Neurocognitive disorders in Alzheimer's disease: clinical diagnosis and symptomatology

Abstract

Our study focuses on the assessment of autonomy and overall neurocognitive efficiency in Alzheimer's disease and in normal aging. We wanted to see if the MoCA is a test that allows to characterize the clinical semiology specific to each aging. In order to meet our objective, we have proposed two scales of measurement of neurocognitive functioning, the MMSE and the MoCA, and three scales in the form of questionnaires to the caregiver assessing social, instrumental and basic autonomy. Sixty two participants formed three groups: young subjects, elderly subjects and subjects with Alzheimer's disease. The results highlight the decrease in overall neurocognitive efficiency (MoCA and MMSE), associated with a loss of social, instrumental and basic autonomy in Alzheimer's disease. The profile at the MoCA is marked by the presence of difficulties on temporal orientation, executive, linguistic and memory disorders. In normal aging, only MoCA is decreased with advancing age, the MMSE remains stable. The MoCA profile is marked by the presence of executive and memory disorders. Thus, the presence of language and orientation disorders makes it possible to differentiate normal aging from Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the proposition of indices and recognition during recall task highlights differentiated profiles: in MA, recall difficulties do not benefit from cued recall, contrary to normal aging.