Despite the prevalence and importance of this key symptom, current identification of DCs

relies solely on expert clinical judgement, resulting in poor interrater reliability and inaccurate identification. In one study, 129 patients (37 DLB, 60 AD, and 33 healthy elderly volunteers) with assigned clinical DC scores, were assessed using the CDR 90-second choice reaction time task.144 Correlations between variability (standard deviation) within the 90-second choice reaction time trial and clinical measures of DC where investigated. Variability in attentional selleck products performance across the 90 seconds strongly correlated with clinical DC scores, remaining significant when mean Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical reaction time was accounted for using the coefficient of variation. An optimal cutoff score in choice reaction time variability, derived from the first 35 subjects, discriminated AD from DLB patients Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical with a specificity of 95 %. Variability in a 90second attentional trial appears to be a sensitive, accurate marker for DCs, with substantial implications for the identification and description of this key symptom. These Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical findings have considerable implications

for the existing operationalized clinical diagnostic criteria for AD and DLB. Finally, in the first international therapeutic clinical trial in DLB (ENA-INT-03), in which the CDR system was used as an outcome measure to test the efficacy of the anticholinesterase rivastigmine, a marked and highly significant response to treatment, was identified on the CDR tasks, particularly the attentional tasks, which faded when treatment was withdrawn.145 These effects were large in magnitude and Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical more substantial than those typically identified in AD using the ADAS. This identifies DLB as an important, target for future work with drugs acting via cholinergic and particularly nicotinic mechanisms. Cognitive deficits in various populations Using the CDR system, various profiles of cognitive impairment have been seen in a

range of clinical and psychiatric populations. A range of deficits in cognitive function has been seen in young Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical first-time-diagnosed schizophrenic patients compared with aged, matched controls.146 Severe cognitive deficits have been identified in patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome147 as well as patients with multiple sclerosis.148,149 Milder deficits have been seen in hyperthyroid patients.150 Diseases during associated with the carotid artery can also lead to cognitive impairment, including carotid sinus syndrome151 and carotid sinus hypersensitivity.152 Further, cognitive impairment can be identified following carotid endarlerectomy.153,154 Cardiovascular disease can also lead to cognitive impairment. Recent work has shown widespread deficits in elderly hypertensive patients compared with normotensives,155 and a range of impairments have been seen in patients with various cardiovascular conditions.