Neuropsychological comparison of Alzheimer's disease and dementia with lewy bodies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The present study examined the patterns of memory and cognitive performance associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). METHODS: A battery of standardized neuropsychological tests was administered to individuals with these disorders as well as to a group of cognitively intact controls. The battery included measures of memory (learning, recall and recognition), language, visuospatial ability, psychomotor speed, executive functioning and mood. All subjects (n = 115) were evaluated at a memory disorder clinic and were diagnosed based on published criteria. RESULTS: The controls outperformed both dementia groups on all cognitive measures. With respect to memory, the DLB group scored significantly higher than the AD group on measures of word list free recall and recognition (p < or = 0.001). In other cognitive domains, the AD group performed significantly better than the DLB group on constructional praxis, sustained attention, phonemic fluency, spatial judgment, psychomotor speed and working memory (all p < or = 0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings support the usefulness of memory and other cognitive test score patterns as in distinguishing AD from DLB, particularly in mild to moderately demented populations that may not present with hallmark symptomology.