The Relationship of Word-Finding Behaviors and Naming in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia of Alzheimer’s Type

Objectives: Anomia, a fundamental language difficulty, presents in various forms of wordfinding behaviors in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Dementia of Alzheimer’s Type (DAT). This study aims to compare the rates of word-finding behavior among these groups and determine the correlation between these rates and the results of naming tests. Methods: This study included 101 participants, consisting of forty-one healthy elderly adults, thirty individuals with MCI, and thirty individuals with DAT. Spontaneous speech data were collected using a picture description task. For the naming tests, we used the confrontation naming test (K-BNT) and the generative naming test (KCOWAT). Results: First, significant differences were observed in the rates of word-finding behavior among the three groups, especially in the global index, which indicates the overall rate of word-finding behaviors. Second, the correlation analysis results showed a significant negative correlation between the ratios of the global index, word reformulations, empty words, and performance on the confrontation naming test. Finally, there was a significant negative correlation between the ratios of the global index, word reformulations, repetitions, delays, insertions, and performance on the generative naming tests. Conclusion: These results suggest the necessity of developing a naming evaluation scale based on spontaneous speech to effectively assess anomia in individuals with MCI and DAT. The study found significant differences in the rates of word-finding behavior among healthy elderly adults, individuals with MCI, and individuals with DAT, and a correlation between the rates of word-finding behavior and naming tests.