Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Research in Psychology
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease: Exploring the Role of Aphasia
Isabella Kim
ABSTRACT:
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that significantly impacts patients’ quality of life (QoL) in various ways, including cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and social relationships. One underexplored aspect of AD is aphasia, a language disorder that manifests in a majority of patients, especially in the later stages. While this symptom has been thoroughly explored in stroke patients, there is limited research on its effects on AD patients. This paper reviews existing neuroscience, medical, and psychological literature on AD and aphasia to examine the intersection of aphasia and QoL in Alzheimer’s patients. Findings suggest that the communication impairments associated with aphasia can lead to adverse effects in QoL, augmented by the vital role communication plays in the modern world. Additionally, the paper explores the impact of AD on QoL, considering the high prevalence of depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), and other emotional disturbances. By gathering information from various sources, this paper highlights the importance of expanding research in this area better to understand the specific impacts of aphasia in AD patients to improve interventions and treatments while ensuring dignity in patients’ care.
keywords: Depression, Language disorder, Neurodegenera1ve disorder, Neuropsychiatric symptoms, Quality of life