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ORIGINAL
CACHO, ET AL
A PROPOSAL FOR THE APPLICATION AND SCORING OF THE CLOCK DRAWING TEST
IN ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
Summary. Introduction. The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) has been used in recent years as a simple neuropsychological instru-
ment to assess cognitive deterioration associated with dementia, even though uniform operative criteria with respect to its
application and scoring have not been established. Objective. To present application normatives and establish the most relevant
psychometric criteria of the CDT in a sample of healthy subjects (HS) and patients with Alzheimers disease (AD). Patients and
methods. 56 patients were selected of which 35 were female and 21 were male. The patients mean age was 72.7 with a standard
deviation of 7.64. All of whom where probable AD patients according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria at stage 1 CDR. The group
of HS was made up of 56 control subjects (34 female, 22 male) with a mean age of 72.14 and a standard deviation of 7.2. The
CDT was applied in both its command (COM) and copy (COP) experimental conditions. Results. The main psychometric
parameters analysed in the studied series showed the following values: internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha coefficient
0.9029); cut off point CT COM 6 with 92.80, sensitivity; false negatives (FN) 7.2 with a specificity rating 93.48; false positive
(FP) 6.52 with 93.16 efficacy; cut off point CT COP 8 with 73.11 sensitivity; FN 26.89 with 90.58 specificity; FP 9.42 with 82.49
efficacy. Conclusion. The CDT can be used to discriminate between HS and those in the initial stages of AD in the given sample
using the established application and scoring criteria [REV NEUROL 1999; 28: 648-55].
Key words. Alzheimers disease. Clock drawing test. Dementia.
Para realizar las pruebas, se ha citado a los sujetos sanos del grupo control
en la misma sala hospitalaria que los grupos de pacientes.
La realizacin del TR se ha llevado a cabo en dos fases experimentales:
12 test del reloj a la orden (TRO) y test del reloj a la copia (TRC). Todos los
11 1 sujetos han completado las dos fases experimentales en el mismo orden.
Despus de someterlos a la exploracin neurolgica correspondiente, cada
2 paciente ha realizado el TR bajo la condicin de aplicacin a la orden, para
10 pasar posteriormente a efectuar el TR a la copia.
Tabla I. Criterios de puntuacin del test del reloj. Tabla II. Datos demogrficos de los enfermos.
3 puntos: Todos presentes con error significativo en la localizacin Superiores 4 (7,1%) 4 (7,1%)
espacial (p. ej., colocar el nmero 3 en el espacio
del nmero 6)
Tabla III. Medias de las puntuaciones de los tres evaluadores del TR a la Tabla IV. Correlaciones de los tems con la suma de los mismos en las dos
orden y a la copia. condiciones de aplicacin del TR (TRO y TRC).
E3 112 8,0000 1,4720 0,1885 Tabla V. Puntos de corte, sensibilidad, especificidad y eficacia del TR en las
condiciones a la orden, a la copia y orden+copia.
Copia
Test Punto de corte Sensibilidad Especificidad Eficacia
E1 112 9,2131 0,9507 0,1217
TRO 6 92,8 93,5 93,2
E2 112 9,2787 0,8589 0,1100
TRC 8 73,1 90,6 82,5
E3 112 9,1148 0,9678 0,1239
TRO+TRC 15 94,9 90,6 92,6
TRO: test del reloj a la orden; TRC: test del reloj a la copia.
nos pacientes tienden a ubicar la manecilla de los minutos en este pacientes con EA. Con poblacin espaola, en un estudio piloto
ltimo. Sin embargo, la utilizacin de la pauta horaria de las ocho que realizamos previamente tampoco encontramos un efecto del
y veinte, al no existir el nmero veinte en el reloj, implica nece- nivel de escolarizacin sobre la ejecucin del test [16].
sariamente una recodificacin de la informacin, no pudiendo Respecto al sexo tampoco hemos encontrado diferencias es-
medir el error con la misma precisin que cuando empleamos la tadsticamente significativas en consonancia con los hallazgos
posicin de las once y diez. Por ello en nuestro trabajo hemos obtenidos en nuestro estudio anterior [16].
utilizado dicha pauta por considerarla la ms idnea. Por otra parte, la inexistencia de diferencias interobservadores
Como se aprecia en la tabla II, los datos demogrficos de los dos (Tabla III) nos sugiere que es una prueba fcil de puntuar, incluso
grupos estudiados (SC y EA) son equiparables en edad, sexo y nivel por personas sin formacin mdica. Recurdese que de los tres
educacional, por lo que podemos afirmar que son clnica y estads- evaluadores de nuestros controles y pacientes, uno era una ATS
ticamente comparables. y otro un estudiante de COU.
Como se ha indicado anteriormente, no hemos encontrado Por ello compartimos el criterio de Bush et al [56] de que el TR
diferencias estadsticamente significativa entre los controles y los es una prueba ideal para el screening de la demencia en atencin
pacientes en cuanto a los parmetros muestrales edad, sexo o nivel primaria o geriatra.
de escolarizacin. Este hecho nos parece relevante y de gran in- Con respecto a las condiciones de aplicacin del TR, en los
ters ya que, por ejemplo, el MMSE [29], que es una de las pruebas ltimos aos se han distinguido fundamentalmente dos formas: la
de screening ms utilizada para estudiar el deterioro cognitivo primera de ellas es la llamada condicin a la orden, en la que se
asociado a la demencia, est claramente influenciada por la edad solicita a los sujetos que dibujen un reloj analgico sin tener nin-
y el nivel educacional, sobre todo en los casos de demencia inci- gn modelo delante. La segunda es la condicin a la copia,
piente [40-44]. As, el nivel de escolaridad y la edad del sujeto donde los sujetos deben copiar un reloj que se les presenta como
producen falsos positivos en pacientes con bajo grado de escola- modelo. Ambas condiciones de aplicacin se complementan en
ridad o muy viejos, y falsos negativos en enfermos de alto nivel diferentes aspectos cognitivos, aunque difieren en algunas cues-
cultural, siendo mayor el sesgo en estos ltimos [41,45-49]. tiones importantes.
En la literatura no se ha prestado excesiva atencin a la in- La condicin a la orden supone una alta participacin de la
fluencia que la edad tiene sobre las puntuaciones del TR y la capacidad lingstica, necesaria para comprender las instruccio-
consiguiente aparicin de casos de falsos positivos y negativos. nes verbales. Tambin conlleva la participacin de aspectos mn-
Algunos estudios como el de Freedman et al [17] han observando sicos, ya que el paciente debe recordar cmo es un reloj para
un decremento global de las puntuaciones principalmente a partir poderlo dibujar (memoria semntica) y, al mismo tiempo, debe
de los 70 aos. No obstante, en su trabajo estos autores no espe- recordar las instrucciones especficas del reloj que se le pide que
cifican los falsos positivos o negativos que en su caso obtienen, y dibuje (memoria episdica). Por tanto, esta condicin parece ser
se limitan a sealar este decremento global de las puntuaciones especialmente sensible a alteraciones en el lbulo temporal, debi-
principalmente a partir de los 70 aos. do al importante papel que desempea esta regin en los procesos
Nuestro estudio no demuestra influencia de la edad, ni en los de mediatizacin lingstica (lbulo temporal izquierdo) y en la
enfermos ni en los controles, a pesar de la media elevada de nues- memoria (lbulo temporal izquierdo y derecho). Asimismo, pare-
tros sujetos. Estos datos ratifican los previamente publicados por ce ser sensible a alteraciones en los lbulos frontales, implicados
nuestro grupo en un estudio precedente en el cual tampoco obtu- en la ejecucin de la tarea [4]. Por el contrario, la ejecucin del TR
vimos diferencias estadsticamente significativas respecto a la a la copia est ms relacionada con aspectos perceptivos, siendo
edad en un grupo de 58 sujetos sanos con una media de edad de ms sensible a alteraciones del lbulo parietal.
71,11 aos [16]. As pues, las diferencias que pueden apreciarse en la ejecucin
Una de las cuestiones abordadas en algunos estudios es la del TR en funcin de las instrucciones dadas para su realizacin
posible influencia del nivel de formacin acadmica sobre la ejecu- pueden ser de gran importancia. Algunos autores instruyen a los
cin del TR. As, la habilidad de colocar las manecillas marcando pacientes para que dibujen un reloj con la esfera, con todos sus
una determinada pauta horaria, en un reloj dibujado con seales en nmeros y con las agujas en una determinada posicin horaria
lugar de con nmeros, parece estar relacionada con el nivel de es- [31]. Otros no indican la hora que deben marcar las manecillas
colarizacin en sujetos jvenes [50]. Adems, la ejecucin de hasta que no hayan dibujado la esfera y los nmeros, sugiriendo
algunas pruebas que evalan la habilidad de copiar figuras, y que que el hecho de que los pacientes sepan la hora que deben marcar
parecen reflejar habilidades visuoespaciales, guardan relacin con las agujas antes de dibujar los nmeros puede interferir en la eje-
el nivel de escolarizacin. En diversos estudios [51-53] se ha cucin de la prueba [16]. Por ejemplo, si antes de comenzar el
observado que la ejecucin del TR en adultos sanos de mediana dibujo le decimos al paciente que el reloj debe marcar las once y
edad se encuentra afectada por el nivel de formacin acadmica, diez, podra empezar a dibujar los nmeros a partir del once,
aunque estos autores reconocen que la muestra de sujetos partici- doce, uno, dos... en vez de empezar a partir del doce, lo que podra
pantes en su estudio no es representativa de la poblacin general. inducirle a una errnea localizacin espacial.
En este sentido, Marcopolus et al [54] tambin han detectado en La mayora de los evaluadores permiten que el sujeto dibuje
un grupo de ancianos que el nivel educacional parece predecir la libremente el reloj siguiendo las pautas que se le indican. Sin
ejecucin de pruebas de evaluacin cognitiva como el TR o el embargo, ciertos autores prefieren presentar al sujeto la esfera del
MMSE, aunque en este caso tampoco se explicitan los criterios de reloj dibujada para que l mismo site los nmeros y las maneci-
seleccin de la muestra como representativa de la poblacin sana llas [11]. Segn ellos, si no presentamos la esfera a los pacientes,
de su edad. No obstante, en un estudio muy reciente, Solomon et algunos de stos podran dibujarla demasiado grande o asimtri-
al [55] no han hallado un efecto del nivel de escolarizacin ni de ca, llegando en algunos casos a interferir en la correcta ubicacin
la edad al aplicar el TR junto a otras pruebas de evaluacin cog- de los nmeros. Freedman et al [4] aconsejan que los pacientes
nitiva a una muestra de sujetos ancianos sanos comparada con dibujen todo el reloj, y que slo se les presente la esfera dibujada
a aquellos que tengan grandes dificultades para trazarla adecuada- Tuokko et al [59] aplicaron la condicin del test a la orden,
mente (porque la dibujen muy pequea, distorsionada, o simple- presentando tambin la esfera dibujada y con la pauta horaria las
mente no la dibujen). once y diez. Establecieron una escala de 31 puntos, que previa-
Los escasos estudios en los que se ha propuesto un punto de mente haban utilizado en otro estudio [60], y consideraron un
corte para discriminar sujetos con demencia de aquellos que no la punto de corte de dos errores (es decir, la identificacin de errores
padecen, estn realizados con muestras de poblaciones extranjeras, en dos o ms componentes del reloj), obteniendo una especifici-
fundamentalmente norteamericanas. Por este motivo consideramos dad del 92% y una sensibilidad del 86% para discriminar entre
que es de gran inters comenzar a establecer unos criterios de apli- sujetos sanos y pacientes con EA.
cacin y correccin para muestras de pacientes en nuestro entorno. Wolf-Klein et al [21] presentaron unos valores de sensibilidad
Hemos obtenido un valor de correlacin considerablemente del 86,7% y una especificidad del 92,7% al aplicar el TR a la
alto (coeficiente alfa de Cronbach de 0,9029), lo que nos indica orden para discriminar entre sujetos sanos y pacientes con EA.
que el test ofrece una alta consistencia interna, y por tanto supone Los diferentes valores de sensibilidad y especificidad obtenidos
que la sola aplicacin de una parte del test a la orden o a la copia en los trabajos anteriores pueden deberse a una falta de homogenei-
nos dar una informacin relevante por s misma para discriminar dad de las muestras y a la utilizacin de diferentes criterios de
entre sujetos sanos y pacientes con demencia, aunque en estadios aplicacin y evaluacin de la prueba. No obstante, Brodaty et al [61]
poco avanzados de la enfermedad la condicin a la orden parece han comparado los mtodos de puntuacin de Shulman, Sunderland
ser de utilidad en la clnica. Sin embargo, hemos utilizado el TR y de Wolf-Klein y han obtenido una alta correlacin entre las pun-
en las dos condiciones, a la orden y a la copia, sucesivamente tuaciones obtenidas y la presencia de deterioro cognitivo que pade-
y en este orden para poder obtener una informacin adicional de cen los pacientes con EA, en los tres mtodos aplicados.
aspectos cualitativos. En el TR a la copia hemos obtenido un punto de corte de 8
En la aplicacin del TRO hemos obtenido un punto de corte sobre una escala de 10 puntos (2 puntos por encima de la condicin
de 6 (sobre una escala de 10 puntos). Este punto corresponde a una a la orden). Probablemente la obtencin de un mayor punto de
sensibilidad del 92,8%, es decir, el test descarta la demencia en corte en el TRC que en el TRO puede estar relacionada con el
dicho porcentaje de sujetos sanos. Obtenemos, adems, una espe- hecho de que copiar el reloj de un modelo presentado implica una
cificidad del 93,48%, es decir, que dicho porcentaje de sujetos con menor participacin de aspectos conceptuales relacionados con la
demencia poseen una puntuacin inferior a 6. red de procesamiento semntico, la cual presenta alteraciones
Sunderland et al [20] consideraron el valor de 6 como punto de incluso en estadios incipientes de la enfermedad [38].
corte ideal (para una escala total de 10 puntos) en la aplicacin del TR La sensibilidad de la prueba disminuye notablemente al apli-
a la orden. Observaron que slo un 3,6% de sujetos sanos obtenan car slo el TRC, situndose en nuestro caso en un valor de 73,11%.
una puntuacin inferior a 6 frente a un 78% de pacientes con EA. No De igual forma, disminuye la especificidad respecto a la condi-
obstante, el sistema de puntuacin utilizado por estos autores es acu- cin a la orden en algo ms de 3 puntos; sin embargo, obtenemos
mulativo; en cambio, el empleado en nuestro trabajo incluye la suma una especificidad del cien por cien cuando la puntuacin es infe-
de tres puntuaciones parciales (esfera, nmeros y manecillas), lo que rior a 5. Parece evidenciarse que la aplicacin del TRO nos ofrece
permite una mayor flexibilidad en el establecimiento de la puntuacin ms garantas psicomtricas que el TRC para los puntos de corte
global. Adems, Sunderland et al establecieron el punto de corte de que hemos obtenido.
forma arbitraria, mientras que en nuestro caso hemos elegido aquel Hemos analizado conjuntamente los resultados de las dos
que proporciona mejores criterios psicomtricos. condiciones del TR y hemos obtenido un punto de corte de 15
Watson et al [57] aplicaron el TR en la condicin a la orden, (sobre una escala de 20 puntos). Podemos observar un discreto
pero presentando a los pacientes la esfera dibujada y sin sugerirles incremento de la sensibilidad (2,1 puntos) respecto a la aplicacin
ninguna pauta horaria. Establecieron un sistema de evaluacin de del TR slo a la orden, aunque al mismo tiempo disminuye en 3
10 puntos en el que slo analizaban la ubicacin de los nmeros puntos la especificidad. En este caso obtenemos una especificidad
en los cuatro cuadrantes del reloj; consideraron como punto de del cien por cien cuando la puntuacin es inferior a 10, y la mxi-
corte el 4, y obtuvieron una sensibilidad del 87% y una especifi- ma sensibilidad cuando la puntuacin es superior a 16. No hay, por
cidad del 82% para discriminar entre pacientes con demencia y tanto, una diferencia psicomtrica relevante entre la aplicacin
sujetos sanos. No obstante, otros autores consideran que la colo- del TRO y de la aplicacin conjunta de las dos condiciones. No
cacin de las manecillas est menos condicionada por aspectos obstante justificamos la aplicacin de las dos condiciones del test
educacionales que la ubicacin espacial de los nmeros [27,28]. porque nos permite aumentar la informacin que obtenemos si
Adems, al no tener en cuenta la colocacin de las manecillas en realizamos un minucioso anlisis cualitativo de la prueba.
una determinada pauta horaria, podemos perder una informacin En resumen, de los resultados anteriores podemos deducir que
valiosa para el diagnstico de la demencia, fundamentalmente en el TRO presenta un valor de eficacia para su punto de corte (93,16%)
estadios menos avanzados de la enfermedad. superior al correspondiente al TRC (82,49%), para discriminar
Lee et al [58] obtuvieron una sensibilidad del 67% utilizando entre sujetos con y sin demencia. Ello, adems, queda apoyado por
los mismos criterios que Sunderland et al. Dicha sensibilidad la obtencin de un mayor valor predictivo positivo en la condicin
aumenta en estadios avanzados de la enfermedad. No obstante, del TRO que en la condicin a la copia.
estos autores encontraron que el TR no discriminaba fcilmente Por tanto, el TR, con los criterios de aplicacin y puntuacin
entre sujetos sanos y pacientes con EA muy incipiente. utilizados, muestra una buena capacidad como instrumento neu-
En nuestra muestra, para obtener una sensibilidad del cien por ropsicolgico de screening para orientar la evaluacin del deterio-
cien debemos considerar slo a aquellos sujetos que obtienen una ro cognitivo asociado a la demencia en la muestra estudiada.
puntuacin superior a 8, mientras que una especificidad del cien Podemos concluir que el TR permite discriminar entre sujetos
por cien se consigue seleccionando a los pacientes que obtienen sin deterioro cognitivo y pacientes en estadio incipiente de EA con
una puntuacin igual o inferior a 3. los criterios de aplicacin y puntuacin utilizados.
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Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimers disease: report of NINCDS-ADRDA inadequate norms: a study of healthy, rural, older adults with limited
Work Group under auspices of Department of Health and Human Servic- education. Clin Neuropsychol 1997; 11: 111-31
es Task Force on Alzheimers disease. Neurology 1984; 34: 939-44. 55. Solomon PR, Hirschoff A, Kelly B, Relin M, Brush M, DeVeaux RD,
27. Hughes CP, Berg L, Danziger WL, et al A new clinical scale for the et al. A 7 minute neurocognitive screening battery highly sensitive to
staging of dementia. Br J Psychiatry 1982; 140: 566-72. Alzheimers disease. Arch Neurol 1998; 55: 349-55.
28. The Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of 56. Bush C, Kozak J, Elmslie T. Screening for cognitive impairment in
Neurology. Practice parameters for diagnosis and evaluation of de- the elderly. Can Fam Physician 1997; 43: 1763-8.
mentia. Neurology 1994; 44: 2203-6. 57. Watson YI, Arfken CL, Birge SJ. Clock completion: an objective
29. Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. Mini-mental state: a practical screening test for dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 1993; 41: 1235-40.
58. Lee H, Swanwick GR, Coen RF, Lawlor BA. Use of the clock drawing 60. Tuokko H, Horton A, Hadjistavropoulos T, et al. The clock test: man-
task in the diagnosis of mild and very mild Alzheimers disease. Int ual for administration and scoring. Vancouver: University Hospital
Psychogeriatr 1996; 8: 469-76. UBC Site; 1990.
59. Tuokko H, Hadjistavropoulus T, Miller JA, Beattic BL. The clock test: 61. Brodaty H, Moore CM. The clock drawing test for dementia of the
a sensitive measure to differentiate normal elderly from those with Alzheimers type: a comparison of three scoring methods in a memory
Alzheimers disease. J Am Geriatr Soc 1992; 40: 579-84. disorders clinic. Intern J Geriatr Psychiatry 1997; 12: 619-27.
Test Orientacin
Test Memoria
Diciembre Noviembre Octubre Septiembre Agosto Julio Junio Mayo Abril Marzo Febrero - Enero
1
Test del Reloj
1 Slo nmeros 1 al 12
2 Los nmeros siguen secuencia correcta
3 Los nmeros se sitan en posicin correcta
4 Presencia de 2 manecillas
5 La hora (11) est bien sealada
6 Los minutos (n 2) estn bien sealados
7 Las manecillas tienen proporcin correcta
PUNTUACIN 7-MINUTOS
2
ADDENBROOKES COGNITIVE EXAMINATION ACE-III
Versin espaola
Versin original: Hsieh S, Schubert S, Hoon C, Mioshi E, Hodges JR. Validation of the Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination
III in Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimers Disease. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2013;36:242-250 (disponible en
www.neura.edu.au).
Versin espaola: Matas-Guiu JA, Fernndez de Bobadilla R, et al. Validation of the Spanish version of Addenbrookes
Cognitive Examination III for diagnosing dementia. Neurologa 2014. Doi:10.1016/j.nrl.2014.05.004
Nombre: Hospital:
ATENCIN
Preguntar: Atencin
En qu ao En qu mes En qu Qu da de Qu da del [0-5]
estamos? estamos? estacin del la semana es mes es hoy?
ao hoy?
estamos?
ATENCIN
Decir: Voy a darle tres palabras y quiero que las repita cuando yo haya Atencin
terminado: LIMN, TREN Y PELOTA. Despus de que las haya repetido, [0-3]
decirle: Intente recordarlas porque luego se las volver a preguntar.
Puntuar slo el primer intento (repetir 3 veces si es necesario).
Registrar el nmero de ensayos:
ATENCIN
Decir: Desde el nmero 100, vaya restando de 7 en 7 hasta que yo le Atencin
diga. Si el sujeto comete un error, no detenerle. Considerar el nmero de [0-5]
operaciones que ha realizado correctamente (por ejemplo: 93, 84, 77, 70, 63:
puntuar 4).
Detener despus de 5 sustracciones (93, 86, 79, 72, 65):
MEMORIA
Preguntar: Qu tres palabras le ped que repitiera y recordara?. Memoria
[0-3]
MEMORIA
Decir: A continuacin le voy a decir un nombre y una direccin. Voy a Memoria
pedirle que lo repita despus de mi. Vamos a repetirlo durante 3 veces para [0-7]
que pueda aprenderlo, y ms tarde se lo volver a preguntar.
Puntuar el tercer intento.
1er intento 2 intento 3er intento
Carlos Vidal _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Calle Castillo 73 ___ _____ ___ ___ ____ ___ ___ _____ ___
Pedraza _________
________
_________
Segovia _________ ________ _________
MEMORIA
Quin es el Presidente del Gobierno? Memoria
Quin fue el primer Presidente de la democracia? [0-4]
Quin es el Presidente de Estados Unidos?
Qu Presidente de Estados Unidos fue asesinado en los aos 60?
LENGUAJE
Colocar un lpiz y un trozo de papel en frente del sujeto. Como una prueba Lenguaje
de prctica, pedir al sujeto Coja el papel y luego el lpiz. [0-3]
Si es incorrecto, puntuar 0 y no continuar.
Si es correcto, seguir con las rdenes siguientes:
-Pedir al sujeto Coloque el papel encima del lpiz.
-Pedir al sujeto: Coja el lpiz pero no el papel.
-Pedir al sujeto: Deme el lpiz despus de tocar el papel.
Nota: colocar el lpiz y el papel en frente del sujeto despus de cada orden.
LENGUAJE
Pedir al sujeto que escriba dos (o ms) oraciones completas sobre sus Lenguaje
ltimas vacaciones/fin de semana/Navidades. Debe escribir frases completas [0-2]
y no utilizar abreviaturas. Puntuar 1 si el sujeto escribe dos (o ms) oraciones
completas sobre un tema; y otro punto si la gramtica y ortografa son
correctas.
LENGUAJE
Pedir al sujeto repetir: cucaracha; excentricidad; ininteligible; Lenguaje
estadstico. Puntuar 2 si todas son correctas; 1 si 3 son correctas; 0 si 2 o [0-2]
menos son correctas.
Lenguaje
Pedir al sujeto que repita: No es oro todo lo que reluce [0-1]
Lenguaje
Pedir al sujeto que repita: Ms vale prevenir que curar [0-1]
LENGUAJE
Lenguaje
[0-12]
Pedir al sujeto que denomine los dibujos siguientes:
LENGUAJE
Utilizando los dibujos anteriores, pedir que el sujeto: Lenguaje
-Seale cul se asocia a la monarqua. [0-4]
-Seale cul es un reptil.
-Seale cul se encuentra en la Antrtida.
-Seale cul se relaciona con la navegacin.
LENGUAJE
Pedir al sujeto que lea las siguientes palabras: (Puntuar 1 slo si todas son Lenguaje
correctas) [0-1]
Hollywood
Vedette
Blues
Tour
A capella
HABILIDADES VISUOESPACIALES
Visuoespacial
[0-1]
Pedir al sujeto que copie este diagrama.
Visuoespacial
Pedir al sujeto que copie este dibujo (para puntuar, consultar el manual del [0-2]
test)
Visuoespacial
Reloj: pedir al sujeto que dibuje la esfera de un reloj con los nmeros y las [0-5]
agujas marcando las cinco y diez (para puntuar, consultar el manual del test:
esfera=1; nmeros=2; agujas=2 si todas correctas)
HABILIDADES VISUOESPACIALES
Visuoespacial
[0-4]
Pedir al sujeto que cuente los puntos sin tocarlos.
HABILIDADES VISUOESPACIALES
Visuoespacial
[0-4]
Pedir al sujeto que identifique las letras.
MEMORIA
Ahora dgame lo que recuerde sobre el nombre y la direccin que estuvimos repitiendo al
principio
Carlos Vidal _________ ___________ Memoria
Calle Castillo 73 ______ _________ _____ [0-7]
Pedraza ____________
Segovia ____________
MEMORIA
Este test debe realizarse si el sujeto ha fallado al recordar uno o ms de los Memoria
tems anteriores. Si todos los tems han sido recordados, puntuar 5 y omitir [0-5]
este test. Si ha sido recordado parcialmente, marcar con una cruz los tems
recordados en la columna sombreada de la derecha. Posteriormente,
preguntar por los tems no recordados dicindole al sujeto: De acuerdo, le
dar varias posibilidades: el nombre era X, Y o Z?, y as sucesivamente.
Cada tem correctamente reconocido suma 1 punto a los tems recordados
espontneamente.
Eduardo Vidal Carlos Vidal Carlos Bernal recordado
Avenida Castillo Calle Torre Calle Castillo recordado
37 73 76 recordado
Torrecilla Pedraza Seplveda recordado
Segovia Soria vila recordado
PUNTUACIONES
PUNTUACIN TOTAL ACE-III /100
Atencin /18
Memoria /26
Fluencia /14
Lenguaje /26
Visuoespacial /16
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
The Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) is a brief cognitive test that assesses five cognitive domains:
attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial abilities. The ACE-III replaces the previous
Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination-Revised and was developed at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA;
www.neura.edu.au). The total score is 100 with higher scores indicating better cognitive functioning. Administration
of the ACE-III takes, on average, 15 minutes and scoring takes about 5 minutes.
The Mini-ACE (M-ACE) is a shorter version of the ACE-III, and it was developed for use in settings where
administration of the full ACE-III is not practical. The total score of the M-ACE is 30, with higher scores indicating
better cognitive performance. The administration of the M-ACE takes approximately 5 minutes, and scoring should
not take longer than 1-2 minutes.
These instructions have been designed in order to make the questions and their scoring clear for the tester. Please
read them carefully before giving the test. If possible, leave the scoring until the end of the session, since the
participant will not be able to check whether the tester is ticking for correct answers or crossing for wrong ones. This
might avoid anxiety, which can disturb the participants performance on the test.
To download the ACE-III and M-ACE, as well as updates on publications and language translations, please go to the
following website: http://www.neura.edu.au/frontier/research
Administration: Ask the participant for the day, date, month, year, season as well as the name of the hospital (or
building, or number if an address), floor (or room, or street if an address), town, county and country.
Scoring: Score 1 point for each correct answer. A mistake of 2 days is allowed for the date (e.g., 5th when the
actual date is the 7th). If the participant says 23rd of the 3rd, then prompt for the name of the month. If the
participant is at home, ask for the name of the place such as the apartment complex/retirement village and, for the
floor, you might ask for the name of the room (e.g., kitchen, living room, etc). If at a single storey health setting, you
could ask about a local landmark. When the season is changing (e.g., at the end of August) and the participant says,
Autumn then ask, could it be another season? If the answer is Summer, give 1 point since the two seasons are
in transition. Do not give 1 point if the answer is Winter or Spring. If participants come from another county,
orientation for suburb can be scored somewhat more liberally.
Seasons: Spring March, April, May; Summer June, July, August; Autumn September, October, November;
Winter December, January, February.
For aphasic patients: Allow patients to write down their answer, if unable to give verbal responses.
Please note for M-ACE scoring, add only the day, date, month and year. Do not include Season. Score 0 to 4.
Administration: Ask the participant to repeat and remember the three words. Speak slowly. Repeat the words if
necessary but up to a maximum of 3 times only. Tell the participant that you will ask for this information later.
Scoring: Score the first attempt only. Record the number of trials it takes to learn all 3 words.
Administration: Ask the participant to subtract 7 from 100, record the answer, and then ask the participant to keep
subtracting 7 from each new number until you ask them to stop. Stop the participant after 5 subtractions.
Scoring: Record responses and do not stop the participant if they make a mistake. Allow them to carry on and
check subsequent answers for scoring (e.g., 92, 85, 79, 72, 65 score = 3).
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
Administration: Ask the participant to recall the words that you asked them to repeat and remember earlier.
Scoring: Record responses and score 1 point for each correct item. Do not prompt the participant for the items.
Administration: Tell the participant: Im going to give you a letter of the alphabet and Id like you to generate as
many words as you can beginning with that letter, but not names of people or places. For example, if I give you the
letter C, you could give me words like cat, cry, clock and so on. But, you cant give me words like Catherine or
Canada. Do you understand? Are you ready? You have one minute. The letter I want you to use is the letter P.
Scoring: First, record the total number of words that the participant generates. Then, count the total number of
correct words, which do not include: (1) repetitions, (2) perseverations (e.g., pay, paid, pays score = 1), (3)
intrusions (i.e., words beginning with other letters), (4) proper names (i.e., names of people or places) and (5) plurals
(e.g., pot, pots total = 2, correct = 1). Use the table provided on the ACE-III sheet to obtain the final score for this
test.
Administration: Tell the participant: Now can you name as many animals as possible. It can begin with any letter.
Scoring: Again, record the total number of animals that the participant generates. Then, count the total number of
correct words, which do not include higher order categories when specific exemplars are given (e.g., fish followed
by salmon and trout total = 3; correct = 2). No points are given for different sex/genders are given for the same
type of animal (e.g., deer followed by doe, fawn, stag scores only 1 point). All types of animals are accepted,
including insects, humans, prehistoric, extinct as well as mythical creatures (e.g., unicorn). If the participant
misunderstands the instructions and perseverates by naming animals beginning with p (e.g., panda, possum,
platypus etc), then reiterate to the participant that they should name animals beginning with any letter.
Administration: Instruct the participant: Im going to give you a name and address and Id like you to repeat the
name and address after me. So you have a chance to learn, well be doing that 3 times. Ill ask you the name and
address later. If the participant starts repeating along with you, ask them to wait until you give it in full.
Scoring: Record responses for each trial but only responses in the third trial contributes to the ACE-III score (0-
7points).
Administration: Ask the participant for the name of the current Prime Minister, the woman who was Prime Minister,
the president of the USA and the president of the USA who was assassinated in the 1960s.
Scoring: Score 1 point each. Allow surnames (e.g., Obama) and ask for a surname if only the first name is given
(e.g., Maggie). If the full name given is incorrect (e.g., June Thatcher), then the score would be 0. If there has
been a recent change in leaders, probe for the name of the outgoing politician.
Administration: Place a pencil and a piece of paper in front of the participant. As a practice trial, ask the participant
to pick up the pencil and then the paper. If this is incorrectly performed, score 0 and do not continue any further.
Otherwise, continue onwards with the three other commands listed on the protocol. Before beginning each trial,
always place the pencil and piece of paper in front of the participant.
Scoring: A score of 1 is given for each command performed correctly.
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
Administration: Ask the participant to write two sentences and suggest a few topics (e.g., recent holiday, hobbies,
family or childhood) if they are unable to come up with anything to write. Importantly, if the participant writes only one
sentence, prompt for a second.
Scoring: Sentences must have a subject and a verb. We are looking for spelling and grammar errors. Sentences do
not need to be about the same topic; they can be unrelated. If a patient can only write one sentence, despite
prompting, then this will be penalized.
2 Two sentences with no errors in grammar or spelling. Note that sentences do not need to be centred
on the one topic.
Administration: Ask the participant to repeat each word after you, saying only one word at a time.
Scoring: If the repetition does not sound normal (e.g., halting, laboured, slurred) then it is incorrect. Only the first
attempt is scored. Score 2 if all words are correct; 1 if only 3 are correct; 0 if 2 or less are correct.
Note: Following the repetition of each proverb, the examiner may wish to ask the participant What does this proverb
mean? or How would you explain this proverb to someone who has not heard it before? This additional measure
can aid the clinician in the qualitative assessment of verbal abstract thinking.
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
Administration: Ask the participant to point to the pictures according to the statement read. Do not provide any
feedback regarding the word meaning.
Scoring: Score 1 point for each item. Self-corrections are allowed.
Score = 0
Score = 1
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
Score = 1
Score = 2
Administration: Ask the participant to draw a clock face with numbers on it. When he/she has finished, ask them to
put the hands at ten past five. If the participant does not like their first drawing and would like to do it again, you
can allow for that and score the second clock. Participants may correct their mistakes by erasing it while drawing.
Scoring: The following scoring criteria are used below to give a total of 5 points.
Numbers 2 points if all numbers are included within the circle and numbers are evenly distributed. A slight
rotation to the overall clock face is acceptable.
1 point if all numbers are included but the numbers are either outside of the circle or the numbers are
unevenly spaced
0 points if not all numbers are included
Hands 2 points if both hands are drawn, lengths are correct and placed on correct numbers (you might ask
which one is the small and big one)
1 point if both hands are drawn and placed on the correct numbers but lengths are incorrect
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
1 point if both hands are drawn but only one hand is placed on the correct number and drawn with
correct length
0 points if two hands are drawn but both lengths incorrect and one number is correct
0 point if two hands are drawn but both lengths and numbers are incorrect
0 point if one hand is drawn
Circle (1); not clear that all numbers are Circle (1); one hand placed on the Circle (1); all the numbers but
present (0); not clear where the hands correct number and has the correct not placed inside the circle (1)
are positioned length (1)
Circle (1); all the numbers but not Circle (1); all the numbers present and Circle (1); numbers are not
placed inside the circle (1); two hands proportionally distributed (a slight inside the circle and there are
with one number correct but lengths rotation of the whole clock face is OK) 2 number 10s (0); hands
are even (0) (2); one hand only (0) placed correctly and correct
lengths (2)
Circle (1); numbers are unevenly Circle (1); all the numbers but not Circle (1); numbers are
spaced (1); one hand placed correctly proportionally distributed (1); both proportionally distributed (2);
and has the correct length (1) hands placed correctly and has the one hand placed correctly and
correct length (2) has the correct length (1)
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
Score 5
Circle (1); numbers proportionally distributed on both halves of the clock face (2); hands placed correctly (2)
Administration: Ask the participant for the number of dots in each square. The participant is not allowed to point.
Scoring: Score 1 point for each correct answer. Correct answers: 8, 10, 9 and 7.
Administration: Ask the participant to identify the letter in each square. The participant is allowed to point.
Scoring: Score 1 point for each correct answer. Correct answers: K, M, T and A.
For aphasic patients: If the participant is unable to say the number of dots or letter name, allow them to write their
answer. For the letter, allow them to say the correct letter sounds (e.g., mmm).
Administration: Say to the participant: Now tell me what you remember of that name and address we were
repeating at the beginning.
Scoring: Score 1 point for each item recalled, using the score guide provided in the test.
Harry Barnes
73 Orchard Close
Kingsbridge
Devon
Example: 1a
Harry Bond 1+0
78 Orchard Close 0+1+1
Kingsbury 0
. 0 Score 3/7
Example: 2a
Harry Barnes 1+1
73 Kingsbridge Close 1+0+1
. 0
Devon 1 Score 5/7
Example: 3a
Harry Bond 1+0
33 Kingsbury Way 0+0+0
Kingsbridge Close 0+0
Cambridge 0
Devon 1 Score 2/7
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
Administration: This condition is given to participants if they fail to recall one or more items in the Recall condition.
This task is given to allow the participant a chance to recognise items that he/she could not recall. If all of the items
in the name and address are correctly recalled, this condition is not needed and the participant automatically scores
5 points. However, many participants will recall only parts of the name and address. First, tick the correctly
remembered items on the shaded column (right hand side) and then tell the participant, Let me give you some hints.
Was it x, y or z? and so on.
Scoring: Every item recognised correctly scores 1 point. Add the correctly recalled and recognised item to give a
total of 5 points for this condition.
Scoring: Sum the items for each of the five domains (attention, memory, fluency, language and visuospatial) to give
the Domain Scores for the ACE-III. The Total ACE-III score (/100) consists of the sum of the five domain scores.
Sum together the shaded boxes for the Mini-ACE score (/30). Note: The Orientation score for the Mini-ACE is scored
out of a maximum of 4 only; the Season item is not included.
For the ACE-III, the same cut-off scores as the ACE-R of 88 and 82 out of 100 are recommended for suspicion of
dementia. Similarly, cut-off scores of 25 and 21 out of 30 are recommended for the M-ACE. The cut-off that is used
depends on the sensitivity and specificity required for the context in which these measures are implemented (e.g.
Updated 30/10/2014
ACE-III and M-ACE English Guide 2014
clinical or research settings). See table below for details regarding the sensitivity and specificity of these cut-off
scores.
ACE-III
88 1.00 0.96
82 0.93 1.00
M-ACE
25 0.85 0.87
21 0.61 1.00
Updated 30/10/2014
The FAB: A frontal assessment battery at bedside
B. Dubois, A. Slachevsky, I. Litvan and B. Pillon
Neurology 2000;55;1621-1626
The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is
located on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/55/11/1621
Neurology is the official journal of AAN Enterprises, Inc. A bi-monthly publication, it has been
published continuously since 1951. Copyright 2000 by AAN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
Print ISSN: 0028-3878. Online ISSN: 1526-632X.
Article abstractObjective: To devise a short bedside cognitive and behavioral battery to assess frontal lobe functions.
Methods: The designed battery consists of six subtests exploring the following: conceptualization, mental flexibility, motor
programming, sensitivity to interference, inhibitory control, and environmental autonomy. It takes approximately 10
minutes to administer. The authors studied 42 normal subjects and 121 patients with various degrees of frontal lobe
dysfunction (PD, n 24; multiple system atrophy, n 6; corticobasal degeneration, n 21; progressive supranuclear
palsy, n 47; frontotemporal dementia, n 23). Results: The Frontal Assessment Battery scores correlated with the
Mattis Dementia Rating Scale scores (rho 0.82, p 0.01) and with the number of criteria (rho 0.77, p 0.01) and
perseverative errors (rho 0.68, p 0.01) of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. These variables accounted for 79% of the
variance in a stepwise multiple regression, whereas age or Mini-Mental State Examination scores had no significant
influence. There was good interrater reliability ( 0.87, p 0.001), internal consistency (Cronbachs coefficient alpha
0.78), and discriminant validity (89.1% of cases correctly identified in a discriminant analysis of patients and controls).
Conclusion: The Frontal Assessment Battery is easy to administer at bedside and is sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction.
NEUROLOGY 2000;55:16211626
Assessing frontal lobe function and thus being able and patients with various degrees of executive dys-
to identify a dysexecutive syndrome are helpful for function, and 3) interrater reliability.
the diagnosis and prognosis of brain diseases such as
frontotemporal dementias1 and for evaluation of the Methods. Description of the Frontal Assessment Battery
severity of brain injuries. It can also help to identify (FAB). According to current theories, the frontal lobes
vascular dementias2 and parkinsonian disorders, control conceptualization and abstract reasoning, mental
particularly progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), in flexibility, motor programming and executive control of ac-
which the presence of frontal lobe dysfunction sup- tion, resistance to interference, self-regulation, inhibitory
ports the diagnosis.3 It may also be useful for differ- control, and environmental autonomy.6,10-14 Each of these
entiating between degenerative disorders involving processes is needed for elaborating appropriate goal-
subcortical structures and for evaluating the pro- directed behaviors and for adapting the subjects response
gression of these disorders over time.4 to new or challenging situationsfunctions that are medi-
The functions of the frontal lobes are difficult to ated by the prefrontal cortex. For that reason, the designed
battery consists of six subtests, each exploring one of the
assess clinically. There is no test that reliably identi-
aforementioned functions related to the frontal lobes.
fies a dysexecutive syndrome.5 In practice, extensive
Moreover, these subtests were chosen because the score of
neuropsychological batteries are needed to assess the
each of them significantly correlated with frontal metabo-
frontal lobe processes.6,7 Given the modular func-
lism, as measured in terms of the regional distribution of
tional organization of the frontal lobes,8,9 searching 18-fluorodeoxyglucose in a PET study of patients with
for a possible dysexecutive syndrome requires time- frontal lobe damage of various etiologies.9 The processes
consuming tests exploring functions associated with studied and the corresponding subtests of the FAB are
different frontal areas. Therefore, there is a need for a presented below. The content, instructions and scoring of
brief tool exploring different domains of executive func- each subtest are provided in the Appendix. The total scores
tion that are impaired in several neurologic diseases. are calculated by adding the notes of the six subtests. The
We devised a bedside battery to assess the pres- overall duration of the battery is approximately 10
ence and severity of a dysexecutive syndrome affect- minutes.
ing both cognition and motor behavior, and to
evaluate it for 1) content and concurrent validity, 2) 1. Conceptualization: Abstract reasoning is impaired in
discriminant validity, comparing normal controls frontal lobe lesions.11 This function is currently investi-
From INSERM EPI 007 and Fdration de Neurologie (Drs. Dubois, Slachevsky, and Pillon), Hpital de la Salptrire, Paris, France; and Cognitive
Neuropharmacology Unit (Dr. Litvan), Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD.
Supported by INSERM. Funded by a grant from Mideplan-Chile (A.S.).
Received June 12, 2000. Accepted in final form September 13, 2000.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Bruno Dubois, Fdration de Neurologie, Hpital de la Salptrire, 47 Boulevard de lHpital, 75651
Paris cedex 13, France; e-mail: b.dubois@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
Values are presented as mean SD. Significantly different at p 0.05 for: acontrols and patients; bfrontotemporal dementia (FTD) and
corticobasal degeneration (CBD) patients; cPD and CBD patients; dprogressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and CBD patients; eFTD and
multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients; fPSP and MSA patients; gPD and PSP patients; hFTD and PSP patients; iPD and FTD pa-
tients; jPD and MSA patients.
MMSE Mini-Mental State Examination; DRS Dementia Rating Scale; FAB Frontal Assessment Battery.
gated by card-sorting tasks, proverb interpretation, or tend to execute echopractic movements, imitating the
similarities.15 The last task is easier for bedside assess- examiner.14
ment and scoring. Subjects have to conceptualize the Inhibitory control: Withholding a response may be
links between two objects from the same category (e.g., difficult for patients with damage to the ventral part of
an apple and a banana). Patients with frontal lobe dys- the frontal lobes.21 In tasks anticipated to elicit a false-
function may be unable to establish an abstract link alarm motor response, these patients are often unable
between the items (i.e., fruit), adhering to the concrete to inhibit inappropriate responses.22 This difficulty in
aspects of objects (i.e., both are yellow), or may be un- controlling impulsiveness can be assessed with the
able to establish a link of similarity (i.e., one is round gono go paradigm,23 in which the subjects must inhibit
but the other is elongated). a response that was previously given to the same stim-
2. Mental flexibility: Patients with frontal lobe lesions are ulus, e.g., not tapping when the examiner taps twice.
specifically disturbed in nonroutine situations in which Environmental autonomy: Patients with frontal lobe
self-organized cognitive strategies have to be built lesions are excessively dependent on environmental
up.16,17 Literal fluency tasks are unusual, require self- cues.24 Sensory stimuli can activate patterns of re-
organized retrieval from semantic memory, and are sponses that are normally inhibited in normal controls.
easy to score. Frontal lesions, regardless of side, tend to For example, the patient conceives the sight of a move-
decrease verbal fluency, with left frontal lesions result- ment as an order to imitate (imitation behavior); the
ing in lower word production than right frontal le- sight of an object implies the order to use it (utilization
sions.18 In this task, subjects need to recall as many behavior); and the sight or sensory perception of the
words as they can beginning with a given letter in a examiners hands compels the patient to take them
1-minute trial. (prehension behavior). In some cases, the patients can
3. Motor programming: Patients with frontal lobe lesions elicit these behaviors even if they have been explicitly
are also impaired in tasks requiring temporal organiza- told not to do so. These abnormal behaviors (the sponta-
tion, maintenance, and execution of successive ac- neous tendency to adhere to the environment) express
tions.12,13,19 In Lurias motor series, such as fistpalm the lack of inhibition normally exerted by the prefrontal
edge, less severely impaired patients are unable to cortex on the activation of patterns of behavior trig-
execute the series in correct order, whereas the most gered by sensory stimulations.
severely affected are unable to learn the series. Simpli-
fication of the task (two gestures instead of three) and Subjects. Subjects gave informed written consent to
perseveration (inappropriate repetition of the same ges- participate. Forty-two normal control subjects (mean
tures) may be observed. SD; age, 58 14.4 years), without any neurologic or psy-
Sensitivity to interference: Deficits in behavioral self- chiatric history, were included (table). All control subjects
regulation may be observed in tasks in which verbal had a Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS)25 score 136 or
commands conflict with sensory information. This oc- a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)26 score 27.
curs in the Stroop test, in which the subject must name To evaluate the discriminative power of the FAB, 121
the colors of words while inhibiting the natural ten- patients with mild (PD, n 24; multiple system atrophy
dency to read the words. This also occurs in the case of [MSA], n 6), moderate (corticobasal degeneration [CBD],
conflicting instructions, in which subjects must provide n 21), or severe (frontotemporal dementia [FTD], n 23;
an opposite response to the examiners alternating sig- progressive supranuclear palsy [PSP], n 47) frontal lobe
nal, e.g., tapping once when the examiner taps twice. dysfunction27,28 were included (see table). All patients un-
Thus, subjects should obey verbal commands and re- derwent an extensive clinical evaluation to confirm their
frain following what they see.20 Patients with a frontal diagnosis and all met currently accepted diagnostic crite-
lobe lesion usually fail to obey the verbal command and ria. The diagnostic criteria for PD were based on the pres-
1622 NEUROLOGY 55 December (1 of 2) 2000
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ence of a parkinsonian syndrome with unilateral onset the extent to which the six items of the FAB reflect the
characterized by a resting tremor or an akinetorigid syn- same underlying construct, by calculating the Cronbachs
drome, a good response to levodopa that persisted at the coefficient of alpha.37
time of evaluation, and the absence of exclusion criteria
(e.g., supranuclear gaze palsy).29,30 The diagnostic criteria Results. Technical properties of the battery. Validation.
for MSA included the presence of an extrapyramidal syn- Concurrent validity. A correlation was found between the
drome poorly responsive to levodopa, associated with an FAB scores and the Mattis DRS performance in 121 pa-
autonomic or urinary dysfunction in the absence of exclu- tients (r 0.82, p 0.001). Similarly, the FAB scores
sion criteria.31 The diagnostic criteria for CBD included a correlated with the number of criteria (r 0.77, p 0.001)
slowly progressive asymmetric akinetorigid syndrome and and perseverative errors (rho 0.68, p 0.001) achieved
one or more of the following signs of cortical involvement: in the Wisconsin CST. A stepwise multiple regression was
ideomotor apraxia, myoclonus, cortical sensory deficit, or used to evaluate the influence on the FAB performance of
alien limb syndrome.32 The criteria for PSP included the the following independent variables: age of patient, MMSE
presence of a gradually progressive disorder with an age at and Mattis DRS scores, and the number of criteria and
onset of 40 years or later; a supranuclear limitation of perseverative errors in the Wisconsin CST. The Mattis
vertical gaze; a prominent postural instability, with falls DRS score and number of criteria achieved in the Wiscon-
occurring in the first year of symptom onset; and no evi- sin CST accounted for 79% of variance in the FAB (F [2,82]
dence of another disease that could explain the symptoms; 152.9; p 0.001; r2 0.79). Interestingly, age and
in the absence of exclusion criteria.33 The diagnosis of FTD MMSE scores had no significant influence.
was based on a progressive onset of behavioral changes Discriminant validity. The FAB discriminated be-
fulfilling the Lund and Manchester criteria,1 a severe dys- tween controls and patients after adjusting for age as a
executive syndrome on neuropsychological evaluation, and covariate (analysis of covariance: F[1,131] 17. 24; p
the absence of any other neurologic disorder sufficient to 0.001). The performance on the FAB correctly identified
explain the frontotemporal cortical deficit.1 The neuropsy- 89.1% of the cases (Wilkes lambda 0.43, F[1,135]
chological evaluation of patients consisted of the MMSE26 176.2; p 0.001). A stepwise discriminant analysis in pa-
and Mattis DRS for all patients,25 and the Wisconsin Card tients with FTD and PSP using the six FAB subscores as
Sorting Test (CST)34 for 86 patients. The MMSE ranges independent variables showed that similarities and pre-
were 30 to 24 for patients with PD, 30 to 21 for patients hension behavior correctly classified 69.7% of the patients
with MSA, 30 to 13 for patients with CBD, 30 to 17 for (Wilkes lambda 0.865; 2 [ddl 2] 10.6; p 0.005).
patients with PSP, and 30 to 6 for patients with FTD. Reliability. Two raters independently evaluating a
Technical properties of the battery. Validation. Con- subset of 17 patients with the FAB achieved an optimal
interrater reliability ( 0.87, p 0.001). The Cronbachs
current validity. The validity of the FAB, i.e. how well
coefficient alpha between the items of the FAB of 121
the battery evaluates the existence of a frontal lobe syn-
patients was 0.78, suggesting good internal consistency.
drome,35 was analyzed by correlating the FAB total score
with the patients performance on 1) the Wisconsin CST, a
test considered to be sensitive to executive dysfunction36; and Discussion. In order to provide a simple tool for
2) the Mattis DRS, a global scale reported to be correlated assessing frontal lobe function that could be applied
with the degree of executive dysfunction in neurodegenera- by any practitioner, we designed a short assessment
tive diseases.4,25 For the Wisconsin CST, the number of crite- battery, the FAB, based on our experience with focal
ria achieved and the number of perseverative errors were frontal lobe lesions24 and movement disorders associ-
considered because both have been shown to be sensitive to ated with striatofrontal dysfunction.4 Other tools
frontal lobe dysfunction.34 We performed a correlational va- have already been designed to evaluate frontal lobe
lidity study because there is no gold standard that deter-
function at the bedside.38-41 A brief assessment of
mines the existence and severity of a frontal lobe syndrome.35
frontal and subcortical functions was proposed for
Discriminant validity. We determined the ability of
patients with suspected subcortical pathology, but
the FAB to discriminate between normal control subjects
patients with AD scored significantly lower on this
and patients with cognitive impairment according to the
scale than those with Huntingtons disease or PD.38
Mattis DRS scale. Patients without cognitive impairment
were excluded for this analysis. Only 95 patients with a
The EXIT 25, an executive interview, correlates not
Mattis DRS score below 136 were included. only with tests sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction
The ability of the FAB to differentiate the frontal dys- but also with the MMSE (r 0.85). This suggests
function of patients with cortical and subcortical lesions that the EXIT 25 is also sensitive to functions that
was studied by using a stepwise discriminant analysis in are not executive.39 Another brief tool sensitive to
two groups of patients with frontal lobe dysfunction of executive control, the CLOX (a clock drawing test),40
different originssubcortical (47 patients with PSP) and has been proposed, but only investigates one domain
cortical (23 patients with FTD). of cognitive function: drawing. Lastly, Ettlin and
Reliability. Interrater reliability was determined by Kischka41 proposed the frontal lobe score, which is,
comparing the scores of two independent raters who were however, not convenient for bedside assessment be-
present during the administration of the FAB by one of cause it includes tasks such as the Trail-Making
them. Each rater was blind to the ratings made by the Test and takes up to 40 minutes to complete. The
other. Interrater reliability was conducted in 17 patients FAB is an easy test to administer, requires less than
and determined by calculating the kappa value. 10 minutes to complete, and is well accepted by pa-
We studied the internal consistency of the battery, i.e., tients. The six FAB subtests explore both cognitive
December (1 of 2) 2000 NEUROLOGY 55 1623
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and behavioral domains under the control of the Appendix
frontal lobes, each of them having been shown to be Content, instructions, and scoring of the FAB
significantly correlated with frontal lobe metabolic 1. Similarities (conceptualization)
activity measured by 18-fluorodeoxyglucose using In what way are they alike?
PET scan.9 Moreover, each subtest is associated with A banana and an orange (In the event of total failure: they are
specific areas of the frontal lobes on the basis of not alike or partial failure: both have peel, help the patient by
saying: both a banana and an orange are...; but credit 0 for the
neuropsychological, electrophysiologic, and func- item; do not help the patient for the two following items)
tional arguments: conceptualization with dorsolat- A table and a chair
eral areas,42,43 word generation with medial areas,44,45 A tulip, a rose and a daisy
Score (only category responses [fruits, furniture, flowers] are
and inhibitory control with orbital or medial frontal considered correct)
areas.46,47 Therefore, performance on the six subtests Three correct: 3
of the FAB can give a composite global score, which Two correct: 2
evaluates the severity of the dysexecutive syndrome One correct: 1
None correct: 0
and may suggest a descriptive pattern of executive 2. Lexical fluency (mental flexibility)
dysfunction in a given patient. Say as many words as you can beginning with the letter S,
The FAB presents good metric properties. The any words except surnames or proper nouns.
study demonstrated good internal consistency (Cron- If the patient gives no response during the first 5 seconds, say:
for instance, snake. If the patient pauses 10 seconds, stimulate
bachs alpha was 0.78),37 optimal interrater reliabil- him by saying: any word beginning with the letter S. The time
ity ( 0.87), and concurrent validity. Indeed, the allowed is 60 seconds.
FAB score was strongly associated with the perfor- Score (word repetitions or variations [shoe, shoemaker], sur-
mance of patients on the Mattis DRS (rho 0.82) names, or proper nouns are not counted as correct responses)
More than nine words: 3
and Wisconsin CST (rho 0.77 for the number of Six to nine words: 2
criteria), both of which evaluate different cognitive Three to five words: 1
functions under frontal lobe control. These functions Less than three words: 0
3. Motor series (programming)
include initiation, conceptualization, and attention
Look carefully at what Im doing.
for the Mattis DRS scale25 and conceptualization and The examiner, seated in front of the patient, performs alone
cognitive flexibility for the Wisconsin CST. Several three times with his left hand the series of Luria fist edge
recent studies have demonstrated that performance palm. Now, with your right hand do the same series, first with
me, then alone. The examiner performs the series three times
in the Wisconsin CST is related to functional activity with the patient, then says to him/her: Now, do it on your own.
in the prefrontal cortex.42,48-50 In contrast, the FAB Score
score is correlated neither with the MMSE score, a Patient performs six correct consecutive series alone: 3
measure of more general cognitive function, nor with Patient performs at least three correct consecutive series alone: 2
Patient fails alone, but performs three correct consecutive se-
age (see the results of the stepwise multiple regres- ries with the examiner: 1
sion). The battery also presents good discriminant Patient cannot perform three correct consecutive series even
validity, allowing differentiation to be made between with the examiner: 0
control subjects and patients with frontal or subcor- 4. Conflicting instructions (sensitivity to interference)
Tap twice when I tap once.
ticofrontal cognitive impairment. However, the FAB To be sure that the patient has understood the instruction, a
global score does not allow discrimination between series of three trials is run: 1-1-1. Tap once when I tap twice. To
patients with predominantly subcortical (PSP) or be sure that the patient has understood the instruction, a series of
cortical (FTD) dysfunction. Only two subtests dis- three trials is run: 2-2-2. The examiner performs the following
series: 1-1-2-1-2-2-2-1-1-2.
criminated between these patients to some extent Score
prehension behavior (more severely impaired in No error: 3
patients with PSP) and similarities (more severely One or two errors: 2
More than two errors: 1
impaired in patients with FTD). This result is not Patient taps like the examiner at least four consecutive times: 0
unexpected because patients with frontal and sub- 5. GoNo Go (inhibitory control)
corticofrontal lesions usually present similar cogni- Tap once when I tap once.
tive deficits and share only subtle neuropsychological To be sure that the patient has understood the instruction, a
series of three trials is run: 1-1-1. Do not tap when I tap twice.
differences.51-53 To be sure that the patient has understood the instruction, a
Some points should be stressed, however. Test series of three trials is run: 2-2-2. The examiner performs the
retest reliability was not assessed. The anatomic cor- following series: 1-1-2-1-2-2-2-1-1-2.
relation of the different subtests of the battery was Score
No error: 3
derived from data obtained with similar tests, but One or two errors: 2
not from the subtests themselves. Finally, although More than two errors: 1
highly significant correlations were shown between Patient taps like the examiner at least four consecutive times: 0
the FAB and tests sensitive to frontal lobe functions, 6. Prehension behavior (environmental autonomy)
Do not take my hands.
but not between the FAB and MMSE, it would be The examiner is seated in front of the patient. Place the pa-
necessary to demonstrate that patients with non tients hands palm up on his/her knees. Without saying anything
frontal lobe injuries perform at a higher level than or looking at the patient, the examiner brings his/her hands close
to the patients hands and touches the palms of both the patients
that observed for patients with frontal lobe injuries, hands, to see if he/she will spontaneously take them. If the patient
to definitively consider the FAB as a measure of takes the hands, the examiner will try again after asking him/her:
frontal lobe dysfunction. Now, do not take my hands.
1624 NEUROLOGY 55 December (1 of 2) 2000
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Score 23. Drewe EA. Gono go learning after frontal lobe lesions in
Patient does not take the examiners hands: 3 humans. Cortex 1975;11:8 16.
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Patient takes the hands without hesitation: 1 frontal lobes. Part I. Imitation and utilization behavior: a
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25. Mattis S. Dementia Rating Scale. Odessa, FL: Psychological
Assessment Resources Inc, 1988.
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Article abstractBackground: The cause of dementia in subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) is controversial.
Objectives: To determine whether cognitive impairment in SIVD 1) correlates with measures of ischemic brain injury or
brain atrophy, and/or 2) is due to concomitant AD. Methods: Volumetric MRI of the brain was performed in 1) elderly
subjects with lacunes (L) and a spectrum of cognitive impairmentnormal cognition (NCL, n 32), mild cognitive
impairment (CIL, n 26), and dementia (DL, n 29); 2) a comparison group with probable AD (n 28); and 3) a
control group with normal cognition and no lacunes (NC). The authors examined the relationship between the severity of
cognitive impairment and 1) volume, number, and location of lacunes; 2) volume of white matter signal hyperintensities
(WMSH); and 3) measures of brain atrophy (i.e., hippocampal, cortical gray matter, and CSF volumes). Results: Among the
three lacune groups, severity of cognitive impairment correlated with atrophy of the hippocampus and cortical gray
matter, but not with any lacune measure. Although hippocampal atrophy was the best predictor of severity of cognitive
impairment, there was evidence for a second, partially independent, atrophic process associated with ventricular dilation,
cortical gray matter atrophy, and increase in WMSH. Eight autopsied SIVD cases showed variable severity of ischemic
and neurofibrillary degeneration in the hippocampus, but no significant AD pathology in neocortex. The probable AD
group gave evidence of only one atrophic process, reflected in the severity of hippocampal atrophy. Comparison of regional
neocortical gray matter volumes showed sparing of the primary motor and visual cortices in the probable AD group, but
relatively uniform atrophy in the DL group. Conclusions: Dementia in SIVD, as in AD, correlates best with hippocampal
and cortical atrophy, rather than any measure of lacunes. In SIVD, unlike AD, there is evidence for partial independence
between these two atrophic processes. Hippocampal atrophy may result from a mixture of ischemic and degenerative
pathologies. The cause of diffuse cortical atrophy is not known, but may be partially indexed by the severity of WMSH.
NEUROLOGY 2000;55:1626 1635
Subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) is char- port risk of dementia to be higher among subjects
acterized by lacunar infarcts and deep white matter with lacunar infarcts versus other subtypes of
changes. The proportion of vascular dementia (VaD) stroke,4 and among patients with AD with concomi-
attributed to SIVD ranges from 36 to 50%, with tant lacunar versus large-artery infarcts.5 Thus,
higher rates noted among African Americans1 and SIVD is an important subtype of VaD either alone or
Asian Americans2 than whites.3,4 A few studies re- in combination with AD.
From Neurobehavioral Research, Inc. (Dr. Fein and V. Di Sclafani); Psychiatry Research (Dr. Cardenas) and Magnetic Resonance Unit (Drs. Tanabe, Weiner,
and Schuff, and L. Kusdra and T. Greenfield), Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; the Departments of Radiology (Drs. Tanabe, Cardenas,
Weiner, Norman, and Schuff) and Psychiatry (Dr. Weiner), University of California, San Francisco; the Center for Functional Imaging (Dr. Jagust), Lawrence
Berkeley Laboratory, the Department of Neurology (Drs. Jagust and Reed), University of California, Davis; and the Department of Neurology (Dr. Chui),
University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Supported by the National Institutes of Health (P01-AG12435, P50-AG10129, R01-AG10897), the State of California Department of Health Services
Alzheimer Program, a National Research Service Award (DA-05683-02), and a Career Scientist Award (G.F.) from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Received August 5, 1999. Accepted in final form October 2, 2000.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Helena Chui, Geriatric Neurobehavior and Alzheimer Center, 800 Annex West, 7601 East Imperial
Highway, Downey, CA 90242; e-mail: chui@hsc.usc.edu
SEMEJANZAS (Conceptualizacin)
Qu tienen en comn...
a) Pltano y naranja? Frutas 1
b) Mesa y silla? Muebles 1
c) Tulipn y rosa? Flores 1
Total =
FLUIDEZ VERBAL (Flexibilidad mental)
Diga todas las palabras que se le ocurran que empiecen por la letra > 9 palabras 3
S, excepto nombres propios. Para ello, le dar un minuto de tiempo 6-9 palabras 2
(si el paciente no responde en los primeros 5, debe proporcionrsele 3-5 palabras 1
un ejemplo: sandalia; si no da respuesta transcurridos 10, se le < 3 palabras 0
estimular recordndole las instrucciones de la tarea). Total =
GO NO GO (Inhibicin de respuestas)
0 errores 3
D un golpe cuando yo d uno (se realizan tres ensayos de prueba 1- 1-2 errores 2
1-1) y no d ningn golpe cuando yo d dos (se realizan tres ensayos
> 2 errores 1
de prueba 2-2-2).
1-1-2-1-2-2-2-1-1-2 Imita > 4 veces 0
Total =
PACIENTES Y MTODOS
Recibido: 17.07.02. Aceptado tras revisin externa sin modificaciones: 02.01.03. Descripcin de los instrumentos
a
Consulta de Neuropsicologa. Clnica Sierra. Guadarrama. b Servicio de Neuro- Dos son los tests utilizados en el estudio:
loga. Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento. Hospital Clnico San Carlos. c rea
FAB. Segn indican Dubois et al [11], consiste en una exploracin de las
de Clnica y Formacin. Asociacin Parkinson Madrid. Madrid, Espaa.
funciones propias de los lbulos frontales a travs de seis subtest: semejan-
Correspondencia: Dr. Alfredo Rodrguez del lamo. Apartado de Correos 64. zas (formacin de conceptos), fluidez verbal (flexibilidad mental), series
E-28460 Los Molinos (Madrid). E-mail: alfredodelalamo@navegalia.com motoras (programacin), interferencia (realizacin de instrucciones con-
2003, REVISTA DE NEUROLOGA flictivas), control (inhibicin de respuestas) y autonoma (independencia
Tabla I. Comparacin entre tpicos de las demencias corticales y fronto- Tabla II. Resultados de las medias (X), desviaciones tpicas (DT) y nmero
subcorticales. Elaboracin propia, basado en Aguera-Ortiz (1999) [23]. de sujetos (N) de los 11 grupos en el FAB y en el MMSE.
Coordinacin Normal inicial Afectada precoz ANC EA EP AMS PSP CLD EH TOC ANS DEP
Crtex Afectado Afectacin variable CTR 5,0 a 5,6 a 4,3 a 5,3 a 4,8 a 5,0 a 5,2 a 5,1 a 2,4 a 4,8 a
Ganglios basales Poco afectados Afectados ANC 5,7 a 1,6 5,3 a 4,8 a 5,1 a 5,4 a 4,1 a 2,8 a 3,1 a
Neurotransmisor Acetilcolina Dopamina, GABA EA 5,1 a 3,9 a 2,9 a 1,0 2,3 a 3,1 a 5,2 a 0,8
Mortal a medio plazo S No EP 4,7 a 4,6 a 4,9 a 5,1 a 2,7 a 3,0 a 2,6 a
Test rpido MMSE FAB AMS 3,8 a 4,1 a 2,8 a 2,8 a 4,9 a 0,9
del medio exterior). Cada subtest se valora de 0 a 3 puntos y, por lo tanto, CLD 2,7 a 4,3 a 4,7 a 3,0 a
la puntuacin mxima es de 18 puntos. El punto de corte para el dficit
frontosubcortical lo localizamos en 16-15, y el punto de corte para la EH 4,1 a 4,9 a 1,3
demencia frontosubcortical, en 13-12.
TOC 4,5 a 0,9
MMSE de Folstein [12]. Es til para la exploracin de las funciones cog-
nitivas involucradas y relevantes en el deterioro mental propio de las de- ANS 3,8 a
mencias tipo Alzheimer.
a
Significacin con p< 0,05.
Poblacin de estudio
Se han aplicado ambas pruebas a un total de 195 sujetos que pertenecen a 11
grupos nosolgicos: adultos control (CTR), ancianos sin franco deterioro
cognitivo o demencia (ANC), enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA), enfermedad de No se control la edad, excepto para excluir casos atpicos; por ejemplo, no
Parkinson idioptica (EP), atrofias multisistmicas, sobre todo degeneracin se incluy caso alguno de enfermedad de Parkinson juvenil, porque no se
nigroestriada (AMS), parlisis supranuclear progresiva (PSP), enfermedad enmarca dentro de las caractersticas comunes de esta enfermedad. En gene-
de cuerpos de Lewy difusos (CLD), corea de Huntington (EH), trastorno ral, los enfermos tendan a encontrarse en la fase medias o media-avanzada
obsesivocompulsivo (TOC), trastorno por ansiedad (ANS) y depresin mayor de su mal; estn poco representados los pacientes iniciales (recin diagnos-
(DEP). Los sujetos provienen de varias fuentes de reclutamiento: residencias, ticados) y los muy graves o terminales. Tampoco se control la variable de
clnicas privadas, centros de salud, hospitales y asociaciones de enfermos, nivel socioeconmico y educativo, excepto para excluir a analfabetos y per-
principalmente de la Comunidad de Madrid y el Pas Vasco, aunque no de sonas de muy bajo nivel cultural, ya que se conoce la dificultad de discriminar
forma exclusiva. psicomtricamente los sujetos demenciados en estos dos subgrupos poblacio-
Se control el sexo de la poblacin para que resultase afn a la poblacin nales. Por razones prcticas, no se consideraron candidatos quienes presen-
reflejada en los estudios epidemiolgicos en neurologa. La proporcin gene- taban notoria afasia o mutismo. No se incluy paciente alguno con sntomas
ral de varones y mujeres result ser de 55:45, excepto para los enfermos de yatrognicos inducidos por la medicacin (ya fuesen de la serie psictica o de
Alzheimer y los ancianos no deteriorados, en los que la proporcin se invierte. la confusional) tres meses antes de la toma de los tests.
Tabla IV. ndice de correlacin R de Pearson entre las puntuaciones de Tabla V. Nivel de afectacin cognitiva de los 11 grupos.
cada grupo obtenidas en el FAB y el MMSE.
Cortical Frontosubcortical
Valor R
CTR Normal Normal
CTR 0,866
ANC Dficit Dficit
ANC 0,908
EA Demencia amplia Demencia
EA 0,653
EP Normal Dficit
EP 0,817
AMS Normal bajo Dficit amplio
AMS 0,483
PSP Dficit Demencia
PSP 0,108
CLD Demencia Demencia
CLD 0,148
EH Normal bajo Demencia
EH 0,786
TOC Normal Dficit
TOC 0,026
ANS Normal Normal
ANS 0,062
DEP Dficit leve Dficit amplio
DEP 0,282
Total 0,559
sin (EA/DEP= 0,8), los pacientes de atrofias multisistmicas con los pacien-
tes deprimidos (EA/DEP= 0,9), el grupo de enfermos de parlisis supranu-
clear progresiva con los pacientes de cuerpos de Lewy difusos (PSP/CLD=
Anlisis de datos 1,8) y con el de enfermos de Huntington (PSP/EH= 1,90), los pacientes con
Los datos en bruto (puntuacin de cada sujeto en cada subtest y puntuacin corea de Huntington con el grupo de pacientes con depresin (EH/DEP= 1,3)
total de cada sujeto en cada uno de los test FAB y MMSE) se procesaron en y, finalmente, el grupo de pacientes obsesivocompulsivos con el de pacientes
la Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicaciones de Madrid. De con depresin (TOC/DEP= 0,9).
cada protocolo se obtuvieron cuatro estadsticos o contrastes, los cuales se Las correlaciones R de Pearson obtenidas entre las puntuaciones de los
analizan en este trabajo: la media (X) de cada uno de los 11 grupos en sendos tests FAB y MMSE de los sujetos de cada grupo fueron las siguientes (tabla
test (FAB y MMSE), as como su desviacin tpica (DT). Se compararon IV): grupo control, 0,77; ancianos, 0,91; enfermedad de Alzheimer, 0,65;
para el FAB los 11 grupos entre s para una significacin de p< 0,05, segn enfermedad de Parkinson, 0,92; atrofias multisistmicas, 0,48; parlisis su-
las pruebas U de Mann-Whitney, y finalmente se analiz la correlacin de pranuclear progresiva, 0,11; enfermedad de cuerpos de Lewy difusos, 0,15;
las puntuaciones obtenidas en el FAB y el MMSE en cada grupo segn la corea de Huntington, 0,89; obsesivocompulsivos, 0,03; ansiosos, 0,06, y
prueba R de Pearson. deprimidos, 0.03; total, 0,56.
RESULTADOS
DISCUSIN
La tabla II muestra las medias y las desviaciones tpicas de los grupos obte-
nidas en el FAB y el MMSE. Respecto al FAB, las puntuaciones medias que Las puntuaciones obtenidas en el FAB y el MMSE parecen co-
se hallan dentro de la normalidad son las de los grupos control (X= 17,6), rresponderse en un grado notable con el tipo (cortical y frontosub-
ancianos no deteriorados (X= 16,1) y pacientes con cuadro de ansiedad (X= cortical) y gravedad del dficit previsto en los 11 grupos estudia-
16,9). Las puntuaciones dentro de dficit cognitivo que revelan esta prueba dos, segn los conocimientos actuales que la neuropsicologa
se encuentran en los enfermos de Parkinson (X= 15,4), pacientes con atrofias posee de dichas patologas [13]. Una sntesis del grado de afec-
multisistmicas (X= 12,0), pacientes obsesivocompulsivos graves (X= 13,7) tacin cognitiva que muestran los 11 grupos de estudio segn
y pacientes con depresin (X= 12,1). Las puntuaciones dentro de la demencia
de patrn frontal son las de los enfermos de Alzheimer (X= 11,2), parlisis
nuestros resultados aparece en la tabla V. Por ejemplo, los enfer-
supranuclear progresiva (X= 9,0), enfermedad de cuerpos de Lewy difusos mos de parlisis supranuclear progresiva y los enfermos de corea
(X= 7,9) y enfermos de Huntington (X= 10,0). Respecto al MMSE, las pun- de Huntington obtienen peor puntuacin en el FAB que en el
tuaciones medias dentro de la normalidad son las de los grupos MMSE con la indicacin de demencia subcortical [14-16], la
control (X= 29,3), enfermos de Parkinson (X= 28,4), atrofias multisistmicas enfermedad de Parkinson idioptica obtiene unos resultados que
(X= 26,8), enfermos de Huntington (X= 26,6), pacientes obsesivocompulsi- indican ligera afectacin frontal sin demencia [17,18], la enfer-
vos (X= 27,7) y pacientes ansiosos (X= 28,2). Las puntuaciones dentro de este medad de cuerpos de Lewy obtiene tan bajos resultados en uno
tipo de dficit cognitivo son las de los ancianos no deteriorados (X= 25,3), los
pacientes con parlisis supranuclear progresiva (X= 22,0) y enfermos con
como en otro test (demencia mixta) [19], los ancianos no deterio-
depresin mayor (X= 23,8). Las puntuaciones dentro de la demencia cortical rados obtienen puntuaciones bajas pero sin atravesar el lmite
son las de enfermos de Alzheimer (X= 15,4) y enfermos con cuerpos de Lewy inferior crtico en sendas pruebas (deterioro benigno cognitivo
difusos (X= 16,9). sin llegar a demencia), los pacientes obsesivocompulsivos graves
Al estudiar las diferencias estadsticamente significativas de las puntua- parecen denotar dficit cognitivo frontal, y ninguno de los pa-
ciones medias obtenidas por los 11 grupos en la batera FAB, las pruebas U cientes con trastorno por ansiedad ni los adultos controles obtie-
con p< 0,05 realizadas alcanzan casi todas la significacin, como indica la
nen puntuaciones patolgicas en el FAB ni en el MMSE. Esta
tabla III, al ser mayores que el valor 1,96 o menores que el valor 1,96.
nicamente no alcanzan tal significacin (sus medias son estadsticamente
serie de hechos constituye un dato a favor de la validez de criterio
iguales) el grupo de ancianos comparado con el grupo de enfermos de Parkin- del FAB [20]. Los resultados atpicos obtenidos por el grupo de
son (ANC/EP= 1,6), el grupo de enfermos de Alzheimer con el de enfermos depresin mayor exigiran un detallado anlisis que excede el
de cuerpos de Lewy difusos (EA/CLD= 1,0) y con el de pacientes con depre- marco del presente trabajo.
En este estudio, aparece una correlacin global lineal mo- En conclusin, el FAB parece cubrir buena parte de los requi-
derada positiva entre el FAB y el MMSE, por lo que no se les sitos para convertirse en un aceptable complemento del MMSE en
puede considerar totalmente independientes lo cual constitu- la tarea de evaluar a los pacientes neurolgicos con posible afecta-
ye la tnica en las pruebas neuropsicolgicas [21,22]. Dicha cin neuropsicolgica en alguno de los dos grandes patrones de
correlacin es alta en los sujetos normales (controles y ancia- demencia: cortical y frontosubcortical. Ambas pruebas son de r-
nos) y en una enfermedad neurolgica (enfermedad de Parkin- pido aprendizaje y aplicacin (menos de 10 minutos para el clnico
son). Casi todas las enfermedades neurolgicas muestran una experimentado), no necesitan voluminosos o complejos comple-
correlacin media (corea de Huntington, enfermedad de Al- mentos para la evaluacin, son de fcil correccin, con puntos de
zheimer, atrofias multisistmicas) o baja (enfermedad de cuer- corte suficientemente bien establecidos, tiles para colaborar en el
pos de Lewy difusos, parlisis supranuclear progresiva). Las diagnstico de normalidad, dficit o demencia, y no suelen provo-
patologas psiquitricas ofrecen nulas correlaciones entre am- car rechazo en los probandos. Los resultados de la aplicacin con-
bos test (pacientes obsesivocompulsivos, pacientes ansiosos). junta del FAB y del MMSE en 11 subgrupos de sujetos normales,
Dado el escaso nmero de pacientes de cada grupo, la interpre- neurolgicos y psiquitricos parecen representar suficientemente
tacin no es fcil ni segura. la realidad neuropsicolgica y clnica de tales grupos.
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9. Royall DR, Mahurin RK, Gray KF. Bedside assessment of executive University Press; 1996.
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FAB: APLICACIN PRELIMINAR ESPAOLA DE LA BATERA FAB: APLICAAO PRELIMINAR ESPANHOLA DA BATERIA
NEUROPSICOLGICA DE EVALUACIN DE FUNCIONES NEUROPSICOLOGICA DA EVALUAAO DAS FUNCIOS
FRONTALES A 11 GRUPOS DE PACIENTES FRONTAIS EM 11 GRUPOS DA DOENTES
Resumen. Introduccin. En este trabajo se realiza, por primera vez, una Resumo. Introduao. En este trabalho se faz por primeira vez uma
valoracin preliminar sobre el funcionamiento en el mbito espaol de valoraao preliminar sobre a funcionalidade no ambito espanhol de
la FAB (frontal assessment battery), una batera desarrollada para eva- FAB (frontal assessment battery), uma bateria desarrolhada para
luar las funciones del lbulo frontal e identificar, en especial, el sndrome evaluar as funcios do lobulo frontalto e endentificar en especial os
disejecutivo. Lleva pocos minutos pasar dicha prueba, til para el diag- sindrome disexecutivo. Leva poucos minutos facer desta prova, es util
nstico neuropsicolgico de las patologas que conllevan trastornos del para o diagnostico en aquelas patologias que conlevan alteraoes
lbulo frontal. Pacientes y mtodos. Se estudiaron los resultados, tanto frontais. Doentes e metodos. Se estudaron os resultados de fazer FAB
del FAB como del MMSE de Folstein, de 195 sujetos, pertenecientes a 11 tanto como o MMSE de Folstein a 195 utentes probandos, pertecen
grupos (controles, enfermedades neurodegenerativas y patologas psi- a 11 grupos (contros, doenas neurodegenerativas e patologias psi-
quitricas), y se clasificaron en las siguientes categoras: normalidad quiatricas), e se clasificasao nas categorias da normalidade cortical/
cortical/subcortical, deterioro cognitivo de tipo cortical/subcortical o subcortical, deteriorao cognitiva da tipo cortical/subcortical ou
demencia cortical/subcortical. Estadsticos usados: media, desviacin demena cortical/subcortical. Estadisticas: meia, desviaao, prova
tpica, prueba U (p< 0,05), e ndice R de correlacin de Pearson. Con- U (p< 0,05) e correlaao R de Pearson. Concluso. Os resultados da
clusiones. Los resultados del FAB en esta aplicacin espaola represen- FAB en esta aplicaao espanhola representan suficiente-mente a
tan, suficientemente, la realidad neuropsicolgica y clnica de la afecta- realidade neuropsicologica e clinica da afectaao frontosubcortical
cin frontosubcortical de tales grupos. El FAB y el MMSE mostraron una de tais grupos. O FAB e o MMSE mostraram uma correlaao liniae
correlacin lineal variable y positiva entre sus puntuaciones, en funcin variable e positiva entre as suas puntuacios, en funao das diferen-
de las diferentes enfermedades. [REV NEUROL 2003; 36: 605-8] tes doenas. [REV NEUROL 2003; 36: 605-8]
Palabras clave. Dficit cognitivo. Demencia. Evaluacin. Lbulos Palavras chave. Deficit cognitivo. Demena. Evaluaao. Lobulos
frontales. Neuropsicologa. Subcortical. frontais. Neuropsicologa. Subcortical.
Purpose
The FAB is a brief tool that can be used at the bedside or in a clinic setting to assist in discriminating
between dementias with a frontal dysexecutive phenotype and Dementia of Alzheimers Type (DAT).
The FAB has validity in distinguishing Fronto-temporal type dementia from DAT in mildly demented
patients (MMSE > 24). Total score is from a maximum of 18, higher scores indicating better
performance.
1. Similarities (conceptualization)
In what way are they alike?
A banana and an orange
(In the event of total failure: they are not alike or partial failure: both have peel, help the patient by
saying: both a banana and an orange are fruit; but credit 0 for the item; do not help the patient for
the two following items)
Score (only category responses [fruits, furniture, flowers] are considered correct)
If the patient gives no response during the first 5 seconds, say: for instance, snake. If the patient
pauses 10 seconds, stimulate him by saying: any word beginning with the letter S. The time allowed is
60 seconds.
Score (word repetitions or variations [shoe, shoemaker], surnames, or proper nouns are not counted
as correct responses)
The examiner, seated in front of the patient, performs alone three times with his left hand the series of
fistedgepalm.
Now, with your right hand do the same series, first with me, then alone.
The examiner performs the series three times with the patient, then says to him/her:
Now, do it on your own.
Score
Patient performs six correct consecutive series alone: 3
Patient performs at least three correct consecutive series alone: 2
Patient fails alone, but performs three correct consecutive series with the examiner: 1
Patient cannot perform three correct consecutive series even with the examiner: 0
The examiner is seated in front of the patient. Place the patients hands palm up on his knees. Without
saying anything or looking at the patient, the examiner brings his own hands close to the patients
hands and touches the palms of both the patients hands, to see if he will spontaneously take them. If
the patient takes the examiners hands, try again after asking the patient: Now, do not take my
hands.
Score
Patient does not take the examiners hands: 3
Patient hesitates and asks what he/she has to do: 2
Patient takes the hands without hesitation: 1
Patient takes the examiners hand even after he/she has been told not to do so: 0
Interpreting results
A cut off score of 12 on the FAB has a sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 87% in differentiating
between frontal dysexecutive type dementias and DAT
ReferenceS
Dubois, B. ; Litvan, I.; The FAB: A frontal assessment battery at bedside. Neurology. 55(11): 1621-
1626, 2000.
CABRA CNTIMO
OTROS TEST DE CRIBADO DE ACCESO LIBRE
http://www.fototest.es/
Eurotest
http://www.eurotest.es/
http://www.mocatest.org/
http://www.hipocampo.org/TAM.pdf
PUNTOS DE CORTE
MoCA
T@M
EUROTEST