Three related experiments comprise this proposal. Their mutual aims to further our understanding of language and remembering in Alzheimer's Disease. The focus of the studies is on the analysis of discourse, and on the cognitive processes which may be viatal for remembering. The experiments are intended to 1) further characterize the nature of language and memory breakdown in AD; 2) clarify language/memory relationships in AD, and 3) provide some potentially useful insights into behavioral management of the disorder. Experiment 1 involves quantifying AD patients' performance of some simple tasks of daily living under varying conditions of verbal guidance from others, with the hope of providing management strategies that are hypothesis- driven, and of general utility to caretakers. Experiment 2 investigates the effects of differing discourse structures on AD patients' ability to remember verbal materials. Again, the hope is to provide some hypothesis-driven guidelines about how to frame language used to communicate with AD patients, to maximize their ability to remember. Experiment 3 is descriptive in nature, and will utilize techniques of narrative analysis to characterize verbal language in AD. This experiment will use language samples gathered for the most part in the first two experiments and will concentrate on describing coherence and cohesion in AD discourse.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG007886-02
Application #
3119272
Study Section
Neurology B Subcommittee 1 (NEUB)
Project Start
1988-07-01
Project End
1991-06-30
Budget Start
1989-07-01
Budget End
1990-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
053785812
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213