[Degenerative aphasia]

A woman had difficulties in word finding since age 59, this became a Broca's aphasia then a global aphasia. The only possible expression was written and agrammatic with many semantic errors. Calculation was preserved as well as constructional praxis. Ideomotor praxis was slightly impaired. Visual recognition and somatagnosia were normal. Neurological examination showed neither motor nor sensitive impairment. Visual fields were normal. CT scan at onset was normal. Later a slight cortical atrophy appeared predominating on the sylvian fissures, slightly more severe on the left side. Reviewing the literature the authors draw attention on the possible occurrence of an evolutive aphasia being the first evidence of a dementia. The impairment of the other cognitive functions would only appear after several years.