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The MAPP Room Memory Test: Examining Contextual Memory Using a Novel Computerized Test in Cognitively-Unimpaired Individuals with Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer’s Disease

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Abstract

Contextual memory, the ability to remember spatial or temporal features related to an event, is affected in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There is a shortfall of tests that measure contextual memory. To evaluate visuospatial contextual memory, we developed a computerized cognitive test, the MAPP Room Memory Test, which requires participants to identify in which visual scene target items were previously presented. We hypothesized that cognitively-unimpaired carriers of an autosomal dominant AD mutation (Presenilin-1 E280A, n=15) would perform more poorly on this test than non-carrier family members (n=31). Compared to non-carriers, the carriers had significantly worse delayed room recognition. The results indicate that the MAPP Room Memory Test may be sensitive to subtle cognitive changes associated with risk of AD. Future studies with larger samples using the MAPP Room Memory Test and biomarkers are needed to examine whether this test may also be sensitive to the earliest pathological changes in preclinical AD.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Colombian families for contributing their valuable time and effort, without which this study would not have been possible. We thank the research staff of the Group of Neuroscience of Antioquia for their help coordinating study visits to Boston.

Funding

Funding Sources: Dr. Fox-Fuller was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (1F31AG062158-01A1). Dr. Cronin-Golomb received funding on grants from NIH U01 EB029856 (PIs Boas, Kiran), R01 AG063775 (PI Reinhart), and NIH R01 AG050595 (PIs Lyons, Kremen). She received compensation for editorial service for the journal Psychological Science. Dr. Vila-Castelar was supported by a grant from the Alzheimer’s Association (AA Research Fellowship) and a K99 grant from the National Institute on Aging. Dr. Quiroz was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG054671, RF1AG077627], the Alzheimer’s Association, and Massachusetts General Hospital ECOR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    A. Giudicessi, P. A. Aduen, J. T. Fox-Fuller, J. E. Martinez, L. A. Gonzalez, C. Vila-Castelar, C. Pluim McDowell & Yakeel T. Quiroz

  2. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    A. Giudicessi, J. T. Fox-Fuller, J. E. Martinez, L. A. Gonzalez, C. Pluim McDowell, A. Cronin-Golomb & Yakeel T. Quiroz

  3. Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Yakeel T. Quiroz

  4. Grupo de Neurociencias, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia

    A. Baena, F. Lopera & Yakeel T. Quiroz

  5. Harvard Medical School, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 39 1st Avenue, Suite 101, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA

    Yakeel T. Quiroz

Authors
  1. A. Giudicessi
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  2. P. A. Aduen
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  3. J. T. Fox-Fuller
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  4. J. E. Martinez
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  5. L. A. Gonzalez
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  6. C. Vila-Castelar
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  7. A. Baena
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  8. C. Pluim McDowell
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  9. A. Cronin-Golomb
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  10. F. Lopera
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  11. Yakeel T. Quiroz
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Ethics declarations

Competing interests & Disclosures: Dr. Quiroz serves as consultant for Biogen. All co-authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical standard: The study was reviewed and approved by institutional ethics review boards at the University of Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, US. Participants signed an informed consent form prior to beginning the study procedures.

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Giudicessi, A., Aduen, P.A., Fox-Fuller, J.T. et al. The MAPP Room Memory Test: Examining Contextual Memory Using a Novel Computerized Test in Cognitively-Unimpaired Individuals with Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer’s Disease. J Prev Alzheimers Dis (2024). https://doi.org/10.14283/jpad.20247

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