"More than words" – Longitudinal linguistic changes in the works of a writer diagnosed with semantic dementia. Issue 3 (4th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hwang, Yun Tae; Strikwerda-Brown, Cherie; El-Omar, Hashim; Ramanan, Siddharth; Hodges, John R; Burrell, James R; Piguet, Olivier; Irish, Muireann
• Is Part Of: Neurocase. Volume 27:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 243
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2021-05-04
• Subjects: Primary progressive aphasia -- semantic dementia -- language -- psycholinguistic profile -- lexical analysis; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychology -- Case Report; Mental Disorders -- Case Report; Nervous System Diseases -- Case Report; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2021.1924208
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1355-4794

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Leveraging recent advances in automated language analysis and anovel statistical approach utilizing an independent control group, we explored changes in lexical output across two published works of a man diagnosed with semantic dementia. We found significant increase in adverb usage and decline in familiarity, meaningfulness, age of acquisition and co-occurrence probability over 2 years. Collectively, these indices suggest that WR's narrative structure became progressively simpler, lexically less sophisticated, and that words commonly associated together no longer appeared in close proximity. Our study illustrates how degeneration of the semantic knowledge base impacts the production, content, and quality of literary works.