EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 PM ET, May 29, 2024
First Hints of Memory Problems Associated with Changes in the Brain
Memory Problems Reported by Study Participants and their Partners Linked to Higher Tau
MINNEAPOLIS 鈥 People who report early memory problems and whose partners also suspect they have memory problems have higher levels of tau tangles in the brain, a biomarker associated with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, according to a study published in the May 29, 2024, online issue of , the medical journal of the 好色先生. Subjective cognitive decline is when a person reports memory and thinking problems before any decline is large enough to show up on standard tests. 鈥淯nderstanding the earliest signs of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease is even more important now that new disease-modifying drugs are becoming available,鈥 said study author Rebecca E. Amariglio, PhD, of Harvard Medical School in Boston. 鈥淥ur study found early suspicions of memory problems by both participants and the people who knew them well were linked to higher levels of tau tangles in the brain.鈥 The study involved 675 adults with an average age of 72 who did not have cognitive impairment on formal testing. All had brain scans for amyloid plaques. Of this group, 60% had elevated levels of amyloid, meaning they were at risk for developing cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer鈥檚 disease even though, at the time of the scan, they were cognitively normal. Participants did not know if they had elevated levels of amyloid. Each participant had a study partner鈥攁 spouse, child or friend鈥攚ho could answer questions about the participant鈥檚 thinking and memory skills and ability to perform daily tasks. In 65% of cases, partners lived with participants. Each participant and their partner completed a questionnaire to assess the participant鈥檚 subjective cognitive decline. Questions included, 鈥淐ompared to one year ago, do you feel that your memory has declined substantially?鈥 and 鈥淐ompared to one year ago, do you have more difficulty managing money?鈥 Participants鈥 and partners鈥 scores were recorded with higher scores indicating greater complaints about memory. Researchers also reviewed brain scans for levels of tau tangles. Greater tau is also a risk factor for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and is at higher levels in people with elevated amyloid. Researchers found participants with higher levels of tau tangles in the brain had higher scores of complaints on the memory questionnaire. Their partners also scored them higher. This association was stronger in participants who had elevated levels of amyloid plaques. 鈥淥ur study included a high percentage of people with elevated amyloid, and for this reason we were able to also see that memory complaints were associated with higher tau tangles," said Amariglio. 鈥淥ur findings suggest that asking older people who have elevated Alzheimer鈥檚 disease biomarkers about subjective cognitive decline may be valuable for early detection. This is particularly important since it is predicted that treatments given at the earliest diagnosable form of the disease will be the most effective in slowing the disease.鈥 Limitations of the study include that most participants were white and highly educated. Amariglio noted future studies should follow people for longer periods of time and include more participants from other racial and ethnic groups, as well as people with different levels of education. Learn more about Alzheimer鈥檚 disease at , home of the 好色先生鈥檚 free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life庐 on , and .