TY - JOUR
T1 - Rates of age- and amyloid β-associated cortical atrophy in older adults with superior memory performance
AU - Dang, Christa
AU - Yassi, N.
AU - Harrington, Karra D.
AU - Xia, Ying
AU - Lim, Yen Ying
AU - Ames, D.
AU - Laws, Simon M.
AU - Hickey, Martha
AU - Rainey-Smith, Stephanie
AU - Sohrabi, Hamid R.
AU - Doecke, James D.
AU - Fripp, Jurgen
AU - Salvado, Olivier
AU - Snyder, Peter J.
AU - Weinborn, Michael
AU - Villemagne, Victor L.
AU - Rowe, Christopher C.
AU - Masters, Colin L.
AU - Maruff, Paul
AU - for the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Research Group
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - Introduction: Superior cognitive performance in older adults may reflect underlying resistance to age-associated neurodegeneration. While elevated amyloid β (Aβ) deposition (Aβ+) has been associated with increased cortical atrophy, it remains unknown whether “SuperAgers” may be protected from Aβ-associated neurodegeneration. Methods: Neuropsychologically defined SuperAgers (n = 172) and cognitively normal for age (n = 172) older adults from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study were case matched. Rates of cortical atrophy over 8 years were examined by SuperAger classification and Aβ status. Results: Of the case-matched SuperAgers and cognitively normal for age older adults, 40.7% and 40.1%, respectively, were Aβ+. Rates of age- and Aβ-associated atrophy did not differ between the groups on any measure. Aβ− individuals displayed the slowest rates of atrophy. Discussion: Maintenance of superior memory in late life does not reflect resistance to age- or Aβ-associated atrophy. However, those individuals who reached old age without cognitive impairment nor elevated Aβ deposition (i.e. Aβ−) displayed reduced rates of cortical atrophy.
AB - Introduction: Superior cognitive performance in older adults may reflect underlying resistance to age-associated neurodegeneration. While elevated amyloid β (Aβ) deposition (Aβ+) has been associated with increased cortical atrophy, it remains unknown whether “SuperAgers” may be protected from Aβ-associated neurodegeneration. Methods: Neuropsychologically defined SuperAgers (n = 172) and cognitively normal for age (n = 172) older adults from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study were case matched. Rates of cortical atrophy over 8 years were examined by SuperAger classification and Aβ status. Results: Of the case-matched SuperAgers and cognitively normal for age older adults, 40.7% and 40.1%, respectively, were Aβ+. Rates of age- and Aβ-associated atrophy did not differ between the groups on any measure. Aβ− individuals displayed the slowest rates of atrophy. Discussion: Maintenance of superior memory in late life does not reflect resistance to age- or Aβ-associated atrophy. However, those individuals who reached old age without cognitive impairment nor elevated Aβ deposition (i.e. Aβ−) displayed reduced rates of cortical atrophy.
KW - Aging
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - Memory
KW - Neurodegeneration
KW - β-amyloid
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85070370939&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.dadm.2019.05.005
DO - 10.1016/j.dadm.2019.05.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85070370939
SN - 2352-8729
VL - 11
SP - 566
EP - 575
JO - Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring
JF - Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring
ER -