Executive Functions in Alzheimer Disease: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Psychology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes progressive cognitive decline, impacting daily life.
• Early identification of cognitive impairment is vital for interventions.
• Executive functions are key areas affected by AD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the sensitivity of four executive function tests in Alzheimer's dementia.
• To compare the performance of Alzheimer's patients and healthy elderly individuals on these tests.
• To identify the most effective tool for assessing executive dysfunction in AD.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review adhering to the PRISMA method.
• Selection of 45 studies comparing Alzheimer's dementia patients (over 60) with healthy elderly controls.
• Utilized PubMed, PsycINFO, and PsycArticles databases for study retrieval.
• Analyzed executive performance using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Task, Go/No-Go Task, and Flanker Task.

Main Results:

• The Stroop Task demonstrated superior ability in differentiating between healthy aging and Alzheimer's dementia.
• Standardized assessment protocols are essential for evaluating executive dysfunction in AD.
• Executive function deficits are significant in individuals with Alzheimer's dementia.

Conclusions:

• The Stroop Task is a valuable and sensitive instrument for early detection of executive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.
• Standardized assessment of executive functions is critical for effective AD management.
• Further research should focus on refining and validating these tasks for clinical use.