Correlation between visual association memory test and structural changes in patients with Alzheimer's disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Visual association memory test (VAMT) is a brief 6-point cognition test that has been shown to be effective in differentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD) from other types of dementia. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of the VAMT performance with amyloid plaque burden and hippocampal atrophy. METHODS: Fourteen patients with AD, 29 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and 11 normal cognition (NC) subjects were recruited. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and [18F]AV-45 positron emission tomography (PET) were performed to evaluate hippocampal atrophy and amyloid plaque burden. RESULTS: The VAMT median score and interquartile range of the NC, aMCI and AD groups were 6 (6-6), 2 (0-4), and 0 (0-1), respectively (p < 0.001). The hippocampal atrophy was correlated with VAMT results across each group. The VAMT score was correlated with the occipital and parietal cortical [18F]AV-45 uptake in the NC group, and with the frontal, parietal and precuneus uptake in the aMCI group. However, no correlation between VAMT score and [18F]AV-45 uptake was found in the AD group. CONCLUSION: The VAMT can be an adjunctive cognitive test to identify patients with AD, and the early amyloid plaque accumulation is correlated with VAMT scores in patients with aMCI and even NC subjects.