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The role of neuropsychology in distinguishing the posterior cortical atrophy syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease

Authors

Aresi, Anna, Giovagnoli, Anna Rita

Journal

Journal Of Alzheimer's Disease: JAD, Volume: 18, No.: 1, Pages.: 65-70

Year of Publication

2009

Abstract

This study investigated the neuropsychological hallmarks of posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). Seventeen patients with PCA, 17 patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease (PAD), and 17 healthy age-matched subjects underwent neuropsychological testing for abstract reasoning, visuospatial abilities, memory, language, executive functions, praxes, and attention. The PCA patients were significantly more impaired in visual perception, spatial memory, visual attention, and visuospatial reasoning compared to the PAD patients who were relatively more impaired in episodic memory. In the PCA group, no test score correlated with disease duration or age of clinical onset, whereas, in the PAD group, several scores correlated with disease duration. Compared to the healthy subjects, both patient groups showed multiple cognitive deficits. Thus, PCA is characterised by distinctive visuospatial deficits that reflect the distribution of brain damage and contrast with the memory impairment of PAD patients. Specific neuropsychological tests may contribute to early identification of cortical dementia for diagnostic and research purposes.;

Keywords

adult, aged, alzheimer disease, atrophy, cerebral cortex, classification, diagnosis, female, humans, male, middle aged, neuropsychological tests, pathology, psychology, standards, syndrome

Countries of Study

Italy

Types of Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease

Types of Study

Cohort Study

Type of Interventions

Diagnostic Target Identification

Diagnostic Targets

Cognition testing (inc. task driven tests such as clock drawing)