COGNITIVE DECLINE IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE, VASCULAR DEMENTIA AND SENILE DEMENTIA OF LEWY BODY TYPE

One hundred and twenty-four patients with DSM-III-R dementia were asse ssed with a standardized battery which included the Geriatric Mental S tate Schedule, the History and Aetiology Schedule, the Secondary Demen tia Schedule and the CAMCOG. Eighty-nine patients were followed up for 1 year, 76 of whom completed a repeat CAMCOG. Patients with Alzheimer 's disease, vascular dementia and senile dementia of Lewy body type (S DLT) all had a similar degree of cognitive impairment at the time of t he baseline interview. Patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia each experienced a mean decline of 13 points on the CAMCOG in 1 year compared with a mean decline of 27 points in patients with SDL T. Patients with SDLT had a significantly greater decline of verbal fl uency than both the other groups. Women were significantly more impair ed than men at the time of the baseline assessment but experienced a s imilar decline during the year of follow-up.