A study on cognitive flexibility in hepatic type hepatolenticular degeneration patients

Objective To assess the characteristics of cognition flexibility in hepatic type hepatolenticular degeneration(HLD) patients through neuropsychological tests;and to research on the mechanism of cognition flexibility dysfunction in hepatic type HLD patients. Methods 36 hepatic type patients were researched as HLD group. 30 healthy people were selected as control group. All the patients and control group were recorded the sex, age, years of education and the test results of Raven's standard progressive matrices (R'SPM), trail making test (TMT). Results HLD group compared with control group were exceedingly significantly difference in A item time-consuming [(35.94±11.51)s],B item time-consuming [(117.94±44.30)s] and interference effects (82.42±43.49) of TMT ( P <0.05 or P <0.01). It were significantly different in intelligence quotient,similar comparison,abstract inference items of R'SPM( P <0.05). The B item time-consuming and interference effects of TMT were correlated positively to age, course of disease in HLD group( P <0.05 or P <0.01).The scores of comparative inference of R'SPM were correlated negatively to age, course of disease in HLD group ( P <0.05). Conclusion Cognitive flexibility dysfunction were appearing in hepatic type HLD patients. Damages of frontal - striatal loop functions caused to minimal hepatic encephalopathy were capital mechanisms of cognitive flexibility dysfunction in hepatic type HLD patients. Key words: Hepatolenticular degeneration;  Cognitive flexibility;  Minimal hepatic encephalopathy