Functionality and cognitive performance in frontotemporal dementia
| Grant number: | 16/07967-2 |
| Support type: | Regular Research Grants |
| Duration: | August 01, 2016 - January 31, 2019 |
| Field of knowledge: | Humanities - Psychology |
| Principal Investigator: | Monica Sanches Yassuda |
| Grantee: | Monica Sanches Yassuda |
| Home Institution: | Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
| Assoc. researchers: | Artur Martins Novaes Coutinho ; Mario Amore Cecchini ; Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki |
Abstract
Epidemiological studies indicate that the prevalence of dementia will grow more intensely in low and middle income countries. There is great interest in identifying neurocognitive markers that can assist in the early diagnosis of the dementias. The visual short-term memory binding test (VSMB) has been indicated as a promising cognitive marker for identifying pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objectives: Study 1. Assess whether the VSMB test can differentiate cognitively normal elderly (CN) from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD; Study 2. Investigate innovative cognitive tests based on social cognition to support the early diagnosis of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Methods: Study 1: 30 CN individuals, 30 diagnosed with MCI and 30 with AD will be assessed with a neuropsychological battery that will include the VSMB test, applied in its version for tablets. Study 2: 30 CN individuals will be compared to 30 elderly diagnosed with bvFTD and 30 AD patients. The neuropsychological battery will contain the VSMB, laptop version, and social cognition measures: the Mini Social Cognition and Emotional Assessment (Mini-SEA) and the Ultimatum Game paradigm. In all three studies the diagnosis of CN, MCI, AD and bvFTD will be performed by experienced neurologists supported by a multidisciplinary team according to international criteria. These studies are expected to contribute to the early and differential diagnosis of AD and bvFTD by providing innovative cognitive markers so that families can be supported properly during the early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. (AU)