NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

本项目的目的是确定神经心理学 虚证患者早期的最大特点 阿尔茨海默病(AD)或有阿尔茨海默病风险的人。一个次要的但 相关的目的是确定认知能力的速度或模式 随着发病年龄的不同，下降的程度也不同。因为两个人 老年和家族聚集性是AD的最大危险因素 AD风险增加的人群是非常年长和一级的人群 AD患者的亲属。这两个组都可用于此项目。 以下组别的患者将每六个月接受一次评估： 认知正常的老年人，有认知功能减退的老年人 谁不符合NINCDS关于AD、早期AD、AD、一级学位的标准 AD患者的亲属。系列测试将评估内存的各个方面， 语言、实践、精神运动速度和言语智商。它是假设的 延迟回忆记忆测试和精神运动速度的测量将 最佳区分早期AD和高危人群及其 经言语智商修正后，辨别能力可能会更强。 除一级亲属外，其他参与者将参加 尸检计划，并将提供神经病理和神经化学数据 用于相关研究。急性相反应物，一种潜在的生物 将在所有组中测量早期AD的标志物，并将提供 用于相关研究。

The purpose of this project is to determine the neuropsychological deficits most characteristics of patients in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or who are at risk for AD. A secondary but related aim is to determine whether the rate or pattern of cognitive decline differs as a function of the age of disease onset. Since the two greatest risk factors for AD are old age and familial aggregation two groups at increased risk for AD are the very old and first degree relatives of AD patients. Both groups are available for this project. Patients in the following groups will be evaluated every six months: cognitively normal elderly, elderly persons with cognitive decline but who do not meet NINCDS criteria for AD, early AD, AD, first degree relatives of AD patients. Serial tests will assess aspects of memory, language, praxis, psychomotor speed, and verbal I.Q. It is hypothesized that delayed recall memory tests and measures of psychomotor speed will best differentiate early AD and high risk persons and their discriminating power may be greater when corrected for verbal I.Q. All participants except the first degree relatives will be enrolled in an autopsy program and will provide neuropathologic and neurochemical data for correlative studies. Acute phase reactants, a potential biologic marker of early AD will be measured in all groups and will be available for correlative studies.