Neuroimaging correlates of everyday action in dementia

The everyday, functional impairments associated with dementia remain poorly understood from a neuropsychological perspective. This study investigated relations between brain structure volumes and two measures of everyday action - caregiver questionnaire and direct assessment - in 57 participants with dementia. Results showed that caregiver ratings reflecting more functional impairment were strongly associated with smaller volumes of deep white matter. Direct assessment of everyday task performance in a subsample revealed relations between unique neurological substrates and discrete everyday action error types. Findings emphasize differences in functional assessment methods and highlight the role of white matter in functional deficits in dementia.