Frontal Assessment Battery and brain perfusion images in amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Aim: Some patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may have impaired frontal lobe function. To assess the frontal lobe functions of subjects with MCI using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and to identify the brain regions responsible for FAB performance. Methods: Based on the FAB score cut-off of 12/13, 38 MCI subjects were divided into a high FAB group (n = 20) and a low FAB group (n = 18). They underwent single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and we analyzed the data by the 3-D stereotactic surface projection method. Results: No significant differences in neuropsychological tests including memory, language and praxis, and depression scores were found between high and low FAB groups. Although both groups showed decreases in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of the parietotemporal and frontal regions, the low FAB group demonstrated significant decreases in the rCBF of the left lateral frontal and right medial frontal regions compared with the high FAB group. Conclusion: Our results indicate that some patients with amnestic MCI have frontal lobe dysfunction, assessed by the FAB. SPECT study suggests that the FAB mainly reflects the function of some regions of the left lateral frontal and right medial frontal areas. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 77-82.