Language Changes in Dementia of the Alzheimer Type

In 1907 Alzheimer described a demented woman who "frequently used perplexing phrases ... some paraphrastic expressions" (milk-pourer instead of cup) and suffered from a significant languag<: comprehension deficit.' Language disorders continue to be one of the most obvious and well-stUdied symptoms of dementia and are particularly pronounced in dementia of the Alzheimer type (OAT). The incidence oflanguage impairment in dementia is estimated to be between 88 and 95 percent, and is close w 100 percent in DAT. ~.127 This chapter will (1) describe the language disorder associated with various stages of OAT; (2) review sevetal prominent research questions about the origin and interprecation of these languag<: disorders; (3) discuss clinical implications of this research for diagnosis and treatment of language disorders in OAT; and (4) sketch out important areas of future resean:h.

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