Frontal MRI findings associated with impairment oh the executive interview(EXIT25)

We examined the association between the Executive Interview (EXIT25), a bed side measure of executive control, and regional magnetic resonance imaging (MR[) pathology among 52 consecutive geriatric patients presenting to a uni versity dementia assessment clinic, Left frontal (p <.002), left medial (p <.03), right frontal (p <.02), and right medial (p <.02) cortical lesions s ignificantly worsened EXIT25 scores, even after adjusting for age, global c ognitive impairment (our the Mini-Mental State Examination), and the severi ty of cortical dementia on the Qualitative Evaluation of Dementia [QED]. Th e EXIT25's associations with right hemisphere lesions did not persist after adjusting for left frontal lesions. Left posterior lesions did not signifi cantly affect the EXIT25. Similarly, left frontal circuit pathology worsene d EXIT25 scores (p <.05). Pathology in left anterior subcortical structures showed a trend (p =.052). EXIT25 scores were not affected by right subcort ical pathology, nor by pathology in either hippocampus. We conclude that th e EXIT25 is specifically affected by frontal system MRI lesions, particular ly on the left. This conclusion is consistent with earlier functional neuro imaging studies associating EXIT25 performance with left mesiofrontal perfu sion.