The Impact of Semantic Dementia on Everyday Actions: Evidence from an Ecological Study

Abstract

In theory, semantic memory may trigger and support the execution of everyday activities. This study explored this question by comparing three patients with semantic dementia to 40 normal controls performing different everyday activities. Participants were tested in their home using the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Profile, an ecological measure of everyday functioning. Participants were informed that they had unknowingly invited two guests for lunch and should prepare accordingly. With these instructions, they dress to go outdoors, go to the grocery store, shop for food, prepare a hot meal, have the meal with the guests, and clean up after the meal. Performance was analyzed on the basis of four operations related to problem solving: formulate a goal, plan, execute, and verify attainment of the goal. Results indicate that compared to normal controls, two patients had significant difficulties and needed assistance with all operations of problem-solving, particularly while preparing a meal and cleaning up after the meal. One patient showed no difficulties despite severe semantic deficits. These results suggest that semantic deficits alone cannot explain the difficulties observed, but may contribute to some aspects of everyday actions such as those involved in everyday problem-solving.

When the zebra loses its stripes but is still in the savannah: Results from a semantic priming paradigm in semantic dementia

“…These results need to be set against the relative independence of SD patients in activities of daily living, despite their massive semantic deficit (Bier et al, 2013;Bier and Macoir, 2010). This relative independence is quite astonishing, given that in other degenerative diseases (including AD), functional disorders hamper everyday life at a far earlier stage in the pathology.…”

Hierarchical Decline of the Initiative and Performance of Complex Activities of Daily Living in Dementia

“…Previous research has shown how different basic ADLs deteriorate throughout the stages 11,17,21 , with bathing, dressing, and continence for example deteriorating early on. Although IADLs are known to deteriorate largely in the early stages of the disease 31 , comprehensive knowledge on the components of IADLs (initiative and performance) and their decline has been very limited to date 19,20,32,33 .…”

Understanding the cognitive underpinnings of functional impairments in early dementia: a review

“…As with the majority of the literature however, the authors failed to describe the level of decline for individual activities, which is crucial for exploring the cognitive underpinnings and for developing effective interventions . In a more ecological approach involving direct observation Bier et al (2013) rated the performance of dressing, orientation and transport (to the grocery store), shopping, preparing a hot meal and cleaning up in SD. Whilst grocery shopping and hot meal preparation were impaired the most, dressing did not represent a problem.…”