Finger Tapping Frequency and Accuracy Are Decreased in Early Stage Primary Degenerative Dementia

Abstract

Finger tapping parameters were investigated in a group of 21 patients suffering from early (mild) stage of a tentative presenile dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), in a group of 14 patients with a questionable beginning dementia on the background of cardiovascular disease (CVD), in an age-matched (elder) control group (n = 10) and in a younger control group (n = 16). DAT patients responded significantly more slowly and less accurately in tapping with maximal frequency, with a self-chosen preferred frequency and in tasks to follow rhythmic acoustic clicks. CVD patients responded slightly more slowly but more accurately than DAT patients. The data confirm the hypothesis that decrease of brain operational speed and of focussed attention are early symptoms of dementia, especially of DAT and develop prior to memory decline.