Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2026
09:45
Motor and Hippocampal Dependent Spatial Learning and Reference Memory Assessment in a Transgenic Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease with Stroke
Published on: March 22, 2016
Graphomotor perseveration and wandering in Alzheimer's disease
J P Ryan1, J McGowan, N McCaffrey
1Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Plattsburgh 12901, USA.
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
|October 1, 1995
Summary
Graphomotor perseveration, a type of repetitive drawing error, may indicate wandering behavior in Alzheimer's disease patients. This finding could help identify at-risk individuals early on.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Psychology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
- Wandering is a common and potentially dangerous behavior in individuals with AD.
- Identifying early markers for wandering is crucial for patient safety and care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether specific cognitive or graphomotor deficits differentiate Alzheimer's disease patients who wander from those who do not.
- To explore the potential of perseveration as an early indicator of wandering behavior in mild to moderate AD.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 15 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease.
- Divided patients into 'wanderers' and 'nonwanderers' based on caregiver ratings.
- Administered tests evaluating perseveration, spatial orientation, and attention/concentration, including the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test and Clock Drawing Test.
Main Results:
- Wanderers exhibited significantly greater total perseveration, including recurrent and continuous perseverations, in their graphic productions compared to nonwanderers.
- No significant differences were found between groups in spatial orientation or attention/concentration.
- These findings suggest a link between specific types of graphomotor perseveration and wandering behavior.
Conclusions:
- Graphomotor perseveration may serve as a potential early marker for wandering in individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
- Further research is warranted to validate these preliminary findings and explore clinical applications.
- Understanding these markers can aid in developing targeted interventions and improving safety for AD patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
01:22Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...
01:30Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder that can manifest with various positive symptoms, including thought, movement, and behavior disorders. These symptoms significantly disrupt cognitive and motor functions, leading to profound effects on an individual's ability to engage with the world.
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...