Non-Aβ-Dependent Factors Associated with Global Cognitive and Physical Function in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Multivariate Analysis

Recent literature highlights the importance of identifying factors associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer&rsquo
s Disease (AD). Actual validated biomarkers include neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid assessments
however, we investigated non-A&beta
dependent factors associated with dementia in 12 MCI and 30 AD patients. Patients were assessed for global cognitive function (Mini-Mental state examination&mdash
MMSE), physical function (Physical Performance Test&mdash
PPT), exercise capacity (6-min walking test&mdash
6MWT), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), brain volume, vascular function (flow-mediated dilation&mdash
FMD), inflammatory status (tumor necrosis factor&mdash
&alpha
TNF- &alpha
interleukin-6, -10 and -15) and neurotrophin receptors (p75NTR and Tropomyosin receptor kinase A -TrkA). Baseline multifactorial information was submitted to two separate backward stepwise regression analyses to identify the variables associated with cognitive and physical decline in demented patients. A multivariate regression was then applied to verify the stepwise regression. The results indicated that the combination of 6MWT and VO2max was associated with both global cognitive and physical function (MMSE = 11.384 + (0.00599 &times
6MWT) &minus
(0.235 &times
VO2max))
(PPT = 1.848 + (0.0264 &times
6MWT) + (19.693 &times
VO2max)). These results may offer important information that might help to identify specific targets for therapeutic strategies (NIH Clinical trial identification number NCT03034746).