title: Formulaic Language in Alzheimer's Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies of productive language in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have focused on formal testing of syntax and semantics but have directed less attention to naturalistic discourse and formulaic language. Clinical observations suggest that individuals with AD retain the ability to produce formulaic language long after other cognitive abilities have deteriorated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study quantifies production of formulaic expressions in the spontaneous speech of individuals with AD. Persons with early- and late-onset forms of the disease were compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Conversational language samples of individuals with early- (n = 5) and late-onset (n = 6) AD and healthy controls (n = 5) were analyzed to determine whether formulaic language, as measured by the number of words in formulaic expressions, differs between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicate that individuals with AD, regardless of age of onset, used significantly more formulaic expressions than healthy controls. The early- and late-onset AD groups did not differ on formulaic language measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings contribute to a dual process model of cerebral function, which proposes differing processing principles for formulaic and novel expressions. In this model, subcortical areas, which remain intact into late in the progression of Alzheimer's disease, play an important role in the production of formulaic language. Applications to clinical practice include identifying preserved formulaic language and providing informed counseling to patient and family.
authors.affiliation: New York University, Communicative Sciences and Disorders, 665 Broadway, New York, 10012 United States & The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Geriatrics Department, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, 10962 United States.
authors.forename: Kelly Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Lancker Sidtis
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Dual-process model; Formulaic language