Language as a central axis for studying Alzheimer's disease: From pathogenesis and clinical practice to scientific theory

Abstract

In recent years, language has emerged as a central focus of research on Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent cause of dementia worldwide. Linguistic change is now increasingly regarded not only as a core symptom of AD, but also as a potential early marker of disease onset and progression. In this context, Teruo Yokoi offers a timely and valuable contribution by proposing a systematic account of how, and why, language is preferentially affected in AD. In this brief commentary, I examine the significance of their proposal and advance additional reflections on the role of language in the early diagnosis of AD.