title: Semantic memory impairment in the earliest phases of Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: The presence and the nature of semantic memory dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been widely debated. This study aimed to determine the frequency of impaired semantic test performances in mild AD and to study whether incipient semantic impairments could be identified in predementia AD. Five short neuropsychological tests sensitive to semantic memory and easily applicable in routine practice were administered to 102 patients with mild AD (Mini-Mental State Examination score above 19), 22 predementia AD patients and 58 healthy subjects. 'Category fluency' and 'naming of famous faces' were the most frequently impaired tests in both patient groups. The study demonstrated that impairments on semantically related tests are common in mild AD and may exist prior to the clinical diagnosis. The results imply that assessment of semantic memory is relevant in the evaluation of patients with suspected AD.
authors.affiliation: Memory Disorders Research Unit, Neuroscience Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. vogel@rh.dk
authors.forename: Asmus
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gade
authors.forename: Jette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stokholm
authors.forename: Gunhild
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waldemar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D000647:Amnesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000849:Anomia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012660:Semantics; D014706:Verbal Learning