The performance of 16 patients with Alzheimer's
disease (AD) was compared to 11 patients with right-frontotemporal
dementia (FTD) and 11 patients with left-FTD on a comprehensive
neuropsychological battery. Standardized scores (i.e.,
z scores based on normal control data) were analyzed
for 5 cognitive domains. The results revealed that the
AD group displayed significant impairment in visual–constructional
ability relative to the two FTD groups; however, no significant
difference was found between the groups on memory scores
(verbal and nonverbal). Patients with left-FTD scored significantly
below patients with AD on the language measures (e.g.,
word retrieval, verbal semantic memory), and verbal executive
ability (phonemic fluency); AD patients did not differ
from patients with right-FTD on these measures. Patients
with right-FTD exhibited significantly more perseverative
behavior than AD patients; AD patients did not differ from
left-FTD patients on this parameter. These results indicate
that the pattern of neuropsychological performance of AD
patients is distinguishable from patients with left and
right frontal frontotemporal dementia. (JINS,
2001, 7, 468–480)