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Amyloid‐related changes in fluency in patients with subjective cognitive decline
Rosanne L. van den Berg, Elke Butterbrod, Casper de Boer, Lisa‐Marie Schlüter, Argonde C. van Harten, Charlotte Elisabeth Teunissen, Elsmarieke van de Giessen, Wiesje M. van der Flier et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 2025-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Abstract INTRODUCTION We examined semantic and phonemic fluency in individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in relation to amyloid status and clinical progression. METHODS A total of 490 individuals with SCD (62 ± 8 years, 42% female, 28% amyloid‐positive, 17% clinical progression) completed annual fluency assessments (mean ± SD follow‐up 4.3 ± 2.9 years). Associations between fluency trajectories, amyloid status, and clinical progression were examined with linear mixed models and joint models. RESULTS Amyloid‐positive individuals declined faster than amyloid‐negative individuals on semantic fluency (B = −0.35, p < 0.001), but not on phonemic fluency (B = −0.06, p = 0.218). An annual decline of one word in semantic and phonemic fluency was associated with 22% (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.22, p < 0.001) and 28% (HR = 1.28, p = 0.004) increased risk of clinical progression. DISCUSSION Our results indicate that decline in semantic fluency is an early indicator of cognitive deficits in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Highlights Abnormal amyloid burden is associated with decline in semantic fluency. Fluency trajectories are associated with an increased risk of clinical progression. More refined measures are needed to detect the earliest language deficits.
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APA 7th
van den Berg, R. L., Butterbrod, E., de Boer, C., Schlüter, L., van Harten, A. C., Teunissen, C. E., et al. (2025). Amyloid‐related changes in fluency in patients with subjective cognitive decline. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70063
Vancouver
van den Berg RL, Butterbrod E, de Boer C, Schlüter L, van Harten AC, Teunissen CE, et al. Amyloid‐related changes in fluency in patients with subjective cognitive decline. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. 2025. doi:10.1002/dad2.70063. PMID: 39822289.
BibTeX
@article{vandenberg2025-39822289,
author = {van den Berg, Rosanne L. and Butterbrod, Elke and de Boer, Casper and Schlüter, Lisa‐Marie and van Harten, Argonde C. and Teunissen, Charlotte Elisabeth and van de Giessen, Elsmarieke and van der Flier, Wiesje M. and others},
title = {{Amyloid‐related changes in fluency in patients with subjective cognitive decline}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Diagnosis Assessment \& Disease Monitoring},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/dad2.70063},
pmid = {39822289},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70063}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- RESULTS Amyloid‐positive individuals declined faster than amyloid‐negative individuals on semantic fluency (B = −0.35, p < 0.001), but not on phonemic fluency (B = −0.06, p = 0.218).
- An annual decline of one word in semantic and phonemic fluency was associated with 22% (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.22, p < 0.001) and 28% (HR = 1.28, p = 0.004) increased risk of clinical progression.
- DISCUSSION Our results indicate that decline in semantic fluency is an early indicator of cognitive deficits in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
- Highlights Abnormal amyloid burden is associated with decline in semantic fluency.
- Fluency trajectories are associated with an increased risk of clinical progression.
Why it matters
This study found that amyloid-positive individuals with subjective cognitive decline declined faster on semantic fluency, and decline in fluency was associated with increased risk of clinical progression. Semantic fluency decline may be an early indicator of preclinical Alzheimer's disease, but no treatment is tested.
Study details
- Participants490
- Effect sizeHR = 1.28
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring: journal h-index 86 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 490 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Sietske A.M. Sikkes: h-index 47 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: institution h-index 1,014 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39822289) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70063
- PubMed: 39822289
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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