CAIDE Dementia Risk Score, Alzheimer and cerebrovascular pathology: a population-based autopsy study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Pathology

Background:

• The CAIDE Dementia Risk Score estimates dementia risk but its association with neuropathology in the oldest old is unknown.
• Investigating this link is crucial for understanding dementia progression in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between the baseline CAIDE Dementia Risk Score and neuropathological findings up to 10 years later.
• Specifically assessed were neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, cerebral infarcts, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA).

Main Methods:

• The study included 149 participants aged ≥85 years without dementia at baseline, with autopsy data.
• Neuropathological assessments included β-amyloid, neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques, and infarcts using standardized staining and macroscopic/microscopic analysis.
• The CAIDE Dementia Risk Score was calculated using clinical factors and APOEε4 status.

Main Results:

• A CAIDE Dementia Risk Score >11 was associated with a 2.10-fold increased risk of cerebral infarctions over 10 years.
• No significant associations were found between the CAIDE score and other neuropathologies like plaques, tangles, or CAA.

Conclusions:

• In individuals aged 85 and older, a higher CAIDE Dementia Risk Score predicts an increased risk of cerebral infarcts.
• The CAIDE score may serve as a valuable tool for identifying individuals at higher risk for cerebrovascular pathology in advanced age.