title: Neural Basis of Cognitive Assessment in Alzheimer Disease, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Subjective Memory Complaints.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interpreting cognitive tests is often challenging. The same test frequently examines multiple cognitive functions, and the functional and anatomical basis underlying test performance is unknown in many cases. This study analyses the correlation of different neuropsychological test results with brain metabolism in a series of patients evaluated for suspected Alzheimer disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 healthy controls and 80 patients consulting for memory loss were included, in which cognitive study and18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET were performed. Patients were categorized according to Reisberg's Global Deterioration Scale. Voxel-based analysis was used to determine correlations between brain metabolism and performance on the following tests: Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT), Boston Naming Test (BNT), Trail Making Test, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test, Visual Object and Space Perception Battery (VOSP), and Tower of London (ToL) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age in the patient group was 73.9 ± 10.6 years, and 47 patients were women (58.7%). FCSRT findings were positively correlated with metabolism in the medial and anterior temporal region bilaterally, the left precuneus, and posterior cingulate. BNT results were correlated with metabolism in the middle temporal, superior, fusiform, and frontal medial gyri bilaterally. VOSP results were related to the occipital and parietotemporal regions bilaterally. ToL scores were correlated to metabolism in the right temporoparietal and frontal regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that different areas of the brain are involved in the processes required to complete different cognitive tests. Ascertaining the functional basis underlying these tests may prove helpful for understanding and interpreting them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: jordimatiasguiu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jordi A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Matías-Guiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María Nieves
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cabrera-Martín
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valles-Salgado
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rognoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moreno-Ramos
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Carreras
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Institute for Health Research (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matías-Guiu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Alzheimer disease; cognition; mild cognitive impairment; neuropsychological assessment; positron emission tomography