Cognitive correlates of alterations in acetylcholinesterase in Alzheimer's disease

We recently reported findings of modest loss of cortical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in patients with overall mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) using N-[11C]methyl-pi-peridin-4-yl propionate ([11C]PMP) AChE positron emission tomography (PET). To determine cognitive correlates of in vivo cortical AChE activity in patients with mild to moderate AD (n = 15), and in normal controls (NC, n = 12) using [11C]PMP AChE PET imaging. Mean cortical AChE activity in the AD subjects was mildly reduced (−11.1%) compared to the control subjects (P < 0.05). Analysis of the cognitive data showed that mean cortical AChE activity was significantly associated with performance on a test of attention and working memory (WAIS-III Digit Span, R = 0.46, P = 0.01) but not with tests of delayed short or long-term memory functions. Similar findings were present when the analysis was limited to the temporal cortex. Cortical AChE activity is more robustly associated with functions of attention and working memory compared to performance on primary memory tests in AD.