Neuropsychological latent classes at enrollment and postmortem neuropathology.

INTRODUCTION

We classified individuals based on their baseline performance on cognitive measures and investigated the association between cognitive classifications and neuropathological findings ∼7 years later, as an external validator.

METHODS

Brain autopsies of 779 decedents were examined. Baseline latent class analysis on 10 neuropsychological measures was previously assigned: mixed-domains impairment (n = 39, 5%), memory-specific impairment (n = 210, 27%), frontal impairment (n = 113, 14.5%), average cognition (n = 360, 46.2%), and superior cognition (n = 57, 7.3%). Linear regressions and risks ratios were used to examine the relation of latent class assignment at enrollment with neuropathological indices.

RESULTS

Amyloid β, tau, and transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 were associated with mixed-domains impairment and memory-specific impairment classes ∼7 years before death. Moderate arteriolosclerosis was associated with membership in the frontal impairment class.

DISCUSSION: Our findings support the use of latent class models that incorporate more comprehensive neuropsychological measures to classify cognitive impairment.