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Cited by 249Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchNeurobiology of Language and BilingualismVoice and Speech Disorders

Speaking in Alzheimer’s Disease, is That an Early Sign? Importance of Changes in Language Abilities in Alzheimer’s Disease

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Szatloczki, Greta, Hoffmann, Ildiko, Vincze, Veronika, Kalman, Janos, Pakaski, Magdolna·2015·Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
DOI 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00195PMC PMC4611852
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Abstract

It is known that Alzheimer's disease (AD) influences the temporal characteristics of spontaneous speech. These phonetical changes are present even in mild AD. Based on this, the question arises whether an examination based on language analysis could help the early diagnosis of AD and if so, which language and speech characteristics can identify AD in its early stage. The purpose of this article is to summarize the relation between prodromal and manifest AD and language functions and language domains. Based on our research, we are inclined to claim that AD can be more sensitively detected with the help of a linguistic analysis than with other cognitive examinations. The temporal characteristics of spontaneous speech, such as speech tempo, number of pauses in speech, and their length are sensitive detectors of the early stage of the disease, which enables an early simple linguistic screening for AD. However, knowledge about the unique features of the language problems associated with different dementia variants still has to be improved and refined.

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  • Changes in speech patterns, including verbal repetitions, pauses, and slowed speech, have been suggested as potential early indicators of cognitive impairment.

    “Changes in speech patterns, including verbal repetitions, pauses, and slowed speech, have been suggested as potential early indicators of cognitive impairment (20).”

    From Understanding older people's voice interactions with smart voice assistants: a new modified rule-based natural language processing model with human input (2024) · cites this paper as [20]

    The Phonetics and Phonology section identifies longer hesitations and slower speech in mild cognitive impairment, and the Abstract describes pauses and speech tempo as sensitive indicators of early Alzheimer’s disease. The copy does not identify verbal repetitions as an early speech-pattern indicator; its discussion of repetition concerns a language ability rather than repeated words in speech. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Consistent with previous research, the speech interactions between older people and SVA appear to be influenced by cognitive decline, resulting in repetitions in their speech patterns.

    “Consistent with previous research (20, 21), the speech interactions between older people and SVA appear to be influenced by cognitive decline, resulting in repetitions in their speech patterns.”

    From Understanding older people's voice interactions with smart voice assistants: a new modified rule-based natural language processing model with human input (2024) · cites this paper as [20]

    The sections “The Relationship Between Language and Cognitive Functions in Alzheimer’s Disease” and “Alzheimer’s Disease and Language” link cognitive impairment with changes in speech; the supplied copy gives no page numbers. They do not discuss interactions with speech-based virtual assistants (SVA) or show that cognitive decline causes people to repeat themselves. The paper’s reference to “repetition abilities” concerns a language ability, not repetitive speech patterns. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Szatloczki, G., Hoffmann, I., Vincze, V., Kalman, J., & Pakaski, M.
Affiliations
University of Szeged (HU)
ORCID
Vincze, Veronika
Venue
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2015-10-20
Volume
7
Pages
195-195
ISSN
1663-4365 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fnagi.2015.00195
PMC
PMC4611852
OpenAlex
W2158516192
Cited by
249
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 5
FWCI
1.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • SZTE Publicatio Repozitórium (University of Szeged) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Repository of the Academy's Library (Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Hungarian National Research (TÁMOP-4.2.2.A-11/1/KONV-2012-0073)
  • János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (BO/00254/12)
  • National Excellence Program (A/2-11-1-2012-0001)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Voice and Speech Disorders
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, early diagnosis, prodromal Alzheimer's disease, spontaneous speech, speech tempo, speech pauses, linguistic analysis, language domains

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