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Conceptual apraxia in probable Alzheimer's disease as demonstrated by the Florida Action Recall Test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2000

RONALD L. SCHWARTZ
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Florida at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
JOHN C. ADAIR
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico; Neurology Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
ANASTASIA M. RAYMER
Affiliation:
Department of Child Study and Special Education, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
DAVID J.G. WILLIAMSON
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Neurology Service, Gainesville, Florida
BRUCE CROSSON
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Neurology Service, Gainesville, Florida
LESLIE J.G. ROTHI
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida
STEPHEN E. NADEAU
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Neurology Service, Gainesville, Florida
KENNETH M. HEILMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Neurology Service, Gainesville, Florida

Abstract

Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) often have difficulties associated with semantic knowledge. Therefore, conceptual apraxia, a defect of action semantics and mechanical knowledge, may be an early sign of this disease. The Florida Action Recall Test (FLART), developed to assess conceptual apraxia, consists of 45 line drawings of objects or scenes. The subject must imagine the proper tool to apply to each pictured object or scene and then pantomime its use. Twelve participants with Alzheimer's disease (NINCDS–ADRDA criteria) and 21 age- and education-matched controls were tested. Nine Alzheimer's disease participants scored below a 2-standarddeviation cutoff on conceptual accuracy, and the three who scored above the cutoff were beyond a 2-standard-deviation cutoff on completion time. The FLART appears to be a sensitive measure of conceptual apraxia in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. (JINS, 2000, 6, 265–270.)

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2000 The International Neuropsychological Society

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