title: Cognitive impairment in native Chinese with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown cognitive impairment in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). However, there is a lack of data on Chinese patients with SCA3.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 22 native Chinese with SCA3 and 18 controls matched for age, education as well as mental status. Cognitive assessments were carefully carried out to measure verbal fluency, memory, attention, executive function, visuospatial and visuoconstructive functions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common impairments of cognition in native Chinese with SCA3 were disruption of phonemic verbal fluency and frontal executive dysfunction. Deficits in semantic fluency were detected in about 31.8% patients. Impaired visuospatial function and verbal memory were also found in native Chinese with SCA3. The degree of ataxia, CAG repeat length and education were found to correlate with cognitive performance. Multivariate binary logistic regression suggested that an oculomotor disorder and depression are predictors of cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Native Chinese with SCA3 had cognitive impairment of frontal executive function, temporal and parietal functions. An oculomotor disorder might be an index of cognitive dysfunction.
authors: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Feng
authors: Ding Bang
authors: DB
authors: Chen
authors: Le
authors: L
authors: Hou
authors: Lin Huan
authors: LH
authors: Huang
authors: Shu Yang
authors: SY
authors: Lu
authors: Xiu Ling
authors: XL
authors: Liang
authors: Xun Hua
authors: XH
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D004522:Educational Status; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015840:Oculomotor Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D012660:Semantics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats