The dysfunction of the episodic memory are one of the criteria for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia. The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) investigates specifically this kind of deficit and has been designed for discriminating forms of Alzheimer's dementia from other diseases. However, data on the validity of FCSRT available in the literature are still scarce. The purpose of this study was twofold. On one side it was done work on patients to analyze the construct validity of FCSRT in relation to neuropsychological tests of memory commonly used in clinical practice. The study involved the administration of a neuropsychological battery to 3 groups of subjects (patients with Alzheimer's dementia, patients with mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and individuals with subjective memory impairment). In the second part of the study were investigated the neural correlates underlying the processes by FCSRT, using transcranial magnetic stimulation to direct current (tDCS) type cathode applied to the left temporal (T7). The results of the first part of the work show how the test is sensitive in discriminating Alzheimer's dementia compared with subjective complaints of memory and MCI, but is not able to discriminate forms prodromal as the MCI compared to subjective complaints. Moreover, the correlation with the traditional neuropsychological tests is weak. Secondly, it was shown as a focal stimulation to the station temporal of the memory circuit is not able to alter the performance of FCSRT, suggesting that the processes subtended by this test involve widespread areas of the brain.
Le disfunzioni della memoria episodica sono uno dei criteri per la diagnosi di demenza di Alzheimer. Il Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) indaga in maniera specifica questo tipo di deficit ed è stato ideato per discriminare le forme di demenza di tipo Alzheimer da altre patologie. Tuttavia, i dati in merito alla validità del FCSRT disponibili in letteratura sono ancora scarsi. Lo scopo di questo studio è stato duplice. Da un lato è stato svolto un lavoro sui pazienti per analizzare la validità di costrutto del FCSRT in relazione ai test neuropsicologici di memoria comunemente usati nella pratica clinica. Lo studio ha previsto la somministrazione di una batteria neuropsicologica a 3 gruppi di soggetti (pazienti con demenza di Alzheimer, pazienti con Mild Cognitive Impairment [MCI] e individui con disturbo soggettivo di memoria). Nella seconda parte dello studio sono stati indagati i correlati neurali alla base dei processi sottesi da FCSRT, mediante stimolazione magnetica transcranica a corrente diretta (tDCS) di tipo catodico applicata all'area temporale sinistra (T7). I risultati della prima parte del lavoro mostrano come il test sia sensibile nel discriminare la demenza di Alzheimer rispetto ai disturbi soggettivi di memoria e all'MCI, ma non sia in grado di discriminare forme prodromiche come l'MCI rispetto ai disturbi soggettivi. Inoltre, la correlazione con i classici test neuropsicologici è debole. In secondo luogo, è stato dimostrato come una stimolazione focale alla stazione temporale del circuito di memoria non sia in grado di alterare la prestazione all'FCSRT, suggerendo che i processi sottesi da questo test coinvolgano aree cerebrali diffuse.
Analisi della validità di costrutto in relazione al Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT)
PAROLI, MICHELA
2014/2015
Abstract
The dysfunction of the episodic memory are one of the criteria for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia. The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) investigates specifically this kind of deficit and has been designed for discriminating forms of Alzheimer's dementia from other diseases. However, data on the validity of FCSRT available in the literature are still scarce. The purpose of this study was twofold. On one side it was done work on patients to analyze the construct validity of FCSRT in relation to neuropsychological tests of memory commonly used in clinical practice. The study involved the administration of a neuropsychological battery to 3 groups of subjects (patients with Alzheimer's dementia, patients with mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and individuals with subjective memory impairment). In the second part of the study were investigated the neural correlates underlying the processes by FCSRT, using transcranial magnetic stimulation to direct current (tDCS) type cathode applied to the left temporal (T7). The results of the first part of the work show how the test is sensitive in discriminating Alzheimer's dementia compared with subjective complaints of memory and MCI, but is not able to discriminate forms prodromal as the MCI compared to subjective complaints. Moreover, the correlation with the traditional neuropsychological tests is weak. Secondly, it was shown as a focal stimulation to the station temporal of the memory circuit is not able to alter the performance of FCSRT, suggesting that the processes subtended by this test involve widespread areas of the brain.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/10948