Clinical Assessment of Judgment in Adults and the Elderly: Development and Validation of the Three Domains of Judgment Test-Clinical Version (3DJT-CV).

(1) Background: This article discusses the first two phases of development and validation of the Three Domains of Judgment Test (3DJT). This computer-based tool, co-constructed with users and capable of being administered remotely, aims to assess the three main domains of judgment (practical, moral, and social) and learn from the psychometric weaknesses of tests currently used in clinical practice. (2) Method: First, we presented the 3DJT to experts in cognition, who evaluated the tool as a whole as well as the content validity, relevance, and acceptability of 72 scenarios. Second, an improved version was administered to 70 subjects without cognitive impairment to select scenarios with the best psychometric properties in order to build a future clinically short version of the test. (3) Results: Fifty-six scenarios were retained following expert evaluation. Results support the idea that the improved version has good internal consistency, and the concurrent validity primer shows that 3DJT is a good measure of judgment. Furthermore, the improved version was found to have a significant number of scenarios with good psychometric properties to prepare a clinical version of the test. (4) Conclusion: The 3DJT is an interesting alternative tool for assessing judgment. However, more studies are needed for its implementation in a clinical context.

Use of Alzheimer's Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in A Tertiary Care Memory Clinic.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are promising tools to help identify the underlying pathology of neurocognitive disorders. In this manuscript, we report our experience with AD CSF biomarkers in 262 consecutive patients in a tertiary care memory clinic. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 262 consecutive patients who underwent lumbar puncture (LP) and CSF measurement of AD biomarkers (Aß1-42, total tau or t-tau, and p-tau181). We studied the safety of the procedure and its impact on patient's diagnosis and management. RESULTS: The LP allowed to identify underlying AD pathology in 72 of the 121 patients (59%) with early onset amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) with a high probability of progression to AD; to distinguish the behavioral/dysexecutive variant of AD from the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) in 25 of the 45 patients (55%) with an atypical neurobehavioral profile; to identify AD as the underlying pathology in 15 of the 27 patients (55%) with atypical or unclassifiable primary progressive aphasia (PPA); and to distinguish AD from other disorders in 9 of the 29 patients (31%) with psychiatric differential diagnoses and 19 of the 40 patients (47%) with lesional differential diagnoses (normal pressure hydrocephalus, encephalitis, prion disease, etc.). No major complications occurred following the LP. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that CSF analysis is a safe and effective diagnostic tool in select patients with neurocognitive disorders. We advocate for a wider use of this biomarker in tertiary care memory clinics in Canada.

Validation of the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec in the Oldest Old.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to validate the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec (DCQ; www.dcqtest.org), a new cognitive screening tool for atypical degenerative syndromes, in the oldest old. METHODS: The DCQ was developed by expert behavioural neurologists and clinical neuropsychologists based on updated criteria for Alzheimer's disease, primary progressive aphasia, and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. It targets five relevant cognitive domains: Memory, Visuospatial, Executive, Language, and Behaviour. Validation was performed using a prospective community-based sample consisting of 53 healthy French-speaking Canadian volunteers aged between 80 and 94 years old. Normative data were derived from participants with no history of cognitive difficulties and a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score ≥ 24. RESULTS: The mean DCQ total score (out of 100) was 84.65 (SD = 6.33). Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a moderate, but significant, correlation (r = 0.36, p < .01) with the MoCA. Normative data shown in percentiles were stratified by age and education for DCQ total score and for each of the five cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the DCQ is a valid cognitive screening test in the oldest old. It is proposed that the DCQ can help early identification of atypical degenerative syndromes.

Cognitive Profile of the Logopenic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia Using the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA) is characterized by impaired word-finding and sentence repetition with phonologic errors but spared motor speech and grammar and semantic knowledge. Although its language deficits have been well studied, the full spectrum of cognitive changes in the lvPPA remains to be defined. We aimed to explore the neurocognitive profile of the lvPPA using a newly developed cognitive screening tool for atypical dementias, the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec (DCQ). METHODS: We compared 29 patients with lvPPA to 72 amnestic variant Alzheimer disease (aAD) to 438 healthy control (HC) participants. Performance on the 5 indexes of the DCQ (Memory, Visuospatial, Executive, Language and Behavioral) was compared between the 3 groups. RESULTS: Results showed a significantly lower performance for lvPPA participants in all neurocognitive domains, when compared to HC. When compared to aAD, lvPPA participants had significantly lower scores for language, executive, and visuospatial abilities, but not for memory and behavior. CONCLUSION: Altogether, these findings better define the neurocognitive changes of lvPPA.

The Dépistage Cognitif de Québec: A New Clinician's Tool for Early Recognition of Atypical Dementia.

INTRODUCTION: Early recognition of atypical dementia remains challenging partly because of lack of cognitive screening instruments precisely tailored for this purpose. METHODS: We assessed the validity and reliability of the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec (DCQ; www.dcqtest.org), a newly developed cognitive screening test, to detect atypical dementia using a multicenter cohort of 628 participants. Sensitivity and specificity were compared to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A predictive diagnostic algorithm for atypical dementia was determined using classification tree analysis. RESULTS: The DCQ showed excellent psychometric properties. It was significantly more accurate than the MoCA to detect atypical dementia. All correlations between DCQ indexes and standard neuropsychological measures were significant. A statistical model distinguished typical from atypical dementia with a predictive power of 79%. DISCUSSION: The DCQ is a better tool to detect atypical dementia than standard cognitive screening tests. Expanding the clinician's tool kit with the DCQ could reduce missed/delayed identification of atypical dementia and accelerate therapeutic intervention.

Validation of the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec: A New Cognitive Screening Tool for Atypical Dementias.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate and provide normative data for the Dépistage Cognitif de Québec (DCQ; www.dcqtest.org), a new cognitive screening tool for atypical dementias. METHOD: The DCQ was developed by expert behavioral neurologists and clinical neuropsychologists based on updated criteria for Alzheimer's disease, primary progressive aphasia, and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. It targets five relevant domains: Memory, Visuospatial, Executive, Language, and Behavior. Validation was performed in a population-based sample of 410 healthy French-speaking Canadians aged between 50 and 89 years old. Normative data were derived from a subsample of 285 participants. RESULTS: Mean DCQ total score (out of 100) was 89.17 (SD = 7.36). Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a strong and significant correlation (r = .71, p < .001) with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Internal consistency for the cognitive domains assessed by Cronbach's alpha was satisfactory (.74). Test-retest reliability was adequate (Pearson's coefficient = . 70, p < .001) and interrater reliability, excellent (intraclass correlation = .99, p < .001). Normative data shown in percentiles were stratified by age and education. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the DCQ is a valid and reliable cognitive screening test. Application of the DCQ on populations with atypical dementias is underway to derive sensitivity and specificity values for various dementias.

Differences in Rate of Cognitive Decline and Caregiver Burden between Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia: a Retrospective Study.

Few studies have explored the rate of cognitive decline and caregiver burden within the context of a specialized memory clinic. When this was done, the focus was largely on functional decline related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our goal was to compare the longitudinal decline of AD patients to those with Vascular Dementia (VaD) on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We further explored the differential impact on caregiver burden. We retrospectively studied 237 charts from patients seen at our Memory Clinic between 2006 and 2012. The data was collected over 17 years. Cohorts were formed by excluding conditions other than AD and VaD, and including patients who had been assessed at least twice with the MMSE (AD: n = 83; mean age: 67.7 yo; VaD: n = 32; mean age: 73.3yo). A small group of 36 caregivers was surveyed by phone to explore caregiver burden. Results indicated that the natural history of MMSE changes in AD patients differed significantly from that of patients with VaD (F = 10.41, p<0.0014), with AD patients showing more cognitive decline over time. Sadness, stress/anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disorders were reported as the main preoccupations by caregivers and its impact was rated as 'severe' in 50% of cases. Altogether, this study provides further insight into the natural history of cognitive decline in AD and VaD. Future studies should explore the progression of dementing disorders in larger cohorts using prospective methodological designs.

Clinical Utility of Amyloid PET Imaging in the Differential Diagnosis of Atypical Dementias and Its Impact on Caregivers.

Recent studies have supported a role for amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in distinguishing Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology from other pathological protein accumulations leading to dementia. We investigated the clinical utility of amyloid PET in the differential diagnosis of atypical dementia cases and its impact on caregivers. Using the amyloid tracer 18F-NAV4694, we prospectively scanned 28 patients (mean age 59.3 y, s.d. 5.8; mean MMSE 21.4, s.d. 6.0) with an atypical dementia syndrome. Following a comprehensive diagnostic workup (i.e., history taking, neurological examination, blood tests, neuropsychological evaluation, MRI, and FDG-PET), no certain diagnosis could be arrived at. Amyloid PET was then conducted and classified as positive or negative. Attending physicians were asked to evaluate whether this result led to a change in diagnosis or altered management. They also reported their degree of confidence in the diagnosis. Caregivers were met after disclosure of amyloid PET results and completed a questionnaire/interview to assess the impact of the scan. Our cohort was evenly divided between positive (14/28) and negative (14/28) 18F-NAV4694 cases. Amyloid PET resulted in a diagnostic change in 9/28 cases (32.1%: 17.8% changed from AD to non-AD, 14.3% from non-AD to AD). There was a 44% increase in diagnostic confidence. Altered management occurred in 71.4% (20/28) of cases. Knowledge of amyloid status improved caregivers' outcomes in all domains (anxiety, depression, disease perception, future anticipation, and quality of life). This study suggests a useful additive role for amyloid PET in atypical cases with an unclear diagnosis beyond the extensive workup of a tertiary memory clinic. Amyloid PET increased diagnostic confidence and led to clinically significant alterations in management. The information gained from that test was well received by caregivers and encouraged spending quality time with their loved ones.

Clinical Impact of a Second FDG-PET in Atypical/Unclear Dementia Syndromes.

Diagnosis of atypical/unclear dementia is often difficult and this delays treatment initiation. Several authors have shown that beyond standard dementia workup, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) reduces the number of unclear diagnoses, leads to earlier treatment, and has a beneficial impact on families. However, it is not uncommon that the FDG-PET findings are equivocal in this setting. For those cases, a repeat FDG-PET may clarify the diagnosis and prevent treatment delay. We retrospectively assessed the clinical impact of a repeat FDG-PET in 59 patients with atypical/unclear dementia syndromes and inconclusive initial FDG-PET. Changes in primary diagnosis, diagnostic confidence, and management following the second FDG-PET were examined. Conducting a second FDG-PET reduced the number of unclear diagnoses from 80% to 34% , led to diagnostic change in 24% of cases, and treatment modification in 22% of patients. Overall, the clinical impact was higher when initial diagnostic confidence was low and the second FDG-PET repeated ≥12 months after the first one. In tertiary care memory clinic settings, when diagnostic incertitude persists despite extensive evaluation and an equivocal FDG-PET, repeating the FDG-PET 12 months later can greatly clarify the diagnosis and improve management.

Effects of anticholinergic drugs on verbal episodic memory function in the elderly: a retrospective, cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of medications that are frequently prescribed to elderly patients have been identified as having weak but definite anticholinergic properties. Few epidemiological studies have evaluated the impact of these drugs on verbal episodic memory using sensitive and specific neuropsychological testing in an elderly population presenting with cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of drugs with anticholinergic properties on verbal episodic memory function in elderly patients presenting for memory evaluation. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional study that included 134 consecutive elderly outpatients who attended the daycare memory unit of Centre Hospitalier Sud, Lyon, France. We searched the MEDLINE database (1973-2008) to identify drugs with anticholinergic properties. All drugs with well known anticholinergic activity, mild reported anticholinergic effects or in vitro anticholinergic activity were included in the study. MEASUREMENTS: We used the Free and Cued Selective Reminding (FCSR) test to evaluate verbal episodic memory. RESULTS: The mean ± SD number of drugs with anticholinergic properties taken by the subjects was 0.64 ± 0.82. Fifty percent of the subjects (n = 67) had a prescription for at least one drug with anticholinergic properties and 16% (n = 21) had a prescription for two or more. Drugs with anticholinergic properties most frequently prescribed in our cohort were cardiovascular (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, digoxin), antidepressant (paroxetine, sertraline, fluoxetine) and antispasmodic (oxybutynin chloride) drugs. The number of drugs with anticholinergic properties that subjects were taking was associated with reduced performance on tasks that assessed verbal memory (p < 0.05). Neuropsychological test batteries revealed a significant unfavourable effect of use of drugs with anticholinergic activity on episodic verbal memory. Tests evaluating other cognitive functions were not affected by use of drugs with anticholinergic activity. These associations remained following multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, education level, number of anticholinergic drugs, number of co-morbidities, diagnosis, behavioural symptoms and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should assess the current use of drugs with anticholinergic properties in the elderly, particularly in patients presenting for memory evaluation. In such cases, use of other therapeutic alternatives should be considered.

Anginal threshold between stress tests: exercise versus dobutamine stress echocardiography.

PURPOSE: Dobutamine echocardiography (DOB) can be substituted to exercise testing when necessary for clinical reasons. Current literature suggests DOB is maximal when 85% of maximal predicted heart rate (%PHR) is achieved (similar to EX), but there is little evidence to determine whether this target has the same clinical significance as during EX. We therefore performed this study to compare the ischemic threshold between EX and DOB. METHODS: Twenty men with stable angina underwent in a random order DOB and EX echocardiograms after being weaned off their cardiac medications. Electrocardiography, heart rate (HR), and systolic blood pressure were recorded every minute. Ischemic threshold was defined as the precise time at which clinical angina occurred. RESULTS: Anginal threshold appeared consistently at a higher level for DOB than EX as evidenced by the higher rate-pressure product (RPP) values (22,492 +/- 4,300 vs 20,371 +/- 5,367 bpm x mm Hg, DOB vs EX, respectively, P = 0.02), HR (126 +/- 23 vs 119 +/- 15 bpm, P = 0.01), and %PHR (79 +/- 15% vs 74 +/- 10%, P < 0.01). Thirty-two percent of the subjects presented an ischemic HR above 85% of PHR and 60% had a higher ischemic HR during DOB versus EX. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that estimation of anginal threshold during DOB is feasible and is slightly higher (approximately 10%) than during EX. Extrapolation of a cut off target heart rate from an exercise modality to a pharmaceutical one may not be valid.