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BMC Geriatrics
Published in: BMC Geriatrics 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Preliminary evidence for an increased likelihood of a stable trajectory in mild cognitive impairment in individuals with higher motivational abilities

Authors: Myriam V. Thoma, Simon Forstmeier, Roger Schmid, Oliver Kellner, Franziskos Xepapadakos, Ursula Schreiter Gasser, Andreas Blessing, Axel Ropohl, Gabriela Bieri-Brüning, Dries Debeer, Andreas Maercker

Published in: BMC Geriatrics | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Motivational abilities (MA), that describe skills in relation to goal-oriented behavior, have recently been found to be associated with neuropathological aging. Here we examine the impact of MA on the long-term course of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods

We followed-up N = 64 individuals diagnosed with MCI (Mage = 73 years, 44% female) for 3 years. MA were assessed by long-term informants of the participants using two scales: motivation and decision regulation [Volitional Components Questionnaires, VCQ, (Kuhl and Fuhrmann, Decomposing self-regulation and self-control: the volitional components inventory, 1998)]. Cognitive abilities were assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination (J Psychiatr Res 12:189-98, 1975). Survival analyses and multilevel modeling (MLM) were applied to determine the predicting effect of informant-rated MA at baseline on the likelihood of MCI stability and on the trajectory of cognitive abilities.

Results

Fifty percent (n = 32) of the MCI participants remained stable, while 32.8% (n = 21) and 17.2% (n = 11) converted to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or dropped-out, respectively. Survival analyses revealed that MCI cases with higher-rated MA at baseline were more likely to exert a stable course in MCI over 3 years (p = 0.036) when controlling for demographic characteristics and executive function. MLM analyses indicated that higher informant-rated MA at baseline were significantly related to higher cognitive abilities, even when controlling for MCI subtype (p = 0.030).

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary longitudinal evidence for a lower risk of conversion to AD and higher cognitive abilities by higher rated MA at an early stage of MCI.
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Metadata
Title
Preliminary evidence for an increased likelihood of a stable trajectory in mild cognitive impairment in individuals with higher motivational abilities
Authors
Myriam V. Thoma
Simon Forstmeier
Roger Schmid
Oliver Kellner
Franziskos Xepapadakos
Ursula Schreiter Gasser
Andreas Blessing
Axel Ropohl
Gabriela Bieri-Brüning
Dries Debeer
Andreas Maercker
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Geriatrics / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2318
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-018-0865-5

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