The thickness of posterior cortical areas is related to executive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To establish whether alterations of brain structures in Alzheimer's disease are associated with executive dysfunction.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with Alzheimer's disease and 22 older control subjects underwent a comprehensive evaluation. The clock drawing test, digit span test, executive motor function test, Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome battery (Rule Shift Cards test), and Stroop test were used to evaluate executive dysfunction. A multiparametric approach using the FreeSurfer image analysis suite provided a description of volumetric and geometric features of the gray matter structures.


RESULTS
The cortical thickness maps showed a negative correlation between the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome battery (Rule Shift Cards test) and the right middle frontal gyrus; a positive correlation between the executive motor function test and the left superior parietal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, bilateral supramarginal gyri, right middle frontal gyrus, and right precuneus; a negative correlation between the Stroop test (part III) and the right superior parietal gyrus; and a negative correlation between the Stroop test (part III) and the right middle temporal gyrus.


CONCLUSIONS
Executive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease is correlated with alterations not only in the frontal areas but also within many temporal and parietal regions.
Psychobiology Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Psychobiology Department, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Luciano de Gois
Lde G
Vasconcelos
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Psychiatry Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Psychiatry Department, Laborato´ rio Interdisciplinar de Neurocieˆ ncias Clı´nicas (LiNC), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Andrea Parolin
AP
Jackowski
Hospital das Clínicas, Cognitive Neurology and Behavior Group, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Hospital das Clı´nicas, Cognitive Neurology and Behavior Group, São Paulo/SP, Brazi.
Maira Okada de
MO
Oliveira
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Psychiatry Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Psychiatry Department, Laborato´ rio Interdisciplinar de Neurocieˆ ncias Clı´nicas (LiNC), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Yoná Mayara Ribeiro
YM
Flor
Psychobiology Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Psychobiology Department, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Altay Alves Lino
AA
Souza
Psychobiology Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Psychobiology Department, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Orlando Francisco Amodeo
OF
Bueno
Hospital das Clínicas, Cognitive Neurology and Behavior Group, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP, Brazil, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Hospital das Clı´nicas, Cognitive Neurology and Behavior Group, São Paulo/SP, Brazi.
Sonia Maria Dozzi
SM
Brucki
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires