Cognitive Deficits In Older Adults Research Articles

Can L-Methionine and S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine effectively mitigate scopolamine-induced cognitive and motor deficits in mice?

Motor balance deficits often coincide with cognitive deficits in older adults. Current medications provide temporary relief with several potential side effects. Essential amino acids and their derivatives, such as S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe), can improve nerve function, mood regulation, and neuroprotection against neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigated the protective effects of SAMe in scopolamine-degraded memory, and motor balance in an animal model. To evaluate the possible effects of SAMe on cognitive and motor balance improvement, both Shuttle box and rotarod methods were performed in seven groups of animals (n=7). The mice groups received the saline (control), scopolamine, scopolamine+rivastigmine, scopolamine +methionine, and scopolamine+ three different doses of SAMe daily and separately for two weeks. Data were analyzed independently by one-way ANOVA and P<0.05 was considered significant. SAMe 150 mg/kg worsened scopolamine-induced memory impairment (P<0.001), while methionine (100 mg/kg) or SAMe (only 100 mg/kg) together with scopolamine could reduce the duration of the animal's presence in the dark chamber (P<0.05). Daily administration of methionine and SAMe at the rate of 100 mg/kg daily could significantly improve the decrease in motor balance caused by scopolamine (P<0.05). Rivastigmine improved memory and motor balance impairment caused by scopolamine (P<0.05). No difference between SAMe and L-methionine for memory, and balance. The results suggest that while L-methionine and SAMe may not be effective in improving memory impairments (Even SAMe high doses can aggravate the destruction of passive avoidance memory), they may be beneficial in enhancing motor balance.

Cluster analysis dissecting cognitive deficits in older adults with major depressive disorder and the association with neurofilament light chain

BackgroundCognitive impairment is a growing problem with increasing burden in global aging. Older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) have higher risk of dementia. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been proven as a potential biomarker in neurodegenerative disease, including dementia. We aimed to investigate the association between cognitive deficits and NfL levels in older adults with MDD.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 39 MDD patients and 15 individuals with mild neurocognitive disorder or major neurocognitive disorder, Alzheimer’s type, as controls, from a tertiary psychiatric hospital. Both groups were over age 65 and with matched Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. Demographic data, clinical variables, and plasma NfL levels were obtained. We used cluster analysis according to their cognitive profile and estimated the correlation between plasma NfL levels and each cognitive domain.ResultsIn the MDD group, participants had higher rate of family psychiatry history and current alcohol use habit compared with controls. Control group of neurocognitive disorders showed significantly lower score in total MMSE and higher plasma NfL levels. Part of the MDD patients presented cognitive deficits clustered with that of neurocognitive disorders (cluster A). In cluster A, the total MMSE score (r=-0.58277, p=0.0287) and the comprehension domain (r=-0.71717, p=0.0039) were negatively correlated to NfL levels after adjusting for age, while the associations had not been observed in the other cluster.ConclusionsWe noted the negative correlation between NfL levels and cognition in MDD patients clustered with neurodegenerative disorder, Alzheimer’s type. NfL could be a promising candidate as a biomarker to predict subtype of patients in MDD to develop cognitive decline. Further longitudinal studies and within MDD cluster analysis are required to validate our findings for clinical implications.

P199: Cluster analysis dissecting cognitive deficits in older adults with major depressive disorder and the association between neurofilament light chain

Objectives:Cognitive impairment is a growing problem with increasing burden in ageing global population. Older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) have higher risk of dementia during ageing. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been proven as a potential biomarker related to dementia. The present study aims to assess the cognitive deficits in older adults with MDD and investigate their association with peripheral blood levels of NfL.Design:We enrolled 39 individuals with MDD and 15 individuals with mild neurocognitive disorder or major neurocognitive disorder, Alzheimer’s type. Both groups were over age 65 and with restricted Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. Demographic data, clinical variables, and plasma NfL levels were obtained. We used cluster analysis according to their cognitive profile and estimated the correlation between plasma NfL levels and cognitive impairment in each domain.Result:In the MDD group, participants have higher rate of family psychiatry history and higher rate of current alcohol use habit compared with patients with neurocognitive disorders. In the neurocognitive disorders group, participants showed significantly lower score in total MMSE and higher plasma NfL levels. Part of the MDD patients presented cognitive deficits similar to that of neurocognitive disorders (cluster A). In cluster A, the total MMSE score (r=-0.58277, p=0.0287) and the comprehension domain (r=-0.71717, p=0.0039) were negatively correlated to NfL levels after adjusting for age, while the associations had not been observed in the other cluster.Conclusion:We noted the negative correlation between NfL levels and cognitive performance in MDD patients whose cognitive manifestation were more similar to that of degenerative neurocognitive disorders. NfL might be a potential marker to predict patients with MDD to develop cognitive decline especially in domains typically found in Alzheimer’s disease. Further longitudinal studies are required to validate our findings for clinical implications.

Impact of PTSD and Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Cognition in Older Adult Veterans.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are highly prevalent and comorbid among older adult male veterans. Both PTSD and OSA are independently associated with cognitive deficits in older adults, but little research regarding the impact of comorbid PTSD and OSA among older adults exists. Purpose: The current study aimed to examine the independent and interactive effects of PTSD and OSA on cognitive functioning in older adult veterans. Study Sample: Older adult male veterans with (n= 106) and without PTSD (n= 69), ranging in age from 55 to 89 (M= 63.35). Data Collection: Participants underwent polysomnography evaluation to assess severity of OSA symptoms and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation to assess cognitive functioning in 3 domains: attention and processing speed, learning and memory, and executive functioning. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed that the interaction between PTSD and OSA did not predict cognitive performance. However, PTSD significantly predicted poorer attention and processing speed, and increased OSA severity predicted poorer learning and memory. Conclusions: While PTSD and OSA did not have a synergistic detrimental impact on cognition, each independently predicted poorer cognitive functioning within certain domains, suggesting that older adults with these comorbid conditions may experience a wider array of cognitive difficulties.

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Exposure Alters Behavioral Flexibility in Aged Rats Compared to Adult Rats and Modifies Protein and Protein Pathways Related to Alzheimer's Disease.

Repeated excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia. Hazardous drinking among older adults further increases such vulnerabilities. To investigate whether alcohol induces cognitive deficits in older adults, we performed a chronic intermittent ethanol exposure paradigm (ethanol or water gavage every other day 10 times) in 8-week-old young adult and 70-week-old aged rats. While spatial memory retrieval ascertained by probe trials in the Morris water maze was not significantly different between ethanol-treated and water-treated rats in both age groups after the fifth and tenth gavages, behavioral flexibility was impaired in ethanol-treated rats compared to water-treated rats in the aged group but not in the young adult group. We then examined ethanol-treatment-associated hippocampal proteomic and phosphoproteomic differences distinct in the aged rats. We identified several ethanol-treatment-related proteins, including the upregulations of the Prkcd protein level, several of its phosphosites, and its kinase activity and downregulation in the Camk2a protein level. Our bioinformatic analysis revealed notable changes in pathways involved in neurotransmission regulation, synaptic plasticity, neuronal apoptosis, and insulin receptor signaling. In conclusion, our behavioral and proteomic results identified several candidate proteins and pathways potentially associated with alcohol-induced cognitive decline in aged adults.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy vs. a health enhancement program for the treatment of late-life depression: Study protocol for a multi-site randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundLate-life depression (LLD) affects up to 18% of older adults and has been linked to elevated dementia risk. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) holds promise for treating symptoms of depression and ameliorating cognitive deficits in older adults. While preliminary findings are promising, a definitive RCT investigating its effects on late life depression and cognition have not yet been conducted. We present a protocol describing a multi-site blinded randomized controlled trial, comparing the effects of MBCT and of an active control, a Health Enhancement Program (HEP), on depressive symptoms, executive functioning, and brain biomarkers of LLD, among several other exploratory outcomes.MethodsTwo-hundred and thirteen (n = 213) patients with LLD will be recruited at various centers in Montreal, QC, Canada. Participants will undergo stratified randomization to either MBCT or HEP intervention groups. We will assess changes in (1) depression severity using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17), (2) processing speed and executive functioning, (3) brain biomarkers of LLD (hippocampal volume, default network resting-state functional connectivity and executive network resting-state functional connectivity), and (4) other exploratory physiological and mood-based measures, at baseline (0 weeks), post intervention (8 weeks), and 26 weeks after baseline.DiscussionThe proposed study will assess the clinical potential of MBCT to improve symptoms of depression, as well as examine its impact on cognitive impairments and neurobiological markers, and thus inform its use as a promising adjunct in the treatment of LLD.Clinical trial registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05366088.

The characteristics of glucose metabolism and functional connectivity in posterior default network during nondemented aging: relationship with executive function performance.

Understanding the characteristics of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) in terms of both glucose metabolism and functional connectivity (FC) is important for revealing cognitive aging and neurodegeneration, but the relationships between these two aspects during aging has not been well established in older adults. This study is to assess the relationship between age-related glucose metabolism and FC in key ICNs, and their direct or indirect effects on cognitive deficits in older adults. We estimated the individual-level standard uptake value ratio (SUVr) and FC of eleven ICNs in 59 cognitively unimpaired older adults, then analyzed the associations of SUVr and FC of each ICN and their relationships with cognitive performance. The results showed both the SUVr and FC in the posterior default mode network (pDMN) had a significant decline with age, and the association between them was also significant. Moreover, both decline of metabolism and FC in the pDMN were significantly correlated with executive function decline. Finally, mediation analysis revealed the glucose metabolism mediated the FC decline with age and FC mediated the executive function deficits. Our findings indicated that covariance between glucose metabolism and FC in the pDMN is one of the main routes that contributes to age-related executive function decline.

Associations of Circulating Insulin-Growth Factor-1 With Cognitive Functions and Quality of Life Domains in Ambulatory Young Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study.

ObjectiveAdults with cerebral palsy (CP) often have impaired cognitive functions. CP also has deteriorations in multiple quality-of-life (QoL) domains. The bio-psycho-social health psychology model posits that biological factor interacts with social and psychological functions. However, the biological determinant of psycho-social and functional outcomes in CP has been scarcely examined. Circulating Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is associated with cognitive deficits in older adults, we thus aimed to examine the associations of circulating IGF-1 with: (1) objectively measured cognitive functions, (2) self-reported cognitive functions, and (3) QoL measures in adults diagnosed with CP.MethodsSeventy-two adults with CP and varying degrees of cognitive functions were recruited from an accredited clinical motion analysis laboratory at a regional Children's Hospital. Circulating IGF-1 was measured using post-fasting serum. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) tests were administered to assess multiple cognitive functions, whereas the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was used to measure multiple domains of self-reported health, including cognitive complaints and eight QoL domains.ResultsSixty-eight participants had complete data [mean age = 25 (SD = 5.3), female = 52.8%]. Controlling for covariates, circulating IGF-1 was associated with multiple cognitive domains, including positively with declarative memory and executive function and inversely with visual-spatial and motor skills, and processing speed, while no association with subjective memory complaint was detected. Circulating IGF-1 was also inversely associated with four QoL domains, including depressive symptoms, executive function, physical function, and social roles and activities.ConclusionsIn CP, circulating IGF-1 might be a useful biological determinant of objective cognitive functions and several quality-of-life domains commonly impaired in CP.

Efficacy of Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Training in Older Adults with Hearing Impairment: Three Case Reports

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive training in older adults with hearing impairment. Participants were three older adults with hearing impairment. Three assessment tools, audiometric, neuropsychological, and outcome measurements of the subjective hearing handicap inventory for the elderly, were examined before and after the VR cognitive training. The VR cognitive training was conducted once per week for 6 weeks and consisted of five different VR games classified into three specific cognitive domains (attention, memory, and executive function). The improved VR game performances were constantly observed across the training sessions in all three participants. After the VR cognitive training, first, the scores on the forward digit span test (attention), immediate recall on the SVLT-E (memory), and word reading and color reading on the K-CWST (executive function) were improved for all participants. In addition, the reaction time on the K-TMT-E (executive function) was shortened. Second, the sentence recognition scores in adverse listening conditions (SNR 0 dB and -5 dB) were improved. Third, the Korean version of hearing handicap inventory for the elderly (K-HHIE) scores which are reflective of subjective hearing handicap were decreased. Preventive intervention for cognitive deficits in older adults with hearing impairment is needed because hearing impairment is one of the major risk factors for dementia in older age. In this respect, the present case study demonstrates that VR cognitive training could improve cognitive function, speech-in-noise perception, and subjective hearing handicap in the hearing-impaired elderly.

Latent brain state dynamics and cognitive flexibility in older adults.

Cognitive impairment in older adults is a rapidly growing public health concern as the elderly population dramatically grows worldwide. While it is generally assumed that cognitive deficits in older adults are associated with reduced brain flexibility, quantitative evidence has been lacking. Here, we investigate brain flexibility in healthy older adults (ages 60-85) using a novel Bayesian switching dynamical system algorithm and ultrafast temporal resolution (TR = 490 ms) whole-brain fMRI data during performance of a Sternberg working memory task. We identify latent brain states and characterize their dynamic temporal properties, including state transitions, associated with encoding, maintenance, and retrieval. Crucially, we demonstrate that brain inflexibility is associated with slower and more fragmented transitions between latent brain states, and that brain inflexibility mediates the relation between age and cognitive inflexibility. Our study provides a novel neurocomputational framework for investigating latent dynamic circuit processes underlying brain flexibility and cognition in the context of aging.

Intrusion Errors and Progression of Cognitive Deficits in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and PreMCI States

Introduction: Among persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), intrusion errors on subscales that measure proactive semantic interference (PSI) may be among the earliest behavioral markers of elevated Alzheimer’s disease brain pathology. While there has been considerable cross-sectional work in the area, it is presently unknown whether semantic intrusion errors are predictive of progression of cognitive impairment in aMCI or PreMCI (not cognitively normal but not meeting full criteria for MCI). Methods: This study examined the extent to which the percentage of semantic intrusion errors (PIE) based on total responses on a novel cognitive stress test, the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L), could predict clinical/cognitive outcomes over an average 26-month period in older adults initially diagnosed with aMCI, PreMCI, and normal cognition. Results: On the LASSI-L subscale sensitive to PSI, a PIE cut point of 44% intrusion errors distinguished between those at-risk individuals with PreMCI who progressed to MCI over time compared to individuals with PreMCI who reverted to normal on longitudinal follow-up. Importantly, PIE was able to accurately predict 83.3% of aMCI individuals who later progressed to dementia. Discussion: These preliminary findings indicate that PIE on LASSI-L subscales that measure PSI may be a useful predictor of clinical progression overtime in at-risk older adults.

Effects of adiposity on postural control and cognition in older adults

BackgroundUnderstanding the impacts of increased adiposity on postural control and cognitive deficits in adults is critical for health practitioners in recommending or prescribing effective weight loss regimens. Despite prior work in this area, the knowledge of increased adiposity impacts on postural control and cognitive deficits in older adults (OAs) is still limited. Research questionThe purposes of the current study were: (a) to assess the relationship between postural measures and adiposity measures by using regression model analyses and, (b) to examine the impacts of increased adiposity and age on cognitive performance. MethodsA total of thirty (30) individuals aged 60+ years participated in the study. Participants were classified into three groups based upon their BMI scores at the onset of the study. The normal weight (NW) (BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), the overweight (OW) (BMI: 25–29.9 kg/m2), and the obese (OB) groups (BMI: 30−40 kg/m2) each had five females and five males. Participants were required to perform two test sessions: (1) anthropometry assessment and body composition scanning; and (2) evaluation of plantar tactile function, postural control, and cognitive function. ResultsOverall, our findings indicate that increased adiposity in OAs is associated with declines in both cognitive function and postural control. SignificanceOur data also indicate that measures such as BMI and abdominal fat mass amounts/ratios offer the best insight to the impact of adiposity on cognitive function and postural control measures. However, further work is still needed to clarify the mechanistic links between adiposity and cognitive-postural deficits.

Vitamin B12, Folate and Cognitive Function in Older Adults from Southern Brazil

Objective – To investigate if any combination of serum vitamin B12 and folate is superior to the use of separate vitamins for identify risk of probable cognitive deficit in older adults from southern Brazil. Methods -We analyzed data from the second wave (2013/14) of a population- and household-based survey. A total of 590 older adults (≥ 60 years) were included. Cognitive function was identified by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The independent variables were serum levels of vitamin B12 and folate. The data were adjusted for age, education level, income, smoking status, alcohol intake, food intake, leisure-time physical activity, depression symptoms, chronic diseases, and body mass index. Results – High serum folate levels and their continuous increase were positively associated with cognition. The serum combination of vitamins most found in the study was the excess folate and normal for vitamin B12, but this combination was not associated with the cognitive function. Conclusion – The combination of folate and B12 is not high to any of them alone in associating with the probable or absence of cognitive deficit in older adults.

Vestibular function and cortical and sub-cortical alterations in an aging population

While it is well known that the vestibular system is responsible for maintaining balance, posture and coordination, there is increasing evidence that it also plays an important role in cognition. Moreover, a growing number of epidemiological studies are demonstrating a link between vestibular dysfunction and cognitive deficits in older adults; however, the exact pathways through which vestibular loss may affect cognition are unknown. In this cross-sectional study, we sought to identify relationships between vestibular function and variation in morphometry in brain structures from structural neuroimaging. We used a subset of 80 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, who had both brain MRI and vestibular physiological data acquired during the same visit. Vestibular function was evaluated through the cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP). The brain structures of interest that we analyzed were the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, insula, entorhinal cortex (ERC), trans-entorhinal cortex (TEC) and perirhinal cortex, as these structures comprise or are connected with the putative “vestibular cortex.” We modeled the volume and shape of these structures as a function of the presence/absence of cVEMP and the cVEMP amplitude, adjusting for age and sex. We observed reduced overall volumes of the hippocampus and the ERC associated with poorer vestibular function. In addition, we also found significant relationships between the shape of the hippocampus (p = 0.0008), amygdala (p = 0.01), thalamus (p = 0.008), caudate nucleus (p = 0.002), putamen (p = 0.02), and ERC-TEC complex (p = 0.008) and vestibular function. These findings provide novel insight into the multiple pathways through which vestibular loss may impact brain structures that are critically involved in spatial memory, navigation and orientation.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of exercise to improve cognitive performance in patients with stable glioma: a proof of concept.

BackgroundPatients with glioma often suffer from cognitive deficits. Physical exercise has been effective in ameliorating cognitive deficits in older adults and neurological patients. This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) explored the possible impact of an exercise intervention, designed to improve cognitive functioning in glioma patients, regarding cognitive test performance and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).MethodsThirty-four clinically stable patients with World Health Organization grades II/III glioma were randomized to a home-based remotely coached exercise group or an active control group. Patients exercised 3 times per week for 20–45 minutes, with moderate to vigorous intensity, during 6 months. At baseline and immediate follow-up, cognitive performance and PROs were assessed with neuropsychological tests and questionnaires, respectively. Linear regression analyses were used to estimate effect sizes of potential between-group differences in cognitive performance and PROs at 6 months.ResultsThe exercise group (n = 21) had small- to medium-sized better follow-up scores than the control group (n = 11) on several measures of attention and information processing speed, verbal memory, and executive function, whereas the control group showed a slightly better score on a measure of sustained selective attention. The exercise group also demonstrated small- to medium-sized better outcomes on measures of self-reported cognitive symptoms, fatigue, sleep, mood, and mental health–related quality of life.ConclusionsThis small exploratory RCT in glioma patients provides a proof of concept with respect to improvement of cognitive functioning and PROs after aerobic exercise, and warrants larger exercise trials in brain tumor patients.

Age-related preference for geometric spatial cues during real-world navigation.

Ageing effects on spatial navigation are characterized mainly in terms of impaired allocentric strategies. However, an alternative hypothesis is that navigation difficulties in aged people are associated with deficits in processing and encoding spatial cues. We tested this hypothesis by studying how geometry and landmark cues control navigation in young and older adults in a real, ecological environment. Recordings of body and gaze dynamics revealed a preference for geometry-based navigation in older adults, and for landmark-based navigation in younger ones. While cue processing was associated with specific fixation patterns, advanced age manifested itself in a longer reorientation time, reflecting an unbalanced exploration-exploitation trade-off in scanning policies. Moreover, a battery of tests revealed a specific cognitive deficit in older adults with geometric preference. These results suggest that allocentric strategy deficits in ageing can result from difficulties related to landmark coding, and predict recovery of allocentric strategies in geometrically polarized environments.

Cognitive deficits in older adults with mild cognitive impairment in a two-year follow-up study.

ABSTRACTCharacterizing cognitive decline in older adults with MCI over time is important to identify the cognitive profile of those who convert to dementia.Objective:This study examined the two-year cognitive trajectory of elderly adults diagnosed with MCI, from geriatrics and neurology outpatient clinics of a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro.Methods:62 older adults with MCI were submitted to a neuropsychological battery and re-evaluated after two years. The Mann-Whitney U test was employed to assess differences between groups with respect to education, functioning, the Geriatric Depression Scale and diagnosis.Results:24.2% converted to dementia after two years. The group with declines in two or more cognitive functions had a higher conversion rate to dementia than the group with decline in executive functions (EF) only (Z = -2.11, p = .04). The EF decline group had higher scores on the depression scale than both the memory decline group (Z = -1.99, p = .05) and multiple decline group (Z = -2.23, p = .03).Conclusion:The present study found different cognitive decline profiles in elderly adults with MCI and differences between them regarding depressive symptoms and rate of conversion to dementia.

Cerebral Blood Flow and Amyloid-β Interact to Affect Memory Performance in Cognitively Normal Older Adults.

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations and amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation have been independently linked to cognitive deficits in older adults at risk for dementia. Less is known about how CBF and Aβ may interact to affect cognition in cognitively normal older adults. Therefore, we examined potential statistical interactions between CBF and Aβ status in regions typically affected in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) within a sample of older adults from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study. Sixty-two cognitively normal participants (mean age = 72 years) underwent neuroimaging and memory testing. Arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify CBF and florbetapir PET amyloid imaging was used to measure Aβ deposition. Aβ status (i.e., positivity versus negativity) was determined based on established cutoffs (Landau et al., 2013). The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test was used to assess memory. Linear regression models adjusted for age, education, and sex, demonstrated significant interactions between CBF and Aβ status on memory performance. Among Aβ positive older adults, there were significant negative associations between higher CBF in hippocampus, posterior cingulate, and precuneus and poorer memory performance. In contrast, among Aβ negative older adults, there were no significant associations between CBF and cognition. Our findings extend previous CBF studies of dementia risk by reporting interactions between Aβ status and CBF on memory performance in a sample of well-characterized, cognitively normal older adults. Results suggest that differential CBF-cognition associations can be identified in healthy, asymptomatic Aβ positive older adults relative to Aβ negative individuals. Associations between higherCBF and poorer memory among Aβ positive older adults may reflect a cellular and/or vascular compensatory response to pathologic processes whereby higher CBF is needed to maintain normal memory abilities. Findings indicate that CBF and its associations with cognition may have utility as a reliable marker of brain function early in the AD process when interventions are likely to be beneficial.

Impact of hearing and visual impairment in older adults with cancer.

10036 Background: Hearing and visual impairment increase the risk of psychological, functional, and cognitive deficits in older adults. However, little is known about their impact in older patients (pts) with cancer. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 2 prospective studies of pts ≥65 with cancer (Hurria et al. JCO 2011 &amp; 2016) which identified risk factors for chemotherapy (CT) toxicity. Relationships between self-reported hearing/visual impairment (fair, poor or deaf/blind) and the need for assistance in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL, i.e. shopping), or activities of daily living (ADL, i.e. bathing); anxiety; depression and cognitive deficit (&gt;11 on Blessed OMC test) were assessed (adjusted for age, sex, race, education, cancer type/stage, comorbidity, falls &amp; medication). Results: Among 750 pts (median age 72, range 65-94) with solid tumors (28% lung, 27% GI, 30% breast/GYN; 58% stage IV), 28% (n = 213) reported 1 impairment (61% hearing, 39% visual) and 7% (n = 55) both. On multivariate analysis, impaired hearing was associated with IADL dependency, anxiety and depression. Visual impairment was associated with IADL dependency, ADL limitation and depression. Impairment in both was associated with IADL dependency, anxiety, depression and cognitive deficit. Conclusions: Older pts with cancer and hearing/visual impairment are at higher risk of functional, psychological and cognitive deficits. Interventions aimed at improving vision and hearing of older adults with cancer should be studied. [Table: see text]

Analysis of the relationship between the syndrome of frailty and cognitive deficit in older adults with independent living

Elderly frailty is a syndrome composed of motor and metabolic factors and aspects of cognitive decline. The objective of this work was to evaluate the relationship between indicators of frailty and cognitive deficit in older adults with independent life, living in the city of Ivoti, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. This study had a cross-sectional quantitative design, considering sociodemographic variables, cognitive status, and frailty syndrome components. Inclusion criteria were to have 65 years, understand the instructions, agree to participate and be a permanent resident at home and census tract. Data were analyzed using Pearson's bivariate correlation test. The results showed 15 correlations between frailty and other variables of the study, 9 of them also occur in the cognitive deficits and 6 are present only in the frailty syndrome. Cognitive deficit and frailty syndrome are not mutually exclusive in the subjects studied, but influence each other. In this study, 27 variables were tested for correlation with frailty and cognitive deficit. 21 of them were correlated to cognitive deficit. 15 were correlated to the frailty syndrome. This slight predominance of issues unrelated to the motor performance suggests psychosocial factors may have a significant impact on the establishment of the frailty syndrome.