The neuropathology of older persons with and without dementia from community versus clinic cohorts

J Alzheimers Dis. 2009;18(3):691-701. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1227.

Abstract

Community-based cohorts of older persons may differ neuropathologically from clinic-based cohorts. This study investigated age-related pathologies in persons with and without dementia and included autopsied participants from two community-based cohorts, the Rush Religious Orders Study (n=386) and the Memory and Aging Project (n=195), and one clinic-based cohort, the Clinical Core of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center (n=392). Final clinical diagnoses included no cognitive impairment (n=202), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n=150), probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n=474), possible AD (n=88), and other dementias (n=59). Postmortem diagnoses included pathologic AD, cerebral infarcts, and Lewy body disease. Community-based persons with clinical AD had less severe AD pathology (p<0.001) and had more cerebral infarcts (p<0.001) compared to clinic-based persons. Additionally, community-based persons with MCI had more infarcts compared to clinic-based persons. Overall, there was a higher proportion of Lewy bodies and atypical pathologies in the clinic-based compared to the community-based cohorts (p<0.001). Community-based persons with probable AD show less severe AD pathology and more often have infarcts and mixed pathologies; those with MCI more often have infarcts and mixed pathologies. Overall, clinic-based persons have more Lewy bodies and atypical pathologies. The spectrum of pathologies underlying cognitive impairment in clinic-based cohorts differs from community-based cohorts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aging / physiology
  • Alzheimer Disease / epidemiology
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / epidemiology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Community Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Dementia / epidemiology*
  • Dementia / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Memory Disorders / diagnosis
  • Memory Disorders / epidemiology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Tissue Donors