Aphasia, family history, and the longitudinal course of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type.
Aphasia, was present in a majority of subjects in a longitudinal study of 43 subjects with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Aphasic subjects had a more rapidly progressive course but a lower prevalence of familial cases than the study group, other study groups, or the nonaphasic subjects. Conversely, the lack of aphasia was associated with a higher prevalence of familial cases and a slower rate of progression. It is concluded that senile dementia of the Alzheimer type is a heterogeneous disorder in which the presence of aphasia early in the course signifies a nonfamilial, rapidly progressive variety of illness.
Knesevich
J W
JW
Toro
F R
FR
Morris
J C
JC
LaBarge
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D001037:Aphasia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012306:Risk