Higher Order Cognition and Communication: A Preliminary Study for the Development of Brief Test of Cognitive-Communication Disorders

Purpose: Higher order cognition (HOC) is commonly impaired in neurological disease including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia of Alzheimer’s type (DAT). The impact of this deficit is particularly prominent in communication. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the correlation between HOC and communication in MCI and DAT using Brief test of Cognitive- Communication Disorders (BCCD), and to demonstrate subdomains of communication as predictors of HOC. Methods: Healthy controls (n = 40), persons with MCI (n = 31) and DAT (n = 40) completed the subtests of HOC and communication in BCCD. HOC and communication tests consisted of 9 (organization/reasoning/problem solving/executive function) and 12 (comprehension/expression/ reading & writing/pragmatic language) items respectively. Results: The main findings were as follows. Firstly, there was a significant difference among three groups in most subdomains and total scores of HOC and communication. Secondly, HOC was significantly associated with comprehension and total score in MCI. A significant relationship between HOC and all domains of communication was also observed in DAT. Thirdly, expression, pragmatic language, and total score were predictors of HOC in MCI, while only total score of communication predicted HOC for individuals with DAT. Conclusion: This study is expected to present clinically available data in assessment and intervention for cognitive-communication disorders. Specific communication measures as powerful indicators of HOC may contribute to increase the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy in MCI and DAT.