The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test Distinguishes Frontotemporal Dementia From Alzheimer's Disease

• Published in: Archives of clinical neuropsychology Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 670 - 679
• Main Authors: Lemos, R., Duro, D., Simoes, M. R., Santana, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.11.2014
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Alzheimer Disease - diagnosis; Attention - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cues; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Frontotemporal Dementia - diagnosis; Humans; Learning - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests - standards; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Original Empirical Reports; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Techniques and methods; Human; Learning and memory; Evaluation; Nervous system diseases; Free recall; Alzheimer disease; Memory; Neuropsychological test; Assessment; Psychometrics; Cognition; Differential diagnostic; Cued recall; Cerebral disorder; Learning; Acquisition process; Central nervous system disease; Degenerative disease; Frontotemporal dementia; Alzheimer's disease
• ISSN: 0887-6177; 1873-5843; 1873-5843
• DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acu031

Memory impairment is often present in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as a result of an inefficient use of learning strategies, sometimes leading to a misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is a memory test that controls attention and acquisition, by providing category cues in the learning process. The main goal of this study was to show the usefulness of the FCSRT in the distinction between behavioral (bv-) FTD and AD. Three matched subgroups of participants were considered: bv-FTD (n = 32), AD (n = 32), and a control group of healthy adults (n = 32). Results proved that while AD patients exhibited an overall impairment in FCSRT, bv-FTD subjects showed to benefit more from the controlled learning through category cues. AD patients were 25 times more likely to have an impaired FCSRT. The FCSRT has shown its utility in the distinction between bv-FTD and AD, therefore increasing the diagnostic accuracy.