BACKGROUND: Early hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is characterized by deficits in motor performance, visual perception, visuo-constructive abilities and attention. Whether defective memory is a feature of early HE is controversial. AIMS: To analyze memory function in patients with early HE. METHODS: Memory tests were applied to cirrhotic patients with grade 0 HE, minimal HE and grade I HE (n=45) and controls (n=52). The battery included short and long term memory tests requiring free recall or recognition. Minimal HE was diagnosed by assessing the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score using the PSE-Syndrom-Test and by carrying out a neurological examination. Group differences of the test results were analyzed using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: HE 0 patients achieved test results similar to the controls in all but two tests. Patients with early HE (minimal and grade I HE) scored lower than the controls in all tests applied. A detailed analysis of test performance showed that the patients' deficits were in attention and visual perception, rather than memory. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with early HE score lower than controls in memory tasks predominantly because of deficits in attention and visual perception.
BACKGROUND: Early hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is characterized by deficits in motor performance, visual perception, visuo-constructive abilities and attention. Whether defective memory is a feature of early HE is controversial. AIMS: To analyze memory function in patients with early HE. METHODS: Memory tests were applied to cirrhotic patients with grade 0 HE, minimal HE and grade I HE (n=45) and controls (n=52). The battery included short and long term memory tests requiring free recall or recognition. Minimal HE was diagnosed by assessing the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score using the PSE-Syndrom-Test and by carrying out a neurological examination. Group differences of the test results were analyzed using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: HE 0 patients achieved test results similar to the controls in all but two tests. Patients with early HE (minimal and grade I HE) scored lower than the controls in all tests applied. A detailed analysis of test performance showed that the patients' deficits were in attention and visual perception, rather than memory. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with early HE score lower than controls in memory tasks predominantly because of deficits in attention and visual perception.
Authors: Natalia Qvartskhava; Philipp A Lang; Boris Görg; Vitaly I Pozdeev; Marina Pascual Ortiz; Karl S Lang; Hans J Bidmon; Elisabeth Lang; Christina B Leibrock; Diran Herebian; Johannes G Bode; Florian Lang; Dieter Häussinger Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2015-04-13 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Karin Weissenborn; Martin Bokemeyer; Björn Ahl; Daniela Fischer-Wasels; Kathrin Giewekemeyer; Jörg van den Hoff; Herbert Köstler; Georg Berding Journal: Metab Brain Dis Date: 2004-12 Impact factor: 3.584