Study Comparing Language Use in Early Alzheimers Disease and Healthy Older Adults Using Patient Narratives and Fictional Dementia Stories

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are exploring how natural language used by patients with early-stage Alzheimers disease compares with fictional portrayals of dementia in contemporary novels. The study aims to understand differences and similarities in memory and language decline through both neurological and literary viewpoints. This research seeks to develop a new model that supports early diagnosis, enhances empathy in caregiving, and improves education in medical humanities. This one-year observational study involves two groups people diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimers or mild cognitive impairment, and healthy individuals matched by age and education. Participants will share spontaneous narratives about their childhood, life events, and self-description during interviews. These narratives will be recorded and analyzed alongside selected dementia-themed novels to identify patterns of language decline and narrative changes. Participants will undergo evaluations including the Mini-Mental State Examination at enrollment. Researchers will analyze audio transcripts and literary texts to build a framework linking clinical and fictional language features. The study monitors participants over a year to gather data supporting diagnostic tools and empathy training. The trial welcomes volunteers aged 60 to 85 years, including healthy individuals.

Dementia in Fiction and Clinical Narratives