Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
06:23
The 4 Mountains Test: A Short Test of Spatial Memory with High Sensitivity for the Diagnosis of Pre-dementia Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: October 13, 2016
Verbal fluency predicts mortality in Alzheimer disease
Stephanie Cosentino1, Nikolaos Scarmeas, Steven M Albert
1Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, NY, USA.
Summary
Neuropsychological testing at Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis can predict mortality. Specifically, lower verbal fluency scores indicate a higher risk of death in AD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuropsychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression rates vary significantly among individuals.
- Impaired executive functioning and frontal network compromise are linked to rapid AD decline.
- Early neuropsychological profiles may reflect neuropathology and inform survival estimates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive power of neuropsychological profiles at diagnosis for mortality in individuals with incident Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Main Methods:
- A 15-year longitudinal study of 161 individuals diagnosed with AD.
- Characterization of cognitive performance using five neuropsychological indices at diagnosis.
- Survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards models.
Main Results:
- 52% of participants experienced a mortality event, with a median survival of 5.52 years.
- Older age at diagnosis and lower verbal fluency scores predicted higher mortality.
- Hispanic ethnicity was associated with lower mortality risk.
Conclusions:
- Disproportionate deficits in category and letter fluency at early AD stages predict mortality.
- These fluency tests may offer prognostic value due to their psychometric properties or sensitivity to frontal network compromise.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
01:22Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...