Semantic networks for odors and colors in Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Impairment in odor-naming ability and in verbal and visual semantic networks raised the hypothesis of a breakdown in the semantic network for odors in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The current study addressed this hypothesis.


METHODS
Twenty-four individuals, half patients with probable AD and half control participants, performed triadic-similarity judgments for odors and colors, separately, which, utilizing the multidimensional scaling (MDS) technique of individual difference scaling analysis (INDSCAL), generated two-dimensional configurations of similarity. The abilities to match odors and colors with written name labels were assessed to investigate disease-related differences in ability to identify and conceptualize the stimuli. In addition, responses on attribute-sorting tasks, requiring the odor and color perceptions to be categorized as one polarity of a certain dimension, were obtained to allow for objective interpretation of the MDS spatial maps.


RESULTS
Whereas comparison subjects generated spatial maps based predominantly on relatively abstract characteristics, patients with AD classified odors on perceptual characteristics. The maps for patients with AD also showed disorganized groupings and loose associations between odors. Their normal configurations for colors imply that the patients were able to comprehend the task per se. The data for label matching and for attribute sorting provide further evidence for a disturbance in semantic odor memory in AD. The patients performed poorer than controls on both these odor tasks, implying that the ability to identify and/or conceptualize odors is impaired in AD.


CONCLUSIONS
The results provide clear evidence for deterioration of the structure of semantic knowledge for odors in AD.
Razani
Jill
J
San Diego State University-University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, CA, USA.
Chan
Agnes
A
Nordin
Steven
S
Murphy
Claire
C
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009812:Odorants; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012660:Semantics; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*