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That patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a substantial degree of cognitive impairment is becoming increasingly clear. The current study, though a bit esoteric, should help spread the word. The investigators evaluated language impairment in 34 consecutive patients with ALS who completed a cognitive evaluation at an academic neuromuscular clinic. Of these, 26 patients underwent structural MRI scans. To detect regional atrophy, the investigators compared these scans statistically to scans from age-matched controls.
Fourteen of the patients had significant cognitive impairment, defined as one or both of the following: performing abnormally compared with controls on three of four frontal lobe function tests, or meeting criteria…