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© 2025. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the "License"). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Motivated by the difficulties in detecting cognitive deterioration in the context of Down syndrome (DS), we aimed to identify markers of prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) in this population.

METHODS

Sixty‐two participants with DS (age > 45) distributed in three groups (asymptomatic [ADS], prodromal [PDS], and dementia [DDS]) completed the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities, Cambridge Cognitive Examination for older adults with Down's Syndrome, and Barcelona Test for Intellectual Disability tests and a magnetic resonance imaging scan.

RESULTS

Although temporal orientation showed significant differences among groups, only a predictive diagnostic model based on verbal short‐term memory tasks (relying on “cued” recall) allowed the correct classification of 88.5% of ADS, 75.0% of PDS, and 95% of DDS individuals. Cognitive decline strongly correlated with brain volume reductions in orbitofrontal, medial‐temporal, and bilateral thalamus within the DDS group.

DISCUSSION

Neuropsychological results showed that PDS cases were characterized by a significant deterioration of verbal memory and temporal orientation, compared to ADS. This pattern might be crucial to support diagnosis in clinical settings.

Highlights

Detecting signs of prodromal dementia is a major challenge in Down syndrome. Such challenge is due to a poor definition of the early cognitive manifestations. Memory tasks relying on “cued” recall allowed the detection of prodromal cases. A pattern of temporal disorientation was also evident in the prodromal phase. These cognitive deficits preceded volumetric brain changes only present in dementia.

Details

Title
Cognitive markers for the distinction between asymptomatic and prodromal Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome: Correlations with volumetric brain changes
Author
García‐Alba, Javier 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Molanes‐López, Elisa M. 2 ; Zuluaga, Pilar 2 ; Bell‐Fenellos, Cristina 1 ; Vaquero, Lucía 3 ; Alfayate, Eva 4 ; García, Felipe 4 ; Mateo, Gloria 5 ; Modenhauer, Fernando 5 ; Galván‐Román, José M. 5 ; Bajo, Ricardo 6 ; Fernández, Alberto 7 

 Department of Psychology in Education and Research, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 
 Department of Statistics and Operational Research, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 
 Department of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy; & Research Group in Digital Culture and Social Movements, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, Music and Audio Research Lab (MARL) & Center for Language Music and Emotion (CLaME), New York University (NYU) & NYU+Max Plank Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, New York, New York, USA 
 Neuroimaging, Reina Sofia Alzheimer Center, CIEN Foundation, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain 
 Department of Internal Medicine, La Princesa University Hospital/La Princesa Biomedical Research Institute, Madrid, Spain 
 Institute of Applied Magnetism, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 
 Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain 
Section
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Publication year
2025
Publication date
Jan 1, 2025
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
e-ISSN
23528729
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3182570687
Copyright
© 2025. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the "License"). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.