A Comparison of Language Features Between Patients With Alzheimer Disease and Their Healthy Counterparts

Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a neurological disorder associated with the progressive damage of memory and problems in communication and language skills. The examination of language in AD was less studied; therefore, this research aimed to compare linguistic characteristics between AD patients and their healthy counterparts.

A total of 32 patients with AD (16 women and 16 men) with an Mean±SD age of 77±7.41 years, and their healthy peers (19 women and 13 men) with an Mean±SD age of 81.34±6.04 years participated in this study. Both groups were evaluated with the Persian bedside version of western aphasia battery. The results were assessed by the Independent t test. The significance level was set at less than 0.05.

The mean scores of each test and the general criterion for the adversity quotient index were significant between the two groups (P<0.001). The highest difference was in continuous and naming indices, and the least difference was seen in the repeat index.

The AD considerably affects all oral language skills; therefore, patients are significantly weaker than healthy individuals.