Low Speech Connectedness in Alzheimer's Disease is Associated with Poorer Semantic Memory Performance.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Malcorra, Bárbara Luzia Covatti; Mota, Natália Bezerra; Weissheimer, Janaina; Schilling, Lucas Porcello; Maximiliano A Wilson; Hübner, Lilian Cristine

Source:

J Alzheimers Dis, Volume 82, Issue 3, p.905-912 (2021)

Keywords:

Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Female, Humans, Male, Memory Disorders, Memory, Episodic, Memory, Short-Term, Middle Aged, Narration, Semantics, Speech

Abstract:

<p>Connected speech is an everyday activity. We aimed to investigate whether connected speech can differentiate oral narrative production between adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 24) and cognitively healthy older adults (n = 48). We used graph attributes analysis to represent connected speech. Participants produced oral narratives and performed semantic, episodic, and working memory tasks. AD patients produced less connected narratives than cognitively healthy older adults. Connectedness was associated with semantic memory in AD and with episodic memory in controls. Word-graphs connectedness represents a practical tool to assess cognitive impairment in AD patients.</p>