[Use of discourse analysis for evaluation of the condition of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type].

The study was concerned with the ability to discourse in a group of 10 patients with minor or moderately severe disturbances in Alzheimer disease and in a control group of healthy subjects. The aim the study was to answer the question whether patients with this disease have language deficits, and if they have, then at what level they appear and what is their influence on the communication ability. The experimental task included production of a narrative and a procedural discourse. The results were analysed from the standpoint of grammar of clauses and their informative contents. The analysis showed that the patients had no deficit in respect to the extent of the discourse, its complexity and grammar correctness. However, errors were found in the contents of the discourse. In particular, the discourse of the patients had a greater number of irrelevant and incorrect propositions. The possible explanation of the demonstrated deficit pattern is discussed stressing the importance of progmatic and cognitive factors. The conclusion is that language disorders in these patients should not be regarded as a type of aphasia.