Molecular markers of neuropsychological functioning and Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND: The current project sought to examine molecular markers of neuropsychological functioning among elders with and without Alzheimer's disease (AD) and determine the predictive ability of combined molecular markers and select neuropsychological tests in detecting disease presence. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 300 participants (n = 150, AD and n = 150, controls) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium. Linear regression models were created to examine the link between the top five molecular markers from our AD blood profile and neuropsychological test scores. Logistical regressions were used to predict AD presence using serum biomarkers in combination with select neuropsychological measures. RESULTS: Using the neuropsychological test with the least amount of variance overlap with the molecular markers, the combined neuropsychological test and molecular markers was highly accurate in detecting AD presence. CONCLUSION: This work provides the foundation for the generation of a point-of-care device that can be used to screen for AD.