title: The Visual Spatial Learning Test: differential impairment during the premanifest and manifest stages of Huntington's disease.
abstract: Visual spatial memory was assessed using the Visual Spatial Learning Test (VSLT) in individuals with mild to moderate Huntington's disease (HD), pre-manifest gene carriers for HD, and demographically similar controls. The VSLT has been demonstrated to be a valid, normed measure of non-verbal memory involving minimal motoric responses. The VSLT assesses immediate and delayed memory for designs, positions of the designs, and design/position associations. The HD group was significantly impaired (p < .05) relative to both the control and Pre-HD groups on immediate and delayed memory for the designs, positions, and design/position associations. Although there were no differences between the Pre-HD and control groups on immediate or delayed memory for designs or positions, the Pre-HD group was significantly impaired (p < .05) relative to the control group on immediate and delayed memory for design/position associations. The results offer novel insight into a relatively unexamined memory deficit that may occur in gene carriers for HD prior to phenoconversion. The data indicate that the VSLT may be a useful measure of visuospatial memory during the premanifest and manifest stages of HD.
authors: Veterans Affairs, San Diego Health Care System, San Diego, California, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, California, USA.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Pirogovsky
authors: Diane R
authors: DR
authors: Nicoll
authors: Dillon M
authors: DM
authors: Challener
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Breen
authors: Shea
authors: S
authors: Gluhm
authors: Jody
authors: J
authors: Corey-Bloom
authors: Paul E
authors: PE
authors: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D065853:Spatial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D065855:Spatial Processing / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Huntington's disease; Non-Verbal; Premanifest; Visuospatial memory