Design fluency in dementia of Alzheimer's type, multi-infarct dementia and dementia associated with alcoholism.

Design fluency was assessed in four age and education matched groups 16 medical controls, 17 dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), 15 multi-infarct dementia (MID) and six patients with dementia associated with alcoholism (DAA). In comparison with the control group, the three dementia groups distinctly demonstrated impaired production of novel designs with a significant tendency towards perseveration. Also the four groups were assessed on word fluency, with similar findings obtained. Word fluency and design fluency performance was most interrelated within the DAT group. Although the nonspecific effects of the dementing process in each group contributed to impaired design fluency production, in the DAT group it appeared that visuoconstructive deficits, in particular, negatively impacted design fluency. Results are discussed in terms of the clinical utility of the design fluency measure and its relationship to impaired novel and creative responding in dementia.