Communication, language and speech deficits in dementia

Communication disorders, especially aphasia, is a core characteristic in dementias, but its qualitative nature and severity vary substantially as functions of disease process and localization. These disorders are now recognized as one of the strongest predictors for discriminating among dementia subtypes. Language assessments in dementias help in differentiating different subtypes, staging severity, providing a unique understanding of the evolution and progression of deterioration, correlating different clinical profiles to different brain pathologies and designing therapeutic interventions. It is rather clear that differential diagnosis in dementias will rely on identification of these disorders, as it is already the fact for the different subtypes of frotontemporal dementias and primary progressive aphasias. Knowledge of these clinical profiles may be useful in educating patients, families and caregivers regarding the cognitive-linguistic behavioral deficits expected from onset to progression of the disease, and the possible therapeutic interventions.