Patterns of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Dementia: An Application of Hierarchical Bayesian Multiphase Models
Issue Date
2012-12-31Author
Langford, Zachary Denver
Publisher
University of Kansas
Format
38 pages
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
M.A.
Discipline
Psychology
Rights
This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
As the Alzheimer's disease process progresses in time measurements of cognitive functioning exhibit nonlinearity. Multiphase models were used to quantify this nonlinearity for thirty-six well characterized individuals(~12 observations per individual over ~15 years in the study) by partitioning each into a healthy aging phase and a diseased phase. This enabled us to detail both the magnitude and timing that Alzheimer's disease alters different aspects of cognitive function. Estimation of these models was done using Bayesian methods. Eight different outcomes representing three areas of memory functioning(visual, verbal, working) were used to define a pattern of cognitive decline. The earliest phase change was found to be visual memory(~6 years before diagnosis) and was followed by changes in verbal and working memory beginning roughly four years later.
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- Psychology Dissertations and Theses [459]
- Theses [3943]
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