Discourse in Early Alzheimer's Disease Versus Normal Advanced Aging

Abstract

The present study compared discourse ability across three groups: patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), healthy old-elderly individuals (OE, >80 years), and normal control subjects (NC). Discourse samples were analyzed according to aspects of coherence using a methodology based on frame analysis (Goffman, 1974). The results revealed significant differences in coherence between the AD and both the OE and NC groups, on aspects of content as reflected in frame of interpretation and proportion of frame-supporting information. Differences were also found on measures of textual form of the responses. No significant differences were found between OE and NC groups, implicating relative preservation on these particular discourse measures with advanced age. The disparity in discourse abilities between the AD and OE groups suggests that discourse differences in early AD are qualitatively different from those of normal advanced aging. Explanations for the difficulties in the AD population are delineated.