Proactive Semantic Interference is Associated with Total and Regional Abnormal Amyloid Load in Non-Demented
David A Loewenstein1, Maria T Greig2, Rosie Curiel3
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami and Center on Aging, Miami, FL; Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL.
Objective:
To evaluate the relationship between susceptibility to proactive semantic interference (PSI) and retroactive semantic interference (RSI) and brain amyloid load in non-demented elders.
Methods:
27 participants (11 cognitively normal [CN] with subjective memory complaints, 8 CN without memory complaints, and 8 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI]) underwent complete neurological and neuropsychological evaluations. Participants also received the Semantic Interference Test (SIT) and AV-45 amyloid PET imaging.
Results:
High levels of association were present between total amyloid load, regional amyloid levels, and the PSI measure (in the entire sample and a subsample excluding MCI subjects). RSI and other memory measures showed much weaker associations or no associations with total and regional amyloid load. No associations between amyloid levels and non-memory performance were observed.
Conclusions:
In non-demented individuals, vulnerability to PSI was highly associated with total and regional beta-amyloid load and may be an early cognitive marker of brain pathology.
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