Operationalizing selection criteria for clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease: Biomarker and clinical considerations.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) staging criteria lack standardized, empirical description. Well-defined AD staging criteria are an important consideration in protocol design, influencing a more standardized inclusion/exclusion criteria and defining what constitutes meaningful differentiation among the stages. However, many trials are being designed on the basis of biomarker features and the two need to be coordinated. The Alzheimer's Association Research Roundtable (AARR) Spring 2021 meeting discussed the implementation of preclinical AD staging criteria, and provided recommendations for how they may best be incorporated into clinical trials research. Discussion also included what currently available tools for global clinical trials may best define populations in preclinical AD trials, and if are we able to differentiate preclinical from clinical stages of the disease. Well-defined AD staging criteria are key to improving early detection, diagnostics, clinical trial enrollment, and identifying statistically significant clinical changes, and researchers discussed how emerging blood biomarkers may help with more efficient screening in preclinical stages.

Psychological Status of the Participants in Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease Colombia.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV2 global pandemic impacted participants in the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative (API) Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease (ADAD) clinical trial, who faced three stressors: 1) fear of developing dementia; 2) concerns about missing treatment; and 3) risk of SARS-CoV2 infection. OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency of psychological disorders among the participants of the API ADAD Colombia clinical study, treated by a holistic mental health team during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent of use of mental health team services was explored considering different risk factors, and users and non-users of these services were compared. METHODS: Participants had free and optional access to psychology and psychiatry services, outside of the study protocol. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the frequency of the mental health difficulties. A multivariable logistic regression model has been used to assess associations with using this program. RESULTS: 66 participants were treated by the Mental Health Team from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Before and after the start of the pandemic, the most common psychological problems were anxiety (36.4% before, 63.6% after) and depression (34.8% before, 37.9% after). 70% of users assisted by psychology and 81.6% of those assisted by psychiatry felt that the services were useful for them. Female sex, depression, and anxiety before the pandemic were positively associated with being assisted by either psychology or psychiatry, while the association with hyperlipidemia was negative. CONCLUSIONS: A holistic mental health program, carried out in the context of a study, could mitigate psychopathology during pandemics such as COVID-19.

A public resource of baseline data from the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Autosomal-Dominant Alzheimer's Disease Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Autosomal-Dominant Alzheimer's Disease (API ADAD) Trial evaluated the anti-oligomeric amyloid beta (Aß) antibody therapy crenezumab in cognitively unimpaired members of the Colombian presenilin 1 (PSEN1) E280A kindred. We report availability, methods employed to protect confidentiality and anonymity of participants, and process for requesting and accessing baseline data. METHODS: We developed mechanisms to share baseline data from the API ADAD Trial in consultation with experts and other groups sharing data from Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention trials, balancing the need to protect anonymity and trial integrity with making data broadly available to accelerate progress in the field. We pressure-tested deliberate and inadvertent potential threats under specific assumptions, employed a system to suppress or mask both direct and indirect identifying variables, limited and firewalled data managers, and put forth specific principles requisite to receive data. RESULTS: Baseline demographic, PSEN1 E280A and apolipoprotein E genotypes, florbetapir and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, clinical, and cognitive data can now be requested by interested researchers. DISCUSSION: Baseline data are publicly available; treatment data and biological samples, including baseline and treatment-related blood-based biomarker data will become available in accordance with our original trial agreement and subsequently developed Collaboration for Alzheimer's Prevention principles. Sharing of these data will allow exploration of important questions including the differential effects of initiating an investigational AD prevention therapy both before as well as after measurable Aß plaque deposition.

The relationship between depressive symptoms and subtypes of mild cognitive impairment in post-menopausal women: Results from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are associated with age-related cognitive impairment, but the relative risk of specific subtypes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) conferred by depressive symptoms is unclear. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the longitudinal association between baseline depressive symptoms and incident cases of MCI subtypes (amnestic vs. non-amnestic) and probable dementia (PD) (Alzheimer's disease, vascular, mixed) among postmenopausal women. METHODS: Depressive symptoms were assessed at study baseline using an 8-item Burnam algorithm in 7043 postmenopausal women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) and the WHIMS-Epidemiology of Cognitive Health Outcomes (WHIMS-ECHO) extension study. During the median 9.4-year follow-up interval, the presence of MCI and PD was classified by a central adjudication committee. Classification of participants by MCI subtype (amnestic single and multi-domain, non-amnestic single and multi-domain) was done algorithmically based on established criteria using data from annual cognitive testing. RESULTS: At baseline, 557 women (7.9%) had clinically significant depressive symptoms based on Burnam algorithm cut-point of 0.06. Depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with an increased risk of incident amnestic MCI (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-2.78, p < 0.0001), but not non-amnestic MCI (HR = 1.39, 95% CI 0.91-2.14, p = 0.13) after controlling for demographic factors. This relationship between depressive symptoms and amnestic MCI remained consistent after controlling for lifestyle variables, cardiovascular risk factors, antidepressant use, and history of hormone therapy. There were no significant associations between depressive symptoms and incidence of PD. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms at baseline among postmenopausal older women are associated with higher incidence of amnestic MCI, suggesting that they may be an independent risk factor or part of the early prodrome of dementia.

Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Crenezumab vs Placebo in Adults With Early Alzheimer Disease: Two Phase 3 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials.

Importance: Alzheimer disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by ß-amyloid plaques and τ tangles in the brain, represents an unmet medical need with no fully approved therapeutics to modify disease progression. Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of crenezumab, a humanized monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 antibody targeting ß-amyloid oligomers, in participants with prodromal to mild (early) AD. Design, Setting, and Participants: Two phase 3 multicenter randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group efficacy and safety studies of crenezumab in participants with early AD, CREAD and CREAD2, were initiated in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and were designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of crenezumab in participants with early AD. CREAD (194 sites in 30 countries) and CREAD2 (209 sites in 27 countries) were global multicenter studies. A total of 3736 and 3664 participants were screened in CREAD and CREAD2, respectively. A total of 3736 and 3664 participants were screened in CREAD and CREAD2, respectively. Both trials enrolled individuals aged 50 to 85 years with early AD. Participants with some comorbidities and evidence of cerebral infarction or more than 4 microbleeds or areas of leptomeningeal hemosiderosis on magnetic resonance imaging were excluded. After 2923 and 2858 were excluded, respectively, 813 participants in CREAD and 806 in CREAD2 were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either placebo or crenezumab. In the final analysis, there were 409 participants in the placebo group and 404 in the crenezumab group in CREAD and 399 in the placebo group and 407 in the crenezumab group in CREAD2. Data were analyzed up until January 2019 and August 2019, respectively. Interventions: Participants received placebo or 60 mg/kg crenezumab intravenously every 4 weeks for up to 100 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change from baseline to week 105 in Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score. Results: There were 813 participants in CREAD (mean [SD] age, 70.7 [8.2] years; 483 female and 330 male) and 806 in CREAD2 (mean [SD] age, 70.9 [7.7] years; 456 female and 350 male). Baseline characteristics were balanced between both groups. The between-group difference in mean change from baseline in CDR-SB score (placebo minus crenezumab) was -0.17 (95% CI, -0.86 to 0.53; P = .63) at week 105 in the CREAD study (88 placebo; 86 crenezumab). Compared with previous trials, no new safety signals were identified, and amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with edema were rare, mild, and transient. No meaningful changes in AD biomarkers were observed. Both studies were discontinued following a preplanned interim analysis indicating that CREAD was unlikely to meet the primary end point. Conclusions and Relevance: Crenezumab was well tolerated but did not reduce clinical decline in participants with early AD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: CREAD, NCT02670083; CREAD2, NCT03114657.

Sex differences in cognitive resilience in preclinical autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's disease carriers and non-carriers: Baseline findings from the API ADAD Colombia Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Females may have greater susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD)-pathology. We examined the effect of sex on pathology, neurodegeneration, and memory in cognitively-unimpaired Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) E280A mutation carriers and non-carriers. METHODS: We analyzed baseline data from 167 mutation carriers and 75 non-carriers (ages 30 to 53) from the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Autosomal Dominant AD Trial, including florbetapir- and fludeoxyglucose-PET, MRI based hippocampal volume and cognitive testing. RESULTS: Females exhibited better delayed recall than males, controlling for age, precuneus glucose metabolism, and mutation status, although the effect was not significant among PSEN1 mutation carriers only. APOE ε4 did not modify the effect of sex on AD biomarkers and memory. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that, among cognitively-unimpaired individuals at genetic risk for autosomal-dominant AD, females may have greater cognitive resilience to AD pathology and neurodegeneration than males. Further investigation of sex-specific differences in autosomal-dominant AD is key to elucidating mechanisms of AD risk and resilience.

Effect of intensive blood pressure control on subtypes of mild cognitive impairment and risk of progression from SPRINT study.

BACKGROUND: To examine the effect of intensive blood pressure control on the occurrence of subtypes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and determine the risk of progression to dementia or death. METHODS: Secondary analysis of a randomized trial of community-dwelling adults (≥50 years) with hypertension. Participants were randomized to a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of <120 mm Hg (intensive treatment; n = 4678) or <140 mm Hg (Standard treatment; n = 4683). Outcomes included adjudicated MCI, MCI subtype (amnestic, non-amnestic, multi-domain, single domain), and probable dementia. Multistate survival models were used to examine transitions in cognitive status accounting for the competing risk of death. RESULTS: Among 9361 randomized participants (mean age, 67.9 years; 3332 women [35.6%]), 640 participants met the protocol definition for MCI, with intensive treatment reducing the risk of MCI overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.69-0.94]), as previously reported. This effect was largely reflected in amnestic subtypes (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.66-0.92]) and multi-domain subtypes (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.65-0.93]). An adjudication of MCI, as compared with normal cognitive function, substantially increased the probability of progressing to probable dementia (5.9% [95% CI: 4.5%-7.7%] vs. 0.6% [95% CI: 0.3%-0.9%]) and to death (10.0% [95% CI: 8.3%-11.9%] vs. 2.3% [95% CI: 2.0%-2.7%]) within 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive treatment reduced the risk for amnestic and multi-domain subtypes of MCI. An adjudication of MCI was associated with increased risk of progression to dementia and death, highlighting the relevance of MCI as a primary outcome in clinical and research settings.

Robust demographically-adjusted normative data for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): Results from the systolic blood pressure intervention trial.

To generate robust, demographically-adjusted regression-based norms for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) using a large sample of diverse older US adults.Baseline MoCA scores were examined for participants in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). A robust, cognitively-normal sample was drawn from individuals not subsequently adjudicated with cognitive impairment through 4 years of follow-up. Multivariable Beta-Binomial regression was used to model the association of demographic variables with MoCA performance and to create demographically-stratified normative tables.Participants' (N = 5,338) mean age was 66.9 ± 8.8 years, with 35.7% female, 63.1% White, 27.4% Black, 9.5% Hispanic, and 44.5% with a college or graduate education. A large proportion scored below published MoCA cutoffs: 61.4% scored below 26 and 29.2% scored below 23. A disproportionate number falling below these cutoffs were Black, Hispanic, did not graduate from college, or were ≥75 years of age. Multivariable modeling identified education, race/ethnicity, age, and sex as significant predictors of MoCA scores (p<.001), with the best fitting model explaining 24.4% of the variance. Model-based predictions of median MoCA scores were generally 1 to 2 points lower for Black and Hispanic participants across combinations of age, sex, and education. Demographically-stratified norm-tables based on regression modeling are provided to facilitate clinical use, along with our raw data.By using regression-based strategies that more fully account for demographic variables, we provide robust, demographically-adjusted metrics to improve cognitive screening with the MoCA in diverse older adults.

Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of High-Volume Subcutaneous Crenezumab, With and Without Recombinant Human Hyaluronidase in Healthy Volunteers.

Compared with intravenous formulations, subcutaneous (s.c.) formulations of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies may provide increased patient access and more convenient administration options, although historically high-volume s.c. administration (> 10-15 mL) has been challenging. We report results from two phase I studies in healthy participants (GP29523 and GP40201) that evaluated s.c. crenezumab, an anti-Aß monoclonal antibody in development for individuals at risk for autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's disease. GP29523 assessed safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) in 68 participants (aged 50-80 years) who received single ascending doses (600-7,200 mg) of crenezumab or placebo (4-40 mL). GP40201 assessed safety, tolerability, and PK in 72 participants (aged 18-80 years) who received different combinations of dose (1,700-6,800 mg), infusion volume (10-40 mL), and flow rate (2-4 mL/minute), with/without recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20). There were no serious or dose-limiting adverse events in either study. There were no meaningful differences in pain scores among reference placebo (4 mL), test placebo (4-40 mL), or crenezumab (600-7,200 mg) in GP29523, or across treatments with varying infusion volume, flow rate, dose, or rHuPH20 co-administration or concentration in GP40201. Transient erythema was the most common infusion site reaction in both studies. In GP40201 at volumes of ≥ 20 mL, rHuPH20 co-administration appeared to reduce infusion site swelling incidence, but, in some cases, was associated with larger areas of infusion site erythema. Crenezumab exhibited approximately dose-proportional PK, and s.c. bioavailability was 66% and independent of dose or rHuPH20 co-administration. High-dose, high-concentration, high-volume s.c. crenezumab formulated with/without rHuPH20 was well-tolerated in healthy participants, with an acceptable safety profile.

Final Report of a Trial of Intensive versus Standard Blood-Pressure Control.

BACKGROUND: In a previously reported randomized trial of standard and intensive systolic blood-pressure control, data on some outcome events had yet to be adjudicated and post-trial follow-up data had not yet been collected. METHODS: We randomly assigned 9361 participants who were at increased risk for cardiovascular disease but did not have diabetes or previous stroke to adhere to an intensive treatment target (systolic blood pressure, <120 mm Hg) or a standard treatment target (systolic blood pressure, <140 mm Hg). The primary outcome was a composite of myocardial infarction, other acute coronary syndromes, stroke, acute decompensated heart failure, or death from cardiovascular causes. Additional primary outcome events occurring through the end of the intervention period (August 20, 2015) were adjudicated after data lock for the primary analysis. We also analyzed post-trial observational follow-up data through July 29, 2016. RESULTS: At a median of 3.33 years of follow-up, the rate of the primary outcome and all-cause mortality during the trial were significantly lower in the intensive-treatment group than in the standard-treatment group (rate of the primary outcome, 1.77% per year vs. 2.40% per year; hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.86; all-cause mortality, 1.06% per year vs. 1.41% per year; hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.92). Serious adverse events of hypotension, electrolyte abnormalities, acute kidney injury or failure, and syncope were significantly more frequent in the intensive-treatment group. When trial and post-trial follow-up data were combined (3.88 years in total), similar patterns were found for treatment benefit and adverse events; however, rates of heart failure no longer differed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who were at increased cardiovascular risk, targeting a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg resulted in lower rates of major adverse cardiovascular events and lower all-cause mortality than targeting a systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg, both during receipt of the randomly assigned therapy and after the trial. Rates of some adverse events were higher in the intensive-treatment group. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; SPRINT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01206062.).

Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Crenezumab in Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Treated with Escalating Doses for up to 133 Weeks.

BACKGROUND: Crenezumab is a fully humanized, monoclonal anti-amyloid-ß immunoglobulin G4 antibody. OBJECTIVE: This Phase Ib study (NCT02353598) evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of crenezumabat doses of ≤120 mg/kg administered intravenously every 4 weeks (q4w). Immunogenicity and exploratory biomarkers were also evaluated. METHODS: In this multicenter, double-blind study, participants (aged 50-90 years) with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyloid-positive positron emission tomography (PET) scan were randomized to receive crenezumab 30 or 45 mg/kg (Cohort 1, n = 21), 60 mg/kg (Cohort 2, n = 21), or 120 mg/kg (Cohort 3, n = 19) or corresponding placebo (n = 14) intravenously q4w for 13 weeks. Seventy-one participants were subsequently enrolled in an optional open-label extension (OLE) and received crenezumab at the originally assigned dose level, except for Cohort 3 (crenezumab 60 mg/kg during OLE). Participants received regular brain MRIs to assess amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA). Results up to Week 133 are reported. RESULTS: Approximately 94% of participants experienced ≥1 adverse event (AE). Most AEs were mild or moderate; 15.5% experienced a Grade ≥3 AE. No ARIA-edema/effusion (ARIA-E) events were observed. New ARIA-micro hemorrhages and hemosiderosis (ARIA-H) were reported in 4.9% (double-blind treatment period) and 9.9% (combined double-blind treatment and OLE periods) of participants. Steady-state trough concentrations of crenezumab were dose-proportional and maintained for each dose level. CONCLUSION: Crenezumab doses of ≤120 mg/kg intravenously q4w were well tolerated. The observed safety profile for ≤133 weeks of treatment in a mild-to-moderate AD population was similar to that seen in previous trials.

Baseline demographic, clinical, and cognitive characteristics of the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative (API) Autosomal-Dominant Alzheimer's Disease Colombia Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The API AutosomalDominant AD (ADAD) Colombia Trial is a placebo-controlled clinical trial of crenezumab in 252 cognitively unimpaired 30 to 60-year-old Presenilin 1 (PSEN1) E280A kindred members, including mutation carriers randomized to active treatment or placebo and non-carriers who receive placebo. METHODS: Of the 252 enrolled, we present data on a total of 242 mutation carriers and non-carriers matched by age range, excluding data on 10 participants to protect participant confidentiality, genetic status, and trial integrity. RESULTS: We summarize demographic, clinical, cognitive, and behavioral data from 167 mutation carriers and 75 non-carriers, 30 to 53 years of age. Carriers were significantly younger than non-carriers ((mean age ± SD) 37 ± 5 vs 42 ± 6), had significantly lower Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) scores (28.8 ± 1.4 vs 29.2 ± 1.0), and had consistently lower memory scores. DISCUSSION: Although PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers in the Trial are cognitively unimpaired, they have slightly lower MMSE and memory scores than non-carriers. Their demographic characteristics are representative of the local population.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Dementia and Cognitive Decline Among Older Adults With or Without Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Importance: Substantial heterogeneity and uncertainty exist in the observed associations between alcohol consumption and dementia. Objective: To assess the association between alcohol consumption and dementia and the roles of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE E4) genotype in modifying this association. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study, conducted from 2000 to 2008 among US community-dwelling participants. This study analyzed 3021 participants aged 72 years and older who were free of dementia. Data analysis was performed from 2017 to 2018. Exposures: Self-reported alcohol consumption, drinking frequency, and quantity. Main Outcomes and Measures: Using multivariable proportional hazards regression and linear mixed models, the risk of dementia and the rate of change over time in the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination were estimated. Results: Among 3021 participants, the median (interquartile range) age was 78 (76-80) years; 1395 (46.2%) were female. During a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 6.0 (4.9-6.5) years, 512 cases of dementia occurred. For 7.1 to 14.0 drinks per week compared with less than 1.0 drink per week, the hazard ratios for dementia were 0.63 (95% CI, 0.38-1.06) among 2548 participants without MCI and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.47-1.84) among 473 participants with MCI. Among participants with MCI, the hazard ratio for dementia was 1.72 (95% CI, 0.87-3.40) for more than 14.0 drinks per week compared with less than 1.0 drink per week. The association of alcohol intake with dementia differed for participants with and without baseline MCI (P for interaction = .03). Among participants without MCI, daily low-quantity drinking was associated with lower dementia risk than infrequent higher-quantity drinking (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.89; P = .02). Findings were consistent when stratified by sex, age, and APOE E4 genotype. Compared with drinking less than 1.0 drink per week, complete abstention (in participants without MCI) and the consumption of more than 14.0 drinks per week (in participants with MCI) were associated with lower Modified Mini-Mental State Examination scores (mean difference at follow-up compared with baseline, -0.46 point [95% CI, -0.87 to -0.04 point] and -3.51 points [95% CI, -5.75 to -1.27 points], respectively). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, complete abstention and consuming more than 14.0 drinks per week (compared with drinking <1.0 drink per week) were associated with lower cognitive scores among participants aged 72 years and older. Particular caution is needed among individuals with MCI who continue to drink alcohol.

Association of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control With Cerebral White Matter Lesions.

Importance: The effect of intensive blood pressure lowering on brain health remains uncertain. Objective: To evaluate the association of intensive blood pressure treatment with cerebral white matter lesion and brain volumes. Design, Setting, and Participants: A substudy of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of hypertensive adults 50 years or older without a history of diabetes or stroke at 27 sites in the United States. Randomization began on November 8, 2010. The overall trial was stopped early because of benefit for its primary outcome (a composite of cardiovascular events) and all-cause mortality on August 20, 2015. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on a subset of participants at baseline (n = 670) and at 4 years of follow-up (n = 449); final follow-up date was July 1, 2016. Interventions: Participants were randomized to a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of either less than 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment, n = 355) or less than 140 mm Hg (standard treatment, n = 315). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change in total white matter lesion volume from baseline. Change in total brain volume was a secondary outcome. Results: Among 670 recruited patients who had baseline MRI (mean age, 67.3 [SD, 8.2] years; 40.4% women), 449 (67.0%) completed the follow-up MRI at a median of 3.97 years after randomization, after a median intervention period of 3.40 years. In the intensive treatment group, based on a robust linear mixed model, mean white matter lesion volume increased from 4.57 to 5.49 cm3 (difference, 0.92 cm3 [95% CI, 0.69 to 1.14]) vs an increase from 4.40 to 5.85 cm3 (difference, 1.45 cm3 [95% CI, 1.21 to 1.70]) in the standard treatment group (between-group difference in change, -0.54 cm3 [95% CI, -0.87 to -0.20]). Mean total brain volume decreased from 1134.5 to 1104.0 cm3 (difference, -30.6 cm3 [95% CI, -32.3 to -28.8]) in the intensive treatment group vs a decrease from 1134.0 to 1107.1 cm3 (difference, -26.9 cm3 [95% CI, 24.8 to 28.8]) in the standard treatment group (between-group difference in change, -3.7 cm3 [95% CI, -6.3 to -1.1]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among hypertensive adults, targeting an SBP of less than 120 mm Hg, compared with less than 140 mm Hg, was significantly associated with a smaller increase in cerebral white matter lesion volume and a greater decrease in total brain volume, although the differences were small. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01206062.

Effect of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control on Probable Dementia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There are currently no proven treatments to reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Objective: To evaluate the effect of intensive blood pressure control on risk of dementia. Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial conducted at 102 sites in the United States and Puerto Rico among adults aged 50 years or older with hypertension but without diabetes or history of stroke. Randomization began on November 8, 2010. The trial was stopped early for benefit on its primary outcome (a composite of cardiovascular events) and all-cause mortality on August 20, 2015. The final date for follow-up of cognitive outcomes was July 22, 2018. Interventions: Participants were randomized to a systolic blood pressure goal of either less than 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment group; n = 4678) or less than 140 mm Hg (standard treatment group; n = 4683). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary cognitive outcome was occurrence of adjudicated probable dementia. Secondary cognitive outcomes included adjudicated mild cognitive impairment and a composite outcome of mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia. Results: Among 9361 randomized participants (mean age, 67.9 years; 3332 women [35.6%]), 8563 (91.5%) completed at least 1 follow-up cognitive assessment. The median intervention period was 3.34 years. During a total median follow-up of 5.11 years, adjudicated probable dementia occurred in 149 participants in the intensive treatment group vs 176 in the standard treatment group (7.2 vs 8.6 cases per 1000 person-years; hazard ratio [HR], 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67-1.04). Intensive BP control significantly reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment (14.6 vs 18.3 cases per 1000 person-years; HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95) and the combined rate of mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia (20.2 vs 24.1 cases per 1000 person-years; HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97). Conclusions and Relevance: Among ambulatory adults with hypertension, treating to a systolic blood pressure goal of less than 120 mm Hg compared with a goal of less than 140 mm Hg did not result in a significant reduction in the risk of probable dementia. Because of early study termination and fewer than expected cases of dementia, the study may have been underpowered for this end point. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01206062.

The Association between the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Functional Activity Questionnaire in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT).

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of global cognitive function assessed via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and deficiencies in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) on the Functional Activity Questionnaire (FAQ) in hypertensive older adults in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). METHODS: In cross-sectional analysis, 9,296 SPRINT participants completed the MoCA at baseline. The FAQ was obtained from 2,705 informants for SPRINT participants scoring <21 or <22 on the MoCA, depending on education. FAQ severity ranged from no dysfunction (Score = 0) to moderate/severe dysfunction (Score = 5+). RESULTS: Participants who triggered FAQ administration were older, less educated, and more likely to be Black or Hispanic (p < 0.001). Sixty-one percent (n = 1,661) of participants' informants reported no functional difficulties in IADLs. An informant report, however, of any difficulty on the FAQ was associated with lower MoCA scores after controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education (p < 0.05). Partial proportional odds regression indicates that participants scoring lower on the MoCA (in the 10th to <25th, fifth to <10th, and

Community-Based Activity and Sedentary Patterns Are Associated With Cognitive Performance in Mobility-Limited Older Adults.

Over the last few decades, considerable evidence shows that greater levels of aerobic exercise and cardiovascular fitness benefit cognitive performance. However, the degree to which free-living activity in community settings is related to cognitive performance remains unclear, particularly in older adults vulnerable to disability. Also, it is unknown whether the manner in which daily physical activity (PA) and sedentary time are accumulated throughout the day is associated with cognition. Cross-sectional associations between accelerometer-characterized PA and sedentary patterns and cognitive performance were examined in 1,274 mobility-limited older adults. Percent time spent in various bout lengths of PA (≥1, ≥2, and ≥5 min) and sedentary (≥1, ≥30, and ≥60 min) was defined as the number of minutes registered divided by total wear time × 100. Percent time was then tertiled for each bout length. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between accelerometer bout variables and separate cognitive domains that included processing speed (Digit Symbol Coding; DSC), immediate and delayed recall (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test; HVLT), information processing and selective attention (Flanker), working memory (n-back), reaction time (switch and non-switch reaction time), and a composite score that averaged results from all cognitive tests. After adjusting for demographics, behavioral factors, and morbid conditions, more time spent in PA was associated with higher DSC for all bout lengths (p < 0.03 for all). Higher PA was associated with higher HVLT and global cognition scores but only for longer bout lengths (p < 0.05 for all). The association was largely driven by participants who spent the lowest amount of time performing activity while awake (p < 0.04). An inverse linear relationship was observed between total sedentary time and DSC (p = 0.02), but not for other measures of cognition. These results suggest that, while higher PA was associated with higher cognitive performance, PA's association with memory was sensitive to bout duration. The time, but not the manner, spent in sedentary behaviors showed a minor association with executive function. Further research is warranted to characterize longitudinal changes in daily activity and sedentary patterns as potential biophysical markers of cognitive status in older adults.

Relationships between cerebral structure and cognitive function in African Americans with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Relationships between cognitive function and brain structure remain poorly defined in African Americans with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Cognitive testing and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging in African Americans from the Diabetes Heart Study Memory IN Diabetes (n = 480) and Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes MIND (n = 104) studies were examined for associations. Cerebral gray matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV) and white matter lesion volume (WMLV) and cognitive performance (Mini-mental State Exam [MMSE and 3MSE], Digit Symbol Coding (DSC), Stroop test, and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) were recorded. Multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, scanner, intracranial volume, education, diabetes duration, HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, smoking, hypertension and cardiovascular disease assessed associations between cognitive tests and brain volumes by study and meta-analysis. RESULTS: Mean(SD) participant age was 60.1(7.9) years, diabetes duration 12.1(7.7) years, and HbA1c 8.3(1.7)%. In the fully-adjusted meta-analysis, lower GMV associated with poorer global performance on MMSE/3MSE (ß̂ = 7.1 × 10-3, SE 2.4 × 10-3, p = 3.6 × 10-3), higher WMLV associated with poorer performance on DSC (ß̂ = -3 × 10-2, SE 6.4 × 10-3, p = 5.2 × 10-5) and higher WMV associated with poorer MMSE/3MSE performance (ß̂ = -7.1 × 10-3, SE = 2.4 × 10-3, p = 3.6 × 10-3). CONCLUSIONS: In African Americans with diabetes, smaller GMV and increased WMLV associated with poorer performance on tests of global cognitive and executive function. These data suggest that WML burden and gray matter atrophy associate with cognitive performance independent of diabetes-related factors in this population.

Computer simulations for assessing cognitively intensive instrumental activities of daily living in older adults.

INTRODUCTION: Aim is to evaluate validity, reliability, diagnostic precision, and user acceptability of computer simulations of cognitively demanding tasks when administered to older adults with and without cognitive impairment. METHODS: Five simulation modules were administered to 161 individuals aged ≥60 years with no cognitive impairment (N = 81), mild cognitive impairment (N = 52), or dementia (N = 28). Groups were compared on total accuracy and time to complete the tasks (seconds). Receiver operating characteristics were evaluated. Reliability was assessed over one month. Participants rated face validity and acceptability. RESULTS: Total accuracy (P < .0001) and time (P = .0015) differed between groups. Test-retest correlations were excellent (0.79 and 0.88, respectively). Area under the curve ranged from good (0.77) to excellent (0.97). User ratings supported their face validity and acceptability. DISCUSSION: Brief computer simulations can be useful in assessing cognitive functional abilities of older adults and distinguishing varying degrees of impairment.

Low 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Risk of Incident Cognitive Impairment in Black and White Older Adults: The Health ABC Study.

Using data from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study, we examined whether low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations were associated with prevalent or incident cognitive impairment. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured in 2,786 older adults and categorized as <20 ng/mL, 20 to <30 ng/mL, or ≥30 ng/mL. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score >1.5 standard deviations below race and education specific means on either digit symbol substitution test or modified mini-mental state test. Logistic regression determined the odds of cognitive impairment at baseline and year 5 by 25(OH)D category. 25(OH)D concentrations were <30 ng/mL in 57.3% of whites and 84.6% of blacks. After excluding participants with baseline cognitive impairment (n = 340), 13% of whites and 13% of blacks developed cognitive impairment by year 5. In whites, 25(OH)D concentrations <30 ng/mL were not associated with prevalent or incident cognitive impairment. Black participants with 25(OH)D concentrations <20 ng/mL had a higher odds of prevalent, but not incident cognitive impairment (OR (95% CI): 2.05 (1.08-3.91), p = 0.03) compared to participants with 25(OH)D concentrations ≥30 ng/mL. Low 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with twofold higher odds of prevalent cognitive impairment in blacks.