Constructional apraxia in Alzheimer's disease: Association with occipital lobe pathology and accelerated cognitive decline

The functional impact and progression of occipital lobe pathology in sporad ic late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is barely explored. It is accepted t hat the primary and association visual areas are affected relatively late, in the neocortical stages of AD. We analysed 60 prospectively assessed AD p atients in whom global cognitive deterioration and constructional apraxia w ere evaluated longitudinally using the CAMDEX. Radioactive immunohistochemi stry was used to assess the amount of AD-related pathology in Brodmann area s 18 and 17. Braak staging of each case was also carried out. This study sh owed that in AD patients constructional apraxia is associated with higher e xpression of hyperphosphorylated tau, Additionally our findings indicate th at early constructional apraxia is a predictor of accelerated cognitive dec line in AD. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG. Basel.