The profiles of neuropsychological deficits associated with
Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Young-Old (M age <
70) and Very-Old (M age > 80) patients were compared,
along with possible modifying effects of apolipoprotein E (APOE)
genotype on these profiles. A comprehensive battery of
neuropsychological tests was administered to the two AD patient
groups (Young-Old: n = 33; Very-Old: n = 48)
and their respective age-matched normal control (NC) groups
who remained free of dementia on follow-up examinations over
a 1 to 10 year period (Young-Old: n = 43; Very-Old:
n = 36). AD and NC groups did not differ in education
levels or gender distributions. Young-Old AD and Very-Old AD
groups were comparable in education, gender, dementia severity,
and disease duration. Results showed that both AD groups achieved
comparable raw scores on all the neuropsychological measures.
However, when scores were standardized on the basis of performance
of their respective NC groups (i.e., age-corrected z
scores), Very-Old AD patients significantly outperformed Young-Old
AD patients on tests of executive functions, visuospatial skills,
and delayed memory. Furthermore, the relationship between age
and memory and executive function deficits in AD was modified
by APOE genotype. These data suggest that the profile of
neuropsychological deficits associated with AD in the Very-Old
lacks the disproportionate saliency of episodic memory and
executive function deficits typical of the Young-Old.
(JINS, 2003, 9, 783–795.)