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Frontal Assessment Battery (frontal + assessment_battery)
Selected AbstractsReliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) in Alzheimer's disease: validation of a behavioral rating scale to assess dysexecutive symptoms in Japanese patients with Alzheimer's diseaseINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 10 2007Yoshihiro Shinagawa Abstract Background Both executive cognitive dysfunction and behavioral problems contribute to dysexecutive symptoms in daily life. The aim of the present study was to develop a behavior rating scale for assessing dysexecutive symptoms in Japanese patients with AD. Method The Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX), devised by Burgess et al. (1998), was used to evaluate 122 Japanese patients with AD. The factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of the Japanese version of the DEX were then examined. Results The Japanese version of the DEX demonstrated a good internal reliability and a good test,retest reliability. Factor analysis revealed three factors that were named ,apathy', ,hyperactivity' and ,planning and monitoring process of the purposive action'. The ,apathy' factor of the DEX was significantly correlated with the ,apathy' score of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), while ,planning and monitoring process' factor of the DEX was significantly correlated with the total score of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the ,hyperactivity' factor of the DEX was significantly correlated with the ,aggression', ,euphoria' and ,disinhibition' scores of the NPI. Conclusions The Japanese DEX is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing executive dysfunction conveniently in real life situations of AD patients. While two factors, ,apathy' and ,hyperactivity', were associated with emotional and behavioral changes, the ,planning and monitoring process' was associated with the cognitive executive function in the patients with AD. These findings suggest that both a neuropsychiatric syndrome and cognitive function contribute to the dysexecutive symptoms experienced by AD patients in daily life. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Relationship between saliva level of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and mental health in the elderly general populationPSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 5 2008Guang Y. Li pgs Aims:, A large number of studies on the monoamine systems in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have found abnormalities of the noradrenergic system in the brain, but there has been no report concerning the relationship between noradrenergic activity and cognitive function in elderly living in a community. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between saliva level of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (sMHPG) and mental health in this population. Methods:, The study was to examine the relationship between sMHPG and performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in 213 elderly people living in the local community. Results:, sMHPG in female subjects was positively correlated with age (r = 0.24, P = 0.003) and negatively correlated with scores on the MMSE (r = ,0.26, P = 0.0016) and FAB (r = ,0.19, P = 0.024), even after controlling for the effect of age (MMSE r = ,0.20, P = 0.013). Notably, sMHPG was correlated with the pentagon drawing score (P = 0.0008) of MMSE. sMHPG was significantly correlated with BDI score in male subjects, but negatively correlated in female subjects. A gender difference was found in the relationship between the sMHPG and BDI score. Conclusion:, The measurement of sMHPG may be a useful marker of mental health in elderly community-dwelling subjects. [source] To what extent does frontal type executive impairment affect coping strategies in Parkinson's disease?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 10 2008S. Montel Background and purpose:, Given the frequency of executive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD), we wonder to what extent this fact might influence the coping strategies which are used. Methods:, A total of 135 PD patients with no dementia were divided into two groups according to their cognitive status (,with frontal type executive impairment' or ,without frontal type executive executive impairment'). All patients were seen for a semi-structured interview to collect sociodemographic and clinical information and to assess their cognitive and mental states (DSM-IV-TR, frontal assessment battery and Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale). Then, all patients completed two self-report questionnaires concerning their coping strategies (Ways of Coping Checklist and Coping with Health, Injuries and Problems Scale). Results:, After controlling the depression, we noticed a significant effect of cognitive status on positive re-evaluation (P = 0.02). Interestingly, except for instrumental strategies, patients with frontal type executive impairment used significantly more coping strategies than did patients without frontal type executive impairment. Conclusion:, Our results suggest that neither executive impairment nor depression prevents patients from using coping strategies extensively. [source] Freezing of gait and executive functions in patients with Parkinson's diseaseMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 3 2008Marianna Amboni MD Abstract Freezing of gait (FOG) is a frequent, disabling symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). FOG usually lasts a few seconds. It refers to brief paroxysmal events during which a subject is unable to start or continue locomotion. Despite its frequency, FOG pathophysiology is unclear. Because a frontal lobe dysfunction or a disconnection between the frontal lobe and basal ganglia has been implicated in FOG, we explored frontal functions in PD patients using neuropsychological tests. Thirteen early-stage PD patients [Hoehn & Yahr score (H&Y) , 2.5] with freezing during "on " state (FOG+), and 15 age-, H&Y score-, and disease-duration-matched PD patients without freezing (FOG,) were investigated. No patient was demented or depressed. Assessment included the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), FOG questionnaire, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), frontal assessment battery (FAB), phonemic verbal fluency, Stroop test (parts II and III), and ten-point clock test (TPCT). UPDRS and MMSE scores did not differ between the two groups. FAB, verbal fluency, and TPCT scores were significantly lower in FOG+ patients than in FOG, patients (FAB: P = 0.008; phonemic verbal fluency: P = 0.011; TPCT: P = 0.024). FOG correlated with lower scores at frontal tests in patients with early-stage PD. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society [source] Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging differentiates Parkinsonian variant of multiple-system atrophy from progressive supranuclear palsyMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 1 2007Dominic C. Paviour PhD, MRCP Abstract Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and the parkinsonian variant of multiple-system atrophy (MSA-P) may present with a similar phenotype. Magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been shown to be a sensitive discriminator of MSA-P from Parkinson's disease (PD). We studied 20 PSP, 11 MSA-P, 12 PD patients and 7 healthy controls in order to investigate whether regional apparent diffusion coefficients (rADCs) help distinguish PSP and MSA-P; whether rADCs are correlated with clinical disease severity scores; and the relationship between brainstem and cerebellar volumes and rADCs in PSP and MSA-P. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Hoehn and Yahr score, Mini Mental State Examination, and frontal assessment battery were recorded in all patients. Regional ADCs were measured in the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP), caudal and rostral pons, midbrain, decussating fibers of the superior cerebellar peduncle, thalamus, putamen, globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, corpus callosum, frontal and parietal white matter, as well as the centrum semiovale. In MSA-P, rADCs in the MCP and rostral pons were significantly greater than in PSP (P < 0.001 and 0.009) and PD (P < 0.001 and = 0.002). Stepwise logistic regression revealed that the MCP rADC distinguishes MSA-P from PSP with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 84%. Increased brainstem rADCs were associated with motor deficit in MSA-P and PSP. Increased rADCs in the pons and MCP were associated with smaller pontine and cerebellar volumes in MSA-P. rADCs distinguish MSA-P from PSP. These have a clinical correlate and are associated with reduced brainstem and cerebellar volumes. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||