Sentence repetition and processing resources in Alzheimer's disease

Author(s): Kemper, S., Lyons, K.

Journal/Book: Brain Lang. 2000; 75: 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA. Academic Press Inc. 232-258.

Abstract: Sentence processing in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been found to be influenced by several grammatical and extragrammatical factors, including phrase structure and verb-argument relations, number of propositions/verbs, and processing resource capacity. This study examines the effects of these variables on sentence production in AD. Normal control and AD subjects were asked to repeat six types of sentences varying along the above dimensions of complexity. Subjects' processing resource capacity was measured using several Verbal working memory tests. AD subjects' sentence-repetition performance was impaired compared to the normal control group. Significant effects were observed far branching direction of phrase structure, canonicity of verb-argument relations, and serial position of errors. Sentence-repetition performance significantly correlated with working memory scores. The findings are interpreted within a resource capacity theory of sentence processing.

Note: Article Small JA, Univ British Columbia, Sch Audiol & Speech Sci, 5804 Fairview Ave, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CANADA

Keyword(s): Alzheimer's disease; sentence repetition; sentence processing; syntactic complexity; working memory; processing resource capacity; speech production; serial position; SHORT-TERM-MEMORY; WORKING-MEMORY; SYNTACTIC COMPREHENSION; INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES; LANGUAGE FUNCTION; SENILE DEMENTIA; SEMANTIC MEMORY; IMPAIRMENTS; CAPACITY; ONLINE

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