Perth Perception Study (PEPERS)
Background and Aims
As people age, they may have some increasing difficulties with memory or other thinking abilities. However, the mildness of these difficulties may mean that they do not interfere with peoples' daily lives. Memory problems like these are called Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The current criteria for mild cognitive impairment require, in the absence of a dementia syndrome, a) objective memory impairment (cognitive test scores lower than that expected for someone of that age) and b) subjective memory complaints (an individual perceives that they have problems with their memory or that it has got worse).
The primary aim of this study is to establish whether the combination of objective memory impairment and a reduced level of awareness of this cognitive impairment is a better predictor of cognitive decline than the presence of objective memory impairment combined with subjective memory complaints.
The working hypothesis of this study is that older adults with MCI and reduced awareness of their deficits are more likely to experience cognitive decline over the follow-up period of 18 months than participants with MCI who are aware of their deficits, or healthy controls.
We will also be investigating whether physical health (gait, balance, weight, and neurological signs), laboratory findings (homocysteine, folate, B6 and B12 levels), genetic risk factors (Apolipoprotein E and APOE -491 promoter polymorphisms) and structural neuroimaging (MRI) have predictive value to determine future cognitive decline.
Recruitment for this study closed in 2006. We expect completion of the assessment phase by the end of 2007 with preliminary results from this study becoming available in early 2008.
Chief Investigators
Associate Investigators
- A/Prof Jonathan Foster
- Prof Felicia Huppert
- Prof Ralph Martins
- A/Prof Sergio Starkstein
- A/Prof Frank van Bockxmeer
- Dr Stephen Wagenpfeil
