The age of acquisition of words produced in a semantic fluency task can reliably differentiate normal from pathological age related cognitive decline

K E Forbes-McKay; A W Ellis; M F Shanks; A Venneri

doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.01.008

The age of acquisition of words produced in a semantic fluency task can reliably differentiate normal from pathological age related cognitive decline

K E Forbes-McKay, A W Ellis, M F Shanks, A Venneri

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study examined differences in the characteristics of words produced by healthy elderly controls and by patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a semantic fluency task (generating words from the categories of animals and fruit). Ninety-six AD patients (MMSE 13-29) and 40 controls matched for age and socio-cultural background completed a semantic fluency task. Length, frequency, typicality and age of acquisition (AoA) values were obtained for each word generated. In comparison with controls, AD patients generated fewer items, and their items were higher in frequency, shorter in length, more typical and earlier in AoA. Discriminant function analysis showed that AoA was the best predictor of group membership (patient/control). The mean AoA of words generated correctly classified 95% of controls and 88% of patients. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1625-1632
Number of pages	8
Journal	Neuropsychologia
Volume	43
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.01.008
Publication status	Published - 2005

Keywords

fluency
age of acquisition
production
dementia
AD
Alzheimer
ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
LEXICAL DECISION
VERBAL FLUENCY
REAL AGE
IMPAIRMENT
DEMENTIA
PREDICTORS
BREAKDOWN

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10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.01.008

Cite this

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title = "The age of acquisition of words produced in a semantic fluency task can reliably differentiate normal from pathological age related cognitive decline",

abstract = "This study examined differences in the characteristics of words produced by healthy elderly controls and by patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a semantic fluency task (generating words from the categories of animals and fruit). Ninety-six AD patients (MMSE 13-29) and 40 controls matched for age and socio-cultural background completed a semantic fluency task. Length, frequency, typicality and age of acquisition (AoA) values were obtained for each word generated. In comparison with controls, AD patients generated fewer items, and their items were higher in frequency, shorter in length, more typical and earlier in AoA. Discriminant function analysis showed that AoA was the best predictor of group membership (patient/control). The mean AoA of words generated correctly classified 95% of controls and 88% of patients. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.",

keywords = "fluency, age of acquisition, production, dementia, AD, Alzheimer, ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE, LEXICAL DECISION, VERBAL FLUENCY, REAL AGE, IMPAIRMENT, DEMENTIA, PREDICTORS, BREAKDOWN",

author = "Forbes-McKay, {K E} and Ellis, {A W} and Shanks, {M F} and A Venneri",

year = "2005",

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T1 - The age of acquisition of words produced in a semantic fluency task can reliably differentiate normal from pathological age related cognitive decline

AU - Forbes-McKay, K E

AU - Ellis, A W

AU - Shanks, M F

AU - Venneri, A

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

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AB - This study examined differences in the characteristics of words produced by healthy elderly controls and by patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a semantic fluency task (generating words from the categories of animals and fruit). Ninety-six AD patients (MMSE 13-29) and 40 controls matched for age and socio-cultural background completed a semantic fluency task. Length, frequency, typicality and age of acquisition (AoA) values were obtained for each word generated. In comparison with controls, AD patients generated fewer items, and their items were higher in frequency, shorter in length, more typical and earlier in AoA. Discriminant function analysis showed that AoA was the best predictor of group membership (patient/control). The mean AoA of words generated correctly classified 95% of controls and 88% of patients. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - fluency

KW - age of acquisition

KW - production

KW - dementia

KW - AD

KW - Alzheimer

KW - ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

KW - LEXICAL DECISION

KW - VERBAL FLUENCY

KW - REAL AGE

KW - IMPAIRMENT

KW - DEMENTIA

KW - PREDICTORS

KW - BREAKDOWN

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DO - 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.01.008

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JO - Neuropsychologia

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