ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - EFFECTS ON LANGUAGE

The longitudinal effect of Alzheimer's disease on language functions h as rarely been investigated. Through support from the National Institu te of Mental Health, language functions were comprehensively assessed in 94 Alzheimer's patients and 53 normal control participants in a 3-y ear study. Rate of decline of language abilities was calculated and re lated to overall dementia severity, family history of the disease, and age-at-onset. Linguistic communication inexorably declined during the disease course and was highly associated with increased dementia seve rity. However, rate of language decline was unrelated to either age at disease onset or family history of the disease. Notably, results fail ed to substantiate the existence of a clinically unique subgroup of Al zheimer's patients for whom language is particularly impaired, as was suggested by Faber-Langendoen, in the most detailed investigation of t he longitudinal effects of Alzheimer's disease on language.