Cognitive impairment in spinocerebellar ataxia type 8.
OBJECTIVE
Only a limited number of studies have investigated the cognitive performances of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) patients. In none of the SCA8 studies have the neuropsychological test performances been the primary measures. The objective of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of cognitive deficits in SCA8.


METHODS
Ten SCA8 patients and ten case-by-case matched control subjects underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological examination evaluating attention and information processing, concept formation, reasoning and executive functions, verbal production, memory and learning and visuoperceptual and -constructive functions.


RESULTS
SCA8 patients demonstrated deficits primarily in attention and information processing, as well as in concept formation, reasoning, executive functions and verbal production. Visuoperceptual and -constructive functions, as well as most of the performances of memory were unaffected.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive impairments, especially those related to attention, information processing and executive functions, seem to be a clinical feature of SCA8 disease.
Lilja
Arja
A
Masku Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, P.O. Box 15, FIN-21251 Masku, Finland. arja.lilja@indesol.fi
Hämäläinen
Päivi
P
Kaitaranta
Elina
E
Rinne
Riitta
R
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012984:Software; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology