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Patterns of executive dysfunction in amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Nai-Ching Chen1, Chiung-Chih Chang, Ker-Neng Lin
1Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Executive function tests (EFTs) can help identify multi-domain mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients. Impairment in multiple EFTs suggests a distinct aMCI population needing close monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cognitive Science
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Executive dysfunction is prevalent in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).
- Differentiating multi-domain MCI requires effective diagnostic tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the utility of executive function tests (EFTs) in diagnosing multi-domain MCI in aMCI patients.
- To evaluate EFTs as aids for clinical diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- 120 aMCI patients, 126 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and 100 controls were recruited.
- Five EFTs were administered: Trail Making Test, Digit Backward Span, Stroop Test, Design Fluency, and Category Fluency.
Main Results:
- 66% of aMCI participants showed impairment in at least one EFT.
- Category Fluency and Stroop tests were most effective in distinguishing aMCI/AD patients from controls.
- aMCI patients with ≥2 impaired EFTs showed performance significantly different from controls, but not AD patients.
Conclusions:
- Failure in two or more EFTs may indicate a unique subpopulation of aMCI patients with multi-domain MCI.
- These patients warrant close clinical follow-up for potential progression.
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