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Loss of motor function in preclinical Alzheimer's disease

Aron S Buchman1, David A Bennett

  • 1Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, 600 S. Paulina, Suite 1028, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. aron_s_buchman@rush.edu

Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|May 5, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology may cause both cognitive and motor decline in aging individuals. Many cases of cognitive and motor dysfunction attributed to normal aging may actually be early signs of AD.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Gerontology
  • Neuropathology

Background:

  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a lengthy preclinical phase with accumulating pathology and functional decline before diagnosis.
  • Noncognitive symptoms, such as motor function loss, are increasingly reported in incident AD.
  • Understanding the link between motor function and preclinical AD is crucial for early detection and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between motor function and preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • To review current understanding of motor function assessment in cohort studies.
  • To explore shared risk factors for cognitive and motor decline and their relation to AD pathology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on motor function, cognitive decline, and AD.
  • Analysis of cohort studies assessing motor function and cognition in older adults.
  • Examination of post-mortem AD indices in relation to pre-mortem motor function.

Main Results:

  • Age-related cognitive and motor decline may share common underlying causes.
  • AD pathology might contribute significantly to cognitive and motor dysfunction in individuals without dementia.
  • Clinical AD diagnoses may represent only the most severe manifestations of the disease's impact.

Conclusions:

  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) may have a broader impact on aging populations than previously recognized.
  • Motor and cognitive decline in aging may be linked by shared pathological processes, potentially including AD.
  • A substantial portion of age-related functional decline may be attributable to preclinical AD pathology.

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