title: The frontal assessment battery in the differential diagnosis of dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) has been used in different clinical settings as a valuable quick bedside test for executive dysfunction. The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical utility of the FAB for differential diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD), subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (scVCI), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Scores of the total FAB test and subtests were compared between consecutive series of 37 patients with AD, 31 patients with scVCI, 13 patients with FTLD, and 29 cognitively healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference in the total FAB scores among the groups of patients with dementia. When comparing subtest scores, patients with FTLD had significantly lower scores on the lexical fluency subtest compared to the patients with AD (P<.001) or scVCI (P<.001); patients with scVCI had significantly lower scores on the motor series subtest compared to patients with FTLD (P=.02) and AD (P=.035) and on conflicting instructions subtest compared to patients with AD (P=.033).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some FAB subtests might enhance diagnostic accuracy taking into account clinical history and other tests of executive function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Centre, and School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. maboban@mef.hr
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boban
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malojcić
authors.forename: Ninoslav
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mimica
authors.forename: Suncica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vuković
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zrilić
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D057174:Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests