Objective Impairment of visual perception frequently occurs in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and can cause severe constraints in daily activities. The nonverbal Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM) test consists of sets A, AB, and B and is easily performed in a short time to evaluate both visual perception and reasoning ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neural basis of visual perception and reasoning ability in patients with AD using RCPM and single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods Fifty patients who fulfilled the National Institute on Aging/Alzheimer's Association criteria for probable AD dementia were examined with RCPM and SPECT. All SPECTs were performed using N‐isopropyl‐p‐[123I]‐iodoamphetamine. A multiple regression model was used to perform multivariate analyses of the relationships between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and RCPM scores. Results There was a significant positive correlation between RCPM total score and rCBF in the inferior parietal lobes bilaterally, the right inferior temporal gyrus, and the right middle frontal gyrus. Set A was positively correlated with rCBF in the right temporal and right parietal lobes. Set AB was positively correlated with rCBF in the right temporal, right parietal, and right frontal lobes. Set B was positively correlated with rCBF in the right parietal and right frontal lobes. Conclusion Our findings suggest that deteriorations of specific brain regions are associated with dysfunction of visual perception and reasoning ability in AD. RCPM is another informative assessment scale of cognition for use in patients with AD. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.