Exploring the association between VLOM ratio and years of education in MCI and normal aging urban cohort

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundMild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a transition state of cognitive decline from healthy brain to dementia. It is a prodrome of Alzheimer’s disease. Verbal‐Language/Orientation‐Memory (VLOM) ratio, a simply calculated index compares its language and memory scores helps to differentiate between Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (Mathuranath, et al.,2000). VLOM ratio is helpful in prognosticating and planning future management of the disease. The previous studies have shown the association of scores in cognitive domains with years of education (Nieto A, et al.,2016). Therefore, the objective of the study is to explore the association of years of education with VLOM ratio in MCI participants and normal participants.MethodCross sectional analysis was done using the baseline data from the cohort study Tata Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TLSA) from urban Bengaluru, India. Clinical dementia rating scale (CDR) was used to classify participants into normal and MCI category. CDR score of 0 was considered as normal, score of 0.5 as MCI. ACE III‐R (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III‐R) a neuropsychological test was administered and verbal fluency plus language to orientation plus memory (VLOM) ratio was calculated. Further, years of education was classified into three levels and comparison of VLOM ratio was made within these levels of education groups in both MCI and normal participants. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the VLOM ratio between MCI and normal participants. VLOM ratio and years of education among the MCI and normal participants was compared using Kruskal‐Wallis test.ResultsAmong 953 participants, 69 had MCI and 884 participants had normal cognition. Comparison of VLOM ratio between MCI and normal participants showed a significant difference, with higher VLOM ratio in MCI participants (Median (IQR)) = 0.97 (0.11) vs 0.95 (0.09); p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in VLOM ratio between years of education in both normal and MCI participants.ConclusionThe VLOM ratio found to be higher in MCI group indicating that the scores in orientation and memory domain might be lower in MCI compared to Normal participants. There was no association of VLOM ratio with years of education in normal and MCI participants.