BACKGROUND/AIMS:

This study examined functional changes in progressive non-fluent aphasia (PNFA) and logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the association between function, cognition and behaviour.

METHODS:

59 patients were assessed with the Disability Assessment of Dementia (DAD), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) and the Cambridge Behavioural Inventory Revised (CBI-R).

RESULTS:

No differences between groups in basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs), and total ACE-R scores were found; there were correlations between total DAD and ACE-R scores for PNFA and LPA. Over 12 months, PNFA showed the marked decline of basic ADLs, whereas all three groups showed marked decline of instrumental ADLs.

CONCLUSION:

PNFA, LPA and AD appear functionally similar when matched for disease duration. The rate of decline of ADLs depends, however, on disease diagnosis.

Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.