title: The influence of personal familiarity on object naming, knowledge, and use in dementia.
abstract: Reports of semantic dementia patients have shown more accurate identification and use for personal objects than unfamiliar analogs of the same objects (e.g., personal comb versus experimenter's comb) [Bozeat, S., Lambon Ralph, M. A., Patterson, K., & Hodges, J. R. (2002). The influence of personal familiarity and context on object use in semantic dementia. Neurocase, 8, 127-134; Snowden, J. S., Griffiths, H., & Neary, D. (1994). Semantic dementia: Autobiographical contribution to preservation of meaning. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 11, 265-288]. Despite potential clinical implications, the personal object advantage has not been explored in various dementia populations. Sixteen mild to moderate dementia patients were tested with 12-15 of their personal objects and laboratory analog objects. Four tasks were administered: Naming, Gesture, Semantic/Script Generation, and Personal Object Decision (i.e., Is this yours?). Although 25% of the sample performed at chance in identifying personal objects as their own, participants generated more specific information (t=2.3, p=.03) and more accurate gestures (t=2.4, p=.03) for personal objects. Thus, the personal object advantage was observed for script/semantic knowledge and movement sequences, and should be considered in residential planning for various dementia patients.
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Psychology Department, Weiss Hall, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. tgio@temple.edu
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giovannetti
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sestito
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Libon
authors.forename: Kara S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gambino
authors.forename: Evangelia G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Chrysikou
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005868:Gestures; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009275:Names; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012660:Semantics