Non-literal language and semantic dementia

Linguagem não literal e Demência Semântica

ABSTRACT

Semantic dementia is characterized by fluent, phonologically adequate speech with various anomias and semantic paraphasias. Performance on semantic tasks is well documented in these patients, although little is known regarding performance on more complex language tasks, such as those involving non-literal language (interpretation of metaphors and proverbs and recognition of irony).

Objective:

To report the investigation of non-literal language in cases of semantic dementia.

Methods:

Two cases of semantic dementia were investigated for the presence of deficits in non-literal language abilities using the screening test for Alzheimer's disease with proverbs, metaphor test and irony test.

Results:

Both patients were found to have low performance on the tests applied, particularly for interpretation of proverbs.

Conclusion:

This poor performance was attributed largely to the characteristic semantic changes of the disease, but some frontal symptoms inherent to other forms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration were also observed which interfered in the testing, such as negativism, reduced attention span, concretism and perseverations.

Key words:
frontotemporal lobar degeneration; language; language tests; semantic dementia.

RESUMO

A demência semântica é caracterizada por fala fluente e adequada fonologicamente e com diversas anomias e parafasias semânticas. O desempenho em tarefas semânticas é bem documentado nestes pacientes, porém pouco se sabe acerca do desempenho em tarefas linguísticas mais complexas, como naquelas que envolvem linguagem não literal (interpretação de metáforas e provérbios e reconhecimento de ironias).

Objetivo:

Relatar a investigação da linguagem não-literal em casos de demência semântica.

Métodos:

Dois casos de demência semântica foram investigados para a presença de déficits em habilidades de linguagem não-literal, usando o teste de triagem para a doença de Alzheimer com provérbios, teste de metáforas e teste de ironia.

Resultados:

Verificou-se que ambas as pacientes apresentaram baixo desempenho nos testes aplicados, principalmente na interpretação de provérbios.

Conclusão:

O baixo desempenho foi atribuído especialmente às alterações semânticas características da doença, porém também foram observados sintomas frontais característicos de outras formas de degeneração lobar frontotemporal que interferiram na testagem como negativismo, redução do fôlego atencional, concretismo e perseverações.

Palavras-chave:
degeneração lobar frontotemporal; linguagem; testes de linguagem; demência semântica.

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  Dec 2013

History

• Received
  28 Jan 2013
• Accepted
  03 Nov 2013