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Continuum of Frontal Lobe Impairment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
- Source :
- Archives of Neurology; Apr2007, Vol. 64, p530-534, 5p
- Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Objective: To identify the nature and prevalence of cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Design: Survey of clinical characteristics. Setting: Multidisciplinary clinic within a university medical center. Patients: A volunteer sample of 30 new patients with ALS were recruited consecutively. Of those invited, 23 participants (20 with sporadic ALS and 3 with familial ALS) enrolled. Participants ranged in age from 27 to 80 years (mean age, 56.5 years); the education level ranged from 12 to 21 years (mean education level, 3.5 years of college); and 17 participants (74%) were male. Main Outcome Measures: Neuropsychological tests, neurobehavioral interviews, and structured magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Patients were classified into subtypes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (n = 5), suspected Alzheimer disease (n= 1), and subthreshold variants of cognitive impairment (n = 2), behavioral impairment (n = 4), and cognitively and behaviorally normal (n=11). Five neuropsychological tests, 2 behavioral abnormalities, and right hemisphere gray matter reductions differentiated patients into normal and abnormal groups. Conclusions: In this sample, a sizable proportion of patients with ALS possess a range of behavioral and cognitive changes that lie on a spectrum of frontotemporal impairment. Right hemisphere atrophy may be a biomarker for cognitive impairment in patients with ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00039942
- Volume :
- 64
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Archives of Neurology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 100954836
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.64.4.530