Clinical, neuropsychological and imaging characteristics of Alzheimer's disease patients presenting as corticobasal syndrome.

BACKGROUND

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) can harbor diverse pathologies, such as corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). CSF biochemical analysis in CBS patients can confidently distinguish between an AD (CBS-AD) and a non-AD (CBS-nAD) pathology.

OBJECTIVE

We utilized classical CSF biomarkers to make a distinction between the two groups and examine their clinical, neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric and imaging differences.

METHODS

Seventeen patients with a CBS phenotype were included. Detailed clinical history, and neurological examination data were recorded. A thorough neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric test battery was performed, including Goldenberg apraxia test. Simple linear MRI measurements and planimetry data were utilized. CSF biomarkers for AD were ascertained.

RESULTS

Five of seventeen CBS patients had a CSF AD profile. Patients with a CSF AD profile (CBS-AD; n = 5) were older and had a greater age at disease onset compared to CBS-nAD. CBS-AD patients had more frequently alien hand phenomena at examination and greater hippocampi surface asymmetry at MRI. CBS-nAD patients (n = 12) had lower superior colliculi width values.

CONCLUSION

Clinical, neuropsychological and imaging data cannot confidently differentiate CBS-AD from CBS-nAD patients.