Non-Aβ-Dependent Factors Associated with Global Cognitive and Physical Function in Alzheimer's Disease: A Pilot Multivariate Analysis.

Abstract

Recent literature highlights the importance of identifying factors associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Actual validated biomarkers include neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid assessments; however, we investigated non-Aβ-dependent factors associated with dementia in 12 MCI and 30 AD patients. Patients were assessed for global cognitive function (Mini-Mental state examination-MMSE), physical function (Physical Performance Test-PPT), exercise capacity (6-min walking test-6MWT), maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), brain volume, vascular function (flow-mediated dilation-FMD), inflammatory status (tumor necrosis factor-α ,TNF- α, interleukin-6, -10 and -15) and neurotrophin receptors (p75NTR and Tropomyosin receptor kinase A -TrkA). Baseline multifactorial information was submitted to two separate backward stepwise regression analyses to identify the variables associated with cognitive and physical decline in demented patients. A multivariate regression was then applied to verify the stepwise regression. The results indicated that the combination of 6MWT and VO₂max was associated with both global cognitive and physical function (MMSE = 11.384 + (0.00599 × 6MWT) - (0.235 × VO₂max)); (PPT = 1.848 + (0.0264 × 6MWT) + (19.693 × VO₂max)). These results may offer important information that might help to identify specific targets for therapeutic strategies (NIH Clinical trial identification number NCT03034746).

• Authors: Anna Pedrinolla, Massimo Venturelli, Stefano Tamburin, Cristina Fonte, Anna Maria Stabile, Ilaria Boscolo Galazzo, Barbara Ghinassi, Mary Anna Venneri, Francesca Benedetta Pizzini, Ettore Muti, Nicola Smania, Angela Di Baldassarre, Fabio Naro, Mario Rende, Federico Schena
• Journal: Journal of clinical medicine (J Clin Med) Vol. 8 Issue 2 (02 09 2019) ISSN: 2077-0383 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 30744116 (Publication Type: Journal Article)