ABSTRACT
This review analyzes the spectrum of language deficits commonly encountered in dementia. A specific communication profile is found in dementia of the "cortical" type, such as Alzheimer's disease. With advancing disease lexical, comprehension and pragmatic functions deteriorate, whereas syntax and phonology tend to be preserved. This pattern bears some resemblance to aphasia types like transcortical and Wernicke's aphasia, however, a much broader range of communicative functions is impaired in Alzheimer's disease than in aphasia. Differentiation of dementia and aphasia, especially in elderly patients requires careful neuropsychological assessment of language, memory and other psychological functions. "Subcortical" dementia commonly presents with dysarthria as the leading symptom and linguistic impairment is rarely of crucial importance until late stages. Thus, the interetiologic dissociation of language and speech impairment can be used for dementia differentiation. Aphasia batteries are not sufficient to comprehend the range of language deficits in demented patients. Testing the communication impairment in dementia requires specific tasks for spontaneous speech, naming, comprehension, reading, writing, repetition and motor speech functions. Tasks for verbal learning and metalinguistic abilities should also be performed. Language deficits are frequent initial symptoms of dementia, thus language assessment may be of diagnostic relevance. Many data support the concept that the communication deficit in dementia results from a particular impairment of semantic memory.
