HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ALL ISSUES SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rue, A. L. Articles by Jarvik, L. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Rue, A. L. Articles by Jarvik, L. F.

Age at Onset, Survival Duration, and Cognitive Performance in Probable Alzheimer's Disease

Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, and the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, Brentwood, CA.

The relative importance of age at onset, survival duration past testing, symptom duration, and education as predictors of cognitive performance was assessed in 50 patients with moderately severe dementia of the Alzheimer type. Survival past testing and duration of symptoms prior to assessment emerged as the strongest predictors of cognitive performance, and education effects were noted for several verbal tests. A robust association emerged between cognitive impairment and nearness to death. This association, first noted in studies of "normal" aging, requires further exploration. Age-at-onset effects, with poorer performance in early-onset disease, were observed only for a few measures.