The neurologic examination in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease.

Abnormal findings on a standardized neurologic examination were compared between patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy control subjects. Aside from mental status findings, the most useful examination findings for differentiating AD from control subjects were the presence of release signs, olfactory deficit, impaired stereognosis or graphesthesia, gait disorder, tremor, and abnormalities on cerebellar testing. These abnormalities probably reflect the different areas of the central nervous system that are affected pathologically in AD. In the clinical diagnosis of AD, particular attention should be given to these aspects of the neurologic examination.