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Semantic dementia: a unique clinicopathological syndrome
Hodges JR, Patterson K.. The Lancet. Neurology, 2007-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Semantic dementia (SD), one of the main clinical variants of frontotemporal dementia, presents a unique combination of clinical and imaging abnormalities. We describe the epidemiological, cognitive, and radiological features of SD. The distinctive and consistent neuropsychological deficits in this disorder have had a major effect on current conceptions of the organisation of semantic memory and its links to episodic memory, language, and perceptual processes. Structural (MRI) and functional (fluorodeoxyglucose-PET) studies in SD emphasise the role of the temporopolar and perirhinal cortices. Unlike other frontotemporal dementia syndromes, the neuropathological findings in SD are fairly predictable: most patients have ubiquitin-positive, tau-negative neuronal inclusions.
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APA 7th
Hodges, JR., & Patterson, K. (2007). Semantic dementia: a unique clinicopathological syndrome. The Lancet. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(07)70266-1
Vancouver
Hodges JR, Patterson K. Semantic dementia: a unique clinicopathological syndrome. The Lancet. Neurology. 2007. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(07)70266-1. PMID: 17945154.
BibTeX
@article{hodges2007-17945154,
author = {Hodges, JR. and Patterson, K.},
title = {{Semantic dementia: a unique clinicopathological syndrome}},
journal = {The Lancet. Neurology},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1016/s1474-4422(07)70266-1},
pmid = {17945154},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(07)70266-1}
}
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Key findings
- Semantic dementia (SD), one of the main clinical variants of frontotemporal dementia, presents a unique combination of clinical and imaging abnormalities.
- We describe the epidemiological, cognitive, and radiological features of SD.
- The distinctive and consistent neuropsychological deficits in this disorder have had a major effect on current conceptions of the organisation of semantic memory and its links to episodic memory, language, and perceptual processes.
- Structural (MRI) and functional (fluorodeoxyglucose-PET) studies in SD emphasise the role of the temporopolar and perirhinal cortices.
- Unlike other frontotemporal dementia syndromes, the neuropathological findings in SD are fairly predictable: most patients have ubiquitin-positive, tau-negative neuronal inclusions.
Why it matters
This review describes semantic dementia as a frontotemporal dementia variant with distinctive language and imaging features, usually showing ubiquitin-positive, tau-negative inclusions. It is descriptive and reports no treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Lancet. Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Lancet Neurology: journal h-index 457 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 783 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 37.3 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 22.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 21 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 91 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Karalyn E. Patterson: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Medical Research Council: institution h-index 1,249 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17945154) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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