Emotional distress following amyloid PET result disclosure: Heightened among those with cognitive symptoms.

INTRODUCTION

We examined differences in emotional distress following amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) results disclosure across the cognitive spectrum, including individuals who are cognitively unimpaired, with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia.

METHODS

Seventy-five participants from the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer's Disease Research Center who completed baseline PET and an initial follow-up call were included in the analysis. Multiple linear regression was employed to examine differences in distress among diagnostic groups, as measured by Impact of Genetic Testing for Alzheimer's Disease (IGT-AD) adapted for amyloid PET.

RESULTS

Regression analysis revealed significant associations between diagnostic categories and emotional distress post-disclosure. Pairwise comparisons indicated that those with normal cognition experienced significantly lower distress compared to MCI and dementia groups, even after controlling for amyloid status.

DISCUSSION: Emotional distress following amyloid PET disclosure is significantly higher in cognitively symptomatic individuals compared to the asymptomatic, highlighting the need for tailored counseling and support to address the complex psychological effects of disclosure.

HIGHLIGHTS: Emotional distress was compared across cognitive categories outside trial settings Cognitively unimpaired individuals had significantly lower distress than impaired No significant difference in distress was found between MCI and dementia groups Depression and anxiety did not differ significantly across diagnostic categories.