Relationship Between Alzheimer Disease Imaging Biomarkers and Performance on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery in Late-middle Age Hispanics.

Purpose: The National Institute of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) is increasingly used in Alzheimer disease (AD) research. We examined the relation of AD biomarkers with performance in the NIHTB-CB in late middle age.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 334 Hispanic participants aged 64.22±3.35 years from a study of AD biomarkers. White matter hyperintensities (WMH), infarcts, and cortical thickness in AD regions (CT) were assessed with 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Amyloid and tau were assessed with 18F-Florbetaben and 18F-MK6240 positron emission tomography, respectively.
Results: Lower CT and infarcts were associated with worse Oral Reading Recognition and Cognition Crystallized Composite scores. Lower CT and higher WMH were associated with worse Pattern Comparison Processing Speed. Amyloid and tau were not associated with any test.
Discussion: Amyloid and tau, the culprits of AD, are not related to the NIHTB-CB in late middle age. Continued follow-up will reveal if AD impacts performance on the NIHTB-CB.
Competing Interests: J.A.L. receives a stipend from Wolters Kluwer. N.V. is Editor in Chief of the journal Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders and has served as a paid consultant to vTv Therapeutics Inc. and Recruitment Partners. K.W. has a consulting agreement with Cerveau Technologies. Cerveau Technologies provided a standard and precursor for 18F-MK-6240; however, Cerveau was not involved in the design or interpretation of study results. A.M.B. received consulting/advisory fees from Cognition Therapeutics, Cognito Therapeutics, and CogState. He is a Section Editor of Alzheimer & Dementia. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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