Narrative analysis in Alzheimer’s disease
Background. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative illness, which occurs with increasing frequency as people age. While progressive memory impairment is the upfront element associated with the disease, other neurocognitive troubles are also associated with it, such as language impairment w...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Psychology in Russia: State of Art |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/pdf/2018_3/psych_3_2018_10_Thomas.pdf |
| Summary: | Background. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative illness, which occurs with increasing frequency as people age. While progressive memory impairment is the upfront element associated with the disease, other neurocognitive
troubles are also associated with it, such as language impairment which can degenerate into aphasia. Language disorders interfere and worsen the functioning of memory.
Aim of the study. To evaluate semantic and textual impairment in AD patients.
Methods. Te current study involved 151 AD patients undergong consultation at Brest University Hospital. Certain sociodemographic data (sex, age, cultural levels)
were collected, as well as results from the following neuropsychological tests: Folstein (MMSE); Dubois’s 5-word test; Dubois’s frontal assessment test battery (fuencies);
Cornell’s scale for depression; and Barbizet’s test ( “Te Lion’s tale”). All were subject to textual analysis. Our sample of demented patients included 102 females and 49
males of average age 80.3±6.91.
Results. All the tests, including the number of items recalled much later in the Barbizet’s test, showed impairment, all the more by Folstein’s test being altered. Te demented patients’ formal fuency was less impaired than their semantical lexical
fuency (scored respectively 5.74±1.09 versus 4.41± 2.19; t = 5.60, p<0.01). Te demented cohort exhibited more intrusions (n=36) than inversions in the delayed recollection of the Lion’s Tale, both for items and the episodes in which they occurred
(n=19). Te regressive PLS analysis showed that, to explain the overall scores relating to “Te Lion’s Tale”, calculated later, only attainment of lexical fuency had any notable infuence (Regression coefcient CR=0.224) or, more accessorily, the cultural level
(CR=0.12).
Conclusion. AD patients’ profciency in tests of category fuency and their cultural levels have efects on narrativity. |
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| ISSN: | 2074-6857 2307-2202 |