Visual Functions Are Associated with Biomarker Changes in Alzheimer's Disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomarker Research
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers are linked to general cognition, but their impact on visual-perceptive function needs further study.
• Visual-perceptive deficits significantly affect patients' quality of life in Alzheimer's disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between various fluid and imaging biomarkers and visual-based cognitive assessments.
• To analyze these associations across the full spectrum of Alzheimer's disease.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 1,460 participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
• Inclusion of fluid biomarkers, imaging biomarkers, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B, and Boston Naming Test (BNT).
• Application of locally estimated scatterplot smoothing curves and Pearson correlation coefficients to examine associations.

Main Results:

• The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) demonstrated the strongest correlations with most biomarkers.
• Trail Making Test B (TMT-B) also showed significant correlations with several biomarkers.
• The p-tau181/Aβ1-42 ratio, hippocampus volume, and entorhinal cortex volume exhibited the strongest biomarker associations.

Conclusions:

• Multiple biomarkers are associated with visual processing deficits throughout the Alzheimer's disease spectrum.
• These biomarkers show potential for evaluating disease severity and informing models of visual and cognitive progression in AD.