Type Of Aphasia Research Articles

The role of cognitive control and naming in aphasia

The classical aphasia literature has placed considerable emphasis on the language-centered understanding of aphasia and failed to consider the role of executive functions (EFs) regarding different aspects of patients’ performance. Many current studies suggest deficits in EFs in individuals with aphasia, however, the available data is still limited. Here, our aim was to investigate the impairment of EFs and its potential negative effects on naming (slower performance, increased reaction time and/or decreased accuracy). We sought to determine whether the poor performance observed in word fluency task correlated with similar outcomes in naming. Our study involved five Hungarian post stroke aphasic patients (2 males and 3 females) between the ages of 60 and 70, as well as a control group matched for age and gender. The participants were diagnosed with different types of aphasia (global, Wernicke’s, anomic and conduction). This study employed various neuropsychological and linguistic batteries. By comparing the patients’ performance to that of the control group, we aimed to investigate the impacts of stroke. Within the aphasia group, we observed difficulties in following complex commands and a connection between general slowness and reduced accuracy in naming. We concluded that impairment of executive functions may have a negative impact on naming, comprehension, and fluency. Therefore, it is important to consider functional variations in neural networks, and to base our interpretations on the available psychophysiological data in literature. Our findings provide an alternative perspective to the traditional assessment of aphasia and highlight the importance of considering the role of executive functions.

Surgical treatment of intracranial epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: a case report

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an extremely rare vascular neoplasm with an intermediate pattern of malignancy between benign neoplasms and angiosarcomas. Only 46 cases of intracranial localization of primary EHE in adults have been published.Case report: A 47-year-old male patient developed pronounced speech disorder of sensory and amnestic aphasia type, right-sided pyramidal hemiparesis within 3–4 days. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a delimited left sided brain islet neoplasm with signs of hemorrhage and small perifocal edema. Intraoperatively, the neoplasm was represented by a conglomerate of pathologic vessels, with involvement of the terminal branches of the M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery, which prevented radical resection of the neoplasm. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemistry analysis of the neoplasm (positive expression of CD31, CD34, proliferative activity index Ki-67 10%) the morphologic diagnosis of EHE was established. 3 months after surgery, continued growth of the residual part of the neoplasm was noted. Temozolomide chemotherapy was clinically ineffective. The patient died due to the development of dislocation syndrome after 9 months.Discussion. The malignant characteristics of EHE include invasive growth, recurrence, and metastasis, which is more common in intracranial localization of the neoplasm. If EHE is suspected, radical surgical removal of the neoplasm should be sought.

Time reference in aphasia: are there differences between tenses and aphasia fluency type? A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Time reference is used to build the temporal framework of discourse and is essential in ensuring efficient communication. Several studies have reported time reference deficits in fluent and non-fluent aphasia and have shown that tenses (past, present, future) are not all impaired to the same extent. However, there is little consensus on the dissociations between tenses, and the question of the influence of the type of aphasia (fluent vs. non-fluent) on time reference remains open. Therefore, a systematic review and an individual participant data meta-analysis (or mega-analysis) were conducted to determine (1) whether one tense is more impaired than another in fluent and non-fluent aphasia and, if so, (2) which task and speaker-related factors moderate tense effects. The systematic review resulted in 35 studies reporting the performance in time reference of 392 participants. The mega-analysis was then performed on 23 studies for a total of 232 participants and showed an alteration of past tense compared to present and future tenses in both types of aphasia. The analysis also showed a task and an age effect on time reference but no gender effect, independently of tenses. These results add to our knowledge of time reference in aphasia and have implications for future therapies.

Abstract WP103: The Role of Social Determinants in Aphasia Outcomes

Introduction: Aphasia is a post-stroke communication disorder that negatively impacts quality of life and life satisfaction even in its mildest form. Traditionally predictors of aphasia outcomes have emphasized neurological factors and little is known about the role that the social, cultural, environmental, and economic determinants of aphasia outcomes. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that non-neurological social factors (social determinants) are linked to post-stroke aphasia outcomes in a large, diverse population of individuals with aphasia. Methods: Merged data from the AphasiaBank—a large database designed to explore aphasia outcomes using data collected from aphasia studies based on standardized protocols were matched with data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) based on range of sociodemographic and clinical outcomes to create an integrated dataset to examine the association between social determinants and aphasia outcomes. Generalized log-linear regression models were utilized to examine the association between scores on the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised Aphasia Quotient (WAB-R AQ) and sociodemographic, economic, and environmental characteristics. Regression models accounted for geographic clustering of respondents and the stratification of data collection to ensure the robustness of estimates. Results: Blacks had 6.1% (SE=0.009) lower WAB-AQ scores compared to Whites as did those who were married (β-0.030, SE=0.004) and living in the Southern US (β=-0.013, SE=0.003) even after controlling forage, environment, and aphasia type. Individuals with aphasia and living in larger families (β=0.031,SE=0.004) and those who visited their medical provider regularly (β=0.051, SE=0.002) had higher scores compared to the reference group. Income-to-poverty ratio and home ownership were significantly correlated with impairment level. The analysis indicated that having available transportation did not influence observed outcomes. Finally racial disparities did not persist at the highest income levels. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest researcher should look beyond neurologic correlates when exploring aphasia outcomes..

Evaluation of reliability and validity of the Serbian Aphasia Screening Test.

A rise in strokes worldwide means that the number of people affected by aphasia is increasing. Early and accurate diagnosis of aphasia is crucial for recovery. Presently, there are no dedicated screening tests tailored for evaluating aphasia in Serbian-speaking individuals. This paper presents and describes the psychometric properties of the Serbian Aphasia Screening Test (SAST), a novel aphasia screening tool designed specifically for Serbian speakers. This initiative fills the gap in aphasia assessment tools for the Serbian population, providing a comprehensive and culturally sensitive approach to the evaluation of language disorders. Data using the SAST were collected from 240 participants: 120 Serbian speakers with aphasia after stroke compared to 120 neurotypical individuals. The assessment included the following subtests: conversation, verbal automatized sequences, auditory comprehension, visual confrontation naming, responsive naming, repetition of words, repetition of sentences, oral word reading, oral sentence reading, reading comprehension, and writing. The main objectives were to ascertain the psychometric qualities of the SAST, including inter-rater reliability of scoring, test-retest reliability, reliability of the individual subtests, overall test reliability, and inter-correlations among subtests. Additionally, the study evaluated the discriminatory capability of the SAST in distinguishing between individuals with aphasia and neurotypical controls, as well as between individuals with different types of aphasia. The findings revealed that the SAST has excellent inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. There were statistically significant differences between individuals with aphasia and neurotypical controls on all SAST subtests. Furthermore, the study identified significant differences in language profiles among participants with different types of aphasia. The significant correlations between scores on the SAST and on the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) suggest good convergent validity of the SAST. The results underscore the robust psychometric properties of this novel screening assessment (SAST) and its ability to effectively discriminate between diverse linguistic abilities within different aphasia syndromes in Serbian speaking individuals.

Inter-Relationship between Conceptual Ambiguity and Naming Performance in Persons with Aphasia

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder with a wide variety of symptoms. Anomia or word finding difficulty is a common symptom of aphasia regardless of the type of Aphasia. Conventionally a wide variety of confrontation naming tests are used to assess the naming domain in Aphasia. However the confrontation naming test is deemed to be simple limiting its utility. The current study uses fusion pictures which are conceptually loaded. The developed test was administered on 8 persons with aphasia and 0 neuro-typical adults. Both between and within group analysis revealed a significant difference. Persons with aphasia exhibited more difficulty on fusion compared to non-fusion pictures unveiling the role of conceptual ambiguity in naming.

A Novel Approach for Aphasia Evaluation based on ROI-based Features from Structural Magnetic Resonance Image.

Aphasia, affecting one-third of stroke survivors, impairs language comprehension and speech production, leading to challenges in daily interactions, social isolation, and economic losses. Assessing aphasia is crucial for effective rehabilitation and recovery in patients. However, the conventional behavioral-based evaluation, reliant on speech pathologists, is susceptible to individual variability, resulting in high labor costs, time-consuming processes, and low robustness. To address these limitations, this study introduces a novel evaluation method based on medical image processing and artificial intelligence. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides exceptional spatial resolution while mitigating the impact of individual variability. The image processing techniques were employed to extract pathological features, specifically region-of-interest (ROI)-based features. Subsequently, the evaluation models were trained using ROI-based features which initially identify the occurrence of aphasia and then categorize the type of aphasia, aiding clinicians in tailoring treatment to various therapeutic approaches and intensities. The evaluation models also predict the severity and generate scores for four types of language function: spontaneous speech, auditory comprehension, naming, and repetition. Both aphasia occurrence detection and aphasia type classification attain impressive accuracy rates of 100.00 ± 0.00% and 85.00 ± 13.23%, respectively. The severity prediction yields the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) of 17.03 ± 2.75, while the assessment of four language functions achieves the best RMSE of 1.27 ± 0.82. Utilising the advantages of a medical imaging-based automation approach, the proposed aphasia evaluation method provides a comprehensive procedure and generates rather accurate results. Hence it could assist the aphasia rehabilitation and substantially reduce clinicians' workload.

Factors predicting stroke specific quality of life in post stroke aphasia

Background: Understanding the factors that predict stroke-specific QoL in post-stroke aphasia patients in Pakistan is crucial for developing targeted interventions and improving the rehabilitation process. Objective: To determine the factors predicting the stroke-specific quality of life in post-stroke aphasia. Methodology: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted over 18 months from June 2021 to December 2022 at RHS Rehabilitation Centre Islamabad Pakistan. A total of n=134 independent participants with fluent and non-fluent aphasia at least six months post-stroke, and able to follow one-step commands were included in the study through a non-probability convenient sampling technique. The stroke-specific quality of life (SS-QoL) scale was used to assess the quality of life in the participants, while the list of predictors was developed from the literature. SPSS version 21 was used for statistical analysis. Result: A multiple regression was run to predict the quality of life from marital status, gender, family status, patient's socioeconomic status, types of strokes, types of aphasia, and comorbidities. These variables statistically significantly predicted quality of life {F(13,120)=10.366, p<0.001}. All variables cause 47.8% (Adj. R2=0.478) variance in stroke-specific quality of life in aphasia patients. Conclusion: The male gender, married marital status, middle and upper socioeconomic status, ischemic stroke compared to hemorrhagic stroke, fluent aphasia, and cardiac disease compared to other comorbidities positively affect the quality of life in post-stroke aphasia patients. However, age and the family system did not show any impact on the quality of life. Keywords: aphasia; diabetes; quality of life; stroke

Network-based statistics distinguish anomic and Broca's aphasia.

Aphasia is a speech-language impairment commonly caused by damage to the left hemisphere. The neural mechanisms that underpin different types of aphasia and their symptoms are still not fully understood. This study aims to identify differences in resting-state functional connectivity between anomic and Broca's aphasia measured through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We used the network-based statistic (NBS) method, as well as voxel- and connectome-based lesion symptom mapping (V-, CLSM), to identify distinct neural correlates of the anomic and Broca's groups. To control for lesion effect, we included lesion volume as a covariate in both the NBS method and LSM. NBS identified a subnetwork located in the dorsal language stream bilaterally, including supramarginal gyrus, primary sensory, motor, and auditory cortices, and insula. The connections in the subnetwork were weaker in the Broca's group than the anomic group. The properties of the subnetwork were examined through complex network measures, which indicated that regions in right inferior frontal sulcus, right paracentral lobule, and bilateral superior temporal gyrus exhibit intensive interaction. Left superior temporal gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, and left supramarginal gyrus play an important role in information flow and overall communication efficiency. Disruption of this network underlies the constellation of symptoms associated with Broca's aphasia. Whole-brain CLSM did not detect any significant connections, suggesting an advantage of NBS when thousands of connections are considered. However, CLSM identified connections that differentiated Broca's from anomic aphasia when analysis was restricted to a hypothesized network of interest. We identified novel signatures of resting-state brain network differences between groups of individuals with anomic and Broca's aphasia. We identified a subnetwork of connections that statistically differentiated the resting-state brain networks of the two groups, in comparison with standard CLSM results that yielded isolated connections. Network-level analyses are useful tools for the investigation of the neural correlates of language deficits post-stroke.

How Does Aphasia Affect Quality of Life? Preliminary Reports.

Aphasia leads to disability, which, in turn, limits and can result in a complete breakdown of roles and social bonds. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of aphasia disorders on the quality of life of patients after an ischemic stroke. A prospective study among 116 patients with an ischemic stroke (the study group: 68 participants, 38.25% female, included patients with aphasia after a stroke; the control group: 48 patients, 37.5% female, without aphasia) was conducted at the Neurological Department of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Włocławek. The patients were assessed twice: the first assessment was conducted during hospitalization using the Aphasia Dynamics Assessment Scale and the Aphasia Test Method of Jadwiga Szumska, and the second assessment of the quality of life after six months was conducted using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. The patients from the control group rated their overall quality of life more highly than the patients from the study group. Statistically significant differences were observed in the physical domain, the psychological domain, and the environmental domain. The analysis of sociodemographic factors indicated a negative impact on the quality of life of the following variables: female gender, 55-64 years of age, vocational education, and place of residence-rural area. The degree and type of aphasia influenced the overall quality of life. Studies with larger samples are necessary.

Characteristics of Aphasia in Ischemic Stroke Patients at Dr. Mahar Mardjono National Brain Center Hospital Indonesia in 2021

Highlights: 1. To author’s knowledge, this study is the first study done in National Brain Center Hospital In Jakarta2. No similar studies have been done during the pandemic era3. This study can add additional data to further studies about aphasia in comparison with post pandemic era Abstract Global aphasia, sensory transcortical aphasia, motor transcortical aphasia, motor aphasia, sensory aphasia, conduction aphasia and anomic aphasia can occur in ischemic stroke. There are different locations of lesions in each type of aphasia. There has been an increase in incidence and mortality of stroke patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, global aphasia was the most common type of aphasia. This study was conducted to determine the type of aphasia, clinical and radiological features, and also management of aphasia in ischemic stroke during the pandemic. This research is a descriptive study with a cross sectional approach. Sampling was done by total sampling technique. The research sample was ischemic stroke subjects with aphasia diagnosed from January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021 at the National Brain Center Hospital Prof. Dr. dr. Mahar Mardjono Jakarta. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics for Mac, Version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). There were 162 aphasic subjects with ischemic stroke. Age range was 34 – 87 years. Most subjects were male (59.9%), aged 55-65 years (37.0%). Hypertension (90.1%), diabetes mellitus (50.0%), and dyslipidemia (75.9%) were the dominant risk factors. The most common type of aphasia is global aphasia (43.8%) and motoric aphasia. (33,3%). The parietal lobe was the dominant location of global aphasia (38 subjects) and motoric aphasia (47 subjects). The therapy given to aphasic subjects with a history of ischemic stroke includes speech therapy (85.2%), antiplatelet therapy (98.1%), anticoagulants (19.1%), rTPA (1.2%), and neuroprotectors (3.0 %). In conclusion, in ischemic stroke subjects with aphasia at the National Brain Center Hospital during the pandemic, global aphasia was found to be the most common with the dominant global aphasia lesion location in the parietal lobe.

Preferred Communication Strategies for People with Communication Disabilities in Health Care Encounters: a Qualitative Study.

People with communication disabilities (CDs), which includes disabilities in speech, language, voice and/or hearing, experience health and healthcare disparities. A barrier to accessing high-quality, equitable care is the lack of effective communication between patients and their providers. In designing a patient-prompted tool to facilitate communication, we analyzed qualitative feedback on communication strategies and the experience of people with CDs, caregivers, and providers in healthcare encounters. We aimed to describe communication strategies that patients with CDs find most useful and optimize a tool for patients to share their communication strategy preferences during clinical encounters. While patient-provider communication is paramount in every interaction, we aimed to highlight the intricacies of optimizing communication for this population. We performed a qualitative study utilizing focus groups and interviews with patients with CDs, their caregivers, and healthcare providers. A total of 46 individuals participated in focus groups or interviews; 26 participants self-reported a CD, nine were caregivers, and 11 were providers. Participants represented diverse types of CDs, including stuttering, aphasia, hearing loss, and people with autism or cerebral palsy who use assistive technology to communicate. Analysis of qualitative interview and focus group data was guided by a qualitative content analysis approach. We identified three themes: (1) While communication strategies should be individualized, participants agreed upon a consolidated list of best strategies and accommodations. We used this consolidated list to finalize tool development. (2) Patients and providers preferred disclosure of the CD and desired communication strategies before the appointment. (3) Providers often do not use communication strategies and accommodations during clinical encounters. For patients with CDs, it is critical to acknowledge and document the CD and individualize communication strategies during healthcare visits to facilitate communication. Studies are needed to evaluate whether improved communication strategy usage leads to improved health outcomes for this population.

The Quality of Life Levels Among Individuals with Various Types of Aphasia

The Quality of Life Levels Among Individuals with Various Types of Aphasia

Treatment Time and Treatment Selection in Aphasia: A Preliminary Study Using Vignettes.

Little is known about the factors that clinicians use when selecting treatments. The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore a possible factor, available treatment time, in the aphasia treatment selection process. A case-based vignette survey was created using de-identified assessment data from the AphasiaBank database. Six vignettes varied by aphasia type and severity and were presented under two different treatment time alternatives: 7.5 or 60 hr. Respondents were asked to select the single treatment that they would "almost certainly use" under each treatment time scenario. Treatment options were obtained from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Practice Portal. Respondents also answered questions about their confidence level in administering the treatments and their primary reason for selecting a particular treatment for each case scenario. A total of 26 practicing speech-language pathologists with at least 5 years of clinical experience with aphasia completed the survey. A majority of respondents (76%-84%) changed the treatment they would "almost certainly use" based on a change in treatment time availability. The most frequently given reason for the overall treatment selection was that the treatment was likely to produce a functional outcome. Neither the respondents' reported confidence levels nor their years of experience were related to treatment selection. This is one of the first studies to investigate how clinicians select aphasia treatment. Treatment time emerged as a consistent factor in selecting aphasia treatment in this preliminary study. Recommendations for next research steps are given. We suggest that aphasia treatment research be disseminated with clear information about required treatment time. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23646855.

Intersectional sociodemographic and neurological relationships in the naming ability of persons with post-stroke aphasia

IntroductionSignificant attention has been given to the role of brain function and disruption in determining performance on naming tasks among individuals with aphasia. However, scholarly pursuit of a neurological explanation has overlooked the fundamental cornerstone of individual health—the underlying social, economic, and environmental factors that shape how they live, work, and age, also known as the social determinants of health (SDOH). This study examines the correlation between naming performance and these underlying factors. MethodsIndividual level data from the 2010 Moss Aphasia Psycholinguistic Project Database (MAPPD) was matched with the 2009–2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) using a propensity score algorithm based on functional, health, and demographic characteristics. Multilevel, generalized, nonlinear regression models were applied to the resulting data set to assess the correlation between the Boston Naming Test (BNT) percentile score and age, income, sex, race, household size, marital status, aphasia type, and region of residence. Poisson regression models with bootstrapped standard errors were used to estimate these relationships ResultsDiscrete dependent variable estimation with non-normal prior specification included individual level (age, marital status, years of education), socioeconomic (family income), health (aphasia type), household (family size), and environmental (region of residence) characteristics. Regression results indicated that, relative to individuals with Wernicke's, individuals with Anomic (0.74, SE = 0.0008) and Conduction (0.42, SE = 0.0009) aphasia performed better on the BNT. While age at the time of testing was not significantly correlated, higher income level (0.15, SE = 0.0003) and larger family size (0.002, SE = 0.002) was associated with higher BNT score percentiles. Finally, Black persons with aphasia (PWA) (-0.0124, SE = 0.0007) had lower average score percentiles when other factors were held constant. ConclusionsThe findings reported here suggest higher income and larger family size are associated with better outcomes. As expected, aphasia type was significantly associated with naming outcomes. However, poorer performance by Black PWA and individuals with low income suggests that SDOH can play a critical role (positive and negative) in naming impairment in some populations with aphasia.

Brain structural and functional correlates of the heterogenous progression of mixed transcortical aphasia

Mixed transcortical aphasia (MTCA) is characterized by non-fluent speech and comprehension deficits coexisting with preserved repetition. MTCA may evolve to less severe variants of aphasias or even to full language recovery. Mechanistically, MCTA has traditionally been attributed to a disconnection between the spared left perisylvian language network (PSLN) responsible for preserved verbal repetition, and damaged left extrasylvian networks, which are responsible for language production and comprehension impairments. However, despite significant advances in in vivo neuroimaging, the structural and functional status of the PSLN network in MTCA and its evolution has not been investigated. Thus, the aim of the present study is to examine the status of the PSLN, both in terms of its functional activity and structural integrity, in four cases who developed acute post-stroke MTCA and progressed to different types of aphasia. For it, we conducted a neuroimaging-behavioral study performed in the chronic stage of four patients. The behavioral profile of MTCA persisted in one patient, whereas the other three patients progressed to less severe types of aphasias. Neuroimaging findings suggest that preserved verbal repetition in MTCA does not always depend on the optimal status of the PSLN and its dorsal connections. Instead, the right hemisphere or the left ventral pathway may also play a role in supporting verbal repetition. The variability in the clinical evolution of MTCA may be explained by the varying degree of PSLN alteration and individual premorbid neuroanatomical language substrates. This study offers a fresh perspective of MTCA through the lens of modern neuroscience and unveils novel insights into the neural underpinnings of repetition.

Determinants of Healthcare Expenditures among People with Aphasia: Importance of Race, Sex, Residence, and Aphasia Type

ABSTRACT Introduction Roughly 30% of stroke survivors suffer from aphasia—a communication disorder that affects the ability to communicate effectively—but little is known about their healthcare expenditure or how it varies between aphasia subtypes. This study evaluates the relative differential in healthcare expenditure of anomic, Broca’s, Wernicke’s and Conduction aphasia and assesses expenditure between demographic cohorts Methods Individual level data from the 2010 Moss Aphasia Psycholinguistic Project Database was matched with the 2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey using a propensity score algorithm based on functional, health, and demographic characteristics. Multilevel, generalized, nonlinear regression models were applied to the resulting data set to assess the correlation between annual healthcare expenditure, time post onset (tpo), sex, race, family size, marital status, income, education, aphasia type, and region of residence. Results were used to predict expenditure by aphasia subtype, race, and sex. Multiple distributional specifications tested the sensitivity and ensured the robustness of estimates. Results Regression results indicate that individuals with Broca’s aphasia had statistically higher healthcare expenditures paying an average of $10,896.45 annually when compared to anomic ($7,927.60), Wernicke’s ($7,096.22), and Conduction ($9,447.19) aphasias. Additionally, healthcare expenditure increased with each year of age (β=0.004, SE=0.005), but decreased with each year after stroke (β=-0.002, SE=0.001). Females (β=0.358, SE=0.131) and Blacks (β=0.103, SE=0.200) paid significantly more annually compared to males and Whites, respectively. Neither region of residence, income, nor level of education were significantly correlated with healthcare expenditure. Conclusion This study showed that, while individuals with Broca’s aphasia had higher average healthcare expenditure than other subtypes, the differential was not statistically significant. Sex and race cohorts did, however, show statistically significant differences in healthcare expenditures. While causality is outside the scope of this analysis, additional work is needed to determine the best strategy to mitigate these disparities.

The syllable as a fundamental sub-lexical unit in phonological paraphasias: evidence from Spanish-speaking aphasic patients

ABSTRACT Background Considering that the syllable is a well-defined unit in the Spanish language, we assume that it could be analyzed at the core of phonological paraphasias. Aims Identify if the characteristics of the Spanish syllable system are reflected in the production of phonological errors among Spanish-speaking aphasic patients. Methods & Procedures Twenty-four Spanish-speaking aphasic patients with different aetiology, severity, and type of aphasia participated in the study. We designed Word and Pseudoword Repetition Tasks controlling for stimuli length, syllable structure frequency, and syllable position. Outcomes & Results The production of paraphasias evidences an effect of syllable complexity and syllable frequency, since the CV syllable structure which is the simplest but also the most common one in Spanish, was more resistant to errors. Stimulus length and stimuli lexicality effects were evident since monosyllabic stimuli and words (opposed to pseudowords) triggered fewer errors, respectively. Also, we observed an interaction of length/lexicality, where polysyllabic pseudowords were related to a higher number of errors. Finally, results revealed a strong correlation between the relative frequency of syllable structures in Spanish and the percentage of syllable structures in phonemic paraphasias. Conclusions The repetition of words and pseudowords by these Spanish-speaking aphasic patients confirm that their phonological errors are related to the syllabic system of the Spanish language. This finding has implications when assessing Spanish-speaking aphasic patients.

The Relationship Between Memory, Type, and Severity of Aphasia With Confrontation Naming in Post-stroke Patients With Chronic Aphasia

Objectives: The brain’s widespread neural functions lead to aphasia in which the patients experience difficulties in cognitive and language functions. Memory, type, and severity of aphasia are associated with language and the naming process. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between memory, type, and severity of aphasia using the confrontation naming test in post-stroke patients with chronic aphasia. Methods: This research was a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study. We selected 45 chronic aphasia patients aged 35-70 years. The participants with a mild to moderate score in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were assessed with the Persian naming test, Wechsler Memory Scale, and Persian Western Aphasia Battery. Results: There was a significant difference between memory with correct answers without a cue, correct answers with a semantic cue, and the total correct answers from confrontation naming (P<0.001, r=0.62; P=0.01, r=0.37; and P<0.001, r=0.71; respectively). Furthermore, the results indicated a significant difference between the type of aphasia with subtests of confrontation naming involving correct answers with semantic cues and total correct answers (P=0.02). Also, the results showed a significant difference between the severity of aphasia with correct answers without a cue, correct answers with a semantic cue, and the total correct answers from confrontation naming (P<0.001, r=0.77; P=0.03, r=0.31; and P<0.001, r=0.67; respectively). In comparing semantic and phonetic cues, memory, type, and severity of aphasia indicated significant association only with semantic cues. Discussion: There is an association between memory, type, and severity of aphasia with confrontation naming in patients with aphasia. The data have highlighted the importance of factors that need to be considered to formulate a comprehensive treatment plan to achieve further improvement in naming skills.

Isolated Insular Stroke: An Interesting Report of Two Cases.

Isolated Insular Stroke: An Interesting Report of Two Cases.