Cognitive Mechanisms in Decision-Making in Patients With Mild Alzheimer Disease.
BACKGROUND
Alzheimer's dementia is characterized by significant cortical and subcortical atrophy, causing diverse neuropsychological deficits. According to the somatic marker hypothesis, the areas responsible for generating the somatic markers that anticipate the consequences of a decision and thereby optimize the process would be affected in these patients.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this experiment is to study the decision-making processes in Alzheimer type dementia patients to determine potential deficits in these processes as a result of the disease, aside from the cognitive impairment that is typical of aging. In addition, we wish to determine the defining characteristics of decision-making in these patients, on the basis of the prospect valence-learning parameters.


METHOD
We evaluated 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease and a control group of 30 healthy subjects. A short version of the Iowa Gambling Task was used.


RESULTS
The results showed that patients made less advantageous choices than did controls. Group differences were quantitative and qualitative, as significant differences in cognitive mechanisms identified in the prospect valence-learning decisions were observed. These results are consistent with evidence from neuroimaging studies as well as with work carried out with amnesic patients.


CONCLUSION
That problems in our patients' decision-making could be due to the characteristic memory deficits of this disease, which prevents them from establishing new stimulus-reward relationships and eliminating previously learned responses as a result of the parietal and temporal atrophy they present.
['Alameda-Bailen|Jose Ramon|JR|', 'Salguero-Alcaniz|Maria Pilar|MP|', 'Merchan-Clavellino|Ana|A|', 'Paino-Quesada|Susana|S|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D000544:Alzheimer Disease D003072:Cognition Disorders D003657:Decision Making D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D000073216:Mental Status and Dementia Tests D008875:Middle Aged
somatic marker hypothesis Mild alzheimer dementia decision making memory loss. prospect valence learning software carts