Cognitive impairment and pragmatics

Abstract

Background: One of the most important ingredients of felicitous conversation exchanges is the adequate expression of illocutionary force and the achievement of perlocutionary effects, which can be considered essential to the functioning of pragmatic competence. Findings: The breakdown of illocutionary and perlocutionary functions is one of the most prominent external features of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease, with devastating psychological and social consequences for patients, their family and caregivers. Conclusions: The study of pragmatic functions is essential for a proper understanding of the linguistic and communicative aspects of Alzheimer’s disease.