The Effects of Question Type on Conversational Discourse in Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of asking open-ended episodic memory questions versus open-ended semantic memory questions on the conversational discourse of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Four females diagnosed with probable AD participated in the study. A within-subjects experimental design was employed to assess the effects of the different question types on participants’ spoken language. Transcripts were analyzed using specific discourse measures used in previous research involving individuals with AD. Results: Participants in this study produced more meaningful and relevant statements, as measured by ratios of on-topic utterances, when responding to the semantic memory questions as compared to episodic memory questions. Participants made few negative comments overall; however, more negative self-evaluative statements were made in the episodic memory condition. When considered in conjunction with previous research, the results support the use of multiple question types in conversation with individuals with mild and moderate AD. However, communication partners should limit their use of open-ended questions that primarily tax episodic memory.

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Do You Remember? How Caregivers Question Their Spouses Who Have Alzheimer’s Disease and the Impact on Communication

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/1092-4388(2005/010) ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 125-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Jeff A. Small ◽

JoAnn Perry

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Similar Extent ◽

Positive Communication ◽

Communication Breakdown ◽

Communication Problems ◽

The Impact ◽

Communication Outcome

This study examined the types of questions caregivers use and their outcomes when conversing with their spouse with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Of particular interest was caregivers’ use of yes-no and open-ended questions and the demands they make on the memory of the person with AD. It was hypothesized that communication between caregivers and their spouses would be more successful when caregivers used yes-no rather than open-ended questions; however, it was also predicted that a more positive communication outcome would occur when caregivers used open-ended questions that requested information from semantic rather than episodic memory. Eighteen caregivers and their spouses diagnosed with AD were audiotaped while they conversed for approximately 10 min on a topic of their choosing. The conversations were transcribed and coded according to the occurrence of questions, the type of question (yes-no, choice, or open-ended), the type of memory required to respond to a question (semantic or episodic), and the outcome of a response to a question (communication breakdown). The results indicated that caregivers used yes-no and open-ended questions to a similar extent, whereas episodic questions were used almost twice as frequently as semantic questions. Communication was more successful when caregivers used yes-no compared with open-ended questions and when questions placed demands on semantic rather than episodic memory. The findings from this study suggest that caregivers can reduce communication problems by avoiding the use of questions that depend on episodic memory. In addition, while yes-no questions were associated with more favorable outcomes than open-ended questions, the latter do not need to be avoided if they refer to information that draws only on semantic memory.

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Functional connectivity alterations of the temporal lobe and hippocampus in semantic dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

10.1101/322131 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Simon Schwab ◽

Soroosh Afyouni ◽

Yan Chen ◽

Zaizhu Han ◽

Qihao Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Temporal Lobe ◽

Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽

Semantic Dementia ◽

Common Pathway ◽

The Right

AbstractThe severe semantic memory impairments in semantic dementia have been attributed to a pronounced atrophy and functional disruption of the anterior temporal lobes. In contrast, the medial and posterior temporal lobe damage predominantly found in patients with Alzheimer’s disease has been associated with episodic memory disturbance. However, the two dementia subtypes share hippocampal deterioration, despite a relatively spared episodic memory in semantic dementia. To gain more insight into the mutual and divergent functional alterations seen in Alzheimer’s disease and semantic dementia, we assessed the differences in intrinsic functional connectivity between temporal lobe regions in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (n = 16), semantic dementia patients from two international sites (n = 23), and healthy controls (n = 17). In an exploratory study, we used a functional parcellation of the temporal cortex to extract time series. The Alzheimer’s disease group showed a single connection with reduced functional connectivity as compared to the controls. This connection was located between the right orbitofrontal cortex and the right anterior temporal lobe. In contrast, functional connectivity was decreased in the semantic dementia group in six connections, mainly involving the hippocampus, lingual gyrus, temporal pole, and orbitofrontal cortex. We identified a common pathway with semantic dementia, since the functional connectivity between the right anterior temporal lobe and the right orbitofrontal cortex was reduced in both types of dementia. This might be related to social knowledge deficits as part of semantic memory decline. However, such interpretations are preferably made in the context of all disease-specific semantic impairments and functional connectivity changes. Despite some limitations owed to the two database sites, this study provides a first preliminary picture of the brain’s functional dysconnectivity in Alzheimer’s disease and semantic dementia. Future studies are needed to replicate findings of such a common pathway with matched diagnosis, neuropsychological, and data MRI acquisition procedures.

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Episodic and Semantic Memory for Melodies in Alzheimer's Disease

Music Perception An Interdisciplinary Journal ◽

10.1525/mp.2012.29.5.501 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 501-507 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Ashley D. Vanstone ◽

Ritu Sikka ◽

Leila Tangness ◽

Rosalind Sham ◽

Angeles Garcia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Memory Task ◽

Younger Adults ◽

The Difference ◽

Novel Target ◽

Musical Memory

the present study addressed episodic and semantic memory for melodies in three groups of participants: 35 younger adults, 40 older adults, and 10 individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). To assess episodic memory, a study list of eight novel target melodies was presented three times, followed by a test trial in which target melodies were mixed with foil (previously unheard) melodies. Both explicit and implicit measures were obtained. Explicit memory was assessed by the accuracy of discrimination of the target melodies from the foils. Younger adults were significantly more accurate than older adults, who in turn had significantly higher scores than AD adults. Implicit memory was assessed by examining the difference in pleasantness ratings between target and foil melodies. Younger adults showed significantly greater differences in pleasantness ratings than older adults and AD adults; scores for the two latter groups did not differ. To assess semantic memory, participants were asked to identify traditional melodies within a series of traditional and novel melodies. In contrast to the episodic memory results, all three groups showed very high scores on the semantic memory task with no significant differences among groups. The results support the notion that, though other forms of musical memory may be compromised, semantic memory for melody may be preserved in normal aging and in AD.

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Impact of Comorbid Depression on Serial Position Effects in Alzheimer’s Disease

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000115 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 161-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nienke A. Hofrichter ◽

Sandra Dick ◽

Thomas G. Riemer ◽

Carsten Schleussner ◽

Monique Goerke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Serial Position ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Memory Function ◽

Word List ◽

Position Effects ◽

Serial Position Effects ◽

List Memory

Hippocampal dysfunction and deficits in episodic memory have been reported for both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Primacy performance has been associated with hippocampus-dependent episodic memory, while recency may reflect working memory performance. In this study, serial position profiles were examined in a total of 73 patients with MDD, AD, both AD and MDD, and healthy controls (HC) by means of CERAD-NP word list memory. Primacy performance was most impaired in AD with comorbid MDD, followed by AD, MDD, and HC. Recency performance, on the other hand, was comparable across groups. These findings indicate that primacy in AD is impaired in the presence of comorbid MDD, suggesting additive performance decrements in this specific episodic memory function.

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The Self-Reference Effect on Episodic Memory Recollection in Young and Older Adults and Alzheimer’s Disease

Current Alzheimer Research ◽

10.2174/15672050113106660175 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1107-1117 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Jennifer Lalanne ◽

Johanna Rozenberg ◽

Pauline Grolleau ◽

Pascale Piolino

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

The Self ◽

Self Reference

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The Category Cued Recall test in very mild Alzheimer's disease: discriminative validity and correlation with semantic memory functions

European Journal of Neurology ◽

10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01568.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 102-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

A. Vogel ◽

E. L. Mortensen ◽

A. Gade ◽

G. Waldemar

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Recall Test ◽

Cued Recall ◽

Discriminative Validity ◽

Memory Functions

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Decline in verbal memory during preclinical Alzheimer's disease: Examination of the effect of APOE genotype

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617702870096 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 8 (7) ◽

pp. 943-955 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

KELLY L. LANGE ◽

MARK W. BONDI ◽

DAVID P. SALMON ◽

DOUGLAS GALASKO ◽

DEAN C. DELIS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Apoe Genotype ◽

Apoe Ε4 ◽

Dementia Syndrome ◽

Ε4 Allele

A subtle decline in episodic memory often occurs prior to the emergence of the full dementia syndrome in nondemented older adults who develop Alzheimer's disease (AD). The APOE-ε4 genotype may engender a more virulent form of AD that hastens this decline. To examine this possibility, we compared the rate of decline in episodic memory during the preclinical phase of AD in individuals with or without at least one APOE ε4 allele. Nondemented normal control (NC; n = 84) participants, nondemented older adults who subsequently developed dementia within 1 or 2 years (i.e., preclinical AD; n = 20), and patients with mild AD (n = 53) were examined with 2 commonly employed tests of episodic memory, the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised and the California Verbal Learning Test. Results revealed a precipitous decline in verbal memory abilities 1 to 2 years prior to the onset of the dementia syndrome, but there was little effect of APOE genotype on the rate of this memory decline. The presence of an APOE-ε4 allele, however, did have a differential effect on the sensitivity of the 2 types of memory tests for tracking progression and made an independent contribution to the prediction of conversion to AD. (JINS, 2002, 8, 943–955.)

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