γ_WM = -.10, γ_EM = -.20, γ_VA = -.08, p < .001), with the MCI group exhibiting comparatively greater decline for EM (γ = -.11, p < .001). No significant moderating influences of psychosocial well-being or cognitive status at death were observed on the within-person coupling of parkinsonism and cognition.

Conclusions:

Although between-person differences existed at baseline, no evidence of a time-varying coupling effect was found. This study is one of the first to examine the within-person coupling of parkinsonism and cognition. Additional research is required to further explore the moderating role of psychosocial well-being. Implications may inform targeted interventions and community infrastructure amidst the rapidly aging older adult population.