Abstract
Objective:
To investigate how language deteriorates over the Alzheimer’s Disease course.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out. 35 patients diagnosed with dementia due to AD using the NINCDS-ARDRA criteria and undergoing treatment for AD with a therapeutic dose of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were assessed by the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE). The sample comprised 15 patients with mild AD (MMSE > 23, CDR = 0 or 0.5‒1.0) and 20 patients with moderate AD (MMSE = 13‒23, CDR = 2). The results for the 2 groups on all language tasks were compared.
Results:
A statistically significant difference was found between the mild and moderate AD groups for total score on the BDAE (95% CI 47.10‒114.08, t = 5.0, DF = 21, p = 0.000*), as well as on several tasks involving oral and writing comprehension, language oral expression and writing.
Conclusion:
The study results showed major changes in the moderate stage. Also, the decline in language performance correlated with the worsening of dementia syndrome, independently of sociodemographic variables.
Keywords:
Dementia; Alzheimer’s Disease; Language
HIGHLIGHTS
There were linguistic tasks more preserved than others during the AD’s progression.
Language is more globally affected in patients with less than 17 points on the MMSE.
The language profile can guide strategies to maintain communication.