Improvement of spontaneous speech in early stage Alzheimer's with rivastigmine.
OBJECTIVE
Placebo-controlled trials have shown that rivastigmine can delay cognitive deterioration in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Benefits on cognitive functioning, as measured with the ADAS-Cog, occur on a daily dose of 6-12 mg when used for at least 6 months. The effect of rivastigmine on the adequacy of spontaneous speech is unknown. This study aimed to (i) compare the spontaneous speech of AD patients with the spontaneous speech of persons with normal cognition, (ii) compare the spontaneous speech of the same group of AD patients before and after treatment with rivastigmine.


METHODS
Spontaneous speech of AD patients (n=9) was compared with that of healthy elderly volunteers (n=8). In the patient group, spontaneous speech was analysed before and after treatment with rivastigmine.


RESULTS
Before treatment, 100% discrimination was found between the spontaneous speech of AD patients and of healthy volunteers based on two linguistic parameters: empty words and compound sentences. After treatment with rivastigmine the spontaneous speech of the AD patients improved on these two variables, while the ADAS-Cog scores decreased. Mean interval between the two spontaneous speech samples was 8.89 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Assessment of spontaneous speech might be a valid parameter to discriminate between normal cognition and AD, and to evaluate the effects of anti-AD medication.
Visch Brink
E G
EG
Section of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. e.visch-brink@erasmusmc.nl
Van Rhee Temme
W
W
Rietveld
T
T
Krulder
J W M
JW
Van Harskamp
F
F
Van der Cammen
T J M
TJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D048448:Phenylcarbamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012016:Reference Values; D000068836:Rivastigmine; D013060:Speech
D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D000068836:Rivastigmine