Lexical semantic memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study lexical semantic memory in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and normal controls. METHOD: Fifteen mild AD, 15 aMCI, and 15 normal control subjects were included. Diagnosis of AD was based on DSM-IV and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, and that of aMCI, on the criteria of the International Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment, using CDR 0.5 for aMCI and CDR 1 for mild AD. All subjects underwent semantic memory tests (Boston Naming-BNT, CAMCOG Similarities item), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), neuropsychological tests (counterproofs), and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Data analysis used Mann-Whitney test for intergroup comparisons and Pearson's coefficient for correlations between memory tests and counterproofs (statistical significance level was p<0.05). RESULTS: aMCI patients were similar to controls on BNT and Similarities, but worse on MMSE and RAVLT. Mild AD patients scored significantly worse than aMCI and controls on all tests. CONCLUSION: aMCI impairs episodic memory but tends to spare lexical semantic system, which can be affected in the early phase of AD.

Author information

Author/s: Balthazar, Marcio L F (ML); Martinelli, José E (JE); Cendes, Fernando (F); Damasceno, Benito P (BP);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, State University of Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Controlled Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria (Arq Neuropsiquiatr), published in Brazil. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Sep; vol 65 (issue 3A) : pp 619-22

Dates: Created 2007/09/18; Completed 2008/03/12;

PMID: 17876402, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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