Occipital atrophy is associated with visual hallucinations in Alzheimer's disease

J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2000 Winter;12(1):25-8. doi: 10.1176/jnp.12.1.25.

Abstract

In this study of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), patients with visual hallucinations were compared with patients who did not have visual hallucinations to determine if selective occipital lobe atrophy is associated with visual hallucinations. Seven AD patients with visual hallucinations were matched by cognitive score to 7 AD patients without visual hallucinations and 3-D MRI images obtained. A ratio of measured occipital volumes to whole brain volumes was compared between the two groups. AD patients with visual hallucinations had a significantly smaller occipital/whole brain ratio than AD patients without visual hallucinations. These results suggest visual hallucinations in AD may be associated with neuropathology of the occipital lobe.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis*
  • Atrophy
  • Female
  • Hallucinations / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Occipital Lobe / pathology*
  • Visual Perception / physiology*