Date of Award
5-2000
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Departmental Honors
Department
Communication Studies and Philosophy
Department name when degree awarded
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Abstract
Objective: To assess differences in cognition in a population of non-demented elderly individuals as a function of a family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: We screened 5092 elderly residents of Cache County, UT for dementia, using standard DSMIII-R dementia criteria, in a stepwise protocol involving a brief cognitive test, an informant telephone Dementia Questionnaire, and a clinical examination. The resultant non-demented study population (4505) consisted of all remaining self-responding individuals who agreed to apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping. Using multiple linear regression models, controlling for age, gender, education, health status on day of testing, past medical conditions, and genotype at APOE, we examined differences in cognition, between individuals with (1101), and individuals without (2937) a family history of AD. Results: No significant differences in cognition were observed between individuals with and without a family history of AD. While family history has been a reported risk factor for AD, it does not appear to be a risk factor for cognitive decline in this population. Limitations to the present analyses and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Weight, Christopher John, "Cognition in Non-Demented Elderly With a Family History of Alzheimer's Disease" (2000). Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects. 1076.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/honors/1076
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Faculty Mentor
Not specified