Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A Meta-Analysis of Semantic Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment

  • Review
  • Published:
Neuropsychology Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Accumulating evidence over the past decade suggests that semantic deficits represent a consistent feature of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). A meta-analysis was performed to examine if semantic deficits are consistently found in patients with MCI. Studies meeting all inclusion criteria were selected for the current meta-analysis. An effect size and a weight were calculated for each study. A random effect model was performed to assess the overall difference in semantic performances between MCI patients and healthy subjects. 22 studies (476 healthy participants, 476 MCI patients, mean Mini Mental Status Examination of the MCI patients: 27.05 ± 0.58) were included in the meta-analysis. Results indicate that MCI patients systematically performed significantly worse than healthy matched controls in terms of overall semantic performance (mean effect size of 1.02; 95% CI [0.80; 1.24]). Semantic deficits are a key feature of MCI. Semantic tests should be incorporated in routine clinical assessments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adam, S., Joubert, S., & Missotten, P. (2013). L’âgisme et le jeunisme : conséquences trop méconnues par les cliniciens et chercheurs ! Revue de Neuropsychologie, 5(1), 4–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adlam, A. L., Bozeat, S., Arnold, R., Watson, P., & Hodges, J. R. (2006). Semantic knowledge in mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease. Cortex, 42(5), 675–684.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed, S., Arnold, R., Thompson, S. A., Graham, K. S., & Hodges, J. R. (2008). Naming of objects, faces and buildings in mild cognitive impairment. Cortex, 44(6), 746–752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2007.02.002

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Albert, M. S., DeKosky, S. T., Dickson, D., Dubois, B., Feldman, H. H., Fox, N. C., … Phelps, C. H. (2011). The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease: Recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement, 7(3), 270–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2011.03.008

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Amieva, H., Le Goff, M., Millet, X., Orgogozo, J. M., Peres, K., Barberger-Gateau, P., et al. (2008). Prodromal Alzheimer's disease: Successive emergence of the clinical symptoms. Annals of Neurology, 64(5), 492–498. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.21509

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., Cuetos, F., Valencia, C., Uribe, C., & Lopera, F. (2007). Cognitive changes in the preclinical phase of familial Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 29(8), 892–900. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803390601174151

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balthazar, M. L., Cendes, F., & Damasceno, B. P. (2008). Semantic error patterns on the Boston naming test in normal aging, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and mild Alzheimer's disease: Is there semantic disruption? Neuropsychology, 22(6), 703–709. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012919

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barbeau, E. J., Didic, M., Joubert, S., Guedj, E., Koric, L., Felician, O., … Ceccaldi, M. (2012). Extent and neural basis of semantic memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 28(4), 823–837. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-2011-110989

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Benoit, S., Rouleau, I., Langlois, R., Dostie, V., Kergoat, M. J., & Joubert, S. (2017). The impact of time and repeated exposure on famous person knowledge in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropsychology, 31(7), 697–707. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000387

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bizzozero, I., Lucchelli, F., Saetti, M. C., & Spinnler, H. (2009). Mild cognitive impairment does entail retrograde amnesia for public events. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 31(1), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803390801978864

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., & Rothstein, H. R. (2009). Introduction to meta-analysis. Wiley.

  • Borg, C., Thomas-Anterion, C., Bogey, S., Davier, K., & Laurent, B. (2010). Visual imagery processing and knowledge of famous names in Alzheimer's disease and MCI. Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition. Section B, Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 17(5), 603–614. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2010.481357

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brambati, S. M., Belleville, S., Kergoat, M. J., Chayer, C., Gauthier, S., & Joubert, S. (2009). Single- and multiple-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment: Two sides of the same coin? Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 28(6), 541–549. https://doi.org/10.1159/000255240

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brambati, S. M., Peters, F., Belleville, S., & Joubert, S. (2012). Lack of semantic priming effects in famous person recognition in mild cognitive impairment. Cortex, 48(4), 414–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2011.04.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, J., Hudon, C., Macoir, J., Belleville, S., Rousseau, F., Bouchard, R. W., … Joubert, S. (2011). The relation between depressive symptoms and semantic memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and in late-life depression. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 17(5), 865–874. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617711000877

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chasles, M. J., Tremblay, A., Escudier, F., Lajeunesse, A., Benoit, S., Langlois, R., et al. (2019). An examination of semantic impairment in amnestic MCI and AD: What can we learn from verbal fluency? Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 35(1), 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acz018

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clague, F., Graham, K. S., Thompson, S. A., & Hodges, J. R. (2011). Is knowledge of famous people compromised in mild cognitive impairment? Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 24(3), 134–144. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNN.0b013e318234315a

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). NJ: Hillsdale.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, R. R., Graham, K. S., Xuereb, J. H., Williams, G. B., & Hodges, J. R. (2004). The human perirhinal cortex and semantic memory. The European Journal of Neuroscience, 20(9), 2441–2446.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deloche, G., & Hannequin, D. (1997). Test de dénomination orale d’images: DO80. Paris: Les editions du Centre de Psychologie appliquée.

    Google Scholar 

  • Didic, M., Barbeau, E. J., Felician, O., Tramoni, E., Guedj, E., Poncet, M., & Ceccaldi, M. (2011). Which memory system is impaired first in Alzheimer’s disease? Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 27(1), 11–22. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-2011-110557

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Didic, M., Felician, O., Barbeau, E. J., Mancini, J., Latger-Florence, C., Tramoni, E., & Ceccaldi, M. (2013). Impaired visual recognition memory predicts Alzheimer’s disease in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 35(5–6), 291–299. https://doi.org/10.1159/000347203

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois, B., & Albert, M. L. (2004). Amnestic MCI or prodromal Alzheimer’s disease? Lancet Neurology, 3(4), 246–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(04)00710-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois, B., Feldman, H. H., Jacova, C., Hampel, H., Molinuevo, J. L., Blennow, K., … Cummings, J. L. (2014). Advancing research diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease: The IWG-2 criteria. Lancet Neurology, 13(6), 614–629. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(14)70090-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dudas, R. B., Clague, F., Thompson, S. A., Graham, K. S., & Hodges, J. R. (2005). Episodic and semantic memory in mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychologia, 43(9), 1266–1276.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Estevez-Gonzalez, A., Garcia-Sanchez, C., Boltes, A., Otermin, P., Pascual-Sedano, B., Gironell, A., et al. (2004). Semantic knowledge of famous people in mild cognitive impairment and progression to Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 17(3), 188–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardini, S., Venneri, A., Sambataro, F., Cuetos, F., Fasano, F., Marchi, M., … Caffarra, P. (2015). Increased functional connectivity in the default mode network in mild cognitive impairment: A maladaptive compensatory mechanism associated with poor semantic memory performance. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 45(2), 457–470. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-142547

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gour, N., Ranjeva, J. P., Ceccaldi, M., Confort-Gouny, S., Barbeau, E., Soulier, E., … Felician, O. (2011). Basal functional connectivity within the anterior temporal network is associated with performance on declarative memory tasks. Neuroimage, 58(2), 687–697. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.05.090

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges, L. V., & Olkin, I. (1985). Statistical methods for meta-analysis. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodges, J. R., Erzinclioglu, S., & Patterson, K. (2006). Evolution of cognitive deficits and conversion to dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A very-long-term follow-up study. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 21(5–6), 380–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jefferson, A. L., Wong, S., Gracer, T. S., Ozonoff, A., Green, R. C., & Stern, R. A. (2007). Geriatric performance on an abbreviated version of the Boston naming test. Applied Neuropsychology, 14(3), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/09084280701509166

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Joubert, S., Brambati, S. M., Ansado, J., Barbeau, E. J., Felician, O., Didic, M., … Kergoat, M. J. (2010). The cognitive and neural expression of semantic memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropsychologia, 48(4), 978–988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.11.019

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joubert, S., Felician, O., Barbeau, E. J., Didic, M., Poncet, M., & Ceccaldi, M. (2008). Patterns of semantic memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment. Behavioural Neurology, 19(1–2), 35–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, E., Goodglass, H., & Weintraub, S. (1983). The Boston naming test (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lea & Febiger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langlois, R., Joubert, S., Benoit, S., Dostie, V., & Rouleau, I. (2016). Memory for public events in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: The importance of rehearsal. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 50(4), 1023–1033. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-150722

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leyhe, T., Muller, S., Eschweiler, G. W., & Saur, R. (2010). Deterioration of the memory for historic events in patients with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropsychologia, 48(14), 4093–4101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.10.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loewenstein, D. A., Curiel, R. E., DeKosky, S., Bauer, R. M., Rosselli, M., Guinjoan, S. M., … Duara, R. (2018). Utilizing semantic intrusions to identify amyloid positivity in mild cognitive impairment. Neurology, 91(10), e976–e984. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000006128

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nilsson, L. G. (2003). Memory function in normal aging. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum, 179, 7–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orwin, R. G. (1983). A fail-safe N for effect size in meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Statistics, 8, 157–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, D. C., Lautenschlager, G., Hedden, T., Davidson, N. S., Smith, A. D., & Smith, P. K. (2002). Models of visuospatial and verbal memory across the adult life span. Psychology and Aging, 17(2), 299–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, R. J., & Hodges, J. R. (2000). Fate of patients with questionable (very mild) Alzheimer’s disease: Longitudinal profiles of individual subjects’ decline. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 11(6), 342–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, R. C. (2003). Mild cognitive impairment. Aging to Alzheimer’s disease. Oxford: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, R. C. (2004). Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity. Journal of Internal Medicine, 256(3), 183–194. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2004.01388.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, R. C., Doody, R., Kurz, A., Mohs, R. C., Morris, J. C., Rabins, P. V., et al. (2001). Current concepts in mild cognitive impairment. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov’t Review]. Arch Neurol, 58(12), 1985–1992. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.58.12.1985

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, R. C., Smith, G. E., Waring, S. C., Ivnik, R. J., Tangalos, E. G., & Kokmen, E. (1999). Mild cognitive impairment: Clinical characterization and outcome. Archives of Neurology, 56(3), 303–308.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pineault, J., Jolicoeur, P., Grimault, S., Bermudez, P., Brambati, S. M., Lacombe, J., … Joubert, S. (2018). Functional changes in the cortical semantic network in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology, 32(4), 417–435. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000466

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ralph, M. A., Jefferies, E., Patterson, K., & Rogers, T. T. (2017). The neural and computational bases of semantic cognition. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 18(1), 42–55. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2016.150

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Ferreiro, J., Cuetos, F., Monsalve, A., Martinez, C., Pérez, A. J., & Venneri, A. (2012). Establishing the relationship between cortical atrophy and semantic deficits in Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment patients through voxel-based morphometry. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 25(3), 139–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R. (1979). The file drawer problem and tolerance for null results. Psychological Bulletin, 86(3), 638–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawilowsky, S. S. (2009). New effect size rules of thumb. Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods, 8(2), 597–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seidenberg, M., Guidotti, L., Nielson, K. A., Woodard, J. L., Durgerian, S., Zhang, Q., et al. (2009). Semantic knowledge for famous names in mild cognitive impairment. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 15(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617708090103

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shamseer, L., Moher, D., Clarke, M., Ghersi, D., Liberati, A., Petticrew, M., … the PRISMA-P Group. (2015). Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015: Elaboration and explanation. BMJ, 350, g7647. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7647 jan02 1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C. N. (2014). Retrograde memory for public events in mild cognitive impairment and its relationship to anterograde memory and neuroanatomy. Neuropsychology, 28(6), 959–972. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000117

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. C., Nielson, K. A., Antuono, P., Lyons, J. A., Hanson, R. J., Butts, A. M., … Verber, M. D. (2013). Semantic memory functional MRI and cognitive function after exercise intervention in mild cognitive impairment. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 37(1), 197–215. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-130467

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tabert, M. H., Manly, J. J., Liu, X., Pelton, G. H., Rosenblum, S., Jacobs, M., … Devanand, D. P. (2006). Neuropsychological prediction of conversion to Alzheimer disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63(8), 916–924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tulving, E. (1972). Episodic and semantic memory. In E. Tulving & W. Donaldson (Eds.), Organization of memory. Oxford: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Loon, F. H. J., Buise, M. P., Claassen, J. J. F., Dierick-van Daele, A. T. M., & Bouwman, A. R. A. (2018). Comparison of ultrasound guidance with palpation and direct visualisation for peripheral vein cannulation in adult patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 121(2), 358–366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2018.04.047

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viechtbauer, W. (2010). Conducting meta-analyses in R with the metafor package. Journal of Statistical Software, 36, 3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vogel, A., Gade, A., Stokholm, J., & Waldemar, G. (2005). Semantic memory impairment in the earliest phases of Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 19(2–3), 75–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, R. S., Leurgans, S. E., Boyle, P. A., & Bennett, D. A. (2011). Cognitive decline in prodromal Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment. Archives of Neurology, 68(3), 351–356. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2011.31

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Woodard, J. L., Seidenberg, M., Nielson, K. A., Antuono, P., Guidotti, L., Durgerian, S., … Rao, S. M. (2009). Semantic memory activation in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Brain, 132(Pt 8), 2068–2078.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

EB and LG are supported by a grant from France Alzheimer AAP SHS 2016. SJ and IR are supported by the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, QC, H3W1W5, Canada

    Sven Joubert

  2. Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Sven Joubert

  3. Université de Toulouse, UPS, Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Toulouse, France

    Ludovic Gardy & Emmanuel J. Barbeau

  4. CerCo, CNRS UMR 5549, Toulouse, France

    Ludovic Gardy & Emmanuel J. Barbeau

  5. APHM, Timone, Service de Neurologie et de Neuropsychologie, Hôpital Timone Adultes, Marseille, France

    Mira Didic

  6. Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France

    Mira Didic

  7. Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

    Isabelle Rouleau

  8. Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Isabelle Rouleau

Authors
  1. Sven Joubert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ludovic Gardy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mira Didic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Isabelle Rouleau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Emmanuel J. Barbeau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sven Joubert.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Joubert, S., Gardy, L., Didic, M. et al. A Meta-Analysis of Semantic Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment. Neuropsychol Rev 31, 221–232 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-020-09453-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-020-09453-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation