Publications

19 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 19

Abstract (Expand)

Objectives: The concept of compression of morbidity suggests that compressing cognitive morbidity into a shorter lifetime period would result in a better cumulative lifetime cognitive functioning. Some lifestyle factors, like higher education, that are known to protect cognitive functioning in old age and lower dementia risk, could compress cognitive morbidity. Therefore the aim of our study was to investigate whether higher education leads to a better cumulative lifetime cognitive functioning and, hence, the compression of cognitive morbidity. Methods: Data were derived from the population-based Leipzig longitudinal study of the aged (LEILA75+). From 1998-2005, individuals aged 75 years and older underwent up to seven assessments at a 1.5-year interval and a long-term follow-up assessment after 15 years (2013). Analyses on the impact of higher education on compression of cognitive morbidity were carried out via multilevel logistic mixed-models and tobit analyses using the participants’ age as time scale (n=742). Results: The results revealed that more years of education were significantly associated with a better cognitive functioning but not with the age at dementia onset or the age at death. Computation of cumulative lifetime cognitive functioning was weighted for survival probability and indicated a gain of 21 MMSE points during the lifetime period 75 through 100 years of age by having more than 12 years of education compared to having less than 9 years of education. Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest a compression of cognitive morbidity by higher education prior to dementia onset. More years of education could therefore contribute to a better cognitive functioning even under consideration of survival probability. Hence, efforts to ensure access to higher education for as many people in a population as possible might compress disease burden due to cognitive morbidity.

Authors: F. S. Then, T. Luck, H. Matschinger, M. C. Angermeyer, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 1st Mar 2016

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: dementia

Abstract (Expand)

OBJECTIVE: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) might represent the first symptomatic representation of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is associated with increased mortality. Only few studies, however, have analyzed the association of SCD and mortality, and if so, based on prevalent cases. Thus, we investigated incident SCD in memory and mortality. METHODS: Data were derived from the German AgeCoDe study, a prospective longitudinal study on the epidemiology of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in primary care patients over 75 years covering an observation period of 7.5 years. We used univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to examine the relationship of SCD and mortality. Further, we estimated survival times by the Kaplan Meier method and case-fatality rates with regard to SCD. RESULTS: Among 971 individuals without objective cognitive impairment, 233 (24.0%) incidentally expressed SCD at follow-up I. Incident SCD was not significantly associated with increased mortality in the univariate (HR = 1.0, 95% confidence interval = 0.8-1.3, p = .90) as well as in the multivariate analysis (HR = 0.9, 95% confidence interval = 0.7-1.2, p = .40). The same applied for SCD in relation to concerns. Mean survival time with SCD was 8.0 years (SD = 0.1) after onset. CONCLUSION: Incident SCD in memory in individuals with unimpaired cognitive performance does not predict mortality. The main reason might be that SCD does not ultimately lead into future cognitive decline in any case. However, as prevalence studies suggest, subjectively perceived decline in non-memory cognitive domains might be associated with increased mortality. Future studies may address mortality in such other cognitive domains of SCD in incident cases.

Authors: S. Roehr, T. Luck, K. Heser, A. Fuchs, A. Ernst, B. Wiese, J. Werle, H. Bickel, C. Brettschneider, A. Koppara, M. Pentzek, C. Lange, J. Prokein, S. Weyerer, E. Mosch, H. H. Konig, W. Maier, M. Scherer, F. Jessen, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 15th Jan 2016

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: dementia

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that dementia and cognitive impairment can increase mortality, but less is known about the association between subjectively perceived cognitive deficits (subjective cognitive decline, SCD) and mortality risk. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we analyzed mortality in non-demented individuals with SCD in a general population sample aged 75+ years. METHOD: Data were derived from the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged (LEILA75+). We used the Kaplan-Meier survival method to estimate survival times of individuals with and without SCD and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to assess the association between SCD and mortality risk, controlled for covariates. RESULTS: Out of 953 non-demented individuals at baseline, 117 (12.3% ) expressed SCD. Participants with SCD showed a significantly higher case-fatality rate per 1,000 person-years (114.8, 95% CI = 90.5-145.7 versus 71.7, 95% CI = 64.6-79.5) and a significantly shorter mean survival time than those without (5.4 versus 6.9 years, p < 0.001). The association between SCD and mortality remained significant in the Cox analysis; SCD increased mortality risk by about 50% (adjusted Hazard Ratio = 1.51) during the study period. Besides SCD, older age, male gender, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and lower global cognitive functioning were also significantly associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest an increased mortality risk in non-demented older individuals with SCD. Even though further studies are required to analyze potential underlying mechanisms, subjective reports on cognitive deficits may be taken seriously in clinical practice not only for an increased risk of developing dementia and AD but also for a broader range of possible adverse health outcomes.

Authors: T. Luck, S. Roehr, F. Jessen, A. Villringer, M. C. Angermeyer, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 24th Sep 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: dementia

Abstract (Expand)

Research increasingly suggests that subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in older adults, in the absence of objective cognitive dysfunction or depression, may be a harbinger of non-normative cognitive decline and eventual progression to dementia. Little is known, however, about the key features of self-report measures currently used to assess SCD. The Subjective Cognitive Decline Initiative (SCD-I) Working Group is an international consortium established to develop a conceptual framework and research criteria for SCD (Jessen et al., 2014, Alzheimers Dement 10, 844-852). In the current study we systematically compared cognitive self-report items used by 19 SCD-I Working Group studies, representing 8 countries and 5 languages. We identified 34 self-report measures comprising 640 cognitive self-report items. There was little overlap among measures- approximately 75% of measures were used by only one study. Wide variation existed in response options and item content. Items pertaining to the memory domain predominated, accounting for about 60% of items surveyed, followed by executive function and attention, with 16% and 11% of the items, respectively. Items relating to memory for the names of people and the placement of common objects were represented on the greatest percentage of measures (56% each). Working group members reported that instrument selection decisions were often based on practical considerations beyond the study of SCD specifically, such as availability and brevity of measures. Results document the heterogeneity of approaches across studies to the emerging construct of SCD. We offer preliminary recommendations for instrument selection and future research directions including identifying items and measure formats associated with important clinical outcomes.

Authors: L. A. Rabin, C. M. Smart, P. K. Crane, R. E. Amariglio, L. M. Berman, M. Boada, R. F. Buckley, G. Chetelat, B. Dubois, K. A. Ellis, K. A. Gifford, A. L. Jefferson, F. Jessen, M. J. Katz, R. B. Lipton, T. Luck, P. Maruff, M. M. Mielke, J. L. Molinuevo, F. Naeem, A. Perrotin, R. C. Petersen, L. Rami, B. Reisberg, D. M. Rentz, S. G. Riedel-Heller, S. L. Risacher, O. Rodriguez, P. S. Sachdev, A. J. Saykin, M. J. Slavin, B. E. Snitz, R. A. Sperling, C. Tandetnik, W. M. van der Flier, M. Wagner, S. Wolfsgruber, S. A. Sikkes

Date Published: 24th Sep 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: cognitive disorder, dementia

Abstract (Expand)

OBJECTIVE: Dementia is known to increase mortality, but the relative loss of life years and contributing factors are not well established. Thus, we aimed to investigate mortality in incident dementia from disease onset. METHOD: Data were derived from the prospective longitudinal German AgeCoDe study. We used proportional hazards models to assess the impact of sociodemographic and health characteristics on mortality after dementia onset, Kaplan-Meier method for median survival times. RESULTS: Of 3214 subjects at risk, 523 (16.3%) developed incident dementia during a 9-year follow-up period. Median survival time after onset was 3.2 years (95% CI = 2.8-3.7) at a mean age of 85.0 (SD = 4.0) years (>/=2.6 life years lost compared with the general German population). Survival was shorter in older age, males other dementias than Alzheimer's, and in the absence of subjective memory complaints (SMC). CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize that dementia substantially shortens life expectancy. Future studies should further investigate the potential impact of SMC on mortality in dementia.

Authors: S. Roehr, T. Luck, H. Bickel, C. Brettschneider, A. Ernst, A. Fuchs, K. Heser, H. H. Konig, F. Jessen, C. Lange, E. Mosch, M. Pentzek, S. Steinmann, S. Weyerer, J. Werle, B. Wiese, M. Scherer, W. Maier, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 9th Jun 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: cognitive disorder, dementia

Abstract (Expand)

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate how different mentally demanding work conditions during the professional life-i.e., enriched environments at work-might influence the rate of cognitive decline in old age. METHODS: Individuals (n = 1,054) of the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged, a representative population-based cohort study of individuals aged 75 years and older, underwent cognitive testing via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in up to 6 measurement waves. Type and level of mentally demanding work conditions in the participants' former professional life were classified based on the O*NET job descriptor database. RESULTS: In multivariate mixed-model analyses (controlling for sociodemographic and health-related factors), a high level of mentally demanding work tasks stimulating verbal intelligence was significantly associated with a better cognitive functioning at baseline (on average 5 MMSE points higher) as well as a lower rate of cognitive decline (on average 2 MMSE points less) over the 8-year follow-up period compared with a low level. The rate of cognitive decline in old age was also significantly lower (on average 3 MMSE points less) in individuals who had a high level of mentally demanding work tasks stimulating executive functions than those who had a low level. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a professional life enriched with work tasks stimulating verbal intelligence and executive functions may help to sustain a good cognitive functioning in old age (75+ years). The findings thus emphasize that today's challenging work conditions may also promote positive health effects.

Authors: F. S. Then, T. Luck, M. Luppa, H. H. Konig, M. C. Angermeyer, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 26th May 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: dementia

Abstract (Expand)

The spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases covers the dementias, parkinsonian syndromes, Huntington disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion diseases. In these entities, brain MRI is often used in clinical routine to exclude other pathologies and to demonstrate specific atrophy patterns. [18F]FDG PET delivers early and sensitive readouts of neural tissue loss, and more specific PET tracers currently in use clinically target beta-amyloid plaques or dopaminergic deficiency. The recent integration of PET into MR technology offers a new chance to improve early and differential diagnosis of many neurodegenerative diseases. Initial evidence in the literature is available to support this notion. New emerging PET tracers, such as tracers that bind to tau or alpha-synuclein aggregates, as well as MR techniques, like diffusion-tensor imaging, resting-state functional MRI, and arterial spin labeling, have the potential to broaden the diagnostic capabilities of combined PET/MRI to image dementias, Parkinson disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The ultimate goal is to establish combined PET/MRI as a first-line imaging technique to provide, in a one-stop-shop fashion with improved patient comfort, all biomarker information required to increase diagnostic confidence toward specific diagnoses. The technical challenge of accurate PET data attenuation correction within PET/MRI systems needs yet to be solved. Apart from the projected clinical routine applications, future research would need to answer the questions of whether combined brain PET/MRI is able to improve basic research of neurodegenerative diseases and antineurodegeneration drug testing.

Authors: H. Barthel, M. L. Schroeter, K. T. Hoffmann, O. Sabri

Date Published: 6th Apr 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: dementia, neurodegenerative disease

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