Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2025
Automated, Long-term Behavioral Assay for Cognitive Functions in Multiple Genetic Models of Alzheimer's Disease, Using IntelliCage
Published on: August 4, 2018
The Tree Drawing Test in Evolution: An Explorative Longitudinal Study in Alzheimer's Disease
Michelangelo Stanzani Maserati1, Marialaura Matacena2, Flavia Baccari1
1419170IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Objective:
To study the evolution of the Tree Drawing Test (TDT) in a group of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.
Methods:
A total of 33 AD patients were consecutively evaluated by Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) and TDT. The evolution of the TDT parameters, trunk-to-crown (TC) and space occupation (SO) index, were analyzed.
Results:
The median age at first visit was 79 years. Globally, trees drawn by patients showed an evolution characterized by a progressive reduction of the crown compared to the trunk. TC index showed a significant linear growth change (2.52 points per year) while SO index did not significantly increase. No significant associations were found examining the relations between MMSE and TC and SO index.
Conclusions:
TDT could represent a complementary technique to the main neuropsychological screening tests for orienting cognitive impairment diagnosis and an aid in following the evolution of cognitive impairment over time in AD patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
01:22Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
01:19Survival Tree
Building a Survival Tree
Constructing a...