Visual perceptual functions predict instrumental activities of daily living in patients with dementia.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To assess relations between discrete visual perceptual functions commonly affected in patients with neurodegenerative dementia and the performance of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).

BACKGROUND:
Neuropsychologic measures are often used to predict IADL performances in dementia patients. Prior studies have focused on the contribution of higher-level memory and executive deficits to IADL. The relation between visuoperceptual dysfunction and IADL has not been studied systematically.

METHODS:
Thirty-five elderly patients with neurodegenerative disorders, most diagnosed with probable Alzheimer disease, participated. Patients completed tasks tapping visual perceptual functions believed to be mediated by occipital lobe structures (shape discrimination), posterior inferotemporal regions (face, object form, and written word discrimination), and the dorsolateral parietal lobe (spatial localization). A knowledgeable caregiver rated IADL performance. RESULTS:Object form discrimination, but not other visual perceptual functions, correlated significantly ( = 0.60) with performances of visually based IADL (e.g., misjudging distances, driving, and recognizing familiar people), but not with other IADL, when the variance attributable to dementia severity, language disturbance, and other visual perceptual abilities was controlled.

CONCLUSIONS:
In contrast to prior investigations that have focused primarily on relations of memory and executive control deficits with IADL in neurologically impaired patients, the results of this study highlight the important contribution of bilateral inferotemporal visual perceptual systems for the performance of IADL in elderly patients with neurodegenerative dementia.

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Author information

Author/s: Glosser, Guila (G); Gallo, Jennifer (J); Duda, Nanci (N); de Vries, Jeroen J (JJ); Clark, Christopher M (CM); Grossman, Murray (M);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvannia School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-4283, USA. glosser(-atsign-)mail.med.upenn.edu

Grants: AG10124 (Agency:United States NIA) ; AG15116 (Agency:United States NIA) ; AG17586 (Agency:United States NIA)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and behavioral neurology (Neuropsychiatry Neuropsychol Behav Neurol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Sep; vol 15 (issue 3) : pp 198-206

Dates: Created 2002/09/09; Completed 2002/10/29; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12218713, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Activities of Daily Living
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; psychology
Dementia - physiopathology; psychology
Female

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