Diagnostic Distortions: A Case Report of Progressive Apraxia of Speech

Abstract

Apraxia of speech (AOS) can be the presenting symptom of neurodegenerative disease. The position of primary progressive AOS in the nosology of the dementias is still controversial. Despite seeing many specialists, patients are often misdiagnosed, in part due to a lack of quantitative measures of speech dysfunction. We present a single case report of a patient presenting with AOS, including acoustic analysis, language assessment, and brain imaging. A 52-year-old woman presenting with AOS had remained undiagnosed for 6 years despite seeing 8 specialists. Results of her MRI scans, genetic testing, and computerized speech analysis are provided. AOS is an underdiagnosed clinical syndrome causing ..