Affiliations: Third Neurology Ward, San Paolo Hospital, Department
of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy | Neuropsychology Research Group, Department of
Psychology, University of Aberdeen, UK
Note: [] Corresponding author: Prof. Sergio Della Sala, Department of
Psychology, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 2UB, UK.
E-mail: sergio@abdn.ac.uk
Abstract: Introduction: Apraxia of face movement in Alzheimer's disease (AD)
has been rarely investigated. This study aimed at investigating the frequency
of lower (mouth, tongue and throat) and upper (eyes and eyebrows) face apraxia,
in AD and its relationship with limb apraxia and severity of dementia. Methods: Fifty seven patients with AD were tested with a new
standardised test of face apraxia including upper and lower face movements,
which uses an item-difficulty weigthed scoring procedure, the IMA test, a test
of ideomotor apraxia and the M.O.D.A., a means to assess dementia severity. Results: Thirteen (23%) and 19 (33%) participants were below cut-off
respectively on the upper and lower face apraxia test. Both sections of the
Face Apraxia Test correlated significantly with the Ideomotor Apraxia Test.
However, double dissociations between different types of apraxia were observed.
Both the upper and lower face apraxia tests correlated significantly with the
measure of dementia severity. Conclusions: The finding show that a proportion of AD patients fails
face apraxia tests. Their face apraxia is interlinked with ideomotor limb
apraxia, although dissociations are possible. Severity of dementia
deterioration accounts for a good proportion of the variability of AD patients'
performance on face apraxia tests.
Keywords: face apraxia, ideomotor apraxia, Alzheimer's disease
