The significance of cognitive and demographic indicators in predicting the response of Alzheimer’s disease to treatment

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease accompanied by decline of cognitive functions and difficulty with daily living activities. It is the most frequent cause of dementia syndrome in old age, which is becoming an increasingly important medical and social issue. Early diagnosis of AD provides an opportunity to apply symptomatic or in the future, disease-modifying treatment and slow down cognitive decline, prolong the period of independent living, propose psychosocial measures, and reduce the cost of care for the sick. In clinical practice, the diagnosis of AD is based on cognitive impairment, which is determined by cognitive tests. Usual paper-pencil tests are not sensitive and detailed enough to reflect memory, which disorders can already be found in the prodromal and early stages of AD. Computerized cognitive tests (CCT) and their batteries are more extensive and reliable, more accurate and more sensitive while assessing visual / semantic / verbal memory and learning, working memory, executive functions and decision making, alertness. The aim of the study is to determine which Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) test scores reliably differentiate Alzheimer's patients from controls and are suitable for monitoring the dynamics of cognitive functions; to analyse if the results of computerized cognitive tests before treatment and test results after a single dose of donepezil in combination with clinical and demographic indicators of Alzheimer's disease, can predict the efficacy of a long-term treatment with donepezil. Using computerized cognitive tests battery and demographic and clinical data applied in the paper, it would be possible to have an early prediction of the patient's likely response to symptomatic medication and optimize individual treatment for specific patients. In this way, the maximum possible efficacy of the drug could be achieved with minimal side effects