Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Conventional cognitive instruments exhibit limited efficacy in detecting insidious cognitive decline in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) due to neural compensation. We hypothesized that auditory distraction during a visual memory task would unmask preclinical amyloid beta (Aβ) vulnerability.
METHODS
We evaluated 112 participants (SCD and mild cognitive impairment [MCI]) using the MemTrax test under quiet and noisy conditions to quantify distraction costs (d-MTxc). Aβ status and cognitive reserve were assessed via positron emission tomography and the Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq).
RESULTS
Aβ-positive SCD individuals performed normally in quiet but showed higher d-MTxc than Aβ-negative peers (11.17 ± 5.762 vs 6.67 ± 5.096). Higher CRIq-WorkingActivity (CRIW) scores identified Aβ positivity and moderated performance. The combination of d-MTxc and CRIW accurately classified Aβ positivity (AUC = 0.836), whereas MCI individuals exhibited metabolic network fragmentation.
DISCUSSION
Auditory distraction taxes cognitive capacity to expose compensatory failures coupled with Aβ burden. This paradigm, interacting with occupational reserve, offers a promising digital biomarker framework for preclinical Alzheimer’s screening.
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This post is Copyright: | September 22, 2026
Neuro-Dementia