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Executive function: The core feature of dementia?

Bullock, Roger A.; Voss, Sarah

Authors

Roger A. Bullock

Sarah Voss Sarah.Voss@uwe.ac.uk
Professor of Emergency and Critical Care



Abstract

Links between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) have been examined, and this paper investigates the role of executive control function (ECF) within the dementia syndrome. 307 AD patients, 168 VaD patients and 208 controls were compared on tests of cognitive function. Results indicated that controls outperformed both patient groups (p < 0.001) on all tests. AD patients performed more poorly than VaD patients on 11 of the 18 cognitive tests (p < 0.05). Factor analysis of patient data indicated the existence of 3 factors generated from the battery of tests, relating to episodic memory, ECF and face recognition. It was primarily on tests of ECF that the AD and VaD groups did not differ significantly. It is concluded that ECF is a feature of cognition shared by the two pathologies, giving rise to an obligation to reconsider the current understanding of the core cognitive feature of dementia. Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Citation

Bullock, R. A., & Voss, S. (2004). Executive function: The core feature of dementia?. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 18(2), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1159/000079202

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Sep 8, 2004
Journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
Print ISSN 1420-8008
Publisher Karger Publishers
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 18
Issue 2
Pages 207-216
DOI https://doi.org/10.1159/000079202
Keywords dementia, neuropsychology, executive function, cognitive function
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1066146
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000079202