Jules Montague and William Miller meet Jo, who was diagnosed with semantic dementia, or primary progressive aphasia, aged 53. She is losing her ability to speak, read and write.
In the last episode of their series uncovering rare dementias, neurologist Jules Montague and William Miller meet Jo, who has primary progressive aphasia (PPA). A novelist, she is losing her ability to speak, read and write.
PPA (previously called semantic dementia) usually affects people in their 50s and 60s. This condition erodes vocabulary. People with PPA have difficulty finding the right word. They also lose knowledge of what words mean and what objects are for.
Details of organisations offering information and support with dementia are available at the BBC Action Line here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1Y8B7y39T07GnTlMsLPJG2S/information-and-support-dementia
Producer: Eve Streeter
Original music: A Brief Encounter by Max Walter
A Raconteur production for BBC Radio 4
Last on
Broadcasts
- Fri 14 Apr 202313:45BBC Radio 4
- Sat 30 Sep 202314:45BBC Radio 4
- Mon 30 Dec 202409:45BBC Radio 4 FM
