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Deficits in Controlled Processing May Predict Dementia

A Twin Study

^a Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
^b Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
^c Department of Medical Epidemiology, The Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
^d Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside
^e Institute of Gerontology, Jönköping, Sweden

Margaret Gatz, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, 3620 McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061 E-mail: gatz{at}rcf.usc.edu.

Decision Editor: Margie Lachman, PhD

This study tested for differential patterns of cognitive decline in 33 twin pairs for which both were nondemented, but 1 member of the pair went on to develop dementia. Compared with their nondemented twin partners, twins who later developed dementia already showed poorer performance on tests of memory and attention, visuospatial–reasoning skills, and perceptual speed and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The authors suggest that this cluster of tests reflects deficits in controlled rather than automatic cognitive processes. Nondemented twin partners of the twins who became demented were also compared with 33 matched controls selected from pairs in which both members remained nondemented. Nondemented twin partners scored lower than matched controls on tests of verbal ability, memory and attention, and perceptual speed and the MMSE. This finding indicates that nondemented twin partners of demented twins are at elevated risk themselves for becoming demented, and further suggests that certain areas of cognition are compromised prior to diagnosis of dementia.

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