Differential aspects of cognitive impairment in patients suffering from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease: a neuropsychological evaluation

Neuropsychological profiles of cognitive impairment demonstrated by a group of Parkinson patients and by a group of Alzheimer patients both affected by a comparable level of mental deterioration were obtained by means of a neuropsychological battery. The results pointed out differential patterns of cognitive impairment exhibited by the two pathological groups. Particularly, Alzheimer's patients appear to be mainly impaired in mnesic functions, while Parkinsonian subjects show a pattern of performances indicative of a prevalent impairment of the functions underlied by frontal lobes. These data are in agreement with the hypothesis that different anatomical-functional cerebral structures are mainly involved in determining cognitive deterioration in the two diseases.