[Neuropsychological comparison between dementia of Alzheimer type and multiple subcortical infarction by easily...

We compared the neuropsychological findings between dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and multiple subcortical infarction (MSI) using easily applicable test battery. Patients with DAT (N = 27) fulfilled the criteria of NINCDS-ADRDA for probable DAT and belonged to the mild degree in the DSM-III-R criteria for dementia. Patients with MSI (N = 30) scored more than 7 points in Hachinski Ischemic Score and were physically independent (Rankin Disability Scale < or = 3). Patients with DAT showed significantly more impaired performance than MSI in Mini-Mental State Examination, copy and delayed recall of Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test and trial 5 of Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, while patients with MSI achieved fewer categories and made more perseverative errors on Wisconsin Card Sorting Test than patients with DAT. Among these tests, delayed recall of Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test seemed to be the most sensitive to discriminate DAT from MSI. These findings were thought to be compatible with the pathological facts that the degenerative process progresses from temporo-parietal lobe in DAT and frontal-subcortical region in MSI.