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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
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Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Published on: October 13, 2016
Cognition and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
D Irwin1, Carol F Lippa, J M Swearer
1Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA.
American Journal of Alzheimer'S Disease and Other Dementias
|August 23, 2007
Summary
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) often involves cognitive impairment, not just motor decline. Recognizing these changes is vital for patient care and improving quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is increasingly recognized as a multisystem disorder with significant cognitive involvement.
- Cognitive deficits in ALS range from mild executive dysfunction to criteria meeting frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
- These cognitive changes can manifest before, during, or after the onset of motor symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on cognitive deficits observed in patients with ALS.
- To highlight the importance of identifying cognitive changes for clinical management and patient compliance.
- To discuss the potential continuum between motor and non-motor neurodegeneration in ALS and FTD.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating cognitive impairment in ALS.
- Analysis of neuroimaging findings (structural and functional) correlating with cognitive deficits.
- Examination of common neuropathological findings in ALS and frontotemporal dementia.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports extramotor cortical degeneration in ALS, linked to executive function deficits.
- Cognitive impairment is present in both sporadic and familial forms of ALS.
- Shared pathological features exist between ALS and a subset of FTD patients.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive impairment is a significant feature of ALS, impacting patient care.
- Understanding the spectrum of cognitive deficits is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
- ALS and FTD may represent a continuum of neurodegenerative processes affecting both motor and non-motor cortices.
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