SEMANTIC AND VISUAL COGNITION IN ALZHEIMERS DISEASE

语义记忆，或关于对象和事件的一般知识 世界上大多数阿尔茨海默氏症患者似乎都受到了严重影响 疾病(AD)。拟议的研究的目标是更深层次的 理解AD中的语义加工。概述如下： 有关语义记忆的问题将被解决。首先，是 语义记忆受损，还是出现了障碍的现象 注意力受损吗？第二，是否存在某些类型的语义 知识更容易受到AD的影响，如果是这样，为什么？第三，一个 语义记忆的损害是其他问题的原因， 表面上的东西，不是语义的，而是感性的还是词汇的？第四，什么 是语义障碍和视觉障碍之间的关系 AD患者的对峙命名困难？最后，什么是 心理表象的视觉-语义加工在AD中的地位？ 将使用的方法包括对AD患者的实证研究 和正常受试者，以及计算机模拟。我们已经借鉴了 认知心理学在设计研究中的理论框架 阿尔茨海默病患者的语义记忆、视觉和心理意象。此外, 并行分布式处理(PDP)的概念已经指导了 AD和PDP中有关语义记忆的假说的提出 计算机模拟将提供对计算充分性的测试 这些假设。此外，对计算能力的新预测 假设已经推导出来，并将成为进一步实证的基础 以人体为对象进行测试。

Semantic memory, or general knowledge about objects and events in the world, appears to be severely affected in most patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The goal of the proposed research is a deeper understanding of semantic processing in AD. In overview, the following issues concerning semantic memory will be addressed. First of all, is semantic memory impaired, or does the appearance of impairment come from an attentional impairment? Second, are certain types of semantics knowledge more vulnerable to AD, and if so, why? Third, can an impairment of semantic memory account for other problems that seem, on the face things, not semantic but perceptual or lexical? Fourth, what is the relation between semantic impairments and visual impairments in the confrontation naming difficulties of AD patients? Finally, what is the status of the visual-semantic process of mental imagery in AD? The methods to be used include empirical studies of patients with AD and normal subjects, and computer simulation. We have drawn on the theoretical framework of cognitive psychology in designing studies of semantic memory, vision, and mental imagery in AD. In addition, concepts from parallel distributed processing (PDP) have guided the formulation of hypotheses concerning semantic memory in AD, and PDP computer simulations will provide tests of the computational adequacy of these hypotheses. In addition, new predictions of the computational hypotheses have been derived and will form the basis of further empirical tests with human subjects.