Identifying the Neuropsychological Profile of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy
Date
2015-07-13
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Abstract
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) occurs when the protein, beta-amyloid, deposits onto blood vessels in the brain, often resulting in cognitive impairment. This study aims to identify the neuropsychological profile of CAA by comparing CAA participants to the normal population and cognitively-similar patient populations, distinguishing between CAA syndromes, and determining whether white matter hyperintensity volume or APOE ε4 mediate cognitive impairment. Thirty-four CAA, 16 Alzheimer’s disease, 69 mild cognitive impairment, and 27 minor ischemic stroke participants underwent neuropsychological testing. Cross-sectional data revealed lower performance on tests of perceptual speed, episodic memory, and executive functioning in CAA participants when compared to the normal population (t(33) = -3.76, p = <0.001; t(32) = -2.45, p = 0.02; t(33) = -6.21, p = <0.001; respectively). Overall, CAA was most cognitively similar to vascular cognitive impairment. Larger sample sizes and longitudinal analyses in future will help to advance understanding of cognitive deficits associated with CAA.
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Keywords
Neuroscience, Mental Health, Psychology--Cognitive
Citation
Case, N. (2015). Identifying the Neuropsychological Profile of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26436