Objective:To characterize the digital language markers in Alzheimer′s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, and to explore the pathological effect and aging effect on these markers.Methods:AD ( n=14) and MCI ( n=16) patients from memory clinic in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, age-matched cognitively normal elderly adults ( n=18) and youthful adults ( n=19) as controls participated in the study. The digital speech data of animal fluency test were collected. Novel language markers such as response time, semantic similarity and word frequency were analyzed in addition to the traditional word production, clustering and switching indicators by trained professionals. Multiple linear regression analysis with multiple comparison was used to test the associations of language markers with the cognitive status, adjusting for education. Results:The results of multiple regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for the years of education, statistically significant differences existed in 11 language markers among the four groups ( P<0.001), except for the effective word production in the last 15 s, cluster size, the first word response time and the average semantic similarity. Compared to other three groups, AD group differed significantly in effective word production, effective rate, repetitive rate, effective word production in the first 15 s, the number of subcategories, single word production time and inter-subcategory switching interval ( P<0.001). In addition, compared to cognitively normal youthful group, AD group had less number of switching and shorter semantic maximum distance ( P=0.001, P<0.001); both AD and MCI groups had longer intra-subcategory switching interval ( P<0.001, P=0.001); AD, MCI and cognitively normal elderly groups had significantly higher word frequency ( P<0.001); MCI group had significantly less number of effective word production and subcategories ( P=0.002, P=0.003); both MCI and cognitively normal elderly groups had significantly longer single word production time ( P<0.001). Conclusions:The performance of AD patients on the semantic fluency test task was affected by both pathological effect and normal aging effect. Pathological indicators included effective word production, effective rate, repetition rate, effective word production in the first 15 s, the number of subcategories, inter-subcategory switching interval and single word production time. These results provide a new approach to identify the specific effects of AD dementia.

Objective To compare differences of SRS-22 scores between male and female AIS patients.Methods From October 2007 to April 2009,298 AIS patients from 7 spine centers completed simplified Chinese edition of SRS-22 questionnaire,including 62 males and 236 females with an average age of 15.7 years old,and the average Cobb angle was 52.8°.Of 62 male patients,34 were from urban areas and 28 rural areas.Among 236 female patients,132 were from urban areas and 104 rural areas.A comparison was conducted in terms of age,Cobb angle,the ratio of urban population to rural population,and the scores of all domains and the subtotal scores of SRS-22 questionnaire between male and female patients.Results There was no difference of age,Cobb angle and the ratio of urban population to rural population between male and female patients(P＞0.05).The scores of four domains and subtotal scores of SRS-22 questionnaire were significantly higher in male patients when compared with female patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion Gender difference should be taken into the consideration when estimating the quality of life in AIS patients by SRS-22 questionnaire.The quality of life in male patients with AIS was better than that of female patients.