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Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: August 30, 2011
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Referential adjustment during discourse production in Alzheimer's disease
Mélanie Sandoz1, Katia Iglesias2, Amélie M Achim3
1Institut des Sciences Logopédiques, Université de Neuchâtel , Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
|August 12, 2020
Summary
People with Alzheimer's disease (AD) struggle with referential choices in narrative discourse, producing fewer expected expressions at key stages. However, their sensitivity to discourse factors like complexity appears preserved, highlighting the role of executive functions.
Area of Science:
- Neurolinguistics
- Cognitive Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) often exhibit altered referential behavior, using more pronouns, linked to cognitive decline.
- Previous research suggests difficulties in lexical retrieval and working memory contribute to these changes.
- The impact of specific discourse factors on referential choices in AD remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate referential choices across three discourse stages (introduction, maintenance, shift) in narrative discourse.
- To examine how referential complexity influences these choices in individuals with AD.
- To explore the relationship between referential choices and cognitive abilities, particularly executive functions.
Main Methods:
- Elicited narrative discourses from 21 individuals with AD and 21 healthy adults using a storytelling task.
- Analyzed the production of indefinite expressions, definite expressions, and pronouns.
- Correlated referential expression use with discourse stage, referential complexity, and cognitive assessments.
Main Results:
- Participants with AD produced significantly fewer expected referential expressions at introduction and shift stages compared to controls.
- AD participants showed similar patterns of variation in referential expression categories across discourse stages as healthy adults.
- Referential choices were strongly associated with executive abilities and other cognitive skills.
Conclusions:
- Alzheimer's disease impacts the production of specific referential expressions at critical discourse junctures.
- Despite challenges, individuals with AD demonstrate preserved sensitivity to discourse structure and complexity.
- Referential production is a complex cognitive process reliant on various executive functions, modulated by discourse context.
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