Статьи автора

Нейропсихологическая оценка сенильной деменции

от 01.03.1998

Neuropsychological assessment plays an integral role in screening for and diagnosings of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), in particular determining whether elderly individuals manitesl global mental deterioration as shown by impairments in multiple areas of cognitive function.

Neuropsychological tests distinguish reliably between healthy older adults and those with SDAT. Other clinical objectives served by neuropsychological testing include: profiling strengths and deficits in the individual's cognitive functioning; assessing cognitive changes over time, particularly treatment outcomes, and determining the severity and progression of dementia (staging). Longitudinal studies using such assessments can track the patterns of cognitive decline in SDAT. typically beginning with problems in memory, language production, and/or psychomotor performance, and affecting additional areas of cognitive functioning as the disease progresses In research on brain-behavior relationships, neuropsychological assessments help to specify the cognitive dysfunctions associated with SDAT and to identify relations between them and their anatomical correlates, thereby also increasing the understanding of these cognitive functions in general. Illustrative tests and recent reports are described in five areas of cognitive functioning: memory and learning, language functioning, visuospatial functioning, psychomotor performance, and attention; Methodological considerations for future research studies are also discussed.

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