title: Impairment in proverb interpretation as an executive function deficit in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Proverb interpretation is assumed to reflect executive functions. We hypothesized that proverb interpretation is impaired in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) diagnosed as single-domain impairment by common neuropsychological testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared performance in a proverb interpretation test in single-domain aMCI patients and patients with early Alzheimer's disease (EAD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups with aMCI and EAD performed significantly worse than healthy controls. Both patient groups gave concrete answers with a similar frequency. However, patients with EAD tended to give senseless answers more frequently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that in patients diagnosed as single-domain aMCI, deterioration of executive functions is detectable with subtle and appropriate neuropsychological testing. Implementation of these procedures may improve the early prediction of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leyhe
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saur
authors.forename: Gerhard W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Eschweiler
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milian