PATTERNS OF LANGUAGE DECLINE IN NONFLUENT PRIMARY PROGRESSIVE APHASIA

Language samples collected yearly for up to 11 years post-onset of sym ptoms from four subjects presenting with non-fluent primary progressiv e aphasia (PPA) were analyzed and compared with samples collected from both non-brain-damaged subjects and those with agrammatic Broca's aph asia resulting from a single left-hemisphere stroke. Extensive analysi s of lexical and morphosyntactic variables in these samples revealed t wo patterns of expressive language decline in the PPA subjects - one r esembling that seen in our agrammatic aphasic subjects - i.e. impaired production of closed-class elements and loss of sentential structures governed by these elements-and the other characterized by advancing w ord-retrieval difficulties. These data are relevant for patient-manage ment purposes and, in addition, they provide information relevant to l anguage representation and organization.