Semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) is a unique frontotemporal degeneration that affects the semantic system in the anterior temporal lobes with progressive deterioration of semantic knowledge. It is important to differentiate svPPA as it differs in management and clinical courses. The most sensitive clinical screens for svPPA are the loss of nouns in conversational speech, surface dysgraphia or dyslexia in writing or reading, and decreased single-word comprehension.
In comparison to Alzheimer’s disease, svPPA patients have more prominent difficulties in confrontational naming, irregular word reading, face recognition, and visuospatial skills. As svPPA involves the right anterior temporal lobe patients have more face recognition difficulties when compared to patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Along with better episodic memory and visuospatial constructions, language measures, including naming and irregular word writing may distinguish this neurocognitive disorder on presentation
