Sensory Gating in Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease and Their Biological Children

• Published in: American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 2007-12, Vol.21 (6), p.439-447
• Main Authors: Ally, Brandon A., Jones, Gary E., Cole, Jack A., Budson, Andrew E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer Disease - epidemiology; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Child; Child of Impaired Parents - statistics & numerical data; Cholinesterase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Sensation Disorders - diagnosis; Sensation Disorders - epidemiology; Sensation Disorders - physiopathology; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 1533-3175; 1938-2731
• DOI: 10.1177/1533317506292282

Research has shown that sensory gating is largely modualted by acetylcholine. Diminished levels of acetylcholine and sensory gating deficits have been reported in research involving Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. However, there has been little investigation into those with a family history (FH+) of AD. The rationale of this study was to determine whether sensory gating impairments could distinguish those with early AD from individuals with increased risk for the disease while replicating previous findings of gating abnormalities in AD patients. Using the paried-click paradigm, evoked potentials were recorded from 4 groups of 20 subjects per group (AD, older controls, FH+, FH-). The results showed that while the AD group demonstrated sensory gating abnormalities, the FH+ group did not when compared to their peers with no family history of the disease (FH-). These results are discussed in relation to previous findings reporting P300 abnormalities in the FH+ group.