The neurologic examination in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease
F. J. Huff, F. Boller, F. Lucchelli, R. Querriera, J. Beyer and S. Belle
Abnormal findings on a standardized neurologic examination were compared
between patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease
(AD) and healthy control subjects. Aside from mental status findings, the
most useful examination findings for differentiating AD from control
subjects were the presence of release signs, olfactory deficit, impaired
stereognosis or graphesthesia, gait disorder, tremor, and abnormalities on
cerebellar testing. These abnormalities probably reflect the different
areas of the central nervous system that are affected pathologically in AD.
In the clinical diagnosis of AD, particular attention should be given to
these aspects of the neurologic examination.
