Affiliations: [a] Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [b] Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [c] Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine and SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [d] Department of Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [e] Yongmoon Graduate School of Counseling Psychology, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [f] Department of Nuclear Medicine, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Jun-Young Lee, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine and SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Boramae-Ro 5-Gil, Shindaebang-dong, Dongjak-gu, 156-707 Seoul,Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 2 870 2462; Fax: +82 2 6280 6099; E-mail: benji@snu.ac.kr
Abstract: Background:A standardized tool for evaluating semantic knowledge of the Korean population is needed. Objective:The purpose of this study was to develop a neuropsychological test for the evaluation of semantic knowledge in the Korean elderly population. Methods:The Korean version of the Size/Weight Attribute Test (SWAT-K) was developed in reference to the original version. The diagnostic validity of SWAT-K was evaluated with 95 elderly outpatients [67 normal controls; 18 with Alzheimer’s disease (AD); 10 with semantic-variant progressive aphasia (SV-PPA)]. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed to examine associations between SWAT-K scores and morphological changes of the brain. Results:SWAT-K could discriminate the three subject groups (normal >AD, p < 0.001; AD >SV-PPA, p = 0.040), whereas Boston Naming Test could not distinguish SV-PPA from AD. ROC curve analysis confirmed high levels of sensitivity (0.90) and specificity (0.93) for SWAT-K. The test’s inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.827) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.666) were assessed as well. VBM found a significant positive correlation (uncorrected p < 0.005, k > 100) between SWAT-K scores and gray matter volume in right inferior frontal cortex (T = 4.08, k = 191) and bilateral temporal cortices (left, T = 4.42, k = 135; right, T = 3.55, k = 253), the areas the most affected in SV-PPA. Conclusions:SWAT-K is a sensitive and reliable test for evaluating semantic knowledge in the Korean elderly population. Strong positive correlations between SWAT-K scores and the brain areas responsible for semantic processing further corroborate the validity of SWAT-K.
