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Is there a specific pattern of attention deficit in mild cognitive impairment with subcortical vascular features?
Pedro J Fernández1, Guillermo Campoy, Jose M García Santos
1University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Background:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate state between normal aging and early dementia. Some MCI patients show white matter hyperintensities in magnetic resonance imaging, revealing subcortical vascular damage (SVD). This study aimed to evaluate potential attention deficits not previously described in these patients. Specifically, we evaluated attention network functioning in MCI on the basis of Posner's cognitive neuroscience model, which considers attention as a set of networks: alerting, orienting and executive control.
Methods:
Three groups of participants were tested: 19 MCI patients with SVD (svMCI), 15 MCI patients free from SVD (nvMCI) and 19 healthy controls (HC). We used a task in which the three attention networks and their interactions can be assessed simultaneously, the Attention Network Test (ANT).
Results:
The svMCI group showed smaller orienting effect compared with the nvMCI and HC groups. In contrast to the HC and nvMCI groups, svMCI patients did not show improvement in the executive network from the valid visual cue.
Conclusions:
svMCI patients show a deficit in orienting attention networks. This deficit could be related to an effect of SVD on the cholinergic system because acetylcholine is implicated in the modulation of covert orienting responses of attention.
Insights
Patients with mild cognitive impairment and subcortical vascular damage (SVD) exhibit impaired orienting attention networks. This suggests SVD may impact cognitive functions beyond memory, affecting attention in early dementia stages.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
Background:
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia.
- Subcortical vascular damage (SVD), indicated by white matter hyperintensities, is observed in some MCI patients.
- Attention deficits are not well-characterized in MCI patients with SVD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate attention network functioning in MCI patients with SVD.
- To assess alerting, orienting, and executive control networks using Posner's model.
- To identify specific attention deficits associated with SVD in MCI.
Main Methods:
- Compared three groups: MCI with SVD (svMCI), MCI without SVD (nvMCI), and healthy controls (HC).
- Utilized the Attention Network Test (ANT) to simultaneously assess attention networks and their interactions.
- Recruited 19 svMCI, 15 nvMCI, and 19 HC participants.
Main Results:
- The svMCI group demonstrated a reduced orienting effect compared to nvMCI and HC groups.
- svMCI patients did not show the expected improvement in the executive network with valid visual cues.
- Attention network functioning differed significantly between MCI patients with and without SVD.
Conclusions:
- MCI patients with SVD exhibit a specific deficit in their orienting attention networks.
- This orienting deficit may be linked to SVD's impact on the cholinergic system.
- Findings highlight the role of vascular factors in attention network dysfunction in MCI.
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