Central cholinergic deficiency WAIS profiles in a nondemented aged sample

Fuld (1984) described a WAIS profile associated with drug-induced cholinergic deficiency in young adults and dementia of the Alzheimer's type. The frequency of occurrence of this profile was examined in a group of healthy elderly persons who were administered the WAIS. The results of this study suggest that the profile occurs rarely in independently functioning elderly persons, thus lending support to Fuld's findings that the profile may be relatively specific to dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Hypotheses as to the significance of this index of pathology are discussed.