Crocco EA, et al. – In this study, the clinicians aimed to identify cognitive measures that are sensitive to Pre–mild cognitive impairment (PreMCI) and are associated with brain biomarkers of neurodegeneration. In spite of equivalent performance on traditional memory measures, the failure to recover from proactive semantic interference effects (frPSI) distinguished between PreMCI and cognitively normal (CN) elders and was related to decreases in brain volume in numerous Alzheimer's disease (AD)–relevant brain regions.

Methods

• For this purpose, members included forty-nine older adults with a clinical history suggestive of cognitive decline but normal scores on an array of neuropsychological measures, thus not meeting formal criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
• The performance of these PreMCI members were compared to one hundred seventeen cognitively normal (CN) elders on the LASSI-L, a cognitive stress test that uniquely assesses the failure to recover from proactive semantic interference effects (frPSI).
• A subset of these people had volumetric analyses based on MRI scans.

Results

• Based on the results of the present study, PreMCI members prove greater LASSI- L deficits, especially with regards to frPSI and delayed recall, relative to the CN group.
• However, no differences on MRI measures were found.
• Controlling for false discovery rate (FDR), frPSI was uniquely associated with increased dilatation of the inferior lateral ventricle and diminished MRI volumes in the hippocampus, precuneus, superior parietal region, and other AD prone areas.
• Other LASSI-L indices and standard memory tests were not identified with volumetric findings.