Social & Affective Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease & Associated Disorders

Social & Affective Cognition as Determinant of Social Behavior in Alzheimer's Disease & Associated Disorders

Recent studies have shown that individual neuropsychological scores of patients with Alzheimer's disease and Associated Disorders (ADAD) are only poorly correlated to their behavioral difficulties, such as disinhibition, apathy, social decision-making or vulnerability. Recently, social & affective cognitive disorders have been highlighted as potential cause of social behavioral abnormalities. However, no previous studies have assessed the specific relationship between social & affective cognition & social behavior in ADAD. Our pilot study aims to explore the correlations between core and extended social & affective cognitive processes and social behavior as observed during the neuropsychological examination, as well as to explore the common brain regions involved in those domains.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women;
• 40 to 85 years of age (included);
• Registered with the French Social Security;
• Have a study partner. The study partner is required to complete several scales. If the subjects or their study partners are not able to drive, their transport fees will be reimbursed by the promotor.
• Fluent in French, able to read and write;

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants who have contraindications to perform an MRI scan;
• Participants with significant sensory deficits that are not corrected by suitable devices.
• Participants with dementia caused by a non-neurodegenerative disease, including patients with severe cerebrovascular risk factor load, in the judgment of the investigator;
• Participants with other neurodegenerative disease such as Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease;
• Participants with other serious neurological disorder such as brain tumor, stroke, epilepsy, hydrocephalus and any condition which contraindicates, in the investigator's judgment, entry to the study;
• Participants with excessive alcohol intake or drug abuse, in the judgment of the investigator;
• Participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, have a risk of non-compliance to the study procedures;