Parkinson's disease without Dementia

Thomas Holtgraves

Magda Giordano

pp. 379-407

in: Louise Cummings (ed), Research in clinical pragmatics, Berlin, Springer, 2017

Abstract

Although viewed primarily as a motor disorder, Parkinson's disease (PD) is also associated with a variety of communication and cognitive deficits. In this chapter, we review research on pragmatic deficits in PD, as well as related cognitive processes that can contribute to those deficits. A variety of comprehension deficits have been demonstrated in PD, including deficits in the speed and accuracy with which non-literal meanings and speech acts are recognized, as well as an impaired ability to recognize emotions. These deficits overlap somewhat with various executive functions (e.g. working memory) and theory of mind abilities. Individuals with PD are also impaired in terms of language production, possibly in part because of their comprehension deficits. Major production deficits include reduced informational content, longer and more frequent pauses and associated turn-taking disruption, inappropriate levels of politeness, and deficits in various nonverbal accompaniments. The extent to which these production deficits are associated with general cognitive decline remains somewhat unclear. There is evidence that the severity of pragmatic deficits in PD is associated with greater disease severity, and that dopaminergic medication can reduce some of these deficits.