Neural correlates of the Clock Drawing Test performance in Alzheimer's disease: a FDG-PET study

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to identify the functional neuroanatomical correlates of impaired clock drawing test (CDT) performance in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHOD: The CDT was administered to 71 patients with AD, and regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMglc) was measured by positron emission tomography (PET). Correlations between CDT scores and rCMglc were examined on a voxel-by-voxel basis. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were found between CDT performance and rCMglc in the right inferior parietal lobule and right posterior cingulate cortex. CONCLUSION: These results provide the first PET evidence that poor CDT performance in patients with AD is closely related to the functional decline in the right hemisphere, especially the right parietal cortex.