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Closing-in Behavior in Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Executive Deficit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2011

Elisabetta Ambron ,
Robert D. McIntosh ,
Sara Finotto ,
Francesca Clerici ,
Claudio Mariani  and
Sergio Della Sala
Elisabetta Ambron*
Affiliation:
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Naples, Italy
Robert D. McIntosh
Affiliation:
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Sara Finotto
Affiliation:
Centre for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Italy
Francesca Clerici
Affiliation:
Centre for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Italy
Claudio Mariani
Affiliation:
Centre for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of Clinical Neurology, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Italy
Sergio Della Sala
Affiliation:
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom Center of Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Elisabetta Ambron, Department of Psychology, University of Ediburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ. E-mail: eambron@staffmail.ed.ac.uk
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Abstract

This study explored Closing-in behavior (CIB), the tendency in figure copying to draw very close to or on top of the model, in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The files of 154 people diagnosed with MCI were reviewed and CIB was identified in 21% of cases. Two approaches were used to explore CIB. First, we capitalized on the diverse cognitive profiles within MCI, subdividing the overall sample into people with and without memory deficits. The frequency of CIB was significantly higher in multidomain non-amnestic MCI than in multidomain amnestic MCI, suggesting that CIB is not associated with specific memory impairment. Second, we assessed the cognitive correlates of CIB, by selecting patients with MCI who completed a battery of executive, visuo-constructional and memory tasks. Sub-groups of patients with and without CIB showed a similar overall severity of cognitive decline and comparable performance in visuo-constructional and memory tasks, but those with CIB were slightly but significantly more impaired on executive function tasks. The study provides evidence against memory-based accounts of CIB, and supports recent suggestions that executive impairments are the dominant cognitive correlate of this clinical sign. (JINS, 2012, 18, 269–276)

Keywords

Closing-in behaviorConstructional abilitiesExecutive controlmemoryVisuo-spatial abilitiesMild cognitive impairment
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , March 2012 , pp. 269 - 276
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2011

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