Ageing stereotypes and prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AGING): study protocol for an ongoing randomised clinical study. Issue 10 (7th October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gauthier, Kim; Morand, Alexandrine; Dutheil, Frederic; Alescio-Lautier, Béatrice; Boucraut, José; Clarys, David; Eustache, Francis; Girard, Nadine; Guedj, Eric; Mazerolle, Marie; Paccalin, Marc; de la Sayette, Vincent; Zaréa, Aline; Huguet, Pascal; Michel, Bernard F; Desgranges, Béatrice; Régner, Isabelle
• Other Names: author non-byline.; Broucraut José author non-byline.; Dufournet Boris author non-byline.; Giallo Carine author non-byline.; Girard Nadine author non-byline.; Guedj Eric author non-byline.; Michel Bernard François author non-byline.; Sambuchi Nathalie author non-byline.; Branger Pierre author non-byline.; Cogez Julien author non-byline.; Fradin Sabine author non-byline.; Grandhomme Frédérique author non-byline.; Lalevée Catherine author non-byline.; Loisel Nadège author non-byline.; Martinaud Olivier author non-byline.; Pélerin Alice author non-byline.; Pierre Mélissa author non-byline.; Sayette Vincent de La author non-byline.; Manrique Alain author non-byline.; Baudifier Vanessa author non-byline.; Boisgueheneuc Foucaud du author non-byline.; Julian Adrien author non-byline.; Lecron Jean-Claude author non-byline.; Merlet Isabelle author non-byline.; Ornon Claudie author non-byline.; Paccalin Marc author non-byline.; Bioux Sandrine author non-byline.; Bliaux Evangeline author non-byline.; Hannequin Didier author non-byline.; Hannier Véronique author non-byline.; Loubeyre Maud author non-byline.; Pouliquen Dorothée author non-byline.; Quillard-Muraine Muriel author non-byline.; Wallon David author non-byline.; Zaréa Aline author non-byline.; Gauthier Kim author non-byline.; Alescio-Lautier Béatrice author non-byline.; Paban Véronique author non-byline.; Weill Arnaud author non-byline.; Clarys David author non-byline.; Isingrini Michel author non-byline.; Kalenzaga Sandrine author non-byline.; Rigalleau François author non-byline.; Abbas Ahmed author non-byline.; Chavant Julien author non-byline.; Desgranges Béatrice author non-byline.; Eustache Francis author non-byline.; Fraisse Florence author non-byline.; Laisney Mickael author non-byline.; Morand Alexandrine author non-byline.; Segobin Shailendra author non-byline.; Chausse Pierre author non-byline.; Dutheil Frédéric author non-byline.; Guegan Julien author non-byline.; Huguet Pascal author non-byline.; Vallet Guillaume author non-byline.; Blanchet Sophie author non-byline.; Piolino Pascale author non-byline.; Mazerolle Marie author non-byline.; Régner Isabelle author non-byline.;
• Is Part Of: BMJ open. Volume 9:Issue 10(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10-07
• Subjects: Alzheimer disease -- mild cognitive impairment -- aging stereotypes -- stereotype threat -- diagnosis -- amyloid PET; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; 610.72
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032265
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-6055

Abstract

Abstract : Introduction: The number of older people diagnosed with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), the prodromal state of Alzheimer's disease (AD), is increasing worldwide. However, some patients with aMCI never convert to the AD type of dementia, with some remaining stable and others reverting to normal. This overdiagnosis bias has been largely overlooked and gone unexplained. There is ample evidence in the laboratory that negative ageing stereotypes (eg, the culturally shared belief that ageing inescapably causes severe cognitive decline) contribute to the deteriorating cognitive performances of healthy older adults, leading them to perform below their true abilities. The study described here is intended to test for the first time whether such stereotypes also impair patients' cognitive performances during neuropsychological examinations in memory clinics, resulting in overdiagnosis of aMCI. Methods and analysis: The ongoing study is a 4-year randomised clinical trial comparing patients' physiological stress and cognitive performances during neuropsychological testing in memory clinics. A total of 260 patients attending their first cognitive evaluation will be randomised to either a standard condition of test administration, assumed here to implicitly activate negative ageing stereotypes or a reduced-threat instruction condition designed to alleviate the anxiety arising from these stereotypes. Both groups will be tested with the same test battery and stress biomarkers. For 30 patients diagnosed with aMCI in each group (n=60), biomarkers of neurodegeneration and amyloidopathy will be used to distinguish between aMCI with normal versus abnormal AD biomarkers. A 9-month follow-up will be performed on all patients to identify those whose cognitive performances remain stable, deteriorate or improve. Ethics and dissemination: This protocol has been approved by the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety and the Sud-Est I French Ethics Committee (2017-A00946-47). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number: NCT03138018 .