The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	Semantic memory impairment and object use disturbance in a case with degenerative dementia
Language	J
AuthorList	Masaki Kondo¹⁾, Mutsutaka Kobayakawa²⁾, Nami Ihori³⁾, Shigeo Araki⁴⁾, Mitsuru Kawamura²⁾
Affiliation	¹⁾Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine ²⁾Department of Neurology, Showa University School of Medicine ³⁾Department of Rehabilitation, Kawasaki Cooperative Hospital ⁴⁾Department of Neurology, Kawasaki Cooperative Hospital
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 27 (3), 233-243, 2011
Received	May 11, 2009
Accepted	Oct 18, 2010
Abstract	We report the case of a 61-year-old right-handed man with degenerative dementia, who exhibited impaired semantic memory and object use. In order to elucidate the mechanism of object use impairment, we examined his praxis ability and conceptual knowledge for object use. We applied standard clinical tests for apraxia and 3 action-object recognition tests, namely, matching an object with a pantomime, matching an object with its function, and judging the appropriateness of the presented pantomime for a target object. We also analyzed his conceptual ability for action by using the following 3 tests: matching 2 objects to be used together, matching a hand posture with an object, matching the location where the target object is to be used. The results of all the tests, except for the imitation of object use pantomime, revealed that the patient's praxis ability and conceptual knowledge for object use were impaired. However, the imitation of object use pantomime suggested that his action production system was relatively intact. The object use impairment in this patient might be attributable to the disruption of the conceptual system of objects and actions involved in using an object.
Keywords	object use impairment, anomia, semantic memory, conceptual system of action, degenerative dementia