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Acoustic Markers Associated with Impairment in Language Processing in Alzheimer's Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Juan J. G. Meilán ,
Francisco Martínez-Sánchez ,
Juan Carro ,
José A. Sánchez  and
Enrique Pérez
Juan J. G. Meilán*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
Francisco Martínez-Sánchez
Affiliation:
Universidad de Murcia (Spain)
Juan Carro
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
José A. Sánchez
Affiliation:
Centro de Referencia Estatal de Alzheimer (Spain)
Enrique Pérez
Affiliation:
Centro de Referencia Estatal de Alzheimer (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Juan José G. Meilán. Universidad de Salamanca, Department of Psychology. Avda. de la Merced, 109-131. E-37005 Salamanca, (Spain). Fax: + 34-923294608. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study broaches in a novel way the analysis of cognitive impairment characteristic of the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Specifically, we attempt to determine the acoustic speech parameters that are sensitive to the onset of the disease, and their association with the language deficit characteristic of AD. Speech analysis was carried out on 21 elderly patients with AD using Praat software, which analyzes the acoustic components of speech. The data obtained were subjected to stepwise regression, using the overall scores obtained in the test as the criterion variable, and the scores on the frequency, amplitude and periodicity variables as predictors of performance. We found that the percentage of voiceless segments explains a significant portion of the variance in the overall scores obtained in the neuropsychological test. This component seems to be related mainly to the patient's ability in phonological fluency. This finding could permit the creation of a diagnostic test for AD through analysis of the acoustic speech parameters at very low cost in terms of both time and resources.

El estudio aborda una manera novedosa el análisis de los deterioros cognitivos característicos de las primeras fases de la Enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA). En concreto, se pretende determinar los parámetros acústicos del habla sensibles al inicio de la enfermedad, y su asociación con el déficit lingüístico característico de la EA. Realizamos un análisis del habla a 21 mayores con EA, por medio del software Praat que analiza los componentes acústicos del habla. Los datos obtenidos se analizaron mediante la técnica de regresión paso a paso, con las puntuaciones globales obtenidas en las diferentes pruebas neuropsicológicas como variable criterio, (entre otras el test de Cuetos-Vega de procesamiento lingüístico) y las puntuaciones en las variables de frecuencia, amplitud y periodicidad del sonido como predictores de su ejecución. Obtuvimos que el porcentaje de segmentos sordos explica una parte significativa de la varianza de la puntuación global obtenida en la prueba neuropsicológica. Este componente parece estar relacionado, principalmente, con la capacidad de fluidez fonológica del paciente. Esto podría permitir la elaboración de una prueba de diagnóstico de la EA a través del análisis de los parámetros acústicos del habla con un coste temporal y material muy bajo.

Keywords

Alzheimerphonologyspeechverbal fluencyAlzheimerfonologíaalocuciónfluided verbal
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , July 2012 , pp. 487 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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