Abstract
Introduction: Superior cognitive performance in older adults may reflect underlying resistance to age-associated neurodegeneration. While elevated amyloid b (Ab) deposition (Ab1) has been associated with increased cortical atrophy, it remains unknown whether “SuperAgers” may be protected from Ab-associated neurodegeneration. Methods: Neuropsychologically defined SuperAgers (n 5 172) and cognitively normal for age (n 5 172) 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 Ab status. Results: Of the case-matched SuperAgers and cognitively normal for age older adults, 40.7% and 40.1%, respectively, were Ab1. Rates of age- and Ab-associated atrophy did not differ between the groups on any measure. Ab2 individuals displayed the slowest rates of atrophy. Discussion: Maintenance of superior memory in late life does not reflect resistance to age- or Abassociated atrophy. However, those individuals who reached old age without cognitive impairment nor elevated Ab deposition (i.e. Ab2) displayed reduced rates of cortical atrophy.
Keywords
Aging, b-amyloid, Alzheimer’s disease, Neurodegeneration, Memory
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
2019
Publication Title
Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis
Publisher
Elsevier
School
Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Care / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
29990
Funders
Funding information available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadm.2019.05.005
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
Dang, C., Yassi, N., Harrington, K. D., Xia, Y., Lim, Y. Y., Ames, D., ... Maruff, P. (2019). Rates of age-and amyloid β-associated cortical atrophy in older adults with superior memory performance. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 11, 566-575. Available here