bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do dual cognitive and motor impairments signal cognitive decline in stroke?
Authors: Tiwari Anjali 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundApproximately 30% of individuals with stroke experience impending cognitive decline, often leading to dementia over the subsequent years. Despite an increased risk of dementia among individuals with stroke, there is no predictive tool to identify stroke individuals who are at higher risk of future cognitive decline. The purpose of the Come‐Drive study is to identify whether dual impairments in cognitive and motor function may provide behavioral biomarkers to predict future cognitive decline in stroke.MethodThirty‐two stroke survivors (cognitively impaired; N = 16 and cognitively normal; N = 16) participated. All participants performed (1) Cognitive tasks: A divided attention task provided mean processing time. A simple reaction time task with the unaffected upper extremity provided an index of variability in processing time. (2) Motor tasks: Overground walking to provide gait speed and gait (stride time) variability measurements. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether processing speed and/or gait performance predicted participants’ cognitive status.ResultThe cognitively impaired stroke group showed significantly increased mean processing time (p = 0.001), and increased variability in processing time (p = 0.005), compared to the cognitively normal stroke group. The cognitively impaired stroke group showed slower gait speed and amplified gait variability, but these differences failed to reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). The logistic regression showed that the mean and variability of processing time significantly predicted the cognitive status in the individuals with stroke (X2 (4) = 17.29, p = 0.002). Gait speed and gait variability did not emerge as significant predictors of cognitive status in individuals with stroke. The regression model accounted for 58% of the variance in determining the cognitive status post‐stroke with 83% accuracy.ConclusionDual decline in processing speed and gait did not emerge to be better predictors of cognitive status in individuals with stroke than the decline in processing speed alone. Perhaps a more complex motor task may serve as a better predictor of cognitive decline than a simple overground walking task. Overall, unique impairments in cognitive processing speed may serve as indicators of poor cognitive status in individuals with stroke.
Attitudes, Beliefs and Knowledge About Brain Donation Among Black Americans; Focus Group Feedback Results
Authors: Caban‐Holt Allison M , Cuccaro Michael L. , Starks Takiyah D. , Gregory Ashley , Adams Larry D. , Chavez Jenny , Pryor‐Banks Paris , Lloyd Shawnta' , Haines Jonathan L. , Reitz Christiane , Vance Jeffery M. , Duke Tina , Douglas Mary E , Pericak‐Vance Margaret A. , Byrd Goldie S. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundAfrican Americans (AA) are underrepresented in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain donation research, making up approximately 2% of brain donations to the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). Focus groups were conducted to obtain qualitative information to expand upon survey data that was collected previously to gain additional insights into the attitudes of Black∖AA individuals toward brain donation and perceptions of medical research.MethodA brain donation focus group facilitator guide was created based upon earlier survey findings. Three focus groups of Black/AA adults were conducted in each of the following states: Florida, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio, United States between September and December, 2023. Sessions were audio recorded and written notes were also produced. Discussion topics posed to focus group participants included their preferred sources of health information, knowledge about AD, brain donation processes, motivations for and barriers to research participationResultAcross all locations, 83 Black∖AAs participated in focus groups, females = 80.72%, with an average age = 66.13 years, and average education = 13.88 years. Preliminary review of focus group responses suggest that 1) awareness of brain donation research procedures and processes is low in the general population that is not involved in research, 2) most participants did not know that brain donation was not covered by organ donation through one’s driver’s license, 3) most assumed that brain donation would be disfiguring and would preclude having an open casket funeral, 4) few participants had been approached about brain donation for themselves or a family member, 5) most participants were open to learning more about brain donation, 6) participants expressed interest in the research being focused on and conducted by AAs, which they suggested was progress from the past, 7) religion was not expressed as a significant factor in consideration of brain donation, however, 8) family agreement was voiced as important in this decision‐making process.ConclusionThese insights will be used to create a community‐informed educational program for AA∖Black communities about AD research and brain donation that will focus on increasing knowledge of brain donation procedures, focus on family engagement in research, and provide opportunities for participation.
Effective Communication of Stroke Signs in Spanish to Patients in Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Singh Neeraj 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundStrokes affect 15 million people worldwide annually, including 5% of patients over the age of 75, making them a leading cause of death and disability, especially in elderly patients with cognitive impairment. Mnemonics have been developed in multiple languages to inform the public how to recognize stroke signs, including the English “BEFAST.” For Spanish‐speaking populations, the mnemonics “AHORA” and “RAPIDO” are both circulated with pictorial brochures. This study compares the effectiveness of both mnemonics in helping patients with cognitive impairment recognize stroke signs.MethodBetween January and December 2023, 50 Spanish‐speaking patients with cognitive impairment or any type of dementia were interviewed in the Northwell Health Neurosciences clinic in New York. Each participant was shown the AHORA and RAPIDO brochures and asked to identify for each handout its purpose, favorable features, and ranking of quality (0‐5). To mitigate presentation bias, half of the participants viewed the AHORA brochure first, while the other half viewed the RAPIDO brochure first. A paired t‐test was conducted to determine the statistical significance of the difference in average ranking of each brochure.ResultThe AHORA brochure received an average ranking of 3.66/5.00, significantly higher than the average ranking of 3.36/5.00 for the RAPIDO brochure (p = 0.0096). Positive comments about the AHORA brochure included the brochure appearing concise, the mnemonic being shorter, and the emphasis on calling 911 when stroke signs are recognized. Comments about the RAPIDO brochure included the brochure containing excessive information and the mnemonic being longer and more difficult to understand.ConclusionParticipants preferred the AHORA brochure over the RAPIDO brochure for its concise appearance and descriptions of each stroke sign, and emphasis on calling 911 when stroke signs are recognized. These findings provide valuable guidance for physicians in selecting brochures for Spanish‐speaking patients and patients with cognitive impairment, and offer insights into the elements necessary to develop effective mnemonics in other languages.
AT(N), neuronal and glial biomarkers in young‐onset neurodegenerative disorders and psychiatric disorders and their associations with neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognition
Authors: Chiu Wei‐Hsuan , Goh Anita M Y , Eratne Dhamidhu , Velakoulis Dennis , Loi Samantha M 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundIt is clinically a challenging task to accurately differentiate complex young‐onset neurodegenerative disorders from psychiatric disorders which often present with similar neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in their early stages. The aim of this study is to provide a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between NPS, cognition and multiple pathologies that may drive these disorders.MethodThis study was conducted at the Neuropsychiatry Centre, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, as part of a large, multi‐site research study, the Markers in Neuropsychiatric Disorders Study. Sixty participants, including people with Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety disorder and together with healthy controls, were recruited and assessed for plasma biomarkers, NPS and cognition. Their plasma levels of amyloid‐beta, total‐tau (t‐tau), phosphorylated‐tau (p‐tau), neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were measured. The severity of multiple common NPS such as depression, anxiety and apathy were also measured. Cognitive functions were measured by a combination of cognitive screening tool and standardised neuropsychological assessments. General linear regressions were used to investigate the associations between biomarkers, NPS and cognition in these disorders and the differences between the two clinical groups.ResultThe analysis of the collected data is ongoing. However, results from a pilot study suggest that memory recall was related to an interplay between AT(N) pathologies, and executive function was related to a neuronal pathology. The severity of NPS may moderate these relationships.ConclusionYoung‐onset neuropsychiatric disorders, presenting with overlapping symptoms, pose a diagnostic dilemma. The results of this study provide a more nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between NPS, cognition and biomarkers that may shed light into the differentiation between young‐onset neurodegenerative disorders and psychiatric disorders.
Interaction between Education and Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers in Longitudinal Clinical Impairment
Authors: Schlickmann Thomas Hugentobler , Borelli Wyllians Vendramini , da Ros João Pedro Uglione , Machado Luiza Santos , Lussier Firoza Z , Macedo Arthur C. , Rahmouni Nesrine , Therriault Joseph , Servaes Stijn , Stevenson Jenna , Chamoun Mira , Bezgin Gleb , Benedet Andrea L. , Rosa‐Neto Pedro , Zimmer Eduardo R. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundHigher education is often associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline. These findings fueled the conceptualization of cognitive reserve to explain individual variabilities in clinical trajectory. However, our understanding of the biological basis for this phenomenon is still not precise. In this sense, we assessed the interaction between Alzheimer’s biomarkers and cognitive reserve.MethodWe included 85 individuals from the Translational Biomarkers of Aging and Dementia (TRIAD) cohort presenting normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment with global Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) ≤ 0.5. All individuals underwent positron emission tomography (PET) for amyloid‐β (A) and tau (T) assessed with [18F]AZD4694‐PET and [18F]MK6240‐PET, respectively. A positivity was defined as neocortical Aβ‐PET SUVR ≥ 1.55. T positivity was defined as temporal meta‐ROI tau‐PET SUVR ≥ 1.24. We calculated a change in CDR sum of boxes (CDR‐SB) by subtracting baseline from their scores after 2 years of follow‐up. Analysis were conducted with the CDR sum of boxes (CDRSB) as well as within specific domains, always correcting for age, sex, APOEε4 carriership and baseline score.ResultDemographics information is described in Table 1. Linear regression analysis showed that years of education interacted with A+T+ status to reduce cognitive decline (β = ‐0.19, p < 0.001) but did not interact with any other pathological status as shown in Figure 1. We also found that communication, a specific domain of the CDR scale, had a longitudinal association with education in the A+T+ group (β = ‐0.09, p = 0.0303, Figure 2).ConclusionThe protective effect of education, as measure of cognitive reserve, occurred specifically in A+T+ individuals. Moreover, this effect was mostly on the communication domain. These results contribute to our understanding of cognitive reserve as they may suggest that education protects communication from the synergistic damage of amyloid and tau pathologies. Further investigations in additional cohorts with longer follow‐up is warranted.
Frontal Memory‐related Brainwaves Differentially Correlate with AD and Astrocyte Plasma Biomarkers
Authors: Jiang Yang , Wu Xian , Katsumata Yuriko , Clark Maria F , Foley Kate E. , Wang Baoxi , Sudduth Tiffany L. , Wilcock Donna M. , Jicha Gregory A , Norris Christopher M. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundWe currently lack in the dementia field accurate, noninvasive, quick, and affordable screening tools for brain dysfunctions associated with early subtle risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our Kentucky aging cohort demonstrates that asymptomatic older individuals with MCI‐like frontal memory‐related brainwave patterns convert to MCI within a short 5‐year period, as opposed to individuals with NC‐like patterns (1) that remain normal 10 years later (2). Astrocyte reactivity influences amyloid‐ß effects on tau pathology in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (3). Leveraging blood‐based AD and astrocyte biomarkers and the cognitive electroencephalogram (EEG) signatures (4), we test the hypothesis that predictive frontal memory‐related EEG changes correlate with preclinical and early AD plasma biomarkers.Method34 (19 women) older volunteers with or without MCI, average age 79 (SD 8.53) years old, from a longitudinal cohort followed by University of Kentucky ADRC participated. Each participant’s EEG was recorded (64‐ or 14‐channels) during a working memory (modified delayed match‐to‐sample) task. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on 64‐channel EEG data to create PC scores (PC1 & PC2). For multiple linear regression of EEG PC scores on multiple neurodegenerative plasma biomarkers including Aß42/40, pTau181, total Tau, and GFAP (Astrocyte reactivity), we adjusted age, sex, education, and gap years between collection dates.ResultThe 61% of variance in frontal signals can be explained by PC1 in normal cognition (NC) and MCI individuals, and PC2 counts for 35% of variance (Figure 1). The decreased brainwaves (MCI‐like) seen in left frontal sites significantly correlate with increased pTau181, GFAP, and PC2 (Figure 2). Curiously, right frontal EEG relations with pTau181, GFAP showed the opposite trend. Bilateral frontal signals showed negative correlations with Aß42/40 and positive correlations with total Tau.ConclusionOur results indicate that GFAP & pTau181 trend in similar asymmetry ways with frontal cognitive brainwaves, but Aß42/40 & total Tau correlate to a different component of frontal EEG. That is, distinct cognitive brainwaves correlate with astrocyte reactivity differentially that influence pathologies of beta‐amyloid accumulations and Tau development. Cognitive pathophysiological signatures and AD–Astrocyte plasma biomarkers have great potential for predicting subtle cognitive decline and specific dementia risk in healthy normal individuals.
Disrupted Sleep at Night is Associated with a Higher Level of Agitation Throughout the Week in People Living with Cognitive Decline
Authors: Au‐Yeung Wan‐Tai M. , Miller Lyndsey M. , Lindauer Allison , Beattie Zachary T , Mattek Nora , Steele Joel S. , Kaye Jeffrey A 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundAgitation is one of the most challenging behaviors exhibited by people with cognitive decline, causing distress in caregivers, earlier placement into long‐term care and faster disease progression. In order to better manage agitated behaviors in people with cognitive decline, it is important to identify associated factors. The MODERATE (Monitoring Dementia‐Related Agitation Using Technology Evaluation) study aims to characterize agitation using technology and identify precipitants (behavioral or environmental) of agitation.MethodPeople living in the greater Portland, Oregon, USA area were recruited into the study. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, currently residing with a family caregiver within their own home, and caregiver endorsement of symptom(s) of agitation, irritability/lability, motor disturbance, nighttime behaviors and/or disinhibition in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory‐Questionnaire (NPI‐Q). Bed pressure mats (Emfit) were deployed as part of the ORCATECH platform in their homes, which measure participants' sleep behaviors and their physiological signals through ballistocardiography. The weekly agitation levels of the participants were reported by their family caregivers through modified Cohen‐Mansfield Agitation Inventory‐Short Form questionnaires as part of weekly online surveys.ResultData from the first 8 participants (mean age(SD) = 70 (10)) with bed pressure mats were analyzed. A subset of bed pressure mat outputs was selected to provide a holistic picture of participants' sleep behaviors and their physiology while avoiding multicollinearity. Monitoring period was for a mean (SD) of 315 (190) nights. An individual mixed linear model was built with each included bed pressure mat output and week as the predictors and total agitation level as the model output. After false discovery rate correction, higher duration of wake after sleep onset was a significant predictor of their weekly total level of agitation. The caveats of these results include small sample and varied follow‐up time ranging from 4‐85 weeks of observations per participant.ConclusionDisrupted sleep (measured objectively by bed pressure mat) are positively associated with participants' weekly level of agitation. Future work with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm findings. Unobtrusive identification of behavioral factors associated with agitation can potentially help manage this challenging behavioral symptom.
Remote App‐Based Cognitive Assessment in Aging and Pre‐Clinical Alzheimer’s Disease in a Diverse Sample of Older Adults
Authors: Mechanic‐Hamilton Dawn , Humphreys Valerie , Prusky Alex , Halberstadter Kimberly , Wolk David A 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundMobile, valid and engaging cognitive assessments are essential for detecting and tracking change in research participants and patients at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRDs). This pilot study aims to determine the feasibility and generalizability of an at‐home, app‐based cognitive assessment, the mobile cognitive app performance platform (mCAPP), to detect cognitive changes associated with aging and preclinical AD.MethodmCAPP includes three gamified tasks (Figure 1): (1) a “concentration” memory task that includes learning and matching hidden card pairs with increasing memory load, pattern separation features (lure vs. non‐lure), and spatial memory (2) a stroop‐like task (“brick drop”) with speeded word and color identification and response inhibition components and (3) a digit‐symbol coding‐like task (“space imposters”) with increasing pairs. Participants used mCAPP at home for two weeks and completed the NACC UDS3 and additional paper and pencil tests. Participants included ninety‐three adults (72% female; age = 72.5±5.5, education = 16.4±2.6; 49.5% White, 49.5% Black/African American, 1% Multiracial) without cognitive impairment enrolled in the Penn ADRC cohort. A subgroup also completed longitudinal mCAPP testing and amyloid PET imaging.ResultParticipants played 11±4 sessions over two weeks, with 61% playing more than the assigned sessions. Most participants (97%) used a smartphone. Usability rating was 6.3±0.8 (1‐7 scale). Most participants rated the difficulty of the tasks as “just right” for Concentration (93%), Brick Drop (84%), and Space Imposters (87%) after playing the games for the first time. 70% reported preferring mobile device cognitive assessment to standard in‐person cognitive batteries. All tasks showed lower performance with increasing cognitive load (p’s<.05). mCAPP measures correlated with paper and pencil tests from analogous domains on paper and pencil measures (p’s<.01). Participants with a positive amyloid PET scan showed a trend toward slower and less accurate performance on some mCAPP measures.ConclusionThis pilot study shows mCAPP usability for at‐home use in a diverse cohort of older adults. Performance across measures indicate initial reliability and validity of mCAPP. Future work will include the evaluation of mCAPP performance relationships with biomarkers and longitudinal data analysis. Remote, accessible, and reliable cognitive assessment has the potential to reduce barriers to research participation and clinical care.
A unified framework for federated discovery, interrogation, and analysis using the GAAIN and AD Workbench platforms: A case study using the BLSA cohort
Authors: Pappas Ioannis , Xiao Cally , Griswold Michael E. , Phatak Mukta , Toga Arthur W. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundThere is a consensus in the Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) community that data sharing can accelerate science leading to better biomarkers, treatments and preventative measures. However, the ADRD community faces extensive challenges when it comes to sharing of complex biomarker data due to heavy‐handed data sharing mandates and various types of restrictions.MethodsThe Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network (GAAIN) and the Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Data Initiative have pioneered methods in federated data sharing and learning methodologies by allowing data partners to share their data while protecting their data ownership rights. Users can access, interrogate, and analyze data in a way that is functionally equivalent to raw data access. These two platforms have made a strategic partnership to enhance data interoperability and analysis by using powerful data interrogation and analysis techniques that are provided to the users for free.ResultsFor this presentation we will demonstrate data discovery, interrogation, and analysis using the GAAIN platform and the AD Workbench, which is the AD Data Initiative’s cloud‐based platform. We will showcase an example of data analysis using the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), America’s longest‐running scientific study of human aging and related cognitive and physical changes. We will use GAAIN and the AD Workbench for data discovery and advanced statistical modeling for the purposes of understanding risk factors for dementia in the BLSA cohort.ConclusionsWe show an end‐to‐end pipeline of data discovery, interrogation, and analysis using the respective GAAIN and AD workbench tools. We are hoping that similar workflows can be incorporated by stakeholders thus increasing data and tool sharing among the ADRD community.