NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN SUBJECTS AT RISK OF INHERITING ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

SUBJECTS from four Mexican families at risk of inheriting Alzheimer's disease (AD) were studied using a complete neuropsychological battery. These tests were repeated and compared 1 year later. Some of the expe rimental subjects belong to an international protocol on molecular chr omosomal study. A control group matched in age and schooling was inclu ded. The subjects at risk underwent a complete physical, neurological and neuropsychological assessment. A neuropsychological battery of cog nitive domains designed for the the study of dementia syndromes was ad ministered to all subjects. Six of the subjects showed abnormal perfor mance in cognitive functions, memory, visuospatial functions or langua ge which persisted 1 year later. The present work describes the initia l findings of a long-term prospective study aimed at delineating the n europsychological profile of subjects at risk and to validate subtle a bnormalities which in some cases could be the incipient changes of AD.