Episodic memory in progressive supranuclear palsy: a neuropsychological and neuroimaging study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Episodic memory impairment may occur in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). However, it remains uncertain whether this is due to executive dysfunction or to the involvement of brain areas responsible for memory. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the specific brain regions underlying episodic memory impairment in PSP. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with PSP and 20 healthy controls underwent the Figure Memory Test (FMT) from the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery and brain MRI. We explored correlations between gray matter volumes and memory scores in PSP patients, adjusting for age and performance on the Frontal Assessment Battery. RESULTS: PSP patients performed worse than controls (p < 0.001) on delayed recall in the FMT. Delayed recall scores correlated to bilateral hippocampal and parahippocampal volumes in PSP patients. CONCLUSIONS: Medial temporal structures may play a role in episodic memory impairment in PSP, suggesting that amnesia in PSP is not solely due to executive dysfunction.