Memory function in early hepatic encephalopathy.
BACKGROUND
Early hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is characterized by deficits in motor performance, visual perception, visuo-constructive abilities and attention. Whether defective memory is a feature of early HE is controversial.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze memory function in patients with early HE.


METHODS
Memory tests were applied to cirrhotic patients with grade 0 HE, minimal HE and grade I HE (n=45) and controls (n=52). The battery included short and long term memory tests requiring free recall or recognition. Minimal HE was diagnosed by assessing the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score using the PSE-Syndrom-Test and by carrying out a neurological examination. Group differences of the test results were analyzed using analysis of covariance.


RESULTS
HE 0 patients achieved test results similar to the controls in all but two tests. Patients with early HE (minimal and grade I HE) scored lower than the controls in all tests applied. A detailed analysis of test performance showed that the patients' deficits were in attention and visual perception, rather than memory.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with early HE score lower than controls in memory tasks predominantly because of deficits in attention and visual perception.
Weissenborn
Karin
K
Neurologische Klinik, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, 30623 Hannover, Germany. weissenborn.karin@mh-hannover.de
Heidenreich
Susanne
S
Giewekemeyer
Kathrin
K
Rückert
Norbert
N
Hecker
Hartmut
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual