De Scalzi, M. , Oakhill, J. & Rusted, J.
University of Sussex
It has been shown that the process of understanding a verb activates a spatial representation that is extended along a horizontal or vertical axis. This study aimed to find out whether there were differences in how young, old and probable Alzheimer Type Dementia (pDA) individuals represent verbs, and in how their understanding verbs may interact with directional cues. When tested on forced choice and implicit comprehension tasks, no significant group differences were found, indicating that the spatial content of language is preserved in pDAs, despite their generalised impairment in comprehension. Directional cues incongruent to the direction implied in the action verb were responded faster by all three groups. This reverse compatibility effect was in line with findings from embodied studies testing young adults. Exploring this intact perceptual component of language comprehension may identify conditions under which comprehension in pDAs is facilitated, translating reverse compatibility effects into real life or clinical applications.