Visual contrast sensitivity in AD, MCI, & older adults with cognitive complaints

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging 2012-10, Vol.34 (4), p.1133-1144
• Main Authors: Risacher, Shannon L., WuDunn, Darrell, Pepin, Susan M., MaGee, Tamiko R., McDonald, Brenna C., Flashman, Laura A., Wishart, Heather A., Pixley, Heather S., Rabin, Laura A., Paré, Nadia, Englert, Jessica J., Schwartz, Eben, Curtain, Joshua R., West, John D., O’Neill, Darren P., Santulli, Robert B., Newman, Richard W., Saykin, Andrew J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2012.08.007

Deficits in contrast sensitivity (CS) have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the extent of these deficits in prodromal AD stages, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or even earlier, has not been investigated. In this study, CS was assessed using frequency doubling technology (FDT) in older adults with AD (n=10), amnestic MCI (n=28), cognitive complaints without performance deficits (CC, n=20), and healthy controls (HC, n=29). The association between CS and cognition was also evaluated. Finally, the accuracy of CS measures for classifying MCI versus HC was evaluated. CS deficits were found in AD and MCI, while CC showed intermediate performance between MCI and HC. Upper right visual field CS showed the most significant difference among groups. CS was also associated with cognitive performance. Finally, CS measures accurately classified MCI versus HC. The CS deficits in AD and MCI, and intermediate performance in CC, indicate that these measures are sensitive to early AD-associated changes. Therefore, FDT-based measures of CS may have promise as a novel AD biomarker.