Conflict adaptation and interference suppression in stroke-induced aphasia: Evidence from multiple-single case studies

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Conflict adaptation and interference suppression in stroke-induced aphasia: Evidence from multiple-single case studies Tanya Dash1*, Edith Durand1, Michele Masson-Trottier1 and Ana Inès Ansaldo1 1 CRIUGM, Canada Introduction: Until recently, stroke induced aphasia was considered as a predominant language disorder without cognitive deficit. However, communicative success may depend on the integrity of the components of cognitive control to plan, sequence, organize, and monitor goal-directed behavior (Penn et al., 2010). Interference suppression-that taps the current trial conflict resolution, and conflict adaptation - that taps on post conflict behavioural adjustment, are crucial components of cognitive control (Botvinick et al., 2001). The identification of modes of cognitive control, proactive and reactive control, is possible through the reaction time distribution (Braver, 2012; Dash & Kar, 2014). The purpose of the study is to measure the impact of language therapy on interference suppression and conflict adaptation abilities in persons with aphasia (PWA). Method: Six PWA completed the Eriksen Flanker task (Eriksen & Eriksen, 1974) before and after an intensive language therapy. Language and neuropsychological tests were also performed at both time frames. Reaction times (RTs) and accuracy measures were collected for interference suppression and conflict adaptation conditions of the Flanker task. Reaction time distribution was analyzed for each participant. For the interference suppression, condition congruent (C; <<<<<) and incongruent trials (In; <<><<) were compared. For the conflict adaptation condition, the impact of previous-trial congruency (i.e. C trial) in reference to current trial (i.e. C or In trial) was compared (i.e. C-C versus C-In). A non-parametric statistical analysis was performed on the mean RTs, reaction time distribution and accuracy data. In addition, a qualitative analysis of each PWA was done. Results: Mean RTs showed successful interference suppression i.e. RTs are reduced for incongruent trial when compared with congruent trials, and no significant difference between the pre- and post-therapy performance. However, a significant difference between pre- and post-therapy performance was observed for the reaction time distribution of the C and In trials. Measures of interference suppression were positively correlated with the performance on the naming and attention tasks, and negatively correlated with performance on the working memory task. 3/6 PWA showed successful conflict adaptation, as reflected by longer RTs on congruent trials that follow incongruent trials, compared to incongruent trials following congruent trials, but this difference did not reach significance. These PWA also showed similar changes in their working memory performance. Discussion: Aphasia could lead to different cognitive control impairments; specifically, 3 PWA showed better preserved interference suppression and 3 PWA showed better preserved conflict adaptation. Interestingly, intensive language therapy improved interference suppression abilities for all PWA. However, the ability to adapt behavior after a conflict remains impaired after therapy (3/6 PWA). Post-therapy improvement was more evident with the slower trials, thus indicating the use of a reactive control. Results will be discussed in terms of the links between reactive and proactive control mechanisms. Moreover, improvement in interference suppression and conflict adaptation can be explained with the language and neuropsychological task performance. The present study shows that components of cognitive control and their trajectory of change following intensive language therapy differ across PWA, and that they relate differentially to language and working memory skills. References • Botvinick, M. M., Braver, T. S., Barch, D. M., Carter, C. S., & Cohen, J. D. (2001). Conflict monitoring and cognitive control. Psychological review, 108(3), 624. • Braver, T. S. (2012). The variable nature of cognitive control: a dual mechanisms framework. Trends in cognitive sciences, 16(2), 106-113. • Dash, T., & Kar, B. R. (2014). Bilingual language control and general purpose cognitive control among individuals with bilingual aphasia: evidence based on negative priming and flanker tasks. Behavioural neurology, 2014, 1-20. • Eriksen, B. A.; Eriksen, C. W. (1974). "Effects of noise letters upon identification of a target letter in a non- search task". Perception and Psychophysics. 16: 143–149. • Penn, C., Frankel, T., Watermeyer, J., & Russell, N. (2010). Executive function and conversational strategies in bilingual aphasia. Aphasiology, 24(2), 288-308. Keywords: Aphasia, conflict adaptation, interference suppression, therapy induced changes, reactive control mode, proactive control mode Conference: Academy of Aphasia 55th Annual Meeting , Baltimore, United States, 5 Nov - 7 Nov, 2017. Presentation Type: poster or oral Topic: General Submission Citation: Dash T, Durand E, Masson-Trottier M and Ansaldo A (2019). Conflict adaptation and interference suppression in stroke-induced aphasia: Evidence from multiple-single case studies . Conference Abstract: Academy of Aphasia 55th Annual Meeting . doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2017.223.00004 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 01 May 2017; Published Online: 25 Jan 2019. * Correspondence: Dr. Tanya Dash, CRIUGM, Montreal, QC, H3W 1W5, Canada, tani.dash@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. 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