Research Article
Visual Evoked Potentials in Alzheimer's Disease: Electrophysiological Study of the Visual Pathways and Neuropsychological Correlates
Roberta Ciuffini1,3*, Alfonso Marrelli1,Stefano Necozione2, Carmine Marini3, Alessandra Cavicchio 3, Gianfranco Amicosante4 and Paolo Aloisi1
1Operative Unit of Neurophysiopathology San Salvatore Hospital, Italy
4University of L’Aquila - Italy
- Corresponding Author:
- Roberta Ciuffini
Department of Neurology - U.O. di Neurofisiopatologia Ospedale San Salvatore
67010 Coppito L’Aquila, ltaly
E-mail: roberta.ciuffini@cc.univaq.it
Received date: August 01, 2014; Accepted date: October 01, 2014; Published date: October 06, 2014
Citation: Ciuffini R, Marrelli A, Necozione S, Marini C, Cavicchio A, et al. (2014) Visual Evoked Potentials in Alzheimer’s Disease: Electrophysiological Study of the Visual Pathways and Neuropsychological Correlates. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 4:158. doi: 10.4172/2161-0460.1000158
Copyright: © 2014 Ciuffini R, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author andource are credited.
Abstract
Visual Evoked Potentials [VEP] abnormalities are reported in Alzheimer’s Disease [AD] patients. It is necessary to understand the pathophysiology, clinical relevance and the relationship with the different visual pathways. We performed a study on AD patients compared to Multi-Infarct Dementia [MID] patients by means of different visual stimuli considered selective in stimulating Magnocellular [M], Parvocellular [P] and Koniocellular [K] system. All the patients underwent a neuropsychological assessment and evaluation of disability. Our results seem to confirm major involvement of both the M system and the K system in AD patients, in accordance with the pathophysiological hypotheses regarding visual disturbances in AD. Moreover, the neurophysiological data seem to be related both to the neuropsychological features of dysexecutive syndrome and apraxia and also to disability.
