Neuropathologic validation of the Alzheimer's Questionnaire.

The Alzheimer's Questionnaire (AQ) is an informant-based screening tool with good diagnostic accuracy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). The aim of this study is to validate the AQ with AD-associated neuritic plaque (NP) and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology. Data from 205 prospectively followed autopsy cases clinically classified as AD (n = 90), aMCI (n = 42), or cognitively unimpaired (CU, n = 73) were used. Semi-quantitative measures of NP and NFT pathology were correlated with the AQ, Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB), and the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). The AQ correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with NP load (r = 0.37) and NFT load (r = 0.57). The MMSE and CDR-SOB showed similar correlations with NP load (r = - 0.37, r = 0.35, respectively) and NFT load (r = - 0.58, r = 0.55, respectively). The AQ correlates well with NP and NFT pathology of AD, which provides additional confidence to clinicians using the AQ to screen for AD-related cognitive impairment.

Performance on the repeatable battery for the assessment of neuropsychological status in college students with mild traumatic brain injury.

College students recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) often experience a constellation of symptoms including cognitive and emotional difficulties. While these symptoms may interfere with academic performance, few students seek supportive services. Assessment of MTBI symptoms may be important to help identify students with symptoms that may interfere with academic performance and assist them in obtaining appropriate treatment and support services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cognitive performance of college students with a history of MTBI on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression. A total of seventy college students participated in this study. Participants were divided into two groups based on self-reported history of MTBI. Participants with a history of MTBI (n = 22) performed significantly higher (p < .05) on the RBANS Delayed Memory Index and endorsed significantly fewer (p < .05) trait anxiety symptoms on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) than students without a history of head injury (n = 48). Students with a history of MTBI displayed few impairments on the RBANS and are more likely to endorse fewer symptoms of trait anxiety (but not state anxiety or depression) than peers without a history of head injury.