title: Executive functions in clinical and preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Executive functions is an umbrella term describing a wide range of higher order processes that allow the flexible modification of thought and behaviour in response to changing cognitive or environmental contexts. Impairment of executive functions is common in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. These deficits negatively affect everyday activities and hamper the ability to cope with other cognitive or behavioural disorders. In this paper, we propose a synthesis of the knowledge on executive impairments in clinical and preclinical Alzheimer's disease, mostly leaning on the current studies made in this domain. We made some propositions for neuropsychological assessment of executive functions in preclinical and clinical phases of Alzheimer's disease. We hope that this overview will provide a useful insight into an area that is still insufficiently explored in the field of the neuropsychology of Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Unité de neuropsychologie, département de neurologie, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49033 Angers cedex 01, France; Centre mémoire de ressources et de recherche, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49033 Angers cedex 01, France; Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays-de-Loire (EA 4638), université d'Angers, maison des sciences humaines, 5 bis, boulevard Lavoisier, 49045 Angers cedex 1, France. Electronic address: phallain@chu-angers.fr.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allain
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Etcharry-Bouyx
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verny
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Assessment; Executive functions; Fonctions exécutives; Maladie d’Alzheimer; Preclinical stage; Stade préclinique; Évaluation