Rapid rate on quasi-speech tasks in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia: A non-motor phenomenon?

This study examined the rate of producing alternating motion rates, sequential motion rates (SMRs), and repeated words in 27 individuals with the semantic variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (svPPA). Only the rate of producing SMRs was significantly elevated in svPPA compared to controls. This may be associated with concomitant neuropsychiatric symptoms in svPPA, as correlation analysis showed a relationship between increased SMR rate and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, which documented anxiety and disinhibition. Future studies will assess these findings in a larger cohort and work to better understand if this phenomenon is a manifestation of behavioral and/or motor changes.