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. 2015 Dec;23(12):1276-1279.
doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2015.07.009. Epub 2015 Jul 26.

Proactive Semantic Interference is Associated with Total and Regional Abnormal Amyloid Load in Non-Demented Community-Dwelling Elders: A Preliminary Study

David A Loewenstein  1 , Maria T Greig  2 , Rosie Curiel  3 , Rosemarie Rodriguez  2 , Meredith Wicklund  4 , Warren W Barker  2 , Jacqueline Hidalgo  2 , Marian Rosado  3 , Ranjan Duara  5
Affiliations

Proactive Semantic Interference is Associated with Total and Regional Abnormal Amyloid Load in Non-Demented Community-Dwelling Elders: A Preliminary Study

David A Loewenstein et al. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between susceptibility to proactive semantic interference (PSI) and retroactive semantic interference (RSI) and brain amyloid load in non-demented elders.

Methods: 27 participants (11 cognitively normal [CN] with subjective memory complaints, 8 CN without memory complaints, and 8 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI]) underwent complete neurological and neuropsychological evaluations. Participants also received the Semantic Interference Test (SIT) and AV-45 amyloid PET imaging.

Results: High levels of association were present between total amyloid load, regional amyloid levels, and the PSI measure (in the entire sample and a subsample excluding MCI subjects). RSI and other memory measures showed much weaker associations or no associations with total and regional amyloid load. No associations between amyloid levels and non-memory performance were observed.

Conclusions: In non-demented individuals, vulnerability to PSI was highly associated with total and regional beta-amyloid load and may be an early cognitive marker of brain pathology.

Keywords: Amyloid; MCI; proactive interference; semantic interference.

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