The logopenic/phonological variant of primary progressive aphasia.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is characterized by isolated decline in language functions. Semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia are accepted PPA variants. A "logopenic" variant (LPA) has also been proposed, but its cognitive and anatomic profile is less defined. The aim of this study was to establish the cognitive and anatomic features of LPA.

Methods

Six previously unreported LPA cases underwent extensive neuropsychological evaluation and an experimental study of phonological loop functions, including auditory and visual span tasks with digits, letters, and words. For each patient, a voxel-wise, automated analysis of MRI or SPECT data were conducted using SPM2.

Results

In LPA, speech rate was slow, with long word-finding pauses. Grammar an

SUBMITTER: Gorno-Tempini ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2676989 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature