Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Thesis - ECU Access Only
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
First Supervisor
Tenielle Porter
Second Supervisor
Simon Laws
Third Supervisor
Vincent Doré
Fourth Supervisor
Timothy Cox
Abstract
Cognitive decline is a fundamental measure of Alzheimer’s disease progression. However, individual variation in rates of change is widely reported. Genetics may contribute to this, but prior studies have struggled to replicate findings, possibly due to inconsistent cognitive measures as well as methodological limitations. To address this, traditional and novel modelling approaches were compared in exploring how genetic factors may affect rates of decline in five cognitive domains. Results show that accounting for non-linear effects of impairment improves detection of genetic signals in cognitive decline. These findings propose new methodological approaches and highlight potentially important genetic variants for further investigation.
DOI
10.25958/32hw-0m88
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 22nd March 2030
Recommended Citation
Fernandez, S. (2025). A multi-method approach to exploring the role of genetics in explaining cognitive decline heterogeneity across the Alzheimer's disease spectrum. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/32hw-0m88