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Observational assessment of communication disorders in vascular dementia patients with right hemisphere damage
Author(s) -
Kawada Miyuki,
Tanaka Naofumi,
Yamaguchi Satoshi,
Meguro Kenichi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
psychogeriatrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1479-8301
pISSN - 1346-3500
DOI - 10.1111/psyg.12052
Subject(s) - aphasia , conversation , dementia , observational study , lateralization of brain function , stroke (engine) , audiology , right hemisphere , magnetic resonance imaging , psychology , neuroimaging , disinhibition , medicine , psychiatry , cardiology , radiology , disease , mechanical engineering , communication , engineering
Aim After stroke, communication disability often occurs, with left side brain‐damaged ( LBD ) patients having aphasia and right side brain‐damaged ( RBD ) patients having deficits in conversation, despite their apparent lack of any language disability. Herein, we developed an original scale, the D aily C ommunication A ssessment S cale ( DCAS ) and compared the scores from the RBD and left side brain‐damaged patients with their matched M ini‐ M ental S tate E xamination ( MMSE ) scores. Methods This cross‐sectional survey involved three pairs of MMSE ‐matched patients ( n = 6) with vascular dementia who met the following criteria: a history of stroke, unilateral localized basal ganglia legion (as shown by magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography images), MMSE scores ≥9, and ability to engage in minimal conversation. Patients' MMSE scores were 11, 12, 15, 16, and 19. We interviewed patients' primary staff regarding their abilities to communicate over the previous 4 weeks in order to evaluate them using the DCAS . Results I n each MMSE ‐matched pair, the RBD patient had a lower Deviation score on the DCAS , and in two pairs, the left side brain‐damaged patient had a lower score for Coarse speech. Conclusion We believe that communication disorder in the RBD patients may be evaluated with the DCAS . We plan to standardize the DCAS and apply it for use in rehabilitation in the future.