Alzheimer Disease: Darcourt G

Robert PH, Darcourt G, Benoit M, Clairet S, Koulibaly PM. · Centre mémoire de ressources et de recherche, Université de Nice, Sophia Antipolis. · Psychol Neuropsychiatr Vieil. · Pubmed #15683971 No free full text.

Abstract: Apathy is defined as a lack of motivation in behaviour, cognition and affect. The aim of this article is to evaluate, in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the frequency of apathy and its relations with depressive symptoms and neuroanatomical correlates. We present the results of 3 French studies: the evaluation of behavioural symptoms in 499 AD subjects; the evaluation of depression and apathy in 128 AD subjects; a single photon computed tomography study (SPECT) performed in 31 AD subjects.

Petit H, Albarède JL, Bakchine S, Boulliat J, Cogneau J, Darcourt G, Dubois B, Forette F, Franco A, Héres J, Hinault P, Laurent B, Léger JM, Marin La Meslée R, Montagne B, Poncet M, Robert P, Sorbé G, Touchon J, Velas B, Vetel JM. · Neurologue (Clinique Neurologique, CHRU Roger Salengro 59037 Lille Cedex, France. · Rev Neurol (Paris). · Pubmed #10844378 No free full text.

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Robert PH, Darcourt G, Koulibaly MP, Clairet S, Benoit M, Garcia R, Dechaux O, Darcourt J. · Centre Mémoire de Ressources & de Recherche, CHU - Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France. · Eur J Neurol. · Pubmed #16834702 No free full text.

Abstract: Apathy is defined as a lack of motivation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between two major dimensions of apathy (lack of initiative and lack of interest) and brain perfusion. in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain perfusion was measured by single photon emission tomography (SPECT). Thirty-one AD patients were included. Lack of initiative and interest were assessed with the Apathy Inventory. Nineteen AD subjects presented a lack of initiative and interest pathological score whereas 12 AD subjects did not. The lack of initiative and interest score correlated significantly with the right frontal and the right inferior temporal lobes. The AD patients with lack of initiative and interest showed a significantly lower perfusion in the right anterior cingulate than the AD patients without lack of initiative and interest. These results derive from rather small subgroups of patients but have the interest to dismantle the complementary aspects of emotion and motivation in apathy and suggest that the latter one is more related to cingulate area.

Gokalsing E, Robert PH, Lafont V, Medecin I, Baudu C, Boyer P, Pringuey D, Darcourt G. · Memory Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France. · Eur Psychiatry. · Pubmed #11112933 No free full text.

Abstract: Disinhibition and irritability, defined as loss of behavioral and emotional control, are frequent in the elderly. The working hypothesis for this study was that these disorders are associated with a cognitive alteration of control processes that manifests as non-routine behavior because of the dysfunction of a general executive component known as the supervisory attentional system (SAS). METHODS: A total of 28 elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment were recruited and divided into two groups using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Fourteen subjects were allocated to the disinhibited group and 14 subjects matched for age, sex and educational level formed a disinhibition-free control group. The neuropsychological battery included the following tests: Mini Mental Score Evaluation, Boston Naming test, Token test, Trail Making and Verbal Fluency. Two tasks were specifically designed to stress the SAS: 1) A specific verbal sentence arrangement task in which subjects had to use sequential reasoning with verbal material. Each test sequence consisted of a series of words shown in jumbled order. The construction of some sequences had to be done by using familiar routine associations (valid conditions). In contrast, other sequences required the overriding selection of familiar routine associations, which were inappropriate within the general context of the task (invalid conditions). 2) Using the Continuous Performance Test, four aspects were evaluated: sustained, selective, preparation and suppressive attention. RESULTS: The only group differences in neuropsychological test results were the following: 1) the sentence arrangement task. In comparison with the control group, the disinhibited group was impaired in invalid conditions and the calculated difference between the number of correct responses in invalid conditions minus that in valid conditions was significantly higher; and 2) the CPT. Disinhibited subjects had a significantly lower number of hits, exclusively in the 'suppressive attention' paradigm. These results suggest that subjects with disinhibition have impaired supervisory system function.