Progressive knowledge loss: A longitudinal case study

Abstract

The evolution of the progressive loss of semantic knowledge of a patient, VZ, with lesions mainly affecting the infero-medial temporal lobes, was followed for two years. At the beginning of the study VZ's performance was mainly characterized by a category-specific deficit for living things and a modality-specific deficit for perceptual attribute knowledge. As time went on, VZ's disorder affected all categories by changing the relationship between category and attribute knowledge. Data show that dissociations may change in the course of progressive cognitive breakdown, depending on both degeneration stage and task demands. VZ's performance is discussed in the light of the most influential theoretical accounts. Methodological suggestions regarding longitudinal studies of degenerative patients are also put forward. (JINS, 2006, 12, 275-284.)

Access, referral, service provision and management of individuals with primary progressive aphasia: A survey of speech‐language therapists in Italy

“…The second most commonly used tool, informal assessment of communication, was rated as never used by six (4.3%) respondents and as always used by 86 (61.4%) of respondents. Commonly used formal published tests and batteries included the Aachener Aphasia Test (AAT, Luzzatti et al., 1994), always used by 28 (20.0%) respondents and never used by 37 (26.4%) respondents; the Esame Neuropsicologico per l'Afasia (ENPA, Miceli et al., 1994), always used by 25 (17.9%), often used by 51 (36.4%) respondents, and never used by 25 (17.9%) respondents; the Screening for Aphasia in Neurodegeneration (SAND; Battista et al., 2018), always used by 33 (23.6%), often used by 24 (17.1%), and never used by 65 (46.4%) respondents; the Boston Naming Test (Vestito et al., 2021), always used by 7 (5.0%), often used by 20 (14.3%), and never used by 54 (38.6%) respondents; the Esame Neuropsicologico Breve (Mondini et al., 2011), always used by 5 (3.6%), often used by 20 (14.3%) and never used by 76 (54.3%) respondents. The least used instrument in clinical practice was reported to be the Pyramid and Palm Tree Test (Gamboz et al., 2009) rated as never used by 81 (57.9%) respondents and always used only by 3 (2.1%) respondents.…”

Executive and Motor Functions in Older Individuals with Cognitive Impairment

“…The clock-drawing test [46] (Italian validation [47]) is a pencil and paper visuo-spatial tool that was used to assess planning abilities, motor sequencing, task monitoring, and goaldirected behavior skills. Each participant was asked to draw the hands of a clock at 2:45 on a pre-drawn circle.…”

“…Each participant was asked to draw the hands of a clock at 2:45 on a pre-drawn circle. Based on the scoring system proposed by Mondini et al [47], each drawing clock was rated assigning a score ranging between 0 and 10, where 0 indicated the worst performance and 10 the best.…”