Technology and Dementia Preconference

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomarker Development
• Genetics

Background:

• Colombia has the largest known Autosomal-Dominant Alzheimer's Disease (ADAD) kindred, linked to the PSEN1-E280A genetic variant.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) is an underutilized biomarker for understanding brain function and electrophysiological changes in ADAD.
• Dual-task (DT) paradigms, especially during motor tasks, are valuable for detecting cognitive impairments in neurodegenerative diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of EEG combined with DT paradigms as biomarkers for identifying preclinical ADAD.
• To differentiate between asymptomatic carriers and non-carriers of the PSEN1-E280A variant using EEG-based DT measures.
• To establish the feasibility of non-invasive, portable tools for early ADAD detection.

Main Methods:

• EEG data were collected from asymptomatic PSEN1-E280A carriers (n=37) and non-carriers (n=42) during single-task and dual-task (motor-cognitive) conditions.
• Dual-task cost (DTC) was calculated using spectral and neural dynamics features from frontal and central EEG signals.
• Statistical analysis involved Cohen's-D effect size and Mann-Whitney U-tests to compare groups.

Main Results:

• Significant effect sizes were observed in various EEG frequency bands (Beta, Theta, Alpha) and regions (frontal, central) during specific DT tasks (DTS7, DTS1, DTAN).
• Entropy in Beta1/Beta3 bands (frontal) and relative power in Beta2 (C4) showed notable differences.
• Theta and Alpha2 modulations in frontal regions during DTS7 were also significant.

Conclusions:

• The experimental approach successfully extracted EEG information differentiating PSEN1-E280A carriers from non-carriers.
• DTC values in alpha and beta bands, particularly in frontal and central regions, indicated sensitivity to preclinical cognitive and motor differences.
• This EEG and DT paradigm offers a promising, non-invasive tool for early ADAD carrier identification.