How scientists found early signs of dementia in Terry Pratchett’s use of adjectives

Unlike popular belief, early signs of dementia come in different variations; for British author Terry Pratchett, it was visible in his novels. According to the latest research titled 'Detecting Dementia Using Lexical Analysis: Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Tells a More Personal Story,' authored by Melody Pattison et al., they studied early signs of dementia for pre-diagnosis of the onset of the illness, through examples that lie hidden in the world of Sir Terry Pratchett.

British author Sir Terry Pratchett has made significant contributions to literature and has been regarded as one of the most prolific imaginative writers in history. The creator of the Discworld series and other satirical works has been known for his sharp sense of humor. However, following his diagnosis with posterior cortical atrophy, a rare type of Alzheimer's disease, he began to spread the word on the illness and subsequently advocated for its awareness. As per the research, while early changes are challenging to detect in terms of dementia, narrower vocabulary and variation in writing have been noticed as possible signs for early detection of the illness. The researchers analyzed Pratchett's Discworld series and found variations in his writing. 

There have been various studies conducted to detect early signs of dementia. In a 2024 study authored by Giedrė Čepukaitytė et al., researchers examined how wearable digital technologies can help detect dementia earlier by measuring everyday behaviors. Out of 316 navigation studies conducted, 27 navigation studies met the inclusion criterion using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. The study noted that several measurable navigation and gait markers may help detect individuals at risk of dementia. "The measurement of navigation and gait may improve early detection of diseases causing dementia and overcome several limitations of legacy tests, including real-world relevance and freedom from linguistic and cultural confounds," the study notes.

Using the "lexical diversity" tool, which measures how different an author's word choices are, the researchers found that there was a significant decline in the usage of adjectives he used previously. "The richness of descriptive language gradually narrowed," the researchers noted. According to the study, the first change was observed in "The Last Continent," which was published a decade before Pratchett was officially diagnosed. This proved that dementia-related changes that occur before its clinical phase may have begun years ago, without showcasing any obvious symptoms. "Dementia is known to have a long preclinical phase, during which opportunities for early intervention are greatest," the research notes. The study concludes that language analysis can be used to detect early signs of any risks attached to the illness.

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