Logopenic progressive aphasia with neologisms: a case report

BMC Neurol. 2019 Nov 25;19(1):299. doi: 10.1186/s12883-019-1524-y.

Abstract

Background: Neologisms are commonly encountered in patients with acute cerebrovascular diseases, particularly in those with Wernicke's aphasia. However, few studies have investigated primary progressive aphasia with neologisms in neurodegenerative disease.

Case presentation: We describe the case of a 74-year-old, right-handed man who developed logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA) with neologisms. He was assessed with neuropsychological tests, magnetic resonance imaging, and single-photon emission computed tomography. Neologisms accounted for a relatively large portion of the paraphasic errors in the naming tests performed during the neuropsychological assessment. He had all the diagnostic features of LPA. Notably, the unique feature of this patient was the presentation of neologisms, which are seldom observed in typical LPA.

Conclusions: Neologisms are considered rare symptoms in patients with early-stage LPA. Our findings in this case report provide new insights into the spectrum of clinical features in LPA.

Keywords: Neologism; Neurodegenerative disease; Phonemic paraphasia; Primary progressive aphasia; Verbal paraphasia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aphasia, Primary Progressive / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon