Authors: Yoo, Yongjoon | Shin, Seong A. | Park, Soowon | Lee, Ji-Hye | Youn, Jung-Hae | Kim, Yu Kyeong | Lee, Jun-Young
Article Type:
Research Article
Abstract:
Background: A standardized tool for evaluating semantic knowledge of the Korean population is needed. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a neuropsychological test for the evaluation of semantic knowledge in the Korean elderly population. Methods: The Korean version of the Size/Weight Attribute Test (SWAT-K) was developed in reference to the original version. The diagnostic validity of SWAT-K was evaluated with 95 elderly outpatients [67 normal controls; 18 with Alzheimer’s disease (AD); 10 with semantic-variant progressive aphasia (SV-PPA)]. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed to examine associations between SWAT-K scores and morphological changes of the brain. Results: SWAT-K could
…discriminate the three subject groups (normal >AD, p < 0.001; AD >SV-PPA, p = 0.040), whereas Boston Naming Test could not distinguish SV-PPA from AD. ROC curve analysis confirmed high levels of sensitivity (0.90) and specificity (0.93) for SWAT-K. The test’s inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.827) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.666) were assessed as well. VBM found a significant positive correlation (uncorrected p < 0.005, k > 100) between SWAT-K scores and gray matter volume in right inferior frontal cortex (T = 4.08, k = 191) and bilateral temporal cortices (left, T = 4.42, k = 135; right, T = 3.55, k = 253), the areas the most affected in SV-PPA. Conclusions: SWAT-K is a sensitive and reliable test for evaluating semantic knowledge in the Korean elderly population. Strong positive correlations between SWAT-K scores and the brain areas responsible for semantic processing further corroborate the validity of SWAT-K.
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Keywords: Aged, aphasia, primary progressive, cognition, frontotemporal dementia, imaging, three-dimensional, language, neuropsychological tests, semantics
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-150492
Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease,
vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 377-386, 2016
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