Episodic memory and cortical amyloid pathology: PET study in cognitively discordant twin pairs
: Lindgren Noora, Kaprio Jaakko, Karjalainen Tomi, Ekblad Laura, Helin Semi, Karrasch Mira, Teuho Jarmo, Rinne Juha O, Vuoksimaa Eero
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
: 2021
: Neurobiology of Aging
: NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
: NEUROBIOL AGING
: 108
: 122
: 132
: 11
: 0197-4580
: 1558-1497
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.08.016(external)
: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458021002700?via%3Dihub(external)
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/67714933(external)
We studied the association between episodic memory and cortical fibrillar beta-amyloid pathology within twin pairs. Using telephone-administered cognitive screening of 1415 twin pairs in a population-based older Finnish Twin Cohort study, we identified 45 (mean [SD] age 72.9 [4.0] years, 40% women) cognitively discordant same-sex twin pairs (24 dizygotic and 21 monozygotic) without neurological or psychiatric disorders other than AD or mild cognitive impairment. In-person neuropsychological testing was conducted. Cortical amyloid was measured with carbon 11-labelled Pittsburgh compound B ([11C]PiB) positron emission tomography imaging and quantified as the average standardized uptake value ratio in cortical regions affected in AD. Larger within-twin pair differences in verbal immediate (r = -0.42) and delayed free recall (r = -0.41), and visual delayed free recall (r = -0.46) were associated with larger within-twin pair differences in [11C]PiB uptake (p's < 0.01). Correlations were not significantly different in dizygotic and monozygotic pairs suggesting that the episodic memory-cortical amyloid relationship is not confounded by genetic effects. However, larger samples are needed to draw more definitive conclusions. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.