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Freehand drawing impairments in probable Alzheimer's disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2009

Murray Grossman ,
Jenifer Mickanin ,
Kris Onishi ,
Keith M. Robinson  and
Mark D'Esposito
Murray Grossman
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Jenifer Mickanin
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Kris Onishi
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Keith M. Robinson
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Mark D'Esposito
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
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Abstract

We evaluated freehand picture production of familiar objects in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease. The overall recognizability of their drawings was significantly compromised. Error analyses revealed the production of category violations and the frequent inclusion of incorrect features in a picture that were borrowed from semantically related objects, suggesting difficulty distinguishing between items with overlapping feature sets in semantic memory. Analyses of individual patient drawing profiles also revealed that some patients are disproportionately compromised in expressing a particular perceptual feature, implicating difficulty at the level of perceptual processing. Regression analyses demonstrated the contribution of limited visual attentional resources. We conclude that impaired freehand drawing in probable Alzheimer's disease is multifactorial in nature. (JINS, 1996, 2, 226–235.)

Keywords

Alzheimer's diseasePictureCognitionVisual
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , May 1996 , pp. 226 - 235
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 1996

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