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Updated: Jan 15, 2026
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Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: August 7, 2017
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The relationship between cognitive domains and everyday functioning in Alzheimer's disease
Sophie M van der Landen1, Hanneke F M Rhodius-Meester1, Merel C Postema1
1Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Neuropsychology
|October 16, 2025
Summary
Cognitive impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD) affect daily life. Memory and visual attention deficits significantly impact everyday functioning, guiding personalized care strategies for AD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive and functional decline.
- The precise relationship between specific cognitive domains and everyday functioning in AD remains incompletely understood.
- Understanding these links is crucial for developing targeted interventions and improving patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between distinct cognitive domains and everyday functioning in individuals with biomarker-confirmed Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- To identify which cognitive abilities are most strongly linked to difficulties in daily activities among AD patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study included 613 participants with biomarker-confirmed AD (SCD, MCI, or dementia) from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort.
- Cognitive domains were identified using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on neuropsychological test data.
- Structural equation modeling (SEM) assessed unique associations between cognitive domains and everyday functioning (Amsterdam Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire - A-IADL-Q).
Main Results:
- SEM analysis revealed that "memory" (std.lv = 0.33) and "visual attention, mental flexibility, and visuoconstruction" (std.lv = 0.29) were significantly associated with everyday functioning (A-IADL-Q).
- Other cognitive domains, including "working memory, shifting, fluency, and inhibition" and "naming," did not show significant associations with A-IADL-Q.
- The majority of participants (72%) had a diagnosis of dementia.
Conclusions:
- Impaired performance in memory and visual attention, mental flexibility, and visuoconstruction directly correlates with increased challenges in performing everyday activities.
- These findings underscore the importance of assessing specific cognitive functions to understand functional limitations in AD.
- This knowledge can inform personalized care strategies and enhance the interpretation of outcomes in clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease.
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