Unit:
Speciality Clinical NeuropsychologyLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Ντανάση Εύα- Ευλαμπία
Supervisors info:
Ιωάννης Ευδοκιμίδης, Ιωάννης Ζαλώνης, Κωνσταντίνος Πόταγας
Original Title:
Executive, psychomotor and automaticity deficits in preclinical Huntington's disease mutation carriers
Summary:
The aim of the present study is to examine whether presymptomatic Huntington’s
disease (HD) carriers manifest executive and psychomotor speed deficits prior
to the appearance of the motor symptoms. 20 HD gene carriers and 14
non-carriers were assessed using the cognitive component of the Unified
Huntington Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS). HD gene carriers revealed a
significant lower performance in tests of psychomotor speed (Stroop word naming
trial, p= .02) and executive function (Verbal Fluency Test, p= .008) compared
to the non-carriers. When the HD gene carriers were divided into two subgroups
based on a theoretical model which predicts each carrier’s proximity to the
disease’s onset, the HD gene carriers who were estimated to be close to the
disease’s onset showed the worst performance (compared not only to
non-carriers, but also to HD gene carriers who were far from the disease’s
onset), with significant differences between the HD gene carriers subgroups
being observed in tests of Stroop word naming trial (p= .005), Stroop colour
block naming (p= .002) and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (p= .007). Cognitive
deficits detected imply that HD gene carriers close to the disease’s onset show
psychomotor speed impairment and lose their ability to automate behavior.
Results suggest that automaticity impairment may be an early marker of the
disease especially for the presymptomatic gene carriers who are estimated to be
close to the disease’s onset. The above deficits are detected prior to the
appearance of the HD motor symptoms.
Keywords:
Huntington's disease, Preclinical Huntington’s disease gene carriers, Automaticity , Psychomotor speed, Executive function
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