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Relevant category-specific effect on naming in Alzheimer's disease
Olivier Martinaud1, Gaëlle Opolczynski, Marie-José Gaillard
1Department of Neurology, Rouen University Hospital, FR-76031 Rouen, France. olivier.martinaud @ chu-rouen.fr
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
|November 13, 2009
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients show a category effect in naming tasks, with non-living items being named more accurately than living items, especially in milder cases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neurology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
- Language and naming deficits are common symptoms in AD.
- Understanding category-specific effects in naming can provide insights into cognitive impairment in AD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of item category (living vs. non-living) on naming performance in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease.
- To explore the relationship between category effects in naming and the severity of Alzheimer's disease or the extent of naming deficits.
Main Methods:
- Fifty patients with probable AD participated in a picture naming task.
- The task included 99 items from living and non-living categories.
- Picture and word parameters (e.g., familiarity, frequency, complexity) were controlled.
Main Results:
- A significant category-specific effect was observed in naming performance.
- Patients with AD showed greater difficulty naming living items compared to non-living items.
- Stepwise logistic regression identified a significant category effect in 9 cases.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a category effect in naming for individuals with Alzheimer's disease, favoring non-living items.
- This effect is particularly pronounced in mild AD cases with prominent naming difficulties.
- Category-specific naming deficits may serve as an indicator of disease severity and type of impairment.
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