Poster | Poster Session 06 Program Schedule
02/15/2024
04:00 pm - 05:15 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)
Poster Session 06: Aging | MCI | Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2
Final Abstract #85
Family History of Dementia does not Influence the Association Between SCD and Cognition
Aanya Ravichander, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Silvia Chapman, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Leah Waltrip, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Jillian Joyce, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Sandra Rizer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Shaina Shagalow, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Laura Mora, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States Stephanie Cosentino, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States
Category: Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease)
Keyword 1: aging disorders
Keyword 2: self-report
Keyword 3: memory complaints
Objective:
Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), the perception that one’s cognition has worsened in the context of normal performance on standardized tests, has gained interest as a risk state for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs). Although SCD can be a useful prognostic tool, it is susceptible to bias. Individuals' experiences can shape the way that they perceive and report decline. For example, having a family history of dementia might lead to excessive endorsement of SCD due to hypervigilance surrounding cognitive aging. Alternatively, individuals with a family history of ADRDs may report SCD more accurately due to their experience with abnormal cognitive aging and/or an elevated risk of ADRD. The purpose of this study is to determine if family history of dementia influences SCD and if it moderates the association between SCD and cognitive function.
Participants and Methods:
174 cognitively unimpaired older adults were included in this study. Participants were largely female (68%) and identified as white (73%) and Black (21%). Participants were on average 72 years old (SD= 7.1) and had 16 years of education (SD= 2.4). SCD was measured via a 20-item questionnaire assessing complaints across cognitive domains in an age anchored framework (comparison to other individuals their age). Family history was measured with a semi structured interview where participants were asked if they have had any family member(s) with various neurological conditions. Family history of dementia was coded as the endorsement of any of the following: AD, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, and dementia (unspecified). Cognitive assessments, selected for their sensitivity to pre-clinical AD, included measures of associative memory (Face Name task), and susceptibility to semantic interference (Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales of Semantic Interference and Learning test). An independent sample t-test was used to examine mean difference of cognition and SCD as a function of family history of dementia. Three linear regression models, adjusted for age, education, and gender, were used to examine the effects of SCD and family history on cognition. Additionally, three models examined the potential moderating role of family history on the association between SCD and cognitive outcomes.
Results:
Family history of dementia was associated with higher SCD, (mean difference= - 5.0; t(173)=-2.2, p= .03) but not lower cognition. Regression models showed that SCD was associated with associative memory (B= -0.14, p=.007, CI= -0.24, -0.04) as well as susceptibility to proactive interference (B= -0.04, p=.004, CI= -0.07, -0.01). Family history did not predict worse cognitive function, nor did it moderate the association between SCD in either cognitive outcome.
Conclusions:
These findings support the idea that family history of dementia is associated with greater subjective feeling about the deterioration of one’s memory. However, having a family history of dementia does not change the association between SCD and cognition. These results emphasize that while concerns about memory for individuals with a family history may be slightly elevated, these concerns should not be dismissed as simply hypervigilance or excessive worry related to one’s perceived risk of disease.
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