The free and cued selective reminding test distinguishes frontotemporal dementia from Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Memory impairment is often present in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as a result of an inefficient use of learning strategies, sometimes leading to a misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is a memory test that controls attention and acquisition, by providing category cues in the learning process. The main goal of this study was to show the usefulness of the FCSRT in the distinction between behavioral (bv-) FTD and AD. Three matched subgroups of participants were considered: bv-FTD (n = 32), AD (n = 32), and a control group of healthy adults (n = 32). Results proved that while AD patients exhibited an overall impairment in FCSRT, bv-FTD subjects showed to benefit more from the controlled learning through category cues. AD patients were 25 times more likely to have an impaired FCSRT. The FCSRT has shown its utility in the distinction between bv-FTD and AD, therefore increasing the diagnostic accuracy.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Assessment; Frontotemporal dementia; Learning and memory.