title: Low scores on the Benton Facial Recognition Test associated with vertebrobasilar insufficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decreased posterior cerebral circulation has been observed in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI). Reduced cerebral perfusion may have an impact on mental performance as measured by the Benton Facial Recognition Test (BFRT). We evaluated the usefulness of BFRT in identifying cognitive decline in patients with VBI by correlating test performance with total blood flow in the vertebrobasilar system and other variables such as educational level and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three participants without dementia (mini-mental state examination; MMSE >27) and cranial magnetic resonance imaging abnormality, but with atherosclerotic risk factors were involved in the study. Nineteen subjects had a total vertebrobasilar flow volume less than 200 ml/min (Group I), and 14 subjects had a flow volume more than 200 ml/min (Group II).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups were similar in regard to gender, age, and educational level. BFRT results were 19.53 ± 3.12 and 22.36 ± 2.73 for Groups I and II, respectively (p=0.01). The educational level was the main factor affecting the BFRT score in Group I (p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BFRT is clearly impaired in VBI as measured by Doppler ultrasound examination. We concluded that the test appears to adequately distinguish cognitive levels between VBI and other patients. Additionally, our results suggest that education is associated with BFRT results, and for normative purposes, gender consideration is unnecessary. Further studies are needed to investigate the association between VBI and memory dysfunction in early dementia.
authors.affiliation: Medeniyet University Medical Faculty, Neurology, Turkey. abdulkadirkocer@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koçer
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koçer
authors.forename: Halit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beşir
authors.forename: Süber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dikici
authors.forename: Füsun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Domaç
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ercan
mesh_terms: D015984:Causality; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020238:Prosopagnosia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*