This study examines longitudinal changes in sleep EEG biomarkers of memory consolidation in middle-aged and older adults, finding declines in SO-sigma coupling and sleep spindle measures linked to synaptic integrity and memory decline.

bioRxiv · May 14, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience

Neuropathology-based APOE genetic risk score better quantifies Alzheimer's risk

Yuetiva K. Deming, Eva Vasiljevic, Autumn Rose Morrow, Jiacheng Miao, Carol Van Hulle, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Yue Ma, Vanessa M Whitenack, Gwendlyn Kollmorgen, Norbert Wild, Ivonne Suridjan, Leslie M. J. Shaw, Sanjay Asthana, Cynthia M. Carlsson, Sterling C. Johnson, , the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

The paper develops an APOE genetic risk score based on neuropathology that better explains CSF biomarker variance than traditional APOE ε4 metrics.

Alzheimer s & Dementia · Feb 16, 2023Peer-reviewedGenetic & Genomic Medicine

Metabolites associated with early cognitive changes implicated in Alzheimer’s disease

Burcu F. Darst, Zhiguang Huo, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Rebecca L. Koscik, Lindsay R. Clark, Qiongshi Lu, William S. Kremen, Carol E. Franz, Brinda K. Rana, Michael J. Lyons, Kirk J. Hogan, Jinying Zhao, Sterling C. Johnson, Corinne D. Engelman

The paper identifies seven metabolites associated with executive function decline in early Alzheimer’s disease using longitudinal plasma samples from the WRAP cohort.

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · Jan 8, 2021Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Proper names from story recall are associated with beta-amyloid in cognitively unimpaired adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease

Kimberly Diggle Mueller, Rebecca L. Koscik, Lianlian Du, Davide Bruno, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Audra Z. Koscik, Bradley T. Christian, Tobey J. Betthauser, Nathaniel A. Chin, Bruce P. Hermann, Sterling C. Johnson

The paper investigates if story recall of proper names is linked to beta-amyloid levels in cognitively unimpaired adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease, finding an association with delayed recall.

Cortex · Jul 31, 2020Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Self-reported health behaviors and longitudinal cognitive performance: Results from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention

Kimberly Diggle Mueller, Rebecca L. Koscik, Derek Norton, Martha Clare Morris, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Lindsay R. Clark, Taylor N. Fields, Samantha L. Allison, Sara Elizabeth Berman, Sarah Kraning, Megan L. Zuelsdorff, Ozioma C. Okonkwo, Nathaniel A. Chin, Cynthia M. Carlsson, Barbara B. Bendlin, , Sterling C. Johnson

This study examines the association between multiple self-reported health behaviors and cognitive decline in a cohort of non-demented middle-aged individuals, finding limited significant associations.

PLoS ONE · Apr 23, 2020Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Amyloid duration is associated with preclinical cognitive decline and tau PET

Rebecca L. Koscik, Tobey J. Betthauser, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Samantha L. Allison, Lindsay R. Clark, Bruce P. Hermann, Karly Alex Cody, Jonathan W. Engle, Todd E. Barnhart, Charles K. Stone, Nathaniel A. Chin, Cynthia M. Carlsson, Sanjay Asthana, Bradley T. Christian, Sterling C. Johnson

This study uses longitudinal amyloid PET data to estimate amyloid chronicity and finds it is linked to cognitive decline and tau burden in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring · Jan 1, 2020Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Characterizing the effects of sex, APOE ɛ4, and literacy on mid-life cognitive trajectories: Application of Information-Theoretic model-averaging and multi-model inference techniques to the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention Study

Rebecca L. Koscik, Derek Norton, Samantha L. Allison, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Lindsay R. Clark, Kimberly Diggle Mueller, Bruce P. Hermann, Corinne D. Engelman, Carey Elizabeth Gleason, Mark A. Sager, Richard J. Chappell, Sterling C. Johnson

The paper uses information-theoretic model-averaging to analyze cognitive decline factors in mid-life, finding sex, literacy, and APOE ɛ4 effects with varying impacts.

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society · Dec 7, 2018Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Longitudinal standards for mid-life cognitive performance: Identifying abnormal within-person changes in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention

Rebecca L. Koscik, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Lindsay R. Clark, Kimberly Diggle Mueller, Samantha L. Allison, Carey Elizabeth Gleason, Richard J. Chappell, Bruce P. Hermann, Sterling C. Johnson

The paper develops longitudinal standards for mid-life cognitive performance using quantile regression to identify abnormal within-person changes and their associations with clinical outcomes.

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society · Nov 28, 2018Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Age-accelerated cognitive decline in asymptomatic adults with CSF β-amyloid

Lindsay R. Clark, Sara Elizabeth Berman, Derek Norton, Rebecca L. Koscik, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Kaj Blennow, Barbara B. Bendlin, Sanjay Asthana, Sterling C. Johnson, Henrik Zetterberg, Cynthia M. Carlsson

The paper compares cognitive and hippocampal volume decline in asymptomatic adults with and without CSF β-amyloid or tau markers, finding accelerated decline in those with positive markers.

Neurology · Mar 9, 2018Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

The Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention: A Review of findings and current directions

Sterling C. Johnson, Rebecca L. Koscik, Erin McMullen Jonaitis, Lindsay R. Clark, Kimberly Diggle Mueller, Sara Elizabeth Berman, Barbara B. Bendlin, Corinne D. Engelman, Ozioma C. Okonkwo, Kirk J. Hogan, Sanjay Asthana, Cynthia M. Carlsson, Bruce P. Hermann, Mark A. Sager

The paper reviews findings from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention, highlighting associations between genetic and lifestyle factors and early AD pathophysiology.

Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring · Dec 8, 2017Peer-reviewedNeuroscience